>>645426
Go to the river. Can't go to the church without likely getting it demolished.

'Morning, Sami. Such as it is.

>river or church
I'd rather not bring trouble on the church. And if it's protected or hallowed ground, it's possible your curse would keep you from it. Or that you'd weaken it being there. Not sure. It seems like borrowing trouble.

Does that axe have a strap so you can sling it over your shoulder? Inconvenient to have to carry it everywhere.

[Scan Guitar, I don't think we actually did, before]

Hey. We've been busy and your connection was disabled, but we're back!

Good news is, those three hackers didn't come back. Bad news is, we're cut off from the admins; we can't get energy back the usual way, at least for now, and we're running low so our powers are VERY limited.

As tempting as it is to go back to base, you're on your last ration and without food. The sunlight should send most of the wraiths into hiding (disabling the golems), meaning that your only major concern is the vermin. You'll want to spend as much daylight as you can.

Scan the river, we'll help make sure there's no vermin nearby. See if you can kick down a few withered trees and divert the flow of the water with a weak dam, and then scavenge for fish and other stuff on the riverbed.

Afterwards, you might want to find golem tools: those golems will become a serious hazard during night-hours, so you'll want to deal with them as soon as possible. Hacking one might be exceptionally difficult, but if you destroyed all the golems the wraiths could change tactics and possess a vermin queen or something. We all noticed that the vermin didn't show their faces when a twenty-thousand pound steamroller of death was chasing you by demolishing buildings, so having just one on your side could even the odds tremendously.

Oh, and I suggest you tune the guitar since you have the time.

*Private*
Scan for anything that Sami can pick up.
*/Private*

[private]
>Bad news is, we're cut off from the admins
...We never told her about the admins. She didn't know there were more people she doesn't know and trust watching and messing with her.

Talking with Father Nick is probably the best move. For water, and to make sure he's okay.
But be careful, of course! Peek out to make sure the coast is clear, don't just rush out.

Guitar Scan Smik 2015/06/05(Fri)14:06 No. 646390 ID: 3009b4
File 143353836762.jpg - (350.65KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_2.jpg )

Without access to the wiki, all you can do is gather information about the basic properties of the guitar.

It is definitely network active -- and powerful. The guitar shares many properties with the flute -- a secure hacking tool -- hacking tools like a Third Eye have a vulnerability of leaving one open by virtue of connection and can be detected through their use.

In this particular case, the Guitar seems to be limited to impacting the "Dead" world -- it has no impact on fae, pantheon or cat elements but it will impact artificial elements (golems), curse, and wayward spirits.

Unlike the pipe, the guitar doesn't appear to have any special security limitations on who can use it. If the town couldn't figure out how to use it, perhaps they lacked the right songs to play?

>>646390
...JACKPOT.

Sami, the physical scan says that the guitar ACTS LIKE PIPER'S FLUTE, BUT FOR GOLEMS, CURSES, AND SPIRITS. Lucky break for once.

Looks like all the security on this thing has disintegrated or something. Play a variation of Piper's songs, see if you can get it to resonate.

>[the guitar] will impact artificial elements (golems), curse, and wayward spirits
>Lucky break for once.
Except for the fact she doesn't know how to play a guitar.

Some of us probably we do, and we could probably teach her the basics with verbal instruction and using phantasm to demonstrate the fingerings. That would be painstaking and slow, though. We don't have the food or time or it.

Leaving town to find a mortal somewhere more civilized to teach you isn't an option while you're still cursed, either.

>the guitar doesn't appear to have any special security limitations on who can use it
Huh. I wonder if the priest knows how to play. Although that means trusting him with a powerful magic artifact, and we don't know what secret he was keeping behind that door.

>Sami can't play, and there's no time to teach!
Well, that depends on how complex the songs are. Did we ever see sheets for that? Or get a general idea of the complexity of the pieces?
Still saying we visit Father Nick. He might be able to teach, or we can recruit him to play for us.

>Did we ever see sheets for that?
Here: >>/questarch/613941

The notes are out of focus for us, but yeah, the individual tunes don't look very long. Can't tell how difficult the chords / placement would be for a beginner.

Really, the limited factor is musical instruction over our connection would be pretty inefficient.

>controls spirits
...I would point out that we're spirits. And we're currently in slash connected to Sami's head. Putting that guitar and the music in the hands of anyone she does not have absolute trust in could be very dangerous.

Uhhh... aren't we still holding on to cursed gold we're supposed to deliver to the ghost of the fae we killed? I remember vague speculation that could lessen our personal attachment to this curse business and that if so it also would at least make a significant dent in the general level of curse effects in the area. Is that not the single most important short-term agenda we could have? I vaguely recall we didn't try to do it before we slept because we were exhausted and needed a better plan for how to get there unmolested with only local help from the mayor's shade.

Smik 2015/06/05(Fri)18:14 No. 646477 ID: 3009b4
File 143355326348.jpg - (447.86KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_3.jpg )

>Go to the river. Can't go to the church without likely getting it demolished.

Sami decides to agree with the majority and head towards the river, as much as she dreads doing so. Sami finds the Rook frozen at the top of the stairs -- she edges by it carefully but it doesn't move. Perhaps the Mayor did something to hold it? Regardless, despite being hungry and thirsty she quickly (and quietly) gets some distance between her and it. She examines the guitar and does find a retractable carry strap, so she slings it over her shoulder.

>...We never told her about the admins. She didn't know there were more people she doesn't know and trust watching and messing with her.

Fortunately Sami is now familiar with Kome and disregards what he says when it sounds like nonsense to her.

>>Sami can't play, and there's no time to teach!
>Well, that depends on how complex the songs are

:: You cannot teach Sami to play the guitar ::

>Uhhh... aren't we still holding on to cursed gold we're supposed to deliver to the ghost of the fae we killed?

Sami: I killed the Piper, this is my problem. But yes, I need to deliver it as soon as possible.

>Oh, and I suggest you tune the guitar since you have the time.

Sami: This guitar behaves strangely. It doesn't make a proper sound when I strum the strings -- there's something wrong with the design. It's very strange -- it's not heavy but the feel is really... solid. It's like it should be heavier than it is. The strings have a sort of 'bite' to them too. They don't break the skin or anything, but when my fingers brush against them it's like tiny little pricks.

Do you lot have a plan of some sort? I know those things are going to come after me -- every time I get close to anything significant, something comes after me.

>Do you lot have a plan of some sort?
Well, the bad news is that we burned a lot of our own resources fighting the curse last night. We don't have a lot of juice to do stuff, even if we're still good for advice.

Speaking of which, sorry about the making you see (and feel and smell) things stuff. We kind of had to, since it was that or let the curse torture you, but it still kind of felt like it broke the spirit of the rules about not messing with your head we set up before.

The guitar is infuriating- on the one hand it seems like exactly the solution you need, but we lack the means to use it.

Which leaves us wits and words. And you might be able to use words against the Piper, but if we get hit by mindless in their rage spirits again... hrm.

I wonder if there's a way to sneak up on him without alerting them.

I could say that I have a great plan, but that would be a lie. We've exhausted our abilities for the most part, so if we get hit head-on by the curse again, we may not be able to hold out for very long.
Which means we'll need to rely on stealth and guile.
...which I don't really know how to do in a situation where the enemy we need to avoid seems to be omnipresent.
Just... Just try and be careful, I suppose. We'll do our best to help.

I think I know what the problem is: that guitar seems similar to one from our world, one that doesn't produce sound.

Basically, you need to combine the guitar with its actual sound-producing half. The guitar itself doesn't produce sound but tells the sound producer what to blare out. Main reason for doing this is because sometimes there's a sound that can't be produced by anything less than a twenty-foot tall musical instrument, and you'd want to carry the input part.

*Private*
Sounds like an "Electric Guitar" - those needle-pricks sound like low-power electricity. Maybe the guitar needs to be played with "fae hands".
*/Private*

...I wonder if you could slave on instrument to the other. Set the guitar to echo or repeat what is played on the flute.

It's not a natural object, though. I think. So you shouldn't be able to control it directly by the flute's nature.

Smik 2015/06/08(Mon)17:57 No. 647210 ID: 3009b4
File 143381146550.jpg - (532.93KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_4.jpg )

Sami heads out of town, towards the farmland and the river. She very timidly refills her waterskin and then has a bite to eat.

As Sami approaches the place of the Piper's murder, she feels a breeze pick up and notices two harvester golems ahead of her.

Sami: I think we all know where this will go. Do you guys have any ideas? Harvesters can't pass through the woods -- their blades are sharp and quick, but even soldier's armour is enough to stop the blade (now getting caught up in the thresher is another situation regardless). Like most golems, Harvesters are no good in mud or deep water either. And yes, I'm aware I could swim across the river but I DON'T want to do that. That current is very swift and if -- you know -- doesn't happen I'm likely to drown. And if it does happen... I don't know what I'll do. There's no one around to get hurt but...

Run along the river?

You were able to lure Rook easily enough, what's stopping you now? Skirt along the river; even if the golem stops in time, if the pilots are stupid angry enough to chase you in a straight line then the mud along the riverbank should hinder them long enough for you to escape or knock them into the dunk.

Huh. If the axe can be used to control objects like the golems... I wonder what happens if you use it to produce noise. Could just wailing on it cause them to stumble or wince? ...not the best gamble to lead with, though.

Hmm. I wonder if we could scan the golems and spoof your signal so you feel like another golem to them. We can't hide the curse aura, but all the golems possessed by curse spirits should give that off.

Failing that, your best bet might be too go around them. Double back to a rive crossing, or just go wide, and in the trees.

We're really visible while we're holding this gold and I'm sure that this pair of harvesters are just the first two golems that are coming towards us of many in multiple directions. Now that we're outside the Mayor's area of influence he either has lost coherence and joined the mob or he's back at home being taunted by that curse most likely, leaving us with no obvious allies to draw on here. We're just gonna have to go along the riverbank and possibly gather up a small raft or boat at some point if the river-mud isn't enough of a hazard to prevent them from assaulting or blocking you.
Double checking that this half-plan isn't too dangerous to try: There aren't any golems that are water-worthy around town, right? Is there enough river-mud or is the river substantially a built-up, stone-banked channel in town?

Smik 2015/06/10(Wed)20:26 No. 647702 ID: 3009b4
File 143399320103.jpg - (514.52KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_5.jpg )

>Hmm. I wonder if we could scan the golems and spoof your signal so you feel like another golem to them. We can't hide the curse aura, but all the golems possessed by curse spirits should give that off.

By scanning the golems you are able to successfully identify their ID signatures; through a combination of GLAMOUR (spoofing a golem ID), SPOOF (hiding Sami) you mask Sami for long enough that she can run by. The golems know she's there due to the curse, but they can't see her -- very much like a cat that can hear the mouse, know where it is, but can't see it yet so it doesn't act. The golems realize something is amiss -- but by the time their scans pinpoint Sami's location she's already sprinted well ahead of them.

The golems do not take chase. Sami breaths a sigh of relief... and then her stomach churns when she realizes exactly where the piper's death site is.

On the bridge. Perilously close to the swift-moving river. Worse, what if she has to go to the spot where the piper actually died -- IN the river itself?

>>647702
Just try getting close for now.

Lets not assume the worst. We'll worry about the worst when the obvious doesn't work out.
So. We came here for a drink, you should probably get a drink as best you can and scarf down that ration.
Then, I suppose we take things to the bridge and and meet the Piper. Or, we try to.

>Worse, what if she has to go to the spot where the piper actually died -- IN the river itself?
Well, you don't have to be there, the gold does. Maybe we could lower it in or something?

...what state is this bridge in? The way things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if the curse tried to make it collapse.

Wait.

Sami, don't let the guitar touch the water. It... uh, can someone else help me explain-

*Private*
-why charged electric guitar plus water equals bug zapper? (Note that Sami felt a pinprick when she touched the strings, so it's probably on.)
*/Private*

>>647710
It's not an electric guitar. It's magic.

Smik 2015/06/10(Wed)21:34 No. 647714 ID: 3009b4
File 143399728145.jpg - (477.14KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_6.jpg )

As Sami begins to approach the bridge, a familiar tune begins to whisper in her ear, playful and mocking.

The Song of Birth.

Sami thinks back to the faithful day, when the illusion bound her senses and she followed the joyful tune towards paradise, before she was swept away with the other children.

Before she became a monster.

She grinds her teeth involuntarily and tries to squeeze the vision from her eyes, as if her horrible memory was something that could be burst like a cyst and the guilt forced out of her like so much infected pus.

And then she hears his voice. Rich, deep, resonating and heavy with disdain.

The Piper: If you've come back for a second helping, I'm afraid there worms haven't left you any. Nice axe, by the way. Should I even ask what you had to do to obtain it?

>>647714
Begin shouting at person who took everything good from your life. DO NOT ATTACK, HE IS A GHOST NOW.

After you are done, negotiate the terms of resolving this curse once and for all.

>>647714
Try to remain calm. Tell him you're here to deliver some of what he was owed. Perhaps it will be enough to pay for your life.

May as well tell him the axe was given willingly.

[scan the Piper's ghost]

>Should I even ask what you had to do to obtain it?
Had to endure horrible psychological torture while things tried to kill me. You know, the same thing that happened last time I found a magic instrument.

*Hold bag aloft* Do you want your blood money, psycho?

>realizing the piper's spirit might be the only person nearby who could teach you to use the axe
Hahaha, oh man. That's a twisted thought. Let's hope we're not that desperate, cause he is in no way trustworthy.

Smik 2015/06/11(Thu)23:15 No. 647954 ID: 3009b4
File 143408971114.jpg - (449.00KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_7.jpg )

Sami: Here. This is yours, isn't it?

She tosses the bag of coins at the Piper's stain. The coins clatter with an unnatural loudness. The Piper stares at them for some time. At last, he speaks.

The Piper: It's not even half.

His voice carries noticeable anger. Sami looks at him in disgust, but when he looks back at her with his empty, dark sockets his expression changes -- a flicker of regret, a brief twist of shame, and then neutral again.

The Piper: You, of all people. The lone survivor. Did you know this gold is cursed, girl?

Sami: I knew before I even took it.

Sami's voice is strong. The figure who gazed down upon her with cold indifference as she and her friends were tossed and rolled in the current, as they lost their breath and filled with water... was so much smaller now. She remembered how much taller he seemed when she leapt upon him ten years ago.

The Piper: Why? What do you hope to accomplish now? Everyone is dead here. The children are gone, their parents too. All that is left here are shades.

Sami: Do you have any idea of what my life's been like since that day? I don't sleep. Nothing makes me feel better. All I can think of is how useless I was as my friends drowned, of how I reminded their parents of their loss, and how much of a monster I really was. I'm so damn broken. My only hope is that I can ... fix things some how. Put it all to rest.

The Piper stares at her for several moments.

The Piper: Are you really offering an olive branch?

Sami nods.

:: THE CURSE IS LIFTED -- NETWORK FULLY RECONNECTED ::
:: WIKI, Store and other functions fully available ::

The Piper: You're still just a child Sami, and yet you're bigger than anyone else who lived here. Despite what you did to me, I no longer have interest in punishing you for the sins of the town.

:: PIPER SCAN ::
::He is a ghost like the Mayor, but considerably stronger. His area of coherence is larger and his mind is more lucid. Now that he has received a payment he seems more clear-headed. ::

:: ADMINS will be reconnecting shortly ::

Alright, list of questions:

1) What was the reason for the purge?
2) Were you the avatar of the purge, or just a mockery of the disease that overtook the town?
3) Are there any mortals remaining in the town to save?
4) Is there anyone you left behind when Sami killed you?
5) Can you connect to the FAE networks?

Well, that was anticlimactic. Good work, Sami.

[private]
>ADMINS will be reconnecting shortly
Hey, welcome back, guys.

And just in case you're thinking off being funny Yorik, that bet I offered to deny IP to the curse spirits isn't still on the table.

[check store, just for fun]

I don't suppose he knows how to play guitar?

Does he know if any Rotland Redeemers passed by here? We saw some messages in the town saying that they were planning to deal with the curse.

"From what I've gathered looking into this around town, their view of the matter was that you were demanding more gold than they had, more than they could pay, and knew so. What really happened, in your view, and how do we lay this conflict to rest permanently?"

>ADMINS will be reconnecting shortly
Ooh, we've found our library. Ah, our old friends, how we missed you.
[private]
Yes, that "Friends" comment was directed at the Admins, but let's let Sami think I'm referring to the "Library."
Puni, was that you who left a "Note" for us?
[public]
>>647975
That would involve some serious trust, mutually, between Sami and the Piper. I fear we aren't quite there yet.
>or just a mockery of the disease
Let's not taunt the Piper. "Did you mean to create the curse, or does it exist to mock your our actions?" is probably a better way to put it.
>3) Are there any mortals remaining in the town to save?
That's more of Father Nick's area. The Piper's a ghost, one with a great range of influence, but still a limited range. He might, however, know of some more spirits who possess the capacity for lucid consciousness. Those are the key to lifting the curse.
>4) Is there anyone you left behind when Sami killed you?
Do remember, Sami's the one who would have to ask for us. The ghosts cannot hear us. However, if he left any person be they Fae or not, behind, learning of their fate, and helping them if they're still alive, is likely important. I imagine that, dead or alive, they'd have contributed to the curse.
>5) Can you connect to the FAE networks?
...Why does that matter? We can already connect.
>Does he know if any Rotland Redeemers passed by here?
Now THAT is an important question!
>>648030
Be careful about bringing that up. Might be good to bring up the other questions first.

Smik 2015/06/13(Sat)11:50 No. 648199 ID: 3009b4
File 143422140265.jpg - (485.02KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_8b.jpg )

>1) What was the reason for the purge?


Sami: Why did you come to our town? You knew we couldn't pay your fee, didn't you?


The Piper: You could have. The real guilty party escaped. Much of the council was part of the Merchant's Guild. The mayor was just the typical weak leader -- he could have stood up to them, but instead he caved in to their demands. The Mayor just became the scape goat afterwards. As to why I came to your town... your town was being corrupted by the Pantheon. The flock needed to be culled. I don't think I was being unreasonable giving your leaders a chance to avoid the cull with a tribute.

>2) Were you the avatar of the purge, or just a mockery of the disease that overtook the town?
>3) Are there any mortals remaining in the town to save?
>4) Is there anyone you left behind when Sami killed you?
>5) Can you connect to the FAE networks?

Sami parrots the request but the piper doesn't understand the question. He notes that until very recently he couldn't really identify individuals.

>Well, that was anticlimactic. Good work, Sami.
Author Note: It was anticlimatic because the group figured out how to use the existing tools to bypass the golems. When the Piper saw Sami slip by he didn't expend the energy to try anything else. It would have been a different story if you didn't or tried to approach the Piper without the gold.

>I don't suppose he knows how to play guitar?


Sami: I don't suppose you're familiar with this instrument?


The Piper: I am. It's... rather advanced for your kind, although your people are probably the best adapted to try.

>Does he know if any Rotland Redeemers passed by here? We saw some messages in the town saying that they were planning to deal with the curse.


Sami: Have you heard of the Rotland Redeemers? Did any show up here?


The Piper laughs bitterly: You know before I found myself in this unfortunate situation we thought the Redeemers were a bunch of self-righteous, dangerous but necessary anarchists. No, I've not seen any but it would be nice to have someone who understands the dead. Now that I think about it, I find myself glad to talk to you Sami. I used to hate you and it feels odd to be so glad to see you whole now.

