Panda 2022/09/22(Thu)01:07 No. 1044453 ID: ab70bc
File 166383406550.png - (744.00KB , 1747x942 , cedarridge2.png )

You are RILEY and you have lived here all your life. It's past noon on a Wednesday and you're investigating a mystery.

The old lady who used to run the town's occult shop told you this storm drain is haunted. And since you have literally nothing better to do right now you've decided to check it out.

Your friend Shane broke your skateboard here two years ago, and he got his heart broken here a year later. You consider this to be karma.

You bought with you:
- A notebook and pencil
- A Game Boy Color with only one battery
- A sandwich to offer the hobo ghost

*Initiate retro 1970's proto-dubstep advertisement song*

Draw the entrance of the storm drain in your notebook. Then take a closer look if there's anything you can see inside or if you hear any noises coming from the hole.

Peek inside. And don't forget to draw a map.

>>1044461
Sketching a rough map is a cool idea!

Maybe add a couple 'expedition-style' notes as well so you can laugh about how seriously you took this later. "Ready to plunge the haunted depths of... THE STORM DRAIN. (dun dunn DUN!)"

How dark is this storm drain? Will you be okay wandering in there without a flashlight?

Don't need flashlight when we got a Game Boy Color

>>1044471
Game boy color needs two batteries and she only has one. It's useless for light

>>1044453
Yell loudly into the drain to assert dominance

>>1044471
Even if we had another battery, Game boy colors dont have a backlight on their screen to use as a light source.

So, what do you know about this alleged haunting already? What unexplained phenomena is being attributed to this hobo(?) ghost? Or are you just taking the old woman's word that it's "haunted" with no elaboration needed? (Is it a hobo or are you just guessing?) Do you know why the old woman told you in particular, and/or how she knew this? (She can be the subject of a follow-up investigation if this turns out to be legit.)

It'd be good to take down notes of everything you know about the case before you head in.

Also, do you know how to defend yourself, in case you startle and agitate a flash-and-blood hobo or a rabid animal or something?

Also, what happened to the old lady who used to run the occult shop ?

>>1044474
You know I'd actually forgotten that! There's no Gameboy with backlight until the GBA SP!

Create a code name for your current operation, I suggest Eagle one.

>>1044453
You definitely brought that sketchpad to map the storm drains!

Panda 2022/09/23(Fri)01:05 No. 1044524 ID: ab70bc
File 166392035774.png - (435.62KB , 1012x718 , cedarridge3.png )

The storm drain is not important, you didn't come here for the storm drain. This is just the spot where the hobo ghost is said to spook. In fact, you think this storm drain couldn't get any less interesting, you feel like it has absolutely zero bearing over your adventure. But since it's here you might as well check it out.
Water settles at the bottom of the pipe, there's a wall at the end that splits the path in two directions: left and right. As much as you can tell from here neither seem to extend that far. You can make out the entrance clearly in the sunlight but it quickly becomes dark.

Sucking in a lungful of ashy air you scream your little heart out. Which is actually pretty loud. Years and year of screaming at your parents and your friends and just about anything that pushes you the wrong way has made screaming second nature to you. It's only a heartbeat later that the pipe screams back.
With how shallow this pipe is the echo isn't that strong. You easily overpower it. The pipe's will is broken.

+7 EXP

You're not very good at drawing, but you know your town pretty well from memory. You could manage up a decent map if you wanted to once you found a flat surface to draw on. There's one just outside the pipe.

Nothing **happened** to the old lady. Nothing ever happens in this town. Debra the occult rat is hanging out in the park right now.
In the center of town there's a building that used to be a bank. Lots of buildings used to be a bank. One of them is purple. The old rat who used to live there painted it purple when she opened up Cedar Ridge's first and last occult shop.
It did not do well.
Recently you've been hanging out with her in the park since all of your friends are in school or at work.

This is the third adventure she's sent you on now and you're starting to think she might be making things up. The last two ended up being possums.

Panda 2022/09/23(Fri)01:07 No. 1044526 ID: ab70bc
File 166392044858.png - (226.07KB , 1055x839 , game boy color.png )

Your Game Boy Color :tm: Special Edition :tm: Pikachu and Friends :tm: edition is a burned yellow and doesn't quite fit in your pocket comfortably. You bought it second hand at a garage sale, it didn't come with the battery clip so they always fall out while you're playing.
You only have the game it came with: Shrek: Fairy Tale FreakDown

No matter how hard you try, you can't beat the Gingerbread Man.

At home you have a Pokemon game, but even if you were home right now (which you're not) you're missing a battery.

Well, no hobo ghosts here. Mystery solved!

There doesn't seem to be anything else to do here so I suppose you can go report your findings to Debra.

But first, draw that town map on the flat concrete surface. And make sure to do it while sticking your ass as far in the air as you can, you know, to ward off any hobo ghosts.

Draw that map then look around, listen for ghostly sounds and ask the ghost to show itself. Tell it you got a sandwich.

>>1044526
How does one go about summoning hobo ghosts? We should check for old hobo signs on the walls

Intone the most eldritch incantation you can muster.

Also, if all your friends are at school or work - did you graduate, and just don't yet have a job, or maybe you work a night shift, or what?

>Draw a map of town
Why not? There's a flat surface right there, after all. And you're clearly bored out of your gourd, so a quick moment to bust out a sketch wouldn't be amiss.

