Cafe and Diner - User contributions [en]

Case 10: In Many Times and Many Places

2026-06-04T00:12:40Z

SpareAccount1:

<div class="cdn-archive-page">

<div class="cdn-archive-hero">

<div class="cdn-archive-label">CASE NO. 10</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-title">In Many Times and Many Places</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-subtitle">"It is once again with some… mixed grief… I write this receipt. -The Auditor, CAD-15"</div>

</div>

<div class="cdn-divider"></div>

<div class="cdn-section-heading">Receipts</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CAD-12">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CAD-12</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE JANUARY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CAD-12'''

It is with some great pleasure that I begin this receipt. After quite a few long nights I can proudly announce that CaDence and I's secret OPERATION: ENCORE has concluded. What is ENCORE? Well, it has been weighing on my mind recently that so much of who we are and what we do is tied up in who we were and what we did. CaDence has access to that data, data that should be, mind you, off limits. However, due to the unique nature of CaDence's creation that data can still be freely shared—to an extent.

The limitation of this project is… abstract. In essence, CaDence has just over 20,000 or so receipts from, let's call it… "a past." Of those 20,000 receipts only about 2,000 or so are "cleared for release," in a… again, abstract cosmic sense. And releasing all 2,000 receipts would likely take months of work and, I'll be honest, a lot of it is… "fluff." Fluff in the sense that those Cafes of yesteryear were working on many cases that have little relevance to today. So, CaDence and I further narrowed down what needed to be re-released to just 276 core receipts.

As the Cafe and Diner Network has largely moved away from much of the old "cafe speak," we've also done what we can to lightly edit these receipts to be easier to read. I can't promise that we got every little detail, but for the most part, names should be unredacted and customer names should be clear more often than not. Still, there is some context missing here and there, but these 276 receipts should get most up to speed on what the Cafe and Diner was and lend some context to what we are doing now. Now, to address the elephant in the room—OPERATION: ENCORE is not for the benefit of the actual employees of the Cafe and Diner. Those who know, know. Those who don't… Why bother them with a past that is no longer theirs? ENCORE is specifically for our strange intersphereoid patrons who seem to keep up with our unique brew of madness.

<center><b>As for the Master Password:</b> I did not want it to be too challenging, as this is my gift to all of you. It is, was, and perhaps forever will be the Cafe and Diner's singular, central, number.</center>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-MIR-01">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-MIR-01</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"It's all Greek to me: To Go with Speed and Love."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Chemistry Trivia | 1 Word [**********]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Speed and Love, huh? Any Greek mythology fans in the house?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">So Apollo and Aphrodite has a son. Or is it a daughter?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">An ion that exhibits both negative and positive charge.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Zwitterion</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">To go with Speed references Hermes, the god of speed, while love references Aphrodite, the god of love. One of their children is called Hermaphroditus, who represents intersex people. The ion that exhibit this neutrality by having both negative and positive charge is called Zwitterion, after the German "Zwitter", meaning hermaphrodite.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: ARTHUR CROW'''<br>
'''CAFE: CORE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY JANUARY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-MIR-01'''

What a strange project our demonic sponsor has me working on. Seven semi-biological vessels. Currently they are formless globs of protomatter harvested from the fields of Eden. He has not given me the specifics of why, only the specifications he is after. One would think the Prince of Creation would not need a human hand in, well, creating. But I suppose the rules tend to bend between the Flipside and Otherside. In Eden, Astaroth is ruler of all, but in the Flipside his magic can only stretch so far. If I had to hazard a guess… These bio vessels could be used to store the identity of another person, or perhaps a demon.

Now, not to be alarmist… but seven vessels… seven siblings… seven Princes. Of course, excluding the twins of Creation and Destruction. I worry that Astaroth foresees the imminent destruction of his elder siblings and is seeking to create some facsimile of them to keep the cosmic order churning. Would that even work? My craftsmanship is good, yes, but not to the level of recreating the Princes of Hell. And if these are not to be used to create seven fake Princes of Hell… then… what?

I suppose, another hypothesis I have is that they could be used to create copies of the owners of the Cafe and Diner. Except… we have more than seven of those. Bloodglass, Midnight, and Testament all have co-owners. I suppose you could theoretically dwindle it down to the most important… but that seems unnecessarily cruel. Hm… what else comes in sevens… I'm really racking my brain over this. Oh, if only Astaroth or Jack would fill us lowly rank and file in on their many machinations. Then again, I suppose that would ruin the fun of it, wouldn't it?
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-MIR-02">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-MIR-02</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"C. Bucket, A. Maitland, M. Frost"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Sci-Fi Trivia | 3 Words [******** **** **]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Who are these people?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text"><b>Charlie</b> Bucket from <i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i>, <b>Adam</b> Maitland from <i>Beetlejuice</i>, and <b>Miranda</b> Frost from <i>Die Another Day</i>.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Charlie, Adam and Miranda are the main characters in this book.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Machines Like Me</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Each of the initials represent a different person, <b>Charlie</b> Bucket from <i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i>, <b>Adam</b> Maitland from <i>Beetlejuice</i>, and <b>Miranda</b> Frost from <i>Die Another Day</i>. Afterwards, searching them together yields a book. Charlie, Adam and Miranda are characters in a sci-fi book called Machines Like Me, an android named Adam and its/his relationship with its/his owners, Charlie and Miranda.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: SALENNA WHITAKER'''<br>
'''CAFE: CORE'''<br>
'''DATE: MID JANUARY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-MIR-02'''

What the hell does Jack's keeper have us working on now? What the hell are these weird flesh sacks that Arthur made? And why in the everloving hell do they need me to hook them up with Othertech circuitry? How am I supposed to do a half-decent job if I don't even know what the end goal is? Ugh. Whatever. Astaroth says jump and we ask how high. And I guess I can't complain about the supplies he's given me for this task. There's more than enough Othertech here to complete whatever this project is and then some. Sure, it's like a bribe, but I'm not below being bribed.

As for "Project Miracle," as it has been dubbed… Astaroth got a bunch of Protomatter goo from Eden's core. Then Arthur shaped it into sort of… mm… pillars, I suppose. And obviously he did more than just shape it like clay but whatever weird science stuff he did to it is way over my head. I know he anointed them with various bloods and sanctified them with some sort of salt stuff. And now, Astaroth wants me to run Morningstarian filament and wiring through each one. If I didn't know better I'd say that the structure is almost like a human circulatory system. Which… concerns me. But, again, free stuff is free stuff and I get to keep whatever isn't needed.

What's really bugging me is I won't know if I've done it right or not. I have no tests to run, no power source to check, nothing. Nada. I guess CaDence is supposed to handle that aspect of whatever this is. But what if it doesn't work? What then? I hate working in the dark like this. What is so damn secret that we can't be fully clued in? Usually Jack'll slip us some info, but he's been completely silent lately.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-MIR-03">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-MIR-03</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"1:4:9."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Movie Trivia | 4 Words [****: * ***** *******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">That's a ratio. But of what?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">A monolith, you say?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Kubrick and Clarke co-wrote the script for this movie.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">2001: A Space Odyssey</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">In 2001: A Space Odyssey, monoliths are machines in black cuboids whose sides extend in the precise ratio of 1 : 4 : 9 built by an unseen extraterrestrial species.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: SETH WARREN'''<br>
'''CAFE: CORE'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE JANUARY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-MIR-03'''

Anyone care to guess how I factor into this mysterious "Project: Miracle?" Did you guess warping my ass around to each and every Cafe from Alaska to Florida? If so, you won! Y'know, sometimes I really hate this gift of mine. On paper, you'd think it'd be really cool to be able to warp through space and appear anywhere you want. In actuality it just means doing a shit ton of grunt work. Warp here. Warp there. No, no, warp back here and then warp there again. Blegh.

On the bright side, warping whatever these pillars are was a lot easier than warping people around. Plus I got to check in with all my various Cafe cohorts! Jenny over at Bloodglass, Julius over at Midnight, Ichy over at Requiem, Dan, Brent and Miranda over at Silenus, and honestly the whole wild Testament Crew. I still don't know anyone too well at Sunshine though so that was just a quick stop and for whatever reason John Doe only ever looks at me like I shot his puppy or something, so quick in and out over at Tesseract. He's such a weird guy.

But, all said and done, each Cafe now has a weird pillar of goo and circuits. Why? Heaven knows. Er, well, Astaroth knows. Jack too, probably. I know there's been a lot of guesses around lately. Abby thinks it's some sort of weapon. Could be. Sahir is convinced it has to do with extending the CaDCom's range—that could explain why CaDence was doing the final once over. Arthur still thinks they'll be used to make some kind of weird fake homunculus replacements of people. Sarah won't even share her theories yet, not enough evidence I suppose. As for what I think they are used for? We—ll— I mean, kinda strange we didn't get to keep one, right? So my big guess is Jack is gonna use 'em to mind control the other branches or something crazy like that.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-CAD-13">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-CAD-13</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"y=2(x-1) \ y=-2x+8 \ y=-4x+26 \ y=4x-26 \ x=10 \ x=13 \ x=16"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Math Trivia || 1 Word [********]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Take out your graphing paper.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">What does it read there?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">XVIII?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Eighteen</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">If you take all the equations, and map them out on a graph, it will show XVIII, which is Eighteen.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JACK KEEL'''<br>
'''CAFE: CORE'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE JANUARY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-CAD-13'''

Not much of a secret these days but there are a few of us who "remember," even without the aid of A's ENCORE. Though, funny enough, I'm not actually one of them. I wasn't really all there for the 16th and by the time I was really waking back up to things my so-called friend literally stabbed me in the back. Don't remember a lick of the 17th, but Astaroth has filled me in alongside CaDence. Which just leaves Alex, Daichi, and Alaric as those who I know remember something of their past lives. So, figured I should make sure we're all on the same page about it.

<div class="cdn-transcript">
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Welcome, welcome, my dear friends of the past.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Daichi</div>
<div class="cdn-line">What's so important you had to drag Alaric and I from Florida? And what's Alex doing here?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I was invited, Mr. Snake. Same reason you two were, and Auddy and CaDence. We all know what happened in the past, isn't that right, Jack?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Bingo.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Hey—Phrasing.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Jack playfully threw his hands up, as if to say "you've caught me."]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Daichi</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Okay, so what's the Auditor doing here? Are we trying to catch them up to speed on our old affairs now too?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I suspect they already know, seeing as they are the reincarnation of the original Shaka.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Daichi</div>
<div class="cdn-line">WHAT?! No way—how? Shaka killed himself to destroy Fate.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And that worked so very well, didn't it?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Daichi</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No shit. You're really him, aren't you? And for that matter…</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Daichi pointed his tail at Alex.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Daichi</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I thought you were supposed to be Shaka. Or Indrid. Or… what the hell?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Don't even get me started.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Daichi</div>
<div class="cdn-line">So, are you immortal now too? Or—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Hard to say… probably not as immortal as any one else is… but, you'd know as well as the rest of us Daichi, we're all stupidly "fated" to persist. Universe after Universe. Every member of the Cafe and Diner. If any one of us died today we'd be back tomorrow in another Universe regardless.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Very philosophically put, man. Anyway—I called you all here because A and CaDence are planning on re-releasing some of the old 16th Universe's receipts.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Won't that be dangerous? Fate, Phantom, Wicked… Secret. They've all come back, to an extent, because they conceptualized themselves beyond death. I can think of another who tried to do the same and—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">We removed any mention of him. He is, was, and will remain a no one. A foolish mortal who overreached.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Daichi</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…and refusing to use his name doesn't "conceptualize," him?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No more than his three daughters do.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I suppose. But, why call us here?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I just wanted to give you three heads up, that's all. Also to confirm that you all still do remember what happened. I don't, for the record. I mean, I've picked up bits and pieces from CaDence, but I'm nothing like you guys.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Daichi</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Well… I remember, in so much that I have vague memories of every Universe. But I wouldn't say I have the sharpest memory out there.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">As the Guardian Angel of the Cafe and Diner, I remember only what pertains to the establishments. Nothing outside of that.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Same as me.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I remember more of the 17th than I do the 16th. But, I mean, as a once-Shaka I did my homework on the 16th too and it feels like a far off memory for me.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">So, I'm the only one who remembers it all then? Except for the 17th.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Seems like it. Which is exactly why I wanted you as the Cafe's Auditor. Speaking of which… I wanted to discuss something with you a bit more privately…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">In the Diner Diner?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Daichi</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You still use Diner Diner?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It serves its purpose.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Daichi</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Ugh. Wayyy over my head. Come on Angel. Let's get back to Florida.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Daichi and Alaric left my transcription range.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You gonna kick me out too?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">They politely left.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I'm comfortable here.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Alex…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">What happened to the new transparent you? I thought—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Well—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Look—I don't care if you know Alex. I understand you have had quite the history with the Auditor. With Shaka.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Jack shut the door to his office. From behind his desk a pool of vivid light blossomed and out stepped Astaroth, the Demon Prince of Creation.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Ah—shit. Asta.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Astaroth</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Shaka.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Formerly.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Astaroth</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Well then, let's move to a more private channel, so we can discuss what made Shaka, Shaka.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="DD-CAD-14">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">DD-CAD-14</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"???"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">???</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Let's read CAD-12 and CAD-13 really quick.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">What makes Shaka, Shaka?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">If nothing else, it's a nice read through Operation Encore. File 257 should be alright for this purpose.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Seven Miracles</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">In CAD-12, Auditor states the phrase “data, data”. Additionally, in CD-CAD-13, Astaroth says “Well then, let's move to a more private channel, so we can discuss what made Shaka, Shaka.” In RE:CORE-257, Shaka says that what made him Shaka was the Seven Miracles.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: CADENCE IRONFRADE'''<br>
'''CAFE: CORE'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE JANUARY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: DD-CAD-14'''

Jack and Astaroth haven't exactly been happy with the Auditor's ability to only be in one place at a time. There are eight Cafes now, and only one Auditor. Luckily, Astaroth is the Prince of Creation and anything he dreams can be. While the Auditor and I were busy working on the past, it seems that Jack and Astaroth were planning for the future. …I just hope this plan works.

<div class="cdn-transcript">
<div class="cdn-speaker">Astaroth</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Channel secured, Sunshine?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yes.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Astaroth</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Fantastic.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Astaroth slapped Alex across the face. Hard.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Fuck!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Astaroth</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You deserved it. Traitor.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Former traitor! Geez! I—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I suspect Alex did what a Shaka needed to do.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Astaroth</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And good riddance to the concept of Shaka. No offense, Auditor.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">None taken. Shaka was a dangerous element in the Universal Order. No man nor woman should be burdened with the Seven Miracles.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…Yeah… So, uh, Asta… mind telling the Auditor what he's won?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Astaroth</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Jack wants to give you back a Miracle.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Absolutely not.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Hang on, hang on, hang on—A, it's not like that—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I knew you'd find a way to bring them back. To make me "useful," to the cursed mantle of this hellish establishment. No. I won't.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It's really not like that, man. It just—you're stretched thin. It's not a Miracle, Miracle. Not with a capital M. It's just a… y'know… it's a feather in your cap. A trick. A gift of Creation.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I will not be beholdened to anyone, man, Prince, or God. Not again.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Astaroth</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It comes without strings. Other than that I see it as a boon to the Cafe and Diner Network to have a well functioning Auditor.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">If the Auditor doesn't want it, I'll take it.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Astaroth glared at Alex with a hatred that transcends the prior Universe.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…Or not. Which Miracle are you trying to restore, anyway?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Bilocation.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No… I can't. I shouldn't. No one should ever use the Miracles—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">But it's not really a Miracle. It's a trick. It's nowhere near as strong as your old powers. In fact, it would really only let you split yourself into eight separate locations. And even then you aren't truly in two places at once… you'd only ever be in one place while your doubles would be in theirs. You wouldn't share a mind, except through CaDence. It's like, uh… like…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Robert the Doll's power?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Eh—kinda. Yeah. Asta made seven vessels that can mimic a person. We already have them set up in each Cafe, currently inactive. We need someone to "control" them, and then receive their information and direct them through CaDence's link. So, bilocation without all the cosmic rule breaking.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…I see. That would help me conduct my business. No more bouncing around.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">That's what I was thinking. And, hey, maybe you wouldn't have to be from a "none" Cafe. You could rightfully be from "all." You've been there from the beginning, after all.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Alright. I'll do it.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CAD-15">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CAD-15</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: ALL'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE JANUARY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CAD-15'''

It is once again with some… mixed grief… I write this receipt. It would seem Jack no longer wants me to be a stateless representative of the Cafe and Diner Network, instead he wants me to be a member—a full member—of each and every Cafe and Diner. On paper, this is more or less a symbolic change. I will still visit each Cafe and Diner and help as much as I am able to in their various Operations. Though, I suppose what Jack really wants is for me to be more hands on. Less of a passing figure chastising the various Cafes for their shortcomings and more so an active participant in our collective shortcomings.

This also presents an opportunity to change how the public repository functions. While I have enjoyed jumping around from Cafe to Cafe, I think it would be more fruitful if I were to stay focused on just one Cafe at a time, until that Cafe's current business is sorted out. As such I will be grouping the Cases into nice, neat Sections, and this receipt will cap off the end of Section 1. I've also gone through and added fun little names to each case, for the sake of aesthetics.

Starting soon, I'll be heading off to join the Midnight Cafe in full to help them deal with their rather "giant" issue. This will be chronicled in Section 2: Vernal Eternal. After that is sorted, who knows where I'll be off to next, though I suspect what lurks under Pontchartrain's surface can scarcely wait much longer. Something you might pick up on though, moving forward, is this nagging sense that chronologically things just don't quite line up. How could I be working at Midnight, Requiem, Bloodglass, etc. all during the same few months? To that I say, why worry about it? The date field in the header is a rough approximation at best, and better to keep it that way.

As for future Case Files, CaDence and I are working on Case File No. 1… though it is impossible to say when or if that will see the light of day.
</div>
</div>

</div>

Case 9: Inventory Night at Testament

2026-06-03T23:55:27Z

SpareAccount1:

<div class="cdn-archive-page">

<div class="cdn-archive-hero">

<div class="cdn-archive-label">CASE NO. 9</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-title">Inventory Night At Testament</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-subtitle">"Well—uh, I was thinking we could circle back to the pain point of the price. -Dover, C-DBB-146"</div>

</div>

<div class="cdn-divider"></div>

<div class="cdn-section-heading">Receipts</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card stamp-parent" id="INT-01">
<div class="stamp-image">
[[File:AsHumanAsItGets.png|260px]]
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">INT-01</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: INT-01'''

While I was out and about checking up on the various branches, I figured my first stop should be at Testament. For those unaware, Testament, the second-newest branch of the Cafe and Diner Network, has somehow already managed to rack up a truly staggering amount of debt, far exceeding the operating costs of even the most established Cafes. Ironic, seeing as they guard the Ledger of Fate… Though, they should then very well know that nothing is ever free. I suggested that Jack should force Testament to return the money they have squandered on… shall I say… "Less than legitimate" business. Jack had another idea.

Inventory duty.

As the Cafe and Diner Network has been in operation for at least twenty years now, they have managed to acquire quite the stash of powerful, rare, and unique equipment of the Coffee Trade. In the past, when a rare object was found, stolen, bought, or taken in the name of the Cafe and Diner, it was stashed away in the vaults of the Core Cafe and Diner in Long Beach. It has become impossible to say what we have, what still works, and what simply no longer sparks joy. So, since the fallout of Testament's most egregious misuse of company funds, the contents of the vault have been relocated to an undisclosed location adjacent to Testament, and in the process, they have been tasked with noting what it is we actually have.

If their receipts are accurate, they have inventoried roughly 96% of the Cafe and Diner Network's current holdings. I would like to double-check this for accuracy. Not to say that I do not trust Testament (though I truly don't), but I am also curious about what exactly it is we have… and what still remains unaccounted for. If I am to be the Cafe and Diner's Auditor, I must know what exactly we have to work with.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-INT-02">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-INT-02</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Ke2?, Brutus?"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Internet Trivia | 2 Words [********* *******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Let's start with 1. e4.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">The most common answer is 1... e5.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Then this stroke of madness, 2. Ke2?? This is called...</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Bongcloud Opening</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Ke2, a rather questionable move, is also known as the Bongcloud Opening.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: AMBER INGRAM'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-INT-02'''

I. Am. So. Tired. Of. Stupid. Inventory. Duty.

Why, oh why, did the other Cafes not just keep track of all the stuff they got as they got it? At least we're down to the final box and I took the object that looked least likely to maim or harm me; a shiny gold medallion with the sigil of the Morningstar on it. Usually, typically, under the most common circumstances… Morningstar is the least dangerous Plane of the Otherside. Er, well, they're all dangerous compared to the Flipside. But Morningstar and the Skalds tend to be fairly chill. Mammon has already squirreled anything from Infernus back into his domain. Mayda stuff ends up trying to drown or curse you. And most stuff from the Necropolis smells like mothballs and probably also wants you dead. Morningstar though? Sunshine and glitter for the most part.

Which, brings me to object #9396: An Auroric Prayer Medallion. It is small, round (naturally), and made from a gold-like medal. Mammon says it's likely Auroric Gold which… yeah, duh. There are a few different types of gold in the Otherside, but… I would dare to guess that the Auroric Prayer Medallion is indeed made of Auroric Gold. As far as special properties go? None that I can ascertain or access. I'm no Morningstarian Demon, for one. And even if I were, mama would not be a priest of Aurora. I've been doing some research into it though, and I guess these are primarily used to open secret passageways in the ziggurat temples of Aurora, and for that reason, it is very much worth keeping.

With Lady Lucifer now on our side, we probably wouldn't necessarily need to sneak around Morningstar without permission… but, you never know! Plus, and I'm not outright suggesting we do this, but, we could, of course… sell the Medallion to a demon or the like who would need to sneak around Aurora. It'd probably fetch us a pretty decent price! As for when and where we actually got this from… mmm… hard to say. The Cafe and Diner has typically left Morningstar alone, up until Lucifer wanted to get her crotch goblin a job… so… I'm gonna go ahead and say we got this during Midnight's Operation: Conjuring Congeries. They must've picked it up in the Black Bazaar along with like half of our other junk.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-INT-03">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-INT-03</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"June is the cruelest month, viciously alongside…"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Board Game Trivia | 2 Words [******* *****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">When is June in the year?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">What's the board game? It has Vicious in the name.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">The 2023 expansion is Cruel Summers and...</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Noxious Weeds</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The game that is described is Vicious Gardens, which has a Kickstarter. There is an expansion called Cruel Summers and Noxious Weeds, released in 2023. Since the clue has cruelest and June is Summer, the other part is Noxious Weeds.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: DOVER D. DEMON'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-INT-03'''

Wow, wow, wow… Now how the hell did we end up with one of these? A Mask of Secrets from Prespheric Eden. W———ow. I mean, it's not like it's one of a kind, but still… crazy that we even have one and it was just lying around in a box. From what I've been able to gather from Mammon and Daichi, there were, at one point, at least a hundred of these things hung up on Eve's wall back in Eden. Of course, most did not survive the Fall, but the design and materials are Archonic, so… they have a degree of "cataclysm proofing" built in.

It was said that the Archon Secret would wear a different mask every day. Each mask a different lie and different life. See, Secret didn't exactly stay put in Eden. He roamed all about the fledgling Universe, making multiple stops in Skald and Arcadia as well. In Skald he attempted to sway King Abraxas and in Arcadia he led many mortals astray toward his Cold aims. Or… something like that. As for what the Mask actually does… Not much. It's a mask. If it had magical properties they either died out long, long ago or only Secret was able to access them. Still, a really, really cool collectors piece!

You know, it's funny, actually. The design of the mask is so… familiar. But I just can't put my finger on where I've seen it before. Hm… It's like when I look at the Mask I'm seeing an old friend… or perhaps… an old foe. I see in it something dark and evil… a Secret… or maybe it's ill-intent personified… a—oh, wait, haha nevermind! I think it's just cuz it looks like the mask worn by the Masked Magician from that one show, uhh… Breaking the Magician's Code! Yeah! That's totally it. It looks so similar to Val Valentino's mask, that's crazy!
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-INT-04">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-INT-04</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"A Universal Curtain for Woody's friend Andy."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Cartoon Trivia | 3 Words [*** ***** ****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">If you're thinking Toy Story, you're already in the wrong house.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">A Woodpecker and a Panda walked into a Studio.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">The Panda walked out with the Artists, but not after one last car-tune. What's that car-tune?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">The Wacky Weed</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Andy Panda and Woody Woodpecker are character friends at Universal, and frequently depicted in each other’s car-tunes. This is the last one made by Universal Studio, before they handed Andy Panda over to United Artists.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: SIMON WRIGHT'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-INT-04'''

Unfair! Totally wildly unfair! Amber, Dover, and Jahzeel swoop in and grab single trinkets and I'm stuck putting away not one, not two, but five things. FIVE! Ugh.

Objects #9398-9402: Five of the Nine Sections of the Unholy Spear of Destiny. Tesseract must've picked these up in one of their crazy time travel adventures. As far as we're aware, our timeline never had a "Spear of Destiny," let alone an Unholy one. Like the myth, this Spear was used to kill a god of men, or a god in a man? Or… well, a human effigy of divinity, but again, not of our timeline so… I can't really pin who exactly this spear killed. What I do know is that the Spear, while segmented, is a package deal. Even though it's not from "here," it is all here. We just don't know where the other four sections are… And for the best, honestly.

From what John Doe and Co. found out about it, the man-god that this spear killed was uh… genocidal, to put it mildly. This spear was, at one point, capable of splitting atoms at will. Meaning he was able to slice and dice nukes out of thin air and I guess it was the only thing that was able to kill him in the end. The force of his destruction and the severing of his connection to divinity also broke the Spear into nine sections of which the alternate timeline Flipside fought over for centuries… or something like that. Doesn't really matter now cuz Tesseract blew that timeline up along with countless others during Operation: Becoming Dragons.

But even blowing it up didn't destroy the Unholy Spear still charged with raw godhood. As for where I think the rest of the Spear is… well, my guess would be… one piece in the Otherside, one piece in the Topside, one piece in Eden, and one piece… somewhere else? Where else? I don't know and I don't wanna know. Let it be lost. As I see it: we control the majority of this mega doomsday weapon and that's good enough for me. I'd rather us not even know where the other sections are cuz then it can't be used against us.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-INT-05">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-INT-05</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"A man died from the bong waters, because they were made bitter."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">True Crime Trivia | 2 Words [***** *****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Must have been a revelation to the man when he drank his bitter waters.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Have you seen Wormwood?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Took a tumble out the window from the 10th floor, hadn't you, sonny?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Frank Olson</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The clue is a paraphrasing of Revelation 8:11, the arrival of the star Wormwood. This line is part of the inspiration to make a six-episode docudrama series, focusing on the death of Frank Olson by falling out of his room’s window at Hotel Statler in 1953.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JAHZEEL JONES'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-INT-05'''

Simon needs to shut his ass up. Easy? You wanna talk about easy? Easy is putting away five little metal rods that don't do anything unless you get all nine of them together. I'd love to see Simon try and contain a cracked Fogjewel from the damn Creaking. 'Course knowing him, he'd just magic it all away. I've had to open every window, run three fans, and flap my arms up and down like a damn 'tic to try and keep my office from being filled with Maydian fog. Why'd we even take this thing anyway? Not, we, of course—why'd Req' take this cracked piece of shit? What could it possibly be used for?

Well—a diversion, I guess. If we were ever being swarmed by 'mons or 'tids I guess we could throw this thing down and fill the whole room up with fog. But… then how would we see? Funny thing is, at some point, this Fogjewel's gotta run out of, well, fog. These Maydian wonders don't magic up fog out of nowhere, when they are working as intended they actually suck the fog up to keep the skies and seas clear. 'Course, when one gets a crack like this one does… woosh… all the fog it sucked up seeps out. So, scratch this being useful for a diversion if we don't know how long it'll leak fog for anyhow.

I don't even know how I got the damn thing leakin' in the first place. I'll fess up, I did totally grab the smallest looking trinket to try and get this work over with, but to be fair, who ran inventory for Objects #3000-4000? That's right. Just me. So I wanted something easy to do, something quick, but damn… Fate doesn't play with me like that, does it? I've tried everything to get this jewel back to its inert state. Tried rubbing it, shaking it, stroking it, sweet talking it… all the components of a very good night, right? But still, the thing is just foggin' it up. Once it stops—or slows—I'll put it away.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-INT-06">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-INT-06</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Make 'em half, make 'em half! Don't you know ev'ry one wants a half?"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Vaudeville Trivia | 3 Words [***** **** *****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Half? What half?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Oh, you mean laugh? "Make 'em laugh, make 'em laugh! Don't you know ev'ryone wants a laugh?"</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Right, and the song is written by a duo. So whose name is it?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Nacio Herb Brown</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Ignoring “half” for a moment, the clue is word-for-word the chorus of “Make ‘em Laugh” from Singin’ in the Rain. It was written by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JETHRO & LAZARUS LANGLEY'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-INT-06'''

Very, very fancy! A thrice-folded ancient ring of sleepless dreams from the Crags of Paramnesia in the Morningstar. Three rings held together by magic alone. One for the waking world, one for the sleeping world, and one for the realm between. Object #9404.

It's a looker, that's for sure. It'd make any neophyte to the Astral Plane thrice as powerful within it and, more excitingly, it lets one dream while awake. It'd fetch us a lovely price on the black market—

Which one?

Ah—I keep forgetting we shut down the Black Bazaar! Or, well, Midnight did anyway. Which is where I assume they picked this trinket up. On the one hand, Herbert White was by all accounts a megalomaniac mad car salesman and everything he ever sold came with a horrible, terrible, ironic curse. But on the other…

The deals! The bargains! The haggles! The—agh! ALEXANDRIA BURNED TWICE AND WE WERE NOT THERE FOR THE FINAL FIRE SALE! WE COULD'VE SAVED A FORTUNE AND MADE A MINT!

…On the third hand though, his merchandise was all EXTREMELY cursed to hell and back. It was his gimmick afterall. Which is why I would not even dare to put this ring on. If it was from Herbet White's market it is cursed.

I would put it on.

You wouldn't.

Why not?

You shouldn't.

If we were to, perchance, pocket this ring to resell it at a sizable boon to the Cafe and Diner (finders fee to us, naturally)… we would have to be certain that it works. We must pay off the marvelous Mr. Jack Keel somehow…

You couldn't.

Ah—but I fear not waking nightmares, dear brother. I fear only missing out on a good time! Dream babes, here I come!

And he's done it. Placed the ring on and gone completely and utterly comatose. Well, it's cursed alright. I've had Alex take a look at him and he claims it is likely cursed in a way similar to a plant called ater clementia, which I have never heard of… but apparently it is a parasitic plant that shows you your greatest desires. So… Now we need only figure out a way to release my brother from his undoubtedly debaucherous paradise… Hm… No idea how to do that. But once that's sorted we'll put the ring away somewhere safe. Can't really get a good price out of a cursed object, can we?
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-INT-07">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-INT-07</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"0, 201, 0 through 0, 240, 0."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Folk Music Trivia | 4 Words [***** ****** ** *****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What does the middle number mean in RGB?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">How many are there?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Sung by a man whose name is a type of green.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Forty Shades Of Green</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The clue is referring to colour codes, where there is a total of 40 Shades of green, which is also a Johnny Cash song.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: MELODY ROSE'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-INT-07'''

How in the heck did I end up with the Five Skulls of Energy, Omens, Wizardy, Decay, and Terror? I don't know if you've all seen me… but do I scream… any of that? Even Energy I'm not too fond of. Where did the Cafe and Diner even get these from? Checking back through the logs (and with a lot of assistance from CaDence!) we think these came from the original Bloodglass staff, back during the Pandemonium Crisis or maybeeee the Rogue Prophet Operations. From what CaDence told me, the old Bloodglass crew never really, uhm, "kept in touch," with the other branches, so it's not so terribly surprising that someone from that staff got their hands on the Five Skulls and just never brought it up.

They once belonged to a very powerful Naga and each skull grants the power of what it says it does: energy, omens, wizardry, decay, and terror. Energy is straightforward enough. When holding that skull one can push and pull things telepathically. The skull doesn't create energy though, only displaces its own energy, so it wouldn't be much good for making a generator or the like as each skull really only has about an hour's worth of power before needing to be recharged. Decay is also clear, point the skull toward something and it'll rot away. Terror, also well named, as it can induce incredible fear in those it's pointed at.

It's really just "wizardy" and "omens" that has me scratching my head. I think it must be a mistranslation or something along those lines because "wizardy" is really just, like, electricity powers. Point the skull and it shoots an arc of electricity. Which… I guess that could be seen as "wizardy," to some. And "omens" should probably be called "astral," as it can put things into the Astral Plane or take them out… which… hey!!! That gives me an idea! I think I know how to free our stuck Langley!

Or, well, I can't make it any worse!
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-INT-08">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-INT-08</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Hellblazer #"40"… or was it in the Ennis run? Maybe I've got it mixed up thanks to Swamp Thing's gift… Either way, it's a theme, isn't it?"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Comic Book Trivia | 1 Word [*********]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">#40, huh? Are you sure? Garth Ennis didn't do that one.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Maybe look at #61 instead. That'd be a Garth Ennis one.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Smoke a bit of this, get high.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Marijuana</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">In Hellblazer #61, titled “Forty”, John Constantine attends his 40th birthday, and Swamp Thing, one of the guests, grows MJ for all of them to use.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: ALEX GÁLVEZ'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-INT-08'''

We—ll that takes care of that! Every bit and bob from over 50 successful Cafe and Diner operations squared away. Ok, well, more or less successful. Usually. There used to be a term for what we did… Falling just short of success… Mm… Failure. Failure! That's it. 50 "successful" Cafe and Diner operations minus all of the horrible failures. 9,409 Objects in all.

9,410 actually!

There was one last trinket at the very bottom of the last box. A small cylinder, about the size of a human palm, with a little button on top, kinda like a detonator. The button has an eerie green glow to it despite no obvious power source. Very strange. One could certainly press the button to find out what it does… But… What if it DOES blow something up? What if it does something even more cataclysmic! Think of the horror! Think of the continued failure of the Cafe and Diner Network! And for that reason, I think it would be best if I just hold onto this strange little "buzzer" and keep it safe myself. I know, I know, most if not all of the Cafe's stuff is supposed to be locked away in the Monometallium Vaults of our magnificent benefactor, Mammon. But this? It's a piece of junk.

I doubt it even works, and if it does work, what would it even do? Summon some cosmic horror game show host to introduce untold variables of chaos as he makes us compete in maddening mental challenges in an effort to win some sort of illicitly gained item of immense ill-intent, a cosmic MacGuffin which would easily turn the tides for whoever wins the prize but, of course, this mad cosmic god allows all to play his game and thus often whatever advantage we might earn could also be earned by our very own foes, thus raising the stakes immeasurably and—ah, shit, sorry, I'm just rambling again. That's crazy, right? Why would a harmless little buzzer ever do something like that?

Piece of junk.

So, I'll hold onto it.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-DBB-146">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-DBB-146</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"I'm not one to toot my own trumpet, hellish or otherwise."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Art Trivia || 2 Words [****** ****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">A hellish trumpet? Must be the devil's.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">The devil's trumpet, aka...</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Georgia O'Keeffe loved it.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Jimson Weed</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The clue is pointing towards the devil's trumpet which refers to a famous painting called the Jimson Weed, which was done by Georgia O’Keeffe.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-DBB-146'''

I almost regret asking at all.

I suppose, for now, the Big Bong case can be put to rest. At least I finally figured it out, despite the utter chaos of our meeting. They were hoping to utilize the Big Bong in an effort to restore Warden to Victoria. A foolish endeavor made so much worse by the extravagance of Mammon. I suppose… it is to be expected of the Testament branch. Regardless, I need to start heading back to Tesseract. They are likely almost done with their time travelling nonsense.

<div class="cdn-transcript">
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I wanted to meet with you all to both congratulate you on finishing your inventory duty and to discuss what landed you here in the first place.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jahzeel</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Big Bong.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dover</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Da Biggest Bong.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Melody</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It was the Big Bong, wasn't it?</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[The Auditor audibly sighed as they pinched the bridge of their nose.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yeah. It was the "Big Bong," gang. What the hell were you thinking? In what world would spending 58,800 dollars on an oversized bong be a wise idea?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jethro</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It was for a case.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Lazarus</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Absolutely it was.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">What case? What demon or cryptid was it used in capturing?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jethro</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Well… when I said "case," I meant in the proverbial sense.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Lazarus</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It's really a "testament" to the human spirit. We thought maybe…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Hold that thought. I just noticed CaDence's transcript—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Hi everyone! Did you want me to not record this, Auditor?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No. No, I definitely want you to record this for Jack. It's that this is DBB… number 146?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">That is correct.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">What the hell were you guys doing with your damn "big bong," that took 146 cases to document?!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dover</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Well—uh, I was thinking we could circle back to the pain point of the price. I wanted you to know, it's all real handblown glass.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It's… real… glass… Why is it—what could, could possible give you the idea to—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Simon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">We saw it on TikTok!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jahzeel</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You saw it on Shorts.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Simon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I saw it somewhere. There were these guys, right? And they had this really big bong and—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And it was made out of glass?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jahzeel</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No, I think theirs was made out of plastic or—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Y————eah. I bet it was made out of plastic. How did you, why did you—Fucks sake! Why didn't Mammon bank roll this idiocy?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Mammon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Jack's rich.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Jack is not—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Mammon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">He totally is. Lord of Greed speaking. I know how much is in everyone's bank accounts at any given moment. Fifty thousand—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—Fifty eight.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Mammon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—It's chump change for Jack in exchange for a beautiful, handcrafted, artisan, massive, magnificent pure glass piece of paraphernalia.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Melody</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Also, weed's legal now!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I'm not upset about the legality—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Simon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Cap. You cannot see into everyone's bank accounts.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Mammon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Simon Wright. Thirty four dollars and eighty five cents in checking. Six dollars and three cents in savings.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Simon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">That was a lucky guess!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dover</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Oh! Do me, do me!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Mammon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You owe roughly three thousand dollars to various banking institutions.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Amber</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Time to stunt on these hoes: Magic Mammon, how much do I currently have in earthly wealth?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Mammon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">$373.15 in checking. $4,568.84 in savings.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dover</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Dammmn! That's… that's well over 3,000 dollars… Hey, Amber—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">ENOUGH!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Mammon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Quiet kids. The multi-millionaire is talking.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Melody</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Multi-Millionaire?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Enough. Why was it made out of glass in the first place? Surely you could have found a cheaper way to realize your "big bong."</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jahzeel</div>
<div class="cdn-line">We wanted to support local artisans.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dover</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yeah! We gotta support our local artists!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Of all people, I figured you would be behind that. You are a supporter of the arts, are you not?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…Excuse me?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You're a fan of the arts.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…Can we have the room?</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Testament erupted into a murmur of confusion.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Everyone out. Me and my old pal have some catching up to do in private.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Do you want me to stop recording too?</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Alex locked eyes with the Auditor]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Thank you CaDence, but not needed. I think we all know, deep down in our hearts, where this is going.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="DD-DBB-147">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">DD-DBB-147</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"???"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">???</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Let's re-read DBB-146 real quick.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Where to go when you want secrecy?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">A place where you know for sure you can't be eavesdropped upon in the Cafe and Diner.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Diner Diner</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Deep down, both Alex and Auditor know it's time for them to talk behind closed doors and the only way is via a Diner Diner report.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: ALEX GÁLVEZ'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: DD-DBB-147'''

I caught up with my old friend, the Auditor. We go way back. Back before this Universe and even the last. I will say, I wasn't expecting them to return… but I guess, it's like they said: it's really, really hard to kill Archons. Beyond that, we're trapped in a cycle. An anfractuous loop. Y'know, Fate really did a number on this Universe… but the same could be said for Metatron. What I still don't understand is how Secret managed to return when… eh, nevermind. Better not speak the name of evil else it rears its ugly head. Besides we've got more important meaningless work to do.

