The Night Falls - A Community Roleplaying Game

[WHAM]

The Night Falls
A Community Roleplaying Game



Rain falls heavy outside of your home, the drops hammering on the panes of glass through which you peer outside.
It is not quite night, but the hours of dusk are fading fast.
It's all a little hazy in your mind right now, but you know that you have to head outside soon, despite the deeply unpleasant weather conditions.

You've got something important to do. Something only you can do. Something you've done before, of course, so surely it won't be a big deal.

Just a job. A Mission.

You just need to get ready for it. The same way you always get ready on nights like this. A little ritual of sorts, to get yourself ready to head out there, into the weather.



(?) What ACTION will you take to prepare for the night that is about to fall?

- - - - - - - - - -

What's all this then? And how do I play?

Spoiler

This is the beginning of a community roleplaying game. All will make sense in time.
How do I play?

To enter a new command into the game, respond to this thread with a command formatted like the example below:

> Perform an impressive juggling display

or

> Offer the man a fine leather jacket

or

> Steal the lamp

A new command should be indicated with the > sign.

If you wish to upvote a command already given, simply post the same command again.

How will the game process commands entered?

Commands entered will be tallied and the most voted command will be executed in the game. If there is a tie, then the command given first will be executed.
For a command to be executed it needs to have at least one upvote, ie. a minimum of two players must agree on the command.

How often will the game update?

The game will be updated 2-3 times a week, depending on player activity and my availability due to work and social engagements.
Faster updates may be made early on to help the prologue get rolling.

Can I contribute?

Sure! If you wish to contribute art, characters, ideas or anything at all, feel free to PM me your suggestions.
I will not promise to include everything sent in, but I will consider all contributions and do what I can to include them where sensible.

Can this game be won? Or lost?
The mechanics of the game will be made apparent over time. It will be possible to eventually lose the game, as taking risky or dangerous actions carry a random chance of failure and consequence.
It is also possible to win the game, by completing The Mission.

What is the Mission? And who are we?
That is up to you, the players, to find out.

[close]

[Creamy]

>put on raincoat and take flashlight.

[Ian Aloser]

> Examine room

[CaptainD]

>Turn on lights

[heltenjon]

>Inventory

if possible:
>Inventory, examine me, search room and take everything.

[mkennedy]

> Examine room
Second vote for this

>Inventory, examine me, search room.
Also this

> Examine everything.

[WHAM]

> Examine room
> Examine me
> Examine inventory

You examine the room you are in. It's a room in your home, the kitchen, a part of the place you live in. There are other rooms, of course. You know them well and they are familiar to you.
A table sits before you, nestled against the kitchen window, looking out into the rainstorm and the darkening horizon.

You are you. You wear clothes that feel comfortable to you, and you carry various small items with you. Footwear and protection from the rain are, of course, available to you. It rains often so you are prepared for the weather.

This is your way of preparing. Your ritual of introspection. Self-examination. Confirming your surroundings and grounding yourself in the here and the now.

Trait gained: INTROSPECTIVE

Your little ritual completed, you feel more ready to head outside. It will be dark soon, so you feel like you shouldn't spend too much time here.
It is time to gather your things, the items you rely on and trust. That feel right to carry with you into the night. You can select three ITEMS from your home to take with you. They can be any items.

(?) What ITEMS will you take with you before you head out?

[cat]

> Think about what the main goal and sub-goals of your mission are.
(no need to bring a gun if we go grocery shopping)


Do raincoat and shoes count as two of the three possible items?

[Ian Aloser]

>Check my current outfit
Just to make sure that I am already properly dressed
for the weather outside, so I can choose additional
items, such as flashlight, multi purpose tool etc.

[heltenjon]

>take infinity gauntlet

(disregard if it breaks the game/doesn't exist in game universe)

[mkennedy]

> Think about what the main goal and sub-goals of your mission are.
Second vote.

>Check my current outfit
Another second vote.

> Take keys.
So you can lock up after you leave. Don't want bad guys breaking in while you're gone.

>take flashlight.
Another second vote, though some sort of hands free light source would be preferred if available.

[WHAM]

Do raincoat and shoes count as two of the three possible items?

Sensible clothing counts as zero items.

> Take keys.
So you can lock up after you leave. Don't want bad guys breaking in while you're gone.

Keys also count as zero items.

[Ian Aloser]

>Take headlamp ( instead of flashlight)
>Take multi purpose tool
>Take map

[mkennedy]

> Think about where you're going and how far it is.
Is it within walking distance or will you have to drive?

[CaptainD]

>Take rubber chicken with a pulley in it

[WHAM]

Valid suggestions for the current prompt so far:
> Take infinity gauntlet
> Take headlamp ( instead of flashlight)
> Take multi purpose tool
> Take map
> Take rubber chicken with a pulley in it

To perhaps ease what seems a bit like people being afraid of making mistakes early on, I shall say this: you cannot make mistakes during the prologue chapter.
There are no truly wrong answers.

[cat]

So, no info about our mission yet? Okay, then just prepare for whatever to come:

> Take headlamp, multi purpose tool and map

(assuming that keys, wallet and phone are among the "various small items" we are already carrying)

[WHAM]

> Take headlamp, multi purpose tool and map

You set the pair of your most trusted objects on the table before you and give them the same examination you've done many times before. The long-life batteries in the waterproof headlamp are fully charged. The rust-proof multitools many blades are sharpened and the hinges that allow it to unfold for its many uses are recently oiled. Heavier equipment would just slow you down and make you too clumsy for your own good. This is good.

The map you are less familiar with, but it's necessary since you just recently moved into town. It's a little faded from its time in the local shop window, but clearly readable, and also waterproof, since it was designed for hikers and campers to take with them. On its front it has a wider area map of the town you are in and its surroundings out to a considerable range. On the reverse is a more detailed street map of the town itself. The name of the town is printed in the top: "Autumnscreek".
You find your own address on Heartwood Street, a single house on a small plot of land near the edge of town, in a cheap, sparsely built residential area. You orient yourself with the map, and form a clear plan of which way you need to head to get started.

You instinctively tap your pockets to make sure you have the keys to your home, as well as your car keys. All is in place. It'll be a bit of a ride, but that's never been an issue. And besides...

(?) SOMEONE is waiting for you out there. WHO is this person to you?

[Stupot]

Are we supposed to input an answer to the question rather than a command? If so:

> This person is your apprentice sister.

[Creamy]

>your urbex partner

[mkennedy]

>An informant with evidence of UFOs/aliens

[cat]

> The person is your sister.

[lapsking]

> Stalker

[Mandle]

> He is Indrid Cold

[eri0o]

> I can't clearly see the person but they are soaked by the rain that falls outside

[Ponch]

> Santa Claus

[Ian Aloser]

> The person is your sister
Second vote :-)

[Stupot]

I’ve changed my previous vote to “sister” too (that’s three now, so hopefully enough to move the game on).

[WHAM]

> Head out to meet your sister

She was supposed to call you before she headed out, but the phone in the living room has been dead silent all night. Maybe she went on ahead without you? Maybe she forgot to call in her excitement?
Whatever the case, she might be out there alone. She's probably waiting for you, or hoping you won't show up so she can have all the fun, and that won't do.

You pocket your items, grab your raincoat and head outside. A minute later your car rumbles beneath you as you roll down the street, heading toward the edge of the small town. Ahead awaits your destination, the meeting point you and your sister agreed to meet at: a road junction some five miles past a 24 hour service and rest stop the locals call 'Ol' Roger's'.

The heavy rain beats down on the windshield, and the road underneath feels slick, as you head out deeper into the lightless night.