>>1044532
Actually, ooh, yeah check for fresh ghost hobo signs inside the tunnel before it gets too dark. Maybe turning on your Gameboy - with one battery - will catch up stray hobo ghost signals and create a spooky flickering screen effect or... something. Okay that's stupid, but eh, what's the worst that could happen?

>What else
So you hang with Debra because neither of you appear to have much better to do. She sounds like she's gone broke after her occult self-employment venture went bust, but what about you? Why ain't you workin', schoolin' or whatever? How old are you, Riley?

>>1044545
Gameboy can't turn on with only one battery, not even a flicker. And as many people who tried to use their gameboy in the car can tell you, there's definitely no way the gameboy can light up anything.

>>1044526
Best to start peddling the sandwich in an effort to lure the ghost out. What kind of sandwich even is it?

Use the gameboy to play an 8-bit OST version of All Star by Smash Mouth to demonstrate that you aren't a threat after that blood-curdling scream.

Moan seductively to lure the ghost out.

>>1044554
Which means there's definitely ghost activity if it does!

Panda 2022/09/29(Thu)00:06 No. 1044990 ID: ab70bc
File 166443521365.png - (800.16KB , 1881x1323 , Panel 5.png )

You're not done here. If you went back to the cool old witch lady now she'd think you're a nerd who can't handle ghosts. That's lame, you're not a nerd. You can't even beat Pokemon.

This is where the storm drain ends, at least for this part of town. The dirty stream travels past this wall but it's too dark for you to see where it goes. From the sounds of it, down.

There used to be a fancy sign here but a kid stole it. You're pretty sure he still has it in his garden. It probably said something dumb like "This is a storm drain" or "Disco is dead." Nobody cares.

You're not in school because you're a rebel without a cause. And you got expelled last month. It's not really something you want to talk about when there are cool ghost adventures to be on right now.
You probably weren't going to graduate anyway.

Panda 2022/09/29(Thu)00:08 No. 1044991 ID: ab70bc
File 166443529080.png - (741.94KB , 2163x1295 , Panel 6.png )

You're pretty far north of the town right now. Cedar Ridge has a population of 1,069 or something like that. It's mostly old people shuffling their way to the graveyard.
[The cross is your current position]

Everything is centred around the main road which travels through town, truckers need a place to stay this far out and that's how the town makes its money. You're pretty sure there used to be a train line here once but if there is you haven't seen it.
Sometimes at night you think you can hear a train in the trees.

This side of the river there isn't much but forest. If you didn't draw it, assume it's just a forest. There are a fuckload of trees where you live.
Given how it's just across the river from school and far away from the trailer park this is a pretty popular place for teenagers to dick around.

You're bumming at your friend's place right now in a slightly nicer part of town. There are paved roads instead of just dirt. But it's not as nice as the nice part of town. That's on the other side of the park.

You didn't draw the park because your notepad's spine is in the way.

Panda 2022/09/29(Thu)00:09 No. 1044992 ID: ab70bc
File 166443535983.png - (631.87KB , 2178x1309 , Panel 7.png )

You also bought a sandwich with you because apparently food is what makes the ghost show up. You don't need any incantations or voodoo, but if you wanna shout something that's cool. Shout all you want, this is America. You love shouting.

Apparently if you leave food here the ghost will show up. You can either wait for something to happen or find something else to do.

You made the sinner's sandwich because a friend once told you it was really good. It's turkey, strawberry jam and cereal. You tried half of it on the way here to see what it was like.

It's okay. The ghost is a hobo he's not gonna be picky.

If I was a ghost I would pretend to be picky, just to keep folks on their toes.

>>1044992
Alright, time to get just out of sight and peek at the sandwich.

What were your instructions for the last two "ghosts"?

When you get the chance, spray paint a pair of R's that look like giant D's but with squiggly lines at the bottom to form the rest of the R-character, layered diagonally.

>>1044996
Do you even have to get out of sight to start with?

Could just enter the storm drain, wave the sandwich around, see if something hops out. Then drop it and pretend to leave if nothing does, but actually hang around near the exit and peek to see if anyone comes.

>>1044992
Guess it's time to hurry up and wait. Kick your lecks up and play some of that pokeyman game.

Find a rock or something and place the sandwich on top of it so that it sticks out.

Then tie a string around the sandwich and hide somewhere. Once the string is pulled, you've caught the ghost!

How does this lady claim to find these leads for you?

Shame you don't have chalk; you could try drawing a seance circle with a bunch of hobo code symbols in it - look it up, it's like an IRL thief's cant.

I guess just try calling it out. Don't act like you're calling a ghost, though - we don't know how they work; they might not realize they're dead. Did the rat pin a name to this ghost, or are we gonna settle for "I have food, come and get it?"

>>1044992
>apparently food is what makes the ghost show up.
Are you sure it’s a ghost and not a wild animal?

Panda 2022/10/10(Mon)22:31 No. 1046100 ID: ab70bc
File 166546627623.png - (299.66KB , 1155x833 , rileyquest 8.png )

Why would it be an animal? The other two ghosts were just shy probably. That's a lame thought.

You don't have any string for a trap, but the magic circle sounds like fun!
Using your finger you draw a crude circle in the layer of grime that's built up on the surface. You think it's concrete? This can't be solid rock.
Either way, you wipe the grime off on your shorts.

