(1/3) kpwlt 2023/07/29(Sat)08:39 No. 1069250 ID: 127310
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You are Abel. You are a washed-up young man who has been dipping in and out of employment over the last few months. You are at the mouth of a canyon you have never seen before. You're meant to be here for a job interview, you think, but you've never heard of an interview taking place in such an odd location.

(2/3) kpwlt 2023/07/29(Sat)08:39 No. 1069251 ID: 127310
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Funnily enough, you didn't actually apply for this position, you received a completely unprompted invitation to some obscure business named Sweaty Tony's. You assume it's some sort of bistro, but you're really not sure. The letter they sent you doesn't really reveal any details, just a promise of job security and directions to this place. You normally wouldn't take this kind of offer, especially from a bloke who calls himself Sweaty Tony, but your bills won't exactly wait for you to get a job.

(3/3) kpwlt 2023/07/29(Sat)08:40 No. 1069252 ID: 127310
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Unfortunately, you seem to have run over something sharp, as the front tires on your car are considerably flatter than one would expect them to be. You'll have to continue on foot. It is evening, but you can still see relatively well. You can hear the echoes of something shuffling along up ahead, presumably your interviewers. You do hope that nothing bad happens out here, but if it does, you do have a concealed six shooter on your person. Apart from your gun, you've left anything else you may have brought in the car.

The only other thing you need to bring to an interview is your winning smile! Head towards the noise

Keep an eye on the canyon walls to make sure there's no monsters lurking to drop down on you.

Boy it's hot out isn't it? Good thing you have a bottle of water.

Go on ahead, it's probably just a hobo.

(1/2) kpwlt 2023/07/30(Sun)00:48 No. 1069367 ID: 127310
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>The only other thing you need to bring to an interview is your winning smile!

You can't count the number of times you've lost an interview because your natural resting face is apparently too sad looking. You'll be sure to consciously keep a smile up.

>Keep an eye on the canyon walls to make sure there's no monsters lurking to drop down on you.

Will do.

>Good thing you have a bottle of water.

It'll cool down quick once the sun sets, but that won't save you from dehydration. You grab the bottle of water you left in your car. It's not much, but as long as you don't swig it all in one go, it should last you at least until the morning.

(2/2) kpwlt 2023/07/30(Sun)00:48 No. 1069368 ID: 127310
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>Head towards the noise
>Go on ahead, it's probably just a hobo.

Yes, nothing good will come from just standing around.

As you turn the first corner of the canyon, a little old man swivels around to see you.
He croaks out to you and waggles his walking stick.
"Hello little boy! Would you be so kind as to spare some cash for a poor old man?"

You have no money on your person, but there might be some in your car.

>>1069368
Oh yeah you should probably get some cash so you can pay someone to come fix your tire.

You got your phone too? Wallet? Keys with a multitool on the keyring?

You do not. That's why you're on your way to a job interview

Give him all your cash and if you have none, give him something else generous.

Whatever you do, DON'T be rude to him!!!

He can't put a curse on you if you curse him first! Turn him into a toad!

You've read enough fantasy stories to know how this goes, an god pretends he's a homeless beggar to see if you have a compassionate soul.
however this time you have nothing to give him because you're actually broke. Tell him the truth, that you're here to acquire employment and money, but once you get paid you'll definitely pay him.

(1/2) kpwlt 2023/07/31(Mon)06:27 No. 1069447 ID: 127310
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>He can't put a curse on you if you curse him first! Turn him into a toad!

You raise your hands and gesture at the old man. He instantly collapses to the ground and is transmogrified into a fat, slimy toad!

Just kidding. You are not far advanced enough in the magicks to perform this spell. Would be kinda fun though.

(2/2) kpwlt 2023/07/31(Mon)06:27 No. 1069448 ID: 127310
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>Oh yeah you should probably get some cash so you can pay someone to come fix your tire.
>You got your phone too? Wallet? Keys with a multitool on the keyring?

You have 12 SIC worth of loose change in your glovebox. For context, you should be able to buy a bullet for your revolver for about 10 SIC.

Good job not forgetting your phone this time. It’s slightly embarrassing how often you leave it in the car. Unfortunately, its battery is currently on 7% and has no service here. You take it anyway.

You take your key out of the ignition and slip it in your pocket. You’ve never felt the need to get a keyring though, since you’ve generally not owned more than two keys at a time.

>Give him all your cash and if you have none, give him something else generous.

Let’s hold our horses here. You shouldn’t give away all of what little dosh you have. You do set aside a portion of the money for the old man, though.

