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Bah! I feel awful for not updating something proper, so I'll have to write SOMETHING here to keep you folks up to date.

Back when I started this I had a plan to try and update twice a week, which seemed feasible. I had plenty of free time after work and making new rooms to explore took a couple hours per room at most, which I felt I could surely pull off once a week if need be. As you've all noticed, however, that isn't happening.

I've had some changes in my health, work and personal life that are demanding more of my time and leaving me with less free time all around. What time I have left I try to invest in seeing friends and relatives and being more active socially and less online. As such I haven't had a chance to partake in the fortnightly writing contests, MAGS, this game, nor my personal game development projects. Windows updates also forced me to change my pixel art creation software back in spring (RIP Paint Shop Pro 9 I pirated back in 2007) and I'm massively struggling with things that used to be quick and easy for me.

I have plenty of ideas on where this game might be going and the story of us and Shoshana is still young, but with how slow things are going it feels wrong to say this game is still "active". I could keep things going if I changed this to more of a text adventure with less visual elements, but that doesn't feel in line with what I hoped to provide you folks.

Time will tell how things develop on my end and if more free time and energy will manifest, allowing me to be more active in the AGS community again.

[> Climb back down and enter/search the office]

> Climb back down and enter/search the office

The rooftop, strange as it is with its odd firewood pile, doesn't seem like a worthwhile place to spend time in. No treasure in sight, nor anything that might really qualify as a secret nor a mystery. The harsh rain beating down on your raincoat doesn't help, either. You climb down the ladder and close the hatch above you, then head down to the door Shoshana entered before you.



Raindrop still drips off you as you enter the office. It seems like a rather functional space with a rather fancy desk, some assorted books on shelves, as well as what appears to be some sort of miniature model of the surrounding areas. Several locations are marked to be of interest, seemingly denoting development projects that are or have been active in the region.

Shoshana seems intensely focused on a doorway. Hearing your approach she turns to look your way.

"I found a mystery!" -she declares cheerfully, as she taps her hand on what appears to be a smooth, featureless pane of glass that covers the entire doorway without any indication of a handle, hinge or mechanism in sight. "And I think there might even be treasure! And, like, candles and stuff!"

Spoiler

Is this over? WHAM?

No, I've just been preoccupied with far too many distractions for my own good! Apologies for that.

[close]

[> Check the platform for a possible hatch to the private room below.]

> Check the platform for a possible hatch to the private room below.

You climb fully up to the roof and enter the narrower structure up top, which provides you with some shelter from the rain. The platform, on closer inspection, is an odd thing. It appears to be a slab of stone of some kind, sitting atop metal supports. The four sides of the stone slabs are smooth, while the top is covered with a generous pile of firewood. The metal supports are bolted into smooth concrete and appear to provide no access whatsoever.

A dead end.

[> Examine what seems to be a schematic or map on the wall of the top floor.]

> Examine what seems to be a schematic or map on the wall of the top floor.

You step over to the wall mounted map. It seems to be a rather old version of the general area map with a slightly narrower scope than the one in your pocket. It shows the nearby town of Autumnscreek and its surrounding areas. The area you are currently in is marked as a forested valley, though, with no road leading to it. The river through the woods, which you crossed earlier, appears to have been considerably wider and had no bridge across it, and a small lake appears to have been here, though that must have been dried out at some point since. A marking on the map indicates it as having been printed in 1957.



> Pick the padlock of the hatch and check the roof for a possible way to get into the private room.

The padlock is a cheap little thing and poses no resistance to your skilled hands and expert tools. A mere minute and it opens with a cheerful little click.
As you push open the hatch you squint your eyes as cold raindrops spray back down into your face despite the excellent top hat you are wearing.

The roof is the same square shape as the building itself, with a low wall around it. A smaller structure sits here, looking much like an unfinished frame of simple metal, with an open doorframe visible to allow easy access into the shadowy interior. The lack of solid walls causes the wind to spill rain inside. You can see some sort of elevated platform sitting in the middle of the structure with what appears to be firewood stacked on top of it.

[> Open all doors and check the rooms behind them while following Shoshana]

> Open all doors and check the rooms behind them while following Shoshana

You steel yourself for a bit of calf muscle training and start heading up the stairs.