>...how do we lay this conflict to rest permanently?"


Sami: I want to end this curse. How can we lay this place to rest?


Rage flashes in the The Piper's eyes: Bring the damned council back here. They need to EXPERIENCE what their selfishness and greed has done to their masters, their people, and their home. They need to see what they did to us, Sami. They need to FEEL what they did to us. They ESCAPED. They just left their guilt behind.

The air ripples with an unfelt heat and the light cowers briefly as shadows encroach on the area... the Piper notices and calms himself.


The Piper: I am sorry, Sami. It's taken me a long time to realize that the rage just pulls me deeper into the pit.

He glances down at the gold and the shadows retreat further.


The Piper: Perhaps there is another way. You can't undo what's happened but you can... maybe try to enact a different path? Feeling and intent means more than fact now, Sami.

>[check store, just for fun]

See the Wiki for store and IP breakdown: http://tgchan.org/wiki/Sami%27s_Quest

You now have 113 IP.
Sami's Trust is now 75. Not only is she trusting but she is now confident in your suggestions.

:: There is a general ADMIN request that you surrender the two illegal programs; they will not force it but will pay 30 IP each and will lock them down so the Curse will not be able to use them if you become infected again. ::

>Bring the damned council back here.
That... might be difficult. The council might be dead, or they could be anywhere by now, years later. Tracking them down and dragging them all back would be a difficult and long term endeavor.

Plus, I'm really not sure if the best solution is to abduct people and let the curse torture them for their role in this.

>Perhaps there is another way. You can't undo what's happened but you can... maybe try to enact a different path? Feeling and intent means more than fact now, Sami.
We'll have to figure that out, but that seems a lot more reasonable and feasible.

[private]
>There is a general ADMIN request that you surrender the two illegal programs
Is this an automated general request, or are any of our admins in particular advocating for this? Speak up, guys.

I'm tempted to keep phantasm. There's all kinds of ways sensory illusions could be used in a beneficial manner. It's only harmful if abused.

Draw memory... I'd be much more willing to let go. It's a lot less easy to use for any benefit (unless we're helping someone relieve a positive memory, or remember clearly something they couldn't). And it's very easy to cause inadvertent emotional harm with. Plus the ability to read her surface thoughts seems like a violation.

That said, can you lock down the abilities so curse spirits can't use them if they aren't present? If you uninstall them, the curse is free to do a clean, non-locked installation if and when they show up again. If it were possible to blanket lock down illegal programs from being used in advance, I would think you'd have already done it! Security would demand we keep jail-broken / restricted local copies.

Could we establish a password permission for new program installation, now? That way, if and when we're joined by a new curse spirit, they won't know the password to install further illegal programs.

...who decides which programs are illegal, anyways? Whose authority is this on? We're not cats. Nor do I remember paying taxes to any spirit government, or electing, supporting, or otherwise acknowledging a governing authority.

>>648199
I'm guessing the other way is to get enough gold to repay the debt completely. What do you think, Sami? Revenge, or repayment?

(private)
I agree with giving up Draw Memory. Phantasm does seem like it could be useful though, and I think if we avoid being cursed it won't be a liability.
(/private)

Hey Sami, we can put that illusion power on lockdown to prevent any cursed spirits from using it again, and we'll get some resources out of it too. It could be useful later though. For instance, we could use it to help you ignore injuries, or enhance your senses, or dampen other troublesome senses. Do you trust us enough to allow us that sort of control?

Right. Classic Merchant's Guild; I'd bet they have over forty rules in their Corporate Liability Mitigation Scheme (Ask Piper if you don't know what that means).

Piper's the same way: he treats this whole fiasco like a job. A VERY personal job, now that he's DEAD because of the guild, but a job nonetheless. You should be able to interact with him on equal terms.

Ask Piper if he knows any songs appropriate for the flute or guitar; Facemelter in particular, just because it's awesome. Also ask for any golem control songs, no matter how complicated Piper thinks they are.

Good news for us is that with the curse lifted on that bag of gold, we regained access to our energy storage. It has been building up, so we're going to buy ourselves some really cool powers. Hopefully we can get command over a single golem by the end of the day, but that's probably a best-case scenario.

*Private*
Purchase Overflow and Charmnet. Scan nearest golem and begin hacking.

I suggest we use up 60%-80% of IP on apps so that the hackers can't burn our IP reserves. The remaining IP can be used to fight them off and actually use the apps.
*/Private*

>>648226
[private]
Overflow plus charmet plus the 30 for keeping the programs is 110 IP. That leaves us only 3 to work with, which isn't a margin I'm comfortable with.

Maybe more if they halve the penalty to 15 for giving up draw memory, but that might be a flat fine for possessing illegal material at all.

I'd prefer to wait for the admins to answer my questions regarding security before we spend IP at all. (For instance, if we don't need draw memory to prevent it from being maliciously installed in the future, we can safely give it up. If not, we can't).

...also, I'm tempted by spoof. It's pretty cheap, and the option to go dark when we need to would be pretty useful.

"I don't fully grasp why you, or anyone from the Fae, thought that, 'a cull was necessary,' and justified. Was there an agreement regarding the Pantheon or the land this town occupies that was broken? We might be too late to punish anyone guilty of breaking that agreement, but clearly that agreement was important enough to kill over so we have to settle it or renew it before this town can be at peace."

>>648199
Wait, the Pantheon was corrupting the town? Would that have anything to do with Faustia?

Ask Piper if over 100 pounds of pure sacrilege would be enough to pay the debt: the Statue of Faustia.

In multiple installments.

A simpler question might be why they object to the Pantheon at all. Don't people need their gods?

>>648250
Remember, the Fay and the Pantheon are opposed factions of supernaturals. It's understandable that the Fay would have an issue with the Pantheon, but what we don't know is why they felt they had a right and/or duty to 'cull' people here. Normally that's called murder, human societies justifiably take a dim view of that, so there has to be some agreement or law involved to say otherwise. The alternative is that this is all the Fay's fault for being a bunch of greedy and homicidal jerks.

>>648279
I understand they're rivals, but consider it to be more useful to ask him why than speculate on in.

>Could we establish a password permission for new program installation, now? That way, if and when we're joined by a new curse spirit, they won't know the password to install further illegal programs.


::Yorick: Passwords? How quaint. Look kiddies, passwords are for ancient systems that don't know who you are. When you picked up that cursed gold, you let those things in. If you let us block the program, it's blocked. If you manage to infect yourselves again you'll still find yourself isolated as a security measure but they just won't be able to do use them again. We know those programs are useful which is why we offer any sort of compensation at all. ::

>...who decides which programs are illegal, anyways? Whose authority is this on? We're not cats. Nor do I remember paying taxes to any spirit government, or electing, supporting, or otherwise acknowledging a governing authority.


::Yorick: You're on our network. You play by the house rules or you don't play at all. ::

>Hey Sami, we can put that illusion power on lockdown to prevent any cursed spirits from using it again, and we'll get some resources out of it too.


Sami: As usual I have no idea what you're talking about. Don't talk spirit nonsense to me, OK? I trust you enough to do your spirit stuff.

>Ask Piper if he knows any songs appropriate for the flute or guitar; Facemelter in particular, just because it's awesome. Also ask for any golem control songs, no matter how complicated Piper thinks they are.
>Ask Piper if over 100 pounds of pure sacrilege would be enough to pay the debt: the Statue of Faustia.


Sami: Kome. For the love of fuck, I don't know how to play guitar, and the statue is NOT MADE OF REAL GOLD nor is it even PLATED WITH GOLD. We are not that stupid and we are not that extravagant. STOP TALKING ABOUT THE STATUE. And I don't want to mess with any songs the piper will just casually give me, I don't trust him.

>Was there an agreement regarding the Pantheon or the land this town occupies that was broken?


Sami: Piper -- did we break a law? Is that why you came to us?


The Piper: You have no idea what Pantheon influence will do. Have you seen the Mericudian cities, Sami? They are heavily influenced by the Pantheon and they corrupt the earth around them. I never thought I would have to suffer death, and it has given me perspective... but the Seelie Court considers the nomadic Rollen to be the second lowest of the creatures of the earth. So it was like a farmer having to put down a sick konvi or drowning the weakest of the herd. I know better now, but the Fae considered you little more than troublesome, clever animals.

Sami nods. Her people have never trusted the Fae, especially that of the Seelie court. It's why they considered the Gaelish and the Shinateneese to be foolish and untrustworthy; too eager to please the fae to gain the favour of the Seelie court.

She had heard that the Mericudian towns deep in their country were badly polluted, but the only people she had encountered from their society were the travellers and explorers who ventured out into their trading posts... and she assumed they were not an average representative of their homes. She never found adventurers to fit the standard mold of their people. She was not sure how much she should trust the Piper's summary of the Pantheon situation but she did not allow her face to hint at her doubts.

>>648229
*Private*
It's not a fee for keeping the programs, they're offering 30 IP each if we get rid of them.
If we sell Draw Memory it puts us at 143 IP, which I'd like to use to purchase Overflow, Charmnet, Spoof Pro, and then maybe Crit, if having 53 IP left over again seems like too much.

"So, the Fay unilaterally decided they had the right to enforce their desires on the town? There were no broken laws or agreements, or even a trade offered to stop doing X in exchange for Y that wasn't a threat? I'm not sure I know how to lay that to rest, because it sounds like a fundamental lack of respect and communication on both sides of this argument, to the level of intentionally murderous on the Fay side of it. I mean, consider how angry Fay people would be if other people were to start 'culling' them. Just about the only way I can think to lay that to rest is a formal peace treaty where both sides agree to respect the other's right to life and self-determination, but this town doesn't exist any more to be a negotiating partner for making such an agreement, to say nothing of the willingness and ability of the Fay to make and keep their side of such an agreement."

*private*
Ask about additional packages to protect against malicious program installation, use, and hijacking of our systems like what happened with the curse effects. I suspect that we are barely started with unraveling all this mess since we've identified the Fay as having actively tried to harm the town.
*/private*

>>648337
That explains so much. Environmental activism is something most mortals typically stereotype about Fae - save the trees and all that.

If the Pantheon is Pro-Industrial, that kind of complete environmental negligence would split enough hairs to induce a terrorist act in the Fae - that is, if culling mortals was illegal in Fae culture. Here it's just a purge.

The horrible irony is that the Piper played things out like a mortal would. It is literally like an exterminator clearing out an infestation of invading insects, only to start hunting animals to reinforce the ecosystem, thereby attempting to prevent long term damage due to the very noticeable lack of one important part.

Ask the Piper if clearing out the vermin AND restoring the old woods might be enough to clear the debt, at least in the eyes of the Fae.

>I mean, consider how angry Fay people would be if other people were to start 'culling' them.

The Fae and the Cat see the others as just... Intelligent animals. Like the Piper said, if a couple of your livestock get sick, you cull them to keep the rest of the herd healthy. For the Fae to suddenly start being "Culled" would be more like a mass breakout of rabies--Reason to just purge the entire herd instead of a few.
*Private*
I'm for blocking Draw Memory, but undecided on Phantasm.

>...this town doesn't exist any more to be a negotiating partner for making such an agreement, to say nothing of the willingness and ability of the Fay to make and keep their side of such an agreement."


Sami: I think we're way beyond trying to fix things from the perspective of the living. But it does make me wonder about what the Fae will do with the *other* towns in this area. I'll ask the Piper if he knows.

>Ask the Piper if clearing out the vermin AND restoring the old woods might be enough to clear the debt, at least in the eyes of the Fae.


Sami: Who cares about the damn Fae perspective? Most of the curse I've experienced comes from the pain of my own people.

>Ask about additional packages to protect against malicious program installation, use, and hijacking of our systems like what happened with the curse effects.


:: Yorick: It's called "don't pick up cursed items" dumbass. You are literally, manually installing malware when you do that. No security system in the world prevents stupid.


Audrey: Show some class, Yorick. I'm afraid he's right though, kits. It's a bit complicated to explain but the HMES that allows you to pop in and out and help at your convenience also allows the Curse to do the very same. Basically we can lock down certain functions, but these functions don't allow us to pick and choose who can use them -- not without being present and we simply can't allow the curse to worm its way into our higher systems; it's a more powerful hive mind I'm afraid.
::

You're doing remarkably well keeping control of yourself with some of the things he's saying (...and some of the careless things we've said). I'm impressed.

I'm not sure what's left to be said. Maybe ask him if he can sense anything else you should investigate? Places where the curse is strong, or that draws golems to defend it.

[private]
>You're on our network. You play by the house rules or you don't play at all.
Where's my EULA? :V

>You are literally, manually installing malware when you do that. No security system in the world prevents stupid.
Real-world systems have to handle and experiment with malware all the time. The smart way to do that would be to set up some kind of partition or virtual machine- contain the malware.

Considering our purpose here is very nearly to combat and counter malware, isn't it reasonable we should have tools specifically designed to work with malware? It's highly unlikely Sami can lift the curse here without interacting further with cursed objects.

>Basically we can lock down certain functions, but these functions don't allow us to pick and choose who can use them -- not without being present
The solution there would be for an administrator to appoint a local moderator. Whose powers and permissions superseded other users, but is still superseded by administrators.

This is like... hierarchical command 101. The whole reason you have a hierachy is so that when a group is cut off from leadership, someone local is still in charge.

>programs
If we can get rid of draw memory (which is a really sketchy ability I'm not comfortable using even the one time we did), get an IP bounty for it, and in doing so block it from being used against us in the future, that seems like a win-win.

...phantasm I like though. Could we request that permissions be set, say, such that it can only be run when we have an active connection to the cat network? That would neuter it when you cut us off.

*private*
Look, we had to do what you're calling "stupid" in order to get this cursed gold to where it was supposed to be without advanced manipulation shenanigans that didn't seem practical to attempt or likely to succeed on a reasonable time-scale: What else were we gonna do, make a golem fetch it and carry it here? Please make with constructive criticism of how we could do better instead of calling us stupid, that's just a waste of everybody's time and attention.
We have now identified that the town was intentionally attacked by Fay for reasons of their prejudices, preferences and politics and that means we will plausibly need protection from just about anything--and everything--the Fay can do. On top of that, "It's not even half," is a pointer that while we have made substantive steps in the direction of settling the spirits and their problems we're not done dealing with cursed golems and stuff like that here yet either. Because of all this, saying, "Just don't pick up cursed items," is an unhelpful non-answer for situations where that natively is the least bad option or we are manipulated into it. So I ask again, what armour or other protection can there be against the effects of "stupid" (like handling cursed items) we're forced to do anyway for reasons of our actual, reasonable goals for involvement in this mess? Alternatively, what can we do/get for manipulating and evading cursed items and places (and other subversion/manipulation attacks) outside of direct contact?

In any case, I'm going to vote for removal of all the malware because I suspect that it remains a vulnerability to be exploited by future attackers, including ones that would not otherwise be able to achieve those effects. Even if this stuff is situationally useful, I'd say there's little point in carrying a weakness that will be exploited around when we can be paid to get rid of it, right?
*/private*

When I was considering that hypothetical of a negotiated agreement with the Fay, I was thinking of trying to fix things from the perspective of the 'town.' The people here may be dead but there seems to be a total of about two ways this can end with the curse gone: One is the town ceases to exist as it was and becomes something else. The other is that the town is rendered safe to return to and revives. Remember that this Piper here said, "Feeling and intent means more than fact now, Sami." If I understood that right, that means that we need to be working towards a future for this place other than "end the curse" in order to end the curse: Giving the town something else to be besides a dead place full of dead people lingering on in pain, anger and regret. I'm not certain of this, asking the Piper more questions about what he meant by that may correct or expand our understanding here, so let's do that.

[private]
Is there some way to handle cursed items that does not count as picking them up? When we get sent to deal with a curse, manipulating cursed items would seem to kind of come with the territory.

>This is like... hierarchical command 101. The whole reason you have a hierachy is so that when a group is cut off from leadership, someone local is still in charge.
>Look, we had to do what you're calling "stupid" in order to get this cursed gold to where it was supposed to be without advanced manipulation shenanigans


:: Audrey: Kits, Yorick is just being troublesome -- ignore him. We know you did what you had to do. You have to understand that we can't improve your security because.... well... keep this to yourself, but Sami won't let us. She still believes she deserves to be cursed, deep down and she allows the curse to influence her out of guilt. Didn't you find it a little odd that your influence grew more powerful when the cursed spirits joined you? ::

>>648558
[private]
Ah. That makes a distressing amount of sense.

Well, we'll do what we can to help her. Let us know if and when her view of herself has changed enough to support additional protections.

>Didn't you find it a little odd that your influence grew more powerful when the cursed spirits joined you?
Not in the moment. I thought they had supplied their own.

*private*
"Feeling and intent means more than fact now," indeed. Well, we'll just have to keep this under our hat until we can nudge her self-perception to be less negative somehow, probably through accomplishing more feats of curse-handling that will be ridiculously more dangerous than they should be.
The part of that curse episode I found the most surprising was how little hesitation Sami had for picking up the cursed gold in the first place. I wouldn't have done it at all if I were her without knowing exactly where it was supposed to go and having a plan and backup plans for getting it there with minimum risk. But the devil drives: We're not exactly working with perfect knowledge of what's around us, and procrastination and spending time on preparation we can't afford can easily be more hazardous than imperfect action here.

Also, I just came up with a good, additional reason to support uninstalling the rest of the malware: If Sami has to deal with more cursed stuff later, I hypothesize it likely we'll get it installed again then. When that happens (and I'm not using the word if there) I'd rather have thirty more points of goodies and the malware rather than just the malware. Any disagreements?

Now, let's get back to talking with Sami, shall we? The only thing we've left her to go on is my possible brain-fart about reviving the town's future and getting the Fay to agree they can't pull this kind of shit in future to end the curse.
*/private*

>The part of that curse episode I found the most surprising was how little hesitation Sami had for picking up the cursed gold in the first place.

** Author Note: I actually rolled against Sami's Trust stat. It went against her better judgement, but so much had happened to her at this point she figured if the decision was to go bad at least it would be over with quicker than if she did nothing. The roll succeeded in your favour so she made a leap of faith. **

>>648558
*Private*
Very well. Thank you for explaining that bit. Given Sami's personality, I rather doubt she'll ever believe she doesn't deserve some level of curse, even as she grows to accept that she'll have blessings as well.
>Where's my EULA?
Didn't we already cover this? We work by the will of our Host, in this case, Sami. If you don't like it, disconnect. Since Sami accepts the curse, we can't do anything about it other than disconnect or cope.

>>648686
[private]
>butting into a half serious argument with an asshole bullshitter
>completely missing the point in the process
Thanks, the condescension is appreciated.

Ooh, ask him about the priest.

Smik 2015/06/20(Sat)12:21 No. 649631 ID: 3009b4
File 143482806417.jpg - (363.09KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_9.jpg )

>You're doing remarkably well keeping control of yourself with some of the things he's saying (...and some of the careless things we've said). I'm impressed.

Sami: I've been attacked by cursed spirits, golems and have now met two ghosts from my past. In comparison, dealing with your nonsensical chatter is easy. Plus I'm pretty sure you're not the cunning, "trick you into via long game" spirits.

>I'm not sure what's left to be said. Maybe ask him if he can sense anything else you should investigate? Places where the curse is strong, or that draws golems to defend it.


The Piper: Can't sense anything outside my little domain, Sami. It wasn't until you got close that I even realized there was someone else here to talk to. It's very dark right now Sami, it's like I'm in a black fog or deep under brackish water at night. You glow, but until you got close I could barely see you. Is it night time?


