untitled maid quest

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[Week 15: Friendship and the Cancer Moon]
  • Threadmarks
    • Winning vote:
    [X] Nothing. She just rests. (Gain -1 Insanity)

    [Week 15: Friendship and the Cancer Moon]​

    Day 3

    You're awoken a few hours later by knocking at the door. One of your eyes slowly opens as you glance over and see Vini get up to open it. When she does, you see that Taffy is there. She's holding what looks and smells a lot like a cup of herbal tea in her hands.

    "Good morning, Vini! I heard about what happened. Is Sage awake right now?"

    Before Vini can say anything, you answer by yawning.

    "Good morning, Sage!"

    "Morning..."

    At least you didn't have any nightmares last night. That said, you're still pretty out of it and have a low-grade headache. You sniff, and the scent of the tea draws near to you... wet grass with a hint of cinnamon. You ask what it is.

    "Oh, I made it for you. It's called an Ontspanning Potion. It's meant to help with headaches and the like. Here, let me bring it to you..."

    You sit up, gratefully accept the cup of warm tea, and drink it all at once.

    Sure enough, you feel a bit better and more relaxed. Gain -1 Insanity

    "Ahh... thanks..." you say as you sink back into the soothing embrace of your bed, wide grin stretched across your face.

    "No problem!" Taffy says as you fall back asleep and she turns to talk to Vini about something or other.

    You pass in and out of slumber over the next few hours, and visitors stop by every once in a while. Britt and Pena... Cotton... Violet... Rufflo... Glaz... Poco... even Prali, Almo, and Peca drop by! Rocandi doesn't return until late at night however, due to her work. And by that time, you're finally hungry and head downstairs for dinner. Naturally, you get swarmed by people once they see that you're back up and about, and you have a large crowd to join you for your meal. And afterwards, a bunch of you head up to the Game Room and Lounge for some fun. It doesn't escape your notice, however, that one particular person doesn't follow you all up there.

    Violet.

    Not long into the festivities, you make some excuse and slip away. After some time wandering the halls of the mansion, you find her inside the Heavenly Tapestry Chamber.

    "Violet?"

    She jumps up in surprise and turns to you, having been transfixed by one of the tapestries.

    "S-Sage!? Shouldn't you be with the others?"

    "You should be too," you point out. "It's not like you to not want to be by my side."

    "Y-yes, well, I figured you might want to spend time with your other coworkers..."

    "...which meant you could sneak around freely?"

    "Yes... I mean, no! I mean... look, can you blame me? This place is dangerous..."

    You raise an eyebrow. "It's dangerous, so you're looking around on your own?"

    Her face turns bright red, and she stumbles over her words.

    "Look, I understand your concern, but doing stuff like this is just going to put you in more danger," you say, trying hard not to look up at the trapdoor. "Especially since you're not able to defend yourself."

    "...does that mean it's okay if I do it with you?" she asks quietly.

    ...

    Well, you did walk right into that one. You sigh.

    (How does Sage answer? Choose one.)
    [][Violet] "I suppose so..." (mandates 1 Explore the Moonlight Mansion with Violet action each week)
    [][Violet] "Nice try, but no." (Violet rolls a d20 each week, DC her Insanity, for her secret exploring)

    Day 7

    Thankfully, the rest of the week is peaceful, and Day 7 comes at you fast. In the afternoon, you stop by to see how Mr. Pralisson is doing, you notice a doctor leave the room as you get near it. When you ask how the old man is doing, the doctor frowns deeply before giving a negative answer. It's good thing you came by before fate claims him... you knock on the door, announcing yourself, and Lady Pralisson allows you to enter.

    Mr. Pralisson is asleep, hooked up to various machines. Lady Pralisson is nearby, painting something.

    "My husband's asleep right now, but he left something for you. Look over there," she says, her eyes never once leaving her work. Sure enough, on a small nearby table are some loose scraps of paper filled with words. Prominent among them are "Banishment", "Invitation", and "Mystery Cult"... ah, yes, he was going to give you more information on that, so this must be it.

    "Tell him I said thanks," you say as you depart with the pages in hand.

