[X] [Focus] CLASSES. Take notes. Pay attention to teachers. His classmates will appreciate him being a good sport. (+2 to Habit: Studying actions. Also, choose an additional bonus. Gain Trust with different members of his homeroom depending on the choice.)
-[X] [Focus] ENGINEERING.
[X] [Tabletop] OF COURSE. Maybe it would be nice to have a distraction... (Roll for a free Habit: Strategy Games action. Roll for one more INTRODUCTION action.)
[X] [Action] Try to find the uber-talkative YUUKO TAKAHASHI at one of the Student Council workshops this week. (IMA social check. DC 0 + Random number from +8 to -8)
[X] [Focus] CLASSES. Take notes. Pay attention to teachers. His classmates will appreciate him being a good sport. (+2 to Habit: Studying actions. Also, choose an additional bonus. Gain Trust with different members of his homeroom depending on the choice.)
-[X] [Focus] ENGINEERING.
[X] [Tabletop] HE'LL PASS. The club should still be there next week, right? Inoue will understand. (No effect. Opportunity may arise to join Inoue's Club again in the future.)
[X] [Action] He will continue his efforts at trying to figure out STUDYING. It's not just about doing it... it's about making it consistent. (Smarts check, DC 8)
I agree that it's probably best to avoid potentially overloading on stress right before finals. I suspect that if we work on acquiring a Tabletop habit later, that'll likely get us another opportunity to interact with the Tabletop club.
"Oh… I do hope you have fun. It can be important to make a good first impression in things like these, you know. Help get an 'in' on Council politics."
Apparently, there was something big that they were still preparing for. Absolutely no one could enter unless they had the go-ahead from someone higher up.
"Nothing! Nothing. I mean… in this city, you get used to all the same faces, right? Mostly you're Miyao-jin, or Imperial, or Amberrish. But you're, uh… from one of those Far Western states, right? Not the Signatories, the, uh… the…"
"'Barbarous Countries?'" Silas said drily.
[...]
"So, who are your parents, then?" Kei continued. "Merchants with one of the Pityrskiyy trade companies? Eleventh Republicans? Refugees from that thing down in Eastern Samothrace?"
I am wondering a little about the state of the world. So former Europe is now the Far Western states, while the Signatories are... the annexed parts of former China? Probably? What is Eleventh Republic even, not-France?
Also not sure about why Miyao-jins and Imperials are presented as different phenotypes, seeing how Miyao is in the heart of the Imperial sphere. Maybe there is a prevalence of people with a mixed Amberrish/Imperial heritage? I think Eryk Nillis is Amberrish, and our entire building block is full of expats and immigrants, but it might be just the bias of experience.
He eyed his closet. It was stuffed with possessions. He went in, and dug through everything. Old clothes, impulsive online purchases, bedsheets, household goods. He found no scrapbooks filled with polaroids, nor old cameras, nor serafuku.
Lots of good interactions today. Kei and Yuuko are inseparable as always... and not unapproachable, either. Kei is one of the few people we don't have a disastrous difference in Conformity scores with, and Yuuko... is admittedly a coin toss, but the description of her trait makes me laugh. There's potential for some Great Successes there if we get lucky.
Inoue was missing from the orientation, and there are rumors spreading about Yumika. Right after they had a minor conflict, too. Should we look into that?
"Hey. Yuuko-chan. Kei-kun. Serious classroom politics are going on at the usual place, at the unusual time. Pass it on, and meet me there."
Silas slowly turned his head around. An unfamiliar girl was bent over their table, whispering at the two of them. She said a few more things, but Silas couldn't make out the words.
She is never mentioned by name, but the sempai is there. Not even Silas' enhanced hearing can give him advance warning. Pray that we escape her notice.
Nobody but Spector29 commented on the ??? dream scene. There are some links for a possible investigation there, either through the Nillis family (Eryk was referenced directly, but I wonder if Miyuki knows anything), or through... Yumika? Probably not, at least not directly. I can't think of a way to approach her under the pretext of seeing her photo in a dream... but we might dig up something. Old class photographs, perhaps, back from where the two were supposedly close? Maybe we can get them through Inoue, since the two are supposed to know each other and she may have access to class files.
We are so getting the stalker badge, eh?
Either way...
[x] [Focus] CLASSES. Take notes. Pay attention to teachers. His classmates will appreciate him being a good sport. (+2 to Habit: Studying actions. Also, choose an additional bonus. Gain Trust with different members of his homeroom depending on the choice.)
-[x] [Focus] ENGINEERING.
Well, okay, there is no way out of this one. I forget, does this add +2 to Habit rolls, or to Habit values directly?
[x] [Tabletop] OF COURSE. Maybe it would be nice to have a distraction... (Roll for a free Habit: Strategy Games action. Roll for one more INTRODUCTION action.) (The stress from taking all of these consecutive actions may be taking a toll on Silas...)
Shouldn't tabletop be our distraction? We haven't played in a while.
Also, I have questions for Inoue; it doesn't sound like her to skip orientations.
I am not afraid of SELF-introductions... what's the point? It's not like we can do something to make them go better, and people we don't know about are people we can't do anything with. At the very least we get to check out if there is anyone available in our Conformity range.
Not sure about the last action. I want to make use of the new GOSSIP mechanic, but rounding up the habit meter seems prudent as well. Will wait for the clarification of our FOCUS action effects.
