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

[MCD]

Ah. I see the schedule's been shared at last. Looks like I've got some stiff competition, but I do need the full two hours. And then maybe I can sign some books towards the end? We'll see.

If you're somehow not convinced, then how about a little demonstration of the power of my word. I'm sure you'll find it very "moving".

I sit down at my desk and write about the place between between the smaller ??? room and the padlocked room. The "Dark Place".

 

[Theobald "Leo" Leonhart]

[Leo, scratching his head in front of the purple doors, turns away from them for the moment to reunite with his charge. He eyes the..."eyes" with suspicion, before escorting the spooked dragon girl out of the room.]

A room that allows one to eavesdrop on the entire hotel...can't imagine that was made with good intentions in mind. Feels like we're still missing a few pieces of this puzzle, though...much like those accursed doors. Urgh.

[The pair passes through the Artificer's Chamber to the Golem Stations, where they take a look at the paintings on the walls.]

Ask Soleil and Justice Kleidi about the people in the paintings.

(We'll corner that bag of bones soon...or at least get him to spill more info. Even a seasoned liar slips up eventually.)

 

[GBA]

What I was GOING to say was.... That's quite a lovely lotus you have perched upon your head. Rather unique and eye-catching, dare I say. Certainly an inspired choice. Well, in any case, I'll leave you two in the more than capable hands of your "Boys".

I've got to have a quick word with von Lichtenfels, before the events proceed for the evening.

- [Circe] - Why, thank you, Mr. Sholmes. It's the national flower of Sarase, and one of my favorite accessories. I thought it best to wear it for the VIPs. Kane jests that the rest of my outfit would net a solid silver at the Pysgidian folk fairs. Jerk.

I sit down at my desk and write about the place between between the smaller ??? room and the padlocked room. The "Dark Place".

Kane and you finish your discussions on set design, but you decide to go a step further. In your room, you quietly write.

The place within the walls, the place with the door you can open... the place of darkness... and as if it always were. You one-handedly gesture that he can depart your Dark Place, and he opens to leave. You follow.

Like before, the door ripples, and then its ghostly aura washes off, granting access to the room beyond.

What greets you on the other side of the smaller ??? room is a greenhouse, with plants contained in glass structures that possess their own growing lights to give the illusion of sunlight. Some glow. Some change color. Some of them have biohazard or toxicity warnings on their doors. Sets of gloves and gardening tools line the wall near the door, with a sink and hose. While most of the containers are empty, the ones that remain are described in detail that can be found in files around the room.

Some of the plants bob around in tanks. that remain disconnected from the main room. They're aquatic, featuring lily pads and lotus flowers. You note... one of them is an old donation from Solomon DeMorge. It's marked for disposal. One of the greenhouses is marked for Valerie. Another for a "Ms. Dendron."

Under a sign that says "Unidentified specimens for quarantine", a few seedlings in professional looking planterboxes. You have uncovered Quarantine.

Kane steps out to greet Sholmes and Circe in the Conduit, breaking the puzzle seal from the other side. One remains.

- [Kane] - That's completely incorrect, Circe, I said you'd win bronze. Hoo boy, what a trip. Truly an honor, Mr Marenghi.

In the other unnamed room, the door on the other side of your room opens... revealing that this room was never locked at all. It's merely empty, and there's a white bucket with a keyhole in it. A seemingly very useless object.

- [Kleidi] - Woops, that's mine!

The map has been adjusted, and will be updated shortly.

Ask Soleil and Justice Kleidi about the people in the paintings.

- [Kleidi] - Sol, this one's for you! Kane, the schedule of justice, if you please.

- [Soleil] - Ah, Aldrich is rather sentimental. He keeps portraits of some of the former concierges and engineers of the facility in the staff rooms. Has nowhere else to put them, frankly.

- [Soleil] - Speaking of, it's getting close to the evening's events, and-

- [Aldrich] - SOLEIL! Your assistance is needed in the foyer, pronto. Otto demands my attention this instant!

- [Soleil] - That's about right.

Soleil departs for the Foyer.

 

[Dr. Lyra Orpheus]

While others are preparing for the festival, checking doorways locked by mysterious puzzles, or otherwise exploring the depths of this event center to their fullest, the detective had one more stop he'd like to make instead.

Moh. Just what were his thoughts on all this? The Somaticist may have some insights left unshared - particularly in the presence of a group. Perhaps, he thought, he could catch Moh alone, away from prying eyes...

 

[Lin Beifong]

While everyone is distracted with whatever, can I sneak into Cassia's kitchen and steal some flour? About three bags should do it.

 

[Theobald "Leo" Leonhart]

(Sounds like the concierge is held up at the moment. Maybe now's a good time to take a look at the letters on his desk in the Underworld and the Hall of Eyes.)

