Something set in arthur's britain or a grail war

>>247058
>[x] Something without fucking Servants (General Nasuverse, Clocktower, KnK, etc)

I'll be leaving this choice open for a little while longer since it's an important one, as a heads-up.

>>247058
>[] Something without fucking Servants (General Nasuverse, Clocktower, KnK, etc)

>>247058
>[] Something without fucking Servants (General Nasuverse, Clocktower, KnK, etc)
while grail wars are all well and good i would realy like to do something other read another telling of a grail war.

>>247058
[x] Something without servants fucking (Clocktower)

Alright, I think that's enough of a consensus.

So, no more Grail Wars. That storyline is hashed out, and there's only so much Servant powerlevel arguing you can do before things get stale. Type-Moon has so many more possibilities, from murder mysteries to magi organizations to all other breed of things.

With that in mind, what elements will we be focusing on? Regardless of what's picked, magi, ESP, and the like will probably have some role or another, unless you go for an end of the world premise.

[] Murder mystery sort of thing, like KnK
[] Something centered around the Clocktower or the Mage's Association more generally
[] A general Nasuverse romp without any particular focus
[] An "end of the world" story like in Angel Notes or Tsuki no Sango
[] Write-in

>>248018
>[x] Murder mystery sort of thing, like KnK
Always liked the tone of both Tsukihime and KnK.

>>248018
>Murder mystery sort of thing, like KnK
I personally tried to run a KnK-esque quest in the past days but it didn't go so well.

>>248018
>[] Something centered around the Clocktower or the Mage's Association more generally

For all that the Mage's Association is a key point of the setting, we don't see too many stories centered around it.

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>[x] Murder mystery sort of thing, like KnK
>[x] Something centered around the Clocktower or the Mage's Association more generally
why not both

Murder mystery it is. So then, let's decide on the setting. This choice will decide what sort of aspects of the Nasuverse will be more prevalent; for instance, obviously if we use the Mage's Association, most of the characters will be magi.

[] Mage's Association (Resembling Case Files)
[] Random town (Resembling KnK/Tsukihime)

>>248529
>[] Mage's Association (Resembling Case Files)

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>>248529

[] Mage's Association (Resembling Case Files)

>>248529
[] Mage's Association (Resembling Case Files)

A murder at the Association? Very well then. Obviously, events surrounding the murder itself won't be discussed, but why don't we talk abut who you are?

First of all, what gender are you?

[] Male
[] Female

And are you a member of the Association, or simply a visitor?

[] Member, low-ranking/student
[] Member, high-ranking
[] Random visitor
[] Magus detective

>>249284
>Male
>Member (low-ranking student)
( It should be fun to be interrogated by the detective rather than doing the interrogation)

>>249429
>It should be fun to be interrogated by the detective rather than doing the interrogation

this

>>249284
> Female
> Member, high-ranking

>>249284
In case this is still alive.

>Female
>Low-rank student

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>249807
Yeah, I'm purposely waiting a decent stretch of time between choices since this is the starter and I've been out for a while. Once we get properly underway things will become actually reasonable. Also char gen's always a bitch anyway.

Anyway, since it's even, 1 for male, 2 for female.

===

A low-ranking member of the Mage's Association. Rather than a Lord or one with a reputation that precedes you, you are a mere student.

Now, to finish things off, let's get to the most important part. You will select which school of the Clocktower you belong to. This will decide your general skillset as a magus, as well as who you have connections with. Some choices have been intentionally removed to make things easier, so don't complain.

Pick two. The one with the most votes wins.

This choice will be left open until when we formally start tomorrow, which will be roughly at 2:00 EST. At that time the character creation will be complete, with the exception of things such as names which will be decided informally, and the quest proper will begin.

[] Necromancy (Self-explanatory)
[] Geology (Rocks, jewels, etc)
[] Zoology (Familiars and animal modification)
[] Botany (Plants, potion-making, etc)
[] Curse (Self-explanatory)
[] Creation (Alchemy, think homunculi and such)

>>249843
>[] Zoology (Familiars and animal modification)

>>249843
Fuck, we're a chick.

Oh well.

Can we do write-ins? If so:
>[] Spiritual Evocation

>>249867
Write-ins are fine; if one wins, I'll assign you to a school that fits the write-in adequately for the sake of the Clock Tower organization, but you'll still be specialized in the write-in's magecraft.

>>249843
>Alchemy
>Necromancy

Oh, wait, yeah, shit. We're supposed to pick two, aren't we?

Okay, um... I'm >>249867 so...
>[] Spiritual Evocation
>[] Necromancy

>>249843
>[] Creation (Alchemy, think homunculi and such
>>249855

>>249843
>[] Creation (Alchemy, think homunculi and such)
>[] Curse (Self-explanatory)

>>249843
Creation
Zoology

This is very, very dead isn't it?