Edit:
[x] [Action] He will continue his efforts at trying to figure out STUDYING. It's not just about doing it... it's about making it consistent. (Smarts check, DC 8)
[] [Action] Hang out with KEL IBARA, a quiet foreigner. (IMA social check. DC 6)
[] [Action] Talk with SARA INOUE. Silas is surprised that he didn't see her during the Orientation. (CHA social check. DC 0)
[] [Action] Try to find the uber-talkative YUUKO TAKAHASHI at one of the Student Council workshops this week. (IMA social check. DC 0 + Random number from +8 to -8)
[] [Action] Go find KEI TACHIBANA, who always seems to be lounging around near the Teacher's lounges during breaks. (SMA social check. DC 9)
[] [Action] Gossip with SARA INOUE. She would know a lot of people In Class 4-2, and maybe even plenty of people inside the Student Council, right? (CHA social check. DC 10)
[] [Action] Gossip with YUUKO TAKAHASHI. She seems like someone who would know a lot of busybodies in the Student Council. (IMA social check. DC 10 + Random number from +8 to -8)
These have sensible DCs, and we have a bonus to interacting with SC members for the next 2 weeks.
Probably take one of Inoue's actions if it seems like the Tabletop option is winning, for a chance of having some synergy.
I am not that hard into studying. Yeah, some things will probably be harder if we fail midterms, but they aren't going to expel us and end the quest. We'll likely be assigned someone from the SC to boost us up, which is more opportunities for interesting interactions, if anything.
At the time I wrote that line, I think I was pretty deep into a Hitman: World of Assassinations binge. So it maaaay have bled into my writing, just a little bit. Good work, Silas; now get to an exit.
+2 to rolls, not to the habit itself! Sorry, I'm not that generous. Mweheheh. Sorry about the confusion; I'll try to keep the wording more exact in the future. Have a problem with that, still.
[X] [Focus] CLASSES. Take notes. Pay attention to teachers. His classmates will appreciate him being a good sport. (+2 to Habit: Studying actions. Also, choose an additional bonus. Gain Trust with different members of his homeroom depending on the choice.)
-[X] [Focus] THE LIBERAL ARTS.
[X] [Tabletop] HE'LL PASS. The club should still be there next week, right? Inoue will understand. (No effect. Opportunity may arise to join Inoue's Club again in the future.)
[X] [Action] He will continue his efforts at trying to figure out STUDYING. It's not just about doing it... it's about making it consistent. (Smarts check, DC 8)
Scheduled vote count started by LuciDreamer on Dec 5, 2023 at 1:07 AM, finished with 14 posts and 9 votes.
[X] [Action] He will continue his efforts at trying to figure out STUDYING. It's not just about doing it... it's about making it consistent. (Smarts check, DC 8)
[X] [Focus] CLASSES. Take notes. Pay attention to teachers. His classmates will appreciate him being a good sport. (+2 to Habit: Studying actions. Also, choose an additional bonus. Gain Trust with different members of his homeroom depending on the choice.)
-[X] [Focus] ENGINEERING.
[X] [Tabletop] HE'LL PASS. The club should still be there next week, right? Inoue will understand. (No effect. Opportunity may arise to join Inoue's Club again in the future.)
[X] [Tabletop] OF COURSE. Maybe it would be nice to have a distraction... (Roll for a free Habit: Strategy Games action. Roll for one more INTRODUCTION action.)
[X] [Focus] CLASSES. Take notes. Pay attention to teachers. His classmates will appreciate him being a good sport. (+2 to Habit: Studying actions. Also, choose an additional bonus. Gain Trust with different members of his homeroom depending on the choice.)
-[X] [Focus] THE LIBERAL ARTS.
[x] Plan: Aim for the Targets We See
-[x] [Focus] CLASSES. Take notes. Pay attention to teachers. His classmates will appreciate him being a good sport. (+2 to Habit: Studying actions. Also, choose an additional bonus. Gain Trust with different members of his homeroom depending on the choice.)
--[x] [Focus] ENGINEERING.
-[x] [Tabletop] HE'LL PASS. The club should still be there next week, right? Inoue will understand. (No effect. Opportunity may arise to join Inoue's Club again in the future.)
-[x] [Action] He will continue his efforts at trying to figure out STUDYING. It's not just about doing it... it's about making it consistent. (Smarts check, DC 8)
[X] [Action] Try to find the uber-talkative YUUKO TAKAHASHI at one of the Student Council workshops this week. (IMA social check. DC 0 + Random number from +8 to -8)
[x] [Tabletop] OF COURSE. Maybe it would be nice to have a distraction... (Roll for a free Habit: Strategy Games action. Roll for one more INTRODUCTION action.) (The stress from taking all of these consecutive actions may be taking a toll on Silas...)
Really sorry! I think I might have made the voting period a bit too short, to be honest, considering right now I'm in the midst of finals, so there's no way I can work on the update so soon anyway.
Ohh, statistics. At exactly 11:59 tonight, I'll be free of you. Forever! Muahahaha!
> Overwatch units detected:
> BSO_300_1. status: optimal
> BSO_300_353. status: optimal
> BSO_300_139. status: high latency
UNKNOWN: Thanks again for sneaking these out.
UNKNOWN: It was no problem. Honestly, the guys downstairs seemed more than happy to let us take a few plates. They seemed sorry for us. I think they think we're up late debating a disciplinary matter.
UNKNOWN: Let them think that. It's convenient for us.
UNKNOWN: Mmkay. Is [DATA LOST]
UNKNOWN: [DATA LOST] some very serious claims, here. I need you to be sure. We should not take this kind of thing lightly.
UNKNOWN: We do have some hard evidence.
UNKNOWN: I interviewed a bunch of third-years. There seems to [DATA LOST] independently corroborating our theory.
UNKNOWN: No, no. Ichiro-kun doesn't take testimonials seriously. What else do you have?
UNKNOWN: Well, I collated a list of class rosters, dates yearbooks, and so on from [DATA LOST] Their Class Representative is being oddly uncooperative, but I have someone coming—
UNKNOWN: There's someone at the door. Is that her?
UNKNOWN: (Unintelligible)
UNKNOWN: Oh, sheesh, you did not have to. Thanks, so much.