[cat]

Phone in the living room? We were expecting a landline call instead of a message on our mobile? This means that we either

• are in the beginning of the 90ies (supported by how our car looks), or
• refuse to use modern technology for whatever reason, or
• are in an area without cell coverage

In any case, no point in trying to contact her, so I would just

> Head to the meeting point while listening to Nirvana's Nevermind album

[Ian Aloser]

I had EXACTLY the same thoughts :-)
At the moment I am a little confused about
how to proceed…
I somehow expected a question preceded
by a (?)
However, i would support your proposal
> Head to the meeting point
2nd Vote

[heltenjon]

>Admire interior of the car and turn on the radio.

[cat]

I like the idea about the radio, so I enhanced my command 

[CaptainD]

>Reminisce about past adventures with your sister

[Ian Aloser]

>Reminisce about past adventures with your sister
A second vote for this one, too.
Maybe it leads to more information about the main actor(s)

[lorenzo]

Can I vote for two commands?

>Admire interior of the car and turn on the radio.

and...

>Reminisce about past adventures with your sister

[WHAM]

> Keep going for the agreed-upon meeting point.

> Reminisce of past adventures with your sister, while listening to Nirvana's Nevermind album.

The left turn for Ol' Rogers flashes past you, quickly vanishing in the rearview mirror.
You reach for the glovebox and pick out a cassette tape. Your sister's handwriting on the piece of masking tape says 'Nivarna'. The tape slides into the stereo. With a click and a hiss the music begins to play.

Load up on guns.
Bring your friends.
It's fun to lose and to pretend~

You move your lips with the words, silently singing along.

This was the first album you listened to after you got out of prison. She got away with it all for being too young, just fourteen when the two of you got caught breaking and entering. While you tinkered with locks and picks, she was careless and curious and tripped an alarm. You covered for her, to make sure she didn't get into trouble, and she promised she'd learned a lesson back then.

Never again.

You moved out here to regroup, to get your life in order, to work a nice job and, maybe, find someone nice. Settle down. Forget about that dark chapter in your life.

And yet here you are. Again.

All it took was one phone call and the promise of a big payday.

You smile as you recall how she told you this would be 'practically risk free'. You told her that, word for word, back when she was fourteen.

The heavy rain beats down on the windshield, and the road underneath feels slick. Just a few more miles and you'll be there.

[Creamy]

Shady business, eh.

> wonder if you can trust your sister.

[Ian Aloser]

The heavy rain beats down on the windshield, and the road underneath feels slick. Just a few more miles and you'll be there
>Slow down just enough to make sure to safely arrive at the meeting point

[eri0o]

hey, we have the skill of lockpicking!

> wonder if I am going back to the place we got caught break and entering the first time

[cat]

Oh my, with our talent for messing up such stories I think we and our sister will end up either dead or in jail 

[Stupot]

>Slow down just enough to make sure to safely arrive at the meeting point

I second this. Won’t need any accidents. Plus we can be more careful going into the meeting place. Make sure we’re not being followed, get the lay of the land, etc.

[heltenjon]

>Stop at 'Ol Roger'o get a surprise for your sister. Check date on newspaper.

Oh, I guess we just went past it. Pity. Nevermind came out in 1991, so we can perhaps use this to further pinpoint when this is. The car and the cassette tape may be old, though.

[lorenzo]

> Speed up, your sister is waiting!

[WHAM]

> Slow down just enough to make sure to safely arrive at the meeting point

You drop your speed down to something more manageable, making a mental note to drive more carefully from now on. You find the left turn your map had indicated, though instead of the wide two-lane road the map indicated you find a narrow single lane road instead. You recall a mention that the roads out here were never quite finished, with projects being downscaled as local industry and jobs were lost.



> Wonder...

You feel indebted to your sister, though you're not sure if that's quite the same as trusting her. She was always adventurous, and took to the idea of some relatively harmless crime with about as much ease you had when you were younger and lived far away from here. She also kept you sane in the few years you spent in prison after getting caught, writing, calling and visiting. Nobody else did, after all.

You're sure she wouldn't try to lead you into a trap. She wouldn't want anything bad for you. Most likely she felt tonight would be a way of making up for past mistakes, of helping you get back on your feet and be more secure financially. Or maybe she just missed the thrills and excitement of old times? Missed seeing you? She wouldn't have travelled across the country unless she had a good reason, after all.

Besides: you're sure you've missed her.

The narrow road crosses a small bridge, its edges indicated by bumps in the road. The jolt of going over causes the car stereo to briefly crackle, then resume.

He's the one.
Who likes all our pretty songs.
And he likes to sing along.
And he likes to shoot his gun.

The heavy rain beats down on the windshield, and the road underneath feels soft and mushy, the thick layer of water making it difficult to steer. The more controlled speed has you feeling more secure, though. You're not about to crash. Less than a mile now, and you'll be there.

[Mandle]

>Open the glovebox and check what's in it

[heltenjon]

>Remember what you have been told about this forest. Check gas gauge.

[Ian Aloser]

>Open the glovebox and check what's in it
2nd vote for this one
>Remember what you have been told about this forest. Check gas gauge
2nd vote for this one, too
And one more suggestion:
Since I have the suspicion that our little sister is in big trouble and assuming
that due to the heavy rain nobody will hear me arriving
>Slow down even more and safely ride the remaining yards to the meeting point with the car's lights and music turned off

[Stupot]

We already checked the glovebox. That’s where we got the Nirvana tape from.

[mkennedy]

>Search the glovebox carefully in case it it had anything else in it beside the tape.
>Return the tape to the glovebox exactly as you found it.

[heltenjon]

>Hum/whistle the theme from (the Finnish tango) Satumaa, then wonder what made you think of that.

[Mandle]

>Pull the car over, get out, and quickly check the trunk for anything interesting and/or useful looking (and hopefully not find our sister in there)

[WHAM]

> Open the glovebox and check what's in it

You peer into the glovebox. It contains a dusty copy of the owner's manual for the car, a thick tome of glossy pages you've never even opened, and a few assorted cassette tapes of music, some of which you actually bought with your own money. You also find a ballpoint pen that may or may not be in working condition after having been stored in the glovebox for a year or two. You're not sure where it came from. It might have been there when you bought the car used.

> Remember what you have been told about this forest. Check gas gauge.

You try to recall details of the woodland areas surrounding the town. To the north and to the east the town is mostly surrounded by dense wooded hills and valleys, with a few small creeks and rivers running southward to the lowland areas there. The south is mostly farmland now. To the west of the town, across a bridge, was to be a vast industrial zone for all sorts of newfangled production, but from what you can recall those plans never quite came to pass and construction was never finished on most of the projects there. You think one of the buildings produces fishing lures in there.

You started off headed east, with three quarters of your tank of gas remaining, though your latest turn is taking you roughly north by north-east now. A sign by the side of the road reads "Airfield", though that has been crossed out, with an added sign saying "Private property - Keep out".

The trees grow sparse, and most are cut down. It feels more open out here, more spacious now that you're getting away from the trees, of which merely their stumps remain. You see a parked car ahead, its lights turned off. It looks familiar to you.


(Sorry for the delay in posting this one. I've got my home internet connection routed through a VPN and apparently the new forum doesn't like that very much and is blocking me as a suspected spammer. Thus I'm making this post from my workplace. )

[Mandle]

My adventure game instincts scream at me to:

>Get the pen from the glovebox

[Creamy]

>Get the pen from the glovebox

+1

Other suggestions:
>Visual inspection of the surrounding area.
>Approach the car.

[mkennedy]

>Pull the car over, get out, and quickly check the trunk for anything interesting and/or useful looking
+1
>Visual inspection of the surrounding area.
>Approach and inspect the other car.
Also these.

[Ian Aloser]

>Get the pen from the glovebox
+1
>Pull the car over, get out, and quickly check the trunk for anything interesting and/or useful looking
+1
>Visual inspection of the surrounding area.
+1
>Approach and inspect the other car.
+1
> Check If I'm already at the meeting point

[heltenjon]

>Say [sister's name], it's [my name].

[cat]

I'll try it again:

> Recap what the mission is about

[Ian Aloser]

> Recap what the mission is about
+1 for this one, too
How could we complete the mission if
we don't know what it is all about?

