Helena — Founders' Secret Oath
Decipher the hidden oath of Helena's founders that turned a lawless gulch into a capital. Hunt clues across statues and parks to expose the pact's dark secret before it claims another victim.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 1864, four miners struck gold at Last Chance Gulch, founding Helena amid Montana's wild frontier
Helena: From Gold Rush to Montana's Capital
In 1864, four miners struck gold at Last Chance Gulch, founding Helena amid Montana's wild frontier. But whispers persist of a blood oath they swore—a secret pact binding them to silence about a betrayed partner whose ghost haunts the streets. This vow propelled Helena from tent city to state capital, yet it concealed greed, murder, and a curse that doomed the signers to untimely graves. Now, cryptic symbols etched on founders' monuments and hidden in historic parks point to the oath's location. As descendants feud over lost claims, you must race to uncover the full text, solve the riddle of the traitor's fate, and break the cycle of vengeance. Start at the heart of the gulch where it all began—track the clues through bronze heroes and granite memorials to reveal the truth that could rewrite Helena's legacy.
« It wasn't the gold itself that mattered most, but what it could build: a city, a future, a state. »— Montana Pioneer, 1870
The Golden Glow of a Capital
The discovery of gold in Last Chance Gulch by the 'Four Georgians' on July 14, 1864, transformed a solitary ravine into the vibrant heart of a new town, initially named 'Crabtown' before becoming Helena. This spectacular rush attracted thousands of prospectors and adventurers, creating an environment of rapid prosperity but also disorder. The need to regulate the territory, build infrastructure, and establish local government quickly became evident, marking the beginnings of a civic ambition beyond mere extraction.
Thanks to the influx of wealth from surrounding gold and silver mines, Helena quickly prospered, surpassing its rivals to become the territorial capital of Montana in 1875, and then the state capital upon its admission to the Union in 1889. The city adorned itself with lavish mansions, imposing public buildings, and cultural institutions, testifying to its wealth and influence. Helena's story is one of extraordinary transformation, where the daring of miners laid the groundwork for lasting political power.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
The Gold Rush
Immerse yourself in the frantic era when gold nuggets transformed a gulch into a thriving city.
The Heart of the Capital
Explore the institutions and monuments that embody Helena's political power as the capital of Montana.
The Forgotten Pact
Decipher the secret plan of the founders who sealed Helena's destiny, beyond mere fortune.
Gold builds empires, vision founds capitals.
The secret of the Queen of the Rockies awaits you.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
Avis des aventuriers
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Your turn to play
Follow in the footsteps of Helena's pioneers and builders. Unravel the clues left by forgotten figures of Montana. Your quest: to decipher the secret pact that transformed a simple mining camp into the political heart of a wild state.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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