Odyssey Investigations: AEAEA - Chapter 2, Part 2 - The Case of the Lesser Key of Solomon DeMorge

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[Aldrich taps his staff, then steps aside, allowing you to gaze into the main pool of the Thalassic Conduit.]

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The abyss itself is asking you to solve its final puzzle.
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Yo

Homie

Bromie

Broskie

Bromide

Bromenade

Brolicious

Bronchitis

My bro upon bros

If the
big toilet flush is asking the questions to us puzzle-wise and your like its manservant or whatever
then whyd you keep this shit secret from us until were literally runnin out of time

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You third rate waterlog gandalf impersonator reject
this aint funny

I dont care if youre wrinkled old ass speaks for the california raisins
that shits just plain
bad communication man

check yourself
 
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Cassia, was it? Sorry to interrupt, but there's an extreme plant-based emergency going on right now! If you could go find Ms. Sunny and the other duck to lend a hand they'd really appreciate it.

Hey, you know, this place reminds me of a good joke. What kind of flour grows on your face? Tulips! Get it, because flowers- wait, wait, wait, this is... this is flour. Not flowers. Shoot.

After she leaves, steal and consume a random baked good. If anyone asks later, Aldrich did it.
 
Investigate the five swords in the roulette in greater detail. One seems to be bent? For what reason?

Look closer at the knife in Storm's possession.
You examine the swords. Their blades are all made of plastic foam, while the handles cheap, malleable plastic. They appear to be completely harmless. The handle of one sword appears to have been gripped with exceptional force, crushing it somewhat. Someone participating in the event may know more about this.

You examine the knife. It's a Findelean switchblade, and resembles one from the gift shop. Storm was using it to stab holes into his bar set-up, and may have cut himself in the process. It seems gripping the knife reopened the wound, which now bleeds. He refused Soleils help to have her close it shut with her healing light.
 
So that's why I'm taking the opportunity to call this no-good buggie-bug out!!!
BB-chan Kouhai Special: Potato Peeler Slice,
until I get to the truth and Aldrich-san tells me where the Casino speakers' recording room is...!
"
I dont care if youre wrinkled old ass speaks for the california raisins
that shits just plain
bad communication man

check yourself
Aldrich taps the cane, unimpressed with this line of inquiry, and a force of energy tips "Reginald" over. BB's attack is misdirected, as she dives to save her dance partner on the floor.

They're both spinning around together.

A low rumble shakes the conduit when Leo provides his answer, then, Aldrich steps back as the seal begins to fade.
A result is imminent.

My question is, what do you know about how they work? Why do your people find them dangerous? And last, but not least... Are you aware of who his business partner could be?

I suppose I'll search on my own as well. Perhaps I can find some records in the Conference Room, an exhibit in the Display Room, or perhaps some educational material on the subject in the Lecture Hall? And while I'm at it, I'll-
You examine the Conference Room, pulling up specifically records relating to Otto and his presentations in past. You recall him mentioning something about his technology being rejected before at the meeting.

Indeed, though his standard cube-shaped batteries have featured at the event every year, you note there were bids he submitted this year, five, nine, and even fifteen years ago relating to "Mnemonic"-related prototypes. While some of his prototyped devices were deemed too chaotic to allow present at the event by AEAEA, the previous two bids were approved. This year's related to the changed conference theme about "Dreaming For A Better Future". All of them, however, were vetoed by the Noktmathi delegation of Somatacists.

A last minute meeting occurred a few weeks prior to today, in which a delegate named "Atlas" insisted the theme was too dangerous. Compromises were reached by swapping Cassia's event for CYMK's to remain "safer", the result being that Otto could no longer showcase his technology with Display B in the Exhibition Hall, and had to provide standard batteries for the "travel" theme instead. It was too late to swap the other artifacts in the exhibit, some of which had approval from the Findelo main island to exhibit.

Disclosures from Otto indicate this is the most refined version of his prototype yet, a battery that creates a controlled, isolated "pocket" in the Astral Plane, for direct accession of a memory stored within. He claims rooting the power to a memory similar to a Sticker, it remains sealed off, and protected from the rest of the plane.

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- [Moh] - ........................................................................................................................

It seems Moh might be about to speak, but he lets you process the information you've found already.

You examine the AEAEA Showroom. Otto's display remains modest, and Storm's display is crafted with love. You note Arcane Solutions' most industrial products are related to transportation and agricultural machinery, including engines, batteries, and heavy-duty generators for powering a variety of devices using arcane energy. The most prominent of which are those used in airships previously produced by Solomon. They must have had a direct partnership. Nothing related to his prototype technology is here, unfortunately.

You check the Lecture Hall. It remains set up for Valerie's presentation, with a sleeping plant and an aquatic species shown. Her billboard has been moved from the Showroom to here. Her cages are stacked, with some fuzzies bouncing worriedly in their cages, spreading... fluff, of some kind. You examine the large, open cage out of curiosity. It curiously has no fluff, and the complex lock mechanism from the exterior remains as Valerie described: as if it had never been sealed.

Examining the projector set-up, you note there is another red USB stick plugged into the device. It matches the one in Otto's laptop in design.
 
Leo says nothing for a while as he listens intently to Aldrich's response. He stares at the back of the man stalwartly safeguarding the beating heart of the Cascade Resort before taking a step forward and peering down into the main pool of the conduit, meeting the empty gaze of the mask within.

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You're...Aldrich Ethos.
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- [Aldrich] - ...m-my wrinkled old ass, indeed. The rudest plant I've seen in these halls, and I mean there are some toxic little weeds kept in Quaratine. Obtrusiveness is necessary to keep this hotel alive through rumor and hearsay, but I serve its guests above all else. Only until now did Sholmes and Leo provide a direct connection to the murder.


With the answer given, the lock breaks. The mask launches out of the water, and lands on the ground face down. Its initials: A.E.

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- [Aldrich] - The void beckons, Leo.

Something grabs onto Leo's mind, rendering him alone.
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Leo feels himself sinking.
Sinking deep, deep into the abyss.
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Sinking....
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Deeper...
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...bubbles fill his mind with dots and dashes, and the mounting pressure as the deepening trench of water constricts his chest.
as he continues
...to sink... and sink...
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...and then, where light fails to penetrate entirely
...when Leo has sunk as far as he can
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...the abyss produces a purple glow of its own.
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Glowing veins and wires fade into view.
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The heart, and mind of Cascade Resort, A.E..

...good day, Leo.

I would advise caution when eating pizza and cake in the hotel next time. Your pillow was redirected to the laundry for cleaning, if you wish to claim it.
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