this has so gotta be somebody pranking you in a costume.

>>1097794
Even if it is, this is a great prank to play along with and fuck how are they doing that cold aura thing if it is?

Hem at the stranger, and back away towards the alley with the arm, grab Nathan with one hand to pull him with and complete his rhyme for him.

> just take the getup and get out of here.
"Dude, just let it take it and get out of our hair.
It’s gotta be just part of the prank, right?
Or are you really looking for a fight?"

Turn the flashlight slightly away from it to emphasize your point how tall and creepy this thing is in the full dark and what he’d be fighting with.

Wait a sec, wasn’t this Debra’s arm? Maybe? Is that good to give up to ghosts? Whisper-ask Nathan if it was Debra’s arm. He said he knew. If it’s not, horseskull gal can probably have it for all you care. If it iiiisss… what the fuck?! You saw her like an hour before, arm in tow. How’d she go and lose it like that? And who put it there of all places?

Panda 2024/11/11(Mon)18:36 No. 1099652 ID: 5c76ef
File 173137897995.png - (463.73KB , 1620x1020 , Riley 102.png )

This is obviously a ghost, you're sure of that fact. After months you've finally found what you were looking for and in the moment you're a little lost for what to ask. You have so many questions and asking them in rhyme is even harder.

"Dude come on you have to rhyme it, why are you fighting this so hard?"
You raise your voice.
"Ignore this guy he's really lame,
He doesn't want to play your game,
But really what I want the most
Can you to prove that you're a ghost?
Do you know whose arm this is
and... uh..."

While you think up a rhyme Nathan picks up a rock and throws it to settle the debate.
"Get the hell out of here, asshole. Final warning before I break out the cuffs."
There's a second of silence before it strikes the skull with a loud, hollow thock.

Panda 2024/11/11(Mon)18:36 No. 1099653 ID: 5c76ef
File 173137899322.png - (449.07KB , 1620x1020 , Riley 103.png )

On reflex you scream in Nathan's face. It was meant sounds more imposing but it came out as more of an annoying squeal. "What is your fucking problem? You always do stuff like this, you're the worst."

"Me? You're the one ruining crime scenes and fucking around with shitty pranks. Are you trying to get me fired? Some of us have responsibilities Riley. Do you know what that is? Responsibility?"

"Do you?" You throw it back at him. "I feel like I'm the only one trying to figure out what happened to Penny. You're too busy playing officer asshole to--"

"Shut. The fuck. Up." His voice is less angry but still talks over you. He speaks at you with authority. "I'm so tired of hearing you talk about this shit. [/i]Everybody[i] in town is tired of hearing you talk about this shit. Just let her die already. Is this some weird guilt trip or something?"

"I saw her dude!! She's alive or a ghost or something and what if we can help? Wouldn't you want to help her?"

He doesn't have an answer.


The ghost ignores your argument and picks up the rock to inspects it. Unimpressed it drops the stone to the floor and turns back to you.
"My time now is thin with the light's return
A complaint new friends, my requests you spurn
An answer I'll give to a question you please
But give me food, for now you tease."

Food, huh?
...is there somewhere nearby we can get some food that isn't attached to a person?

Do we still have the sticky bun we can feed it with?

Oh yeah we have the sticky buns. Give the ghost some buns in exchange for information.

>>1099653
Buns i have and i shall share
Because our lives you chose to spare
Our question we shall surely make
As you feast upon my cake
I must assure i talk of food
And nothing even slightly lewd
I am a young lady of class
These are baked goods, theyre not my ass.

Someone think of a question quick, i burned out my thinky parts rhyming

Toss ‘em the bunbag and ignore Riley.

Apologies and buns for you,
In trade for answer straight and true.
To cut it quick, a simple tell,
What’s going on here, what the hell?

Or if you want a ghost to find someone Spirited away, replace the last two with:

Snack on those, there should be many,
Now please tell, how to find Penny?

