Completed Let's Play: The Blackwell PENTALOGY!

[Darth Roxor]

Well then, last time we left ms Blackwell, her kingcomrade boss ordered her to investigate and write an article about a suicide in some nearby dorm for the local newspaper.

Spoiler

Let's start by doing some research in... THE INTERNET!

We obviously can't write the article yet, and Rosa doesn't want to do any writing, 'cause she doesn't feel like it. So we use the search function, which opens our notebook:

Again, the font used makes it a bitch to read, but the leads are 'Joann', 'Joann's suicide' and 'photograph'.

I can't find any info about JoAnn. No mention of JoAnn's suicide yet. If it just happened this morning, I doubt that anyone would have published it yet. No photographs of JoAnn either.

So we hit the road to the dorm.

BUT THEN!!!!

I feel like hell and I have to interview college kids. Hopefully this won't take too long.

OMINOUS!

Hi, I'm Rosangela Blackwell.

Can I help you?

Perhaps. Could I ask you a few questions?

Oh... this is about JoAnn, isn't it?

You know her?

Well, I'm the R.A. for this floor. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't know everybody. The campus police found her around 5am this morning.

Can you tell me about her?

Well, allright. But can you leave my name out of it?

Huh? We didn't say we're working for any paper.

That shouldn't be a problem.

Good, JoAnn's parents have already asked the Dean to fire me. I don't need anyone else knowing who I am. What do you want to know?

And again, this opens our notepad, and we can ask him about anything we have there.

What can you tell me about JoAnn? What was she like?

I never hung out with her socially, but she seemed nice enough. Nobody ever complained about her, she always had friends around her. She never had any trouble as far as I know. Her... suicide... came as a total surprise.

How did JoAnn kill herself?

She jumped off the roof. She died instantly. It was in the middle of the night. There was... there was no way anyone could have stopped her. Make sure you print that.

Would you have a picture of JoAnn?

A picture? No, why would I?

Just asking. So, how did you get to be the R.A. for this floor? It's a girl's floor, and you, well...

Tranny detected.

Aren't? Well, it's like this: someone at the registrar thought 'Adrian' was a girl's name. So here I am.

None of the girls have complained?

No, they seem to prefer it. This sort of thing happens quite frequently. You'd be surprised.

Well, that's all for now. Thanks for helping out.

Just remember to keep my name out of it.

JoAnn's room. Let's bug the yokels.

Hi, I'm Rosangela Blackwell.

Am I supposed to know you?

No, I'm with the Village Eye.

The Village What?

The Village Eye. A newspaper.

I've never heard of it.

Our benefactors don't seem like anyone would like to defend them.

It's just a small paper.

Yeah, I guessed that. What do you want?

I'd like to talk to you about your roommate, if that's alright?

Jesus Christ, I'm busy with midterms. I told the campus police everything, do you have to bother me? So she killed herself, big whoop. Why is that my problem?

So, you and JoAnn weren't close?

Brilliant deduction, Sherlock. Can you go away?

NOBODY TELLS ROSANGELA BLACKWELL TO GO AWAY

You don't care? Not even a little bit?

No, I don't. Why the hell should I? And for that matter, why should you?

Would you please calm down?

Calm DOWN? Who the hell do you think you are?

Look, just tell me a bit about JoAnn and I'll go away. Please?

...

Fine. You wanna know about JoAnn? She's DEAD. She couldn't take the pressure, so she jumped off the roof.

Did JoAnn act... unusual before she died?

Nope. Same old JoAnn. Studied at her desk all day and slept all night, as usual. Quiet as a little mouse.

Is there anything you can tell me about JoAnn? Do you have any thoughts on why JoAnn would kill herself?

Nope. Just another kid who couldn't hack it.

Do you have a photograph of JoAnn that we could use for the newspaper?

Yeah, right. You think I'm giving you anything? Think again.

JoAnn never had trouble sleeping?

How should I know? Like I pay attention.

So JoAnn was a good student?

Yeah, sure, whatever.

Thanks for helping out.

That bitch is so full of shit.

Let's assault the R.A. again

What can you tell me about JoAnn's roommate?

Kelly? Quite a sight, huh? But don't judge her by that. She's the sharpest kid you'll ever meet. She gets straight A's on everything.

