Arthur J.

Image

Encounter Conditions

Being on Dr. Thomas' Quest, otherwise he won't actually talk to you, if doing Dr Amundsen's Legacy, Slimy Student shows up instead.

Initial Text

A young man with greased-back hair notices you. "Ah, you must be Dr. Thomas's new catch. Welcome aboard."

"What can I do for you?"

As he waits for his response, you notice him nursing an over/under with one hand and playing chess online with the other. Kids these days, can't focus on one thing at a time.

Summary of Choices

1. I need a drink - the over/under
2. I need some cred - fresh cred chip
3. I need information
   1. Chess - Go to "Care for a game?" options
   2. Dr. Thomas - information
   3. Eclipse - information
   4. Midgard - information
   5. The Protests - information
   6. The PDA (Only after PDA Rundown) - information
   7. Watson - Gain 2 XP in Will)
   8. The frat guy - (During Halloween 2010, after meeting Chuck) informaiton
   9. Halloween - (During Halloween 2011 and onwards) information
   10. The dorms - (Post Halloween 2012) information
   11. Nothing - Nothing
4. Care for a Game? - (Requires Chess) If you lose, Gain 3 XP in Perception, better at chess, otherwise:
   1. Money - +~127 cred, 2 battered cred chip, 1 fresh cred chip*
   2. Information
      1. Dr. Thomas - Unlocks conversation with Dr. Thomas
      2. Eclipse - information
      3. Midgard - information
      4. The Protests - information
      5. This PDA - (Only on Dr. Amundsen's Legacy) - Unlocks PDA Rundown next day
      6. The PDA - (Only after PDA Rundown) - information
      7. Dr. Amundsen - Gain the over/under.
      8. Watson (Only if you know about Watson) - information
         1. Your dad fight crime? - information
         2. How about the Vigilante? - Gain the over/under.
         3. How about the Hammer? - information
         4. Sorry for asking - Nothing
      9. The frat guy - (During Halloween 2010, after meeting Chuck) information
      10. Halloween (During Halloween 2011 and onwards) information
      11. The dorms - (After Halloween 2012) information
      12. Nothing - information
   3. Honor - Gain 4 XP* in Will if you win, 3 XP in Perception if you lose
5. Nothing - Nothing

*note only once per day, then you get the over/under

Choice Text and Results

I need a drink

"You believe in the simple things."

He smiles and hands you a drink, "I like that."

You found: the over/under

I need some cred

"Creds? Sure, take this. I'll just tell mom I lost it," he chuckles to himself.

You found: fresh cred chip

or if you have won cred from him with chess the same day

He laughs in honest amusement, a strange sound coming of out his mouth. "Sorry but you already cleaned me out playing chess, remember? Here, have a drink instead, I'll put it on my tab."

He slides you his over/under and orders another for himself.

You found: the over/under

I need information

"Questions are dangerous, friend. Can't tell you too much about Midgard, but what do you want to know?"

Chess

"Hmmm?" he looks down at the chess piece in his hand. "Sure, I suppose we can do that."

He slides his comm out, which projects a holographic board over the table. "What would you like to play for? Don't say to the death, it's overdone."

(Choose from one of the "Care for a Game?" options)

Dr. Thomas

"Doctor Thomas? Well, not much to tell I suppose."

He slurps the top layer off his over/under. "Well, alright, here's what I know. She works downtown for… one of the big corps there, but she's up to her shades in the Eclipse trade."

He stops to think for a moment, then slams the rest of his drink. "Scary lady either way. Don't piss her off."

Eclipse

"Eclipse? Well, it's a pretty big deal in these parts. The Third Eye can't get enough of the stuff… like candy."

He pauses to take a drink. "All I really know about it is what the Third Eye say. And they say some pretty crazy stuff. You'd be better off talking to the source."

Midgard

He looks around, as though to make sure no one is listening. "They say it's not just a company, it's a way of life. They're right. My dad worked for Midgard, my grandfather worked for Midgard, and I've already got my job there lined up."

"Just don't cross them. People on the wrong side of office politics end up floating in the lake and they take even less kindly to outsiders interfering."

The Protests

"Well, they're done now, but they were protesting because some Dr. Myers guy was working on a sample for Midgard."

"Midgard has a bad rep around here. Which is kind of silly, you know? Place might as well be called Midgard University, almost every cred that keeps this place going comes from the corps."