    Since Shelley's coming in a few hours, you quickly read through them to get the gist. Briefly, in order to Banish a person, you need their name, you need to have a clear image of what they look like, and you need to be able to draw a small magical circle within the space you're Banishing them from. Naturally, these are the same steps that can be taken by someone else to Invite them back into the space. The notes imply that more permanent versions of both exist, but that he considers this to be good enough for the mansion. Well, you hope he's right...

    Among the notes regarding the mystery cult are a bunch of names and faces of members of the old cult. Presumably so you could practice on them? But you don't know who is here and who isn't, and this doesn't help with dealing with the newcomers... looks like you have work to do later. You need information...

    As you put these notes away and head down for dinner, you run into Almo, who's excited for tonight. Shelley herself turns up not long into your meal, and the three of you head up to the Observatory once more. And tonight, you switch from the embrace of the Sun to the moving shelter of the Moon as you Almo leads you through the construction of a new spell.

    Roll for [New Trait]: d4 = 3 / 2
    Acquired spell: Cancer Moon (Wandering Heart). You can feel a strange power flowing through you. It wants to keep flowing, and compels you to keep moving. Explore the world and everyone's hearts. Gain -3 Insanity each time you meet someone new and form a deep connection with them. Gain -2 Insanity each time you intentionally explore a new space.

    You feel called to explore... maybe you'll do some of that this week?

    After you all clean up and Shelley departs, you think about signing up for work... but decide to put it off for the morning. Right now, you want more rest...

    Use a trait to lower your Insanity (may only do once per week)
    Go to the Mini-Sauna to recharge Steam Cleaning
    "Illumination Theory" Sub-plot: Continue reading from "Illumination Theory"
    "Illumination Theory" Sub-plot: Investigate the Reverie Troupe
    Rocandi Sub-plot: Talk to Rocandi about magic and contracts. Maybe you can help each other?
    Rocandi Sub-plot: Ask Rocandi about her past (rolls d20, DC Insanity)
    Vini Sub-plot: Vini wants to tell you their story, continued! (refer to Divinity, part 1 and choose a question from there OR write-in a question OR ask about the Solarium OR go meet the original)
    Glaz Sub-plot: (no further progress to be made right now)
    Rufflo Sub-plot: It's time for that spar you were promised!
    Britt Sub-plot: ...well, you did say you wanted to be friends with her... so that means you have to hang out with her on purpose. (You may choose to bring Pena along or just have it be the two of you.) (may be combined with 'Explore a floor' or 'Training')
    Prali Sub-plot: You wonder what he's learned about the sealed spirits.
    Peca Sub-plot: You wonder how she's been. It's been a long time since you've talked.
    The Pralissons Sub-plot: Go see if Mr. Pralisson is doing well to learn more family history (rolls d20, DC Insanity)
    The Pralissons Sub-plot: What exactly happened during that haunting? There have to be records somewhere...
    Cotton Sub-plot: Just go and chat with her, make sure she doesn't think that you're avoiding her on purpose. (may be combined with 'Explore a floor' or 'Training')
    Pena Sub-plot: Go check up on her and chat with her... and also see what happened with those other wolves.
    Taffy Sub-plot: Go hunt for magic plants and fungi again!
    Taffy Sub-plot: Go see if she's done anything with what she already has?
    Gophe Sub-plot: Sure, he made a bad first impression, but he means well... you think. Go talk to him.
    Cara-Cara Sub-plot: Maybe it's time to finally get to know this person?
    Poco Sub-plot: Go alert Poco as to what you need. (Free Action, may place another action in the same slot)
    Violet Sub-plot: Go talk to her about what's happening in the Mansion (rolls d20, DC Violet's Insanity) OR Explore the Moonlight Mansion with Violet
    Explore a floor and discover a new room (may choose multiple times).
    Randomly meet a new named housekeeper.
    Return to the Training Room and fight the ghost warrior!
    Training: Go practice with the sword by yourself! (rolls d20)
    Special Incident: Shelley has returned to the Moonlight Mansion! (required this week, must be taken at Night)
    (write-in; subject to QM veto)

    (Choose four slots for free, with two on each day. For each extra slot you wish to use, Sage will gain +2 Insanity due to stressing herself out. If you do not wish to use a slot, mark it as Empty.)
    [] Plan ???
    -[X][Day 1] Break
    --[][Morning] Further details
    --[][Afternoon] Further details
    --[][Night] Further details
    -[X][Day 2] Break
    --[][Morning] Further details
    --[][Afternoon] Further details
    --[][Night] Further details


    Sage's Insanity    : 18
    -Cancer Moon is active (-3 for empathy, -2 for exploration)
    Violet's Insanity    : 13

    QM Note: Work selection will be done next update. On to Week 16!
     