Anyway, you head on back to the old man and offer him a little cash.
He takes a single look at it and then scowls.
"Is this some kind of joke? Nobody here takes those. Bring me florins, you despicable child!"
He shoves the money back into your hand. You must have somehow driven into a country that doesn't accept SIC.

You have no florins, so you shrug and attempt to keep progressing.
"Not so fast! You can't go there!"
The old man is really getting on your nerves now. You have a good mind to keep going.
"Stop! You won't like what happens when you go past that point!"

>once you get paid you'll definitely pay him.

"Thank you! But I still cannot let you pass!"

Ask him why he won't let you pass (he may be communicating very poorly that there's some kind of danger and if you just shove past him you'll fall down an open manhole or something.)

If the old man insists on being cryptic then just parkour over his head and continue on your journey.

>"Stop! You won't like what happens when you go past that point!"
Well yeah, duh, no one likes having to work. But ya gotta do it to pay the rent so let us by!

>>1069448
Tell him you're on your way to a job interview, so you kindof need to go?

(1/2) kpwlt 2023/08/01(Tue)00:21 No. 1069507 ID: 127310
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>Ask him why he won't let you pass (he may be communicating very poorly that there's some kind of danger and if you just shove past him you'll fall down an open manhole or something.)
>But ya gotta do it to pay the rent so let us by!
>Tell him you're on your way to a job interview, so you kindof need to go?

You ask him why you can’t pass, and explain to him that you’re on your way to an interview.
“No! There is no interview! Thief! You want to take my-“
Don’t care!

>If the old man insists on being cryptic then just parkour over his head and continue on your journey.

You stretch your muscles, plant your hand atop his head and effortlessly vault yourself over him.
He stands there, stunned for a few moments, and you decide to continue on without him. Once he recovers, he does not pursue you, but instead sounds a loud trumpet.

(2/2) kpwlt 2023/08/01(Tue)00:21 No. 1069508 ID: 127310
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You are now in a clearing. There is a mount of disturbed dirt here, as though something has been buried. There are also several large grubs around the clearing.

The clearing terminates into another natural corridor, which extends for many paces, and then opens into another, larger clearing. You can’t tell what’s in that clearing, but it’s definitely not empty. A cacophonous noise of shuffling and stomping echoes down the corridor.

>>1069508
Poke a grub. Then go down the corridor until you can see what's in the clearing.

What do you know about grubs? Are they dangerous? If so, avoid them. If not, hide under one of them and try to sneak past whatever the old man summoned with his horn.

>>1069508
He called a raid on you! The trumpet was used to bring a group of men onto your position! Hide!

(1/2) kpwlt 2023/08/03(Thu)02:40 No. 1069650 ID: 127310
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>Poke a grub.

You jab a grub lightly with the barrel of your revolver, and it makes a small, short groan and wiggles slightly.

> What do you know about grubs? Are they dangerous? If so, avoid them. If not, hide under one of them and try to sneak past whatever the old man summoned with his horn.

You’ve never seen these specific grubs before, but they do bear some resemblance to the blood instar, which you know to be harmless and completely docile. These ones are a fair bit bigger than blood instars, though.

They aren’t really big enough to hide under, the largest being only about half a metre in length.

Just to make sure they’re as harmless as their smaller cousins, you take one and put it on your arm. It seems quite unworried at this happening, and grips your arm gently to avoid falling off. When you try to remove it, it lets go without complaint.

(2/2) kpwlt 2023/08/03(Thu)02:40 No. 1069651 ID: 127310
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> He called a raid on you! The trumpet was used to bring a group of men onto your position! Hide!

Oh god! There’s not really anywhere to hide here! The closest thing to a hiding spot you can think of at the moment is under the disturbed soil.

You could also go back, the old man might be unable to beat you on his own. You could also cover yourself in instars and pray the attackers don’t suspect a thing.

Hiding in the soil seems like a good option. You could cover your face with a grub so you can still breathe.

Bury yourself in soil and put a grub on your face

Make like a worm and hide in the soil. Don't forget to point the tip of the revolver barrel out to shoot someone if they see you and get hostile!

(1/4) kpwlt 2023/08/04(Fri)01:40 No. 1069707 ID: 127310
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>Hiding in the soil seems like a good option. You could cover your face with a grub so you can still breathe.
>Bury yourself in soil and put a grub on your face
>Make like a worm and hide in the soil. Don't forget to point the tip of the revolver barrel out to shoot someone if they see you and get hostile!

Alright! You sink your hands into the disrupted soil and start to pull it away. It’s not too long before the tips of your fingers hit something hard and metallic.

