Sorry, Your Time-Traveling Privileges Have Been Revoked

[Chandagnac]

End of the Line​

You are a time traveller. That is to say, you were a time traveller. Now, you are out of time.

Once, history was your plaything. You laughed at paradox and at anyone who warned you of the consequences of your actions. Swimming against the currents of time, you travelled from one time period to the next, doing whatever you wished. It was easy. Until, at last, you were dragged under, dashed against the rocks, and washed up on this strange shore.

Now, your time machine is broken. You are stranded here in this dark city, surrounded by ruins and shadows, where ragged, hopeless people scavenge for food among piles of rubbish and junk that must have accumulated over centuries.

You don't know where you are. You don't know when you are. There aren't any signposts nearby, only graffiti daubed on the nearby walls which says "TERMINUS", "Who watches the watchmen?" and "for a good time call". Tragically, that last one is incomplete – the wall it is written on has mostly crumbled to pieces – so you have no idea who you'd call if you wanted a good time.

I want to go home, you think to yourself. But you have no idea how to get home. Unless... perhaps there is someone in this city who can fix your time machine?

What is your time machine?
[] An aeroplane
[] A belt
[] A crystal bracelet
[] A gauntlet
[] A grandfather clock
[] A metal cube
[] A phone box
[] A sports car
[] A watch
[] Something else (write in)

Are you human?
[] Yes, I'm human.
[] No, I'm a robot.
[] No, I'm an alien.
[] No, I'm an android.
[] No, I'm… (write in)

Are you a boy? Or are you a girl? Or…
[] Boy
[] Girl
[] Genderless being

What is your name?
[] Write in

Spoiler: Notes

Hey guys. Chandagnac here. My other quest has been slowing down recently, so I thought I'd try something new and different. This quest, Terminus Est, is unconnected with any of my previous works and should be fairly short-lived; I have a definite ending in mind.

I want this quest to mostly involve interacting with other characters, solving mysteries and fiendish puzzles, but there might be some combat later on. I hope you enjoy reading it. I don't tend to add the "active discussion makes the gm happy" tag to any of my quests because I feel that discussion should arise naturally out of readers' desire to talk with other readers about the characters and events of the story, but I am always happy when my readers get so involved in the story that they want to discuss it, so… uh, I'll be happy to read any comments you want to make, answer any questions you have, and keep track of the vote.

Please vote! I like it when people vote.

 

[Chandagnac]

Spoiler: Character Sheet

FRIDA BOLEVIDAR
Race: Human (time traveller)
Sex: Female
Rank: 4 (Experienced adventurer)
Rank: 5 (Literally superhuman)

ABILITIES
Insight 4
Strength 3
Agility 5
Durability 4
Charisma 4
Willpower 6

Total Hit Points (HP): Durability x4 + Rank = 21
Current Hit Points (HP): 21/21
Defence: Agility + Durability + Rank = 14
Initiative: 2d6+Agility = 2d6+4

Xp spent: 107
Xp saved: 0

SKILLS
(Based on Agility)
Close Combat 3
Ranged Combat 4
Stealth 3

(Based on Charisma)
Musician 7
Social Skills 5

(Based on Insight)
Mechanics 4

(Based on Willpower)
Mastery of Sound 7
Telekinesis 3
Telepathy 5

TRAITS
Music Meister! - You have the Voice, Trumpet, and Brass Instruments specialties. Also, your Mastery of Sound does 2x dmg.
Mental Defence 10 - This protects against mind control, psychic blasts, and so on.
Maze Runner 4 - When you go through the Maze, you don't have to roll the dice to determine where you'll end up. You get to choose which of its locations you want to go to or which of its exits you want to leave by.

INJURIES
Injured hand (-1 Strength. Tasks involving manual dexterity will be more difficult until it heals.)

EQUIPMENT
A plastic wallet containing 0 scrip.
Fancy hat (is actually a time machine)
Trumpet (+2 to Musician and Mastery of Sound skill checks)
Your lucky necklace
Two rolls of duct tape (+1 to repair checks, 10 uses remaining)
Maps of the Belly and the Bowels of Terminus
Repair tools: spanner, screwdrivers, pliers, and a soldering iron
A single-shot handgun
Ten bullets
Permit (in the Belly, it allows access to Hightown, the government building, and the museum)
Evarvae's active camouflage device (gives you Invisibility +6)
A book called A Practical Guide to Robot Repair (+2 bonus to skill checks made to repair, maintain, or dismantle robots. Does not apply in combat.)
A book of Advanced Logic Puzzles
A book called Death, Undeath, and the Afterlife
A book called Psychic Powers for Dummies
A book called The Songlines
A book called The Hymn of Creation
Box of teabags
Pen, Pencil, Notebook
Pair of scissors
An oxy-fuel welding torch and gas cylinders
Bottled emotions: Hope x2, Loneliness x2, Malaise x2, Despair x2, Hatred x2, "Humility" x1
A bottle of synth-vodka
Comm-link (disguised as a small earring)

 

[Chandagnac]

Spoiler: Dramatis Personae

Frida Bolevidar - our heroine, a time traveller who has found herself stranded in Terminus.

Renwick - the loquacious bartender of The Last Drop.

Oswald Grey - a man with grey skin who wears only black, white, and grey. He is the city's liaison with the ticktockmen. Possibly a repurposed sexbot?

Ticktockmen - clockwork robots who keep the peace and enforce the law down in the Bowels.

Heymlik Glogauer - a former time traveller who ended up stranded in Terminus. He is thought of as a raving madman.

Al-Khidr - a time traveller from the distant past. He is a devout Muslim. Has mysterious supernatural powers.