The first floor above the ground floor appears rather mundane and practical. A comfortable toilet awaits beyond the leftmost door. The one beside it leads to a relatively spacious dining room, at least considering the confines of the tower. The rightmost door leads into a functional kitchen.

One floor further up there appears to be only one door, which leads to a spacious office space well suited for work. It appears ornate and comfortable, but also utterly boring.

"I'll take a look inside!" -Shoshana declares, swiftly disappearing inside the office to snoop around.

Finally the topmost floor offers just a single door again, though this one appears to be locked quite sturdily. A plaque set in the wall beside the door simply reads "PRIVATE". The lock appears old-fashioned and alarmingly large to the point where you doubt your pocket-fitting multi tool and shims would provide sufficient pressure to operate its mechanism. Away from the door there appears to be a ladder leading up to a hatch in the ceiling. The hatch is also locked with a simple padlock.

[> See if the multitool has a glass cutter.]

> See if the multitool has a glass cutter.

You pull out the multitool to refresh your memory. There is a small set of sharp scissors and a pair of different knife blades, but those don't really cut it when it comes to cutting glass. The rest of the tools are various files, screwdrivers and such, as well as the thin metal shims and picks you've embedded into your thiefs tools.

> Wipe away a tear from your eye over the broken cat bookend and follow along behind your sister.

You pocket the tool and mourn the loss of a perfect ornament. So pure and sweet, taken from us too soon. A tear wells up in your eye but you wipe it away with your hand so as not to show the deep mental anguish you experience. Luckily for you Shoshana has already stepped out of the room so there is no witness.



You step through the door and find yourself in a stairwell going up. Based on the light and sounds of footsteps and doors opening and closing, Shoshana is already a level above you. It seems there are three levels in addition to the ground level you currently occupy. The ground floor has a single door you just entered through, while the second floor has three doors and the third and fourth floors have just one door each.

"Looks like a dining room and a kitchen up here." -Shoshana calls out in a loud whisper as she peers in through the doors. "I'll head on further up!"

[> Open the cabinet to see what's inside.]

> Open the cabinet to see what's inside.

You pop open both of the cabinet doors, which put up no resistance. The pickings within are rather slim. Looks like there are some photo albums inside, a bunch of spare candles, a few rolled-up tablecloths, along with the missing cat bookend that matches the one up on the shelf, though this one appears to have suffered a fall at some point. Its tail has broken off!

> Look at the other books to see if they have anything in common that might give clues to the book in the case.

The books come off as posh and many of them seem so new and pristine that you wonder if they've ever been read at all. 'The Practice of Management', 'The Managerial Grid' and 'The Greatest Salesman in the World' look fairly old, but several other books are much newer and varied in topic, such as 'The Complete Guide to Business Etiquette', 'The Kalevala', 'Clear Body, Clear Mind', 'The Seven Wonders of the World Illustrated', 'Global Business Culture in the Modern World' and 'Buddha's Words'. Business and religion seem common topics and a copy of King James Bible sits proudly front and centre on one of the shelves.

> Examine the display case to determine how best to open it.

You look the glass display case up and down and come to an odd conclusion: there is no handle anywhere in sight, just a smooth, polished pane of glass. No holes or visible seams either, nor anything like a latch.

Shoshana has sat up again, seemingly eager to explore some more. "I'll head on upstairs and see if I can find an office or a bedroom or something like that, okay? If I was the mayor I wouldn't have my safe down here. This looks more like a place for guests and the like, not for secrets."

She seems to like secrets.

Spoiler

Sorry for this post being so late! This year has started way busier than I expected with both work and hobbies. The forums being down added maybe a day or two, but mostly this delay is up to me and my messy schedules.

[close]

[> Look]

> Look

You settle down and suppress the urge to keep dancing and putting on a show. The urge is still there, though, just underneath the surface, never too far away. The fancy top hat is a constant reminder.

