The trap is full of locusts, but they seem weak and unhealthy. A few lie on their backs…
Speakers: 10
Inland EmpireResponses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
The trap is full of locusts, but they seem weak and unhealthy. A few lie on their backs with their legs twitching. Still no phasmid.
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Alternative lines: 2
The reeds whisper around the sepulchral trap, as though suddenly filled with fear. Even the snow does not quiet them.
The reeds shudder in the falling rain, whispering. It is as though the sepulchral trap has filled them with some strange, novel fear.
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
The lieutenant's gaze follows yours and lingers on the reeds, the sand, the water beyond. Then he turns back to you expectantly.
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Alternative lines: 1
"Let's go." [Leave.]
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
All the traps are stocked now -- and still no sight of the phasmid. Return to Morell and let him know.
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
The trap stands empty amongst the reeds. No insect sounds or movement around -- only the reeds' melancholy rustling.
Alternative lines: 2
The trap stands empty amongst the reeds, powdered with snow. No insect sounds or movement around -- only the reeds' melancholy rustling.
The trap stands empty amongst the reeds. No insect sounds or movement around -- only the reeds' melancholy rustling. Rain drips from the netting of the trap.
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
The locusts, dazed from being transported, slowly begin to acclimate to their new surroundings.
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
"Good. Now that's done. When do you think we will return to our impending apocalypse of a murder investigation?"
Earlier lines: 1
He doesn't want to, but if there is one more cryptozoological run-around, he must force the investigation back on track. This better be it...
passive: 2
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 2
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
The locusts aren't doing all too well, but they're still in there. This isn't the empty trap. That must have been another one.
Alternative lines: 3
The locusts aren't doing all too well, but they're still in there. This isn't the empty trap. That one was by the canal.
The locusts aren't doing all too well, but they're still in there. This isn't the empty trap. That one Morell was setting up, near the cryptozoologists camp.
The locusts aren't doing all too well, but they're still in there. This isn't the empty trap. That one was in Land's End, in the northern tip of this peninsula.
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 4
- Nothing has changed about this trap. You need to check the others.
- The locusts aren't doing all too well, but they're still in there. This isn't the empty trap. That must have been another one.
- There's nothing else to do with the traps at this time. They're all just lying around, gathering dust and rainwater.
- You've checked all the traps now. There's nothing else to do with them. The cryptozoologists await your report.
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
There's nothing else to do with the traps at this time. They're all just lying around, gathering dust and rainwater.
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
You've checked all the traps now. There's nothing else to do with them. The cryptozoologists await your report.
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
It takes you a moment, but finally you spot the last of Morell's traps. This one's partially obscured by the reeds...
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 3
Earlier lines: 12
- Continue
- This trap's not too hard to spot -- once you know what to look for. Keeping it hidden has not been a priority for the cryptozoologist.
- There's a trap in the reeds at your feet. Looks like the same one you saw Morell set before -- same mesh, same wiring.
- Continue
- It takes you a moment, but finally you spot the last of Morell's traps. This one's partially obscured by the reeds...
- Continue
- Continue
- A familiar apparatus lies among the reeds -- another one of Morell's traps, weighed down by stones to keep it in place.
- Continue
- Continue
- Continue
- Continue
Earlier lines: 1
The reeds bend forlornly toward the sand. You see slabs of concrete, north. In the east, the city centre hums to you.
Alternative lines: 4
The reeds bend forlornly toward the sand. Some tufts have been crushed. The broken stalks seem like a rebuke -- the sound of the city centre hums in the east.
The reeds bend forlornly toward the sand. Snow covers the broken stalks like a shroud, and they shimmer, ghostly, in the darkness. In the east, the city centre hums to you.
The reeds bend forlornly toward the sand. Some tufts have been crushed. Snow covers the broken stalks like a shroud. In the east, the city centre hums to you.
The reeds bend forlornly toward the water. Some tufts have been crushed. The broken stalks, sickly-pale against the darkness. In the east, the city centre hums to you.
Earlier lines: 1
The constant, distant song. Louder on this part of the coast. Nearer somehow. And there's that cold again, always the cold...
passive: 1
Responses: 1
Responses: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
The lieutenant studies the trap with you. "Well, the bait worked on something. This doesn't mean it was a reed-monster, though. Unless you see one in there? I just see an empty trap..."
Earlier lines: 1
The netting is a little untidy, messier than the others. Like someone or something picked up the trap and shook it before dropping it back down on the ground.
passive: 2
Responses: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 5
- "You're right. This crypto-research has been stupid."
- "But what if it was the phasmid? What if it ate them and got out?"
- "I do get the feeling that someone or something may have messed with the trap..."
- "You're right. But I still need to tell the cryptozoologists about this."
- "Yeah, it probably wasn't the phasmid, but still. Morell needs to know."
Earlier lines: 1
"Good, good. We should be courteous and tell the cryptozoologists that one of their traps was empty, but then we can get back to our assignment here."
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 4
- "Good, good. We should be courteous and tell the cryptozoologists that one of their traps was empty, but then we can get back to our assignment here."
- "Right." It does not look like he thinks you're right. "Anyway, that's for the cryptozoologists to figure out now." He adds, for clarity: "We're not cryptozoologists -- we're cops."
- "We did sort of promise to tell them, didn't we..." He seems to regret the fact.
- "Okay. But after that we get back to our own assignments. We've done a thorough survey of the coast now -- just running around is no longer useful."
Earlier lines: 1
A cold gust of air dries your sweaty face and you look to the dark shadow the Feld building in the distance, drawing you to it. What a strange sensation... Once this is done, should you ask the wind again?
passive: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
"Right." It does not look like he thinks you're right. "Anyway, that's for the cryptozoologists to figure out now." He adds, for clarity: "We're not cryptozoologists -- we're cops."
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
He purses his lips. "Perhaps our cryptozoologists have competition in the form of an actual entomologist? Or someone else is sabotaging them? I could present more theories, but then I would be taking this on as a case -- which I'm not."
Responses: 4
"Okay. But after that we get back to our own assignments. We've done a thorough survey of the coast now -- just running around is no longer useful."
Alternative lines: 1
"Okay. But after that we get back to our own assignments. There really is no explanation for this detour right now. None. None whatsoever."
Responses: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
The reeds continue to hiss around you as you put the empty trap back on the ground. Time to consult the professionals -- Morell and Lena.
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Earlier lines: 1
"Empty as all of them..." he pants. "One more of these and we're done..." His face is red from the cold sea air. He crouches to catch his breath.
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 4
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
"I'm just..." he breathes out. "Glad we haven't found some poor cat trapped in one of these."
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 4
- "I'm just..." he breathes out. "Glad we haven't found some poor cat trapped in one of these."
- The lieutenant stretches his back.
- "No-no. I'm fine. I didn't mean to complain, it's just..." He's short-winded. The sentence ends there.
- "Of course. Noted." He looks at you, incredulously, as you place the trap back in the reeds.
Alternative lines: 1
"One more time, I must stress that I did not expect a cryptozoological monstrosity to be in this trap."
Responses: 1
Earlier lines: 1
"Of course. Noted." He looks at you, incredulously, as you place the trap back in the reeds.
Responses: 1