This PDA

He thoughtfully sips the top layer off an over/under while examining the PDA. "Hmmm, yeah, it might look like normal hardware, but it's corp grade… which around here means Midgard. I like to think I'm a nice guy… but not a pissing-off-Midgard-for-a-stranger nice guy."

He shrugs. "Sorry."

Dr Amundsen

"Amundsen, yeah, I know her. Keeps trying to fail me, not that I blame her."

He picks up his over/under, considers it for a long moment, then sets it back down, disturbing the layers. "I'll give her this, though: she actually gives a damn. Not many teachers would show up in the back room of a bar to try to reach a student."

He shrugs and finally slams his drink. "I hear Evans is okay too, though."

The PDA

He shakes his head. "You just don't let up, do you?"

After a few seconds' wait, he cracks. "Fine, fine. I already told you the plan, though."

"You'll have to break into a Midgard facility, a serious one like the main Slags lab. The get admin rights to their server and open a temporary connection to the central Midgard server… technically it's a… doesn't matter, anyway. Hook up the PDA, it'll start downloading the key. Just don't get shot and you're golden."

"Good? Good. Now, please, don't ask again."

Watson

The young man's face twists into a grimace for a moment. "Wats… no, I have no idea what you're talking about."

He glares at you wordlessly until you get uncomfortable enough to leave.

You've earned 2 XP in Will

Halloween

+ 2010 messages

The frat guy

"Frat boys," he shrugs.

"What's there to say?"

+ 2011 messages

During 2011:

He sips the top layer off his over/under and smiles at you. "Oh, it'll be fun!"

Then he stops and lets out an bitter laugh. "Sorry, I can only keep that up for so long. I'm planning on staying put right here."

"Two years ago," he looks off into space for a moment, "a bunch of people died and more were hospitalized for months. Last year, Midgard came in specially to pick up the pieces."

He looks down at something in his hand, glossy black and indistinct in the shadows. "The game is still in progress, that's all I can say for sure. But do what you need to, don't let anybody push you around. Figure out what you want and take it by the throat."

He gives his half-empty shotglass a look of almost childish excitement and finishes the rest.

+ 2012 messages

(During Halloween 2012)

He shrugs and kicks back his over/under. "What's to say? Some idiot kids killed a lot of people a few years back and it's been comparitively tame since then."

"I hear the event coordinator wants to get the art museum if it's repaired in time. I think she's crazy, but," he leans in to give you a conspiratorial whisper, "I think just about everyone's crazy."

The dorms (After Halloween 2012)

"Yeah, it's safe to call that one a big mystery. Midgard's pulling out all the stops to keep it contained… but I think campus life will continue on like normal. Human beings are, if nothing else, adaptable." He shrugs and kicks back his over/under.

"What I have to wonder is what the hell they spent a year down there doing that didn't prevent it from blowing up. That thump-thump-thump you hear is somebody's head rolling."

+ 2013 messages

October 20th 2013:

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, Midgard's going to throw good money after bad." He shrugs and kicks back his over/under.

After a second his eyes widen theatrically, as though he forgot something. "It's not as if I don't care about all those students dying… no, that's exactly what it is."

"Anyway, I'm staying out of it. People who play with fire get burnt and fire that doesn't burn, well…"

+ 2014 messages

October 21st 2014:

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, the big party." He shrugs and kicks back his over/under.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much. The university isn't happy with people's tuition, lodging, meals, insurance, and books. Now they want an extra couple mil to let them throw a party."

"They should be paying the Event Coordinator to run it. I mean, the chaos of a hundred separate parties, a hundred pools of drugs and booze," he raises his empty shot glass in a mock salute, "that should be worth a couple mil from them. But why spend money when you can roll in it?"

+ 2015 messages

October 21st 2015:

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, it's getting to be time for the big event." He shrugs and kicks back his over/under.

"But this one falls under Midgard. Turns out the university doesn't want the party on its premises this time, so Midgard has offered to hold it out in Oldtown."

"Some of the students are pissed," he pauses to grab another over/under from and down it, "but not the ones you'd expect."

+ 2016 messages

October 21st 2016:

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, it's getting to be time for the big event." He shrugs and kicks back his over/under.

"Midgard and the University are playing hot potato. Neither of them want it on their premises, so they're both suggesting it be held at a rented site."

+ 2017 messages

October 21st 2017:

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, it's getting to be time for the big event." He shrugs and kicks back his over/under.

"Midgard and the University are playing hot potato. Neither of them want it on their premises, so they're both suggesting it be held at a rented site."