You appear to be in a rather cosy and welcoming sitting room, well suited for receiving guests in. The floor is carpeted from wall to wall and feels soft beneath your sneakers, leading you to feel a little guilty for bringing in mud from the outside. There are several framed pictures on the wall, along with a shelf that appears to display some prized objects. A cushy armchair and sofa await ahead. At the back there is also a window, though the outside is very dark so there isn't much to see out there.

A tall bookshelf stands beside you, holding a variety of books and a very lovely cat ornament that is supporting some of the books. A pair of cabinet doors over its lower third suggest potentially more books or objects within.

> Examine book in display case

You decide to examine that one book in particular, for it appears to stand out from the others. It sits in what appears to be a custom silver stand made for its dimensions, behind a protective sheet of crystal clear glass.  As you examine the book with its name pressed into its leather cover in silver characters, it becomes obvious that this tome is in a language you cannot understand. It appears very old and worn, however, and you have a feeling it's probably quite valuable based on age and appearance.

[> Well, if it's fancy where we're heading, put on the top hat and dance through the doorway Fred Astaire style to get a laugh from our sister.]

> Well, if it's fancy where we're heading, put on the top hat and dance through the doorway Fred Astaire style to get a laugh from our sister.

At the sound of the word 'fancy', together with the sight of a veritably fancy top hat, you can't help yourself. You grab the hat, put it on and leap through the door while putting on your finest vintage dances moves, your sisters tire iron spinning in your hand instead of a cane.

You not only elicit a laugh from your sister, but also a round of applause!

Shoshana appears to made herself comfortable for the moment, putting her feet up as she reclines in a fancy armchair. Perfect to watch the show.

"Haha-! Bravo! Bravo!"

[> Examine the black ashtray more closely under the torchlight.]

> Examine the black ashtray more closely under the torchlight.

You illuminate the black ashtray and peer at it closely for any suspicious signs. No blood spatters or chips are to be found, however, and not even ash or soot. It appears to be a hefty little bowl of black porcelain. The bottom of the shallow bowl seems to have numerous faint scratch marks on it, but other than that it seems unremarkable. You can't really smell any tobacco or smoke, either.

While you perform your examination Shoshana steps past you and opens the door to your right, likely leading deeper inside the building. With a jolly step through the door she vanishes from sight.

"Fancy!" -you hear her calling out.

[> Try looking behind the mirror if it's not screwed to the wall. If it is, use the multi tool to unscrew it.]

> Try looking behind the mirror if it's not screwed to the wall. If it is, use the multi tool to unscrew it.

You grasp the edge of the mirror and tug on it. It lifts off easily, allowing you to peek behind it and view the simple painted wall and the metal hook drilled into it, which the mirror has been hung off from with a metal wire attached to its frame.

Shoshana watches you closely.

"Should we split up, maybe? We could cover more ground that way!" -she suggests.

[> Discuss directions and bearings with Shoshana...what door is likely the right way?]

> Discuss directions and bearings with Shoshana...what door is likely the right way?

You query your sister for a floorplan, or a plan in general, now that you two are inside.

"I don't know, to be honest. There's staird somewhere in here, likely going all the way to the top. It's not a massive building, though, so there can't be that many places to hide a safe, right?"

This does not inspire a great deal of confidence, but before you have time to continue the conversation Shoshana has already opened the door nearest to the way you came in.



"Stairs!" -she calls out before pausing for a second and turning away from the door again. "Those ones go down, though, not up. So... probably try the other door?"



> Examine and search drawers and the small bowl or ashtray on top.

You step over to the drawers and peer into them. The top drawer mostly contains scattered small items. A pair of leather gloves, some loose change, crumpled receipts and a few torn open envelopes and a case for a fancy pair of sunglasses.

The bottom drawer contains a pair of sandals that are far too big for you, as well as several pairs of folded woolly socks. There is also a bunch of wooden coat hangers like the one hanging on the wall above the drawers.

Atop the drawers is a fancy piece of white tablecloth and a black porcelain ashtray, though it appears clean and pristinely polished.

"I don't think the safe is going to be here, sis. Or are you looking for, like, a clue or something?" -Shoshana asks, trying to peer over your shoulder.

I guess I'm missing some kind of character development here.

That's understandable and having more meaningful development of the characters would surely make for a more entertaining story. But not all stories are entertaining and not all people develop over time. Sometimes stories are just a little depressing and the people in them stubborn and cold.