Sami: It's morning. Piper, what will the Fae do to the neighboring towns? What about Welser?


The Piper: I'm tired, Sami. I'm always tired. I can't say what would have become of the other towns. You'll need to look yourself. Ask Phooka.


Sami: Who?

The Piper's wispy form settles next to his blood money.


The Piper: Bill Phooka. If he's still alive, he lives outside of town down river, closer to the marsh in a briar thicket. Keeps Greenteeth in line. The gold's like a little camp fire. Maybe I'll be able to tell you more if I get some rest.


Sami: Might he share some supplies? Would it be safe to accept them?

Tired and clearly beginning to get irritated, the Piper glances up at her.


The Piper: His supplies should be safe, half-blood. He has appetites.

He then settles back down again. Sami shrugs. The piper's form fades but does not disappear.

Sami: OK, two things in this order. One, I need to get supplies. I have no more rations. Wait.

Sami digs out her flask of whiskey and downs it.

Sami: NOW I'm out of rations. I need to get some supplies and I need them soon. I can either try to raid the Merchant's Guild, try to forage, or head to Welser which is two days away on foot. If Phooka is the same kind of faerie I know of, then he's... well, relatively civil for a faerie. He'll want something for his help though. Secondly, I need to address this curse. Maybe if I get the Piper more gold he'll help more but he wants a ridiculous amount and I'm not sure how I can get my hands on it. There's got to be some other way to resolve this and that means I need to get in touch with people who aren't so dead they can't think straight. I know some of our people scientists moved to Welser, maybe they can help -- and Father Nick is a priest. I'm sure he'll help... but I'd like to get him more supplies before I ask. It's difficult to focus when you're having to deal with being hungry all the time. Although one would think he'd just travel to Welser instead...

Sami thinks a moment.

Sami: No, I'm sure of it. Churches take care of their own, and that means... Either something is wrong with him or Welser but either way he's hiding it and I can't trust him.

So, what do you think is my best bet for supplies?

>>649631
...Okay, here's my opinion:

1) You're literally out of rations. If you attempt to scavenge or hunt, you'll have to do it out of desperation. Should be possible but I don't expect the turnout to be worth the energy and time you need to use.

2) You have power but you're weakened by everything that's happened. And angry. That means that you have the upper hand at intimidation, so you can pursue for food and apologize later.

3) From the get-go, it's obvious that Nick has his own secrets as well. If you go back to him, it will probably end badly. Scenario A: Nick is normal, and starving, so you'll just starve faster; even if he's a good scavenger, the fact that he's been here for five years and doesn't have enough food for the hungry means that his resources for harvest are low this time of year. Scenario B: Nick is working with the Fae or the Pantheon or some other faction. In that case, on the off-chance that he calls an envoy or invokes power and you barge in, you're screwed.

I guess you should head to Phooka, hunting animals and harvesting wild plants as you go. You can use the flute to give you a small edge, and then whack them to death with the guitar. Even if he sees you as an animal, he shouldn't be stupid enough to risk his life just to preserve his pantry. And if he does fight back, you can fight him using the flute and axe.

>he's tired
>it's dark
It's almost sad. Although I don't have overmuch sympathy to spare for him.

Probably should let him be. I think that's as far as his goodwill and patience will hold, for now.

>plan
Getting enough gold to pay off the piper's debt in full... seems like brute forcing the curse. It might eventually work, but there has to be a simpler way to lift it.

Supplies... I wouldn't object to traveling away to town and back for more supplies and information. Sometimes backing off is a smart move, and now that you're not actively connected to the curse, you can travel safely.

Two days is a long time to go without food though, or to rely on fickle hunting and gathering. I think you might have to try the Phooka, first.

The church is a problem for another day. You are not ready to step into another mess, just yet.

[Search wiki: Phooka]

You're fairly competent at living on your own, right? Trying to hunt and forage for food is probably our best bet. Looting the merchant's guild is unlikely to return anything, any food in there has got to be old and rotted by now. And traveling two days to try and get supplies from some Fey we don't know is a bad idea; not only is two days without food a miserable hike, we'd be weakened when talking with some fey, which is not a good thing, even when the guy has a reccomendation.
As for the curse, finding more gold is the easy, but long, way. I don't know if there's an easy way to cheat it, maybe someone else can think of something.
>>649709
>It's almost sad
It is. Dude's dead.

>[Search wiki: Phooka]

"Phooka" refers to a specific kind of job within Faerie cultures. They are politically neutral (neither Seelie nor Unseelie) and their job is to observe and report on analog settlements at a safe distance to both courts. The closest equivalent social class in human cultures would be 'yeoman'. Bill Phooka is not found within the wiki, meaning he has no special significance in the area's history.

>And traveling two days to try and get supplies from some Fey we don't know

Bill Phooka is just a short distance out of town, close to a thicket near the marsh. Sami should be able to get there in time for lunch if not sooner.

If Bill Phooka is close by we should go visit him. Even if we cannot convince him to help us we can probably get some information from talking to him.

Smik 2015/06/21(Sun)14:05 No. 649845 ID: 3009b4
File 143492075124.jpg - (504.37KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_10.jpg )

Sami crosses the bridge and heads off towards the marsh, keeping a safe distance from the river. It only takes her an hour before the thicket is visible.

As she approaches, a quiet ping becomes visible as you are approaching an active network. Unlike the others you've encountered, this one is *active* active, as in there's someone using it.

According to the identification, it's Billy Phooka's network. It's secure but also allows anonymous log-in AND the network's owner is currently online.

Sami is of course completely unaware of your discovery, and unsheathes her hunter's knife in order to cut through some of the denser parts of the thorny thicket.

>>649845
>Sami prepares to use hunter's knife on thicket
Sami, hold on. Phooka's here. We can sense his presence this time. He's got spirit stuff up, here.

I think it might go better if we announced your presence to him, than if you tried to hack your way through what might be his defenses.

Give us a minute, and that thicket might open up for you.

[private]
[connect to Billy Phooka's network]
[change default anonymous login identifier to "Sami's_Spirits"]
Greetings, Bill Phooka. We come in peace, with the intent of trade and communication. May our user approach?

Uh, Sami, we feel the presence of Bill here, you're coming up on his home and he seems to be home: Please make sure you're not trying to cut through his hedge. Also, do you know any particular ritual for contacting a Phooka? Our knowledge of fey seems to be... questionable, and I for one don't trust that what I believe I know about them is accurate.

Smik 2015/06/21(Sun)19:03 No. 649947 ID: 3009b4
File 143493859541.jpg - (452.02KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_11.jpg )

Bill Phooka: Visitors? It's been long enough since I've had visitors that even wild spirits sound like nice company. Wait -- Sami? The little half-blood girl?

There is a brief pause.

Bill Phooka: It IS her! I'm afraid her little town is quite ruined, I hope she's not here for pleasure as she'll be quite disappointed. She looks.... rather ragged, doesn't she? Hasn't slept well. Got a hard look to her face.

The thicket retracts to Sami's surprise.

Bill Phooka: Just to make things perfectly clear, I'm not normally this 'inviting' but ... it's very unusual for a colo ** WIKI: Fae word for Sami's people ** to approach a fae's den. They're normally rather skittish and do a lot of damage when they get into places they ought not to be. Is she skittish? She was *very* skittish from what I saw when she was even littler than she is. She may approach, but I would appreciate you instructing her to not be such a... well, let's not mix words. Tell her not to be such a bit and this visit will go smoothly.

"Charming" guy. He seems okay with letting you in as a guest. Just get the supplies on a loan and leave politely.

Sami, Billy's responded to our metaphorical knock, and is offering you an invitation in. Politeness will probably work. He seems a little wary and curious.

[private]
>Is she skittish?
She was. She's getting better, though. Heck, she even had a sort-of amicable conversation with the ghost of the Piper! That's saying something. If she could tolerate him, I'm pretty sure she can talk to you without doing a lot of damage.

>I hope she's not here for pleasure as she'll be quite disappointed. She looks.... rather ragged, doesn't she? Hasn't slept well. Got a hard look to her face.
No, not pleasure. More... redemption. She's facing the ugliness in her own past. It's really no surprise she looks ragged, considering the circumstances.

>colo ** WIKI: Fae word for Sami's people **
Wiki, could we get an extended definition? From that I can't tell which of Sami's people it refers to (mortal rat-tailed folk, fae half-breeds, or her specific type of mer-thing). More importantly, it doesn't specify it that's a derogatory or racist term, or a more neutral one.

>She was. She's getting better, though. Heck, she even had a sort-of amicable conversation with the ghost of the Piper! That's saying something.

Bill Phooka: The Piper's ghost?

>From that I can't tell which of Sami's people it refers to (mortal rat-tailed folk, fae half-breeds, or her specific type of mer-thing). More importantly, it doesn't specify it that's a derogatory or racist term, or a more neutral one.

:: Wiki: "Colo" is a general term the Fae use to refer to Sami's people. "Half Blood" is specific to anyone with fae heritage. It is a mildly racist term but it's not one that's used in malice, more out-dated than insulting. There is no equivalent in Sami's own language because right now the cultural norm is to use the derogatory term. "Bit" is definitely derogatory however. ::

** I just realized I really wasn't any more clear. "Colo" means Rollen people, although Sami's people have actually spread all over the place -- they just live in secrecy away from the main populace. Rollien is an actual place and "Rollen" refers to people who originate from it, just like people from Italy are Italian.

When someone immigrates, they either still associate themselves with their homeland. **

*private*
You didn't think that town going as bad as it has was just a simple affair, did you? We only know bits of the story between us and we were hoping you could tell us other parts we don't know. We would gladly share what we do know, but for Sami's sake would you please try talking to her about it first and preparing a hearty lunch for that discussion?
As far as her having such a hard look to her, well, she's out of food supplies after spending days chasing the ghosts of the town back and forth to try and address the curse. She's made a little progress actually, but she needs rest and more supplies to keep going with it. We understand if you insist on fair trade for fair trade, and grasp it would be rude to ask for any more charity than you feel the desire to give. If you do not feel generous enough to help her to the limits of your ability without exchange, we would like to exchange what we've learned about it and the story of what we have come across and done with that curse mess so far for tips and tricks for keeping her fed, and any helpful information you could spare to make more progress. Really though, it is probably in your own best interests to help her out since that curse has been getting worse and spreading thanks to all those unrestful ghosts and the unresolved issues.
*/private*

Sami, apparently that really was Bill's fence you were about to cut into. We've asked him to invite you inside for a chat, and he's asked us 'to keep you well behaved.' He's worried about you being 'skittish.' I don't know if that is just what it sounds like or instead a Fay euphemism for disagreeing with the more selfish, greedy and hostile parts of their ways.

We're going to try to convince Bill to invest in your cause, stand by...

*Private*
From an economic standpoint, your property has decreased in face value due to the curses in Ronnelin. Most people aren't willing to do trade or live near areas containing hordes of vermin and augmented golems capable of wielding forty tons of serrating death at speeds of up to fifteen miles per hour through stone buildings. Oh, and hacker ghosts too. Sami's goal is to clean up the city so that she can get on with her life, which lands you SIGNIFICANT opportunities for purchasing / claiming fresh land if the exorcism is a success.

Currently, Sami has incapacitated one of the golems wandering across town, paid off over 20% of the original debt, and fended off three hackers at once. In two days. And we're just getting started, what with learning how to use the apps.

The main deal is this: you help Sami exorcise the ghost town of Ronnelin? You get dibs on a LOT of land grabs. How much you receive depends on the assets and personal assistance you put in. Also, we're not giving you any vital choke points that are crucial to the economic or social structures of the town, but claiming up to two hundred acres to construct mana farms should be an acceptable asset.
*/Private*

Sami, Bill is being your typical Faerie, so I'll avoid the babble, since I'm sure you won't like it, and get to the point: Bill wants to meet you. You're allowed in. No promises made for your entry, though he asks that you be... Stable. I think he'll look like somebody you knew as a child, so brace yourself after that.

Smik 2015/06/21(Sun)23:51 No. 650040 ID: 3009b4
File 143495586259.jpg - (506.63KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_12.jpg )

>He's worried about you being 'skittish.' I don't know if that is just what it sounds like or instead a Fay euphemism for disagreeing with the more selfish, greedy and hostile parts of their ways.

Sami looks irritated and admits that it's a common trait, and she's a bit antsy in new areas but she'll try to keep her nervous habits to a minimum.

>You get dibs on a LOT of land grabs.
Bill Phooka: I'm not interested in land, spirit. You mistake me for mortal. I would like to see the town clean again, so we will see.

The thorns peel aside and Sami finds a simple door in a small indentation within the land. She knocks tentatively.

Bill Phooka is prompt, opening the door with a flourish and a friendly smile. Sami crinkles her nose before catching herself.

Sami thinks to herself: Of COURSE he's gonna look and smell like a damn clopper. Couldn't possible shift into something sensible, could you puc?

By "clopper", Sami means he has goat's legs, long ears and horns -- but otherwise looks human. Bill does have a strong musk -- and his den shares it. The smell is a cross between fresh hay, dandelions, wet earth and sweat. Sami does her best to hide her distaste. His clothes are odd -- they look like some... odd variation of Gaelish clothes. As to his home -- it looks like a long-time bachelor's house, as things seemed to be organized into piles.

After polite introductions, Bill collects an open decanter that smells of licorice, roses, wild berries and a hint of smoke and offers Sami a drink.

She's hesitant but remembers the 'skittish' comment and accepts a glass. The flavours make for an odd mix but the alcohol actually has a kick -- something she hasn't felt in years. That worries her somewhat -- both in the fact that this could get her into trouble and because she's not likely to be able to get more. She finds the aftertaste much to be desired; it's like it can't make up its mind to be a brandy or a whiskey or a wine.

Bill retrieves a platter with fruits, nuts, wild mushrooms, fatgrub (a delacy and wild forage treat with nutty, buttery flavour), dried fish and cold game meat. Sami thanks him politely for his gracious hospitality.

Bill Phooka: Please Sami, dig in. You look like a half-starved soldier on the losing side of the war.

Sami helps herself; much of it is forage tucker which is something she's discovered she quite enjoys. As they eat, Bill asks what happened to her since that faithful day.

Sami: How much do you know?

Bill Phooka: I know you devoured the Piper, Sami.

She shrinks, looking even tinier than before next to the towering man with golden eyes.

Sami: I watched the adults. Some weakened and died from grief, most left eventually -- my family included. They tried to get me to meet new friends but that didn't happen. I hit puberty early. Couldn't look anyone in the eye, always felt like everyone knew what I did. We stopped worshipping Faustia, tried talking to mental scientists but they just said that it was survivor's guilt and it'd just be something I'd have to work through. Never told anyone HOW I managed to kill the Piper. Tried to forget about everything with booze, dreamtime and sex and none of it worked. Felt a strong urge to come back and so I did. Wound up having every curse, golem and ghost come after me.

Bill Phooka nods politely.: And now what?

Sami: Sir, I am here to bury this curse or get buried with it. I cannot take this any longer.

Bill Phooka: If you don't mind me asking... but do you have a suitor? Husband? Children?

Sami shoots him a disgusted face.

Sami: Sir, that is not really your business... but no.

Bill Phooka: You have to realize that if you do have anyone who might come after you, they could become entangled in the curse as well.

Sami: No one. My parents won't follow.

Bill Phooka: Have you even a ... close female companion?

Sami shoots him a hostile, questioning look and he just smiles while shaking his head.

Bill Phooka: So you're alone... poor girl.

Sami is getting irritated but she hides it because free food. She's open to input.

>>650040
phAHAHAHA AHHA AHAH HAH Phht *snort* WHERE DID YOU BUY THAT GETUP?!

Traditionally, Homo Sapien (human) skirts for men are designed with signature patterns, some of which are so unique that they are occasionally classified as colors. Solid blue is not one of these patterns. So you basically look like a guy dressed as a girl who dresses as a guy whose lower half is girly.

I LIKE IT! *Thumbs-Up*

Yeah but seriously, we need apps and Sami needs gadgets. Can we have a list of your wares and intel for sale?

DISCLAIMER: We are not obligated to fulfill any debt payment that you do not explicitly declare in mutually-accepted writing (triplicate, please) before all transactions are completed. Any fine print consisting of any combination of characters which use less than thirty millimeters in either length or width WILL BE IGNORED OR USED IN OUR FAVOR. This includes short or wide characters that use the same font as acceptable characters, so please write with big font. We'll use a reinforced simple verbal agreement to bind the pact to paper.

>>650040
Huh. I'm not sure if he's the kind of relatively well meaning gossip who pries too closely into the affairs of others, or if this is a prelude to making a terrible pass at you.

I suppose we should give him the benefit of the doubt if he's been alone here all this time? That's enough to make anyone weird.

>Have you even a ... close female companion?
I don't know why he's even bothering to use circumspect language for such blunt questioning.

>so you're alone
Not entirely, you aren't. Admittedly we're lacking in the hugs department, but we're pretty good at being there.

>She's open to input
Try turning the conversation back around on him. For someone so concerned with loneliness, why's he still living here on the edge of a curse blighted town? It's certainly fortunate for you, but...

>>650056
The lack of a pattern on the kilt probably is notable (indicates he's not part of a larger group or clan). It might just be because cloppers group themselves that way, but the fae don't.

The second concern isn't valid. This has come up before- fae aren't demons or lawyers. Super detailed contract aren't their thing. They use spoken agreements, and care more about the spirit or intent than exact wording.

SO (changing the subject), has he seen anyone else new around the town? We saw the network of a Redeemer camp nearby, though it was rather old and the curse is still there so something seems to have happened to them.

*Private (Bill)*
>Traditionally, Homo Sapien (human) skirts for men are designed with signature patterns, some of which are so unique that they are occasionally classified as colors. Solid blue is not one of these patterns. So you basically look like a guy dressed as a girl who dresses as a guy whose lower half is girly.
Apologies, Bill, for Kome's "radical" comments. He is always like this, basing his comments on a very limited perspective. Even among the Ancient mortals, there were plenty of locations where men commonly wore what would appear to be skirts, regardless of coloration or pattern.
>I LIKE IT! *Thumbs-Up*
...At least he expressed good intentions.
*Private (Sami)*
>As to his home -- it looks like a long-time bachelor's house, as things seemed to be organized into piles.
>Bill Phooka: If you don't mind me asking... but do you have a suitor? Husband? Children?
Either the man is so into his bachelorhood that he doesn't realize how personal a question is, doesn't give a shit due to being Fae, or he's hitting on you.
*Public*
>It might just be because cloppers group themselves that way, but the fae don't.
Cloppers, having hoof-ended legs, probably don't like pants very much, and stick to the open bottomed skirts/kilts. Makes sense to me, at least.

I'm just going to put this out here: We have a list of things to learn about and sub-issues, keep track of and manage in this mess. Let's itemize it, and please add to it as necessary:
-The vermin (clearing);
-The church (investigating, potentially aiding or removing);
-The priest in that church (who or what is he really, who is he connected to?);
-What the fey objected to around town (solving the fey thinking they want to do 'culling');
-The old council (what are they guilty of, did they knowingly invite fey wrath?);
-Where the survivors went (what was left behind, who needs help moving on, who wants to come back?);
-The piper's family (if any), and;
-Who convinced or ordered the piper to do this whole extortion and genocide thing (connected to fey cull motivation issue).

