The best thing to do now is disorient the man. Clive should use the cane to knock any of the flashlights that are still on away. If he can snatch one up to start flicking on and off in Sheppard's face then even better.

Roger should use his speed to grab the shotgun. Shooting at Sheppard, even in the legs, is probably too much for Roger, which is just as well since that would risk hitting a kid. Instead he should fire it into the ground, taking the gun out of play and increasing the noise and confusion for the adult.

In any event, all parties should keep moving around so Sheppard has trouble keeping track of where they are.

The Storyteller 2025/07/04(Fri)19:09 No. 1110697 ID: 90bde2
File 175168135995.gif - (134.27KB , 1000x1000 , 430.gif )

Everyone moves at once.

Roger goes for the Gun.

Enid goes for the Knife.

You go for Sheppard.

And Sheppard…

He just watches, assessing you all as he does.

His gaze stays on Roger for a few seconds. You can guess why, as he is going for the deadliest weapon. Dealing with him first may seem like the right thing to do. You think for a moment Sheppard might agree, and yet he stays still.

Your brain goes into overdrive, considering his perspective. Roger hadn’t thrown an attack yet, not even a feeble swing when he’d been grabbed. This was clearly an ambush, and Roger had only been the bait. While that isn’t without risk, he’d willingly taken the one position that didn’t necessitate fighting.

Sheppard must have concluded that a lethal weapon in Roger’s hands was just a bluff, as he turned to look elsewhere.

He tilts his head towards Enid next. She certainly wasn’t bluffing, but she had already failed to bring him down with the knife. An attack from her would hurt, but would another puny puncture really bring him down before the gash in his arm did? You weren’t sure, but maybe Sheppard wasn’t worried either.

Or maybe you’re giving him too much credit. Maybe he just thinks that she doesn’t look threatening, with her stubby legs, pink dress, and doll-like hair. Whatever it is, he turns away from her.

Finally, his eyes land on you. You’re rushing straight at him, just a few yards away. There’s no delay before he moves, catching your cane mid-swing.

Despite your tight grip, he easily rips it out of your hands, nearly dragging you off your feet with it. The sudden jerk pops your shoulder out of place.

You freeze, and before you can even decide what to do next, you look up to see him swinging the cane right at your head.

Too shocked to dodge, you raise an arm to block.

It connects.

Your hand Shatters.

The pain can’t be put into words, but your volume paints a picture for the others.

Clive: “AAAAAAAAAAA”

[ Sheppard Attack Check ]
[ Variable Outcome ]
[ 25% chance Sheppard deals a glancing blow, only dealing minor damage - 16 through 20 ]
[ 60% chance Sheppard inflicts a MAJOR injury on Clive, incapacitating him - 4 through 15 ]
[ 15% chance Sheppard kills Clive - 1 through 3 ]

[ Rolled 15/20: Clive receives a major injury, and his attack is skipped ]

The Storyteller 2025/07/04(Fri)19:09 No. 1110698 ID: 90bde2
File 175168138213.png - (257.98KB , 1000x1000 , 431.png )

Sheppard: “Fah… Stein’s gonna pitch a fit about the damage, but you didn’t give me much of a choice.”
‘Bec: “Clive!”

You fall on your knees, clutching your hand in total agony. Your breath hitches, as tears stream down your face endlessly. It is, without question, the worst pain you’ve ever felt. No thought of fighting back or defending yourself crosses your mind. How could you think about anything like this?

A meaty hand rests itself on your head, gently grabbing your hair. Sheppard leans down, bringing his other hand to your chin.

Sheppard: “I’m not petty enough that I’ll make a kid suffer. Just stay put for a second, and I’ll make it stop hurting.”

Even knowing what he means, the offer sounds too good to turn down, and so you offer no resistance. You shut your eyes, surrendering to your end.

That end never comes though.

Sheppard: “Hrrk!”

He pushes you away, slamming you into the shelves. The pain that shoots up your hand nearly knocks you out, but a warmer touch soon envelops you. Pressing yourself into it steadies you, and the agony soon dulls just enough to think again.

You open your eyes, looking up into ‘Bec’s. The concern in her gaze makes you want to shrivel up and disappear.

‘Bec: “Hey, you good?”
Clive: “‘Bec…”
‘Bec: “Just relax, okay? It’s over.”

Over? But Sheppard is still…

You look back at him, only to see a bloodbath. Sheppard is bleeding out on his stomach, a hurricane of new cuts on his back. Enid stands above him, staring down at the knife sticking out of his back. The blade was almost entirely red now.

Roger: “E-Enid, you…”
Enid: “...What? We were trying to kill him, weren’t we?”
Enid: “I didn’t want him to hit me back, so I just kept cutting until he stopped moving.”
Albert: “Sounds perfectly sensible to me. A+ work, Enid.”
Enid: “Thank you!”

[ Enid Attack Check ]
[ Variable Outcome ]
[ 50% Fatal injury - 11 through 20 ]
[ 50% chance Glancing blow - 1 through 10 ]

[ Rolled 20/20: Enid kills Sheppard ]

The Storyteller 2025/07/04(Fri)19:10 No. 1110699 ID: 90bde2
File 175168145403.png - (524.86KB , 1000x1000 , 432.png )

Despite his injuries, Sheppard lets out a cough, showing he’s still alive. Enid quickly pulls back her knife to stab him again, only for Roger to hold her back.

Roger: “Hold on. He can’t do anything to us like this. If he’s still alive, we might at least get some answers.”

Enid thinks for a moment and then nods. They both walk in front of Sheppard, so that he sees them both when he looks up. His breathing is labored, but he breaks into bitter laughter.

Sheppard: “Hehehehe ha ha… What kind of sick joke is this meant to be? I’m getting butchered by Fred’s kid now?”
Sheppard: “I guess Backstabbing runs in the blood. Who’d have thought his Accident would come and plant her knife right next to his?”
Sheppard: “God… haha ha… After everything I’ve given this town–this whole community–this is really what I get in return, huh?”
Sheppard: “How much more are we gonna lose for trusting him? Is this really how Cattenom dies?”
Enid: “Stop that. It’s not daddy’s fault that everyone in this town is rotten. People like you deserve to be betrayed.”
Enid: “You killed Giovanni! And you hurt Clive too!”
Sheppard: “Course, it’s my fault, isn’t it? I made you all break the rules so that I could–oh wait, no… You came on your own, didn’t you?”
Sheppard: “You knew you weren’t supposed to, and you came anyway.”
Sheppard: “Don’t act saintly now, just because the punishment seems harsh. You knew there’d be consequences when you broke that rule.”
Enid: “Is that really all you care about? That’s why Giovanni had to die?”
Sheppard: “It’s why you all have to.”

He says it so matter of factly that it’s chilling. The idea of death meant nothing to him, and the thought of what that means for those still missing haunts you.

Sheppard: “I bet you think killing me here will solve your problems. No witnesses, means you’ll get away with it, right?”
Sheppard: “You even think that coming here was an original idea, don’t you?”
Roger: “W-We’re not the first kids to do this?”
Sheppard: “Ain’t the second, third, or fourth neither. Doubt you’ll be the last.”
Sheppard: “I wonder if you even got as far as the others. Did you come here lookin’ for a way out?”
Albert: “A way out? Do you mean a way to break out compatriots free from the high school?”

He just laughs.

Sheppard: “Guess I was giving you too much credit. You really don’t know anything, do you?”
Sheppard: “I was worried for nothing. Cattenom isn’t dying out anytime soon.”
Albert: “You can tell yourself that if it eases the sting of your failure. When you pass on though, our investigation will continue, and we will find the answers we’re looking for.”
Sheppard: “Heh… You got me there. I did lose today, didn’t I?”
Sheppard: “Tell ya what, go on and dig up all the dirty secrets you want. Weed through our trash, reopen old wounds, clear the skeletons out of our closet.”
Sheppard: “When it’s all over though, I want you to look back and ask if there was any point to it? All the pain and fear and uncertain feelings…”
Sheppard: “What is it all for?”
Roger: “We’re not doing this for nothing. We want our friends back.”

He laughs.

The knot in your chest tightens, as you silently beg for more than that. A taunt, a riddle, just anything other than his twisted laughter to cling to.

But there’s nothing. The awful noise dies out, and no matter how the others press for more, Sheppard’s voice never fills the space again.

Tadd Sheppard is gone, leaving nothing but a body and unfathomable dread that rests deep in your heart.

The only reprieve you receive comes from passing out. The pain and stress was too much to bear, and consciousness leaves you.

…

What does Clive dream about?

A: Someone familiar
-Remember something that never happened to you
-You will be shown something cryptic and requiring interpretation
B: Insanity
-Reminisce on the worst day of your life
-You will learn about Trauma Responses
C: A red string
-A fraying thread of fate
-Clive will get the chance to decide something for himself
D: Something stupid
-Take a break from harsh truths and trauma to indulge in stupidity
-This really will mean nothing in the grand scheme of things
-Clive could really use the break

y'know what

I was going to say A to potentially see Temmie (maybe not though)

and I know all the other choices will show us something very important.

but

We've asked for so so much from poor Clive throughout this quest. he needs this now:

D, something stupid.

>>1110699
>What's it all for
The secrecy, the manipulation... it tied a noose around each child's neck, and now those nooses are strangling the whole gang, even the ones who are being executed by something else.
You'll cut those nooses if it's the last thing you do.

Sheppard has been gone for a long time. This isn't just one sack of scum. It was the conspiracy that nurtured the scum, praised it, gave it power until it ate the man it had been living on. What was once a part of Sheppard's mind became the caricature of a core, and it appears he never even noticed the death of his soul.

Maybe you're all doomed. Maybe you'll go down a dark path like your parents. But screw this path and the real estate moguls that drive across it! You're done with this madness, and you've shown you're willing to murder to get off the ride to 'Heaven'.

B, and draw forth the rage. You're ready to hone it.

>>1110699
C could be nice. C.

C

B

C because I have no idea how he's gonna explain the broken hand or get it fixed without getting got, I'd rather he has a chance to do something now and feel like all this was worth something

C, I think he deserves a chance to make something happen good or bad after this, especially since we got no clue if he's gonna survive and not get caught bc of the broken hand

C. Clive has been bounced around so much, getting to decide something will be a nice break.

(also, aw, kids didn't get to tell him Giovanni named them knowing full well they were in earshot)

D, poor guy really needs it.