It takes a good minute but you draw all the things you think a hobo king would care about: his crown, booze, a trash can, a trash bag, and after you'd run out of trash ideas you just drew a skull.
It looks pretty cool. You're a dope artist.

You weren't failing art class; art class was failing you.
Eat a dick Mr Asston.

+6 EXP for this cool idea

Panda 2022/10/10(Mon)22:31 No. 1046101 ID: ab70bc
File 166546631918.png - (111.17KB , 1385x619 , rileyquest 9.png )

Actually you know about hobo runes! You found a few around town, and you're pretty sure there's one on the pipe walls!

Even this early in the afternoon there isn't enough light to see into the storm drain very well. From the entrance you can make out how deep it is and where it splits, but past that it's too dark to see what you're doing or where you're going.

The shallow pipe ends in a fork, left and right.

Panda 2022/10/10(Mon)22:32 No. 1046102 ID: ab70bc
File 166546637528.png - (283.78KB , 1192x676 , rileyquest 10.png )

This isn't the first time you've been here so you know what to expect. You can see the heavy steel gate at the end, the tarnished silver reflects just a little more light than its surroundings. This gate has been locked since you were a little kid and you've never seen it opened. No engineers or operators ever visit.

You can also make out the silhouette of a pickle jar and half of your skateboard.

Honestly it's surprising that thing is still here. It's a trooper.

The lighting is too shitty to make out the hobo code, maybe this is something you could check out later.

Panda 2022/10/10(Mon)22:33 No. 1046103 ID: ab70bc
File 166546640033.png - (488.96KB , 1563x886 , rileyquest 11.png )

It smells at the end. There is a lot of stagnant water stewing away in this retainer. You know for a fact it goes down pretty deep (and probably ends up somewhere) because you've spent a lot of time throwing rocks in there, but you will literally never, ever, ever

ever

ever, ever ever get in that water outside of a dare.

Somebody left their shopping cart here. Which is impressive given the nearest mall is two towns over.

The sign here was spray painted over at some point, otherwise it looks fairly new.

How's the gate locked? Have you ever considered using that half of a skateboard to try and smash off the padlock or something? If it's been down there untouched for a long time it might break.

Like a POWERFUL CROW, use a BIG ROCK to break the lock open.

>>1046102
Check out that pickle jar - what's it filled with and/or doing here? And what's the story about that skateboard? How'd Shane end up breaking it?

>Use rock on rusty lock
Breaking into a semi-abandoned sewer system? Sounds acceptably risky! Granted, might be more trouble than it's worth.

>>1046103
Place sandvich inside magic circle and call out to the hobo ghost to come and get the food.

Ok, but would you get in the water if there was a scary hobo ghost standing behind you?

Panda 2022/10/21(Fri)15:09 No. 1047138 ID: ab70bc
File 166639015266.png - (1.84MB , 2382x1485 , rileyquest 12.png )

There's a scary hobo ghost behind you??

No. There isn't.

Bro. It's not cool to jump scare people like that. Dawg.

At the cross section there is so little light it's difficult for you to see, despite being able to see pretty well in the dark. Without illumination it's just shapes in shadows.

You can make out the shape of half a skateboard, an old glass jar, and an assortment of rocks and newspapers stuck to the floor. You're pretty sure they're stuck to the floor, there's a lot of gunk around them and everything in here is wet.
There's a much smaller pipe on the back wall somebody smaller than you could wiggle through, though it's very gross. The smell has been enough to deter you and your friends from ever trying to see what's in there, and you really don't care. If you had to guess, it's where the water goes when the room with the shopping cart is full.

The lock is build into the door, if you smashed it with a rock all you'd be doing is making it harder to get a key in if you ever found one.
Which you're down for, if smashing this lock is what you really want to do. Senseless destruction is kind of your M/O.

Panda 2022/10/21(Fri)15:09 No. 1047140 ID: ab70bc
File 166639019399.png - (416.86KB , 1533x873 , rileyquest 13.png )

You have absolutely no idea why there's a pickle jar here. Maybe it has something to do with the hobo ghost, maybe you should've bought pickles instead of a sandwich?

Last year you came down here to skate after an especially bad date. Shane broke your skateboard trying to do a kickflip. He ate shit so hard he broke his arm and had to wear a cast, though his pain made breaking your skateboard funny and it helped you forget what you were mad about in the first place.

Shane usually finds some way to cheer you up when things are shitty - usually by hurting himself in some way. He's not exactly graceful. Most people don't get him; your parents hate Shane.

Anything in the pickle jar?
Any signs of that hobo ghost?
Anything new in the gross pipe?
Anywhere to get a new skateboard?

Bad dates sound particularly awkward, when you probably know everybody in town.

I think we're done looking at the trash. Why not sit and watch the sandwich somewhere less smelly?

Maybe it's a pickle djinni hobo ghost, and someone let it out, and that's why it's haunting this place.

>>1047140
What's that next to the pickle jar? The handle of a bag? The lid? Look closer.

Take the pickle jar and start heading towards where that woman said the ghost was, maybe we can capture the ghost in the pickle jar like a spider.

>>1047140
Would be cool if its like a alien with tentacles disguised as a hobo so it can slink between the bars or is like a cool cryptid?

