This post was last modified: Jul 28, 2024 at 8:34 PM by Nashu Mhakaracca.

Cor! Miss Nancy, you're back! I mean, you never left, but you're not being creepy anymore. I take it your aether's been balanced?



Doubtless the dead prophet over there is the cause. I'd intended for them to be my mark for the night - the motive, understand - but my plan didn't go nearly so well. Suppose I ought to help solve this either way.

I woke up when Phenera, who had so rudely occupied my bed last night, rolled out of it right on top of me. She had a lovely new headpiece glam but still smelled like yesterday's supper, and she took my vomit-soaked bedsheets with her when she left the room...good riddance.

I tried to take the Service Elevator but it was still broken, so I quickly repaired it and made my way down to meet Dex. We spoke, but I headed off to the backup terminal without him, passing Riki knocked out by the chasm bridge along the way. I caught sight of a mysterious figure slipping into the terminal room, so I tossed my flashbang inside, then proceeded to kick Indy in the head. This isn't elder abuse, is it...?



After securing the room, I left to the Occultic Seal itself, passing Dex again along the way. He was talking to...some kind of large opo-opo, I think you call it a gorilla? As I entered the seal room, someone wearing a bedsheet like a cheap All Saints' Wake costume attacked me with a knife. I tried to fight back, but then they pulled out a gun, and I wasn't going to fight a knife and a gun.

I fled to the Service Elevator, terrified but also content that the seal was in...good hands? Anyroad, it was time for my attempt for the motive, and I figured I could find the masked madman in the Director's Office. I was right on the money, but their avian companion was suspiciously absent. I shot them a few times and they rolled under the chandelier, right where I wanted them...but as I shot its supports, something passing strange happened. I felt as if time had slowed down and I was unable to resist as Hustler and I switched places, and the chandelier came crashing down on me instead...



I managed to remain conscious long enough to see which way they went, at least: the secret passage.

When I woke up, I slinked over to the Lounge to lick my wounds. Looks like I wasn't the only one having a rough time of it though, because the Lounge was thoroughly blown up and Mr. Zane was lying on the floor. I filled a bowl of water for the doggy and took it over to its containment room - all the wild events going on are no excuse to neglect our furry friends, after all. Then I went to bed - my own, unoccupied bed. Without any sheets. Thanks Phenera.



But still...to think only one seal remains. I did try to warn you all about what might happen if things got to this point, did I not? I only pray we're not too late to stop it...

Inspect the Service Elevator, the Lost City Outpost Elevator, and the Mines Elevator for signs of blood, including on the doors at their stops.

You head into the Service Elevator, looking it up and down. It doesn't look like there's any blood in here, though some good samaritan turned the power back on at least. The same goes for the Outpost elevator behind the Director's Office. There is no blood on the door on either side, though there is a trail of blood leading into the room from the Director's Office prior - although it kind of peters out.

The Mine Elevator appears to be a complete wreck, collapsed at the bottom of the shaft. The thick, steel cable appears to have been cut. You don't find any blood, but you doubt it would be visible in the wreckage even if there was any.

@Lyra how many bond points do I get if I let you out?

Kyehehe... I don't need to bargain to get out of here. I'll be out on my own soon enough, I doubt this little cell can hold me for long.


...But I'll give you two if you speed along the process.

Not too optimistic on getting anything out of this but I'll try to compare some blades to their wounds regardless. Kitchen knives, box cutters, combat knives, heck how does the harpoon line up?
Oh, and compare something nice and blunt for their head trauma. Shovel, blunt side of a pickaxe... handle of the harpoon?
And Spooks, could you fish out anything else that might be in the lake?

You compare some blades to their wounds, random ones. The usual, really. Box cutters, kitchen knives, armory knives, etc. Due to just how shredded the wounds are, none of these seem to line up at all - though you can probably discount the box cutter, the blade is too fine to have caused these wounds, and too fragile considering the brutality. The harpoon is much too big to match any wound besides the gaping hole in their head though.

Looking around for some nice blunt objects to compare to the head trauma, you find that a shovel and the harpoon handle are both way off - the former being too wide and broad and the latter being too thin. The blunt end of the pickace is somewhat better. The head wound appears to be somewhat rectangular in nature, and not particularly big.



Certainly, [AGENT DESIGNATION - COLUMBO]! I have been trained in ice fishing for scenarios of this nature specifically. One moment, please.

Spooks withdraws his arm into his frame, producing a large trawling line. He lowers it into the hole on the ice... When he brings it up, you examine the contents. Outside of the body, the harpoon, and the raft obviously, it seems the lake also contained several bullets, all appearing to be somewhat flattened as though they were fired and hit something at some point.