  • Threadmarks
    • let me know if there's any other questions i can answer that'll help with crafting the vote!
     
    Fine, I'll go climb a birch tree to get Internet access or something.

    [x] Plan Sanity Refunds
    -[x][Day 1] Break
    --[x][Afternoon] Use Bookworm to lower Insanity
    --[x][Night] Go to the Mini-Sauna to recharge Steam Cleaning
    -[x][Day 2] Break
    --[x][Morning] Cara-Cara Sub-plot: Maybe it's time to finally get to know this person?
    --[x][Night] Explore a floor and discover a new room (one of the Basements).

    R2Walker said:
    Special Incident: Shelley has returned to the Moonlight Mansion! (required this week, must be taken at Night)
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Mm, why is this one crossed out?
     
    [Sidestory: Plague of Butterflies]
  • Sidestory
    • [Sidestory: Plague of Butterflies]​

    "Have you been having fun, Cymela?" asked one butterfly spirit to the other, as they rested by the grassy shores of one of the rivers that fed into the Old Lake.

    "I sure have, Eurytheme! I'm glad you told me about that Mansion. They're great to mess with!"

    The light brown butterfly spirit laughed heartily as she recalled the illusion of the vast garden maze she had made some time ago, alongside various other pranks carried out on the grounds of the Moonlight Mansion.

    "But all that said..."

    The two of them turned their attention to a newcomer, a butterfly spirit with night-black skin, shimmering scaly blue wings on the front, and black wings with a blue trim on the back.

    "...you ended up not getting that flute, right?"

    Cymela pouted. "No... it broke during the fight, so I flew off. The day that Sage woman ever figures out how to fly, we're in trouble."

    Eurytheme raised an eyebrow. "Did you perhaps want the flute for something, Diana?"

    Diana, the black butterfly, responded with a flat no. "Frankly, having something like that lying around is just dangerous for everyone. That wolf-girl did us all a favor."

    "But think of all the pranks I could've played with it!" whined Cymela.

    "No, and I don't want to," responded Diana. "As for you, Eurytheme, what does any of this have to do with your scheme? I don't see how these pranks are going to lead to us having control over the land here."

    Eurytheme bid Diana to with her and Cymela as she answered. "The pranks by themselves aren't supposed to. They're for scouting. Although if the humans end up abandoned the property anyway, I wouldn't be opposed to it..."

    "I would!"

    "We'd find someone else for you to play with, dear."

    "Hmph. Fair enough," said Diana. "But don't lose sight of the mission. We already got concessions from the Temple and can be on the grounds, thanks to Rapae and Cardui."

    "But those are men and women of peace," Eurytheme notes.

    "So, what, should we call in Glaucus?" asks Diana.

    "No, we simply need to wait for a opportune moment... such as Calico overplaying her hand."

    Eurytheme then thinks it over.

    "Though, do ask Glaucus if she can come over. We might need her strength anyway."

    "Sure... I may as well stay and help while I'm at it."

    "Oh? Have you given up on that Valentine's place?"

    Diana shudders.

    "That place... we're gonna need an army to take them down. No, let's focus on one thing at a time.

    She then gets up.

    "Let me know when you want us to arrive..."

    She spreads her wings and flies away, knowing that day will be soon indeed...

    QM Note: Regular vote is still open, and will close on Tuesday night EST.
     
  • Sidestory
    • I have returned.

