Breadman
Big loaf supreme
2
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Realistic or Modern The Mulhouser Files: Echoes of Blood
- Thread starter joshuadim
- Start date
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- Tags
- modern mystery supernatural
joshuadim
the writer
"Thanks for all the help, really." you say to the trio, offering a smile. "Could I get your number just in case I need to follow up with any questions?" you then ask Roe, who is more than happy to help. "Sure thing!" he says with a grin, before pulling out a small piece of scrap paper from his pockets before turning to Joe. "Got a pen I can use?" he asks, only to be met with a shaken head as the man returns his attention to his coffee. He then looks over to Barry, who can't help but smirk: "Going on a date now Roe? Fallin' head over heels for a city boy?"
"Man fuck you, this is some detective shit going on here! Would you say no to a cop asking for your number?"
"Well... no... but he ain't a cop."
"Just give me the damn pen."
Barry rolls his eyes before fishing out a worn out ballpoint pen from his own pockets and hands rolls it across the table for Roe, who quickly writes down his own number for you to reference:
He also quickly jots down the Park Rangers number for you shortly after:
"That's the field office we three use over at Brule River whenever we head out there. It's at the park, but you'll have to call in advance if ya wanna talk to the park officials."
"Got it... think I can still catch 'em today?" you ask as a precaution, but Roe shakes his head.
"Nah, by the time you drive up there they'll already be kicking their feet up at home. Gotta be tomorrow."
At the very least it frees up your schedule today for the archives, as well as saving you from a multi-hour drive into the middle of nowhere for the time being. You can expect a nice, warm hotel bed for tonight as you take the paper and store it for your own reference. "Thanks for all the help, really appreciate it." you say with a smile.
"No worries! Always happy to help when I can." Roe says with his usual upbeat tone, giving you a thumbs up.
Contacts Gained:
-Roe
-Park Ranger Office
-Roe
-Park Ranger Office
With that settled, you take your leave before paying for your meal at your table. Once outside, you see the afternoon sun continue its decline as you quickly take note of the time - 4pm - and realize that you need to get to the archives before they close for the evening. The drive towards the Wisconsin Historical Society doesn't take long, as an imposingly large neo-classical building faces you on your approach with its mighty front pillars that reminds you of D.C.'s various monuments. If there was a place to look into past records of similar attacks to the one you're investigating, then it would be in archives found here assuming they held newspapers.
On entering, you are greeted with cool marble tiled floors and the pleasant atmosphere of air conditioning. The place, despite it nature as both library and archive, sees relatively few visitors due to it being a workday, and so you are left with the faint echoes of distant footsteps and pages turning from further within the building. The receptionist, an elderly woman with thick-rimmed glasses, waves you over expectantly as you are currently the only new visitor thus far to the building. "Well hello sir, welcome to the Wisconsin Historical Society. How can I help you?" she asks with a practised friendliness for her work.
There are multiple things that come to your mind, each of them carrying their own weight in terms of their relevance...
1: Ask about materials - You need to know how extensive their newspaper collection is and how far back it goes so you know where to look.
2: Ask about the Society - You'd like to know about how this organization unctions, perhaps you can get an extra person of interest to interview from this?
3: Ask about her - Building a rapport could help you get what you want if it ends up being out of your reach.
Worthlessplebian
Worthless pleb
1
AriAriAbabwa
Don't lose Ari~♪ Shine bright Ari~♪
2
Breadman
Big loaf supreme
1
dikdik
colossal leaf and prince of the universe
2
K0mori
Servant Supreme
1
Infab
The Demon Fanatic
1
joshuadim
the writer
"I was wondering about your newspaper archives." you say, leaning onto the reception desk casually. You catch a glimpse of her nametag - Cecilia - and continue the conversation. "I've heard a lot about it Cecilia, as I'm doing some research into reporting on animal attacks in the state and I figured I would need to brush up on the history of that. How far back does it go? What papers do you have collected there?"
Cecilia looks excited to talk about this subject as her face lights up, and she clears her throat to prepare you for a large dump of information. "Oh well we have all sorts of papers, both still in publication and those that have passed!" she says eagerly, "It goes all the way back to the 1840s, with a lot of smaller publications in that time being local boards and bulletins more so than newspapers... but it was practically the progenitor! It's how people got the news even in the far off remote regions of the state, almost like a-"
"Like a snippet?" you interject as a guess, to which the woman nods.
"Yes! Exactly that, it helped people get what they needed quickly. Very digestible, especially since not everyone could read back then so you could just ask a friend to read it for you quickly and then go on with your day. Nowadays, it just seems like its all cluttered up in the papers. I go to do a crossword, and I come across seven different articles about the smallest things. It's like they *have* to write to fill up page space! Darn annoying when I just want to read on the bigger stories, especially when..."
