As you probe around closely in his throat, you feel something in his esophagus.

Well let's have it, then. Carefully try to remove this offending blockage.

There don't appear to be any missing forceps, though forceps are also, similarly to the tweezers, a very good match. As you test forceps, you examine the throat wound closely. It does not appear to have any kind of residue on it. Though the skin around the wound is crispy, the inside of the wound is not burned. As you probe around closely in his throat, you feel something in his esophagus.

What's stuck in the throat?

This post was last modified: Jan 3, 2024 at 8:23 PM by Spooks?.

As you probe around closely in his throat, you feel something in his esophagus.

Well let's have it, then. Carefully try to remove this offending blockage.

There don't appear to be any missing forceps, though forceps are also, similarly to the tweezers, a very good match. As you test forceps, you examine the throat wound closely. It does not appear to have any kind of residue on it. Though the skin around the wound is crispy, the inside of the wound is not burned. As you probe around closely in his throat, you feel something in his esophagus.

What's stuck in the throat?

As you probe around closely in his throat, you feel something in his esophagus.

Any chance we can get out whatever that is without disturbing the wound too much? Really need one of those forensics boys.

You use the forceps to carefully pull the small object out. It appears to be a broken piece of metal, small and thin. Curiously, there is no entry wound specifically in his esophagus, implying this was either forced down his throat or swallowed.

Check Gus's stomach contents. And maybe his whole throat, and his mouth too to be sure.

Check Gus's stomach contents. And maybe his whole throat, and his mouth too to be sure.

You give Lyra the body to autopsy. She does so, and presents the results. It looks like Gus was running on an empty stomach, his throat and mouth don't seem to have any real interesting traits either, besides some scratching in his throat from what she assumes is the metal.

This post was last modified: Jan 3, 2024 at 8:36 PM by The Thing that Lives Beneath.

I will investigate the Service Elevator shaft to the best of my capability, making sure to not do anything that will injure my frail human body
In particular, I would like to look for any damaged metal

This post was last modified: Jan 3, 2024 at 8:39 PM by Morgan.

So, does the Throat Metal match the Puncture Wound? And what does it look like it broke from?

Just so it's on record here too, I received an account correction that I saw Dodo, not Morgan and Dr. Niles, as I left the elevator.

Hey, just to be extra thorough, a claw hammer from the boiler room couldn't match the external wound on Gus, could it?

So, does the Throat Metal match the Puncture Wound? And what does it look like it broke from?

The throat metal does look to be extremely close to the size of whatever caused the wound. You can't tell what it broke from though, maybe if you had more of it.

I will investigate the Service Elevator shaft to the best of my capability, making sure to not do anything that will injure my frail human body
In particular, I would like to look for any damaged metal

You open the doors to the Service Elevator.

You stare down into a yawning abyss, cables descending from above into sheer darkness. You spy what looks like a small door to some kind of service room along the side of the shaft, down some rungs. There is no sign of an elevator however, nor is there any sign of damage to anything.

Reciting the prayer of guidance from the green psalm, I would like to sample the Traveler's Journal document.

This post was last modified: Jan 3, 2024 at 9:02 PM by Morgan.

How is the locker room looking? Does it seem like someone could have hidden in there? Additionally, is anything in there broken and a match for the piece? Does that extend to the Break Room too?

Tinkaton presents her meat tenderizer upon request.

Are there any water stains around the Leisure Center pool that meant someone took a quick getaway jump into it? And are there any containers, boxes and whatnot, in the room someone could have hid in?

One more hopefully-disproving-something for the backlog, does the throat metal in any way resemble the metal used in a Break Room knife?

Let's look closer at this piece of metal - does it look charred at all? Any end of it in particular?

How does it compare to one arm of a pair of tweezers?

Reciting the prayer of guidance from the green psalm, I would like to sample the Traveler's Journal document.

You take the Traveler's Journal (pg.1) in your hands, carefully holding it. Suddenly, your tongue juts from your break, and you lick the document.

The strange blank spaces have suddenly vanished.

Traveler’s Journal [ENGLISH TRANSLATION] - pg. 1

---

I depart today, from my village in this frozen corner of the earth, to understand what we have lost - our knowledge of this world’s magic. As a people, we persist through our hardships, yet the old stories tell of bountiful life, even in the tundra in which we reside.

I have studied what I could from the small village I called my home, but I have reached a stalling point, our people too fearful of the Plague's return to preserve records of our mythology. Yet, we are not the only denizens of this world, and so… I shall seek them out. Perhaps in their cultures, in their stories, I may find my answers.

We are not permitted to return upon leaving. Knowledge of the old magics, even gained incidentally, they say, is too dangerous. To depart is to be exiled as those who bore the tome..

…Today, I have gathered my crucial belongings. I have no family, no ties to this place, but when I return, they will greet me not as an exile but as a savior.

Today… I begin my journey.

Wow. Effective. This File has been updated with the complete information.

How is the locker room looking? Does it seem like someone could have hidden in there? Additionally, is anything in there broken and a match for the piece? Does that extend to the Break Room too?

The locker room has already largely been checked. Outside of the missing laundry hamper, there is nothing of note missing. The Break Room is also largely untouched outside of the knives. You feel like someone could hide in either place though if they wanted.

Tinkaton presents her meat tenderizer upon request.

You present your meat tenderizer. It is a small spiked mallet made out of solid metal. You think it would hurt to get smacked by this.

Are there any water stains around the Leisure Center pool that meant someone took a quick getaway jump into it? And are there any containers, boxes and whatnot, in the room someone could have hid in?

There are no indications that anyone has used the pool, and the surrounding area is dry. There is an equipment locker in here that appears to have been disturbed, though you think it would be a very tight fit for a person.

One more hopefully-disproving-something for the backlog, does the throat metal in any way resemble the metal used in a Break Room knife?

It does not.

Let's look closer at this piece of metal - does it look charred at all? Any end of it in particular?

How does it compare to one arm of a pair of tweezers?

You compare the piece of metal to one arm of a pair of tweezers from the Bathroom. They are remarkably close, though the piece of metal in the throat has someone of a finer tip than the bathroom tweezers.

Can we have spooks check the lake for anything Metal?
If Astrid could also let us know if anything is missing in the Observatory that would be great too.

Anything match our metal bit in the Botany Lab? Well, make sure the Arboretum's safe first, I might've heard there was somethin' weird with the temperature in there.

Can we have spooks check the lake for anything Metal?
If Astrid could also let us know if anything is missing in the Observatory that would be great too.

You have Spooks check the lake again, although this time for anything metal. He places a claw in the lake and begins to make a weird humming sound. He pulls his claw out, a small piece of metal stuck to it like a magnet.

It looks very similar to the piece in Gus' throat.

Astrid shakes her head, claiming that no one stole anything from her Observatory.

Anything match our metal bit in the Botany Lab? Well, make sure the Arboretum's safe first, I might've heard there was somethin' weird with the temperature in there.

You check out the Arboretum. Thankfully the temperature appears to be normal. A big muggy, but nothing you wouldn't expect. You check it out and don't notice much beyond some leaves that appear to be cut and some horse hoof prints in the soft soil nearby.

Nothing in the Botany Lab resembles the metal.