text
stringlengths
199
2.58k
Kim Kitsuragi: "I'm more interested in *why* you're so fixated on this idea in the first place." You: "I think I just need a break from our main case for a bit." Kim Kitsuragi: "I certainly understand the impulse, but this is our job, detective. Our whole *raison d'être*. At some point, we'll need to return to it." ...
Shivers: The Delta Logistics Company truck stands here waiting, reflecting white light from the courtyard behind it. Shivers: You knew it would be here, blocking the gate. You: Are there people in there? Shivers: Yes, people hard at work at their desks. They can barely tell if it's day or night anymore because the l...
Sunken Motor Carriage: The motor carriage looks very sad sitting all alone in the ice. Visual Calculus: That *rebel* who jumped the canal and broke the waterlock! This is their doing. You: This is where the rebel who jumped the canal ended up. Not so daring anymore! Kim Kitsuragi: "No..." The lieutenant looks at the...
Logic: This seems to be some kind of workshop. For fixing up pinball machines -- a long time ago. Everything is covered with dust now... Kim Kitsuragi: The lieutenant looks around the dusty, crowded room, inspecting the tools on the shelf. You: "Looks like they gave up on fixing the pinball machines at some point." ...
Evrart Claire: "Of course, let us dispatch with the formalities, you call me Evrart, I call you Harry!" You: "Fine by me." Evrart Claire: "So Harry, what can I help you with today?" You: "I'm ready for my gun now." Evrart Claire: "Harry, I've got to be honest with you." He turns solemn. "Your gun was found two days...
System: (Variable["TASK.report_to_the_tribunal_done"]) == false System: Variable["boardwalk.tent_covered"] System: Variable["boardwalk.ruby_killed_herself"] Instigator's Tent: The plain red tent rests stoically in the corner. Ruby's dead body is wrapped in her sleeping bag. You: Sift through the books and magazines...
System: (Variable["plaza.flaubert_greeting_done"]) == false System: (Variable["plaza.flaubert_leave_midgreet"]) == false Pissf****t: "That's one brutal motor carriage," says the young man with 'PISSF****T' written on his back. Fuck the World: "If I were a real SKULL now, I'd jack it, paint it in palm tree livery, th...
You: "I think we're finished with this line of questioning." (Hand the lieutenant back his notes.) Kim Kitsuragi: "Alright." The lieutenant puts the slip back in his notes and observes the young woman for a moment. Klaasje (Miss Oranje Disco Dancer): Coolly, gracefully, she pours herself more coffee. You: "Can you t...
System: (Variable["canal.water_lock_greeting_done"]) == false System: Variable["canal.water_lock_left_mid_intro"] Man on water lock: "Welcome back, officer." System: DayCount() > 2 System: Variable["TASK.close_water_lock_done"] or Variable["canal.water_lock_alt_cant_chat"] Man on water lock: "High time I got mov...
Esprit de Corps: ... is what you plan to say. Before you can get past 'you're under', the kid interrupts you: Cuno: "You sure?" He whispers. "You sure we got it all?" You: (Turn to the suspect.) "One more thing, Mr. Dros..." The Deserter: The old man looks at his rifle in your hands -- a little startled for some rea...
Microgrid Generator: An old cylindrical generator is nested above the ammo lift, with makeshift electrical wiring running out of its side and across the floor. The cables disappear into the wall to your right. Cuno: Cuno puts his hand on the generator. "This shit's cold." Inland Empire: N-n-n-no. This isn't right... ...
System: Variable["inventory.ledger_greeting_done"] Damaged Ledger: It's the ledger you found in the trash: a cabbage of papers hanging from the board, barely held together by the clip -- and made complete by the faint smell of urinal cleaner. System: (Variable["inventory.ledger_toilet_paper_seen"]) == false You: Loo...
Deluxe Topping Pie: The super fancy topping pie is waiting for you to dig in. Conceptualization: You should eat it slowly, really savour the chef's concept. Authority: Eating this pie will almost certainly make you less of a man. What were you thinking, agreeing to take a wheat-free, meat-free pie from that sleazy ba...
Endurance: It's clear you like the hard stuff, bröther. You: [Discard thought.] Endurance: No, no. When the blööd and the flesh call, there is no discarding them. Speak true, do you like *the hard stuff*? You: What is *the hard stuff*? Endurance: *Fascism*, bröther. You: Am I having some kind of stomach seizure? ...