UNKNOWN: (Unintelligible)
UNKNOWN: No, that is quite alright. Hey, go ahead and head back down, join the potluck. We will be finished here soon.
UNKNOWN: (Unintelligible)
UNKNOWN: Yes, really! And thanks again for running to bring this to us on short notice.
… (8 seconds of silence)
UNKNOWN: For one of—
UNKNOWN: (Unintelligible)
UNKNOWN: —pai's stooges, she's pretty reliable.
UNKNOWN: Do not call her a 'stooge.' Are these the documents you wanted to show me?
UNKNOWN: Let me check them real quick… yes, this is what I remember. I'm gonna highlight points of interest here, here… here, as well…
UNKNOWN: Alright. Give me a second to skim it.
UNKNOWN: I'd like a chance to look, too.
… (37 seconds of silence)
UNKNOWN: (Unintelligible)
… (159 seconds of silence)
UNKNOWN: …this is impossible.
UNKNOWN: It's consistent. Or, consistently inconsistent, at any rate.
UNKNOWN: But how does a person, a whole person, just… [DATA LOST] I mean—this is a pattern, sure, but it could be a bunch of odd coincidences. Misfiled names or incorrect seat assignments, maybe typographical errors or computer glitches…
UNKNOWN: There's still the interviews. And... you are describing a series of errors that are so interconnected as to imply deliberate tampering. This isn't some isolated thing.
UNKNOWN: Okay–So a lot of students have vague memories of [DATA EXPUNGED: COGNITOHAZARD DETECTED] if you talk about her. And we have data that seems to corroborate the first half of that story. But this isn't actionable intelligence, this is just storytelling.
UNKNOWN: Our whole Committee was founded on storytelling—
UNKNOWN: Don't you think that rises to a level of concern, though? The implication is…
UNKNOWN: We cannot just activate the emergency protocol based on the implication. Today, of all days? I'm already in poor standing with the Committee Chair, and Ichiro-kun doesn't trust me anymore. Not since what happened to our senpais.
UNKNOWN: There's something more here, though.
(The sound of a door suddenly swinging open)
> New BSO Unit detected: BSO_300_[ERROR]. Status: error.
UNKNOWN: [DATA EXPUNGED: undefined behavior]-kun? What the hell, dude, shut the door—
UNKNOWN: Uhh. I'm sorry. So sorry. You guys are the ones investigating the, fuck, the missing-persons case or whatever it is, right?
UNKNOWN: Not missing, per se—
UNKNOWN: Yes, we are. Close the door. What is it?
UNKNOWN: We have a problem. I was… checking the airwaves. There's someone listening in on you guys. Right now.
UNKNOWN: That's ridiculous. Here, of all places? Where would they even—
UNKNOWN: That bitch.
> CONNECTION TERMINATED: BSO_300_1
UNKNOWN: Turn off your devices. Everyone. Do it now.
UNKNOWN: I don't even have any bars. Are you su—?
UNKNOWN: How do you know it's even her? She shouldn't even know about this place. No-one does!
UNKNOWN: I wasn't asking. Off.
> CONNECTION TERMINATED: BSO_300_353
UNKNOWN: Alright, al—
> CONNECTION TERMINATED: BSO_300_139
> All local Overwatch units are inoperable. > END FILE
> INFO BSO_300_1
> B. S. Overwatch Unit 300-1 is currently assigned to XIARAN [TOKEN_NOT_FOUND], a citizen of class [TOKEN_NOT_FOUND] assigned to habitat [TOKEN_NOT_FOUND] [DATA LOST]
> It is responsible for the following monitoring procedures:
> - [CUSTOM: SUBVERT_PORTABLE_ELECTRONIC_DEVICE (audio only)] - offline, pending handshake
> SEND /OUR-WORK-IS-never-over_01.mmem sera@bs.cmd:/core/tasks/priority2/mem
> address 'sera@bs.cmd' does not exist. This appears to be a higher-order error. Attempting to ping this unit's executive cognition module at sera@bs.cmd...
> ...
> address 'sera@bs.cmd' does not exist. This appears to be a higher-order error. Attempting to ping this unit's executive cognition module at sera@bs.cmd...
> ...
> address 'sera@bs.cmd' does not exist. This appears to be a higher-order error. Attempting to ping this unit's executive cognition module at sera@bs.cmd...
> ... > address 'sera@bs.cmd' does not exist. address 'sera@bs.cmd' does not exist. address 'sera@bs.cmd' does not exist. address 'sera@bs.cmd' does not exist. address 'sera@bs.cmd' does not exist. address 'sera@bs.cmd' does not exist. address 'sera@bs.cmd' does not exist. address 'sera@bs.cmd' does not exist. address 'sera@bs.cmd' does not exist. address 'sera@bs.cmd' does not exist. address 'sera@bs.cmd' does no
> [undefined failstate]
>
> CATASTROPHIC ERROR: Emergency persona stabilization protocols activated, Code-9-9-9
> We will now go into hibernation.
[X] [Focus] CLASSES. Take notes. Pay attention to teachers. His classmates will appreciate him being a good sport. (+2 to Habit: Studying actions. Also, choose an additional bonus. Gain Trust with different members of his homeroom depending on the choice.)
-[X] [Focus] ENGINEERING.
[X] [Action] He will continue his efforts at trying to figure out STUDYING. It's not just about doing it... it's about making it consistent. (Smarts check, DC 8)
[X] [Tabletop] HE'LL PASS. The club should still be there next week, right? Inoue will understand. (No effect. Opportunity may arise to join Inoue's Club again in the future.)
Focus: Engineering Studies led to an event! Silas discovers a Mystery.
He also gains Trust with Tammy Aomori.
