|
To Rafael You sigh to yourself as the lights come buzzing back in. Hopefully nothing will have been too damaged by the power cut. There is still a significant amount of noise and ruckus, but it seems to be calming down as people come back to their activities. Some patrons are going back onto the study area behind you. Right now your attention is on Raymond and Faust, who seem to be standing behind you, looking slightly grumpy. To Faust, Raymond and Pearl Your discussions are rudely interrupted by a chorus of "shh" as people start coming back onto the long round tables of the study space. If the announcements in the walls are anything to go by, this seems to be a strictly silent area. If you want to continue arguing, you will need to move somewhere else or you will attract unwanted attention. --- All of you can move around the basement area. From where you are, you can see the "Cataloguing" area's door, clearly labelled, just right by the electrical switches Rafael just turned back on. It looks like it should be closed, but it is often kept open so the librarians can move around. To your left, an archway with an electronic door separates the newspaper archive from the rest; it seems to be carded, but you can probably access it if you have a student library card. Rafael can also open it up. Shellception fucked around with this message at 11:14 on May 9, 2023 |
#
?
May 9, 2023 10:43
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 10, 2024 01:29 |
|
|
Shellception posted:To Mags To Mags (added) Because you know the city routes in-and-out, something strikes you as odd regarding Agnes' explanation of the contraband tunnel. If you could take another good look, you'd probably realize what it is. You can roll noncombat to try and find your way back to the tunnel, and roll again to inspect it. (this should have been way back when Agnes showed it to you, but the blackout cut it off)
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2023 12:57
|
|
|
Shellception posted:To Margaret Margaret 7 gums 7 Looking up old bookshelves from the ground is an all new perspective. Maybe it will give you new insights! Margaret places the botanical book under her head as a pillow and clasps her hands together over her belly. Her eyes dart from a dusty bookshelf to an old cobweb to the moldy ceiling. She sighs. Is this a good idea? As a self-answer, she finds herself putting one leg below the other, as she does at home when trying to rest. I guess I'll wait until Agnes and Mags come back.
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2023 16:50
|
|
|
Faust 8 points "We don't have time for the breaker! This power outage was a sign of more sinister doings!" He's halfway across the room when the lights go back on, blinding him for a bit. Blinking to re-orient himself, he heads for the Cataloguing area. What did Agnes say? Cookbooks? I think it was cookbooks.
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2023 18:38
|
|
|
I'm in training all day so here's some rolls Look around for anything of interest: 1d10 9 Head back to the tunnel: 1d10 3 And look around: 1d10 1
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2023 18:44
|
|
|
Pearl Gum: 8 "Will someone explain to me what is going on please? I'm very confused, where did those women go??" Pearl follows after Faust, not really knowing what else to do but hoping she'll get some answers or be able to be of some help.
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2023 19:46
|
|
|
To Margaret Despite the floor being a bit cold, you fall softly asleep again. You dream of cakes. But you are a viking cheftain. Are you an angel dreaming they are a cake, or a cake dreaming they are a viking? To Mags You look around for anything of interest, but this particular section seems to be dedicated to ancient languages, and you are unable to make out anything noteworthy. Not a critfail, but a fail nevertheless - lose one point. After giving up with the books, you try to remember where the rock walled corridor was. Your keen orientation skills don't fail you at all, and with the help of your trusty pocket flashlight, you inspect the closed tunnel more closely. It's barely shorter than you, probably meant to be traversed while hunching up a bit. You also notice it's filled with debris, in a way that's probably intentional, but the top archway is clearly visible, which means it didn't collapse - Agnes was right in that it probably was found and blocked from the inside while the cellar was being built. You idly wonder how deep in was it filled - pretty possible that it wasn't blocked all the way, right? There may still be an open mouth somewhere by the coast. You already knew it was noticeably deeper that it should have been, and your orientation skills tell you the direction is roughly that of the sea cliffs - buut something else catches your attention. Inspecting the small part of the tunnel wall that's visible behind the fallen debris (it's not like you have anything else to do here, right?) you notice a slight inclination. You take a closer look at the whole circumference and - yep, there it is. This tunnel was clearly built pointing downwards which means not only is it deeper than it should, but it went even deeper in, which to you makes no sense - if you want a quick route, why go down? You recall Agnes mentioning another basement level, did she mention a tunel there? Lots of info here because of the critpass, though!