Poor boy has been strung along for a long while into mess after mess without control of the situation or even his own mental state.

He really needs a break, but maybe if he uses this opportunity to make an important within the relative safety of the dreamworld, he can start taking control of his life.

I vote C for Clive.

The Storyteller 2025/07/14(Mon)23:32 No. 1111198 ID: 90bde2
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…

…

…

You wake up in an all encompassing darkness. Instantly, you’re aware that the nuclear plant is gone. There is nothing here. The ground beneath you is nonexistent, yet seemingly solid.

It’s hard to tell how long you spend in that emptiness, before something fills the void. The presence of another person takes form, alongside a small table between the two of you. A deck of cards is spread out, arranged with meaning, but not for any game you’re familiar with.

You stare at where you know the person exists, but it’s pointless. The darkness conceals their form.

Slowly, you watch as cards shift one by one. The adjustments are slight, and they stop at the 26th. An Alphabet, you realize. After a pause, the cycle repeats. This time, you make sure to memorize the order in which it is gone through. Watching helps you realize the order quickly, as while the cards are scattered, she’s moving them sequentially. Ace of Spades through King of Spades for the first thirteen letters, and Ace of Hearts through King of Hearts for the last thirteen.

The presence pauses again, and you wonder if it’s waiting on a signal.

Clive: “Can you hear me?”

Cards shift, and you quickly translate an answer.

“Yes”
“Hello Clive”

“So they can hear me,” you think. “And they know who I am…”

Clive: “You’re… Temmie. Aren’t you?”

“I am”
“How did you know”

You hadn’t been sure, but you couldn’t imagine any of the adults wanting to talk to you like this. Of the remaining kids in town, Temmie was just the most likely, unless Rodney had picked up some tricks at the high school.

Clive: “...It was just a guess.”
Clive: “Why the cards?”

“Dad is watching”
“Have to pretend I am playing”
“Cannot raise suspicion”

You can understand that well-enough.

Clive: “Why are you here then?”

“To help”
“Place your hand on the Jack of Clubs”

You find it on the table and comply. She places her hand atop your own, sending a strange pulse through your body. You can’t feel it, not the heat of her body or the pressure of her touch, but you know it’s there anyways.

From your hand, she pulls out a blood-red thread. You watch it raise infinitely upwards, stretching further than you can see or comprehend.

You reach out and run a single finger across the thread. You almost swear that you feel a heartbeat to it.

Clive: “What is this…”

“Fate”
“This is your life“
“A single thread in the quilt of life”

As your finger runs across it, you find a part that feels different. Weaker, somehow.

Clive: “There’s something wrong with it.”
Clive: “Right here. It’s starting to fray.”

“Yes”
“You hesitated before and Roger almost died for it”
“The guilt will push you over the edge when you wake up”
“It will break you”

Clive: “...I’m already broken.”

“I know”
“But you should not delve deeper into insanity”
“You have surrendered too much of yourself already”

Clive: “Is that a joke?”
Clive: “I haven’t sacrificed half as much as anyone else has, and it’s already more than I can afford to give?”
Clive: “Am I really that pathetic?”

“You have given more than you realize”
“A mind is not something to be given away carelessly”
“It makes you less of yourself”

Clive: “...Being less of me can only be an improvement.”

She pauses. For a minute, the cards don’t move. You don’t move a muscle, waiting to see what her response ends up being. Finally, the cards begin shifting again.

“You used to be happy”

…You aren’t sure if that was ever true. That thought hurts you more than expected.

Clive: “...What do you want from me?”

“I want to offer you a chance to change this fate”
“I can repair your thread”

Clive: “There’s a catch.”

“Yes”
“I cannot shift the balance”
“To make your fate kinder I must make another fate worse”

Clive: “And it can’t be one of the adults, because that would still leave things unbalanced, right?”
Clive: “We’re on one side, the adults are on the other.”

“Yes”

Clive: “...You want me to shove even more of my burdens onto others?”

“It is only an offer”
“But I would prefer you take it”
“There are people who will be hurt if you shatter”
“More than you think”

It’s hard not to think that she’s just saying that to push you towards the choice she prefers. You know she’s right though. Despite every reason they shouldn’t, there are people who care about you.

Enid has been clinging to your side all day. She bought that doll for you, she comforted you after what happened with Giovanni, and she was mad at Sheppard for hurting you. In a way, she’s almost been acting like Rodney used to.

And Rodney… Even after everything you’ve put him through, he’s always cared. Of course it would hurt him to see you worse off than you already are.

That thought sends you down a dark spiral. How bad did it hurt him the first time he had to watch you fall to pieces? Did you even notice? What if he was hiding his pain to avoid making you feel worse than you already had? Do you really think he wouldn’t be able to trick you like that?

...Can you really put him through that again?

Clive: “...Whose life would you mess up? If I accept.”

“I will let you choose for yourself Clive”
“Let nobody else decide this future for you”

You don’t know why, but you feel like that statement isn’t aimed at you. A quick look around the void reveals that it’s still just the two of you (not that you can even see Temmie).

Suddenly, Temmie clears the table, and sets down a selection of various toys. She doesn’t explain who they match up to, but you can kind of tell just by looking at them. All of the options she provides are kids involved with your investigation, in at least some way. A couple sit at the fringes, surprising you to see them offered at all.

Clive: “So I can’t just name a kid I never talk to?”

She takes one of the dolls and makes it shake its head to say “no”.

Clive: “Alright…”

The Storyteller 2025/07/14(Mon)23:33 No. 1111199 ID: 90bde2
File 175256119401.png - (329.68KB , 1000x1000 , 434.png )

Slowly, you begin pushing toys off the table, removing them from consideration. Some were easy, others you had to think about a bit more. You second guess yourself plenty, but once a toy falls off the table, it vanishes into the void. The forced commitment helps, and you soon have only two toys sitting in front of you.

You can’t be sure how long it takes from then, but it feels like an eternity. In the end, what decides it comes down to why you’re here in the first place.

The way Temmie had put it, you were going to be overwhelmed by your guilt about almost letting Roger die, because you’d acted cowardly in the fight against Sheppard. (It’s something you remember, but it isn’t registering emotionally at the moment. A quirk of this being a dream?)

Your actions had almost led to Roger’s demise, and you would have felt terrible if that had happened.

With that in mind, you push the sketching toy off the table, leaving only one toy left.

Clive: “Lillian. I choose her.”

It was cruel. The girl you should have been able to relate to the most, having a brother trapped at the high school, and you were going to tear her down to save yourself. In the end though, she was the only option.

It wouldn’t be Enid or ‘Bec. They’d been too good to you.

You’d gotten a glimpse into Albert’s home life, and it seemed worse than even yours.

Franklin wasn’t an option. That isn’t to say you didn’t consider him, you mean it quite literally. There had been no toy representing him on the table. It didn’t seem like your place to question that.

Any misfortune that comes to Lemmy could result in him getting caught, and you don’t trust him not to tattle to the adults about your group’s investigation.

JoJo… You’re ashamed by how long you left her on the table.

Lillian doesn’t deserve this, but she was the only person you couldn’t find a reason to take off the table. As much as you want to take it back, you don’t. Instead, you take a deep breath and look straight ahead at where Temmie is seated. This is your choice, and you will stand by it.

Despite not seeing it, you can imagine her smiling.





Temmie: “Very well then.”

The Storyteller 2025/07/14(Mon)23:35 No. 1111201 ID: 90bde2
File 175256131643.png - (218.49KB , 1000x1000 , 435.png )

…

…

…

A sharp pain wakes you up. You don’t jolt up, but your face tightens. The person hovering over you catches it.

Albert: “Hold still. I’m applying a splint to prevent you from worsening your injury.”
Roger: “He’s awake?”
‘Bec: “What part of ‘be quiet’ did you shits not understand?”

As Albert ties a knot and gives you approval, you sit up. The room you’re in has changed. It’s clearly still the plant, but…

Enid: “‘Bec brought us up here. She carried you while you were sleeping.”
Clive: “Why?”
‘Bec: “Because I want to see what’s behind these friggin’ locked doors.”

She raps her knuckles against a door you hadn’t yet come across. You remember her mentioning something about this before, back in the Archive. That must mean you’re back on the second floor.

Albert: “There was no reason not to backtrack. With Sheppard disposed of, our group should be the only ones still present in this plant.”
Albert: “We’ve yet to find anything approaching a solid explanation for the circumstances observed in town, so it’s too soon to conclude our exploration.”
‘Bec: “Do you have to use every word in the English language whenever you open your mouth?”
‘Bec: “It’d suck to have gone through all that shit and not have anything to show for it, hence, checking places we haven’t been to yet. Nice and simple.”
Albert: “Personally, I suggested a more thorough sweep of the Archive, but I can’t deny that I’m also curious about these rooms.”

As ‘Bec returns to picking the lock, you’re given a moment to catch your bearings. Your mind draws back to the fight against Sheppard, replaying every scene of it. You remember the actions you took, as well as the ones that you didn’t…

And yet, it doesn’t bother you. Your cowardice, the choices you made… You are at peace with them.

“I can repair your thread”
“To make your fate kinder I must make another fate worse”

…You’d rather think about something else

Party Fear Level
[Clive: 60/100] (-30)

Glancing around the room, you consider your options. While you aren’t one for conversation, there are topics you wouldn’t mind discussing with some of the people here.

What will you do?

A: Talk to Enid and Roger
-Check in with them and see how they’re holding up after the fight
-You’re worried about how Enid is handling her first kill
B: Talk to Albert and ‘Bec
-Talk about what Albert and ‘Bec found while searching the Archive
-You may not have another good moment to bring it up today
C: Other
-Pull somebody aside for a private conversation?
-Have Clive do something other than talk?
-Describe what you want Clive to do

There's a sentiment that's been gaining more popularity, and I think I'm inclined to agree with the philosophy behind it: getting to the end isn't what's important, it's how you do it.

B sounds efficient, but I think A sounds the best to me right now.

I'm gonna be selfish and pick A just because I am genuinely interested in seeing how that conversation goes.
The fact Enid was even capable of doing what she did says alot, and her response to being asked about it will say more.