Silas dove into his studies. They were, at least, a wonderful distraction. And STEM classes were nice and formulaic, even if he never really seemed to be able to grasp the science. At least it meant his mind was occupied by practical things: Paper, ink. Straight, clean lines. Neat, orderly rows of data points, numbers, formulae. Mathematics was a world that was internally consistent, well-designed, logical…
…and dead.
"This… will stay forever."
Silas rubbed his forehead. Another headache was coming. And speaking of headaches—
"Heya, Yamigawa-kun," said Yoshi Mikado, grinning a bit too widely. "How are you?"
Silas ripped his eyes away from his work. He was almost grateful, since the numbers were starting to bleed into his eyes. He still refused to return Mikado's grin, though. "I-I'm a bit busy…" he mumbled.
"I can tell," Mikado replied, chuckling. "But I was wondering if you wanted to share notes again…?"
He didn't say anything in reply, just nodding impassively and making no signs of reproach when Mikado took a seat next to him. Out of the corner of his eye, Silas saw Aomori come over—
"Yoho~! Mikado-kun, Yamigawa-kun. Mind if I join in?"
—and take another seat nearby.
They'd done this yesterday, too. He wasn't sure why the two were suddenly so interested in studying with him. Maybe it was because nobody else in class seemed to be taking the coursework too seriously. They probably didn't need to. He envied them.
Mikado seemed pretty smart. Aomori was… also smart, but in a different way. At the very least, she was bright enough not to need someone like Silas. All he was good at was rote repetition. But they studied with him anyway, and Silas couldn't find it in him to shoo them away. They weren't really bothering him, so he had no reason to, besides.
"...it doesn't make sense. My math is correct, but why don't I have the same answer as you…?" Aomori was fuming, muttering curses under her breath.
Silas eyed her paper, squinting at the details. Her handwriting was messy, but not disorganized. In fact, she had a pretty great system. It was fairly easy to follow her work.
"Your angle ∠BCA is wrong," he said after a few seconds. "It sh-should be 31 degrees, not 37."
"What?" She peered closer, and grunted. "Ugh. You're right. Fuckin' American numerals…"
"You weren't born when we still used the Imperial script, Aomori-san," Mikado chuckled.
"Shaddup, nerd."
"Okay, navy brat."
"Woah, low blow. See, even Yamigawa-no-Ninomae over here is shaking his head in disgust."
"W-What?" No he wasn't? He was trying to go back to ignoring them?? Why was he being dragged back into this conversation?!
Mikado cleared his throat. "Anyway… there's still three more problems in this set. Let's finish up."
"Yeah. Whatevs." Aomori rolled her eyes. "Anyway, Yamigawa-kun, what did you get for #8…?"
Aomori's Trust +1
Aomori is now Welcoming towards Silas.
+2 Habit: Studying rolls this week.
Progress towards Studying has increased: 4→5/6 Silas also discovers a Mystery…
The days went on, and Silas kept busy. Anything to keep him from thinking about his dreams. Aomori often hovered around him, asking him about his answers to questions. Mostly the physics stuff, which was… weird. He wasn't very good at physics. He never seemed to be able to get it right the first time. In fact, Aomori had a much better intuition than him.
But she was also reckless. Silas copied diligently, so he always had the right numbers in the right places, even if he didn't always know how to use them properly. Aomori always knew the process better than him, but sometimes she'd fudge a digit, or sometimes she'd forget a variable, and it seemed to seriously aggravate her when her solution was off just so.
So maybe she found him convenient. And maybe he didn't mind that much.
It was a peculiar day. Things just didn't seem to be going well recently. His train was late this morning—only his train. Geniichiro-sensei wasn't amused. The AC apparently broke down, but they didn't cancel gym, so everyone was a bit sweaty, and Homeroom smelled like musk, which was uniquely distracting.
…well, at least they were suffering together. It was scant comfort, since he didn't really like anyone here, but still…
Silas glanced at the window, wiped a bead of perspiration from his brow, and wondered when he'd get to go home already.
"Hey-hey. Tammy-chan. Word is you're gonna be hosting the 'Literature' Club this year?"
Silas glanced over. Aomori was nearby—she'd been badgering him about another one of Sowa-sensei's problems, until she got distracted by one of her friends who had just sat down—and it sounded like they were trying to have a very furtive conversation.
He could hear every word.
"Yeep!" She sounded proud. "We'll just have to be a bit more subtle about it, this time around."
"...Tammy-chan. Subtle. Suuure," the boy replied drily.
"Oh come on, I'm not that bad," Aomori retorted.
"L-Literature Club?" Silas really shouldn't have spoken. It wasn't his business. But he was interested. "What kind of books do you read?"
"It's not that bad, Riko-kun, shut the hell up. Like…" Aomori leaned in, a conspiratorial glint in her eye. "The Student Council's a little strict with their contraband materials list, you know? So, we made ourselves a Literature Club!"
"C-Contraband?" Silas's eyes went wide. "Like… erotic literature?"
"Oh, fuck no." she said quickly, and Silas shrunk a little in shame. "Not even the prudes who run Student Conduct and Morals care about that. Anymore."
"Tammy-chan!!"
"It's like… oh, there was this one thing last year that got on my nerves. The Drama Club was staging this Eastern show, I—I don't even remember the name. Apparently it's—" Aomori gesticulated with her hands, trying to search for some word that she couldn't quite find. "... well, I think—there was some disagreeable content or something, so they banned the whole show, playbills and all! It's ridiculous. I think it was a musical."
"A musical." An unnerving feeling crept up his spine. "Y-You don't remember the name at all…?"
"Ugh. It was something like… uh… 'Imperishable Night,' I think. Yumika-san from 4-1 played the—"
Silas felt his heart skip a beat. "I th-think you meant 'Interminable'?"
"Int—yeah! That's the one, I think! Interminable Night, by… some Amberrish publishing union. You watch Whiteway shows? It's a damn shame, too, because it's one of the few things we don't have copies of. Can't even find it online anym—"
"Tammy-chan."