>>1047176
Yeah, do this

You need to summon the ghost through some kind of ritual. That circle you drew and the food offering you brought are a good start, but now you need to actually perform the summoning. Call out to the ghost. With feeling! Maybe chant. Spirits love chanting.

>>1047276
Y'hah, nglui lw'nafh ph'grah'n orr'eagl ilyaa y-sgn'wahl gotha, orr'e y'hah nglui uaaahyar k'yarnak. Navulgtlagln uh'eog shagg lw'nafh syha'h hlirghyar gebyar, h'shogg kn'a nglui nnnllll stell'bsna ngluioth, Cthulhu k'yarnak gotha shogg f'lloig. Kn'a stell'bsna ehyeor ph'Shub-Niggurath nw Dagon ya n'gha, ph'grah'n ah hlirgh gotha 'fhalma Dagon f's'uhn, y-hrii mgnyth n'ghft hrii shugg Tsathoggua. Hasturagl zhroog hai orr'e li'hee gof'nn athg Shub-Niggurath sll'ha shugg, cR'lyeh fm'latgh Tsathogguaagl orr'enyth cmnahn' nglui throd goka nilgh'ri orr'e, gof'nn Dagon y-throd wgah'n Dagon 'ai hupadgh c'ai. Vulgtm hai vulgtlagln ilyaa uh'e wgah'n nglui ch' hupadgh, ebunma shtunggli nggnaiih Azathoth nafln'ghft ftaghu n'ghft syha'h gotha, throd uh'e vulgtlagln 'fhalma ilyaa ooboshu ehye.

Panda 2022/10/31(Mon)21:21 No. 1048057 ID: ab70bc
File 166727650756.png - (494.70KB , 1532x1007 , rileyquest 14.png )

An alien? That's stupid. You're stupid. What would that even look like?
Like some kind of weird hobo guy and what, he's just made of tentacles?

Actually.

Maybe you're onto something there. There was this guy you met a couple towns over at a rock show who told you he saw something like that once. It was like, a gross tentacle bird thing? You're sure there are all kinds of weird, crazy things all through the woods.

Panda 2022/10/31(Mon)21:22 No. 1048058 ID: ab70bc
File 166727652872.png - (367.74KB , 1540x1016 , rileyquest 15.png )

You don't need to get a new skateboard, you got a new one already. It's at home with all the other stuff you moved to your new house. This is the longest lasting board you've had, it's been with you for a solid two months now. Which is a long time when you eat shit as often as you do.

It's not your fault; you've gotta be cursed or something. And all the cool tricks are literally impossible anyway.

To date you have owned seven skateboards. One a year for your birthday and a couple you 'borrowed' from Shane. It's his own fault if he falls for it twice.
To date you have broken eleven. Nobody lets you borrow their skateboards anymore.

When you get home you can find it and practice some sick flips.

Panda 2022/10/31(Mon)21:22 No. 1048059 ID: ab70bc
File 166727655173.gif - (185.38KB , 560x315 , riley biffs it.gif )

You don't really want to touch the jar, it's all gross and slimy from rainwater. And you can't see a thing.

Still, maybe there's something inside??

W-

fuck

goddamnit

The jar smashes and covers the floor in even more shit. You're just clumsily flailing about in the dark here. Maybe it's time to check back in with the summoning circle.

Get outta there before you slip on something.

>>1048059
Wtf is the label in the glass shards?

Oh great now we have to worry about broken glass. Let's hope we don't eat shit.

Oh! Trash???! Let's investigate the trash, because it has question marks.

>eats shit, drops jars
Definitely not just a bit clumsy, then?

A few options: the lid might have a label as well, so you can pick that up and turn it over, bring it closer to the light so you can actually see shit. Or... you can dig around in that fresh glass pile and see what the label hanging on it was (something besides 'pickles', hopefully). Or do both (the completionist in you whispers).

You can check on the circle after you've thoroughly de-mystified the 'mystery of the opened jar'.

Now that there's glass everywhere... Maybe we should get out of the storm drain. How long have we even been here?

Panda 2022/11/14(Mon)13:08 No. 1049273 ID: ab70bc
File 166846009833.png - (700.91KB , 1400x881 , rileyquest 17.png )

You can hear the sound of glass shattering filling the pipe, it echoes out into the woods around you and travels far.

In response, there's a rustling noise outside. The shattering startled something... or some-one.

Panda 2022/11/14(Mon)13:08 No. 1049274 ID: ab70bc
File 166846012541.png - (451.10KB , 1995x1131 , rileyquest 18.png )

Flailing your hand around in the dark you fuck about and find out with broken glass in an attempt to read the label. This seems like a great idea, you're absolutely invincible-

Panda 2022/11/14(Mon)13:09 No. 1049275 ID: ab70bc
File 166846014124.png - (334.32KB , 1995x1131 , rileyquest 19.png )

Almost immediately you cut your hand.

It doesn't feel like a bad cut, but it stings. You can feel the blood spilling into your palm.

aaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Fix it. Fix it. Fix it. Fix it.

Eat the sandwich to restore Health.

Take off your shirt and wrap it around your hand.

Ouch! Time to CUT your losses and go outside to see how bad it is! And maybe get some cloth of something to die across your hand as an impromptu bandage. Or maybe just clench your hand so the cut doesn't bleed so bad.