To understand Bill's line of questioning, consider what you said immediately before it began: "Sir, I am here to bury this curse or get buried with it. I cannot take this any longer."
The town's curse is a problem that manifests in part as the many, violent ghosts with unfinished business tortured by anguish into indiscriminate acts against the living. Bill probably isn't hitting on you, he is more likely concerned about the possibility of you dying here. That would add to the ghost population and potentially give other people reasons to come searching, adding even more over time. If the number of ghosts stays stable then how much damage they can do is ultimately limited by their numbers so Bill has a vested interest in keeping that number from growing. You very obviously have unfinished business with this town and the events that lead to its current state, which would make you a particularly anguished and violent ghost adding to the mess if you die here with the curse unresolved. Therefore he's trying to get a handle on your death-wish, and who all may come after you should we take one risk too many here. We apologize for not preparing you better to face this issue and such a line of questioning, but... it's not something we're especially good at handling ourselves.

Smik 2015/06/22(Mon)21:46 No. 650245 ID: 3009b4
File 143503478243.jpg - (377.56KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_13.jpg )

>phAHAHAHA AHHA AHAH HAH Phht *snort* WHERE DID YOU BUY THAT GETUP?!

Bill Phooka gazes at Sami indignantly: Welcome to the wonderful world of wild spirits, Sami. There is a reason why the Fae want no part of them.

Sami: You can hear them?

Bill Phooka: Yes, they're also guests in my domain.

Sami takes a deep breath and begins to say something that apparently begins with "F" but it trails off and she just downs her glass instead.

Bill Phooka smiles, amused: Fffffffffamiliar with them?

Sami: Let's go with that.

>Try turning the conversation back around on him. For someone so concerned with loneliness, why's he still living here on the edge of a curse blighted town?

Bill Phooka: I'm a Phooka -- an impartial observer. I report things as I see them to the Seelie and Unseelie courts. Our neutrality only applies to faerie politics as a general rule; we're not above letting our personal relationships in our territories colour our reports. I was the one who investigated the Piper's death. I hear... he is a ghost now?

Sami: Wait, you couldn't tell he was a ghost?

Bill Phooka: Fae don't become ghosts, Sami. Not as a general rule, and that means the curse is worse than we thought. It's bad enough your town is cursed but a curse strong enough to bind faerie folk? I'm not quite sure what to do but I need to let my King know.

Sami: Faeries don't become ghosts?

Bill Phooka: We're immortal. Our forms are borrowed; we're not even supposed to die, let alone leave a ghost bound to the physical world.

Sami's voice becomes curt: Well, the Piper did.

Bill Phooka nods.: I believe you, Sami -- it's just a bit disturbing.

>SO (changing the subject), has he seen anyone else new around the town? We saw the network of a Redeemer camp nearby, though it was rather old and the curse is still there so something seems to have happened to them.

Sami: So... do you watch who comes and goes from the town still? Have you seen any Redeemers?

Bill Phooka: Yes, and there have been several who have come to the town, but no one has ever left. No, I don't know why -- I've no reason to go into a cursed place. I wish the Redeemers would show up; they're dangerous, stubborn and unkillable but they're also the best way to remove a curse. They operate on their own terms and on their own time, so I assume they will arrive... eventually.

>Apologies, Bill, for Kome's "radical" comments. He is always like this, basing his comments on a very limited perspective. Even among the Ancient mortals, there were plenty of locations where men commonly wore what would appear to be skirts, regardless of coloration or pattern.

Bill Phooka: He's ALWAYS like that? Just... lovely.

Smik 2015/06/22(Mon)22:41 No. 650252 ID: 3009b4
File 143503808552.jpg - (390.65KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_14.jpg )

>Either the man is so into his bachelorhood that he doesn't realize how personal a question is, doesn't give a shit due to being Fae, or he's hitting on you.

Sami: Or all of the above. It's hard to tell. You get used to it.

Sami downs a second glass and savours the heat it brings to her. It seems like ages since she's ever been really, really drunk and she misses it. It becomes pretty clear that she's going to continue to accept whatever drink Bill will pour. Sami also doesn't seem terribly interested in your questions anymore.

Bill Phooka: She's really putting away the spirits. I would expect someone her size to nurse it more... or pretty drunk by now.

Sami gestures for another glass. When he levels her with a questioning gaze, she smiles sweetly and politely asks for another drought.

Bill Phooka: Should I cut her off now or allow her one more?

Do you have any root beer or any other sugar-flavored and/or carbonated drinks? Sami probably needs more drinks to ease the stress, but I'm worried about her liver. And any throat lacerations.

Can we get a look around your place while you chat? Thanks.

>Bill Phooka: Should I cut her off now or allow her one more?
*private, to Bill*
She seems to have had a... wide-ranging adulthood, and it wouldn't surprise me that much if she was handling that alcohol without getting drunk. Without knowing one way or the other, I think it's even more likely that she's decided she's safe enough here (or doesn't care about the risks) and is trying to drink herself to sleep because she's exhausted and alcohol was her customary aid for avoiding nightmares. She is drinking on a formerly-empty stomach here, so I'd want to double check that she's drinking enough water to avoid a hangover and hasn't already become unable to stand up.

So, uh, since Sami's discretion seems to have collapsed and you already seem to know a number of the highlights of what we've found out, do you want us to try and give a nutshell version of what we've seen and done so far? At this point we already have to trust in your benevolence, so the least we can do is share what we have in the way of news.

>There is a reason why the Fae want no part of [wild spirits].
Sorry!

>Redeemers unkillable
Even more so than the other, usually immortal fae? That's interesting. I don't think we saw any of them in the cursed area, but if you saw them go in and they're indestructible, they should still be there.

[Bill's network only]
>Bill Phooka: Should I cut her off now or allow her one more?
...she's been struggling with grief and depression and self loathing for years, and that included attempts at self medication with alcohol and other recreational drugs. None of which she's proud of.

It doesn't help that her heritage made her pretty resistant to most of it- she's not used to drink actually working on her.

Given the emotions involving, I'm not sure if it's a really bad idea to let her get drunk, or if it would be a kindness to allow her the release.

...We're supposed to protect her. There's risk in letting her get drunk, and little direct risk in avoiding it. Cut her off, please.

Thank you for consulting us, and I apologize in advance if she gets upset at you over this. This is the most kindness or concern we've seen anyone else show her in a while.

>I'm not quite sure what to do but I need to let my King know.
Who is that when your role is to be neutral between the Seelie and Unseelie?

>Yes, and there have been several who have come to the town, but no one has ever left.
Anyone noteworthy or just scavengers?

>Redeemers unkillable
Which kind of unkillable? Are they un-injurable, or do they regenerate from damage or come back in a new body or what? We saw an old redeemer camp and the job is unfinished, so we will probably have to deal with whatever got them it would be useful to know what would be capable of trapping or incapacitating a Redeemer.

>Do you have any root beer or any other sugar-flavored and/or carbonated drinks? Sami probably needs more drinks to ease the stress, but I'm worried about her liver. And any throat lacerations.

Bill Phooka: Root beer? Carbonated drinks?

Sami: Fuck you, Kome.

>-The vermin (clearing);
>-The church (investigating, potentially aiding or removing);
>-The old council (what are they guilty of, did they knowingly invite fey wrath?);
>-Where the survivors went (what was left behind, who needs help moving on, who wants to come back?);
>-The piper's family (if any), and;

Bill Phooka: Can't help you on any of those items.


>-The priest in that church (who or what is he really, who is he connected to?);

Bill Phooka: I don't know of any priests that have been around if that helps any, but I'm not a good judge as to what passes for a priest around here either.

-What the fey objected to around town (solving the fey thinking they want to do 'culling');

Bill Phooka: The Pantheon influence. I observed the church's construction. The town was rather devoted to a Pantheon demigod. I've no idea how much she actually helped them prosper but that's probably why they were targeted.

-Who convinced or ordered the piper to do this whole extortion and genocide thing (connected to fey cull motivation issue).

Bill Phooka: This was Seelie territory and the Piper's responsibility. You'll have to ask him why he chose to cull the town. Although I can tell you now that the Unseelie Court was angered by the whole affair and it's in their hands now. Their representative is in Welser now. Just between you and I, she's more interested in mortal affairs than perhaps she should be. Word to the wise -- she is dragoning the town which means you will need a facade of a dragon-slayer if you want to talk to her.

Sami cocks her head to one side.

Bill Phooka: Pretending to threaten the town with death and destruction if they don't comply with her demands. It's the Unseelie way of keeping order, although don't mistake her posturing for empty threats as she is fully capable of following through, she just doesn't want to.

>...We're supposed to protect her. There's risk in letting her get drunk, and little direct risk in avoiding it. Cut her off, please.

Bill Phooka: That's enough wine for now, Sami.

Sami scowls and looks around.

Sami: You're NOT my father guys, just so you know. C'mon Bill, give me another... please.

Bill Phooka: Maybe after dessert.

Sami pouts.

>Even more so than the other, usually immortal fae? That's interesting. I don't think we saw any of them in the cursed area, but if you saw them go in and they're indestructible, they should still be there.

Bill Phooka: Not indestructible, just not killable. They die, but it doesn't stop them from returning. Thankfully they're also limited in number, but that's also probably why nothing has been done yet.

>Who is that when your role is to be neutral between the Seelie and Unseelie?

Bill Phooka: The King changes depending on who controls the area, so right now that would be the Unseelie King, Othos. He would be closer to Welser, but still quite the journey on mortal feet. Won't be of any help to you. It doesn't matter to me who the king or queen is though, my role is to just watch this area.

>>650297
Fine, have more drinks, but please balance your binge drinking with two glasses of water per alcohol or some vegetables. If you want to get drunk, at least give your body some vitamins and water to counter the alcohol poisoning.

So what do you do to pass the time? It's been ten years and all there is to see is the slowly increasing hellhole of tormented spirits and vermin.

Speaking of which, what can you tell us about the structure of the vermin hives? They likely expanded their tunnels to outside the city by now...

Bill, I am fairly certain that you are telling me the truth about how bad mortal-fey relations are because I wouldn't have imagined the fey would be so obliviously shortsighted and small-minded without being told so. The fey are seriously tempting fate by being so disrespectful and violent in their relations with mortals. Such abuse begs retaliation and eventually they will get it: Consider that the piper should not have a ghost... but he does. Over time mortals forget things, but they also learn others--often things formerly thought impossible. Eventually one of the things they learn will be how to kill the fey. The fey's only salvation when that day comes is to be their beloved friends instead of their hated enemies, and continuing as things are is teaching the mortals that they should either 'dragon' or 'cull' the fey when they get that chance.
However, in the absence of someone appropriate from the fey to talk to about the fey's collective responsibility for this town's curse, stopping current harms, preventing future abuses and making reparations for their theft, extortion, violence and other crimes... I guess that's merely me playing Cassandra. I can't honestly expect folks to take that warning seriously until it's too late, "They are only mortals," and all.

Please excuse me, I'm choking on disgust at the moment. Give a little while and I'll get back to being lucid and pragmatic.

So Bill, where do you get food out here and it it something that Sami could make use of? Our current goals in working towards ending the curse are finding food, information, and the knowledge of how to use this magic guitar, and you seem to at least have a good lead on the first of those.

[private:]
>>650315
Way to not sound like a disapproving parent :/

>>650318
I am pretty sure they fey are aware of the possibility of mortals turning against them at some point, and I suspect their animosity to Pantheon influence is in part an attempt to stop mortals from getting a means to do so.

Guys, it's not polite to lecture our very generous host. Less politics at the diner table, more focus on our charge.

>You're NOT my father guys
I see us as more as the designated drivers. :p

[private]
So, Bill, if your job is primarily as an observer, is there anything we might have seen you want to ask us about? You were kind to Sami, and if our observations of the cursed area would be useful, we're willing to share.

Smik 2015/06/23(Tue)23:12 No. 650404 ID: 3009b4
File 143512634690.jpg - (372.03KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_15.jpg )

>So what do you do to pass the time? It's been ten years and all there is to see is the slowly increasing hellhole of tormented spirits and vermin.

Billy Phooka: I do a lot of reading and document the surrounding area.

>Fine, have more drinks, but please balance your binge drinking with two glasses of water per alcohol or some vegetables. If you want to get drunk, at least give your body some vitamins and water to counter the alcohol poisoning.

Sami: Oh yeah, it's not like I don't have experience doing this, Kome.

She looks over to Billy and pouts.

Sami: Pleeease may I have enough glass?

>Speaking of which, what can you tell us about the structure of the vermin hives? They likely expanded their tunnels to outside the city by now...

Billy Phooka: Normally vermin like that don't gather so tightly. I assume it has something to do with the curse. And they don't form hives.

>So Bill, where do you get food out here and it it something that Sami could make use of? Our current goals in working towards ending the curse are finding food, information, and the knowledge of how to use this magic guitar, and you seem to at least have a good lead on the first of those.

Billy Phooka: Plenty of food if you know where to look. As to the axe... can't help you there. I can you with supplies but you'll have to do something for me in return.

>So, Bill, if your job is primarily as an observer, is there anything we might have seen you want to ask us about? You were kind to Sami, and if our observations of the cursed area would be useful, we're willing to share.

Billy Phooka: Anything about the state of the Piper would be worth a meal.

Sami: Sweeten the deal with more wine?

Billy Phooka: No, maybe afterwards. I need you to be clear-headed.

Sami: Apparently both he and the mayor only began to get lucid after I arrived and got close. The mayor is nothing more than this... wisp with eyes. The Piper is hard to focus on; his form shimmers and shifts so I can never get a close look. His are just dark spots, and his legs keep melting into the air. He says it's... dark right now and he's tired. And on that note, I never even SAW the mayor this morning and he supposedly kept watch over me all night. That's all I can really say unless the spirits have something to add. And I would appreciate if they added that I should have another glass of wine.

The state and mood of the piper *changed* recently too. That story was hairy, and is most of the reason why I say we've made some progress in addressing the curse.

Though the Piper's been made into a ghost, he's still quite a powerful one. He's got a large radius of influence, though still not enough to see too far from the river. This may be connected to his being a Fae, or it may be connected to how directly his death was related to Sami.

As would be expected of Cursed spirits, his mood greatly lightened when the source of his curse was delivered to him--the Blood Gold promised but never given. Of course, it has always been short, so it's not a complete purification, but that's a fact even he was aware of. The ghosts of a mortal are based upon their memories, but his actions have left me wondering if it's different for the spirits of Fae; if it is the same, then your memories must be a LOT more powerful (Though, admittedly, given that you are immortal it makes sense).

Sami, please be a bit more patient here. Mercantile is best handled with some sense of sobriety; there's plenty of time to drift away from lucidity once we're done with the information-goods trade.
*Private*
Shall we bring out a phantasm to decieve her? It may result in some lost trust, but it could also help her to stay more patient. Bit of a gamble here.

You should have another glass of wine.

Bill, can you give us a list of stuff in the pantry that you don't feel like eating anymore? We'd like to see how crazy we can spice up wine. Let's just start with one glass of wine containing some salt and strawberries, and see where this goes.

On a more serious note, death changed Piper's outlook on a lot of things. Maybe this is the beginning of a turning point, something so powerful that it could rewrite the natural laws of the Fae. Or maybe not. But the town has been ignored by the major factions for too long. You said it yourself, Fae don't become ghosts. Whatever coalesced in that town over the past ten years? It's a power grab just waiting to happen, hidden behind the grime and dirt of the local vermin.

Nick said that the spirits get to go inside the church on Faustday, to collectively share their grief. There might be a way to resolve most of them in one go or something, but we don't have enough intel to form any coherent plan. Bill, you got any relevant intel from the Fae networks?

>That's all I can really say unless the spirits have something to add
I don't know if it's what he wore in life, but he's predominantly colored yellow (guilt, fear?), with an oversized coat and brimmed hat.

The wounds he died of are not evident.

The ghosts hold some influence over the cursed spirits- the mayor held the possessed golems at bay, and the piper chose not to interfere when we spoofed our way past some others.

The piper wants the guilty parties from the town to suffer, but is self aware enough to realize this would be a difficult or long term thing, and expressed a desire Sami might find some shortcut to end the curse. Which means he wants this to end more than he wants vengeance- that's significant.

Neither could, or perhaps was interested in, communicating with us spirits directly.

The piper's world is dark, but the cursed gold was like a warm glow to him, a little campfire.

He was oddly comforted by Sami's presence. Perhaps even concerned for her welfare- it was the piper who recommended you to us.

That's everything I can think of.

>let me have another drink
If we did, we would just catch the other end of it when you have a hangover tomorrow.

Smik 2015/06/27(Sat)12:32 No. 651159 ID: 3009b4
File 143543353903.jpg - (432.89KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_16.jpg )

Bill politely but firmly declines Sami's request for more wine. Sami is unimpressed.

>Bill, can you give us a list of stuff in the pantry that you don't feel like eating anymore?

Bill Phooka: As much as I appreciate the company, I'm not about to just give away my supplies.

Sami: I understand -- I'm going to assume you want a trade?

Bill Phooka: Yes, and you'll need something other than coin; it's not as if it does me any good right now.

Sami checks her backpack and sighs.

Sami: I have... some Gaelish dreamtime tobacco. That's the only thing of value that I can offer.

Bill Phooka raises an eyebrow in interest. It's clear that Sami doesn't want to part with it, but she doesn't have many options right now.

Bill Phooka: Well, there's more than just physical things I'd be willing to trade for if the dreamtime is that important to you.

Sami narrows her eyes.

Sami: Such as?

Bill Phooka: That'd be too easy Sami! You'll have to guess.

Sami blinks slowly so she can roll her eyes at Bill without him seeing; enough of a rude gesture to make herself feel better without worrying about its impact on her possible negotiations.

Sami: Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?

Bill grins mischieviously and waggles his eyebrows. Sami wants to glare at him but for the sake of negotiations she just turns away and crosses her arms.

Bill Phooka: You'll never know unless you ask!

>But the town has been ignored by the major factions for too long. You said it yourself, Fae don't become ghosts. Whatever coalesced in that town over the past ten years? It's a power grab just waiting to happen, hidden behind the grime and dirt of the local vermin.

Bill Phooka: The town's cursed -- no one wants any part of it. After its collapse, attention shifted to Welser. The Unseelie Court was rather upset about what happened so demanded control shift to them, and it did. I believe the job was passed to Skyia the Serpent, and there have been *rumours* that she now has a grown half-blood child herself.

>I don't know if it's what he wore in life, but he's predominantly colored yellow (guilt, fear?), with an oversized coat and brimmed hat.

Sami: No, that's what he actually wore.

:: ** Confirmation Requested ** ::
:: Exchange "Draw Memory" for 30 IP? Once removed, "Draw Memory" cannot be re-obtained. ::

>you're really gonna have to guess
It really sounds like he's proposing the exchange of goods for services.

Bill, I am really going to have to disappoint you if you're thinking I might be at all willing to entertain the notion of sex after the day I've had.

(That's the most diplomatic refusal I can come up with, short of refusing to acknowledge it further. Certainly more so than "I'm not fucking you" or "I'm not a whore").

I don't suppose you have any natural objects that could use flute magic applied to them? (And no, we're not talking about playing that object like a flute).

[private]
I'm comfortable giving it up. Skimming surface thoughts is skeevy, and and I have real doubts about how effectively it could be used to dredge up pleasant or useful memories. It's a tool well suited to violating or tormenting someone. Potentially it could have therapeutic uses, but it seems like it would be a lot harder to achieve.