[heltenjon]

Most likely we don't know exactly what we're getting into and are here to let our sister tell us. I guess we will either be told or something has gone wrong and we'll be presented with problems as we go along.

[Ian Aloser]

>Say [sister's name], it's [my name].
+1 for this, too

[WHAM]

> Perform a visual inspection of the surrounding area.

You arrive at what appears to be the end of the road for now. The road is closed off by a simple gate and what looks like a padlock glinting in the headlights. A simple wire fence extends out away from the gate, seeming more like a way to deter wild animals than to keep people from getting in, considering the simple nature of the road gate. It has gotten quite dark and the rain has not let up, limiting visibility considerably. Past the gate the road only seems to go on for a short bit, after which the landscape opens up to a wide open field that goes on for quite some time, though there is a tall structure up ahead, of which you can just make out the silhouette of.

> Get the pen from the glovebox.

You reach into the glovebox and slip the ballpoint pen into your pocket for safekeeping, then peer out the windows at the surrounding area.

> Approach and inspect the other car.

That other car looks familiar to you. Your sister wanted one just like yours when she got old enough to drive, but hers needed to be in red. She couldn't really afford one, but your parents helped her out and she got her way eventually, though from the look of things it hasn't been well tended to. Some bumps and scrapes and off-colour panels speak of both previously done repairs and much needed ones still pending. There doesn't seem to be anyone inside the car, though.

[Ponch]

> Look for footprints or other clues in the muddy grass on either side of the road.

[Ian Aloser]

> Look for footprints or other clues in the muddy grass on either side of the road
+1
> Turn off my car's lights
> Search red car's trunk and interior (if accessible)

[Mandle]

>Duck under the bar of the gate and walk towards the building.

[Stupot]

> Search through my pockets to see if there is any useful lint.

[mkennedy]

>Find your location on the map and see if it says anything about the area or nearby buildings

[Creamy]

>Find your location on the map and see if it says anything about the area or nearby buildings

+1

> Look for footprints or other clues in the muddy grass on either side of the road

+1

> Search red car's trunk and interior (if accessible)

+1

[cat]

> Turn off my car's lights

+1

[mkennedy]

> Search red car's trunk and interior (if accessible)
Maybe by using your multi-tool and your expert lock-picking skill?

[Ponch]

> Search red car's trunk and interior (if accessible)
Maybe by using your multi-tool and your expert lock-picking skill?

Video games have taught me there's nothing a multi-tool can't do!

[WHAM]

> Look for footprints or other clues in the muddy grass on either side of the road.

You peer out of the window of your car. The headlights provide you with a solid bit of visibility to the front of your car, but the darkness and rain don't help your cause. Despite your raincoat you're not all that keen on diving out into the weather to poke around in the dirt without clear instructions to EXIT your vehicle first.

The ground is uneven, the road you are on is gravel and the grass and soil appear mushy with the rain. It's impossible to make out any kinds of tracks, save for the depressions left by the car tyres of the two vehicles.

> Search red car's trunk and interior (if accessible)

You are quite certain you'd need to EXIT your car first to search the familiar-looking red car. Through the windows you can see a few loose pieces of trash on the dashboard of the red car, and you think the driver's sideview mirror might be held on by some duct tape.



> Turn off my car's lights

You reach down and flick the switch to turn off the lights of your car, plunging the surrounding area into sudden and near-complete darkness, as the heavy rainclouds block any suggestions of illumination from the sky above.

Good thing Grues aren't real. Ha-ha! ...right?


[offtopic]I am arbitrarily limiting the input to three commands of less per post, depending on situation, and as long as the commands do not contradict. If multiple commands have the same amount of votes, I will pick the one that was posted first among them.[/offtopic]

[heltenjon]

Turn lights back on, then exit car and inspect surroundings.

[mkennedy]

> Turn lights back on, then exit car and inspect surroundings.

+1,
>Just remember to turn the lights back off before you leave.
>Also turn on your head lamp and look in the trunk of your own car after you get out.

[Ian Aloser]

>Use my high-end multi-purpose tool to convert my headlamp into night vision goggles
> Turn lights back on, then exit car and inspect surroundings
+1

[WHAM]

> Turn lights back on, then exit car and inspect surroundings.

You decide that seeing things is valuable, after all, and turn on the headlights on your car once more. They cast a beam of illumination across the open field ahead of you, and once more reveal the distant shape of a tall structure off in the distance. You unbuckle your seatbelt and crack open the driver side door.



The rain falling on your bright yellow raincoat is almost deafening at first, much more intense than it had been inside the muffled confines of the car. You close the car door so as not to let the seat get soaked by the rain, though you can still see the illuminated dashboard inside and hear the rumble of the idling engine.

You are surrounded by a field of felled trees. The grass and minor vegetation around the stumps has been seemingly flattened by heavy wind and rain. The road underneath your shoes is gravel and ahead of you the gravel seems to extend out into a broad field of the stuff, though the rain and darkness makes it difficult to be sure. You are quite sure the car parked beside your own must belong to your sister, though there is no immediate sign of her presence.

Introspective: You were always the calmer one, the more collected and organized in your actions. She was more rash and prone to not thinking ahead, so wandering off would not be unusual for her.

Being out here, in the storm, under the wide open sky, somehow makes you feel small and insignificant.

[offtopic]I evaded it for a long time, but Covid finally caught up with me and I've been running a high fever since monday, hence this post is a couple days later than I intended. I'll try to keep delays to a minimum, though.[/offtopic]

[Stupot]

> inspect sister's car. Try opening the doors and popping the trunk.

> call sister's name

[Ponch]

Use multi tool to treat Covid 

[Ian Aloser]

> inspect sister's car. Try opening the doors and popping the trunk.
+1

> call sister's name
+1

> Carefully approach tall structure after turning off my car's engine and lights

Spoiler

My best wishes for a speedy recovery !

[close]

[CaptainD]

> Inspect flattened area in case the cause isn't simply natural causes as you thought

> inspect sister's car. Try opening the doors and popping the trunk.
+2

Spoiler

Hope you recover soon buddy!

[close]

[mkennedy]

> inspect sister's car. Try opening the doors and popping the trunk.
+3 If needed you can use the multi-tool and your lock picking skill to gain access.

Spoiler

Here's hoping you get well soon

[close]

[Mandle]

>Try to walk boldly through the gate but bump into, and bounce slightly back off of, the metal pole across it several times at waist level before realizing it is an impassable obstacle.

[WHAM]

> inspect sister's car. Try opening the doors and popping the trunk.

You step over to your sister's car and examine it. It's definitely familiar, and there is little mistaking the empty soda cans and other assorted trash that has accumulated in the footwells and on the passenger seats. There is definitely nobody inside, but she must be somewhere nearby. Despite having very little interest in the collection of trash visible through the windows, you tug on the door handles only to find the doors are firmly locked with relatively simple locks. For good measure you move to the back and test the trunk, but that is similarly locked.

> call sister's name

ERROR: uknown variable 'sister's name'. Please define a name.

[Creamy]

> Call "SHOSHANA"

>Try to pick the lock of the door.

It's a little extreme but the whole thing smells like a trap.

[Ian Aloser]

> Try to pick the lock of the door
I expand this to
> Pick the locks of the door and the trunk using my multi-tool
> Check my driver's license for holder's name

[heltenjon]

>Check ground for footprints or other signs of where Shoshana went.
>Hum the old Police song "Suzannah", which you always changed to "Shoshana" to tease your sister. You woild proceed to sing the entire song pronouncing every s like "sh", as if you had your mouth filled with food.

[WHAM]

> Try to pick the lock of the door.

You pull out your trusty multitool, which you've customized out of old habit to make it looks bog standard at a glance, while containing a set of extra picks that you can pull out and use as needed, along with all the regular blades and such.

The relatively simple lock on the car door is easy enough to get through and the door pops open after just a couple minutes of tinkering.