    [x] Plan Sanity Refunds with friends
    -[x][Day 1] Break
    --[x][Afternoon] Use Bookworm to lower Insanity
    --[x][Night] Go to the Mini-Sauna to recharge Steam Cleaning
    -[x][Day 2] Break
    --[x][Morning] Cara-Cara Sub-plot: Maybe it's time to finally get to know this person?
    --[x][Night] Explore a floor and discover a new room with Britt, Pena, and Violet(one of the Basements).
     
    i'm breaking the tie in favor of [x] Plan Sanity Refunds with friends since the plans are otherwise the same

    although you already have Steam Cleaning available, so... i'll let you vote in character to do something else at that time, i guess
     
    Last edited:
    [Week 16, Day 1: Relax... if you can!]
  • Threadmarks
    • Winning vote:
    [x] Plan Sanity Refunds with friends
    -[x][Day 1] Break
    --[x][Afternoon] Use Bookworm to lower Insanity
    --[x][Night] Go to the Mini-Sauna to recharge Steam Cleaning
    -[x][Day 2] Break
    --[x][Morning] Cara-Cara Sub-plot: Maybe it's time to finally get to know this person?
    --[x][Night] Explore a floor and discover a new room with Britt, Pena, and Violet(one of the Basements).

    [Week 16, Day 1: Relax... if you can!]​
    Heavenly Haunting activates. Gain +2 Insanity.
    You practically leap out of your bed, being launched out of another nightmare. With a heavy crash, you land on the floor.

    "Ugh..."

    "Sage? Are you okay?" Rocandi asks. You glance up at her, noticing that she's still here. You must have woken her up.

    "...had another nightmare..."

    "Oh dear... here, let me help you up..."

    She gracefully exits her bed and glides over to you. You lean on her as you pull yourself up, still unsteady from the shock.

    "What are your nightmares about?" she asks.

    "...the light spirit... it's sealed above the Heavenly Tapestry Chamber... I saw it once and it burned itself into my mind..."

    "It's sealed here? Have you talked to Prali or Mr. Pralisson about it? Maybe they can help."

    You yawn and stretch your limbs out.

    "I asked Prali to look into it... that was a while ago, so maybe he's learned something by now. I should go talk to him... later."

    Rocandi smiles at you. "Certainly. Breakfast now?"

    You smile back. "Of course!"

    The two of you head down to the Dining Room. Cotton passes by you, apparently taking her breakfast up to her room. When she sees you, she immediately turns around and joins you at the table, and the three of you have a relaxing breakfast together. Gain -1 Insanity.

    While there, you sign yourself up for work shifts this week, and end up with the following:

    Day 3: Attic (Night) – by yourself
    Day 4: Attic (Night) – with Violet and Britt
    Day 5: Basement 2 (Night) – by yourself
    Day 6: Floor 3 (Night) – with Cotton and Violet
    Day 7: Basement 3 (Morning) – with Rocandi

    You'll just have to hope for the best with that kind of schedule. So, to put yourself in a better mood, you decide to spend some time reading for fun. It's been raining all day, which is prefect reading weather. Rocandi departs to somewhere else in the castle, but Cotton decides to stick around, curious as to what kind of books you like to read. As you're going over them with her, Violet also pops in, concerned as usual, and also sticks around, grabbing something on your shelves and reading it while sitting next to you. Meanwhile, you and Cotton read the following...

    (You may choose up to two for this vote.)
    [][Books!] something you've already read
    [][Books!] "The Whispers of the Forest", by Jan van Winterhart
    [][Books!] "First... Last... Always...", by Mann Otherworldly
    [][Books!] "Cobwebs and Chasms", by Amy Summers
    [][Books!] "At the Heights of Horror", by Gardenia Olive Heartwork

    Bookworm trait activates! Gain -3 Insanity. Time skips automatically to Night.

    ...and the three of you spend the whole afternoon together, with the sun having long set by the time you all leave to get dinner. After eating, you had planned on going to the Mini-Sauna to relax a bit more, but...

    "Oh, hey Sage. How have you been?"

    "Not bad, Rufflo... it looks crowded in here..."

    "Yeah, we're having a butler's sauna night."

    "Ah, okay... I'll come back some other time."

    ...it's crowded, so you'll have to do something else. But what?

    [][Night] Try to find the Hot Springs in Basement 3
    -[][Night] By yourself
    -[][Night] Invite someone: (write-in)
    [][Night] Go see what else is in the Attic spaces
    [][Night] Go talk to someone
    -[][Night] Violet
    -[][Night] Prali
    -[][Night] Britt and Pena

    Sage's Insanity    : 16
    -Cancer Moon is active (-3 for empathy, -2 for exploration)
    Violet's Insanity    : 13
     
  • Threadmarks
    • [X][Books!] "Cobwebs and Chasms", by Amy Summers
    [X][Books!] "At the Heights of Horror", by Gardenia Olive Heartwork
    [X][Night] Try to find the Hot Springs in Basement 3
    -[X][Night] Invite someone: Violet

    Took me a while, but I'm all caught up. Violet could do with some insanity dropping if we're able to find the hot springs.