>>651159
MUST. HUG. MINI-SKYIA.
Bill, you want to do the hugging?

Wait, actual yellow clothes? Did he have an animal companion that joined in his vermin-catching song?

Sami, just ask what Bill wants, he's likely pulling your chain for a laugh. Maybe you're supposed to just play him a few songs?

*Private*
Yeah, that app might do more harm than good. I vote for purchasing Charmnet with the profits so that we can finally get on the offensive.
*/Private*

*private*
Cannot be re-obtained? That's even better than worrying another cursed object will install it again later. Yes please! Would like to re-propose removal of the other malware program as well.
*/private*
Perhaps Bill would like us to visit particular points in town and report, or retrieve specific objects for him, or carry a letter to the 'priest' or the ghost of the piper for him. Also we could offer to help with chores, hunting, fishing or gathering nearby. These are safe things to guess that would imply we are not interested in *ahem* joining the oldest profession.
Seriously, Bill's been a little helpful but I can't shake the feeling he's trolling us because he's bored. Is he really as unwilling to take any risk or spend any resources or effort in helping us with this mess as he seems, or is he being a jerk trying to get us to pay for it? Fey would try to get paid for something they were gonna do for free anyway.

If nobody else has any better ideas how about bringing some more food to the priest and talking to him again when we've restocked either through trade or spending a couple days huntin' an' fishin'? I wanna ask that priest why he's in a church in a dead community, and how much he knows about the conflict of Pantheon versus Fey, potentially leading up to asking who and what he really is.

[private]
>>651184
Not the worst idea. I'll support that purchase.

>>651208
I'll object to that, though. Phantasm as personal illusions can serve an actual purpose. We can give Sami the illusion of light in the dark (without giving away her position as an actual light source would), the illusion of silence when exposed to loud or painful noise, provide visual cues and guidance when our words aren't enough, etc. Heck, it would even allow a hug, even a phantam hug from no-where wouldn't freak her out. It's a way to actually interact with Sami I'm loath to discard.

Granted, it can be misused if we're invaded again, but I think it's a fair assumption that even if we cleared out all the programs, the next batch of curse spirits would bring some new toy with them anyways. We might as well maintain the tools we actually like.

>Sami, just ask what Bill wants, he's likely pulling your chain for a laugh.

Sami: Stop fooling around Bill, what do you want?

Bill Phooka: No! You must guess or offer and I will tell you if it's acceptable or if you're close!

>Perhaps Bill would like us to visit particular points in town and report, or retrieve specific objects for him, or carry a letter to the 'priest' or the ghost of the piper for him. Also we could offer to help with chores, hunting, fishing or gathering nearby. These are safe things to guess that would imply we are not interested in *ahem* joining the oldest profession.

Sami: I can play delivery girl.

Bill Phooka: I really doubt there's anything left in the village that I'd have an interest in. If there is, you'd have to look in the Merchant's Guild Hall, I'm always interested in new stories. Uncommon ones. And you'll not starve while you're here; you're welcome to come back for meal times -- company is payment enough right now. I never realized how much I missed company until the town was abandoned. Jenny Greenteeth is the only other local Fae and she's both Unseelie and unpleasant -- she'll try to kill you if you enter her swamp.

He thinks for a moment.

Bill Phooka: Actually I wouldn't mind having someone to chat with on a more regular basis. Wait here please -- and don't disturb my carefully organized chaos -- while I go dig it up. It's a little trinket so you can let me know if you're planning to drop in for tea.

Bill goes through the shadows in the back and vanishes. Sami's heard of the Fae world and has no intentions of following him if that's where he's gone. She COULD look around some of his 'organized chaos' if she can do so without disturbing anything, or she could sneak some more wine, or she could just behave herself and wait patiently.

:: Draw Memory has been exchanged for 30 IP, for new total of 143 ::
:: Confirm purchase of Charmnet and Final Spoof upgrade for 45 IP? ::

:: Note that Charmnet requires an appropriate instrument to charm a given network. While there are no 'natural' networks (to use with the flute), it can also be used on natural items and triggered later -- the Charmnet allows the instrument to go beyond its normal range of sound. Range is not unlimited and is based on the number of networks that will allow it to 'bounce' off of and resonate to its target. The Siren's Axe for example only works with Golems and the Redeemer network. ::

>stories and company for meals
He's really not such a bad dude. Just lonely, and a little weird. Can't really expect the fae not to be a little weird.

>Jenny Greenteeth is the only other local Fae and she's both Unseelie and unpleasant -- she'll try to kill you if you enter her swamp.
Well, good to know. Avoid the swamp.

>I never realized how much I missed company until the town was abandoned
Raises the obvious question of who he hung out with when the town was inhabited. Did he just disguise himself and mingle, or were there people who new who he was?

>She COULD look around some of his 'organized chaos' if she can do so without disturbing anything
If you're curious we could indulge in some look with your eyes and not your hands. If you really wanted to be sneaky about it, we could phantasm up an illusionary magnifying lens to get a good look at things without even getting close.

>she could sneak some more wine
Well I can't advocate that when we asked him to turn off the tap before! If you come back here for any future meals you might get more anyways.

[private]
>Confirm purchase of Charmnet and Final Spoof upgrade for 45 IP?
Yeah, sure.

Bill has a safehouse. Don't waste his hospitality by stealing wine.

Hm, I wonder if using a physical scan will disturb some security protocols. What do you guys think?

*Private*
Confirm Purchase.
*/Private*

>>651226
Wow, just wow Kome. Even if Sami were a hopeless addict she's only suicidal at most: Stealing from fey is liable to get you turned into a teapot or something else weird that is worse than death.

Since Bill likes stories, well, you tell me if you're interested in trading him the story of killing the Piper, Sami. My vicious streak suggests this as a way of making him patronize less in future, and maybe dissuading him from making unwanted advances as well.

>>651264
Huh? I thought I said "don't steal wine".

>Sami: Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?
You know, my instinct was he wanted information. Somebody willing to locate news, actual news, for him.
>I'm always interested in new stories. Uncommon ones.
And his statement on this kind of solidifies it.

>>651270
...Which is exactly what's so stupid. Sami wouldn't even think of doing something like that to start with. That's like telling a grown person who knows what fire is, "Don't grab that piece of coal out of the furnace." Would you enjoy being given such a condescending suggestion that you already intended to follow out of instinct?
Hey Kome, don't spend IP on literal garbage that serves no purpose whatsoever except for cluttering up our own senses to prevent us from seeing what's going on.

Holy shit you guys, lay off of Kome. >>651219 also approved the IP spends, and the recommendation not to steal wine is there exactly because Sami DID think of it.
>She COULD look around some of his 'organized chaos' if she can do so without disturbing anything, or she could sneak some more wine, or she could just behave herself and wait patiently

>Sami wouldn't even think of doing something like that to start with

** Oh yes she did. It wouldn't have been listed as an option otherwise. **

>Hey Kome, don't spend IP on literal garbage that serves no purpose

** Scans don't require IP to use. **

>Holy shit you guys, lay off of Kome

** I have to agree. When Kome annoys Sami, she'll tell him -- but the fact that she doesn't ignore everything he says should tell you something. You're being a bit hard on ol' Kome **

Smik 2015/06/29(Mon)22:36 No. 651843 ID: 3009b4
File 143564257637.jpg - (400.38KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_17.jpg )

As you argue amongst yourselves, Sami mopes and stares at the wine, but doesn't touch.

It doesn't take long for Bob Phooka to return. He has a small mirror in his hand.

Bill Phooka: It's a magic mirror. I've set it up for general access -- it will respond to anyone saying the passphrase "Yuri Yuri". You can just talk into it afterwards - your spirits might be able to communicate with me directly too. Just let me know if you'd like to come down for tea and I can get a little something set up.

Sami nods and thanks him, then pockets the mirror.

It seems lunch is over, so now's the time to ask questions and make some plans.

>>651843
...Okay Bill, who did you hear that phrase from. (If they told you not to tell anyone, then don't.) Sami, you... don't want to know.

We need a general plan, this whole fiasco has been Sami constantly surviving a string of trials and nightmares. To create a plan, we need to feed it with various bits of information and assets.

Start by lining up a compendium of everything you both know and have. Bill, upload any stored data you have to Ten <Discussion> so that we can read it. Don't worry about sending too much, we can pipe the data and processes it REALLY fast.

>Yuri Yuri
From the Russian or Japanese?

>>651853
*Private*
What's the Russian version?
*Public*
I'll ask you now, Bill: Do you want us to contact you just to let you know if Sami's got information, or also to give it over the link if it's major, but she also won't be able to take a break to head back here?

So I think the best lead we have now is investigating what is up with the Redeemers. Does Bill have any advice on approaching them (if they are still there in some form)?

>Yuri
Depending on the language that can refer to a flower, a fairly normal name or a weird genre of fiction.

>Start by lining up a compendium of everything you both know and have. Bill, upload any stored data you have to Ten <Discussion> so that we can read it.

Bill politely reminds you that he is not your personal library, nor is he a friend. He has an interest in seeing the curse removed and it's been awhile since he's had company but that's all. If you have specific questions, you can ask him via the mirror.

As to 'Yuri': it's not a native word to anyone in the area and ensures that nobody but Sami will know it's the mirror's trigger phrase. He stresses that the mirror will work for ANYONE who uses the phrase and synchronizing it isn't easy so he's trusting you and Sami to take good care of it and to return it when you're done.

>>651852
I'm sure that Bill knows lots of things that we could find interesting, profitable, mission-useful or otherwise worth knowing. I suspect he knows trivia type details about the town which we could find potentially useful at least, and a great deal more on many other topics. But I'm unsure how we're expected to pay him for all that information, what did you have in mind?

Following up on the Redeemers would be interesting and useful, if we had anything in the shape of a lead. If I had to guess what's up with them though, they're waiting for us to settle or weaken the worst of the curse's mess--and the deadlier infestation parts--before arriving to clean up in comparative safety: They have too much work to do to waste time being chased around by golems and risking death.
I would like to propose that we spend a day or more hunting, fishing and otherwise gathering food where it's safe-ish; I want to have a gift to bring with us before we start interrogating that priest. We also need a plan for dealing with the pest-critters, unless we think we could somehow use one of the two instruments we've got to take care of the infestation.

>before arriving to clean up in comparative safety
Setting up a network then leaving due to danger doesn't sound like the Redeemers that Bill described as stubborn and immune to being permanently killed, though I guess the only way to find out for sure is to go check.

Smik 2015/07/09(Thu)15:28 No. 654357 ID: 3009b4
File 143648091117.jpg - (514.60KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_18.jpg )

>Following up on the Redeemers would be interesting and useful, if we had anything in the shape of a lead.

Lacking any other ideas, Sami decides to go with that. After all, Bill's offered meals so she needn't worry about starving to death and she can take her time to do some hunting later.

** I'm going to assume you'd not hesitate to tell Sami she can find the network in the church Graveyard. **

While she's apprehensive about going to the graveyard, she hopes that the place of the dead will be as helpful as her recent encounters with the true dead. Thanking Bill for his hospitality and bidding him farewell, Sami has a short and uneventful walk to the graveyard behind the church.

The graveyard is in good shape; Father Nick must take good care of it. The DETECT NETWORK program politely blips as you come within range and identifies the source to be an "Angel of Death" statue. Using PORT ACCESS you can connect to the Redeemer network. Sami feels a tingling sensation from her guitar.

:: ROT.NET ::
:: ANONYMOUS ACCESS ALLOWED ::
:: WELCOME TO THE REDEEMER NETWORK ::

:: Local Network was last updated 8.9 years ago ::
:: Please note: The Redeemers are aware of the curse in this area. As the curse is relatively contained, it is considered a "low priority" site. We apologize for the delay. ::

:: ADDITIONAL VISITOR NOTICE ::
:: This is a low-priority area with a bounty of 100 gold crowns for its restoration. ::
:: The Curse within this town was caused when the town's 99 children were drowned by a Fae controller. The resulting overwhelming loss destroyed the town. The primary guilty parties were the controller (killed by the 100th half-blood child), the mayor (suicide) and town council. The remaining guilty parties have been dealt with so the curse won't spread as long as people are kept out of the town and don't die here.::
:: Clearing the curse (without Redeemer tools) will require bringing peace to three individuals, one living and two ghosts. ::

:: The Fae controller known as The Piper was killed brutally while extracting revenge involving a 100 gold crown debt. He is an angry ghost; first calm his rage and then get him to release his hold on his life. As a former immortal this may prove very difficult, so primarily focus on calming him. ::

:: The Rollen Mayor was overcome with guilt for his part in the children's death and committed suicide. He longs to redeem himself and will do whatever he can to help although his powers will be likely limited. ::

:: Finally, locate the 100th child and sole-survivor, Sami Jones. She is a *blue-eyed* Rollen with brown skin and red hair; her family left town with her 9 years ago. Survivor's guilt has worn her down, and she must feel peace to clear the curse. Please be warned that Sami is both death-touched and unseelie half-blood and so under extreme duress she may become both violent and deadly, especially to other fae. ::


There are some notes left for public viewing:
- General Assessment
- Estimated Impact on Mortals
- Request re: Sami Jones

Last message here is almost 9 years old, Sami. Redeemers haven't been up to anything recently.

Hold on, we're reading everything.

[private]
Read the notes, obviously.

If what we're reading is accurate the Redeemers came and went after doing some work because they were busy with worse problems. "The remaining guilty parties have been dealt with so the curse won't spread as long as people are kept out of the town and don't die here." If the Redeemers know you've come here they may be sending someone now, just being here might be undoing their earlier work. Would you like us to try to send them a message telling them that one of the danger conditions has occurred? We don't know if we can, but it may be worth trying.
Other parts of the note specifically name two key ghosts to deal with, the piper and the mayor. They recommend calming the piper and helping the mayor with his guilt. The good news is there could be a bounty for it if we do clear the curse somehow. There is more to check and we are still investigating.
However, if the messages don't have anything more of use there are reasons I wanted us to spend time gathering food: One is so we would have something to give to that priest who's on the edge of starving. Another reason is that fey food might have unexpected effects, so I'd really rather not rely on that considering your particular issue with fey influence. Also, we'd probably better not tell Bill all of what we're learning here because if he learns that the Redeemers specifically warn about people disturbing the curse by coming here he may decide to prevent you from going back into town. So that's multiple reasons not to rely on Bill now, or tell him more than we have to, even if he is trustworthy.

>>654357
If the Rotland Redeemers set up a message board (the statue), you can expect a safehouse or armory nearby. Most guild members don't want to receive missions from enemy-infested territory, and are no visible hostiles in the middle of a cursed graveyard. So, there might be something dissuading the local vermin and wraiths from just wandering freely in the area for kicks.

Sami, try strumming the guitar. See if using an instrument near the statue has any effect.

*Private*
Scan the statue for any physical mechanisms. Also do a light scan of the grass in the area.
*/Private*

Smik 2015/07/11(Sat)08:51 No. 654984 ID: 3009b4
File 143662991723.jpg - (377.23KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_19.jpg )

>Would you like us to try to send them a message telling them that one of the danger conditions has occurred?

Sami: You might as well.

>However, if the messages don't have anything more of use there are reasons I wanted us to spend time gathering food: One is so we would have something to give to that priest who's on the edge of starving. Another reason is that fey food might have unexpected effects, so I'd really rather not rely on that considering your particular issue with fey influence.

Sami: It's not like I don't know a little of how faeries work, my great-grandfather was fae and he did make sure we knew enough to keep ourselves safe. Fae food only affects the consumer within the faerie realms. Bill served common food, except for the wine -- which you kept from me, and I'm still mad about that.

>Sami, try strumming the guitar. See if using an instrument near the statue has any effect.

Sami tries strumming the guitar, and while she feels a tingling it's pretty clear that she needs to play a specific melody to get any result -- and she doesn't know enough about guitar to do so.

>Scan the statue for any physical mechanisms. Also do a light scan of the grass in the area.

The statue is set up as a Redeemer network node. Encased within the statue is a murky... substance of some sort. It's best compared to a vicious liquid, almost like tar. WIKI reports that this is one of the "Dark waters" that the Redeemers use for transportation, and likely is how they would deliver the bounty upon clearing the curse from the town.

REDEEMER NOTES have been added to the WIKI: http://tgchan.org/wiki/Sami%27s_Quest and QUEST DISCUSSION: http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questdis/res/87907.html

*private*
-Look up Redeemer Cache
-Look up Redeemer Authentication
-Look up Redeemer Message Transfer
-Look up Redeemer Organization
-Look up Grace the Seamstress
-mailto: Grace the Seamstress subject: Sami Returned to Ronnalin text: Help, she's here in town because she's at least half mad with guilt and grief, and is determined to address the curse or die trying. I'm no specialist in this kind of thing and I'm not sure how to handle it.
*/private*
Attempting to send that message then. If this attempt doesn't work there may be another way to try, but no promises.
Hmmm, we have no idea how Redeemers store or protect things like supplies. It does make sense for them to leave a cache here but we don't know what we're looking for, or whether it was already looted by that starving priest or something. Unless you notice something you think is worth checking, or think there's a way to go underneath the statue, then maybe it's time to give up without more information.
Uh, there's a note here about an undelivered message from someone named Rosemary for someone named Sami. Would you like that?

According to the Redeemers the two main spirits involved are the Mayor and the Piper, the former who blames himself and the latter who had the debt thing and some other issue he would not admit to the Redeemers. I am not really sure how to progress with either of those though.

The Redeemer notes also say the curse has some sort of negative effect on full mortals nearby, so we should check of Father Nick to make sure he is doing alright.

>>654984
... Yeesh.

Alright, bad news: the longer a mortal stays in the city, the more agitated and insane the enemies become. I don't think Nick is mortal...

These Rotland Redeemers seem professional, so that's good. Looks like half of Piper's anger stems from something other than the curse; you'll need to find the right person. Nick, maybe?

Looks like there's a transport device hidden inside the statue. I think I've seen this before; don't expose the liquid core to light, it might disintegrate violently.

Nothing else to do here? Look around residential for a weapon and some intel. Then head to the church in the evening.

>which you kept from me, and I'm still mad about that
Sorry about that. Honestly though, I'd rather have you mad at us we were too cautious than mad at us if we let our guard down and something happened.

>reading notes
Okay, Sami. The redeemers seem to think short of brute forcing things, finding you would probably be the best way to lift the curse. So you have that an an advantage, I suppose.

There's a warning the curse will have a negative impact on mortals within it's influence, and that anyone working to help people here should first try to get them OUT. That raises questions about the priest, and what he's doing here. Unless his faith or goddess protects him, he should not be doing well, here.

They make note of your blue eyes as a distinguishing feature for anyone trying to locate you. I take it blue eyed Rollen are rare? ...actually, is it usual for a Rollen's iris and sclera to be the same color like that? (Or is that a blue sclera, black iris, blue pupil?). No whites, your eyes are almost entirety blue.

There's, uh, a personal message for you. Would you like to hear it?

Smik 2015/07/18(Sat)11:26 No. 656711 ID: 3009b4
File 143724397137.jpg - (388.97KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_20.jpg )

Message to Grace sent. You will be notified when she replies.

>They make note of your blue eyes as a distinguishing feature for anyone trying to locate you. I take it blue eyed Rollen are rare? ...actually, is it usual for a Rollen's iris and sclera to be the same color like that? (Or is that a blue sclera, black iris, blue pupil?). No whites, your eyes are almost entirety blue.