>>249988
Like I said, the current choice is sitting open. It'll close in ten and a half hours, at which point char gen will finish and I'll be posting the actual starter for the quest. When the quest proper starts there won't be hour+ long delays between posts or anything; I'm making an exception for this stage alone for a few reasons.

Not trying to sound like an ass, but yeah. Just be patient and when 2:00 PM EST rolls around, I'll get the ball rolling for real.

Alchemy, one of the best-known branches of magecraft in terms of the word itself. Even among non-magi, some notion of what Alchemy is will be present. Of course, the Alchemy being discussed here is the superior western form of it; the eastern form, practiced by the Atlas Academy, is more akin to using math to do an assortment of things, and isn't worth discussing at the moment. We are civilized men of the Clock Tower, after all.

At its simplest, the western form of Alchemy, the form that you and the rest of its Clock Tower practitioners study in, is the art of changing something into something else. This takes myriad forms.

For instance, the creation of artificial life forms is a common pursuit. Among Alchemists, the name "Einzbern" is well-known, a German family that could be called the greatest in the world at creating artificial humans.

Another common example is manipulation of metals through transmutation, altering their form.

While you yourself do not know this, a certain Istari magus has used Alchemy to create "fire that freezes" by borrowing the concept of oil, which is "water that burns". This example perhaps best illustrates how versatile Alchemy is.

Strictly speaking, Alchemy falls under the Creation Department of the Clock Tower, and occupies the bulk of that department.

You yourself are a student of the Clock Tower, having spent the past seven years learning here. The first five years were spent becoming familiar with the basics of magecraft: Bounded Fields, leylines, sympathetic and contagious magecraft, and so on. For the past two years, you have studied at the Creation Department, leaning the ins and outs of Alchemy. Your family, while only three generations old, had some experience in Alchemy, which has helped accelerate the process.

You are of course familiar with the basics by now; with some time you can make a homunculus, or reshape metal with Transmutation, but you've yet to make your own original theory or choose what field under Alchemy you are most suited to pursue.

It is here that we begin.

[Cont]

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Day One
4:00 PM

You let out a brief sigh as you're released from your last lecture of the day. Admittedly though, like the majority of those who had been present, your mind has been elsewhere for the past few hours. Try as they might, the lecturers had been unable to stop a piece of information from leaking out among the masses, and the Clock Tower had been buzzing with the news since.

This morning, a Lord of the Curse Department was found dead in his office.

It must be understood that magi dying is nothing strange; magi stare death in the face on a daily basis, after all. However, a Lord of the Clock Tower dying in his own office was practically unheard of. No news besides this had been leaked out, so conjectures and theories were everywhere. Some said it was a magical mishap on the Lord's part, some said The Queen had him killed because he "knew too much", some said that an American magus had snuck into the office and assassinated him. All of these were unsupported and dreamed up by minds that lacked evidence, though.

At any rate, let's move back to you. Finally free from the day's classes, there's nothing you'd like more to do than to seek out a friend or two of yours and waste the next few hours unwinding. At the same time, though, you have a paper due next week on the process of coining homunculi that you really should start on. And, try as you might to be better than that, the temptation to head over to the Curse Department and see what's happening is certainly there...

[] Find some friends and have fun, you deserve a break.
[] Get to work on your paper, like hell you're getting an F.
[] Head to the Curse Department. It's not every day a Lord dies.

>>250754
>Head to the curse department

The walk to the Curse Department isn't a long one, though you do grimace involuntarily at the state of the place. The Clock Tower generally looks down on the Curse Department, as western mages rarely choose to specialize in cursing techniques, so the funding this department receives is notably less than that of others such as the Creation Department.

It seems you weren't the only one with this idea, though. By the time you've arrived, a crowd of twenty or so students has formed around a building, likely where the deceased's office is. A pair of gaunt lecturers stand by the door, blocking entry.

[] Try to find a way to sneak inside.
[] Pretend to be the deceased's granddaughter and demand entry.
[] Just stand around in the crowd.
[] Go back to your room.

>>250913
>[] Try to find a way to sneak inside.

>>250913
>Sneak inside

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You steel your resolve; even with the lecturers standing guard, you won't be so easily deterred!

...why are you putting this much effort behind this, anyway?

Regardless, you step out from the crowd and take a walk around the building, trying to find an open window or some means of getting through. In little time, you've come across the back door to the building, guarded by a young looking girl with straight blonde hair, who very much does not seem to want to be here right now.

[] Ignore her.
[] Try to run past her.
[] Try to fight your way in.
[] Charm your way in.

>>251128
[X] Charm your way in.
Let's try to talk this out

>>251128
>Reines
Well shit. Put charm on max.

>>251128
[x] Charm your way in.

You approach the young girl, offering a warm smile and extending your hand. "Hi," You greet, trying to put on as amenable a show as possible. "I'm-"

Before you can finish your sentence, the girl abruptly speaks up, cutting you off. Her head turns up as she speaks, acting as if she had only just noticed you. Actually, maybe that was exactly the case.