<div class="cdn-transcript">
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">So. You know.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Of course, I know.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You kept your memories?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yep. All the way back to sixteenth. But, hey, look at you! Figured you'd be, y'know, dead still.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Archons are, evidently, rather hard to kill. Even when only by tenuous relation.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yeah… seems like it. Wicked and Phantom are still kicking around. Fate, too, in a way. Funny, you'd think with the whole… "death of all non-Nova Archons," they'd be double dead. Though, I must say you did an excellent job tearing Fate apart! Even with a fresh Universe, It's still a corpse.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And don't forget Secret.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Secret? No. No, no, no… Secret can't be back. He—He was removed. I removed him. He was removed back at the end of the 16th. He can't be back—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And yet, I am. And thus, so is he.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You brought him back?!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Other way around. Actually, I suspect you brought him back—Shaka.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Hey! That's not—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I know, I know. You shed the mask. But in doing so, it gave Secret a vector back to being. Though, like Wicked, he is a mere eidolon now. A ghost of the Archon he once was. Unless he returns in full, he won't be much of an issue… other than he wants you dead, Alex.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Still?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You did kill him.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Clearly I didn't do a good job of it! Fuck—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I wouldn't worry about Secret. Not right now, anyway. Jack has you currently looking into the Warden predicament, yes?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yeah. I was hoping Vic wouldn't end up as Warden again, but—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">An anfractuous loop. Twists and turns but we still end up back to where we were all meant to be. With Fate's slow return, things are snapping back to how they "should" be.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">So we're still fighting against Fate?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Aren't we always?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…I'm tired.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Imagine how I feel. How is Amber, by the way? Is she…?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Totally normal. If she remembers anything, she does a really good job of hiding it.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I see. And Mammon?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Same as the other Princes, a "blank slate."</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">So, then, who else is… shall we say… "knowledgeable?"</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Daichi.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">A given.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">CaDence, of course.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Julia?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I have a theory about that. But, for now, she seems normal enough. What about Jack? What does he know?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I suspect, like you, the Cold kept his mind sharper than most.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Alex held up the Mask of Secrets.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Did you want it back, by the way? You don't quite look the same without it.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No, thank you. I am done with secrecy. An Auditor brings things to light. I'd have no use of a mask.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Alright… But you won't use a name? Doesn't that feel… secretive?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…I… don't know which one would fit me.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

</div>

Case 9: Inventory Night at Testament

2026-06-03T23:53:42Z

SpareAccount1:

<div class="cdn-archive-page">

<div class="cdn-archive-hero">

<div class="cdn-archive-label">CASE NO. 9</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-title">Inventory Night At Testament</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-subtitle">"Well—uh, I was thinking we could circle back to the pain point of the price. -Dover, C-DBB-146"</div>

</div>

<div class="cdn-divider"></div>

<div class="cdn-section-heading">Receipts</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card stamp-parent" id="INT-01">
<div class="stamp-image">
[[File:AsHumanAsItGets.png|260px]]
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">INT-01</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: INT-01'''

While I was out and about checking up on the various branches, I figured my first stop should be at Testament. For those unaware, Testament, the second-newest branch of the Cafe and Diner Network, has somehow already managed to rack up a truly staggering amount of debt, far exceeding the operating costs of even the most established Cafes. Ironic, seeing as they guard the Ledger of Fate… Though, they should then very well know that nothing is ever free. I suggested that Jack should force Testament to return the money they have squandered on… shall I say… "Less than legitimate" business. Jack had another idea.

Inventory duty.

As the Cafe and Diner Network has been in operation for at least twenty years now, they have managed to acquire quite the stash of powerful, rare, and unique equipment of the Coffee Trade. In the past, when a rare object was found, stolen, bought, or taken in the name of the Cafe and Diner, it was stashed away in the vaults of the Core Cafe and Diner in Long Beach. It has become impossible to say what we have, what still works, and what simply no longer sparks joy. So, since the fallout of Testament's most egregious misuse of company funds, the contents of the vault have been relocated to an undisclosed location adjacent to Testament, and in the process, they have been tasked with noting what it is we actually have.

If their receipts are accurate, they have inventoried roughly 96% of the Cafe and Diner Network's current holdings. I would like to double-check this for accuracy. Not to say that I do not trust Testament (though I truly don't), but I am also curious about what exactly it is we have… and what still remains unaccounted for. If I am to be the Cafe and Diner's Auditor, I must know what exactly we have to work with.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-INT-02">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-INT-02</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Ke2?, Brutus?"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Internet Trivia | 2 Words [********* *******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Let's start with 1. e4.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">The most common answer is 1... e5.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Then this stroke of madness, 2. Ke2?? This is called...</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Bongcloud Opening</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Ke2, a rather questionable move, is also known as the Bongcloud Opening.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: AMBER INGRAM'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-INT-02'''

I. Am. So. Tired. Of. Stupid. Inventory. Duty.

Why, oh why, did the other Cafes not just keep track of all the stuff they got as they got it? At least we're down to the final box and I took the object that looked least likely to maim or harm me; a shiny gold medallion with the sigil of the Morningstar on it. Usually, typically, under the most common circumstances… Morningstar is the least dangerous Plane of the Otherside. Er, well, they're all dangerous compared to the Flipside. But Morningstar and the Skalds tend to be fairly chill. Mammon has already squirreled anything from Infernus back into his domain. Mayda stuff ends up trying to drown or curse you. And most stuff from the Necropolis smells like mothballs and probably also wants you dead. Morningstar though? Sunshine and glitter for the most part.

Which, brings me to object #9396: An Auroric Prayer Medallion. It is small, round (naturally), and made from a gold-like medal. Mammon says it's likely Auroric Gold which… yeah, duh. There are a few different types of gold in the Otherside, but… I would dare to guess that the Auroric Prayer Medallion is indeed made of Auroric Gold. As far as special properties go? None that I can ascertain or access. I'm no Morningstarian Demon, for one. And even if I were, mama would not be a priest of Aurora. I've been doing some research into it though, and I guess these are primarily used to open secret passageways in the ziggurat temples of Aurora, and for that reason, it is very much worth keeping.

With Lady Lucifer now on our side, we probably wouldn't necessarily need to sneak around Morningstar without permission… but, you never know! Plus, and I'm not outright suggesting we do this, but, we could, of course… sell the Medallion to a demon or the like who would need to sneak around Aurora. It'd probably fetch us a pretty decent price! As for when and where we actually got this from… mmm… hard to say. The Cafe and Diner has typically left Morningstar alone, up until Lucifer wanted to get her crotch goblin a job… so… I'm gonna go ahead and say we got this during Midnight's Operation: Conjuring Congeries. They must've picked it up in the Black Bazaar along with like half of our other junk.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-INT-03">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-INT-03</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"June is the cruelest month, viciously alongside…"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Board Game Trivia | 2 Words [******* *****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">When is June in the year?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">What's the board game? It has Vicious in the name.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">The 2023 expansion is Cruel Summers and...</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Noxious Weeds</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The game that is described is Vicious Gardens, where the Kickstarter. There is an expansion called Cruel Summers and Noxious Weeds. Since the clue has cruelest and June is Summer, the other part is Noxious Weeds.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: DOVER D. DEMON'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-INT-03'''

Wow, wow, wow… Now how the hell did we end up with one of these? A Mask of Secrets from Prespheric Eden. W———ow. I mean, it's not like it's one of a kind, but still… crazy that we even have one and it was just lying around in a box. From what I've been able to gather from Mammon and Daichi, there were, at one point, at least a hundred of these things hung up on Eve's wall back in Eden. Of course, most did not survive the Fall, but the design and materials are Archonic, so… they have a degree of "cataclysm proofing" built in.

It was said that the Archon Secret would wear a different mask every day. Each mask a different lie and different life. See, Secret didn't exactly stay put in Eden. He roamed all about the fledgling Universe, making multiple stops in Skald and Arcadia as well. In Skald he attempted to sway King Abraxas and in Arcadia he led many mortals astray toward his Cold aims. Or… something like that. As for what the Mask actually does… Not much. It's a mask. If it had magical properties they either died out long, long ago or only Secret was able to access them. Still, a really, really cool collectors piece!

You know, it's funny, actually. The design of the mask is so… familiar. But I just can't put my finger on where I've seen it before. Hm… It's like when I look at the Mask I'm seeing an old friend… or perhaps… an old foe. I see in it something dark and evil… a Secret… or maybe it's ill-intent personified… a—oh, wait, haha nevermind! I think it's just cuz it looks like the mask worn by the Masked Magician from that one show, uhh… Breaking the Magician's Code! Yeah! That's totally it. It looks so similar to Val Valentino's mask, that's crazy!
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-INT-04">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-INT-04</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"A Universal Curtain for Woody's friend Andy."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Cartoon Trivia | 3 Words [*** ***** ****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">If you're thinking Toy Story, you're already in the wrong house.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">A Woodpecker and a Panda walked into a Studio.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">The Panda walked out with the Artists, but not after one last car-tune. What's that car-tune?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">The Wacky Weed</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Andy Panda and Woody Woodpecker are character friends at Universal, and frequently depicted in each other’s car-tunes. This is the last one made by Universal Studio, before they handed Andy Panda over to United Artists.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: SIMON WRIGHT'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-INT-04'''

Unfair! Totally wildly unfair! Amber, Dover, and Jahzeel swoop in and grab single trinkets and I'm stuck putting away not one, not two, but five things. FIVE! Ugh.

Objects #9398-9402: Five of the Nine Sections of the Unholy Spear of Destiny. Tesseract must've picked these up in one of their crazy time travel adventures. As far as we're aware, our timeline never had a "Spear of Destiny," let alone an Unholy one. Like the myth, this Spear was used to kill a god of men, or a god in a man? Or… well, a human effigy of divinity, but again, not of our timeline so… I can't really pin who exactly this spear killed. What I do know is that the Spear, while segmented, is a package deal. Even though it's not from "here," it is all here. We just don't know where the other four sections are… And for the best, honestly.

From what John Doe and Co. found out about it, the man-god that this spear killed was uh… genocidal, to put it mildly. This spear was, at one point, capable of splitting atoms at will. Meaning he was able to slice and dice nukes out of thin air and I guess it was the only thing that was able to kill him in the end. The force of his destruction and the severing of his connection to divinity also broke the Spear into nine sections of which the alternate timeline Flipside fought over for centuries… or something like that. Doesn't really matter now cuz Tesseract blew that timeline up along with countless others during Operation: Becoming Dragons.

But even blowing it up didn't destroy the Unholy Spear still charged with raw godhood. As for where I think the rest of the Spear is… well, my guess would be… one piece in the Otherside, one piece in the Topside, one piece in Eden, and one piece… somewhere else? Where else? I don't know and I don't wanna know. Let it be lost. As I see it: we control the majority of this mega doomsday weapon and that's good enough for me. I'd rather us not even know where the other sections are cuz then it can't be used against us.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-INT-05">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-INT-05</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"A man died from the bong waters, because they were made bitter."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">True Crime Trivia | 2 Words [***** *****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Must have been a revelation to the man when he drank his bitter waters.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Have you seen Wormwood?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Took a tumble out the window from the 10th floor, hadn't you, sonny?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Frank Olson</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The clue is a paraphrasing of Revelation 8:11, the arrival of the star Wormwood. This line is part of the inspiration to make a six-episode docudrama series, focusing on the death of Frank Olson by falling out of his room’s window at Hotel Statler in 1953.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JAHZEEL JONES'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-INT-05'''

Simon needs to shut his ass up. Easy? You wanna talk about easy? Easy is putting away five little metal rods that don't do anything unless you get all nine of them together. I'd love to see Simon try and contain a cracked Fogjewel from the damn Creaking. 'Course knowing him, he'd just magic it all away. I've had to open every window, run three fans, and flap my arms up and down like a damn 'tic to try and keep my office from being filled with Maydian fog. Why'd we even take this thing anyway? Not, we, of course—why'd Req' take this cracked piece of shit? What could it possibly be used for?

Well—a diversion, I guess. If we were ever being swarmed by 'mons or 'tids I guess we could throw this thing down and fill the whole room up with fog. But… then how would we see? Funny thing is, at some point, this Fogjewel's gotta run out of, well, fog. These Maydian wonders don't magic up fog out of nowhere, when they are working as intended they actually suck the fog up to keep the skies and seas clear. 'Course, when one gets a crack like this one does… woosh… all the fog it sucked up seeps out. So, scratch this being useful for a diversion if we don't know how long it'll leak fog for anyhow.

I don't even know how I got the damn thing leakin' in the first place. I'll fess up, I did totally grab the smallest looking trinket to try and get this work over with, but to be fair, who ran inventory for Objects #3000-4000? That's right. Just me. So I wanted something easy to do, something quick, but damn… Fate doesn't play with me like that, does it? I've tried everything to get this jewel back to its inert state. Tried rubbing it, shaking it, stroking it, sweet talking it… all the components of a very good night, right? But still, the thing is just foggin' it up. Once it stops—or slows—I'll put it away.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-INT-06">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-INT-06</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Make 'em half, make 'em half! Don't you know ev'ry one wants a half?"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Vaudeville Trivia | 3 Words [***** **** *****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Half? What half?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Oh, you mean laugh? "Make 'em laugh, make 'em laugh! Don't you know ev'ryone wants a laugh?"</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Right, and the song is written by a duo. So whose name is it?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Nacio Herb Brown</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Ignoring “half” for a moment, the clue is word-for-word the chorus of “Make ‘em Laugh” from Singin’ in the Rain. It was written by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JETHRO & LAZARUS LANGLEY'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-INT-06'''

Very, very fancy! A thrice-folded ancient ring of sleepless dreams from the Crags of Paramnesia in the Morningstar. Three rings held together by magic alone. One for the waking world, one for the sleeping world, and one for the realm between. Object #9404.

It's a looker, that's for sure. It'd make any neophyte to the Astral Plane thrice as powerful within it and, more excitingly, it lets one dream while awake. It'd fetch us a lovely price on the black market—

Which one?

Ah—I keep forgetting we shut down the Black Bazaar! Or, well, Midnight did anyway. Which is where I assume they picked this trinket up. On the one hand, Herbert White was by all accounts a megalomaniac mad car salesman and everything he ever sold came with a horrible, terrible, ironic curse. But on the other…

The deals! The bargains! The haggles! The—agh! ALEXANDRIA BURNED TWICE AND WE WERE NOT THERE FOR THE FINAL FIRE SALE! WE COULD'VE SAVED A FORTUNE AND MADE A MINT!

…On the third hand though, his merchandise was all EXTREMELY cursed to hell and back. It was his gimmick afterall. Which is why I would not even dare to put this ring on. If it was from Herbet White's market it is cursed.

I would put it on.

You wouldn't.

Why not?

You shouldn't.

If we were to, perchance, pocket this ring to resell it at a sizable boon to the Cafe and Diner (finders fee to us, naturally)… we would have to be certain that it works. We must pay off the marvelous Mr. Jack Keel somehow…

You couldn't.

Ah—but I fear not waking nightmares, dear brother. I fear only missing out on a good time! Dream babes, here I come!

And he's done it. Placed the ring on and gone completely and utterly comatose. Well, it's cursed alright. I've had Alex take a look at him and he claims it is likely cursed in a way similar to a plant called ater clementia, which I have never heard of… but apparently it is a parasitic plant that shows you your greatest desires. So… Now we need only figure out a way to release my brother from his undoubtedly debaucherous paradise… Hm… No idea how to do that. But once that's sorted we'll put the ring away somewhere safe. Can't really get a good price out of a cursed object, can we?
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-INT-07">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-INT-07</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"0, 201, 0 through 0, 240, 0."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Folk Music Trivia | 4 Words [***** ****** ** *****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What does the middle number mean in RGB?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">How many are there?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Sung by a man whose name is a type of green.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Forty Shades Of Green</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The clue is referring to colour codes, where there is a total of 40 Shades of green, which is also a Johnny Cash song.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: MELODY ROSE'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-INT-07'''

How in the heck did I end up with the Five Skulls of Energy, Omens, Wizardy, Decay, and Terror? I don't know if you've all seen me… but do I scream… any of that? Even Energy I'm not too fond of. Where did the Cafe and Diner even get these from? Checking back through the logs (and with a lot of assistance from CaDence!) we think these came from the original Bloodglass staff, back during the Pandemonium Crisis or maybeeee the Rogue Prophet Operations. From what CaDence told me, the old Bloodglass crew never really, uhm, "kept in touch," with the other branches, so it's not so terribly surprising that someone from that staff got their hands on the Five Skulls and just never brought it up.

They once belonged to a very powerful Naga and each skull grants the power of what it says it does: energy, omens, wizardry, decay, and terror. Energy is straightforward enough. When holding that skull one can push and pull things telepathically. The skull doesn't create energy though, only displaces its own energy, so it wouldn't be much good for making a generator or the like as each skull really only has about an hour's worth of power before needing to be recharged. Decay is also clear, point the skull toward something and it'll rot away. Terror, also well named, as it can induce incredible fear in those it's pointed at.

It's really just "wizardy" and "omens" that has me scratching my head. I think it must be a mistranslation or something along those lines because "wizardy" is really just, like, electricity powers. Point the skull and it shoots an arc of electricity. Which… I guess that could be seen as "wizardy," to some. And "omens" should probably be called "astral," as it can put things into the Astral Plane or take them out… which… hey!!! That gives me an idea! I think I know how to free our stuck Langley!

Or, well, I can't make it any worse!
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-INT-08">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-INT-08</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Hellblazer #"40"… or was it in the Ennis run? Maybe I've got it mixed up thanks to Swamp Thing's gift… Either way, it's a theme, isn't it?"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Comic Book Trivia | 1 Word [*********]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">#40, huh? Are you sure?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Maybe look at #61 instead.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Smoke a bit of this, get high.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Marijuana</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">In Hellblazer #61, titled “Forty”, John Constantine attends his 40th birthday, and Swamp Thing, one of the guests, grows MJ for all of them to use.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: ALEX GÁLVEZ'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-INT-08'''

We—ll that takes care of that! Every bit and bob from over 50 successful Cafe and Diner operations squared away. Ok, well, more or less successful. Usually. There used to be a term for what we did… Falling just short of success… Mm… Failure. Failure! That's it. 50 "successful" Cafe and Diner operations minus all of the horrible failures. 9,409 Objects in all.

9,410 actually!

There was one last trinket at the very bottom of the last box. A small cylinder, about the size of a human palm, with a little button on top, kinda like a detonator. The button has an eerie green glow to it despite no obvious power source. Very strange. One could certainly press the button to find out what it does… But… What if it DOES blow something up? What if it does something even more cataclysmic! Think of the horror! Think of the continued failure of the Cafe and Diner Network! And for that reason, I think it would be best if I just hold onto this strange little "buzzer" and keep it safe myself. I know, I know, most if not all of the Cafe's stuff is supposed to be locked away in the Monometallium Vaults of our magnificent benefactor, Mammon. But this? It's a piece of junk.

I doubt it even works, and if it does work, what would it even do? Summon some cosmic horror game show host to introduce untold variables of chaos as he makes us compete in maddening mental challenges in an effort to win some sort of illicitly gained item of immense ill-intent, a cosmic MacGuffin which would easily turn the tides for whoever wins the prize but, of course, this mad cosmic god allows all to play his game and thus often whatever advantage we might earn could also be earned by our very own foes, thus raising the stakes immeasurably and—ah, shit, sorry, I'm just rambling again. That's crazy, right? Why would a harmless little buzzer ever do something like that?

Piece of junk.

So, I'll hold onto it.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-DBB-146">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-DBB-146</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"I'm not one to toot my own trumpet, hellish or otherwise."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Art Trivia || 2 Words [****** ****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">A hellish trumpet? Must be the devil's.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">The devil's trumpet, aka...</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Georgia O'Keeffe loved it.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Jimson Weed</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The clue is pointing towards the devil's trumpet which refers to a famous painting called the Jimson Weed, which was done by Georgia O’Keeffe.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-DBB-146'''

I almost regret asking at all.

I suppose, for now, the Big Bong case can be put to rest. At least I finally figured it out, despite the utter chaos of our meeting. They were hoping to utilize the Big Bong in an effort to restore Warden to Victoria. A foolish endeavor made so much worse by the extravagance of Mammon. I suppose… it is to be expected of the Testament branch. Regardless, I need to start heading back to Tesseract. They are likely almost done with their time travelling nonsense.

<div class="cdn-transcript">
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I wanted to meet with you all to both congratulate you on finishing your inventory duty and to discuss what landed you here in the first place.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jahzeel</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Big Bong.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dover</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Da Biggest Bong.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Melody</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It was the Big Bong, wasn't it?</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[The Auditor audibly sighed as they pinched the bridge of their nose.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yeah. It was the "Big Bong," gang. What the hell were you thinking? In what world would spending 58,800 dollars on an oversized bong be a wise idea?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jethro</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It was for a case.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Lazarus</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Absolutely it was.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">What case? What demon or cryptid was it used in capturing?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jethro</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Well… when I said "case," I meant in the proverbial sense.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Lazarus</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It's really a "testament" to the human spirit. We thought maybe…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Hold that thought. I just noticed CaDence's transcript—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Hi everyone! Did you want me to not record this, Auditor?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No. No, I definitely want you to record this for Jack. It's that this is DBB… number 146?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">That is correct.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">What the hell were you guys doing with your damn "big bong," that took 146 cases to document?!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dover</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Well—uh, I was thinking we could circle back to the pain point of the price. I wanted you to know, it's all real handblown glass.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It's… real… glass… Why is it—what could, could possible give you the idea to—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Simon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">We saw it on TikTok!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jahzeel</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You saw it on Shorts.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Simon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I saw it somewhere. There were these guys, right? And they had this really big bong and—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And it was made out of glass?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jahzeel</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No, I think theirs was made out of plastic or—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Y————eah. I bet it was made out of plastic. How did you, why did you—Fucks sake! Why didn't Mammon bank roll this idiocy?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Mammon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Jack's rich.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Jack is not—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Mammon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">He totally is. Lord of Greed speaking. I know how much is in everyone's bank accounts at any given moment. Fifty thousand—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—Fifty eight.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Mammon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—It's chump change for Jack in exchange for a beautiful, handcrafted, artisan, massive, magnificent pure glass piece of paraphernalia.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Melody</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Also, weed's legal now!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I'm not upset about the legality—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Simon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Cap. You cannot see into everyone's bank accounts.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Mammon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Simon Wright. Thirty four dollars and eighty five cents in checking. Six dollars and three cents in savings.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Simon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">That was a lucky guess!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dover</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Oh! Do me, do me!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Mammon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You owe roughly three thousand dollars to various banking institutions.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Amber</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Time to stunt on these hoes: Magic Mammon, how much do I currently have in earthly wealth?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Mammon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">$373.15 in checking. $4,568.84 in savings.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dover</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Dammmn! That's… that's well over 3,000 dollars… Hey, Amber—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">ENOUGH!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Mammon</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Quiet kids. The multi-millionaire is talking.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Melody</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Multi-Millionaire?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Enough. Why was it made out of glass in the first place? Surely you could have found a cheaper way to realize your "big bong."</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jahzeel</div>
<div class="cdn-line">We wanted to support local artisans.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dover</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yeah! We gotta support our local artists!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Of all people, I figured you would be behind that. You are a supporter of the arts, are you not?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…Excuse me?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You're a fan of the arts.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…Can we have the room?</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Testament erupted into a murmur of confusion.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Everyone out. Me and my old pal have some catching up to do in private.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Do you want me to stop recording too?</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Alex locked eyes with the Auditor]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Thank you CaDence, but not needed. I think we all know, deep down in our hearts, where this is going.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="DD-DBB-147">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">DD-DBB-147</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"???"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">???</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Let's re-read DBB-146 real quick.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Where to go when you want secrecy?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">A place where you know for sure you can't be eavesdropped upon in the Cafe and Diner.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Diner Diner</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Deep down, both Alex and Auditor know it's time for them to talk behind closed doors and the only way is via a Diner Diner report.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: ALEX GÁLVEZ'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESTAMENT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: DD-DBB-147'''

I caught up with my old friend, the Auditor. We go way back. Back before this Universe and even the last. I will say, I wasn't expecting them to return… but I guess, it's like they said: it's really, really hard to kill Archons. Beyond that, we're trapped in a cycle. An anfractuous loop. Y'know, Fate really did a number on this Universe… but the same could be said for Metatron. What I still don't understand is how Secret managed to return when… eh, nevermind. Better not speak the name of evil else it rears its ugly head. Besides we've got more important meaningless work to do.

<div class="cdn-transcript">
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">So. You know.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Of course, I know.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You kept your memories?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yep. All the way back to sixteenth. But, hey, look at you! Figured you'd be, y'know, dead still.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Archons are, evidently, rather hard to kill. Even when only by tenuous relation.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yeah… seems like it. Wicked and Phantom are still kicking around. Fate, too, in a way. Funny, you'd think with the whole… "death of all non-Nova Archons," they'd be double dead. Though, I must say you did an excellent job tearing Fate apart! Even with a fresh Universe, It's still a corpse.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And don't forget Secret.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Secret? No. No, no, no… Secret can't be back. He—He was removed. I removed him. He was removed back at the end of the 16th. He can't be back—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And yet, I am. And thus, so is he.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You brought him back?!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Other way around. Actually, I suspect you brought him back—Shaka.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Hey! That's not—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I know, I know. You shed the mask. But in doing so, it gave Secret a vector back to being. Though, like Wicked, he is a mere eidolon now. A ghost of the Archon he once was. Unless he returns in full, he won't be much of an issue… other than he wants you dead, Alex.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Still?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You did kill him.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Clearly I didn't do a good job of it! Fuck—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I wouldn't worry about Secret. Not right now, anyway. Jack has you currently looking into the Warden predicament, yes?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yeah. I was hoping Vic wouldn't end up as Warden again, but—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">An anfractuous loop. Twists and turns but we still end up back to where we were all meant to be. With Fate's slow return, things are snapping back to how they "should" be.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">So we're still fighting against Fate?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Aren't we always?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…I'm tired.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Imagine how I feel. How is Amber, by the way? Is she…?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Totally normal. If she remembers anything, she does a really good job of hiding it.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I see. And Mammon?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Same as the other Princes, a "blank slate."</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">So, then, who else is… shall we say… "knowledgeable?"</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Daichi.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">A given.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">CaDence, of course.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Julia?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I have a theory about that. But, for now, she seems normal enough. What about Jack? What does he know?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I suspect, like you, the Cold kept his mind sharper than most.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Alex held up the Mask of Secrets.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Did you want it back, by the way? You don't quite look the same without it.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No, thank you. I am done with secrecy. An Auditor brings things to light. I'd have no use of a mask.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Alex</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Alright… But you won't use a name? Doesn't that feel… secretive?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…I… don't know which one would fit me.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

</div>

Case 8: Fly in Our Soup

2026-06-03T23:34:58Z

SpareAccount1:

<div class="cdn-archive-page">

<div class="cdn-archive-hero">

<div class="cdn-archive-label">CASE NO. 8</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-title">Fly In Our Soup</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-subtitle">"What was described to me as a "minor fly infestation," in reality is a plague. -The Auditor, FOTF-01"</div>

</div>

<div class="cdn-divider"></div>

<div class="cdn-section-heading">Receipts</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card stamp-parent" id="FOTF-01">
<div class="stamp-image">
[[File:II3rdTemple.png|260px]]
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">FOTF-01</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: FOTF-01'''

I arrived at Silenus to a truly horrific scene. What was described to me as a "minor fly infestation," in reality is a plague. A swarm. An outright outbreak. Hell on earth… Even worse than the Buzzing Planes of Beez's home. Thousands upon thousands of horrid, pale, dipteras darting about every blink of the eye. And Silenus seems to be dealing with this with all of the urgency of Tesseract. From what I've seen thus far, they have been lazily swatting away these little foul winged beasts like a pack of disinterested cats. Dan hasn't even been bothered to do that much and the only three who seem at all engaged in this current conundrum are Miranda, Brent, and Charlotte. And of those three, only Miranda seems to want the flies gone. How can they live like this?

Silenus is one of the newer Cafes alongside Testament and Sunshine. It was opened in September of 2020 by Jack and Beez for two reasons. First, and most importantly, to safeguard the Bell of Fate. Naturally. Each Cafe has a Sponsor and each Sponsor is there to safeguard one of the various Pieces of Fate controlled by the Cafe and Diner Network. However, there was a specific reason Jack and Beez chose Point Pleasant and Dan Hamilton for Silenus: the Lanes Between. Though I personally don't enjoy adding drink after drink to the Cafe's menu, I suppose an exception could be made for those who walk the twisted back roads of the hotbed of the Coffee Trade. Let's say… those who primarily reside "in between" enjoy a Flat White. And while I am bothering to expand the menus, Bloodglass' unique region of customers enjoy a… Cafe au Lait. Tesseract's unique customers might enjoy a… mm… London Fog (not to be confused with a Double Shot…) and… I think that covers the exceptional customers the Cafe serves. At least, for now.

Anyhow, with Beez as Silenus' sponsor they are no strangers to flies. In fact, in their most recent operation, the "Salvation of the Flies," Silenus dealt with their fair share of, well, flies. However, these flies are clearly different. These aren't the fat, iridescent blowflies of the Beez. These are small, white-eyed, and… surgically clean. They don't land on food… they land on people. Baristas in particular, it seems. So far none have landed on me, thank… whatever is out there… but, regardless, it's time someone dealt with this mess.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-FOTF-02">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-FOTF-02</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Ptera()pretP"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Word Play | 1 Word [*******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">So... there are two "ptera"s.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">What does the clue look like?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">A prefix of two, and then add "ptera".</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Diptera</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">There are two “Ptera”s there. A way to say two is Di, and combining it makes Diptera, which matches the order of the flies.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: MIRANDA POWELL'''<br>
'''CAFE: SILENUS'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-FOTF-02'''

If I see one more fly, I’m going to set this entire Cafe on fire. I’m not joking. While Dan was busy hiding inside his headphones the rest of us have been literally wading through a plague. It's been gross. So, thank God this "Auditor," whatever showed up when they did because Dan has to listen to Jack's direct lackey even if he won't listen to me. I just want the buzzing to stop and if it means carving one extra hole in reality then fine. Whatever works at this point.

<div class="cdn-transcript">
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Dan. Daniel. Dan… DAN!</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[The Auditor removed Dan's headphones with a sharp tug.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dan</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Oh. Hey. Sorry… I was a bit lost in some, uh, work. What's up… Uh…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Auditor is fine.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dan</div>
<div class="cdn-line">That's… not really a name, though?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">True. It's a title. But I don't need a name to do my work. Tell me, what is going on with these flies?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dan</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Oh—yeah, the flies. Uhm… I think they're just from Esterskald or—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Impossible.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dan</div>
<div class="cdn-line">How so?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">These look nothing like Esterskaldian flies.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dan</div>
<div class="cdn-line">How would you know?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I'm the Auditor. It's my job to know. Besides, I've been to the Esterskald. The Buzzing Planes. The Hollow. I've seen Lord Beezelbub's flies, these are not those.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dan</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Okay… so then—what are they?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">If I had to guess, they come from the Phantom Lanes. You do realize every time you summon the House Between using the Bell of Fate it cuts a hole through our reality, yes? These holes allow any number of strange entities through… flies included.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dan</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Uh… yeah. I mean, that could be. Though we never summon the House, like, here, you know? 'Cause there's already an establishment in the way. The closest we've summoned the House is… about two miles out. And we haven't heard of any other flies around—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Have you checked?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dan</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…Not… directly. We've been busy. Beelzebub is still pissed at us. When the Cicadas cut off our access to the Hollow and we stopped paying into the feast—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I know. I've read the case files. So, what, you're spending day and night trying to mend your relationship with your sponsor?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dan</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Bingo.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Miranda and Charlotte opened the door to Dan's office.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Miranda</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Finally, I've been waiting to talk to you.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dan</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Well, door's always open.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Miranda</div>
<div class="cdn-line">But you're not always listening. Dan—</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Charlotte caught a fly out of the air and then squished it between her fingers, marveling at the residue left behind on her fingers.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Miranda</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Stop that Charlotte! God, you're as bad as Brent. Dan—look at me, look me in the eyes, Dan. We. Need. To. Get. Rid. Of. These. Flies. It's fucking gross and I will quit.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dan</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Okay—but how?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Miranda</div>
<div class="cdn-line">There's a few hours after midnight where they seem to stop flying and cluster together into balls.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Charlotte</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It's so cool. They pulsate like little hearts. You can even pick them up and—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Miranda</div>
<div class="cdn-line">So gross. But, Charlotte's right. When they cluster together you can pick up a few hundred at once. So—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dan</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—we gather them up and then chuck them into the Phantom Lanes?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Miranda</div>
<div class="cdn-line">That's what I was thinking.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Dan</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Okay. Sure. I'll get the Bell—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…Is this how you've been solving problems? Just throwing things into an unknown dimension?</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Dan, Miranda, and Charlotte shrugged as a fly landed on the Auditor's forehead then crawled slowly toward their eye.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…fine. But this is the last time.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-FOTF-03">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-FOTF-03</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"1. Water Bear, 3. Classical Woodpecker Cousin, 4. Olivia Benson"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Music Trivia | 3 Words [*. *** ***]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What's a water bear? What's a classical woodpecker cousin? And what's Olivia Benson?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">A tardigrade, a pelican, and a... cat? A rich cat.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Sing it with me, "If I were a tardigrade, <b>my thoughtless hand has brushed away</b>, wing to wing we dance around, I'll will my wild eyes bright." Don't forget the formatting.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">2. The Fly</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">These all obliquely hint at a song in Cosmo Sheldrake’s first EP, Pelicans We. The second song in that EP is The Fly.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: DAN HAMILTON'''<br>
'''CAFE: SILENUS'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-FOTF-03'''

Twenty buckets of "fly balls" and a dead Bell. That’s… not great. So, I tried ringing the Bell and got nothing in return. Then the Auditor tried (of course they did) and thankfully when they stepped right up to fix my mess—nada. Silence. Brent, Miranda, everyone took a crack at it while I just stood there. No clue what's wrong now or how to fix it. At least it's not just a "me" thing, you know?

Is this Beelzebub? Did he somehow cut off our Piece of Fate because I missed the latest payment for the feast? God, I hope not… But he wouldn't be that petty… right? No. He's just as busy as I am and also I'm pretty sure none of the Princes actually know how the Pieces of Fate "work," let alone how to turn them on or off. It has to be the Old Orders. They must have sealed the Phantom Lanes around us. Crap. At least that’s the only explanation that doesn't end with this being my fault.

Okay. Focus… So… We're going to need a bit of manual infestation control. We'll put the flies on ice back at the Cafe. If they wake up and swarm Mason County… eugh, I can’t even let myself imagine the cleanup effort that would take. It would be the end of the Cafe. The end of me. So… game plan. Come on, Dan, think. We could ask Beelzebub for help? No, he won't answer. What we need to do is fix the Bell. Maybe Warden can take it a few hundred miles out? See if we’re just being jammed here? And if that doesn't work… we'll cull the flies. Crunch about 90% of them while they're still clustered up like snail eggs. The Auditor says they aren't Esterskaldian anyway. We should keep a few, though. Figure out what they are. Hopefully.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-TMH-01">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-TMH-01</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"<NH3></NH3>"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Toxicology Trivia | 1 Word [**************]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What does it look like, coding-wise?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">What is NH3?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">That's too much ammonia in the blood.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Hyperammonemia</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The tags are related to HTML. Taking Hyper and combining it with Ammonia (NH3), you get the answer.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: AGATHA BLUNT'''<br>
'''CAFE: SILENUS'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY JANUARY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-TMH-01'''

Okay, so! I know everyone has been super stressed about the forbidden fly bobas in the freezer but, uh, ahaha we had another "visitor" today. A, uh, customer. And not one of our usuals either. This guy, kid really, isn't one of the demons of the Old Orders nor any of our Esterskaldian informants or barflies. This… "kid?" is well, whatever it is, it's roughly child-sized, wearing an adorable yellow raincoat, with an extremely bulbous head. Like a water balloon that had been filled way, way past the point of bursting or a rotten watermelon that's been fermenting inside and ready to burst. It's veiny, translucent, and wobbling a little bit when it walks. Present tense, seeing as the kid is currently in our back holding room.

When it initially came inside I tried to see if it needed something but once I pulled down the raincoat's hood I realized it doesn't have a mouth. It's just smooth, scarred tissue. It sort of just tilted its giant, heavy head at me. Then, this sound started coming out of its… throat, I think? It sounded like a cassette tape. There was a distinctive skrr—eee—itch—then click. It (or inside of it?) said: "You seek —kzzk— TRANSCENDENCE. The Twice Third Temple can help. Do not fear —kzzk— Do not fear the Higher Beings. Do not fear the Flies. Do not fear what comes next. Relinquish the Cochlea and —kzzk— TRANSCEND."

Then the big-headed kid lifted its head up and its neck detached like a hinge and there was a fleshy sort of cavity where I can only guess we are supposed to "relinquish the cochlea." What… exactly is "the cochlea?" Is that… is it the Bell? Is the Bell, like, Fate's Cochlea? I mean… I guess that makes sense. But also, what the hell is the "Twice Third Temple?" And who sent this… nightmare child to demand our piece of Fate? Dan might not like it but we're gonna have to call Beez in on this if there are other outside factions demanding our Bell.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-TMH-02">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-TMH-02</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Been thinking a lot about water lately."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Anatomy Trivia | 1 Word [*************]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Got water on your mind?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">No, not hypothetical. Literal.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">There's too much fluid in your brain.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Hydrocephalus</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">This is a condition where fluid accumulates in the brain, clued by thinking and water.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: BRENT HEARSE'''<br>
'''CAFE: SILENUS'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY JANUARY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-TMH-02'''

Unfortunately the strange child sent to us by the Twice Third Temple has perished.

…Fortunately that clears up a lot of my ethical quandaries over dissecting and autopsying the patient!

Preliminary examination suggests the subject was not "born" (mercifully) in any traditional mammalian sense. This is a construct. A biological courier drone. A homunculus. Cheaply made, too. The shelf-life on this thing was likely only a few hours… just long enough to deliver its message before systemic cellular collapse. Agatha’s description of the head as a "rotten watermelon" was actually scientifically astute. Upon incision of the epidermal layer (which lacks sweat glands and appears to be a silicate-grafted skin substitute possibly magically grown or conjured), the cranial vault was not filled with grey matter. Instead, the skull is merely a thin, cartilaginous shell containing roughly three liters of highly pressurized, viscous psychotropic fluid.

Which is to say, there is no brain. The fluid itself serves as the cognitive medium—likely a suspended-solution preprogrammed memory bank. When I drained it, the body immediately lost turgidity and deflated, confirming a sort of "water balloon" structural integrity. Without the psychotropic fluid this being is nothing more than a shell. Furthermore, I have isolated the source of the "cassette tape" vocalization. The larynx has been surgically removed, or perhaps never grown, and in its place is a bio-thaumaturgic resonator carved from bone. Avian bone, specifically. It works on a friction principle: a small, rough tongue (more like a stylus) scrapes against a series of calcified ridges in the throat to produce speech. It’s strictly "read-only." This creature couldn't have improvised a conversation if it wanted to; it was, more or less, a walking playback device.

