Eustace & Hitomi, Chapter 4. In which our poor hero struggles to maintain optimism in a jail cell and seeks allies
In all his years fighting the good fight, righting wrongs, exploring arcane mysteries, and facing down threats in his never-ending quest to put things right; there was only one time that Eustace Delmont truly considered giving it up and living a normal life. It was the first time he was in a jail cell. For it occurred to him he must face astounding travails in order to be finally free, such as explaining this to his parents.
From Eustace & Hitomi and the Case of the Rambler's Inn Chapter 4.
Setting the Scene, Eustace: In Jail and Calling in Fiery Backup
Despite all the things that have gone up and down these past couple of sessions (and the months in between), it feels right to start at...
Chaos Factor: 5
Expected Scene: Eustace, in jail, tries to make a phone call.
Actual Scene: As expected.
Now let's make a couple of someone's. First, a person watching Eustace in jail.
Using Universal NPC Emulator, and doing my standard "roll twice, combine once", I get the strange mix of 8 Unreasonable 29 Burglar and 83 Liberal 61 Mediator. This feels like a character arc. Motivation is 62 Accompany 19 Intelligence. The sort of guy who stole stuff from the school because he was fascinated with his teachers and the learning environment. He likes to hang around smart folk. Hence he will get along with Eustace and Elly. Name can come from The Book of Random Tables: 80s & 90s. Raymond. Clark.
Raymond Clark: A Charming Young Cop who Is Good at Keeping the Peace but Has a Past.
The other person will be the person that Eustace calls. Let's work on Elly's partner.
Same tools in essentially the same order as above. Get the name Jennifer Adams. "Jenny" is her usual nickname, but she likes to go with something a bit more geeky in a surprising number of conversations. Image Oracles 2,4 Fireplace + 6,1 Spooky House. Firestorm. UNE 97 Unseemly 56 Magician + 57 Elderly 31 Officer. Jenny is a bit off putting and obsessed with magic both in game and IRL (the sort of person who dresses up as a witch every year for halloween and always place a gnome illustionist...not that there is anything wrong with that). Personality wise, she goes back and forth from arch nerd with flights of fancy to a stern big sister type. Though she is only a year older than Elly, Jenny tends to be a fairly mothering figure. Her chief motivation is 97 Rob 76 Cowardice. She is driven by a need to face her fears and to challenge others (which is part of her bossiness). Her chief fear? She feels like Elly is too good for her and often over compensates by being overprotective.
Jennifer "Jenny" "Firestorm" Adams: An Alert Designer who Is Good at Making Artsy Stuff but Jealous.
That is more than enough to kick this off.
"You have to give me one phone call by the way."
"Umm, Euc," [say "Ooos" in an amazingly handsome drawl to experience the effect] "...I am pretty sure that's just in movies and television shows."
Eustace Delmont is talking to a gorgeous young policeman, Officer Raymond Clark. Despite being only a couple of years older than Eustace, Raymond has done well in the small field that is the Maidenstead Police Department and its relative tiny force. Partially because he tends to keep folks calm even while doing his job. Partially because he is the sort of blond + attractive that makes even cranky old men blush. Eustace knew him in high school as they both hung around school after hours. Eustace to visit the library. Raymond to steal bits from the school's science labs. The two surprisingly got along.
"How about we pretend this is the Andy Griffith Show, then? You can be Barney. You always did like Barney..."
"I figured you more for an X-Files freak, Euc, but alright. Chief Raylon is out at the Rambler for a couple of hours and he won't find out about it, you got a call." [1]
Raymond unlocks the cells and Eustace is free to go make his call. Sensing that Raymond is listening in for a little bit, he starts with "Hey, Milly, can you get mom on the phone?" (Milly Delmont is the 15-year-old Devil that haunts Eustace's nightmares, aka, his adorable, bright, much-younger sister who keeps trying to hook him up with store clerks and getting him to shave his beard). Then waits for Officer Clark to walk off before following up with the strange confused voice asking Eustace if he is off some meds.