"You. You're going to watch this door for me." She snapped, speaking like one would to a disobedient dog. "If I find out you let anyone inside, you will be irreparably punished."

Uttering these words, the girl turned on her heel and stomped off angrily.

...well, that was easier than expected. Your charm must be higher than you ever imagined. Either way, while that interaction was laughable, you get the feeling that you'll see that girl again some other time. It might be best to do as she said, but then again...

[] Guard the door as the ojou-sama demanded.
[] Walk off after her.
[] Leave. You're not going to be bossed around.
[] Walk inside and try to block the door from the inside so others can't get in.

>>251887
We didn't come here for nothing. Let's go inside.

Glancing around first to make sure that nobody's watching, you let out a quick exhale before swinging the back door open and stepping inside. Once inside, you quickly move to grab a couple of the chairs that adorn the hallway and pile them in the way of the door. There, at least with that people will have trouble walking in. You lock the door for good measure, but any decent magus will know how to pick it with magecraft, so that's more a symbolic gesture than anything.

...actually, your chair blockade isn't a particularly sturdy one, but magi aren't exactly known for their strength so you should be fine. Hopefully.

Setting that thought to the back of your mind, you begin to explore the building. Around this time, you realize that you don't actually know where in the building the Lord's office was; you've never been in here, after all. As a result, it takes you the better part of twenty minutes before you spot what looks like the only room in the building that people are in.

Peering around the corner, you catch sight of the room. A plaque reading "Lord Mill" is mounted by the door, and inside you can make out two figures: a portly man who you recognize as another Lord of the Curse Department, and a young man you don't recognize.

The latter is somewhat dark-skinned, looking potentially Egyptian in appearance, with a bone-white shock of hair atop his head. You doubt that's a natural color.

Well, either way, what are you going to do?

[] Watch them from the silence, it's too risky to do anything else.
[] Cast a spell to increase your hearing, in the hopes of listening to what they're talking about.
[] Walk up to them and greet them. Confidence is key.

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>>252026
>[x] Walk up to them and greet them. Confidence is key.

>>251128
>[X] Walk up to them and greet them. Confidence is key.

>>252026
>Now, walk into the club like, "What up, I got a big cock!"

Sorry for the delay guys, urgent thing came up but is resolved now, so to make up for it I'll keep going for an extra few hours tonight.

===

You take a few moments to prepare yourself before you step out from behind the corner, striding towards the office with composure and purpose. The probably-Egyptian boy notices you before the Lord does, quirking an eyebrow up as he turns to face you. A second later, the portly Lord joins him, confusion visible on his face.

The unknown boy looks to you with a combination of confusion and annoyance, as opposed to the Lord who just seems to be confused. "...sir, I was told that there would not be any disturbances while I worked." The Egyptian said, his tone almost robotic in nature. "Don't tell me that your organization is so inept that it would let such disturbances through?"

"A-Ah, well..." The Lord, visibly flustered, looked from you to the boy with a trace of panic. He was evidently trying to think of an excuse.

[] "Sorry to intrude, I was just curious about what the crowd outside was for."
[] "Ah, the other detective. Hello, it's good to finally meet you; I've been assigned as your partner."
[] "I'm lost. Do you know where the snack bar is?"
[] Cast magic missile at both of them.

>>253007
>[] "Ah, the other detective. Hello, it's good to finally meet you; I've been assigned as your partner."

>>253007
>[] "Sorry to intrude, I was just curious about what the crowd outside was for."
Preeeeetty sure you can't Bavarian Fire Drill something this specialized.

>>253007
>"Ah, the other detective. Hello, it's good to finally meet you; I've been assigned as your partner."

You look over to the Egyptian boy who you assume is a detective hired by the Clock Tower; at least, from what you heard him say, it seems reasonable. Extending a hand, you offer him a curt nod. "Ah, the other detective. Hello, it's good to finally meet you; I've been assigned as your partner."

At your greeting, the boy's eyebrows furrow. "...partner?" He repeats, looking over to the Lord next to him. "Is this true?"

Obviously, this was an obvious lie to the Lord in question. It's as clear as day to him that you're just a standard student; perhaps he has seen you before, or maybe it's because you have a bag filled with course books. Probably the latter. However...

"A-Ah, yes, this is someone we've put on this assignment as well. They're actually one of our magi, but will just be working under you for the assignment; a byproduct of bureaucratic red tape, you'll understand. I wanted you to be able to work alone, but you know how these things are."

Not wanting to admit that someone had effortlessly waltzed into the building, the Lord cobbled together a hasty lie. Though his eyes were doubtful, the Egyptian boy nodded, finally looking back at you and shaking your hand. "Very well, then. Ammon, of the Atlas Academy. It's a pleasure." He greeted coolly. After you had properly introduced yourself in turn, thankful to all manner of Divine Spirits that your bluff had somehow worked, Ammon turned back around into the office.