Soon enough, you’ve removed enough dirt and you can now see that there is a metal box here. Lifting its lid reveals that it contains a long, ominous looking, forked implement. No time to inspect it, though, you need to keep digging until you can hide yourself in the hole.

(2/4) kpwlt 2023/08/04(Fri)01:40 No. 1069708 ID: 127310
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No sooner than you’ve cast the box and its contents aside are you hoisted from your knelt position. Damn! Looks like you’ve severely overestimated how much you can dig in a short period of time. A bag is placed over your head and you are dragged away.

(3/4) kpwlt 2023/08/04(Fri)01:40 No. 1069709 ID: 127310
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You aren’t sure whether to cooperate or to kick and scream, so you try not to do either. You can hear the footsteps of the people who seemed so silent moments before. A couple of people converse in a low mumble. You can hear someone huffing and puffing on either side of you.

(4/4) kpwlt 2023/08/04(Fri)01:40 No. 1069710 ID: 127310
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After taking you up some stairs, they place something around your neck and bind your wrists behind your back. When the bag is removed, you can see that you’ve become the main attraction of a gallows in the centre of a quaint little village of hovels.

Oh dear. It looks like your one moment of stupidity has ended your adventure early. So much for that job interview.

After politely giving you a moment to process, your executioner calls to you with the tone and cadence of a woodchipper.
“Any last words?”

"I'd like to talk to Sweaty Tony."

Hinkle
Finkle
Dinkle
Doo

"You can't kill me in any way that matters."

"I'm just here for a job interview! I swear, I'm not here for nefarious purposes!"

Ask what your crime is, as well as the details (who did you kill/rob/annoy, with what, and where)

Subtly shake the wood post holding the noose until it starts to fall apart.

"I will die three days before the king."

kpwlt 2023/08/16(Wed)06:33 No. 1070299 ID: 127310
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>"I'd like to talk to Sweaty Tony."

Okay, okay, focus. This whole thing might just be your prospective employer's test.
"I'd l-like to talk to Sweaty Tony, please."

A confused look lands momentarily on the spectators' faces. One that makes you feel like it would've been less awkward to say "Hinkle Finkle Dinkle Doo".
Soon thereafter, uproarious laughter resonates throughout the crowd.
An exclamation something along the lines of "He can't save you now!" pops up several times from the onlookers.

The executioner allows himself a hearty chuckle before reaching for the lever. Your stomach sinks.

kpwlt 2023/08/16(Wed)06:33 No. 1070300 ID: 127310
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*crack*
A sound not unlike that of a loud whip echoes throughout the canyon.
The executioner falls to the floor.
The people scatter and scream.
You can hear further gunshots behind you.

kpwlt 2023/08/16(Wed)06:33 No. 1070301 ID: 127310
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Amidst the chaos, a large, shady-looking man appears and begins his trek towards you.
Once he approaches, he signals to someone who has apparently snuck up behind you. The cords around your wrists break, and soon the rope around your neck has been removed too.

"Mister McAdam. Pleasure to meet you. I suppose you're here for the interview."
He claps his left hand on your shoulder and solidly shakes your hand with his right.
"Antonius. Call me Tony."

kpwlt 2023/08/16(Wed)06:33 No. 1070302 ID: 127310
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Antonius helps you down the stairs. It seems like the kerfuffle has died down now. Most of the people here have either hidden or been massacred.
"Now, before we get to it, we'd better get you introduced to the folks you'll be working with; that is, if things go well for you."
He sticks his fingers in his mouth and sounds a loud whistle. Three people rush to his side in response.

Antonius gestures to the lady furthest to his right.
"Jemima Stone. Eight counts of breaking and entering, two counts of motor vehicle theft. She's cracked every lock I've ever thrown at her. She can enter a locked house in five different ways with nothing but her shoes. Trust me, I've seen her do it."
Miss Stone gives you a friendly smile.

"Hi Abel, nice to finally meet you."

kpwlt 2023/08/16(Wed)06:34 No. 1070303 ID: 127310
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He moves on to the man directly in front of him.
"Cawdor Moray. One count of first degree murder. Only one, cause it's the only one he's been caught for. You need someone dead, come talk to Cawdor. He might not seem sociable, but he'll warm up to you."
Cawdor examines you in a way that makes your knees feel weak.

He regards you with a slight brogue.

"I anticipate working with you."

kpwlt 2023/08/16(Wed)06:34 No. 1070304 ID: 127310
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Finally, he introduces the woman to his left.
"Elaine Harris. Seventeen co- uh, don't remember what she was done for! She's our mechanic, but that doesn't really do her justice. Car's broken down? She can fix it. Need a gun? Done. A bomb? She's done it before."
Hold on, you think you've seen Elaine before. That's it, you've seen a police sketch that looks like her on television, but you cannot remember why the police were looking for her.