 

[GBA]

Moh. Just what were his thoughts on all this? The Somaticist may have some insights left unshared - particularly in the presence of a group. Perhaps, he thought, he could catch Moh alone, away from prying eyes...

You depart from the group, and wander to Moh, who is relaxing in the open air lounge. Valerie is nowhere to be found.

- [Moh] - ...Disperse. Enter, please.

- [Moh] - Ah, Sholmes. Pardon me, I too am not one for Thalassic party games. I was just again attempting to reach my contact. Again... no such luck. But, as for your suspicions...

You and Moh converse quietly about the days events. You'll receive a result in your cabin.

While everyone is distracted with whatever, can I sneak into Cassia's kitchen and steal some flour? About three bags should do it.

Cassia, too, is nowhere to be found in the Kitchen. You run in, and make off with three bags.

(Sounds like the concierge is held up at the moment. Maybe now's a good time to take a look at the letters on his desk in the Underworld and the Hall of Eyes.)

You examine the letters on his desk. Various correspondence from the Findelan government, so nothing too out of the ordinary there, save for three things: A subpeona for a grand trial, dated for a few months back, which hasn't been opened. One odd letter has the seal of Noktmathi, which bares the aura of authority. It has URGENT written on the front. A small letter from an addressee says "A. Acraman", but the letter has not yet been opened.

The documents in the Hall of Eyes are addressed to various named officials who might be attending during the event, and likely had their mail sent here in advance. Some of Kleidi's is in another pile, but nothing else odd stands out here. Seems she gets standard publicity requests for AEAEA.

 

[GBA]

Investigations are now locked!

Submissions close Oct 14, 2026 at 4:00 AM .

To the investigators, in your cabin, please list:
- Which events you will be attending. There is no limitation to the number of events you can personally attend, except if they overlap. Please see the schedule post for more details.
- Any actions you will perform at such events.
- What you intend to do during Golem Cleaning for your lodge, either:
- Stay in your room, or
- Hang around the Cascade Main Building with an unoccupied NPC.

 

[Glea]

A barren room, brimming with something...

We've not got the time for a full calling, but at the very least... Let me sit in the center of that messy bed, and shut my eyes, and listen so, so carefully...

Wait, quit it! Stop! STOP! STOP IT!! IT'S BURNING, IT'S-

..............

...Please excuse my outburst, and the torn-up pillow. That was most unbecoming of me. I will be... upright in a moment.

...A bird that shines so bright red, with a singular eye... It spoke of chaos... It spoke of a creator... W-We must learn who was once housed here as soon as possible...

Ahem.

This... is inspiration enough. Detective Sholmes... and those of our present company. We have garnered trust fit for trade secrets. If you'll allow me, I might disclose something personal... Once my skin stops with its searing afterimage... But not here. Not in this room. Somewhere more comfortable.

 

[Lin Beifong]

I- I... No! We're doing nothing of the sort! Are you mad? You great potted wretch, we're in the middle of a case - and besides, the woman is a federal prosecutor! That's a tad too close to becoming formally involved with the justice system, if you ask me! If I'd have known that I'd be saddled with a decoy like you, I'd have asked him to bring Spike along instead - at least he is mute and food-motivated enough to-​

WHOA

your absolutely right
you and the justice lady would be a total interesting conflict, talk about fratrification

gee, your so smart shom shalom, guess thats why your the boss and the other guy squats in your upstairs basement

but shomie homie, my loamy bromie
you cant live like this, you gotta cut loooooooose sometimes

you wanna end up like that virgin broccoli your growin in your house
sittin alone every friday, swishin a glass of apple juice in ur hand
wishin it was brandy, but fearin that would make you even more flammable

thats sad bro, i didnt know them books your ghost writer was typin was a tragedy

WHOA

fertilizer dude, i guess b-man made me too smart cause i just had a wicked idea

ok forget about the date, the high justice lady is off the table
but of course, if something came up that made her not be the high justice lady suddenly, thered be no problem

ok bromes, leave it to bushrot 2.0​

hey bb, big sis bb
lemme borrow your phone

i need to make some posts on the internet​

 

[Glea]

[In a quiet corner of the Open Air Lounge...]

Ahhh, much better than that stuffy den! "Open air" is right, what a fresh breath of it!

Now then... I think we're due for more disclosure. I must confess, without a priest present. Today... is not the first time my eyes have bear witness to the shape of the lotus.

Spoiler: Music

It all began when I first opened my eyes...

---

Time is fickle, so I could not tell you quite when... but it was not terribly long ago that I first happened into it. It felt as though I were stepping into something sincere, more genuine than what standard eyes could see. Then, I called it the Waking World.

