SP_NT_R_

Another rush of information. No, you're not a Mica person, though you do like and own some Agate and Smokey Quartz. There's a couple of game-related figurines lying around, disturbed by your recent attempt to pick everything up at once. Skimbleshanks died a few months ago, but you recently adopted a new kitten whom you haven't yet picked a name for. You really should get onto that.

You started taking to mask-wearing on your streams after an incident last year. It's digitally-generated and edits-out your snaggletooth canine and turns your eyes from olive to a crimson, which you reckon is pretty cool. You're certainly are more on-edge and withdrawn about your online doings since then. You also have a few real masks, but they're part of a collection so you don't touch them that often.

You can't afford airwovens (they're overpriced crap anyhow) but you did one better by using Irn Bru and Wham wrappers, latticed together in a makeshift decoupage over your volleys.

Behold... the Irn-Shu.

Yeah, you don't really wear them that much.

INPUT STATUS: PROCESSED

REMAINING UNSET VALUES NON-ESSENTIAL: CREATION POINTS UNSPENT: 30

EXITING CREATION, RESYNCHRONISING FOR TIME DILATION...COMPLETE.

AWAITING GAME ACTIVATION. PROCESS ETA - 8 HOURS
PRESS [START] WHEN READY.

(HELP MENU UNLOCKED - 'META' TAB DEACTIVATED.)

BB-8008: What the goddamn just happened?
VerdeVertigo: is everything okay? the stream seemed messed-up for a bit and you are shaking pretty bad
BB-8008: I think so, I felt like something just shocked me in the head. I really don't need this right now.
VerdeVertigo: you can end the stream early if you want, hellblade looked really cool earlier and it was great seeing you play something other than that korean game
BB-8008: You mean League of Legends? Please don't remind me of that already.
BB-8008: Plus it's not Korean, just really, really popular with the Scene there.
VerdeVertigo: ok
VerdeVertigo: btw I ordered a copy like you wanted but you have to help me
VerdeVertigo: I know nothing about mmos except runescape

MODIFIERS APPLIED: SLEUTH +1
SKILLS ADDED: DISGUISE +1, GEOLOGY, COMPUTING, MAKEUP, WIELD (GLOVE/CULINARY/KNIFE)
QUIRKS ADDED: ‘PROPERLY PARANOID’, 'POWERED BY PRODUCT'
FRUSTRATION: +1

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Spoiler

i'm not sure what the prompt here is. press start. next ==>

>Read the help menu
>Equip shoes
>Name kitten "Nidalee" or "Rengar" after the League characters, or "Feldspar" after the rock.

>Press [START]

>Put all 30 creation points into SLE

press start

The button is pressed. Nothing hap- oh, there's a progress bar and timer thingy.

You were told to expect bad Engrish. Still, it doesn't seem that hard to understand. (SLE+4 TEST: SUCCESS) Either it's going to activate in about 3 hours, or maybe it means that time of day? Whatever it means, you will need to work out who you want to invite with you.

next ==>

BB-8008: Now that I think about it, I think I may as well suspend the stream until later. I don't like leaving people on loading screens for hours!
BB-8008: The game wants multiple players. I'll probably need to read the manual properly, but if it's like most MMOs, the party size is about 4-6.
VerdeVertigo: cool! if you still want me in then I can stay around for a while
VerdeVertigo: that friend of yours that helped crack the game wanted it iirc so that makes 3
BB-8008: Sounds good to me me. And yes, of course you can join. Just don't go running off like a Leroy Jenkins.
BB-8008: I'll probably recruit the rest from whomever's online.
VerdeVertigo: yay I'll try to install the game stuff if there's trouble I'll msg you soon

Well, that's one thing out of the way. You'll need to sort out your party but first, you have other things to attend to.

>Equip shoes

You lace up the IRN SHUS. They look neat enough, but are just boring volleys on the inside. At least the rubber will make it easier to walk on the waxed floor. Not a bad idea, really.