Dr. Szechhh - alien lizardman, scientist and inventor.

Garrar the Hero - a barbarian warrior from a fantasy world who was transported to Terminus by an evil wizard.

Neoptolemus Grimwood - a time traveller from a post-apocalyptic future. Leader of the Time Travellers' Society, he is currently stuck in a dimensional rift.

Evarvae Uldanthyr - last of the elves, an ancient, technologically-advanced alien race who were condemned to death by a group of godlike beings known as "the Fates".

Jenny Fleck - a member of the Rekindlers. Has a scar on her cheek shaped like a starburst.

Sharra Steelhand - the leader of the Rekindlers. Has a prosthetic hand.

Amalric Ironside - a preacher, affiliated with the Rekindlers.

Babs - a middle-aged shopkeeper living in one of the shantytown areas of the Belly.

Seraphs - angelic robots who keep the peace and enforce the law in the Belly.

Death-of-Cities - a wrecked titan robot that was disabled before it could destroy the city of Terminus.

Nonette - a museum curator. Apparently an android. Has magenta skin, reddish-pink hair, and misty white eyes.

Pryce - proprietor of a junk shop in the Belly.

Janus - a red-skinned demon. Bartender in the Pandemonium bar and nightclub.

Glitch - a corroded robot, badly damaged long ago, was restored by Frida Bolevidar.

Lady Mondegreen - a member of the Council. Actually an android masquerading as a human being.

Valen - an androgynous demon working in the Pandemonium bar and nightclub.

Ratcliffe - a junk vendor in the Dung Village marketplace. Willing to fence stolen goods.

The Master of the Maze - a mysterious figure, servant of the Chronarchs, who lives inside the Maze.

Alessandro (AKA the Maestro, the Count Unending, or Captain Thinblood) - a time travelling musicion, Frida's old mentor, who in the past committed some despicable crimes so that he could be immortal and travel through time.

Dao - an extremely old man, a member of the Council, Director of the Department of Information.

Dr. Constantine - an old enemy of Al-Khidr, a magician who sought to make himself immortal.

Visheroth - an old enemy of Garrar's, a wizard who sought to become a god.

Valathar - an elven warrior, Evarvae's former mentor, died a long time ago.

Sam Gwynn - proprietor of 'the Last Drop'.

Joss - an emaciated young man, formerly one of the Black Rook gang's slave workers.

Clean Willie - a cowardly gang member, formerly one of the Black Rooks.

Cora - a middle-aged woman with a strangely ageless face. Leader of the former slaves who rebelled against the Black Rooks.

Mikhail Sokolov - a Russian cosmonaut who stumbled upon a temporal anomaly and was transported to the city of Terminus, where he joined the Council as their head of the Space Program.

Spoiler: Maps

The Bowels


The Belly:

 

[Chandagnac]

Vote tally:
##### 3.21
[X] A Hat
No. of votes: 5
Hannz, veekie, Nevill, tricholysis, Kyrina

[X] Yes, I'm human.
No. of votes: 5
Hannz, veekie, Nevill, tricholysis, Kyrina

[X] Girl
No. of votes: 7
Hannz, veekie, taovkool, Nevill, tricholysis, Kyrina, Lapin Lune

[X] Frida Bolevidar
No. of votes: 5
Hannz, veekie, Nevill, tricholysis, Kyrina

[x] A belt
No. of votes: 1
Trung-t-rung

[x] No, I'm something...similar, biologically speaking. Though I am unaffected by the ripples and changes of the space-time continuum. People have called me a...Quantum Leaper.
No. of votes: 4
Trung-t-rung, PlazmaStryke, RideTheWalrus, FriedIce

[x] Boy
No. of votes: 6
Trung-t-rung, AnonymousRabbit, PlazmaStryke, StellarMonarch, RideTheWalrus, Pyran

[x] Toki Towa. Yes, it's a man name. AND I AM A MAN!
No. of votes: 1
Trung-t-rung

[X] A watch
No. of votes: 6
Shard, AnonymousRabbit, PlazmaStryke, StellarMonarch, RideTheWalrus, Pyran

[X] No, I'm a Cyborg
No. of votes: 1
Shard

[X] Genderless being
No. of votes: 1
Shard

[X] No, I'm an Adult Golden Retriever capable of speech through a voice gadget. Intelligent too.
No. of votes: 3
AnonymousRabbit, StellarMonarch, Pyran

[X] My name is Joe
No. of votes: 3
AnonymousRabbit, StellarMonarch, Pyran

[x] Samuel Bekkitt
No. of votes: 2
PlazmaStryke, RideTheWalrus

[X] A Shield
No. of votes: 1
taovkool

[X] No, I'm a Magical Girl
No. of votes: 1
taovkool

[X] Homura Akemi
No. of votes: 1
taovkool

[x] A greatsword (write in)
No. of votes: 1
Lapin Lune

[x] No, I'm an android.
No. of votes: 1
Lapin Lune

[x] Eris Elliptical.
No. of votes: 1
Lapin Lune

Click to shrink...

Hmm...

*

Blame Hannz​

Your name is Frida Bolevidar. You are a woman: a human woman, thank you very much! Your time machine is a hat: a fabulous hat, the fanciest hat anyone has ever seen. After you've made sure that it is still on your head, still intact – you can't see anything wrong with it, so why has it stopped working? – you check your pockets and take stock of your remaining possessions.

