It is the morning of January 5th, 1994. And you, Bartolomè, are in a lot of trouble.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no... I've missed my birthday, I've missed Christmas, I've missed New Years..."

You stumble out of your room, still limping, tearing your hair out with the hand that isn't clutching a cane. SO much trouble.

"Mom is going to kill me!"

You have neglected to call your mother for several weeks now. You are certain that she is worried sick, and only hope you can catch her before she takes a plane out to Naples herself. You can't even imagine how you will explain what's happened to you over these eventful days, or how awful her reaction will be, but all you can do now is perform damage control. You can let the news sink in gently over the phone, or perhaps delay the inevitable moment she does learn, and life as you know it ends. But first you'll have to call her, and as it happens the phone you have on-hand is wired to call a specific number, and no other. You've got to find a phone.

>1. I think I saw one in Catarina's office.
>2. Maybe there's one in Lucien's office?
>3. Am I crazy, or was there a phone in the ghoul dissection room?
>4. Maybe there's an emergency phone in the panic room beneath the church.
>5. Comb the rest of the church for a phone.
>6. Find Catarina and ask her. She should know where a working phone is.
>7. I have a better plan!

>>29536870
>>1. I think I saw one in Catarina's office.

>>29537154
Now that you think about it, you're pretty sure there was a phone in Catarina's office. You decide to head there and check.

Your boss isn't there when you enter, though you suppose she could be hiding under the many piles of clutter. The mess seems to get worse with each passing day in here. You limp over to her desk near the wall and brush aside a few stacks of papers with your free hand. They crash off the side and to the ground; you hope they weren't important.

But you've succeeded. There's an old phone here, and you do mean old. It's got one of those turn dials instead of buttons. The actual phone is connected to its stand by a cord. You pick it up, sitting down in Catarina's chair to make yourself more comfortable, and stare at the dial.

You gulp.

>1. Nothing to do but to get it over with. Call Mom.
>2. Maybe I should call my sister instead, and just have her relay the news?
>3. Maybe I should get Catarina's permission before I just use her phone.
>4. Something else.

>>29537421
>>3. Maybe I should get Catarina's permission before I just use her phone.

Could be a magic phone

>>29537421
>1. Nothing to do but to get it over with. Call Mom.

Don't run away!

Rolled 55

>>29537421
>1. Nothing to do but to get it over with. Call Mom.

>>29537554
>>29537679
Well, this is it. Time to take the plunge. You close your eyes, and dial your mother's phone number. You listen closely to the foreboding ringing. Once, twice, and then a third time. Maybe she's not home? Maybe you'll get to leave a message.

A click. No dice.

On the other end you hear the strong voice of your mother. "Hello? Who is this?"

Your fingers dance a nervous jig on the table. "Uh... hello, Mama."

There is a grave silence. She asks again, "Who is this?"

"It's me, Bartolomè. Your son."

You hear a harrumph. "I do not HAVE a son."

"But Mama--"

"Do not 'But' me, Bartolomè de la Fuente!" You gulp and hastily shut your mouth. "You fly off to some foreign country and leave me and your poor sisters to fret about you and your father both! Do you think he calls, either? You're just like Hidalgo, you know! You and him both: always off on one adventure or another, but do you tell your poor mother what you're up to or where you've gone? No! You just let the weeks while away, letting her shrivel up in her home while you're God-knows-where..."

Your mother's always been like this. You expected a rant. But you didn't expect to hear her sniffling on the other end of the line.

"...Bartolomè, do you have any idea how worried I've been?"

>1. [APOLOGETIC] I'm sorry, but it's been out of my control.
>2. [DEFENSIVE] I've been busy with work, I haven't had the time.
>3. [HONEST] I've been hurt. I haven't been in any condition to call you.

>>29537998
>>1. [APOLOGETIC] I'm sorry, but it's been out of my control.

>>29537998
>1. [APOLOGETIC] I'm sorry, but it's been out of my control.

Rolled 86

>>29537998
>1. [APOLOGETIC] I'm sorry, but it's been out of my control.

>>29538071
>>29538085
>>29538101
"I'm sorry, Mama--really, I am," you plead with her. "But it's been out of my control. You know that I would have called if I had the opportunity. But I haven't."

Your mother takes a deep breath. "I know. I know, I know. You've always been such a good boy. Well, just remember that we haven't forgotten about you back home, all right? We worry. What about your work, then? Are these 'Executors' or whatever they're called treating you well?"

She hesitates. "Have... have they found Hidalgo?"