    Edit: forgot a 2nd book
     
    Last edited:
    [X][Books!] "First... Last... Always...", by Mann Otherworldly
    [X][Books!] "At the Heights of Horror", by Gardenia Olive Heartwork

    [X][Night] Try to find the Hot Springs in Basement 3
    -[X][Night] Invite someone: Violet
     
    [X][Books!] "The Whispers of the Forest", by Jan van Winterhart
    [X][Books!] "Cobwebs and Chasms", by Amy Summers

    [X][Night] Try to find the Hot Springs in Basement 3
    -[X][Night] Invite someone: Violet
     
    Adhoc vote count started by R2Walker on May 8, 2021 at 7:10 PM, finished with 4 posts and 4 votes.
    • [X][Night] Try to find the Hot Springs in Basement 3
      -[X][Night] Invite someone: Violet
      [X][Books!] "Cobwebs and Chasms", by Amy Summers
      [X][Books!] "At the Heights of Horror", by Gardenia Olive Heartwork
      [X][Books!] "First... Last... Always...", by Mann Otherworldly
      [X][Books!] "The Whispers of the Forest", by Jan van Winterhart
    Click to expand...


    vote closed. i'll go ahead and do the work roll here as well...
    Solarstream threw 5 20-faced dice. Reason: work rolls Total: 59
    10 10 13 13 10 10 8 8 18 18
     
    [Week 16: Explorations and Introductions]
  • Threadmarks
    • Winning vote:
    [X][Books!] "At the Heights of Horror", by Gardenia Olive Heartwork
    [X][Books!] "Cobwebs and Chasms", by Amy Summers
    [X][Night] Try to find the Hot Springs in Basement 3
    -[X][Night] Invite someone: Violet

    [Week 16: Explorations and Introductions]​

    Day 1

    You decide to take some time and go find the Hot Springs in the Basement. You ask Rufflo where they might be, but he can only offer vague directions. Looks like you're on your own... you thank him anyway, and then depart from the Mini-Sauna.

    As you do so, who should appear but Violet, looking as if she was about to head into that room herself.

    "Eh? Is something wrong with the sauna?" she asks.

    "No, it's just crowded. I'm gonna go find the Hot Springs instead. Wanna join me?"

    "...hot springs?"

    "Yeah, there's a couple down in Basement 3. I was told about them when I got here."

    You start walking, heading for the elevator, and she follows you. You continue, "I found a pathway leading to them some time back, so I just need to find that again... and hopefully it's not crowded down there either."

    "I don't think a lot of people would go down in those creepy caverns on purpose, Sage..."

    "Hmmm... Fair point. Anyway, here we are, so let's go down..."

    One short elevator ride later and you're in Basement 3. The two of you grab torches and start walking down the many dimly-lit and branching pathways. Violet keeps close to you, eventually abandoning her torch and taking hold of one of your arms. You draw her in close on purpose... though you end up making her have to hold your stuff to do so.

    "Hey, it'll be okay. I'm with you. Calico can't get you down here."

    "Thanks Sage... but Calico isn't the only danger here. Are you sure you don't want to leave...?"

    "Yep. I'm not going anywhere just yet."

    She sighs, but picks herself up anyway. "Okay... but you better not let anything else bad happen to you."

    "I won't," you say, hoping you're not making a promise you can't keep.

    In any case, the two of you eventually find your way to that passageway you found before, the one that leads to the Hot Springs. As you do so, you run into someone coming out of it – Cara-Cara, Violet's roommate. How convenient... you ask her if she has time to talk to you in the morning, and she readily agrees before departing, yawning heartly as she does so. The two of you walk down the path she exited and at the end of it, there's a large cavern with a series of small lakes where no one else is. The very air in the cavern is hot... this must be the place! Cancer Moon activates. Gain -2 Insanity.

    You find a place to hang up your torch while Violet goes over to one of the lakes. "There's no lockers here, so I guess we just leave our stuff on the ground?" she asks

    You shrug. "Looks like it."