"Jenny...I mean... Firestorm... I need you to do me a favor," says Eustace in a low tone he hopes carry over the lines but not the other room. Jennifer "Jenny"/"Firestorm" Adams is Elly Lopez's girlfriend and broad second in command for "The Society." AKA, the Maidenstead Chapter of the Gulf Coast Society for Inquiry and Advancement. AKA, the D&D club. AKA, the nerds. Hence why Jenny = Firestorm. Her and Elly are the prime architects of the "cyclops" towers. Elly's about hardware and programming. Jenny is about design and layout. Only Elly tends to be a ball of giggles and Jenny tends to be a fist of lectures. That seems like a joke and for the dozenth time Eustace feels the humor bubbling up and then slipping away from him.
"What is up, Delmont?" She puts emphasis on the word "asshole" without even saying it. The downside is that Jenny does not like Eustace. She even goes so far as to dislike him. Him and Elly have been friends for a while and Jenny has often complained that various in-depth discussions of Doctor Who merchandise lean a bit close to actual flirting. All because Elly joked one night about seeing Eustace naked on a camping trip when the two of them were twelve.
It is sort of funny now but at the time Eustace developed an irrational fear of any one ever seeing him naked on a chilly autumn night ever again.
There were goosebumps.
"I was doing a favor for Elly....yes, yes...President Lopez a favor and checking out the Gygax. Very long story very short, someone ripped out the bits and put new bits it and I need you to go to the Rambler and take a look at a planter with surprisingly healthy azaleas near the fountain that kind of but not exactly lines up with the big oak tree and...what do you mean, getting to the point? Just...
"I mean, I can tell you the longer story but it probably won't help. I saved this absolutely beautiful woman's dog...
"Look, no need to be mean. What do you mean what is in it for you? FINE! Jonesy's bootleg copy of Vampire Hunter D he got in Akihabara and gave me for fixing his mom's dryer. Yours.
"It is still in good condition, yes...
"THANK YOU... oh, by the way, I'm in jail. Tootaloot!"
With that Eustace hangs up and tells Raymond he is done.
"Your parents coming to get you, Euc?"
"Is that an option?"
"Oh, I don't know...want to play some cards?"
A couple of hours later, Eustace back in his jail cell, Chief Elmer Raylon returns. He unlocks the door and sets Eustace free. "Gunther ain't pressing charges, boy. Get out."
"Did Gunther stick up for me?" [2]
"Ain't nobody sticking up for you."
With that, Eustace heads out into the late afternoon sun and contemplates a plan.
Setting the Scene, Eustace: Old Uniforms and New Plans
Chaos Factor: 4
Expected Scene: Eustace talks to his old boss at the IGA to prepare for a heist (of sorts).
Actual Scene: As expected.
At the IGA, Eustace is talking Hayden Warren. Warren is the general manager of the store and Eustace worked there for a bit back in high school. Eustace is trying to get Warden to go along with a plan. [3]
"You want to delivery groceries to the Rambler?
"No, I want to pretend to deliver groceries to the Rambler so I can figure out something."
"And what is it that you want to figure out?"
"Ah, well, I have to get to the Rambler to know what it is I am figuring out."
"Boy..."
"Look, Mr. Warren, remember when Tabitha was pocketing money from the register and claiming it was a glitch? Who helped you out."
"You did."
"That's right. And remember when Tommy lost his wallet down at the beach. Who was it that helped you out?"
"Um, no one. Wallet is still lost."
"Well, I helped Tommy look up the numbers to call since we share the same bank, my point is...you know me, I'm a helpful guy."
"Remember when you shorted out my freezer and lost me $500 in stock."
"I told you, I heard a noise!"
"Remember when you parked the delivery truck in the wrong spot and Chief Raylon issued us a ticket?"
"He was just being..."
"I know, I know, you rub him the wrong way... fine, you can put on an old uniform... assuming it fits..."
Eustace says nothing for a second, and just thinks to himself what would the Doctor do? Well, probably some wise-crack and then wave an umbrella around.
"...and help Ralph carry in some groceries in the morning and then do your little...whatever. Only you get caught I say I paid you to do the job because you wanted to buy a gift for your momma, got it. Did you remember your mamma's birthday? I can see the answer is no. That's all. This will not be anything regular."
Eustace goes into the back and grabs up one of the spare uniforms and realizes that despite the jab, Mr. Warren wasn't exactly wrong. Eustace has grown half a foot and put on 50lbs since he worked here in high school. He was so used to being the kind of chubby short kid that others looked down upon that kind of surprises to realize he's the tall fat man that a whole lot of people like. Eustace is as much a part of Maidenstead as the Rambler. Which has its downsides. He stands out. Literally. Disguises are going to be tricky for him.