Do you know if JoAnn had any trouble sleeping?

I'm afraid I wouldn't. Her roommate, Kelly, never complained, but that's not surprising.

Why is that?

Well, Kelly rarely spent the night in her room. She only comes here to study, as far as I've seen.

Was JoAnn a good student?

I don't think she had any trouble. But of course, the pressure can get to anybody.

Now to confront the hoe about her sleeping habits

Yeah, I've been at my boyfriend's. You've been following me or something?

No, no. Just confirming the situation.

Looks like Adrian's been talking.

Ok, wait a sec. This doesn't add up: she's never sleeping in this room... but she knows everything about JoAnn's sleeping issues?

Time to open our trusty notes and connect two clues!!! We'll be doing this a lot more times throughout the game(s).

Waaaaaaait a minute. Something isn't right. If Kelly's been spending her nights somewhere else... How can she know if her roommate was sleeping well or not? Hm. I think Kelly was lying to me.

It's elementary, my dear Rosangela.

Your R.A. told me you haven't been sleeping in your dorm. And you told me that JoAnn slept in her room every night. How would you know JoAnn slept here if you've been sleeping somewhere else?

Huh? Oh... well, I just assumed...

Did you lie to me?

I didn't lie! I just... uh... oh screw it. You wanna talk? Fine. What do you wanna know?

So what was JoAnn really like?

To be honest, there's nothing to say. She was studying political science, which is kinda cool, I guess. But she was so... vanilla. You know, sweet but much not much there? Just a typical college kid. Acted just like everybody else. She seemed proud of it.

Did JoAnn act... unusual before she died?

Well, no. Although the last few weeks she's been talking in her sleep.

What did she say?

No idea. Couldn't understand her. She swore up and down that she wasn't doing it. She looked a bit scared, though. I didn't need the drama, so I was sleeping at my boyfriend's.

So you weren't here when she...

Killed herself? No. Not that it would have made a difference. Are we done?

I could really use a photo of JoAnn if you have one.

Hmmm, alright, just a sec (she disappears in the room for a while). This was hers, it was on her desk. She won't be needing it anymore. JoAnn's the girl on the left.

Thanks.

This is just getting worse. At least I have enough for the story now. I'd better get home.

Indeed, let us leave this place of evil.

This is... getting bad.

More headaches, eh, Rosa?

Oh my God, this really hurts. Sleep. That's all I need. I'd just type up this story and get to bed. Shouldn't take that long.

Right, no more interruptions. Done. Article's finished. Picture is scanned, and I am DONE for this day.

This headache's longer than the usual ones.

Wat

What's...

What is happening?

...

It's gone... The pain. It's gone! That was strange...

What... is... that...?

I almost don't want to look, but...

Whoa, that's sum trippy shit, nigga.

I did NOT just see that. I'm not going crazy. No, it's just the stress, that's all. Auntie's death, work, life... I just need a rest. That's all.

OMINOUS!!!!!

And here's where we end our daily update, with a cliffhanger full of suspense. In case you didn't notice, things are gonna start getting a lot more interesting from now on.

 

[Gondolin]

Cool. :D

 

[lightbane]

I found this smile somehow hilariously retarded (not as the other at the picture fortunately for her). Keep it on, it's (ghost)rape time!!

 

[Grunker]

Watch out, Wyrmlord is trying to fill in his Rosa.txt

Good stuff Roxor, keep it up!

Is the dialogue-style Biowarish by the way? As in, is there any C&C to those dialogue-options you have so many of?

 

[Darth Roxor]

Is the dialogue-style Biowarish by the way?

Yeah, sorta. Different dialogue options give different replies, but these are just flavour text.

 

[Grunker]

Is the dialogue-style Biowarish by the way?

Yeah, sorta. Different dialogue options give different replies, but these are just flavour text.

Thought so. Anyways, moar please.

 

[Thor Kaufman]

Great stuff, love your lps.

 

[KickAss]

cool LP!

 

[Darth Roxor]

Thanks to our good friend Dave Gilbert's help, I fixed the fonts, which now actually makes the notepad readable. All other texts will also be a lot easier on the eyes from now on.

compare:

Old:

New:

 

[Jim Cojones]

[Perception] So the scaling filter was the reason font was unreadable, wasn't it?