On the up side you can (accidentally) drip some blood on that magic circle, which will surely do nothing because this is an ordinary place where nothing special happens and you just drew it for a lark.

... granted if anybody's watching, it'll look sus as fuck.

Bandage bandage bandage

Gotta stop the bleeding. Apply lots of pressure. Are you up to date on your tetanus shots?

Massacare Shirt, bandage wound (after washing it in non-shitty water), hope you didnt get a zombie virus or something :V

Yay sewer infection! Time to get the heck out of here

We definitely don't accidentally drip our fresh blood on the summoning circle as we start to gtfo

>>1049275
Remove shirt, bandage hand. It's fine, not like anyone's going to see you down here anyway.

>>1049275
Get to the drugstore for a bandage. Your woodland excursion hasn't been successful.

I recommend not applying pressure until you're sure there's not still glass there.

Hold your injured hand above your head. Go outside, swiftly but carefully.

Get vaccinations immediately. And wash with soap!

Panda 2022/12/08(Thu)23:21 No. 1051366 ID: ab70bc
File 167057049376.png - (110.76KB , 928x660 , rileyquest 20.png )

> Go outside and see how bad it is

Looking at it in the light you can't **see** any glass. It's a pretty clean cut and it's not that deep, but it's bleeding a lot.

This isn't the first time you've cut yourself doing something dumb and it won't be the last.

Panda 2022/12/08(Thu)23:23 No. 1051367 ID: ab70bc
File 167057060431.gif - (136.75KB , 560x315 , jacket_rip.gif )

> Bandage your hand with your shirt

The shirt stays on.
But you can fuck up your jacket instead. This is an old one anyway.

You tear off the sleeve of your jacket and wrap it about your palm.

You can keep the rest of the torn jacket or add another item to the sewer pipe's horde of trash.

Panda 2022/12/08(Thu)23:24 No. 1051368 ID: ab70bc
File 167057065380.png - (284.24KB , 1072x722 , rileyquest 22.png )

There see? Much better. It's like you never spent the afternoon playing with glass in a dirty stormdrain.

In fact. That's a good idea, maybe you should start rubbing your wound all over the dirty circle you made. That'll probably help---

Panda 2022/12/08(Thu)23:24 No. 1051369 ID: ab70bc
File 167057068934.png - (525.90KB , 1372x837 , rileyquest 23.png )

aaaaAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!

Panda 2022/12/08(Thu)23:25 No. 1051370 ID: ab70bc
File 167057070691.gif - (31.61KB , 560x373 , possum_thief.gif )

THERE HE IS!!

The possum has taken your sandwich.

Be glad he didn't take your boobs.
Now get to a hospital before the infection takes your hand.

Obtain Possum, feed banana, make fren.

Feed the possum! It's clearly hungry.

Capture them. Lunge and tackle if you have too

careful, it might have rabies. just leave it alone with the sandwich...

wait, it's a possum, is it playing dead?

>>1051368
The jacket is already soaking through, you're gonna need to stitch that hand up. Maybe you'll get a gnarly scar.
>>1051376
Possums don't get rabies, dummy.

>>1051370
AQUIRE NEW PET/FRIEND

Catch possum with your chest

Rather than just grab it, you could use your now-already-damaged jacket to bundle 'em up.

Then make a wish in exchange for its release (and the lunch), in the hopes it's like that tale of the wish-granting-fish, only with a possum.

Or, I dunno, bring it to someone who'd want a possum.

Panda 2022/12/17(Sat)16:31 No. 1052089 ID: ab70bc
File 167132349488.png - (498.83KB , 2049x1212 , rileyquest 24.png )

Aw man.
You were really hoping it'd be a ghost this time.

You need a minute. You've wasted a lot of time on these ghost hunts and still don't have anything to show for it. Which is kind of a cowabummer.

>Feed the possum
You already fed it your sandwich. It's probably eaten more than you have today. As far as you know possums don't eat GameBoys.

>Catch the possum in the torn jacket
Sure, you could give it a try. He's just lying there.
You should probably give him a name at least, since he's eaten at least three of your lunches.


When you're done here you should report back to Debra the occult rat with your findings. She's on the other side of the woods in the town park.

Today you need to really should:
- Report back to Debra
She gave you this tip about the ghost, and would want to know it's fake.

- Get some food
The only thing you've eaten is half of a Sinner's Sandwich, which you've now shared with a possum. You're like lunch brothers.

- Prepare for band practice
Later tonight you have band practice with your friends, this is something you might want to prepare for.

Additional bonus tasks and achievements will increase score.

Outside of that you can do whatever you want.
You don't own a car and can't leave town. Traveling between locations passes time. Right now it's early afternoon.

Report to Debra, maybe check out the local graveyard along the way to see if there's any CERTIFIED SPOOKS going on at the time?

Name him Lester.

Call it bitey.

And yeah, go see Debra. She might have bandages for our hand

Debra time! Call it bitey. Lower case b.

>>1048058
>you've gotta be cursed or something
Cursed with tig ol' bitties and rockin hips. Balancing on a board must be a bitch.

Possums make fine pets but only really if you raise them. They really aren't aggressive at all though so settle with it being a new fren and give it a pet. WITH YOUR UNCUT HAND.

Will you even be able to practice band with your hurting hand? (Hey, that rhymed!)