She greets you excitedly.

"Hey Abel!"

kpwlt 2023/08/16(Wed)06:34 No. 1070305 ID: 127310
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Your pondering is interrupted when a hider springs out of nowhere and sticks himself with the fork you unearthed earlier.
He cries out.
"THIEF! MURDERER! CHEAT! HADES TAKE YOU!"

He collapses, and something immediately emerges from his body. Tony snaps around.
"We need to go. Come on."
Elaine pre-emptively claims the driver's seat as you run through a further stretch of the canyon, with the thing pursuing you.
Once everyone is safely in the car, Elaine quickly turns it around and speeds away.
Miss Stone lets out a sigh of relief and Cawdor closes his eyes.
Tony turns to you.
"Alright, Abel, we'll be in the car for a while now. You've probably got questions, and now you've got some time to ask 'em."

"So Jemima's the thief, Cawdor's the murderer. Who's the cheat that strange man referred to? Am I the cheat?"

>>1070305
Ask what that fork was. Someone buried it.

What is this crazy place? What is this crazy cult? What is that creature? What is the job? Why did you choose without tekling me it involved a death risk? Why do we have animal faces? Am I on drugs?

Well, for starters, thank them for rescuing you from these guys. Which can be a nice prelude for asking who these guys were.

(1/5) kpwlt 2023/09/06(Wed)06:03 No. 1071813 ID: 127310
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>"So Jemima's the thief, Cawdor's the murderer. Who's the cheat that strange man referred to? Am I the cheat?"

Tony considers for a moment before chuckling.
“Oh, no, Abel. I don’t think that goon has ever seen Miss Stone or Cawdor before. I’m the thief, the murderer, and the cheat.”

Tony lets that information sink in for a second before elaborating.
“I had some run-ins with them in the past. Scammed ‘em a couple times, I suppose. They don’t take too kindly to that, I tell you what.”

>Ask what that fork was. Someone buried it.

“The fork? Can’t tell you much about it. Cawdor’s more reliable with this kinda thing than I am.”

Cawdor’s eyes snap open and he swivels around to face you before explaining.
“That was a Fork of Thanatos. You saw the man use it to awaken a pneuma, no?”

>What is that creature?

Cawdor continues his explanation.
"Right, that pneuma that he awoke was the physical manifestation of his subconscious. That kind of pneuma has great strength, but cannot think like you or I can."

>What is this crazy place?

Antonius begins talking again and Cawdor turns back around.
“This is an offshoot of the Aten Valley. We’ll join the main branch soon enough, then we’ll needta go through another branch to get back home.”

> Well, for starters, thank them for rescuing you from these guys. Which can be a nice prelude for asking who these guys were.
> What is this crazy cult?

You thank everyone in the car for your salvation.
Cawdor grunts in appreciation, Miss Stone smiles at you, and Elaine enthusiastically says something incomprehensible.

Antonius seems to speak for the whole team.
“No sweat, Abel. Be a bit stupid of me to offer to hire you and then let you die like that!”

You then ask about the lovely people who took care of you before Antonius found you.

“Them? Just scavengers. Nothing special. No nefarious ‘purpose’ as far as we can tell, just isolationist scroungers.”

>What is the job?

“I’d love to call it a heist, but it’s more like a few burglaries. Look, there’s a number of important things out there that people have that I want, and I know they’re not gonna give them to me by choice. I need you, Stone, Cawdor, and Elaine to go get them for me.

Now, I’m sure you’re wondering about what I’ll pay you, and I’m afraid I don’t have much money at the moment. So, instead, I’ll make you a promise. As long as you work for me, accommodation and all your meals’ll be provided, and by the time I’m ready to let you go, you’ll own your brother’s business.”

Your brother’s business.
Your brother Cain runs an extremely lucrative business. You used to work there too, though his method of usurping you, and eventually, the head of the company, meant you would basically never be able to work there, or anywhere reputable, again.

A triumphant grin creeps onto Tony’s face as he watches you process this information.

>Why did you choose without tekling me it involved a death risk?

“Ah, I knew you could handle it. To tell you the truth, there’ll be a not insignificant death risk no matter what you do. With me, though it’s part of the job, as opposed to a workplace hazard.”

>Why do we have animal faces? Am I on drugs?

You decide not to ask these questions, since you already know the answers.
(You've always had one, and no, as far as you know)

(2/5) kpwlt 2023/09/06(Wed)06:03 No. 1071814 ID: 127310
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Eventually, the car comes to a halt, and everyone hops out. Before you is a fairly sturdy looking shack, but a shack nonetheless.