The neck mechanism is also horrifyingly elegant. The cervical vertebrae are fused into a fulcrum, allowing the head to pivot back 90 degrees. The cavity inside the throat is lined with non-digestive mucosa. A cargo hold. This drone was designed to "swallow," an object and suspend it in that cranial fluid for safe transport, then waddle back to the Twice Third Temple. What we are dealing with here is sophisticated flesh-crafting. I’ve jarred a sample of the cranial fluid for Lord Beelzebub and Arthur Crow back at the Core Cafe. I suspect… somewhere within that fluid lies instructions or directions to this "Twice Third Temple."
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-FOTF-04">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-FOTF-04</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"TKAM, TF2, BSA."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Abbreviation Trivia | 1 Word [*****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">You might want to find out what the abbreviations stand for.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">The commonality is the answer.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">The main character of To Kill a Mockingbird, a class in Team Fortress 2, and the people in BSA.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Scout</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">To Kill a Mockingbird's main character is Scout Finch, Scout is a class in Team Fortress 2, and BSA stands for Boy Scouts America.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: TYLER SCHWARZWASSER'''<br>
'''CAFE: SILENUS'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY JANUARY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-FOTF-04'''

Apologies for the unscheduled update, but the data from the security feeds is… distressing. I have isolated a vector in the flies' movement. It isn't random. It’s an algorithm. I cannot currently decrypt the specific pattern—a failure on my part, I admit—but the objective is undeniable. They are mapping us. They are mapping our Diner. At first I considered that they might be attempting some sort of large-scale sigil magic, but given the flies adaptability to our positions within the diner this cannot be the case. Still…

To confirm this, I require authorization to unfreeze one of the remaining clusters. Immediately. I realize the others (perhaps, of course, except for Brent and Charlotte) may find this… distasteful. However, please observe the timestamp at 08:47. A fly encounters the Auditor, retreats, and returns forty-seven minutes later to map the empty space where the Auditor was. That is not instinct. That is error correction. That is intelligence. It is an algorithm.

The flies are not merely biological, if they are biological at all. They are surveillance drones. If the "Melonhead" was a messenger from this Twice Third Temple, the flies are likely its scouts. And if they are scouts, they are recording. We cannot wait for consensus. The mapping is likely already complete. The Bell’s silence suggests they have already compromised our perimeter. I have devised a plan to utilize Agatha and Madeline's powers to force the flies to reveal the location of the Twice Third Temple assuming Brent's hypothesis is also correct that its locational data is stored in the cranial fluid of the Melonhead. I am aware this plan is unpleasant, perhaps even dangerous, but we must use the Temple's "tech" against them.

Waiting for Dan’s sign-off. Please hurry.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-FOTF-05">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-FOTF-05</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"ree Fiv net net One wen Nin Fif een."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Cipher | 1 Word [*********]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Can you match the three-character fragments to a number or a string of numbers?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Th<b>ree</b>, Five<b>Fiv</b>e, NineteenNineteenNi<b>net</b>een, NineteenNineteenNi<b>net</b>een, <b>One</b>, TwentyTwentyTwentyT<b>wen</b>ty, NineNine<b>Nin</b>e, FifteenFifteen<b>Fif</b>teen, FourteenFourt<b>een</b>.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Think about A1Z26.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Cessation</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The cipher works by taking the number, and taking that letter position. For three, we would count the third letter, and take that one. Then we would take two more letters for context. After getting the numbers, you can do A1Z26 to get the answer.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: WARDEN'''<br>
'''CAFE: SILENUS'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY JANUARY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-FOTF-05'''

The swarm is agitated.

They move in vectors of panic.

Tyler perceived a pattern, but he has confused it for intent. There is no intent. There is only input and error.

I am standing at coordinates 0,0 relative to the freezer unit within Silenus' layout. The flies collide with my face in constant buzzing waves. They bounce off my shoulders, my ribs, my arms, my legs. They do not veer. They do not learn what I am. To their sensors, the space I occupy reads only as empty. Error. They are attempting to fly through me because they cannot detect what they were sent here to map. They have been receiving a null response. I am a blind spot in the room.

Tyler requested their optical data. I have begun the collection process. It is not difficult. They fly into my hands because they do not know my hands are there.

Intercept. Capture. Compress. Cessation.

Intercept. Capture. Compress. Cessation.

Intercept. Capture. Compress. Cessation.

Interceptcapturecompresscessation.

Interceptcapturecompresscessation.

Interceptcapturecompresscessationinterceptcapturecompresscessationinterceptcapturecompresscessationinterceptcapturecompresscessation—

Their carapaces snap with very little pressure. The buzzing has lessened. It is growing quiet now. I have accumulated a pile of twenty-four units on the floor. With what little programming they have left they twitch and writhe. They cry out a signal to their fellow flies. They do not feel pain. They do not fear death. They are not.

The swarm is thinning. They are confused. They are mapping a room that is shrinking, yet they cannot find the wall that is killing them one by one. I am the wall. I am the Warden. The flies will falter. The flies will fall. The flies will break one by one.

I will continue until the buzzing stops.

Silence is the optimal state.

Intercept. Capture. Compress. Cessation.

Intercept. Capture. Compress. Cessation—
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="FOTF-06">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">FOTF-06</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY JANUARY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: FOTF-06'''

Ah, the Twice Third Temple.

A vile and insidious fast food chain, thus a competitor to the Cafe and Diner Network, which has so far been lurking in the shadows outside of our view. I wasn't sure if they were going to pop up, but I suppose it was only a matter of time. Though, I can't possibly say how long the Twice Third Temple has been in operation or even who is currently employed there; except for, of course, its owner: Lyle Crow. Yes, that Crow, brother to our very own Arthur Crow. The Crows as a family are well enough known in the coffee trade. They reside on Dracula Drive in New Canaan, Connecticut and have always been eager to explore… shall we say… "unethical" means of customer satisfaction and food and drink offerings.

When Arthur was first offered a job at his family's fast food establishment he was excited to finally be part of his family's business. But then, as it always is with fast food joints, he saw how the sausage was made, the mold in the ice machine, and the buckets of reused oil. He fled. He has been completely out of touch with his family since which would explain why he was up until now unaware of his brother Lyle's continuation of their father, Alfred "Al" Crow's work.

I suppose next, Silenus will need to uncover where exactly "Dr. Crow" has set up his first establishment and who he has on his payroll. I have a few guesses, though I would hate to speculate so early on. Thankfully, it seems Tyler, Agatha, and Warden have a hypothesis on how to utilize Mr. Felt and Mr. Evenhuis, with the help of Madeline's unique talents, to locate the Twice Third Temple. Mr. Felt, though his tab was paid in full by his very nature, had some "good ideas" as to where the Temple must be and Mr. Evenhuis is quite the locator according to Tyler and Warden's continued efforts to serve him.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-FOTF-07">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-FOTF-07</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"δ♒︎→"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Astronomy Trivia | 2 Words [*** **]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What is δ♒︎?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">What does the arrow mean on a sign?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">How far is it from here to δ♒︎?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">113 Ly</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The distance from Earth to Delta Aquarii is about 113 light years.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: MADELINE SATURN'''<br>
'''CAFE: SILENUS'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY JANUARY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-FOTF-07'''

My hands are numb. Heavy. The vibrations are still in my bones. I hope you’re happy with the results, because I’m NOT doing that again. Tyler and Agatha wanted a heavy weight. That’s all I am to them, apparently. Just gravity stashed away in their pockets, ready to be pushed out whenever they need someone to pull. They needed to force the flies onto Tyler’s little map to see where they would land, to reveal the location of the Twice Third Temple, but the flies were fighting the programming. Agatha opened her connection to the Phantom Lanes, which, for the record, feels disgusting, like breathing in ice water, and then she told me to pull.

So I pulled. I did exactly what I was told to do.

I anchored them down. It wasn't my fault the Phantom Lanes tend to pull harder. I felt the tension snap. The flies shattered. Crumbled like dry autumn leaves. A thousand tiny crunches compressed between two supermassive forces. Honestly? Good riddance. I was getting sick of those damn flies.

The fly dust settled on Cincinnati. We all saw it. But then the counter-weight of the Lanes shifted. And don’t look at me, don't you dare look at me, I didn't let go. I held it tight, even when it hurt. The dust crawled on its own. It dragged itself from Cincinnati to Ashland. Then Charleston. Parkersburg… That isn't a map of the U.S. It’s not here. The Twice Third Temple isn't a place in the Flipside, it's moving about in the Lanes, circling us like a shark. And since the Bell is broken, there’s nothing stopping it.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CAD-11">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CAD-11</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY JANUARY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CAD-11'''

And that is why I have put off working with Silenus thus far. They always seem to be neck deep in some sort of disgusting horror, be it body, mind, soul, or otherwise. Mild fly infestation… ha! Well, at least they now have a direction even if their sense of location is perpetually phantasmal at best. Mr. Felt had his tab paid in full and his customer satisfaction survey should now be in Arthur's hands. And Mr. Evenhuis' tab has also been paid in full. The infestation is cleared, er, crushed, but their Bell remains silent.

Warden even went so far as to take the Bell to Wichita and still—nothing. Whatever Dr. Crow has done to silence their Piece of Fate (assuming Dr. Crow is the one to blame) it is not a matter of mere proximity to Silenus' local Lanes. It's an issue to be sure, but not mine, I believe Beez will have to make nice with his Cafe if he intends to continue his sponsorship. No Bell, no need for Beez, and no access to the Cafe and Diner's contributions to his everlasting feast.

As for my next move, I need to pay Bloodglass a visit. They have a… mm… a component that CaDence has requested for our side project. Additionally, the twins could use some help with their familial feud concerning their evil and estranged aunt. Though, in the meantime while I sort out CaDence's components and audit what can be done at Bloodglass, I think it is finally time to revisit my earlier October trip to the Cafe and Diner: Testament in lovely Las Vegas, Nevada. Deciding whether or not to publish this case was… difficult. But I would rather keep transparency than to hide behind a swarm of secrets.
</div>
</div>

</div>

Case 7: A Giant Problem

2026-05-29T19:42:22Z

SpareAccount1:

<div class="cdn-archive-page">

<div class="cdn-archive-hero">

<div class="cdn-archive-label">CASE NO. 7</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-title">A Giant Problem</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-subtitle">"Enter Ms. Roussimoff, head of the Mangrove Syndicate. -The Auditor, CAD-09"</div>

</div>

<div class="cdn-divider"></div>

<div class="cdn-section-heading">Receipts</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card stamp-parent" id="CAD-09">
<div class="stamp-image">
[[File:MangroveSyndicate.png|260px]]
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CAD-09</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CAD-09'''

I find I must apologize for the… shall I say… "brevity," of Case Report No. 6. I considered attaching some other unrelated Core Cafe receipts. In fact, I had almost combined Jack, CaDence, and I's conversation with a few collected receipts from when Sunshine was newly opened. I decided against it as, truthfully, what else could possibly accompany all of… "that." If you haven't read Case Report No. 6 yet, you didn't miss much or perhaps you missed everything that is and could be. I would consider it a one-off though. If I turn this public repository into a collection of singularly important receipts, I fear it would quickly snowball out of my control. However, I am working with CaDence on something that piqued my interest while I was at the Cafe and Diner, but that's a worry for a much later time.

Back in October of this year, while the Tesseract Cafe toiled away at getting their stories straight I travelled around to the other Cafes to check in. Notably, I spent some time at Testament, Requiem, Sunshine, and Silenus. I was also planning on going a bit further east to pop into Bloodglass and then head down to Midnight, but you must imagine my surprise at running into Midnight, far out of their ordained jurisdiction, in the middle of New Orleans, chasing down their current bugaboo—the Mangrove Syndicate.

The Syndicate, for those who don't know, is a direct competitor to the Cafe and Diner in the Coffee Trade and it has filled in the void left by Ms. Umbra's organization which was known as the Dark. The Dark, which was once led by Ms. Umbra, Ms. Pleasant, and Ms. Aka, was consumed by their own ambitions and as far as we know is currently destroyed beyond any sensible repair. But the area surrounding Florida is far too valuable to the Coffee Trade to go uncontested. Enter Ms. Roussimoff, head of the Mangrove Syndicate. By all accounts Ms. Roussimoff is a much greater threat than Ms. Umbra ever was. She's older, she's stronger, and—believe me or not—she is more well connected to the burnt, black, and bitter side of the Coffee Trade than Ms. Umbra ever was.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-MIL-01">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-MIL-01</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Even Niceros wouldn't eat a crumb of bread with them."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Mythology Trivia | 3 Words</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Who's this Niceros person?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">He told a story at the party.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Remember the setting of the story.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Werewolf Of Tarentum</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text"> This puzzle names “Niceros”, a character in the half-lost work Satyricon who tells the story of how, on a journey, one of his companions is discovered to be a werewolf in a place called Tarentum. He later remarks that “[he] wouldn’t have been able to share a meal with” the werewolf after discovery.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: NABERIUS CERBERUS'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-MIL-01'''

<span style="color:#ffe6e6 !important;"><b>DIRTY FILTHY FOUL INTERMEDIATOR, THAT DAMNED GREEN EYES.</b></span>

<span style="color:#ffe6e6 !important;">Bah! Is the Giant such a feckless coward that he cannot deign to deliver his own threats in person? Or could it be that he's simply too… too… large, eh? HA! I bet you that is it! He is too fucking fat to fit through our front door! Oh, what a fucking mess this is… Not a week ago the lovely little Miss Livingstone said the cards had called to tell her that the Syndicate was shifting to the west and now, now we know straight from the ass' mouth. Green Eyes showed up at our doorstep—<b>OUR FUCKING DOORSTEP</b>—to tell US, US! Can you believe it? To tell US that we should not, that we CANNOT, interfere in the Syndicate's business in the swamps of New Orleans. <b>THEY SAID—</b></span>

<span style="color:#e6e8ff !important;">I need to calm myself.</span>

<span style="color:#e6e8ff !important;">No point in riling up my worst third over this, especially if the Giant seems so keen to dismiss us outright. Yes, what I have already penned is unfortunately true. Old Green Eyes, the Mangrove Syndicate's primary enforcer arrived by dead of night to dissuade us from interfering in the Syndicate's constantly expanding enterprise. Ha. And you know what set me off on this? He didn't even bother to threaten us, you know, properly threaten us, like a good antagonist ought to do. Back when we were dealing with the Dark, the Hatman would at least pretend to play the game. He'd rattle his saber, we'd rattle ours… simpler times, I suppose.</span>

<span style="color:#e6e8ff !important;">CaDence, the dear, wasn't in range to pick up my all too brief exchange with Green Eyes, but it was, in essence, "We know, you know, we are on the move. Sit put. If we need to be thwarted, surely your 'Requiem' Cafe </span><span style="color:#ffe6e6 !important;"><b>CAN DO THE FUCKING JOB!</b></span>

<span style="color:#ffe6e6 !important;"><b>THOSE CANE SWINGING FALSE HEALERS! STEALING OUR ANTAGONISTS? OUR WORK? OUR PASSION! DAMN THEM ALL TO HELL AND BACK! I WON'T HAVE IT! I WON'T!</b></span>

<span style="color:#e6e8ff !important;"><i>Apologies.</i> It <i>really</i> gets under my collar. Of course, it is what the Giant wants, no? To sow division among the Cafes and her many employees? Naturally, Mr. Blackwood's team would be more than capable of handling the Syndicate's presence in their neck of the woods. However, they are more than kept busy by their own "wicked and vile" little problems. So, no, Green Eyes, Giant, we will not sit put.</span>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-MIL-02">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-MIL-02</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Erdnetne Erdnetne."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Language Trivia | 3 Words [******* ****** ********]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Reverse, reverse!</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Two entendres, huh.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">What's a term for a phrase with two meanings, one normal, one risque?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Reverse Double Entendre</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The puzzle text is two “Entendre” reversed around literally. That's the answer.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: RANOMA L. BOY'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-MIL-02'''

What if it is all just one big trap? Yes, that is what I think, it simply must be a trap! What if, perhaps, and I do think that it could very well be the case that the Syndicate is using reverse, or even double, or perhaps, yes, even perhaps the dreaded reverse double psychology on us! Think about it friends! What if the Giant sent Green Eyes to tell us not to interfere knowing that we simply would have to interfere, and then yes, then we walk right into his very trap by interfering! We simply cannot do that! Now, what this dastardly trap might be, I do not exactly know… It could be a, yes, a set up where we all go to New Orleans and then whammy! We are captured or worse! Or, or, maybe I think it is more likely that the Giant wants us to go so that Florida is free for his villainous taking!

And because of this, I simply think it makes the most sense you all stay here while I, the brave and chivalrous Ranoma, go to New Oreleans alone. Yes, completely and utterly alone. But not entirely alone! There is the Requiem branch of the Cafe and Diner there, and my many, yes many, very good buddies such as Katherine and Elizabeth. They will take very good care of me, I would think, and this way I could see if the trap is set there while you can all stay here and "hold down the fort," as they say. Yes, they say that! I've heard it said many times before. I think I would sleep better at night knowing Florida is safe with you all here watching over it and I—

<blockquote>Julius here. No chance. Not that there is no chance that this is a trap of some sort, it most definitely is, but there is no chance we can send Loveland on his own to handle it. The Syndicate moving is a big deal. It's got to be a full hands affair, especially considering the other threats that lurk around New Orleans. If the Giant is seeking a partnership with the Vile or… the <i>Wicked</i>… we cannot allow that to happen. I will not allow that to happen. So, everyone, pack your bags. We're going to pay Requiem a visit.</blockquote>
…Oh, well, a trip with all my bestest friends is still a very, yes very, good thing! Even if I sleep a little unsteady. (◕‿◕)

…Wait… what do you mean I have to "hold down the fort???"
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-MIL-03">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-MIL-03</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"'Tis he—'tis Conrad—here—as wont—alone; On—Juan!—on—and make our purpose known. 'Tis he—'tis—"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Urban Legend Trivia | 2 Words [*** *******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Where does this come from?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Lord Byron's <i>The Corsair</i>, you say?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Who is it rumored to be based on?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Jean Lafitte</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The line is from a poem called “The Corsair”, which was rumoured to be written about Jean Lafitte, the pirate.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: INDRID COLD'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: MID OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-MIL-03'''

…We have arrived in the swamps of New Orleans. Funny. In a way. The Black Mangrove Tree, avicennia germinans, is as invasive to New Orleans as invasive as the Mangrove Syndicate is itself. I do not believe that the Mangrove Syndicate requires Mangrove trees to physically move from location to location. The Giant is a Nephilim. The Nephilim are giants. Were giants. The Giant is the last of his kind. All the Nephilim died at the end of the first Universe. First Sphere. All except the Giant. The Giant survived.

We have arrived in the swamps of New Orleans. Funny. In a way. The Black Mangrove Tree, avicennia germinans, is as invasive to New Orleans as the Auditor is to the Cafe and Diner. I do not believe that the Auditor is required to physically move from location to location. The Auditor is— The— Were— The Auditor is the last of their kind. All the— Seventeen. All except the Auditor. The Auditor survived.

The Auditor was here before us. The Auditor should have been at Tesseract dealing with Nobody in particular. The Auditor seems to be in many places at once. They said that they were waiting for the Tesseract Cafe to get their story straight and so they came here to check on Requiem. Imagine the Auditor's surprise when we were here as well. Since we all arrived here together the atmosphere has been oppressive. Psychic noise? Wicked noise? Vile noise? Nephilimic noise? Hard to say. Though I can tell it has been affecting the others. Jericho has been shaking. Drinking. Shaking worse. Joy is reliving moments I cannot see. Julius has been… aggressive. His fire is burning brightly. In any case I—

—was here before. I should have been at the Phantom Lanes dealing with the nobody in particular. I seem to be in many places at once. I am waiting for the story to straighten and so I came here to check on the R— Imagine my surprise when the Syndicate was here as well. Since they all arrived here together the atmosphere has been oppressive. Psychic noise. Wicked noise. Vile noise. Cresset noise. Hard to say. Though I can tell it still affects me. I've been shaking. Shaking worse. Reliving moments I cannot see. An aggressive fire burning coldly.

In any case the Mangrove Syndicate came here for the Ragarou. We have arrived in the swamps of New Orleans—
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="MIL-04">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">MIL-04</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: MID OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: MIL-04'''

To help parse Indrid's somewhat cryptic repeating words, I wanted to get my own thoughts down in a Diner Receipt. As we, or, more precisely Indrid, uncovered, the Mangrove Syndicate is in New Orleans in an effort to acquire Mrs. Brown as a customer of their establishment. Mrs. Brown is not a particularly high profile customer, nor is she especially demanding, all things considered. As a matter of fact, during Lent, she forgoes caffeine altogether. However, she is rather… aggressive… to those who aren't as steadfast in their Lenten convictions as she and can go so far as to chew their head off over the issue.

As you might have guessed by her stringent convictions, she is a friend of Behram. Though she is allied to Behram and his meaningless cause she is not actually a fan of Double Shots—she drinks Green Tea. …Which creates some confusion to her station, does it not? If she is a certified Green Tea drinker why waste her time working with Behram? Moreover, it's not entirely unheard of for a customer to switch drink orders entirely… it's not a matter of a hard-coded genetic predilection, it's a way of life. If a customer says they drink Orange Juice or Coffee with Cream, then that is what they drink. Which is funny, in a cosmic sense, because—ah, you had to be there.

Regardless, Mrs. Brown is most certainly a New Orleans local and Ms. Roussimoff is most certainly not. Or… maybe she is? Was? With someone as old as Ms. Roussimoff, it can be hard to tell where she's actually from… I'm getting lost in my own thoughts. Apologies. The important thing is that the Syndicate wants Mrs. Brown and we can't let that happen. The last thing the Cafe and Diner Network needs is to be losing customers to half-baked swamp-bound organizations. Outside of Lent, Mrs. Brown can typically be found in and around the Garden District so that is where we will search for her.

<blockquote>Jericho here. One third of the owners of Midnight, in case you forgot. Funny how Auddy thinks they've got some say in how we operate. I mean, we will go to the Garden District. But on my call, choice? So… yeah, Mrs. Brown can often be found in and around the Garden District. So. That is where my team, Midnight, will search for her.<br><br>
Right as radium and sour as brimstone we'll be off. Don't dare to lead my team, choice? Don't. Er, well, we're all of the Cafe and Diner though ain't we? R—ight, so WHY split hairs, eh Auddy?</blockquote>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-MIL-05">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-MIL-05</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Hull of here."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Research | 4 Words [******** ** *** *******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Where is here, from the perspective of the writer?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">There are two ways to go about it: the city, or the actor.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Think lycanthropy.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Werewolf Of New Orleans</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">“Hull” is either a reference to the “Werewolf of <b>Hull</b>”, aka “Ol’ Stinker”, or Henry <b>Hull</b>, who played the Werewolf in the 1935 film <i>Werewolf of London</i>. Either way, “Hull of Here” would thus be the “Werewolf of New Orleans”.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: MID OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-MIL-05'''

Territorial sovereignty is a concept the Midnight Cafe seems to struggle with as of late. However, given the Mangrove Syndicate’s involvement, I was inclined to let this particular violation of jurisdiction play out. Call it professional curiosity. Or perhaps I simply enjoy watching a train wreck in slow motion. If you were hoping for a display of tactical brilliance… well, I suppose you can’t win them all. However, after today's display of flame and fury—and given the fact that Wicked haunts this city enough as is—I feel that the Midnight Cafe should be confined to their jurisdiction for the foreseeable future. I'll have to bring it up with Jack.

<div class="cdn-transcript">
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Up ahead, right there! That's it, isn't it?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jericho</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yeah, that's the wolf alright. What now? Reckon we've been followed?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Indrid</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Do not worry. I do not sense the Syndicate. Do not—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jericho</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Lovely, thanks, Indy. So—what's the play here? We rush 'im?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Julius</div>
<div class="cdn-line">We should lure the beast.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jericho</div>
<div class="cdn-line">With what, big boy? A kindly Catholic who's gone back on their Lenten Vows? Be realistic—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It <i>could</i> work…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jericho</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It's bloody October. We don't have the time to sit on our hands 'til… 'til…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Indrid</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—not sense the Syndicate. Lent is observed through Wednesday, February 18th through Thursday, April 2nd.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jericho</div>
<div class="cdn-line">There's your answer, innit?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Julius</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You can lure a beast by more than nature. Jericho, prepare a binding circle around the perimeter. I will draw the beast to a focal point. From there we can use silver shackles. …Naberius, head back twenty or so meters. I want you to be ready to catch the Ragarou should the circle falter.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jericho</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Puh-lease, Jules. It's a simple binding circle. Christ. D'ya really think I can bungle that up?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Julius</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jericho</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Right. Best get on it then.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Chalk scratched on pavement, heavy boots shifted, a blade was unsheathed. Julius cut the mark of House Cresset into his palm as the air began to hum with a low-frequency static.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Indrid</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—through Wednesday, February 18th through Thursday, April 2nd. Worry. The Syndicate is observed Wednesday, October—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…Hang on. Indrid has changed his message!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jericho</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Wuzzat?</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[A deep, sub-bass rumbled as the pavement cracked. The earth split. Slowly the Giant loomed up from the fissure, displacing the night air with a heavy, suffocating pressure.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Giant</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I could have sworn I told you to stay out of this.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jericho</div>
<div class="cdn-line"><i>Giant</i>… Shit! Hurry it up, Jules!</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Jericho scrambled to close the chalk circle as Julius raised his bleeding palm.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Julius</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Byttar hectra!</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Sickly yellow fire roared as a blast of xanthic flames erupted from Julius, striking the Giant’s chest—and splashing off harmlessly like water off of ancient stone.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Giant</div>
<div class="cdn-line">What is <i>this</i>? You manage to beat us here and still you are clearly ill prepared.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[The Giant snapped his trunk-like fingers. The sound created a physical shockwave which was then met with three distinct, piercing screeches. Stikini witches tore out of the earth, blurring past the Giant toward the Ragarou.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jericho</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Now or never!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Julius</div>
<div class="cdn-line">The circle—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jericho</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It'll hold! Do it!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Julius</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Reszin setexa flanth mesico!</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[The roar of fire intensified into a deafening scream as Julius unleashed his full torrent. The xanthic flames tore through Jericho's circle, shattering what little containment it had. The Stikini scattered upward into the air.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jericho</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Shit, shit, shit! Jules—Julius! Call it off, mate! Call it off!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Julius</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Oftrpi hekmen ingtjo dranqu! Owfsix lamesi yelbur lownyo XANTHU!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jericho</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Stop it you big oaf! Lords below me, can't you see it's—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Giant</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—<i>Over</i>.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[There was a heavy, wet impact. Then, a vacuum sound—like air being sucked out of the room as the Giant scooped the Ragarou up in one massive hand. He sunk back into the earth, dragging the Stikini and Julius’s fire down with him. The street went instantly dark and silent.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Julius</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Damn it…</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-MIL-06">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-MIL-06</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Home is where the heart is."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Crystal Trivia | 1 Word [*********]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Where is home for the Midnight crew?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">A crystal for Florida, you say.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">No, not the coral. The other one.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Moonstone</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Midnight is in Florida, and the official gemstone for Florida is Moonstone.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JOY LIVINGSTONE'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: MID OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-MIL-06'''

So… Well, we're all okay! And, honestly, isn't that always, like, the most important thing? That at the end of the day we're all okay? All in one piece. Naberius, Indrid, Jericho, Julius, and I, that is. And Ranoma just sent me a text that everything is fine back at the Midnight Cafe. Still not sure where Daichi and Alarac are though… but how much trouble could those two get in? Er… well, I'm sure they're fine, right? They've been around a lot longer than any of us have! Oh! And the Auditor, they're fine too! Though… er, well, I don't think they "liked what they saw," but, you know, that's the thing about team dynamics and stuff. We're a family, right? And families can be a bit messy! The Auditor just doesn't… Well, it's okay. I'm sure they won't pass judgement on us from just one lousy service.

Speaking of… the Service with the Ragarou didn't quite go exactly according to plan. But, we couldn't foresee—I couldn't forsee—that the Giant and his witches would pop right out of the earth like that! I mean, yeah, sure, we kind of figured that some of the Syndicate would be here and we were ready for that… but we weren't expecting the Giant himself to show up. How could we have? This didn't seem like an issue he'd have to show up himself to deal with. But, y'know, besides the unexpected Giant and everything it all went… Well, it went okay, right? We're all okay. And I still think that's all that matters.

As for our next steps… The Auditor made it very, very clear that we were to head back to the Midnight Cafe in Palm Beach ASAP. Besides, poor little Ranoma has probably gotten very lonely without us there, so of course that's exactly where we're going to go! Once we're back in Palm Beach we need to look into, er, well, what the Syndicate really wants the Ragarou for, I suppose. I can't imagine they want the Ragarou just for some extra muscle, surely the Muck Monsters or the Skunk Apes are enough, right? And, like, the Ragarou is a very specific demon, I don't think he likes to stray from his home for long and he didn't look super excited to go with the Giant so… Maybe we need to mount a rescue! We'll figure it out once we're home again!

Peace, Love, and Joy!
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-MIL-07">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-MIL-07</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Portrait of Maurice, A Bold Bluff, A Jack In Office…"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Animal Trivia || 2 Words [****** ******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What do these have in common?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">All paintings of dog.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text"><b>Painted</b> a <b>dog</b> before?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Lycaon Pictus</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">All these are paintings of dogs. The scientific name for the Painted Dog is Lycaon Pictus.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JULIUS MENDOZA'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: MID OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-MIL-07'''

The Mangrove Syndicate has a new asset. Of what we know, the Giant employs Old Green Eyes as his second in command, three Stikini Witches known as the Mothers of Malice, Misery, and Misfortune, two Skunk Apes known as Rot and Rancor, and four or five Muck Monsters. And now, the Ragarou, the Werewolf of New Orelans. Though how willing of an asset the Ragarou will prove to be has yet to be determined. From our vantage, it seemed that the Ragarou was reluctant to go with the Giant.

During our encounter with the Giant and his witches the Midnight Cafe operated at about 70% efficiency due to environmental fatigue. We were running on fumes and without the use of the Spoon of Fate we were unable to operate with emotional clarity. It is to be expected. We are still in the process of detoxing from the Spoon's tonics. Despite this, we managed to limit civilian casualties and keep our encounter with the Syndicate contained. This is a good outcome. Thankfully the Syndicate was not interested in engaging us in a direct fight. We were just in their way. Again, this is good. It sends a message to the Syndicate that they cannot operate as they please without interference from us.

Moving forward we will need to reevaluate our tactics sans-Spoon. Moreover, this could have been a more positive outcome if we were operating with our full team. While some absences cannot be avoided, at the very least Alaric and Daichi need to communicate where they are going, why, and for how long. We will get the Ragarou back but will wait to move until the Angel and Serpent return to us.

That's all.

—Julius
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="DD-MIL-08">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">DD-MIL-08</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"???"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">???</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Let's read back on MIL-04.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Elementary, my dear solver.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">And a bit of homophones, just in case.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Raspberry</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">In MIL-04, Jericho states the DD phrase. There are different elements and letter blocks inside his sentences. Radium gives Ra, while Brimstone, aka Sulfur, gives S. Lead is Pb, Er, and WHY. Combining these gives the answer.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JERICHO MYERSCOUGH'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: DD-MIL-08'''

Well, well, well, seems Glean was spot on… it's her way though, ain't it? To always be spot on. To see the truth. She told me our little Auditor had a hidden channel for extra special receipts, as it were. Not Cafe, not Cafe Diner, and certainly not a mere mundane Diner Receipt. A Diner Diner. A double down, a double dog dare, a dismal destination… Can't help but feel like the name itself burns my ears and churns my bile.

<i><b>Diner Diner.</b></i>

…In any case, its a perfect place to cut the bullshit—we're proper fucked, aren't we? And I don't mean to be dour, I don't, but what the hell are we doing? What the hell is Fate doing to us? Bloodglass can't use their Lens, Silenus can't use their Bell, Tesseract shouldn't use their damned watch—hell I won't be surprised in the slightest if the Locket or Ledger turns out to be just as evil as the rest of 'em. And don't get me started on Jack-y Boy's 8-Ball. We'd be better off if he were seeing the bigger picture through a "taped up" white 8-Ball than whatever the hell that piece of kitsch it.

Look, we didn't lose the Rougarou because the Syndicate is stronger than us. We lost because I was shaking too damn hard to cast a bloody binding circle. We lost because Jules couldn't fucking control himself, couldn't control that damn Wicked fire that burns in his heart. We took down the Dark for heaven and hell's sake. You know how we pulled that miracle off? The Spoon. The sweet, silver Spoon of Fate Itself. Some piece of bone or cartilage of a dead god, of a dead Archon. Being "sober" in this line of work is going to get us right killed, choice? We can't beat the Giant if we have to fight ourselves along the way.

…I don't know what the answer is. I don't. I want to use the Spoon again. I want to take the pain, the fear, the anxiety, I want to take it all away in a few quick stirs like we used to. But then, what'll that leave us as? A buncha husks? Vessels for Fate to return through? Emotionless emissaries of Fate? That's what Glean told me, anyway, and you know her, she can't lie. She's the truth, and all that—Aletheia. She told me that when Fate was still consciously alive, It had this power to, to—"chill." It could turn a bastard cold. Empty. Emotionless. A perfect conduit for the Threads of Fate. She told me that's what Indrid is, or was. She's not sure what Indrid is now, seeing as Fate's dead and all. But, there's a good chance that Indrid Cold is some remnant of Fate's power to render a being cold. It'd certainly explain why when he drinks the Spoon's tonic it gives him clarity instead of numbness.

Point is, I reckon the only one who bothers to read these Diner Diner receipts are two: Jack Keel and our Auditor. I don't see why else Auddy would bother putting them out in the public, even if hidden from plain sight. So, Jack, Auddy… what the hell are we supposed to do if we can't beat the Syndicate without the Spoon but using the Spoon will empty us out? Shake your 8-Ball on that one, Jack. See if it tries to hollow you out too in the bloody process.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CAD-10">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CAD-10</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CAD-10'''

And that's what happened. The Syndicate outnumbered Midnight and was able to steal Mrs. Brown as a customer. With two months of hindsight, and a customer satisfaction survey conducted by Jericho, we know that Mrs. Brown has stuck with the Syndicate, and joined Ms. Roussimoff's organization as a full-fledged member. What Jericho has managed to, pardon the pun, glean, since then is that Ms. Roussimoff did not merely want Mrs. Brown as a guard dog. They wanted her to hunt.

Mrs. Brown's keen senses, sharpened by her love of Green Tea, must in some way let her search for something that is out of Ms. Roussimoff's massive reach. With Mrs. Brown in the Syndicate they are no doubt one step closer to whatever it is they are trying to achieve. However, this singular step hasn't been any great leap. It's been two months and the Syndicate is still moving to expand, to recruit, to search, and to control the swamps of the south east. I suspect my path will cross Ms. Roussimoff's again, though for the moment my auditorial services are needed elsewhere.

As I write this receipt, I am headed to the Silenus Cafe at the heart of the Coffee Trade's hotbed, Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Its owner, Dan Hamilton Jr., has been dealing with a problem no Cafe nor Diner would ever wish to face: flies. Yes, it would seem that Silenus has been absolutely overtaken by swarms of flies. A quick audit should find the source, I hope. Whether it be improperly stored trash, an unforeseen entry point, or perhaps a more insidious infestation. I suppose it is worth noting that this is not the first time Silenus has dealt with flies, in fact, their Cafe's sponsor is quite the lord of them; however, these flies differ quite a bit from Beez's from what I've heard.
</div>
</div>

</div>

Case 6: Nothing In Particular

2026-05-29T19:24:11Z

SpareAccount1:

<div class="cdn-archive-page">

<div class="cdn-archive-hero">

<div class="cdn-archive-label">CASE NO. 6</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-title">Nothing In Particular</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-subtitle">"So… God's dead. -Jack, CD-CAD-08"</div>

</div>

<div class="cdn-divider"></div>

<div class="cdn-section-heading">Receipts</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-CAD-08">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-CAD-08</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"f(0)(rho*(du/dt+u.del(u))=-del(p)+mu*del^2(u)+f)(F=G*((m1*m2)/r^2))(del^2(phi)=0)(F=q*(E+vxB))"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Research | 1 Word [****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Let's figure out what equations we're dealing with.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Navier-Stokes Equation for incompressible constant-density fluid, Universal Gravitation Equation, Laplace's Equation and Lorentz Force Equation for point particles.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">f(0) is the <b>initial</b> condition.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Null</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The equations in the puzzle are all different physics equations. The first one is Navier-Stokes, the second is Universal Gravitation, the third one is Laplace's Equation, and the last one is Lorentz Force. Taking the first letters of each equation, gives the answer.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JACK KEEL'''<br>
'''CAFE: CORE'''<br>
'''DATE: MID DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-CAD-08'''

I've been running interference for a long ass time, man. Meeting with the worst of the worst and the biggest of the bads… it takes a toll on the psyche, you know. Hell, I got eight of the nine Princes of Hell to work with us. But with eight Princes, a shit ton of antagonists, and sixty five employees the board is getting crowded and I needed to know if our special little "Auditor" was ready to stop acting like an employee and start acting like… well, like something else.

Someone else.

There comes a time when I can't just keep patching holes in the roof when the whole foundation is starting to slide. I've been keeping the heavy stuff close to the vest for a long time… too long, maybe. Though, to be fair, we've made it twenty years thus far. But with the way things are rotting from the inside, I knew I had to level with A a little ahead of schedule. They're a bit of a stickler for the rules, sure, but I needed them to see that the rulebook we've been playing by? It's been gone man.

The Universe has been fraying at the seams ever since CaDence was tricked into killing off the Archons in the last cosmic reboot. Well—fuck me—"killing off" for all the good killing Archons seems to do. Killing mortals even. Understatement to say we're trapped. And even then, we don't have a lot of time to either fix or change things and the last thing I want to do is sit on my hands and wait this all out for another go around.

The Auditor has been getting hung up on the small stuff. We had to talk about the big picture. The really big picture. CaDence was there too, but hell, she's reading this now as I type it. Hard to keep anything from her, so why bother? Far as I'm concerned, she might even help solve our little inequality. Though… something still isn't adding up.