Congratulations to Baron!

[offtopic]Now please, please, PLEASE: not a Christmas theme for Christmas time! I beg of thee! [/offtopic]

Busy time of year for a lot of folks, so can't really blame 'em for not having the time to read and vote much. Hopefully we'll get at least that one vote that breaks the tie since we only had two participants this time around.

[> Walk straight in, your sister behind you, and shine your headlamp around to take in the full room, especially any further exits.]

-



> Walk straight in, your sister behind you, and shine your headlamp around to take in the full room, especially any further exits.

You step through the door and leave behind the rain and then wind. Shoshana closes the door after you, further muffling the sounds of the weather, making it all feel distant. You can hear water droplets dripping off your raincoat and hitting the carpet below your feet as you stand in the entryway.

While you feel that familiar sense of excitement at being somewhere forbidden, past the locked door you never had a key for, you notice it also feels different this time. You broke into places before, sure, but you never really sought to steal anything specific. The aimless adventures of foolish youth have evolved into something that feels a little bit more sinister. The thrill is more intense. You notice the light and shadows around you moving as your sister seems barely able to contain her excited fidgeting.

"Oh wow, look at that HAT!" -Shoshana calls out enthusiastically aiming her flashlight at the coat rack.

The entryway appears to have two doors in addition to the one you entered through. Straight ahead of you is one, and another one sits to your left. Both doors appear to be closed.

Spoiler

Apologies for the art quality, folks. In order to minimize render time it seems we aren't currently rendering any shadows. The character creation phase of the game is complete. Feel free to explore and see what you find!

[close]

[> Ask her if she brought any rubber gloves so we don't end up leaving our fingerprints allover the place. After all we wouldn't want to go back to prison]

> Ask her if she brought any rubber gloves so we don't end up leaving our fingerprints allover the place. After all we wouldn't want to go back to prison

You present your query, but gain only a slightly confused look from your sister. She glances at her toolbox and shrugs.

"Uhm- I got some gloves, but they're pretty oily now. Probably not great. Let's just not, you know, touch everything all the time. Besides, neither of us REALLY a full-blown local, and if this goes well we might be waaay far away before anyone even knows something is amiss!"

> Turn on the headlamp, slightly open the door (without leaving fingerprints) and shine some light in the room to see what's inside before entering.

You shrug in turn and pocket your multitool, which you already used to pop the door slightly ajar. With a bump of your elbow you open the door further and peer inside, clicking on your headlamp. The inside looks rather dull and mundane. You see a rack with some shoes, something that looks like a big black ghost with a creepy top hat, but you're pretty sure it's just a coat rack and a fancy hat. There appear to be a pair of doors leading somewhere further inside.

"Well, we going in or do you want to stand here a bit more and listen to the rain?" -Shoshana asks, seemingly eager to get started with burglary.

You feel a kind of simple clarity in what's ahead. You will be committing a crime, sure. But just like back then, it's a relatively harmless crime. One your young and adventurous mind justified to yourself before, and one you seem to find irresistible even now.

What else for would you have prepared for this like so, after all? You have the skills, the tools of the trade. You're prepared for everything and anything that might await up ahead in that dark tower. And besides, if you're not here to keep an eye on Shoshana, she'll surely get herself in trouble without her big sister making sure she's all right in the end.

[Hot and Cold]

Hot and Cold

Frank lurched forward as his boot slid off an unseen tree root beneath the ice and snow, the gasp escaping his lips echoing around in the snow-coated trees as he barely managed to catch himself by slamming a gloved hand against the sturdy trunk of an evergreen. As soon as the motion stopped, the silence returned. A deep, impenetrable quiet created by the crisp frozen air. The branches of the tree became still once more, a few flakes of snow drifting off them to the ground. Moonlight reflected and twinkled in the air. Frank could hear his breathing, the thump of his heartbeat from the scare he'd just had, the soft chafing sounds of his padded winter coat shifting as he exhaled.

"You okay up there?" -came the voice that finally broke the silence, clear and bright despite the muffled echo given by the snow and trees. Under his grey-and-white camouflage jacket Frank could feel a bead of sweat get soaked up into his undershirt.