The room seemed immaculate, not a hair out of place. The only thing that was strange was the very reason that anyone was here; the body of a thin, elderly man sat in the lone chair of the office, glassy eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. It hardly took a detective to figure out that this was Lord Mill, who was found dead this morning.

Well, for better or worse it looks like you're a co-detective, at least until Ammon figures out otherwise. You can't imagine the Lord will let you stay like this for a while, so might as well make the most of it.

[] Go take a look at the body yourself.
[] Ask Ammon what he's learned so far.
[] Scowl at the body and mutter something esoteric in an attempt to sound intelligent.

>>253286
[x]Ask Ammon what he's learned so far.
[x]Mentally prepare an exit plan.

>>253296
This

Ammon gave another nod in response to your inquiry, speaking back up.

"The deceased is Lord Frederick Mill of the Curse Department, as you know. While you Clock Tower types are rather...mediocre at curses, he was something of an exception. His reputation is first-rate, and he was a genius at curses that affect the spirit. For instance, spiritual degradation, subjugating or weakening wraiths and grudges, even accelerating the rot of the soul. He was...brilliant, I admit, among the best in his specialization if not the best. Atlas admired him quite a bit; I myself have read several of his works." He explained calmly, looking forwards at the body.

"This would make his death strange, but what's stranger still is the means of death. I've performed some basic analysis, and from what I can tell, he died of a heart attack."

...a heart attack? Well, he did look rather old, so maybe-

"Additionally, he had no prior health issues, no family history of heart disease, or anything of that nature. His lifespan was extended through his magecraft as well. I trust that tells you enough about my suspicions."

Sure enough, Ammon's words are enough to make your eyes widen. If there was no physical cause for a heart attack to happen, then that meant one of two things. One, something was altered to make his death look like a heart attack, or two...someone had used magecraft to force a heart attack, ergo, cast a curse.

Cursing a Lord of the Curse Department to death, and a world-class magus at that? It was a laughable prospect, but it was certainly chilling. Either someone had somehow cursed him, or someone had tampered with the body. Both outcomes pointed to foul play, pointed to this being a murder.

"...we do not know if whoever caused this stole anything from him. They didn't leave any tracks that I can notice, but we can't be sure. We're not aware of what projects he was working on, so it's wholly possible that he was killed for something he had been developing."

As Ammon continued on, your train of thought considered how to get out of this situation you'd been wrapped up in. The Lord would probably remember your face, so you'd probably get punished for this, but you had to get out of this before things escalated. Maybe you could pretend an emergency came up and that you need to leave? The Lord would likely be ecstatic to see you go, so at least until this blows over, you would probably be safe.

Ah, wait, shit, Ammon's looking at you. Quick, think of something to say.

[] "...maybe this wasn't a murder at all. Have you considered suicide?"
[] "That's all you've found? I'm not very impressed."
[] "I see. Do you have any current suspects, then? Or possible motives or characteristics of the killer?"
[] Pretend that you're getting a phone call and fucking bail.

>>253346
>[] "That's all you've found? I'm not very impressed."
Then [] Pretend that you're getting a phone call and fucking bail. For fun

>>253346
[x] "...Perhaps this wasn't a murder at all. Have you ruled out suicide yet?"
[x] "Regardless, proceeding under the assumption of murder are there any current suspects? Or possible motives or characteristics of the killer."

We just got here. Bailing so soon would be unadvisable. Lets get this much out before eying the door.

>>253367
Change mine to this

You go silent for a couple of seconds, thinking to yourself, before voicing a reply. "...Perhaps this wasn't a murder at all. Have you ruled out suicide yet?" You ask, looking over to Ammon.

The Atlas Alchemist nods slightly. "I certainly hadn't ruled it out. The thought of him cursing himself is far more reasonable than someone else managing to do so to him. However..."

"-Lord Mill would never stoop to suicide! He was in his prime! He was one of my closest friends, and I will not see his name denigrated like this!" The portly Lord interjects, his doughy face red with anger.

Ammon shrugs, pointing to the Lord slightly as if that was explanation enough. "We're investigating under the pretense that suicide did not occur, since we can't find anything that indicates it was a suicide short of it making our job easier." He finished.

You nod, pursing your lips. "Then, do you have any current suspects, or maybe possible motives or characteristics the killer had?"

Ammon sighs, shaking his head. "Nothing concrete, I'm afraid. I've only had a few hours, you must understand; I'll be able to create a proper simulation of this area and work out some details from that in due time. For now, though, we're rather in the dark. The higher-ups refuse to grant me access to his research, understandably, so while his projects may have tied into a motive, we can't conclude that. There aren't any parties with overt grudges against the deceased that we know of, either."