 

[Murk]

Seems to be building up the interest level as it goes up - good stuff DR. I'd also like to say I'm digging your style, enough humor without it turning into a meme-spam fest. :respect:

 

[Darth Roxor]

[Perception] So the scaling filter was the reason font was unreadable, wasn't it?

Why, yes, yes it was.


Anyways, last time we left Rosa, she was about to get violated by a ghostly rapist...

Spoiler

Griff is that teddy bear on the shelf.

Long time no see. How's tricks? ... Right, thought as much.

Blackwell dames. Always sleeping. You're always sleeping and I'm always watching.

It's about time. Hey, Naptime Nellie, wake up!

*Ahem* shall we try this again?

NO!

Now that's not very polite.

Go away!

I'm afraid I can't do that, darling. Believe me, I've tried.

NO! You don't exist!

Oh, yes I do. Look at me.

This is not happening, this is not happening, this is not happening.

Oh, brother.

I'm not going insane, there is NOTHING there.

Could you...

NO! I am NOT my aunt! I am NOT my grandmother. I am NOT going to end up... like that! Get out of my head, there's nothing there, there's nothing there, there's nothing there.

Could you...

SHUT UP! Shut up, shut up, shut up!

No, YOU shut up! You're going to listen, and you're going to listen good. I've been watching you all day, sweetheart. You know who I am. I'm not going anyway, so there'd be no point in beating around the bush. Now say my name.

No...

You're... Joey?

Good girl, you got it in one. Now turn around and look at me.

Funny thing is, according to credits, Joey is also voiced by Rabbi Stone, but I'd never suspect that.

Don't worry, I won't bite. Couldn't even if I wanted to.

People in this game sure love to smile like retards.

Um...

Who are you, and what the hell do you want with me?

Hah! Straight to the point. You're a Blackwell, alright.

So who ARE you?

I'm Joey Mallone, and I'm the family spirit guide.

...

What?

Think of me as the Blackwell Legacy, darling smug. I'm passed down from one generation to the next, like a family heirloom. First your grandmother got stuck with me, then your aunt, and now you.

Where did you come from?

That's a long story, dollface. And we've got more important things to do.

Why have you been haunting my family?

'Haunting'? Is that what I'm doing? That's a real ugly word.

Answer me. Why are you here?

You've got me sweetheart. I've been wondering 'why me?' and 'why your family?' since this whole gig started. Must be some kind of a gift your family has.

A gift?

You're a medium. A medium with a direct connection to the spirit world. And I, my dear, have the unique pleasure of being that connection.

I don't... I don't understand any of this.

Oh, you will babe, you will. It took your aunt a while, but she got the hang of it. Your grandmother never really caught on. That's probably why...

Why what?

Why she didn't last long. But that's something we can talk about later. You felt something today, didn't you?

Felt something?

Yeah, you felt it with your stomach, I saw you.

I've been feeling sick all day.

And where did it START?

The first signs were obviously at the dogpark.

You mean... the dog run?

Yeah, that's where we've got to go.

What, right now?

Yup, the sooner, the better.

But it's the middle of the night!

So? You've just had a nice nap. You should be ready for action.

I'm not going to Washington Square Park in the middle of the night!

Well, that's where you're wrong. If there's any reason behind this medium business, it's to take care of problems like your dog park. And we have to take care of them SOON.

Fine, we'll do it in the morning.

No can do, we gotta go now.

What's the hurry?

Let me put it another way... do you want to end up like your aunt and grandmother?

... was that because of you? Did YOU do that?

Not me, kid, not me. I didn't make them that way, and I don't know what did. But do you really want to sit around here and find out?

Fine. Let's go.

That's the spirit!

Everybody just ignored you. Am I the only one who can see you?

Yep, and hear me. So keep your voice low. Oh yeah, this is the spot. Can you see it?

I can't see anything. Can we go?

This way.

Hey, wait!

Goes against the rules, whatever they are. Now look inside there, and look close.

Just wait, it'll come.

Wait, I see something. Who is that?

That's what we're here to find out. I'll talk to the spook, you stay here.

Ah. I'm a bit out of practice. How should I handle this...

X-TREMISM is the only answer.