Panda 2025/01/12(Sun)03:31 No. 1102209 ID: 5c76ef
File 173668150696.png - (241.38KB , 931x587 , Riley 104.png )

Oh my goooood, yes you doooo totally have a whole bag full of food! Wow this is like the perfect opportunity to use it. What wonderful foresight you have.

"Where were you keeping those?" Nathan has comments. "Were you planning to eat what... ten pastries for dinner? Where did you even get those?" It's probably best to not share that story, he doesn't need to know you stole them.

If you can help it you don't want to get any closer to the ghost. With how much gusto are you 'tossing' this bag?

A lot of gusto. Make the ghost turn around to go get the food, that way you can both run away. Oh, make sure to throw the food THROUGH the ghost so the jackass idiot cop sees that it is in fact a ghost.

Hey weren't you supposed to take a picture of a ghost or something? Should probably do that now.

Medium gusto, you don’t want to paste the pastries.

Make sure the bag is shut tight, don't want any to spill out when you toss it.

Agreed.
Medium gusto.
Show enthusiasm but not aggression.
Follow up with fingerguns and a wink.
Saying "kerchow" only if you need bonus points for being the life and soul of cedar ridge.

Throw it at Nathan
tell the monster he has them
as they target Nathan, use that distraction to run!

Only throw one at a time! You don't want to throw all of it at once and then be empty-handed if it comes back.

Shout rhymes at it with each one.

>Run away run away, very hasty!
>Spirit go and grab this pastry!
>
>Take this bun with sticky icing!
>Fuck off with your spooky geist-ing!

And so on.

>If you can help it you don't want to get any closer to the ghost.
I mean... you COULD certainly get close, it'd very much verify the Spooks. Also probably a good way to seem a bit more respectful/avoid a ghost's shitlist?

But more importantly, it ensures THE GOODS remain intact and unsquished, which is VITAL.

(Also be sure to ask if it has any potential ghost allergens and/or poisons by chance.)

Panda 2025/01/21(Tue)10:55 No. 1102679 ID: 5c76ef
File 173748573365.png - (200.13KB , 1080x680 , Riley 105.png )

Ah! Oh no! You don't have a camera. Here's a perfect ghost opportunity you're squandering.

Next time you see Avery you'll have to let her know about this, but proof would have been way better!

Panda 2025/01/21(Tue)10:56 No. 1102680 ID: 5c76ef
File 173748576304.png - (357.36KB , 1190x1016 , Riley 106.png )

Restraining yourself from throwing the bag at Nathan you give it a good 'hup'.
The bag sails into the darkness an unknowable distance (maybe ten feet) and landing. The clap of pastry hitting concrete echoes down the street.

"Ho fuck? What delight!" Giving up on the rhyming scheme the beast happily picks a smashed bun from the ground. Its bony fingers disappearing each into its cape before it picks at another.

"If it's not a costume, what isit?" Nathan sounds angry, but when doesn't he.

"It's a--"

It's one of them Wendigglers!

its above your pay grade. Get to a phone and call for backup.

It's a merry lewd or some shit. They're welsh, the name is spelled stupid.

>>1102680
Mari Lwyd. Now let's get away from it.

...actually it might be more of a Wendigo.

>>1102680
We think its a mari lywd.
Like most cryptids and mythological species of wales it was named in the early days of their language and like most words was struck heavily by the great vowel famine.

Mary Lewd? Never heard of her. That's some forest-ghost-creature with what looks like a cow skull, right? You think you remember someone telling you a ghost story about those when you were younger. Beefula, wasn't it? The Moon Milker?

It's just Shane in disguise

Panda 2025/01/22(Wed)18:49 No. 1102717 ID: 5c76ef
File 173760057966.png - (444.84KB , 1500x1054 , Riley 107.png )

You're having a difficult time remembering its name.
"It's a uh, Wendiggler. Obviously. Come on you should know that." You try to sound confident to make the lie more believable and scribble it in your journal with your permanent marker.

