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Post by Batiro on Jan 9, 2016 16:26:05 GMT
Everyone in the castle suddenly feels a strange sense of deja vu.
Merchant is painting in a corner of the foyer while Teddy watches him, and Stan is frozen in fear of a Ursaring-skin rug while Moon cries next to it.
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Post by Slytherclaw on Jan 10, 2016 21:04:29 GMT
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Post by masterblade007 on Jan 11, 2016 8:47:39 GMT
"F-fake?"
Stan takes another peek into the room,only now realizing the bear he THOUGHT was ready to pounce was likely not going to pounce for a long time. He breaths a sigh of relief; perhaps this place wasn't as dangerous as he thought!
Regardless, the disappearance of the tiny teddy bear meant his ability to search the now-dark room would be quite limited. Pinkerton got a good glance at where everything was though; he knew the two objects of interests and their relative locations. The book and the bear rug. Riding on the hopes that whatever weirdness of the book depended on sight, the office monkey would attempt to feel for it in the dark and shuffle it onto the bear rug. He'd then wrap the rug entirely around it and shift both out of the room for further investigation when Teddy returned.
Intuition: ACvnPnAG1-6
...then again, it's been a while since Stan's had the chance to read a good book. Maaaaybe he'd take a small peek once he moved it into the light outside the room? Couldn't hurt; books are ALWAYS safe!1-6
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Post by Batiro on Jan 18, 2016 18:45:13 GMT
Teddy carries the mournful Moon out of the room, inadvertently leaving Stan in the dark room for a moment, though he finds his way out with the rug bound around the book. Aside from what's already been explored, there is still the apparently large room at the end of this tiny little hallway to see. ˃˔ˑ˚ʌʿˠˍ˚ʌ˓ˑˠ˟ʌˍʌ˘˛˛˗ʌˍˠʌˠ˔ˑʌˎ˛˛˗ʘʌ˔ˑʓ˘˘ʌ˒˕˚ːʌˠ˔ˍˠʌ˛˚ʌˠ˔ˑʌˢˑ˞˥ʌ˒˕˞˟ˠʌ˜ˍ˓ˑʘʌ˕ˠʌ˟˕˙˜˘˥ʌ˞ˑˍː˟ʌʎʿˠ˛˞˕ˑ˟ʎʚʌʲ˛˘˘˛ˣ˕˚˓ʌˠ˔ˍˠʘʌˠ˔ˑ˞ˑʌ˕˟ʌˍʌ˞ˍˠ˔ˑ˞ʌ˕˚ˏ˛˙˜˘ˑˠˑʌ˟ˠ˛˞˥ʌˠ˔ˍˠʌ˞ˑˍː˟ʌˍ˟ʌ˒˛˘˘˛ˣ˟ʦɹʨˎ˞ʪɹʨˎ˞ʪʎ˪ʌˀ˔ˑʌʹˑ˞ˏ˔ˍ˚ˠʌˍ˚ːʌ˂˕˞˕ː˕ˍʌ˂˕˘˘ˍ˓ˑʌ˪ɹʨˎ˞ʪɹʨˎ˞ʪˀ˔ˑʌ˞˛ˎˑːʌʹˑ˞ˏ˔ˍ˚ˠʌˍ˞˞˕ˢˑːʌˍˠʌˠ˔ˑʌˢ˕˘˘ˍ˓ˑʌˍ˒ˠˑ˞ʌˍʌ˘˛˚˓ʌˠ˞˕˜ʘʌ˘˛˛˗˕˚˓ʌˠ˛ʌˠ˞ˍːˑʌ˔˕˟ʌˣˍ˞ˑ˟ʌˣ˕ˠ˔ʌˠ˔ˑʌˢ˕˘˘ˍ˓ˑ˞˟ʚʌʴ˕˟ʌ˒˞˕ˑ˚ːʌʷ˛˒˒˕˚˓ʌˣˍ˟ʌˎ˥ʌ˔˕˟ʌ˟˕ːˑʘʌ˘ˍ˦˕˘˥ʌˣˍ˕ˠ˕˚˓ʌˠ˛ʌˏ˛˙ˑʌ˛ˡˠʌ˛˒ʌ˕ˠ˟ʌˎˍ˘˘ʚʎÌ
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Post by masterblade007 on Jan 18, 2016 19:05:30 GMT
Huh, that's weird. Who would half write a story about a traveling salesman? Kinda funny, considering the party merchant also had a Koffing.