Better give the Director's Office a closer look around. The Decontamination Room, too, what with that burst pipe and all.

Better give the Director's Office a closer look around. The Decontamination Room, too, what with that burst pipe and all.

You look around the Director's Office. It's still burned out from the previous night, but now the chandelier is lying shattered on the ground, blood and glass scattered across the room. There's a trail of blood leading into the secret room behind the "fishtank".

Next, you take the Shuttle over to the Auxiliary Building to check out Decontamination. The shower pipe does seem to have burst, with a few items lying on the ground nearby. A wet vial labeled "Dimethylcadmium", and some paper napkins, also wet.

Riki see sign of sunken room on big money Hom Hom? Wound hard to check from pressure, or normal hard checky from lots stab-stab?

What with elevator, lighthouse, dock draggy? Look like Hom Hom leave bloody-blood on mark?

Is the Deep Colossus in its containment cell? Anything funny about it?

Employ the Scrying Glass.

You think paranormal powers were used for this case, Dex?

I would like to, investigate each of the elevators in the facility!

Riki see sign of sunken room on big money Hom Hom? Wound hard to check from pressure, or normal hard checky from lots stab-stab?

What with elevator, lighthouse, dock draggy? Look like Hom Hom leave bloody-blood on mark?

You check over Hustler's body, thinking about whether pressure could have caused these wounds. You really don't think that's the case at all though, it looks more like these wounds were just stabbed into gaping holes.

Turning your attention to the drag marks in the snow, they seem to be large and rather smooth. The tracks connect the Lighthouse, the Elevator, and the Dock each, but you can't really discern much in the way of a direction from these smooth tracks.

Is the Deep Colossus in its containment cell? Anything funny about it?

You check the Deep Colossus' containment cell. Indeed, the diving suit seems to be slumped inside the cell, but you also notice something else inside. A long black gun, with a strange electronic component where the magazine would be. You recognize this thing, it's an XW Void Rifle from Counter-Terrorism. It's slightly bloody.

Employ the Scrying Glass.

You gaze into the Scrying Glass...

You see a vision of DXHustler standing before an elevator... When the elevator doors open, a gunshot rings out, and a figure within plunges something into the victim's throat.

You think paranormal powers were used for this case, Dex?

Hm. You know, this one's extra fucked, but I'm pretty sure that none of the aforementioned fuckery is related to a role power. If there's anything weird going on here, it's not a role.. Couldn't tell you what's else is going on with... all this though.

I would like to, investigate each of the elevators in the facility!

You walk around the facility, investigating each elevator. The Mine Elevator's already been investigated, now lying in a pile of twisted metal and cut cable at the bottom of the shaft. The Main Elevator, the Service Elevator, the Aquatic Lab Elevator, and the elevator behind the Director's Office are all about as clean as you'd expect from a random facility elevator.

Despite seeming like they could be unstoppable, Hustler has been, in fact, stopped. But more importantly, the occultic seal has been opened and no one has admitted to doing it. Pretty quickly, though, people have settled on a main suspect for the unsealing - Tinkaton, our little medium. A fair suspect, really; multiple people thought they saw her practically right next to the seal, and she hasn't really said anything yet. But so far, no concrete proof.

...Until she finally wakes up and comes to the investigation. She's still visibly exhausted. but she nonetheless makes it to the middle of the room. She doesn't really acknowledge anyone as she finally opens her eyes...and the new red tint to them makes the unsealer's identity known.

Suddenly, she starts to open her mouth...

...

...

...

...

...




UNHOLY UNHOLY UNHOLY UNHOLY UNHOLY

Oh no.

Ugh, fucking finally. I was starting to think I'd never get one of these unsealed. I don't care what any of these clowns say, I've had a horrible time here, I deserved to have something go right for once. I can't wait to get back to Paldea and give that bitch a peace of my...

...

...Now why are you idiots staring at me like that? What, the seal? Are you mad about the seal? Grow the fuck up. Half the facility went for it last night, I don't wanna hear it. We all knew it was getting broken after Dex's little speech, so I wasn't about to leave it to potentially fall in the hands of someone I didn't trust with it. Especially after the masked maniac got to it last time. You'll get over it. Besides, I've been hanging around the seals for what, five nights now? You really should have seen this coming.

Now stop gawking like you've seen a horse, we've got a case to not solve. Shall we?