    The two of you strip down and let the soothing waters of the Hot Springs relax you, talking only of pleasant things. Both Sage and Violet gain -1 Insanity.

    Day 2

    In the morning, you drop by Violet and Cara-Cara's room. The door's already ajar when you walk over, and you open it to see that Violet's already gone off somewhere. Cara-Cara, meanwhile, is staring out the window. She's a tall woman, like yourself, with light tan skin and a bald head. Looks like she's wearing an olive dress with yellow and brown lines scattered around it. You announce your presence to her, and she turns to you, glancing at you with her dark eyes.

    "Good morning, Sage," she says smiling at you warmly. "Lovely weather, isn't it?"

    You look at the window to see that it's still pouring down rain.

    "It's good reading weather, for sure," you reply.

    "Ah, so that's what you like?"

    "Thar's right. Right now, I'm... hold on, I wanted to talk to you about something else."

    "Oh? Like what?"

    "Vini told me that you were a friendly spirit, so I wanted to get to know you better."

    She smirks at you. "What, are Vini and Cotton not enough for you, you greedy girl~?"

    "Wha-!? Hold on, that's not what I mean! I mean as friends, as friends!"

    She laughs heartily at your expense, a deep, sonorous sound. "I'm just messing with you. But anyway, what do you want to know? Let's talk over breakfast," she replies while walking out of her room, with you following along. As the two of you talk, you learn that she's a map turtle spirit who migrated over to this area sometime ago. She became curious about the local goings-on due to all the other spirits crammed into one place, where she since befriended Vini and became aware of both the cult and the butterfly spirits. She's always interested in learning more about her fellow spirits, so if you're going to do something that involves such a thing, she'd be happy to help you. If the butterfly spirits cause more problems, she's also willing to help you deal with them.

    Though at the moment, the bigger problem may in fact be the cult.

    For later that night, as you were exploring the Basement with Violet, Britt, and Pena, you ran into one of those cultists dragging someone down the cavernous corridors!

    It happened like this. You wanted to look around down in the depths for any oddities, and decided that having Britt and Pena around as back-up would be a good idea. As the three of you were heading downstairs, however, Violet saw you and demanded to join your group. You all then decided to combine showing Violet around the basement floors with your exploration. Which meant that by the time you all made it to Basement 3, you were just in time to catch the cultist in the act!

    "Shit!" the cultist exclaimed, trying to run off into the winding passages, abandoning her captive. You and Britt followed the cultist and easily cornered them while Violet and Pena tended to the other person. One you grabbed them, you pulled down the hood from their robe and ripped off their mask, revealing them to be Preze, one of your coworkers.

    "Let me go!" she exclaimed.

    "Not a chance... where were ya taking this guy?" Britt asks.

    "None of your business!"

    Your eyes start to shine. "We're making it our business. Tell us."

    Preze's expression turns swiftly from anger to fear. "Okay, okay, just put that away!"

    You go back to normal, and the two of you make her lead you to where she was going. Turns out there's a bunch of makeshift jail cells deeper in the caverns, away from places housekeepers would normally go. Most of them were empty, but a few were occupied, so the two of you bust down the doors and get the trapped ones out. As it turns out, all of them, including the one Preze had just captured, were local spirits. You let most of them go, allowing them to exit via the Ancient Grotto, though a few want to stay as witnesses and explain how they were captured. Cancer Moon activates. Gain -2 Insanity.

    As for Preze...

    [][Preze] Turn her over to the authorities immediately.
    [][Preze] Bring her upstairs and interrogate her first.
    -[][Preze] (write-in questions here)

    (This week's work incident involves returning to the Glass Hall of Mirrors. Use Steam Cleaning?)
    [][SC] Yes.
    [][SC] No.