"As for characteristics...they'd need to be fully capable of covering their tracks. They left this place spotless. As there are no signs of a struggle, we can assume the deceased didn't have the chance to put up a fight, so perhaps it was someone he knew. They would either have to be incredibly skilled in curses or in ambushes and deception, and either way would need the competence to use methods that wouldn't leave behind obvious hints. The fact that they chose a heart attack as the signal, though, seems to indicate that they may be toying with us. It's something of a headache on the whole, at least until I'm able to enact a simulation."

[] Pursue the murder theory. (Specify focus)
[] Pursue the suicide theory.
[] Try to interrogate the Lord for private information about the deceased.
[] Hurry and get out of here before you get any deeper involved.

>>253420
[X] Pursue the murder theory. (Who knew him good enough to be able to pull this off?)

>>253420
>[x] Pursue the murder theory.
Maybe his someone in his family did it
Or one of his Apprentices

You let out a slight exhale, clenching your jaw a bit as you consider what's worth considering further. "So, setting aside suicide, then," You begin, "Who would have known him well enough to do something like this? Do you have a list of his family members, friends, colleagues, maybe any personal apprentices?"

"He didn't have any apprentices. He'd turned down anyone interested, saying they didn't have the talent." Ammon replied, his attention now focused on you.

"As for friends and family, there are only a few. His family was an old one, but doesn't have a wide net, so there are only four other family members: his daughter, grandson, nephew, and a distant cousin. The cousin has been in Eastern Europe, but the other three are all here. He only had a couple of close friends, such as Lord Filborne here." He explained, indicating the pasty man nearby. "However, he had a professional relationship with nearly all of the Lords and higher-ups of the Clock Tower. I only say nearly because there are a handful he never seems to have met, not because he had apparent disdain for any of them."

So, in other words, the net of possible suspects includes those three family members, and almost every high-ranking member of the Clock Tower. Wonderful.

[] Ask about the family members.
[] Ask about particular colleagues (specify department)
[] Change topics (specify subject)
[] Bail

>>253499
write-in
Maybe its a particularly vengeful student

>>253499
>Who discovered the body? Was it Lord Filborne by any chance?

>>253553
This

You frown slightly, taking in Ammon's words with a dissatisfied look. "And who discovered the body?" You ask, sparing a brief glance towards the nearly portly man. "Was it Lord Filborne, by any chance?"

At your words, Filborne's eyes widen, his face blanching as he hurriedly speaks up. "Now wait a minute, I don't like the tone you're taking with that!" He snaps, blurting out the words tactlessly. "And another thing, do not call me 'Lord'! I may have called Frederick Mill by that title as a sign of respect, but neither he nor I are true Lords! And furthermore, he did not have a professional relationship with nearly all of the Lords! That fool who heads the Modern Magecraft department, for instance, neither he nor I could stand him! And..."

Filborne trails off, evidently realizing that all he really accomplished with that outburst was self-embarrassment. Though, some of what he said was valuable. You had assumed that all of the high-ranking individuals were called "Lords"; apparently that wasn't the case, so it'd be safe to double-check those classifications when you returned to your quarters tonight, lest you embarrass yourself in the future.

[Basic Information on the Clock Tower will be added to the information document]

More valuable, though, was the outburst that Lord Mill...er, Mill, didn't get along with the Lord of the Modern Magecraft Department. If you recalled, that was the famous "Professor Charisma", Lord El-Melloi II. Maybe seeking him out could be worthwhile, who knew?

You shoot Ammon a dissatisfied look, as if to show annoyance with the fact that his investigation wasn't so thorough if Filborne's blabberings were enough to contradict him. A trace of unease broke the Atlas magus's cool demeanor for a moment before it smoothed back over, the boy sighing and shaking his head a bit. "...to answer your question, yes, he was the one who discovered the body and filed the report." He replied, sounding a bit exasperated. It seemed that he'd avoided saying anything that could be accusatory towards Filborne, probably because he didn't want to deal with the pasty man's incredulous reactions at the moment.

"Either way, I can't do any work if I'm having a conversation with you. Why don't you stop by the other departments and see what information you can gather? I'll start simulating and divining this room to see what information I can glean. Lor-...Mr. Filborne, you may retire to your quarters if you like."

[] Try to stick around.
[] Leave and take Ammon's advice, you're getting interested in this whole thing.
[] Leave and get back to your room, you can't neglect studying.
[] Leave and try to stalk Filborne.

===

This isn't an ideal stopping point, but we're not ending the current part here so much as just calling a break for a while, as it's pretty late on my end and I do have work tomorrow.

I'll likely be back in about 11-12 hours from now to resume. Check my Twitter (see google doc in the OP) for updates.

Also, I will be updating the information doc with some Clock Tower information just before we resume tomorrow. I realized that my informal referring to some characters as "Lords" could be misleading, since that title has a specific formal meaning, so if you aren't familiar with that formal meaning then it could lead to some confusion. I recommend glancing over that information as needed, if you haven't read El-Melloi Case Files, since it'll help clarify titles and things like that.