A because enid lost family, probably had a breakdown, got therapy, then came along and did a murder and seems... more uh blank then Clive was in a different way.

Checking on her is PROBABLY a good idea just for that alone, also she showed she cared about you, care about her back a little, jerk.

we can do B later, that information isn't going anywhere anytime soon, and can be discussed in the next group meeting, unless Bec and Albert get captured/killed anytime soon.

A, but what to say? As an introvert Clive never really been interested in conversation, but his actions have spoken loudest here, and in the past.

Maybe just hug Enid? I think that one action will tell them everything without having to say anything:
A hug to apologize to them for what happened
to comfort her after what she did
to thank her for saving you
to show a side of you Roger wouldn't expect

if there are some things to talk about, we could ask Roger some concerns he should think about for later, like, how will we get back without anybody seeing or explain about your injury, and the blood on Enid especially at the orphanage?

He's the leader, so he can come up with a solution. you could keep that concern in Roger's mind to think over. I guess the best shot would be going to Franklin's place. You've done enough thinking

>>1111203
Agreed!

A

The Storyteller 2025/07/19(Sat)18:09 No. 1111328 ID: fcd071
File 175297377678.png - (377.79KB , 1000x1000 , 436.png )

You decide it best to leave ‘Bec unbothered as she works, and approach the other two. Enid immediately lights up, while Roger is at least less outwardly bothered by you than he has been earlier.

Clive: “Hey.”
Roger: “Hey, i-it’s good to see you up again. You’re lucky Albert’s had a lot of experience patching himself up.”
Roger: “Not that that’s a good thing, but it’s making the best out of a bad situation.”
Clive: “...Yeah.”

The earnest attempt at conversation is appreciated, really, but it’s painfully awkward. You aren’t sure what you’re supposed to say to him.

Instead, you deflect by intentionally shifting the focus to Enid.

Clive: “How are you feeling?”
Enid: “Shouldn’t I be asking that to you? You’re the one who got hurt…”

You look at your hand. The splint helps keep it steady, but the pain is still there. It’s manageable, if only just barely.

Enid: “It sounded really bad. Are you going to visit the hospital when we leave?”
Clive: “...I’ll think about it.”

You wouldn’t. Going to a doctor for a bandage was one thing, but there’s no way they’d let you walk in with a broken wrist without trying to contact your parents. You can’t risk that much attention, not in your current situation.

If it gets infected, the worst that might happen is you’ll have to amputate. As terrible as that would be, at least you’ll still be alive that way. It’s a risk you will have to take for now…

You motion Roger away, and pull Enid in closer for a private chat.

Clive: “You didn’t answer me. Are you okay?”

She looks down, idly tugging at her dress.

Enid: “Um… I don’t feel amazing. I-I’m happy that Mr. Sheppard is dead, after what he did to Giovanni. Being able to do something felt nice.”
Enid: “But… killing him doesn’t really change anything. I still miss Giovanni and daddy, even though they did bad things. They won’t come back, just because he’s gone now.”
Enid: “It was just… something we had to do. He would have killed us otherwise.”
Clive: “Yeah. He would have.”
Enid: “...”

She looks down. You pat her on the head in as comforting a motion as you can.

Clive: “You did good.”
Enid: “I mean, yeah, he’s dead. So…”

She pauses, looking up at you.

Enid: “...Wait, do you think I feel bad for killing Mr. Sheppard?”
Clive: “...Yes?”
Enid: “Oh. Sorry, I m-mean, it isn’t something I want to do again, but…”
Enid: “He wasn’t really a nice person at all, and he tried to kill us. I’m not sad that he’s dead.”
Clive: “Oh.”
Enid: “Um, thank you for checking though. That was sweet of you. Sorry if I made you worry for nothing.”

You catch yourself meeting her gaze to watch for any sign of deception. It’s easy to imagine Rodney smiling and pushing down his grief to comfort you, and for a moment you can picture Enid doing the same though.

Nothing in her expression betrays falsehoods though. As far as you can tell, she’s being honest with you.

Clive: “It’s fine. If it doesn’t bother you, that’s a good thing.”
‘Bec: “Hey! I got this one open, get over here.”

The Storyteller 2025/07/19(Sat)18:15 No. 1111330 ID: fcd071
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Everyone’s quick to huddle around, as ‘Bec throws open the door, and you have to cover your eyes.

You have been stuck in this plant for so long, it’s felt like years had passed since you’d last seen natural light. Here in this room though, the dark windowless interior of the plant had been broken by a tremendous hole in the exterior wall. It might even be more accurate to say that the wall itself was missing.

The room appears to be an Office, but it’s in complete disarray. The room looks like it’s been ransacked. Books and files have been ripped off the shelves and thrown to the floor, furniture has been flipped over, and the walls that haven’t deteriorated are damaged.

Roger: “Jeez, it’s been forever since I last saw the sun.”
Enid: “I’m surprised it isn’t even night yet.”
Albert: “We don’t have much daylight left to waste. ‘Bec, you claimed there were doors you wished to unlock? Plural?”
‘Bec: “Yeah yeah, the other one’s right over there, just next door. I’ll have it open in under a minute.”
Roger: “Why don’t ‘Bec and I check the next room, while you three take this one then?”
Albert: “That sounds acceptable to me.”

Nobody else complains, so Roger walks a bit down the hall with ‘Bec. As the rest of you step deeper into the office, Albert stops you.

Albert: “I think I know where we are.”
Enid: “How?”

He tips a bit of rubbish over with his cane, pushing a name placard forward.

Leopold Stiff

Albert: “The newspapers labelled him as the plant manager. The likely conclusion then is…”
Clive: “This was his office.”
Albert: “Correct.”
Enid: “Let’s see if we can find anything else out in this mess.”

What do you try to figure out about the Manager’s office?
A: Who was he?
-Learn more about him as an individual
B: Why is the room like this?
-Learn more about what led to this room’s current state
C: What secrets was he keeping about the plant?
-Learn secrets the plant may have been keeping while it was in operation

C is my main answer, what even was this plant's purpose, what was it doing that made this town unforgivable?

secondary answer B

>>1111330
Yeah I figured Enid wouldn't feel TOO bad about his death, But I figured she would feel more than that. Wonder if it has anything to do with her "gift.

>>1111330
Ah yes. Leopold Stiff who made sure this plant worked right alongside the politician Robert Butler...
...
...
...
Y'know I find it odd that none of the kids pointed that out given Temmies relation to this whole thing.

We've not really been focusing on secrets this thread so I'll go with C. Gotta make progress towards something.

The dream drastically reduced Clive's fear, but a silly pointless dream may have been able to do that to a lesser degree without making Lillian's life harder.

Guess we got tricked by the wording of the choices. Well played, storyteller, well played.


>It feels like years since he's seen natural light.
Har har.


Much as I want to know what happened to the site, it's likely the knowing the reason the plant was built in the first place will bring out the most information (provided we're not tricked again and it turns out Leopold's high-school yearbook had the answers all along).

>C

C) What the plant was doing leads directly to what the town is doing now. Anything we can discover here might help.

>>1111328
Should I be terrified that you little sociopaths are on the path to becoming lovebirds?

C

I know I'm not voting for looking into why the plant was destroyed, but something to consider is that if most of the rubble is outside from this destroyed wall, then it was damaged from the inside. otherwise, if there's a lot of rubble on the inside, then the damage was caused from the outside (in which case, missiles? maybe soldiers came through here at some point? I am seeing what looks like bullet holes on the wall too)

C is what we came for, the rest is just curiosity.
Wow, two years and a half, time flies...

>>1111331
Agreed!

The Storyteller 2025/07/24(Thu)14:09 No. 1111681 ID: 870a05
File 175339135224.png - (443.08KB , 1000x1000 , 438.png )

The three of you spread out. Albert parks himself by the filing cabinet, while Enid roams about investigating the various damages all around the room. You do a sweep of the floor, picking up pages and moving furniture to check beneath it.

After a few minutes of searching, you’ve completed a decent sweep of the room. It isn’t the most thorough, as you’re quick to stop reading any pages or books that seem wholly irrelevant, but it isn’t without results.

Clive: “I found something.”
Albert: “Same. Care to start?”
Clive: “A couple of the binders still in the bookshelf have documents that aren’t about the nuclear plant at all. They’re sandwiched between expense reports for the plant.”

You pick one up that you’d been flipping through. The first few pages listed materials and services that you can’t fully understand, but which are clearly marked with information about the building you’re in. After flipping through several of those records however, there’s a page that’s formatted the same as all the rest, but with vastly different orders and an out of town address where all other documents had the same one.

Clive: “They seem intentionally hard to notice.”
Clive: “These binders have about 150 pages each. I found 20 pages like this in one, and at least five different addresses between them.”
Clive: “I only found two binders with any files like this. I checked at least five others that didn’t.”
Albert: “You’re suggesting that the manager may have filed them in such a way as to hide their presence within the surrounding documentation?”
Clive: “Yeah.”
Enid: “What are the other files for though?”
Albert: “Could you glean anything about the purpose of the unrelated expense reports, Clive?”

You look back to the binder you’d been checking, reading one of the hidden pages more carefully. After a few seconds, you shake your head.

Clive: “I can’t tell.”
Albert: “Hmm… I suppose we only have theories to go on then.”
Enid: “Albert, you said that you found something?”
Albert: “Ah, yes. It seems that the plant manager had a few Complaints tucked away in the back of this filing cabinet.”
Albert: “It struck me as a touch odd that they hadn’t been taken to the Archive, as I certainly saw others during my investigation there. I did notice a pattern however.”

He pulls a few note cards out, reading them off.

“Promised compensation for restocking the breakroom not included with latest paycheck. You have the receipts for these purchases. Where is my $11.78?”
“Any updates on new forklifts promised months ago?”
“The trash hasn’t been taken out in weeks because the janitors are swamped. Can we hire any new ones?”

Albert: “The crux of these complaints concerns upper management’s conservative attitude towards spending.
Albert: “All of these complaints seem to be about money not being spent where it should be.”
Enid: “Did they really not have the money to pay for those things?”
Albert: “Perhaps they did, and they simply chose not to.”

You pick up on what he’s suggesting, and flip open the binder again. Enid catches on quickly, peeking at it from behind you.