<div class="cdn-transcript">
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Come in, A.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Why did you take me off of Requiem's case?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Because it's nothing that serious. It was a set up. A fake Teal to mask an Azure. Ugh, you ever get sick of how colorful the Cressets are?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…Then why did you drag me out here?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">CaDence, would you shut the door please.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…Do you want me to leave?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And have this off the record? Not necessary. Besides, you're the only other person here besides A I can trust with this.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[I shut the door and took a seat next to the Auditor.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">So… God's dead.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">That can't be true. If God—the Demiurge—was dead, the Universe would…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Start to rot? Take a look at Terminus, man. It's already happening.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Sorry…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Sorry?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">W—ell… CaDence… had a part in killing God. And Eve and Abraxas and—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I was tricked.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Sorry, When did this happen?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">End of the prior Universe. An event known as the Archonophthora. Death of all Archons in the Universe. Of course, as you are well aware, A, Archons are really hard to kill.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">So, the Universe isn't dead yet, we just need to find a way to bring Demiurge, Abraxas, and Eve back—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yes and no. Maybe more no than yes. I… would venture to find a better solution before bringing Demiurge back into power, you feel me?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Mr. Keel… that sounds rather cold. Are you suggesting you harbor some ill-intents toward the creator of this Universe?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No, no… no. Uh, I just want to explore our options before we throw all of our resources into bringing back a problem. Besides, we only need to bring back one of the three Archons to stabilize the Universe.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">But were any of them good stewards of the Universe?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…I want to explore our options.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Understood. So how do I fit into this scheme of yours?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You mean you haven't figured it out yet?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I believe I understand why I was hired, but to what end does it matter?</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Jack took out his 8-Ball. He gave it a shake and as it shuddered in his palm thin threads of blood seeped out of Jack's hand spinning the die in the 8-Ball. He showed it to the Auditor and I and it read: "D=X E=Y A=A."]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Huh. Y and X remain unsolved?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Seems so.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">But A?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Look, I just want to explore all of our options, man. All I'm asking for. Besides, we could seriously use your help in keeping everything straight while we work on figuring out how to undo our cosmic decline. Besides… you're already kind of taking up the role, aren't you?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I'll… look into it. Though, while I'm here, could you share some of your infamous insight on the bigger picture—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—You see it better than I do…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—Humor me.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Fine. The way I see it, man, is like this. Behemoth is our greatest threat. Not just our threat either, he's part and parcel everyone's existential threat. He seeks destruction of all—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Nihilism, then? A losing bet, I'd imagine.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Hardy-har. Anyway, he's working with Ursula Langley, the Morbid King, to further his ultimate end.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And what of the Daggers? The Outis Division?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">D.B. Cooper's squad? Well—I have to assume they're working under the same directive of the Nova Archons, specifically Gleam.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Ugh.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Fond memories?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Not exactly "memories." Archives.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You have access to the prior Archives?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yes and no. Yes. But no. Not for you or for anyone else.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—Too dangerous. If CaDence started to slip it could unlock the CaDComs up in Alaska and that—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…Would give Gleam what he wants. Speaking of Gleam, what about his twin sister, Glean?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Hard to read. I still think she's just toying with Jericho. But, for now I'll take her help.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And throw the poor washed up warlock under the bus? A bit of a trope, isn't it?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I can't stop Jericho from screwing himself over.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Fair enough. And what's the deal with this new "Mangrove Syndicate" business?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">The last living Nephilim, goes only by the Giant, he's soaking up Umbra's lost territory and control and I suppose he's put together a group of his own to reach his own unique aims.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Is the Giant in Behemoth's pocket?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Opposite actually.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Oh?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Still not good for us, I already tried that angle and I got thrown half way across the room for it.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">So you've physically met with the Giant?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I've met with every antagonist of the Cafe and Diner. It's my job—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—Is it?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Maybe it should be yours instead? There is still one Cafe I haven't put any effort into.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Testament.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Amen. Though I suspect you want as little to do with that mess as well?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I have the utmost faith in Alex and Amber… And Felix, and Dan, and Seth, and Nick and Nikki, and Jericho, Joy, and Julius, and… Julia.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Julia. That reminds me… How is Julia…?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">She's doing fine.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No. I mean, how is she… here?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">She's doing fine, man. Let's leave it at that.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

</div>

Case 6: Nothing In Particular

2026-05-29T19:23:46Z

SpareAccount1:

<div class="cdn-archive-page">

<div class="cdn-archive-hero">

<div class="cdn-archive-label">CASE NO. 6</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-title">Nothing In Particular</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-subtitle">"So… God's dead. -Jack, CD-CAD-08"</div>

</div>

<div class="cdn-divider"></div>

<div class="cdn-section-heading">Receipts</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-CAD-08">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-CAD-08</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"f(0)(rho*(du/dt+u.del(u))=-del(p)+mu*del^2(u)+f)(F=G*((m1*m2)/r^2))(del^2(phi)=0)(F=q*(E+vxB))"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Research | 1 Word [****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Let's figure out what equations we're dealing with.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Navier-Stokes for incompressible constant-density fluid, Universal Gravitation Equation, Laplace's Equation and Lorentz Force equation for point particles.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">f(0) is the <b>initial</b> condition.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Null</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The equations in the puzzle are all different physics equations. The first one is Navier-Stokes, the second is Universal Gravitation, the third one is Laplace's Equation, and the last one is Lorentz Force. Taking the first letters of each equation, gives the answer.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JACK KEEL'''<br>
'''CAFE: CORE'''<br>
'''DATE: MID DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-CAD-08'''

I've been running interference for a long ass time, man. Meeting with the worst of the worst and the biggest of the bads… it takes a toll on the psyche, you know. Hell, I got eight of the nine Princes of Hell to work with us. But with eight Princes, a shit ton of antagonists, and sixty five employees the board is getting crowded and I needed to know if our special little "Auditor" was ready to stop acting like an employee and start acting like… well, like something else.

Someone else.

There comes a time when I can't just keep patching holes in the roof when the whole foundation is starting to slide. I've been keeping the heavy stuff close to the vest for a long time… too long, maybe. Though, to be fair, we've made it twenty years thus far. But with the way things are rotting from the inside, I knew I had to level with A a little ahead of schedule. They're a bit of a stickler for the rules, sure, but I needed them to see that the rulebook we've been playing by? It's been gone man.

The Universe has been fraying at the seams ever since CaDence was tricked into killing off the Archons in the last cosmic reboot. Well—fuck me—"killing off" for all the good killing Archons seems to do. Killing mortals even. Understatement to say we're trapped. And even then, we don't have a lot of time to either fix or change things and the last thing I want to do is sit on my hands and wait this all out for another go around.

The Auditor has been getting hung up on the small stuff. We had to talk about the big picture. The really big picture. CaDence was there too, but hell, she's reading this now as I type it. Hard to keep anything from her, so why bother? Far as I'm concerned, she might even help solve our little inequality. Though… something still isn't adding up.

<div class="cdn-transcript">
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Come in, A.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Why did you take me off of Requiem's case?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Because it's nothing that serious. It was a set up. A fake Teal to mask an Azure. Ugh, you ever get sick of how colorful the Cressets are?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…Then why did you drag me out here?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">CaDence, would you shut the door please.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…Do you want me to leave?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And have this off the record? Not necessary. Besides, you're the only other person here besides A I can trust with this.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[I shut the door and took a seat next to the Auditor.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">So… God's dead.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">That can't be true. If God—the Demiurge—was dead, the Universe would…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Start to rot? Take a look at Terminus, man. It's already happening.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Sorry…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Sorry?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">W—ell… CaDence… had a part in killing God. And Eve and Abraxas and—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I was tricked.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Sorry, When did this happen?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">End of the prior Universe. An event known as the Archonophthora. Death of all Archons in the Universe. Of course, as you are well aware, A, Archons are really hard to kill.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">So, the Universe isn't dead yet, we just need to find a way to bring Demiurge, Abraxas, and Eve back—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yes and no. Maybe more no than yes. I… would venture to find a better solution before bringing Demiurge back into power, you feel me?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Mr. Keel… that sounds rather cold. Are you suggesting you harbor some ill-intents toward the creator of this Universe?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No, no… no. Uh, I just want to explore our options before we throw all of our resources into bringing back a problem. Besides, we only need to bring back one of the three Archons to stabilize the Universe.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">But were any of them good stewards of the Universe?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…I want to explore our options.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Understood. So how do I fit into this scheme of yours?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You mean you haven't figured it out yet?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I believe I understand why I was hired, but to what end does it matter?</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Jack took out his 8-Ball. He gave it a shake and as it shuddered in his palm thin threads of blood seeped out of Jack's hand spinning the die in the 8-Ball. He showed it to the Auditor and I and it read: "D=X E=Y A=A."]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Huh. Y and X remain unsolved?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Seems so.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">But A?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Look, I just want to explore all of our options, man. All I'm asking for. Besides, we could seriously use your help in keeping everything straight while we work on figuring out how to undo our cosmic decline. Besides… you're already kind of taking up the role, aren't you?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I'll… look into it. Though, while I'm here, could you share some of your infamous insight on the bigger picture—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—You see it better than I do…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—Humor me.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Fine. The way I see it, man, is like this. Behemoth is our greatest threat. Not just our threat either, he's part and parcel everyone's existential threat. He seeks destruction of all—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Nihilism, then? A losing bet, I'd imagine.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Hardy-har. Anyway, he's working with Ursula Langley, the Morbid King, to further his ultimate end.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And what of the Daggers? The Outis Division?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">D.B. Cooper's squad? Well—I have to assume they're working under the same directive of the Nova Archons, specifically Gleam.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Ugh.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Fond memories?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Not exactly "memories." Archives.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You have access to the prior Archives?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yes and no. Yes. But no. Not for you or for anyone else.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—Too dangerous. If CaDence started to slip it could unlock the CaDComs up in Alaska and that—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…Would give Gleam what he wants. Speaking of Gleam, what about his twin sister, Glean?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Hard to read. I still think she's just toying with Jericho. But, for now I'll take her help.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And throw the poor washed up warlock under the bus? A bit of a trope, isn't it?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I can't stop Jericho from screwing himself over.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Fair enough. And what's the deal with this new "Mangrove Syndicate" business?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">The last living Nephilim, goes only by the Giant, he's soaking up Umbra's lost territory and control and I suppose he's put together a group of his own to reach his own unique aims.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Is the Giant in Behemoth's pocket?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Opposite actually.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Oh?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Still not good for us, I already tried that angle and I got thrown half way across the room for it.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">So you've physically met with the Giant?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I've met with every antagonist of the Cafe and Diner. It's my job—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">—Is it?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Maybe it should be yours instead? There is still one Cafe I haven't put any effort into.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Testament.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Amen. Though I suspect you want as little to do with that mess as well?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I have the utmost faith in Alex and Amber… And Felix, and Dan, and Seth, and Nick and Nikki, and Jericho, Joy, and Julius, and… Julia.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Julia. That reminds me… How is Julia…?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">She's doing fine.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No. I mean, how is she… here?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jack</div>
<div class="cdn-line">She's doing fine, man. Let's leave it at that.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

</div>

Case 5: Teal Murder

2026-05-29T19:14:41Z

SpareAccount1:

<div class="cdn-archive-page">

<div class="cdn-archive-hero">

<div class="cdn-archive-label">CASE NO. 5</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-title">Teal Murder</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-subtitle">"Mrs. Montferrat is now dead. -The Auditor, ATD-01"</div>

</div>

<div class="cdn-divider"></div>

<div class="cdn-section-heading">Receipts</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card stamp-parent" id="ATD-01">
<div class="stamp-image">
[[File:BlueCanary-2.png|260px]]
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">ATD-01</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: ATD-01'''

I am currently en route to Requiem once again. It has been four months since my last visit. When I was last there, the Requiem team was still investigating Ms. Sandiego's presence on (or under, I suppose) the lake, and were conducting some information gathering from locals. They learned that Behram's ghosts (Ursula's ghosts? I'm not quite sure who has "custody" as it were…) had been ferrying illicit goods to Ms. Sandiego via Mr. Fenimore. This critical connection was made in part thanks to Mrs. Montferrat.

Mrs. Montferrat is now dead.

I know, I know—Mrs. Montferrat was already well on her way to an early grave with how many Double Shots she would drink. In fact, she had been known to split a sandwich with Behram on occasion and that alone could be seen as a type of death. Undeath? I'm not here to split hairs about those who partake in Behram's contractually binding cuisine. Besides, this is not like that. No. This is nothing at all like that. Mrs. Montferrat is dead, and she died behind a Teal Door.

Teal Doors, to put it mildly, are not a common cause of death even within the Coffee Trade. To be put behind a Teal Door, to die in a Teal Room—that is death of the highest order. That is a death of body, mind, and soul. A complete and total death. Removal. It is outlawed in all circles of the Coffee Trade. Even the Astorians abhor it and that is saying something. Of course, they abhor it perhaps because they cannot control it. Again, Teal Doors are not a common cause of death. Of the people who could orchestrate such a death, there are very, very few. And two of those few just so happen to work at the Cafe and Diner: Requiem. Requiem who investigated Mrs. Montferrat just a few months ago. Requiem who has an employee who was taken advantage of by Mrs. Montferrat.

This had better not be what it looks like.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-ATD-02">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-ATD-02</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Ring, Planets, Innings, Cat Lives, Arachnids, and Reindeer."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Research and Cipher | 2 Words [**** ****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">This is a simple counting exercise.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Lord of the Rings, Post-2006, Baseball, Saying, Legs and Santa Claus.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">The <b>One</b> Ring, <b>Eight</b> Planets, <b>Nine</b> Innings, <b>Nine</b> Lives of a Cat, <b>Eight</b> Legs of a Spider, and <b>Eight</b> Reindeers to pull the sleigh. What is #189988?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Dark Teal</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Each of the items in the clue has a number corresponding to it. If you get all the numbers, you get 189988. The colour code of Dark Teal is #189988.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: PENELOPE CHARBONNEAU'''<br>
'''CAFE: REQUIEM'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-ATD-02'''

It is a rare and beautiful day when the Universe corrects an error such as that bloodsucker Germain so… thoroughly. The news that the parasite of Royal Street had been trapped behind a Teal Door, consigned to absolute bitter nothingness, did admittedly bring a warmth to my chest that no amount of homonymous liquor could match. The Auditor did not share my relief. I suppose they saw a violation of protocol where I saw a tab finally being paid in full. They stormed into Requiem accusing everyone with a pulse. I merely sat back and watched. It is not often one gets a front-row seat to the aftermath of a perfect execution.

Though, to be clear, I had nothing to do with this.

And neither did Liz. She stuck his pale pathetic ass behind an Amber Door, and that was more than good enough for me.

<div class="cdn-transcript">
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">What in the hell were you thinking?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Elizabeth</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I didn't—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I can't protect you if you're pulling this kind of shit! A Teal room? For some fuckboy vampire?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Elizabeth</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I'm telling you, I didn't—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Who else can make Color Rooms? Ichabod</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Tonton Felix</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">He made one, ONE, Teal Door. Not even a whole room. And last I checked, no one dragged St. Germain all the way to Blackwood Manor. There is a Teal Room on Royal Street—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Jade</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Was a Teal Room. Liz closed it.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Well thank God no one else can walk into pure and utter oblivion. How considerate!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Felix</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Enough. Elizabeth says she did not do this and I believe her.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Felix Blackwood, you realize you're suspect number two in this mess, right?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Felix</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Put me to the question of peine forte et dure, if you must, but I learned my lesson messing with such forces long ago. While I cannot unmake my own Teal Door, I can assure you it hasn't been used since—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Fine—who else could have done this then? Who else can conjure Color Rooms?</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[The bell above Requiem's door jingled, as Sahir Bali walked in.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Sahir</div>
<div class="cdn-line">More than you might think.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Sahir? What are you doing here?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Sahir</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Jack tasked me with taking over. He wants to see you back in Long Beach.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Me? What—I'm trying to get to the bottom of an incident here that could sink the whole Cafe and Diner Network.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Sahir</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I understand, that's why Jack sent me to deal with it. Wrap up your case on it and then get back to Long Beach. Best not to keep Jack waiting.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I—fine. Elizabeth, I still need you to write a formal receipt on this matter.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Elizabeth</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Wouldn't that be an admission of guilt?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Auditor</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No one else knows as much about Color Rooms as you do.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[The Auditor left the Requiem Cafe in a huff.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Felix</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Thank you, Sahir. I fear that new Auditor of ours is… hm… rather "passionate" about these things, eh?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Sahir</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Not without good reason, I suppose. You have a Cresset Archon sleeping beneath your lake and now someone or something that can conjure Teal Rooms running about. In addition to your own Cresset Archon who can conjure Color Rooms.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Felix</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Ah, but I assume you know who is really to blame, no?</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Sahir shook his head.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Sahir</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Not yet. But I'll help you get to the bottom of it.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-ATD-03">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-ATD-03</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Of Potters, and Sailors, and Drivers, and Gamblers."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Angelology Trivia || 1 Word [*******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What's the similar thing in their lines of work?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Spinny thing go brr.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Angel of the spinny thing.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Ophanim</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Each of the things in the clue relates to wheels, whether it be a Potter's Wheel, the wheel at the helm of a ship, the steering wheel in a car, or a roulette wheel. The angel of wheels is also known as Ophanim.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: ELIZABETH LEWIS'''<br>
'''CAFE: REQUIEM'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-ATD-03'''

So, I suppose the Auditor wants me to write up a sort of... "incident report," well, fine. Here you go. I will do my best to write about an incident which occurred without any of my knowledge or involvement.

The vile vampire St. Germain of Royal Street was murdered... at the hands of... some unknown entity capable of conjuring Teal Rooms. In case I need to be exceptionally thorough in my write up… "Teal Rooms" are one of the infinite varieties of Prismatically Altered Spaces of which I can conjure. Though, to be clear, I am hardly the only person capable of creating such altered spaces—and furthermore I have never even created a Teal Room. Except… well… there was that one time, way back in December 2019 to contain… er… well, "eradicate…"

You know what? That doesn't matter.

Even then it was wrong for me to use the power of a Teal Room because a Teal Room is not death, it is the essence of "Void." It removes whatever is within it from the Universe. Not kills, not destroys, not overwrites, VOIDS. Deletes entirely. And I shouldn't have to explain that it's not like I have a "delete" button for people I find annoying. To suggest I would waste the sheer, exhausting metaphysical effort required to manifest a Teal Room on a third-rate bloodsucker like St. Germain is honestly very insulting. I put him in an Amber Room. It was stable, it was secure, and most importantly, it was reversible.

To shift a space from Amber to Teal requires a transition through White Light, a moment of vulnerability where the subject would have been briefly, well, active again. Have we even considered that St. Germain might still be alive? What if he is working with this other entity who could conjure Teal Rooms at will? What then? And, to be frank, we all still clearly remember St. Germain and that's not how a Teal Room is supposed to work. If St. Germain was truly trapped in the Teal we wouldn't have to suffer his name any longer.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="DD-ATD-04">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">DD-ATD-04</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"???"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">???</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">CAD-07 leads to a different place in Case No. 4.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Let's read CAD-06 real careful.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">What's every fifth word of the fifth paragraph?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">IRIS</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">In CAD-07, it says “Don't Despair, Case No. 5 is still in my top 5 of 5, even as far as Case No. 04 is concerned.” Searching through Case No. 04, CAD-06 has that same alliteration for DD, with “An 8-Ball, more precisely but that devious distinction… will have to wait for another time and another place.” In Paragraph 5, when taking every 5th word, you get “The Code is IRIS for later time.”</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: DD-ATD-04'''

I can't believe Jack is pulling me off of this case! And to send Sahir in to do it… You know, I don't have to Audit the Cafe and Diner Network if Jack is only going to have me be some sort of… lackey. Well, I already set up a Diner Diner password last week, so I might as well put it to some use on my trip back to California. I was intending to write about Color Rooms regardless as I feel they are a little understood piece of the cosmology of our Universe and I had already gathered notes on them in preparation for this investigation.

Color Rooms, sometimes referred to as Color Doors, are—as I understand them—spaces of filtered Universal law. In our Universe, everything is washed in what is referred to by some esoterics as "White Light." A harmonious blend of all cosmic laws, mundane and magical. Gravity, time, space, speed, cause and effect and so on, all operate in a unified field of "White Light." You could also call White Light, Universal Order or perhaps even Universal Truth. But it is helpful to think of this concept as Light because, like light, certain "prisms" can focus and separate this Light into distinct and segmented colors. As it concerns Color Rooms, these specific Colors are then absolutes of singular bands of Universal Truth.

The most famous of these is, of course, Teal Rooms. Teal Rooms are spaces that have been filtered to be only Void. Null. Emptiness. Anything in a Teal Room, thus, is not. It no longer is. It is death beyond death, it is removal of the highest order. Amber Rooms are filtered to remove all except the present moment. Eleleth most often creates these rooms as they are, to my estimate, fairly benign. It was in an Amber Room she last left St. Germain. Other known colors include: Indigo (perception), Vermillion (acceleration), and Ivory (tabula rasa). Theoretically, there are endless colors possible, but, realistically, most are too arcane or otherwise specific to be of any practical use.

As for how these filters work, there are a few hard rules that I have been able to determine. First, the effect of a prismatic filter is binary. It either is or it isn't. There is no fading into a Teal Room, there is only Teal Rooms and otherwise White Light. These filters also only extend to enclosed spaces. There is no tangible threat of the entire Universe being suddenly flipped into Teal Light. Second, there seems to be an Observer effect in play, at least with manmade Color Rooms. Felix's Teal Door in his childhood manor can only shift its interior to Teal if no one is watching. If the door is shut. And lastly, there is a Conservation of Color… you can't have one room inside another. You can't have a Teal Room expand from within an Amber Room.

Which… does indicate that someone, possibly Eleleth… possibly someone else, had to first free St. Germain back into White Light before ultimately sealing his fate into the Teal.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-ATD-05">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-ATD-05</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"June ⛌ 13th"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Research | 2 Words [**** *****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What's the symbol in the middle of the clue?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">June 13th is a very special day indeed.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">The crossroad figure in Voodoo.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Papa Legba</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Papa Legba is the Voodoo figure of crossroads, and his day is June 13.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: FELIX BLACKWOOD'''<br>
'''CAFE: REQUIEM'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-ATD-05'''

The Auditor is quite the frantic creature, always scurrying after the "how" and the "who." They look at a Teal Room and see a crime scene whereas I look at it and see just another abomination. You see, the creation of a Color Room by a mortal hand is not a feat of architecture, nor even standard sorcery. Speaking from personal experience, it is an act of supreme theft and little else. In our green youth, my brother and I did not "learn" to fold the White Light. I may be quite the magician but I am no Archon. Instead, we reached into the pockets of Papa Legba and snatched a handful of the raw, prismatic shards that lay at the crossroads. We were rather arrogant, no? We wanted to build a door that led to Nowhere, believing that if we controlled an entrance to the Void, we would be the masters of the All and None. Masters over the terrible Terminus that haunts the core of the Otherside.

We succeeded, in a way. We fashioned the Teal Door within Blackwood Manor, but we did not create a room of permanent stable Teal. We built a transition, a hinge between Being and Non-Being. When the door is closed, the room beyond is merely a dusty parlor. But should the latch turn with the right... intent, shall we call it, the transition itself becomes the destination of eternal deletion. Anything caught in the threshold when the Light filters from White to Teal is not crushed or killed; it simply ceases to have ever been a part of the conversation. It was this theft of Papa Legba's power that turned the Blackwood House to taboo among the Old Voodoo Houses of New Orleans.

The Auditor suspects me because I have the blood of thieves on my hands and they suspect Elizabeth because she need not steal to harbor such frightful power. But, I fear, the Auditor misunderstands the nature of the sin of Destruction, or, is it Creation? Regardless, the alleged victim is St. Germain, no? Funny we still utter his name—as if this was all but a ruse. A set up. Believe me, St. Germain is likely dead, but he is far from "voided." What an interesting game is beginning to unfold… Could it be the Wicked's Eidolon? Or is this a more Vile crime? Or… perhaps something much… greater.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-TBR-14">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-TBR-14</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Sunday, Sunday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Today."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Celebration Trivia | 4 Words [***** ** ****** *******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">The first Sunday is Whit Sunday, to start things off.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">The next Sunday is Trinity Sunday.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">What's the Thursday after Trinity Sunday called on the Christian calendar?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Feast Of Corpus Christi</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The first Sunday is Whit Sunday, the second Trinity Sunday. Today is the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, making it the Feast of Corpus Christi.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: ICHABOD RAMSES'''<br>
'''CAFE: REQUIEM'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-TBR-14'''

Tonton Felix is a man of heavy secrets. Lord knows he shares only a fraction of what he truly knows. And if he thinks this Teal business is a trick, a bit of trompe-l’œil I would not be one to argue against him. From what he wrote of his… regrettable business… at the crossroads, I got the sense he knows who is behind this but also that St. Germain is dead but not, eh, "deleted" as it were. Those who die by the Teal are removed. Forgotten. Replaced. But St. Germain is still very much here, both historically and in our present thoughts.

That’s where the Black Roux comes in.

I cooked up a fresh batch of the Black Roux in the coffin-nail skillet for madmwazèl Wade to consume. We know now that the Black Roux works as theorized, Katherine needs only to consume it to hear the thoughts of the dead. Of course this would be a meaningless venture if St. Germain had been fully removed from this world, the next, and far beyond. But, he is likely only dead. And death is a suggestion at best, especially for the followers of the Dark Lord Behemoth. If the Void is as absolute as Tonton Felix claims, there shouldn’t be a single whisper left for Katherine to catch. No lingering regrets, no last words, just a hole in the air where a vampire used to be.

So, eat up, chérie. We're going to push this little experiment of ours to new heights. I am actually rather curious if we will find out if a Teal Door truly wipes the slate clean. If Katherine tastes nothing but cold iron and ash, then St. Germain is truly gone beyond death, vanished into the Great Null of Terminus and deeper on. But if she catches even a hint of his lingering thoughts, a flash of Royal Street or the bitter tang of his last fears preserved in the Amber Room Elizabeth left him in… then this wasn't a Teal Room at all. It was all but a masquerade.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-TBR-15">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-TBR-15</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Color me surprised, not asceticism nor persecution."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Theology Trivia | 2 Words [**** *********]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What kind of figure can be ascetic or persecuted?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">There are three kinds of martyr.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">If it's not red or white, then...</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Blue Martyrdom</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Martyrdoms have three kinds: red, white and blue. If it's not persecution or asceticism (meaning not red or white), it's blue.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: KATHERINE WADE'''<br>
'''CAFE: REQUIEM'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-TBR-15'''

The Black Roux is always so heavy. Choking, almost. I guess it is mostly dirt, ash, bone, and fat. Ichabod was worried there would be nothing but silence. He kept saying that if it was a Teal Room, St. Germain would be "voided," and there wouldn't be any thoughts left for me to find. But as soon as the Black Roux touched my tongue, believe me, the silence broke. St. Germain isn't gone. I was still able to hear and even see his death-thoughts, and they were screaming, just for a second, before they settled into something much, much colder.

I saw it, or I felt it, through his eyes. It wasn’t a Teal Room. That was a lie, a setup, created afterward. St. Germain was trapped in the Amber, suspended in that soft, golden "now," when a hand reached in and pulled the color away. I… I don't know who it was. It was a man in a flat cap. I couldn't see his face clearly, but his voice was like gravel grinding together. He sounded... tired. So, so tired. But at the same time his voice was intoxicating. I wanted to hear more… I still want to hear more. But… It was only a memory, and not even my own. He said, "Germain. Sorry to do this, old friend—but the boss, he wants you out of the picture, you've said too much." And then the world didn't just go empty. It burned.

It wasn't a Teal fire.

It started as these strange yellow flames with a core as black as coal, flickering and hungry. Then, the man did something, a twist of the wrist, a shift in the air, and the yellow bled away into a deep, rich blue. It wasn't the flat, hollow nothingness of Teal. It was… vibrant.

It was... Azure.

The color rang in my head like a bell, loud and sharp and terrifying. Everything melted into that Azure.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CAD-07">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CAD-07</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CAD-07'''

I pulled some of Requiem's other cases for this report because, well, I didn't exactly have time to do a thorough job, did I? Don't Despair, Case No. 5 is still in my top 5 of 5, even as far as Case No. 04 is concerned. At least Ichabod and Katherine's latest experimental recipe tied in well enough, don't you think? And the evidence they uncovered is rather striking. Wouldn't it be nice to stay and sort out this mystery before being dragged back to home base for… what? The new "artist" in a flat cap? Or is there some other pressing matter Jack needs me for? If he pulled me merely to berate me, I might have to give up this whole Auditing business then and there. I've been around for far too long to worry about playing by some imaginary rules Jack pulls out of his ass on the spot.

I am getting ahead of myself, aren't I? I should at least wait to see what Jack wants before I get too far in my own head about what might be more important than some Teals, Ambers, and, I suppose, "Azures." What do you think an Azure Room does? Kills, possibly. Azure is not that far off from Teal, all things considered. Ah, but then do the "colors" actually mean anything or are they arbitrary to us lowly employees of the Coffee Trade? A problem for Requiem to sort out in my absence.

If anything Requiem could call upon the aid of Midnight, as they are roughly in the area due to the Mangrove Syndicate's growing sphere of influence. Jericho's mistress might know. Ah—I should probably compile my October cases regarding that matter as well. But, God only knows if I'll have the time for that depending on what work Jack throws at me. I wonder… could there be a connection between the Syndicate and what lurks beneath the lake? Or is it all connected by the same singular thread of the terrifying, terminal Nil?
</div>
</div>

</div>

Case 4: What Remains of Fate?

2026-05-16T08:04:16Z

SpareAccount1:

<div class="cdn-archive-page">

<div class="cdn-archive-hero">

<div class="cdn-archive-label">CASE NO. 4</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-title">What Remains of Fate?</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-subtitle">"In truth, the Cafe and Diner Network exists to protect and safeguard the eight known Pieces of Fate: the 8-Ball, the Pocket Watch, the Cane, the Spoon, the Lens, the Bell, the Ledger, and the Locket. -The Auditor, CAD-05"</div>

</div>

<div class="cdn-divider"></div>

<div class="cdn-section-heading">Receipts</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card stamp-parent" id="CAD-05">
<div class="stamp-image">
[[File:MangroveSyndicate.png|260px]]
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CAD-05</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CAD-05'''

I have a bit of an older case that predates my employment by a few weeks. I am fairly certain other such cases exist, but considering the Cafe and Diner Network's 20 year history, it'd be an awful lot of trouble to dredge through all that came before me. And besides, I fear if I spend too much time unearthing the Cafe's past I would never have a chance to live truly in the present. However, I'll make an exception for these edge cases and for the handful of truly important cases from the Cafe's past.

As for what this case was, Jack had been toying with the idea for a public repository of the Cafe and Diner's work for some time now. He said it was like a calling from deep within him that he couldn't quite shake—A dormant memory of a life unlived by him. Sure, Jack. Whatever you say. Though, Jack failed to consider that his employees, shall we say, "struggle" with keeping a public record of their work. Both in terms of consistency and secrecy. This is one of the few cases that ever came to light and only because it was directly ordered by Jack himself.

The Cafe and Diner Network on paper exists to maintain a balance between our world—let's call it… The States… and the different but not entirely unrelated northern country of Canada. Most customers come from Canada, and now more than ever Canadians and Americans don't seem to get along, do they? Regardless, that's the stated goal of the organization. In truth, the Cafe and Diner Network exists to protect and safeguard the eight known Pieces of Fate: the 8-Ball, the Pocket Watch, the Cane, the Spoon, the Lens, the Bell, the Ledger, and the Locket. Though we protect these items, we don't entirely know what they do, and so Jack ordered a thorough investigation into them, starting with his very own Piece of Fate, the 8-Ball. Here's what Midnight put together.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-POF-01">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-POF-01</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Dear… oh bugger! How did it go again? Gus? Hazel? No…"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Shakespeare Trivia | 1 Word [******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">I don't remember anyone named Gus or Hazel in Shakespeare...</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Well, duh, that's 'cause they're not. They're John Green's.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Caesar didn't expect them to be among the backstabbers.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Brutus</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Gus and Hazel are characters from <i>The Fault In Our Stars</i>, by John Green, which has its title inspired by Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, in which the nobleman Cassius says to Brutus: "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings."</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JERICHO MYERSCOUGH'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE JULY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-POF-01'''

<i>Fate.</i>

Bit of a complicated beast, truth be told. Do we have free will or don't we? If there's no choice—no true choice—why bother doing anything? Why bother fighting at all? I suppose… if it's your destiny, you'll fight anyway. But that's the hitch, ain't it?

Fate's dead and we have pieces of Its bloody corpse to prove it.

Some time ago—longer than any of us have been around—there was a being named Fate. Fate, as far as we can square it, was an Archon. An ancient pre-Universal entity that should've been immortal. Well… I suppose in some ways It was immortal as Its body isn't quite rotting away yet. Its lungs, Its heart, Its eyes, Its bones, Its sinew, Its blood, the whole of what It once was still thrums with the dead God's control over what "should" be.

We, as the Cafe and Diner Network, have quite a few Pieces of Fate, or at least, what we think must be Pieces of Fate. Jack tasked me and my Cafe to study their origins in a hope to understand what exactly each Piece is, was, and currently does. As if we aren't busy enough with the bloody bleeding Dark still breathing down our necks… But, I suppose our Cafe is uniquely filled with a wide array of perspectives, a warlock, a vessel, a cryptid, an ouroborian, a high demon, an angel, and whatever the hell Indrid Cold is.

So, that said, I figured we should start with the Piece that started it all—the 8-Ball.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-POF-02">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-POF-02</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Absinthe, Raki, Anis, Killepitsch…"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Alcohol Trivia | 1 Word [****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Ooh, spicy stuff. Or is it spiced?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Oh, yeah, definitely spiced. But what spice?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Take the first of each drink.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Arak</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Taking the first letters from each of the alcohol, you get Arak, which is a distilled Levantine spirit of the anise drinks family. This fits the pattern as all of these are anise drinks.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE SERPENT, DAICHI'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY AUGUST'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-POF-02'''

Damascus, 1538.

I remember like it was yesterday—roasted coffee beans, sweet tobacco, and rich roses filled the air of a dimly lit no-name cafe in Damascus, where mystic minds had gathered for centuries before the Ottomans had ever laid claim to it. It was here, beneath intricately carved wooden beams and the soft glow of oil lamps, that many late nights and early mornings saw the convergence of the mundane and the miraculous. Scholars with their ink-stained fingers met with thieves speckled in soot and blood to exchange their illicit objects for far illicitier ideas.

One such thief went by the name Ibreez and one such scholar went by the name Nasira.

Ibreez was a whirlwind of contradictions. A prince and pauper. A thief and luminary. He always dressed like a peacock on market day. He would drape himself in the richest—and gaudiest—of violet cloaks adorned with gold-threaded sashes that caught light like flies in a web. He'd started off humbly, hawking saffron and Damascene steel, but his true calling emerged in the trade of heretical texts and otherworldly possessions. Though, in truth, he wasn't terribly rich himself, he dressed like a prince to avoid the gaze of the Janissaries. No… he was far from rich; every akçe Ibreez would earn he would spend for an hour or Nasira's time.

Nasira al-Ghazani was a renowned Sufi mystic. Her once rich brown eyes had faded into a stormy gray after she glimpsed what was referred to then as the "Second Horizon." The Otherside. Her layered robes of ochres and earth tones exuded a fragrant blend of clove, ash, and honey. She had once honed her craft under the tutelage of the Mevlevi dervishes of Konya before Fate guided her to a hidden courtyard which she would later form into a cafe along the banks of the Barada.

Fate is what brought Ibreez and Nasira together—and it was Ibreez and Nasira who would bring Fate Itself back together, piece by piece. Over the course of forty years, the thief and the scholar had managed to find eight Pieces of the dead God Fate: Its Occipital Lobe, Vitreous Humor, Uvula, Fibula, Cochlea, Pineal Gland, Pancreas, and Pericardium. But it all began with Fate's Occipital Lobe, now called the 8-Ball.

A funny little onyx orb that went shaken gives answers. Naturally the more mundane form it has taken is influenced by the mind of its current holder, Jack Keel. But before Jack ever held it, it still naturally took the form of a ball of inky darkness in which answers came to the surface from the back of the skull where possibility pooled into vision.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-POF-03">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-POF-03</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"What luck, Frank, Danny, and Jamie are all here."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Animal Trivia | 2 Words [********* ****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Where are Frank, Danny and Jamie from?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">You might know them as the Reagans.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Blue blood, luck... there's only one animal that fits those criteria.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Horseshoe Crab</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Frank, Danny, and Jamie are all characters from Blue Bloods. Looking for an animal with Blue Blood, a famous one often caught for their blood is Horseshoe Crabs.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JULIUS MENDOZA'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY AUGUST'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-POF-03'''

I have seen the 8-Ball only on a few occasions. Unlike the other Pieces of Fate held by the Cafe and Diner, the 8-Ball belongs to no singular institution, organization, or even a Cafe. It belongs to Keel. It is shackled to him—and him alone. This ownership makes any "thorough" examination nearly impossible for us to properly conduct. I have a suspicion that even if Keel were to permit us temporary custody of the 8-Ball, the true depths of its power would remain forever known only to him.

What whispers circulate about the 8-Ball speak of its terrifying ability to twist the very fabric of Fate with answers far from beyond Fate's own domain. It offers guidance when none is wanted. It grants knowledge that should remain buried. Where the Lens may show what horrors await, and the Pocket Watch permits one to flee between doomed timelines, the 8-Ball delivers brutal, bewildering truth. A hazy yes, no, maybe or sometimes an answer so precise it chills the very blood.

Ah, speaking of blood, it is the only Piece of Fate that seems to have a thirst for it. Not even the Cane or the Spoon require a constant source of blood to operate. In fact, while I would hardly say the other Pieces of Fate are without cost, the 8-Ball is the only one with a tangible, direct, and immediate price. Each question asked draws a pinprick of blood from the asker. Not a terribly steep price, but you should see Keel's pocked hands.

Regardless, it is still the most formidable Piece of Fate.

Though it may lack the overt spectacle of other Pieces, its true terror lies in its utter lack of restraint. The Lens inevitably corrupts and fractures, revealing futures that drive men mad. The Pocket Watch merely offers escape to other adjacent cycles. But the 8-Ball? It seems to know all, and its knowledge often proves as devastating as the question asked.

And Keel asks damn good questions.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-POF-04">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-POF-04</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Greenest, yellow, in the purple, pearl and ruby, black, and pale."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Association | 3 Words [*** ******* ******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Valley, banners, the ruler, palace door, evil things, door.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Roderick Usher wrote this song.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Or was it Edgar Allan Poe?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">The Haunted Palace</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">In <i>The Haunting Palace</i> by Edgar Allan Poe, each stanza of the poem is aligned to a color.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: ALARIC AUSTERE'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE MARCH'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-POF-04'''

There is a difference between guiding a ship and hijacking the wheel. Lately, the guidance provided by the 8-Ball has felt far too… convenient. Too active to be the passive echo of a mere dead god. To say that I have dealt with Fate, what it was alive, is understatement, and I cannot help but feel that the 8-Ball is not… Well, it doesn’t sit right with me. Any of it. I brought the issue to the table, hoping to get some new perspectives, and Naberius and Indrid are, if nothing else, a multitude of sounding boards, are they not?

<div class="cdn-transcript">

<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I have reason to believe that the 8-Ball is not a Piece of Fate.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Naberius I</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Are you shitting me, pretty boy? It's the most Fate-y Piece of Fate there is! It tells you what's gonna happen! What's more to Fate than that, huh?</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It does not simply tell what will happen next. It guides. It alters. The other Pieces we possess—they allow one to observe Fate, to travel along its currents… to numb the inevitable. They are all passive windows. The 8-Ball, however, is an active hand, pushing the pieces on the board. Its answers so often seem to conveniently defy a pre-written course of action in favor of the asker's desire. That is not the nature of Fate. That is the nature of a rebel—an iconoclast.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Naberius II</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Mm… An interesting distinction. Perhaps its function is not to defy Fate, then, but to reveal the most… 'opportune' path. The thread of destiny that one most desires. Even a dead God can have Its favorites, no? And surely we must be favored with so many pieces of Its body.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Naberius III</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Besides, all paths end in the cold, silent earth. The 8-Ball merely chooses the most scenic route to the grave. A prettier cliff to fall from. It is a hollow comfort—nothing more, angel.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Indrid Cold</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Different. Yes. It feels… different. Different from the others. The others. The other paths. The other… the other… the Other…</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You feel it as well, then. I had suspected as much. Several Universes ago, I was in the presence of Fate Itself. It was an overwhelming resonance, a pressure that defined reality. It was a song that all things were forced to harmonize with. The other Pieces of Fate, they still carry an echo of that song with them. A faint, dying hum of that divine, immutable Archonic power.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Naberius I</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Oh for fuck's sake get to the point, wings! So they hum! What's that got to do with anything?</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Well, the 8-Ball does not hum. Where the divine ichor of a dead Archon should be, there is… a void. A perfect, polished silence. It feels… hollow. It feels hungry. It does not feel like the corpse of a God. It feels like a cage for something else.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Naberius II</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Mm… I see… So, then, it's a forgery? A divine relic that is, in fact, a counterfeit? How deliciously heretical. If you are correct, the implications would be… profound…</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Naberius III</div>
<div class="cdn-line">But who—or what—could play at being Fate? What darkness would need to be caged in such a manner?</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Indrid Cold</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Not a cage. No. Not a cage. It's a key. A key that looks like a cage. A key that asks questions. Questions. Questions. Questions—</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Precisely. On the surface, the 8-Ball is the answerer of all questions asked, but in truth—</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Naberius II</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…it is the one asking?</div>

<div class="cdn-stage">[A heavy silence fell over the room. For the first time, all three of Naberius's heads were quiet, staring at Alaric and Indrid Cold with a shared, unsettling focus.]</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I'll see if Jack will let us investigate further.</div>

</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-POF-05">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-POF-05</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"From a Christian perspective to the coming Dawn, 29.975260, 31.137280"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Research | 4 Words [*** ***** ** *******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Where does the coordinates point to?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">This Christian fellow, what connects him with the Sphinx?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">What name is The Sphinx in the Golden Dawn deck?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">The Wheel Of Fortune</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The coordinates lead to The Sphinx. Regarding Christian, we are following Paul Christian, who developed the Egyptian Tarot. Looking at Tarot Cards made by The Hermetic Order Of the Golden Dawn, The Wheel of Fortune is depicted with a Sphinx above the Wheel.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JOY LIVINGSTONE'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: MID AUGUST'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-POF-05'''

Daichi is handling the history and the others are bored out of their gourds with heaps of paperwork, but I can’t stop thinking about the, y'know, the vibe of Jack's 8-Ball. Most of the Pieces of Fate feel like, like old stones or old bones… all cold and settled. But this one, the 8-Ball, feels like a weed in a garden. I was trying to find the right analogy for Ranoma, something that wouldn't give him nightmares, haha. I wanted him to understand that while the other Pieces are dead things, this one feels like it’s still trying to live. To feed. Eh… that doesn't sound much less nightmare-y, does it?