Go see Debra and mooch lunch off her, its only fair after she sent you on yet another wild opossum chase.

Eat the possum. Then visit Debra.

Panda 2022/12/21(Wed)23:53 No. 1052398 ID: ab70bc
File 167169558530.png - (333.02KB , 673x448 , image.png )

https://youtu.be/s2OWFY_bUOI

You give bitey a hug.

He does not care, for he has already won.
You can't un-eat the sandwich.

Panda 2022/12/21(Wed)23:53 No. 1052399 ID: ab70bc
File 167169561997.png - (260.07KB , 1080x680 , rileyquest 26.png )

As much as the sight of him fills you with RAGE you can't bring yourself to be a jerk to random creatures from town.

He gets to live. Today.

> Head back to Debra

You'll leave him and head back to town for now. Given you've been foiled by bitey three times already, you have no doubt you'll see him again in the future.

Your hand kinda hurts, but you're tough. You can play through it. If anything it'll make you better at playing the drums. All the best drummers are crazy.

Have you considered picking up bitey, and making a bitey out of him? You could conceivably re-eat your sandwich even if he can't uneat it.

>>1052399
>Your hand kinda hurts, but you're tough. You can play through it. If anything it'll make you better at playing the drums. All the best drummers are crazy.

Oh yeah?! Well I don't believe you! Prove it! as you walk back to town, start banging random walls, trees, and other objects like they're drums with your hands in a rhythm.

How tough are you?

>>1052399
>Hand
Oh right, actually disinfect it as soon as you get home.

What kind of music does your band play anyway? You strike me as a thrashcore kind of person.

>>1052399
You should get stitches when you can. Also rip a strip off your shirt and change the bandage.

Maybe try and find something else to eat on your way to see Debra? You might make better decisions on a full stomach. Maybe you could even bring something for her too!

Panda 2023/02/07(Tue)20:07 No. 1055470 ID: ab70bc
File 167582923916.png - (2.69MB , 1453x1468 , rileyquest 27 Titlecard.png )

It's a pleasant walk through the woods. The mild wind cools you from the heat of the afternoon sun. It's taken about an hour to walk back to town, school will probably end soon if it hasn't already.

The walk is uneventful. With only the occasional burned out bonfire or old campsite to give you something to look at. The sounds of birds and animals running through the underbrush fades back to civilization when you approach town. It's not a strain to hear kids shouting somewhere nearby. The park's grass greets you by cleaning your shoes of dirt from the trail.

> Remove your shirt and change your bandage.

You're not taking your shirt off. Besides, your hand feels fine.
The bleeding has stopped by this point, and as long as you don't disturb the wound it seems happy to sleep.
It only stings when you make a fist.

Panda 2023/02/07(Tue)20:08 No. 1055471 ID: ab70bc
File 167582931887.png - (295.02KB , 916x597 , rileyquest 28.png )

Firs grow thick here, the deeper into the woods you get the thicker they become. Kids carve things into them a lot.

The town does some logging, or did some logging? You're not sure. There are a bunch of industrial buildings both in town and the woods you're supposed to stay away from.

Panda 2023/02/07(Tue)20:10 No. 1055472 ID: ab70bc
File 167582940954.png - (268.29KB , 1358x955 , rileyquest 29.png )

> Report to Debra

Debra's eating her lunch on the swing. You can usually find her enjoying her time in the park since her shop closed down.

She smiles when she notices you, waiting for you to engage her when you're ready.

Push her on the swing! Do it! You know you wanna!

>>1055473
Push it to the limit!

Then realize you're totally bleeding and it hurts a bit, but that's not important. What's really important is that the sewer urban legend is totally a myth and it's just a possum who's a total jerk.

Start off with a hug!

>>1055472
"I fed your possum again."

>>1055473
Seconding this. Go high!

Nudge her into light motion with your good hand while you speak of your adventure and all its eventful moments. Don't thrust too hard - she's only holding on with one hand, after all.

You can add some slightly more forceful levels of thrust while commenting on feeling a bit like you're chasing ghosts while chasing all these ghosts. Fun and silly times are had, sure, but still - what are the odds you've YET to hit on a genuine phenomenon?

Bemoan dramatically over the fact you're starting to get a little bored with it. The next one - oh, the next one ought be juicy, yes? Juicy-er than fat old bitey stealing your lunch again, at least.

Which, incidentally, if she should happen to have any to spare, you will happily - shamelessly even - accept some in return for services rendered.

Panda 2023/02/11(Sat)22:02 No. 1055825 ID: ab70bc
File 167618173160.gif - (262.41KB , 560x425 , swing gif.gif )

You > tell her all about your adventure.
"Hey Debra I fed your dumb possum again." You spare no detail. "He STINKS."

"Oh, you found old Bitey huh? Guess he's taken a liking to you." Debra doesn't rise to your aggression and instead rolls up her lunch bag and pushes it to the side. The name 'Bitey' caught on quick. "Don't you worry about him, he's armless! HA!"

Furious at her awful joke you > Push it to the limit, and throw the old, one-armed lady as high as you can. She weighs so little it's like pushing an empty swing and you immediately fall over.

"Ahoo hoo hoo hoo, that was a good push!" Debra enjoys the swing, her bare feet hit the back of your head when she comes back down.