Enid: “You think what Clive found and what you did are connected?”
Enid: “Maybe the plant manager was spending the plant’s money on other things?”
Albert: “It’s a reasonable theory. I would guess those records you found relate to other businesses, Clive.”
Albert: “Likely ones that Leopold Stiff either owned or had investments in.”
Albert: “That would paint a poor picture for the conditions of the plant before its closure.”

You nod in agreement, but wonder what it all boils down to. This could be a wholly unrelated detail in the history of the plant, or it could have been a contributing factor to whatever happened here. Could there have been an accident because the manager was too cheap to buy proper safety equipment?

…No, you don’t think there was a meltdown here. The town wouldn’t be able to live so close to it if there had been. It also doesn’t explain the condition of many of the bodies you came across.

Still, you feel like you’re right on the verge of finding what you Need to know here.

The Storyteller 2025/07/24(Thu)14:09 No. 1111682 ID: 870a05
File 175339136941.png - (1.18MB , 1000x1000 , 439.png )

‘Bec and Roger return, and report their failure to get into the other room.

‘Bec: “The door’s fucking Barricaded. Doesn’t fucking matter if it’s unlocked now, there’s no getting past that.”
Roger: “That’s why I suggested we go around instead.”
Clive: “What?”

‘Bec walks over to the absence of wall, motioning towards it.

‘Bec: “This big-ass opening extends to the other room. No reason we can’t just hop around the divider and check it out.”
Enid: “Aren’t you worried about falling?”
‘Bec: “You’ll notice I didn’t suggest this shit earlier, but if the door ain’t an option, then this is what we’ve got.”
‘Bec: “I’m taking it. Who else?”
Enid: “C-Can you help me if I do? My legs aren’t very long.”
‘Bec: “Fine, but no complaints if I huck you in there. Better getting tossed a few feet than dropped a couple stories.”
Albert: “I’ll take my chances waiting by the door. If you can unblock it from the other side, I’ll help search.”
‘Bec: “I’ll be sure to not do that then. How about you two?”

You aren’t worried about the fall, but before you accept, you notice Roger start to reach out towards you. He pulls back, losing some confidence. It seemed like he was going to tap you on the shoulder, but got cold feet.

There’s no obligation to stay. He didn’t ask you to do anything, so you don’t owe him a conversation. The question is: Do you want to have one?”

Does Clive enter the neighboring room?
A: Yes
-Clive will check it out with ‘Bec and Enid
-You will find something important next update
B: No
-Clive will wait and have a conversation with Roger instead
-You get the feeling that Roger has something he wants to talk about
-You will have to wait an additional update for any important discoveries

Edited

A
Whatever Roger wants to talk about can wait. It’s best to get as much of this investigation done as we can without wasting time before curfew and before somebody else goes to the plant and sees anyone crossing to the other room outside

Also He doesn’t seem confident to talk to you just yet

Right now, if we don’t talk to him, maybe he can take this time to investigate the managers room more in his own? find out about the manager here? Seems fitting he could do that considering his father seemed to know the manager here

B, they'll find out the important info, plus what if someone else appears, least you'll be with him when it happens, or be able to help unstuck the door from this side.

>>1111682
'Bec and Enid can handle things on their own. B.

B
What they find in that room will likely take up all avenues of conversation after this. Let's get our important interpersonal interactions out of the way before that ineviatability.

B is for Barricade.

B)

We've waited this long for answers, we can wait a bit more. Roger wants to have honest heart to heart and it's only polite to hear him out.

B) can't go clambering with that arm anyway

If B is chosen
Why not take a break, get the chair off the ground and take a seat

B.

Considering Roger used to want nothing to do with Clive, this is some pretty great progress for him.

The Storyteller 2025/07/25(Fri)23:05 No. 1111814 ID: 870a05
File 175350990409.png - (498.44KB , 1000x1000 , 440.png )

You glance back at Roger. It’s probably better to get this over with now, rather than wait and be forced to have this conversation later.

Clive: “We’ll wait here.”

‘Bec shrugs, before leaving with Enid. She helps the smaller girl across first, putting her down gently instead of flinging her as she suggested, before climbing across herself. With them gone, and Albert walking out the door, it’s just you and Roger.

You turn back and stare, just waiting for him to start talking. He swallows, before finding his voice.

Roger: “Thanks. I was hoping to get a moment alone with you.”
Clive: “What do you want?”
Roger: “I… I owe you an apology.”

He bows his head.

Roger: “When we were fighting Sheppard, I could have ended it quicker. I had the gun, that should have stopped the fight right there.”
Roger: “But when it came time to use it… I froze up.”
Roger: “Even knowing everything he did, and all the bad stuff he was going to do… I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.”
Roger: “I just kept thinking about Aiden, and how pulling that trigger meant taking his dad away from him… I didn’t want to do it.”
Roger: “But you got hurt because of that. If I hadn’t lost my nerve, Sheppard wouldn’t have been able to break your wrist like that.”
Roger: “You were risking yourself more than anyone, and I left you hanging. I’m sorry.”

If it wasn’t so sincere, you might laugh at the irony of it.

You aren’t sure how you want to respond. You don’t have much of a relationship with Roger yet, due to a combination of disinterest on your part and fear on his. Even now, you’re practically strangers.

It’s tempting to brush it off, offer a half-hearted acceptance and end the conversation, but you stop yourself. This feels like a real attempt by him to reach out, and no matter how antisocial you may be, even you’d feel bad about rejecting him. So instead, you throw him a bone.

Clive: “...You don’t have to apologize. I’m no better.”
Clive: “When the original plan failed, and I was supposed to finish him off, I also hesitated.”
Clive: “I was scared. Because of that, he grabbed you instead of me.”
Clive: “You could have died. If he hadn’t looked back…”

You pause, keeping your head down. Even with him confessing a similar failing, you can’t help but imagine him feeling betrayed and angry. You don’t want to see his face and have those fears confirmed.

Clive: “Sorry.”

He chuckles. You look up in surprise.

Roger: “Honestly… That makes me feel a little better. Maybe it’s just normal to freeze up in that kind of situation.”
Clive: “Enid didn’t.”
Roger: “No she did not, but maybe that says more about her than it does us.”

You give a vague hum of agreement, as the conversation comes to a natural pause. It gives you both a moment to gather your thoughts.

Roger: “Putting aside the fight with Sheppard, I probably still haven’t been fair to you today.”
Roger: “I’ll… try not to assume the worst about you as much.”
Clive: “...Thank you.”

He stares at you for a solid few seconds.

Roger: “...Your face really does not do anything else, does it?”
Clive: “No. It’s a medical thing.”
Roger: “Really? Sorry, I thought… you just felt the way you looked all the time.”
Clive: “It’s fine.”

…Okay, now it’s starting to be an awkward pause.

How does Clive fill the time?
A: Meaningless prattle
-Engage in some pleasantries
-You won’t get into anything serious
B: Talk about your parents
-You probably need to bring this up with the whole group at some point
-Roger might be more understanding if he knows about your situation
C: Talk about Rodney
-Tell Roger why you really think Rodney Graduated
D: Talk about Roger
-Learn more about Roger himself
-You don’t really know much about him
E: Talk about something else
-Suggest a discussion point

C. Being around Enid’s gotten you back into Big Brother mode.

mainly, I’m voting D. I think it might be more beneficial for Clive to ask more about Roger, get to know him more so they can warm up to each other a bit before Clive is comfortable revealing anything heavy, find similar interests and stuff. starting point could be asking to see Roger’s drawings? Please? (I really want him to see Roger’s drawing of him if he still has it)

A stronger bond will help them more with teamwork, less hesitation during situations like with Shepherd and help each other emotionally

B, C, and D are all pretty solid options, but I'm a bit torn on what's better.
I think C is lowest on the totem pole- while it might give Roger a better insight into Clive's emotional state, the actual topic itself is mostly just more speculation.
D would help Clive understand Roger better, but whether that would help with their teamwork is questionable.
Going through that means that B makes the most sense to me- It'd also be a good way to clear up why Clive can't go to the hospital. (I had a brief thought earlier of if there would be any adults who could be trusted as his family, but uh... yeah, fat chance, I think.)

...But, unfortunately, I do have a potential extra option that I'll throw out there for others to decide on whether it makes sense to discuss or not;
E: Aiden. The hell do we do now? Depending on how things go, they're in a situation similar to Clive now.

For now, I'll leave B as my primary choice, with E as a secondary for if it gains traction.

>>1111814
I'm tempted go with B because it IS something that NEEDS to come up at some point but It doesn't really paint Clive in a sympathetic light given the Narrative Alberts going under is that he explicitly killed them. Don't really trust Rodger not to jump to that assumption here either , Which honestly feels like it won't end up well for fear.

(Incidentally he's already had thoughts about his parents being dead thanks to our influence but I'm not sure if those ideas stayed in his head or not)

I'm gonna tentatively go with C.

D)

It feels like the best move, not for the plot, but for Clive.
Telling him about his parents would make him or Rodney look very poorly in the eyes of the other kids. Asking Roger about himself will let Clive learn about him *and* let someone else do most of the talking, letting relax and watch for a change.

>>1111814
D. It would be a good idea to have someone who already knows our situation when we tell the others, but we don't know much of his at all.

The Storyteller 2025/08/13(Wed)17:16 No. 1112641 ID: 870a05
File 175513058006.png - (874.68KB , 1000x1000 , 441.png )

You still don’t know much about Roger himself (not that you need to), but it might be easier to disperse this tension if you learn something about him.

Clive: “Who did you come here for?”
Roger: “Who? Sorry, what do you mean by that?”
Clive: “I’m looking into graduation for Rodney’s sake. Aren’t most of your friends doing this for someone else?”
Clive: “...Besides Enid. She wouldn’t have known the kids who graduated.”
Roger: “You are not wrong.”
Clive: “Who was it for you? Phillip, Jhonen, or Rodney?”

He scratches his head, clearly thinking about it. After about a minute, he just shakes his head.

Roger: “All of the above? I guess it was mainly about Phillip at first, since his sudden graduation messed up our game night plans.”
Roger: “But Jhonen’s my friend too, even if we don’t hang out that much. Even if he wasn’t, he’s important to Franklin. I’d want to find him for my friend’s sake.”
Roger: “It’s the same with Rodney. I want all of them to get rescued and be safe.”