+ 2018 messages

October 21st 2018:

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, it's getting to be time for the big event." He shrugs and kicks back his over/under.

"Midgard and the University are playing hot potato. Neither of them want it on their premises, so they're both suggesting it be held at a rented site."

"I'm guessing it's going to be at Silver Towers again. I heard the water damage wasn't that bad."

+ 2019 messages

October 21st 2019:

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, it's getting to be time for the big event." He shrugs and kicks back his over/under.

"It'll probably be at Silver Towers again, but I heard Midgard's gonna be distracted with all the festivities around the SD6 launch… that's their next gen spider drone. Launching on Halloween, which is kind of a cute marketing thing." He says the word "cute" like it's something he found on the bottom of his shoe.

"Anyway the executive suite shouldn't be paying too much attention."

+ 2020 messages

October 21st 2020:

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, it's getting to be time for the big event." He shrugs and kicks back his over/under.

"Midgard pulled out pretty suddenly, so the ra… scavenge… other forces are jumping in. I heard it was down to the President of the Omegas and some cute punk girl to run things."

"Huge surprise how that played out," he layers the sarcasm on thickly enough it feels like a physical presence.

+ 2021 messages

October 21st 2021:

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, it's getting to be time for the big event." He shrugs and kicks back his over/under.

"Midgard's taking a pretty hands off approach this year, so hopefully things won't get too chaotic."

+ 2022 messages

October 21st 2022:

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, it's getting to be time for the big event." He shrugs and kicks back his over/under.

"Hopefully they won't collapse any buildings this year. Or… well, yeah."

+ 2023 messages

October 21st 2023:

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, it's getting to be time for the big event." He shrugs and kicks back his over/under.

"Hopefully they won't collapse any buildings this year. Or… well, yeah."

Nothing

He nods. "Good, good. Well, come back anytime."

Care for a game?

"Hmmm?" he looks down at the chess piece in his hand. "Sure, I suppose we can do that."

He slides his comm out, which projects a holographic board over the table. "What would you like to play for? Don't say to the death, it's overdone."

Money

(If you win)

"Money? Seriously? Let's choose something we have less of, like air. But alright, if you want," he finally stops complaining and sits down to play.

He plays expertly, but you're just better than he is. He relies a bit too much on his knights and once you take those, it's a quick checkmate.

"Ahh, the wound to my pride is far greater than the wound to my pocketbook, but you've managed both in one stroke."

You gained 101-145 credits!

You found 2-3 of: battered cred chip, fresh cred chip

(If you lose)

"Money? Seriously? Let's choose something we have less of, like air. But alright, if you want," he finally stops complaining and sits down to play.

He plays expertly, relying a bit too much on his knights perhaps, but not showing any real weakness. You lose pretty badly, but do learn a few new moves from the experience, though.

You've gotten better at chess.

You've earned 3 XP in Perception

(If you've won at least once today:)

"Money? Seriously? Let's choose something we have less of, like air. But alright, if you want," he finally stops complaining and sits down to play.

He plays expertly, but you're just better than he is. He relies a bit too much on his knights and once you take those, it's a quick checkmate.

"Sorry friend, you can't hustle me again until I make it home to refill my account. Here, have a drink instead, I'll put it on my tab." He slides you an over/under.

You found: the over/under

Information

(If you win)

"Information. A fine choice, I'd say. Let's see if you can take it," he slams the rest of his over/under and gets ready to play.

He plays expertly, but you're just better than he is. He relies a bit too much on is knights and once you take those, it's a quick checkmate.

He nods solemnly. "Alright, you got me. What do you want to know more about?"

(If you lose)

"Information. A fine choice, I'd say. Let's see if you can take it," he slams the rest of his over/under and gets ready to play.

He plays expertly, relying a bit too much on his knights perhaps, but not showing any real weakness. You lose pretty badly, but do learn a few new moves from the experience, though.

You've earned 3 XP in Perception

Dr. Thomas (from winning chess)

He nods and sips the top layer off his over/under. "Fair enough, I suppose you deserve to know. Although, I don't know that much more than you do."

"Dr. Thomas works for Midgard Industries, which I suppose you might have guessed already. She's with Office Services, which is where they put their moderately secret stuff, trusting people to ignore it because of the name."

He sighs. "So, I can't really say for sure if her Eclipse business is part of her day job or just something she's doing on the side."

Eclipse (from winning chess)

"Eclipse? You mean other than the Third Eye handing it out like it's candy?" he looks into his over/under.

