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Not Quite Lovecraft

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[X] Ask where the staff entrance is, you're an artist and here on an errand to touch up a costume. You need to get to backstage before the play begins.
[X] Occasionally tap into Nemo's senses to see if you can smell traces of occult
 
Mystic Pentagram said:
When we go backstage we find this person and see what information we can get from them. If we discover something useful, we could be able to free Elle and the other actors from the grasp of the King in Yellow.
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I'm pretty skeptical of interacting with that person from a position of anything other than both power and control over them, as I'd expect that person to be Koy boy's primary interface with the mundane, the one most likely to notice we're not enthralled and the most capable of acting offensively. The actors may be more dangerous when they're actually on stage, but Koy boy's negotiator interface person makes sense to invest power in, at least to me. Otherwise the play would get ruined by any of Koy boy's enemies simply by ganking that person. If Elle wasn't up in air, I'd favor more directly hostile actions for precisely the reasons of disruption and curtailment.

As an alternative line of thought, depending on the nature of victims collected, Elle herself might be the negotiator and lead actor. Each one recruits a replacement to be puppeted around for the next play by Koy boy.
 
Let's list out what we gathered from the first King in Yellow arc.. What were the factors that led to Ellie being originally lost? And what could Oliver have done differently.. And what might have happened to the dead artists that led them to that state?
 
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  • Voting
    • Scheduled vote count started by Blacksheep on Nov 20, 2023 at 9:04 PM, finished with 15 posts and 6 votes.
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    Entrance to the Stage
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    • "Do you know where the staff entrance for the backstage is?" you asked the barkeep. "I'm running late, but I'm supposed to be helping to finish up the costumes. I need to finish before the play starts."

    The barkeeper laughed. "Very late! It's hidden at the end of the lobby leading into the theatre."

    You thanked her and headed upstairs. As subtly as you could you tapped into Nemo's senses, and felt yourself almost bowl over. The entire theatre reeked of the King in Yellow's brand of magic. It felt like standing on the threshold of the ocean. You were only sensing it this thick and deeply thanks to Nemo's senses. You could have easily walked blindly through this, sensing the magic but unaware of its nature unless you had a chance to examine it more closely. Everything trembled at the ready. A woman sat at the desk checking tickets for people coming in with a look of boredom on her face.

    You walked up to her. "Costume hand for the play," you told her. "I need to go in through the back."

    "Costumer, hm?" The lady looked you up and down. "Prove it."

    [ ]Use charm to convince her you're truly working in costumes
    [ ]Use bribery
    [ ]Use your ticket to get past
    [ ]Write-in
     
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    • [X]Use charm to convince her you're truly working in costumes
    -[X] Show your art supplies that you brought as prep earlier.
    -[X] Apologise profusely for arriving this late and say it's urgent you get started right away.
    -[X] Name drop Ellie at the very last resort, saying you need to fix her costume. It's important you finish in time, lest it ruins the immersion of the play. You're an expert in the art world that was contracted for your services. Tell her to drop into your nearest exhibition next time she's free.


    Edit:
    [X]Use charm to convince her you're truly working in costumes
    -[X] Show your art supplies that you brought as prep earlier.
    -[X] Apologize profusely for arriving this late and say it's urgent you get started right away.
    -[X] Allude indirectly to the supernatural aspects. Perhaps a slight emphasis on the yellow paint? Be careful not to accidentally invoke supernatural attention.
     
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    [X]Use charm to convince her you're truly working in costumes
    -[X] Show your art supplies that you brought as prep earlier.
    -[X] Apologise profusely for arriving this late and say it's urgent you get started right away.
    -[X] Name drop Ellie at the very last resort, saying you need to fix her costume. It's important you finish in time, lest it ruins the immersion of the play. You're an expert in the art world that was contracted for your services. Tell her to drop into your nearest exhibition next time she's free.
     
    I would be a little sparser on personal details. Feels like it might be dangerous. Everything is very delicate.

    Hmm, showing our ticket probably won't work. It's a ticket for a guest not a costumer right?

    Is the woman at the desk part of the energies or just a bystander? If she is involved then bribery likely won't work. And charm would likely be difficult. We need to allude or imply we are "in" on it somehow. But invoking anything associated with the King in Yellow right now seems like a bad idea. Maybe if we allude indirectly enough?