"Yeah whatever. You just made that up on the spot."

+100 EXP for finding and naming the creature.

"The dark is over, my time has arrived."
The Wendiggler, as it will be forever named from now on, turns to you.
"As thanks for the treats we will share with you what we know, a single question is yours to ask."
It feels like it's given up on the rhyming now that it has your food.

Where is the owner of that severed arm?

>a single question is yours to ask.
Is there a particular place it lives/hangs out at? Is it open to visits maybe? (Especially if we bring snacks)

How do you beat the Gingerbread Man in Shrek: Fairy Tale FreakDown?

>>1102717
Nnhh.
Urge to be an irreverent smartass and show off in front of people
Fighting
With
Genuine need for information!

The arm.
We need to know who it came from and who severed it.
If we ask "whos is it?" This cheeky bun muncher will answer "yours" or "no bodies" or some other tricky answer.

>>1102726
OHHH GOOD IDEA smart idea support

Can I introduce you to my friend, Dr. Avery?

WHY was there a severed arm back there. did YOU do that?

Panda 2025/03/18(Tue)21:04 No. 1105087 ID: 5c76ef
File 174235709736.png - (449.71KB , 1839x1503 , riley 108.png )

You jump at the opportunity. "How do you beat the Gingerb-"

Nathan is already barking over you with a question of his own:
"Where is the person the arm belongs to?"

"Aw man that's a way better question."

In response the creature points a bony finger to the hills northeast of town.

"For many moons the forests have emptied, one by one voices go quiet. Tonight the chorus grows."

"Weird and cryptic. Not super helpful." Nathan poops on the party."I liked it better when you rhymed, at least that was fun."

Panda 2025/03/18(Tue)21:05 No. 1105088 ID: 5c76ef
File 174235713437.gif - (649.74KB , 960x550 , street animation.gif )

I'm sorry Riley, she's dead.

>>1105088
...I don't think we want to investigate that while it's still dark. We should go.

Respond with a NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

"...Can you put her soul in my boob?"

>>1105088
Dont let that hit you just yet riley.
You need to hyperfocus for just one moment.

Need to remember exactly where you are standing.
Everything around you so you can get back to this exact spot in daylight.
Then all we have to do is remember:
"Two small one tall"
Its like a rifle sight aimed right at that flash of light.
Thats a direction.
A compass would give us a reading to follow in the trees and we'd need...
Oh god.
Shes dead.

Home sounds good right now. Home. Lights on. Lots of blankets.

>>1105099
Time to stress/comfort eat when we get home as we lost all our pastries

>>1105087
This is awesome. You can tell all your bandmates about it. Hopefully you aren't too late for practice.

Panda 2025/04/03(Thu)16:11 No. 1105771 ID: 5c76ef
File 174372191645.gif - (300.61KB , 560x414 , Rileyquest 110.gif )

NoooOOoooOOoo
You are **so** late for band practice.

>>1105771
On the plus side, you have the BEST excuse ever.

Panda 2025/04/03(Thu)16:14 No. 1105774 ID: 5c76ef
File 174372204218.png - (299.56KB , 1000x630 , riley 110.png )

You try to leave, maybe they're still waiting for you, but Nathan holds you back with his sweaty hand.
You smack it away before he can grab you again.

"I'll let you and your friend go, if you promise me you didn't touch anything." He's still mad about the arm as if there isn't a ghost hanging out over here. "I'm serious Riley."
All things considered it's a kind offer from a guy whose nuts you kicked.

Bright car lights sting your eyes, looks like company's on the way. Better to get out of here before more losers show up.

>>1105774
Yeah you totally promise you didn't poke the arm.

>>1105774
Promiseeedidntthankyoubyenow

Then abscond before whoever that is in the car has your features etched into their memory.

Pinky promise! Wait, do you have pinkies?