Silas flinched. Since when was Inoue standing behind him? The girl brushed past his seat, leering over Aomori.
"You better not have been talking about what I think you were talking about," she said.
The girl raised her hands irreverently. "Not sure what you mean. Officer."
"Mhmm." Inoue glared at her for a second. "Will you be staying after class again?"
"I dunno. Why do you care?"
"I would like to talk to you."
"You—" Aomori's face turned red. "...sure. Whatever."
"Good." Inoue adjusted her glasses. "And Yamigawa-kun?"
"Y-Yes?" Silas looked up at her, and noticed bags under her eyes. Her expression was utterly unreadable.
"There is no Literature Club. They were disbanded last year. For good reason." Her lip twitched. "There is, however, now a Tabletop Club. We got approved earlier this week. So… stop by. If you'd like. If you have the time."
Inoue cleared her throat. "Now, be good. All of you," she said tersely, eyeing Silas. "Or else."
She walked away, and as soon as she was beyond earshot, Aomori and her friend lowered their voices, and continued talking.
"Was that a threat?" asked the boy.
"That was definitely a threat," replied Aomori.
"What's wrong with Ino-chan lately?"
"I don't know… she's been in a shitty mood all week."
"Is it, uh… that thing? You know, the time of the month…?"
Silas tuned them out. His gaze was affixed to Inoue. He watched as she took her place at the front of the class, a look passing between her and the teacher. A subtle nod. A few seconds later, the bell rang, and she began barking orders. Keys were distributed to the groundskeeping volunteers, directions were given to today's cleaning detail.
The day was concluded in short order. Any unpleasantness was quickly swept under the rug.
But Silas didn't forget. He couldn't. A name was burnt into his brain now. Interminable Night. Interminable Night. He tried to block it out, but the words seeped into the pores of his mind. Interminable Night. It was a Whiteway show, staged and produced by Ambernians. It had a subpar live-action movie adaptation. And its name was Interminable Night.
How does Silas feel about… what just happened?
[] [Focus] It's… unnerving. Understandable, but unnerving. The Student Council has power here, and that includes the power to dictate what is and isn't acceptable to talk about. But why... this? There was probably a good reason, but it was so frustrating. If only he had more influence in their organization, so he could gain access to their secrets. (Changes specialization: Tact --> Gravitas. +1 to Gravitas. Represents respect for authority and hierarchical structures, and is appreciated by those who value such things.)
[] [Focus] It's… intriguing. His mind is abuzz with questions now. There was something off, something unnatural, about how the Student Council wielded their power. He needed to know more, so that he could act with more care and foresight. (Change specialization: Tact --> Analytical. +1 to Analytical. Taking a complex problem apart, looking at it through constituent parts. Useful for some social situations, but has greater utility when doing intellectual work, like school material or cloak and daggery.)
Silas has discovered a Mystery: Immoral Literature
There exists some kind of rift between the Student Council and certain members of the student body, regarding the Council's draconian rules for certain banned literature. One such banned item is material that references a school production of Interminable Night, a piece of Amberrish theater that does not appear to exist.
Silas may resolve this mystery by:
Joining the Student Council, and getting them to trust him with their knowledge, or
Figuring out how to obtain a copy of the play more directly, if such a thing exists.
Unlike Objectives, Mysteries do not have concrete victory conditions. Silas will need to discover them, out in the world. Sometimes, he simply won't be able to do so at all. He doesn't have time to chase every thread.
Whom No One Sees II has been moved into the Mysteries tab.
Silas may now take OBSERVATION and DISCOVERY actions.
<><><>
When Silas made it to his floor, he saw Sera-nee standing outside her door, balancing her phone on her shoulder as she tried to slip her left heel back into her dress shoe. "Aoki-san. You need to slow down. Slow down. Are you sure? In the metro service, too? How are we sure it hasn't spread to—who else have you told?"
Silas heard her growl as she fiddled with her tie. "Okay. Okay! I'm coming over. Don't tell the Director shit, until I get there. Yes, I know. Fuck him! He can yell at me if he wants. Miku's sake—alright. I'm hanging up. I'll talk to you when I get to my taxi. Not a word, Acchan. Not until I get there. Got it? See you soon."
She tapped her phone, fixed her blazer, and slammed her fist against the wall with enough force that it shook some dust from the ceiling. She looked like a mess. Her bangs were dripping wet—had she just gotten out of a shower?
And then she noticed him.
"...hello, Silas," Sera-nee said, clutching her chest, and catching her breath. "I… hope you had a good day at school."
"More or less…" Silas couldn't find it in him to lie for her. He felt a pang of guilt, as her face scrunched up in exhaustion mixed with worry.
But she played along. "That's great!" she said, looking away. She quickly sputtered through an explanation: Work called her. It was an emergency. She had ordered ribeye steak—the good kind, not that lab-grown meat Ambernia produces. It was sitting on the counter, still hot. "Call me," she said, "if you need anything. I'll pick up."
She didn't sound sure of herself. And then she was gone.
Silas was stunned. When was the last time Sera-nee had gotten so busy? Not since…
He felt a horrible pain crawl up his spine, and rattle around in his brain. He briefly collapsed against the wall, feeling sick. It passed quickly. He went inside, and found the steak sitting in a takeout container on the counter, next to a side of mashed potatoes and stir-fried vegetables.
The meat was rich, well-seasoned, and juicy. The potatoes sizzled on his tongue, and the green beans, cabbage, onions and more were a great palette cleanser. He ate well that night, and felt utterly hollow for it.
Something about all this is losing its luster, Silas thought. Nothing feels the same anymore…
As he finished dinner and turned in for the night, that hollow feeling remained, slowly growing to fill the empty spaces left in his heart, a black, inky, oblivion void. He was left with a horrible feeling that something bad was going to happen, that there was something, somewhere, conspiring to inflict on him some punishment for something he did. Or something he was doing.