    [X]Use charm to convince her you're truly working in costumes
    -[X] Show your art supplies that you brought as prep earlier.
    -[X] Apologize profusely for arriving this late and say it's urgent you get started right away.
    -[X] Allude indirectly to the supernatural aspects. Perhaps a slight emphasis on the yellow paint? Be careful not to accidentally invoke supernatural attention.
     
    [X]Use charm to convince her you're truly working in costumes
    -[X] Show your art supplies that you brought as prep earlier.
    -[X] Apologize profusely for arriving this late and say it's urgent you get started right away.
    -[X] Allude indirectly to the supernatural aspects. Perhaps a slight emphasis on the yellow paint? Be careful not to accidentally invoke supernatural attention.
     
    I must admit, I don't like either of the third sub options. I'm enormously skeptical that third part contactors are a part of Koy boy's operational practices. Just these past couple votes, I interpreted the primary discussion as questioning to what degree anybody in stage actually could be said to exist in this world.

    I regret not thinking of that before I voted most recently, but these things happen.

    Anyway, I feel like the bandwagon might be headed down the wrong trail. I think the reasoning needs to have an inarguably mundane slant, such that there's a problem that can only be resolved through somebody a part of that world.

    [X]Use charm to convince her you're truly working in costumes
    -[X] Show your art supplies that you brought as prep earlier.
    -[X] Apologize profusely for arriving this late and say it's urgent you get started right away.
    -[X] State that the need to avoid recently politically improper symbols of stuffiness have caught everybody off guard. Still, adding some minor flamboyant flourishes is an easy, if admittedly silly way, to avoid the crowds of riled up protesters that have be disrupting some other shows in the state.

    I think this is a bluff that uses a line of reasoning that both sounds plausible but would be difficult to disprove. Anything we claim is easy checked by walking down the hall with us, or immediately after closing the doors. The bluff ideally should be something that has minorly impacted productions before, but also come from external disconnects to broader society.

    This play is about pulling people into Koy boy's influence. I doubt the costumes come from anywhere but his realm. The reason for adjusting them in an emergency needs to be separate from Koy boy's goals or activities.
     
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  • Voting
    • Scheduled vote count started by Blacksheep on Nov 22, 2023 at 9:07 PM, finished with 7 posts and 5 votes.
    • [X]Use charm to convince her you're truly working in costumes
      -[X] Show your art supplies that you brought as prep earlier.
      -[X] Apologize profusely for arriving this late and say it's urgent you get started right away.
      -[X] Allude indirectly to the supernatural aspects. Perhaps a slight emphasis on the yellow paint? Be careful not to accidentally invoke supernatural attention.
      [X]Use charm to convince her you're truly working in costumes
      -[X] Show your art supplies that you brought as prep earlier.
      -[X] Apologize profusely for arriving this late and say it's urgent you get started right away.
      -[X] State that the need to avoid recently politically improper symbols of stuffiness have caught everybody off guard. Still, adding some minor flamboyant flourishes is an easy, if admittedly silly way, to avoid the crowds of riled up protesters that have be disrupting some other shows in the state.
      [X]Use charm to convince her you're truly working in costumes
      -[X] Show your art supplies that you brought as prep earlier.
      -[X] Apologise profusely for arriving this late and say it's urgent you get started right away.
      -[X] Name drop Ellie at the very last resort, saying you need to fix her costume. It's important you finish in time, lest it ruins the immersion of the play. You're an expert in the art world that was contracted for your services. Tell her to drop into your nearest exhibition next time she's free.
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    • Backstage
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    • Charm Roll
    DC: 12
    Roll: Nat 20

    You straightened up and gestured at your clothes. You had dressed up for this trip to the theatre after all. You then gestured to your bag that contained your paints. "I have my supplies here, and you should know how difficult it is to get enough yellow for this production. I do apologize deeply for the troubles, but last minute adjustments had me running late getting supplies."