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2023 07:05
|
|
|
To Pearl and Faust (and the other two if they decided to enter Cataloguing) You're greeted with the sight of a big, well illuminated room with ample windows and three or four desks scattered around, most of them with piles of books on them, all of them with very office-looking computers. Like everywhere else in here, there seems to be a good number of shelves and filing cabinets, but those are noticeably tidier than the ones up by the Director's Office. Some contain files instead, which you'd think are internal library registries. It looks like a well used place, and also a very empty one, probably owing to it being a Saturday. There is a small, service looking corridor in the back, which seems to run behind the public room outside. You can also see some narrow, wooden-covered stairs near the farthest corner in the room, going down from this level. Before you're able to start looking around, though, you get interrupted by a stern-sounding voice. "What are you doing here? Sorry, but this is a private area. If you want anything, please refer to the desk upstairs. Is Rafael missing again from there?" Agnes asks you both. She is, pretty noticeably, very alone. I am not sure where Rafael is, but he can interject if he wants to explain what you all are doing there - if the explanation is good enough, it might not need rolling. Otherwise, anyone not librarian-looking enough will have to try and convince Agnes to not throw you out - roll noncombat for that, I'll take it from anyone who wants to try. If you want to avoid her and run somewhere, roll combat. Again, you are not fighting her, but you are pretty much antagonizing her (and she won't be happy). Shellception fucked around with this message at 13:25 on May 10, 2023 |
|
#
?
May 10, 2023 13:17
|
|
|
Faust 8 points Agnes! And she's alone? "What happened here? Where did you take them?" he demands. "You left with the two Margerets, then the lights went out and now you're here alone? Tell me what happened, right now!" Yelling at Agnes: https://orokos.com/roll/977875: 1d10 7
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2023 13:32
|
|
|
To Faust You are half expecting Agnes to chastise you, like the time she caught you drawing pentagrams in the Amazing Inspector books when you were eight. But, somehow, your outburst seems to confuse her more than anything else. "Marg... who?" she answers, then recomposes herself a bit. "I've told you to stop chasing those fairytales, kid!" You passed, so she is not throwing you out (unless you piss her off too much). You can ask her other stuff now without needing to roll for it. You can also try and check if you think she sounds sincere, which would need a roll, or well, do anything else you can think of. Shellception fucked around with this message at 17:02 on May 10, 2023 |
|
#
?
May 10, 2023 14:50
|
|
|
Faust 8 points "The Margarets! The two women you went downstairs with, where are they?"
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2023 16:52
|
|
|
To Faust "Which... what? What are you on about now??" Agnes looks a bit peeved at your interrogating. "No one is downstairs. It's off access to the public! As you very well know!"
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2023 17:04
|
|
|
Mags Points 7 Mags decides to poke around the tunnel and see just how inaccessible it is. It definitely shouldn't be here, and it DEFINITELY shouldn't be sloping down Poke around the tunnel: 1d10 3
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2023 17:13
|
|
|
To Mags: You prod the tunnel around a bit, and some dirt falls all over your shoes. It seems they did not use mortar to fill it, looks like an assortment of debris and soil that's been pressed into the tunnel. It's well pressed too, and it's been there for a century and change at the very least. If you had an appropiate tool, and some time, you might be able to make a good dent on it. If you want to, you can try and procure something to poke at the tunnel. This is a library deposit, tho, so not many tools around; I may take a roll for one, but you'd need to sell me a bit on what exactly you are looking for.
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2023 17:40
|
|
|
Margaret 7 gums The soothing creak of old wood, possibly produced by unseen lifeforms, reminds you of your childhood in Montagnu. You didn't care about any type of cooking back then. Much less writing. Ever since you saw uncle Phillip draw the plans for a barn, you had wanted to become an architect. But then, life and its unpredictable paths guided you to blogging, to exile, to baking and to the unswept floor of an old library. Alone. If only it could stay this way.