My career has since defined it in more scientific terms. The Astral Plane. A place so revered and beloved that even the Noktmathi Diplomacy have recognized it in written law. It felt strange to see it so... defined, outside of what I understood. For me, it was fantasy made manifest. I could shut my eyes, breathe deep, and encounter wise voices. If I were real lucky, there would be dead quiet. Nothing but the waves of infinity.

With practice, the definition of the Plane became clearer to me. On that first day, it was as barren as a schoolyard on holiday. Vague shapes and that was all. It was disorienting! My head was spinning, and I couldn't tell from which direction! I could tell it was special, but I could not see how - literally!

But then... somewhere far in the distance...

There was a shape. Something uncurling and unfurling into itself, like petals sprouting and shedding. But I could tell that it was a fleeting thing. It moved with such momentum, as though cast away by great wind. Its contorting shape was hard to grasp... Yet in certain moments, it looked like... that lotus symbol. With something like strings trailing behind it.

Then, just as quickly as it was moving - it stopped. And I felt my stomach drop out as I sensed that it recognized me.

Its shape bent and broke itself again, restructuring, rotating, petals sharpening. Suddenly far was near, and it was right before me.

A strange face. Animalistic, and... geometric? As with all spirits, it was hard to define. If it could exhale, I thought it would feel like the fiercest fire. It would burn, just like that bird in the bedroom.

But a moment later, it was pushed again by something unseen, and my rattling knees were stilled by the sensation that it was long, long gone.

With the willies I'd obtained, it took a few moons for me to try projecting again! Of course, I overcame my fears, and became the proud independent woman you see today! Still, even now, I could not shake how startling of a first encounter I had shouldered.​

---

I arrived at this villa with the understanding that I would be searching for some certain individual. My contract states as much, and I was given relevant information before arriving to help my hunt. Yet... I feel that I have more stake in this than I realized. Seeing that symbol on the painting took me right back to where it began. And to know that young CYMK might've felt the same fear, by the one who claims that symbol as their own...

Detective. Fellow acquaintances. I'm filled with a new resolve.

We've got a PESKY FIREFLY to catch, and we cannot relent until then!!

 

[GBA]

Spoiler: Chapter 2 Interlude

[With no fanfare, Justice Kleidi walks to the last remaining sealed door, and inserts one of her keys into the lock symbol, which causes the spiritual energy swarming it to disperse.]

- [Kleidi] - Fun's over, everyone. Aldrich will probably disperse this leftover energy shortly when he arrives to assign golems to room cleaning. Ah well.

(...though, I've scratched it down in my pocket notepad. Circe always needs something to do during our tea breaks!)

She grants you all a quick look around the Chamber of Justice. Inside, you note the office is grandiose, presently modeled on Fabafan gothic architecture. It serves as the headquarters for the AEAEA Committee Chairperson, and doubles as a legal office for all of Kleidi's needs when she's away from Fabafa arranging the event. The wonders of remote modern-day working!

There are cabinets of evidence related to both the Starline Cruise Incident, and the recent grand trial of Solomon DeMorge, but both are tightly sealed with magical locks. Kleidi likely kept them here while AEAEA planning was underway. Among the bulkier items that couldn't fit in the Cabinet are a model recreation of the two ships Solomon sentenced to death, some golden, Lotus-branded paraphernalia recovered from his manor, a binder full of testimonials from former Starline Cruises employees (noting that Storm and Garett's names are poking out, but also one from someone named Cel), and...

...a strange black cube.

Storm freezes in place, with a glance at Garett, who seems to have barely avoided going into catatonic shock.

- [Kleidi] - Ah, you might be thinking this is... well, I wouldn't worry about that. It's the voyage data recorder of the former ship Cetus. Usually, they take the form of an orange "buoy", but Solomon probably heard the words "black box" from his aviation division and thought he was being clever with his production lines. His shareholders probably lapped that up.

Thankfully, it's functionally maritime legal, aside from the paint-job. Made it a pain in the ass to find!

A Montague shipping excursion was able to recover some of the wreckage of the Cetus, and the story it told us was... shocking to say the least. While we don't know what you went through on the island, the report from incident analysts was really what swayed my legal hand. The things he induced in you all... we even had a snippet of bridge audio from the former captain, Eugene. My old ferryman...

Fear not! It's completely shut off, and multiple artificers have deemed it has no magical circuitry remaining within it. Now, all it can do is attract Thalassic energy that repeats "END TRANSMISSION" in Mors Code, over and over.

---

As the clock is nearing 2pm in the afternoon, the appointed time for the evening's first event, the energetic Chief Justice and AEAEA committee lead gives a short, but professional speech officially welcoming everyone loitering around the conduit and in her office to AEAEA. She's thankful that Cascade's staff continues to assist AEAEA in its journey. She thanks the VIPs for their patronage at this year's event, and for supporting so many talented arcane stakeholders across the world.