>1. [LIE] Not yet, but we're still looking.
>2. No. They believe him to be dead.
>3. ...
>4. [DODGE THE QUESTION] Talk about your coworkers.

>>29538424
>1. [LIE] Not yet, but we're still looking.

>>29538424
>>3. ...

>>29538424
>>3. ...
Silence. I can't think of a way to break this news to her without comitting a sin. Plus, she's our mother - we can't just brush this off

>>29538611
>>29538883
"..."

You say nothing. You don't know what to tell her. But she understands what you mean. "Oh, Lord... that stubborn old man. He never knew when to just walk away. And what's it gotten him now?"

"Mama?" you ask, unsure what she means.

Her voice is trembling as she tells you, "Don't think your mother some old fool, Bartolomè. I've been around for a lot longer than you. Nothing called an 'Executor' could have a safe line of work. You and your father both have been doing very dangerous things, haven't you?"

You open your mouth, but she cuts you off before you can speak. "Do not tell me, I don't want to know! I can guess, and that's already too much to burden these old bones with. Just... promise me you'll be careful, Bartolomè. I've known for a long time that Hidalgo would die like this. It wasn't easy... but I've accepted it. But I can't lose my son, too. Not to a task that should never have been given to you. It isn't right for a son to die fighting his father's battles."

There is a long pause. "So promise me, son. Promise me you'll be safe."

Your fingers trace over the black patch on your face. "Yes, Mama. I promise."

"Thank you, son. I love you."

"Love you too. Tell the same to Maria and Olivia?"

"I will."

You quietly hang up the phone, your obligation to your family fulfilled for the moment. But you don't feel much better. Your mother sounded so... resigned. I was like she never expected to hear anything but proof your father was dead. Is this the kind of life ahead of you now?

>>29539360
Your hand caresses the tiny crystal ball in your pocket. Catarina told you that you're free to return this item to Wayne's possession, should you feel the need to do so. It hasn't reacted to your touch since the first time you made contact with it. The vague image of the girl and the orange-haired man lingers in your mind for a moment. What was it trying to show you?

You shrug, unable to find an answer just yet. "I should probably return this to Wayne. It's not as if I have any more use with it."

>1. Leave the church to find the hospital.
>2. Find Catarina first to get directions.
>3. Both of these things can wait. Do something else first.

>>29539384
>2. Find Catarina first to get directions.

>>29539384
>>2. Find Catarina first to get directions.

Rolled 53

>>29539384
>2. Find Catarina first to get directions.

Let's avoid getting lost. :p

>>29539384
>2. Find Catarina first to get directions.

>>29539384

>2. Find Catarina first to get directions.

>>29539417
>>29539546
There isn't any point in wandering the streets of Naples like a stray dog, is there? Catarina knows this city better than you do; she should be able to provide directions. Though, she isn't in her office, considering the fact that you're sitting in her chair. So you're left wondering where she might be. To your knowledge, she lives in the church.

You begin a sweep of the other rooms, occasionally calling her name to see if that gets her attention. As you come into the entrance hall, you're caught halfway into your call as you see a figure standing to your right. Catarina is by the door, pulling on a blue parka.

"Oh. Bartolomè. You're up."

"Going somewhere?" you ask as you hobble closer.

"Just some errands," she tells you. "Grocery shopping."

She zips up her parka, turning towards the door before stopping and glancing back at you. "Want to come with?"

>1. Sure, why not?
>2. No thank you, I just need directions to the hospital.

>>29539944
>1. Sure, why not?

think we can stop by the hospital for a moment while we are out and about?

>>29540019
Let's go with that.

>>29540019
This

Rolled 72

>>29539944
>1. Sure, why not?
If it's still early in the day; we want to make sure we have time to visit Wayne today.

>2. No thank you, I just need directions to the hospital.
If it's eveningish.

>>29539944
>1. Sure, why not?

"Sure, why not? I was planning on visiting the hospital sometime today, mind if we drop by?"

>>29540019
>>29540037
"I suppose I can," you say. "Would we have time to stop by the hospital?"

Catarina looks at you blankly and shrugs. "Sure." She hands you a coat and you both step outside. The brisk air of the new year hits you for the first time. It is quite refreshing to be out in Naples when the sun is out for once. Catarina leads you down into the city, moving slowly to let you keep up with your limp. The air is filled with the sound of idle city bustle. The humming engines of passing cars, the distant conversations of pedestrians. Ringing phones, crying babies, and the booming of some bass instrument off in the distance on some obnoxious individual's radio. It's nice not to be cooped up anymore.