"Well a few other gangs are in the business too. Renegades out around the highways and the Fangs, well used to, in Southside and the Docks. All the same MO. Taking a few creds each, if that."

"So here's my theory, somebody's trying to get a lot of people hooked before they throttle down supply. Pretty standard. But it's someone with deep, deep pockets and some serious connections."

He shrugs. "Just my guess though. Everyone but the yakuza seems to have their finger in it. I'd suggest you keep yours out unless you want to get bitten."

Midgard (from winning chess)

"Today in Midgard news?" he chuckles and sips the top off his over/under. "Well, big operations in the Slags, very hush hush. Some people say they're hunting down a saboteur, some say they're harvesting something from the wreckage."

He tosses back the rest of the drink. "Ah, well, who can say, really?"

The Protests (from winning chess)

"The protesters? There isn't much to say really. Well…" he looks around cautiously.

"They were protesting because of a sample Midgard gave a guy by the name of Myers to look at. What people don't know is where the sample came from."

"What I've heard is that a Midgard test subject escaped, claimed to meet some kind of crazy sea serpent on the Docks and got mauled. He's back in Midgard custody now and Myers has the sample to look at."

He leans back and grins, "but the ravings of lunatics, of course. Interesting story, but no real substance."

Dr Amundsen (from winning chess)

"Amundsen," he shakes his head slowly. "She's the only teacher I had here that gave a damn… bit pissed about that thing with her and the Third Eye, actually."

He slams his over/under, then sends the empty glass spinning across the room to shatter in a corner, drawing a few stares. "Yeah, more pissed than I'd like to admit. I don't like regretting things, regret makes you weak."

"Not like any of it matters anyway… not like I'd be allowed to take on the Third Eye even if I was that stupid…"

"Huh, there I go again with the regret thing." He makes an imperceptible gesture that apparently means it's time for another round of over/unders.

You found: the over/under

This PDA (from winning chess)

He takes the PDA from your hand as though it's a great weight. "Well, I suppose it's going to be a long night."

"Take this," he slides you his over/under. "I won't need it where I'm going."

He stands and, for the first time in your experience, leaves the VIP room.

You found: the over/under

The PDA (from winning chess)

He sniffs and sips at his over/under. "Like picking at old wounds?"

"Regrets are trifles, tiny stuff you wish you had done but never got the chance to try. But as my dad is so fond of saying, 'there's nothing so important as trifles.'"

"Dr. Amundsen's probably the biggest now, but I'm young… give me a couple years and I'll weigh myself down until I'm bent over like my dad."

He takes a long pause, slowly sipping more of his drink. "Hell, maybe I'll see that cute student council girl when Midgard finally lets her out."

Watson (from winning chess)

He glares at you for a moment, then laughs bitterly. "My dad set you up for this, didn't he? Stupid old bastard's always talking… Holmes this, Watson that. Elementary my ass."

He shakes his head. "Anyway, better than the rest of the time he's drinking… but yeah, I know all about Watson."

Halloween (from winning chess)

+ 2010 messages

The frat guy (from winning chess)

"Hmm, him? He's wandered in looking for something, bribed the management rather handsomely to let him back here."

He shakes his head disapprovingly and tosses back an over/under. "I think it has something to do with Emily Davers. They both got pretty messed up last Halloween, spent a while in the hospital together."

"He's been around a lot of money since the two of them got released… kind of makes you wonder what he's up to."

He laughs unkindly and looks at his empty shotglass. "And yet he still drinks Metros Light. Frat boys."

+ 2011 messages

(During Halloween 2011)

"Hmmm… I suppose that's fair," he tosses back an over/under.

"My dad gave me a call, actually, can't say that happens very often. Usually a bad sign, really."

"But he said to keep an eye on Davers… Emily, the girl running the Halloween thing. She got shaken up pretty bad a couple years ago."

"The only think I don't know is if she's in danger, it's a test, or my dad is trying to set us up. Knowing the old bastard, probably all three." A slight girl in purple and black clothing hands him another over/under with he dutifully slams without even seeming to notice.

+ 2012 messages

(During Halloween 2012)

He carefully sips the top layer off his over/under and smiles at you. "Midgard… they're in a bind. There's something down under the dorms they don't want anybody seeing… something they apparently haven't been able to move or contain all year."

"Now all these stupid k… my beloved fellow students want to throw a Halloween party down there again, like nothing weird's been going on for years."