The interior of the red car is much like your own, except far less tidy. Crumpled up soda cans litter the passenger side footwell, along with a bottle of brake fluid and a plastic jug of motor oil, and various bits of trash cover the dashboard and seats.

You feel a little guilty for breaking into your sister's car.

[mkennedy]

>Check ground for footprints or other signs of where Shoshana went.
+1
>Pick the lock of the trunk
+1
>See if the any of the trash is suitable to write on. If so then write your sister a note apologizing for breaking into her car.

[cat]

> Look inside your sister's glove compartment.

[Stupot]

> Look inside your sister's glove compartment.
+1

> Pick the lock of the trunk (or just "pop the trunk", since we're in the car now)
+1

[Mandle]

>Check if the car's keys are in the slot.

[Ian Aloser]

> Pick the lock of the trunk (or just "pop the trunk", since we're in the car now)
+2
>Check ground for footprints or other signs of where Shoshana went.
+2
> Look inside your sister's glove compartment.
+2

[WHAM]

> Look inside your sister's glove compartment.

You reach into Soshana's car and open the glove compartment. There is a single piece of paper on it, which looks a lot like a speeding ticket. Besides that, there is only a small carboard box for lightbulbs for the car's headlights.

> Check ground for footprints or other signs of where Shoshana went.

You examine the ground. It's not easy to see anything clearly, as the gravel does not take up footprints very well. As for the dips in the mushy grass, you're not sure if any of the watery depressions are fresh, but there are several scattered all around.



> Pop the trunk.

You consider showing off your lockpicking skills again, but decide that doing the same sort of lock a second time in ten minutes and with no audience around is not worth your time or effort. You tug on the trunk release latch and step back to inspect the contents. Inside you find a tire iron and a bunch of bolts scattered on the floor of the trunk, another plastic jug of motor oil, and a large black trash bag that has been tied shut.

[mkennedy]

>Carefully open the the trash bag and hope it does not contain anything bad.

[Ian Aloser]

>Carefully open the the trash bag and hope it does not contain anything bad.
+1
>Take tire iron
WOW! NICE! A weapon and a pry bar !
>Check my driver's license for holder's name

[WHAM]

> Carefully open the the trash bag and hope it does not contain anything bad.

The black bag is shiny and glistens with the raindrops falling over it beneath the open lid of the trunk. You reach down to the bulging sack to find it feels cool to the touch and somewhat soft, despite looking rather bulging and stuffed. Carefully you peel open the pieces of tape holding its mouth shut.



The wind picks up and scatters pieces of paper that look like cheap paper towels from a dispenser all around you. You'd sensed a faint smell of motor oil before, but now the stench truly makes itself known, forcing you to turn your head and draw a deep breath before the wind disperses the stench. The papers that flew out are all soiled with dark brown and black stains to some degree, while most of them seem so completely soaked that they are too heavy for the wind to actually move.

The escaped papers do not make it far as the rainwater soaks them and pins them to the gravel or grass.

Hopefully someone will clean this mess up.

[Stupot]

> Take tire iron

> Take plastic jug

> Inspect the fence and gate

[Ian Aloser]

> Take tire iron
+1
> Clean up the mess

Spoiler

Come on guys ! This game deserves more participants

[close]

[mkennedy]

> Inspect the fence and gate
+1
> Examine the lock on the gate to determine whether it can be picked.
> See if you kind find the source of your sister's oil leak and whether it is something that you can fix with your multi-tool

[heltenjon]

>If the lock can't be picked, break it with the tire iron.
>open the gate, then drive to the tall structure, looking for signs of Shoshana along the way.

[WHAM]

> Take tire iron

You pick up the cross-shaped tire iron. It feels cold and heavy in your hand.
Lacking a backpack or any other solid method of carrying the thing, you decide to keep it in your hand for now. You feel a little safer than you did a moment ago. In case a horde of angry ducks rushes you, you might stand a chance now!


> Inspect the fence and gate

You move away from Soshana's car and approach the fence and gate to inspect them. The gate is a simple metal bar on a pivot, locked in place with an equally simple padlock. It doesn't look very challenging to pick or even break.

The fence itself seems designed to diver wildlife, like deer or foxes, away. It's quite climbable for a human and there is no barbed wire or any other visible nastiness. It's probably not electrified either. Probably.

[cat]

@WHAM Would you like me to move the thread over to the Adventure Related board? It's an adventure game after all, and it might be noticed by more people over there.


I don't think there is a point in breaking the padlock. We could just pass under the bar and enter whatever there is behind. I see two options for now:


> 1) Go back in the car, grab a coffee at the rest stop and go home. Adventure over.

> 2) Turn off your car's headlights and enter the area behind the gate.

[Ian Aloser]

> Turn off your car's headlights and engine and enter the area behind the gate
+1
> Clean up the mess
> Carefully approach the tall structure

Spoiler

Come on Folks !!
We've been pussyfooting around that wimpy gate while our sister might be in danger !
Where did all your adventurer's spirit go ?
@cat : Good idea

[close]

[WHAM]

@WHAM Would you like me to move the thread over to the Adventure Related board? It's an adventure game after all, and it might be noticed by more people over there.

@cat
I don't mind where the thread is located. To me it seems like a shared activity, so the competitions & activities board seemed logical. This is also where past projects of similar nature were located. If you think it'd be better somewhere else, feel free to move it around.

[cat]

@WHAM
If you are happy with the current location, there is no need to move it

[mkennedy]

>Turn on your headlamp
>Turn off your car's headlights and engine and enter the area behind the gate
+2
>Also make sure both your car and your sister's car are all locked back up.
>Carefully approach the tall structure
+1

[cat]

>Turn on your headlamp
+1

[mkennedy]

>Turn on your headlamp
>Turn off your car's headlights and engine and enter the area behind the gate
+2
>Also make sure both your car and your sister's car are all locked back up.
>Carefully approach the tall structure
+1

Alternate choice:
>Estimate the distance to the tall structure and ask "would it be quicker to open the gate and drive there or would it be better to approach on foot?"

[WHAM]

> Turn off your car's headlights and enter the area behind the gate

You step back to your car, reach in through the open door and turn the ignition off, as well as turn the knob to turn off the lights. You pocket your car keys to be safe, after you close and lock the driver side door. That's better.

With your car secure you walk to the gate and easily hop over it, landing in the wet gravel on the other side. Ahead of you the open ground, seemingly all gravel, extends for what looks like a little over a hundred meters, though in the weather the tall structure ahead seems further away.



> Turn on your headlamp

You grab the headlamp from your pocket, strap it to your head and press the nice, clicky and waterproofed button to turn it on. It casts a beam of illumination ahead of you, allowing you to feel more confident in your step as you move over the gravel surface.



> Carefully approach the tall structure

You start to walk towards the structure in the distance. As you get a little closer you start to better make out its shape and curious colouring, seemingly consisting of alternating squares of dark and light colours.



Then, from the darkness, a bright light flashes your way and waves side to side a few times before going dark again.

[heltenjon]

>Signal back with the signal you and Shoshana use. Then turn off headlight and approach.

[cat]

Oh, we forgot to close her trunk 

[Ian Aloser]

>Signal back with the signal you and Shoshana use. Then turn off headlight and approach.
+1
>Carefully check the coloured tiles
>Carefully check the blinking device

[Mandle]

>Signal back with the signal you and Shoshana use. Then turn off headlight and approach.
+1

[mkennedy]

Oh, we forgot to close her trunk 

Yeah, locking her car back up was only suggested by me.

>Signal back with the signal you and Shoshana use. Then  turn off headlight and approach.
+2 (though it may not be such a good idea to turn off our only source of light)
> If the  proper response isn't given then ready the tire iron just in case,

[Mandle]

>Try shining the flashlight up to the top window and then switching it off for a moment... This looks like it could be a sequence puzzle to my expertly-honed adventure gaming skills that are gonna get us killed.