Peace, love, and cautious Joy!

<div class="cdn-transcript">
<div class="cdn-speaker">Ranoma</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And that one? What does that one mean, Joy? Is it a good one? A heroic one! It looks very, yes very heroic, very heroic indeed!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It's a very good one, Rani. It means you have a gentle and quiet courage. The kind of strength that comes from being brave and kind at the same time.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Ranoma</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Oh! Yes, yes! That is most certainly me, I am very, yes, very brave! And very kind! A brave, kind hero! That HAS to be me! Speaking of heroic deeds… How's the report for Jack going? Do you need any help? I would love to be of help! Maybe, yes, maybe there are some old texts that need translating or—</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Joy shook her head.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Don't worry about that. Daichi's got the old stuff covered—apparently he was there? And anyway, Rico and Jules don't want us to spend any more time on this than we have to. They think it's… T—edious? I guess? I mean, I like the distraction from the Dark, but you know those two.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Ranoma</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Tedious! Pish posh, I say! Pish posh!! It is a rather grand undertaking! A noble quest for knowledge! A most important and most very noble quest! Have you worked on the report yet? It's about Jack's 8-Ball right?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yes. It's about the 8-Ball. The 8-Ball… Hmm. It's a tricky one, too. You know how some things just have a… a feeling to them? Like how a warm mug of tea feels comforting, or how a room gets quiet right before a thunderstorm?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Ranoma</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I do! I do know! There is nothing, simply nothing, I love more than a warm cup of tea! Or a nice quiet thunderstorm! Is the 8-Ball like that? Comforting?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Mm… We—ll… The other Pieces of Fate, they all feel… old. And very sad. Like an echo in a big, empty house. But the 8-Ball feels different. It's not an echo. It's quiet, but it isn't empty. It feels… parasitic?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Ranoma</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Parasitic?! No!! Is Jack going to be okay? Do we need to go rescue him from the 8-Ball?!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Oh, no! Not in, like, a scary way! Not like a monster. More like… like a vine that wraps around a tree so tightly it becomes part of the tree. It feels like a little black hole. It doesn't make a big noise or show its teeth. It just… pulls, and pulls, and pulls. It wants to draw everything into it. The other Pieces feel like they just… are what they are. Pieces of Fate. Bones of a long-dead God. The 8-Ball feels like it's still listening. Still alive. And, well—</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Jericho and Julius entered the room interrupting Joy's tarot reading.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Rico</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Right then, enough of that. We've got real work to do. Mangrove Syndicate was just reported on the move.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">What about the Pieces of Fate report?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Julius</div>
<div class="cdn-line">We have enough. Besides, we will never know more about the 8-Ball than Jack.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I see.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Ranoma</div>
<div class="cdn-line">The Mangrove Syndicate is on the move?! We have to go then!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Rico</div>
<div class="cdn-line">That's the spirit, Loveland. Let's crack on.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CAD-06">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CAD-06</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CAD-06'''

And there you have it. The 8-Ball. An 8-Ball, more precisely but that devious distinction… will have to wait for another time and another place. I don't exactly have time to add to the case myself as an international incident is brewing at Requiem as I type this.

Great.

I leave them for a few months and somehow, someway, they've gone and bungled it all up to hell and back. A week ago I heard that things were progressing well with their whole vile business beneath the lake. And now? Now everyone, EVERYONE, is swarming around trying to place blame on the Cafe and Diner… and I can't say I totally believe in their innocence yet. They couldn't help themselves from smacking ANOTHER hornet's nest with that damned Cane of theirs. Though this time, I don't think the Cane was even involved. What a mess. It's funny, in a way, the best case scenario in this matter is still high on my list of worst possible cases. The last thing the Coffee Trade needed was the sword of mutually assured destruction looming over all of our heads bigger than Behram's deadly double shot.

My mind is racing, trying to figure out how this could have happened. I mean, I know how it could have happened… but I, I really hope that it's not what I fear. Again, the best case scenario is still quite awful no matter how we untangle this mess. I'm almost tempted to ask Jack's 8-Ball myself. Almost. But before I sink to that low, I'll go audit the situation as best as I can.

I can't say enough, the Requiem Cafe is in CODE RED now. Gah! This is a problem even for IRIS, Astorians, and Ozhogs! Oh, for Pete's sake, this is a total disaster. I'll write later about my other thoughts, time permitting, of course.

…Now, let's see if I can help sort this mess out before all of our doors end up slammed shut.
</div>
</div>

</div>

Case 4: What Remains of Fate?

2026-05-16T08:03:20Z

SpareAccount1:

<div class="cdn-archive-page">

<div class="cdn-archive-hero">

<div class="cdn-archive-label">CASE NO. 4</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-title">What Remains of Fate?</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-subtitle">"In truth, the Cafe and Diner Network exists to protect and safeguard the eight known Pieces of Fate: the 8-Ball, the Pocket Watch, the Cane, the Spoon, the Lens, the Bell, the Ledger, and the Locket. -The Auditor, CAD-05"</div>

</div>

<div class="cdn-divider"></div>

<div class="cdn-section-heading">Receipts</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card stamp-parent" id="CAD-05">
<div class="stamp-image">
[[File:MangroveSyndicate.png|260px]]
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CAD-05</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CAD-05'''

I have a bit of an older case that predates my employment by a few weeks. I am fairly certain other such cases exist, but considering the Cafe and Diner Network's 20 year history, it'd be an awful lot of trouble to dredge through all that came before me. And besides, I fear if I spend too much time unearthing the Cafe's past I would never have a chance to live truly in the present. However, I'll make an exception for these edge cases and for the handful of truly important cases from the Cafe's past.

As for what this case was, Jack had been toying with the idea for a public repository of the Cafe and Diner's work for some time now. He said it was like a calling from deep within him that he couldn't quite shake—A dormant memory of a life unlived by him. Sure, Jack. Whatever you say. Though, Jack failed to consider that his employees, shall we say, "struggle" with keeping a public record of their work. Both in terms of consistency and secrecy. This is one of the few cases that ever came to light and only because it was directly ordered by Jack himself.

The Cafe and Diner Network on paper exists to maintain a balance between our world—let's call it… The States… and the different but not entirely unrelated northern country of Canada. Most customers come from Canada, and now more than ever Canadians and Americans don't seem to get along, do they? Regardless, that's the stated goal of the organization. In truth, the Cafe and Diner Network exists to protect and safeguard the eight known Pieces of Fate: the 8-Ball, the Pocket Watch, the Cane, the Spoon, the Lens, the Bell, the Ledger, and the Locket. Though we protect these items, we don't entirely know what they do, and so Jack ordered a thorough investigation into them, starting with his very own Piece of Fate, the 8-Ball. Here's what Midnight put together.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-POF-01">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-POF-01</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Dear… oh bugger! How did it go again? Gus? Hazel? No…"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Shakespeare Trivia | 1 Word [******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">I don't remember anyone named Gus or Hazel in Shakespeare...</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Well, duh, that's 'cause they're not. They're John Green's.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Caesar didn't expect them to be among the backstabbers.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Brutus</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Gus and Hazel are characters from <i>The Fault In Our Stars</i>, by John Green, which has its title inspired by Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, in which the nobleman Cassius says to Brutus: "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings."</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JERICHO MYERSCOUGH'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE JULY'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-POF-01'''

<i>Fate.</i>

Bit of a complicated beast, truth be told. Do we have free will or don't we? If there's no choice—no true choice—why bother doing anything? Why bother fighting at all? I suppose… if it's your destiny, you'll fight anyway. But that's the hitch, ain't it?

Fate's dead and we have pieces of Its bloody corpse to prove it.

Some time ago—longer than any of us have been around—there was a being named Fate. Fate, as far as we can square it, was an Archon. An ancient pre-Universal entity that should've been immortal. Well… I suppose in some ways It was immortal as Its body isn't quite rotting away yet. Its lungs, Its heart, Its eyes, Its bones, Its sinew, Its blood, the whole of what It once was still thrums with the dead God's control over what "should" be.

We, as the Cafe and Diner Network, have quite a few Pieces of Fate, or at least, what we think must be Pieces of Fate. Jack tasked me and my Cafe to study their origins in a hope to understand what exactly each Piece is, was, and currently does. As if we aren't busy enough with the bloody bleeding Dark still breathing down our necks… But, I suppose our Cafe is uniquely filled with a wide array of perspectives, a warlock, a vessel, a cryptid, an ouroborian, a high demon, an angel, and whatever the hell Indrid Cold is.

So, that said, I figured we should start with the Piece that started it all—the 8-Ball.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-POF-02">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-POF-02</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Absinthe, Raki, Anis, Killepitsch…"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Alcohol Trivia | 1 Word [****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Ooh, spicy stuff. Or is it spiced?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Oh, yeah, definitely spiced. But what spice?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Take the first of each drink.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Arak</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Taking the first letters from each of the alcohol, you get Arak, which is a distilled Levantine spirit of the anise drinks family. This fits the pattern as all of these are anise drinks.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE SERPENT, DAICHI'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY AUGUST'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-POF-02'''

Damascus, 1538.

I remember like it was yesterday—roasted coffee beans, sweet tobacco, and rich roses filled the air of a dimly lit no-name cafe in Damascus, where mystic minds had gathered for centuries before the Ottomans had ever laid claim to it. It was here, beneath intricately carved wooden beams and the soft glow of oil lamps, that many late nights and early mornings saw the convergence of the mundane and the miraculous. Scholars with their ink-stained fingers met with thieves speckled in soot and blood to exchange their illicit objects for far illicitier ideas.

One such thief went by the name Ibreez and one such scholar went by the name Nasira.

Ibreez was a whirlwind of contradictions. A prince and pauper. A thief and luminary. He always dressed like a peacock on market day. He would drape himself in the richest—and gaudiest—of violet cloaks adorned with gold-threaded sashes that caught light like flies in a web. He'd started off humbly, hawking saffron and Damascene steel, but his true calling emerged in the trade of heretical texts and otherworldly possessions. Though, in truth, he wasn't terribly rich himself, he dressed like a prince to avoid the gaze of the Janissaries. No… he was far from rich; every akçe Ibreez would earn he would spend for an hour or Nasira's time.

Nasira al-Ghazani was a renowned Sufi mystic. Her once rich brown eyes had faded into a stormy gray after she glimpsed what was referred to then as the "Second Horizon." The Otherside. Her layered robes of ochres and earth tones exuded a fragrant blend of clove, ash, and honey. She had once honed her craft under the tutelage of the Mevlevi dervishes of Konya before Fate guided her to a hidden courtyard which she would later form into a cafe along the banks of the Barada.

Fate is what brought Ibreez and Nasira together—and it was Ibreez and Nasira who would bring Fate Itself back together, piece by piece. Over the course of forty years, the thief and the scholar had managed to find eight Pieces of the dead God Fate: Its Occipital Lobe, Vitreous Humor, Uvula, Fibula, Cochlea, Pineal Gland, Pancreas, and Pericardium. But it all began with Fate's Occipital Lobe, now called the 8-Ball.

A funny little onyx orb that went shaken gives answers. Naturally the more mundane form it has taken is influenced by the mind of its current holder, Jack Keel. But before Jack ever held it, it still naturally took the form of a ball of inky darkness in which answers came to the surface from the back of the skull where possibility pooled into vision.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-POF-03">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-POF-03</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"What luck, Frank, Danny, and Jamie are all here."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Animal Trivia | 2 Words [********* ****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Where are Frank, Danny and Jamie from?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">You might know them as the Reagans.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Blue blood, luck... there's only one animal that fits those criteria.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Horseshoe Crab</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Frank, Danny, and Jamie are all characters from Blue Bloods. Looking for an animal with Blue Blood, a famous one often caught for their blood is Horseshoe Crabs.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JULIUS MENDOZA'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY AUGUST'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-POF-03'''

I have seen the 8-Ball only on a few occasions. Unlike the other Pieces of Fate held by the Cafe and Diner, the 8-Ball belongs to no singular institution, organization, or even a Cafe. It belongs to Keel. It is shackled to him—and him alone. This ownership makes any "thorough" examination nearly impossible for us to properly conduct. I have a suspicion that even if Keel were to permit us temporary custody of the 8-Ball, the true depths of its power would remain forever known only to him.

What whispers circulate about the 8-Ball speak of its terrifying ability to twist the very fabric of Fate with answers far from beyond Fate's own domain. It offers guidance when none is wanted. It grants knowledge that should remain buried. Where the Lens may show what horrors await, and the Pocket Watch permits one to flee between doomed timelines, the 8-Ball delivers brutal, bewildering truth. A hazy yes, no, maybe or sometimes an answer so precise it chills the very blood.

Ah, speaking of blood, it is the only Piece of Fate that seems to have a thirst for it. Not even the Cane or the Spoon require a constant source of blood to operate. In fact, while I would hardly say the other Pieces of Fate are without cost, the 8-Ball is the only one with a tangible, direct, and immediate price. Each question asked draws a pinprick of blood from the asker. Not a terribly steep price, but you should see Keel's pocked hands.

Regardless, it is still the most formidable Piece of Fate.

Though it may lack the overt spectacle of other Pieces, its true terror lies in its utter lack of restraint. The Lens inevitably corrupts and fractures, revealing futures that drive men mad. The Pocket Watch merely offers escape to other adjacent cycles. But the 8-Ball? It seems to know all, and its knowledge often proves as devastating as the question asked.

And Keel asks damn good questions.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-POF-04">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-POF-04</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Greenest, yellow, in the purple, pearl and ruby, black, and pale."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Association | 3 Words [*** ******* ******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Valley, banners, the ruler, palace door, evil things, door.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Roderick Usher wrote this song.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Or was it Edgar Allan Poe?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">The Haunted Palace</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">In <>The Haunting Palace</i> by Edgar Allan Poe, each stanza of the poem is aligned to a color.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: ALARIC AUSTERE'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE MARCH'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-POF-04'''

There is a difference between guiding a ship and hijacking the wheel. Lately, the guidance provided by the 8-Ball has felt far too… convenient. Too active to be the passive echo of a mere dead god. To say that I have dealt with Fate, what it was alive, is understatement, and I cannot help but feel that the 8-Ball is not… Well, it doesn’t sit right with me. Any of it. I brought the issue to the table, hoping to get some new perspectives, and Naberius and Indrid are, if nothing else, a multitude of sounding boards, are they not?

<div class="cdn-transcript">

<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I have reason to believe that the 8-Ball is not a Piece of Fate.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Naberius I</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Are you shitting me, pretty boy? It's the most Fate-y Piece of Fate there is! It tells you what's gonna happen! What's more to Fate than that, huh?</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It does not simply tell what will happen next. It guides. It alters. The other Pieces we possess—they allow one to observe Fate, to travel along its currents… to numb the inevitable. They are all passive windows. The 8-Ball, however, is an active hand, pushing the pieces on the board. Its answers so often seem to conveniently defy a pre-written course of action in favor of the asker's desire. That is not the nature of Fate. That is the nature of a rebel—an iconoclast.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Naberius II</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Mm… An interesting distinction. Perhaps its function is not to defy Fate, then, but to reveal the most… 'opportune' path. The thread of destiny that one most desires. Even a dead God can have Its favorites, no? And surely we must be favored with so many pieces of Its body.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Naberius III</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Besides, all paths end in the cold, silent earth. The 8-Ball merely chooses the most scenic route to the grave. A prettier cliff to fall from. It is a hollow comfort—nothing more, angel.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Indrid Cold</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Different. Yes. It feels… different. Different from the others. The others. The other paths. The other… the other… the Other…</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You feel it as well, then. I had suspected as much. Several Universes ago, I was in the presence of Fate Itself. It was an overwhelming resonance, a pressure that defined reality. It was a song that all things were forced to harmonize with. The other Pieces of Fate, they still carry an echo of that song with them. A faint, dying hum of that divine, immutable Archonic power.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Naberius I</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Oh for fuck's sake get to the point, wings! So they hum! What's that got to do with anything?</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Well, the 8-Ball does not hum. Where the divine ichor of a dead Archon should be, there is… a void. A perfect, polished silence. It feels… hollow. It feels hungry. It does not feel like the corpse of a God. It feels like a cage for something else.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Naberius II</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Mm… I see… So, then, it's a forgery? A divine relic that is, in fact, a counterfeit? How deliciously heretical. If you are correct, the implications would be… profound…</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Naberius III</div>
<div class="cdn-line">But who—or what—could play at being Fate? What darkness would need to be caged in such a manner?</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Indrid Cold</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Not a cage. No. Not a cage. It's a key. A key that looks like a cage. A key that asks questions. Questions. Questions. Questions—</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Precisely. On the surface, the 8-Ball is the answerer of all questions asked, but in truth—</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Naberius II</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…it is the one asking?</div>

<div class="cdn-stage">[A heavy silence fell over the room. For the first time, all three of Naberius's heads were quiet, staring at Alaric and Indrid Cold with a shared, unsettling focus.]</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Alaric</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I'll see if Jack will let us investigate further.</div>

</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-POF-05">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-POF-05</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"From a Christian perspective to the coming Dawn, 29.975260, 31.137280"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Research | 4 Words [*** ***** ** *******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Where does the coordinates point to?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">This Christian fellow, what connects him with the Sphinx?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">What name is The Sphinx in the Golden Dawn deck?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">The Wheel Of Fortune</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The coordinates lead to The Sphinx. Regarding Christian, we are following Paul Christian, who developed the Egyptian Tarot. Looking at Tarot Cards made by The Hermetic Order Of the Golden Dawn, The Wheel of Fortune is depicted with a Sphinx above the Wheel.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JOY LIVINGSTONE'''<br>
'''CAFE: MIDNIGHT'''<br>
'''DATE: MID AUGUST'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-POF-05'''

Daichi is handling the history and the others are bored out of their gourds with heaps of paperwork, but I can’t stop thinking about the, y'know, the vibe of Jack's 8-Ball. Most of the Pieces of Fate feel like, like old stones or old bones… all cold and settled. But this one, the 8-Ball, feels like a weed in a garden. I was trying to find the right analogy for Ranoma, something that wouldn't give him nightmares, haha. I wanted him to understand that while the other Pieces are dead things, this one feels like it’s still trying to live. To feed. Eh… that doesn't sound much less nightmare-y, does it?

Peace, love, and cautious Joy!

<div class="cdn-transcript">
<div class="cdn-speaker">Ranoma</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And that one? What does that one mean, Joy? Is it a good one? A heroic one! It looks very, yes very heroic, very heroic indeed!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It's a very good one, Rani. It means you have a gentle and quiet courage. The kind of strength that comes from being brave and kind at the same time.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Ranoma</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Oh! Yes, yes! That is most certainly me, I am very, yes, very brave! And very kind! A brave, kind hero! That HAS to be me! Speaking of heroic deeds… How's the report for Jack going? Do you need any help? I would love to be of help! Maybe, yes, maybe there are some old texts that need translating or—</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Joy shook her head.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Don't worry about that. Daichi's got the old stuff covered—apparently he was there? And anyway, Rico and Jules don't want us to spend any more time on this than we have to. They think it's… T—edious? I guess? I mean, I like the distraction from the Dark, but you know those two.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Ranoma</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Tedious! Pish posh, I say! Pish posh!! It is a rather grand undertaking! A noble quest for knowledge! A most important and most very noble quest! Have you worked on the report yet? It's about Jack's 8-Ball right?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Yes. It's about the 8-Ball. The 8-Ball… Hmm. It's a tricky one, too. You know how some things just have a… a feeling to them? Like how a warm mug of tea feels comforting, or how a room gets quiet right before a thunderstorm?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Ranoma</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I do! I do know! There is nothing, simply nothing, I love more than a warm cup of tea! Or a nice quiet thunderstorm! Is the 8-Ball like that? Comforting?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Mm… We—ll… The other Pieces of Fate, they all feel… old. And very sad. Like an echo in a big, empty house. But the 8-Ball feels different. It's not an echo. It's quiet, but it isn't empty. It feels… parasitic?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Ranoma</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Parasitic?! No!! Is Jack going to be okay? Do we need to go rescue him from the 8-Ball?!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Oh, no! Not in, like, a scary way! Not like a monster. More like… like a vine that wraps around a tree so tightly it becomes part of the tree. It feels like a little black hole. It doesn't make a big noise or show its teeth. It just… pulls, and pulls, and pulls. It wants to draw everything into it. The other Pieces feel like they just… are what they are. Pieces of Fate. Bones of a long-dead God. The 8-Ball feels like it's still listening. Still alive. And, well—</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Jericho and Julius entered the room interrupting Joy's tarot reading.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Rico</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Right then, enough of that. We've got real work to do. Mangrove Syndicate was just reported on the move.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">What about the Pieces of Fate report?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Julius</div>
<div class="cdn-line">We have enough. Besides, we will never know more about the 8-Ball than Jack.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Joy</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I see.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Ranoma</div>
<div class="cdn-line">The Mangrove Syndicate is on the move?! We have to go then!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Rico</div>
<div class="cdn-line">That's the spirit, Loveland. Let's crack on.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CAD-06">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CAD-06</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY DECEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CAD-06'''

And there you have it. The 8-Ball. An 8-Ball, more precisely but that devious distinction… will have to wait for another time and another place. I don't exactly have time to add to the case myself as an international incident is brewing at Requiem as I type this.

Great.

I leave them for a few months and somehow, someway, they've gone and bungled it all up to hell and back. A week ago I heard that things were progressing well with their whole vile business beneath the lake. And now? Now everyone, EVERYONE, is swarming around trying to place blame on the Cafe and Diner… and I can't say I totally believe in their innocence yet. They couldn't help themselves from smacking ANOTHER hornet's nest with that damned Cane of theirs. Though this time, I don't think the Cane was even involved. What a mess. It's funny, in a way, the best case scenario in this matter is still high on my list of worst possible cases. The last thing the Coffee Trade needed was the sword of mutually assured destruction looming over all of our heads bigger than Behram's deadly double shot.

My mind is racing, trying to figure out how this could have happened. I mean, I know how it could have happened… but I, I really hope that it's not what I fear. Again, the best case scenario is still quite awful no matter how we untangle this mess. I'm almost tempted to ask Jack's 8-Ball myself. Almost. But before I sink to that low, I'll go audit the situation as best as I can.

I can't say enough, the Requiem Cafe is in CODE RED now. Gah! This is a problem even for IRIS, Astorians, and Ozhogs! Oh, for Pete's sake, this is a total disaster. I'll write later about my other thoughts, time permitting, of course.

…Now, let's see if I can help sort this mess out before all of our doors end up slammed shut.
</div>
</div>

</div>

Case 3: Kings and Cats

2026-05-15T08:32:08Z

SpareAccount1:

<div class="cdn-archive-page">

<div class="cdn-archive-hero">

<div class="cdn-archive-label">CASE NO. 3</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-title">Kings and Cats</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-subtitle">"Plus, their disastrous first service is what finally got me hired, so… I can't be too hard on the newcomers. -The Auditor, CUS-01"</div>

</div>

<div class="cdn-divider"></div>

<div class="cdn-section-heading">Receipts</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card stamp-parent" id="CUS-01">
<div class="stamp-image">
[[File:CoffeeTrade.png|260px]]
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CUS-01</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: MID NOVEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CUS-01'''

As I head back to the contiguous states, I figured I should take a moment to write a bit about Sunshine's current reservation. I would have also spent some time writing about their first service, the one involving Mr. Perez and the Astorians, but I think Jack, Julia, and even Lucy would rather just move past that utter disgrace. Though, in Sunshine's defense, the entire branch is made up of fairly fresh faces in the Coffee Trade and surely their slip up pales in comparison to the worst of Bloodglass, Requiem, or Tesseract. Regardless, everyone is still alive and well, and really that's all that matters. Plus, their disastrous first service is what finally got me hired, so… I can't be too hard on the newcomers.

So, moving past Mr. Perez, Sunshine is currently attempting to serve Mr. Prock a nice warm meal and a… a drink. You know… I can't help but feel like now would be an excellent time to arrange a drink menu for the Cafes—see, each type of customer has a different preference as to what drink they take and it would make writing these diner receipts a bit easier if we were all on the same page in that regard. Of course, the drink menu will be written here, in a Diner Receipt, so you'll still have to put two and two together, but I'll make it as clear as possible. Each type of customer has a taste profile which roughly matches up with our sponsors:

Astra enjoys hot Apple Cider.

Lucy prefers a Coffee with Cream.

Mam is partial to a decadent Hot Chocolate.

Santos favors a tart, fresh-squeezed Orange Juice.

Sara slurps up a neat Scotch.

Beez can't pass up a warm cup of Green Tea.

Levi has a simple taste and orders only Ice Water.

Asmi prefers a Corpse Reviver to kick off the day.

Lastly Behram takes a simple Double Shot.

Any customers outside of our sponsor's tastes, let's just say they'll enjoy a Long Island Iced Tea—a bit of everything all at once with a headache to match.

With all of that now established, Mr. Prock will need a nice warm meal with a calming cup of Green Tea. To aid in Mr. Prock's service, Dalisay has produced a set of gloves made by Mr. Geometer. I would likely advise against using any clothing made from Mr. Geometer but… I suppose we all learn one way or another, right?
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-CUS-02">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-CUS-02</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Grunter in Dressing Gowns in Germany, Hogs in Horns in Denmark, A Cutter Counsel in Belgium, and a Rotter Roll in the Commonwealth."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Cooking Trivia | 4 Words [**** ** * *******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What do "grunter", "hog", "cutter" and "rotter" have in common?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Might be a good try to translate them into its language.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">The American equivalent of the British sausage roll.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Pigs in a Blanket</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The start of these are describing Pigs, while the second half describes Blankets. A famous dish as we know, is Pigs in a Blanket.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: DALISAY REYES'''<br>
'''CAFE: SUNSHINE'''<br>
'''DATE: MID NOVEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-CUS-02'''

I respect the Auditor's caution regarding Wapaloosie gloves. I do. But they're wrong. I've used them plenty of times before. Plus, they aren't all that dangerous, are they? All Wapaloosie gloves do is climb to the top of whatever you're holding. If you're holding an axe, your hands will just inch toward the top and then upon reaching the top it'll drop out of your hands. You won't suddenly turn the axe on yourself or others or anything crazy like that. It's not that big of a deal. Really. Besides, my parents have never been able to sell the damn thing at As Below because who wants a pair of gloves that won't let you hold anything? So, we can borrow them for as long as we like. I figure they'll help us climb trees a lot quicker than more mundane methods would. And a lot safer considering we're trying to catch a Splintercat.

Splintercats are mostly benign. A bit tempermental. They are roughly the size of a lynx, with thick keratin horns on their head which they use to ram into trees causing them to splinter and crack in the middle. Fast too. They are able to move at the speed of a cheetah with almost imperceptible build up. Good news is that they aren't overly vicious and tend to leave humans alone. But… They are known for their foul moods. Y'know. From ramming their faces into trees all night long. It's unclear why they ram into trees in the Flipside. Likely just an instinctual habit from their hunting in the Esterskald.

Anyway, the plan is… first Mikey needs to triangulate which section of Colville National Forest the Splintercat is most active in. Then we'll need someone to use the Wapaloosie gloves to climb a tree. Once up there they'll need to hang a bit of Splintercat bait that Kalmia is cooking up right now. When the Splintercat goes to ram the tree, whoever is up there needs to drop down onto the Splintercat and catch them in an Elger Root Net. Kalmia is also working on weaving one. Once we have the Splintercat subdued we'll just need Zach to figure out where the nearest break in the boundary lines is and release the kitty cat back to where it belongs. Should be simple. Any takers?
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-CUS-03">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-CUS-03</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Jone and Jode's Jarlsberg Enthusiast Equivalent."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Video Game Trivia | 2 Words [****** ***]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Who are Jone and Jode?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">What's a Jarlsberg?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Any particular cheese-loving Khajiit deity?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Skooma Cat</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Jone and Jode are Khajiit deities, and Jarlsberg is a cheese. When we look for a deity that enjoys cheese a lot, we find Sheogorath, who is the Daedric Prince of Madness. Another name for him is Skooma Cat in Elsweyr.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: MIKEY JENKINS'''<br>
'''CAFE: SUNSHINE'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE NOVEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-CUS-03'''

Heyo, itsa me, Mikey. Sooooo I think I figured out where the Splintercat is. Basically boundary lines connecting the Flipside to the Otherside are somewhat fractal in nature. And so, with Zach's help tracking down the three nearest Esterskaldian boundary lines I was able to run a few OtherTech programs to trace the fractal pattern pinpointing the Splintercat down to a pretty specific location. I sent it to Salenna for review and… well, she read it. It's on read. I mean, I think if I did something wrong she probably would have said something, right?

Anyway… The most notable break is up in Canada, near the border, on Starchuk Road. The nearest break actually in the forest is Old Dominion Mountain. And then the next nearest location for the Fractalized Triangulation to work was Eightmile Island in Idaho. Using those three points I narrowed down the Splintercat to… Tiger, Washington. Which is kind of a funny coincidence. Cuz, uh, a tiger is a type of cat, right? But, you know, it makes sense why we haven't seen more reports about the Splintercat since its first sightings in Colville as Tiger is a very small unincorporated community. I don't know if anyone even still lives there.

Now that we know where it is and stuff we just need someone to catch it. Travis usually would be our go-to-guy for this kinda thing but he's… not here? I don't know where he is or when he'll be back. Not even Jackie knows. Or Julia. Like, I get the whole "cowboy" thing and all but, really, he should let someone know where he's going. Kalmia would do it, but they don't really like heights and stuff. I'm not really fit for, uh, y'know, field work type stuff. Julia's already on portal duty up at Old Dominion (plus the whole almost dying thing from last time). I guess that leaves Dalisay, Zach, or Max. Sooooo… anyone wanna climb a tree like a Wapaloosie?
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-CUS-04">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-CUS-04</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"6 Swine Spots."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Research || 3 Words [*** '* *******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">No, not the spots on a pig. We're talking locations here.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">What do you make of diners in their locality?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">The answer is in C-CUS-06.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Pig 'N Pancake</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">This dining establishment has six locations and a swine is another term for a pig. Additionally, the answer is said in C-CUS-06.

</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: MAX KING'''<br>
'''CAFE: SUNSHINE'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE NOVEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-CUS-04'''

Well… that's certainly one way to do it. Don't, uh, worry about the specifics. At least it's done, right?

<div class="cdn-transcript">
<div class="cdn-speaker">Kalima</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You're going too high, Max. The bait needs to be lower for the Splintercat to smell it. And if it rams the trunk that high up, the vibrations are going to shake you right off!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Max</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Relax, Kal. Besides, I can't really stop the gloves once they get going. Dalisay was right, they've got a mind of their own. I'll just shimmy down once I get them off.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Kalima</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Just try and secure the rope, okay? I have the Elger Root Net prepped. It's woven pretty tight… but, mm… I'm not totally sure. I mean, I think I did it right.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Max</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It's fine. It looks very netty. You worry too much. What is Elger Root anyway?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Kalima</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It grows in the Thorned Tangle of the Esterskald. It has a calming effect on a lot of cryptids both from there and—did you hear that?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Max</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I see movement. Coming from the north. Fast. It's… oh wow. That's one big kitty.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Kalima</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Max! Drop the bait and hold on tight!</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[The Splintercat slammed its keratin-plated skull into the trunk of the tree. The force instantly split the trunk with a crack and shower of splinters. As the force rippled up, the still somewhat living Wapaloosie gloves accelerated in a panic bringing Max up to the top of the tree—and then quickly rushing to the bottom of the ground. But then, the fall halted. The forest seemed to inhale and hold its breath. The color desaturated from the world, turning the greens of the Colville National Forest into muted, sickly grays. Then, the ground beneath Max unfolded. Bursting from the soil tendrils of what looked like solidified obsidian spiraled upward and caught Max in a cradle of hard, cold darkness just inches from the ground. Another tendril lashed out faster than thought, piercing the Splintercat between its shoulder blades. The cryptid was hoisted into the air, immobile, suspended in the gray and black stillness. The eldritch cradle rotated Max upright. The Splintercat was brought face-to-face with Max, its eyes now a glassy, empty, black. It spoke with an intruding voice echoing through the branches and stillness of the forest.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Splintercat[?]</div>
<div class="cdn-line">That was foolish, my liege. One must be more careful if they are to play out in the woods with such wretched beasts.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[The Splintercat, eyes still wide and glazed, turned mechanically. It walked calmly, directly into the open Elger Root Net lying at Kalmia's feet. It curled up and closed its eyes. Life and motion rushed back into the forest, but not into the Splintercat.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Kalmia</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Max! Oh my god, are you—I—I thought I saw you fall and then—wait…</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Max</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I… uh. I stuck the landing? Oh, hey, look, the cat's in the bag. Mission successful. Let's get it over to Julia so she can pop it back into the Esterskald.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Kalmia</div>
<div class="cdn-line">O—kay.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="DD-CUS-05">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">DD-CUS-05</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"???"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">???</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Let's have a good look at CAD-04 before things turn deeply distressing.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text"><b>First</b>ly, let's think of how oddly the cadence of the second paragraph reads.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">You know what PNP is, right? If you get CD-CUS-04, you should.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Seaside</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">In CAD-04, there is a paragraph that talks about how The Auditor doesn't know why they cannot see some receipts. By taking the first letter of each sentence in that paragraph, you get “FIRST PNP LOCATION”. By using the answer from CD-CUS-04, we can find the first location of Pig ‘N Pancake was in Seaside.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE NOVEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: DD-CUS-05'''

That confirms that theory.

To be clear, I did not orchestrate a life or death situation to test Max's powers. Sure, Jack sent me to Sunshine to do exactly that, but Sunshine seems to get into their own life or death situations well enough on their own. And to be even more clear, I was on the fence about jeopardizing any employee's life in the first place. Now… I did suggest that Max should be the one to hang the Splintercat bait because I figured there was a small chance they would fall, and in falling would possibly be saved by their latent powers. But, you know, educated guesses can't be held accountable as actual malicious intent, can they? So, now that I've seen Max's powers unfold (through CaDence's lens, of course) I think I can finally write a bit about who exactly they are and what exactly they can do.

Max King, of the Astoria Kings, is allegedly (though perhaps, less allegedly than before) a direct descendant of Utopic Protodemons. What the hell are "Utopic Protodemons," you might be asking. Well, back before the Universe was as we know it, it was in a "Utopian" state. Three separate Utopias tended to by three separate Archons. Eden watched by Eve. Skald built by Abraxas. And Arcadia was forged by Demiurge. These absconding Archons were able to make these Utopias with three Tools of Creation stolen from Master Kaos of House Axiom in Entropy. The funny thing is, we know three tools were stolen but we've only ever really known about one—the Hammer of Creation. Later forged into the Pocketwatch (one word) of Creation. Eve and Abraxas each had a tool too, though their tools were lost to time and myth. More than likely they were removed from the Universe all together post-Utopia but that's an issue for another time.

Eve, though, had the most powerful of the three. Her tool was a direct conduit of unfettered creation. Anything she could dream or think was made on the spot. Including living thoughts. Egregoric entities, essentially. The issue with Eve's creations was that they were stifled heavily by Demiurge and all that she could dream was limited to what she could see, and it all would fade away like dandelions in the wind. Here's the thing though, suppose some of Eve's earliest thoughts survived—and that, dear reader, is what a Protodemon is.

Max, is a descendant of Eve then. Not by blood, not like the Princes and their children. But… by thought. By creative intent. And it seems that the Protodemon lineage from which Max hails is still watching and protecting them. How Max's powers work, what they do, and all of that—I cannot say. It is, in essence, very, very eldritch, to say the least. But, I can only assume Jack and Astaroth will be sending me back to Sunshine for further study soon.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-CUS-06">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-CUS-06</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Barring safe passage to Troy."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Horror Movie Trivia | 6 Words [*** ******* ** * ****** ****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Well, Artemis certainly took the wind out of Agamemnon's sails.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">He has to atone for his sins, I agree, but forcing him to kill his daughter is a bit much, don't you think?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">What did he do to deserve that fate, I wonder?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">The Killing Of A Sacred Deer</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The Killing of a Sacred Deer, a 2017 horror movie by Yorgos Lanthimos, takes its title from part of the story of the ancient Greek tragedy <i>Iphigenia in Aulis</i> by Euripides, where Iphigenia is sacrificed by Agamemnon, her father, at Aulis as a human sacrifice for the allied troops to reach Troy.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JACKIE LANG'''<br>
'''CAFE: SUNSHINE'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE NOVEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-CUS-06'''

That's strange. CD-CUS-04 has been "redacted by the Auditor" and CUS-05 is missing. Why would they do that? I tried asking CaDence and she said it wasn't redacted on her end. I asked Kalmia what happened and they said nothing out of the ordinary except that it looked like Max had fallen. I asked Max what happened and they just blew me off.

Very, very strange.

Well… anyway… Kalmia and Max brought the subdued Splintercat to Julia and I up on Old Dominion Peak. Zach was correct, there was a boundary line between the Flipside and the Esterskald Plane of the Otherside there. Julia was able to open it up no problem and we released the Splintercat, though it didn't wake up when we released it from the net Kalmia made. Maybe it has a stronger effect in the Flipside or maybe the Splintercat was worn out from Flipside hunting—

Sorry, I can't focus on writing this "wrap up" receipt. Why the hell is CD-CUS-04 redacted? I've never seen a receipt "redacted" before. I checked and the other "CD" receipts the Auditor has filed aren't redacted. And it's not a password problem either. I KNOW the password. It's "Pig 'N Pancake." 3 Words, "6 Swine Spots." That has to be Pig 'N Pancake, it has six locations and a swine is another term for a pig. It's kind of become an inside joke at the Sunshine Cafe and it's totally what Max would make the password.