Wait. That's a capitol M, isn't it.
...
Stan stares at the book in confusion. Could this be about THEIR Merchant? How old must Merchant be if his name were to be written in this kind of cript? Better yet, WHAT was Merchant? This was all a bit much; Stan closed the book and shifted out of the room, leaving the rug in the dark room hall as he looked for a new place to dispose of it.
Perhaps that large room down the hall might have a suitable container? It was worth taking a peek at the very least. One quick peek before heading back to interrogate the painter about his place in this ancient text.
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Post by Batiro on Jan 18, 2016 20:52:47 GMT
Down the hall, Stan enters the room... which turns out to be a much larger hallway. This one is lined with stone tiles, which lead left toward what looks like a larger room set up as a dining area. There's a long wooden table lined with simple chairs, and one very decorated throne-like seat at the very far end.
There are several more doors here, the most notable of which is the GIGANTIC pair to his right, easily 15 feet tall and not movable with his strength. To his immediate left on the wall, there's what looks like metal shutters that fall all the way to the ground, and a metal plate affixed next to it with an apparent keyhole. On the other side of the wall a set of plastic-looking double doors, locked with a simple chain and padlock keeping it firmly shut. Finally, on one of the walls facing the dining room is a second set of shutters, but this one only runs down about waist-level, and looks more like a serving area in a cafeteria.
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Post by masterblade007 on Jan 18, 2016 21:21:31 GMT
It certainly didn't look as though the expedition had reached a dead end; look at all these doors! Most of which Stan would have no hope of opening at any point in his life! He'd definately have to bring Teddy in; maybe he could make a go at the tall ones? He seemed pretty strong.
The office monkey sighed, dropping the book on the long table and taking a seat. If not for the distinct cafeteria vibe this place would look exactly like a board room. Definitely gave a good vibe of concentration! And Stan would need all the concentration he could get for the task at hand; cataloging and thoroughly investigating this book for clues he could bring up on his inevitable chat with Merchant. Any extra passages, hidden scraps of information. Anything at all. He would have a catalog-worthy report of this artifact for Myrthel's desk posthaste!
Along with notice of this fancy throne just sitting in the room. He might be interested in an upgrade for his executive CEO chair back at camp.
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Post by Slytherclaw on Jan 19, 2016 0:21:09 GMT
As Stan investigates, becoming distracted from his mission, Teddy pats Moon until the sniffling bear stops sobbing. He pushes the bear behind Merchant, using the other man's robes as a curtain. "Stay." He says, patting Moon. He walks back to the room with the rug and attempts to roll it up, throw it over his shoulder, and shove it into the fire place in the strange living room. If nothing prevents this, he'll emerge back next to Merchant, give the man a concerned look, and then take Moon's hand to go back to exploring the room that the rug had inhabited. Moon cuddles the flashlight, sniffing.
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Post by Batiro on Jan 20, 2016 5:07:32 GMT
While reading the book, Stan seems to catch something he must have missed before... weird, it's like he missed a whole paragraph. Entering the village, he meets a joyful man by the name of Hiraku, who lives in the village. Hiraku is also a merchant, one who writes songs for people. He is also hopelessly in love with the village magistrate's beautiful daughter, Ju Mei. The festival is coming up, and he hopes to impress her somehow. But he cannot think of a way to woo her. Poor Hiraku! Can Merchant help Hiraku win the love of Ju Mei? The rug easily fits in the space of the fireplace, though there is still no apparent way to light it from here. Back in the room the rug was in, the green book has disappeared from the desk, but the bed and all the books on the shelf next to the door are still there. They're all stories Teddy has at least heard of in passing; Sunflora and the Three Ursaring, Humpty Exeggcute, Rumplestiltscyther... all old Fairy-type Tales a parent would tell their kid to help sleep.
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Post by masterblade007 on Jan 20, 2016 12:29:31 GMT
Stan ponders for a moment. Is this book... writing itself? There's no way he'd miss such as an important detail such as a WHOLE PARAGRAPH MORE. Not in his line of work; you don't get far skimming the reports!
He writes this down in his notes while trying to piece together some conclusions. A self-writing book about merchant, writing at an observed rate of X paragraphs a minute. But with so little content already present the starting point had to have been recent. Perhaps when they entered the castle? No, no, there's only lines for Merchant in this book. No passages for anyone else. What did Merchant do in particular...
...THE PAINTING! Stan closes the book and carries it over to the art room, intent on seeing what Merchant was painting. If he was still there in the first place!