I want you to listen to me, girlie. Your tears won't win any sympathy from me. So tell me what the story is, so we can both get out of here.

...

Joey is not amused

HEY, I'm talking to ya.

So hard to hold on.

It's me. It's me, they won't stop!

Shhh, relax. Slow down and tell me everything. I'm here to help.

Help, help. He wants me to help him. But I want to help THEM. Don't they know that?

Help who?

Can't, can't. They run away.

We won't run away.

No.

No, we're SICK, he POISONED us! Got into our heads and poisoned us!

What ever happened darling, it's over. You do know that, don't you?

No, I'm poison!

Hmmmm...

Stay away or I'll poison you! RUN! Run away like all the others!

Not a chance, I'm staying right here.

You're... you're HIM! He's the only one who won't go away!

Who?

HIM!

It doesn't appear we'll get much out of this one. The spirit's lost its mind.

Now look. Darling. Sweetheart.

LEAVE ME!

hey...

LEAVE!

All right.

Look... just sit tight. We'll figure this out, and we'll be back.

Can't get any straightforward answer out of them.

What just happened?

What just happened is that we've got an unstable spirit on our hands. Haunting that dog park over there. You wondered why the mutts don't like it here? That's the reason.

There's a ghost hunting the dog park.

That's what I said.

A ghost... What am I doing here?

I told you...

No. I should go to bed. I really should go to bed.

Hey, wait a sec.

Yes, sleep. I shouldn't be here.

Oh, for the love of Pete.

What an odd dream...

Or was it?

Oh. You're still here.

Wouldn't be anywhere else. Has anybody told you that you snore?

If it bothers you so much, you can always leave.

I wish I could, dear. I told you, I couldn't leave if I wanted to.

So this is going to be my life from now on?

Pretty much, yeah.

You're going to follow me around for the rest of my life?

That's how it works, as far as I can tell.

Great. Just great.

Hey, it ain't all a bed of roses for me, dollface. You think I chose to be shackled to your family for the last forty years? Your grandmother refused to accept it, and look what happened to her.

And auntie?

She... made a mistake.

What kind of mistake?

Hey, what is this? Twenty questions? What's with the third degree?

Asshole is hiding something.

Are you hiding something, Joey?

Who, me? I'm an open book. It's not my fault you can't read.

What does that mean?

It means zip it.

Look, this isn't easy, you know. You're a ghost, fine. I'm a medium, fine. My whole life has turned upside down, FINE. But you could at least meet me halfway.

You've accepted it, you say? You've only seen a taste of it. Are you ready to go all the way?

What do you mean?

Ready to see what's out there? Ready to see what this is all about?

It's not like I have a choice, right?

No, you don't.

...

So, what is it?

I don't have to tell you. It's best if I show you.

In case it's not clear, he took off his tie.

I can touch it?

Yeah. The only part of me you CAN touch. Unfortunately.

Rapist.

What is it?

The stuff of life. Or death. I've never quite worked it out. Now you pull.

Pull the tie?

Yeah.

Okay...

Sum moar trippy shit, nigga

What... who... where...?

Relax, take your time. It's a lot to take in at once. It's the doorway to infinity, darling. Out there, in the distance. The next world, the next plane of existence. The gossamer threads that separate this world from the next. Whatever you want to call it, it's all out there.

How did we get here?

We're inside your head.

You mean, I'm dreaming?

No. I mean we're literally inside your head. Remember those headaches you had yesterday? That was your power awakening. Or, to be more specific, it was this place, forcing its way into your mind.

So what does that mean?

It means you've got a spiritual waystation in your head.

I'm not sure I like this.

Well, like it or not, we're here. It's sort of a transfer point, or node. It connects the mortal world with the next. You bring spirits into this place, and then send them on their merry way.

That's it?

Well, there's a bit more to it than that. You see, many ghosts aren't as lucid as myself. Most can barely tell their own names, let alone tell you what's wrong. Near as I can figure, they have to come to terms with their... departure... before they can actually depart. You dig me so far?

I think so. The ghosts don't know that they're dead?

Yeah, yeah. Right. So we have to help them accept it. Once they accept their death, they are much more willing to move on. That's my job, see. I talk to the spooks, they trust me more, because I'm one of them. You do the legwork, see? Anyway, I know you have some questions about this place, so ask them.