    She bit her lip. "Very well. Good luck." She waved you through and you hurried down the hall towards the backstage. It felt strange moving forwards. More and more of the King in Yellow's magic stained the air, thick enough to be bending reality around you. You opened the door to the backstage and slipped inside. It looked absurdly normal for a backstage before a theatre production. People dashed around finishing up costumes and make up, lines were being read over one last time, and props were being prepared. And yet a strange feeling of surrealism surrounded it all.

    You felt almost like you were walking through a dream as you crossed through the backstage and around the actors and stage hands. You were unnoticed, left to traverse as they hurried through the final preparations. You caught a glimpse of Elle dressed utterly decadantly in a dress embroidered with gold. A veil covered her hair and features, with golden facepaint in a captivating design that had you wondering how you had even recognized who she was through it. She was chattering with excitement with others dressed just as extravagantly. Elle had never looked so beautiful. She had never looked less real.



    [ ]Write-in
     
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    • Well that worked at least. ... What now.
    This definitely feels like a very important vote. We should carefully discuss things before settling on any path.
    Things are very very delicate and we can't afford to waste time.

    What are our goals? What do we think we can practically achieve?

    I guess the idea outcome would be to get her to betray the king in yellow or something... But I would doubt that is even possible. Especially in a single conversation here and now. Not even if we roll a nat 20.
    So what is our goal? Influence the performance somehow? Disrupt it? Corrupt it somehow? Just talk to Elle for closure before leaving?

    If we want to do anything it would have to be subtle. Seeing as we are practically under the King in Yellow's nose.
     
    JayTar said:
    So what is our goal? Influence the performance somehow? Disrupt it? Corrupt it somehow? Just talk to Elle for closure before leaving?
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    Hmm, the Pachamama's Gift we have can be used to seal a god, if we can find where his power is entering the world, we might be able to sever his connection using it. If he's in a physical form here, we could try using it or the Blessing of Isis to bind him either back to his own realm or in a mortal form.
    Or we could try using the memory of hunger and our own ability to eat the King in Yellow and ascend(this is mostly a joke).
     
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    Ternasta said:
    Hmm, the Pachamama's Gift we have can be used to seal a god, if we can find where his power is entering the world, we might be able to sever his connection using it. If he's in a physical form here, we could try using it or the Blessing of Isis to bind him either back to his own realm or in a mortal form.
    Or we could try using the memory of hunger and our own ability to eat the King in Yellow and ascend(this is mostly a joke).
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    That would be the best way possible to end the quest xD
     
    Another idea I had was, to finish the painting of her. With her consent, put her into the painting world and then remove the connection with the King in Yellow. But something like that would take too much time, and not something we can pull off now.

    The most we could do is have the conversation with her first. Maybe talk about her family and how Oliver's tried to reach her - to ground her in the real world. Actually fix up her costume as we speak to make it look like we belong, so we don't break the immersion of the backstage in this dreamlike in-between realm.

    Afterwards, we could decide if we want to have any way to put a stop to the play to stop people being claimed.

    We could also potentially do a devil's barter here. I agree though - no flashy moves. Pure subtlety is how Oliver gets out of here unscathed.
     
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    [X] Approach Ellie
    -[X] Start helping putting together her costume, adding your own artistic touches to the ensemble. As if you were meant to be there and a part of the scene.
    -[X] Talk to her as you work. Tell her you've looked, and looked for her so long.
    -[X] Tell her about her family and the world that she's left behind. If there's time, tell about your tale. You might not have been able to save her, but you've promised yourself that you'll stand against the darkness in this world, and beyond.


    [X] Additionally, tell her you'll wait for her should she want to leave..
    -[X] Give her one of the bracelets of Pachamama and an offering consecrated in her name, telling her to put it on and eat it when the time is right -should she choose to.
    -[X] You intend to open a portal to the Red realm and step in together. You will plead with Dream god and the Garden to spare her.

    [X] Afterwards, should Ellie seem not herself.. Ask for an audience with the King. You've come to barter.


    Very much not confident at all about the last sections, so I'm separating it out from dialogue. I think we could come up with something more.
     
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    Yeah, we were told previously that bringing someone too deep in a different power's grasp into the red realm would be a bad idea. It would destroy both them and us in retaliation.