Who the hell even is the Auditor anyway? Does Jack—Does Lucifer—really not trust enough to handle our own business? I mean, come on, we got the Splintercat back without any fuss, so what gives? Are we on some sort of stupid shadow probation? Lucifer won't even LOOK at me. Over what? A fucking little accident that—and it's so stupid! She's a Cambion! I doubt Cambions are as fragile as humans and Lucifer has put me through way more dangerous stunts than that. So—ugh. Whatever.

Mission accomplished. Good enough, I guess.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CAD-04">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CAD-04</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE NOVEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CAD-04'''

First things first: it is deeply distressing that CD-CUS-04 has been redacted from Sunshine's personal view.

For the life of me, I don't know why that is. I also see that the general numbering of receipts is off. Really, that is all quite strange. Strange things are our business though, so I wouldn't get too worked up over it, Jackie. Though, I will speak to CaDence about it. Perhaps it's just a glitch in the CaDCom system? Not that I am claiming CaDence is "glitchy." Please, she is anything but. Let's not worry ourselves with the "behind the scenes" of it all. One can hope that it's a clerical error and it can be dealt with swiftly. CaDence knows what she is doing, after all. Anyway… quite a quick case for Sunshine! Truly, exemplary work team! I thought, you know, based on the prior receipts, you would have struggled a bit more with Mr. Prock. Oh, how I was wrong! Not a problem for you at all!

And with that all squared up, I believe it is time for me to return to the The Cafe and Diner in Long Beach, California. I need to discuss some important things with Jack—and I'll see if CaDence knows what's up with the "redactedness" of certain receipts. Again, quite strange. In the meantime, I'll dust off Midnight's case report that was filed before my employment and put it back into the public repository system. You know, it's funny, out of all eight Cafes, I wouldn't have guessed Midnight to be the only one on top of getting a Case Report filed before my arrival. Mm, then again, I suppose they have quite a bit more free time since the shuttering of their main competitor, the Dark.

Oh well, I wonder where Jack will send me next—and if they'll still have some turkey by the time I get there.
</div>
</div>

</div>

Case 2: A Bunch of Nobodies

2026-05-05T07:45:00Z

SpareAccount1:

<div class="cdn-archive-page">

<div class="cdn-archive-hero">

<div class="cdn-archive-label">CASE NO. 2</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-title">A Bunch of Nobodies</div>

<div class="cdn-archive-subtitle">"I wasn't expecting to be sent to Tesseract so soon. -The Auditor, NBY-01"</div>

</div>

<div class="cdn-divider"></div>

<div class="cdn-section-heading">Receipts</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card stamp-parent" id="NBY-01">
<div class="stamp-image">
[[File:BehindClosedDoors-2.png|260px]]
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">NBY-01</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE SEPTEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: NBY-01'''

I wasn't expecting to be sent to Tesseract so soon. Then again, with Tesseract, the very concept of "soon" is rather relative, I suppose. As I understand it, they have been racing against the proverbial clock to unravel a mystery without much of a name. They are looking for some sort of "first secret" located within three strange devices that arrived on their doorstep. While that doesn't seem too urgent on the surface, there is the looming, glaring, glinting issue of the Daggers led by Ms. Cassiopeia. To say that the Daggers are a danger to the Coffee Trade might be the understatement of the century, eon, or whatever measure of time best suits The Cafe and Diner: Tesseract of Anchorage, Alaska.

As for what has triggered an audit of this strange and far off Cafe, it seems that a ship has been sighted off Kodiak Island. Not too strange, until one realizes that the ship in question was only seen by one eye. If reports of such a ship are accurate, it is a large-scale order for Tesseract of up to potentially 309 customers. To me, and to Jack, that seems like… a lot. Which is why a proper audit of the situation is required. If Tesseract has suddenly gained 309 customers overnight we might need to start pulling resources from other Cafes to accommodate.

Of course, things are never what they seem at Tesseract and its enigmatic owner, John Doe, isn't quite sold on the full reemergence of this one-eyed ship. As he put it to me, it's likely nothing more than a fleeting vision—an "obsessive" hiccup. Though he is hardly short on time, he is short on focus and even hiccups should be fully checked out. John would have his second in command, Solomon, check it out, but it seems Solomon too is busy aiding Bloodglass in their affairs, leaving William in charge—and William is… well, his actions may require the careful eye of an auditor. He has been known to act rather recklessly and impatiently for a man who can stop time.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-NBY-02">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-NBY-02</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"See the ship carrying C on the sea."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Nautical Trivia | 1 Word [*******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">C is for Carbon.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Jupiter, an Investigator, looks into the Bounty on the Cyclops.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">The ships that got its start transporting coal over English waters.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Collier</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">There is a ship type called Collier, which is a bulk cargo ship designed to carry coal.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: XANDER CASEY'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESSERACT'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE SEPTEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-NBY-02'''

Doe's way off. The USS Cyclops isn't a mere Obsessor, some drift of traumatic psychic residue. If it were, it would have manifested on the other side of the country, would it not have? In any case, Alaska is hardly where the vessel was last seen. Furthermore, the USS Cyclops is a rather unique disappearance even among her sisters. It could not be an Obsessor because it did not sink. Proteus and Nereus also disappeared at sea and it is presumed they sank due to a fatal flaw in the design of the Proteus-class colliers. It would be easy, perhaps foolish even, to assume the exact same fate befell the Cyclops. No. The USS Cyclops did not sink—it blinked.

I have been studying ships longer than I have been a member of Tesseract. Even prior to having access to the Library of Trianon, I could have told you that The Cyclops was different from her sisters. Having perused much of the Library's contents on ships, I can say now with absolute certainty that it blinked out of time. On March 14, 1918, a day after it would have been expected in Baltimore, the USS Cyclops was blinked out of time and out of place just off the tip of the Bermudian tip of the Triangle.

As all in the Trade should know, the Triangle is one of the last remaining ancient geometrics that is still accessible. Any reasonably powerful entity—a Prince or higher—could use the Triangle to perform any number of powerful rituals. Typically Leviathan keeps watch over the Triangle, as it is roughly in his Flipside domain, but one cannot be in two places at once. From the Libraries tomes, it is clear that some entity used the Triangle to blink the USS Cyclops out of time when Leviathan was not looking and now the ship and perhaps even her crew have been blinked back in, here, on our shores.

What entity could do such a thing?

Well, if it glints it Gleams.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-NBY-03">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-NBY-03</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Boiled grass and the broth of shoes for the mind."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Speech Trivia | 2 Words [*** *********]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Where's Waldo? At Harvard's ΦΒΚ.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Not our stripey-clothed friend, I'm talking 'bout Emerson.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">If the body can be nourished by this, what can the human mind feed on?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Any Knowledge</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The quote is from The American Scholar address by Ralph Waldo Emerson, where he says “We all know that as the human body can be nourished on any food, though it were boiled grass and the broth of shoes, so the human mind can be fed by any knowledge.”</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: ANNE SCRIVEN'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESSERACT'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE SEPTEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-NBY-03'''

Xander is correct though I suspect so is John. The USS Cyclops did certainly blink out of time in 1918 and it is likely to be an Obsessor as well. Contradictory, I know. An Obsessor, for those not quite aware, is a classification of ghosts from the Achegloom in the depths of Terminus. Obsessors, as so named, are the obsessions over untimely or otherwise unfair deaths. Any properly defined noun holds the potential to become an Obsessor following the three general requirements: 1) removal from corporal existence, 2) traumatically unfair removal from corporal existence, 3) sufficient definition of conception. Notice how Xander refers to ships as women? Ships tend to gain sufficient definition of conception by virtue of tradition.

In any case, we often deal the most with Obsessors in our line of work. Unlike more common ghosts, Obsessors tend to feel and act out of time, stuck in the moment of their sudden demise. Thus, it can, to the untrained eye, appear to be a chronal anomaly as opposed to a phantasmagorical one. The ship is likely an Obsessor due to being blinked out of time. I do not put forth this proposition baselessly. I did the due diligence of scanning the out of place ship with my CaDCom to get its B-Reading. As expected, it is brimming in Terminal energy.

So, the question becomes—are there indeed two ships? An Obsessor and the original ship removed from time. If so, which is which and where is what? Who removed the ship? Was it Gleam, as suggested by Xander? Or could it have been Lord Behemoth? There is much to this story we do not yet know and thus I see no other way… one of us will have to hook into the narrative flow. I cannot say how long it will take to find the answers we are seeking but I suspect they can be found within The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-NBY-04">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-NBY-04</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"A rather erksime [sic] Riddle: 20:1 6:2 20:7 23:1 10:1 8:1 7:1 7:4 5:1 28:5: (1742 1743)."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Cipher | 2 Words [********* *******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">The book you need is mentioned in the previous receipt.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Just the first chapter will do.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">The words you need are 1742 and 1743.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Prismatic Compass</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Erksime sounds like Erskine, and in C-NBY-03, it talks about the answer being in The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers. By doing a book cipher on the first chapter of the book, we get “PASSWORD IS: (PRISMATIC COMPASS)”.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: SAMUEL GREEN'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESSERACT'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-NBY-04'''

I have scowled The Riddle of the Sands to understand what transpired back in March of 1918. I limited myself only to the first chapter and largely to intact phrases to expedite the process. As such, the past is foggier than it may need be, but I still believe the message—the revlation—is clear. I did expand my reach to the entirety of the text for the final, most crucial line. I will discuss the what was, but first here is what I pieced back together:

Each deserted the sinking ship.

Each except for I.

Else, a funereal wire to all in this season of truth was sent. Upset at the arrangement between myself and the horrid None, what other choice did I have? In fact, the case infinitely had centred in my mind but I little suspected the cleverest party had yet suffered the worst of it all.

It truly was my triumphant début.

It was in some such situation, in a most prosaic way, at this unearthly time and unearthly place I reckoned with the Dark God of the Midway. He cast me languidly down voie douloureuse. In a sense, I could not recall the functions that drifted from my mind obscuring the truth of the Middle Path. He left me, badly, a part he had the results cast into like irons in flames. He seemed to know all these evils which oppressed me, Father All Naught.

You’re in town, at the sea, but never with Him.

To join them was to offer myself to the ever dwindling decline. In the light there were river excursions of my martyrdom, my entry into the men of eccentric nonentity. Ghastly splendour!

Having ordered the gun, never go anywhere without a knife.

Rather haunting indeed. To be clear, this is not a stable story. There is no clean vector to this time and place, so, please, do not use this as an Egg. It will not hold.

Though, if what was written is what was, it paints a clear picture of a sinking ship and man who made a deal to escape his certain death. The entity he made such a deal with is unmistakably Behemoth, Prince of Destruction. The "Horrid None," "Dark God of the Midway," the "Middle Path," and the "Father All Naught." It is quite clear that Behemoth had a hand in this Obsessor's creation—or, well, "destruction," as it is. But the story does not end with Behemoth. It ends with the most damning of lines:

"Having ordered the gun, never go anywhere without a knife."

Ordered. Rededro. Red Order. A Knife. A Dagger.

It seems to me that this remaining crew member, whoever it was, made a deal with Behemoth for continued existence and he was not the only one. Together, these… "men of eccentric nonentity" have seemingly allied themselves to the Daggers.

To the Order of the Obscure Obeleus.

To our greatest foe.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="NBY-05">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">NBY-05</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE OCTOBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: NBY-05'''

Shit. Sorry for swearing. Shit!

Well… much has happened in a very short time. I wouldn't expect anything else from Tesseract. While Samuel was hooking into the narrative thread of the past I left Tesseract to aid Testament in a… mm… let's call it a "gross misappropriation of funds." A case for a different time. But now we know for certain that the one-eyed ship isn't just a machination of Behram but also Ms. Cassiopeia's deadly crimson dagger organization.

As this is a Diner Receipt I can't get into every little detail—and I likely wouldn't want to—but Ms. Cassiopeia and her Daggers are, for my measure, one of the most dangerous antagonists to not only the Cafe and Diner but the Coffee Trade as a whole. Like Tesseract they largely deal with well-timed service, food prep and late-late nights. However, unlike Tesseract who stick to serving adjacent localities, the Daggers harbor a complete disregard to causality and serve not only adjacent localities, but prime real estate, and… even places no longer looking for a cup of coffee. We still don't know how they manage to travel to such far reaching places. Places far, far out of bounds.

Tesseract once went head-to-head with the Daggers in an all out war in an adjacent locality known in the Trade as "Indigo." These "Indigo Wars" led to the annihilation of multiple localities. One hundred twelve localities, in fact. And that was without the help of the very simulacrum of endless, meaningless, crushing destruction, Behram. Since the end of the Indigo Wars, Tesseract and the Daggers have been in a sort of "cold war," with mutually assured destruction being the only thing holding Ms. Cassiopeia back.

SHIT!

Right, okay, I've got to get back to Tesseract, and fast. This is the EXACT type of situation Jack wanted audited and I can't trust John Doe's judgement on this. He already let one trolley loose, no need to give him control of another lever.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-NBY-06">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-NBY-06</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Fading by Person, Kaa, Baloo, and Khan included."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Military Trivia | 3 Words [***** ** *****]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">From whose mind are Kaa, Baloo and Khan?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">A person, fading momentarily.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">A naval force influencing the battle from the port without leaving it.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Fleet In Being</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">This is wordplay, with "Fading" being a reference to the word "Fleet" (as in, to flow or vanish - see the phrase "fleet of foot") and "Person" being a synonym for "Being". This is in reference to the naval concept of a fleet-in-being. The reference to the Jungle Book characters is because its author, Rudyard Kipling, also wrote a military book on the concept.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: ESTER HAWKINS'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESSERACT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY NOVEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-NBY-06'''

We have a ship out of time and out of place, but we have yet to uncover what I consider to be the most crucial piece of information: who is helming the ship? Furthermore, is the ship crewed, or is it sailing by the power of the unknown deal-maker? To recap the narrative thread in perhaps simpler terms:

The USS Cyclops began to sink, presumably for the same structural flaw that sank its sister ships. All fled the sinking ship except for one unknown man. This man did not want to make a deal with Behemoth but was left with little other choice. Behemoth did, as Behemoth does, and destroyed the soul of this unknown lingering mortal and reformed them into some sort of "ghastly splendour." Then, at some point, this unknown man met with and potentially allied himself to the Daggers. But, this man is not alone, we know that much, as the narrative thread of the past revealed he joined a group we currently only know as the "men of eccentric nonentity."

Hm. Well, we must assume the other men of nonentity are not, or were not, part of the USS Cyclops' crew as all abandoned the ship as it sank. Furthermore, why the ship was blinked out of time along with this man of nonentity and into our present is… unknown. Though I must assume that the ones who used the Triangle to perform the chronal removal were in fact the Nova Elders, Gleam, Patina, Shiver, Murmur and Snow. It fits well enough with their M.O.

As I understand the mystery thus far: the ship was sinking, a man made a deal with Behemoth to avoid death, before the man could be turned over into the service of Behemoth the Daggers blinked him and his ship out of time.

Possibly.

More than likely, anyway.

Do you really think the Daggers of all people would work with Behemoth? No. But would the Daggers steal one of Behemoth's freshly born nightmares? Oh absolutely. Still—I'd rather deal with some errant boogieman than an asset of the Order of the Obscure Obeleus if I got to choose.

For now, we won't know more unless a stronger narrative thread can be found. The last thing we should do is attempt contact with these "eccentrics."
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-NBY-07">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-NBY-07</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Nemesis of Neptune's Nipper."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Research | 1 Word [******]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What's a nipper?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Who's Neptune's child?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">"I'm blind, I'm blind!" shouted the cyclops. "By whom?" the others ask. "******!" shouted the cyclops.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Nobody</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">Neptune is a Roman god, and he is the father of all cyclopes, including Polyphemus, whose nemesis was Odysseus, or “Nobody”.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: WILLIAM MYERSCOUGH'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESSERACT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY NOVEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-NBY-07'''

No point in faffing about. I'm going to go get some answers.

<div class="cdn-transcript">
<div class="cdn-stage">[William stepped onto the bridge. His eyes were immediately drawn to the man at the helm of the ship. The mysterious man stood with his back to William. He was wearing an outdated naval uniform. A derby hat rested on the console nearby. He was muttering to himself, tracing a course on a map that didn't match the current coastline.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">???</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Alles falsch… the stars are wrong. Water's too cold.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You're a long way from 1918.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[The unknown man turned slowly toward William. His eyes were bloodshot and erratic.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">???</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And you are a guest who forgot to knock. Who sent you? Is der Dunkle finally come to collect His debt?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No one sent me, you can be certain of that. I'm just trying to square what brings a ship that sank a century ago to our coastline.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[The man laughed with a wet rattling sound. He stepped closer, his posture shifted from slumped to imposing.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">???</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Was wissen Sie schon? You reek of Zauber. He said you would be after us.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">He? Behemoth? Gleam? Snow? Shiv—</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">???</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Schnell!</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[WHAM! A heavy blow struck William from behind. His vision faded as darkness took him.]</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[William groaned, blinking his eyes open much later. He was propped up against a bulkhead, thick hemp rope binding his wrists and ankles to a pipe. Three men stood over him.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">???</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Throw him over. Let the ocean take what is left.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[Two of the men step forward. William twisted his hand behind his back. On his finger, a silver ring hummed a low frequency as he twisted the bezel. Click. The sound of the ocean cut out instantly. Dust motes floating in the air froze. A shimmering, translucent time bubble expanded from the ring, engulfing the bridge.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Fuck me. Clock's ticking. CaDence? You online?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I am!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Fantastic. You'll leave out the part where I was caught unawares, right?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">If it makes you feel better, I was too! Those two other men, they came out of nowhere.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Nowhen, more like it. They reek of temporal residue. Can you give me a B-Reading on these three? Who are they?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Processing… Hm. Okay, well, I see a spike in Terminal energy on all three of them. About what you'd expect to see from common witches of Behemoth.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Nothing else? No names?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I… haven't seen them before, so they aren't in my database.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Right. When were they last active, can you tell?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Subject one, the man in the naval uniform, was, unsurprisingly, last seen in 1918.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">German, right?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Sure seemed like it.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">My money's on Captain Wichmann "Worley." A captain is supposed to go down with his ship. Coward chose the Middle Path instead. What about glasses over there?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Subject two, the man with the sunglasses, was last seen in the pacific northwest in 1971.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No shit.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[William went to get a closer look at the man frozen in time.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Do you reckon, that's D.B. fucking Cooper?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It lines up. Must've made a deal as he was falling to his death.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And this chap, when was he last seen?</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Subject three, the man in the sleek suit, he was last seen in New York, 1930.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">New York… 1930… Judge Joseph Force Crater? The Daggers have been busy building a consortium of cold cases, seems like. Hello, what's this—</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[William took hold of Judge Crater's cuff, turning it over to reveal a small dagger shaped pin with the word "Outis" on it.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Buncha bloody nobodies. Literal nonentities.</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[William's ring began to slowly tick as the edges of his time bubble began to fray.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You're running out of time!</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Way ahead of you. Thanks for all of the help, love.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">CaDence</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You really shouldn't sneak out like this, you know.</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">William</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Well, can you really say I went alone? I'm smart enough to take a CaDCom, aren't I?</div>
<div class="cdn-stage">[William sprinted for the door, leaping over the coaming of the hatch just as the time bubble popped. Time rushed back in with a deafening roar of ocean and machinery.]</div>
<div class="cdn-speaker">Worley</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Wo ist er?! Find him! <i>Scheiße!!</i></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-NBY-08">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-NBY-08</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"12 Ladies of the 12th Arcana tell:"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Gothic Literature Trivia | 2 Words [*** **********]</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What's the 12th Arcana?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">The ladies are in waiting.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">When did Odysseus tell Telemachus to hang twelve maids?</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">The Penelopiad</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The 12th Arcana is XII, The Hanged Man. Twelve "hanged men" (well, ladies), hanged by Telemachus (from the Odyssey) appear throughout The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood to tell their perspectives of events.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: ANTHONY SCRIVEN'''<br>
'''CAFE: TESSERACT'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY NOVEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-NBY-08'''

Should've expected William to run off without any authorization… or a plan. And somehow he's still the more rational of the Myerscoughs. I fear that Ouroborian Signet of his makes him feel rather invulnerable. Though he did make it out alive and our presence wouldn't be unknown from Dagger operatives in any case. And we at least know who we are dealing with now, a set of three—or, potentially more—witches of Lord Behemoth who have been taken by the Daggers and assigned to a group known as "Outis." The men of non-entity. Men who slipped out of time.

The good news, if there is any in this scenario, is that this hardly confirms collusion between Behemoth and the Daggers. Behemoth cares little for what becomes of his witches and he often views them as free agents of further chaos in the Flipside. Now, if they were full boogeymen of Behemoth that would change things. It is possible the Daggers asked Behemoth to convert these men in the moments before their death into witches, but I think it far more likely the Daggers just found the right people at the right time and recruited them. It is possible that Behemoth may come to collect on his witches' debts which could disrupt the investment the Daggers have made into this new "Outis," branch.

That's where the good news ends. The Outis operate outside of the Dagger's usual rank and file. They are extremely dangerous, and while they might have had more humanity before they fell down the Middle Path, they are now presumed to be agents of destruction above all else. While I am thankful William was unhurt, we have to assume if we cross paths again it will be do or die. As for what the Daggers are having Outis do… I can't say and neither can William. Though it is little coincidence that they reappeared on the Alaskan coast just as we begin to unlock the secrets of the Three CaDComs.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CAD-03">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CAD-03</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: MID NOVEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CAD-03'''

Behram indirectly has his hands in a bit of everything it seems. He allowed Mr. Fenimore to bring Ms. Sandiego illicit goods in New Orleans, he allowed Ursula Langley to wreck havoc with his lower residents, and now he has either been making sandwiches for the Daggers or the Daggers have been stealing his sandwiches all the same. Unfortunately Behram is a force of nature, one we cannot be so simply rid of. Though it worries me greatly that his influence is seeping out unbeknownst to the others Cafes, especially the more fledgling Cafes of Testament and Sunshine.

I just paid a visit to Testament and nothing immediately stood out as being overtly "destructive." However, I would perhaps argue that Testament itself is a force of untamable chaos that is always worth keeping a very close eye on. I have not yet had the chance to visit Sunshine (mostly to avoid Lucy's simmering rage over her daughter's near-death experience) but I feel like I should pop in just to make sure there is nothing particularly "Terminal" about their affairs. So, that will be where I am headed next.

As for the other cafes… at the moment the original branch in Long Beach is still working out a way to end the Storm which has been surrounding them for quite some time—a Storm that has also been causing Behram trouble as well. Bloodglass is still searching for their missing stones along with Solomon's help. Midnight is still tangled up in the Mangrove Syndicate which has been moving around the southeast—to our collective knowledge the Syndicate has no ties to Behram (but don't hold your breath). Requiem is where I last left them, working out a way to stop the return of Ms. Sandiego. Silenus has been kept busy trying to pacify their temperamental Sponsor, Beez. And… Testament. They are… as they are, "Big Bong" and all.
</div>
</div>

</div>

Case 1: St. Germain of Royal Street

2026-05-04T16:48:19Z

SpareAccount1:

<div class="cdn-archive-page">

<div class="cdn-archive-hero">
<div class="cdn-archive-label">CASE NO. 1</div>
<div class="cdn-archive-title">St. Germain of Royal Street</div>
<div class="cdn-archive-subtitle">"It is with some… mixed grief… that I begin this receipt." - The Auditor, CAD-00</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-divider"></div>

<div class="cdn-section-heading">Receipts</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card stamp-parent" id="CAD-00">
<div class="stamp-image">
[[File:BlueCanary-2.png|260px]]
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CAD-00</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY SEPTEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CAD-00'''

It is with some… mixed grief… that I begin this receipt. See, I had been waiting for Jack to call, email, text, fax, telegraph, post, or otherwise meet with me face-to-face for what has seemed like an eternity. Jack had called upon me earlier in the year to discuss a peculiar arrangement he had been considering. A unique position of employment in his Network. To the surprise of none, Jack had been, well, "noncommittal" about the idea until some recent developments. Primarily, the Cafe and Diner Network recently expanded to its eighth location… "The Cafe and Diner: Sunshine" in Seattle.

Along with the persistent trouble at Bloodglass and Requiem… and Testament… and Tesseract, hell, the whole organization, I suppose adding another eight employees into the mix finally brought Jack to the conclusion that he might actually need me. Let's face it, the Cafe and Diner Network is an absolute, unregulated, unmitigated disaster. After Julia nearly died on what should have been a routine "catch and release" operation, let's just say that some "Princely pressure" caused him to cave.

My position as the sixty fifth employee of the Cafe and Diner Network is altogether unique and fairly mundane. I am the Cafe's Auditor. My job is, put simply, to rotate between locations as needed to ensure that Cafe and Diner standards are being upheld, that the Owners are working in the best interest of the organization, and that any particularly dangerous customers or operations are properly recorded for Jack's review. I don't know what's the good of keeping a public record of our work, but Jack assures me that the "transparency for those open-minded or otherwise acquainted with the Coffee Trade" will help ensure we don't have another "Anathema Proxy" or "Indigo War" situation.

To that end, I've been given some adventitious authority to run this public repository as I see fit. It had been brought online by CaDence prior to my hiring… And I see that the Cafe and Diner employees have done a poor job of keeping it updated or keeping it decently discreet. While I acknowledge that all of this is subject to change, I foresee this public repository having four distinct categories: Diner Receipts, Cafe Receipts, Cafe and Diner Receipts, and Diner Diner Receipts.

Diner Receipts, such as the one you are currently reading will require no security as they should sufficiently dance around what needs to be kept confidential. I suspect I will be the only one to bother writing Diner Receipts. Cafe Receipts will be collected from the various other employees and will require minimal security based on their personal interests—call it "trivia" if you want. Cafe and Diner Receipts will require more serious security measures and will likely include important transcripts or owner musings and the like. Diner Diner Receipts do not exist and cannot be found utilizing obscure and well-hidden authorization codes.

With all of that said, my first audit will be at Requiem in New Orleans. Apparently Lake Pontchartrain is… coming to life?
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CAD-01">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CAD-01</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY SEPTEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CAD-01'''

My first audit is of The Cafe and Diner: Requiem, in New Orleans, Louisiana. You know, I might offend if I share too many of my personal opinions on Felix Blackwood's ownership and the utter catastrophe that was his "holy war" against… Ah—it has occurred to me that it would not be "prudent" to just put our customer's full names Diner Receipts where anyone could see them. I believe pseudonyms will suffice, and those well enough in the Coffee Trade should understand who exactly I am referring to. Roughly, a Ms. will be more notable than a Mrs. who in turn is more pressing than a Mr. Although those in the Trade should already be well aware of Felix's holy war against… Ms. Bradbury (for both 1953 and 1962's entries).

I will save my irritation regarding the holy war for another time and instead focus on briefly introducing Requiem, the Cafe of False Miracles. As mentioned above, its owner is Felix Blackwood, 72, who is himself a rather taboo figure in New Orleans even prior to his work at the Cafe. The Blackwoods at one point were part of the Old Voodoo Houses in the area but were excommunicated for trifling with forces they should not have. Felix later took a vow of silence for a while before coming to work with the Cafe and Diner. Alongside Levi he is the holder and protector of the Cane, a truly horrid Piece of Fate that is for my measure much more trouble than its worth.

Of his employees, a few are worth noting. Katherine Wade is a rather unique barista and mixologist, her specialty being a six letter tiki cocktail. Elizabeth Lewis is also quite notable though for reasons I likely can't share in a Diner Receipt—or a Cafe Receipt, or Cafe and Diner Receipt for that matter. And, lastly, there is Ichabod Ramses of the Voodoo House, Ramses. The other employees of Requiem, Aelan Akana, Jade Singh, Oleander Gray, and Penelope Charbonneau are certainly interesting in their own right but not enough to call any single one of them out here and now.

In my next receipt I will total up Requiem's current reservations, and hopefully they will break even.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="VAW-01">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">VAW-01</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY SEPTEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: VAW-01'''

Ms. Bradbury, Requiem's largest customer, has been… well, I wouldn't say "served in full," though arguably she was prior to her own reservation with the Cafe… I will say she's been sufficiently dealt with for the time being. In any case, Ms. Bradbury's absence has opened Requiem up to newer and perhaps more terrifying reservations yet to come. Namely, Ms. Sandiego (where, oh where could she be?) who resides out on Lake Pontchartrain. Ms. Sandiego is a contemporary of Ms. Bradbury, and another—though here is not the time nor place to talk about it. I won-der, for why might here not be the place to spill that deliciously decadent tea?

Regardless… Ms. Sandiego is the new name in town, though as I understand she has yet to officially book her reservation with the Cafe. She is, at last report, still slumbering where she was last left. What is clear is that Mr. Fenimore has been seen hanging around Lake Pontchartrain and has been causing his usual mischief to passing tourists. Could Mr. Fenimore be seeing Ms. Sandiego romantically? Possibly… though it is more likely that Mr. Fenimore is merely reacting to Ms. Sandiego's renewed sublacustrine stirring. It's hard to say even for the Requiem baristas who have been working and residing in the city for quite a few years now.

In such cases of uncertainty I would think it wise to ask a local who has been around long enough to know who is allied to Ms. Sandiego and who is merely getting out of her way. To that end, it is my recommendation that Requiem calls upon Mrs. Montferrat. She is dangerous, in more than one way, but I would rather risk a planned reservation with her than an unexpected reservation with Ms. Sandiego.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-VAW-02">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-VAW-02</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Beans from a Buried Blue Bloke."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Fruit Trivia | 3 Words [**** ***'* *******]</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">This buried bloke might not be blue, but his beans sure is.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Yep, that's a very dead bloke, and some very swollen hands.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">This plant, genus Decaisnea, can be found mainly in China, as west as Nepal and as south as Myanmar.</span></div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Dead Men’s Fingers</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">The Decaisnea plant is commonly known as the “blue bean plant” for its appearance (despite not being actual beans, as far as I understand), and also as “dead men's fingers”.</span></div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: AELAN AKANA'''<br>
'''CAFE: REQUIEM'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY SEPTEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-VAW-02'''

You know, I'll happily take a few fifollet over a buncha Blighted creeps any old day. The fifollet is a type of wisp entity in the same general category as will-o'-the-wisps, jack o' lanterns, and hinkypunks, though they are considered ghosts and they are just a tad bit more malicious than their cryptid cousins. Where a typical will-o'-the-wisp from Morningstar or Necropolis will just lead folks astray, the fifollet will lead you astray and may or may not suck a bit of your blood out too. Just a little though! Basically, y'know, like little mosquito wisps. No biggie. And for "ghosts" they're very cryptid like, for what that's worth.

The fifollet are exclusively found Flipside in Louisiana, especially around boundary lines out in the bayous. Which makes Lake Pontchartrain, where la petite buddies have been bubbling out of, an odd place to see 'em. The lake, as far as we know, isn't tied to a Terminus boundary line but a Mayda one. Actually, according to Leviathan, Lake Pontchartrain is tied to Mayda's Locker and is the only Flipside point of access to the Locker.

So… Well, you see the problem, yeah? Ghosts, though regionally appropriate ones, are coming out of the Locker into the Flipside. Implying… There are ghosts IN the Locker. It's possible that Behemoth is working with the thing underneath the lake to help break it out which would be really bad for us. And for the people of New Orleans, of course. But the last thing we need is another entity allying itself with the Prince of Destruction.

Now, as the fifollet aren't really technically cryptids, that's about all I know about them. We could call up Bloodglass for a second opinion, but as they are such heavily regional ghosts, I doubt they have any more insight than we do about them. So, I think this new Auditor dude, they've got the right idea. We gotta ask someone who's a little more "acquainted" with these ghastly little buddies. Someone who's been around awhile.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-VAW-03">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-VAW-03</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Not to jinx it, or risk being hexed, but next to JHN433 Basin Street, it might be worth a wish."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Cemetery Trivia | 2 Words [****** *]</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Consider the locale of the receipts so far, what cemetery is near Basin Street?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">There's a certain member of Saint Louis No. 1 that's famous for jinxes and hexes.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">What's the first step in asking for a wish from Marie Laveau?</span></div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">Triple X/Three Xs</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">“Basin Street” refers to the street in New Orleans, or more specifically, the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 on that street. Marie Laveau is said to have been buried there, with a tradition being to leave three Xs on her gravestone to grant wishes. Alternatively, “JHN433” refers to the fourth, third and third letters respectively of words starting with J, H and N in the puzzle - all of which are X.</span></div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: PENELOPE CHARBONNEAU'''<br>
'''CAFE: REQUIEM'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY SEPTEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-VAW-03'''

Surely there must be someone else, anyone else, we could ask about the fifollet and the entity beneath the lake besides, eugh… St. Germain of Royal Street. Ichabod suggested we could query the Voodoo Queen regarding the matter. The Queen has been known to grant audiences to Family members, and even if not, I would rather scrawl a triple X on her tomb and hope she answers than deal with that wretched womanizing piece of shit pretty boy vampire. Hell, I would rather beg on my hands and knees and slice open my veins to Jade's Tanty for information than be in the same room as that villainous bloodsucker. In fact, I am liable to steal the Cane from Felix and use it to cure St. Germain of his undeath, karmic consequences be damned.

…I understand the assumed connection, I do. St. Germain sucks blood, the fifollet occasionally sucks blood. St. Germain has lived here forever, the fifollet has haunted here forever. It is more than reasonable to assume that lowlife loser has seen, if not interacted with, the fifollet before. But are there no other vampires we could ask? Katherine is quite chummy with the Casket Girls, isn't she? Jade basically IS a vampire! Or we could even track down the Carter Brothers… I understand they are presumed to be dangerous, but certainly no more dangerous than that vile so-called vampire, St. Germain.

Vile…

You don't think he is working with them do you? I wouldn't put it past him. And, I suppose, if he is somehow connected to this "awakening" this… "break," beneath the lake's surface then, well, I suppose there is little else we can do but go and drive a splintery jagged rotted stake through his heart.

Ah, if only he had one.

And if only killing real vampires was so easy.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="C-VAW-04">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">C-VAW-04</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"(White, Green, Black, Red) Chapeau, Fellow Wag'd, Triumphed't, Search for 'n Pizza?"</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Synonym Trivia | 4 Words [**** *** ***'* ****]</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Each part solve to a word.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">What are White, Green, Black and Red all examples of? What's a chapeau? Who's the best friend of man with a tail? What's a synonym of triumph? Where can you find pizzas?</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">A Southern idiom, meaning something wouldn't work or succeed.</span></div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">That Dog Won't Hunt</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">This can be broken down into four separate word-plays. First, the four colours are a reference to tea, while a chapeau is a French hat - a “tea-hat”, or in other words, “that”. A “fellow wag'd” is a “fellow who wagged” (their tail): a dog. “Triumphed” is a synonym for “won”, so “triumphed't” becomes “won't”. Lastly, “search for ‘n pizza”: “search for” means “hunt”, and “‘n pizza” is a reference to Pizza Hut - add an n, and you get “hunt”.</span></div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: OLEANDER GRAY'''<br>
'''CAFE: REQUIEM'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY SEPTEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: C-VAW-04'''

Penelope is certainly… discomfited, bedevilled, and well, perhaps rather vexed by having to deal with Jacques St. Germain of Royal Street. We have discussed the matter privately, off the record and off receipt, and I understand where she is coming from, I do. Though, I fear if we are to get St. Germain to talk, we have few other options beyond sending in Penelope, Jade, and Elizabeth. Penelope, as the one who knows the most about St. Germain and how and where to verbally strike at him, Jade to counter vampire with soucouyant, and Elizabeth to verify whatever half truths may tumble out of his lips. More critically, Elizabeth, Jade, and Penelope are all women, and the only way to loosen a lecher like St. Germain's lips is… unfortunately with women.

Not to say that Aelan or Katherine are not also women, but Katherine is dead… or at least, she is without a pulse, which is likely very unappealing to St. Germain. And Aelan would fare the worst if St. Germain was to make a move out of turn. We discussed sending myself, Ichabod, and Felix to investigate the vampire, though chivalrous in intent it would likely be a fruitless pursuit. St. Germain has little to no respect for mortal men and women, but at least with women he finds some sort of sick thrill, titillation, or perversion… along with a potential meal.

I suppose now would also make for a good time to discuss vampires. "Vampires" as a broad category includes anyone or anything that subsides primarily on another's life force… physical, spiritual, or otherwise. It's a broad enough category that it would include cryptids such as chupacabras and demons such as soucouyants. However, when one thinks of a vampire they think of a humanoid, blood-sucking, undead, weak to sunlight and to garlic. While the sunlight and garlic are usually fantasy, what we call human "vampires," are actually more akin to a specific coven of Terminus witches, the Sanguine Impalers. "Gifted" by Behemoth with eternal youth, fantastic power, and the ability to steal life from others through consumption of their blood, Crimson Impaler witches are, at this point, synonymous with Vampires. It is worth noting, Behemoth is not a very "hands on" Prince. Though he turns humans into vampires, it is a contractless deal. As such, we cannot presume St. Germain is working directly with Behemoth.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="DD-VAW-05">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">DD-VAW-05</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">???</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">???</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Read VAW-01 real careful like. Double-Double check for anything that starts like that.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">I'm calling it like I see it.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text"><b>I</b> <b>won</b>-der, <b>for</b> <b>why</b> might here not <b>be</b> the place <b>to</b> spill that deliciously decadent <b>tea</b>?</span></div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">I14YB2T</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">In VAW-01, The Auditor talks about Ms. Sandiego, and states that now is not the time to talk about it. Following that is a cryptic statement, “I won-der, for why might here not be the place to spill that deliciously decadent tea?” If we read it out, we can turn “I won” into I and 1. Continuing that gives the answer.</span></div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: EARLY SEPTEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: DD-VAW-05'''

Oh good. You found my Diner Diner Receipt.

I wasn't entirely certain how much I should say about "Elizabeth Lewis," as she is an Archon and it's supposed to be a secret. Jack knows, of course. As does Sahir. John knows. Jericho knows through Glean. Daichi likely knows. Indrid might know… though hard to say with him. And, naturally, CaDence knows. She was the one who brought it to Jack's attention, actually. CaDence has always had a strange amount of knowledge—knowledge beyond what should be accessible in this Universe. As I understand it, CaDence is the one who found Elizabeth, or maybe, Elizabeth found CaDence. It's a long story, longer than anyone has cared to share with me, but I know this:

Elizabeth, better known as Eleleth of House Cresset, is an Entropic Archon. She fled the downfall of Entropy some turns after the Gelid Archons, Fate, Phantom, and Secret, had left to form their own ill-conceived Universe. This makes her a fourth generational Archon to our Universe, following the Nova Archons' arrival. As far as her former House rank, involvement in the Undying Wars, the murder of the Wicked's wife—I have no clue. Though, speaking of the Wicked, he is another Cresset Archon. The outlier of what was once the Cold Elders. He was "killed" (as much as Archons can seemingly be killed) a few Universes ago. Though he has returned as an Eidolon, a ghost of his former self driven by lasting rage.

I have good reason to believe Elizabeth is what brought him back.

I know, I know—the official story goes that it was the Karmic Debt caused by Requiem's reckless use of the Cane which caused the Wicked and his Blight to reemerge… but now we have not only one Cresset Archon returning but two. The Vile. Keeper of the Ultramarine Flame. I can't help but think that Elizabeth's fellow House members are drawn to her—if she is not secretly working to raise them herself.

