Conversation · Novelty Dicemaker

"What do you mean by cursed?"

"As cursed as my life."

"Alright, how about I surprise you? Come back in eight hours with seven reál and I'll give you your cursed die."

"Actually, I need to think about it first." (Back off.)

"It's a deal." (Order the die.)

"Great! See you in eight hours then." She takes a small notebook from her table and writes something down. "Was there anything else?"

"As cursed as this commercial area."

"Abraq-ad-abra, perished like this world!"

"Tell me about your most extraordinary die!"

"A star that fell from the firmament? Those cost more than seven reál. Are you sure?"

"No, I'm afraid it's not worth it, sorry."

"Yes, I'm a star myself, a superstar -- and superstars don't care about money."

"Yes, you definitely have the proper attitude. How about a pair of 100-sided dice? Made of ivory and inlaid with lodestone, a naturally occurring magnet, to complement your magnetic personality."

Pieces of lodestone were used as the first magnetic compasses, from which they derive their other name: course stones.

That's a stone for leaders.

"Ten reál and I can get these ready in eight hours."

"It's a deal." (Order the dice set.)

"Great! See you in eight hours then." She takes a small notebook from her table and writes something down, her expression pleased. "Was there anything else?"

"I need to think about it first." (Back off.)

"But do magnetic dice even roll properly?"

"It's true, magnetic dice are definitely different. When rolled together, the magnetic fields of the pips interact with each other to push and pull on each other as they are rolled. Just like all magnetic personalities do."

"I want a die for the Wirrâl setting, sweet and basic."

"That's a classic, yes. A standard role-playing die with plant motifs. Now for the material: Most of my customers opt for an exotic wood -- for this I would suggest East-Semenese Snakewood."

"For seven reál I could have it ready in eight hours."

"What's a standard role-playing die?"

"It's an icositetrahedron -- a 24-sided die that can produce results for a 2-sided, 3-sided, 4-sided, 6-sided, and 12-sided die with a single roll. Technically you can also use it for many other sizes, but you may need to re-roll results."

"I need to think about it." (Back off.)

"It's a deal." (Order the die.)

"Great! See you in eight hours then." She takes a small notebook from her table and writes something down. "Was there anything else?"

"I have more questions about this building."

"I'm listening."

"I have more questions about the intercom."

"I'm pretty sure it still doesn't work, but sure, what do you want to know?"

"East Delta Pinball -- is that now the Whirling?"

"Yes. I guess so. The arcade is an ancient failure -- before my time. I'm not surprised, however."

"My advice..." She raises her finger. "Don't base your business on a fad -- hypnotism, floriography, triktrak, especially pinball."

"Yes. I've heard it used to be a gaming arcade. This is an ancient failure -- before my time. I'm not surprised, however."

You know... this is something the Cafeteria Manager might want to know.

"My advice..." She raises her finger. "Don't base your business on a fad -- hypnotism, floriography, triktrak, especially pinball..."

Keep it to yourself.

"Anything else I can help you with?"

"This means the Whirling is part of the Doomed Commercial Area. Garte is gonna love this..."

"I don't know this Garte -- but something tells me he won't."

"Actually... the Slipstream SCA mystery might be a recording. I called again later and got exactly the same message."

"Why would Slipstream SCA have a hundred-years-old recording as their doorbell message? It doesn't make any sense."

"I'm still convinced it was nothing more than some elaborate prank."

"My money's on electrical anomaly. I've heard of these. Especially in an old building like this..." He looks around.

"So you're telling me that you have a doorbell there -- which one?"

"The one with an empty name card, it's the last one in the list. As I said, it's quite useless right now, it doesn't work yet."

"I saw a name 'East Delta Pinball' on the doorbell."

"Right, it used to be a gaming arcade. This is an ancient failure -- before my time. I'm not surprised, however."

"My advice..." She raises her finger. "Don't base your business on a fad -- hypnotism, floriography, triktrak, especially pinball."

"Agreed," the lieutenant chips in, "pinball is the worst."

His disdain for pinball could not be clearer.

"So you're telling me that the doorbell with the empty name card was yours?"

"That's right, I haven't even written my name there -- as I said, it's quite useless right now, it doesn't work yet."

"I have a few more questions about the building."

"Sure, I'm listening."

"I was wondering about the Whirling-in-Rags. Is it part of the same building complex?"

"You could say so. Both houses were built at the same time and under the East Delta Commerce Centre project. That explains why you can call the Whirling from the intercom, albeit I doubt that anyone responds."