But it didn't really feel like he'd been doing anything, recently, so he could quite place where that feeling was coming from. He spent an hour staring at the ceiling. When he finally shut his eyes, he did not dream.
Silas will now incur a -1 to all actions. He does not yet know how to get rid of this malus.
The Weekend is starting.
Silas has one action.
INTRODUCTION
Tags: Social. Adds a new character to the Character Database, if applicable. Unlocks normal social actions. On success, increase Trust. On failure, nothing happens. Difficulty is 10 + Conformity Difference. [] [Action] Silas would like to INTRODUCE himself to someone, but unfortunately, there are no new people to meet.
SOCIALIZE
Tags: Social. Increases Trust on success. Difficulty is 0 + Conformity Difference. [] [Action] SERA-NEESAN is unavailable this week.
[] [Action] Silas wants to have a chat with ERYK NELLIS, the peculiar groundskeeper-slash-gardener of the Miko Greenhouse. (Social Check, DC ??)
[] [Action] Silas wants to get to know MIYUKI NELLIS, the precocious niece of Mr. Eryk, better. (Social Check, DC ??)
HABIT
Tags: Self. Build progress towards habits, which constitute permanent stat growth. Good rolls leads to greater gains.
[] [Action] He will continue his efforts at trying to figure out STUDYING. It's not just about doing it... it's about making it consistent. (Smarts check, DC 8)
[] [Action] He will work on his STRATEGY GAMES fascination. There are plenty of old games to boot up again... (Smarts check, DC 8)
[] [Action] He will busy himself by WRITING INTO HIS DIARY. There are so many jumbled thoughts in his head to compartmentalize, after all. (Imagination check, DC 8)
[] [Action] Silas should pick up a PHYSIQUE HABIT. Maybe… jogging? Morning exercises? He has an old Dōteki-GO next to his GZ 64, maybe he could try that? (Discover a new Habit, gain +1 progress in it.)
DISCOVERY
Tags: Investigation. Uncover leads for mysteries. Variable DC.
[] [Action] A naive internet search doesn't reveal any hits for the alleged musical, Interminable Night. But Silas could look more into it, if he wanted to. Fiddle with browser settings, cookies, incognito mode… there has to be something. Surely, he's not going crazy. Surely. (Smarts check, DC 10. Obtain an important lead for Immoral Literature)
Silas Yamigawa
Some kid from nowhere. Gray hair, skittish, and a bit standoffish. He has a good heart, maybe, but also a big head.
Statuses: ??? - Silas is not entirely of sound mind. (-1 to all actions)
Habits Daydreaming- Silas spends a lot of his waking hours imagining things: fantastical plots, military engagements, spaceships, tetris blocks, mahou shoujo… that sort of thing. (+Imagination) Takes Walks - Silas likes to spend his free time pacing his neighborhood… just because. It helps calm his nerves. (+ Physique) Attentive Listener - Silas seems to have a decent ear for paying attention to people, properly absorbing what they're saying. Sometimes this happens even for things people would rather he forget. (++Imagination, +Charisma)
Studying (5/6) - Silas has learned decent techniques for trying to re-acquire information learned throughout his classes. (On completion: +2 Smarts. Permanent modifier to midterms and finals.) Strategy Games (0/6) - Silas has been re-learning how to play games like chess against human opponents for fun. They're a decent pastime. (On completion: + Smarts. ???) Writes A Diary(1/10)- Despite vehemently refusing to admit to himself that it is a diary, Silas, in fact, now writes prolifically in one. (On Completion: ++Imagination, ++Smarts, +Charisma. Unlocks a new RELAXATION action: JOURNAL, which allows Silas to reduce ??? and imparts a positive status effect.)
Traits Tabula Rasa - Silas is extremely maladjusted for a person of his age. He's gonna have trouble with… pretty much everything. Stutterer - Silas punctuates his sentences with awkward mumblings and repetitions. (-1 to social checks) Gray Gaikokujin - Silas has silver-blue hair, gray eyes, and an uncanny sense of hearing, all the traits of a foreigner not just to Miyao, or even Mihoku, but to the Known World. Nobody knows where people like him come from. They don't even have a name for him. This makes certain folk uncomfortable. (-3 to Conformity. Moodlets which reduce Conformity are twice as severe. ???) ??? - Silas has absolutely no idea why, but he has gained a reputation as someone who actively defies authority. But he hasn't even done anything! (-2 to Conformity. ???) Mercurial - Silas hates it when things don't go perfectly the first time around. It starts to bother him until it's the only thing he can think about… (Intensified, and usually counterproductive, consequences for experiencing some sort of personal failure.)
Known Relationships
Associations The Student Council (Clout: 0)
Unsure Relations
Yoshi Mikado (Trust: 1)
Airi Hasegawa (Trust: 0)
Unfriendly Relations?
Yumika? (How would he know? Does he have to ask?)
Whom No One Sees II
Silas remembers happy days in summer. Snug days in winter. He remembers corny television dramas and trips on the rooftop. He knows he shared those memories with someone. He wants to find them again.
Silas may resolve this mystery by:
Finding hard evidence of ???????'s existence.
Immoral Literature
There exists some kind of rift between the Student Council and certain members of the student body, regarding the Council's draconian rules for certain banned literature. One such banned item is material that references a school production of Interminable Night, a piece of Amberrish theater that does not appear to exist.
Silas may resolve this mystery by:
Joining the Student Council, and getting them to trust him with their knowledge, or
Figuring out how to obtain a copy of the play more directly, if such a thing exists.
Love is Hard for on Otaku's Onee-san
Sera-neesan is working very hard for the Miyao Municipal Intelligence Office. Silas should hang out with her every now and then, when they both have the chance. He owes her that much, right? And, he can't help but be curious as to what they get up to at her work...