"The supermarket isn't far, so we'll just walk. Do you mind?"

"No," you answer. You think you could do with the exercise. Your legs are aching from extended disuse.

You find yourself heading down a street full of shops, the storefronts packed with clothing and all manner of goods to lure in wealthy customers. Some distance away, you see a sign for what you imagine is the supermarket. Catarina taps your arm with a finger.

"So what kind of food do you like?"

>1. I'm a fan of...
>2. I'm impartial, get whatever.

>>29540474
>>1. I'm a fan of...

Empadas, bit of chicken or beef, with diced onions an a hard boiled egg

clearly the best food on the go

>>29540474
>1. I'm a fan of...

Spaghetti

>>29540474
>1. I'm a fan of...

Probably something Spanish as I'm guessing our mother is an excellent cook. How about Valencian styled paella, partially because I adore paella, or Empadas like >>29540558 suggested, those are also nice.

Rolled 92

>>29540474
>1. I'm a fan of...
>>29540558
I second empadas.

>>29540474
A good risotto. We're in Italy, why not enjoysome Italian cooking. When in Rome...

Also: joke with her about purchasing from a supermarket, instead of a classic Italian open-air market. "I thought the Church like to preserve local traditions!"

>>29540474
>1. I'm a fan of...
Gaspacho
because gaspacho is great and spanish

>>29540558
>>29540676
>>29540769
>>29540805
>>29540974
One of your hands, balled into a fist, slams down into your open palm. Your eye is twinkling in delight as you begin to salivate, remembering your mother's cooking.

"Empadas! We need to get empadas!" You stroke your chin, starting to look scruffy with stubble from going so long without shaving. "Let's see, we're going to need several meats, and cheeses as well--oh, and some corn smut!"

Catarina's eyes light up too, but it's not her appetite so much as her fight-or-flight instincts. "Corn what?"

"Oh, don't worry, it's delicious! You've got to try it. Oh, and we could make paella as well! Or maybe even a bowl of gazpacho; there's just too many options to only pick one dish!"

Miss Belmont smirks at your enthusiasm and says, "Fine, fine. I've got a budget set aside. Get whatever you want."

"Will you need the ingredient list?" you ask. "I have it memorized. I could write it down if you'd like."

"...How about you just grab them as we pass?"

The supermarket is only a short distance away now, and you choose now as the time to needle her about her choice of shop. "I've always heard wonders about the open-air markets of Italy. And you choose to shop at a supermarket?"

"Those overdressed flea markets?" she asks, almost derisively. "Overpriced and overripe. I prefer food that keeps."

"If you say so--OH!" You stumble as you bump into a passing stranger, nearly falling flat on your face. Catarina catches you, but the person you've hit doesn't seem to have even flinched. You glance back to apologize. "Terribly sorry..."

>>29541500
Huh? You gape at the figure. They look familiar, but you cannot place them. A beautiful, blonde-haired woman... or, at least you think it is a woman. She is quite tall, and her features are difficult for you to place as masculine or feminine. She is dressed in a long-sleeved white shirt and a purple skirt, and is looking down at you with a beguiling smile. Her eyes are red.

Where have you seen those eyes before? "Who are you?.."

"Hmm-hmm!" She tilts her head and giggles before spinning on her heel and marching back into the crowd. She's disappeared completely after only an instant, leaving you with Catarina as she pulls you back to your feet.

"You know them?" she asks.

>1. No.
>2. I might...

>>29541537
>2. I might...

>>29541537
>>2. I might...

>>29541537
>2. I might...

"I get the feeling that I've seen her before. Not sure where or when, but I remember her eyes, they're red."

Rolled 50

>>29541537
>2. I might...
>>29541820

>>29541670
>>29541688
>>29541820
"I might. I get the feeling that I've seen her before. I'm not sure where or when, but I remember her eyes. They're red."

Catarina is solemn for a moment, but pushes on your shoulder. "Even so. This isn't the place to discuss something like that. We're here to get food. Let's get it."

----

You pick out some bread that might go well with the gazpacho, and toss it into your cart. You're only in the first aisle, but you're already snatching up plenty of items to satisfy your craving for a good, cooked meal. Catarina is leaning forward against the cart, lazily watching you pick out the groceries for her. She hasn't spoken since you picked a cart, and the silence is beginning to be bothersome. You could always find a way to start up a conversation, you suppose. You still don't really know all that much about this woman.