Setting the Scene, Eustace. Why Eavesdropping Is Not for Amateurs in Love.
Chaos Factor: 3
Expected Scene: Eustace is going to Ralph Harley's to get the "disruptor."
Actual Scene: Altered. The alteration is that he hears Hitomi talking to Morgan.
Why not use the old classic of missing important context in a conversation and misunderstanding what is being said? Character Conversations: 81 Positive 2 Advice + 34 Excited 21 Cold.
As Eustace is letting himself out the back door of Ralph Harley's Electronics Shop, "disruptor" in hand, he smells cigarette smoke and hears giggling from the balcony above. [4]
He is surprised to realize it is Hitomi talking to someone whose voice he does not recognize. Well, almost doesn't recognize. He knows the voice just cannot quite place it. Another woman. Both seem to be notably drunk.
Feeling a bit like a creep, he listens in for just a moment. "...remember Patrick is a rich snob. Dress up a bit..."
Who the hell Patrick was, Eustace had no idea. [5]
"...make him think you are helpless without him, he'll definitely want to take you in then..."
"Oh, Morgan, I am no good at flirting. Unless its with absolutely losers. Trust me."
Oh, Morgan, from the bank. Eustace took her older sister, Sally, to the prom. It did not go well. He liked Morgan, though. She helped him to feel better and even lied and said Sally had a good time. The "losers" line stings a bit, though.
"Guys like Patrick, they don't need you to flirt, they just need to think that..."
Eustace has heard enough. What's more, Libby the Lab lets out a slightly excited bark and Eustace catches the dog's head peering over the balcony at him. Crap. The only thing worse than being a loser is being a loser listening in on someone's conversation.
He hears Hitomi say, "What is it girl? You?" but before she can look over and see him or Libby can run down the back stairs to give him away, he has turned down the alley and disappeared into the night. Head hung low. [6]
A short while later, talking on the phone with Tiffany Callum—how exactly a 40-something divorcee figures into a rooming relationship with two 20-something lesbians Eustace does not really know, despite thinking of himself as somewhat well-read on worldly matters, and he does not ask—he finds that Jenny did in fact leave him a message.
"Jennifer said you push the button and a hole opens up and it was creepy and you are a creep. Her and Elly are not interested. Does that make sense to you?"
Eustace, who has been feeling deeply despondent after his eavesdropping endeavor an hour earlier just let's out a long sigh, and answers, "Yeah, it means I am bringing a flashlight."
DOUG'S UPDATED COMMENTARY (January 2, 2025)
I actually did something different this time around, I went into the OG commentary (below) and tweaked a few things rather than have a bunch of things up here that will clash with what's below. Why? By this time, I had the new format figured out but was not necessarily great at explaining it.I have updated it here or there in places to better explain it.
Looking back, the oddest part of handling this chapter was that whatever happened in the final section had to be mirrored in the upcoming Hitomi + Morgan chapter. Saying stuff like Morgan is drunk here meant that I could not really test if Morgan gets drunk there. I contemplated running it from both angles at the same time and splitting but why not one last "trapped by the future," eh?
Other tweaks are mostly background or fixing up some of the Jenny dialogue. Milly was named but not explained originally. She is now Eustace's 10-years-younger sister. All we know about her is that he keeps trying to fix Eustace up.
Raymond was giving a bit more description and upgraded to a full secondary character.
Jenny was upgraded to a full secondary character and a few of her details, especially her jealousy, was worked out.
It was kind of silly to have Eustace not recognize Morgan's voice at all. The two of them are different sides of the "young folk who know all the old folk" coin. Hell, besides the 6-year-gap, two friendly, chubby nerds probably were attempted to be set-up at some point in time. In this case, I cut this off by having it be her older sister that very briefly dated Eustace.
I fixed the gitch where Warren became Warden and then back again a couple of times.
I also rewrote a section where Eustace was being down on himself just a bit and realize that he is actually fairly liked. Eustace was meant to be my anti-Gareth. A fairly sociable guy who is not super capable [he screws up about as much as he fixes, but people still really like him, except a few like the chief]. Gareth was awful with people—at least, he thought he was—but he could survive swimming to the bottom of the ocean because he heals faster than most things can damage him. Eustace is likely to stub his toe and sit out a scene.