Inland Empire: Is that the phasmid? It looks like the phasmid, leaning against the wall... Reaction Speed: Wait, what if this is the fishing rod situation all over again? You: You're not going to be fooled again. You're going to stand here calmly and observe this non-phasmid until you see what it really is... Inland...
Safety Curtains: As before, an iron safety curtain curves before your eyes. It covers half the room -- blocking the way into a colossal industrial chimney. You: "Hello? I yelled, but it didn't work..." Safety Curtains: Again your voice becomes a raspy croak, mid-sentence. It's silent in the abandoned office building ...
Lilienne, the Net Picker: The woman gazes steadily at the waves. A sudden gust picks up her dark hair and lets it fall again, tussled, wild. She brushes a few stray locks from her eyes, and only then spots you approaching. Lilienne, the Net Picker: "Aye, so here you are. It's late and it's raining. The water is..." Sh...
System: (Variable["TASK.report_to_the_tribunal_done"]) == false System: Variable["whirling.karaoke_drama_redcheck"] and Variable["whirling.garte_greet_post_karaoke_done"] == false Garte, the Cafeteria Manager: "Ah, 'Smallest Church in Saint-Saëns,' right?" The cafeteria manager is waiting for you to acknowledge tha...
Little Lily: "Hello, mister!" A young girl, barely four or five years old, sits on the sofa. She is looking at you with frank curiosity. Little Lily: She clutches a small stuffed animal. Occasionally she twirls it around. You: "I'm talking to the children to learn from them. Has anything strange happened here lately?...
Barred Door: The door is small but heavy-looking. It's barred from the inside. You: "So what's on the other side?" Kim Kitsuragi: "Unless we've veered off into a folded M dimension, I'm expecting to step out on the roof." Conceptualization: Folded M dimension. A reference to the popular science fiction series *In Sy...
System: Variable["boardwalk.feld_mural_main_hub_reached"] Feld Mural: The once-bright mural towers above you, saying "FELD ELECTRICAL R&D." System: Variable["boardwalk.mural_look_in"] and IsKimHere() == false Esprit de Corps: Somewhere in Martinaise, Lieutenant Kitsuragi is consulting his notebook... A sudden drau...
The Deserter: He suddenly jerks to life: "You know who he was -- a Coalition trained murderer, armoured and armed. He wasn't human, the blunt end of a hammer, *dripping with blood*..." You: "He was a rapist. I'm not saying he didn't deserve it." The Deserter: "...beating us to the ground. Moaning with joy..." He brea...
Kim Kitsuragi: A moment passes. The lieutenant glances at the sports watch on his wrist. You: "Tell me about the case." Kim Kitsuragi: "What do you want to know?" You: "Actually, I have all I need for now." Kim Kitsuragi: "Good." The lieutenant nods. You: "Tell me about the case again." Kim Kitsuragi: "What do yo...
System: (Variable["gates.mhead_fight_success"]) == false System: Variable["gates.mhead_greeting_done"] System: IsTHCPresent("advanced_race_theory") Measurehead: "THE UNPROMISING *RACE PUPIL* RETURNS." You: Subscribe to his advanced race theory. System: Variable["gates.mhead_whitec_conc_race_theory"] Conceptualiza...
Damaged Ledger: Like a fan of gills the chequered papers dry in your hand. The handwriting is extremely dense, if mostly illegible. You: How much is that -- two new cases a week? Logic: A lot? A little? You have no idea, this all depends. Inland Empire: Does it? It feels like a *lot*. Or maybe even more than a lot. ...
System: (Variable["boardwalk.thepigs_took_rcm_cap"] and Variable["boardwalk.thepigs_took_narcotics"] and Variable["boardwalk.thepigs_altgreet_items_done"]) == false System: (Variable["boardwalk.thepigs_greeting_done"]) == false The Pigs: "Put your hands where I can see them," the ageing woman under a mountain of ...
System: (DayCount() == 3) == false System: (Variable["plaza.rene_refused_boule"]) == false System: Variable["TASK.get_petanquista_new_boule_done"] System: Variable["plaza.reneandgaston_greeting_done"] System: (Variable["plaza.rene_formed_a_militia"]) == false System: Variable["auto.is_snowing"] René Arnoux: "The ...
System: (Variable["coast.exec_viscal_succeeded"]) == false Perception (Sight): A scattering of bullet holes is spread across the cracked wall, reaching from one corner to the other. You: Why this many bullet holes? System: Variable["coast.exec_whitec_viscal_bullets"] Visual Calculus: A row of ghostly shades stand f...