"Yeah!" -Frank called out. "Just, uh- damn near slipped on something. I think we're a bit off the path, so watch your step comin' up!"

The crunch of snow indicated Megan's approach. She wore a bright red coat with a fur trimmed hood that framed her narrow face and red cheeks, which emerged from the mist of her breath as she stepped forward.

"You sure we're not lost? I swear this was easier last time..." -she complained without the smile on her lips wavering one bit. Frank just shook his head and reached out, offering his hand for support. She took it, her fingers enclosed in a wooly mitten, and the two stood side by side once more.

"We're not lost!" -Frank chuckled, summoning his confidence. "Just takin' a little detour. Besides, we were sixteen years younger last time we came up here. The path ain't steeper, I think we're just getting older! Come on, it's not too far off now."

The two held hands, though the heavy gloves formed a barrier that kept them from feeling the warmth of one another's fingers as they moved on. Passing through the trees they crested a shallow hill, forging a path through the ankle deep snow that covered the forest floor, noting the tracks of some small woodland critters imprinted in the otherwise pristine layer of pure white. A couple hundred meters and the hidden path began to ascend to the top of another, steeper hill. The trees stopped and the air ahead opened up.

"Was it always this high up?" -Megan asked as she stepped out into the open. The hill ended in a sheer forty-foot cliff a short way ahead and all around below the smooth, white surface of a lake spread out, illuminated by the pale reflection of moon and starlight. Frank didn't reply as he stepped close to the edge and knelt down to brush his gloved hand over a mound of snow, uncovering the well-worn trunk of a tree that had been dragged there many a summer ago. No lights blinked in the distance, no noise broke the silence.

"Yeah." -he exhaled the word as he slung his backpack over his shoulder, planting it into the ground. A minute later he'd set up and lit the small gas cooker and was already pouring water out of a bottle into a small kettle he set over the blue flame. Steam escaped into the air. The water hissed and began to bubble. Megan sat down on the log and stared off into the distance.

"I still remember the first time..."

Frank did, too. The image was vivid in his head. Crouching low beside the kettle he looked at Megan and, for a moment, he saw her as she had been back then. Pale and pure in the moonlight, the flickering lights of distant fireworks sparkling in her green eyes. He wrenched his eyes off her and poured a satchel of chocolate powder into the kettle as Megan kept talking.

"You were here with your friends and I just tagged along. You'd always talked about this cool cliff where you and the guys went swimming in the summer and where you could see all the fireworks in the winter. And then you boys forgot all about me!"

Two of Frank's friends had been there. Bobby, the son of a local car mechanic, and Francis, who's father worked as a real estate agent.

"We came up here every year and made hot chocolate to celebrate New Year's. Bobby had his birthday on the second of January, so we celebrated that too."

Frank pulled out a pair of metal cups, the same ones he'd had back then, thought they were more dented now. The boys had poured three cups and were talking energetically when Frank had noticed they had completely forgotten to pour anything for Megan as she just stood there to the side, too shy to speak up as she held her empty cup.

"Oh! Oh yeah that- I remember."

Frank remembered her expression, like a puppy that had been denied a treat. He felt his face grow warm even now, ashamed of himself. Back then he'd taken the three filled cups and poured hers a bit from each one while apologizing profusely. Bobby and Francis had made jokes about how the drink was so good Frank forgot his girlfriend even existed. She hadn't been his girlfriend at that point. Not yet.

"I'd kind of hoped you'd forgotten about that. Not my proudest moment." -Frank admitted.

"It served you well." -Megan replied with a smile. "You were kind of cute back then, all red in the face as you fussed about the stupid cups."

This time Frank poured two full cups, handing one over to Megan before taking the other into his hands and sitting down on the log beside her with two feet of open space between the two of them. The hot beverages steamed in their hands and Frank could feel the heat of it soak through the gloves and into his fingers. Megan took a cautious sip and gasped, having nearly burnt her lips. Frank blew air over the surface of his own and watched the steam swirl in the air above the drink.

The quiet returned.