[cat]

>Signal back with the signal you and Shoshana use. Then turn off headlight and approach.

+1

[WHAM]

> Signal back with the signal you and Shoshana use. Then turn off headlight and approach.

You respond to the side-to-side wave of a light by tilting your head up and down, your beam of light bisecting the ghost-image of that light flash in your eyes. It's the way you used to spot and recognize one another as kids, back when you were spending time at the summer cabin and hiking in the woods with the family. With a click of a button you turn off your headlamp once more and walk across the flat, even ground until you reach the tall building ahead.

It has gotten very dark. You can no longer make out the shades of fading red in the distant sky, as clouds drown out what little light remains.



A familiar figure, clad in a raincoat quite similar to your own, awaits you under a narrow awning that provides some cover from the rain, with a box of tools sitting on the ground beside her.

"I was almost getting ready to go in on my own!" -Shoshana calls out, flashing a friendly smile your way. "Good to see you, sis. And, um- I'm really glad you came out. Wasn't quite sure you would, to be honest."

She looks like she's about to say something more, but instead she simply smiles your way.

[Mandle]

> Ask her what this place is and why she is trying to break into it.

[Ian Aloser]

> Ask her what this place is and why she is trying to break into it
+1
> Carefully inspect entrance door *
> Tell my sister what I did so far (including the mess:-) )

*

Spoiler

I am so stupid ! I followed the game on my smartphone
and the pics were so dark, i could hardly recognize anything.
Then I downloaded them and increased the brightness just to discover
that this is some kind of watchtower....

[close]

[Mandle]

Given the shape and bright pattern on the tower I'd say it's a control tower for an airstrip.

[Ian Aloser]

I guess you're right !

[cat]

> Ask her what this place is and why she is trying to break into it.

+1

[WHAM]

> Ask her what this place is and why she is trying to break into it.

You glance up at the looming tower, then step closer to the door to shelter from the rain.

"So, what exactly is this place?" -you ask. "And why are you trying to break in?"

Shoshana smirks at you. She still has that same smile and that same glow in her eyes you recall from your shared youth. She's on an adventure.

"You don't know? Really? And here I thought you'd become an all-around proper Autumnscreek local by now!" She nods her head at the door. "This is the home of the mayor of Autumnscreek, one mister Lucas Leimer, who happens to be very surely not here tonight. Remember what I said about a big payday when we talked? This place is it, sis! We can make it big, and we can do it together!"

She sounded especially excited about that last part.

"I pulled some strings for us and got it on good authority there is a safe inside, somewhere. Probably in an office or a work room or something like that. We find it, open it, and we'll be far gone before anyone ever finds out!" She looks at you with those bright eyes of hers, as if expecting something.

[cat]

This place is it, sis!

Nice 

Other than that, it sounds like a really stupid idea.

[heltenjon]

>Tell her you're out. Go home and eat biscuits.

>Ask her excitedly what kind of safe it is, a bit more calmly what riches she expects to find, and business-like what alarm systems this place is supposed to have.

[Mandle]

> Take out your moral compass and look at it to decide if this is an adventure you want to be a part of, or if you just want to take your sister back home and make her a nice cup of tea and talk about a few issues.

[mkennedy]

> Try to talk her out of it by telling her horror stories of all the awful stuff that happened to you in prison
or
> show her your multitool.

[Ian Aloser]

> Base my decision on what is best for fulfilling our mission

[Mandle]

> If she seems determined to go through with this with or without you, just sigh and ask what you should do to help.

[Mandle]

> Check inventory

[cat]

I'm really having a hard time deciding what to do.

In real life I would just

want to take your sister back home and make her a nice cup of tea and talk about a few issues.

But then the game would be basically over. Unless we stumble in an alien abduction on our way back or something.

Going in there would give us some great puzzles to solve but have us certainly either end up in jail or dead.

[Ian Aloser]

....I'm really having a hard time deciding what to do
Same with me...
I think it's time to find out more about the mission

>Tell my sister about the mission
>Inventory
+1

[cat]

Isn't the mission what our sister wants to do (i.e. breaking in)?

[Ian Aloser]

Quote from the Prologue:
You've got something important to do. Something only you can do. Something you've done before, of course, so surely it won't be a big deal.
Just a job. A Mission.

[heltenjon]

>Tell her you're out. Go home and eat biscuits.

>Ask her excitedly what kind of safe it is, a bit more calmly what riches she expects to find, and business-like what alarm systems this place is supposed to have.

I know I can't give myself a +1, but come on people! Let's do some breaking and entering! 

[Ian Aloser]

Ok , all in
>Ask her excitedly what kind of safe it is, a bit more calmly what riches she expects to find, and business-like what alarm systems this place is supposed to have
+1

[lorenzo]

Ok , all in
>Ask her excitedly what kind of safe it is, a bit more calmly what riches she expects to find, and business-like what alarm systems this place is supposed to have
+1

++1
(+2?)

[Mandle]

> Kneel down next to the door, smile up at your sister while you pull out your multitool, and then put on your serious face and get to work picking the lock.

[Stupot]

+1 for breaking in and getting the party started.

[WHAM]

> Ask her excitedly what kind of safe it is, a bit more calmly what riches she expects to find, and business-like what alarm systems this place is supposed to have.

You smile, unable to hide the growing sense of excitement as the thrill so familiar from your past surges in your heart. It was what you'd agreed to, after all, and also what you planned for and even equipped yourself so that you could travel light, move in the dark and get through locks and other mechanical obstacles. You inquire as to the nature of the safe and its potential contents, as well as the security inside. Shoshana flashes a grin in return, clearly sharing your enthusiasm.

"As long as we find the safe, there's no need to worry about that. See, the mayor had his issues, a few enemies, and I have some connections." She pulls out a slip of folded card. "The combination is right here. From what I gather the safe is probably somewhat hidden, maybe behind a painting, like in the movies. We should find plenty of cash and some nice jewelry that shouldn't be too difficult to hand off. Maybe some bonus surprises, too. I hear the guy was super weird so maybe he has like rare collectables or something, too!"

You nod and look around yourself. It doesn't seem as if the rain will let up, but at least having a familiar face with you seems to make the cold and dark less unpleasant.

"Oh, and the security: that should be all dealt with. There's a big ol' breaker box back there..." She gestures somewhere off to your right, behind the corner of the building, then to the toolbox beside her foot. "...and I took the liberty of disconnecting phone and power to the place so we can look around in peace. Though I don't think there really is an alarm system or anything. I don't think a ton of people know this place, since it's kind of isolated and... well, the guy didn't get a lot of visitors, apparently."

She pockets the folded piece of card again, then seems to pick up on your moment of hesitation.

"I know, I know. This feels kind of familiar to me, too, but it's not like back then. I'm not a dumb, noisy kid like that anymore! And sure, I know this all seems too good to be true, but I'm telling you, sis; I took all the precautions and did all the checks! Nobody will be here for days, maybe weeks! It's no different to going into a theme park haunted house or something, except we'll come out with enough cash to make up for all the time you lost!"

Shoshana, at least, seems incredibly excited and confident about all this.


> Check inventory

You absent-mindedly pat your pockets. You are carrying your multitool, a ballpoint pen, your keys, wallet and a map of the area. You are holding Shoshana's tire iron in your hand and wearing a headlamp on your head.

[Ian Aloser]

> Examine door and lock
> Check contents of sister's toolbox
> Pick lock if it looks safe

[heltenjon]

  "Super weird"...I bet cutting the power has let loose some "collectibles" already! 

> Examine door and lock
> Check contents of sister's toolbox
> Pick lock if it looks safe

+1

>ask sister about mayor's "super weirdness". Did he collect venomous snakes or anything like that?

[Ian Aloser]

"Super weird"...I bet cutting the power has let loose some "collectibles" already!
Or the corpses in the freezer slowly defrosting...
I guess we've seen too many horror movies :-)

[mkennedy]

> Check contents of sister's toolbox
+1 (see if it has anything your multitool lacks.)