To that end, I'll even help out by giving my testimony right now. Thank fuck I don't have to rely on that bitch to do them for me anymore. I started out by grabbing a bedsheet and briefly went outside through the archives, and I absolutely didn't leave anything on the ground outside near the door once I left. I waited near the survey room dorms for a few minutes because I was hoping to ambush football boy and steal his key, but Pea was the only one who walked out and he just glared at me so I left shortly after that. I grabbed a file from restricted files on the way back. I'll show it off when there's not an active trail going. I only had unlimited access for the night, so I had to get something good while I still could!

After this I headed back to the lobby and took the elevator down, going to the Orange Zone™. Nancy and 23 were both here and I may or may not have given 23 a little request before I went to the armory to refill my ammo and grab some better guns. I'm going to need them when I get out of here. Also, the dog was in here with a bulletproof vest in its mouth. Okay. I went back out, noticing 23 was still around, and then peaked into the director's office. It was NOT in the shape it is now. And then I made my way to the service elevator to spend pretty much the rest of the night underground. Thank fuck it was already working again by the time I got to it.

And of course when I got there, I went to the outpost and met up with the man of the evening - Dexter. You know Dex, when I first met you, I thought you were just going to be another annoying asshat, but perhaps I misjudged you. Thanks for...whatever the hell you did. Did you do anything, actually? Whatever, I spent pretty much the rest of my night with him. I just kind of guarded him for a while, until I eventually saw Nashu making a break for the seal. Unfortunately for her, she happened to be my target for the night, so before she could do anything, she had a bedsheet ghost trying to take her out. She got away pretty quickly...but not before I got a few stabs in! I'm not sorry. I haven't forgotten the chapel. Now we're even. Bitch.

What happened next? I, the spirit medium, was suddenly entirely alone in a room where I could fill myself up with powerful occultic energy with the push of a literal button. What the fuck do you think happened next?

I wasn't really up to doing much else after that, but that was fine, I accomplished what I needed. I went back to check on Dexter and found him on the ground. Dead. Nah, someone had just KO'd him with an office chair. I helped him up, but before we could do anything else, Morgan's stupid ass came from the observatory side and punched me in the face for some fucking reason. You're going to pay for that one.

I came to after a little while and saw Dexter also getting up, having gotten KO'd a second time. Then Tom popped in from the residential distract and Dexter decided it was time to go to the backup terminal. Felt like someone was following us, though. Once we got to the chaotic seal, Tom stopped us and began holding Dexter hostage with a knife. Dex had a rough night. This time, though, he was saved by Pea, who knocked out Tom with a large rock. Dex thanked him and took me to the mysterious room on the left.

There were a bunch of monitors and some red tubes here but the main thing was the backup terminal that was already deactivated. What a surprise! We just shrugged and left. On the way out we saw Momoyo enter communications and Phenera investigate the chaotic seal, but I don't think either noticed us. Dexy and I just made our way back up the service elevator after that, and he went to the shuttle station while I headed all the way back up and went to bed.

Okay, that's my night, happy now? Now if you would excuse me, I have a murder to start planning. Nah, not on anyone here. Don't worry about it.

...Until she finally wakes up and comes to the investigation. She's still visibly exhausted. but she nonetheless makes it to the middle of the room. She doesn't really acknowledge anyone as she finally opens her eyes...and the new red tint to them makes the unsealer's identity known.

Suddenly, she starts to open her mouth...[/i]

...You made me learn Tinkaspeak and we could have just done this the entire time? Seriously?

Shouldn't have been so anti-seal then!

Anyway, let's see the residential district.

This post was last modified: Jul 28, 2024 at 11:45 PM by Phenera.

Those drag marks around Hustler, if I drag, say, a metal pull-up bar pulled from the Leisure Center through the snow, are the marks I get similar? What about with the shaft of a pickaxe, head removed, from the mines?

Yeah, okay - I see what everyone's thinking. Let's all laugh at Dexter Hexley. He let the seal break, he got his ass kicked, he got kidnapped and held at knifepoint!

Now, all of that is... completely true. Look man, I'm not gonna beat around the bush here -huuuge waste of time. For the record, I wasn't gonna actually let anyone touch that backup terminal unless I trusted them. It was a gamble to go down there, it was a gamble I took, and it was a gamble that I lost big time. Okay, got it? Cool? Okay. Moving on, next topic:



Yeah okay, you wanted to stop the seal breaking - well how about you use your words, assholes! You don't have to beat me over the head to make your point! You know, when you're more aggressive than the fucking gorilla, I think we have a problem there, fucko!



...Tch. Well, nice job. You blew it anyway.

I went down to the mines pretty early, I was hoping to catch the first few people to show up and get an idea of who was down here, but I was alone in here for a while until Nashu showed up. She wanted to get going ASAP, but I wasn't so sure. There's safety in numbers - or so I thought - and I didn't feel great going out there with only one other person. Easy enough to knock one out and go for the other if you get the drop on them.