You can’t help but register an insult in the way he refers to Rodney offhandedly, but you know he’s just being accurate. He and Rodney weren’t any closer than Rodney was with anyone else in your class. Rodney got along with everyone, but he didn’t actually have many close friends.

Clive: “...If we can rescue any one of them, the rest will likely follow.”
Roger: “Yeah, that’s what I think too. We know that they’re probably being kept at the high school, so I figure we’ll bust them all out at the same time.”
Clive: “Hopefully.”

As silence threatens to fill the room again, you decide to press on another comment he’d made.

Clive: “...You were friends with Jhonen?”
Roger: “Yeah. I mean, we definitely used to be.”
Roger: “We kind of started to drift apart when Franklin showed up at school. You know how Jhonen is around him.”
Clive: “The Alien theory?”
Roger: “Yeah. He can be kind of obnoxious about it, but lately he’s been so focused on trying to prove it that he doesn’t have as much time for other stuff.”
Roger: “It’s been a few months since the last time we really did anything. Before, we could usually still lure him over for games, especially if Franklin was there, but lately…”

You can intuit the rest, though you wonder why Jhonen would busy himself more than usual with investigation. There’s nothing for you to base a conclusion on, sadly. It’s just as likely that he’d picked up on some inane conspiracy as it is that he might have stumbled on something worth looking into.

Although, given his reputation, the former seems more likely.

Roger: “He used to be a pretty consistent player at our weekly game night. We play this roleplaying game where we make up our own characters and go on adventures.”
Clive: “Isn’t that just playing pretend?”
Roger: “Kind of, but with rules, dice, and math.”
Roger: “Jhonen basically just played as himself with powers, but he fit into our party well.”
Roger: “Probably because he’s already a weirdo. He almost fits in better somewhere fantastical, like the game world we would play in.”
Roger: “We… I really liked having him there.”

He awkwardly rubs his neck. His wistful smile falls, as the reality of their situation reestablishes itself.

Roger: “I hadn’t really thought about that in a while.”
Roger: “...I should have brought it up to him sooner, before he graduated.”
Clive: “There are a lot of things I wish I said before Rodney got taken.”
Clive: “...And some I wish I hadn’t.”
Roger: “Hey, can I ask you something about that?”

Much as you wish he wouldn’t, you nod anyway.

Roger: “I don’t think Rodney fits into the way we currently understand graduation.”
Roger: “Unless there’s some tension between him and your parents, it doesn’t make sense for him to graduate and not–no offense–you.”

It would be hard to take offense to a statement you fully agree with.

Roger: “You even told us that nobody came to talk to your parents about it, so none of what we know about graduation lines up with him going missing.”
Roger: “Do you have any guesses why that is?”

What a remarkably stupid question that was. Why Rodney graduated had been all you could think about, from the moment Chamberlane reported on it. You were the last person to see him, but you hadn’t seen anything helpful. There were no easy answers to latch onto. That didn’t mean you didn’t have any suspicions.

Clive: “I think it was supposed to be Me.”

It’s the only conclusion that makes sense. Roger stares, waiting for you to go on.

Clive: “I wasn’t there, so I don’t know what actually happened.”
Clive: “Maybe he ran into someone who was coming for me, and convinced them to take him instead? I wouldn’t put that past him.”
Clive: “Maybe they would have been happy with either of us, and he was just the first one they saw?”
Roger: “Wait, why would they want either of you?”
Clive: “...”

The question isn’t going to go away. You’re going to have to tell them sooner or later, yet it falls dead on your tongue

Before he can question you further, you’re interrupted. You both look up to see Enid being set down in the room again, shortly followed by ‘Bec stepping in.

Roger: “You’re back! Couldn’t you have taken the door from the other side?”
‘Bec: “Not without moving a bunch of shit around. It was Barricaded.”
Enid: “Forget about the door, we found something big!”

The Storyteller 2025/08/13(Wed)17:16 No. 1112642 ID: 870a05
File 175513061664.png - (32.19KB , 1000x1000 , 442.png )

Albert walks back in and takes a seat against the wall, as everyone settles in around Enid, who is holding what looks like a dust-covered Journal or Planner.

‘Bec: “The other room was another office. Didn’t look half as messed up as this one though. ‘Cept for the corpse.”
Albert: “This building never seems to run out of cadavers.”
Enid: “It was a little different this time. The body was, um… hanging.”
Enid: “Since the rest of the room didn’t seem messy, and the door was blocked, I think whoever was in there… did it to themselves.”

That’s a dark thought. For all the death and mayhem, you hadn’t gotten the impression from any other body that they’d ended things themselves. You’re quietly thankful for not having to see it.

Enid: “This was sitting open on their desk. I read a few lines, and I think he wrote it before he died.”
Roger: “Seriously!? He left a Will?”
‘Bec: “More like a Suicide note, but yeah.”
Albert: “Thank goodness for that. We may finally learn what fate befell everyone here.”

She smiles and nods eagerly.

Enid: “I only read a little bit. I’ll start over and read it out loud for all of us.”
Albert: “Please, don’t delay another moment.”

She coughs into her hand and looks down, brushing a bit of dust off the pages before launching into her oration.

“My name is Peter Campbell. I was the assistant manager of the Cattenom nuclear power facility, under Leopold Stiff. I write this to confess my sins, in this final hour.”

“I was aware of Leopold’s actions. I supported them, and even benefited from them. I knew a day would come when there’d be consequences, but I believed that I could flee before they ever reached me. Ironically, despite knowing the full extent of his greed, I believed that my friend would take me with him when the other shoe dropped. Instead, I find myself alone in my final moments, sheltered within this office, while Leopold has surely skipped town already.”

“Leopold has been funneling revenue out of the nuclear plant since day one. Funding, which should have been spent on the upkeep of the plant, was instead used to start-up and support other financial ventures of his. Out of town businesses, stock investments, luxurious vacations, anything he wanted. My silence entitled me to similar opportunities, all of which I took him up on. It was more than enough to keep me happy and supportive of his misdeeds, but it was never enough for him. The profits always needed to go up, no matter how unreasonably high they’d already climbed.”

“Looking back, I wonder if he resented me for not feeling that same insatiable hunger he did. While he dug deeper and deeper to find new ways to cut costs, I happily enjoyed the benefits our avarice had provided us. Perhaps it wasn’t personal, and he simply realized that it could all be his if he cut me loose.”

The Storyteller 2025/08/13(Wed)17:17 No. 1112643 ID: 870a05
File 175513066767.png - (31.04KB , 1000x1000 , 443.png )

“The first time that Leopold had tried to cut down on disposal costs, I fought him on it. He was purely about the business, but I understood the risks of what we were working with. I knew that it was a necessary expenditure, given the hazardous nature of the materials we deal with. Pricey as it was, we couldn’t skimp on proper disposal for our hazardous waste.”

“He agreed with me at the time, but I always knew it hadn’t left his mind. Shamefully, when he did eventually revisit the idea, having already cut costs everywhere else, I turned a blind eye. I told myself that he had cut some sort of deal to reduce our spending, and I looked no closer.”

“I didn’t know the specifics, but only because I had chosen not to look. My ignorance was willful, only broken this morning when I read it in the papers, much the same as everyone else in town. It is pointless to say that I would have stopped him, knowing I already failed to.”

“The morning paper was late today. None of us would have come in, had we known. Now the people of Cattenom stand at our doors, and I know better than to think that they’ll let us leave.”

“I considered surrendering myself, for the sake of the workers trapped in here with me, but I quickly realized how pointless an idea it was. Even if Leopold and I stepped out together, confessed to everything, and slit our stomachs out of remorse, it would never quell this riot. They aren’t here for justice, this was a mob of grief.”

The Storyteller 2025/08/13(Wed)17:19 No. 1112644 ID: 870a05
File 175513074080.png - (42.23KB , 1000x1000 , 444.png )

“These are men and women who have had their futures forever stolen. Citizens of a town that will now die with them. We are past the point of reparations. The debts we owe couldn’t be paid over the course of a thousand lifetimes. All there is now is pain and fury.”

“This building, once a beacon of hope and prosperity for Cattenom, will become our tomb.”

“I pray to the Almighty for forgiveness, knowing that I will find none on this mortal coil.”

The Storyteller 2025/08/13(Wed)17:19 No. 1112645 ID: 870a05
File 175513077002.png - (661.12KB , 1000x1000 , 445.png )

She reaches the end, and stops reading. Nobody speaks.

Quietly, she turns over the page to check if there’s more, accidentally letting a folded piece of paper fall out from between them. ‘Bec picks it up and unfolds it. Her face tightens as she reads.

She passes it to Enid, and the paper goes around in a circle before landing in your hands last. It was a newspaper clipping.

“POISON IN THE WATER”

“Recently, alarms went off in the medical sector, as Cattenom citizens overwhelmingly began to see negative results in fertility testing. Originally thought to be a lab error, this statistical anomaly has a far darker truth. Our water is no longer safe. An investigation has traced this unnatural result to harmful chemicals contaminating our ocean, courtesy of the Cattenom Nuclear Plant.”

You pass it back to ‘Bec, ending the chain.

Roger: “Albert, do you know what that term means? F-Fertility?”
Albert: “It refers to the ability to produce offspring.”
Albert: “...They were measuring the capacity for individuals to have children. That the tests were failing implies…”
‘Bec: “They’re Sterile. Everyone in town, everyone affected… they were sterilized.”
Enid: “They can’t have kids…”
Roger: “...But, we’re all here.”
Roger: “The Nuclear Plant had already shut down before any of us were born. All of this happened before our time.”
Roger: “Our parents… none of them should have been able to keep having kids.”
Roger: “So… how are we here?”
Albert: “...”
‘Bec: “...”
Enid: “...”
Clive: “...”

…

A: “We should leave.”
B: “...”

Time to run! Fast!

A unless another party member can give a pretty clear reason why you should stick around dead body-land for much longer.

I was originally on the train of thought that they were all in so much debt they were organ and limb harvesting the kids (which was why jhonen was in the freezer), but now im EVEN MORE LOST.

What do the pieces of this puzzle even say?

Kids that stand out get "graduated" which ultimately leads to being cut up (which I dont think these guys know yet), well, maybe thats only what happens if they are squeaky when in grad land.