He wondered what he should say. Ask her about her family? The husband and kids? No, he didn't really want to know how Bobby was doing right now. Her job? He knew already. She still worked at that same bakery her mother had established back in the 60's. Talk about the goddamn weather? No, definitely not. Frank tilted the metal cup in his hands and saw her blurry and distorted figure in the reflection. Was she wondering what to say, too?

Minutes passed. The hot beverages cooled and diminished in their cups.

"Frank..."

He swallowed the mouthful of hot chocolate and gave her a cautious, sideways look.

"Yeah?"

"Why did we come here again?"

He didn't know.

"I, uh... I thought that..." Frank couldn't find the right words.

A cloud passed in front of the moon, casting a shadow over the open ice and snow ahead, below the cliff. Most of the stars vanished from sight. What had he thought? That something would just click like it had back then? That a magical moment would occur out of the blue? That he'd feel different now, after all these years?

He never finished the sentence.

"I thought about it, too, back then." Megan's voice sounded a little sad. She was finishing the sentence for him. "Thought that maybe we could try again like we talked, but we just- you were so angry, we couldn't really talk."

Frank bowed his head as she reminded him. A stupid argument. Then another. A chain of misunderstandings. A hurt pride. Hurt feelings. He'd said things he wished he'd never said.

"I was so angry, too." -she admitted. "And- I never should have hit you. That was too much." It was clearly difficult for her to say that. Frank wondered if she'd ever admitted to anyone what had happened? Without being aware of it Frank held his palm to his right ear, over where she had slammed her hand as they stood screaming at one another in the parking lot one rainy day. He'd told himself he could forgive, but he didn't have it in him back then. Maybe he still didn't.

"I'm sorry." -Megan whispered so quietly Frank could barely hear it. It sounded cold and hollow.

"No, no. I'm sorry Meg." -Frank replied, wrapping both hands around the metal of his cup again, though the warmth was now gone from it. His words rang hollow, too. All he felt was the cold. Cold metal against his fingers. Cold air in his face. Cold inside. The apologies couldn't change anything. The words were too little, too late.

Megan reached forward and placed her empty cup in the snow beside the gas burner, then stood up to stretch, standing on her toes for a few seconds. She gazed off into the distance again.

"Too bad about the clouds. You can see so far from out here and it gets so pretty." -she said, changing the subject.

"Too bad." -Frank agreed, but his voice was distant and unfocused. The words, thoughts and feelings he'd sought weren't there. He'd waited and waited, built up the courage to come here with her again, to try and talk, and now he didn't have the words.

Megan turned around. A break in the clouds cast moonlight onto her shoulders, turning the white fur on the trim of her hood into a pale halo.

"Frank... Why did we come here? Really?" She looked sincere. Or hopeful? Frank wondered what she thought, what words she had in her mind but left unspoken.

"I really don't know." -he replied, shaking his head.

"Did you..." She hesitated, her eyes looking past him into the trees now. Her lips moved slowly as she spoke: "I know I said we could try again some day, but Frank, that was almost ten years ago now."

"It wouldn't work anyway. It's not right. I'm-" He stopped speaking and exhaled. A deep sigh that emptied his lungs and head, making him feel dizzy for a moment before he drew in a breath of icy air again. It felt like needles in his lungs. "I'm sorry I dragged you out here. I didn't mean to, I just..." His shoulders sank a little lower inside his coat. "...just thought it'd be sort of nice, you know. Like back then."

Megan tried to smile. "We had good days." -she said, blinking her eyes rapidly a few times. "Good weeks."

"Good years." -Frank agreed again. But no matter how he focused on those, the bad ones were all too real in his memories. Was it a trick of his mind, or genuine feeling, how he always focused on those darker days? The shouting. The crying.

"Frank. I think we should head back."

Frank didn't reply at first. He felt deflated. Hiking up here he'd felt, just for a little while, like things were like they used to be. But now he could see cold reality devour the fantasy he had conjured up in his mind.

"I'll stay for a while. Clean up." -he finally replied. Megan nodded slowly.

"Thanks for the hot chocolate." Frank looked up. He couldn't see her eyes with her face shadowed by the hood.

"You're welcome." -he replied, having nothing else he could bring himself to say.