>Ask her if she brought any rubber gloves so we don't end up leaving our fingerprints allover the place. After all we wouldn't want to go back to prison

[WHAM]

> Check contents of sister's toolbox

You crouch down to inspect the contents of your sister's toolbox.

"It's all the usual stuff I carry, pretty basic stuff. Surprisingly useful, though! I fixed up my car on the way since it had some issues!" She sounds pretty proud with herself.

The toolbox seems like a pretty standard fare, save for some smudges and oil stains. Wrenches, screwdrivers, a hefty hammer, some pliers. It's not as sleek as your multitool, but it'll deal with bigger problems. Your hands smell a bit of motor oil now that you've handled the toolbox.

> Examine door and lock

You step over to the door. The lock looks positively ancient to you, like it's from the 50's or 60's, scratched and weatherworn. It looks like easy pickings.



> Pick lock if it looks safe

With a shrug you pull out your multitool and get to work. A bit of tension. A simple rake. In less than a minute the mechanism clicks open, and the door opens for you. It feels easy and natural, like old times, but better.

"Nice! See, this is why you're here. I'd have gotten the hammer out by now!" -Shoshana chimes over your shoulder before picking up her tools. "Let's head in. I wanna see what this place is like on the inside. Like, you noticed it's a tower and all, right? How cool is that!?"

[lorenzo]

> Turn on the headlamp, slightly open the door and shine some light in the room to see what's inside before entering.

[Ian Aloser]

>Ask her if she brought any rubber gloves so we don't end up leaving our fingerprints allover the place. After all we wouldn't want to go back to prison
+1
> Turn on the headlamp, slightly open the door (without leaving fingerprints) and shine some light in the room to see what's inside before entering.
+1

[heltenjon]

>Ask her if she brought any rubber gloves so we don't end up leaving our fingerprints allover the place. After all we wouldn't want to go back to prison
+1
> Turn on the headlamp, slightly open the door (without leaving fingerprints) and shine some light in the room to see what's inside before entering.
+1

+1

>Say "Lead the way, sis."

[Mandle]

You step over to the door. The lock looks positively ancient to you, like it's from the 50's or 60's, scratched and weatherworn. It looks like easy pickings.

NICE ONE!!! 

[WHAM]

> Ask her if she brought any rubber gloves so we don't end up leaving our fingerprints allover the place. After all we wouldn't want to go back to prison

You present your query, but gain only a slightly confused look from your sister. She glances at her toolbox and shrugs.

"Uhm- I got some gloves, but they're pretty oily now. Probably not great. Let's just not, you know, touch everything all the time. Besides, neither of us REALLY a full-blown local, and if this goes well we might be waaay far away before anyone even knows something is amiss!"

> Turn on the headlamp, slightly open the door (without leaving fingerprints) and shine some light in the room to see what's inside before entering.

You shrug in turn and pocket your multitool, which you already used to pop the door slightly ajar. With a bump of your elbow you open the door further and peer inside, clicking on your headlamp. The inside looks rather dull and mundane. You see a rack with some shoes, something that looks like a big black ghost with a creepy top hat, but you're pretty sure it's just a coat rack and a fancy hat. There appear to be a pair of doors leading somewhere further inside.

"Well, we going in or do you want to stand here a bit more and listen to the rain?" -Shoshana asks, seemingly eager to get started with burglary.

You feel a kind of simple clarity in what's ahead. You will be committing a crime, sure. But just like back then, it's a relatively harmless crime. One your young and adventurous mind justified to yourself before, and one you seem to find irresistible even now.

What else for would you have prepared for this like so, after all? You have the skills, the tools of the trade. You're prepared for everything and anything that might await up ahead in that dark tower. And besides, if you're not here to keep an eye on Shoshana, she'll surely get herself in trouble without her big sister making sure she's all right in the end.

[Mandle]

> Walk straight in, your sister behind you, and shine your headlamp around to take in the full room, especially any further exits.

[Ian Aloser]

> Walk straight in, your sister behind you, and shine your headlamp around to take in the full room, especially any further exits.
+1
> Reminisce about the crime I committed back then

[WHAM]

-



> Walk straight in, your sister behind you, and shine your headlamp around to take in the full room, especially any further exits.

You step through the door and leave behind the rain and then wind. Shoshana closes the door after you, further muffling the sounds of the weather, making it all feel distant. You can hear water droplets dripping off your raincoat and hitting the carpet below your feet as you stand in the entryway.

While you feel that familiar sense of excitement at being somewhere forbidden, past the locked door you never had a key for, you notice it also feels different this time. You broke into places before, sure, but you never really sought to steal anything specific. The aimless adventures of foolish youth have evolved into something that feels a little bit more sinister. The thrill is more intense. You notice the light and shadows around you moving as your sister seems barely able to contain her excited fidgeting.

"Oh wow, look at that HAT!" -Shoshana calls out enthusiastically aiming her flashlight at the coat rack.

The entryway appears to have two doors in addition to the one you entered through. Straight ahead of you is one, and another one sits to your left. Both doors appear to be closed.

Spoiler

Apologies for the art quality, folks. In order to minimize render time it seems we aren't currently rendering any shadows. The character creation phase of the game is complete. Feel free to explore and see what you find!

[close]

[heltenjon]

>Examine and search drawers and the small bowl or ashtray on top.
>Discuss directions and bearings with Shoshana...what door is likely the right way?

[Ian Aloser]

>Examine and search drawers and the small bowl or ashtray on top.
+1
>Discuss directions and bearings with Shoshana...what door is likely the right way?
+1
>Carefully check this weird hat /Cylinder
( Looks like the owner is a magician ,
at the worst, there's a rabbit or a pigeon inside )

[mkennedy]

>Discuss directions and bearings with Shoshana...what door is likely the right way?

Does the multitool have a compass?

[Mandle]

> Grab the hat off from the rack and put it on and then do a soft-shoe dance step to make your sister laugh

[WHAM]

> Discuss directions and bearings with Shoshana...what door is likely the right way?

You query your sister for a floorplan, or a plan in general, now that you two are inside.

"I don't know, to be honest. There's staird somewhere in here, likely going all the way to the top. It's not a massive building, though, so there can't be that many places to hide a safe, right?"

This does not inspire a great deal of confidence, but before you have time to continue the conversation Shoshana has already opened the door nearest to the way you came in.



"Stairs!" -she calls out before pausing for a second and turning away from the door again. "Those ones go down, though, not up. So... probably try the other door?"



> Examine and search drawers and the small bowl or ashtray on top.

You step over to the drawers and peer into them. The top drawer mostly contains scattered small items. A pair of leather gloves, some loose change, crumpled receipts and a few torn open envelopes and a case for a fancy pair of sunglasses.

The bottom drawer contains a pair of sandals that are far too big for you, as well as several pairs of folded woolly socks. There is also a bunch of wooden coat hangers like the one hanging on the wall above the drawers.

Atop the drawers is a fancy piece of white tablecloth and a black porcelain ashtray, though it appears clean and pristinely polished.

"I don't think the safe is going to be here, sis. Or are you looking for, like, a clue or something?" -Shoshana asks, trying to peer over your shoulder.

[mkennedy]

> Listen at the the other door to see if there's any noise coming from it then open it and take a peek at at what's on the other side.

[heltenjon]

>Say "I'm looking for spare keys to the place. Don't you remember the Harrington job?"

[Stupot]

> Try looking behind the mirror if it's not screwed to the wall. If it is, use the multi tool to unscrew it.

[Ian Aloser]

> Try looking behind the mirror if it's not screwed to the wall. If it is, use the multi tool to unscrew it
+1
> Open the other door and look what's behind it
> Examine hat/cylinder

[WHAM]

> Try looking behind the mirror if it's not screwed to the wall. If it is, use the multi tool to unscrew it.