    Water of Forgiveness seems like it would be the perfect tool, but I don't think it has enough power + I'm not sure if there is enough human remaining in Ellie for it.

    Honestly it may be a situation where the best way to honer the Elle Oliver knew is to kill the monster she became. Maybe.

    ... We can rush painting if we make sacrifices right? What if Oilver sacrificed all of his feelings regarding Elle? That would be powerful, thematically appropriate, and very thoroughly cut the thread (if it is permanent at least).
    We could maybe do it under the guise of providing touch ups? Do the "Touch ups" and then leave before the play starts.

    I'm not sure exactly sure what we would do with that however. Maybe some subtle sabotage to the play? It would be very risky however.
     
    _brightwing said:
    Very much not confident at all about the last sections, so I'm separating it out from dialogue. I think we could come up with something more
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    I like the first part, but not the second. We don't have to vote for the final step in a plan until after carrying out the first post and getting feedback.

    Let's talk with Elle, get some info how her mental state, and then go from there.

    Maybe she's cognizant enough to have a feast of isis in her dressing room?

    Maybe she's got her own plan? Maybe we come back tomorrow with some accelerants, break a binding on her, and flee while the building burns down?
     
    Tascion said:
    I like the first part, but not the second. We don't have to vote for the final step in a plan until after carrying out the first post and getting feedback.

    Let's talk with Elle, get some info how her mental state, and then go from there.

    Maybe she's cognizant enough to have a feast of isis in her dressing room?

    Maybe she's got her own plan? Maybe we come back tomorrow with some accelerants, break a binding on her, and flee while the building burns down?
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    I'm not sure we will get another chance. She'll be back in the realm of the King in Yellow after the play's conclusion. Just like last time.
    A lot of great ideas though. I think Oliver as a part of prep work might have kept some materials in the Red realm to enact a feast.

    JayTar said:
    ... We can rush painting if we make sacrifices right? What if Oilver sacrificed all of his feelings regarding Elle? That would be powerful, thematically appropriate, and very thoroughly cut the thread (if it is permanent at least).
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    I also really like Jaytar's painting sacrifice idea. We could use the memory of the spells we gained, the creature summoning and beast transformation. As permanent sacrifices to power the ritual as well, with the memories. The scene with magically painting would be badass as hell.

    Not confident about Water of Forgiveness seeing the Avatar of the outer god in Peru laughed when we used it on him.. But it has promise if we manage to supercharge it. Or just use many things in concert with each other?

    While all this is going down the stage hand thralls might go on offensive.. Might get hard to conduct a ritual and fight off a horde at the same time. We need to distract them if we go with that..
     
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    The thing I worry about is that if we talk to Elle it may preclude a more daring approach. Attention would be on us at that point.

    My most daring suggestion would be this:

    Our goal would be to subtly corrupt their ritual in a way that makes it backfire.
    Mix paint and water of forgiveness. Then go around adding "Touch ups" to backgrounds props and costumes. Be very subtle. Sacrifice into them our emotions regarding Elle.
    Once we are done we leave. Run as far as we can.

    We can't win a contest of power, so we have to use their own power against them. The ideal outcome would be that at some critical moment of the performance it turns against them. "Taint" it with ideas of forgiveness and humanity. Anyone beyond saving is banished or destroyed, and anyone with enough humanity left is saved and cleansed.

    Play this like we are the villain planting a seed of corruption. Not the hero. Magic can go disastrously wrong if there is a mistake. This time we weaponize it against them.

    The risks are twofold. We can either get caught or we can bungle the magic. Both could spell disaster here in the heart of their power. But if everything goes right we could win.
    Tascion said:
    I like the first part, but not the second. We don't have to vote for the final step in a plan until after carrying out the first post and getting feedback.

    Let's talk with Elle, get some info how her mental state, and then go from there.

    Maybe she's cognizant enough to have a feast of isis in her dressing room?

    Maybe she's got her own plan? Maybe we come back tomorrow with some accelerants, break a binding on her, and flee while the building burns down?
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    Ah, we don't have time for that. There is no "Tomorrow". The play is starting soon.

    ... Though come to think of it, did we only just barely get the ticket in time? If we could have arrived a day before or something to set up a trap that would have been better.
     
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