"We're here." Antonius says.

(3/5) kpwlt 2023/09/06(Wed)06:03 No. 1071815 ID: 127310
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Inside is a little dining room arrangement within what looks to be this place's equivalent of a kitchen. Antonius hangs his huge coat on one of the chairs, so that it sags on the floor.

(4/5) kpwlt 2023/09/06(Wed)06:03 No. 1071816 ID: 127310
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The big man leads you down a short hallway and shows you two opposing rooms along its length.

"Bathroom." He briefly explains, while gesturing towards one of them.

He then opens the door to the other room. Inside is a room with many things inside it. Most notably, two bunk beds.
"Here's your bedroom. I'm afraid you'll have to share it with the others, but you'll get used to 'em. Look, I had a chat with 'em and they agree to let you have whichever bed you want."

"Now, if you need anything during the night," he points to the door at the end of the hallway "I'll be in there. Be sure to knock." He grins at you.


Antonius leads you back to the dining room, where the rest of the gang are sitting around the table. You follow suit and sit, though he stands and leans on the back of a chair.

(5/5) kpwlt 2023/09/06(Wed)06:03 No. 1071817 ID: 127310
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"Alright team, now that we're all here, it's about time I give you your next assignment."
Antonius explains.
"So, I'm looking for a very rare kind of relic, the head of a crocodile preserved in a special kind of way. Problem is, the only guy I know who makes 'em wants to do the same thing to me. Nasty guy, his name is Inpu. He runs a pub as a front, funnily enough. Damn good pub, too.


Anyway, point is that I need those croc heads. So, I'll reckon that Cawdor'll make sure nobody leaves the place with a croc head, Miss Stone'll try to steal one, Elaine'll do her own thing, probably make a scene, and lay down the lead if the thugs there get too... unruly. Abel, with your skills, I reckon you should try negotiate for a croc head directly. Pretend to be some sort of, say, eccentric collector. If you don't weasel one out the front door, Miss Stone can get one out the back."

Antonius then hands a tiny earpiece to you. It's somewhat similar to the one you had back at the company, only smaller.
"Stay in touch."

The fellow then stands up straight and looks at his watch.
"Alright then, about time for you lot to head off. It's almost happy hour."

Although Antonius has effectively dispatched the team, you still feel as though you have a moment to ask any pressing questions to him or any other member of the team.
[So as not to drag this out, if even one person suggests we just move on to the assignment proper, we will move on at the end of next update.]

Tony's arrogance may prove to be his undoing, thinking all epithets are directed at him alone, so don't vocalize this, but you probably should strive to always find a way of getting around the rules. That strategy hasn't failed you yet!

Do vocalize an objection that Tony does not have a crocodile face, so Inpu cannot do the same thing to him. This is relavent because you should know whether to expect preserved heads of all sorts of animals. Such as cats.

(1/3) kpwlt 2023/09/15(Fri)06:24 No. 1072398 ID: 127310
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>Tony's arrogance may prove to be his undoing, thinking all epithets are directed at him alone, so don't vocalize this, but you probably should strive to always find a way of getting around the rules. That strategy hasn't failed you yet!

You are nothing if not a man of your wits. Some rule bending is almost certainly in order.

>Do vocalize an objection that Tony does not have a crocodile face, so Inpu cannot do the same thing to him. This is relavent because you should know whether to expect preserved heads of all sorts of animals. Such as cats.

“Doesn’t matter to him. This guy’ll embalm pretty much any corpse he can get his hands on. The croc heads are the only ones he normally sells, though. I’d send you after the other ones, but he’s… weird about them.”

Antonius waits for you to break eye contact with him, before adding,
“Cats are his favourite. Stay vigilant.”

[Image Credit: Smithsonian]

(2/3) kpwlt 2023/09/15(Fri)06:24 No. 1072399 ID: 127310
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At this point, the gang moves into the car. Cawdor drives.
Miss Stone sits in the back seat with you and tries to make conversation about your life before now. She is not terribly successful, but doesn’t seem to be too miffed with your lack of response.

The car ride is long, so you decide to have a bit of a sleep.

You are awoken by Miss Stone tapping you lightly on the shoulder.
You open your eyes to see that it is now the dead of night. Elaine is now in the driver’s seat.

Before the car stands the pub. It’s fairly nondescript. You’re familiar with these kinds of establishments.

(3/3) kpwlt 2023/09/15(Fri)06:24 No. 1072400 ID: 127310
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After slipping your earpiece in, you make your way into the pub. Cawdor leans casually near the door, Elaine lurks around a couple of tables, and Jemima immediately disappears into the women's bathroom.