You have something you use to protect yourself. What is it? (Choose one)
[] A revolver and six bullets
[] Body armour
[] A knife
[] A trumpet
[] A silver hammer
[] A wooden stake
[] Brass knuckles
[] A boomerang
[] A remote-control toy car stuffed with explosives
[] A steel fan
[] Hairpins
[] A pair of scissors
[] A bow and arrows
[] A huge magical key
[] Something else (write in)

In your pockets, you have… (Choose three)
[] loose change in an ancient denomination (equivalent to 25 scrip)
[] peanut butter sandwiches wrapped up in brown paper (equivalent to 2 meals)
[] a miniature toolkit
[] a ball of string
[] a notebook and pen
[] a medical kit
[] binoculars
[] electric torch
[] breath mask
[] roll of duct tape
[] a power cell
[] an inflatable tent
[] an audio recorder
[] a short-range comlink
[] your lucky necklace, put away for safekeeping
[] a bottle of hard liquor

Of course, your pockets are areas of distorted space, much larger on the inside than they appear on the outside. You can fit your whole arm inside them and still not reach the bottom. It can be difficult to find the things you're looking for, sometimes.

After you've made an inventory, you look around and try to figure out where to go next. There are a few hunched, ragged figures gathered around a pile of burning garbage. Swaddled in blankets, they are huddled together for warmth, muttering, 'It's cold. So cold…' You could try talking to them, if you want.

In the distance, you can see numerous plumes of smoke rising into the air. The buildings over there look more intact than the ruins over here. If you go that way, you might find a small settlement or a factory, crowds of people, perhaps someone who might have an idea of how to fix your broken time machine!

The only intact building nearby is a squat, solid-looking, rectangular building with metal letters nailed up over the front door. As you step closer, you see that the letters form the words "The Last Drop". You see a decrepit hook-nosed old woman sitting outside, clutching a bottle of something.

Also, you see a little man dressed in patchwork clothes dragging a cart behind him. He releases a stream of curses as his cart rattles, judders, and squeaks over rubble and potholes in a road that seems to consist of little else. Smeared with dirt and soot, his skin is covered in sores and swellings; he has an unpleasant skin disease. With his knowing grin and watchful eyes, he looks like an enterprising fellow: a merchant, perhaps?

What will you do? (You may talk to one person only)
[] Talk to the ragged people sitting around the campfire.
-[] Ask them some questions:
--[] "Who are you?"
--[] "What's your story?"
--[] "What is this place?"
--[] "Why are you so cold?"
--[] "Can I help you at all?"
--[] "Where can I go to find work?"
--[] "Do you have anything to buy or sell?"
--[] "Do you know anyone who specializes in… uh, repairing strange and esoteric technology?"
--[] "Do you know where I might find someone who can fix my time machine?"
--[] Something else (write in)

[] Head towards the plumes of smoke in the distance. Hopefully you'll find some kind of settlement there…

[] Go to "The Last Drop".
-[] Go inside.
OR
-[] Talk to the old woman sitting outside.
--[] Ask her some questions:
---[] "Who are you?"
---[] "What's your story?"
---[] "What is this place?"
---[] "Why is it called 'The Last Drop'?"
---[] "Can I do anything for you?"
---[] "Where can I go to find work?"
---[] "Do you have anything to buy or sell?"
---[] "Do you know anyone who specializes in… uh, repairing strange and esoteric technology?"
---[] "Do you know where I might find someone who can fix my time machine?"

[] Talk to the little man pulling the cart.
-[] Ask him some questions.
--[] "Who are you?"
--[] "What's your story?"
--[] "What is this place?"
--[] "Is that skin disease contagious?"
--[] "Would you like me to try to cure you?"
--[] "What have you got in your cart?"
--[] "Can I help you at all?"
--[] "Where can I go to find work?"
--[] "Do you have anything to buy or sell?"
--[] "Do you know anyone who specializes in… uh, repairing strange and esoteric technology?"
--[] "Do you know where I might find someone who can fix my time machine?"
--[] Something else (write in)

Spoiler: Notes

Lots of stuff to vote on, this time. I hope nobody's put off by that.

 

[Chandagnac]

Vote tally:
##### 3.21
[X] your lucky necklace, put away for safekeeping
No. of votes: 5
Hannz, Trung-t-rung, Nevill, veekie, Kyrina

[X] Go to The Last Drop.
No. of votes: 4
Hannz, Nevill, veekie, Kyrina

-[X] Go inside.
No. of votes: 4
Hannz, Nevill, veekie, Kyrina

[x]A 30 meters tall giant piloted robot. Exceptionally useful for fighting prehistoric dinosaurs, making yourself a goddess to ancient civilizations and charging your Ipod.
No. of votes: 1
Trung-t-rung

[x] a bottle of hard liquor
No. of votes: 4
Trung-t-rung, Nevill, veekie, Kyrina

--[x] Do you know anyone who specializes in... uh, repairing strange and esoteric technology?
No. of votes: 1
Trung-t-rung

[x] roll of duct tape
No. of votes: 3
Nevill, veekie, Kyrina

Click to shrink...

Your favoured weapon is a trumpet. You gain the following skills: Musician 5 (specialties: Voice, Trumpet, Brass Instruments) and Master of Sound 3 (2x dmg).

In your pockets, you have your lucky necklace, a bottle of vodka, and a roll of duct tape.

*

The Last Drop​

Clutching your trumpet protectively, you march across the dilapidated street in the direction of The Last Drop. The old woman sitting outside mutters something as you pass her by; you think she said "fresh meat."

Inside, it is dark and cool. There are shabby old wooden tables and chairs, beer taps, and a bar behind which there is standing a young man with a prominent nose and a feverish look in his eyes. He seems to be buzzing with energy, bouncing on the balls of his feet and tapping his fingers on the bar top.