Evrart Claire: "What?" The big man looks at you surprised. You: "The brew! The shady, shady brew." Evrart Claire: "Oh, how could I forget your little side-project! Well done, Harry. Well done! Don't even tell me what it was. But good job! I love it when workers take the initiative like this." Electrochemistry: So do...
Electrochemistry: Now that you've acquired some stimulants, it's time for a little pick-me-up. Time to *detect*. You: What... but right *here*? Now? Electrochemistry: See, that's your problem -- a lack of confidence. Speed can help you with that. It can help you with EVERYTHING. You: This is gonna be really bad for ...
Steban, the Student Communist: "Go ahead." The young man gives you a half-smile. His companion sniffs. You: "Do I *know* you two from somewhere?" System: (Variable["inventory.fumee_logic_anagrams"] or Variable["inventory.fumee_rhetoric_names"]) == false Steban, the Student Communist: "I don't think so." The young...
Electrochemistry: Good going, buddy. You: Is that how it's going to be now when I close my eyes? Electrochemistry: Yes. Wait till you see the one with the chick in it, it's gonna be a good one. You feel even worse this morning than you did last night. You: What chick? Electrochemistry: You don't know? Some broad th...
You: "I think this may be the Artemitep's Boxing Club For Young Athletes." Kim Kitsuragi: "I think you're right," he says. "Though it looks like no one's been here in ages..." Kim Kitsuragi: "I doubt the electricity still works... We should find a flashlight if we want to go on. There should be one in my Kineema." P...
Real Estate Agent: "What now?" She crosses her arms impatiently. You: "Isn't it a bit late to be working?" Real Estate Agent: "It *is*." She breathes in and out to the count of three -- it looks like some special stress release technique -- before she continues... Real Estate Agent: "Everyone says that real estate a...
System: IsKimHere() You: I don't care what it is. Electronic Doorbell: Twelve name cards on the call box read: You: "Fortress Accident SCA." Electronic Doorbell: Silence. No one's home at Fortress Accident. System: Variable["doomed.radiocomputer_fortress_accident_why_failed_clicked"] Shivers: They have failed. Y...
System: (Variable["church.ravers_inside_church"]) == false System: Variable["ice.andre_volition_exit_used"] Andre: "I knew it! The man is back for those sweet, sweet questions!" The young man smiles at you. "What will it be?" You: "About the church door..." Andre: "Mhm?" You: "Right. Other questions." (Conclude.) ...
You: Deal damage... Cuno: 1 dmg to endurance You: More Damage! You: Deal damage... Kim Kitsuragi: 1 dmg to volition You: More Damage! You: Deal damage... Cuno: 1 dmg to endurance You: More Damage! You: Deal damage... Cuno: 1 dmg to endurance Smoker on the Balcony: [Leave] I'm done.
Door, Apartment #28: This door is made of metal and appears to be reinforced. Someone here really values their security. Reaction Speed: Number twenty eight... This is where the cleaning lady said the smoker on the balcony lives. Smoker on the Balcony: "Yes?" A handsome young man hums with a cigarette in his hand. "A...
Alice: "One moment..." You can hear her shuffling through some papers. Alice: "Can you please describe the body -- age, sex, cause of death?" You: "An unidentified middle-aged man. Looks like he slipped, fell through a hole in the boardwalk and hit his head against the metal bench." Alice: "Any signs of violence?" ...
System: (IsKimHere() and Variable["gates.measurhead_disable_kim_react_to_turnbacktime_if_seen_once"] == false) == false System: (Variable["tc.pale"]) == false System: Variable["plaza.joyce_fascha_dq_endurance_too_late_reality_now_must_get_from_headmeasure"] Measurehead: "THAT SURPRISES NO ONE. AND YET YOU *STILL* ...
Shivers: Winter, slow to let go of Revachol, flecks some more wet snow from above... You: Look around you. Shivers: The snow falls lazily, making the beach sand paler still, mixing with the rust-coloured sewage run-off. Shivers: It has been a cold year. All things waiting for spring will have to wait a bit longer. ...
System: Variable["pier.joyce_village_intro_done"] System: IsNight() System: Variable["pier.joyce_special_greeting_done_night"] System: (Variable["auto.is_raining"] and IsDayFrom(2)) == false Joyce Messier: "You're back. Good." She takes a sip from her silvery thermal cup. "What can I help you with?" You: "Thank ...