Sami: Yeah... the blue eyes are a dead give-away that I'm a half-blood. But our iris and sclera are usually very similar colours. My faerie herritage isn't something a community is really comfortable with, but basically we feel that if you can actually get a fae to bind itself in marriage then they're trustworthy and as long as we behave ourselves, we're all friends. But when a half-blood tells you she can't play by the river, you don't push her to play by the river because she's got a REAL GOOD REASON not to. One of the reasons why family left town is because we all sort of knew I was the one who killed the piper, but nobody had real proof. Some people asked what happened, and I sort of told the truth. I told them that I thought I drowned with all the others but when I came to, the piper was dead and I was still alive. Since I've got fae blood and my family never goes near the river, we're pretty sure some people put two-and-two together and while they were glad I killed the Piper, I could always sort of feel the question of "Why couldn't you save anyone while you were at it?". Plus, I was the only child left... I got more attention than I was comfortable with and my parents almost felt guilty that they were the only ones with a whole family.

>Uh, there's a note here about an undelivered message from someone named Rosemary for someone named Sami. Would you like that?
>There's, uh, a personal message for you. Would you like to hear it?

Sami becomes very uncomfortable.

Sami: Rosemary... left me a message?

Her grip on the guitar tightens and her brow furrows.

As you relay the message, Sami closes her eyes and she shakes her head sadly.

Sami: It doesn't matter how often anyone tells me it wasn't my fault, or that I'm not a monster, or I didn't fail, or that nobody blames me. It doesn't matter because I could have done something different. Could have gone in front. Could have transformed earlier. Could have tried to pull someone out of the water. No matter what anyone tells me, I'm the only one who survived and I'm going to wonder if I could have done anything differently to have at least saved someone, especially Rosemary.

The HUD crackles slightly, and for a moment it makes an irritating, high-pitched ringing but it passes and Sami takes no notice.

** Requested WIKI now on http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questdis/res/87907.html and http://tgchan.org/wiki/Sami%27s_Quest **

Tough love time, I think.

>>656711
Do you think you have any right to tell her how to feel? Especially after what happened?

Your grief is your own. But her forgiveness isn't yours to reject.

[private]
>The HUD crackles slightly, and for a moment it makes an irritating, high-pitched ringing but it passes and Sami takes no notice.
Well, that's not good. Knowing the curse is tied to grief and hurt, I'd say we flickered because she took a step in the wrong direction. That pushed her deeper instead of giving her any kind of release.

*private*
Answer the call, if that HUD blink is what I think it is.

Also, did our generous Cat observers suspect that Sami may be in the process of joining the Redeemers? Of course you did, why else would we be interesting enough to rate watching, conversation, gifts, guidance and a few direct interventions? I am curious how much and what else you are watching for though.
*/private*
I wasn't sure if that would work but it seems like I have managed to send a message to that particular Redeemer case worker who addressed the area in the past. Her name is Grace the Weaver, earning that 'the Weaver' part because of unspecified 'spider powers' apparently. If we ever meet her she may hit on you Sami, fair warning.

>>656731
You're not exactly wrong fellow voice, but keep in mind that the Piper was enraged and demanded vengeance because his own act of mass-murder resulted in his death through ignorance of who he was even trying to murder. If there is anything that anecdote and the rest of our journey here has proved it is that emotions are often not rational. Please accept that we aren't going to argue Sami out of feeling guilty, she just does. What we can do is help her pay down her guilt and grief through words and deeds that support Sami believing that her life was worth saving and is worth living. The opportunities available right now are tied up in settling the curse upon this area and, to a lesser extent, the infestation as well.
So, help me figure out our next move. If that isn't waiting here for a few moments in case Grace is busy making a reply to our message or about to pop out of that statue... is it instead talking to the priest since we're nearby anyway? Is it looking up the other council members' identities and investigating their former property looking for (potentially) more cursed gold to pay to the Piper? We have things to try and things to do, and I'd really like to make a better inspection of who and what that priest is. I'd try to make sure he doesn't starve to death if he's vulnerable to that; the curse is bad enough without another ghost around.

>>656711
Do a quick look-around, our abilities detected something.

*Private*
Scan graveyard for enemies.
*/Private*

Smik 2015/07/20(Mon)18:36 No. 657229 ID: 3009b4
File 143744258161.jpg - (479.03KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_21.jpg )

>Do you think you have any right to tell her how to feel? Especially after what happened?
>Your grief is your own. But her forgiveness isn't yours to reject.

Sami scowls.

Sami: I can tell her whatever I want, she's dead and I'm the one who has to live with this.

>Answer the call, if that HUD blink is what I think it is.

** It was not a call **

>We have things to try and things to do, and I'd really like to make a better inspection of who and what that priest is. I'd try to make sure he doesn't starve to death if he's vulnerable to that; the curse is bad enough without another ghost around.

Sami thinks that's a good idea.

>Scan graveyard for enemies.

** No enemies detected. **

As the graveyard is just behind the church, it's a short enough trip to the front doors. As the door creaks open, Sami sees Father Nick at the back of the church by the statue, bowed down in reverence.

Sami: Father Nick?

** As previously requested, Physical Scan re-runs on Father Nick and detects something wrong. Father Nick had a glamour running; while Sami sees the same Father Nick she met just the other day, the degree of corruption becomes very apparent to you. **

Father Nick turns as Sami enters.


Father Nick: Come in, my child. How are you doing today?

>Father Nick had a glamour running; while Sami sees the same Father Nick she met just the other day, the degree of corruption becomes very apparent to you.
...we can see it now, Sami. There's something wrong with him. He's been corrupted by the curse's influence.

If we're going to help him, we need to get him outside of the town borders, at the very least.

Poker face, if you can. Don't let him know anything is wrong.

>Come in, my child. How are you doing today?
Better than I was yesterday. Less desperate.

How are you, father?

Would you care to walk with me? The village is less dangerous in daylight, and now that I know the hazards.

>Father Nick, corrupted
Oh dear. Living in this cursed town has not been easy on him. I believe he's managed to blend himself in, but at the cost of a part of himself. It will be worth looking into curing his wounds after we managed to fix the town--If we try to "Cure" them now, then he'd probably get eaten up by the curse. I'm willing to bet it was his faith that allowed him to survive it the first time.

>How are you doing today?
Surprisingly, it's been fairly calm so far. The neutrality, I would say is pleasant, but your opinion is yours, Sami. If I had to personally do what you've done, I would hate it if things were all sunshine and lollipops (Rock-candy on a stick, if you don't have lollipops) just as much as if something was literally gnawing at my limbs.

>>657229
... This is going to suck.

Our abilities say, and I quote:
Physical Scan Updated:
Glamour Removed
Father Nick is Corrupted

Looks like he's been like this for a while. Try to talk him into letting down his guard, so you can arrest the poor chump. Or whack him sideways NOW. Try not to kill him, he seems to be a victim of this place.

Either way, get that locked door open.

I wonder why he's also dressed in yellow... Hold on, I'm going to try something.

*Private*
Scan Nick's clothes. Compare materials used to materials in the Statue of Faustia.
*/Private*

*private*
-look up corruption
-look up faith, Faustia
-look up priesthood, Faustia
-look up glamour
Any chance we can gain information on the glamour itself?
*/private*
Well shoot, if we give any indication that we've seen through the glamour we have no idea how this person will react. We also don't know who put up that glamour, or why.

"Hello, you look like you could use a break. Hanging around in a town that's worse than empty can be very hard on a person, how have you managed so far? I've been chased by golems while here myself, it's a little hazardous."

Smik 2015/07/24(Fri)18:11 No. 657875 ID: 3009b4
File 143778668697.jpg - (426.46KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_22.jpg )

>If we're going to help him, we need to get him outside of the town borders, at the very least.

Sami agrees.

>Would you care to walk with me? The village is less dangerous in daylight, and now that I know the hazards.

Sami: Father Nick, could you walk with me a bit? I would like some company while I look for supplies.

Father Nick stares at Sami for a few moments and then nods.

Father Nick: Yes, I think that would be a good idea. Wait a moment, let me get my things.

Father Nick disappears for a short moment and is back before long. He doesn't appear to have anything but his robes conceal his hands.

>Scan Nick's clothes. Compare materials used to materials in the Statue of Faustia.

** They're ordinary clothes. **

Father Nick: All right my child, please lead the way.

Something doesn't sit right with Sami; she's had enough highway experience to know that it's a bad idea to have any potential threat -- pawn or no -- behind you. She grips the Siren's Axe like a weapon and feels its energy tingle up her arms; if Father Nick notices the change in the way she walks he does not let on.

Sami would really like to alter the situation so she's less vulnerable -- get Father Nick next to her at least. Something about this situation seems familiar but she can't recall the details.

** OPTION: As you've locked out Draw Memory, you could try to influence Sami to remember anyway, but it will cost 20 IP to have her recall for sure. Individual players can only spend up to 5 IP for a 25% chance to recall, or you can pool your resources but it will cost the same IP each time. For those who want to know the meta-game, Sami failed her passive check rather badly. This is purely optional as the information is of no guarantee to help you). The requested look-ups will be added to the Wiki/Discussion thread shortly. **

Open up dialogue and breach every topic that you recall. If you can get him into a heated lecture you can stop for a few seconds while he moves to your side and it won't look suspicious.

Bonus points if you can get him to start walking towards various landmarks while pointing at stuff out of academic pride.

>>657885
This... is actually a decent plan. Just get him talking, get him distracted enough that you can move next to or behikd him without him really noticing.

I mean it might not work because I'm banking on him having a knife hidden in those robes so he may reject conversation, but we should try it.

Kome's suggestion is sort of reasonable. If you're holding a conversation, constantly looking back becomes awkward, and adjusting so you're walking next to him would seem more natural.

So long as you're still standing between him and the supposed threats, that works. (Actually, that means you'd end up walking with the village on the inside of your path, and him on the outside. Serves our purpose if you're trying to gradually work him nearer to the edge).

[private]
>can't use draw memory now
I'm not so sure using draw memory in this case would have been a good idea. When you're tense and concerned about an ambush from behind is not a good time to get lost inside your head.

If we can get him to talk about innocent subjects--stuff like how he gets supplies around here, and what he knows about the town--we might be able to get him to say things that open up more uncertain conversation we'd like to have. (I.E. what are you, who are you really, why are you really here, how have you survived for so long in a dead town?)

Smik 2015/07/25(Sat)22:18 No. 658088 ID: 3009b4
File 143788788879.jpg - (451.04KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_23.jpg )

Sami attempts to chat with Father Nick across a variety of subjects in order to keep him distracted and perhaps get him to move in front, but even discussing theology doesn't seem to pique his interest; he remains aloof and somewhat distracted. Feeling uneasy to turn her back to him, Sami continues to try to draw him into conversation while walking backwards and facing him.

Sami: ...Father Nick, do you think the town's curse may be from Faustia herself? That she sent the Piper as a test?

Father Nick seems distracted; his answer is a little slow and without energy: I do not know my child, the p-Piper was before my time.

Sami: Well, what of Faustia now? Surely there are better options to honour her than to try to cling to the remains of the church hall. Why not move it to Welser?

Father Nick's answer is slow once again, and when he does speak the irritation is clear: That's not my place to decide, child. I do the will of the Church of Faustia and no more. Where are we going?

Sami thinks for a moment.

Sami: I found a place where we can get food.

Father Nick nods and continues to follow Sami as she makes her way towards the bridge (to Phooka's domain), but as she is making small-talk on the subject of Faustia and why as a community the Rollien people don't show more friendship to outsiders as the teachings indicate, he cuts her off.

Father Nick: Child, why do you walk backwards in front of me?

There is a moment where their dark-rimmed eyes meet, worn from lack of sleep and a guilty conscience. Sami remembers where she's seen that look -- the Mericudian hunter taught her how to recognize it. Father Nick is staring at Sami with the still, cold gaze of a highway man and his expression flickers with her familiarity.

Nick throws open his robe, revealing a pistol clutched in his bony hands. He is fast, but Sami is faster and by the time he's drawn the pistol she had closed the gap. Sami swings the guitar towards his hand as he levels his weapon and With an echoing, clear note the Siren's Axe sends the pistol tumbling into the long grass by the river. Nick quickly backpeddals, going for a sabre on his belt. Sami notes Nick has one more pistol on his belt and that blood drips from his wounded hand, but she appaarently didn't do significant injury.

In the back of Sami's head, she can hear the note the Siren's Axe growing into music. It's low, deep and resonating and somehow reminds Sami of fine red wine.

Sami's eyes narrow.: Bit of a quick draw for a priest, "Father" Nick.

Father Nick's eyes fall upon Sami heavily and his jaw tightens into a determined clench.: We do what we have to, child. Nobody good comes here, nobody innocent rests here.

Whack him a few more times, then grab the pistol.

Important question: how many shots can that gun hold? Because if you only have the one, I suggest you put a cap in his neck or knee.

Stay close enough to bludgeon him if he goes for his other gun and don't bother going for the one on the ground; that would take too long, the curse means deterring him with it is unlikely, and actually shooting him is something we should avoid anyway (both because his attack is probably caused by the curse and because if he bleeds out from it that will probably feed the curse more.)

Tell him to just go; it won't help Faustia or anyone if he stays here soaking up curses.

Surrender. Drop your weapons, and I'll let you leave this place.

Um. If this does come to an all out fight, I'm not sure we can afford to kill him. Wouldn't that just make the curse worse? Add fuel to the negativity already here, one more angry spirit in the mix?

>We do what we have to, child. Nobody good comes here, nobody innocent rests here.
Is that why he's here? Reassurance anyone he preys on will deserve it?

[private]
Would it be too late to apply botch to his quick-draw or ambush or bluff failures? For the price of a little IP, we might be able to trip him up badly enough to end the fight before it starts.

We are not outside the town yet, killing this "priest" here would be very bad.

I have a line you could try to use here Sami, as follows.
"Innocent? No. Good? Remains to be seen. But I was serious about lunch, now quit playing a bandit and recall your table manners."

Smik 2015/07/27(Mon)18:44 No. 658668 ID: 3009b4
File 143804787790.jpg - (437.10KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_24.jpg )

>Whack him a few more times, then grab the pistol. Kill him.
>Stay close enough to bludgeon him Bring it down on him, break his skull.

Sami feels the music getting louder with every beat of her heart. Her breath becomes heavy and she can taste salt and copper in her mouth.

>Um. If this does come to an all out fight, I'm not sure we can afford to kill him. Wouldn't that just make the curse worse? You monster. Add fuel to the negativity already here, one more angry spirit in the mix?
>We are not outside the town yet, killing this "priest" here would be very bad. Monster.

Sami winces. While keep her eyes on Nick, she takes deep, steady breaths and focuses. Her pulse slows, the dark rhythm calming to a buzzing in her ears until it's indistinguishable from the noise of surrounding insects.

>"Innocent? No. Good? Remains to be seen. But I was serious about lunch, now quit playing a bandit and recall your table manners."

Sami glares at him: No, no I'm not innocent. I'm not good. But I didn't come here to add to the blood. Now how 'bout you drop those weapons and we can discuss things over something to eat?

"Father" Nick pulls back his hood.

Nick's voice is dark and shaking, but still calm: Nobody wanted to add any more blood, Sami.

He draws his sabre.

Nick is cold: You don't have a choice, remember? You did what you had to do. I am only doing what I have to do.

He takes a step towards her.

Nick: You monster.

Careful, the guitar is seasoning our words with his death! Just aim low, whack him a few times, steal his pistol, and shoot him in the leg. NO DEATHS.

How far are you from the edge of town by this point? If we are close enough to the edge we might be able to just get him to chase us across the border.

>Careful, the guitar is seasoning our words with his death! Just...


Sami: Don't you tell me how to fight, Kome. I know something is messing with me now.

>How far are you from the edge of town by this point? If we are close enough to the edge we might be able to just get him to chase us across the border.


Sami: I don't know how fast he can run, but he's still got a pistol. If I can get twenty paces ahead he probably won't be able to hit me though. If you can protect me somehow, I'll run if you want. I trust you.

>>658704
Got it. This will cost some power but we should be able to decrease his chances of shooting you. Do what you will.

*Private*
What's the dodge chance? Screw it, spend 5 IP to increase Sami's chances of dodging Nick's next ranged attack. Please tell me if this is too much.
*/Private*

*private*
Ugh, dumbasses! We should have gotten rid of the hallucination curse when we had the chance to get IP for it. Right now we'd either be getting it installed a second time or there wouldn't be voices calling Sami "monster" messing with her head. Can we get rid of it now please?
*/private*
I think I figured out what's going on here, the curse is active, and it has seeped into this person so much that he's hearing the ghosts. Why else would he call you a monster when all he has seen of you is a young woman that gave him food? Something is feeding him that idea, and it comes from your feelings and the curse.
We actually could protect a little against pistol fire I think, but it's not something I'd really want to rely on unless there is no choice. You have a nice blunt instrument though, which may give us some options. Can you whack him on the side of the hand/arm with the flat of it and get him to drop the sabre, or does he look like he knows what he's doing with that sabre?

A straight fight would be too risky with the curse involved and it looks like we won't be able to talk him down so I think shielding your from his shot than luring him out of town is the best bet. Taunt him with something like "Then you'll have to catch me first" to encourage him to follow us out of town instead of slinking back in to cause trouble later.

**Private**
>>658716
That IP expenditure sounds good to me.

>I know something is messing with me now.
Sorry, didn't mean to be patronizing. We can't always tell how clear stuff like that is on your end.

>If you can protect me somehow
We'll do what we can to send his shot. A bullet's aim should be even easier to foul than the roll of a die.

I might recommend getting a quick whack in, first. If he has to reel or recover for a moment before he can fire, that makes it easier. And I'm not really sure that sabre can block / absorb the impact of the axe very well. Um, if you trust it. It does seem to be a tad bloodthirsty.

>>658724
[private]
There was no change in our IP total. That means those voices Sami is hearing aren't a phantasm cast from our system. They're something else. Getting rid of the program wouldn't have prevented this.

I vote we spend IP to cast Botch on him the next time he screws something up. Him tripping himself up and leaving himself open is probably our best bet at subduing him non-lethally.

>spend IP to foul shot / dodge
If he has a good shot, I'm not sure 5 will be enough of a margin of safety.

If there are relatively early firearms, I wonder if it might be easier to influence a jam or misfire than a miss.

>>658725
You know what? You're right. Once we've made twenty yards range, if we can keep moving then the only thing he could try to hit us with is the sabre; nobody can make a running shot with a gun, it's just not stable enough to do anything but wild pot-shots that pose more danger to the scenery and himself than us.

>If there are relatively early firearms, I wonder if it might be easier to influence a jam or misfire than a miss.

Sami: They're commoner's pistols -- single shot meant for intimidation more than self-defence, although still dangerous enough to keep most people from second-guessing anyone holding one. Only a fool carries just one in case of misfire or jam.

>I vote we spend IP to cast Botch on him the next time he screws something up. Him tripping himself up and leaving himself open is probably our best bet at subduing him non-lethally.

** Due to the single-shot nature of the weapon, jam/misfire and just missing all have the same cost as the result is the same. Reminder that BOTCH costs 10 IP to use, which means two players must vote to use it (it's expensive as turning a fail into a critical failure could easily be abused)

Even if we disarm him of the one pistol he's still got the sabre and potentially more weapons. No, we have to lead him outside of town and make sure he stays there until he calms down or whatever.