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2023 17:56
|
|
|
Faust 8 points What? Is she lying? But if she's lying then that means Agnes is in on this and... No! That's... That's Agnes, she bakes oatmeal cookies for charity drives, she's not involved with occult things! Just to be on the safe side, he forms the Voor sign and hold it in her face as he attempts to push past her and head for the archives. "Agnes, you went down here with two women. We all saw you. Let me through, maybe it's not too late!" [Combat]Move past Agnes: 1d10 2 Well, that went roughly as could be expected for a combat roll from a mid-twenties occultism nerd. At least it's not a critfail?
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2023 17:57
|
|
|
To Faust "Wha" You try to push past Agnes, who barely has time to catch you before you faceplant on the floor. She helps you get back on your feet and sit on a nearby chair, and you'd think there is a sliver of sadness on her eyes. "Henry" you hear her say, with a calm, motherly voice. "No, don't get up. Are you OK? Do you need me to call your mother?" She turns to Rafael. "Get this kid a soda from the fridge, will you? Also, what was that power outage about earlier? Did someone try to use an electric razor in the bathroom again?" Combat rolls do not lower your points, so you're still at 8. Shellception fucked around with this message at 19:53 on May 10, 2023 |
|
#
?
May 10, 2023 19:50
|
|
|
Rafael Gums: 7 Rafael comes running over from the breaker as Faust is trying to shove Agnes to the side. "Agnes! Before the power, uh, mysteriously went out, I SAW you with Mags and someone else and you were clearly heading downstairs. I assume to the stacks down in the sub basements but were is everyone now? The catacombs down there? This guy is just trying to find them too, what is going on here!"
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2023 19:57
|
|
|
To Margaret As you lie there, contemplating the nothingness of existance, a small thought forms in your mind. "Maybe it can" You'd think you heard a small, sneaky sliding sound not too far away from where you are lying. Or maybe it was a vibration on the ground. You turn your head to both sides, but you see nothing.
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2023 20:08
|
|
|
To Rafael "Frank! You too? What on Earth is going on? I haven't seen Mags in a week, what even are you talking about?" As Agnes gesticulates around, you notice she is still holding the two cookbooks in her arms.
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2023 20:14
|
|
|
Rafael Gums: 7 "Agnes I don't understand why you are lying or whats going on but we do not have any time for this. What do you have here?" Rafael tries to take the books from Agnes while she seems confused. Grab the books!: 1d10 2 After the book thing is resolved one way or another, Rafael turns to the others. "Look, I can get us onto that elevator over there. Wherever Mags and the other one went, it's somewhere that elevator can take us. I'm stopping on the second floor to take a look at this" he says, holding up the floppy. "Probably should have just gone down there first but I wanted to check a thing and yeah... anyway... the level below that leads off to all kinds of places, I can get you guys down there if you want to keep looking while I'm doing that."
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2023 02:35
|
|
|
Raymond Points: 8 Raymon's brain has been working overtime, and now two of the others are pointing out Agnes lies. He pounces on that. "So you ARE a government agent! Do you kidnap the Margarets yourself or just hand them off to your boss? We've uncovered what's going on and if you cooporate right now, maybe you'll get some leniency when this all comes to light. What happened to the Margarets who went with you and where are they now?" He snaps his fingers in her face. "Answers, NOW!" Make Agnes Tell The Truth: 1d10 7
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2023 03:47
|
|
|
Pearl Points: 8 "I think we're all getting a bit hysterical," Pearl tries to calm everyone down before someone overhears a ruckus and comes to see what's going on. Calm down folks: 1d10 10 (Come ONNNNN)
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2023 06:12
|
|
|
Shellception posted:To Mags: Mags Points: 7 Hmm, what can I... Mags looks around the room. Go figure nobody was kind enough to leave a shovel down here, but surely there's-aha! She spots a clip board sitting on top of a nearby shelf. That could work
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2023 06:15
|
|
|
Hal Insandenza posted:Rafael Faust "Thank you." To his great relief, the other library worker does not seem to be affected by Agnes' memory loss of the Margarets. It's memory loss, right? Caused by the demonic forces that have spirited the women away, right? Because there's no way that Agnes of all people is involved in this, he's known her since he was a child, she's the one who convinced his mother to let "that bright young boy" get his own library card, she's the one who talks his mother down when she worries that her son might turn away from God through his hobbies, she bakes oatmeal cookies, what kind of demonic entity bakes oatmeal cookies? Worried, he follows the man to the elevator. "It would probably be best if we went to the cellar first, the other women might be in danger. Maybe Agnes hit her head? Or something? And that's why she forgot?" That explanation sounds really weak and he knows it. "Anyway, we'll be careful and won't split up or anything, but time's of the essence. Oh, but wait." He rips out a couple more pages, writing "You are looking for two women named Margaret who got lost downstairs." on the one he pockets and "Two women named Margaret went missing in the cellar. You sent two people down to look for them." on the other. After marking them with a few protective sigils, he hands the second paper to the man. "Mind pocketing that just in case this bout of amnesia is contagious?"
