(Before this post, I talk about not having pictures of what goes on during the dispatch missions, Leaf's appearance, the limit on the number of agents I can have recruited, a confirmation that any mission for which a new recruit is your reward, the recruit is the client, and advice to wait for "The Sadness Parade" until we have Poppy's sister available. As you see, that was taken.)
ROOK: I decided to go ahead and send Roger and Travis on the "Assistant Librarian" Mission. They have a good chance, anyway. I also decided to hold off on "The Sadness Parade" on the say-so of some random guy my narrator knows. I don't know. Anyway, back to the mountains, and the cave. It was fairly well furnished. Inside, I was startled to see... a yeti in a recliner! I got his attention.
ROOK: Ummmm...
YETI: Oh, hey! Wasn't expecting company. Come on in, man!
ROOK: Uh...thanks! I'm Rook. Listen, you haven't seen a guy named Preston, have you?
YETI: Preston? Nah, don't know him. Like I said, though, don't get a lot of company up here.
ROOK: I looked around. There certainly didn't seem to be any sign that Preston had been here. I wondered where he might be, and if it was too late.
YETI: What seems to be the problem there, Rook?
ROOK: Someone's looking for a "P.W." in these mountains, but it's important that I find him first.
YETI: Oh yeah? wonder if they were looking for me. Guess I should introduce myself. Name's Paul. Paul Wisniewski.
(By the way, his name does appear as "Paul" above his speech boxes, but I put "Yeti" instead. To preserve the mystery a bit longer, y'know?)
ROOK: Seriously? You're a P.W.? Any idea what a man named Morcubus would want with you?
PAUL: Morcubus?! Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time...a long time.
ROOK: So you do know him!
PAUL: I think I used to work in his lab. It's fuzzy...I have trouble remembering my life before I was a yeti.
ROOK: You weren't always a yeti?! Wait, let's slow down...tell me what you can remember.
PAUL: I was...I was a lab assistant. Way back. I helped do research for Morcubus. One of our experiments was really important. There was...there was a crown. We made a crown. It had a special power that was going to change the world...
ROOK: What happened?
PAUL: There was an accident. The crown didn't do what it was supposed to do. It did terrible things! They called it...they called it... the Crown of Nightmares.
ROOK: Yikes. Where is this crown now?
PAUL: I don't know. There was a fight. They fought about what to do with the crown. Morcubus wanted to keep it, but the others—
ROOK: What others? Who?
PAUL: I...can't remember. The crown went away, but Morcubus didn't get it. He was so mad. And something bad happened to our lab. But...was it me? Did I do it? It's too hard to remember! I wandered for days... The next thing I know, I'm stumbling into this cave. But it's nice and cozy in here, so I don't mind. I mean, there's gotta be worse caves than this, right?
ROOK: Paul, you should really come down to the lodge. Everyone thinks you did something to Preston.
PAUL: The lodge? I don't know, man. Me and public places don't really mix so well.
ROOK: It'll be okay. We'll prove you didn't kidnap Preston, and then the agents down there can focus their search in the right places.
PAUL: Huh. Well, as long as you have my back, Rook. Heck, I could even help with the search. It can get cold out here!
ROOK: Thanks, Paul.
ROOK: I started for the entrance.
ROOK: It's starting to get dark already. I'll get a room at the lodge for the night. Come down tomorrow morning and I'll introduce you to everybody.
PAUL: Okay, if you think it will help!
ROOK: I left and went down to the lodge. Good thing I got those lifts working, huh? I got a room and slept like a log. The next morning, I waited with Evelyn out front. Then Buddy came out.
BUDDY: Morning, guys! Who wants pancakes?
ROOK: As good as that sounded, I knew we should wait.
ROOK: Maybe later, Buddy. We should be around when Paul gets here. We wouldn't want anybody to panic.
3...2...1...
NOVA: Oh NOOOOOOOO!!! EVERYBODY PANIC!
ROOK: Did...did you count the "o"s?
Yes. Yes I did.
ROOK: ...
BUDDY: Uh-oh.
ROOK: We rushed over to where Nova was standing by a smashed ski rack. Beebee and Agent Vic were nearby.
NOVA: Who did this to my lodge?! The ski racks, the trash cans...even the hot tub! Destroyed!!
AGENT VIC: Oh, wow, look at all this stuff! A yeti so did all this damage! Yeah, you'd have to be pretty strong to break this stuff. And everybody knows that yetis get all smashy when they're mad.
NOVA: No, I refuse to believe that.
ROOK: Agent Rosalyn approached with a boy, probably the missing Preston.
AGENT ROSALYN: Well, then you should probably listen to this.
PRESTON: I was attacked by a yeti! It was awful! I barely escaped with my life!
AGENT VIC: What?! Preston? Where was he?!
BEEBEE: PREZZY!!
ROOK: Beebee ran over to him.
AGENT ROSALYN: I found him lying in the snow in front of one of the ranger's stations.
BEEBEE: Oh! Oh, Preston, you're back! Oh, Prezzy-Wezzy, I was so worried!
PRESTON: Yeesh. Can we do this later, Beebee? I'm a little busy right now.