You grasp the edge of the mirror and tug on it. It lifts off easily, allowing you to peek behind it and view the simple painted wall and the metal hook drilled into it, which the mirror has been hung off from with a metal wire attached to its frame.

Shoshana watches you closely.

"Should we split up, maybe? We could cover more ground that way!" -she suggests.

[Mandle]

>Say to sister "What happened in every single horror movie we ever watched when they split up? One by one, they got split up!"

[Mandle]

testing my white-list status... sorry.

[Ian Aloser]

> Listen at the the other door to see if there's any noise coming from it then open it and take a peek at at what's on the other side.
+1
> Walk down the stairs and explore the rooms there
> Examine the hat

[Stupot]

> Examine the black ashtray more closely under the torchlight.

(I'm suspicious as to why it's so clean and polished. Could it have been used as a weapon?)

[Creamy]

>put on leather gloves.

> Examine the black ashtray more closely under the torchlight.
+1

[WHAM]

> Examine the black ashtray more closely under the torchlight.

You illuminate the black ashtray and peer at it closely for any suspicious signs. No blood spatters or chips are to be found, however, and not even ash or soot. It appears to be a hefty little bowl of black porcelain. The bottom of the shallow bowl seems to have numerous faint scratch marks on it, but other than that it seems unremarkable. You can't really smell any tobacco or smoke, either.

While you perform your examination Shoshana steps past you and opens the door to your right, likely leading deeper inside the building. With a jolly step through the door she vanishes from sight.

"Fancy!" -you hear her calling out.

[heltenjon]

>Follow Shoshana

[Mandle]

> Well, if it's fancy where we're heading, put on the top hat and dance through the doorway Fred Astaire style to get a laugh from our sister.

[heltenjon]

> Well, if it's fancy where we're heading, put on the top hat and dance through the doorway Fred Astaire style to get a laugh from our sister.

+1
  

[lorenzo]

> Well, if it's fancy where we're heading, put on the top hat and dance through the doorway Fred Astaire style to get a laugh from our sister.

+1 for me too, haha! 

[Ian Aloser]

> Well, if it's fancy where we're heading, put on the top hat and dance through the doorway Fred Astaire style to get a laugh from our sister.
+1
Of course

[Stupot]

> Well, if it's fancy where we're heading, put on the top hat and dance through the doorway Fred Astaire style to get a laugh from our sister.

+1

[WHAM]

> Well, if it's fancy where we're heading, put on the top hat and dance through the doorway Fred Astaire style to get a laugh from our sister.

At the sound of the word 'fancy', together with the sight of a veritably fancy top hat, you can't help yourself. You grab the hat, put it on and leap through the door while putting on your finest vintage dances moves, your sisters tire iron spinning in your hand instead of a cane.

You not only elicit a laugh from your sister, but also a round of applause!

Shoshana appears to made herself comfortable for the moment, putting her feet up as she reclines in a fancy armchair. Perfect to watch the show.

"Haha-! Bravo! Bravo!"

[Stupot]

> Look

[Ian Aloser]

> Examine door
> Examine pictures
> Look
+1

[heltenjon]

>examine book in display case
>examine picture of the building

[mkennedy]

> Look
+2
>examine book in display case
Hopefully it's not the dreaded Necronomicon and won't summon a bunch of deadites.

[Mandle]

> Continue our crazy dance by swinging the tire iron and smashing the glass in front of the definitely not cursed book in the bookcase, and then gape at our sister comically and say "OOPS!!!" with our hand over our mouth and eyes wide.

[WHAM]

> Look

You settle down and suppress the urge to keep dancing and putting on a show. The urge is still there, though, just underneath the surface, never too far away. The fancy top hat is a constant reminder.

You appear to be in a rather cosy and welcoming sitting room, well suited for receiving guests in. The floor is carpeted from wall to wall and feels soft beneath your sneakers, leading you to feel a little guilty for bringing in mud from the outside. There are several framed pictures on the wall, along with a shelf that appears to display some prized objects. A cushy armchair and sofa await ahead. At the back there is also a window, though the outside is very dark so there isn't much to see out there.

A tall bookshelf stands beside you, holding a variety of books and a very lovely cat ornament that is supporting some of the books. A pair of cabinet doors over its lower third suggest potentially more books or objects within.

> Examine book in display case

You decide to examine that one book in particular, for it appears to stand out from the others. It sits in what appears to be a custom silver stand made for its dimensions, behind a protective sheet of crystal clear glass.  As you examine the book with its name pressed into its leather cover in silver characters, it becomes obvious that this tome is in a language you cannot understand. It appears very old and worn, however, and you have a feeling it's probably quite valuable based on age and appearance.

[mkennedy]

> Open the cabinet to see what's inside.
> Look at the other books to see if they have anything in common that might give clues to the book in the case.
> Examine the display case to determine how best to open it.
> Examine the  cat ornament.
> Look at the shelf on the wall.

> Examine pictures
> Examine door
+1 to both these

[Ian Aloser]

> Open the cabinet to see what's inside.
+1
> Look at the other books to see if they have anything in common that might give clues to the book in the case.
+1
> Examine the display case to determine how best to open it.
+1

[Mandle]

> Say to our sister, "You can keep going after the safe. There's gotta be a matching cat bookend around this place somewhere, and I intend to find it and make off with the set! MUAHAHAHAHA!"

[WHAM]

> Open the cabinet to see what's inside.

You pop open both of the cabinet doors, which put up no resistance. The pickings within are rather slim. Looks like there are some photo albums inside, a bunch of spare candles, a few rolled-up tablecloths, along with the missing cat bookend that matches the one up on the shelf, though this one appears to have suffered a fall at some point. Its tail has broken off!

> Look at the other books to see if they have anything in common that might give clues to the book in the case.

The books come off as posh and many of them seem so new and pristine that you wonder if they've ever been read at all. 'The Practice of Management', 'The Managerial Grid' and 'The Greatest Salesman in the World' look fairly old, but several other books are much newer and varied in topic, such as 'The Complete Guide to Business Etiquette', 'The Kalevala', 'Clear Body, Clear Mind', 'The Seven Wonders of the World Illustrated', 'Global Business Culture in the Modern World' and 'Buddha's Words'. Business and religion seem common topics and a copy of King James Bible sits proudly front and centre on one of the shelves.

> Examine the display case to determine how best to open it.

You look the glass display case up and down and come to an odd conclusion: there is no handle anywhere in sight, just a smooth, polished pane of glass. No holes or visible seams either, nor anything like a latch.

Shoshana has sat up again, seemingly eager to explore some more. "I'll head on upstairs and see if I can find an office or a bedroom or something like that, okay? If I was the mayor I wouldn't have my safe down here. This looks more like a place for guests and the like, not for secrets."

She seems to like secrets.

Spoiler

Sorry for this post being so late! This year has started way busier than I expected with both work and hobbies. The forums being down added maybe a day or two, but mostly this delay is up to me and my messy schedules.

[close]

[mkennedy]

> Follow Shoshana to make sure she stays safe.
or
>See if the mu;titool has a glass cutter.

[Mandle]

> Wipe away a tear from your eye over the broken cat bookend and follow along behind your sister.

[Ian Aloser]

>See if the multitool has a glass cutter
+1
> Wipe away a tear from your eye over the broken cat bookend and follow along behind your sister.
+1

[WHAM]

> See if the multitool has a glass cutter.

You pull out the multitool to refresh your memory. There is a small set of sharp scissors and a pair of different knife blades, but those don't really cut it when it comes to cutting glass. The rest of the tools are various files, screwdrivers and such, as well as the thin metal shims and picks you've embedded into your thiefs tools.

> Wipe away a tear from your eye over the broken cat bookend and follow along behind your sister.

You pocket the tool and mourn the loss of a perfect ornament. So pure and sweet, taken from us too soon. A tear wells up in your eye but you wipe it away with your hand so as not to show the deep mental anguish you experience. Luckily for you Shoshana has already stepped out of the room so there is no witness.