He blinked and she was gone. The snow crunched beneath her boots as she went back into the trees and began to make her way back to the rest stop where they had parked their cars. A minute later he couldn't hear her anymore.

Frank sat there for a while longer, alone with his unspoken words. Then he picked up the two cups and packed them away in his backpack, along with the gas burner. The air felt colder even as the moon fully emerged again from behind the clouds.

Inside the words were ice. He felt colder still, as he knew he'd never say those words to anyone.

[> Check contents of sister's toolbox]

> Check contents of sister's toolbox

You crouch down to inspect the contents of your sister's toolbox.

"It's all the usual stuff I carry, pretty basic stuff. Surprisingly useful, though! I fixed up my car on the way since it had some issues!" She sounds pretty proud with herself.

The toolbox seems like a pretty standard fare, save for some smudges and oil stains. Wrenches, screwdrivers, a hefty hammer, some pliers. It's not as sleek as your multitool, but it'll deal with bigger problems. Your hands smell a bit of motor oil now that you've handled the toolbox.

> Examine door and lock

You step over to the door. The lock looks positively ancient to you, like it's from the 50's or 60's, scratched and weatherworn. It looks like easy pickings.



> Pick lock if it looks safe

With a shrug you pull out your multitool and get to work. A bit of tension. A simple rake. In less than a minute the mechanism clicks open, and the door opens for you. It feels easy and natural, like old times, but better.

"Nice! See, this is why you're here. I'd have gotten the hammer out by now!" -Shoshana chimes over your shoulder before picking up her tools. "Let's head in. I wanna see what this place is like on the inside. Like, you noticed it's a tower and all, right? How cool is that!?"

I have a rough idea forming up. Funnily enough the last FWC I participated in I also wrote about snow and ice.

[> Ask her excitedly what kind of safe it is, a bit more calmly what riches she expects to find, and business-like what alarm systems this place is supposed to have.]

> Ask her excitedly what kind of safe it is, a bit more calmly what riches she expects to find, and business-like what alarm systems this place is supposed to have.

You smile, unable to hide the growing sense of excitement as the thrill so familiar from your past surges in your heart. It was what you'd agreed to, after all, and also what you planned for and even equipped yourself so that you could travel light, move in the dark and get through locks and other mechanical obstacles. You inquire as to the nature of the safe and its potential contents, as well as the security inside. Shoshana flashes a grin in return, clearly sharing your enthusiasm.

"As long as we find the safe, there's no need to worry about that. See, the mayor had his issues, a few enemies, and I have some connections." She pulls out a slip of folded card. "The combination is right here. From what I gather the safe is probably somewhat hidden, maybe behind a painting, like in the movies. We should find plenty of cash and some nice jewelry that shouldn't be too difficult to hand off. Maybe some bonus surprises, too. I hear the guy was super weird so maybe he has like rare collectables or something, too!"

You nod and look around yourself. It doesn't seem as if the rain will let up, but at least having a familiar face with you seems to make the cold and dark less unpleasant.

"Oh, and the security: that should be all dealt with. There's a big ol' breaker box back there..." She gestures somewhere off to your right, behind the corner of the building, then to the toolbox beside her foot. "...and I took the liberty of disconnecting phone and power to the place so we can look around in peace. Though I don't think there really is an alarm system or anything. I don't think a ton of people know this place, since it's kind of isolated and... well, the guy didn't get a lot of visitors, apparently."

She pockets the folded piece of card again, then seems to pick up on your moment of hesitation.

"I know, I know. This feels kind of familiar to me, too, but it's not like back then. I'm not a dumb, noisy kid like that anymore! And sure, I know this all seems too good to be true, but I'm telling you, sis; I took all the precautions and did all the checks! Nobody will be here for days, maybe weeks! It's no different to going into a theme park haunted house or something, except we'll come out with enough cash to make up for all the time you lost!"

Shoshana, at least, seems incredibly excited and confident about all this.


> Check inventory

You absent-mindedly pat your pockets. You are carrying your multitool, a ballpoint pen, your keys, wallet and a map of the area. You are holding Shoshana's tire iron in your hand and wearing a headlamp on your head.