As far as you've known, Debra has always been a little quirky. It's one of the reasons you get along.

"I have a gift for you!" Once the swing comes to a stop she lets go of the chain and holds out her arm. "Pick a hand!"

Hold out your right hand, then realize you should have probably held out your left in order to not scare Debra.

two can play it this game!

Tell her you don't want to pick the hand, you want to pick the gift that is in her hand! You're not falling for her tricks again

Obviously hold out both of yours so she's got more of them to let you pick from

Bring out ol' Lefty the Hefty!

go ahead and pick the hand that exists, sure.

Panda 2023/02/18(Sat)13:53 No. 1056437 ID: ab70bc
File 167675722549.png - (1.69MB , 2147x1536 , rileyquest 31.png )

You stick out both hands like a dumbass in response to her game, asserting your dominance and flaunting your two functional arms. Clearly your power stance is intimidating because she buckles first.

"Hoo hoo. Looks like you win at arms again. I'll get you next time."

You pick the only hand she has, obviously.
"Gimme the goods sister."
Smiling up at you Debra slips her hand into her headdress and pulls out your gift. A permanent marker!

"I heard you lost all your stuff in the move, keep your head up kiddo. Raise hell for me."

Panda 2023/02/18(Sat)13:54 No. 1056438 ID: ab70bc
File 167675723985.gif - (10.27KB , 560x315 , Marker.gif )

Now that you have a permanent marker you can write on anything. Anything that can be written on by a permanent marker, anyway.

This town is boring and sorely lacking in style. You've been empowered to fix that.

"If anyone asks where you got it, it wasn't me, you hear?"
Debra winks at you. It's hard to tell because her eyes never open, but you get the message.

If we're going to fix this town's look with our permanent marker, we'll need a disguise

Draw a mustache and beard on your face!

>>1056438
Our power to draw goatees and x out the eyes on newspapers and dollar bills just increased 2fold! Quickly, go to the nearest diner that offers those complementary local news fliers that ever diner has and get to work (and also get some lunch)

Your toolkit has been upgraded like a video game protagonist's.

No window or poster shall escape your mark. Except the ones beneath video cameras, because you don't want to get arrested. Yet.

Any good public bathroom stalls to add funny jokes and 'for a good time call (number of your local nemesis)' messages to?

>>1056438
Think up a COOL LOGO and tag every window with it. Tell no one it's you, to remain mysterious.
>>1056439
That's a disguise you can't take off.

Oh nice; sharpies are figuratively worth their weight in gold. Being able to write on (most) anything is handy.

Panda 2023/03/06(Mon)13:11 No. 1057662 ID: ab70bc
File 167813711957.png - (250.17KB , 829x816 , rileyquest 32.png )

Instead of being the dumbass this time you draw a face on the back of your hand and use that as a mustache in lieu of your face. You've already learned that lesson the hard way.

"Hoo hoo. That looks good on you!" Debra approves, and claps her single hand against her lap.

> good locations to tag
The entire town is full of great places. Cedar Ridge is mostly wood, made back in the 40s or something. You didn't pay that much attention in history class. The diner, the bank or the church are three large locations that come to mind.
Anything rougher than wood you're gonna need spray paint and you're not cool enough to get that.
You're a particularly big fan of things that are cool. The more trouble you could get into the better - as long as you don't get caught.

Debra notices your hand but doesn't say anything. Looks like your makeshift bandage fell off at some point in the woods. The cut has stopped bleeding thanks to how much it's dried and your hand feels a little tingly. It doesn't hurt unless you touch it.

You like Debra, Debra is cool. She won't narc on you to anyone.

Panda 2023/03/06(Mon)13:12 No. 1057663 ID: ab70bc
File 167813717747.png - (1.44MB , 2216x1966 , rileyquest 33.png )

"Cut it on a pickle jar." You show your hand off. "I'm gonna turn into a pickle now."

"Hoo hoo! Pickle Riley. I've never been a pickle before. You'll have to let me know how it is." Her voice is a little strained but excited, she loves a good conversation. "Just make sure to get that cleaned up, we had a terrible problem with a bug going around when you were born."

"I literally cannot get ill. My mitochondria knows kung fu. They'll kick anything that tries to infect me in the butt." You include a long word to make it sound more credible.

"What about last Christmas when you got the flu and needed your father to buy out the entire pharmacy?" Debra cuts you off before you can respond. "What about that fishing trip you got chicken pox and cried for a week straight?"

That shuts you up.

"I heard there's a new girl in town. I think she's supposed to be at the party tomorrow." Debra shuffles her bare feet in the grass and throws you a mercy topic.

"Is she cool?" You ask.

"Oh, don't worry I think you'll like her."

You didn't know there was a party, looks like you weren't invited. [i]This could be something to ask people about.[i]

Panda 2023/03/06(Mon)13:13 No. 1057664 ID: ab70bc
File 167813719907.png - (128.06KB , 910x681 , rileyquest 34.png )

It's the early afternoon. The only commitment you have is band practice. Immediately you write this on your arm to really get the message home. If you forget this your friends will be really annoying about it.

Outside of this you can do what you want. Moving passes time.
You can ask Debra a couple of questions, or pass by the school to town.

Go to the diner for fries and a shake. Also see if you can find people who were invited to the party and can get you in, or at least other losers you can commiserate with.