You step through the door and find yourself in a stairwell going up. Based on the light and sounds of footsteps and doors opening and closing, Shoshana is already a level above you. It seems there are three levels in addition to the ground level you currently occupy. The ground floor has a single door you just entered through, while the second floor has three doors and the third and fourth floors have just one door each.

"Looks like a dining room and a kitchen up here." -Shoshana calls out in a loud whisper as she peers in through the doors. "I'll head on further up!"

[Mandle]

> Go up the stairs, open the toilet door, and say, "Anyone in here taking a massive shit?" to make your sister laugh.

[Ian Aloser]

> Open all doors and check the rooms behind them while following Shoshana

[mkennedy]

> Open all doors and check the rooms behind them while following Shoshana

+1

[WHAM]

> Open all doors and check the rooms behind them while following Shoshana

You steel yourself for a bit of calf muscle training and start heading up the stairs.

The first floor above the ground floor appears rather mundane and practical. A comfortable toilet awaits beyond the leftmost door. The one beside it leads to a relatively spacious dining room, at least considering the confines of the tower. The rightmost door leads into a functional kitchen.

One floor further up there appears to be only one door, which leads to a spacious office space well suited for work. It appears ornate and comfortable, but also utterly boring.

"I'll take a look inside!" -Shoshana declares, swiftly disappearing inside the office to snoop around.

Finally the topmost floor offers just a single door again, though this one appears to be locked quite sturdily. A plaque set in the wall beside the door simply reads "PRIVATE". The lock appears old-fashioned and alarmingly large to the point where you doubt your pocket-fitting multi tool and shims would provide sufficient pressure to operate its mechanism. Away from the door there appears to be a ladder leading up to a hatch in the ceiling. The hatch is also locked with a simple padlock.

[Ian Aloser]

> Pick the padlock of the hatch and check the roof for
a possible way to get into the private room

[Mandle]

> Examine what seems to be a schematic or map on the wall of the top floor.

[mkennedy]

> Pick the padlock of the hatch and check the roof for a possible way to get into the private room
+1
> Example what seems to be a schematic or map on the wall of the top floor.
+1

Ask Shoshana if she would happen to have a key for the topmost door

[WHAM]

> Examine what seems to be a schematic or map on the wall of the top floor.

You step over to the wall mounted map. It seems to be a rather old version of the general area map with a slightly narrower scope than the one in your pocket. It shows the nearby town of Autumnscreek and its surrounding areas. The area you are currently in is marked as a forested valley, though, with no road leading to it. The river through the woods, which you crossed earlier, appears to have been considerably wider and had no bridge across it, and a small lake appears to have been here, though that must have been dried out at some point since. A marking on the map indicates it as having been printed in 1957.



> Pick the padlock of the hatch and check the roof for a possible way to get into the private room.

The padlock is a cheap little thing and poses no resistance to your skilled hands and expert tools. A mere minute and it opens with a cheerful little click.
As you push open the hatch you squint your eyes as cold raindrops spray back down into your face despite the excellent top hat you are wearing.

The roof is the same square shape as the building itself, with a low wall around it. A smaller structure sits here, looking much like an unfinished frame of simple metal, with an open doorframe visible to allow easy access into the shadowy interior. The lack of solid walls causes the wind to spill rain inside. You can see some sort of elevated platform sitting in the middle of the structure with what appears to be firewood stacked on top of it.

[Mandle]

> Try to light the Beacons of Gondor! (can't remember what we have in inventory though)

[Ian Aloser]

> Check the platform for a possible hatch to the private room below
> Remove the pile of firewood

[mkennedy]

> Check the platform for a possible hatch to the private room below
+1 but expand it to the entire roof.

[WHAM]

> Check the platform for a possible hatch to the private room below.

You climb fully up to the roof and enter the narrower structure up top, which provides you with some shelter from the rain. The platform, on closer inspection, is an odd thing. It appears to be a slab of stone of some kind, sitting atop metal supports. The four sides of the stone slabs are smooth, while the top is covered with a generous pile of firewood. The metal supports are bolted into smooth concrete and appear to provide no access whatsoever.

A dead end.

[mkennedy]

> Search the roof to see if there are any other points of access other than the hatch you just came in through.

[Mandle]

> Light the beacons of Gondor!!!

[Ian Aloser]

> Climb down the ladder and try to open the door to the private room using brute force

[cat]

> Climb back down and enter the office

Maybe we can find a key there?

[Mandle]

Oh, come on, we all know that the first thing we would do as adventure game players is light that fire and see what happens!

> LIGHT THE FIRE!!!

[Ian Aloser]

> Climb back down and enter/search the office
+1

[Mandle]

Is this over? WHAM?

[WHAM]

> Climb back down and enter/search the office

The rooftop, strange as it is with its odd firewood pile, doesn't seem like a worthwhile place to spend time in. No treasure in sight, nor anything that might really qualify as a secret nor a mystery. The harsh rain beating down on your raincoat doesn't help, either. You climb down the ladder and close the hatch above you, then head down to the door Shoshana entered before you.



Raindrop still drips off you as you enter the office. It seems like a rather functional space with a rather fancy desk, some assorted books on shelves, as well as what appears to be some sort of miniature model of the surrounding areas. Several locations are marked to be of interest, seemingly denoting development projects that are or have been active in the region.

Shoshana seems intensely focused on a doorway. Hearing your approach she turns to look your way.

"I found a mystery!" -she declares cheerfully, as she taps her hand on what appears to be a smooth, featureless pane of glass that covers the entire doorway without any indication of a handle, hinge or mechanism in sight. "And I think there might even be treasure! And, like, candles and stuff!"

Spoiler

Is this over? WHAM?

No, I've just been preoccupied with far too many distractions for my own good! Apologies for that.

[close]

[Mandle]

> Lick the glass

[mkennedy]

> Look at the model
> Look at  the paintings
> Look at  the doorway that's blocked by glass
> Look at  the books
> Look at  the object on the shelf that is in a glass jar or something
> Search the desk carefully paying close attention to anything that may trigger the glass blocking the doorway
> Ask Shoshana if she would have happened to find a key by any chance
> Search the filing cabinet in case a key might be hidden in there

[cat]

> Search the desk carefully
> Look at  the object on the shelf that is in a glass jar or something

+1

[mkennedy]

> Look behind  the paintings.

[Ian Aloser]

> Search the desk carefully
+1
> Check if our formidable multi-tool has a glass cutter and if yes, cut a passage into the pane
> > Look at  the object on the shelf that is in a glass jar or something
+2

( there's only 3 suggestions allowed, isn't it)

[WHAM]

Bah! I feel awful for not updating something proper, so I'll have to write SOMETHING here to keep you folks up to date.

Back when I started this I had a plan to try and update twice a week, which seemed feasible. I had plenty of free time after work and making new rooms to explore took a couple hours per room at most, which I felt I could surely pull off once a week if need be. As you've all noticed, however, that isn't happening.

I've had some changes in my health, work and personal life that are demanding more of my time and leaving me with less free time all around. What time I have left I try to invest in seeing friends and relatives and being more active socially and less online. As such I haven't had a chance to partake in the fortnightly writing contests, MAGS, this game, nor my personal game development projects. Windows updates also forced me to change my pixel art creation software back in spring (RIP Paint Shop Pro 9 I pirated back in 2007) and I'm massively struggling with things that used to be quick and easy for me.

I have plenty of ideas on where this game might be going and the story of us and Shoshana is still young, but with how slow things are going it feels wrong to say this game is still "active". I could keep things going if I changed this to more of a text adventure with less visual elements, but that doesn't feel in line with what I hoped to provide you folks.

Time will tell how things develop on my end and if more free time and energy will manifest, allowing me to be more active in the AGS community again.

[heltenjon]

Take your time, @WHAM, and if you want to return to this somewhere down the line, we will appreciate it. If not, we appreciate what you have given, and you don't owe us a thing. All the best wishes.