>>658922
[private]
How does botch IP spend work? We spend when he makes a failure, or do we spend in advance, whether he fails or not?

>How does botch IP spend work? We spend when he makes a failure, or do we spend in advance, whether he fails or not?

You spend on fail, or you can spend in advance -- but until the fail happens your IP is just held and can be returned without penalty, provided you do so before the fail occurs.

>>658984
Botch would be really useful right now. I'll spend 5 IP.

[private]
I don't think Botch is worth it. What we want is for him to miss then to try and chase us with his sword; a crit fail would be redundant and might leave him injured or disabled and therefore less likely to be capable of taking the bait and following us out of town.

>>659040
*Private*
If Nick shoots Sami, she could die. It's that simple. But yeah, you make a good point. I'll retract botch IP until Nick is left with a sword. 5IP for increased dodge against ranged attacks still stands.
*/Private*

Smik 2015/08/02(Sun)20:39 No. 659946 ID: 3009b4
File 143857318981.jpg - (459.37KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_25.jpg )

Sami agrees -- she must get Nick away from this place. He may just be a highway man but he's clearly addled.

She sprints away from Nick, running in a zig-zag pattern to throw off his aim.

As she runs, she waits to hear a shot but it never comes. When she turns, she sees that Nick has not followed her - he's turned his back on her and is heading back into town.

Sami: Shit. He must know I want him away from town. Or the curse does.

Grab the gun on the ground and shoot him already!

Try taunting him. Ask what happened to what he "had to do".

>>659948
I think the gun is on the other side of him, and I am not sure if he is still in the curse area.

[pricate:]
Would a Scan tell us where we are relative to the edge of the cursed area?

>>659948
I don't see the gun on the ground between Sami and him. Also, we're trying not to kill him, and shooting him is pretty counterproductive to that.

>>659946
Well, you could try to taunt or enrage him into engaging or pursuing anyways. Although we don't really know him well enough to know what buttons to push.

How does a highwayman get a glamour? Unless it's somehow a product of the curse or something that's evidence of the fay. So either this thief is fay, or they are in contact with fay; possibly the piper is responsible or knows?

>Unless it's somehow a product of the curse or something

** Any supernatural creature can use a glamour, so yes it could be a curse byproduct. **

Smik 2015/08/04(Tue)17:13 No. 660324 ID: 3009b4
File 143873359048.jpg - (444.59KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_26.jpg )

Sami tries to goad Nick into following her but he ignores her and retreats back to town.

Sami swears; she knows that the next time she returns she's going to have to watch her back... and Nick's still got one pistol.

She knows that the pistol has to be used at fairly close range, but isn't likely to miss if he's able to get the drop on her and even if he just wounds her it will be pretty serious out here.

Sami figures she's either going to need to make a plan or chase after Nick while she's still got an idea of where he is.

Wow, you are just fuming; we can actively see your aura.

Grab that pistol. Most of us have basic firearms training, and we have a few recipes that you can use to make it into an outright dealer of death. First and foremost, there's a basic upgrade that makes the ammunition smaller yet deadly enough to penetrate armor. If you know most of this anyway, we're competent enough to tell you where some of the less conspicuous weak spots are.

Head back to Bill, see if he stockpiled some ammo from various mortal traders.

>>660344
Great idea! If we have a pistol that's both accurate and good at penetration we can use it to shoot out that sweet spot at the back of the skull where the brain stem is. One shot, boom, dead. Then the curse gets worse by one angry, crazy ghost who died through violence. Let's do this!

Being serious for a moment, this guy is either too crazy and suspicious of us to even follow us (because he fears an ambush) or he's getting directions from the ghosts to do exactly what we don't want him to do. That means we need to either cure his cursed condition here or come up with a way of getting him out of town against his wishes. I'm inclined to ask the Mayor for help figuring out exactly who he is and what's going on in his head, and trying to set up one or both of those options. There's a slim chance he might know who this is, and a better chance he either understands what other ghosts can do to this guy or has dealt with highwaymen before and can give us topical advice on what's going on in this robber's mind.

>>660324
Sami, he's still in earshot, right?

...this idea might not exactly make you happy, but have you considered using the piper's flute? We know it can be used to make people follow the player. I mean, I know it's creepy unethical mind control magic, but it's probably the most reliable means available to get him out of the curse area without hurting him, or putting yourself at risk or ambush or attack.

"Childhood" is the verse that will draw him after you. Although I'm not sure if you would need to play "birth" first to get his attention / snap him free from the curse's influence, first.

>>660354
Ooh, I had noticed the irony before of us leading a danger out of town when dealing with the Piper's legacy, but I had not considered being able to actually use the flute from it. I think that should work.

>>660344
Kome, how many times do we have to say that we don't want to go around killing people in the curse area?

*Private*
Hm. Botch his attempt to resist the flute? It might make him excessively susceptible to the sound coming from the flute, drowning out the enemy's voices.

Also, I was talking about shooting him in the shoulder or pelvis, not killing the guy.
*/Private*

>>660452
[private]
I don't think these firearms are accurate enough, or Sami skilled enough with one, for that kind of precision. That, and even a not immediately fatal gunshot injury is pretty serious.

Voting against the botch. It shouldn't be necessary.

We need a next step if we're going to lead him outside of town while hostile. Even if we can get the flute to work, and he doesn't attack us while we're playing it, are we good enough to play and walk at the same time? We have no guarantees on what happens when we stop besides that this guy is armed and seems to be a violent criminal. It would be nice if his cursed craziness disappeared when he hit the town border but even if that happens this guy was likely a violent bandit even before he came here. We'd need to lead him to someone that will disarm him and stop him from running back to town.
Huh... we could ask Bill what he recommends for that. Might even do it himself.

*private*
Excuse me Bill, we have an interesting problem to talk about. Did we mention finding someone apparently serving as a priest in the church in town? After meeting him again to try and talk with him it's become apparent that he's been driven crazy by the curse, is definitely an armed bandit now, and the fact that he's armed suggests he was some kind of capably violent person before he got here. With the piper's flute we might be able to lead him out of town successfully, but we'd need a next step to that plan before seriously attempting it. I was thinking something like leading him to one or more people that disarms him and ties him up to stop him from running back into town. Do you think this is feasible, and if so can you recommend who to ask for help with this?

Also, Kome, arteries exist: The notion of a wounding/crippling shot that doesn't risk killing the target is merely fiction. Even if we hit 'the right area' that still has too high a risk he'll bleed to death from it either quickly or slowly (or die of infection even slower). I know that sometimes you can shoot someone a dozen times with bullets that do penetrate and they survive just fine--with no permanent ill effects even--but it's too risky in this situation to even consider. It's not like we have emergency helicopter medevac standing by.
*/private*

Smik 2015/08/19(Wed)15:29 No. 663955 ID: 3009b4
File 144002338040.jpg - (510.88KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_27.jpg )

Resolutely, Sami puts the guitar on her back and it squeals in protest but is soon quiet. Then she takes out the flute and plays the same charming melodies that the Piper used on her.

Nick reacts to the music like an addict finally getting that long, sought-after hit. He does not resist, he NEEDS to be taken away. Sami feels pressure behind her ears and in the back of her skull -- it sounds like a quiet thunder and feels like trembling, helpless rage.

Sami effortlessly leads him over the bridge and across the water. Out of the corner of her eye, she catches the spirit of the Piper watching her with a wry smile. As they cross, Sami feels the pressure being unwillingly pulled from her, as if it was digging long fingers into her mind and screaming all the way.

Then it is gone. Sami stops playing and watches as Nick staggers about as he comes to. Thinking quickly, she steadies him while relieving him of his pistol and sabre.

Nick looks about confused and trembling.

Nick: What did you do?

Sami waits until he seems steady and takes a few safe steps back.

Sami: I think I just got you out of a very bad place.

Nick licks his lips and nods.

Nick: I'm sorry.

For the first time in a long while, Sami smiles warmly and sincerely.

Sami: It's OK, no harm done, right?

Nick shakes his head.

Nick: I... all I wanted was redemption.

Sami raises and eyebrow thoughtfully.

Sami: That's why you posed as a priest and took care of the churhc?

Nick nods.

Nick: I'm actually...

Sami: A highwayman. I could tell by watching you.

Nick stares at Sami fearfully.

Sami: I'm not interested in turning you in. I have my own sins.

Hearing this, Nick sighs in relief and visibly relaxes. Sami notes that he's still trembling and figures he must have been under a deal of stress for quite some time.


:: ADMIN YORICK: You saved him? Psh. That's lame. You guys suck, right Puni? ::


:: ADMIN PUNI: I admit I would have liked to see if Sami could have taken him down but I think y'all did a good 'nuff job. ::


:: ADMIN AUDREY: You two be quiet. ::

>Sami notes that he's still trembling and figures he must have been under a deal of stress for quite some time.
I think you should stay and rest with him for a bit. I don't think he's in any shape to be left alone, right now.

Maybe you'll learn something, or maybe you'll just give a weary soul some relief.

We should explain to him a little bit about what we saved him from, to help firm up in his mind that he shouldn't go back. Then we should talk about where to go next. Mention that the lunch you were trying to offer him was with a local fairy and that you hadn't asked ahead yet, but figured he'd be on board since you were collaborating on undoing the curse.

>>663955
Nicely done!

Get him back to Bill before you ask him questions. He's had a long year.

*Private*
The admins are being abusive today...

Yorick, having a brain means recognizing opportunities and finding reasons to exploit them. Sami already survived fighting a gunman with finesse and bravery, you think any of us wanted her to bum rush an armed hitman and get herself killed?

Puni, I think Sami did well enough deflecting the backstab and following up on the defensive. That's like 23% of an epic duel right there, so a small fraction of points, like 10, would be appropriate.

Audrey, thank you for reeling in your two co-workers, but your passive stance on everything makes me feel that you don't have any real intention to influence this mission. Just wanted to let you know.
*/Private*

Smik 2015/08/24(Mon)19:28 No. 664925 ID: 3009b4
File 144046969085.jpg - (479.86KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_28.jpg )

With some convincing, Sami is able to get Nick to come with her and visit Billy Phooka for a meal.

Sami's TRUST is now 85. Trust will only be rolled against when a suggest goes very much against what she thinks is best.

AUDREY has awarded 20 IP.
PUNI has awarded 5 IP.
NORTON has awarded 20 IP.

IP is now 143.

Nick is clearly nervous about going near a Fae's domain, but Sami takes his hand gently and he keeps his fears to himself.

Billy is quite interested in trading lunch for news. He quickly prepares enough food for a large meal and enough for Sami and Nick to each have one additional meal.

As he brings out the meal, Billy whispers to Sami: Sami, he wouldn't happen to be special to you, would he?

Sami shoots him a suspicious look.

Sami: You're awfully curious about my love life.

Instead of replying, Billy just gives her a sheepish smile and shrugs.

Nick explains that his memory is really foggy but he used the village as a hideout initially. It was a good location since most people avoided it, but after awhile his dreams got worse and worse, as did his guilt over being a highwayman. He's not sure when, but at one point he decided he would find salvation by becoming a priest and instead of using the church as a hideout, he began to maintain it.


Nick: I found a spare priest's robe and started looking after the church. I used to go back and forth collecting supplies but after awhile I started to spend less and less time away from the church. Began to hear constant voices and whispers. By the time you came along I had almost convinced I was a priest and ... I could have sworn I knew who you were, Sami. It felt like the only safe place. The only exception was Faustday, when ... mass was held, I think. That was the day I'd scavenge the town since it'd be safer out than in.

Billy clears his throat: That's not uncommon for a mind continually under the influence of spirits.

He sends a communication across the TEN: I don't wish to alarm you Sami, but there's a good chance he's omitting a LOT of information in his own interest. He was a predator and could still be.

Sami: I can't judge anyone, I have my own sins.

Nick fishes around his cloak.

Nick: Sami, take this. This is the key to one of the storage rooms within the church. It's where I stored the donations to the church. I obsessively would hoard whatever money I could find and 'donate it'. I actually thought I was doing something good and the church used to whisper its satisfaction when I did so. I'm never going back there again, so you might as well take it. Maybe you can get some supplies in Welser.

Billy: I'd be careful taking anything from the church. From the sounds of things, it's an important place to the curse.

Nick is clearly very nervous and would like to leave the home of a faerie as soon as possible. Sami doesn't blame him; the general consensus of her childhood was that faeries were to be avoided and not to be trusted... and even her own half blood family agreed!

Sami decides to see Nick off. Billy asks her to return to talk afterwards.

** If there's anything you want to ask Nick, now's the time. He's eager to put everything behind him. **

>Billy: I'd be careful taking anything from the church. From the sounds of things, it's an important place to the curse.
Perhaps a reward for after we finish cleaning up more of it, then. Or, if the Curse is calmed by recieving "Donations," perhaps that can be taken advantage of when it comes time to delve into some more dangerous portions.
The donations that aren't to be taken away would be Pearls, as those are what Faustia herself seeks.

>Sami, he wouldn't happen to be special to you, would he?
Geeze, she's known him like a day, and he wasn't even himself for most of that.

>If there's anything you want to ask Nick, now's the time.
What will you do now?

He said it felt like he knew her- did he feel that way about anyone or anything else? (Maybe that information could help us).

Did anything else happen while he was here? Conflicts, acts of violence, outsiders?

I don't think you can trust him, but you can trust his greed. More specifically, you can trust his need to hoard assets and then spend them; it's a special kind of greed, one that represents the desire to be a part of the world. Fortunes have been won with unreasonably gluttonous risk and willingly wasted over pride.

Good thing there's a game for that or we'd be swarming in highwaymen.

Sami, the first thing to ask Nick is for a map of the entire area. You need sub-maps of places that he has explored, and detailed information on the enemies that live inside them.

Bill, ask Nick what he knows about the Statue of Faustia. Probably caught his attention the first time he saw it. He was hearing voices, did they say anything strange about the statue or Faustia?

Offer to upgrade Nick's gun if he stays where you can track him. Otherwise you're taking both.

>>664955
I'm pretty sure we don't have the capability to upgrade guns.

You raise a point through- not sure if we should be returning his weapons or not. Arguably, he might need to defend himself. But then again, it really doesn't help anyone to make it easy for him to fall back into what he was. Arming him might make him a danger to others, and possibly himself.

What happens in the church on Faustday? That seems like a potential lead for curse cores.

What golems in the town does he know of?

Is there any food left in the places he was scavenging?

Does he by any chance know how to play guitar?

>Offer to upgrade Nick's gun if he stays where you can track him. Otherwise you're taking both.
Stop going on about the guns. Sami isn't a mechanic and does not have the tools a mechanic would need. (Besides, if we did manage to somehow get him a better gun that would be an unnecessary temptation for him to return to crime.)

>Or, if the Curse is calmed by recieving "Donations," perhaps that can be taken advantage of when it comes time to delve into some more dangerous portions.

Sami: Well the Piper hasn't been paid in full yet.

>The donations that aren't to be taken away would be Pearls, as those are what Faustia herself seeks.

** There are no Pearls; they're not commonly carried and Nick wouldn't even be able to identify them **

>Geeze, she's known him like a day, and he wasn't even himself for most of that.

Sami: I was thinking the same thing. It's like he doesn't understand anything about courtship. Or fleeting moments that I regret in the morning.

>Did anything else happen while he was here? Conflicts, acts of violence, outsiders?
Nick: ... I sort of remember outsiders passing by. I don't know what became of them.

Sami's face remains neutral but her thoughts are 'loud' enough for you to receive them: Nick is lying. He's lying but it'll be easier not to know the truth.

> He was hearing voices, did they say anything strange about the statue or Faustia?
> What happens in the church on Faustday? That seems like a potential lead for curse cores.
Nick: Mass. The spirits in town attend mass on Faustday. They... sort of worship Faustia. I don't think they actually know what she is or what she stands for, but I felt the compulsion to just pray to her and beg for mercy and forgiveness. That if I prayed harder, something would happen. The mass is overwhelming, which is why I'd hide outside. It's hard to describe, but imagine remembering every bad thing that ever happened to you and every bad thing you ever did and then make a stew out of it and then sit in it for the rest of your life. That's what it felt like. They leave in the morning. You can't escape it once it starts, so soon as I learned what day they'd come I'd leave ahead of time. What kinda goddess is Faustia anyway?

Sami: She's supposed to be the goddess of community and friendship. She's the one that sees in the good in most everyone -- if there's any left, she can bring it out. When the disaster happened, a lot of people turned to her and thought she could make things better. There was a scandal when the last priest -- pressed against an angry town who demanded to know why Faustia was silent -- pointed out the fact that maybe she didn't do anything because we never extended our friendship or community to outsiders. When he died, my family lost their faith and we left.

>You need sub-maps of places that he has explored, and detailed information on the enemies that live inside them.

Sami knows the area pretty well since she grew up here, but information about what Nick's already explored and what he's faced would be useful.

Nick: My head's pretty foggy on what I done, but the worst of the vermin are the Leapers. If you see a place with no other vermin, watch the ceiling and dark places. They sometimes piggyback on lone Pollies. Grites are the most common. If you can kill a few quickly the rest will run; it's all on how you handle yourself. You attack first and they treat you like a predator. Don't notice them or avoid them and they assume you could be food.

>You raise a point through- not sure if we should be returning his weapons or not.

Nick willingly surrenders his weapons to Sami. He wants nothing to do with them anymore.

>What golems in the town does he know of?

Nick: There's a few tillers and harvesters in the fields and common areas. They don't seem to do anything...

Sami interrupts him: One came after me.

Nick is surprised and from the look on his face, it's clear he never thought they were a threat and the knowledge of how much he put himself in danger is unsettling.

Nick: Then there's the Grinder -- it's in the formerly rich parts of town. And there's the giant saw for lumber work -- it tends to stick around the Guild Hall, which is one of the reasons why I never scavenged it. There's the Forge by the Black Smith but it's only ever on at night, and finally there's The Rook which goes 'round the Town Hall and old Mayor's place. They all get mad if you take things from the upper class areas but none go near the church. Whatever controls them holds Faustia in the same high regard as the other spirits. I scavenged all I could from all over town, the only place I didn't get into was the Guild Hall. There's no food or nothing in the ol' labs. Now the schoolhouse -- I found out that's a safe place. Golems don't go near it and it seems like the last place they look. Bit o' advice -- not worth going into ol' wealthy homes. Things... happen there and sometimes it makes a golem mad. Common homes don't have nothing either 'cause of the vermin.

>He said it felt like he knew her- did he feel that way about anyone or anything else? (Maybe that information could help us).

Nick: I just knew you were a good girl. Then... something happened after the last time you visited. Voices got real dark, and they told me you were some sort of witch or something and I had to put you down. Gotta be honest, Sami -- your eyes fit the bill. 'specially now, they real blue. I'd never woulda attacked you in my own mind, but back then the voices told me it that if I didn't put you down they'd find me and I'd go straight to hell.

Sami brushes her fingertips over her eyes and winces.

Nick: If you don't mind me ask'n Sami, what are you?

Sami takes a deep breath and sighs.

Sami: I'm a half-blood, and addled as they come. This was my home, and something drew me back here. I guess if I can't fix myself, I can at least fix this place.

Nick nods.

Nick: Well, spirits be right 'bout one thing. You are a good girl. Don't think anyone else would have let me live. You doing the best you can given what you've got, and that's better than what I done.