When he sees you, he opens his mouth and emits a stream of hurried gabble, speaking almost too fast for you to make sense of his words. 'Can I help you, ma'am? I should be able to help you, if there's anything you need. Unless you need Sam, but he doesn't work during the day, so you'll have to come back in the evening. If you want to speak to him, that is. He's the owner. My boss. The proprietor. Um… can I help you, ma'am? Perhaps a drink? We have ale, lager, wine, cider, mead, whiskey, gin, brandy, vodka and… uh, various others. All synthetic, I'm afraid. None of them have ever so much as shared the same room as a genuine apple, or hops, or barley, or grapes, or potatoes, or any of the things they used to make alcoholic beverages with back in the old days. Nah, they're purely chemical. They'll get you nicely drunk, if you don't mind the aftertaste, but they're not the sort of thing I could sell to someone like you–'

Finally managing to get a word in edgeways, you say, 'What do you mean, someone like me?'

'Someone who knows what a real alcoholic beverage is supposed to taste like. I mean, you're a time traveller, right? I can always tell. We get a lot of them in here, poor souls. You, you're new. I don't know you, but I know your type. Still got that wide-eyed, fresh look about you. Not yet beaten and downtrodden, not hopeless, not part of the system. Still got a spring in your step and you can smile without faking it. You're not like the rest of us. But you will be. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But soon. Someday soon.'

'Who are you?' you ask, almost overwhelmed by his barrage of verbiage.

'I'm no one special. Call me Renwick. It's my name, or… well, it's what everyone else calls me. I work for Sam, tend bar while he's sleeping. Bit of a night owl, our Sam.'

'Right then,' you say, taking a deep breath. 'Perhaps you could answer a few questions for me.'

'I'd be happy to, ma'am.'

What do you want to say to him? (Choose a maximum of four options.)
[] "Tell me more about yourself."
[] "Tell me more about your boss."
[] "Why is this tavern called 'The Last Drop'?"
[] "Tell me more about this city."
[] "Why is everyone so 'beaten and downtrodden'?"
[] "Are there any important people I should pay my respects to?"
[] "Can I do anything for you?"
[] "Where can I go to find work?"
[] "Where can I buy food?"
[] "Why do you only sell synthetic alcoholic beverages?"
[] "I have a bottle of vodka. Real vodka. Would you be interested in buying it?"
[] "Tell me about the other time travellers you've met."
[] "Why are there so many time travellers here?"
[] "Am I stuck here? Is that what you're trying to tell me?"
[] "Do you know anyone who specializes in… uh, repairing strange and esoteric technology?"
[] "Do you know where I might find someone who can fix my time machine?"
[] Say something else (write in).

 

[Chandagnac]

Vote tally:
##### 3.21
[X] Tell me more about this city.
No. of votes: 4
Hannz, BetaM, Lapin Lune, Nevill

[X] Why is everyone so 'beaten and downtrodden'?
No. of votes: 2
Hannz, BetaM

[X] Are there any important people I should pay my respects to?
No. of votes: 2
Hannz, Lapin Lune

[X] Tell me about the other time travellers you've met.
No. of votes: 4
Hannz, BetaM, Lapin Lune, Nevill

[X] Why are there so many time travellers here?
No. of votes: 1
BetaM

[x] I have a bottle of vodka. Real vodka. Would you be interested in buying it?
No. of votes: 2
Lapin Lune, Nevill

[x] Where can I go to find work?
No. of votes: 1
Nevill

Click to shrink...

I'll include all of the questions that got at least two votes.

*

Waiting for God​

'Right then,' you say, taking a deep breath. 'Perhaps you could answer a few questions for me.'

'I'd be happy to, ma'am.'

Click to shrink...

'Tell me more about this city,' you say.

'Oh yeah, you don't know where you are, do you? Hehe. Welcome to Terminus,' says Renwick with a sardonic grin. 'The final city. This is… the end of the world, the end of time. God has brought down the curtain on his creation, so they say. The last loud trump has sounded. And yet, the world hasn't ended. Not quite. We're still here, killing time, waiting for Judgement Day. Twenty years, we've waited.' He heaved a sigh. 'I dunno. I wasn't born then. But Sam told me… there was a war. Enormous death machines strode across the landscape, levelling cities and slaughtering millions. They reduced everything to ash and dust. Even each other. Everything except this city. The last city. Terminus.'

'Uhh… so, why is everyone so "beaten and downtrodden"?' you asked. 'I mean… there must be something you can do.'

'Because we've got no hope. No way out. No food, except rats, or what we can grow in vats. Lurking in the bowels of this crumbling city, surrounded by filth and debris. Outside, beyond the walls, there's only a radioactive wasteland, hellish heat, ashes and dust. We're trapped here. Death is the only way out.'

'I guess I'm stuck here, for the time being. Are there any important people I should pay my respects to?'

'Yeah. A few. Oswald Grey is a… well, these days he's our liaison with the ticktockmen. You know, those clockwork robots that go around keeping the peace. Dunno who made them. But Ozzy… Oswald Grey… he can communicate with them, somehow. If you get in trouble with them, he's the only one who can talk them down.'

'What did he used to be?'

'A detective. Private investigator. Private dick. Hehe. Never got much work around here, so I hear.'

'Who else?'

'Sharra Steelhand leads the Rekindlers, a bunch of hippy technologists who believe we can rebuild this fallen world if we all join hands and work together and have a lovely singalong. Hehe, well, you know my views on that. They believe God left behind all the tools we'll need to rebuild the world, so they've been sending out scouting parties trying to find them. Most of the time they end up dead or eaten, but occasionally they manage to open a locked vault and find something useful.'

'Where can I find the Rekindlers?'