>Name kitten

To name the KITTEN, you will need to find them first. It's probably in the box you brought them home in. Mum cut the cardboard down to resemble an actual bed and stuck one of your old pillows in the middle so it had something soft and warm to sleep on.

Last you checked it was in the KITCHEN. You are currently still in YOUR BEDOOM.

QUEST OBTAINED: NAME THE PUSS
MAP ACTIVATED

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Spoiler

A crashing sound reverberates from across the street. Probably vandals. Again.

>Put all 30 creation points into SLE

COMMAND ERROR: CREATION POINT SPENDING LOCKED UNTIL GAME START.

>Read the help menu

MENU ACTIVATED. CHOOSE A TOPIC.

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Spoiler

>Look out window. Check what's happening.
>Check orange stuff under bed.

[esc]
>Get pogs from under bed
>Have a nap while waiting for install

what's our score

>Score, then ESC
>Look outside. If it would help, or at least if it would be amusing, throw the Windows ME at whoever's out there.
>Obtain some ripe miniature tangerines
>Go kitchen

what's our score

>Score, then ESC

[esc]

There’s not that much on the screen yet – there’s a lot of placeholders, like the character sheet had. However, the score has gone up a bit since last time. Interestingly enough, Bella’s not the only one in the game any more.

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SpoilerWho knows how the scoring system in those old text adventures works? I don’t. It just sort of… happens. Probably arbitrary and event-based. Best thing to increase it is probably poking around and exploring stuff and making things happen.

Oh, while I’m here I should probably remind you that the Help menu is technically outside the game. While you’re in it, Bella is inactive. It’s mainly there to as a quick reference and prompt if one is needed. Rather novel. Probably won’t make the release.

>Have a nap while waiting for install

Fair enough. No point having to stay up all night on that screen. The bed’s comfortable enough. You jump on and close your eyes for a s- *CRRRRRRASSH*

There goes that plan.

>Look outside

>Look out window. Check what's happening.

Seeing as quiet rest is out of the question, you poke your head out. Oh.

As you expected, it’s someone throwing rocks at the new Starbucks across the road. Leith is in the middle of a mini-battle between the older working-class community and the latest efforts to gentrify. Many other attempts have failed, but one’s been more successful. As you open the window, they… she freezes. Oh. You’ve seen that face somewhere before. Maybe. Part of her face is covered by a skull bandanna.

If it would help, or at least if it would be amusing, throw the Windows ME at whoever's out there.

Hmmm. They did keep you from getting a little mini-sleep in, but you don’t dislike them. If anything, they have your approval. You’re not happy about the competition in the area since the store can run at a loss and push smaller folk out of the area. And their coffee is overpriced and whatnot. Oh, and it’s a massive, exploitive global conglomerate that probably don’t pay any taxes.

But it does give you an idea.

Bella: Hey!

They jump. Seems they’re about to sprint off. Better say something!

Bella: Good work! I kinda hate them too. Can you uh, do something for me?
???: W-what?
Bella: Toss this through the window for me. The more pieces it ends up in, the better!
???:…Okay.

You carefully pass down the disk to a now-befuddled girl with a wide grin on your face. Its destruction will be for a truly good cause. She’s kinda a bit punk-looking now you can see her properly. Might explain why she’s so familiar – probably saw that face at a few concerts.

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Spoiler

It penetrates, somewhat. That disk is tougher than expected. She swiftly scampers off into the evening, leaving the disc embedded in the glass.

>Obtain some ripe miniature tangerines

With the window open, you can see the little tangerines on the miniature tree. You nab two. The others could use another few days.

>Get pogs from under bed

>Check orange stuff under bed.

Pogs? You lost your last pogs a while ago. Can’t say you’re that disappointed. You’d already given the main stash to a far more keen collector.

That’s the bottle desert. The carcasses of assorted FIZZY DRINKS, teas and energy drinks that you’ve been consuming lately. You used to keep them on your desk, but you found out the hard way that electronics and sucrose don't mix well; it took ages to clean the stickiness off your power glove. Two are half-full, the rest are completely or effectively empty, save the last few dregs of backwash. Give them a few months and you might be able to grow a little microbe civilisation, train them up and take over the world, Pandemic-style.