>1. Are you a native here?
>2. What kind of food do you enjoy?
>3. Do you live in the church?
>4. Does anyone else work at the church with you?
>5. That weapon you used, what was it?
>6. How did you know I needed help with Klaus?
>7. Has the church accepted me as your apprentice?
>8. Ask something else.

>>29542073
>4. Does anyone else work at the church with you?
>7. Has the church accepted me as your apprentice?

>>29542073
>2. What kind of food do you enjoy?

File: 1389839946734.jpg-(4.7 MB, 3302x4521, 1358858943960.jpg)

4.7 MB JPG

>>29541537
>"Those overdressed flea markets?" she asks, almost derisively. "Overpriced and overripe. I prefer food that keeps."

And so globalization spread across the land! Not even the Holy Mother Church could resist it's clutches!

>A beautiful, blonde-haired woman... or, at least you think it is a woman. She is quite tall, and her features are difficult for you to place as masculine or feminine. She is dressed in a long-sleeved white shirt and a purple skirt, and is looking down at you with a beguiling smile. Her eyes are red.

Well, shit. Enter, Bigger Fish!

>>29542073
>>2. What kind of food do you enjoy?

Something easy and simply

>>29542073

>2. What kind of food do you enjoy?

Always a good ice-breaker, especially given our talk about food. It's not truly a Nasuverse quest without at least one cooking scene!

>1. Are you a native here?

Tie this into our chat about supermarkets vs food stalls. Get to know our boss a bit.

>3. Do you live in the church?

Start to ease towards church business a bit, but keep it casual. Don't drop the bombs on our secret business just yet.

>6. How did you know I needed help with Klaus?
>7. Has the church accepted me as your apprentice?

THEN we get to the meat here. How did she know to come to our aid? And how have we performed, according to the higher-ups?

>>29542073
>2. What kind of food do you enjoy?

Start by asking if she has any food she likes, start working some of her preferences into our shopping list as we go.

>1. Are you a native here?

If she isn't then ask where she's from.

Then slowly move onto more churchy business. Like if she lives in the church, if we've been accepted as her apprentice, and if there's anyone else she works with who we should know about.

>>29542196

We need more near-death experience to be able to cut her up, oh shit

Rolled 9

>>29542073
>>29542286
I second this.

>>29542286
>>29542506
"So, what kind of food do you enjoy?" Might as well try to break the ice. Catarina doesn't look up, still hunched over and shuffling along with the cart.

"Mm... quick and easy."

"So stovetop, then?"

A mocking laugh. "Try microwave."

You frown at her lazy answer. "That's pathetic. And it's not exactly healthy, either. Surely you enjoy a good home-cooked meal every once in a while?"

"Sure. As long as someone else cooks it."

You weave through the next few aisles, and pick out a few good spices to use in your dishes. Catarina grabs a box of cereal. As you get closer to the fresh meats, you decide to ask about her homeland. "You don't seem to have much respect for Italian markets. Are you a native?"

"Actually, no," she tells you, half-interested. You ask where she IS from, then. "Clermont-Ferrand. You know it?" You tell her you think so.

"France, right?"

"Right," she nods. "Italian cuisine isn't really to my taste."

That wasn't quite what you expected. So she's French, then. But you don't think the name Belmont comes from France... is she telling the truth? As you ponder, you pick out a few good cuts of beef, some pork, and a few more exotic choices and flip them over your shoulder. They land in the cart effortlessly.

Catarina drags the cart along behind you as you pick up some plastic utensils and other disposable things. It occurs to you that you don't know how well the church's kitchen is stocked, and ask her if she has any cooking utensils. Her blank face tells you everything you need to know. "Magnifico..." You make a detour and start pulling spatulas, ladles, and other items off the shelves. How did she even survive without these?

File: 1389842275075.jpg-(100 KB, 1280x720, 1388127635144.jpg)

100 KB JPG

Oh shit, did I really catch one live? Finally, beat the archive.
Gimme a second to catch up.

>>29543238
"Do you live in that church?" you ask. She grunts in affirmation.

"There's some spare rooms in the back I put a bed and stuff in. No commute either, so I've got that going for me. And my superiors pay rent, so no expenses."

"Do you pay taxes?" you ask. She shakes her head with the speed and focus of the world's fastest sloth, with a cheeky smile.

"I'm officially off the record. Career perk, you could call it."

You scratch the back of your head, at a loss for words. You thought this woman was intimidating at first; but she's so lazy, it's astounding she got her job to begin with. But then again, she did earn her position somehow. And from what you saw against Klaus, her skills haven't rusted.