'In Vault One. To get there, you'll need to… uh… I'd recommend you go to Dung Village, speak to Al-Khidr, and buy yourself a map. Yeah, I could give you directions, but they'd be very complicated and… well, a good map is something you're gonna need. You'll thank me for it later.' Renwick pauses, licks his lips and looks thoughtful. 'Um… as well as the Rekindlers, the other major faction is the Doomsmen, led by a man who calls himself Nihil. They believe that the destruction of the universe is imminent, that everything must end before it can begin again, and that God wants them to finish His work by destroying this city and everyone who lives in it. They're fanatics. I'd advise you stay away from them, so… stay away from Vault Four.'

'I can't imagine they're good friends with the Rekindlers.'

'Nah, they hate each other. They never stop fighting. Dunno how they haven't managed to wipe each other out yet. It would give the rest of us some blessed peace and quiet, at last.'

'Why are there so many time travellers here, anyway?'

Renwick shrugs. 'Dunno. Maybe because this is "the end of time". Once you get this far, there's nowhere else to go. We're stuck here.'

'Tell me about the other time travellers you've met.'

'All right. Well... I mentioned Al-Khidr already, didn't I? Weird bloke, very religious, only drinks water. You know, he had the nerve to come in here and ask me for a glass of water. I mean… water?! Hah!'

'Lots of people drink water. It's good for you. You should try it sometime,' you suggest.

'Yeah, I'll drink water when the fish get out to take a crap,' Renwick says dismissively. 'Al-Khidr… I heard he comes from long a time ago, in the past. He was trying to save his city from a horrible disease. Or something. He managed it, but ended up here, unable to go back. Collects books and maps. He's got a stall in the marketplace.'

'Who else?'

'There's Garrar the Hero, who claims to be the chosen one, destined to lead his people to glory, who was banished here by his archenemy, the evil wizard Visheroth. He's banned from here until he pays his bar tab. There's Nonette, who… well, to be honest, I'm not sure she's actually a time traveller. You'll find her in the museum, if you're curious. There's Neoptolemus Grimwood. Scary bloke, seems to know an awful lot about what's going on. Dunno where you might find him. If he wants to meet you, he'll find you. Or there's Evie… Eva… That's not her full name. I can't pronounce her full name. Pretty girl. Apparently she's the last of a dying race. And… well, the only other one I can think of is Glogauer. A raving madman. He upset too many people, so the ticktockmen put him in a cage. That's justice for you, I guess.'

You spend some time thinking about what Renwick has told you. Then, you take the bottle out of your pocket and say to him, 'This is vodka. Real vodka. Would you be interested in buying it?'

'Real vodka?! Wow! Are you sure you can part with it? I'd be happy to pay fifty scrip, no… uh, fifty's as much as I can afford. No more than that, sorry. It's a fairly good price, but… if you come back here this evening and talk to Sam I'm sure you could get him to pay more than that, if you're any good at haggling. He'll give you sixty, seventy scrip, no problem.

'I'll bear it in mind,' you say, putting the bottle of vodka back in your pocket. Renwick's gaze follows it until it is out of sight.

What will you do now? (Choose one)
[] Ask Renwick for directions to Dung Village. Follow his directions. Go to the market.

[] Ask Renwick some more questions (choose a maximum of four options)
-[] "Tell me more about yourself."
-[] "Tell me more about your boss."
-[] "Why is this tavern called 'The Last Drop'?"
-[] "Can I do anything for you?"
-[] "Where can I go to find work?"
-[] "Where can I buy food?"
-[] "Do you know anyone who specializes in… uh, repairing strange and esoteric technology?"
-[] "Do you know where I might find someone who can fix my time machine?"
-[] "I'll sell you the bottle of vodka right now for fifty scrip. Deal?"
-[] Say something else (write in).

[] Go outside and talk to someone else.
-[] Talk to the ragged people sitting around the campfire.
-[] Talk to the old woman sitting outside The Last Drop.
-[] Run after the little man pulling the cart. Talk to him.

[] Go outside. Head towards the plumes of smoke in the distance. Hopefully you'll find some kind of settlement there…

[] Do something else (write in).

 

[Chandagnac]

You may wonder why I've added the words "JRPG Quest" to the title. Well, it's because this quest was very heavily inspired by JRPGs, in particular Chrono Trigger, one of my favourite games ever (let's see… it's all about time travel; the city of Terminus is similar to the post-apocalyptic future of 2300 A.D.; there are robots, reptites, and other strange beings; and so on). Also, I hope the lower levels of Terminus, filled with grime, junk and hopeless people, are somewhat reminiscent of the slums of Midgar (Final Fantasy VII). And, just like almost every JRPG I can think of, the basic plot of this quest is 'peculiar characters with improbable weapons team up to do battle with [REDACTED]'. Um… perhaps I shouldn't spoil it.

Anyway, as there was no clear consensus as to whether you sold the bottle of vodka to Renwick, I've ruled that you didn't. Here's the next chapter:

*

Dung Village​

Renwick gives you directions to Dung Village, which happens to be in the same direction as the plumes of smoke you noticed earlier. People there must be setting fires to keep warm. It's quite chilly out. You look up, but you can't see the sun. The air is filled with smoke and drifting vapour, but you think you catch a glimpse of a ceiling, high above. All of this is underground, or inside an enormous building: you're not sure which –and, really, does it matter?

You set off along the broken road, towards Dung Village. It takes about an hour to get there and, frankly, it doesn't impress. A few squalid hovels surrounded by a barbed wire fence with a gate that's been left wide open and unguarded. To one side, looming high above the village, there's an enormous block of yellow stone; weathered, pitted, and riddled with holes, it looks like a big cheese.