Or you could just clean them up.

>Go kitchen

To get to the kitchen you will need to negotiate a few hurdles. You’re almost ready to embark; the IRN SHUs will keep you steady. However, DAD might be on the prowl. After the rock-throwing outside, his being awake has become that bit more likely, though knowing him, he could have easily been on the drink the whole time.
You will need to arm yourself before embarking, lest you encounter the Whisky Devil.

QUEST UPDATED: OBJECTIVE ADDED - ACQUIRE ARMS

>Go back an recycle the bottle dessert! Other things in your room could get sticky

>Look for cats.

grab your headphones and portable music player of choice so you don't have to listen to him

grab your headphones and portable music player of choice so you don’t have to listen to him

Good thinking! You equip your ATH-D3 cans and hook them into your SMARTPHONE. He can rage about you not listening if he wants. He’d be right, but the sound isolation will keep your eardrums and sanity intact.

>Go back an recycle the bottle dessert! Other things in your room could get sticky

Ugh, effort! Probably worth it, you suppose. He can’t complain about mess in your room if you’re cleaning it out. Assuming It even notices. Your cram all the EMPTY BOTTLES and OPEN CANS into your inventory, filling up a lot of slots. You’ll save the mostly full ones for later. Unless you want to just chug them now so you can throw them away empty. Not that you have totally done that the last time you felt sufficiently compelled to eradicate Bottletopia or anything.

>look for cats

You still need to arm yourself! There’s stuff around the room you can WIELD, but you may like to rummage around. You know better than to approach a drunken Scot empty-handed. Even a half-Scot. You’ve caught his BELT before and you’d rather that remain a singular painful experience. Were you a little more nimble(FIN+FIT >= 7 = FALSE) it might not be such an issue.

>Wield a belt yourself; "two can play at this game effer"

>Wield your keyboard, which is mechanical and therefore has excellent heft. Prepare lame mechanical-keyboard-themed battle puns.

>Wield your keyboard, which is mechanical and therefore has excellent heft. Prepare lame mechanical-keyboard-themed battle puns.

It sure does, but this thing is also rather expensive and unwieldy as far as improvised weapons go. Were your RAGE meter higher you would totally disregard this and other non-trivial factors such as your lack of the appropriate SKILLS to WIELD it effectively. You're most proficient at knives and kitchen implements, having fought valiantly against vermin (and nosy customers/teen vandals - same difference?) on multiple occasions. Work can be a hassle sometimes since you tend to get late shifts. Also gloves, powered or otherwise.

Besides, you might damage it and you really really really really don't want to have to plug in your backup keys.

>Wield a belt yourself; "two can play at this game effer"

You've seen and experienced his skills with the leather strap. Your belts tend to be less effective as a weapon but attempting a come-uppance would probably just make It angry. Even when under the influence, the accuracy and reach is phenomenal. Makes you wonder exactly what he got up to a few decades ago in North Ireland...

You've got at least one scar that can testify to Angry Drunkdad being a Very Bad Thing.

>How about some knives then. Dual wield a cleaver and a carving knife, with pairing knives stored in your inventory for throwing weapons. Also get a potato peeler and a spatula, for options.

>Fondue fork
>Or maybe a soldering iron

>How about some knives then. Dual wield a cleaver and a carving knife, with pairing knives stored in your inventory for throwing weapons. Also get a potato peeler and a spatula, for options.

>Fondue fork
>Or maybe a soldering iron

A variety of options spring to your mind. A peeler? The blades aren't much use. A metal spatula might do something, though - at least it can keep him at more of a distance. Fondue fork? Not sure you have one. You're no frenchie. There might be a soldering tool of some sort among among DAD's things, but it's not a skill you've got. One of your friends on the other hand...