She then gestures towards Storm and CYMK (who both grin while standing behind her), as being the day's featured VIP presenters, so it's no coincidence they're her "boys". For the morning, one who rose to purely local fame through his great perseverance in underground art, who paints with the evocative and otherworldly, and who wishes to share his humble admiration of the spirits with the sphere of magecraft. For the evening, one who survived the waves left behind by his father's terror, who journeyed home from the true unknown alongside the survivors of a great tragedy, and who built his current local success up from very little of his own name.

Both have had their support, with Kleidi gesturing broadly towards those Storm brought with him; Sholmes, Buxbaum, Tarlow, the... two of them with green hair, and Dazmuna, who remains in his room. With AEAEA, Kleidi hopes that sharing wisdom, converging as one under AEAEA, and working towards a global stream of prosperity and wacky items helps stuffy mages remain a little more grounded to the world. Instead of keeping their heads always in the clouds and indulging in the purely esoteric, and isolated. She hopes AEAEA can continue to chart a course for better waters, amidst the turbulent waves left by those who threaten that ideal, such as the Lotus, who have gone into hiding.

With a more serious tone, she issues a warning to the Lotus: with the full extent of the grand mage courts, they will be brought to justice.​

- [Kleidi] - I've been briefed on what happened earlier. You kids have fun playing with the powerwashers, but I'll be spending some time doing a sitrep with my wings, Kane and Circe. We intend to grant those rotten Lotus seeds no mercy with their outdated and frankly creepy ways, if they think they can threaten us on the first real day of events.

I'll hit em with the book, and perhaps a chair, and then we'll put em on trial. Ha! I hope you've enjoyed a tour of this thalassic marvel's inner workings, and fun little puzzles, but today's events have now officially begun.

With a clap of her hands, the crystalline pipes seemingly effervesce with energy from her speech, Kane, Circe, and Kleidi retire to the Chamber of Justice, and the rest of the crowd disperses upstairs.

- ✦ ✦ ✦ -​

 

[Lin Beifong]

You don a new suit, then the pot finishes boiling. You and your guest CYMK enjoy a relaxing tea break before he agrees to accompany you to the Depths.
You'll receive a private result in your cabin.

CYMK
This tea is very... apple-y.

BUXBAUM
Yes, I'm sorry. I don't own any herbal teas. It is barbaric.

BUXBAUM
So how are you feeling?
Any residual dizziness? Heartburn? Urge to vomit?

CYMK
Nah, I'm fine now. The spirit is gone. It's kind of disorienting in the moment, makes my vision go funny, but they don't really affect me once the connection is broken.

BUXBAUM
Oh, that last inquiry was not about the possession.
I just remember feeling queasy whenever a Moretti was in my vicinity.

CYMK
Ha ha. Yeah, that guy sure sucked.

Heh...

...

BUXBAUM
Something is still bothering you, isn't it?

CYMK
Well, yeah. I made a huge mess of things. Everyone is working hard to make this conference a success, and my stupid stunt... I nearly ruined all of it. I feel like such an idiot.

Like, they invited me to show off my pictures and talk about spectral artwork. They even passed over Cassia for me. And there I go throwing it all into the wind because I was feeling too...

BUXBAUM
Anxious. Like you couldn't possibly measure up to the expectations placed on you.

CYMK
Yeah...

I'm relieved that it all worked out, and grateful that all of you got me off the hook. Moh urged me to confess to you, and I'm glad I did. But really, all of this didn't have to happen. If I hadn't made that mistake... everything...

BUXBAUM
You're really hard on yourself.
You're still young. It is entirely okay not to have everything figured out.

CYMK
Thanks Buxy.

So this... Moretti guy. The spirit in the hat and shawl, with the flaming face.
You and your group are hunting him?

BUXBAUM
Yes, although he is no spirit. Just a sad little man who never grew up.
Don't feel too down on yourself for falling for his wiles. You were used.
It is what the Morettis do. Yours, Garett's, Acedia's, he preys on the kindness in people's hearts.
That guy is absolute scum and he will pay.

CYMK
If you and your partner are pursuing an entity that communicates entirely through the astral veil, you must have a special connection to the spirits too, yeah? Do you... do you work with a lot of spirits?

BUXBAUM
Well, not really anymore. Mostly it's a bunch of paperwork these days. I organize Mr. Sholmes' finances for him because he gets depressed whenever he sees a gas bill. Then I do odd jobs for Scotland Yard to bolster our income, sorting old police sketches. I try to keep BB out of the furnace. That manner of thing.

While we were lost at sea though, yes. Definitely a lot of spiritual work then.
I've spent months possessed by the ghost of an amphibian knight from the middle ages.

CYMK
WHAT?? For MONTHS?? I can barely manage a few hours! What was that like?? How did you even do that?? Are you a master dream weaver like Moh too??