Strolling through the gates, you tilt your hat at a rakish angle and wait for someone to accost you. No one does. No one even looks at you. There are a few miserable flea-bitten children sitting around a campfire, feeding it with bits of rubbish. A grimy, crippled beggar propped up against a wall, an empty bowl next to him. A husky young man on a stepladder, nailing bits of corrugated iron over the holes in his shack. A few other ne'er-do-wells and no-hopers scattered about.

You can hear a bustle of activity, traders crying their wares, and a hubbub that probably signifies the presence of a crowd of people, somewhere nearby. From there, it doesn't take long for you to find the marketplace.

First, you notice the clockwork robots, shining gold amidst the grime. They must be the "ticktockmen" Renwick told you about. They are beautiful, made of bright metal, with glass sections to show off their intricate inner workings: whirring gears, ratchets, and springs. Though they are vaguely human-shaped, with rounded bodies, rounded heads, spindly arms and spindly legs, instead of human faces they have clock faces. Apparently, it's now a few minutes after two o'clock.

You see a handsome, well-dressed man stop to talk to them. He is monochrome. Everything about him is black, white, or grey. His suit is fuligin black, his shirt is pure white, and his skin is pearl grey. His hair is neat and well-groomed, gunmetal grey. Slung over one shoulder he carries a shotgun: silvery grey with an ash-black stock and a bluish-grey strap. So much grey.

Most of the stalls are heaped with junk: all kinds of bits and bobs that might be useful, maybe, eventually. One of them is manned by the little man dressed in patchwork clothes you saw pulling a cart earlier. There are a few stalls whose owners claim to be selling food. You have some doubts about that. They have vats of nutrient slurry, edible algae, and meat paste. You can't help but wrinkle your nose at the smell. There is a clothing stall, a weapon stall, and a stall neatly packed with books and maps.

One man is selling cooked rats. 'Rat-on-a-stick! Getchyor rat-on-a-stick here! C'mon! Eat 'em while they're fresh! They're luvverly!'

You're not hungry right now, but… well, needs must. You'll think about that later.

Crowds of people gather around the stalls, buying and selling. Most of them are dressed in ragged, makeshift clothes. Many of them have a dull, listless look in their eyes; they shamble or shuffle about the place, with leaden limbs heavy with fatigue. They are like Renwick said: "beaten and downtrodden."

Someone is calling out to them: 'People of Terminus! It doesn't have to be this way! We can rebuild! We can make things better! We have to work together to build this world anew! God will reward us for our struggles in the end, you'll see!'

You crane your neck to see who it is: a tall, powerfully-built black man dressed in red robes, wearing the symbol of a flame on a steel chain around his neck. He is standing on a wooden box, preaching to the crowd. No one seems to be paying him much attention. They've heard it all before.

Looking around, trying to decide where to go, you see a man in a cage. He is filthy, dressed only in a loincloth, covered in sores and weals, with matted hair and a long, scraggly beard, with red-rimmed eyes glinting with rage. You hear him muttering and cursing under his breath: 'It's a lie! A lie! Damn it all! Damned… we're already damned. Damn!'

As you watch, a group of scruffy children cluster around the cage, giggling, poking the madman with sticks, and then running away.

What will you do now? (Choose one.)
[] Go over to the clockwork robots. Talk to them.
[] Go over to the grey man. Talk to him.
-[] Ask him, "Are you Oswald Grey?"

[] Go to a junk stall. Talk to the proprietor.
[] Go to a food stall. Talk to the proprietor.
[] Go to the clothing stall. Talk to the proprietor.
[] Go to the weapon stall. Talk to the proprietor.
[] Visit the book stall. Ask to buy a map.
[] Go to the man selling cooked rats. Talk to him.

[] Talk to the preacher.
-[] Ask him, "Are you one of the Rekindlers?"

[] Go over to the man in the cage.
-[] Scold the children for tormenting him. Chase them away.
-[] Ask him, "Are you Glogauer?"

 

[Chandagnac]

[x] Go over to the man in the cage.
-[x] Ask him, "Are you Glogauer?"
-[x] "Why are you in a cage?"
-[x] "What's a lie?"

Click to shrink...

Oops. I'd already written the next chapter before I saw your post. I'll try to make it up to you by ruling that Frida will go to talk to the man in the cage immediately after she's finished talking to Mr. Grey. Is that okay?

*

Fifty Shades of Grey​

You see a handsome, well-dressed man stop to talk to them. He is monochrome. Everything about him is black, white, or grey. His suit is fuligin black, his shirt is pure white, and his skin is pearl grey. His hair is neat and well-groomed, gunmetal grey. Slung over one shoulder he carries a shotgun: silvery grey with an ash-black stock and a bluish-grey strap. So much grey.

Click to shrink...

You walked over to the grey man in the black suit. Renwick had said something about "Oswald Grey" who was the city's liaison with the ticktockmen who kept the peace. Was this that man? Was he called Oswald Grey because his skin was grey or was it the other way around?

As you drew closer, you heard him speaking to the clockwork robots in a high-pitched language of clicks and squeaks you couldn't understand. They seemed to agree with whatever he said, bobbing their heads in unison.

'Are you Oswald Grey?' you said, approaching him.

'That's my name,' he replied. Looking at you, he gave you a charming white smile. 'Nice hat. Who might you be?'

'Frida Bolevidar. I'm new here.'

'Obviously. I've not seen you before. I'm sure I'd have noticed.'

'What do you mean by that?'

'I never forget a pretty face,' he said with a teasing grin.

'Hmm. Are you an android?' you asked.

'Uh… I beg your pardon,' he said, taken aback.