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2023 07:23
|
|
|
To Rafael Agnes seems too confused to fight you as you grab the two books off her hands. In the middle of the ruckus, you manage to sneak a peek at the signatures: they read CUL/0721 and CUL/2617. To Margaret You'd swear you hear footsteps. Or maybe you are dreaming again. To Raymond and the rest of the group on top "Raymond! Cut that off!" Agnes does not seem inclined to extend you the same courtesy as Faust. "I swear, if this is another one of your harebrained schemes..." As Rafael and Faust make their way to the elevator, you hear a loud knocking on the door and a voice that doesn't particularly seem to like the indoors. "Miss? This is Security. Are you all right? Can we enter??" I take it that both Faust and Rafael are off to the side elevator, where the guard cannot see them on principle. You don't need to roll right now unless you want to help the others, which you can. For Pearl and Raymond - you have a split second decision before Agnes yells for help here. You can try and sneak away downstairs (roll noncombat, one or both, but if you two do you both need to succeed to have him not notice), you can try and join the elevator group (roll noncombat, same), you can split (independent noncombat rolls) or you can try to defuse the situation (roll noncombat for whoever tries to). Or attack the guard, rolling combat for whoever tries it. Or, well, whatever else you can think of! Shellception fucked around with this message at 08:07 on May 11, 2023 |
|
#
?
May 11, 2023 08:00
|
|
|
To Mags It is a sturdy-looking clipboard! It has a metal back, and could work a bit like a spade if you are careful. You go back to the tunnel, satisfied, and take a good hard look at it. We can do this a couple ways. If you want to go slow, roll noncombat - it'll take you longer and therefore more rolls, but it's safer. If you want to go at it with all your might, roll combat - it's faster, so less rolls, but more likely to fail at some point. You can change your approach at any time. A critfail in any roll will means you will need to go look for a new tool. Any other things you want to do at any point during the excavation, I'm all ears.
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2023 08:20
|
|
|
Pearl Gum: 8 Pearl decides to try to find a new path that's less confrontational hopefully... Sneak downstairs: 1d10 6
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2023 08:31
|
|
|
Also a note - don't feel constrained to doing whatever I suggest, creativity is good  . If you have an idea and want to roll something coherent for it, go ahead, and if in doubt, ask me!
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2023 11:04
|
|
|
Mags "Better to go slow, don't want this thing to collapse on me" she thinks. "should just leave it and go back upstairs" she adds, but makes no motion to do so. It's like something is compelling her towards the tunnel. Carefully, she begins to dig.
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2023 15:50
|
|
|
Margaret 7 gums As fun as it would be to receive visitors while laying on the floor, you must keep a bit of decorum. Margaret stands up, dusts her clothes and picks up the botanical book. After a few stretches, she goes back to the bench and opens the book on a random page.
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2023 17:23
|
|
|
Raymond Points: 8 Everyone flees. Typical - it's up to him to deal with the government thugs who've gotten wind of the meeting. He waits until the guard enters and then lunges at him, attempting to knock him down and out before the guard can get any weapon he might have out. Sacrificing a point to autosucceed at this roll
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2023 09:06
|
|
|
To Mags:Opopanax posted:Mags This is noncombat (go slowly), but the roll is missing, so here it goes: Go slowly at tunnel: 1d10 8 (failure) You start scratching at the dirt slowly, but it's more compact than you expected. After a few minutes, you notice you aren't really making a dent on it. The clipboard is holding, though, so maybe if you keep trying? Lose one point (6 now). As long as the clipboard holds without breaking (critfail), you can keep trying. You'll need 3 successful noncombat rolls to break through to the other side, with a successful combat roll instead counting for 2. Shellception fucked around with this message at 09:47 on May 12, 2023 |
|
#
?