You suppose it's about time you did your thing.
Tonight, there are four people seated at the bar.

Furthest to the left is a uniformed officer of the UIDF (often colloquially referred to as Greys for their uniforms). You can't quite make out what they're drinking, but it looks like they've got another half-full glass nearby.

Next is a man dressed casually. He seems to be alone, and not drinking much. The air around him still smells cold, as though he only entered the pub recently.

Next is a strange-looking individual who seems to have arrived straight from working at a dock. Their clothes are almost all black, though you can occasionally catch a glimpse of orange.

On the very right of the bar is a fellow sitting bolt upright. He also wears black, though his clothes are far fancier than the person to his left. The collar of his coat almost obscures his head. Every now and then, his hairless ears peek above the golden edge of his collar.

You could probably strike up conversation with any one of these people, or you could go check if there's anyone of interest near Elaine.

Take the free seat at the bar, between the UIDF officer and the casually-dressed man, and order a drink.

Try to make some conversation with both folks next to you - inquiring about the pub itself and the people running it would be a good idea.

Cats are his favorite? That has potential. If you can avoid actually becoming a dehydrated head, that is. If he thinks he can get your head, he might drop his guard in his eagerness to acquire it. You could consider implying something about having an unpopular uncle who no one would miss, as long as he doesn't actually check whether you have one.

Once you've found your target, tell him you inherited an old house with an old-style trophy room, but the trophy collection has a croc-shaped hole in it. Everyone who boasted one such collection had a crocodile trophy, making its lack very conspicuous in your inheritance.

Either the dock worker or the policeman could be good conversation. They know the general lay of things around here.

Sit beside one and after a few greetings call the bartender like "I want a beer, I want a beer right meeeeeow!"

(1/5) kpwlt 2023/09/30(Sat)05:34 No. 1073615 ID: 127310
File 169607725494.png - (20.41KB , 700x700 , u10p1.png )

>Once you've found your target, tell him you inherited an old house with an old-style trophy room, but the trophy collection has a croc-shaped hole in it. Everyone who boasted one such collection had a crocodile trophy, making its lack very conspicuous in your inheritance.

This approach sounds good and will ensure that Inpu doesn't suspect whatever nefarious shenanigans Tony wants with the head. You'll keep it in mind.

Crocodiles are often hunted by rich lunatics for sport, so this excuse will go far.

>Cats are his favorite? That has potential. If you can avoid actually becoming a dehydrated head, that is. If he thinks he can get your head, he might drop his guard in his eagerness to acquire it. You could consider implying something about having an unpopular uncle who no one would miss, as long as he doesn't actually check whether you have one.

Now you're thinking with your head! Appealing to his weird collecting habits will definitely give you an edge. You will make sure to remember this.

>Take the free seat at the bar, between the UIDF officer and the casually-dressed man, and order a drink.

You plonk yourself down at the free seat. You take a glance at the menu imprinted on the bar.

Your perusing is interrupted by the UIDF officer.
“Hey,” she says, “my husband was sitting there.”
Upon seeing your flusterment, she assures you.
“It’s okay, he’s gone to the bathroom and he won’t be back for a while, I don’t think he’s feeling very well.”

(2/5) kpwlt 2023/09/30(Sat)05:34 No. 1073616 ID: 127310
File 169607725775.png - (16.87KB , 700x700 , u10p2.png )

> Try to make some conversation with both folks next to you - inquiring about the pub itself and the people running it would be a good idea.

Since the UIDF officer engaged with you first, you’ll talk to her first.
You should probably start by constructing a bit of a rapport before launching into all-out interrogation.
“Hi, my name’s Abel. What brings you and your husband here?”
“Nice to meet you Abel, I’m Siobhan. We’re actually here investigating a missing persons case. Do you watch the news often?”
You don’t, so you shake your head.
“Right, well, there’ve been a few people vanishing around this area. We can’t seem to find a common thread among them though.”

Suddenly, Tony’s voice crackles into your ears,
”Sounds like they’re on the trail of our Inpu. You can’t let them interfere with our mission.”

Siobhan pulls a grey folder out of her matching uniform’s folds. You manage to glimpse some of the victims before she pulls out a postcard sized photograph.
It is of a low quality and taken from a strange angle, but it nonetheless shows a silhouetted figure gazing into the camera with green eyes.
“Have you seen this man?”
You haven’t, so you reply, “No, but I’ll keep my eyes open for him.”
You then ask Siobhan about the pub itself.
"Do you know much about this place?"

