My Stygian Diary (3) – S.1 – User Article

teasers

In the third part I go to the outskirts of Arkham, cultivate my mental illnesses, welcome a new group member and solve the mystery of the Arkham slasher.

In my diary I tell you about my strange experiences in roleplaying Stygian-Reign of the Old Ones. But beware: the entire article is a single spoiler, so if you still want to experience the game for yourself, you should stop reading now.

In the second part, I followed many of the clues left by the Arkham slasher. These led me mainly to the Essex Hotel, which I took a close look at. There I became aware of the “Boston scum”, a small gang of criminals who apparently struck gold and shortly thereafter gradually became victims of the slasher.

Also, I was promised a possible way out of Arkham if I could get certain materials for the scientist Fredkin. Of course, encounters with all sorts of strange people were not to be missed, including the renegade cultist who now shares a flat with a demon and has put a curse on me.

Answer options in capital letters can only be correct.

Paranoia is fun

Finally, I had made the decision to follow the traces of the slasher outside of the town center. But somehow I’m also curious about what’s behind Fredkin’s possible way out. So I roam around Arkham a little more. I discover a trap door behind the mafia estate and descend into the darkness for the first time. The game warns me that this might not be a good idea. But I think to myself that a few meters in the dark can’t make a difference. After all, I sometimes walk around in the basement in the dark at home without going directly insane.

Well, that doesn’t work here. I’ve only walked a few meters without a light source before I get anxiety attacks. I had no idea what a wimp I must be. So I quickly ran out again, but too late: I’m paranoid from now on. So a light source doesn’t seem to be that unimportant, it goes straight onto my shopping list. When the bell rings at the next door, the paranoia is immediately noticeable. One of my possible answers is removed from the game and replaced by a new one:
“TELL ME SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS VOICE FROM THE DOOR: ARE YOU REAL?”
I think I like my paranoia.

The suspicious voice introduces itself as Dimutrescu and explains that he has a soft spot for electronics and radios in particular. He sells me a part for the Fredkin project and then asks me to get something from the March & Sons warehouse.

Savior of widows and orphans!

Off into the wild

Hmm, now I’ve found something for Fredkin, maybe I should stick with it for now? We will see. I stop by the local pharmacy and see if they have formaldehyde in stock. I’m unlucky this time – although Richter the pharmacist would be willing to mix something up for me if I could get some methylated spirits. I would find this in the distillery outside of Arkham. I buy a lantern and kerosene and head east. In that direction is the Distillery and also Dead Willows, the territory of the Abenaki tribe. After all, the chief Wajatl is one of the suspects in the slasher case.

The game shows me a map on which I click on the still. After a short time, my trip will be automatically interrupted. I meet a grieving widow who tells me that her husband died from alcohol. It turns out that the quality of the whiskey produced by the mafia has recently become so bad that it can hardly be distinguished from pure poison. Since I’m already on my way there anyway, I tell her that I’ll see if that can be changed.

And then I arrived at the distillery. But I don’t like the image I see here at all: It resembles a fortress guarded by heavily armed mafiosi. So I turn on my heel and head towards the Abenaki area. You can definitely talk to them.

But here, too, I am met with extreme hostility. What has become of the world? Before I jump into such tough battles, I guess I need to upgrade a bit.

Not exactly bright, the guy. But pretty accurate.

My undead friend

I decide to travel back to the town center first. On the way back I am stopped again. This time I get into a gunfight. A soldier keeps shooting at horrified civilians who either duck for cover or run away. Somehow I manage to get to him and disarm him. From the conversation with the nameless soldier I gather that he believes he is still at war. Oh yeah, and he’s sort of a zombie. Actually perfect for my squad! To make room in my party, I literally send Miss Carter into the wilderness and order the soldier zombie to march for me from now on. Welcome to the team!

I’m feeling a bit stronger now, but I’m still heading back to Arkham to stock up on supplies. It occurs to me that I should stop by the warehouse for Dimutrescu for some radio parts! It’s not far either, and when I get there I meet a resident named William. He’s furious because a mean monster in the warehouse ate his trusty little horse! Of course we’re happy to take him with us, you can always use cannon fodder.

And indeed, some fights against ghouls are waiting for our squad, where every now and then a shot of the nameless soldier flies in my direction. I’m sure he’s doing it on purpose. That’s why from now on I always create a protective circle around me, you never know. In the final battle in the warehouse, I have to say goodbye to William, who is torn to pieces by the chief monster. Now he’s back with his little horse. But at least I get the radio parts for Dimutrescu as a reward at the end!

It’s a good thing that I can use a protective circle to protect myself from the bullets that the nameless soldier shoots into my back.

Alcohol is poison

After the fights, regeneration is the order of the day. Learn a few spells here and there, buy guns and ammo, all the stuff you do in Arkham. I find a few wires, which I should also get, from the street vendor. Now I feel ready to conquer the distillery!

This time the journey there is uneventful and I bravely trudge through the heavily guarded gate. Interestingly, the mafia watchdog even allows himself to be talked to. I flatter him a little and add 50 fags and he actually lets us in. Since the fights aren’t the highlights of the game (did I mention that?), I’m quite happy about that fact. Of course Mr. Mafioso wants to know what I’m looking for here and I just have to go with “IN MY FREE TIME I LIKE TO TOUCH CHEMICALS. SOMETIMES I EVEN DRINK THEM. THEN EVERYTHING FEELS VERY SOFT! AND SOMETIMES THEY MAKE YOU ISS.. .” reply. The answer seems to satisfy him, and I set off in search of the alcohol adulterator who must be at work here.

I even find him in a building further back on the site. His name is Mr. Wheat and he has long been forced by the mafia to produce alcohol non-stop. All he really wants is a vacation! The poor. Of course I offer to help him. After all, I would also like to dust off some methyl alcohol, which is to be processed into formaldehyde in the pharmacy… His plan includes killing all mafia fighters on the premises. So a fight after all? Fortunately not. He gives me a foul liquid to poison the cask that holds the staff whiskey. Appropriately, it’s lunchtime shortly afterwards and all the mafiosi gather to drink whiskey together. Handy for me! And deadly for the mafiosi! When I collect my reward in the form of methyl alcohol, I quickly install a filter in the alcohol tank and have done the grieving widow a favor by doing so. I meet her again on the way back to the pharmacy. Unfortunately she is dead on the floor. After all, there are experience points. Oh well.

It’s nice that some things can be solved simply by talking. Even if it ends in a massacre.