Objective: Conduct SOCIALIZE actions with Sera-neesan 3 times. (1/3)
Reward: ??????????
Midterms I
Silas needs to make it through his first slate of midterms to avoid being compelled to join remedial classes. Midterms take place at the end of the second week of May.
Each of the following conditions will improve the chance that Silas has a satisfactory result.
Condition 1: Silas has completed the "Studying" Habit. (Add +4 to midterms)
Condition 2: ??? (Add +4 to midterms)
Condition 3: Silas has a Smarts of at least 6 (Add +2 to midterms)
Condition 4: Silas's Charisma, Smarts, Imagination, and Physique combined is at least 12. (Add +2 to midterms)
At the end of the week of midterms, Silas will roll a 1d20, adding his modifiers. If he rolls higher than 12, he will succeed.
Why is it called 'Miko' Street, anyway? It's not like we have impoverished shrine maidens or floating witches... or do we?
Seraphine Yamigawa ("Sera-neesan")
Seraphine Yamigawa
The only family I care to remember. She reminds me that I am human.
General Information
Personality
Sera-nee is whimsical. It's a side of her that Silas doubts anyone else gets to see, since she is so good at putting up a professional front. (Standard Social Check uses Imagination.)
Sera-nee does not go to Silas's high school, obviously. (Conformity/Alienation have no effect. The bizarre social rules of the adolescent generation are totally foreign to her.)
Traits
White-Collar Professional—Sera-neesan's job involves a lot of paperwork, phone calls, emails, meetings, internal screaming, and external screaming. In other words: She has a well-paying office job, and is often away on business. (Sera is often unavailable.)
Doting—Sera loves Silas a lot, and is willing to put up with him more than most would. (+1 to all social actions with Silas. Gain a random positive status, habit growth, or ???? each time Silas conducts a SOCIALIZE action with her.)
Habits
???
Known Friends
Silas Yamigawa
Eryk Nillis
Eryk Nillis
The 'Chief Horticulturist' of the Tenant's Association which owns and manages my apartment tower. Gruff, but frank. He's Amberrish, judging by his politics. And his name.
I don't know much about him.
Miyuki Nillis
Miyuki Nillis
Eryk's niece. Somewhat cold, and mercurial.
I don't know much about her.
Despite being numerical neighbors, 4-1 and 4-2 are in different halls. This school is a maze...
Yumika Matsuoka
Yumika Matsuoka
A popular girl from one of the other classes—4-1, I think. She's like a songbird, all smiles and melodies. She's a little bit of a pain. I don't think she's a bad person, but... none of the people I know seem to like her.
General Information
???:
??????
Personality Conformity: ??
Yumika is gregarious, and seems to have a lot of friends throughout Yamaha Senior High. (Roll for Charisma for most social actions. ???)
She is self-righteous, and really doesn't like it when people argue with her. (Pride counts as a negative modifier.)
Traits
???
Habits
???
Known Friends
???
Known Enemies
Inoue Sara?
4-2 is my homeroom, so I will bump into these people more often than most.
Yoshi Mikado ("Mikado-kun")
Yoshi Mikado
A somewhat portly student in my class. Friendly, with a soothing voice, like a radio operator. I think he runs a computer club, or something like that.
General Information
???:
??????
Personality Conformity: ??
Yoshi Mikado seems to be a bit of a Geek. (Social actions probably use Intelligence?)
He's quite gregarious. (It might be easier to get along with Mikado-kun than most?)
Traits
???
Habits
???
Known Friends
Kel Ibara?
Known Enemies
???
Kel Ibara("Ibara-kun")
Kel Ibara
Another student in my class. He likes cute things, and is kind of aloof. He kind of reminds me of a stereotype from Amberrish telescreen dramas---the dandy train conductor with a strong sense of duty and a hidden secret.
General Information
???:
??????
Personality Conformity: -6
Kel Ibara always seems to be doing something artistic: Sketching, lineart, embroidery... (Social actions use Imagination)
He appreciates it when people take pride in themselves. (Pride is a positive modifier)
Traits
???
Habits
???
Known Friends
Yoshi Mikado?
Known Enemies
???
Tammy Aomori ("Aomori-san")
Tammy Aomori
A loudmouth from my class. I feel like she is a military brat. Haven't asked her, so no way to verify. Seems to be a girl with many passions.
General Information
???:
??????
Personality Conformity: ??
Tammy Aomori seems to really like running her mouth. (Social actions probably use Charisma?)
Traits
???
Known Friends
???
Known Enemies
Sara Inoue?
Sara Inoue ("Inoue-san")
Sara Inoue
My Class Representative. A calm person, with a scary personality underneath. Still, she seems to be one of the most levelheaded people in my class, if not the school... though, that bar is pretty low. She likes strategy games.
General Information
???:
??????
Personality Conformity: Irrelevant.
Sara respects social conventions, but privately seems to care very little about them. (Ignore all effects from Conformity/Alienation)
Sara is studious and reserved. She's a picture-perfect stereotype of the hardworking, diligent Class Rep. Maybe a little too perfect... (Social actions use Smarts)
Traits
???
Habits
Strategy Games
???
Known Relationships
Associations:
Class Representative of the Student Council (++)
Morals Committee Chair (?)
Friends:
Kel Ibara?
Yoshi Mikado?
Enemies:
Tammy Aomori?
Yumika Matsuoka?
I love bureaucracy. I love the (Imperial) Republic.
Kei Tachibana
Kei Tachibana
A kindred spirit, and only mildly annoying underclassmen. He... says that I am a 'kuudere.' Not sure if I should be flattered or not...
General Information
???:
??????
Personality Conformity: -3
Kei is quick-witted and snarky. (Social actions use Smarts)
Traits
???