At the very least the bodies were being preserved and crated for SOMETHING.

Everyone's infertile, which is probably why Enid was considered a miracle or something.

They're not the first group of kids to figure out something was wrong, but everyone else wanted to just straight up escape when they found out what was wrong.

We've got 3 main kids that were spirited away to graduation land, adults that keep mum and pretend things are normal, likely with no relation to the kids they are raising which is why they're ok with the murder and splitting even if they ARE raising them.

The bodies are OLD, which means this shit has been going on for uh... lets say 10+ years for the sake of easy math. Which means that there was likely, what... 2-3 groups before them? which led to everyone being way more mum about stuff over time.

There's some massive debt hanging over at least several townsfolk.

I'm at a bit of a loss here, yall.

If it's not organ trafficking kids, and we're led to believe that the problem isnt supernatural (Franklin being the obveous outlier), im still not sure I have enough information to guess.

I KNEW it was weird when Albert said the tap water at the HOSPITAL wasn't safe to drink.
B. Does anybody else have issues remembering the year?

>>1112653
>(Franklin being the obvious outlier)
Except even that might not be true. Jhonen's ultimate conclusion to Franklins ailment being that it has SOMETHING to do with Radiation adds a whole layer to this whole stuff.

Let's also not forget that he was dying of some form of cancer in his memories.

>>1112657
True, and maybe the emphasis being put on Jhonen in this memory means that it actually was that important.

So if we go off the theory that franklin died due to radiation poisoning (and is why he is still bald) and that he's some sort of real actual mutant, well... that still doesent explain why cattenom's so isolated or why the year is so hard to find out.

>>1112663
I've always assumed the whole year thing has to do with them not being entirely natural.

As for the isolation? Well if Mutants like Franklin are possible then maybe it's a military quarantine?

There's DEFINITELY more context needed here.

My thoughts:

So cattenom citizens, due to the plant contaminating the water apparently a long long time ago, cannot have children, yet despite that, Roger and his friends still exist

We also know that any kids that graduate get cut up to pieces at some point

There’s also the issue with Franklin’s memory of another life he lived and diedin, and the kids he met then look so much like the kids he knows now, just slightly different and different names

We also heard Shepherd say something about Snyder getting recycled before getting killed by him

Currently, the theory I’m piecing together from the evidence so far is: since Cattenom can’t have children, they are instead recycling them to keep the town surviving (since apparently they can’t leave town?) with Shepherd them, and giving them a new life reborn. Perhaps the reason they choose certain kids for graduation is because they are not acting the same as they used to in their past life? Like Roger might be at risk of graduating because he’s interested in arts over track and field and running? But the question is why would that matter?

Maaaaybe Enid is considered a miracle child because she was actually a kid that was actually born normally from a mother, and not recycled despite the parent’s supposedly being sterile? Might need more evidence to confirm this theory

Maybe Franklin’s father is the one bringing them back to life or something considering Shepherd cuts them up, and we seen his truck at franklins place during the Franklin thread? But then what is the recycle center for?

…

Yeah, I think we should leave

I remember in one of the previous threads that the half joking "Soylent Green" theory had to be shut down, but it really does have a fair bit of parallels to Cattenom's recycling.

...The more things change in Cattenom, the more stays the same.

I wonder how Recycling works. There's a pretty big difference between "It's something that happens on its own" and "The adults take the remains and process them" - and maybe the reason that Rodney graduated had more to do with the parents' disappearance- that they had died and been removed from the Unnatural Order that Cattenom has created, or maybe even that they Can't be Recycled anymore. Going further, I think they wanted to find Clive instead so they could find out where the bodies were. In a certain sense, I'm kind of assuming they already know, but that raises several questions of its own.

A: While I don't think there's any particular reason to stay, it might be worth taking a closer look at the water bottles Enid brought along just in case. They're probably fine, but maybe they hold some very tiny clue.

The most likely explanation for this town's madness is pretty obvious: your parents went insane from radiation poisoning. It was then compounded by the sterility.

As for you, adoption is a thing. But the real question is, what lengths would a brain-damaged, socially-broken population go to for adoptions if the government refused to let them take in children 'due to an inability to protect their wards'?

Whatever the case, people like Leopold... this was what I was talking about. He plays a strange and mysterious game. Campbell was a greedy bastard, but he took time out of his swindling to enjoy the fruits of what he had destroyed the happiness of others for. Leopold? His happiness came from the destruction of other people's happiness. If he'd been patient, he could have turned this town into a permanent source of revenue for more illicit schemes - but that wouldn't destroy the townsfolk nearly as much as nuking the plant's operations to catastrophic consequences. I wouldn't be surprised if he spent all his money mainly on more monstrous designs, on even greater means of taking money from others, instead of living in a mansion on a private island.
And the world loved him more than it loved your town.

>>1112678
I’m on board with this train of thought.

The Storyteller 2025/08/19(Tue)00:20 No. 1112966 ID: 27a8c3
File 175558803782.png - (685.93KB , 1000x1000 , 446.png )

It’s quiet, as you all step out the front doors of the plant. While you ultimately got what you came here for, the answers have only left you with more questions. It’s hard to feel triumphant, especially with everything else that happened inside.

You follow the path back into town the same way as before, hiding at the edge of the treeline instead of cutting through the Death Forest. It’s a short while before anyone speaks.

Roger: “Where do we go from here?”
Enid: “We need to find out where we came from, right? How we’re all here, even though our parents couldn’t have kids?”
Roger: “I agree, but I’m not sure where to begin with trying to find that.”
Roger: “We can’t ask our parents or any other adult in town about it.”
Albert: “The hospital might offer some clues, since they handle deliveries. Otherwise, it may just be time to investigate the high school.”

You hang back from the rest of the group, flagging ‘Bec’s attention.

Clive: “Hey. Are you going to stick around after this?”
‘Bec: “What, as part of your little detective’s club? Hard pass.”
‘Bec: “I saw all I needed to in there. Cattenom is fucked, and I don’t want any part of it.”
Clive: “...What are you going to do?”
‘Bec: “Duh, I’m Leaving. I’m gonna head home, pack up everything I can carry, and ditch this shitty town.”
‘Bec: “I figure with my own savings, plus whatever I can snag from Snyder’s shop, I can make some real distance before anyone notices I’m gone.”

A part of you expected the answer, but it still hurts to hear. Much as you want to ask her to wait until you can find Rodney, and take the two of you with her, you already know she won’t budge on this. ‘Bec has always kept herself at the top of her priority list, and staying for even another day would be a massive risk to her own safety. She doesn’t gamble with her safety. Not without ample reward, which you can’t offer her.

Your situation will get worse with her gone, but you won’t hold it against her. If you could get Rodney out of town right now, you’d do it in a heartbeat, no matter who it meant leaving behind.

Clive: “That’s probably not a bad idea.”
‘Bec: “Of course it isn’t. Who the hell would want to stay after seeing all those fucking bodies in the plant?”
‘Bec: “You should come with. Hell, you’re probably more at risk here than me.”
Clive: “Not without Rodney.”
‘Bec: “Eh, I figured. You know he’d be happy if you left him and got away safely.”
Clive: “He might. I wouldn’t.”
Albert: “Everyone, stop.”

Everyone freezes in place, as Albert points towards the farm. You see two figures rushing down the hill towards you.

‘Bec: “Fuck! We’re spotted!”
Roger: “Wait! That isn’t Aiden or John. I think that’s–”
Lillian: “HEY!”

The Storyteller 2025/08/19(Tue)00:21 No. 1112967 ID: 27a8c3
File 175558807031.png - (662.83KB , 1000x1000 , 447.png )

Lillian and Lemmy stand out in the open in front of you. Lemmy’s a bit winded, while Lillian just seems frustrated.

Albert: “Don’t make so much noise! Even with their father out, the other Sheppards might–”
Lillian: “Shut up! That doesn’t matter right now!”
Lillian: “Franklin! Have any of you seen Franklin!?”
Roger: “Why would we have seen him?”
Lemmy: “He Ran away!”
Roger: “What!? Why?”
Lemmy: “W-Well, we don’t know exactly, so we probably shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves–”
Lillian: “Are you seriously making jokes about that!? What is wrong with you!?”

He doesn’t answer, instead wringing his hands nervously and casting his gaze to the ground. Roger steps forward, putting a hand on Lillian’s shoulder in a calming sort of gesture.

Roger: “Lillian, please. What happened?
Lillian: “I don’t have time for this! I need to find him before he gets hurt. Ask Lemmy!”
Roger: “Wait–”

She doesn’t. Despite several protests, she sprints back into town, leaving you with only Lemmy to explain.

Lemmy: “So… How have you all been? Personally, I’ve been better, but–”
Albert: “Lemmy, every second you waste increases the risk of something unfortunate happening to Franklin before he gets found.”

He taps his cane against Lemmy’s knee.

Albert: “Explain quickly, or I promise you will have to start practicing sit-down comedy instead of stand-up.”

Lemmy gulps, and quickly starts stammering out his story.

Lemmy: “W-We were investigating the farm, because we found some junk in Jhonen’s house that connected Mr. Sheppard to the Morgue.”

There’s a collective wince at the mention of Mr. Sheppard. Lemmy pauses for a moment when he notices, but decides better than to stop and ask questions.

Lemmy: “Anyway, Franklin and I snuck in to check things out, while Lillian distracted the family. I took the barn, and Franklin took the shed.”
Lemmy: “After a while, I saw Franklin running out. I just thought he was finished and trying to get out quickly, so he wouldn’t get caught, y’know?”
Lemmy: “The barn didn’t have much, so I thought ‘hey, why not double check the shed? Maybe Franklin found something, and that’s why he was in a hurry?’”
Lemmy: “And uh… He definitely did!”

Lemmy chuckles mirthlessly, before biting his lip.

Enid: “...What was in the shed?”
Lemmy: “Uhhh… Hmm… Caaaannnnn’t think of a way to soften this blow or make it funny.”
Albert: “Then don’t. Just say it.”
Lemmy: “It.”
Lemmy: “Heh… Get it?”

Albert pulls back his cane for a swing, to which Lemmy throws up his hands defensively.