You skip past the personal hygiene aisle. You can just steal what you need from your hotel room, and you suppose Catarina isn't going to buy that sort of thing in front of you. As you pull into the frozen foods section the lazy woman finally peels herself off of the cart and begins patrolling down the aisle, yanking TV dinners out of the fridge and tossing them into the cart.

Such an odd woman to be so dangerous. You guess you might as well ask. "How did you know that I needed help that night?"

She halts mid-yank, a box of frozen fried rice in hand, and looks at you out of the corner of her eye. "I called you, but I couldn't reach your phone. You're supposed to pick up, no matter what. Remember?"

Oh. She called you? You don't remember it ringing... Oh. You think you understand. Klaus's Reality Marble must have cut off your signal. It only makes sense. But you double-take on that as well; you were only trapped in there for a short while. You wouldn't say more than ten minutes. Just how fast can this person move?

"So have you talked with the Church? Am I your apprentice?"

"Oh, right, I needed to talk to you about that," she muses, tapping the spot beneath her lip. "They did approve you; there's a few things I need to brief you on. But that can wait."

>>29543277
She tugs on your arm and places it on the cart. Apparently she's too lazy to push it, now that it's getting heavier. "Come on, we still have a few aisles to go."

>1. Hey, I'm wounded! You can't make me push!
>2. How was life in France?
>3. What was that weapon you used?
>4. Something else.

Rolled 16

>>29543320
>2. How was life in France?
Keep the conversation light. We can talk about serious stuff later. We're shopping after all. :p

>>29543320
>2. How was life in France?

>>29543320
>2. How was life in France?
>>29543277
>priest stealing hygiene supplies from hotel
Like some filthy Protestant? I think not.

>>29543320
>1. Hey, I'm wounded! You can't make me push!

"You truly are a cruel woman, making a cripple push the cart even after he offered to make you dinner."

Make sure to say it jokingly so it's clear we're not actually mad, and see if we can manage pushing the cart without much difficulty.

>2. How was life in France?

Then ask more about where she's from.

Do not ask about the weapon, not the time or the place.

>>29543320
>>2. How was life in France?

Other: Take out the tv dinners. If we're her apprentice , then we don't need these disgusting things

Rolled 5

>>29543710
I second this. Let's teach her how to eat properly!!

>>29543461
We're are actually Calvinist, gosh.

>>29543461
its not stealing if they are complimentary.

>>29544067
It's not complimentary if he states he'll be stealing them.

>>29544319
>>29544067
>>29543461
And the Lord did say, "If thou did not wisheth thine jars of hygiene potions stolen, then thou shalt not ave made them pocket sized"

>>29543363
>>29543407
>>29543461
"You said you lived in France, right? How was life there?"

"It was nice," she says.

You move into the dairy aisle. She peruses the drinks and finds a hefty jug of chocolate milk to take as her own. You make some choices from the cheese available to finish your recipes.

"I grew up around a lot of art. My father was an artist; we were very poor, but painting made him happy. I didn't have many things, but he took me to a lot of film festivals. The city's famous for them. It was nice."

"What about your mother?"

A shadow crosses her face. She tosses the milk in the cart. "Let's pay."

She takes the cart from you and pushes it up to the front. You try to broach conversation again, but you can't seem to get through to her. She is silent and eerily focused on the groceries as she feeds them onto the belt. She pays the bill without a word, and hefts the whole load in bags on either arm. You aren't quite certain that's physically possibly for a woman her size, but that's not what's on your mind right now.

Catarina is avoiding eye contact with you as you exit the supermarket. She leads you down the left sidewalk, and at the nearest crossing points you to a large building on the horizon. "There's your hospital. Your magus friend is in there."

You try to thank her, but she doesn't stick around long enough to hear it, twirling about and walking in the opposite direction, leaving you to stutter at her.

>1. Try to stop her.
>2. Not worth chasing her now. Best go to the hospital.
>3. Do something else.

>>29544416
>>2. Not worth chasing her now. Best go to the hospital.
>>3. Do something else.
send her a text "Sorry"

>>29544416
>2. Not worth chasing her now. Best go to the hospital.

We brought up a sore spot, but she ought to know that there's no way we could've known.

We'll make her dinner to make up for it, for now let her be alone.

>>29544416

>1. Try to stop her.

>>29544517
or just yell it

>>29544416
>2. Not worth chasing her now. Best go to the hospital.

Bros before hoes.