'It's a simple question. You're black-and-white-and-grey all over. You look like you just stepped out of an old television set. And you can communicate with those clockwork robots–'

'Ticktockmen,' he said, automatically.

'Whatever they're called. I was wondering if there's a simple reason for all that. If you're an android, it would explain a lot.'

'I'm not.'

'Can you prove it?'

He rolled his eyes. 'I bleed. I'm anatomically correct. I need to eat and drink just like anybody else. What exactly do you want me to show you?'

You paused, momentarily unsure of yourself. 'All right. Why is your skin grey?'

'I don't know. Bad genes, I guess. Maybe I'm the next stage in human evolution, just like all the other mutants,' said Oswald Grey with a derisive laugh.

'Well, then… it seems like you've deliberately cultivated this monochrome look. Why?'

'A man in my position needs a certain mystique,' said Oswald Grey. 'I'd have been killed four or five times already if people didn't think I was something more than human.'

'But… why would you tell me that?'

He smiled disarmingly. 'Maybe I'm lying to you.'

You gazed at him, confused, for a moment. 'Ugh, fine. Will you answer some questions for me?'

'Go on. Ask your questions,' he said. 'I'll answer them if I can.'

What do you want to say to him? (Choose a maximum of four.)
[] "Tell me about yourself."
[] "Tell me more about your work."
[] "Tell me more about the ticktockmen."
[] "Tell me about the man in the cage."
-[] "I heard the ticktockmen locked him in the cage. Why?"
[] Tell me about this place.
-[] Why do they call it "Dung Village"?
[] "Can you tell me anything about the Rekindlers?"
[] "Can you tell me anything about the Doomsmen?"
-[] "Do the ticktockmen try to stop the Doomsmen?"
[] "Are you a time traveller?"
[] "Tell me about the other time travellers you've met."
[] "Why are there so many time travellers here?"
[] "Can I do anything for you?"*
-[] "Do you flirt with every woman you meet?"
--[] "Are you some kind of repurposed sexbot?"
[] "Where can I find work?"
[] "Do you know anyone who specializes in repairing strange and esoteric technology?"
[] "Do you know where I might find someone who might be able to fix my time machine?"
[] Say something else (write in).
*Note: this chain of conversation options counts as one.

 

[Chandagnac]

Count as one or two choices? I was reading each sub option as a new choice.

Click to shrink...

The sub-options don't count as a new choice; they count as part of the option they're attached to.

Hi @Chandagnac!

Click to shrink...

Hi Dr. Nick! I mean, hi Oh I am slain!

*

Lawful Neutral​

You gazed at him, confused, for a moment. 'Ugh, fine. Will you answer some questions for me?'

'Go on. Ask your questions,' he said. 'I'll answer them if I can.'

Click to shrink...

'Tell me about the ticktockmen,' you say.

'They enforce the law in this city. I don't know who created them, but they did a good job. They're meticulous, incorruptible, and difficult to damage,' says Mr. Grey. 'Fortunately, they can be reasoned with. Sometimes they need someone to manage them, to make sure they don't go too far in their pursuit of justice. That's my job. I make sure they don't overreach themselves: that the law doesn't become tyranny.'

'Oh? What about that man in the cage? I heard the ticktockmen put him there. Was that justice?'

'Ah. Heymlik Glogauer. He was upsetting a lot of people, ranting and raving, running around saying that God doesn't exist. The ticktockmen apprehended him and… well, I think they would have disposed of him permanently. I negotiated them down to a lesser punishment.'

You gasped. 'They would have killed him just for upsetting people?!'

'Sometimes their understanding of the law can be very harsh,' Mr. Grey admits. 'That's why they need me. Anyway, they wouldn't have killed him. Glogauer was… no, is a danger to himself and others. They would have locked him away in an oubliette. Forever.'

'Hmm.' You paused, considered, and decided to change the subject. 'I'm looking for work. Is there anything I can do for you?'

'I can think of a few things,' says Mr. Grey, looking you up and down and giving you a lascivious wink.

'Do you flirt with every woman you meet?'

'Only the pretty ones.'

You glare at him. 'Is sexual harassment not a crime punished by the ticktockmen?'

He looks alarmed. 'I wasn't harassing you, was I? Was I?'

'Are you some kind of repurposed sexbot?'

'Uh… I beg your pardon? I told you, I'm not an android.'

'So you say. Of course, you could be lying to me. I'll be watching you,' you say in a menacing voice.

Under his breath, he mutters the words, 'I knew she was trouble from the minute she walked in.' Then, he folds his arms and says, 'If you're interested in work… Are you any good with machinery? There are a few ticktockmen who've been damaged but aren't due to go back to the factory yet. Do you think you could help me with temporary repairs?'

'I can do that. How much would you be willing to pay me?'

'Say… five scrip for an hour's work? You decide how many hours you want to work. I've got enough ticktockmen in need of repair to keep you busy for several days.' He shrugs. 'It's up to you.'

What will you do?
[] Accept his offer. Ask him when he would like you to start work.
-[] Agree on a time. Say you'll come back then.
[] Haggle. (Will require a Social Skills check.)
-[] Ask for 10 scrip for an hour's work. Settle on 7.
-[] Ask for 12 scrip for an hour's work. Settle on 8.
-[] Ask for 15 scrip for an hour's work. Settle on 9.
[] Refuse his offer.

Spoiler: Notes

If you refuse his offer, Mr. Grey will suggest a number of other places where you may be able to find work.

Frida Bolevidar has Mechanics 4. You can use Duct Tape to add +1 to Repair attempts.