    Sage's Insanity    : 11
    -Cancer Moon is active (-3 for empathy, -2 for exploration)
    Violet's Insanity    : 9

    QM Note: Violet's Insanity has been corrected, taking into account Bookworm. The gain from the Hot Springs comes from a d4 and will be rolled each time you visit.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • R2Walker said:
    Third, you changed subjects and warned him that the same mysterious cult that had gone after Vini before had now returned. He thanked you for the update, and said that he would need to teach Prali how to deal with this, as he likely would not be able to take action himself. Briefly, he explained that he had Banished the last cult members from the mansion, which would permanently bar them from entry. The only way to get back was be being Invited, but few in the mansion had the knowledge to do such a thing. His estimation was that this was a new cult that had gained the knowledge to Invite members of the old one back in the mansion. That information must have been in some of the books you saw, you supposed. He agreed, and decided that a new plan of action would be needed to account for this.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    R2Walker said:
    "Oh no... it's good that you found these two, dearie. I'll be sure to have my husband Banish them from the grounds. Though this won't do anything to stop their leader..."
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    [x][Preze] Bring her upstairs and interrogate her first.
    -[x][Preze] What's the idea behind keeping the spirits captive?
    -[x][Preze] How do they capture them?
    -[x][Preze] What's the general plan for Vini's original form? What are the steps?
    -[x][Preze] Anything on their leader that could help us with their Banishment. How do they Invite new members back in?

    [x][SC] Yes.
     
    [x][Preze] Bring her upstairs and interrogate her first.
    -[x][Preze] What's the idea behind keeping the spirits captive?
    -[x][Preze] How do they capture them?
    -[x][Preze] What's the general plan for Vini's original form? What are the steps?
    -[x][Preze] Anything on their leader that could help us with their Banishment. How do they Invite new members back in?

    [x][SC] Yes.
     
    vote closed

    no issues w/ the interrogation!
    Solarstream threw 4 20-faced dice. Reason: rolls for the questions Total: 63
    17 17 16 16 15 15 15 15
     
    Last edited:
    [Week 16: Speech and Silence]
  • Threadmarks
    • Winning vote:
    [x][Preze] Bring her upstairs and interrogate her first.
    -[x][Preze] What's the idea behind keeping the spirits captive?
    -[x][Preze] How do they capture them?
    -[x][Preze] What's the general plan for Vini's original form? What are the steps?
    -[x][Preze] Anything on their leader that could help us with their Banishment. How do they Invite new members back in?
    [x][SC] Yes.

    [Week 16: Speech and Silence]​

    Day 2

    ...you suggest to everyone that you should interrogate Preze before handing her over to the police, and the rest of the group agrees with you. As you all go upstairs, you try to send Violet away, but she doesn't fall for it and tails you all the way to the office spaces, where you all catch Prali poring over some documents. It seems like he immediately understands what's going on as he waves your group in. it's a bit crowded in the office, but you all make do. Preze probably feels the most crowded, with her sitting in a chair, surrounded by everyone else. You don't bother restraining her, convinced she has no way to escape, not that she makes an attempt. You, Prali, and Britt stand directly in front of her.

    "First things first," you say. "What's the deal with kidnapping these spirits?"

    You notice Violet raise an eyebrow at that, but he remains silent as Preze speaks up.

    "You ought to already know," she says, glaring at you with her brown eyes, "since we've told you all of this before."

    "Oh, so you were there back then?" you ask.

    She nods. Pena asks what she means by that, and you briefly explain your first encounter with the cultists to the group.

    "So, basically, you were planning on binding these spirits to your will... or more specifically, the will of your leader?"

    "That's right. And it doesn't matter if you free these spirits now, we'll just catch them again later!"

    "Yes, about that... how exactly did you capture them?"

    "It's simple. Most spirits aren't any more powerful than an average human, and can be kidnapped the same way a person would. Easy!"

    "...don't sound proud of yourself for being a kidnapper! What is wrong with you?"

    "Hmph! I should be asking what's wrong with you!" she retorts. "We're elevating ourselves to a higher level of being, and you don't want to join us!"

    "Trust me, I doubt your leader plans on bringing you to that 'higher level' with him," you counter.

    "That's essentially what happened last time, if I recall correctly," Prali adds. "The cult leader at that time did something that only benefitted him – he put Vini under his direct control, and used Vini as his weapon."

    "Well, things are different now, as you might have noticed!" Preze claims.

    "If you say so," you reply dismissively, "though on that note, what's the plan with Vini this time?"

    "I'm not telling you!" she says, defiantly.

    You make your eyes shine and Britt changes her hands into wolf claws.

    "Whoa! Hey, calm down! I don't actually know!" she blurts out in a panic.