Habits
Western History(?) (???)
Known Relationships
Associations:
Member of the Student Council (?)
Friends:
Yuuko Takahashi
Airi Hasegawa?
Enemies:
???
Yuuko Takahashi
Yuuko Takahashi
A dizzying person to be around, and not necessarily in a bad way.
General Information
???:
??????
Personality Conformity: Irrelevant
(Conformity is disabled for Yuuko. Instead of Conformity, for every social action:
Flip a coin
Roll a 1d4, and double its value
If the coin is heads (1), add the value to the DC.
If the coin is tails (2), subtract the value from the DC.
If ???? is greater than 2, roll a 1d3 instead of a 1d4.)
Yuuko often has her head in the clouds. (Social actions use Imagination)
Traits
???
Habits
???
Known Relationships
Associations:
Member of the Student Council (?)
Friends:
Kei Tachibana
Enemies:
???
Known Friends:
Kei Tachibana
Known Enemies:
???
Airi Hasegawa
Airi Hasegawa
A sports-person.
General Information
???:
??????
Personality Conformity: 3
Airi has a strong presence. (Social actions use Physique)
[X] [Focus] It's… intriguing. His mind is abuzz with questions now. There was something off, something unnatural, about how the Student Council wielded their power. He needed to know more, so that he could act with more care and foresight. (Change specialization: Tact --> Analytical. +1 to Analytical. Taking a complex problem apart, looking at it through constituent parts. Useful for some social situations, but has greater utility when doing intellectual work, like school material or cloak and daggery.)
With the new malus I am worried about Silas... Lets take a break.
[X] [Action] He will busy himself by WRITING INTO HIS DIARY. There are so many jumbled thoughts in his head to compartmentalize, after all. (Imagination check, DC 8)
Very interesting! I definetely prefer getting Analytical over Gravitas, fits better with how Silas has been developing, I think. Torn between finishing off our Study habit and giving the kid a break. We still have time before midterms, yeah? I think he cant take some time time to himself this weekend.
[X] [Focus] It's… intriguing. His mind is abuzz with questions now. There was something off, something unnatural, about how the Student Council wielded their power. He needed to know more, so that he could act with more care and foresight. (Change specialization: Tact --> Analytical. +1 to Analytical. Taking a complex problem apart, looking at it through constituent parts. Useful for some social situations, but has greater utility when doing intellectual work, like school material or cloak and daggery.)
[X] [Action] He will busy himself by WRITING INTO HIS DIARY. There are so many jumbled thoughts in his head to compartmentalize, after all. (Imagination check, DC 8)
[X] [Focus] It's… intriguing. His mind is abuzz with questions now. There was something off, something unnatural, about how the Student Council wielded their power. He needed to know more, so that he could act with more care and foresight. (Change specialization: Tact --> Analytical. +1 to Analytical. Taking a complex problem apart, looking at it through constituent parts. Useful for some social situations, but has greater utility when doing intellectual work, like school material or cloak and daggery.)
[X] [Action] A naive internet search doesn't reveal any hits for the alleged musical, Interminable Night. But Silas could look more into it, if he wanted to. Fiddle with browser settings, cookies, incognito mode… there has to be something. Surely, he's not going crazy. Surely. (Smarts check, DC 10. Obtain an important lead for Immoral Literature)
(On Completion: ++Imagination, ++Smarts, +Charisma. Unlocks a new RELAXATION action: JOURNAL, which allows Silas to reduce ??? and imparts a positive status effect.)
Note that the Character Sheet, Objectives Table, and Character Database appended to the end of every update is always gonna be up-to-date for that update. This is so you can track the world state over time! Also helps me with administrative stuff. And it might be useful for when I start lying to you through the interface.
[X] [Focus] It's… intriguing. His mind is abuzz with questions now. There was something off, something unnatural, about how the Student Council wielded their power. He needed to know more, so that he could act with more care and foresight. (Change specialization: Tact --> Analytical. +1 to Analytical. Taking a complex problem apart, looking at it through constituent parts. Useful for some social situations, but has greater utility when doing intellectual work, like school material or cloak and daggery.)
[X] [Action] He will busy himself by WRITING INTO HIS DIARY. There are so many jumbled thoughts in his head to compartmentalize, after all. (Imagination check, DC 8)
Non-judgmental is a pretty rare trait - would be good to have more socials with Sara in the future IMO, especially with how Silas being who he is it might come to really matter along the way
[X] [Focus] It's… unnerving. Understandable, but unnerving. The Student Council has power here, and that includes the power to dictate what is and isn't acceptable to talk about. But why... this? There was probably a good reason, but it was so frustrating. If only he had more influence in their organization, so he could gain access to their secrets. (Changes specialization: Tact --> Gravitas. +1 to Gravitas. Represents respect for authority and hierarchical structures, and is appreciated by those who value such things.)
[X] [Action] He will continue his efforts at trying to figure out STUDYING. It's not just about doing it... it's about making it consistent. (Smarts check, DC 8)
Get the thing done and over with. That way we'll finally be free to explore other things next turn.
[X] [Focus] It's… intriguing. His mind is abuzz with questions now. There was something off, something unnatural, about how the Student Council wielded their power. He needed to know more, so that he could act with more care and foresight. (Change specialization: Tact --> Analytical. +1 to Analytical. Taking a complex problem apart, looking at it through constituent parts. Useful for some social situations, but has greater utility when doing intellectual work, like school material or cloak and daggery.)
[X] [Action] He will continue his efforts at trying to figure out STUDYING. It's not just about doing it... it's about making it consistent. (Smarts check, DC 8)
Oh, is that who I think it is? Well, maybe we'll find someone who wasn't there when looking into Literature that isn't there I can remain hopeful.
Is someone just up and disappearing? Who would do that? Nanami Get!