Lemmy: “J-Jhonen is dead!”
Lemmy: “His head was just sitting in an open crate by itself! I think Franklin was the one who opened it, and he ran away because he was freaked out.”
Roger: “What!?”
Lemmy: “I told you it wasn’t funny…”

Your thoughts come to a halt. Everyone’s reactions are muted in your ears, as you process what you’ve just heard.

Jhonen is dead.

One of the kids who graduated is dead. Not being kept at the high school, as you all believed, just dead.

Rodney… Rodney is… Rodney–

Somebody squeezes your hand. You look up and see that it’s ‘Bec, shooting you a concerned look.

‘Bec: “Don’t assume the worst, dumbass. He would have said if he found Rodney too.”

You take a deep breath, and nod. The concern won’t leave your mind, but you’ll wait until you have proof of it to start giving up. Rodney is alive. There’s no point in questioning if he isn’t, as the scenario itself is pointless.

If Rodney died… there’d be nothing left for you here. Nothing would matter anymore.

The others have calmed down enough to start asking questions.

Roger: “Did you see which way Franklin went?”
Lemmy: “Lillian didn’t see him leave, and I was on the other side of the hill. Hill if I know where he is!”
Roger: “Does that mean there’s a chance he didn’t go back into town!?”
Lemmy: “...I mean… You guys didn’t see him, so probably not? Although if he got a headstart, or didn’t follow the path…”

Roger quickly spins around to face everyone.

Roger: “If he ran out of town and got lost, he might not be able to find his way back.”
Roger: “I have to go now. I’m the only one with a chance of catching up to him, and that chance drops every second.”
Albert: “Wait!”

Roger freezes mid-step.

Albert: “Let’s all meet at the Morgue an hour before curfew. If you find him, bring him there.”
Enid: “Wait, what time is it now?”
Clive: “It’s getting dark, but the stars aren’t out yet. We have at least an hour, maybe an hour and a half.”

Roger nods in agreement before running off, leaving the rest of you to make your own plans.

Albert: “I’m going straight to the Morgue. If Franklin returns, someone should be there to let him know about the search.”
Enid: “I-I’ll check the South side of town. It’s near where the forest exits out, so I might find something around there.”
Lemmy: “I should probably check if the rest of Jhonen’s body was in that shed too. Or, anyone else’s… Besides mine, which I’m gonna make a point not to bring back there after this.”
‘Bec: “...”

Who does Clive go with?

A: Nobody
-You can cover more ground if you all go different ways
-If Clive goes by himself, you’ll get a random encounter as he sweeps the town
-You’ll also run into Lillian at least once, as she runs all over town in search of Franklin
B: Albert
-He plans to go to Franklin’s home at the Morgue and wait for him there
-This option will get you to the end of the thread faster than any other
C: Enid
-She plans to search the South side of town, since it’s nearest to the forest’s exit
-You get the feeling she has plans outside of just looking for Franklin
D: Lemmy
-He wants to run back to the shed to confirm that Franklin was the only kid in there
-Clive would GREATLY appreciate confirming that Rodney isn’t dead
-You will be subjected to many puns if you choose this option
E: Roger
-He’s worried that Franklin might have left town, and will try to run after him
-You won’t actually be able to catch up with Roger until he stops for something
F: ‘Bec
-You aren’t sure if ‘Bec is going to search or commit to her plan of leaving town
-If she’s really leaving, this could be your last chance to talk with her

I’m considering that whoever Clive goes with, any adults who sees a kid with Clive will raise their suspicion

That being said, I’m voting against Roger or Enid (I have a feeling she is going to search for her inheritance with the key)

either I’m choosing either nobody, Bec or Lenny

Nobody because less chance of raising anyone’s suspicion level (except Lillian I guess) plus I think Clive needs some time alone, maybe he should check around the street his house is at?

Lemmy because that’s what he wants in order to make sure Rodney is okay (he might find more clues regardless)

Bec because this might be his last chance to say goodbye to her, or we can convince her to stay. Didn’t the adults imply something about not being able to leave this town? We might want to bring that up that concern and maybe have her investigate more into that…

That said, I think I’m leaning towards Bec

A) Nobody.
It's dangerous, but right now, the adults are looking for signs of rebellion, not signs of actual guerilla killers. Doing something stupid like splitting up will lower their suspicion of your capabilities.

Hard choice but I'm gonna have to go with either D or F.
D because Lemmy seems visibly stressed as a result of seeing what was in there (and knowing he is LITERALLY next on the chopping block) and being there could help lessen the stress damage.

F because I doubt she'll actually be able to leave and I wanna make sure that whatever is there to stop her isn't something meant to end her life or something horrible (like a military blockade).

>>1112990
Gonna go with F but could be convinced to go with D

I don't have a direction vote but I remember there being a river and I vote you check if anyone has blood on them and at least recommend they try to wipe any of it off or chuck/hide weapon, maybe wash them if you don't wanna chuck em.

There was a river nearby right?

F) He's got a good working relationship with her. He should ask if the group can have any of her contraband she won't be taking with her.

F: 'Bec. He's been seen with her before, and she's got the street smarts.

>>1112996

support cleaning blood off, I think Enid is the only person with blood on her. HOWEVER, isn't the water poisoned? the creek is connected to the ocean last I checked. If my theory about why Enid was considered a miracle child is correct, it might be a bad idea to have her interact with water connected to the ocean. maybe the water bottles can clean it off instead? Enid did bring at least 4 after all.

>>1112970

I did some checking to confirm. the only times I found the adults imply that nobody can leave Cattenom was with shepherd in this thread, and Albert's father in thread 2 (both of which Clive was present for too)

>>1110699

Sheppard: “I wonder if you even got as far as the others. Did you come here lookin’ for a way out?”
Albert: “A way out? Do you mean a way to break out compatriots free from the high school?”

He just laughs.

Sheppard: “Guess I was giving you too much credit. You really don’t know anything, do you?”
Sheppard: “I was worried for nothing. Cattenom isn’t dying out anytime soon.”


https://questden.org/kusaba/questarch/res/1019132.html#1024169

Albert: “Yes they do, it’s just different now. What happens to those kids?”
Albert: “When a kid turns thirteen, what do you do with them?”
Albert: “Where do they go?”
Father: “...Kids go... Kids don’t go anywhere.”
Father: “Nobody leaves. Everything Stays in Cattenom.”


That said, I'm going to say we should at least bring these up to at least warn Bec, it might convince her to stay a tad longer to look into leaving, cause I'm not sure if the town is barricaded in by military, or if there's traps outside of town. If she still wants to leave, we don't have to stop her, but at least she will know to be extra careful if she leaves.

Maybe she can leave a hidden trail, like a secret marking only you know about so that if we leave, we can follow her? a marking that can't be easily spotted by adults, but can be found if we know to look for it maybe. she can probably even bury a note on her travels near the markings to tell her her findings during her travels and warn us...

>>1112998
support this too

The Storyteller 2025/08/27(Wed)20:02 No. 1113234 ID: 27a8c3
File 175635017755.png - (432.22KB , 1000x1000 , 448.png )

You really think about staying with Lemmy. You want answers about Rodney as soon as you can get them, but that isn’t an excuse to act rashly. As much as the uncertainty hurts, you can wait until meeting up with everyone to hear the truth from Lemmy.

After crossing the river back into town (and coaxing Enid to wash the blood off herself in it, despite the contamination), everyone disperses in different directions. ‘Bec hangs back, staring down at you as she does.

‘Bec: “Change your mind about my offer? Guess there’s no reason to stay if–”
Clive: “Rodney is alive.”
Clive: “I don’t plan to leave. I wanted to see what you would do after hearing about Franklin.”
‘Bec: “Then prepare to be disappointed. Nothing’s changed.”

You can’t really be disappointed when the answer is what you expected.

‘Bec: “I’m heading home to pack up.”
Clive: “I’ll go with you.”
‘Bec: “Why?”

Truthfully, you don’t have a great reason. This is the last time you’ll see her, so you’d rather not split up early.

Clive: “...It’s dangerous for me to go alone right now. Whoever forced Rodney to graduate may still want me.”

She squints at you, before shrugging and walking off. You follow behind, traveling all the way across town through the forest. There are still a few kids hanging around the field when you pass by, but fewer than there would be earlier in the day. The two of you exit out near the townhouses, and from there it’s just a short walk to the apartment complex.

Clive: “Are your parents going to be home?”
‘Bec: “Dad works late, but mom is probably still in. Just keep your head down and don’t say a word.”

She walks up to one of the doors and gives it a twist. When it appears locked, she reaches for her lockpick instead of a key. If she notices your confusion, she doesn’t mention it. She opens the door very gently, making as little noise as possible. After peeking her head in for a brief scan, she waves you on to follow behind her.

The Storyteller 2025/08/27(Wed)20:03 No. 1113235 ID: 27a8c3
File 175635019896.png - (767.52KB , 1000x1000 , 449.png )

The apartment is surprisingly well-furnished with shelves full of knickknacks and pictures hanging on every wall. For a living space that only had one room and a bathroom, it felt surprisingly comfortable.

Someone is sitting on the couch, but they’re facing away from the door. They don’t seem to notice you entering, and ‘Bec is quick to drag you with her into the bathroom before they can.

Clive: “How do you hide any of your merchandise in a space this small?”
‘Bec: “Who said I keep any of that junk here?”
‘Bec: “I just need one thing…”

She reaches under the bathroom sink and pulls several things out of the way. Soaps, deodorants, toilet paper, etc. Much of it gets pulled aside so that she can drag out a backpack tucked in the rear.

‘Bec: “Alright, we can go.”
Clive: “That’s it? What happened to packing?”
‘Bec: “Still plenty of that left to grab. These are just the bare essentials. Clothes, toiletries, a couple meals worth of rations, cash…”
‘Bec: “This isn’t a rush job though, so we’ve got time to prep a bit more than this.”

The ease at which she says it truly stuns you. She almost seems happy while setting everything else back in the under-sink cabinet.

Clive: “...How long have you been planning to leave?”

She chuckles.

‘Bec: “A lot longer than I planned on staying.”
‘Bec: “All that nuclear plant shit just sped up the timetable.”

As she finishes, she stands up and grabs the straps of her bag. She reaches for the door handle, but stops. After a few seconds, she takes the backpack off and hands it back to you.

