Not Quite Lovecraft

Blacksheep said:

Your heart pounded in your chest as you leaped up. Desperately you called on Nemo's abilities enhancing your senses. Reality was warping around you as a new doorway was being made. What was coming through was immense. It reminded you of the echo of what the Hunger's true appearance had been. Strands spun out at the center with what looked like lights of its own budded along them. It was almost beautiful as it came closer, an alien flower blooming out its strands and vines to wrap out, and consume yourself and your world.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Hmm, this resembles several different Outer Gods, but Shub-Niggurath seems the closest. The Mother of a Thousand Young is bad news, though not as malevolent as some, so I'm interested to see how this plays out.

Wait, is the quest over?

Yes, thank you! Someone who actually believes I can be scary

But no, I have an update planned, the story is not over yet

[] Tactical retreat
-[X] Escape to the red realm, destroying the portrait behind you.
-[X] You want to face down the threat, in your own pace. And bring justice for Robert, but without charging headlong into an ambush. Your disappearance would have consequences, but you'll face as you travel for Manitoba again in secret.
-[X] Use the locket channelling overcharging your power into it to hide yourself metaphysically from questing feelers (Locket disabled for a few turns as price)
-[X] Reconnaissance with Emily about what you had seen. Invoke Isis, and if she responds to divine out the nature of the threat. Call Jackson and ask him if he wants to accompany you to Manitoba.

But if we don't want to deal with the suspicion and engage directly with the plot..

[] Stand your ground
-[X] Draw deeply into the Locket to sever at your presence in the world. Pay in blood and the memory of your first exhibition as an artist - where you felt truly seen.

Edit: no wait I posted it at the same time as OP. Disregard.. Interesting, so a time loop? Manitoba got way more interesting..

Time loop? Time loop!
I thought things were moving a little suddenly.
Or well, we could be stuck in some eldritch nightmare or something. But the emphasis on the time makes me think time loop. We were 6 hours before arrival when it ended right? What time would that be, midnight?
Shame we just missed that sanity roll.

Anyway lets not react too rashly. Obviously investigate our surroundings and don't let Robert be alone.

[X] Investigate.
-[X] Check your surroundings. Does everything seem normal? Can you detect anything supernatural going on? Perhaps it was a vision of the future?
-[X] Obviously don't let Robert leave by himself.

[X] Investigate.
-[X] Check your surroundings. Does everything seem normal? Can you detect anything supernatural going on? Perhaps it was a vision of the future?
-[X] Obviously don't let Robert leave by himself.
-[X] Is anyone missing from the room?
-[X] Use your connection to Nemo to communicate mentally and see through his eyes. Has time passed for Nemo?

Oh just thought of something else to add:

[X] Investigate.
-[X] Check your surroundings. Does everything seem normal? Can you detect anything supernatural going on? Perhaps it was a vision of the future?
-[X] Obviously don't let Robert leave by himself.
-[X] Is anyone missing from the room?
-[X] Use your connection to Nemo to communicate mentally and see through his eyes. Has time passed for Nemo?

Through Nemo we have a connection to the outside world. So we can use that to tell if we were sent back in time entirely, or if it is just the local area caught in a loop. Also it will help prove to us we aren't dead or trapped in some nightmare realm.

[X] Investigate.
-[X] Check your surroundings. Does everything seem normal? Can you detect anything supernatural going on? Perhaps it was a vision of the future?
-[X] Obviously don't let Robert leave by himself.
-[X] Is anyone missing from the room?
-[X] Use your connection to Nemo to communicate mentally and see through his eyes. Has time passed for Nemo?

[X] Investigate.
-[X] Check your surroundings. Does everything seem normal? Can you detect anything supernatural going on? Perhaps it was a vision of the future?
-[X] Obviously don't let Robert leave by himself.
-[X] Is anyone missing from the room?
-[X] Use your connection to Nemo to communicate mentally and see through his eyes. Has time passed for Nemo?

[X] JayTar

[X] Investigate.
-[X] Check your surroundings. Does everything seem normal? Can you detect anything supernatural going on? Perhaps it was a vision of the future?
-[X] Obviously don't let Robert leave by himself.
-[X] Is anyone missing from the room?
-[X] Use your connection to Nemo to communicate mentally and see through his eyes. Has time passed for Nemo?

Blacksheep said:

You asked Robert for a moment to breath, and he was happy to give it to you. You silently reached out for Nemo through your shared senses trying to discern what was going on. Nemo seemed to be having an ordinary time at home, and was quite pleased to have you in their mind. Unfortunately discerning whether or not time had passed was more difficult. You could share senses, not read their mind, or even really direct them. You could reach out to them at least, which was something.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Ah, can we tell roughly what time it is for Nemo by the position of the sun/shadows?
If Nemo is having an ordinary time then I assume it is still day?

Anyway initially I would say tell the truth, but maybe downplay it a little. Say it was a sudden feeling, not a full out lived vision.
The ripple of magic coating the train wasn't there last time was it? Would we have noticed it when we were using Nemo's senses to try to find the murderer?