He knocks back the other half of his drink. "Call it suppostion, but I think Midgard didn't quite get what they wanted last time. There's something… half-complete down there… some kind of crazy science experiment."

"I'll be right here, safe and sound, thank you very much."

"Besides," he waves for another over/under, "last year dad tried to set me up with the event coordinator. I figure if I stay out of site, I can save myself the meddling."

+ 2013 messages

The dorms (from winning chess) (After Halloween 2012)

He carefully sips the top layer off his over/under and smiles at you. "Someone screwed the proverbial hound drone on this one. I'm just glad it wasn't me."

"They were down there for a year, tinkering on something. I don't know what… hell, I'm not really sure they know what."

"But a year to the day from them taking over the whole thing blows sky high?"

He slams the rest of his drink and asks the nearest person to get him another. As they leave, affronted, he leans in closer and drops his voice to a whisper.

"I think they're not playing with a what. I think it's a who. Midgard thought they had it under control and it gave Midgard a mile-high middle finger for their trouble."

After October 20th 2013

He carefully sips the top layer off his over/under and smiles at you. "Midgard would like us to say everything's going according to plan."

"But they're hedging their bets in a serious way. The dorms they're rebuilding… it's taken a year without being nearly done, which is insane to begin with, but there's also a small army of MSec officers and drones stationed there. Sorry, Midgard Security."

"Because," he downs the rest of the drink, "that's not where they want the action. Drinks to credits, they're going to spend a few million cred on a smokescreen."

"Covering up what?" He shrugs. "Can't say exactly, but a company that makes drones as good as Midgard's don't take a year to build industrial housing."

+ 2014 messages

Pre-Halloween 2014:

"All Hallow's Eve. It's a pretty big deal around here. Can't say I blame them with the body count they've seen… ghosts coming back to haunt the living seems a lot more legitimate with so many ghosts."

"I have it on good authority that this year is going to be pretty tame… just a party. At least, it sounds like Midgard's too busy with Novos to pay any attention to a college party."

+ 2015 messages

Pre-Halloween 2015:

"Midgard's neck deep in Halloween this year. They've asked," he pauses to slam an over/under to add even more emphasis to the word, "the university to move the party to one of their facilities."

"Which could be a helpful gesture, what with all the deaths we've had over the years. But they haven't called in any more security."

He taps his finger on the empty glass as though trying to knock a thought loose from it. "They're even getting complaints about the security there that they're being used for party setup rather than guarding all the outsiders."

+ 2016 messages

Pre-Halloween 2016:

"Midgard's still neck deep in Halloween. They've asked," he pauses to slam an over/under to add even more emphasis to the word, "the students to move the festivities to near one of their buildings."

"Turns out they don't want hundreds of students moving through one of their buildings again. I can't imagine what security-minded individual might have convinced them to move things away."

"But," he taps the empty shotglass back and forth like a bored cat, "it goes clear up to the executive suites. I don't trust the rumors, but people are saying they've even got board members leaning in on this."

+ 2017 messages

Pre-Halloween 2017:

"Midgard's still neck deep in Halloween. They've asked," he pauses to slam an over/under to add even more emphasis to the word, "the students to move the festivities downtown."

"They're trying to reduce the variables, but they also aren't going to bring it into their offices again… it's probably going to be a mess. They're blocking out students as much as they can, which might help."

"But," he taps the empty shotglass back and forth like a bored cat, "it goes clear up to the executive suites. I don't trust the rumors, but people are saying they've even got board members leaning in on this."

+ 2018 messages

Pre-Halloween 2018:

"Midgard's still neck deep in Halloween. They've asked," he pauses to slam an over/under to add even more emphasis to the word, "the students to keep the festivities downtown."

"I've heard they assigned a new special liaison, but who knows what that means?"

"But," he taps the empty shotglass back and forth like a bored cat, "it goes clear up to the executive suites. They're digging for something, but I'm not sure even they know what."

+ 2019 messages

Pre-Halloween 2019:

"Midgard's execs are all distracted with the SD6 launch. D… security's trying to get some folks in place for the party, but Special Projects is trying to block it."

He pauses a bit and looks at his over/under with a complicated expression. "A lot of Special Projects… I don't even know all their names. When the cat's away, the mice will play, I guess."

He tilts the drink into his mouth, putting it out of its misery.

+ 2020 messages

Pre-Halloween 2020:

"Well, Midgard's true colors are on display, even if nobody realizes it." He sips off the top of his over/under.