The elderly receptionist continues to go on and on, talking about her gripes with modern newspapers as a tangent that has completely diverged from the main subject. You have the urge to cut her off, but you get the feeling that Cecila doesn't get to chat often with strangers or other friendly faces especially in her old age. As such, you simply nod along and smile as she continues on as a measure of politeness. Fortunately, she catches herself as she chuckles to herself, bringing a hand to her forehead in slight embarassment: "Oh, I'm so sorry dear. I get carried away talking about these sort of things. I just like to chat."
"It's alright," you say with reassurance, "But I would like to know more about the newspaper archives."
"Yes, sorry about that. Well we have all the major current publications, like the Green Bay Press-Gazzette and the Milwaukee Courier as well as many smaller ones that have come and gone. The Society likes to do a thorough job in preserving journalistic history."
"Chicago has some pretty extensive archives too." you comment, "Plenty of papers I've seen."
"Indeed! And for the older papers from the 19th century they're preserved on microfilm due to the degrading quality of the original papers. We also do this with the newer papers as well just in case, but we also have plans in the next few years to start digitizing the whole collection. But right now its all on microfilm, which means we've got practically everything we could get our hands on documented and preserved."
It's definitely confirmed the breadth of the archival collection here, meaning you have a lot of material to work with. Now it was just a matter of getting access to it; you change the topic towards this end as you nod. "Is it possible I could take a look at the materials?"
"Do you have an appointment?" Cecilia asks, ready to search for your name on the computer.
Appointment? You definitely didn't come up with that during your ad-hoc and impromptu scheduling to come here. Appointments were the *last* thing on your mind when driving all the way here. In hindsight, however, it *does* make sense. Microfilm is valuable and fragile, and a government body wouldn't want any random shmuck to just waltz in and start handling it. That being said, you have a problem of access at the moment.
1: Bribe - You *do* have that money you were paid with by Amelia... maybe a small slip here could get her to overlook this?
2: [Deception - Medium] - You have your old Tribune id card. If you flash it quickly, you could get away with the authority it gives.
3: [Persuasion - Hard] - Tug on her heartstrings and bring out Amelia's story and how you're working to help her.
4: Admit - There's nothing wrong with saying you don't have an appointment. If you explain the urgency, perhaps you can speak to her manager and get around this?
dikdik
colossal leaf and prince of the universe
4
Worthlessplebian
Worthless pleb
2
Infab
The Demon Fanatic
4
AriAriAbabwa
Don't lose Ari~♪ Shine bright Ari~♪
4
Breadman
Big loaf supreme
2
K0mori
Servant Supreme
4
joshuadim
the writer
"I... don't." you say with a tinge of embarrassment, "I didn't know ahead of time that I needed one."
"Oh, well I'm afraid I can't let you into the archives without an appointment ahead of time." Cecilia says with a sympathetic frown, "It's standard policy when dealing with microfilm materials."
"I understand, but it is urgent." you say, nodding your head in agreement. "I'm on a case as part of my work, looking into a death. Is there anyone I can talk to regarding this?" You decide to keep the details sparse with the actual details, as you don't want to sound crazy to the old woman. She might have a bad reaction if you say that you're investigating a wild animal attack that isn't a wild animal but actually possibly something else.
"Oh, like a private investigator?" Cecilia asks, her eyes widening from behind her glasses.
You nod. "Yeah. I started working on it, and I want to get as much info as I can."
She thinks for a moment, putting a finger to her chin before perking up again: "I'm sure if you speak with Mr. Abernathy he'll be more than accommodating. He's the Society's executive - appointed by the Governor."
"Is he in now?" you ask, to which the old lady nods.
"Yes, actually! He's still in for another half-hour, so you've caught him at the tail end of his day." Cecilia says, pointing towards a nearby set of stairs leading to the upper levels. "His office is the last door down the hallway on the third floor, it's overlooking the entire study hall."
You thank her and follow her directions, moving up the old wooden steps that have been immaculately preserved from its original craftsmanship. While most of the building had been renovated or modernized, the old carved maple wood seemed to be a point of pride for the aesthetics of a historical foundation. You can't help but admire the details as you trace your fingers along the polished wood while ascending upwards. You also take a moment to glance at the portraits of past governors of the state, as well as other important figures to come from Wisconsin; their white faces give a constant stream of authority and magnanimity to the positions that they held in their lives, leaving you wondering as to the stories behind the likes of William A. Barstow.