And if she was? We could do little to stop her. Her power to create colored rooms is beyond dangerous—she could seal the whole Cafe and Diner Network in 8 little Teal rooms and be done with us. So, for now, I would prefer to stay on her good side. And, at least the Wicked's Eidolon has less personal grievances than Secret's.
</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CD-VAW-06">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CD-VAW-06</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">CAFFEINATED</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-puzzle-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Puzzle</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-clue">"Montferrat's Zodiac."</div>
<div class="cdn-puzzle-type">Research || 5 Words [*** **** **** ******** ******]</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-hint-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Hints</div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Who is this Montferrat guy? He's been popping up.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Have a read at his writings. Esoteric stuff.</span></div>
<div class="cdn-hint">Hint 3: <span class="spoiler-text">The man only has one completed and published book. Find that book.</span></div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-answer-panel">
<div class="cdn-panel-label">Answer</div>
<div class="cdn-answer"><span class="spoiler-text">The Most Holy Threefold Wisdom</span></div>
<div class="cdn-explanation"><span class="spoiler-text">“Montferrat” refers to the supposed “Marquis of Montferrat”, Saint Germain (who is the “Mrs. Monferrat” in the Case. He supposedly wrote a book veiled in esoteric code, with twelve sections, each corresponding to one sign of the zodiac. This book is known as “La Très Sainte Trinosophie”, or “The Most Holy Threefold Wisdom”.</span></div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: JADE SINGH'''<br>
'''CAFE: REQUIEM'''<br>
'''DATE: MID SEPTEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CD-VAW-06'''

We met with the creep, St. Germain. He didn't know much but—and I hate to admit it—he made a decent point. We've been operating under the assumption that the fifollets were emerging from the lake… we hadn't stopped to consider that they might be instead submerging into the lake. Into the Locker. Full of blood to feed a sleeping Archon. In any case, Liz sealed his door. I wanted her to Teal him, but she felt Amber was more appropriate. More merciful. Well—I guess if we need him again we can still find him, at least.

<div class="cdn-transcript">

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">My, my, what brings you three lovely faces to my parlor?</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Penelope</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Cut the shit, Germain.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Oh-ho, this one has a mouth on her, how fun! Tell me… who sent you my way? Who do I have to thank for such a… a bouquet of flowers.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Penelope</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No one.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">No one? Then how did you find—?</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Penelope</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I still have your key.</div>

<div class="cdn-stage">[St. Germain squinted his eyes, peering through the hazy darkness of his seedy Royal Street parlor.]</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Ah———oh. Oh! P… Pah… Persephone? Is that you? Oh my, I hardly recognized you in this light! Come closer dear, so that I might… reacquaint myself with your taste.</div>

<div class="cdn-stage">[Elizabeth held out her hand illuminating the parlor with a ball of light. As St. Germain shielded his eyes, Penelope sucker punched him across his face.]</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">FUCK!</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Penelope</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It's Penelope.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">It's coming back to me. You tried to kill me!</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Penelope</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You tried to turn me.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You seduced me!</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Penelope</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I was sixteen.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Jade</div>
<div class="cdn-line">You were only sixteen when you dated this creep? Gross.</div>

<div class="cdn-stage">[Jade flicked a spark of blood-red fire from her fingers toward St. Germain's face.]</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Elizabeth</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I wouldn't exactly call being taken advantage of "dating."</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Oh—please. I am a vampire. Are you so truly offended by a few years? Regardless, I would have been at least 200 years older than—</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Jade</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Gross.</div>

<div class="cdn-stage">[Jade flicked another spark toward St. Germain.]</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">ENOUGH! Why do you furies torment me so?</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Penelope</div>
<div class="cdn-line">What do you know about the Vile? And why are fifollets coming out of Leviathan's Plane?</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">…The vile what?</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Elizabeth</div>
<div class="cdn-line">The Vile of House Cresset.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Ah—oh, oh yes. I recall my master did mention something about a sleeping Archon. I didn't realize her name was simply… Vile.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Penelope</div>
<div class="cdn-line">What did Behemoth say about Vile? And when?</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Hm. It seems I am giving up so much for free. That is hardly fair. What would you give me in return for such information I wonder?</div>

<div class="cdn-stage">[St. Germain stood up and grabbed Penelope forcefully by her waist as he brushed his lips across her neck. Jade grabbed one of St. Germain's arms. She twisted it behind his back and pulled up his sleeve.]</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Jade</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I've never had vampire blood before. Wonder what it tastes like?</div>

<div class="cdn-stage">[St. Germain's veins began to swell like heated glass.]</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">AGH! Damned soucouyant!</div>

<div class="cdn-stage">[St. Germain released Penelope and recoiled, pulling down his sleeve and moving as far away from Jade as possible.]</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">I don't know anything, alright? I know my master seeks powerful allies, but who doesn't? And… I doubt the fifollets are escaping from within Leviathan's Plane. They are tricky things, no? Have you seen which way they are actually floating? In or out? They don't consume blood, they merely steal it—store it. It is much easier to break into a prison than out of it.</div>

<div class="cdn-stage">[Elizabeth looked at Jade then Penelope, then nodded.]</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Happy? Satisfied? Now, leave me be.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Jade</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Why should we? So you can find another teenager to feed on?</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">St. Germain</div>
<div class="cdn-line">Kill me—if you can—but doing so will certainly invoke the wrath of my fellow vampires if not Lord Behemoth himself. And to me? It sounds like you have bigger issues than a mere Prince of Hell.</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Penelope</div>
<div class="cdn-line">He's right. We can't kill him.</div>

<div class="cdn-stage">[Penelope handed the key to St. Germain's hidden Royal Street parlor to Elizabeth.]</div>

<div class="cdn-speaker">Elizabeth</div>
<div class="cdn-line">And I fear death would be a mercy.</div>

<div class="cdn-stage">[Elizabeth, Jade, and Penelope left St. Germain's parlor and on her way out, Elizabeth drew her finger across St. Germain's door turning the wood a deep amber hue before closing and locking the door for good.]</div>

</div>

</div>
</div>

<div class="cdn-receipt-card" id="CAD-02">
<div class="cdn-receipt-header">
<div class="cdn-receipt-id">CAD-02</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-stamp">OPEN</div>
</div>
<div class="cdn-receipt-body">
'''BARISTA: THE AUDITOR'''<br>
'''CAFE: NONE'''<br>
'''DATE: LATE SEPTEMBER'''<br>
'''RECEIPT ID: CAD-02'''

Compliments ma foi, Requiem team. All things considered, I feel that you were able to handle Mrs. Montferrat as… judiciously… as possible. Once I found out that Penelope had been romantically entangled with Mrs. Montferrat—and as Elizabeth pointed out "romantically entangled" is perhaps too generous a way to describe it—well, it certainly put everyone in a difficult position, didn't it? Especially Penelope. Given the situation, serving Mrs. Montferrat in an Amber Room is completely fair, in my mind. Though it will keep her tab open with the Cafe and Diner indefinitely, at least it wasn't paid in full.

As for the point behind the pain, it was indeed worth booking Mrs. Montferrat as she provided an exceptionally useful perspective on Mr. Fenimore and Ms. Sandiego. While it certainly looks like Mr. Fenimore has been coming from the lake, it is indeed a trick of the eye, an optical illusion of sorts. They aren't floating out—they've been floating in. It would appear Mr. Fenimore is smuggling illicit goods to Ms. Sandiego at the bequest of Behram. What is unclear to me is if Behram is the one who tasked Mr. Fenimore with this sanguine smuggling or if it was Ursula's directive. A query for Bloodglass no doubt, though Jack has requested my services elsewhere. In Alaska. At Tesseract.

Apparently, as I understand it, The Cafe and Diner: Tesseract is in possession of three highly unstable chronal artifacts. Ticking timebombs in a literal sense. Now, I might be out of my depth on such matters but I'm not being called upon to fix their problem. I'm being called in for a more… "human" perspective. That, and between unravelling this triple timepiece mystery, Tesseract has been neglecting their more present problems in favor of the future… and perhaps the past as well.
</div>
</div>

</div>

C-TCC04 (Dec 6, 1988)

2025-01-12T16:24:42Z

SpareAccount1:

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-TCC04</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">"Between the Great Wave and Tableau I."<br>
Math Trivia | 3 Words</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What do The Great Wave off Kanagawa and Tableau I share?</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">It is frequently seen in nature.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">It is roughly equal to 1.618.</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">The Golden Ratio</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">This is the name of the mathematical 'formula' that appears in both of these paintings, a geometrical version of the Fibonacci sequence.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Summary</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>CAFE RECEIPT<br>
RECEIPT NUMBER: TCC04<br>
RECEIPT DATE: 12 6 1988<br>
MANAGER TITLE: EIGHT<br>
RECEIPT NOTES:<br>

The little boss showed up today. Shaka of Zulu. He’s got history with Baltz—and with me, I suppose. Probably just about everyone too. He’s some sort of quasi-Elder, unkillable even through the changing of Spheres. A dangerous guy. Though, realistically, his edges have softened from being alive as long as he has. Besides, I’m pretty sure he abides by truth, compassion, contentment, humility, and love :) Which is more than I can say about a lot of other quasi-Elders and especially full on Elders.

<center><b>S.O.T.</b></center>

Shaka: You haven’t decorated yet.

Baltimore: Been a bit busy, Shaka.

Shaka: Never too busy for art, Eig—[Baltimore]. A few pieces would really liven this place up, you know. Le Paradis terrestre d’apres by Jan Brueghel the Elder, perhaps? Or Paradise by Oscar Parviainen?

Eight: I was thinking Nighthawks myself.

Shaka: Nighthawks? How dreadfully on the nose… and you, you must be Eight. You have them, yes? The Eight?

Eight: Oh, no messin’ around, huh? What—Secret can’t tell if I do or don’t?

Shaka: If he did, he wouldn’t tell me. I’m just curious… given our shared “Universal” dilemma. Do you have the Eight right now, Mr. Octo?

Eight: Well, why else would they call me that?

Shaka: I see. [Baltimore], your doing, I suppose?

Eight: Unintentionally.

Shaka: Oh? I suppose you would’ve liked to have it instead. Though, [Eight], it’s good to see you again. As you were.

Eight: Again?

Shaka: I suspect we’ll be seeing more of each other in the future… Duelo a garrotazos. Goya.

[Shaka gestured to a blank spot on the wall of the Cafe.]

Baltimore: Well, how would that be a good painting for a Cafe?

Shaka: Just… thinking out loud. So—remind me, [Baltimore], how do you know Eight? How are you “supposed” to know Eight?

Baltimore: Currently, I’d say serendipity. Though I’ve always seen him as a mentor figure. Someone quite well-versed in the big picture. Someone who was—is constantly expanding my own vision.

Shaka: Ah—of course.

Baltimore: Say, Shaka, what’s with the Zulus snooping around?

Shaka: You’ll have to settle for “it’s a secret,” I’m afraid. Can’t discuss the whos or whys of it.

Baltimore: Oh, come on. Is it Alfa poking her nose around, or is it Secret? That’s all I need to know.

Eight: Yeah, man, who’s scared of us? The big boss or the bigger boss?

Shaka: Just the big boss. The bigger boss is already well aware of what has happened, though he’s keeping the details scarce from me.

Eight: I suppose he must be good at keeping secrets, after all.

Shaka: Oh yes. Look, [Baltimore], I understand our presence is… unwelcome at this time. But you and I both know we both take our coffee black, yes? Something has happened here. Something that’s reconfigured everything that is.

Baltimore: What—the rewinding? Shaka, I’m sure you already know. You were there.

Shaka: Oh, no. Nothing that banal. A rewinding, a resetting, another Universe. I’ve seen plenty. This is something… new.

Baltimore: New? Will you tell us what you find, at least?

Shaka: We may both take our coffee black, but you know I can’t defy the will of Secret. And the will of Secret detests sharing notes. See you again soon, Eight.

<center><b>E.O.T.</b></center></span>

File:Phinite.png

2025-01-12T16:22:07Z

SpareAccount1:

C-AFI02 (Jan 11, 2021)

2024-11-18T02:22:38Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-AFI02</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">“What a good boy is he!”<br> No. 7 Trivia | 2 Words</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">No. 7 likes baking.</span></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spo..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-AFI02</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">“What a good boy is he!”<br>
No. 7 Trivia | 2 Words</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">No. 7 likes baking.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">You can find this line in a nursery rhyme, though it should be said as if you are that person.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Have you heard of Little Jack Horner?</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Mince Pie</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">The clue is the last line of the nursery rhyme <i>Little Jack Horner</i>, who was eating mince pie in the rhyme.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Long Island]<br>
Date [2021-01-11]<br>
Server [Manager No. 7]<br>
Beverage [N/A]<br>
File Reference [C-AFI02]<br>
Well… that was strange. I mean, I guess I’m not really one to talk, huh? But in my defense, I didn’t exactly come to the Cafe for an interview. I came in because a hazmat-masked madman was trying to kill me. I never even thought the Cafe and Diner was the kind of place you could <i>have</i> an interview for, you know? But I guess No. 3 made an exception for Brent... who, by the way, I’ve never met. And from what I’ve heard, I’m not sure I want to.<br>

Anyway, about this newcomer… they’re kind of strange. From what I gathered, they had a… haunting? Something similar to what No. 161 and No. 53 saw at Collyer Brothers Park. Basically, Brent’s employee went into the freezer, the door locked behind them, and they saw the numbers “112” appear on the glass before they passed out. While they were out, they had—well, I guess you’d call it a vision? But I’ll let them retell that part, so I don’t mess it up. The important bit is what happened after they woke up: a mysterious woman handed them a book.<br>

The Revised and Reanimated Bardo Thodol.<br>

Yeah, the same book No. 53 found in the grass. Seems like these things are popping up all over New York, especially near sites that seem to be haunted. Unfortunately, like our copy, the newcomer’s book is completely blank. I wonder if we could track down the woman who gave it to them? From what we’ve heard so far, these books usually just <i>appear</i>—no one’s handing them out. Long Beach is still trying to track down Mr. White to get answers about these weird books, but maybe the woman the newcomer saw was Lana?<br>

Either way, this newcomer is definitely tied up in this whole haunting mess, and after what they saw, No. 3 wants them on our payroll—especially if they see anything else.
</span>

CD-NTN02 (Jan 10, 2021)

2024-11-16T13:23:51Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>CD-NTN02</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">“Agatha Christie, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ernest Hemingway, Johann Sebastian Bach, Voltaire, William Shakespeare, Titian, Michelangelo, Nostradamus.”<br> Research | Knowledge | 3 Words</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">C..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>CD-NTN02</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">“Agatha Christie, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ernest Hemingway, Johann Sebastian Bach, Voltaire, William Shakespeare, Titian, Michelangelo, Nostradamus.”<br>
Research | Knowledge | 3 Words</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Considering the locale in the previous NTN receipt, what day of theirs should be considered?</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">You can separate the list into roughly two lists of equal length.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">They reside in the outermost rings of Necropolis, going inwards.</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Eclipse and Discovery</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">This is a selected list of famous dead people going backwards, all of which happened before the 15th century, which corresponds roughly to the last two rings of Necropolis.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Search Party]<br>
Date [2021-01-10]<br>
Server [Manager No. 5]<br>
Beverage [Corpse Reviver]<br>
File Reference [CD-NTN02]<br>
No luck in the Outer Rings so far. Of course, our search got a bit derailed after a few nights of partying with Benjamin Franklin, Blackbeard, and the ever-raunchy Wolfgang. Not much else to do down here between waves of shadowfolk assaults. All the restless dead are partying like it’s the end of the world… which, I guess, it might be for them if the Shadows and the Morbid King ever manage to pierce through the Eclipse Wall and into the First Ring proper.<br>

Not everyone’s been joining in, though. Word is, Asmodeus’—what are they called again? Dukes? Marquises?—anyway, her Blooded Demons and their lot have been constantly running in and out of the Spire, pushing back the Shadows down in the Everdark Pits. Even some of the Outer Ring demons are pitching in. Napoleon, Lincoln, Victoria, Theodore Roosevelt, da Vinci—they’re all working out strategies to keep the Necropolis intact. So, they’ve been too busy to bother with me or No. 2.<br>

But I reckon you learn more from the debaucherous types anyway, choice? Blackbeard’s been swearing up and down that one of Asmodeus’ Dukes is secretly working with the Morbid King. Something about weakening the Eclipse Wall from the inside. Can’t say I trust a pirate, but Old Ben also mentioned there’s some sort of weakness in the Outer Wall. It’s not exactly a natural construction, is it? Every few thousand demons that get dropped off here, the Eclipse Wall expands on its own. And Mozart? Well, he hasn’t said anything remotely comprehensible. Lad’s drunk off his arse—and who can blame him? Times are dark.<br>

Funny enough, I haven’t had a chance to grab a drink yet myself. Been too busy trying to save my Golden Dove. Ah, damn. I also forgot to write this in the bumbling Cockney schtick. Oh well, it’s not like these receipts are going to circulate much outside the Cafes anyway.
</span>

C-HBA03 (Jan 9, 2021)

2024-11-16T13:13:18Z

SpareAccount1:

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-HBA03</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">“Rather tricky, an exact guess from the start.”<br>
No. 161 Trivia | 2 Words</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">No. 161 is rather fond of cards and card games of all kind.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">This game is about bidding the exact number of tricks one will take.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">It's also known under the name of Contract Whist.</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Oh Hell!</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">Oh Hell! is one of many names describing this trick-taking game. The goal of the game is to wager how many tricks one can take, and then try and take exactly that amount.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Long Island]<br>
Date [2021-01-09]<br>
Server [Employee No. 161]<br>
Beverage [N/A]<br>
File Reference [C-HBA03]<br>
AW HELL NO!!<br>

HELL NO!!!!!!<br>

WTF WAS THAT???!?!?<br>

mr collyer? MR??? MISS!!! SUPER MISS!! living embodiment of no thanks wrapped in a humany-shaped sheet of nightmares missssssss. those dudes looked like they wandered straight out of a haunted house or a like jason blums basement. “notable brown eyes” yuh no duh their eye sockets were about five sizes too big for their faces. when no 53 and me got to the park we were trying to do our normal cafe biznizz and then… BAMMM!!!! they just appeared right in front of us!!!<br>

i swear i aged like 10 years in that moment. the worst part?? they kept popping up out of nowhere like some horrible wack-a-collyer. we go to check the back of the park? there’s the collyers lurking in the shadows JUST WATCHING US LIKE UBER CREEPS. we try to leave their park? oh look! right there in front of us! BREATHING ON OUR FACES!!!! YUCK!! my poor heart simply cannot take this kind of stress. not to mention no 53… she H-ATES jump scares like this. every time the collyers appeared in front of us 53 would jump behind me. me!!! barely five feet tall me!!! like im some kinda bodyguard. AS IF!!<br>

anyway—no clue what the hell we can do about those things. ugh im gonna be seeing their sunken in faces in my nightmares for the next century. moral of the story? “mr collyer” is absolutely 100% not a typical demon. we dont know what they are but they are not… normal.<br>

maybe… otherworldly???<br>

idk<br>

love u all but im not going back there ever ever EVER
</span>

C-HBA03 (Jan 9, 2021)

2024-11-16T13:13:01Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-HBA02</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">“Rather tricky, an exact guess from the start.”<br> No. 161 Trivia | 2 Words</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">No. 161 is rather fond of cards and card games of all kind.</span><..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-HBA02</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">“Rather tricky, an exact guess from the start.”<br>
No. 161 Trivia | 2 Words</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">No. 161 is rather fond of cards and card games of all kind.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">This game is about bidding the exact number of tricks one will take.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">It's also known under the name of Contract Whist.</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Oh Hell!</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">Oh Hell! is one of many names describing this trick-taking game. The goal of the game is to wager how many tricks one can take, and then try and take exactly that amount.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Long Island]<br>
Date [2021-01-09]<br>
Server [Employee No. 161]<br>
Beverage [N/A]<br>
File Reference [C-HBA03]<br>
AW HELL NO!!<br>

HELL NO!!!!!!<br>

WTF WAS THAT???!?!?<br>

mr collyer? MR??? MISS!!! SUPER MISS!! living embodiment of no thanks wrapped in a humany-shaped sheet of nightmares missssssss. those dudes looked like they wandered straight out of a haunted house or a like jason blums basement. “notable brown eyes” yuh no duh their eye sockets were about five sizes too big for their faces. when no 53 and me got to the park we were trying to do our normal cafe biznizz and then… BAMMM!!!! they just appeared right in front of us!!!<br>

i swear i aged like 10 years in that moment. the worst part?? they kept popping up out of nowhere like some horrible wack-a-collyer. we go to check the back of the park? there’s the collyers lurking in the shadows JUST WATCHING US LIKE UBER CREEPS. we try to leave their park? oh look! right there in front of us! BREATHING ON OUR FACES!!!! YUCK!! my poor heart simply cannot take this kind of stress. not to mention no 53… she H-ATES jump scares like this. every time the collyers appeared in front of us 53 would jump behind me. me!!! barely five feet tall me!!! like im some kinda bodyguard. AS IF!!<br>

anyway—no clue what the hell we can do about those things. ugh im gonna be seeing their sunken in faces in my nightmares for the next century. moral of the story? “mr collyer” is absolutely 100% not a typical demon. we dont know what they are but they are not… normal.<br>

maybe… otherworldly???<br>

idk<br>

love u all but im not going back there ever ever EVER
</span>

RRBT01 (Jan 13, 2021)

2024-11-16T11:55:53Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>RRBT01</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Summary of Receipt</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"></span> <h1>Transcript</h1> <span> Branch [Long Island]<br> Date [2021-01-13]<br> Server [Employee No. 35]<br> Beverage [N/A]<br> File Reference [RRBT01]<br> Welcome to the Cafe, No. 1124! I wouldn’t worry too much about what happened in the freezer. That’s just how this business goes sometimes. Though, um, I’m not exactly..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>RRBT01</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Long Island]<br>
Date [2021-01-13]<br>
Server [Employee No. 35]<br>
Beverage [N/A]<br>
File Reference [RRBT01]<br>
Welcome to the Cafe, No. 1124! I wouldn’t worry too much about what happened in the freezer. That’s just how this business goes sometimes. Though, um, I’m not exactly sure how to put this—well, we don’t usually serve <i>that</i> kind of customer. Actually, that’s not even a real type of customer at all. The “Charlie Brown costume” types? Yeah, those aren’t… <i>real</i>. Normally, we deal with customers that fall under Cs and Ds. Though, we did start serving Ms last year, so maybe what you saw—<i>what you experienced</i>—could be a type of M?<br>

The… "Achegloom" or Bardo Plane, right? That’s a new one for us too. So, hey, you’re not behind at all! We’re just as lost as you are. Whatever this Bardo Plane is, it’s got to be tied to those strange blank books being left around New York by Mr. White and his crew. According to the Long Beach Branch, Mr. White was only contracted to distribute the books because a few of his rare items were bought back into his collection. He doesn’t know who actually wrote them—and even if he did, he wouldn’t tell us.<br>

Still, I feel like there’s some trick to these books. Either they’re what’s allowing these… London Fog drinkers to show up, or they’re the key to sending them back to Quebec. Oh, right—you probably don’t know the difference between Ottawa and Quebec yet, huh? Or the Drinks… or any of our Cafe lingo. Don’t worry, No. 1124, I’ll catch you up over a cup of coffee!<br>

The important thing is we need to figure out what these books are, who hired Mr. White to distribute them, and—<i>probably the most pressing question</i>—where the hell are these customers getting London Fogs from?
</span>

AFI03 (Jan 12, 2021)

2024-11-16T04:58:47Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>AFI03</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Summary of Receipt</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"></span> <h1>Transcript</h1> <span> Branch [Long Island]<br> Date [2021-01-12]<br> Server [Manager No. 3]<br> Beverage [N/A]<br> File Reference [AFI03]<br> I’d like everyone to give a warm welcome to our newest employee, Employee No. 1124! I’m sure you all saw No. 7’s receipt about them yesterday, but they’re officially in..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>AFI03</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Long Island]<br>
Date [2021-01-12]<br>
Server [Manager No. 3]<br>
Beverage [N/A]<br>
File Reference [AFI03]<br>
I’d like everyone to give a warm welcome to our newest employee, Employee No. 1124! I’m sure you all saw No. 7’s receipt about them yesterday, but they’re officially in the CaDCom system now, and I’ve given them their own CaDCom. They should be able to see this receipt as we speak—hey! Glad to have you with us!<br>

That said, I did notice a strange glitch with the new CaDCom Series 4: new employees don’t have access to older receipts, specifically from the CaDCom Series M. Actually, it seems like none of us can access receipts from Series 1, 2, 3, or PB either. And since Muldra destroyed all the older CaDCom models… well, things are a bit complicated.<br>

I’m sure the data isn’t <i>lost</i>—but getting it all back together is going to be a herculean task. For now, we still have access to most Series M receipts, though the AND channel stuff is basically “lost” since we don’t have pointers to it anymore. As for the Series 3 and PB CaDComs, we <i>should</i> be able to recover that data—it’s mostly a matter of remembering the passwords, pointers, and figuring out a way to pull the data from the Data Core.<br>

The real issue is with Series 1 and 2 CaDComs. Those things are over 20 years old by now. Sure, we’ve got No. 0, 1, 2, and 17 who can help, but asking them to crack open those old receipts seems like a waste of their time. But before that becomes a real problem, we first need to figure out how to even <i>access</i> the older CaDCom receipts from the Data Core.<br>

I’ll have No. 62 look into it, and overall, I think the Long Island team could take the lead on rebuilding the full Archives from the CaDCom Data Core—unless things really pick up around here, of course.
</span>

HBA04 (Jan 10, 2021)

2024-11-14T12:36:07Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>HBA04</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Summary of Receipt</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"></span> <h1>Transcript</h1> <span> Branch [Long Island]<br> Date [2021-01-10]<br> Server [Employee No. 53]<br> Beverage [N/A]<br> File Reference [HBA04]<br> Nope. Nope, nope, nope. Hated that. Hated serving Mr. Collyer. Look—I don’t mind serving our usual customers. Sure, they might look a little rough around the edges, but t..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>HBA04</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Long Island]<br>
Date [2021-01-10]<br>
Server [Employee No. 53]<br>
Beverage [N/A]<br>
File Reference [HBA04]<br>
Nope. Nope, nope, nope. Hated that. Hated serving Mr. Collyer. Look—I don’t mind serving our usual customers. Sure, they might look a little rough around the edges, but they don’t do <i>that</i>. They don’t just pop up out of nowhere, get right up in your face, and they definitely don’t make your spine <i>literally</i> tingle. TINGLE! I WAS TINGLING! Haha… okay, that sounds gross. Anyway, yeah, I’m done with the whole Mr. Collyer service. Good luck and Godspeed to No. 116 and 611.<br>

That said, I did find something potentially interesting at the park: a strange book. And if I had a dollar for every weird, yet critically invaluable book we’ve found, I’d have, what, two dollars by now? But this one’s different from the one we found near our Ice Water Distributor’s shore. This book is… blank. Still, it feels important. It’s a small, brownish book titled, <i>The Revised and Reanimated Bardo Thodol or the Otherwise and Otherworldly Handy Guidebook to the Bardo Plane, Hereafter Known as the Achegloom</i>. Which is, yeah, a mouthful. So let’s just call it the <i>RRBT</i> for simplicity’s sake.<br>

While most of it’s blank, the first page does have some information. It says:<br>

<center>“Mostly English Translation by Lana Ules Gurly. Compiled, Edited, and Distributed by Herbert White and Company.<br>

***<br>

Herein lies the setting, face-to-face, to the reality in the intermediate state: the great deliverance by hearing while on the after-death Plane, from a revised and reanimated interpretation of ‘The Profound Doctrine of the Emancipating of the Consciousness by Meditation Upon the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities.’”</center><br>

…So, a word salad. But more importantly—<i>Distributed by Herbert White and Company</i>. Mr. White. Of course. Figures a strange, likely cursed book would be tangled up in his business. I’ve passed our findings along to the Long Beach Branch. They’d have a better chance of knowing how to get in touch with Mr. White than we would.
</span>

A Brouweral Bugbear (January-March)

2024-11-14T10:26:45Z

SpareAccount1:

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>Summary</center></strong></span>
----
<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>Solutions</center></strong></span>
__NOTOC__
{| style="width:100%;"
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 3, 2021<br><font size="5">[[NSTL01 (Jan 3, 2021)|NSTL01]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 3, 2021<br><font size="5">[[C-NTN01 (Jan 3, 2021)|C-NTN01]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 4, 2021<br><font size="5">[[NSTL02 (Jan 4, 2021)|NSTL02]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 5, 2021<br><font size="5">[[C-NSTL03 (Jan 5, 2021)|C-NSTL03]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 6, 2021<br><font size="5">[[HBA01 (Jan 6, 2021)|HBA01]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 7, 2021<br><font size="5">[[C-HBA02 (Jan 7, 2021)|C-HBA02]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 8, 2021<br><font size="5">[[AFI01 (Jan 8, 2021)|AFI01]]</b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 9, 2021<br><font size="5">[[C-HBA03 (Jan 9, 2021)|C-HBA03]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 10, 2021<br><font size="5">[[HBA04 (Jan 10, 2021)|HBA04]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 10, 2021<br><font size="5">[[CD-NTN02 (Jan 10, 2021)|CD-NTN02]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 11, 2021<br><font size="5">[[C-AFI02 (Jan 11, 2021)|C-AFI02]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 12, 2021<br><font size="5">[[AFI03 (Jan 12, 2021)|AFI03]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 12, 2021<br><font size="5">[[C-AFI04 (Jan 12, 2021)|C-AFI04]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 13, 2021<br><font size="5">[[RRBT01 (Jan 13, 2021)|RRBT01]]</b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|}

C-HBA02 (Jan 7, 2021)

2024-11-14T10:23:20Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-HBA02</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">“Animation Domination: Springfield and Stan.”<br> Research | 3 Word</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Which show does Springfield come from? Which show does Stan come from?</span..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-HBA02</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">“Animation Domination: Springfield and Stan.”<br>
Research | 3 Word</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Which show does Springfield come from? Which show does Stan come from?</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">What are the roles of each in its respective show?</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Who's the dad of Springfield? What's the setting of Stan?</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Homer and Langley</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">Springfield is the setting of <i>The Simpsons</i>, and Stan is the dad in <i>American Dad!</i>. Reverse these (as in find the dad of <i>The Simpsons</i> and the setting of <i>American Dad!</i>) gives the answer.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Long Island]<br>
Date [2021-01-07]<br>
Server [Employee No. 62]<br>
Beverage [N/A]<br>
File Reference [C-HBA02]<br>
Heyo, itsa me—No. 62 on a brand-new CaDCom System. Gotta say, this new Blackwood model is miles better than those bedazzled hunks of gold Muldra used to make us lug around. Our new CaDCom Series 4 has all the old bells and whistles, with a few new ones too. The blood reader and airport detector are still here, essential for the job. And finally—thankfully—the old blood reading output got fixed. It’s actually legible now, no more annoying double Ls. Bad news is, I came up empty at Collyer Brothers Park. Zip.<br>

It’s possible these new CaDComs need some calibration before they can give accurate blood readings. Still, I think No. 611’s onto something: Mr. Collyer’s probably from either the Hauntaurskald or the Esterskald. If they ended up in the Hauntaurskald… well, they must’ve done some pretty unsavory things. Or maybe it’s more complicated. What if Homer wound up in the Esterskald while Langley got stuck in the Hauntaurskald? Maybe Homer’s starvation wasn’t accidental at all… Or maybe it’s the other way around—Homer was involved in something shady, and Langley killed him, only to be taken out by nature—or, you know, rats. Honestly, the most likely explanation? It doesn’t really matter. Mammon probably claimed them both for his collection. That would explain why the blood reading was off. He loves hoarders.<br>

On an interesting note, I did pick up a vague airport reading while I was there. Not right near the park, though. If I’m reading this right, it’s about 40 miles east… which puts it pretty close to our new Cafe. I don’t think there are any airports around here, but if there is one, it could be pretty useful! Anyway, I think we’re gonna have to chat with these demon brothers in person if we want to figure out what’s going on. At least they’re only a “Mr.” so far.
</span>

C-NSTL03 (Jan 5, 2021)

2024-11-14T10:18:35Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-NSTL03</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">“Typically, on the last page.”<br> Research | 2 Word</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What's typically on the last page?</span></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2:..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-NSTL03</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">“Typically, on the last page.”<br>
Research | 2 Word</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What's typically on the last page?</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">In some books, it can also be seen as "Fin."</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">The End</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">This is what's typically seen on the last page of a book.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Long Island]<br>
Date [2021-01-05]<br>
Server [Manager No. 7]<br>
Beverage [N/A]<br>
File Reference [C-NSTL03]<br>
Back into the swing of things, I guess! Not that we’ve had much time to catch our breath. Oh well. On the bright side, Mammon’s been encased in a thick layer of "astral" gold—or was it "celestial" gold? Doesn’t really matter. And honestly, I have no idea what makes gold astral or celestial in the first place. Either way, it should keep him immobilized for... I think God said 33 Flipside years. Kinda short for trying to take over the Universe, don’t you think?<br>

Now that we’ve found and freed God from the End, and the Otherworld seems to be here to stay, we can turn our focus back to regular Cafe and Diner business. Which, to me, has always been about Otherworldly adventures and such. But from what I gather, the Cafe usually deals with Otherside affairs. And, as far as we know, there’s still a massive war raging in the Otherside, specifically in the Necropolis. Some guy called the Morbid King is trying to overthrow Asmodeus to reclaim the "homeland" of the Shadowfolk—blah, blah, blah. I’m not particularly interested in Morbid King's propaganda.<br>

What is important is that my decision to keep the Otherworld instead of letting it all drift into the End has given the Morbid King and his followers a potential opportunity. Each Plane of the Otherworld was anchored to a Plane in the Otherside: Avalon to Morningstar, Duat to Infernus, the Nine Realms to Hauntaurskald, Olympus to Esterskald, Nightmarch to Mayda... but nothing ever anchored to the Necropolis.<br>

Now, it’s possible the Morbid King might try to create a new Plane in the Otherworld and anchor it to the Necropolis—something that suits his needs, kind of like how Mammon opened Duat.
</span>

AFI01 (Jan 8, 2021)

2024-11-14T10:15:31Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>AFI01</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Summary of Receipt</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"></span> <h1>Transcript</h1> <span> Branch [Long Island]<br> Date [2021-01-08]<br> Server [Employee No. 116]<br> Beverage [N/A]<br> File Reference [AFI01]<br> Didn’t take long for ol’ Brent to give us a call. ‘Course, he’s not interested in rejoinin’ the Cafe or anything like that. But apparently, there’s been an “ac..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>AFI01</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Long Island]<br>
Date [2021-01-08]<br>
Server [Employee No. 116]<br>
Beverage [N/A]<br>
File Reference [AFI01]<br>
Didn’t take long for ol’ Brent to give us a call. ‘Course, he’s not interested in rejoinin’ the Cafe or anything like that. But apparently, there’s been an “accident” at his Butcher Shop, what have you. He swears up and down it wasn’t his doing—but can you really sip that cup of coffee with a straight face? Don’t matter though—Brent’s Family, and we’ll help him out. Naturally, I offered to head over and take a look myself, but he wasn’t too keen on that idea. Instead, he wants to send the problem down to us.<br>

So, as I understand it, next Monday we’ll be conducting an interview of sorts with one of Brent’s employees—one who had a few too many mixed drinks and passed out in the freezer. ‘Course, mixology ain’t exactly new to the Cafe—and by now, No. 161’s gotta be a bit of an expert on the subject. Brent’s not sure whether this newcomer is a natural talent when it comes to mixing drinks, or if something more sinister’s at play—a damn dirty hipster pulling the strings, mixing up cocktails for Tourists and way overcharging ‘em in the process.<br>

Brent also mentioned things have been mighty strange at his shop since the Cafe moved in. Once again, I’d love to go check it out myself—no trouble at all. But whatever Brent’s dealing with, I get the feeling he doesn’t want to drag us into it. Seems like he’s forgotten that the Cafe and Diner is a notoriously nosy business, and I reckon I’ll be paying him a little visit once we’ve got the time anyway. But first—let’s see what this newcomer’s all about. No. 3 and No. 7 are gonna handle the interview, and then we’ll decide what to do from there, I reckon.
</span>

HBA01 (Jan 6, 2021)

2024-11-14T10:14:13Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>HBA01</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Summary of Receipt</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"></span> <h1>Transcript</h1> <span> Branch [Long Island]<br> Date [2021-01-06]<br> Server [Employee No. 611]<br> Beverage [N/A]<br> File Reference [HBA01]<br> Looks like we’ve got our first new customer in Long Island! Well, Upper Manhattan—specifically Harlem. Tourists have been reporting some trouble caused by a customer in..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>HBA01</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Long Island]<br>
Date [2021-01-06]<br>
Server [Employee No. 611]<br>
Beverage [N/A]<br>
File Reference [HBA01]<br>
Looks like we’ve got our first new customer in Long Island! Well, Upper Manhattan—specifically Harlem. Tourists have been reporting some trouble caused by a customer in Collyer Brothers Park. Small place for someone to stir up chaos, but it’s got a lot of history tied to it. Maybe even enough history to warrant an airport nearby. Still too early to tell whether our "Mr. Collyer" customer prefers OJ, Green Tea… or maybe Hot Chocolate? The reports are all over the place.<br>

As for what the tourists say Mr. Collyer looks like, he’s described as a very pale white guy—possibly with a brother—with noticeably brown eyes. Not sure what makes brown eyes "noticeable," but it must be a striking feature on his face. He’s of average height and blends in with the other Tourists, so I’m leaning toward OJ over Green Tea. Unless, of course, he enjoys a nice sandwich with his tea. And if Mr. Collyer is somehow related to the namesake of the park, maybe he’s switched over to Hot Chocolate instead.<br>

It’s tough to say without meeting him ourselves. Tomorrow, No. 62 is going to try to get a blood sample to figure out which drink would be best for his blood sugar. From there, we can start charting a menu and figure out the best airport to send him home through. No. 62 will also check if what happened to the Collyer Brothers was enough to form a local airport at the park—or if Mr. Collyer came through another route. It’s possible he’s not even connected to the park at all, though the Tourist descriptions seem to suggest otherwise.<br>
</span>

NSTL02 (Jan 4, 2021)

2024-11-14T10:12:16Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>NSTL02</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Summary of Receipt</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"></span> <h1>Transcript</h1> <span> Branch [Long Island]<br> Date [2021-01-04]<br> Server [Employee No. 35]<br> Beverage [N/A]<br> File Reference [NSTL02]<br> Hi everyone. It’s kinda… weird that we’ve got semi-separate CaDComs again. The "Branch" tag determines what we do or don’t see, but we can always mark a receipt as..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>NSTL02</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Long Island]<br>
Date [2021-01-04]<br>
Server [Employee No. 35]<br>
Beverage [N/A]<br>
File Reference [NSTL02]<br>
Hi everyone. It’s kinda… weird that we’ve got semi-separate CaDComs again. The "Branch" tag determines what we do or don’t see, but we can always mark a receipt as "All Staff" to share it with everyone. Just to be clear, I was against this. I think it’s easier if we’re all in the loop, but I guess each Branch has different priorities to focus on. Long Beach will handle the big-picture stuff, Palm Beach will manage hat tricks and the like, and Long Island... well, it’s basically a Third Cafe V.2, minus No. 1313 and No. 71, who opted to help out in Palm Beach.<br>

I guess the big question is why New York? Why not set up shop somewhere in SoCal again? Well, there are a few reasons the Managers haven’t shared with the Employees, but I think the main reason is that with No. 26 missing, our travel capabilities are pretty limited. Palm Beach covers one of the coffee hubs, but our access to the Hotbed would’ve been restricted. Normally, Hamilton keeps things under control there, but he’s been recruited by the Long Beach Branch, not ours—which is... strange. Again, the Managers know more than I do about who’s going where.<br>

Also, New York was chosen by Manager No. 0 based on a “gut feeling.” Hard to argue with that, I guess. Fortunately, we’re actually pretty close to a lot of our Cafe Family here, especially the Pathologist. We tried to get him to rejoin the Cafe, but he said he’s too busy with his “research”—yes, he actually used air quotes. And knowing him, those air quotes are never a good sign.<br>