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Post by Batiro on Jan 20, 2016 17:52:12 GMT
Stan darts back toward the art room (and Teddy can hear his pounding steps), though for some reason, Merchant has moved out into the foyer. Getting a look at his painting, he appears to be progressing very slowly; all he has so far is a two-tone canvas with a light green bottom and a sky blue top. He is no less focused on his brushstrokes than before.
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Post by Slytherclaw on Jan 21, 2016 0:01:27 GMT
Teddy looks over the books, letting out a considering noise. He'll snag Sunflora and the Three Ursaring from the shelf. "For later," He'll say, reaching down to pat the small sniffling bear's head. He hands it to the bear, who struggles to balance the book under its arm and the flashlight without dropping either.
The stampede of Miltank makes him peek back out, following the noise with Moon at his heel. He pauses just inside the room with Stan and the Merchant and frowns at the robed man. "Still?" He finally asks. "Is time to /work/."
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Post by masterblade007 on Jan 21, 2016 1:50:14 GMT
Upon Teddy making a comment on Merchant's lazyness, Stan moved to show him the contents of the large book he was carrying. "This was sitting in the room in the rug. Words have been showing up on its otherwise blank pages over the past few minutes, perhaps around the time he started painting if the rate of writing says anything. I'm not sure if this was a trap or whatever it is, but Merchant hasn't been responding to anything I say. It's very likely he might be trapped as a character in this book!"
"I saw a movie like this once! Bad things happened in that movie!"Given that speaking to or shaking Merchant hasn't prompted any results, Stan tries a Plan B approach. He lays the book gently on the ground, pulls out a pencil, and attempts to write an addition to the pages. Assuming his theory of merchant being trapped inside proves correct, a direct approach to solving the problem might be to manipulate the story itself. At least to a small extent; the last thing he wanted to do is derail the plot; who knows what would happen then? ˢ̨̡̥̲̰̳̐ˠ̨̥ˠ̵̣̯̬̤ˠ̨̥̬̰˻ˠ̴̨̥ˠ̴̨̡̥̲̣̮̍ˠ̷̡̳ˠ̶̥̲̹ˠ̷̩̳̥ˠ̡̮̤ˠ̵̵̲̥̳̯̲̣̥̦̬ˠ̴̡̦̥̲ˠ̡̬̬ˮˠ̩̳̈ˠ̧̯̦̦̩̮̋ˠ̢̯̲̥ˠ̡ˠ̡̧̡̭̩̣̬ˠ̴̮̯̥ˠ̷̨̨̩̣ˠ̵̣̯̬̤ˠ̷̡̮̳̥̲ˠ̡̮̹ˠ̵̴̱̥̳̩̯̮ˬˠ̩̦ˠ̯̮̬̹ˠ̴̨̥ˠ̴̨̡̥̲̣̮̍ˠ̷̥̲̥ˠ̴̯ˠ̡̳̫ˮˠ̷̮̳̥̲̳́ˠ̶̰̲̯̩̤̥̤ˠ̢̹ˠ̨̩̳ˠ̴̴̡̣̯̮̣̳ˠ̦̲̯̭ˠ̡̡̦̲ˮˠ˨̵̴̨̯̲́˧̳ˠ̴̮̯̥ˬˠ̷̥ˠ̶̨̡̥ˠ̴̯̰̥̤ˠ̴̯ˠ̷̨̳̯ˠ̵̹̯ˠ̴̨̩̳ˠ̶̥̲̹ˠ̡̰̰̥̲ˠ̯̮ˠ̡̧̰̥̳ˠ˵˹˯˶˰˩ˢˠ̴̡̮̓ˠ̦̬̩̰̳ˠ̴̯ˠ̡̳̩̤ˠ̡̧̰̥ˬˠ̡̭̲̫̳ˠ̴̨̥ˠ̴̦̲̯̮ˠ̡̮̤ˠ̢̡̣̫ˠ̡̳ˠ˵˹˯˶˰ˬˠ̡̮̤ˠ̷̴̲̩̥̳ˠ̡ˠ̴̮̯̥ˠ̦̯̲ˠ̴̨̡̥̲̣̮̍ˠ̴̯ˠ̡̲̥̤ˮˠˢ̴̨̡̥̲̣̮̍ˬˠ̴̨̩̳ˠ̩̳ˠ̴̡̮̓ˮˠ̦̉ˠ̵̹̯ˠ̡̣̮ˠ̡̲̥̤ˠ̴̨̩̳ˠ̷̴̲̩̥ˠ̴̨̧̳̯̭̥̩̮ˮˠ̮̉ˠ̡̳̭̬̬ˠ̴̴̬̥̥̲̳˻ˠ̉ˠ̯̮̬̹ˠ̶̨̡̥ˠ̴̨̩̳ˠ̡̧̰̥ˮˢÌ
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Post by Batiro on Jan 21, 2016 17:12:39 GMT
Given a minute, a phrase begins to materialize on the page as it is written.