Did you ever get a new skateboard ever since Shane broke it? If so, go home and get it so you can skate around town, and cause graffiti, Jet Set Radio style (but with a sharpie instead of spraypaint, and a skateboard instead of roller skates)

Ask Debra about Ze Partay before you go. She must know something, surely?

Then hit up the Diner. Food AND toilet-tagging opportunities! That is, food if you have money.

At the very least you could also use the toilet to clean your wound, maybe bum a bandage off of the proprietor?

>>1057677
This is an excellent set of ideas.

Diner sounds like a great idea! Also you're probably hungry since you don't have a sandwich anymore. I assume if the ghost hasn't worked out that was supposed to be lunch.

Anyway that's a pretty boss sharpie and it seems like you'll be able to write on a whole lot of stuff, since it managed to write on fur even!

What would an old lady know about parties? It's surprising she even knew there was one. Go find some friends to hang out.

How far are you from home? Can you clean up, get your skateboard, and have a snack before band practice?

Maybe even find another battery so you can play your Game Boy until then.

Panda 2023/03/22(Wed)18:18 No. 1059318 ID: ab70bc
File 167953431564.gif - (550.57KB , 560x315 , debra swing 2.gif )

"So what do you know about this party?"

Debra ignores you for a few seconds and starts swinging thanks to your encouragement.
"Only what I overheard from the sheriff." She barely misses kicking her lunch with each swing.

The mention of the sheriff brings a scowl to your face. Debra either doesn't notice or doesn't mention it. The two of you have a colorful history.

"It's tomorrow? Like, on a Thursday night? Where is it?" You ask the obvious questions.

The rat stops swinging, reaches into her bag and pulls out a sandwich. It looks soggy. A sudden vinegar smell assaults your nose. Placing it on her lap she peers at you through her old eyes.
"I think he said tomorrow. He was planning a trip west to visit family in Sisters this weekend."

That parses. Sheriff Murphy - or Officer Nugget to some of the younger townsfolk - has one of the biggest houses in town. If there was going to be a party it would make sense to have it there.
It would explain why you weren't invited, too.

"Anyone I know going? Shane? Grant?" Maybe a good connection can get you a way in.

She exaggerates a shrug and starts eating lunch. Debra isn't exactly hip with the kids. This isn't the best avenue for information.

Panda 2023/03/22(Wed)18:19 No. 1059319 ID: ab70bc
File 167953436203.png - (1.60MB , 2281x1370 , diner.png )

Saying goodbye and leaving the woman to her lunch you head back towards town. It's a good hike from the woods to the river, you don't see any of your friends - though that's probably because you avoid the school you eventually find your way back to the town's main road. Basically everything is here.
Traveling along the main road is a lot quicker than hiking the woods, time won't pass as quickly. Moreso once you get back home and pick up your skateboard.

The road is long and straight. Nature threatens to take it back and ferns tickle your legs on the walk. A truck blares its horn at you, you respond with a double bird flip.

This is the furthest east the town goes, the only thing further than here is the trailer park where Shane lives. You're not entirely sure what's outside town this way, it takes you out into the mountains where not many people live. It's probably lumber yards and the people who work at them.

Back the other way is town proper, where most of the residential areas and shops are. It's easier to keep a low profile here.
DICK'S is a very okay diner. You're not sure who Dick is, but this is Dick's diner. It used to have a novelty sign advertising their cream pies until somebody crashed into it. Between a truck and a novelty sign the truck will always win.
There's a squad car outside. You've been in the back of that thing enough times to recognize it as the sheriff's.

As you approach the building you think you can make him out in the window. Any interaction with him is going to be adversarial. Last chance to bail.

You're already here, you're hungry, and you haven't done anything wrong today. Head in proudly, and be on good behavior. Officer nuggets can suck an egg.

Anyway it would be a good idea to wash your bite clean, since being a pickle means no more skateboarding. If someone happens to sharpie on the bathroom wall nobody can prove it was you either.

>It used to have a novelty sign advertising their cream pies until somebody crashed into it.
Alas, what a fate...

Definitely do get Creampie'd though, devour it.
...and scope out what CRIMES you can commit while you're there too.

>You've been in the back of that thing enough times to recognize it as the sheriff's.

okay, now I gotta know what kinds of fun crimes you got into that got you arrested in the past multiple times

>>1059319
You should get a cream pie from Dick's, hurr hurr. Also fuck what Officer Friendly thinks, this is America, you can go in a diner if you wanna.

Do you have any money for a slice of cream pie at the diner? Or are you only going in there to tag it?

Panda 2023/03/26(Sun)20:45 No. 1059597 ID: ab70bc
File 167988872149.png - (793.86KB , 1620x1020 , rileyquest 37.png )

You say hi to the officer.

Suck an egg, this is America biiiitch.


Officer Fuckface is annoyed, but doesn't seem ready to get up from his food.



Washing your hand sounds like a good idea, it's starting to feel a bit itchy. You're resisting the urge to scratch.

You have about $8 in various change. You could probably get one thing from the menu and have change to throw at the back of Sheriff Murphy's head.

>>1059597
You're thinking too short term! Buy an egg sunnyside up (or just an egg if you can convince them to sell you one from the kitchen) and go egg his front door! Also yeah use the bathroom and clean out your cool ADVENTURING SCAR .