The third floor holds a similar air of antiquity as the hallway is lined with large canvas paintings and portraits of other figures wholly unfamiliar to you. You walk past other closed doors of other administrative positions of the Society, making your way down the hall towards the one door that faces you. The placard on the door, a bronze plate, has the name Peter Abernathy etched upon it in a strong typefont that makes it stand out. You take a deep breath for confidence before knocking thrice, to which a voice responds on the other side: "Come in."
On entering, you're greeted with the presence of a well-dressed man with graying hair looking over a few documents. Small spectacles help him to read as he observes the documents, though his attention quickly diverts to your entry and he sets down what he was focused on and clasps his hands in front of him on the desk. "Please, have a seat. How can I help you Mister...?"
"Mulhouser. Thomas Mulhouser." you introduce yourself as you accept his invitation. The soft cushion of the chair helps support your backside and feels relieving to you as you settle in. "I was referred to you by Cecilia at the front desk regarding the newspaper archives. I don't have an appointment, but this is urgent."
Abernathy's face doesn't change as he gently takes off his spectacles before sighing: "I see. You understand why we have a policy of appointments?"
"Yes, but-"
"We take great care in making sure everything we have is in top condition. Microfilms are expensive, and can damage easily - which is something I don't want to explain to the state budgetary committee because we just allowed anyone in without proper procedure handling fragile materials." You get the sense that, despite his politeness, he's almost *talking down* to you. As if what he was explaining is obvious and routine and that *you* are an intruder to this sanctity. He presents himself like a bureaucratic stone wall: insurmountable, unconquerable, and impossible to read. You have no idea what your best course of action is here to get him to give you access...
A1: [Investigation - ???] Experience - Use your experience at the Tribune to your advantage, and show that you understand how to handle materials you use for research.
A2: [Persuasion - ???] Elaborate - State that you're a private investigator, like you did with Cecilia, and use the authority that gives to your advantage.
B3: [Deception - ???] Bribe - You get the feeling that a snob like this likes *money* to buy nice things, perhaps slipping a few bills his way will get him to warm up to you?
B4: [Strength - ???] Threaten - You're alone with him in his office, without anyone on this floor as a witness. Make him give up access.
Breadman
Big loaf supreme
A2
dikdik
colossal leaf and prince of the universe
A1
Worthlessplebian
Worthless pleb
A1
AriAriAbabwa
Don't lose Ari~♪ Shine bright Ari~♪
A1
Infab
The Demon Fanatic
A1
K0mori
Servant Supreme
A1
joshuadim
the writer
[Easy (3), 1d12 Result = 8]
Your plan of attack formulates instantly in your head, as you've had to deal with hardheaded individuals to get access to what you want. But you've always maintained your professionalism and your credentials when it came to it, and this situation is no different. He needs to know your credentials before he can give you any leeway on this regard, and thus you get down to it: "I get it, I do." you say, accepting the premise of Abernathy's steadfast position. "But I can assure you that I've worked with sensitive materials in the past. Archives are not something new to me, and I'm not unfamiliar with the problems of microfilm." And before Abernathy can speak his mind, you pull out your old Tribune ID as proof of previous employment and slide it across the desk towards him.
He picks it up gently and eyes its contents, sparing you a glance before reading over the finer details. "I've worked with the Chicago Tribune. Heck, you might've even read a story or two of mine before. I assume the Tribune gets passed around here from time to time?"
Abernathy is silent for a moment before placing down your ID with a gentle click. "Perhaps I have. Your name now strikes me as familiar... you exposed a safety regulation scandal at the port of Chicago, no?" You nod, and he chuckles in response: "Mighty fine work from one of the media. Helping serve the people with the truth."
Good, you're in. Or, at least, a crack has appeared in Abernathy's natural defences.
"But I notice the ID is expired... how long ago did you stop working there?"
"Six months. Had a falling out with the editorial board." you say to clear the waters, which he seems to appreciate as he relaxes his posture and leans back into his chair. He could have pressed the issue, but instead seems to be interested in your presence rather than your past.
"And now, I assume you're doing private work based on why you're out here all this way."
You nod. There isn't much to add on this front, though its obvious that Abernathy is still pondering through all this. "Well... I suppose I could *bend* the rules for just a night. But only tonight, do I make myself clear? After midnight, I want you to leave."
1: Accept his Terms - This is probably the best you're going to get. And while you only have around seven hours before Abernathy's imposed deadline, you're no stranger to cramming work in a short period for urgency's sake.
2: [Persuasion - Very Hard] Bargain - Just in case to not miss any details, you need more time. You feel that there is no way you can possibly find what it is you need to find in such a short period imposed by the man.
K0mori
Servant Supreme
1
Breadman
Big loaf supreme
1