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Post by Slytherclaw on Jan 21, 2016 19:14:08 GMT
Teddy peers over Stan's shoulder. He raises an eyebrow first at the note, glancing at the merchant, and then even higher when there is a response.
"..." He frowns darkly. "This castle is strange."
AEAnDhAU4d6+2 - Intuition for any feelings about what to do or how to help
4d6+2
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Post by masterblade007 on Jan 21, 2016 19:55:33 GMT
Stan's face beamed with joy upon watching the magic response write itself on the page. It worked, IT WORKED! AHAHAHAHAHA, IT ACTUALLY WORKED! Without a moment of hesitation he began writing a response to inform Merchant of the situation.
"Fantastic! Listen closely; we found your body unconsciously painting in the castle. I am writing to you through a storybook you seem to be trapped in. Teddy and I are trying to figure a way to get you out; no luck yet. Give us time."
"I DO have one idea though. The story you are in describes you helping a Hiraku guy win the heart of some Ju Mei girl. Perhaps the way out is through finishing the story. Find this Hiraku guy and solve his problem!"
There; message sent! It was a start, but the rescue of Merchant would proceed! Assuming the second note went through of course. Stan would double back to the front of the book to see if the message went through.
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Post by Batiro on Jan 22, 2016 18:03:57 GMT
Being a man of action, of course, Teddy's first instincts are to GO IN AND HELP MERCHANT FIRSTHAND!
...but something also tells him that may not be the brightest of ideas, though it is a possibility. Besides that, in this current situation, it seems like all he can do is give suggestions for Stan to transfer via writing. Short of finding a more immediate way to assist Merchant, he doesn't feel there's much else he can do.
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Post by Slytherclaw on Jan 22, 2016 22:11:13 GMT
Teddy frowns uncertainly. He doesn't like things like this--things he can't do anything about, just watch. After a moment he shrugs. "If you need help," He says, turning away, "Yell. I will work."
He walks away, walkering out of the foyer and into the room with the long hallway. Putting his hands on his hips, the large man looks around and muses. He checks the doors, noting each one that is locked, before tilting his head at the strange shutters. "Hmm. Let us explore, Moon," He says to the small bear following at his heel, flashlight and book carefully wrapped under her arms.
He walks over and flings the shutter doors open, looking in curiously.
tMFH8e512d6Perception 2d6
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Post by Batiro on Jan 26, 2016 5:16:40 GMT
After a minute, Stan gets a promising message back from Merchant:
The shutters fly up with a little resistance from neglect. The inside is dark, but Teddy vaguely makes out a few shiny-looking tables inside. If he aims the flashlight inside, he would see stoves, sinks, and pantries all the way in the back of the long room... a kitchen! This is apparently where the chained doors to the right of these shutters lead into, and there are also three more smaller doors he can see leading out of this room; two all the way on the other side, and one to the left of where he's looking.
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Post by masterblade007 on Jan 26, 2016 6:05:02 GMT
That... doesn't sound right. There's probably a step or two missing in Merchant's plan between the start and finish there. Unless he was going the direct route, in which case it is VERY NOT RIGHT! Oh dear, what to do... Stan wasn't an expert in these kinds of things. And he certainly didn't know anything about what girls in modern times were woo'ed over, nevermind ancient ones.
...but there were people in the camp that might!
Stan grabbed the book once again and made a trek towards the base camp, quickly reviewing his files for researcher and civilian residents. AHA! Tim Van Heel; Field of Ancient Sociology! If anyone were to know the cultural norms of the place Merchant was trapped within it was him! But how to identify which culture to study... ooh! Laurenz Penny; Field of Ancient Language! She could identify the names and pinpoint Dr. Heel in the right direction! Granted, neither seemed the poetic type, but their guidance seemed like it could make a significant difference.
The door out was just ahead. Stan pondered if anyone was waiting for their group to emerge from the stone doors...
(Continue in Base Camp thread?)
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