ROOK: She ran in place with excitement.
PRESTON: So anyway... there's a big, terrible yeti up in the mountains! He dragged me away yesterday, but I managed to get away when he wasn't looking.
NOVA: That's...that's...
AGENT VIC: AWESOME!! Hey, did you happen to get a sample of his fur or saliva?
EVELYN: This doesn't make any sense, Rook.
ROOK: Yeah, I didn't see Preston anywhere near Paul's cave yesterday...
PRESTON: This lodge is dangerous! You've got a yeti infestation! You should be shut down!
NOVA: Hmph. Yetis are the noble gentlemen of the north! If you made one mad, it must be because of something you did!
PRESTON: That beast almost tore me apart! He should be destroyed!
PAUL: Hey, guys! What are we talking about?
ROOK: All eyes turned to him.
PRESTON: ...what?
NOVA: He's beautiful!
BEEBEE: Eww! Somebody taze it!
ROOK: Nova approached Paul.
NOVA: Majestic creature, I bring you greetings! We are all your friends! You are welcome here!
ROOK: Which is, of course, how you greet a yeti who introduces himself by saying, "Hey guys! What are we talking about?" Then Agent Rosalyn came up, carrying handcuffs that are way too big for a Sim's wrists. For a Sim who didn't believe, she sure was prepared...
AGENT ROSALYN: Yeah, you're under arrest.
ROOK: She put the cuffs on him.
AGENT VIC: Hey, Rosalyn...c'mon!
ROOK: I really don't think that's necessary, agent.
AGENT ROSALYN: Well, I've got the key to the handcuffs right here when you can actually prove that this creature's safe.
NOVA: Please, Rook, you must rescue this beautiful beast!
PAUL: Wait, what just happened?
EVELYN: Rook, this is awful! I can't talk to Paul as long as he's in custody.
ROOK: Don't worry, Evelyn. We'll help him.
ROOK: I started with where I was. A quick sweep with the magnifying glass revealed two sets of yeti prints! Huh.
ELMIRA: This team you sent me is in adequate physical condition, but they certainly need to work on their posture. Hmph, I suppose it will have to do...
ROOK: Both sets came from the lift gates, and both went to the hot tub. However, while one set went straight there, the other made stops at the ski racks to wreck them. An examination of the hot tub revealed some water.
ROOK: Roxie, can you analyze this water? We might find some trace evidence.
ROXIE: I found traces of fur. Yeti fur, to be exact. Paul's yeti fur, to be overwhelmingly precise.
ROOK: Uh oh. I followed one of the pairs of tracks. It went by the trash cans.
ROGER: *huff puff* Whew! You know, nothing beats a good stack of books for weight-lifting exercises. Just remember to get a good grip, and lift with your legs!
ROOK: They continued to a pile of snow. I dug and found a broken baseball bat!
I hope you didn't get splinters from it.
ROOK: Well, I didn't, thanks. I decided to stop in at the lodge to ask a few questions.
ROOK: Have you ever seen a second yeti around?
NOVA: A second yeti? Heavens, no! Is there one?
ROOK: I'm beginning to suspect there's more yeti than meets the eye with this case.
NOVA: A second yeti! Imagine the possibilities! I could finally create the his-and-her "I'm With Yeti" clothing line I've been dreaming about!
ROOK: Let's not get carried away. I'm not sure about this other yeti yet. But hey, Nova, do you recognize this bat?
NOVA: Of course! Those are novelty baseball bats that we sell here to support our off-season minor league baseball team, the Yetis!
ROOK: Have you sold a bat like this to anyone recently?
NOVA: Hm....not that I can recall. But we sell lots of these bats, so I imagine anyone could have found a spare one somewhere on the mountain.
ROOK: Anyone? *sigh* I'll never find out who destroyed the hot tub.
NOVA: Oh, if they destroyed the hot tub, you can probably just review the security camera footage.
ROOK: What?! You have a security camera??
NOVA: Yes, it's up on the roof. I had it installed by SecureRoom last year, but they never taught me how to use it!
ROOK: Thanks, Nova. I'll check it out.
ROOK: Whoa. Good thing I didn't say "ski racks". I headed up to the roof and hacked the camera. The footage I saw showed someone destroying the hot tub, but it didn't look like Paul. It didn't sound like Paul, either.
ELMIRA: Hmph. Typical incompetence. One of your team members filed an icthyology book in the herpetology section of the library. Since when are fish considered reptiles?! I've banished your team to my barn out back, to feed the pigs.
ROOK: Roger, probably. She should've had him do the gruntwork while Travis did the smartwork. I went inside to talk to Preston.
ROOK: Any idea what happened to the lodge?
PRESTON: How would I know? I just got away from the yeti! I was in his cave all night and all day!
ROOK: Paul held you prisoner? In his cave?
PRESTON: Yeah! It was scary and empty and dark! He knocked me out and ripped my shirt!
ROOK: I was in the yeti's cave yesterday and I didn't see you anywhere.
PRESTON: Wait...what? You were in its cave? Maybe there are two yeti caves on the mountain!