She went off on her own into the Residential District, and a while after there was this... gorilla that showed up.



Yeah, yeah. A big fucking monkey. I'm not crazy, we've all seen the big monkey, right? Anyway, thing was strapped down with guns, but it just kind of hung around. Nashu came back through, heading up to the broken Seal Chamber, and the gorilla followed them. It's not too long afterwards when I see Nashu running back out into the Observation Room, chased by this low-rate Scooby-Doo-ass sheet ghost with a knife.

I probably could've given chase or something, but some fucker hit me from behind around that time, and I was out cold for a few minutes. Still have no idea who that was, but after the monkey came back and helped me up, Morgan showed up and did the same goddamn thing! Randomly yelled about keeping the seal safe, then decked me right in the face! Somehow he managed to kick the gorilla's ass too because we both woke up around the same time. Around then... is when Thomas-fucking-Zane showed up.



Yeah, let me tell you a thing or two about that guy. Liar. Asshole. Total fucking snake! He gave this whole speech about how Alan would've wanted him to have it and so-on. I didn't really care, I figured I could let him tag along, but I wasn't gonna let him take the seal. Biggest mistake of my life, let me tell you. At that point though, there were three of us, so I headed out. I'd figured that the emergency terminal was in that room to the left of the Chaotic Seal door, but I wasn't really sure how it worked. Did you have to enable it then head back to the seal? Did it just pump you up on the spot? Well, we headed across the Chasm to find out.

But that's when that grade-A douchebag Zane decided to grab me from behind and press some shitty kitchen knife to my throat. He actually had the balls to demand we give him the seals. Seriously, last time I ever help a ghost. Quote me on that!



...Things could've went tits up, but Pea seriously saved my life. Guy showed up out of nowhere and bashed Zane's head in with a rock.

I'm not gonna give that piece of shit Zane more screentime than he's worth though. I headed north with the gorilla to check out the terminal, but that weird room next to the seal mostly just had a bunch of monitors. Terminal was there, obviously, but it wasn't doing anything. As I'm sure you've figured out, someone got there first and did... whatever you do with it. After that point though, I just went back with the gorilla. Took the Service Elevator and Shuttled back to the Lounge. Looked like a bomb went off in there, but at least the TV still worked.



Oh, and my attempt? Well, I was hoping Indy was planning on showing up. I was just gonna push him off the bridge.

Around then... is when Thomas-fucking-Zane showed up.



Yeah, let me tell you a thing or two about that guy. Liar. Asshole. Total fucking snake!

Oh, come on now Dexter. Whatever happened to no harm no foul? No wonder your showbiz career failed if that's how you speak to production staff.

You won't be getting a starring role in any of my future films, that's for sure.

This post was last modified: Jul 29, 2024 at 2:57 AM by Momoyo Himemushi.

Oh yyyyeah, my account. I oughta get on that. Didn't get much done, but that's the way the tunnel collapses!

So I woke up in the mines, thanks to Johnny Truant leaving me there. Great guy. 10/10 would possess again. Got my stuff and why is it so cold now? What have you people been doing? This is no place for a centipede. This is not my beautiful facility.

Went out by the river for my plan, and saw Spooks with safety gear, sleep lab to arboretum. Thomas Zane, whoever that is, went in as well, and then a guy in a chicken mask went from the mountain to the Geology Lab.

Then I found Morgan! Ol' buddy ol' pal ol' friend.

I tried to kill him to steal his life and return incarnate in this world, but it didn't work. Oh well, worth a shot.

Went down to the kitchen after that, noticing you guys bombed the Lounge. Love what you've done with the place. I made some stone soup, it was delicious as hell, and carried it on with me as I kept going to the receiving bay.

Met Lyra by Lab Zero. She's still nice to me. Maybe you just shouldn't have lynched her for no reason?

Anyhow, then I went downstairs to explore the caves. Nice caves, would LOVE to dig in them. Looked at the Arcana Lab, didn't learn anything. Looked at communications, someone was calling there but I lost sight of 'em. Looked at Chaotic Seal room, saw Phenera beating her face against it. Tried to go to the Lost City Outpost, and then someone bit my head off.

Fucker.

Anything unusual in the Aquatic Lab?

This post was last modified: Jul 29, 2024 at 12:40 AM by Riki.

Riki big check-check Aqua Lab and Lighthouse!

Lighthouse have stuff taken, like raft and harpoon? What with bloody-blood on XW Rifle?