You know thinking about who the murderer might be. We checked all the passengers right? Does that include the staff?
Because right now the waitress is the person I am most suspicious of. Them being nearby before Robert leaves explains the timing. We knew the Gem was in a box. It might have been locked in some way. So the killer would have waited for the box to be opened so they could get to the gem.

That means we have to be careful what we say now, because if it is overheard it could change things. Maybe just promise to tell him later?

This is a whodunnit time loop, I think. With each unsuccessful loop doing a number on Oliver's mind.
To solve it, we need to talk to each of the passengers and determine the killer.

We could also opt to visit the gem with Robert and get involved in the fight. Might have more SAN damage consequences. Or the loop might opt to end potentially.

[X] Plan Protect Robert
-[X] Lie and tell him you just got startled by pain in your head.
-[X] Return to your table and ask him about the gem.
-[X] Any particular legend or myth abaout it? It is engraved with symbols or glyphs? Does it have any strange qualities?
-[X] Try to persuade him not to check the gem, if you don't suceed then accompany him and be ready for a fight.
-[X] Give him a talisman to protect him from the supernatural, tell him its a gift related to your latest works.

Ah do remember he hasn't told us about the gemstone yet! Bringing it up out of the blue could arouse suspicions or concerns.
This is where we picked up:

Blacksheep said:

The clock struck seven just as the waitress working the diner car accidentally knocked over a glass and hurriedly picked it up. She came to the table and asked what you wanted. You both ordered the full dinner with glasses of wine to go with it. She nodded and jotted it down before heading back away, leaving Robert to share about how he'd come across one of the local tribes in the area on a camping trip. There was a sacred area near where he'd been camping, and he hadn't even realized it. They had been quite hospitable to him, sharing stories and helping him improve his camp cooking.

You took your time over dinner, but Robert picked more at his food as he began to talk about his work and the samples he'd been taking in the area. Finally he told you that he had discovered an ancient gemstone, and asked you to wait for him as he went to fetch it. You nodded and watched as he left. You were finished dinner at this point, but there was still some food on Robert's plate. You sipped the wine slowly trying to not think about what he could be bringing back. You had thought you at least had until you reached Manitoba for things to begin to go oddly. Or better yet, for nothing to happen at all. A camping trip in Manitoba with an old friend would have been quite pleasant.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Compare with this time:

Blacksheep said:

You jolted and stared in shock at Robert. He was seated in the dining car, and you were across from him. Most of the passengers were settled down in their seats, and Robert was wearing a jovial expression. The clock struck seven just as the waitress serving the dining car began to make her way down to take orders. Your head ached slightly as you tried to comprehend what was happening.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Did the waitress not knock over a glass this time? That might be notable.

Anyway I would suggest we settle down, and try to guide the conversation back on it's prior track. But also pay attention to the waitress in case she is suspicious.

[X] Plan Protect Robert
-[X] Lie and tell him you just got startled by pain in your head.
-[X] Return to your table and ask him about the gem - but roll socials to naturally bring it up in the conversation, talking about his work in Manitoba
-[X] Any particular legend or myth about it? It is engraved with symbols or glyphs? Does it have any strange qualities?
-[X] Try to persuade him not to check the gem, if you don't suceed then accompany him and be ready for a fight.
-[X] Give him a talisman to protect him from the supernatural, tell him its a gift related to your latest works.

Sensible, would this modification to the plan work then? CHA is one of Oliver's best stats.

[X] Plan Protect Robert

[X] _brightwing

The plan isn't bad. But I might consider trying something just a little different. See the issue with convincing him to not check on the gem is that it might just mean the murder attack another time. Or they just go and steal the gem without attacking him.

Either we go with him. Or follow more closely after so we can catch the attacker in time before they kill Robert.

... The other thing we should do is check the food to make sure it isn't poisoned. If the waitress is suspicious then that might be a secondary attack path. Robert was noted to not eat very much last time wasn't he?
We can use Nemo's senses to check for poison. And poisoned food would be a sufficient evidence to get whoever did it arrested.

So the modifications I would make are:

[X] Plan Suspicious Waitress
-[X] Lie and tell him you just got startled by pain in your head. If he seems unconvinced promise to tell him more later.
-[X] Return to your table and ask him about the gem - but roll socials to naturally bring it up in the conversation, talking about his work in Manitoba
-[X] Any particular legend or myth about it? It is engraved with symbols or glyphs? Does it have any strange qualities?
-[X] During the conversation subtly pay attention to the waitress. It occurs to you that you checked the passengers, but might have missed the staff. And the waitress would have been in the right place to know Robert's movements.
-[X] Use Nemo's senses to check your meals for poison.
-[X] Try to persuade him to let you accompany him when he goes to get the gem. If he refuses instead leave to check on him more quickly so you intercept the murderer.
-[X] Give him a talisman to protect him from the supernatural, tell him its a gift related to your latest works.

[X] JayTar