Sami notices Nick's manner of speech is changing, but says nothing. His voice far less steady than when she first met him and his words less eloquent. It's pretty clear that whoever Nick was before entering the town and whoever he was as "Father" Nick, both those men are dead now.

>Does he by any chance know how to play guitar?

No.

****

Sami has obtained a PISTOL and two rounds. It's a single-shot variety with a lengthy reload time. Sami doesn't like guns because they're loud and slow; bows are quick, fast to reload and silent. Still, she's got an idea of how to use them but she thinks they'd be better to sell than to use. The pistol is worn but still safe to use, although in need of proper maintenance.

Sami has also obtained a SABRE. It's poorly maintained but usable. Someone dying by this weapon would die slow however -- the blade is chipped and dull in areas. It could still have some small value since it's a better weapon than a peasant would carry.

Sami has obtained a KEY.

Well, today was fruitful. I suggest you spend the rest of the day helping Bill in exchange for supplies and stuff.

*Private*
I'd like to take a closer look at the gun and ammo.
[[Scan:Pistol]]
[[Scan:Bullet]]
*/Private*

>I'd like to take a closer look at the gun and ammo.

** Completely mundane **

>Nick is lying. He's lying but it'll be easier not to know the truth.
Yeah, anything he's lying about relates to him moreso than the curse, and as such isn't so important to us.
>I just knew you were a good girl. Then... something happened after the last time you visited. Voices got real dark, and they told me you were some sort of witch or something and I had to put you down.
Sounds like Nick was right about the spirits getting upset if something happens in those locations, that was after you had taken the gold from the Mayor's vault. It's a good thing you didn't go sooner, as it would have been even worse before delivering it to the Piper.
>Still, she's got an idea of how to use them but she thinks they'd be better to sell than to use.
Well, while a bow is quicker to reload, you can't just leave the arrow drawn on it, while a gun will remain loaded once you load it. Best saved for emergencies, for now, though.
>the blade is chipped and dull in areas.
Sounds like it needs some tempering...
>it's a better weapon than a peasant would carry.
But I'm guessing that it wouldn't be very cost effective. Unless you managed to "Tame" the spirit of the Blacksmith, but that's not an idea to rely on.

>Nick is lying. He's lying but it'll be easier not to know the truth
...yeah. I kind of expected that. Not worth it now. Not worth it at all.

>It's like he doesn't understand anything about courtship
I suppose that's possible, actually. Alien culture, different norms. If it's this weird mortal thing he doesn't get or is trying to figure out, that might explain the repeated questions on that bent.

>Sami has obtained a KEY.
Kind of unnecessary since we can open any natural lock with the flute, but I suppose the key has the advantage that it lets us do so quietly.

>guns better to sell than use
Well, you'd have to take a trip back to town for that. Question is really if you want to back off and resupply or press on.

>leads
The schoolhouse might be something to follow up on- there's probably a reason it's safe. Something keeping things out.

There's the church, obviously, but that seems like it will be a big deal this time around. I don't want to rush into that, I'm expecting confronting the curse (or a twisted demigoddess) there will be as bad as when you grabbed the cursed gold.

The Rook came after you when you took the cursed gold from the town hall. If other golems guard the guild hall and blacksmiths, it's possible there are similarly important pieces of the curse hidden at those locations. Again, not to be rushed into.

If worst comes to worst we pick one of those key areas closest to the Mayor and go digging for more cursed gold to hand to the piper I suggest. That's our plan B, or C--what's the better plan we're making for A?
If nothing else we could ask that Mayor what he knows about the golems, there may be something we can do about at least one of them he knows about. The piper may want to talk to us after noticing us using his flute like that as well, but I'd rather talk to the mayor first since he's more likely to know something useful about the golems or the key areas that Nick told us about.
Do remember to talk to Bill before going back to town, maybe he wants to apologize or give us something.

Smik 2015/08/27(Thu)23:57 No. 665375 ID: 3009b4
File 144074503851.jpg - (463.52KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_29.jpg )

Sami sees Nick off.

** If you have any last questions for Nick, you can ask now and they will be included. **

Sami: So where will you go? What will you do?

Nick sighs. He tries to give Sami a smile but the weight of what he's been through keeps his expression down.

Nick: I don't know. Away from here, away from the highway. Never felt like I ever had a soul 'till I came so close to losing it in that place, guess I better take better care o' it. You don't worry 'bout me, I survived this long, I 'spect I've got more time in me. Even if I die tomorrow, you saved me today, Sami. What will you do though?

Sami hugs herself: I... have GOT to finish this, Nick. This was my home, and I can't see myself getting any peace until it has peace.

Nick starts to leave, but then turns to look back at Sami.

Nick: Sami, ken I ask you 'bout them eyes of yours?

Sami nods.

Nick: What kinda fae's in your blood? They Seelie or Unseelie?

Sami sighs.

Sami: Unseelie, as far as I know. From what I've been told, my great-gran was so kind and so gentle that she made an water spirit see her as a person and not just some sorta nuisance like the other fae did. Enough that he left his own kind for her. He never told us too much 'bout his people for our own good. Why?

Nick gestures to the North: I had to skirt 'round Welser when I first came here. Heard rumours of an Unseelie who claimed the village for herself and she didn't take kindly to my old profession. If you're stuck for answers, maybe worth your while to take the trip. Unseelie don't turn on their own, do they?

Sami: Don't know, never met a living faerie until Bill. He just seems kinda lonely. Don't know why he wants to look like one of those dumb cloppers though.

Nick shrugs. He asks Sami to be careful and thanks her again. Sami watches him leave before returning to talk to Bill.

She walks into the room and takes a seat across from him.

Sami: You wanted to speak with me, sir?

Bill: Yes. Nothing serious mind. But I thought I might be able to help you solve this situation, and something dawned on me that would be to both our benefit. After the Piper was killed, there was a lot of arguing of what went wrong and to make a long story short, an Unseelie 'dragon' was appointed to manage it. Someone who might not over-react even when threatened -- not that dragons are any better tempered, but they're *used* your people trying to kill them.

Sami is shocked: You mean Welser has an ACTUAL *DRAGON*?

Billy Phooka stares at Sami for a few moments and then bursts out laughing.

Bill: Oh... oh no, not what you're thinking. "Dragon" is a term, basically just means being big and scary -- enough to keep your people from nosing about where they ought not to but not so terrifying that an army gets sent out. Keeps away vermin -- and in this case, I'm talking about raiders and bandits. Anyhow, this particular 'dragon' is named Skyia and since she is the Piper's successor she MIGHT know more about could be done about the town and at the very least may be a little more interested in helping you clear the curse since it's around her territory. Now that's for you. For me... I've heard rumours about her. Rumours she'd be sensitive about mind you, but... fascinating rumours all the same. I've heard... that Skyia has a mortal daughter. Now if this is true, she may have broken one of the rules of the Unseelie Court. Now I have no court, it's my job to be impartial... and these sort of things fascinate me. I'm sure we could come to some sort of agreement as to a suitable reward if you can find this information for me.

Oh! And if you can get your hands on some nice cheese while you're in Welser I'm sure we can come to some sort of agreement. I haven't had any dairy since the town died and all the livestock went feral. If you plan on making the trip, I'll make sure you have enough supplies.



Sami: OK, so you guys have some ideas that I'd like to try. The only question is order.

1. We could check with the Piper's spirit to see what that look was all about.
2. We could check the school to see why it's a safe spot.
3. We could check the cache Nick left us in the church.
4. We could go to Welser and resupply there. I could see if there's any buyers for Nick's weapons, and Bill would like us to get some information for him. I'm not sure about delivering sensitive info to Bill despite how helpful he's been, but at the very least we could get him some cheese. And this Skyia might be able to help too. It's a two-day trip on foot though.

And finally, we could also explore any place we haven't been to yet -- the (5.) Merchant's Guild and the (6.) Labs both some to mind. Nick couldn't get into the former and didn't see use of the latter, but I have a feeling Nick's lacking the education to really understand what might be left in a lab.

You need more stuff to trade, otherwise all the fine cheeses will be too expensive. Time your trip to Wesler so that you'll miss Faustday.

5 6 3 4 2 1

(As for cheeses, I suggest you get Gorgonzola.)

The Piper's look was probably just bemusement at the fact that you used his trick after all the complaints you had about it. I don't see the use of asking him about it.
Nick's cache might be dangerous to mess with... Unless I spaced out and missed something? Wasn't his cache just the donations?

I don't want to delay the trip to see Skyia (Or even just to visit some other, living mortals), so I say check the school and the labs, then head out.

2 In case we need somewhere to retreat to before leaving
6 To see if anything there is useful
3 To see if there is anything particularly noteworthy in the stash (though we should avoid taking or touching anything for now)
5 To check what is blocking the entrance; we might be able to buy something in town to help us get in
4 Once we have an idea of what sort of supplies we need

1 Can wait until the next time we talk to the piper; I think we will be heading back there sooner or later regardless.

>I have a feeling Nick's lacking the education to really understand what might be left in a lab.
So might we, since we don't know what developmental level your research and manufacturing was at exactly. If there's supplies for chemistry we could suggest recipes for explosives and other fun stuff--most of us are better with non-magical devices and techniques. If the lab's magical like your golems (or are they magical?) we may need a primer on how your magic works to give good advice. There is a surprising amount of overlap between our knowledge of machinery that works on natural principles and stuff that seems like magic though.
I generally agree with the suggestions made >>665394 as an order of operations from the possibilities you suggested. Depending on what we find in the church cache we may consider dropping off some more cursed gold for the piper before traveling to weaken the curse more, but that's risky. Further, we don't know how smoothly our attempt to investigate the cache will go, without 'Father Nick' there to absorb the attentions of the spirits. The church may no longer be safe to visit, so be prepared to give up on the cache and further attempts to do anything in the church.
Another thing to do is check that Redeemer shrine to see if we have a return message from the message we sent earlier. We don't know who we were sending a message to, how busy they are or interested in helping, but the most practical advice we can get with managing the curse probably comes from the experts, yeah?

He explained dragons before, although I guess you were rather more tired and focused on something else at the time. >>650291

Would we still need to pose as a 'dragon slayer' to approach her, or if she's got mortal connections, could we approach that way?

Also, while we're on the subject, the spirit-records we've been able to dig up say your great-grandfather was once Wesler's dragon. It was his job to be scary to keep people in line, which puts your great-grandmother's winning him over in an even more impressive light.

>fascinating
Ugh. Is he ever fixated on this topic. Starting towards creepy.

>>665394
This seems mostly reasonable, though we should be very cautious in the church, and the areas Nick noted had golem guardians. We don't want to start a big confrontation, yet. (We might need to use glamour and/or spoof).

General plan is a last quick check of things here before we retreat and try the out-of-town leads, then hopefully come back better prepared.

Smik 2015/08/28(Fri)21:47 No. 665502 ID: 3009b4
File 144082364899.jpg - (396.39KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_30.jpg )

Sami quickly moves back to town towards the schoolhouse. It's a simple single-story affair except for a small attic with a bell tower. The red paint has long faded, revealing the wood grain beneath. The roof is in horrible repair with large gaps, and the bell has fallen from its tower.

As she pushes open the door, Sami immediately understands why this is a safe haven. Nothing inside the school house has changed. I'm sorry A thick layer of dust covers the desks and chairs, but the drawings and notes left the day before the disaster still remain. I'm so sorry There looks like there was some brief disturbance caused by Nick's exploration but even he left most things untouched. An overwhelming sense of loss and despair floods Sami's mind, and the sensation is similar to sinking. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry.

Sami runs her fingers across the board, caressing it as she remembers her life before the disaster before the failure. All those memories she kept trying to suppress force their way to the surface clawing for air and she finds it overwhelming.

This is why the cursed spirits won't come here. This is a sacred place, like the church.

The guitar sparks across her fingers rhythmically, the invisible strings vibrating gently.

Sami: I don't think there's anything we need here. Let's head to the lab.

>>665502
...right. Let's move on.

*private*
Well, now... we've potentially found the locus of Sami's portion of the curse, where her shattered childhood remains entombed. Anyone have ideas about how to untangle that?
Also, double check if there's anything magical in the area, in case I'm on to something. Port scan, et cetera.
*/private*
A brief moment Sami, the guitar may have responded to either your emotions or something in the area. Possibly history of learning in this place--or something connected to it--may help you to learn to play it here?

Smik 2015/08/30(Sun)00:38 No. 665709 ID: 3009b4
File 144092030365.jpg - (402.24KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_30b.jpg )

>Also, double check if there's anything magical in the area, in case I'm on to something. Port scan, et cetera.

** The School is quiet. There's no trace of a connection anywhere, and there's not even any signs of vermin. That seems to be its defining trait; from a spiritual connection sense the school is especially dark. **

>A brief moment Sami, the guitar may have responded to either your emotions or something in the area. Possibly history of learning in this place--or something connected to it--may help you to learn to play it here?

Sami can hear the guitar weeping Please forgive me. in frustration -- it is swollen with her grief but she simply doesn't know how to free it. The music she hears, and the voices... feel like overflow.

She feels an overwhelming urge to cut herself again, as if bleed could help relieve the pressure.

Sami, her voice trembling: Let's just go.

>>665709
Yes, lets.

Alright, onward.

Don't forget to write "SCREW YOU, MANAGEMENT" on the chalkboard!

But yeah seriously time to raid the labs.

Smik 2015/08/30(Sun)15:31 No. 665826 ID: 3009b4
File 144097391854.jpg - (371.34KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_31.jpg )

Sami composes herself and makes her way to the lab. She notices that there are much fewer vermin as she approaches the lab area.

Inside, she immediately notices how different it smells. While the roof still has tell tale signs of rot and neglect, much of the rest of the building is in better condition and there's an absence of signs of droppings or urine. There's a sour smell hanging in the air however, and she noticed an overturned jug of something that's eaten through one corner of the floor.

There are still some desks sitting around, and several larger jugs of various chemicals remain untouched. The labs have been broken into and searched, but the scavengers seemed to give up early.

The lab equipment itself is gone, with the exception of a few broken pestles and other litter.

One of the desks has been conspicuously left in the centre of the room. It's got "READ ME" written on it. Sami opens the main drawer and finds a variety of papers left behind.

She skims through them and discovers that they're memos left by the scientists to anyone investigating the labs. Apparently the scientists were some of the last to leave town; many didn't have family here and thus weren't as directly impacted by the disaster. They state that they've relocated the labs to the next nearest town of Welser so they could continue investing Dig #223. They noticed the CURSE beginning to take over the town and evacuated, but they did begin research into the cause and possible resolution of the CURSE. The memo advises against long-term residence within town as the CURSE has a negative impact on one's psychological state, and they suspect it leads to suicide, irrational behaviour, or insanity. The memos provide an address within Welser and an invitation to share one's experiences within the town but urge the reader to leave as soon as possible.

Sami's pretty sure the reason why there's no vermin here isn't spiritual or supernatural but because there's no food and a variety of possibly dangerous chemicals laying about.

Huh. Guess you should talk to these guys when you get to Wesler. Check around for anything that looks dangerous but portable.

*Private*
[[Scan: Labs]]
*/Private*

>a variety of possibly dangerous chemicals laying about
Any that are useful to you, or that you know how to safely handle?

>[[Scan: Labs]]

** There are no active networks in the labs. **

>Any that are useful to you, or that you know how to safely handle?

Sami isn't a scientist and can't identify anything.

>Sami isn't a scientist and can't identify anything.
Then if you don't know what stuff is, and it isn't clearly labeled, it's not safe to salvage any of this. Granted, the lab is probably less not safe than the vermin infested areas of town so long as you're careful not to mess with anything.

Thinking about it, if the former occupants had plenty of time to plan that would mean most (or all) of what's left will be more hazardous or difficult to move than it is valuable. We may be able to find a couple storage cans of moderate value bulk chemicals like sulphur and potassium nitrate around, but don't waste too long looking beyond a cautious once-over scan and a basic inventory of what you find in case there's something in that list we can make use of. Depending on what we disturb breathing the air and touching things here might be toxic or worse. That's worth some caution, but any open or broken containers have had years in open air to neutralize or dilute so it shouldn't be that bad as long as you know basic lab safety.
Double checking, do you know basic lab safety?

>Double checking, do you know basic lab safety?

Sami has no training in a lab at all. Her lab safety pretty much well amounts to "Don't touch stuff".

Sami recalls that when she was little, they did try poisons to get rid of the vermin, but the problem was that the vermin began to build a tolerance to it and effective toxins had a tendency to make the residents sick. There was some other bad effect on the Leapers, but she can't remember the details now.

While Sami is very resilient to toxins, poisons and disease she doesn't want to play with any chemicals until she understands more about them. Most of the canisters are marked with skulls and cross bones, confirming that these materials didn't have a high enough value to risk ratio to transport.

>Her lab safety pretty much well amounts to "Don't touch stuff".
That's good lab safety.

Unless you feel like painstaking reading labels to us so we can tell you exactly what dangerous substances are in these jars, I think we're done here.

>>665881
I'm pretty sure that in a world where people can harvest Faerie Circles for alchemical reagants, we no longer have any idea what the heck we're looking at.

Smik 2015/09/05(Sat)01:13 No. 667347 ID: 3009b4
File 144144083929.jpg - (425.27KB , 640x720 , Sami_ChapterTwo_32.jpg )

As requested, Sami then heads to check Nick's cache in the church. While she braces herself for a psychic assault, nothing happens. After a few minutes she relaxes a little and then heads to the storage closet, unlocking it with Nick's key.

The closet actually leads to the basement. The only item of note is a chest as the shelves.

She opens it and finds a ledger as well as a variety of coins, jewelry, buttons, gloves, and... other items a traveller might carry. It's been neatly organized, and on top is a ledger. The most recent pages are in very rough printing. The previous pages -- much, much older -- are in neat hand writing but the dates in the more recent pages are the same.

Sami sighs sadly: Oh Nick... He... it looks like he 'donated' the things he took from people to the church. I don't think he understood the ledger so he copied anything he didn't get and sort of scrawled everything else. I'm hoping he just... held people up. But did you see how much he changed when he left? I don't want to know what his addled mind did.

There's about 28 crowns and change in the chest. Sami's not sure what the other trinkets are worth. She could take this to the Piper or she could use it to buy supplies; a few crowns would more than cover her needs.

** SCAN does not detect a curse **

The morality here sucks, because even if that stuff isn't cursed it's still blood money. You tell us Sami, are your needs desperate enough to pick up and spend blood money? All else being equal, I'd rather be paying the Piper with more cursed money because it's his curse as much as it is anyone's. I'd also rather not be carrying or using coin that may attract suspicion in a town, but I don't know nearly enough about the local minting and detection practices to know if this stuff is risky that way. Cherry on the cake, don't know if the spirits are capable of hiding a curse on this stuff from us, and doing so right now. We don't know if those spirits are capable of learning, or if they have been learning in their efforts to harm us Sami; I hope this is just paranoia and disgust instead of me intuiting an actual risk, but I'd rather not touch that stuff.

As far as our senses can tell, nothing here is cursed. It's safe.

>She could take this to the Piper or she could use it to buy supplies; a few crowns would more than cover her needs.
I think it would do more good to make sure you're prepared and able to act than to try and make a down payment on what the piper is owed. It would take a quiet a lot more gold than this to satisfy the debt.

>>667403
>blood money
Using the money to try and oppose the curse that harmed (or drove Nic to harm) the people who provided this money seems appropriate to me. How better to honor sacrifice or loss, than to try and prevent it from happening again?