>>29544517
>>29544631
You can't help but feel confused as Catarina leaves. You don't think you said anything offensive. And yet there you have it, she's clearly upset about something. You rub your forehead and try to forget about it, at least for now. You can focus on apologizing tonight, with the aid of some homemade Spanish food. For now, you need to check on Wayne.

----

"He's right in here, sir."

"Thank you."

You gently push the door open and shed a little light into the darkened room. It is about what you expect from a hospital, with sterile white and blue decoration. On the far side by the window is an adjustable mattress. You hardly recognize the man laying there. The wings his hair make are disheveled and matted from going too long without washing, and his face is blotched by several unsightly bruises and thick bandages. His eyes tilt your way when the light creeps in, and he smiles a goofy smile at you.

"Well how about that? Heh, how ya doing, Bartholomew? Come in, have a seat!"

He tries to pat the chair closest to his bed, but his arm is wrapped in a cast and doesn't have that much dexterity. All he really does is make a sort of wiggle at it.

>1. Ask Wayne how he is holding up.
>2. Tell Wayne you have something to return to him.
>3. Thank Wayne for his help.
>4. Open up the blinds. It's too grim and dark in here.
>5. Do something else.

>>29545066
in this order
>>4. Open up the blinds. It's too grim and dark in here.
ask him if he minds first though
>>1. Ask Wayne how he is holding up.
>>3. Thank Wayne for his help.
>>2. Tell Wayne you have something to return to him.

>>29545133
This sounds good.

>>29545066
>4. Open up the blinds. It's too grim and dark in here.

Ask first of course.

"Well, I'm down an eye, but otherwise I'll be fine. Besides, eyepatches are supposed to be cool."

As for the rest >>29545133 seems good.

Check on his health, thank him, give him the marble.

>>29545133
>>29545155
>>29545206
"Well, I guess I could be better, but I'll live," you tell him. "Do you mind if I open the blinds? It's quite grim in here."

"Go ahead, go ahead," he says in a singsong tone, apparently oblivious to his battered body. "I mean, I'd have done it myself, but I've kinda got two broken arms. And my damned nurse doesn't speak a lick of English. Heh, and FORGET Romanian!"

You lean over his bed to get to the curtains and pull them back, letting a few precious rays of sun into his room. You hear him snort in shock as he sees your face in good lighting. "Shit, what happened?!"

"Oh, uh, right." You chuckle awkwardly, and point a your eyepatch casually. "I'm down an eye, it seems. But I've been told that eyepatches are cool, so..."

"Yeah," he says with an approving grin. "You make it work. Sit down, pal, sit down." You take a seat, thanking him for offering as you do. You lean forward and fold your hands together, looking him up and down.

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but, how are you holding up?"

"Ehh... doctors say I'll walk again. Apparently none of my injuries were inoperable, though I DID have to explain how I managed to get a scorched lung! Ha, oh, the web of lies I've weaved in this hospital... true story, I've got three nurses on three shifts, and each one of them thinks I have a different name?"

There's a brief pause.

"So, uh, if someone comes in here calling me 'Sharkey' don't be too surprised, okay?"

You smile and tell him you won't. It's nice to see someone in such high spirits after the last few weeks cooped up in the church. You give a quick thanks to God for keeping your ally in such good spirits, and the positive effect it's had on you in turn.

"I still haven't gotten a chance to thank you yet, have I?"

"Bah, don't," he commands. "It's not like you owe me or anything. We had the same goals, and we couldn't do it alone. It's only natural to help a fella out in times like that, right?"

>>29545655
His arm wiggles again. If it wasn't in a sling and cast, you bet he'd be slamming it on the mattress. "Well, I mean, I kinda fucked up my job, but hey, them's the breaks..."

"Hey, hold on a moment," you tease. "I'm not done thanking you yet." You pull the crystal ball out and hold it in front of him. You watch his eyes grow to the size of saucer plates. "I believe this is what you needed from our mutual acquaintance?"

"Bart..." The strange man sounds like he's on the verge of tears. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you! Oh, man, you have no idea how relieved I am--seriously, this makes being mutilated and pushed to the brink of death totally worth it; hallelujah!"

You ask him to calm down, and wonder where you should put it. He tells you to place it on the desk beside your chair, and you do so; strangely, it doesn't roll around like a sphere its shape normally would.

>1. What are you going to do next?
>2. Why were you after this thing?
>3. What exactly does that ball do, anyway?
>4. Something else.

>>29545683
>>1. What are you going to do next?