ROOK: I only saw one. How did you escape?
PRESTON: The yeti tied me up, but when it went out sometime this morning I managed to loosen the ropes and run down the mountain.
ROOK: I have a few more questions for you. Your shirt looks fine now. Did you change?
PRESTON: Well, yeah! I wasn't going to show up looking like that! I stuffed the ripped shirt into my luggage before I ran out to warn everyone.
ROOK: Would you mind showing me the ripped shirt in your luggage? Just to confirm your story?
PRESTON: No! I don't have to show you anything! The yeti is the threat here, not me!
ROOK: Fine. I'll find out what happened without your help.
ROOK: Are you sure that Paul was the one who took you?
PRESTON: Yes! I'm certain! ...Why?
ROOK: Well, it now looks like there may be more than one yeti.
PRESTON: Multiple yetis! I knew it would take great forces to cause this kind of destruction to the lodge!
ROOK: Did you see any other yetis when Paul took you?
PRESTON: Yeah! Yeah! Now that I think of it, there were tons of yetis in that cave!
ROOK: Tons of yetis? I find that dubious. Thanks for your time.
ROOK: I figured I'd have to go through his bags myself. Upon doing so, I found an utter lack of ripped shirts, but one very interesting ledger. Turns out he's the CEO of a water bottling company! I'll have to ask about that.
TRAVIS: Being in this library totally reminds me of that one time I was in detention. At first I didn't know the other kids there, but then we all became friends and we played this great practical joke on the principal!
ROOK: A little bird told me that you're a water bottle mogul. Any comment?
PRESTON: Water bottles? Did you go through my luggage? How dare you!
ROOK: Hey, I'm just curious if what I heard was true.
PRESTON: What? Well, yeah! I do run a bottled water company. Who doesn't?
Your employees, people who are too busy getting rich from other industries, fire elementals...
ROOK: Thanks for your time.
ROOK: I went over and talked to Beebee.
ROOK: Beebee, do you know anything about Preston's water bottling company?
BEEBEE: Of course! Prestie's going to be a water bottle king! He's already started building his empire.
ROOK: An empire? Do you mean he already owns several factories?
BEEBEE: Yes, but he's looking to build one more right at the source! He wants to find a snow-capped mountain where clean water flows.
ROOK: Like...this place?
BEEBEE: Maybe? All I know is that Preston keeps all of his real estate paperwork in his car.
ROOK: Very interesting. And precise. Thank you, Beebee.''
ROOK: I'd have to check that out, but the mention of a "snow-capped mountain" reminded me that I should try to trace the prints back, if possible. Maybe I can determine which set goes back to Paul's cave. I should probably investigate there, as well, even if the prints don't lead back. I took the ski lift. There were no tracks on the other side. Too bad. I pressed on anyway.
(rimshot)
ROOK: I just got up the ladder when Elmira texted me again.
ELMIRA: Rook, I'm in a bit of a quandry. It's already two hours before dawn, and we still have to feed Pigglez and Porkz. But there are still ten thousand books that need stamping before the library opens. What shall I have your team do?
ROOK: I advised them to stamp books, and continued up to the cave. Once inside, I poked around. I saw a picture that I figured was a relative of P.W.'s, but then I realized for that to be true, his "turned into a yeti by the Crown of Nightmares" story wouldn't hold up. I filed it away mentally. There was a piece of cloth sticking out of a bookcase that turned out to be a bunny costume...? What the? "P.W." skis? What an active yeti! Very old school.
Yeah, I would've pegged him for snowboarding on a frozen leaf.
ROOK: ... Oh, but I did find a snowboard. I wonder what P.W. enjoys more; snowboarding or skiing? Most professionals prefer skis due to their precision control. I snagged a trophy from the recliner. Then there were the lawn ornaments. Flamingos? Here? Flamingos hate the cold. Good thing they're plastic. Nice coffee table gnome. The extreme cold must make it hard to keep garden gnomes here; I haven't seen a single garden.
ELMIRA: Phew! All ten thousand books done! So what if everyone has blisters on their hands? It builds character!
ROOK: I went back down the mountain and to the lot. I didn't know which car was Preston's, only that the jet wasn't it, heh. You know, a convertible really doesn't seem very practical in this type of weather.
ELMIRA: Well, I certainly had my doubts, but your team managed to complete their assignments without burning the library down. Hmph, I suppose miracles really do happen. Thank you, Rook.
ROOK: I went back and checked in with Jenny.
JENNY: Way to go! Your team helped clean a library. Doesn't sound terribly fun, but Elmira's now willing to work for us.
ELMIRA: Hmph. I am thoroughly unimpressed with the quality and size of this agency's library. You need to hire me. My formidable brain is like a living reference section.
1 Paranormal, 1 Nature, 3 Smarts.
(In addition, there are new overalls and skirts in the Derobeinator.)
- Missions
- Legendary Cheese
- Morcu Corp Stakeout
- The Sadness Parade (on hold, waiting for Poppy's sister)
- Recruits and Recruitables
- Elmira (New!)
- Leaf
- Roger
- Travis
- Pinky
Next time: Rook continues checking out cars!
