Thread #158685

last time: team entered a city, got assaulted by a happy extendo neck guy, which got killed by a dude that turned out to be Chicago
chicago was giving the team the down-low when my power went out

"Chicago Man, there's like that fellow over there that appears to be our benefactor and yet here you are calling them an 'it' so I have to ask, explain?"

Felicity last said:
>I narrow my eyes, shifting closer to the wall. "I suppose. The chief who sent us here was not particularly clear on what we would be doing, but that does sound like what the end goal was supposed to be."

Chicago shrugs his shoulders, "Well, what kind of spell are you looking for?"

He ignores Thomas' question.

Thomas pouts slightly.

"I wouldn't know the details, sir. We've encountered things of the paranatural before, but never before have we been so immersed in it. But we need something that can help us in overcoming a creature that can step through shadow, and can drain the blood of a person until they are nothing more than a dry husk."

"I might be able to teach you a thing or two like that" he says with a nod. "But you'll have to do something for me first."

"Fetch quest get hype"

Chicago looks confused.

"Well what did you have in mind?"

"We're all ears then, sir. The sooner we're out of this place, the better."

"I want you to find out who made this city. It popped up right quick, so a dreamer must have put it here. You seem to know this fellow-" he says, gesturing to Archie, "so I assume the dreamer that put it here is a friend of yours or someone that might know this guy, at the very least."

"Well, Archie would probably be the dreamiest one here."

"One can create cities in this place?"

"That's right, dreamers can erect cities, fill them with people, if they want and can exert the willpower to do so."

"So we just gotta find some sleeping guy?"

"Does that mean I can create some weapons just by thinking about them?"

"...Not quite", he says stifling a laugh towards VV.
He turns to Thomas. "You may find the person here or you may not. Might not be asleep right now. Just find out who did it."

"If it's not Archibald himself that's put up the city...would it be likely to be an ally or enemy of his that has done so?"

"Hey Boss, what if it's butler-man?"

"Ally or enemy, I wouldn't know. Maybe you can find something out by exploring a bit."

"If he can create a city, surely I can create a number of things. That man is daft."
VV thinks really hard about creating a tommy gun.

VV thought really hard about creating a tommy gun but nothing happened.

"Are you okay VV? You look like you're in a lot of pain."

"All right, we'll get to the bottom of this dream city. Do you think resolving it will return agency to our benefactor here?"

VV exerts a lot of willpower on the topic of tommy guns!

>>158799
roll stability

>>158797
Chicago shakes his head, "This guy here isn't real. He's someone that the dreamer conjured up here. The real benefactor is probably still in the waking world."

#d6 (5)

Thomas gives a rude look to the Chicago. "Why didn't you say that when I asked you about it? Jeeeez"

>>158804
a tommy gun appears, but it is completely empty

"Yo what"

Chicago looks surprised but says nothing about it.

VV holds up the tommy gun with a smug expression on her face.

Satisfied with the information from Chicagoan, I (drop my name) give the building we stepped into a careful look over.

It is a modest looking cafe with six or seven small, round tables that look like the could comfortably sit two people. Despite that, there are four chairs at each tables. /// table.
The wallpaper is white with a strip of blue down the center and is peeling a bit near the top. There's a door leading to what looks like a kitchen area, where Chicago previously entered and exited from before talking to the group.

I point towards the kitchen door. "You wouldn't have happened to have seen anything in there worth mentioning, would you?

"I've got a bed in there and some things. If you're looking for clues, I don't think there's anything in there."

"Oh yeah, why is it important to find the person who made this city? Do you dislike its presence here?"

"That's right. This place has all of those weird snake-like things and everyone is always smiling. It creeps me out."

"Oh, yes, I suppose that is true. I cannot fault you for that.
"

"There's never anything good going on when everyone is smiling all the time. Do they usually just ignore you if they ignore them?"

"So, what do we do when we find this dreamer?"

"Come back and tell me who it is."
He turns to Felicity. "More or less. Sometimes they'll go after you if you get too close."

"So, avoid all the crazy smiling people milling about. Got it."
I head back towards the door we entered through.

He waves as Felicity heads to the door and takes a seat.

Thomas will go along with Felicity.

Leaving the cafe, I walk out to the edge of the alley, peeking to look out at the main street we were on before.

am i to assume VV is tagging along

of course!

Outside is a nondescript alleyway leading back to the road where the group was previously met by the neck people.
It sounded like they were all heading to the park for a celebration, so the city might have relatively few of them in it at the moment aside from the park.

"So, do you think a dreamer person would be located in the center of this city?"

"I get the feeling there's gonna be something related to this whole affair at the celebration the man...thing was talking about before. Doesn't mean I'm particularly excited to go see what it is."
I look around to see if there's still a body remaining of the creature that got impaled by the falling spear.

"What kind of weirdo would create a city full of people with snakey heads?"

"Well maybe it's some kind of weird subconscious thing. Maybe the snake necks represent the conniving snakelike nature of man?""

>>158878
The body does not appear to be present, though the spear remains sticking out of the ground.

"That's certainly not a comforting prospect. These creatures aren't pleasant to begin with, but one that has an interest in us already is even worse."
(Is there any signs or banners, or any kind of visual media around on the street?)