The KNIFEBOARD and all the KITCHEN IMPLEMENTS you do have are located in the KITCHEN, thus requiring a SNEAK attempt in order to reach them unnoticed by FATHER. You aren't particularly stealthy (UNTRAINED SKILL: -2 MODIFIER), but if he's been on the aqua vitae, he might be oblivious enough for it to work. (OPPOSED TEST: SCOUT VS SNEAK)

You do have a smaller POCKET KNIFE somewhere in your room, among a few other objects you could use. Where you SEARCH may influence what you find.

Will you search or sneak?

>Look for the pocket knife. Best not to get into a fight, but getting into one unequipped would be worse.

>Scout the hallways and living room and kitchen.

>Look for the pocket knife. Best not to get into a fight, but getting into one unequipped would be worse.

You begin searching for your trusty blade. You don’t use or need it that often, but you never know. Thinking over where it could be you manage to recall its last location: inside one of the desk draws to your left.

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Spoiler(D=4; ‘RECALL’ SKILL NOT FOUND: -2 UNSKILLED MODIFIER APPLIED TN=IMA+2=6 ROLL 5D10: 6,4,1,5,10=SUCCESS (0) +1 BONUS ON ASSOCIATED ACTION/S)

A brief search fails to uncover the knife

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Spoiler(D=3; ‘SPOT’ NOT FOUND: +1 ACTION BONUS: TN =6
ROLL: 9,7,2,7,1=FAILURE (0))

but you’re sure it’s there somewhere. Your second attempt proves equally fruitless.

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Spoiler(8,3,8,9,7=F (1) FRUSTRATION INCREASED)

Disappointed, you instead just make a quick look around for anything else of use.

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Spoiler(TN=7: 8,7,4,5,8=S(0))

Oh yeah. Your undeniably non-mint MODDED POWER GLOVE has been staring at you this entire time. Dammit. You hastily equip it to your favoured LEFT arm, taking care not to bump the cont-WHOOPS.

You flip the on switch by accident. This one might be the first to live up to its name… if you can get the electrodes to function. You decided to try turning it into a stun glove after getting your hands on a taser. Right now, it shorts-out when you try to use it that way but your friend (the same one that helped you with this game, incidentally) assured you it only needs calibration to keep the output under control – and a better battery. The pc-on-a-chip inside also makes it the most cumbersome smartphone ever.

It took way too long, cost far more than you can properly afford and you fried the prototype way too often and it’s not even much good as an armoured glove. But you rebuilt it your own damn self as a school project. It's all yours.

And it looks cool.
(‘CONTROLS’ HELP TOPIC UNLOCKED: 5D10 SYSTEM)

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5d10 skill testsMost actions are resolved by rolling five 10-sided dice. For actions based on skills, the statistic associated with that skill is the initial target number (TN); to succeed, at least three of the five rolls must be lower or equal to that number. However, there are several modifiers that alter that target. A difficulty modifier is first applied based on how hard the task is; a positive modifier makes things easier, while a negative modifier increases difficulty.

Finally, a modifier is assigned based on the player's skills. Attempting to use a basic skill without having it incurs a -2 penalty (this increases for more specialised skills). It is possible to gain additional ranks in a skill; each rank above the first increases the target number by one.

>Scout the hallways and living room and kitchen.

To get to the KITCHEN and LIVING ROOM, you will need to first go downstairs; moving into the TOP LANDING, there's no sign of him yet. Ahead of you is the MASTER BEDROOM, while the TOILET and STUDY are to the [S]OUTH.

Moving downstairs, the staircase creaks a little, though your careful steps are mostly enough to keep it from making too much of a racket. You can't see most of the KITCHEN or LIVING ROOM and the DINING ROOM doors are fastly shut. You'll need to decide which order to search.

FATHER could be in any of the three; the drinks cabinet is in the dining room, though there might be a bottle of something in the FRIDGE and he tends to drink at the STOOLS there. The CAT's bed was in the KITCHEN last you remember, but mum did talk about moving it to the LAUNDRY. Of course, those SOFAS are looking very comfy in front of the TV, which might be on, it's hard to tell from this angle.



QUEST UPDATED: CAT-CHING UP

>Go back upstairs and into the closet. There's got to be some goodies in there