What about that ghost in the park, the one from last night? Why didn't we bring her here?

First of all, I didn't think you were ready. And secondly, that ghost was too lost and confused. When a ghost is like that, I just can't force the tie into their hands. It won't work, don't ask me why. They have to KNOW they're dead first. Your aunt called it being 'spiritually ready'.

What about you? Can't you go through that hole and move on?

I wish, darling. But I can't. I've tried before, but it just spits me back out. I'm stuck here, whether I like it or not.

You're wearing your tie again, how did that happen?

Not sure. Near as your aunt and me figured, the tie is just an extension of whatever power brought us here. It's not a real, physical tie. No more than I am a real, physical person. Forget logic, for you, logic went out the window the day I appeared in your bedroom. There ain't no instruction manual for this. Your aunt and me just figured it out as we went along.

Are you okay Joey?

Me? I'm dandy.

You don't look all right.

Eh, it's just this place. I don't like it, probably because I don't belong. Maybe someday, but not now.

All right, I think I've learned enough.

You sure?

Yeah.

All right, let's get out of here.

Take it easy, it's a bit disorientating.

I'm fine. So what now? Go back to the park and bring her to... that place?

You got it.

And how do we do that?

There are three steps. First, we have to find out more about her. Second, we use that information to get through her, convince her that she's dead. And three, help her move on.

How do we find out more about her? She could be anybody.

Not necessarily. The picture you've got? The one of the three girls? That blond girl is either the ghost in the park or her twin sister.

That's... convenient.

Don't look so surprised, darling. This type of thing will happen more often than you think.

The blond girl is dead. And this other girl, JoAnn, is dead too. What's going on?

That, my dear, is our bread and butter.

What else can we do to learn more about the ghost in the park?

The photo, dear, it's the biggest clue we have.

Yeah, we also know she's a fan of Alice Cooper.

How do we convince ghosts that they're actually dead?

That's the tricky part. Near as I can figure, we need to remind the ghosts who they are. Their death was too traumatic, or too violent, or too emotional, that their little spirit minds snapped. So we need to do whatever we can to bring them back to themselves.

And how do we do that?

Usually by finding something that has personal significance to them. It could be an object, or a piece of information, or even another person.

So we need to know more about the ghost in the park.

You're a writer, huh? Think of this as the ultimate character study.

How do we help a ghost move on?

With my magic tie, dear. I give one end to the spook, the other to you. You pull the ghost in, and you send them on their merry way.

You don't come in with me?

No, sorry. That's your job.

I think I've heard enough.

Yeah, let's get going.

God, that was a shitload of typing, but this update kinda needed to be as huge. Next time, we'll be investigating park ghost, and find out about its OMINOUS!!! past.

 

[Grunker]

Great stuff! I hope you finish it despite the size!

 

[lightbane]

So the Generic Annoying Side-kick TM is a mix of a stereotypical detective cliche with extra "smugness" and a ghost?

Also, I hope the ghost-hunting doesn't turn into something like that shitty series called Medium or something where phantoms were banished when the main female cried them to boredom, real men should either capture/enslave the ghosts to use these as a free power source, purge them with occult rituals, or more easily destroy all the anchors that allow these to exist (aka purging everything related with them, be a person or a place). We'll see how it turns.

 

[PrzeSzkoda]

I am amused. Proceed.

 

[Gondolin]

The ghosts of dead detectives from the 1930s approve of this thread.

 

[Wyrmlord]

Dammit Roxor, your I love your LPs so much.

This is some serious quality stuff.

 

[Angthoron]

Dammit Roxor, your I love your LPs so much.

This is some serious quality stuff.

And more, please!

Considering getting the games myself, looks fun.

 

[Darth Roxor]

And more, please!

Tomorrow. Generally, don't expect updates on tuesdays.

 

[Big Nose George]

I read a few lines of that crap protagonist. I sure hope she dies painfully and slow.

 

[taplonaplo]

let' hit page 3 then

 

[DiverNB]

page 3 choo chooo

 

[Murk]

need 3 more to get to page 3 I think. Err 2 more now? Unless i miscounted...

 

[taplonaplo]

are we there yet?

 

[majestik12]

Great job, sir! Please go on.