>>29545683
>3. What exactly does that ball do, anyway?

>>29545683
>>3. What exactly does that ball do, anyway?

>>29545683
>2. Why were you after this thing?


>>29545761
>What are you going to do next?
The same thing we do every night Pinky!

>>29546031
>>29546051
"What does that ball do, anyway?"

"That one?" Wayne asks, nodding at it. "It's a very precious artifact. Do you know what a Conceptual Weapon is?"

You nod.

"Well, that's one. Its name is the Orb of... of... Abelost? Avaline? Not important! The point is, the thing is ancient, and it's as powerful as it is old. It's a crystallized spell that selects a moment in time and freezes its causality."

There is silence.

"You have no idea what that means, do you?" You shake your head. "Figures. Look, it's hard to put in layman's terms, but it's not as complicated as it sounds. What do you think when you hear the word 'timestream'? A stream, right? Except, you know, instead of water there's... uh, time. Time is a liquid, in a sense. It sloshes around, and events and the order they take place in get all jumbled up as everything happening in existence scrambles up probability. But that orb right there converts the time water into time ice. Whatever you see when you touch that thing is guaranteed to happen; somewhere, somehow, no ifs ands or buts about it."

"So this crystal can see the future?" you ask, greatly confused. Wayne shrugs as best he can in his state.

"Or the past. Or the present, really. The orb's not picky. They say its original wielder could control what he saw, but most people nowadays get random visions without any control or way of activating them. And hell, I don't get them at all. Speaking of which... you didn't happen to see anything when you touched it, did you?

>1. [LIE]I didn't see anything.
>2. I saw two people. A man and a girl.
>3. Dodge the question.

>>29546504

>2. I saw two people. A man and a girl.

>>29546504
>>2. I saw two people. A man and a girl.

>>29546504
>2. I saw two people. A man and a girl.

"Perhaps one day, with the grace of God, I will understand what it means."

>>29546874
>>29546944
>>29546670
"I did see something, but I didn't understand it." You describe to Wayne the bickering people that you saw. He quirks an eyebrow curiously, but he doesn't seem to be that surprised. "Perhaps one day, with the grace of God, I will understand what it means."

"Well, it certainly sounds like something that could happen at some point in time. Wonder who they were. Can't think of many people who go around dressed in green cloaks..." His head rolls back and he stares at the ceiling for a while.

"Wayne?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about something. It shouldn't be a problem. But hey, listen, Bart. You did me a solid back there, and I was hoping you could do me another." He looks you in the eye. "I won't be in this hospital forever. And when I get out, I've got something important that I need to do. It involves that orb, and it might get dicey; I was hoping you'd help me out... What do you say?"

>1. I'd be glad to.
>2. I refuse.
>3. If I did agree, you understand my duties as an Executor may have to come first?
>4. Maybe. What do you need my help for?

>>29547096
>>4. Maybe. What do you need my help for?

>>29547096
>4. Maybe. What do you need my help for?
>3. If I did agree, you understand my duties as an Executor may have to come first?

Honestly, that last mission was kind of an exception where I got thrown into the deep end because of bureaucracy.

>>29547096
>>3. If I did agree, you understand my duties as an Executor may have to come first?
>>4. Maybe. What do you need my help for?

>>29547096
>1. "And if he sues you for your cloak, give him your shirt as well. And if he forces you to go a mile, go with him for two. Mathew 5:40-41. What can I do for you my friend?"

>>29547176
>>29547221
>>29547268
"You're asking a lot of me, Wayne. Our last cooperation was only really possible by fluke. You understand I can't guarantee anything?"

"Yeah, I understand," he reassures you. "Just hear me out."

"Then maybe. What do you need my help for?"

Wayne adjusts himself in his bed. "When I'm done here in Naples, I have to go to Munich. That orb didn't always belong to Klaus Hind. Until recently it belonged to another magus of my Association who makes his home up there. His name is Abraham Kayton. My superiors say that I'm to return his property, and give him a 'reminder' that precious artifacts aren't the sort of thing we want to hand over to Dead Apostles."

"I don't understand why you're expecting trouble, if that's the case. Klaus Hind stole the orb from this Abraham. It's not like he just gave it away."

Wayne's brow furrows, and looks unnaturally severe.

"No, Bart, you're wrong. That's exactly what happened. Abraham Kayton gave the crystal ball to Klaus. And I intend to find out why."