BUXBAUM
Oh, no. I had no idea what I was doing then. There was a knife, and something about a space parasite. Time travel. I lost track at some point. That entire thing was arranged by some spirit charmer by the name of Luigenium.

CYMK
Ohhh man! Buxy! You HAVE to tell me that entire story!
I want to know all about you guys' wacky spririt adventure!

BUXBAUM
Ha ha. Maybe once this whole case is over.

BUXBAUM
I used to not think much of it, you know. Spirits and magic, "esoteric nonsense" I would call it.

See, I am a scientist by heart. I want to know how things work. Like with plants, I try to learn what makes them grow, what hurts them, which conditions make them thrive. That is what makes things real to me.

Most people I knew of who did magic were really aggravating about it way back when. Even here I've met some types like that. Mages who conjure light, or fire, or cats, they perform their wondrous feats and then say "yep, that is a thing I just did", content to leave it at that. I don't share that contentment in ignorance, but If you ask questions about what they just did, they get offended and blame you for "spoiling the mystique".

I can't see eye to eye with people who don't want to know things, so I just dismissed everything those people were saying, and really the entire concept of magery, as hogwash.

It took being stranded on that island to shake me out of that petty way of thinking.

CYMK
What happened?

BUXBAUM
Oh, a lot. Some that would take much more time than we have to fully recount. Some that I don't particularly care to relive. But it changed my understanding of magic and spirits.

See, what I've learned about the astral plane, and the denizens that inhabit it, it re-contextualized a lot of what I thought I knew about my own abilities.

BUXBAUM
I can manipulate plants, both florakinetically and by granting them pseudo-sentience. It used to make sense to me. I am a plant, they are plants, naturally I would be able to communicate with them. But really, I'm not a plant. Not fully. I am more of a hybrid. A mutant. And plants don't actually have the capacity to think about what I tell them.

It is a completely illogical premise, yet I never questioned it since it was convenient. So in a way, I was doing the same thing those irritating mages did: accepting a vague thesis without any further analysis.

I've thought about what I can do since, and I think what's actually happening is... I have a kind of emotional connection with plants. A bond that developed over years because I studied them. The mutation is just a conduit through which my desires become manifest. So when I use my abilities on a plant, I am actually reaching into the astral plane and beckoning a lesser spirit, which then accepts the plant as a proxy body. The spirits higher capability to reason and understand lets it express its new body's sensations and feelings. Thus, to the casual observer, it "comes to life".​

BUXBAUM
Some spirits have even temperaments. Some are mercurial. Some are rebellious, or prone to mischief. That is how a creature such as a plant, which cannot possess a personality, can express one regardless. It is a more complete understanding of what I can do.

In a sense, that is similar to what you do, is it not?
We both weave spiritual energy into matter to create a new consciousness.

CYMK
Yeah, I think it actually is. Wow!

But you're so much more science-y about it?
I kinda wish I had some of that mindset. I really just do what I do and don't think about it too much. And... That's probably why such a big mistake was able to happen.

BUXBAUM
Oh, no, don't think of it like that.
We all make mistakes. Lots of them.

CYMK
But you seem so learned and calm!
It feels hard to believe you make a lot of mistakes.

BUXBAUM
Calm, heh heh.
I actually had somewhat of a panic attack just a few hours ago.

CYMK
Oh, sorry.

BUXBAUM
Can I tell you a secret?

CYMK
Always.

BUXBAUM
...
I am actually kind of a screw-up.

My life was a huge mess before the Starline incident. I was a lowlife, hated myself and others.
And I've done a lot of damage to other people's lives.

I stand here today, in a better place, thanks to the efforts of two great men who believed in me when I wouldn't.
And I can finally say that I am proud of who I am now.

...

But even so, how I feel now matters little to those that were hurt by the things I did.

I had a friend once. We were very close, up until I did something that destroyed our bond. I've never seen her again since then, though I keep wondering what would happen if we were to meet again. I'm worried that my presence would make bad memories resurface for her.

So, while I would like to know how she is doing today... My wish is that she will never have to see me again.

CYMK
Well, I mean, that would probably suck if that happened. But also like, the world is a big place.
You moved away, right? You live in London now? The chances of you meeting again should be pretty slim.

BUXBAUM
Yes, I suppose it is rather unlikely, ha ha.

...

Well...

BUXBAUM
She is here.

I didn't know she would be until I read the brochure on the plane, but she is attending this conference as a guest speaker.
Dr. Rhoda Dendron.

I haven't told anyone about it yet, not even my mentor.
I'm a bit at my wit's end I'm afraid.

The conference will happen, and we will catch that wretch that tormented you.
All of that is going to be all right, I'm sure of it.