"Admittedly not," she replies, "but this is the last thread we've got. If this turns out to be a dead end, it'd be as good as saying all those missing people were swallowed up by the earth itself.

(3/5) kpwlt 2023/09/30(Sat)05:34 No. 1073617 ID: 127310
File 169607726073.png - (18.54KB , 700x700 , u10p3.png )

The casually dressed man unexpectedly pipes up.
"You'd best start digging. Inpu is an upstanding guy, and I'm confident you won't find any dirt on him. I know him well and I promise you he's the most generous and humble person I know. He funds pretty much everything in this town, out of his own goodwill."
Siobhan shifts uncomfortably.

(4/5) kpwlt 2023/09/30(Sat)05:34 No. 1073618 ID: 127310
File 169607726777.png - (16.63KB , 700x700 , u10p4.png )

>Either the dock worker or the policeman could be good conversation. They know the general lay of things around here.
You decide to leave Siobhan and the man alone for the minute and go speak to the dock worker.
>Sit beside one and after a few greetings call the bartender like "I want a beer, I want a beer right meeeeeow!"
But not before you have a drink.
You call to the bartender (who conveniently made his appearance during your previous conversation), who quickly gets a pint into your hand.

Having accomplished this, you tap the dock worker on the shoulder.
"Hi, I'm Abel and-"
"Don't talk to me, please, I'm hiding."
Oh.

(5/5) kpwlt 2023/09/30(Sat)05:34 No. 1073619 ID: 127310
File 169607727167.png - (19.47KB , 700x700 , u10p5.png )

Antonius' voice crackles into your ears once more.
"Leave it, I reckon. Not a good idea to antagonise anyone at the bar, I don't think. Anyway, if you can find a moment alone, I'd appreciate it if you could describe the man that Siobhan showed you. You might be able to get some privacy in the toilet. Otherwise, just keep snooping around for leads. Might wanna chat with the bartender a bit, or anyone else at the bar who's willing to talk."

Let's pay attention to the poicewoman's conversation. They are already talking about our target!

Order a negative dose of fat and protein.
Wait until your mark asks what the hell you're talking about.

(1/2) kpwlt 2023/11/27(Mon)05:36 No. 1078118 ID: 127310
File 170109220260.png - (19.70KB , 700x700 , u11p1.png )

>Let's pay attention to the poicewoman's conversation. They are already talking about our target!

Siobhan and the man are continuing their conversation. You eavesdrop a little.
It looks like the officer has made headway with Inpu's bootlicker and now they're looking through the case together.

"Hmm, I've never seen him associate with anyone who looks like that." says the man.
"Oh, he probably just doesn't do it publicly..." Siobhan replies.
"I think you might be wrong. He's usually pretty open about his... unsavoury connections. Don't look directly at him, but there's one of his mobster friends just a couple of stools over from me."
"Oh dear. Looks like we might have to investigate further into that."
"No, no, no. Inpu's definitely a good influence on them. Trust me."
"..."

Mobster friends? Interesting.

(2/2) kpwlt 2023/11/27(Mon)05:36 No. 1078119 ID: 127310
File 170109220713.png - (28.94KB , 700x700 , u11p2.png )

>Order a negative dose of fat and protein. Wait until your mark asks what the hell you're talking about.

You ask the bartender for the strange order and put on your smuggest look.

Antonius crackles into your ear with a warning tone, "Abel..."


After a few moments in the back room, the bartender slides you something that looks like a sandwich, a- what in the world?! It's quite safe to say that the attention of everyone at the bar has been drawn to your sandwich thingy. Including the 'mobster' that the casually dressed man mentioned earlier.

Ask the bartender if you can safely eat it. Too much antifat might be hazardous to your health!

EAT IT DO IT DO IT

(1/3) kpwlt 2023/12/07(Thu)05:02 No. 1078879 ID: 127310
File 170195414642.png - (40.11KB , 700x700 , u12p1.png )

>Ask the bartender if you can safely eat it. Too much antifat might be hazardous to your health!

The tender responds with a flat "no".

>EAT IT DO IT DO IT

Your impulses get the better of you and you scarf the sandwich down. It burns all the way down.
When it gets to your stomach, you can feel all the juices bubbling in discontent. It sort of feels like some parts of your abdominal region are collapsing in on themselves.

You feel something dribble out of the corner of your mouth. After touching a hand to it, you can see that it's blood.