>>29547698
And that's where we're gonna pull the brakes for tonight. I hope you've enjoyed playing, and as usual you can follow me @Frolloswagendir to keep up to date about the Quest, but before you go this time, I have a few questions I'd like to ask you!

1.) The dice system. Are you okay with what's been done with the combat and skills so far, or would you prefer something that's less crunchy and focuses more on the players making strategies to use?

2.) A couple times in this thread, I skipped over pointless fluff like walking into the hospital or the supermarket by indicating a timeskip with several dashes. Are you okay with me doing this to advance time when nothing is going on, or would you prefer to play those out naturally?

3.) Consider this one a "free grievance" spot. If there's anything that concerns you about the Quest, something you'd like to see changed for the better, or even just a question about a character or part of the plot, put it here for me to answer. (I'll archive this thread and answer any questions that come up too late for me to answer before sage-ing in the next thread.)

Once more, thanks very much for supporting this Quest! Have a good night, everybody. Or morning, if you're on the other side of the planet.

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>>29547698

>>29547734
I'm fine with the combat so far.

I don't mind skipping some of the pointless fluff. And glossing over unimportant details like every single ingredient we got at the store.

I'm actually really happy with the quest so far and can't think of anything to change off the top of my head.

>>29547734
I just want to know where the story would be going if we had been choosing the forgive option every time.

>>29548158
Well, without spoiling too much...
You'd have one extra party member, an extra antagonist, and wouldn't have played the Intermission. Or, well, that specific Intermission.

>>29547734
1.) I'm fine with the current system. If you are worried about a lack of strategics in our responses, you could add a few points to rolls when we actually formulate a plan.
2.) Also fine. It streamlines the quest so we do not have to get bogged down in even more detail than is necessary (ironically defying its source universe).
3.) Guy who first questioned stealing from the hotel here. Considering we established in thread one that this is a guy who will pray in his spare time and felt great remorse when ending the (un)life of a being that would kill not only him but countless innocents if does nothing, it felt like even that small act of petty theft would be OOC. Sparing Catarina the awkwardness of shopping for her supplies in front of us and using the complimentary items from the hotel until we can get our own later is one thing, but you used the word 'steal'. My question is: Is it indicative of this job wearing on his sense of ethics already, or am I reading WAY too much into a throwaway line you did not think about when posting?

>>29548886
Yea, he is pretty moral. It seems weird he would refer to it as stealing and not just using the hotel's services.

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>>29547734
>1.) The dice system. Are you okay with what's been done with the combat and skills so far, or would you prefer something that's less crunchy and focuses more on the players making strategies to use?

This is a good balance of fluff and crunch. The bonuses are clearly laid out, Making combat appear to be tactically valid and dangerous without feeling arbitrary.

>2.) A couple times in this thread, I skipped over pointless fluff like walking into the hospital or the supermarket by indicating a timeskip with several dashes. Are you okay with me doing this to advance time when nothing is going on, or would you prefer to play those out naturally?

Occam's razor,OP. If there's nothing especially plot-relevant, then why was your time and the thread's posts doing needless shit?

The walk into the hospital was largely meaningless, worthy of a sentence of description at most. Compare that to the stuff we saw at the supermarket with Bartolome and his boss. It was tone-setting, character-building stuff - it lets the PC get to know Catarina's history, sets her character as lazy off-the-job and Bartolome's as a keener, and gives PCs an understanding of this world.

>3.) Consider this one a "free grievance" spot. If there's anything that concerns you about the Quest, something you'd like to see changed for the better, or even just a question about a character or part of the plot, put it here for me to answer.

I remember the debate we had last thread about what weapon to ick; IIRC you were a little uneasy about dissuading the BS. My advice for future - set a 20-minute moratorium, at the end of which you'll use /tg/ dice to make the decision for us. It makes the players smarten up, right quick.

Also: consider making a PasteBin for character sheets, and update these (or make a new one) every time there is a significant change to it (New traits, increased stats, etc). It can make save you space over time.


Thanks, OP! I'm loving this!

>>29548886
>3.)

You can chalk that one up more to my own vocabulary than anything else. I travel a lot, and a lot of the time I end up bringing whatever hygiene products I can carry when I check out of a hotel. My family calls it stealing; it's complimentary so it's not really stealing, that's just what we call it. I had the same thing in mind when I wrote that, but you're right, it sounds a little more devious than something a guy like Bartolomè would say. Should have worded that better; my bad!

>>29554092
>3.)

I'll keep both of those in mind, and see about setting up a pastebin before the next thread.

Thanks very much for the feedback, everybody.