Just one more to go and, hopefully, it is effectively already there.
Note, these next two-or-three, I am not going to update the artwork.
DOUG'S ORIGINAL COMMENTARY (November 12, 2024)
There are several notable changes to this post.
"...and the Case of the Rambler's Inn" has been dropped as an overall title.
When this story was started it was meant to be a sort of companion piece and slight prequel to the Gareth Hendrix storyline (taking place roughly in the time frame that that the Hendrixes and Marons would have been in Mobile but a few years before the big fight that caused them to flee north). In that way, it was written in kind of the same general "pace" with the early plan to have 5-7 episodes with a central mystery and then have it effectively wrapped up and done with to move on to the next Alabama Weird story.
However, as we hit the top of Chapter 3 and stuff got delayed and tangled I was running into some weird pressure to keep playing this one. One of those reasons was because it was losing its "focus" with every episode: Hitomi was added, there were multiple mysteries leading to more mysteries, and so on. Chapter Three was meant to be Eustace finding some tunnels under the Inn, figuring out something going on and how Amy Patel was involved, and then moving into a couple more episodes of wind down. A "wind down" that was foreshadowed to have Frank and Daphne killed, a gun fight, and a number of people being saved by Eustace.
In the original mental model, Hitomi (before she was even Hitomi, probably would have had a name like Selma or Shandra to fit the joke), was a going to be part of four allies that joined Eustace and maybe she was just a bit flirty while the others might have been more antagonistic. Only she very quickly became a love interest and the other three became effectively antagonists.
Here's the thing. Those changes did not dampen my fun. It made it more fun. What was dampening my fun is I spent a lot of time trying to keep it to those handful of episodes. When I wasn't choking off possibilities and forcing locations/characters to be small, it has a lot of potential. So I thought, why not take away the "Rambler's Inn" part and make that just one step in Eustace + Hitomi's relationship? Why not have a lot of random little oddities and mysteries crop up?
The second issue the pressure was on was because I started it out in this kind of overblown penny-dreadful format with a bonus format of Hitomi as an editor doing various self-inserts and I really liked that but it also meant that anything written for this campaign tend to require a lot of time to write the fiction and not a lot of time to play the game. I made a lot of mistakes with the tenses of verbs and the way Eustace referred to people. Each section was roughly a chapter-length writing exercise with usually a couple of dice roll and a couple of card draws (plus or minus).
So, the other big change is that the The "2027 autobiography of himself" element is out, sort of...it will make appearances...so I can focus on a better balance between the creative-fiction elements that inspire the Alabama Weird series but also still kind of keep up a flow of my more natural pace. Generally, though, the series will switch to third-person, semi-limited, present tense. With exceptions.
MECHANICAL AND STORY NOTES
- Easy Charming roll but Eustace dang near whiffed it with a pair of 3s. Spent a Karma that changed a miss into an exceptional success.
- Did Gunther stick up for Eustace? Very Likely → No. Gunther didn't press charges because he does like Eustace but he also won't exactly invite Eustace to snoop around the Rambler.
- Hard Charming. With *another* Karma spent, 1 success.
- Does Eustace know, yet, that Hitomi has moved into the space about Ralph's? (50/50) No.
- Normal Alert roll to get out without being spotted: 1 success.
- Does Eustace know Patrick Yost? (Unlikely) → 38 No
CREDITS
Eustace Delmont and The Case of the Rambler's Inn is played primarily using Richard Woolcock (Zadmar Games)'s Maidenstead Mysteries Tricubes one-sheet and Tana Pigeon's Mythic Gamemaster Emulator is used to handle a lot of the scene management and basic oracle checks. Various tables Tricube Tales Solo (also by Woolcock) and various articles from Mythic Magazine also show up.
Other sources used include:
- Cesar Capacle's Random Realities
- Madeline Hale's Table Fables: Modern
- Matt & Erin Davis's Book of Random Tables: Modern, Book of Random Tables: Eldritch, and Book of Random Tables: 1980s - 1990s
- Zach Best's Universal NPC Emulator.
This post's opening "splash" is "Prison Cell Jail" posted by Ichigo121212 on Pixabay.
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