But for Rhoda's sake, I cannot let her see me.​

 

[GBA]

Spoiler: Theme of Overlapping Time - The Shattered Corpse of Delaymos Is Dispersed

In the foyer of the Cascade Hotel, Cassia and Valerie excitedly discuss their off-screen adventures searching for, and finally apprehending the third culprit of the Exhibition disaster. The group from the basement arrives in the foyer, and begins to disperse. Storm and Garett talk for a bit, and Aldrich receives another phone call from Otto.

- [Valerie] - Well, I got it. Not me, but Cassia. She helped. Your vines might help me inform how to modify my fuzzy traps to account for larger specimens. You've...... really inspired me. I didn't know what to think after your confession, but-

- [Cassia] - Oh dash it, ohohohoho! Catching it once was the prototype, the second time I was able to make some adjustments to really make it an effective recipe for a snare. Clinging to that shiny comet shard thing in the Gift Shop, my, there's more to life than fancy jewels, little one.

- [Valerie] - Not for these little guys there isn't. Energy, sparkly, shiny... that's..... usually all I hear from them.

- [Valerie] - Time for you to get back in the cage................................................. troublemaker. ENA better not see you, she might find a bigger shoe.

- [Cassia] - I've got a quick disciplinary meeting with Aldrich, but I'll join you afterward, and we can head to the exhibit together. And I can count on you being a hand for redecorating some cakes this evening for Storm's event. C'est magnifique!

---

- [Otto] - Al, my decision is final, and he's gonna have to deal with it, capice? I swear, I'll rip them all a new one at the shareholders meeting tonight.

- [Otto] - I just hope the kid can forgive me. I know it's not what he wanted. I'll try to find time to tell him before the announcement.

- [Aldrich] - ...arrangements will be made to accommodate this unorthodox request. Kleidi will need to sign off on it when she finishes her Justice Trio debriefing. We'll also announce it to the public at the soonest opportunity, as per your wishes.

- [Otto] - Stormy's gonna do great things, Al. I know it.

---

- [Storm] - No idea what that concierge is thinking giving me an all-access pass. I think he might have water in his brain too.

- [Storm] - Well, Garett, do I have time to help with the Exhibit? I'll head there with you before we hit up Garth. Oddy probably wants me to help him for tonight, so I'll also let you finish the last minute prep on the Casino event tonight at 8.

- [Storm] - Your event planning is still top notch, man. I'm so excited to see what everyone thinks.

---

A STORM... IS BREWING.

CHAPTER 2, PART 1 -- END​

---

..-. .- .-.. .-.. .. -. --. -.. . . .--. . .-. .. -. - --- - .... . .... . .- .-. -
II: THE CASE OF THE LESSER KEY OF SOLOMON DEMORGE
Today at 1:00 AM ​

 

[GBA]

-✦- Storm's Brewing -✦-
Exhibition Hall
(20:00)
"The Event of The Evening"​

The bar area of the Casino, just in front of "Locked", has been decorated top to bottom in thematic, pubcrawl decor hand picked by Garett. Storm has set up multiple kegs of flavors for sampling, and the air is abuzz with energy. Conversations between patrons who are already present are fast-paced and animated as VIPs file in, with a certain group being escorted from Moh's final event.

Aldrich announces to everyone that emergency conduit maintenance will be occurring shortly, and urges people to use the waterworks while they still... water work. CYMK chats with Cassia and Soleil near the table with the chef's food and desserts, while Valerie sits in a corner eyeing everyone nervously. Kleidi is joyously enjoying the air of celebration, while Circe watches over the patrons. Kane and Moh are seemingly not present just yet, while a projector screen has been set up for Otto, who has chosen to keep his camera off once again. The casino and roulette wheel, now dimmed in the background of the event, mean the set-up finished by Garett can truly shine.

The transition from a roar of background chatter to absolute silence occurs as Storm indicates he's ready to speak. The music cuts out, and Storm looks rather sloshed already, but with surprising lucidity, he begins his speech.

- [Storm] - I ORDER you all to shut it! Thanks, everyone.

- [Storm] - Uh... well quick words are good words. My life has changed for the better since the Starline Incident, and I've made lifelong connections that have help me become the captain of my own journey. I've ended up here through a shit ton of hard work, but not without those who've supported me. The seas haven't always been calm, but in those rare moments I want help, Uncle Oddy, Garett, Sholmes, Mr. Buxbaum, and others have kept me afloat. Now I'm at this event, sharing my awesome brews with a horde of excellent people.

- [Storm] - ...I'm not prepared for what's apparently happening next in my life, as I just found out the news that I'll be taking Oddy's place as key AEAEA stakeholder for the rest of this conference, and in the future. I... I don't know if I want that, but, I'm sure Oddy's going to continue to support me as my career grows. We may have had words earlier, but I've been a deadbeat for so long, it I guess I'm just not used to finally having a path forward. Oddy, are you there? You can give your remarks now.

Silence.