The streets have no signs or banners save for the street signs and occasionally maps posted around the area.

I walk up to one of the maps and try to puzzle out where we might be and what the major features of the city are.

The map shows several major features:
The Park
City Hall
Courthouse
Shopping District
City Museum

The City Hall, Courthouse, and Museum all appear to be in the same area and the park is quite some ways from that area. Between the two areas is the shopping district.
Right now, the team appears to be closer to the city hall area than the park area, though not significantly.

"I would think the creator of a city more likely to be in the city hall or the courthouse, yes?"

"That's what I was thinking, really."

"Someone with a power complex might stick themselves in a position like that, yeah. The park is where all the smiling things were heading though." I trace my finger along the city roads. "We could go to the city hall, and all the places around it first, then through the shopping district, and then look into the park. Maybe they would have all cleared out by then."

"That sounds pretty reasonable to me. Like I said, I just figure the center would be a good place to be. We, uh, don't really have any real leads though aside from 'there's a guy'."

"Let
s go!"

Nodding, I take off towards the city hall.

Fortunately for the team, the streets are devoid of life and they reach the city hall without any difficulty.
The city hall is a large, extravagant building which looks more like the White House than a regular city hall, albeit much, much smaller.
The front door is wide open as if inviting all the insects in the world inside.

"That's mildly ominous."

"Let's just not talk to them this time."

"To who? We've seen basically no one."

"And let's hope none of the ones that go after you if you get close are around, either."
I give the front of the city hall building a look over, seeing if there are any windows or side doors that look accessible.

"Not a fan of the front door I take it? It is, I guess, the expected entryway. But if all the weirdos are elsewhere this might be fine?"

There are several windows that look reachable, but there are bars on them.

"A door left invitingly open like that is rather suspect." I sigh and lean into myself. "But there doesn't seem to be any other accessible way in. Let's get this over with."

"A city hall is typically a public building. It's not shocking that it is open, is it?"

"In a normal city; sure. This isn't a normal city."
I make my way up to the front door.
(And roll for Sense Trouble #d6 (6))

"Let's dive deeper into the abyss, my dear Peter."

"It was created in the image of a normal city. Just like this was created in the image of a normal gun." VV waves her tommy gun around.

>>158971
Felicity's gut tells her that it's safe to go inside.

With ginger footsteps, I step through the front door and into the foyer of the hall.

Thomas waltzs in!

VV walks in and looks around.

The inside smells a bit like vanilla and is exceedingly clean. It looks like it was cleaned only minutes ago. The room the team entered into looks more like a waiting room than a foyer. The walls inside are lined with chairs except for the far side, which has a desk and a large wooden double-door. At the desk is a young lady with a bright and cheery smile on her face, typing away at her typewriter.

"If we stealthily sneak along maybe we'll be fine."

"Yes, don't talk to it this time, please."

(How much distance is there from the desk to the doors?)

About a meter and a half.

Keeping as far from the desk as I can, I cross the room to the doors and give them a light push open.

The door fails to open. The woman's neck quickly extends until her face meets Felicity's.
"Do you have an appointment, ma'am?"

Thomas, while the snake-necked woman is distracted, sort of meanders over to the desk to sneak a peek at the typewriter.

The typewriter appears to be completely blank. Even the keys have nothing on them.

Thomas thinks to himself "well that's weird." and returns to his original position.

VV points the tommy gun at the secretary and pulls the trigger.

It makes a clicking sound.

Thomas cocks his head at VV.

VV looks disappointed.

Jiggling the handle/knob to the door gently, I say "We might, ma'am. Do you know who's in the building right now?"

"There isn't anyone in the building right now..." Her neck extends further and into a corkscrew shape but her face doesn't move away from Felicity's. "If you have an appointment, someone will be here to see you, though."

VV whacks the door with her axe.
#d6 (2)

It's such a sad attempt that the receptionist doesn't even seem to care.

"Do you want me to have a go at the door, VV?"

VV whacks the door again.
#d6 (5)

The axe goes through the door. Beneath VV's feet, the ground breaks and the axe breaks through into the room.

"Never mind."

Slowly and gently, I push my hand against the door."

"ooooooooohhhhh..."

The door doesn't budge. The receptionist's neck shrinks and returns her to her normal state.

I nod, satisfied with the outcome of the test.
Turning to the group, I ask, "so do we have an appointment, or do we just move on and hope there's less--"

"I guess we do."

VV bashes the typewriter with the axe.
#d6 (4)
"You make us an appointment right now!"

Thomas just sort of tenses reflexively at such reckless abandon.

She looks up at VV, seemingly unperturbed.
"Who would you like an appointment with, ma'am?"

"The city architect."

"Go ahead in, the architect will see you now." She gestures to the door.

Thomas will just sheepishly follow.

I go back to the doors and try the handle/knob again.

It opens easily this time.

With a somewhat drawn-out sigh, I cross through the doors and into the room beyond.

The doors open into an office with a desk in front of a window. Looking through the window, it seems like it's high in a skyscraper despite city hall clearly not reaching such heights.
A man sits at the desk with his fingers crossed Gendo-style. He watches everyone coldly.