"They've had their noses in Halloween for years now, but Zaibatsu wants to have a look around and where are they? Poof!"

"Ehhhhh," he finishes off the drink, "I know they're trying to keep their hand close to their chest, not make it obvious what they've been up to. But it feels more frightened than cunning."

+ 2021 messages

Pre-Halloween 2021:

"Well, I don't think Midgard's taking a very active hand this time." He sips off the top of his over/under.

"There's some sort of internal power struggle I'm not privy to. But the result seems to be there isn't much oversight this year."

"Ehhhhh," he finishes off the drink, "I just get the feeling there's another hand there I don't know about."

+ 2022 messages

Pre-Halloween 2022:

"They're playing with fire. Setting up a party in an old garage is one thing, but it sounds like Yvonne wants to sneak into Midgard's guts for the party." He sips off the top of his over/under.

"Even without too much oversight, that's just absurd."

"Ehhhhh," he finishes off the drink, "well, if they pull it off, Midgard probably wanted them to. So no stress."

+ 2023 messages

Pre-Halloween 2023:

"Heard Yvonne is trying to sneak into one of the Midgard office parties." He sips off the top of his over/under.

"It's absurd, really. Midgard doesn't care much about the call center workers, but surely not… actually, I can picture them caring that little," he finishes off the rest of the drink with a dejected expression. "Yeah, that tracks."

Nothing (from winning chess)

His eyes flicker with confusion for a second before he turns on a winning grin. "Well… okay. Free advice then."

"Be careful around Dr. Thomas. Nobody I've ever met has seen her in person, which means she could be anyone. Think about that before you cross her…"

He clears his throat self-consciously, "not that you're going to cross her of course."

Your dad fight crime?

(What trigger is needed for this option?)

The young man's mouth gapes open with incredulity at your question. "I'm… sorry? What?"

He shakes his head, as if to clear out a drug high. "Yeah, um, he reads about crime fighters with smoking pipes and stupid hats. He works in 'building security.' So if you ever end up in a Midgard facility wondering why the section of floor you just stepped on went click… that's my dad."

How about the Vigilante?

(What trigger is needed for this option?)

"The Vigilante?" he pauses for a second. "Yeah, of course. He's all over the college radio station because the real news won't cover him."

"Actually, funny story… we ready for story time?" The young man slides you an over/under then grins. "Now we're ready for story time."

"Anyway, this one time I'm at a party with my dad in the private Midgard habitation downtown. Top floor, by the waterfall, tons of VPs and their kids. We're there because dad just nabbed some ecoterrorists with one of his booby traps."

He leans towards you and lowers his voice to a whisper. "Anyway, this guy comes into the room and my dad's like 'pop
quiz: what's wrong with that man?' so I look him over, right? The guy's suit isn't fitted, his face doesn't move quite enough, and he has a speck of something under a fingernail… Told you the old man loves his Holmes."

He takes a long pause, then slams the rest of his over/under. "Anyway, he gives me a big pat on the back and tells me to wait there. I listen in as he's talking to the guy, of course."

"So dad goes over to this guy and leans in like we're doing now. He tells the guy 'get out of here, vigilante, before I have to report you to security.' Guy said something I didn't quite catch about bosses and freaks, then leaves."

He leans back and clears his throat, going back to a reasonable volume. "So, yeah, might have been The Vigilante and might have been some ecoterrorist… who knows. Dad's got a soft spot for theatrics, though. Me, I'd call in the guys with the needlers."

How about Hammer?

(What trigger is needed for this option?)

He shakes his head, clearing out your previous conversation. "What is this, some kind of free-association hour? I knew I should have gone into psych."

"No, the only hammers I know are the kind other people use to pound in nails. I guess there's kind on old guns too, if you're the Old West type."

You found: the over/under

Honor

(With sufficient skill in Chess?)

"Ah, honor. The only thing worth playing for, really. Let's see how you do."

He plays expertly, but you're just better than he is. He relies a bit too much on his knights and once you take those, it's a quick checkmate.

"Ahh pride, the greatest wound to thee," he catches himself waxing melodramatic and stops himself quickly.

You've earned 4 XP in Will

Otherwise:

"Ah, honor. The only thing worth playing for, really. Let's see how you do."

He plays expertly, relying a bit too much on his knights perhaps, but not showing any real weakness. You lose pretty badly, but do learn a few new moves from the experience, though.

You've gotten better at chess.

You've earned 3 XP in Perception

See Walk Away