- [Storm] - Oddy...?

- [Otto] - Stormy, I.... really can't hold this in anymore. You're on your own, just like you wanted.

A strange noise rumbles from the speakers, then the feed cuts out. Storm looks suddenly despondent, and nauseous. The crowd maintains its silence.

- [Kleidi] - Storm... are you okay? What was Otto thinking!?

- - [Storm] - I.... I have to go see him, now. Right now.



The crowd murmurs, and Storm pushes by to run off to the Medama Wing.
Five minutes pass, and Aldrich and Circe opt to go check on them both together. Kleidi retains a stern expression, and everyone looks... uneasy.

Another ten minutes, then Circe returns in a look of panic, screaming for Soleil's medical attention, with a limp looking Storm over her shoulders, Aldrich stone-faced, and trailing behind them both with Golem support.
Storm himself glowing a terrifyingly familiar red.
With a sudden lurch, Storm breaks free of Circe for a moment, and then slumps against the Casino wall, muttering "He... I... ugh....", before losing consciousness again.

- ✦ ✦ ✦ -​

 

[GBA]

Panic ensues as the crowd watches Storm lurch and suffer, before going still. Soleil rushes over, and her and Circe inform the rest that he's suffering from a poison-induced seizure.

The rare and somewhat notorious Cometstrickenness.

- [Circe] - ...milday, while Storm is in a dire condition, I have more unfortunate news to share.

...

Otto is dead.​

Kleidi immediately acts without hesitation, her face stoic, and her energetic personality suppressed entirely. The grand judge waves her Keyseru.
A large, black keyhole surrounds her, and begins to grow, spreading larger and larger as engulfs the room, and its patrons, entirely with a world trembling sound.

When the world fades back in, everyone within the Casino has been transported to the center of a grand courtroom, and Kleidi begins to order her subordinate to commence an immediate investigation, in tandem with Kane. Under no circumstances must the Lotus threat remain after tonight.

Not willing to let a potential suspect control the narrative herself, Sholmes recounts that his alibi and trustworthiness make them suitable to investigate what has occurred, and pleas to allow free movement for those he trusts.

Kleidi considers the request with weight, then detatches a set of keys, waving them in the air until three keyholes appear, and unlocks one.

A formless spirit, @Jacquelyn, shoots out from the hole, and manifests in the center of the courtroom.

- [Kleidi] - This spirit is a truly neutral party that will monitor the crime scene for any tampering. When it finally manifests, I expect it to work with whoever they deem necessary to solving the case. Circe, where was the body found?

- [Circe] - East Botanical Gardens. His room is locked tight, but the window is smashed. It looks as if he jumped, and impaled himself right on the statue. The sight is... traumatizing.

- [Aldrich] - ...indeed. I need to also issue an emergency reminder to our guests in light of this dire incident. Noktmathi has rescinded their weather control for the night in light of a potential Lotus threat being found on the island. The conduit is experiencing unusual fluctuations, and is now undergoing maintenance. We must brace for... a rough evening, so time is of the essence to capture this culprit before they can cause more chaos.

With a final warning to the Lotus amidst their crowd, and an urging from Circe to find Kane immediately and build a case for a swift ruling, Kleidi dismisses the spirit, and it shoots off to manifest in the area of the crime scene. The crowd of VIPs disperses in a mild panic.

Rain begins to pour from a distant storm. The investigation has begun.

---

Spoiler: Case 2 Theme - The Fallen Investigation

Chapter II: THE CASE OF THE LESSER KEY OF SOLOMON DEMORGE
Attention all fated investigators, OTTO DAZMUNA has been found dead, pierced through the heart.
STORM DEMORGE has been fatally poisoned, and lays unconscious. He will die if he remains uncured by investigation close.​

Crime Scene / Case Notes

✦ Otto's body lays limply across the statue's sword arm, the sharp edge of its stone blade is protruding through his abdomen. It will need to be recovered for examination.
✦ The Medama penthouse suite, Otto's former residence, is locked from the inside, but its large window has been smashed. Its locks are currently being broken for investigation.
✦ A substantial chunk of the East Botanical Garden has been frozen over completely. Large pieces of shattered glass are scattered around the area.
✦ Storm lays unconscious in the Casino, amidst the tables and chairs for the event he intended to host, which have been pushed aside.
✦ Storm's body is hunched over, flaring and flickering an ominous red. His spirit is burning, and he seems to be in writhing pain.
✦ Whatever Storm was carrying with him has been scattered around the room. In one of his clenched hands is a knife.