Those who are participating, I hope you're having fun in spite of the rather slow start we've gotten; with some luck, we'll gain more steam before too long as things solidify a bit more. If you have any questions or concerns you want to bring up, just direct them to ask.fm. See you next time.

>>253698
>[x] Leave and take Ammon's advice, you're getting interested in this whole thing. (lets go talk to Proff Charisma)

>>253705
I'm having fun

>>253698
>[] Leave and take Ammon's advice, you're getting interested in this whole thing.
Obvious plot hook must be taken somewhat, even if the second-best waifu, grades, will suffer from this distraction

>>253698
[x] Leave and take Ammon's advice, you're getting interested in this whole thing.

Admittedly a touch insulted by his tone, but understanding nonetheless, you give him a nod and turn to exit the building. On your way out, though, you suddenly remember that you're not actually a detective, so it will probably be better to sneak out the way you came in.

Ah, wait, but if you leave through the back door, you'll have to take down the blockade you put in front of it, which means you'll be leaving it open and could wind up catching the ire of that young girl from earlier. At the same time, if you just walk out through the front door, it'll probably cause quite the scene...

[] Leave through the front.
[] Leave through the back.
[] Hide inside and wait for the crowd out front to disperse [Will take a couple of hours]

[The information doc in the OP has been updated, so I recommend everyone gives it a glance over and lets me know if they have any questions.]

>>254458
>[] Leave through the front.
What could possibly go wrong?

>>254458
Leave through the back

>>254459
Don't hold back, leave through the front

In a moment of pure, unadulterated confidence, you head for the front door of the building, swinging the double doors open and stepping out triumphantly. You look out over the crowd of students before you, a fair amount of them familiar and the majority of them looking at you in shock.

The next thing you know, the two adults standing guard at the door, also visibly shocked by your appearance, have shot you full of paralysis curses and sent you crumpling to the floor, before you could even say "Don't worry, I'm a detective".

What did you expect to happen with that, anyway?

At any rate, after you had been paralyzed and the shock of the crowd died down, one of the two gaunt males knelt down to pick your limp form up, hefting you over a shoulder with some difficulty, given his stature. He then carried you off.

Thankfully, you weren't brought to the dungeon that probably existed. Or at least, that's what the rumors were. You were brought to a different building in the Curse Department, one with a Bounded Field that restricted the use of ambient mana, and were seated in a chair and restrained in place. The male who brought you there didn't seem to view you as a threat, but wasn't taking undue chances. "Sorry, need to treat you as a suspect since you just waltzed out of a crime scene like that. Standard procedure." He explained as he finished tying you to the chair, the bindings rather tight but not enough to be painful.

"We'll be waiting here until the detective we hired gets here, my partner will have sent word to him." He explained, shrugging slightly as he leaned against a wall of the room. "We'll also be pulling up your file, just to make sure we know who we're dealing with. Just don't do anything stupid."

[] Stay silent, maybe glare at the guy.
[] Insist you're a detective and demand to be let go.
[] Start up a conversation.
[] Transmute the ropes and free yourself. Do something stupid.

>>254563
>[] Start up a conversation.
One that leads into us being a detective and politely ask to be let go. I really want to do something stupid but it just screams bad idea.

>>254563
Pull out the scene from "Lord of War".
Something like:
-In short time there's gonna be a knock on that door, and behind it will be a man who outranks you. He will thank you for your vigilance but insist that I am released.

Leaving through front door was enough stupidity for the whole game

You look forwards at the man, your expression calm in spite of the fact that you've just been paralyzed and restrained. It doesn't seem like you're in true danger, but all the same, you decide that it's best to at least say something.

"Thank you for being polite about this, I'm sorry for inadvertently calling a scene." You speak up, letting out an attempt at a self-depracating laugh. "But, there really isn't a need for any of this. As Ammon, the detective you're talking about, will tell you, I'm his partner for the case. All you're really doing by keeping me here is delaying our investigation, and I'm sure he'll be annoyed that he was pulled away while in the middle of preparing a simulation of the crime scene."

At your words, the man blinks, a combination of confusion and unease crossing his face as he looks at you. "...you look like a student, to me. But either way, this is just what I'm supposed to do." He says with a shrug. "If you're telling the truth, it'll show in your file. I doubt you're dangerous, you don't look it, but regardless of whether you're just another student who stumbled into the wrong place or a detective we hired, it's my job to make sure you stay here until we can verify your identity and until the detective gets here."

[] ...damn, he's right. The best thing to do is just wait and take whatever happens.
[] Go all-out on your bluff, demand to be let go and accuse him of intentionally obstructing the investigation.
[] Sigh exasperatedly at how stubborn he's being, and decide to ask him about what the Clock Tower's doing regarding this event. (Specify)

>>254680
You do your job, I do mine, there's little both of us can do. We shall wait then.

>>254680
[X] Go all-out on your bluff, demand to be let go and accuse him of intentionally obstructing the investigation.