VV pushes Thomas forward.
"Your turn."

Thomas looks back at VV nervously.
"Uh... ok."
...
"Wait hang on, what on earth do I ask this guy?" Thomas starts thinking somewhat franticly.
Thomas attempts to compose himself.

"Hello mister Architect. We've come to try and discern the, um... source? of this fair city. As you are the architect, you're probably privy to that kind of information?"

He stands up and claps his hands together, "We all built this city, together!" With his hands no longer hiding his mouth, you can see him grinning widely.

While Thomas is conversing with the architect, I look about the room--looking for papers, drawers, anything that might have information recorded in or on it.

Thomas sighs.

Noticing Felicity's intentions, Thomas continues the conversation.
"Well then, if that's the case, how did this city start? How did the people here come together?"

"One day, we weren't. And then suddenly!" he raises his hands in the air with an eruption of genki. "Suddenly, we were!"

The Architect seems unaware of Felicity's activities.

"This isn't the one we want."

"Is your people's sudden existence a key point in any folklore or religious beliefs?"

"What a strange question!"

"Ah, I apologize. My curiosity is getting the better of me. I've noticed that this city hall is quite wonderfully elaborate. I take it you were the key mind behind its design?"

"We all designed this town together!"

Thomas looks off to the side and thinks to himself "I guess I should have expected that answer."

Glacing -Glancing about the office, I see a book sitting on a wall-side set of drawers, to the left (her left) of the architect's desk.
Judging from the illustration of that book, I decide resolutely--I want that book.

"Are you sure you designed this town together? Why is there an architect if you designed the town together? Doesn't that not make ense?"

The Architect looks at VV, his face contorted with confusion. "I-it's because we did it together, so we're all the architecht..."

"So why do you have this fancy office?"

"Because I'm the architect..."

"But you all did it together. Does everyone have an office like this?"

"The architect has an office like this..." He grimaces.

Thomas looks at the Architect's desk in search of one of those stress toys with the bouncing ball pendulum things.

>>159158
"So everyone has an office like this?"

"No, only I do." He looks down at his desk and clenches his fists.

"So you're a useless person? Is this nepotism at work?"

While his attention is focused down at his desk, I sidle over to the dressers where the book is and slip it nonchalantly into my bag.
(Conceal #d6+2 (4 + 2 = 6))

His grimace turns into a terrible frown and then contorts into an expression of anger.

>>159185
success

"VV I think you may have set the guy off." Thomas whispers

"Do you have an answer? I'm simply trying to understand your position."

The doors slam shut as he slams his fists down on the desk, shattering it into splinters. His clothing starts to tear as his muscles expand and his neck extends, bringing his scowling face to VV's face. He doesn't look like he wants to talk anymore.

"I think you should axe him another question."

VV points her tommy gun at him.
"Is that your answer? An architect doesn't destroy!"

His neck starts to tremble and a second head emerges. It looks even angrier than the first.

"Oh it's a hydra."

VV closes her eyes, concentrates, and pulls the trigger!

"A tantrum hydra."

The tommy gun clicks.

VV pulls the trigger again and believes in her gun. Really, really believes in it.

The gun clicks again.

Thomas is fiddling around in his bag because clearly VV has lost her mind.

VV clicks her tongue and really, really believes this time/
#d6 (6)

She unleashes a torrent of bullets into the face of the architect. The impact is so dramatic that his body flies through the window behind him and falls into the area below.

Thomas stares dumbfounded.

I slowly test the door handle/knob of the shut doors.

"That takes care of that!"

The door opens effortlessly.

"Oh, what did you find, Boss?"

The head of the receptionist peeks in. "Everything okay in there?"

"All good, all good. We were all just exiting the building. All of us."

"Where is the architect?"

"What architect? This city was built by everyone."

"That's right. Everyone is the architect here."
Her smile geows.

"Then the architect is sitting right here, isn't she?"

"The architect is all of us. I hope you didn't do anything bad to us."

"You look fine to me."

"I'm not fine. I'm hurting. Did you hurt me?" Her neck extends and brings her head fully into the room.

"Boss, what if we just slam the door?" Thomas whispers

"It'll probably just open again."

"Axe wombo combo."

"Was there even an architect? Why would you need one if you all built the city?"

"We're all the architect!" She hisses like a feral cat.

"Maybe you should think a bit about how you can have an architect if everybody is the architect."
She turns to the others. "I think we should leave."

Her neck attempts to wrap around VV like a snake.
#d6 (4)

VV can attempt to escape it with an athletics roll

"There's an angry debatable architect in the w-"

#d6 (4)+!
oh
d6+! is code for d6+1

VV tries to get away from the snake neck.

VV narrowly manages to avoid being caught.
"YOU HURT US" shrieks the receptionist, still grinning.

"Kill it kill it kill it kill it."

"You hurt yourselves! You don't need an architect if you are all the architect, that is insane! You should thank me for removing a vestigial person!"

"Miss Vane do you think your gun has bullets left in it?"

|=======TO===BE====CONTINUED====>
i'll be the roundabout