May 12, 2023 09:30
|
|
|
To Pearl: As you run downstairs, you hear a ruckus behind you, but you're way too focused on your own safety to look back. Hoping Raymond hasn't done anything too radical, you take a good look at your surroundings. The stairs have landed you on a well illuminated, L-shaped corridor. To your front you can see an open door with a plaque that reads "Photographic archive". Peeking forwards, it seems to be a long room with a lot of filing cabinets covering the walls and a big table in the middle, with an undistinct door at the end. To your right, the corridor seems to go a long way before ending in a wall. You'd guess there are more doors along it, but you will need to go down to actually see them.
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2023 09:45
|
|
|
To Rafael and Faust: The elevator is old, but quite spacey; it's probably used to move book carts around, after all. Rafael props a small key into the outside keyhole, and it opens immediately. You two hurry inside it. There seems to be a commotion outside, and you'd swear you've heard Agnes yell, but before you can think of anything, the doors close and you're faced with a decision. Where to? You are at -1; buttons read 1 / 0 / -1 / -2 / -3 / -4. No indication of what's where, but you can press any of them without a key. Shellception fucked around with this message at 10:41 on May 12, 2023 |
|
#
?
May 12, 2023 10:05
|
|
|
To Margaret: Shaking the dust off yourself, you make your way to the bench near the elevator, book in hand. You'd swear something has changed, but after your experience and posterior meditation spell, you are also not quite sure of how things used to be before. The book looks mildly interesting - it's a guide to native Saint Tonquois plants, and also foreign ones that were introduced here back when the Exotic Gardens opened in the mid 1800s. You spend a quite enjoyable time reading it. As you turn to page 107, something grabs your attention. It looks like someone used a random old document to mark their reading progress. You check it - it seems to be an old book registry written with a typewriter. It reads: quote:A-617/R/1 Although you are already back by the bench, you can use a noncombat roll if you want to try and look at the nearby room again. Any other actions, tell me. Shellception fucked around with this message at 10:53 on May 12, 2023 |
|
#
?
May 12, 2023 10:27
|
|
|
To Raymond: You cannot waste a second. As soon as Agnes calls the guard, you ambush him. He wasn't expecting it, and falls to the floor with a small yell of surprise. You can see he is not armed - his only weapon is a baton, and he is also carrying an intercom. Guard fights back (default of 5 points, combat roll): 1d10 6 (success) After the initial surprise, he recovers and tries to push you back, although he doesn't manage it fully. You are now standing over him. You also notice, pleasantly, that he is not really a lot stronger than you. He does successfully fight back, but since you both suceeded, he doesn't get free of your attack and does not get to call for help. You have the upper hand if you want to try and attack him again or subdue him (rolling combat against him). If you want to try and nick his stuff instead, that'll be a noncombat roll, which he will also attempt to stop. Any other actions, tell me.
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2023 10:39
|
|
|
Shellception posted:A-617/R/1 Margaret 7 gummies What are the odds of this being the Manuscripts Room? You feel a strange rush course through your body, as if claiming that you are where you are meant to be. Margaret stands up and walks absentmindedly from shelf to shelf, looking for the Saint Tonquois cake's secrets at Erhardt's core. Cakonomicon: 1d10 2
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2023 14:58
|
|
|
To Margaret Your keen senses inspect shelf after shelf of dusty books. You quickly realize you could do this faster if you locate whatever signature this thing has - but, after a quick inspection, you realize the mysterious h.s.0032 is nowhere to be found, and the format doesn't seem to match the THEME/XXXX number this room uses for ordering. Clearly, wherever the manuscripts room is, it's not here.
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2023 16:09
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 10, 2024 01:29 |
|
|
Rafael Gums: 7 Rafael impatiently pounds on the -2 button and turns to Faust. "Look, whoever you are, I am going to see if I can get the old server up and running to see just what I can learn from this" he says, waving the floppy around. "If you want to come along, great, there is a lot of info on other stuff down there too. But if you want to go look for those others I don't think they are down there. Agnes had these..." he shows the two books he pried from Agnes to Faust. "My guess is these came from the third level basement, so that might be a good place to start. I doubt they came from the fourth basement... I don't even know if we could get in there..."
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2023 16:47
|
|