If they see our files then we're dead meat. We might well try not to die

>>254716
Nonsense, the worse that could happen is we get a stern talking to right? 'Sides, guy doesn't seem like the type to back down just because we started yelling at him. I want to go with the last choice but I don't have anything to specify.

>>254680
Go ALL. OUT on our bluff

>>254737
Some examples could include what they've been doing outside hiring a detective, why they chose to hire a detective all the way from Atlas, what the Lords and Vice-Director are doing, if the dungeon is real, etc.

>>254680
>[] Sigh exasperatedly at how stubborn he's being, and decide to ask him about what the Clock Tower's doing regarding this event
Let's ask about why they chose to hire a detective all the way from Atlas then.

>>254750
you've got 2 votes for going all out.

now write.

>>254763
The second vote came in half a minute before I answered his question. Calm down.

===

You grit your teeth, expression contorting into a slight glare that you level at the man. "This is an absolute outrage." You snap coldly, eyes narrowing. "I've told you explicit information about my partner that no random person off the street will know. In the time it takes you to realize your mistakes, my partner's preparations will have been ruined and we'll be set back several hours on our investigation!"

"Do you know how quickly traces of magecraft vanish from a crime scene? Those few hours could be the difference between us catching the suspect and not, and if we lose a lead because of this idiocy, then your superiors will be hearing from my partner and I!"

After speaking, you go quiet but do not drop your glare, hoping that you were convincing enough. In response, though, the man simply shrugs. "That very well might happen, but if you're lying and I let you go, I'd get in more trouble for breaking the rules and being wrong than following the rules and being wrong. Besides-"

He is cut off by a knock on the door, turning around and moving to open it. Standing there, a dour look on his face, is Ammon. He looks over at you with...you're fairly certain that's anger, but it's hard to tell, he doesn't seem good at expressing emotion. The man stands guard at the door as Ammon approaches you, sighing. "...so, anything you have to say?"

[] Keep up the detective bluff.
[] He's probably read your file, apologize and come clean.
[] Transmute the ropes, transmute the wall, and run away.

>>254776
>[] Keep up the detective bluff.
Would be pretty awkward if we just dropped it after snapping at that other guy. Maybe slip in an apology at some point and make it clear that we didn't really mean to do anything bad. Transmuting everything is getting more tempting by the minute.

>>254776
This
>>254803

Well, this is hardly ideal. In response to Ammon, you offer a slight shrug. "I'm sorry about causing a scene like that." You reply, sighing. "It didn't really occur to me that I'd be apprehended on the spot for walking outside, let alone that they'd pull you away to 'interrogate' me." You comment, glancing over at the man by the door as you speak, as if to launch at least some small accusation at him. You silently pray that the Atlas Alchemist decides to at least go along with your bluff for a bit, lest you get thrown into the dungeon for impersonating a detective.

Ammon shakes his head a bit, letting out a terse huff. "Yes, well, you should have thought this through more." He said, looking to you dryly. You get the feeling that he's not just talking about walking out the front door. Turning to the man, Ammon sighs again. "Well, as she probably told you, there's no need to worry; she's my partner. We'll be returning to the investigation now."

Your prayers were answered.

After being untied by the man, Ammon accompanied you outside, coming to a stop after you'd gotten a fair distance from the building you were held in. "Really, not the smartest move." He commented, shaking his head as he glanced at you. "If you were dealing with Atlasia or something then you'd have been thrown under the bus."

Before you can reply, Ammon continues, dissatisfaction more than apparent on his face. "I don't appreciate being lied to like that, by you or Filborne, and I also don't appreciate having my work disrupted like this. Consider yourself lucky that I don't view you as a legitimate suspect, and stay out of this investigation for your own good. Students shouldn't get wrapped up in something like this."

[] Agree to stay out of his way from now on. You can just try to be more careful about getting caught...
[] Protest, you can make a great partner!
[] Flirt.

>>254887
[X] Protest, you can make a great partner!
[X] Flirt.
Let's do both

>>254887
>[] Protest, you can make a great partner!
Surely we weren't completely stupid when we talked to him about leads. We can probably do something helpful.

You take a step forwards, closing the gap between you and Ammon by a fair amount. "Oh, come on Ammon, don't be like that." You hum, giving a small pout. "Remember just a little while ago? If it wasn't for me then we wouldn't know about Mill's dislike of Lord El-Melloi II. I promise that I can be useful."

In response, Ammon takes a step back, shaking his head again. "I saw your file, you're just a standard student. I don't need an assistant dragging me down." He states dryly, even as you step forwards yet again, gingerly reaching up to set a hand on his shoulder.

"Dragging you down? You're going to make me cry, Ammon." You tease, faux sadness manifesting in your eyes before it's written over with an almost eager grin. "You know you could use an extra set of hands, if not for work then just for keeping people away. I mean, I was able to get inside the crime scene without anyone being the wiser, so obviously I know how to slip around and stop people from doing the same. I won't mess with any of your work, I'm fine with handling other things that don't need your expertise." You offer, trailing your hand up to the side of his neck.