    "Uh huh. Sure..."

    "I'm serious, I don't know, I swear!"

    "A likely excuse," Britt says.

    "Our boss hasn't told anyone! I even asked and he said he wouldn't tell me!"

    "Hmph... well, that's a fine way to keep it secret, I suppose," Prali adds.

    "Who's your boss?" you then ask.

    "I'm not telling! ...seriously, I can't!" Preze replies. She then sticks out her tongue at you, and you notice odd symbols on it. Prali recognizes them and says that she's been Silenced, which means there are some things she can't say without some sort of magical compulsion. Unfortunately, he doesn't know how to do that, and neither does anyone else in the room. With an annoyed sigh, both you and Britt relax, returning to normal (you) and fully human (Britt). Preze then calms down as well.

    "Unfortunately, this means we don't know how close this man is to success, nor how he got in here," Prali notes. "But, this has an easy fix. Sage, where's their hidden chamber?"

    "It's underneath the old pantry. There's a hidden trapdoor," you reply.

    "Excellent. I'll arrange to have that room raided later. You're free to help out if you wish."

    "How dare you!" exclaims Preze. "I won't forget this!"

    "...okay?" you say, confused, shrugging. Getting rid of the cult is more important to you than this woman's opinion of you. Prali then calls the cops over to the Mansion, and when he's done there, he starts talking to some of the freed spirits. At this point, Violet waves you over, so you hand the matter fully over to the others and exit the office with your friend.

    "Sage," she says.

    "Violet," you reply, pretty sure you know where this is going.

    She chuckles at that, but quickly returns to a serious demeanor. "I want to know what's going on. Please..."

    [][Talk] Only explain stuff related to the cult (Violet gains +1 Insanity)
    [][Talk] Explain everything to Violet (Violet gains +d4 Insanity)

    And as you're talking, both of you notice that Preze is taken away, glaring at both of you as she's dragged away and declaring that this isn't over. But as far as you're concerned, it is. They'll be done with soon enough!

    Day 6

    A few days later, while working with Cotton and Violet at Night, you and Violet decide to fill her in on what happened with the cult a few days ago... and also, in lighter news, your discovery of the Hot Springs. The three of you are working in the Glass Hall of Mirrors, cleaning them once more, but this time you and Cotton are keeping an eye on each other... and on Violet.

    "It seems like the cult will be dealt with soon, no?" Cotton asks.

    "Yes, and then we can all breathe a little easier," you reply.

    "I just hope they don't try anything... they sound dangerous..." Violet adds.

    You and Cotton agree.

    "When do you think... ah!?"

    Violet's train of thought is interrupted by the lights going out. You look down the hall and see that the lights in the hallway have gone out as well. Violet immediately grasps on to you, so you ask Cotton to head out and turn the lights back on. But as she exits the lights turn back on their own...

    "AH!?" "W-what the-!?"

    ...and you're surrounded by a bunch of mirror images of... you! Not only that, but you can't see the hallway any more.

    "Hello, Sage," the mirror copies all say. "Who is this?"

    "..."

    Violet does a very sensible thing and faints, falling off your arm... leading to one of the mirror copies reaching out of the mirror and grabbing her! You hold on to her other arm, but they work together to overpower you and pull her into the mirrors. Not only that, but some of them come to join you...

    "Sage, I have returned!" Cotton declares, as she spits out webbing at some of the clones to take them out while you fight off the rest. But after you're done, Violet is nowhere to be seen... so now what?

    [][Mirrors] Stick together for safety
    [][Mirrors] Split up to cover more ground

    Sage's Insanity    : 11
    -Cancer Moon is active (-3 for empathy, -2 for exploration)
    Violet's Insanity    : 9

    QM Note: Insanity gains will be handled next update.
     
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    • well, [Bleep].

    [x][Talk] Explain everything(sure, even if Violet takes +4 Insanity here, that's better than her potentially getting +1 insanity every time she encounters something new and we have to explain more to her.)

    [x][Mirrors] Stick together for safety(the first thing you do when someone goes missing is make sure everyone else is together. One missing person can easily become two, three, four, or more if people split up to look for the first missing person. By sticking together, not only is it a concentration of force, making it easier to deal with any mirror-clones, but it also makes it less likely we'll need rescuing ourselves.)
     
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