(2/3) kpwlt 2023/12/07(Thu)05:02 No. 1078880 ID: 127310
File 170195415579.png - (19.45KB , 700x700 , u12p2.png )

Seeing the sight of your own blood wouldn't normally do this to you, but that combined with the unpleasant sensation right before it causes you to fall, like a plank, into a supine position.
Hitting the back of your head on the pub floor, naturally, stuns you momentarily. This definitely gives you a horrible feeling in your cranium for now, but you don't feel like it'll cause any lasting damage.

(3/3) kpwlt 2023/12/07(Thu)05:02 No. 1078881 ID: 127310
File 170195415932.png - (19.67KB , 700x700 , u12p3.png )

In the near-instantaneous time that it's taken you to come to, the "mobster" has swooped over and scooped you up.

He takes you past the bar and into a little room and lays you down on the bed. After checking your pulse and breathing, he looks into your mouth.
The man asks you if you're feeling okay and where the pain is. Before you can automatically answer, you feel the sting of unknown chemicals being injected directly into your cubital fossa. You had best hope that that was medicine for whatever you just ate.

Well if you're not falling back into unconsciousness right away, it's time to strike conversation.

A plausible excuse for what you did is that you were just trying to work up an appetite, and you didn't know it would negate the fat and protein of your body, not just the food you eat.

Ponder just why the hell you ordered that anyway. Was that some kind of pop culture reference?

Well either you're a shrunken head on a shelf, or this "mobster" is going to help you. Can't hurt to thank him, either way.

Why hello sir or madam,pardon me my disorientation, but it seems I overdid it with the antipasta. Luckily, it appears I'm fine thanks to the timely rescue of you triplets.

Say, are you the owner of this fine establishment?

(1/1) kpwlt 2023/12/21(Thu)07:13 No. 1079613 ID: 127310
File 170317159719.png - (15.07KB , 512x512 , u13p1.png )

>Well if you're not falling back into unconsciousness right away, it's time to strike conversation.
>A plausible excuse for what you did is that you were just trying to work up an appetite, and you didn't know it would negate the fat and protein of your body, not just the food you eat.
>Why hello sir or madam,pardon me my disorientation, but it seems I overdid it with the antipasta. Luckily, it appears I'm fine thanks to the timely rescue of you triplets.

You begin your explanation, but the "mobster" holds up a hand as though to silence you, though this seems to be less out of frustration at your actions and more out of frustration at having to sit through whatever explanation it is you have.

>Ponder just why the hell you ordered that anyway. Was that some kind of pop culture reference?

Was it? You're not exactly sure. Hell, I'm not exactly sure! The voices in your head just told you to do it.

>Well either you're a shrunken head on a shelf, or this "mobster" is going to help you. Can't hurt to thank him, either way.

You thank him. He acknowledges your gratitude with a grunt.

>Say, are you the owner of this fine establishment?

"No, that would be Inpu. If you have any business with him, let me know. My name is Horemakhet."

He seems very... official.

Thank the gentleman by kindly feeding him the rest of your sandwich.

Afterwards, inquire about purchasing some of those fancy crocodile heads Inpu appears to collect.

Do take the detoxifying needles away from him as you question him on the matter. They may distract him from the conversation. Offer him one once he tells you where they are stored, though.

>>1080506

Oh that sounds like a wonderful way to get arrested by an undercover police investigation into a crocodile head taker.

Why? For not leeting him get sidetracked while we ask him?

Would you rather he purged his system mid conversation?

Pah! Our generosity win out in the end.

Grab that sandwich and tell to open wide, here comes the plane.

(1/1) kpwlt 2024/01/22(Mon)07:35 No. 1081605 ID: 127310
File 170593772211.png - (26.39KB , 700x700 , u14p1.png )

>Thank the gentleman by kindly feeding him the rest of your sandwich.
You would, but you left it back at the bar. Good thing you still haven't paid for it.

>Afterwards, inquire about purchasing some of those fancy crocodile heads Inpu appears to collect.
"At once."

>Do take the detoxifying needles away from him as you question him on the matter. They may distract him from the conversation. Offer him one once he tells you where they are stored, though.
Unfortunately, the needle has vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Horemakhet assists you out of bed and leads you into the next room, which happens to be a neat office. Behind the desk are a number of books on a shelf. To the desk's right is a cabinet with the crocodile heads in it, mummified and painted. To its left is a chair. Horemakhet sits you on the chair and instructs you to wait, leaving through the door he came in.

This might be a long wait, so surely there's little harm in poking around a bit. You could even think of what you want to say and which head you'd prefer before the man in charge meets you.

His desk has a number of trinkets on it. In the middle seems to be a closed diary with a pen lain on the cover.

Examine the diary and the desk drawers.

Pick the blue head with the ahnk neklace. It's probably the most powerful.