Ammon goes quiet, briefly looking off to the side in silence. He doesn't seem very perturbed by your mild advances, but he does at least seem to be considering your words. The fact that he hasn't knocked away your hand yet is proof enough.

"And besides," You add, "It's either me, or dealing with people like Filborne."

Ammon lets out a begrudging sigh at your words, reaching over to push your hand away exasperatedly. "...I get your point. I won't promise anything, but I'll consider it. I have your contact information from your file, if I decide your help will be worthwhile, I'll let you know. Now, I'll be returning to the crime scene."

[] That's good enough, you can head back to your room now.
[] Try to accompany him back.
[] Leave, but go investigate elsewhere. (Specify, eg another Department or specific figure)

>>254974
>[] Leave, but go investigate elsewhere. (Specify, eg another Department or specific figure)
Time to look into Modern Magecraft and Professor Charisma.

Well, it looks like you won't be getting any further with persuading Ammon just yet, but at least he didn't reject your proposition on face. You give him a nod and a farewell, before departing.

However, instead of heading for your room, you head for the Modern Magecraft Department.

Professor Charisma. Master V. Waver Velvet. Lord of Modern Magecraft. Lord El-Melloi II. The name is among the best-known in the Clock Tower. He is called a peerless instructor in the Clock Tower, his pupils becoming Brands and even Grands through his instruction, despite his own lack of talent. The man in question has a popularity among students that is only trumped by the like of that monstrous woman, The Supreme Mage of the Present Era.

It makes sense as to why he would be disliked by some of the elder members of the Clock Tower. After all, he is practically a living monument for the Toranbelio faction's beliefs. Still though, he is worth pursuing. And hey, even if he's not suspicious in the slightest, maybe you can get some one-on-one tutoring from him.

Ha, as if. The line to his office when he's free probably wraps around the building.

Regardless, with the sun now starting to peer below the horizon, you leave the Curse Department behind, towards the office of El-Melloi II.

===

I'll have to call it here for a while, as it's not the weekend anymore so I've got other things to attend to. Resuming either tonight or tomorrow in the early afternoon (EST), check Twitter for updates.

As any self-respecting student, you're of course well-aware of where Lord El-Melloi II's office is; at the same time though, you're not surprised that upon entering the building where said office is situated, that you dissolve into a large crowd of students, all clamoring outside of the door to the office.

This is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it means you've stopped in during his office hours by luck; he is a Lord, after all, one of the twelve magi who rule the Departments, so it's not like you could just interrupt his day otherwise.

Well, maybe Ammon could, since he has "detective's privilege" or something like that.

Either way, the presence of the crowd seems to indicate that he is open to talking to students at the current time, which is lucky. What's less fortunate, though, is the fact that there are several tens of students all waiting outside of the door of an office that's probably already full to the brim.

...the fact that you can just barely make out a female voice from inside the office is strange, though. Stranger still is that the voice is vaguely familiar. Shouldn't Lord El-Melloi be the one talking?

[] You're not in a rush to speak to him, come back later, maybe with Ammon so you don't have to deal with this on your own.
[] "Out of the way, out of the way, detective coming through on official Clock Tower business!"
[] Yell "fire!" or something and cause a distraction.
[] Wait and hope.

>>257714
[] "Out of the way, out of the way, detective coming through on official Clock Tower business!"

You sigh, deciding to keep up the farce that had served you so well today. Well, except for the whole "sort of getting detained thing", that is.

You attempt to shove your way through the crowd, earning ire from the other students as you do so. "Out of the way, out of the way, detective coming through on official Clock Tower business!" You yell out. A few students seem confused but get out of your way nonetheless, while the majority of them just glare at you and shove you back. After a sizable amount of effort, you make it to the door, reaching over to open it.

...it's locked. Great. Great, because, you know, this day's just been the best, hasn't it?

You can make out a couple of voices from inside the office, one being the female voice, and one being what you recognize as Lord El-Melloi II's. Well, at least that's confirmation that he's inside.

[] Unlock the door with magecraft, walk inside.
[] Knock on the door and yell that you're here because of detective stuff.
[] Ask the guy standing next to you to unlock or break down the door.

>>257812
>[] Knock on the door and yell that you're here because of detective stuff.

>>257812
>[] Knock on the door and yell that you're here because of detective stuff.

>>257812
Do nothing, eavesdrop.
For now

>>257812
I second this
>>260122

For those who don't have Twitter, sorry for yesterday's disappearance; a power outage messed up my Internet for the bulk of the day.

I've also made the executive decision to move back to /tg/, so the new thread is up there.

>>261137
Is it?

>>263055
Not anymore

So /tg/ was something of a bust. I'm attributing a decent portion of this to my schedule, but either way we'll just keep going on here. I'll be trying to set aside some time tomorrow, but it might not be until Saturday.