Other Info

✦ The current time is 20:30. The map has been updated.
✦ An unscheduled waterworks maintenance has occurred. The Water Golem system is offline. The Thalassic Conduit rumbles, and its inner chamber is draining into the abyss.
✦ A thunderstorm has rolled in. Rain is beginning to pour, and the ship ports will remain closed. Any emergency helicopter service will likely not arrive before morning.
✦ Kleidi has decided to use her Keyseru, and open her Grand Courtroom to all. She has appointed an independent investigator, @Jacquelyn, to work with Circe and present her case by the end of the investigation. They will post and communicate like a regular player.
✦ There exists a large mess in many rooms of the depths.
✦ The Exhibition has been restored.
✦ A dark forest has engulfed the Open-Air Lounge.
✦ All NPCs can be found on the map in different locations. Panic has set in.
✦ Kleidi will not allow any guests to rest until a culprit has been named. The punishment for this case is... undecided.

Spectator Notes

✦ Spectators may use their channel to discuss the case. Please do not share theories with the fated investigators.

---

You may now commence the final investigation for AEAEA. Case 2 concludes Oct 27, 2026 at 9:00 PM .

 

[Jacquelyn]

Well hey there ladies and gentlemen, I just flew in all the way from Port Montague and boy are my arms tired! Haha... ha... Oof, tough crowd. You guys have got even longer faces than the audience at my last set! C'mon, who died?

...Oh. Someone- someone actually died, huh? Well, that's, uh... Yeah. That's... that's not good.

Y'know, I don't think things were fully explained to me when I booked this venue.

Name's Wazowski, by the way. And just so everyone knows, I'm available for birthday parties.

 

[GBA]

As a heads up, due to delays with getting online, and other coinciding things, I've elected to extend the phase by about 20 hours.

Current NPC Locations:

• Aldrich - Thalassic Conduit
• Cassia - Sapphire Waterside
• CYMK🫟 - Exhibition Hall
• Storm - Casino (unconscious, can be talked to if revived)
• Soleil - Casino
• Valerie - Exhibition Hall
• Moh - ???
• Otto
• Kane - ???
• Kleidi - Grand Courtroom
• Circe - East Botanical Gardens

 

[Lin Beifong]

I'll leave the dead body to Sholmes or whoever else wants to do an autopsy, and run a check-up on Storm.

Among general things, I'd like to check for lotus poison injection sites and try to deduce the method of injection.

 

[GBA]

I'll leave the dead body to Sholmes or whoever else wants to do an autopsy, and run a check-up on Storm.

Among general things, I'd like to check for lotus poison injection sites and try to deduce the method of injection.

You lean down next to Soleil, and she steps back to give you space. She's triaged all she can. You run your eyes and plant tendrils over Storm to examine his current state.

The aura surrounding him burns red, as his body contorts in agony.
You recall your previous experience watching people around you succumb to this state, years ago.
You recall your encounter with him in a berserk state as the S.S. Circinus slowly sank beneath the waves.
You stare at him. He stares back at you, but you don't think he's seeing you. Or anything.

...

Compared to your experiences with cometsruck individuals, including Storm himself, it seems his mind has less semblance of control over his body. A berserk state this is not, as he seems helpless, and suffering. His breath is strained.

Storm still has traces of spray paint on his body. Soleil has bandaged a small cut on the hand that was holding the knife, and you decide to examine it for a possible injection point. Beneath the bandage, there's a scabbed wound that is bleeding again, and it seems he's neglected to receive proper treatment for it until now. You recall him receiving a hand injury while working on his stall, prior to the Exhibition incident. His body is somewhat bruised on his arms, but again, no visible injection points. You assume the poison might have been administered some other way.

Whatever he was carrying in his pockets has been scattered on the ground near where he's collapsed. Among his effects:
- A page of scheduling stickers, likely from Garett.
- A crumpled up schedule and a speech he was attempting to write.
- Nails, glue, and other materials you recognize as being for his stand in the Conference Hall.
- An arcane-looking set of keys, with the initials O.D. on them.
- A leather case.

- [Soleil] - Dr. Buxbaum... I've never seen this kind of poisoning in my years as a doctor. Should I prepare to pump his stomach, and attempt to perform a toxicology assessment? I'm hesitant to disturb him too much in case it causes him more pain, but this is an emergency.

Oh, Storm... what did you do...?

 

[Theobald "Leo" Leonhart]

...Efi. Stay by my side. No more wandering off on your own until we catch whoever did this.

O-Okay, papa. Efi will be good...

*sigh* And I was really looking forward to getting sloshed, too. This job just keeps becoming a bigger pain in the ass. Maybe I could tack on some extra fees for our troubles...?

Umm...papa...

Yeah. That can wait. For now, we should investigate the crime scene. You don't have to look at the body if you don't want to.

Investigate the East Botanical Garden. Which areas are covered in ice? Are any of Otto's belongings scattered here, such as his gun? Check the Holderplace Boutique for a camera that can be used to photograph the crime scene from various angles before the body is disturbed.

Didn't think I'd be using this voucher aleady. Tch.