Meknès — Shadows of the Black Guard
Uncover the deadly conspiracy within Moulay Ismaïl's Black Guard. Decode clues hidden in gates, granaries and palaces to expose the traitors who plotted his downfall from the heart of the imperial city.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In the 17th century, Sultan Moulay Ismaïl transformed Meknès into an impregnable imperial capital, rivaling Versailles with its towering walls and monumental gates
Meknès — Shadows of the Black Guard
You are Moussa Agadir, leader of the Black Guard in 17th-century Meknes, tasked with thwarting a plot against Moulay Ismail's legacy.
Your mission begins in front
Dive into the timeless alleys of Meknes, where the shadows of Moulay Ismail's Black Guard still whisper the secrets of the Ismaili capital.
« The Triumphal Entrance »— Inscription on the main arch of Bab Mansour Laâlej, 1732
The story that haunts this land
Your quest truly begins at Bab Mansour Laâlej, erected in 1732 under the order of Moulay Abdallah, son of Moulay Ismail. This main gate of El-Hedim Square, 17 meters high and adorned with Fes tiles, is a strategic point. The Arabic inscription 'The Triumphal Entrance' above its main arch is not just a decoration; it's a symbol of the power of the imperial city of Meknes, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996. Here, you will decipher the first puzzles, revealing information about troop movements and potential allies.
Crossing El-Hedim Square, a former cavalry parade ground under Moulay Ismail (1672-1727), you can imagine the spectacles and public executions that once took place there. Now transformed into a modern public space of 3,000 m² with cafes and entertainment, it remains a vital crossroads of Meknes, an imperial city in Morocco. Your route then leads you to the Grand Mosque of Meknes, founded in 1700 by Moulay Ismail. Its 26-meter minaret, completed in 1710 in a Hispano-Moorish style, dominates the medina. The prayer courtyard, with its 153 marble columns, conceals crucial clues for your investigation.
Your investigation takes you to the Bou Inania Madrasa, a Quranic school built between 1340-1350 under Abou Inan Faris. Its central patio, 20x20 meters, adorned with zellige and carved stucco, once housed 200 students spread over two floors of cells. Restored in 1960, this madrasa is an emblematic monument of Marinid architecture and a place of knowledge. It is here that you will have to decipher ancient texts to understand the conspirators' motives and the connection with the Fes-Meknes heritage, a region rich in history.
The Dar Jamaï Museum, a palace built in 1898 by Si Mohammed ben Driss el-Yamani, is your next stop. Established in 1925 as a museum of Moroccan arts, this 1,200 m² building with shaded patios and zellij fountains houses a collection of 15,000 objects. From here, a panoramic view of El-Hedim Square and Bab Mansour will help you locate the next clue. You will then head towards Bab Berdaïne, a 17th-century fortified gate in the ramparts of Moulay Ismail's imperial city, designed to protect the southern district. Its defensive architecture, with machicolations and semi-circular towers, is a testament to the military strategy of the era.
This thematic circuit in the historic medina of Meknes will have allowed you to retrace the steps of the Black Guard and delve into the history of Meknes. You will have discovered Fes-Meknes monuments like the Grand Mosque and the Bou Inania Madrasa, and walked the alleys of the Ismaili capital, a UNESCO Meknes medina 1996 site. By solving the puzzles and exploring each site, you will have not only thwarted a conspiracy but also gained a deep understanding of Meknes' world heritage and its role as an imperial city of Morocco. It's an interactive visit that will remain etched in your memory.
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?
Architect's Plan
Decipher a loyal architect's hidden sketches to reveal a betrayal.
Espionage Investigation
Infiltrate court intrigues and unmask the Sultan's hidden enemies.
Defense of the Empire
Protect Moulay Ismaïl's reign against a threatening conspiracy.
Walls have eyes, shadows have secrets.
Will you thwart the conspiracy threatening the Black Guard?
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
Dive into the timeless alleys of Meknes, where the shadows of Moulay Ismail's Black Guard still whisper the secrets of the Ismaili capital.
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
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Moulay Ismail's Shadow — Decipher the Sultan's Hidden Conspiracy
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