‘Bec: “Wait for me outside. There’s some shit I wanna say to mom.”
Clive: “...Is that a good idea?”
‘Bec: “Wasn’t really looking for commentary.”
Clive: “No, but if you say anything about the investigation, it affects me.”
Clive: “It’ll be a problem for you too, if you can’t get out of town.”
‘Bec: “I know that. I’m not an idiot.”
‘Bec: “I won’t mention any of that, so stay out of it. This doesn’t have anything to do with you.”

Her tone leaves no room for argument, so you don’t bother. She opens the bathroom door, and walks out into the main room with you. She stops right behind her mother, while you continue to the door. As gently as you can, you pull it open and slip out, unseen to the best of your knowledge.

As you close it, the thought strikes you to leave it cracked so that you can listen in. You don’t have any idea what ‘Bec’s personal life is like, or what she might want to say to her mom before leaving town (although experience tells you to expect swears).

Will you listen?

A: Listen
-Gain a sliver of insight into ‘Bec’s life
-You will know if ‘Bec lets anything slip that will effect you moving forward
-You have zero context into how this conversation will go. If it takes a turn for the frightening, you may gain Fear
B: Do not
-Let ‘Bec keep her privacy, maintaining your usual “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy
-You will only know what ‘Bec chooses to tell you about how it went
-...which will likely be nothing

Leaning B for now, although there is a valid enough argument for A in potentially hearing a new adult's perspective on things.

I'm too early on the update to say for sure, I think.

A) Information is the most important thing at this point. Anything an adult says could give a useful insight. Just do not show any reaction when Bec comes out. which I guess is easy for you, but still

>>1113237
This. We need the scoop!

A
oh no we'll gain fear, how can we gain MORE fear we just murdered a guy, there's barely anything that can phase us harder tonight unless we learn bec is actively on the adults side and is just gonna sell everyone out.

we're probably fear shocked at this point and just moving on adrenaline.

A. We don't know how the adult will react. Whether they'll suspect she's trying to leave even if she doesn't ever say it outright. Can't be too safe here.

Privacy is important and Clive could use a little respite from sticking his nose into other people's lives, but everyone else is right: the adults are all in on a conspiracy against the kids and we have to find out what they do when they think no one's looking.


Also, because I'm curious. Why lie?

A)

B

This is supposed to be a personal conversation, and spying on it probably won't give you any useful information; but it will be a breach of trust. 'Bec has been nothing but trustworthy so far, if self-centered; and she's probably the closest thing you have to a real friend.

She's also probably the least likely person to leak secrets unintentionally, since she's keenly aware of the value of information. And, finally, she's more likely than not to catch you snooping. This would be a horrible time to damage your relationship with her.

Just noticed I didn't post yet

B

The Storyteller 2025/10/27(Mon)22:01 No. 1115620 ID: 1c8348
File 176162771035.png - (886.52KB , 1000x1000 , 450.png )

You leave the door cracked, and listen.

‘Bec: “Hey.”
Her Mom: “Rebecca? When did you get in?”
‘Bec: “Couple minutes ago. Figured I’d wait for a commercial break before telling ya.”
Her Mom: “Well that was thoughtful of you. How was school?”
‘Bec: “Well, on the one hand, I felt my brain melting in my skull from how boring class was. On the other hand, Lemmy apparently went missing.”
‘Bec: “So I’d say it averages out to being a pretty great day overall.”
Her Mom: “Oh Rebecca, that’s awful. Why would you say that?”
‘Bec: “Because I knew him? I would have brought in cupcakes had I known in advance.”
‘Bec: “Pretty sure we’ll be celebrating this as a holiday next year if he never gets found.”
Her Mom: “I don’t remember raising such a smart-mouthed girl.”
‘Bec: “Guess the dementia’s setting in early then.”

You brace yourself for shouting, but her mom just breaks into giggles.

Her Mom: “You must be in a good mood. I can’t remember the last time we really talked like this.”
Her Mom: “I missed it, you know? Just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean I love you any less.”

Her words hang in the air for an agonizing stretch of time, before ‘Bec speaks up again.

‘Bec: “...I know.”
Her Mom: “...Say, it’s a bit late for me to prepare something for tonight, but maybe tomorrow we could all sit down and have a nice family dinner again?”
‘Bec: “What, all three of us?”

There’s a distinct hiss in her voice when she says “three”.

Her Mom: “...I’m sure your father would be happy to see you eating with us again.”
‘Bec: “Doesn’t sound like him.”
Her Mom: “He would. I promise.”
‘Bec: “...”
Her Mom: “...He loves you. You know that, right?”

The extended silence says more than the one word reply that ‘Bec lands on.

‘Bec: “...Sure.”
‘Bec: “Hey, listen… Riley invited me to hang out at his place tonight, and since it’s looking like rain, I’ll probably just stay the night.”
Her Mom: “Are… Are you asking my permission to go? Rebecca, are you feeling well?”
‘Bec: “Yeah yeah, I’m an insolent bitch. Don’t start copying dad.”
‘Bec: “Just… I figured I’d let you know where I am, so you don’t get worried or anything. Y’know, since a kid just went missing and all.”

A few seconds later, her mother stands up. You peek through the crack in the door just in time to see ‘Bec’s mother wrap her arms around her daughter.

Her Mom: “I love you.”

The Storyteller 2025/10/27(Mon)22:02 No. 1115621 ID: 1c8348
File 176162774565.png - (888.35KB , 1000x1000 , 451.png )

‘Bec: “...I know. Love you too.”

They break apart, her mom patting her on the shoulder.

Her Mom: “Think about that dinner request. It’s been too long.”
‘Bec: “No promises.”
Her Mom: “I’d hope not. You enjoy breaking them too much.”

You take a few wide steps away from the door, and try to look natural when ‘Bec steps out, shutting it behind her. She looks at you, but doesn’t give any indication whether she noticed you listening in or not. She just takes back her backpack, and starts walking off, letting you follow.

The Storyteller 2025/10/27(Mon)22:03 No. 1115622 ID: 1c8348
File 176162778438.png - (1.10MB , 1000x1000 , 452.png )

It’s started to rain, as you reach your final stop. ‘Bec had stopped at the supermarket to stock up on drinks and snacks for the road, as well as the closed Play&Pay toy store to clean out its cash register. There’s no risk, since you know Snyder will never return to report the missing revenue.

‘Bec: “This is the last stop. I buried some of my wares out here that I wanna take with me.”

You’d gone past the plaza, and into the wooded area on the East end of town.

Clive: “...Are we going to the Creek?”
‘Bec: “Bingo. You ever been out here?”
Clive: “No.”
‘Bec: “Figured. You aren’t missing much. I mostly just come out to get away from shit, or to sell crap to the kids who hang around it.”

Eventually, you reach the lake itself, a decently large body of water with a large storm drain trickling water into it. You can see rope swings, litter, and graffiti all around the area. Nobody else is here at the moment, probably due to the weather.

‘Bec takes a travel-sized shovel out of her backpack, flips over a large rock, and starts digging.

‘Bec: “Hey, remember the other day, when you and brainy came by?”
Clive: “Yeah.”
‘Bec: “You wanted gossip on a bunch of different peeps.”
‘Bec: “That shit isn’t gonna be worth anything once I’m gone. Nobody two states over is gonna care what some random kids here have been up to.”
‘Bec: “Consider this a clearance sale. Might as well give away the good stuff before I go. Who or what do you wanna hear about?”

You pause to consider that. The offer had come out of nowhere, so you don’t have anything immediately on your mind.

Who/What do you want to ask ‘Bec for gossip on? (Two topics per person)

>>1051261

Sorry, Clive. We’ve got to run this to ground. What else can you tell us about JoJo? This is really important, but Clive doesn’t want to hear it. Last chance to make amends, Clive.

2. What the fuck is Mrs. Chamberlane’s problem?!

>>1115622
She said last time that three ladies wanted Alberts dad dead. What were her theories on that?
Also this is more about a place than a person. But anything about the recycling plant?

1. Ask what she knows about Daniel. According to an important note found by Franklin and Lilian https://questden.org/kusaba/questarch/res/1019132.html#1030996, apparently he was acting moody enough to cause some suspicion, and was recommended to ask Temmie about it. Considering he's a middle schooler just like Bec, she probably knows more about any kind of rumors about Daniel than anyone else. Does Bec know why Daniel was acting the way he did? If she doesn't, maybe she can give us some insight like what he was doing last she saw him, or some other important thing.

2. Ask about any hiding places, getaways, secret paths that she might know of. As the adults grow more suspicious, and with the new curfew rule that will make investigating a little more difficult, we might need to know these things if we want to stay hidden, or run from adults if suspicion gets too high enough to start graduating the group.

Ask her about the questions __other__ people have been asking her lately. Particularly Jhonen, or anyone else who's graduated lately. If anyone else was trying to investigate, she probably would have been unknowingly involved.

Ask her about the Butler family, all of them. Every thread in this conspiracy seems to come back to them somehow; if they're not at the center they have to be close.

Yeah. Figured it would be hard to get a consensus going.
>>1115656
Gonna change my first with the this ones Buttler question but change it to "got anything on the principle?"
And change my second one with >>1115650
's Daniel question. Since it's Chamberlains son that also fits with Donut's question.

Oh and I'm >>1115630

>>1115664
>>1115669
I might be wrong, but I don't think we need to worry about a consensus or majority vote on what gets asked, I think the prompt is just asking for two topics per person, and each will get answered (through the extent of what Bec has heard of course). You probably don't need to change your questions. Bec did say we'll be getting gossip on a bunch of different peeps after all.

>>1115682

This is correct, don't worry about voting, just ask what you wish to know about. I will try to feature all questions, save those which Clive would not ask.

>>1115687
Oh? Didn't really expect each thing to (mostly) be addressed. Nevermind then.

A general idea of which adults are more or less dangerous, and... maybe anything else about Enid or her family that would be helpful to know.
I do have a third one, which is one too many, but if it makes more sense for Clive to ask about the Hospital over the other two, I figured I'd also mention it.

Ask her where she gets her keys from. We're going to need keys to at least the high school, and likely other places we don't know about yet. Without her to source them for us we need to know where to look.

Ask her if she has info on anyone at the high school. In particular we want to know who's in charge there and if she has any dirt on them.