Do you want to ask Mr. Grey any more questions? (Choose a maximum of four.)
[] "Tell me about yourself."
[] Tell me about this place.
-[] Why do they call it "Dung Village"?
[] "Can you tell me anything about the Rekindlers?"
[] "Can you tell me anything about the Doomsmen?"
-[] "Do the ticktockmen try to stop the Doomsmen?"
[] "Are you a time traveller?"
[] "Tell me about the other time travellers you've met."
[] "Why are there so many time travellers here?"
[] "Do you know anyone who specializes in repairing strange and esoteric technology?"
[] "Do you know where I might find someone who might be able to fix my time machine?"
[] "Who watches the watchmen?"
[] Say something else (write in).

 

[Chandagnac]

Vote tally:
##### 3.21
[x] Do you know anyone who specializes in repairing strange and esoteric technology?
No. of votes: 4
pantherasapiens, Oh I am slain!, NemoMarx, Revan

[x] Haggle. (Will require a Social Skills check.)
No. of votes: 5
Nevill, BetaM, Oh I am slain!, NemoMarx, Revan

-[x] Ask for 12 scrip for an hour's work. Settle on 8.
No. of votes: 2
Nevill, BetaM

[x] Tell me about this place.
No. of votes: 4
Nevill, BetaM, Oh I am slain!, Revan

-[x] Why do they call it Dung Village?
No. of votes: 4
Nevill, BetaM, Oh I am slain!, Revan

[x] Can you tell me anything about the Doomsmen?
No. of votes: 2
Nevill, BetaM

-[x] Do the ticktockmen try to stop the Doomsmen?
No. of votes: 2
Nevill, BetaM

[x] Do you know where I might find someone who might be able to fix my time machine?
No. of votes: 2
Nevill, BetaM

-[x] Ask for 10 scrip for an hour's work. Settle on 7.
No. of votes: 3
Oh I am slain!, NemoMarx, Revan

Click to shrink...

I'll answer all the questions that got at least three votes (i.e. more than 50% of the vote).

*

Haggling​

Then, he folds his arms and says, 'If you're interested in work… Are you any good with machinery? There are a few ticktockmen who've been damaged but aren't due to go back to the factory yet. Do you think you could help me with temporary repairs?'

'I can do that. How much would you be willing to pay me?'

'Say… five scrip for an hour's work? You decide how many hours you want to work. I've got enough ticktockmen in need of repair to keep you busy for several days.' He shrugs. 'It's up to you.'

Click to shrink...

'I'm worth more than that. Ten scrip for an hour's work,' you say.

'I don't know how much you're worth. I've only got your word for it,' says Mr. Grey.

'Still, five scrip is insultingly low. You get what you pay for, you know?'

Mr. Grey looks thoughtful. 'All right…'

OOC: Roll a Social Skills check: 2d6+8

Spoiler: Notes

If you roll a total of 20, Mr Grey will agree to pay you 10 scrip per hour. If you roll 18 or 19, Mr. Grey will offer you nine scrip per hour. If you roll 16 or 17, he will offer you eight scrip per hour. If you roll 14 or 15, he will offer you seven scrip per hour. If you roll 12 or 13, he will offer you six scrip per hour. If you roll 10 or 11, he will refuse to raise his offer until he's seen proof of your technical skills.

You ask him a few more questions. 'Tell me about this place. Why is it called "Dung Village"?'

'What's to tell? It's a fair-sized village on the lowest level of Terminus. We've got thousands of people living here or in the nearby warrens. It's conveniently situated at a crossroads between the Lifts, Vault One, the Place of the Old Machines, the Furnace, and Vault Four, so we get a lot of travellers passing through. Sometimes there are some very strange and interesting things for sale here in the marketplace. As for why it's called "Dung Village"… well, it's a silly, puerile joke. Terminus has three levels, colloquially known as "the Bowels", "the Belly" and "the Crown". We're down here in "the Bowels". What comes out of someone's bowels? Yeah, right. Dung.'

'Do you know anyone who specializes in repairing strange and esoteric technology?'

'Hey! I thought that's what I just hired you for,' he said jokingly. 'But… you probably want Dr. Szechhh. He's an alien lizardman who also happens to be a scientist and inventor. Lives in Vault Two, next to the Place of the Old Machines, which is where he goes scavenging for spare parts. Bit of a loner, but if there's anyone who knows anything about "repairing strange and esoteric technology", it's him. He knows an awful lot.'

'All right. Thank you,' you say.

Do you want to ask Mr. Grey any more questions? (Choose a maximum of four.)
[] "Tell me about yourself."
[] "Can you tell me anything about the Rekindlers?"
[] "Can you tell me anything about the Doomsmen?"
-[] "Do the ticktockmen try to stop the Doomsmen?"
[] "Are you a time traveller?"
[] "Tell me about the other time travellers you've met."
[] "Why are there so many time travellers here?"
[] "Do you think Dr. Szechhh might be able to fix my time machine?"
[] "Who watches the watchmen?"
[] Say something else (write in).

Alternatively, do you want to go over to the man in the cage?
[] Scold the children who have been tormenting him.
-[] Chase them away.
[] Ask him some questions. (Choose a maximum of four.)
-[] "Are you Glogauer?"
-[] "What's a lie?"
-[] "Why did the ticktockmen put you in this cage?"
-[] "Can you tell me anything about this place?"
-[] "Why do you say there is no God?"
--[] "How can you know that God doesn't exist?"
-[] "I heard you were a time traveller. How did you get here?"
--[] "You must have some stories to tell."
-[] "Can you tell me anything about the other time travellers?"
-[] "Can I do anything for you?"
-[] "No one should be locked in a cage like this. How can I get you out?"
-[] "Do you have any advice for me?"
-[] Say something else (write in).