Anyway, once we find No. 26 and No. 44, it’ll probably be nice to have three branches to rotate through. Ever since the Crisis, things have been a little cramped.<br>
</span>

C-NTN01 (Jan 3, 2021)

2024-11-14T10:10:00Z

SpareAccount1:

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-NTN01</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">“Starting at the bottom.”<br>
Knowledge | 1 Word</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What is the bottommost plane?</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Necropolis</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">This is the bottommost plane of the Otherside.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Search Party]<br>
Date [2021-01-03]<br>
Server [Manager No. 2]<br>
Beverage [Corpse Reviver]<br>
File Reference [C-NTN01]<br>
No. 5 and I have arrived safely in the Necropolis. We've got some other business to handle while we're here, but our primary objective is still to find and rescue No. 26 and No. 44A... or, just No. 44 now that we don't have to share numbers anymore. (Which, by the way, was a stupid idea from the start. There are plenty of other options, even if her 1313 was already taken.) But I digress.<br>

Our plan is to comb through the Otherside, starting from the bottom and working our way up. Worst case, we may have to dip back into the Otherworld—and maybe even a bit higher up.<br>

I’m pretty sure everyone was there when it happened, but for posterity’s sake, here’s a quick recap: When we freed God from the Antechamber at the End, His return sent a ripple through the Universe, correcting the abnormalities caused by Mammon’s sloppy recreation—or more like like a “rewinding”—of the Universe. In the prior Universe, it seems both No. 26 and No. 44 shouldn’t have existed in the Flipside for reasons we still don’t fully understand. No. 0, having lost his specific memories of the old Universe, couldn’t confirm this, but there’s strong evidence that they were "fated" not to be. Of course, using a word like "fated" opens up a whole can of worms. Whether it was fate, destiny, or whatever, it doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that they're missing from the Flipside entirely.<br>

On the bright side, this gives No. 5 and me a chance to check in with the powers that be in the Otherside following our latest cosmic upheaval. While the fate of No. 26 and No. 44 remains uncertain, we have God's assurance that once we find them, He will restore them to where they belong, as a reward for their role in freeing Him.<br>

But first… we have to find them.
</span>

NSTL01 (Jan 3, 2021)

2024-11-14T10:09:51Z

SpareAccount1:

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>NSTL01</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Long Island]<br>
Date [2021-01-03]<br>
Server [Manager No. 3]<br>
Beverage [N/A]<br>
File Reference [NSTL01]<br>

New year, new CaDComs—courtesy of Sarah Blackwood and Barista Technologies. I know, I know—getting used to a new system is never fun. But we can't keep using the old CaDCom Series M from Muldra, right? He might be gone, but I wouldn’t put it past him to have left some hidden backdoor in those gaudy piles of junk.<br>

Speaking of the new year, we've had a management shake-up. Muldra Yonomo is now serving a 33-year prison sentence, and control of the Cafe and Diner has returned to Manager No. 0. However, to keep things running smoothly, Manager No. 0 has chosen to split ownership eight ways. That means myself, along with No. 1, No. 2, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6, and No. 7, are now equal owners. On a related note, the title of No. 2 has officially been reassigned from the felonious Muldra to our former No. 44B.<br>

We've also gone full cappuccino and decided to expand our operations. Now, we're splitting efforts across three locations: the Church in Long Beach, the old Florida Cafe, and a brand-new spot in Long Island, New York—sort of like a spiritual successor to the Third Cafe.<br>

Lastly, there's the matter of our missing employees—No. 44 and No. 26. We're... still not entirely sure what happened to them after we left the End. One moment they were here, and the next—gone. No. 2 and No. 5 have volunteered to search for them in Ottawa—and, yes, Quebec, which No. 7 has insisted we keep on our books permanently.<br>

Yours from a new location,<br>
No. 3</span>

C-NTN01 (Jan 3, 2021)

2024-11-14T10:09:29Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-WTC01</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">“Starting at the bottom.”<br> Knowledge | 1 Word</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What is the bottommost plane?</span></span><br> <h1>Answer and Explanation</h1> <span style="f..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-WTC01</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">“Starting at the bottom.”<br>
Knowledge | 1 Word</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What is the bottommost plane?</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Necropolis</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">This is the bottommost plane of the Otherside.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Search Party]<br>
Date [2021-01-03]<br>
Server [Manager No. 2]<br>
Beverage [Corpse Reviver]<br>
File Reference [C-NTN01]<br>
No. 5 and I have arrived safely in the Necropolis. We've got some other business to handle while we're here, but our primary objective is still to find and rescue No. 26 and No. 44A... or, just No. 44 now that we don't have to share numbers anymore. (Which, by the way, was a stupid idea from the start. There are plenty of other options, even if her 1313 was already taken.) But I digress.<br>

Our plan is to comb through the Otherside, starting from the bottom and working our way up. Worst case, we may have to dip back into the Otherworld—and maybe even a bit higher up.<br>

I’m pretty sure everyone was there when it happened, but for posterity’s sake, here’s a quick recap: When we freed God from the Antechamber at the End, His return sent a ripple through the Universe, correcting the abnormalities caused by Mammon’s sloppy recreation—or more like like a “rewinding”—of the Universe. In the prior Universe, it seems both No. 26 and No. 44 shouldn’t have existed in the Flipside for reasons we still don’t fully understand. No. 0, having lost his specific memories of the old Universe, couldn’t confirm this, but there’s strong evidence that they were "fated" not to be. Of course, using a word like "fated" opens up a whole can of worms. Whether it was fate, destiny, or whatever, it doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that they're missing from the Flipside entirely.<br>

On the bright side, this gives No. 5 and me a chance to check in with the powers that be in the Otherside following our latest cosmic upheaval. While the fate of No. 26 and No. 44 remains uncertain, we have God's assurance that once we find them, He will restore them to where they belong, as a reward for their role in freeing Him.<br>

But first… we have to find them.
</span>

NSTL01 (Jan 3, 2021)

2024-11-14T10:06:20Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>CAD01</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Summary of Receipt</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"></span> <h1>Transcript</h1> <span> Branch [Long Island]<br> Date [2021-01-03]<br> Server [Manager No. 3]<br> Beverage [N/A]<br> File Reference [NSTL01]<br> New year, new CaDComs—courtesy of Sarah Blackwood and Barista Technologies. I know, I know—getting used to a new system is never fun. But we can't keep using the old CaDC..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>CAD01</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"></span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>
Branch [Long Island]<br>
Date [2021-01-03]<br>
Server [Manager No. 3]<br>
Beverage [N/A]<br>
File Reference [NSTL01]<br>

New year, new CaDComs—courtesy of Sarah Blackwood and Barista Technologies. I know, I know—getting used to a new system is never fun. But we can't keep using the old CaDCom Series M from Muldra, right? He might be gone, but I wouldn’t put it past him to have left some hidden backdoor in those gaudy piles of junk.<br>

Speaking of the new year, we've had a management shake-up. Muldra Yonomo is now serving a 33-year prison sentence, and control of the Cafe and Diner has returned to Manager No. 0. However, to keep things running smoothly, Manager No. 0 has chosen to split ownership eight ways. That means myself, along with No. 1, No. 2, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6, and No. 7, are now equal owners. On a related note, the title of No. 2 has officially been reassigned from the felonious Muldra to our former No. 44B.<br>

We've also gone full cappuccino and decided to expand our operations. Now, we're splitting efforts across three locations: the Church in Long Beach, the old Florida Cafe, and a brand-new spot in Long Island, New York—sort of like a spiritual successor to the Third Cafe.<br>

Lastly, there's the matter of our missing employees—No. 44 and No. 26. We're... still not entirely sure what happened to them after we left the End. One moment they were here, and the next—gone. No. 2 and No. 5 have volunteered to search for them in Ottawa—and, yes, Quebec, which No. 7 has insisted we keep on our books permanently.<br>

Yours from a new location,<br>
No. 3</span>

A Brouweral Bugbear (January-March)

2024-11-14T10:03:13Z

SpareAccount1:

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>Summary</center></strong></span>
----
<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>Solutions</center></strong></span>
__NOTOC__
{| style="width:100%;"
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 3, 2021<br><font size="5">[[NSTL01 (Jan 3, 2021)|NSTL01]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 3, 2021<br><font size="5">[[C-NTN01 (Jan 3, 2021)|C-NTN01]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 4, 2021<br><font size="5">[[NSTL02 (Jan 4, 2021)|NSTL02]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 5, 2021<br><font size="5">[[C-NSTL03 (Jan 5, 2021)|C-NSTL03]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 6, 2021<br><font size="5">[[HBA01 (Jan 6, 2021)|HBA01]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 7, 2021<br><font size="5">[[C-HBA02 (Jan 7, 2021)|C-HBA02]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 8, 2021<br><font size="5">[[AFI01 (Jan 8, 2021)|AFI01]]</b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|}

A Brouweral Bugbear (January-March)

2024-11-14T10:01:09Z

SpareAccount1:

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>Summary</center></strong></span>
----
<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>Solutions</center></strong></span>
__NOTOC__
{| style="width:100%;"
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 3, 2021<br><font size="5">[[NSTL01 (Jan 3, 2021)|NSTL01]] </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 3, 2021<br><font size="5">[[C-NTN01 (Jan 3, 2021)|C-NTN0101]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 4, 2021<br><font size="5">[[NSTL02 (Jan 4, 2021)|NSTL02]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 5, 2021<br><font size="5">[[C-NSTL03 (Jan 5, 2021)|C-NSTL03]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 6, 2021<br><font size="5">[[HBA01 (Jan 6, 2021)|HBA01]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 7, 2021<br><font size="5">[[C-HBA02 (Jan 7, 2021)|C-HBA02]]</b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b>Jan 8, 2021<br><font size="5">[[AFI01 (Jan 8, 2021)|AFI01]]</b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|-
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
| style="width:14.2%; vertical-align:top" | <h3 style="padding:4px;background:#3C3D36;border:5px solid #a49b92;color:white;text-align:center;border-radius:5px"><b> <br><font size="5"> </b><br> </h3>
|}

C-APPB03 (Jul 20, 2022)

2024-08-08T13:36:53Z

SpareAccount1:

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-APPB03</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“Straight down to the point: large, trapped, and funneling.”<br>
Animal Trivia | 1 Word</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">They are a common sight in Australia, and well-known as a Halloween animal.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">"trap" and "funnel" would be helpful here.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">What order do they both belong to?</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Mygalomorphae</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">This order of spiders contain, among them, the trapdoor spiders and the funnel-web spiders.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">No. 4 discusses way to remove Miss. Aflux. While No. 5, No. 323 and VIII are working towards a sigil for Eden, No. 4 is considering other ideas, should such a sigil doesn't exist. Considering that Miss. Aflux don't want to go back to Eden, and cannot stay on Earth, he thinks that it would be a good idea to send it to space.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] PALM BEACH<br>
[SERVER] MANAGER NO. 4<br>
[DATE] 7/20/22<br>
[INDEX ID] APPB03<br>
[SECURITY] CAFE<br>

Aflux has presented us with a rather unique challenge. Despite its frightening appearance and unsettling voice, Aflux remains curiously amicable. However, its natural process of breathing black holes into existence poses a significant enough threat that we cannot merely leave it be. Communication with the protodemon will remain crucial as Aflux is likely too smart to be tricked or trapped. Furthermore, Aflux has made it clear to us that it has no desire to return to Eden for fear of being "eaten" by a certain spider. Of course, it cannot remain here either.

No. 5, along with No. 323, and No. VIII is taking the House to see if they can find a way to craft a working sigil for Eden. Sigils, historically, have been made by the Princes themselves to facilitate travel to their own Planes, but it is unlikely Eve would be willing to do the same for us. However, there is a chance that such a sigil existed in the past and remains in the remnants of Eden, either in the Everdark or Ouroboros. Assuming they are unable to work out a means to create a portal to Eden, we need to begin thinking about contingencies to remove Aflux from the Flipside.

Or, perhaps we need to think on a grander scale. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking of the Flipside as just Earth, but we do have quite the expanse of the Universe around Earth to utilize as well. I believe the best way to deal with Aflux would be to find a way to send it deep into space, where its black holes cannot do much damage. Naturally, there is a problem of both getting Aflux into space and our general lack of faster-than-light travel. It seems like magic would be the best answer to these problems. No. 17 is looking into it.

That's all.

Manager No. 4</span>

C-APPB03 (Jul 20, 2022)

2024-08-08T13:36:34Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-SOE01</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px"> “Straight down to the point: large, trapped, and funneling.”<br> Animal Trivia | 1 Word</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">They are a common sight in Australia, and well-known as..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-SOE01</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“Straight down to the point: large, trapped, and funneling.”<br>
Animal Trivia | 1 Word</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">They are a common sight in Australia, and well-known as a Halloween animal.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">"trap" and "funnel" would be helpful here.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">What order do they both belong to?</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Mygalomorphae</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">This order of spiders contain, among them, the trapdoor spiders and the funnel-web spiders.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">No. 4 discusses way to remove Miss. Aflux. While No. 5, No. 323 and VIII are working towards a sigil for Eden, No. 4 is considering other ideas, should such a sigil doesn't exist. Considering that Miss. Aflux don't want to go back to Eden, and cannot stay on Earth, he thinks that it would be a good idea to send it to space.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] PALM BEACH<br>
[SERVER] MANAGER NO. 4<br>
[DATE] 7/20/22<br>
[INDEX ID] APPB03<br>
[SECURITY] CAFE<br>

Aflux has presented us with a rather unique challenge. Despite its frightening appearance and unsettling voice, Aflux remains curiously amicable. However, its natural process of breathing black holes into existence poses a significant enough threat that we cannot merely leave it be. Communication with the protodemon will remain crucial as Aflux is likely too smart to be tricked or trapped. Furthermore, Aflux has made it clear to us that it has no desire to return to Eden for fear of being "eaten" by a certain spider. Of course, it cannot remain here either.

No. 5, along with No. 323, and No. VIII is taking the House to see if they can find a way to craft a working sigil for Eden. Sigils, historically, have been made by the Princes themselves to facilitate travel to their own Planes, but it is unlikely Eve would be willing to do the same for us. However, there is a chance that such a sigil existed in the past and remains in the remnants of Eden, either in the Everdark or Ouroboros. Assuming they are unable to work out a means to create a portal to Eden, we need to begin thinking about contingencies to remove Aflux from the Flipside.

Or, perhaps we need to think on a grander scale. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking of the Flipside as just Earth, but we do have quite the expanse of the Universe around Earth to utilize as well. I believe the best way to deal with Aflux would be to find a way to send it deep into space, where its black holes cannot do much damage. Naturally, there is a problem of both getting Aflux into space and our general lack of faster-than-light travel. It seems like magic would be the best answer to these problems. No. 17 is looking into it.

That's all.

Manager No. 4</span>

C-APAO02 (Jul 19, 2022)

2024-08-08T13:26:25Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-APAO02</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px"> “Corporate mergers? Great!<br> Neo-Reaganomics? Great!<br> Obscene language? Great!<br> Loud music? Great!<br> …You showing up? Eh, not so much.”<br> Hip Hop Trivia | 4 Words</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-APAO02</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“Corporate mergers? Great!<br>
Neo-Reaganomics? Great!<br>
Obscene language? Great!<br>
Loud music? Great!<br>
…You showing up? Eh, not so much.”<br>
Hip Hop Trivia | 4 Words</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Along Came a Biter</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">No. 323 talks about Mrs. Seugnitsah and mentions that protodemons are popping up all over. Containment efforts have been a bit difficult, considering Mrs. Seugnitsah's size. Whie there are efforts to make a public key for Eden, No. 323 considers getting No. 5 and VIII to the Ouroboros and the Everdark for the key, considering their connections to Eden.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] ASTORIA<br>
[SERVER] EMPLOYEE NO. 323<br>
[DATE] 7/19/22<br>
[INDEX ID] APAO02<br>
[SECURITY] CAFE<br>

This thing is so gross. The protodemon that popped up near us is, as hinted at by No. 2, a colossal snail-like creature, roughly 375 feet tall and able to split into more copies of itself. Thankfully, each copy is half the size of the full protodemon, so we've been dealing with ten, eleven-feet-tall Protodemons. Sometimes, they'll merge back together, which is a bit more of a headache, but at least we have all of Hotel backing us up. Apparently, Yaksha is dealing with a protodemon in India, the Ozhogs are dealing with four or five different Protodemons around the world, and IRIS is convinced that the Eye of London has been replaced by a protodemon as well.

So… yeah. Eden coming back is probably not a great thing overall. The House comes back around tomorrow, and we're going to see if we can corral the ten or so Seugnitsahs into it to give us at least a week to think about how to deal with this mess properly. It's… not a great idea, to be honest. If the Seugnitsahs decided to reform into their 375-foot-tall form, it could maybe do some damage to the House. Alternatively, we could just get them into the House and then throw them out into the Phantom Lane. But… then we would have no way of knowing where to find them next week when the House comes back around. Plus, it's a band-aid at best. I can't go around every Wednesday sweeping protodemons up into the House.

I saw that No. 5 was working on some sort of public key sigil for Eden, though he hasn't found the right design yet. I can't imagine having to cobble something like that together from scratch. <i>Oh!</i> Actually, new idea. The House should be able to swing around to the Ouroboros and the Everdark. If I can grab No. 5 and maybe No. VIII, together, I'm sure they could "find" the proper sigil to Eden from one of those places, right? Ouroboros is a shell of what Eden once was, and the Everdark seems to be some sort of residue left behind from Eden after it was removed.</span>

C-APLI03 (Jul 19, 2022)

2024-08-04T15:14:17Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-APLI03</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px"> “Hm… not sure if this is much of a password.”<br> Meme Trivia | 5 Words</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text"><b>Not sure if</b> I know this meme.</span></span><br> <span style="..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-APLI03</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“Hm… not sure if this is much of a password.”<br>
Meme Trivia | 5 Words</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text"><b>Not sure if</b> I know this meme.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Where is this from?</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">What episode is this from?</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">The Lesser of Two Evils</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">The meme "Not sure if..." is a frame of Philip J. Fry from this episode.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Considering that there is not much information on protodemons in general, experiments are necessary, and No. 53 suggests weed killer. They are unsure if Mrs. Zerep should be paid in full, since technically she's just a really weird-looking puppy.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] LONG ISLAND<br>
[SERVER] EMPLOYEE NO. 53<br>
[DATE] 7/19/22<br>
[INDEX ID] APLI03<br>
[SECURITY] CAFE<br>
Alright, buckaroos, we've got a prolific, pro-rated, pro bono, protodemon to deal with, and we've gotta think up some way to deal with it that isn't just shoving it back into Eden. Of course, I'm not AGAINST throwing it back into Eden. But, <i>and a big sexy one at that</i>, we don't know how to do that yet and I don't feel like waiting around for the magic nerds in Palm Beach to figure it out.

First off, containment. Zerep may not be outright hostile, but it sure is killing off all the plants in Central Park, and it likes to roughhouse. Not good for Tourists in either case. I've started to work out a steaming pot of coffee to keep the Tourists away for a while, but it's really hard to shut down Central freaking Park for longer than a week. There is only so much liquid ass in my arsenal. (Yes. It's a gas leak again. Don't diss the classics.)

Second off, learning. Let's face the facts here: we don't know anything about protodemons other than they are weird, wacky things from Eden. So, we don't know what will work, what won't work, and what should work but for plot reasons never seems to. It's not like the last time an entirely new type of thing showed up—we don't have a bubbly blonde with a magic deus ex machina tattoo to just fix our problems for us. Not yet, anyway. Still holding out hope for something convenient to fall into our laps. In the meantime…

Why make things complicated? It's plant-like, right? It's feeding off of the plants in the area. It is… for all circus tents and porpoises, a giant weird Audrey II-type thing. <b><i>Weed killer.</i></b> Good ol' fashioned chemicals. This does go back to step two, though… we need to do some small-scale tests first to see if it'll totally freak Zerep out or not. Also, I guess we weigh the ethical implications of paying this tab in full just because we can. It is… not outright mean or anything. It's just a weird puppy. On the other hand, do we really care about protodemons? Should we care about protodemons? I dunno! Not my decision to make.</span>

C-APPB02 (Jul 18, 2022)

2024-08-04T04:55:16Z

SpareAccount1:

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-APPB02</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“Ez as 1 and 10.”<br>
Theological Trivia | 3 Words</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What is Ez?</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">What does Ezekiel 1:10 describe?</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">What do you call the ones described in Ezekiel 1:10?</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Biblically Accurate Angels</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">Ezekiel 1:10 describes angels.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">A more in-depth description of Miss. Aflux.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] PALM BEACH<br>
[SERVER] EMPLOYEE NO. 512<br>
[DATE] 7/18/22<br>
[INDEX ID] APPB01<br>
[SECURITY] CAFE<br>
Gosh, these "protodemons" sure are strange! So far, we have the Aflux one under control, though it's certainly a bit tense. Or, I guess, we don't have it "under control" so much as it has us under its control. It is… scary. But, super friendly! Not like "friend" friendly, but actually nice. It's very chatty, and like No. 6 said, it finds humans to be "entertaining." Though, unlike Zerep in New York, Aflux's voice is anything but soothing. It strikes pure terror and anxiety into whoever hears it. Even No. 4 gets a chill listening to Aflux talk!

As for what it looks like, it's this super tiny speck of light floating in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle. It's super hard to look at, but with the glances we've been able to steal of it, its body is a skull-like face with a large, lipless mouth and endless rows of teeth. And, of course, its main ability seems to be the power to create localized black holes from its own density. Thankfully these black holes seem to collapse in on themselves within seconds, but by No. 17's estimate, if left alone, Aflux would suck up all the water in the Atlantic Ocean in roughly 3 months.

From what Aflux has told us, it doesn't intend to create these black holes; it's like breathing for it. I wonder if this is less of a problem in Eden than it is here in the Flipside? We've tried asking Aflux about Eden and Eve, but that seems to be the one subject it doesn't want to talk about. The most we've gotten from it so far is that it feels like if it ended up back in Eden, it would also be eaten by the spider. Is the spider supposed to be Eve? Does she… <i>eat protodemons…?</i> That can't be right. <i>Unless…</i> does she??

ଘ(੭ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ✩‧₊˚</span>

C-APPB02 (Jul 18, 2022)

2024-08-03T15:21:37Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-APPB02</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px"> “Ez as 1 and 10.”<br> Theological Trivia | 3 Words</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What is Ez?</span></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-te..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-APPB02</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“Ez as 1 and 10.”<br>
Theological Trivia | 3 Words</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What is Ez?</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">What does Ezekiel 1:10 describe?</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">What do you call the ones described in Ezekiel 1:10?</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Biblically Accurate Angels</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">Ezekiel 1:10 describes angels.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">A more in-depth description of Miss. Aflux.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] PALM BEACH<br>
[SERVER] EMPLOYEE NO. 512<br>
[DATE] 7/18/22<br>
[INDEX ID] APPB01<br>
[SECURITY] CAFE<br>
Gosh, these "protodemons" sure are strange! So far, we have the Aflux one under control, though it's certainly a bit tense. Or, I guess, we don't have it "under control" so much as it has us under its control. It is… scary. But, super friendly! Not like "friend" friendly, but actually nice. It's very chatty, and like No. 6 said, it finds humans to be "entertaining." Though, unlike Zerep in New York, Aflux's voice is anything but soothing. It strikes pure terror and anxiety into whoever hears it. Even No. 4 gets a chill listening to Aflux talk!

As for what it looks like, it's this super tiny speck of light floating in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle. It's super hard to look at, but with the glances we've been able to steal of it, its body is a skull-like face with a large, lipless mouth and endless rows of teeth. And, of course, its main ability seems to be the power to create localized black holes from its own density. Thankfully these black holes seem to collapse in on themselves within seconds, but by No. 17's estimate, if left alone, Aflux would suck up all the water in the Atlantic Ocean in roughly 3 months.

From what Aflux has told us, it doesn't intend to create these black holes; it's like breathing for it. I wonder if this is less of a problem in Eden than it is here in the Flipside? We've tried asking Aflux about Eden and Eve, but that seems to be the one subject it doesn't want to talk about. The most we've gotten from it so far is that it feels like if it ended up back in Eden, it would also be eaten by the spider. Is the spider supposed to be Eve? Does she… eat protodemons…? That can't be right. Unless… does she??

ଘ(੭ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ✩‧₊˚</span>

C-APLI02 (Jul 18, 2022)

2024-08-03T15:15:32Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-APLI02</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px"> “Succ—ess in rocking out with Zerep.”<br> Botany Trivia | 1 Word</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="sp..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-APLI02</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“Succ—ess in rocking out with Zerep.”<br>
Botany Trivia | 1 Word</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Lithops</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">A more in-depth description of Mrs. Zerep: a gargantuan green plant-like entity with a large shell made of bony protrusions and a sleek dog-like body with four beady red eyes. Behavior-wise, she's not hostile, but she does kill plants and playfully lunges at people. And she speaks in an eerily soothing voice.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] LONG ISLAND<br>
[SERVER] EMPLOYEE NO. 35<br>
[DATE] 7/18/22<br>
[INDEX ID] APLI02<br>
[SECURITY] CAFE<br>
Alright, No. 611 and I have done some up-close analysis of the Mrs. Zerep customer in Central Park. First off—it's no demon or cryptid. Not exactly. It's… it's like the Fountain of Youth; it's a creature from Eden. It's almost like an early demon… a protodemon—a living fossil of what was before everything we know now. It's almost like a bit of everything: demon, human, plant, animal, and cryptid. However, with Zerep, I'd say it's closer to a demon than a cryptid, as it seems to be both sapient and able to speak.

Well, actually, let me back up first and go over what Mrs. Zerep is like in the Cafe—as No. 3's Diner description may not be clear to everyone else. So, Zerep is a gargantuan green plant-like entity that has a large shell made from bony protrusions protecting it. Beneath the shell is a sleek dog-like body with four beady red eyes. It doesn't seem overly hostile besides killing off all the plants around it. It also will attempt to lunge at anyone who gets too close, but more so in a playful wrestling way, like a dog, than anything malicious. And… it talks. It spoke to us.

It had an eerily soothing voice, like fine velvet. It didn't say much to us. It just… it said, "welcome home" and "I love you so much." That's it. I guess, well, maybe it isn't sapient per se and is just able to mimic sounds. It's really hard to tell with these protodemons as they are just so far removed from anything else we have dealt with before. Sure, parts of them look animalistic or even plant-like, but the materials it is made of and the way they speak… it's all not from this world. It's… uncanny.</span>

CD-TSE03 (Jul 14, 2022)

2024-07-31T20:07:38Z

SpareAccount1:

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>CD-TSE03</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“Annihilator.”<br>
See: CD-TSE02 | Knowledge | 1 Word</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Lucifer</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">I agrees that while understanding the past is good, returning to the past is not an option, which is why he has started a new project: a visualization of the past as it was. He has an indexer and a theoretical link, so it's a matter of finding the link and teach the indexer how to index, and the project is done.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] THE LAST CAFE<br>
[SERVER] I<br>
[DATE] 7/14/22<br>
[INDEX ID] TSE03<br>
[SECURITY] AND & ARCHIVES<br>
No. 1 and No. II both bring up excellent points. Seeing the past as it was is extremely valuable—and likewise, it is terribly unwise to attempt any means of traversing back to it. I've seen firsthand the destruction that brings about. Moreover, the Sagradopto Entity is far too much of a fair-weather friend to rely upon. It does as it does in service to only its own preservation. Considering the manner in which it was formed, I doubt that learning the truth of the fall of Eden would serve it well.

This is why I've actually been working on my own Sagradopto Entity. An amalgamation of the past. An Archive. It's complicated—and far from finished—but in theory, it could serve the purposes No. 1 and No. VIII seek. A means to see the past as it was, in meticulous detail. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just look at the First Sphere the same way we peruse our prior receipts? It does exist—by the way. A record of what happened in Eden exactly as it happened. The problem is we have no way of discerning or locating that record.

A Library of Babel. A theoretical record of every combination of every character. Somewhere, what we seek does already exist. The issue is finding it and being certain that it is the true account. For my little project to work, I need two things: a link and an indexer. I've already got an indexer—and we have a theoretical link. It's just the issue of getting them to work together. Well, and getting the indexer to know how to index. <i>To do that…</i>

It's worth a shot, no? Eve is already out and the Universe is already clinging on by a thread. There is a risk in what I need to do. A horrible risk. But… one I am not unwilling to take. And—don't worry too much. I'm fairly certain it will work out. At the least, it'll be a half-success and nothing less.

<i>Sinfully</i> yours,

The Eighth</span>

CD-TSE03 (Jul 14, 2022)

2024-07-31T20:07:29Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>CD-TSE02</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px"> “Annihilator.”<br> See: CD-TSE02 | Knowledge | 1 Word</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">?..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>CD-TSE02</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“Annihilator.”<br>
See: CD-TSE02 | Knowledge | 1 Word</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Lucifer</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">I agrees that while understanding the past is good, returning to the past is not an option, which is why he has started a new project: a visualization of the past as it was. He has an indexer and a theoretical link, so it's a matter of finding the link and teach the indexer how to index, and the project is done.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] THE LAST CAFE<br>
[SERVER] I<br>
[DATE] 7/14/22<br>
[INDEX ID] TSE03<br>
[SECURITY] AND & ARCHIVES<br>
No. 1 and No. II both bring up excellent points. Seeing the past as it was is extremely valuable—and likewise, it is terribly unwise to attempt any means of traversing back to it. I've seen firsthand the destruction that brings about. Moreover, the Sagradopto Entity is far too much of a fair-weather friend to rely upon. It does as it does in service to only its own preservation. Considering the manner in which it was formed, I doubt that learning the truth of the fall of Eden would serve it well.

This is why I've actually been working on my own Sagradopto Entity. An amalgamation of the past. An Archive. It's complicated—and far from finished—but in theory, it could serve the purposes No. 1 and No. VIII seek. A means to see the past as it was, in meticulous detail. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just look at the First Sphere the same way we peruse our prior receipts? It does exist—by the way. A record of what happened in Eden exactly as it happened. The problem is we have no way of discerning or locating that record.

A Library of Babel. A theoretical record of every combination of every character. Somewhere, what we seek does already exist. The issue is finding it and being certain that it is the true account. For my little project to work, I need two things: a link and an indexer. I've already got an indexer—and we have a theoretical link. It's just the issue of getting them to work together. Well, and getting the indexer to know how to index. <i>To do that…</i>

It's worth a shot, no? Eve is already out and the Universe is already clinging on by a thread. There is a risk in what I need to do. A horrible risk. But… one I am not unwilling to take. And—don't worry too much. I'm fairly certain it will work out. At the least, it'll be a half-success and nothing less.

<i>Sinfully</i> yours,

The Eighth</span>

CD-TSE02 (Jul 13, 2022)

2024-07-31T19:51:25Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>CD-TSE02</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px"> “Sagradopto clustered in Baltimore”<br> Knowledge | 1 Word</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What is a rout? Think animals.</span></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>CD-TSE02</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“Sagradopto clustered in Baltimore”<br>
Knowledge | 1 Word</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What is a rout? Think animals.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">Do you remember the song in TAP03?</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">Who is represented by a gastropod?</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Belphegors</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">A rout is a group of gastropods, and Belphegor is a gastropod (as evident by the song in TAP03 of the Open Doors archive), so the Rout is just a group of Belphegors.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">II warns against contacting the Entity, as it was created after the fall of Eden. The hivemind amalgamation is designed to be unkillable and unphased by time, which II despises. Besides, they believes it doesn't matter what the past is, the now is more important. The destruction of the Fifteenth Sphere is caused by trying to go to the past, after all.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] THE LAST CAFE<br>
[SERVER] II<br>
[DATE] 7/13/22<br>
[INDEX ID] TSE02<br>
[SECURITY] AND & ARCHIVES<br>
Absolutely not. No. The Rout? Seriously Jenni? We are not stooping to its level. Besides, it wouldn't work anyway. The Entity was formed after the Fall of Eden. Even if it would allow you to view the past—which it rarely does—it could only show you the Second Sphere and onward. I wish I could just tell you what happened, but it's hazy at best, and I'm a few too many versions of myself removed from the First Sphere to really recall much at all. Same with Daichi. And also, Theo—unfortunately, none of us were ever actually "there." It happened before any of us, anyway.

Look—what I remember is that "I" made the Entity in reaction to what happened with Eve. Whatever it was that went down between her and God, it scared me to the point of creating an amalgamation with as many versions of myself from as many Cycles as I could find to become… unkillable. Untrappable. Unphased by time itself. However, that is not "me." It's just a bunch of versions of myself who are too scared to exist on their own. It's a gross, weird hivemind that I don't want any part of. Safety in numbers, sure… but what kind of life is that? Seriously? There is sloth, and then there is <i><b>that</b></i>.

Besides, what would we really even gain from "seeing" the past as it was? Not much, I'm guessing. It doesn't really matter what made my mother into the monster she is—the fact of it is she is now a monster. Corrupted by her removal and isolation, she isn't herself anymore. And—yes, before anyone points out that I helped make her into that monster… I had to. I don't remember why, but… It doesn't matter now, does it? This is how things have been for long enough that there's no point in dwelling on what was. Also, while most of you don't remember, the last Universe? The Fifteenth Sphere? Do you know what caused its destruction?

<i>Attempting to go to the past.</i>

What's done is done.</span>

C-TSE01 (Jul 12, 2022)

2024-07-31T19:39:47Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-TSE01</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px"> “Mr.? Mrs.? Miss.? Sagradopto”<br> Knowledge | 2 Words</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">?..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-TSE01</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“Mr.? Mrs.? Miss.? Sagradopto”<br>
Knowledge | 2 Words</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Categorically Unknown</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">The Sagradopto Entity is categorically unknown, as mentioned in ? of the Open Doors archive.</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">No. 1 wants to understand Eve and the cosmic game that they're playing, hoping that by seeing Eve's past, her true nature will be revealed, as well as any weaknesses she might have. To that front, she wants to try and connect with the many-alias Sagradopto Entity and hope that it makes an exception, since the Entity contacts you, not the other way round, and asks if Belphegor could help with contacting, since she has a connection to it.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] ASTORIA<br>
[SERVER] MANAGER NO. 1<br>
[DATE] 7/12/22<br>
[INDEX ID] TSE01<br>
[SECURITY] CAFE<br>
I… actually kind of like No. VIII's idea. Going back. Back to the First Sphere. If only we could better understand what Eve's whole deal is. More than Eve… everything. We've been all thrust into this grand cosmic game of assets and liabilities set up eons and eons ago. The only people who were "there" were No. 422 and maybe No. III. And No. II… in a way. Which is how I think we could actually do it. See the past as it was. See if Eve has any weaknesses. Find out once and for all if she is truly a ruthless widow or if she is just a lion with a thorn in her paw.

<i>The Sagradopto Entity.</i>

The Gastropod. The Cluster. The Rout. Alu'Adanopmet. The Watcher. The Master Augur… And I'm sure countless other names. I've spoken with the Entity before. Many times. It can be hard to tell, but I think it has taken a liking to me. While it is famous for its passivity—in part for the sake of its own survival, it… it may make an exception for us. For Belphegor, at least. With the power of the Entity, we could easily receive a vision of the past as it truly was. If the Entity already has its endless eyes on every corner of time itself, surely seeing the start of this mess shouldn't be a problem for it.

Of course, I likely couldn't do it alone. One doesn't visit the Entity—it visits you. Without warning and without reason. Even though I have had countless conversations with it, I still have no idea on how I would get in contact with it. But Belphegor would know. She has to. Even if she has chosen not to join the Rout, she is still a part of it, in a way.</span>

C-SOE05 (Jul 11, 2022)

2024-07-31T19:31:27Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-SOE05</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px"> “The deepest desire of No. 17’s hands.”<br> Knowledge | 5 Words</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoi..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-SOE05</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“The deepest desire of No. 17’s hands.”<br>
Knowledge | 5 Words</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">Snuff Out All the Light</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">VIII reveals what consuming a Seed of Knowledge entails: putting Eve inside your head. It's how she manipulated things behind the scene. However, VIII exhibits a unique resistance to her control, and expresses a distrust towards all Archons, believing that they, as the Archons' creation, cannot trust them.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] THE LAST CAFE<br>
[SERVER] VIII<br>
[DATE] 7/11/22<br>
[INDEX ID] SOE05<br>
[SECURITY] CAFE<br>
Ah—I do always forget that doddering old man was once a Zulu, and fearsome one at that. But he is right; we are all on the same side. Every last mortal, and even most Elders, united against our petty masters. Unless one of you is secretly an Archon? That would be quite the twist. Though I'm certain if any of you were, Eve would've told me. She would have convinced me it was my path to salvation. Which—the old man is also right about—I have quite the talent for tuning that wretched widow out.

As I mentioned earlier, a side effect, or perhaps the intended outcome, of consuming a Seed of Knowledge is that it puts Eve inside your head. Initially, I thought Eve's presence in my thoughts was merely her lingering essence. Lost knowledge absorbed by her sinful seeds. I was surprised to learn she was actually speaking to me and that it wasn't merely a glimmer of her past. The power of an Archon… even removed from reality itself, she still found a way to make her will known.

Though—I do wonder why I seem to be the only Shadow who did not bend to her will? Once Ursula sat upon the Sunken Throne and assumed the title of Morbid King, all other Shadows and Shades of the Everdark rallied around her without hesitation, without free will, it seemed. Why was I spared? By all accounts, I am not terribly special… at least in terms of my sableblood. Perhaps I had simply spent so many years defying her that she gave up on swaying me to her cause? Or… perhaps Ursula was paying her former mentor a favor? Of course, that wretched girl still stole my identity for a bit. <i>Ah.</i> You know what? It was probably that. Foolish of me to think Ursula cared about me. She merely wanted to use my form for her purposes. Clever girl. Evil, too. But I suppose she learned from the best.

Still… while I know a good deal of Eve's side of the story, it is a pity we have no true way to bear witness to what happened all those Spheres ago. If what she has told me is true, perhaps we should ally ourselves to her after all? Just kidding. Though, I don't believe any of the Archons can be trusted. Not by any of us lowly creations, anyhow.</span>

C-SOE02 (Jul 10, 2022)

2024-07-31T19:24:37Z

SpareAccount1:

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-SOE02</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“39 8 92 18 E 74 EL 27, from <i><b>ME</b></i>.”<br>
Cipher | 3 Words</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">Dmitri created it. To honor him, he's number 101.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text"><i>Peri O. Dic</i>helle has a table that's made up of 118 tiles.</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">You are Welcome</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">Each number, when translated to its element in the periodic table, spells "Y O U Ar E W EL Co ME".</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">No. 5 is uneasy at the thought of teaming up with Umbra, given their history. He gets the logic of I, but he's the lone opposing voice, so he has to yield. Despite being a Shadowfolk, Umbra is resistant to Eve. And since his whole goal went up in flames, he is now a shadow without a purpose.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] PALM BEACH<br>
[SERVER] MANAGER NO. 5<br>
[DATE] 7/10/22<br>
[INDEX ID] SOE02<br>
[SECURITY] CAFE<br>
Let me get this straight. We're working with Umbra now? Seriously? No fooling? After everything he's done to us? To me? After the entirety of the Dark—hell, even before that, when he was working with Satan himself? Look—I was able to look the other way when Redman and Mothman wanted to help. Wouldn't be the first time with those two. But Umbra… he's an entirely different type of creep. Times must be rather dark indeed if we're resorting to teaming up with the likes of the Hatman.

I get it. I get the twisted sort of logic No. I's cooked up for it. Umbra's powerful. Even though he's just another Shadowfolk, he's carved a name and identity out for himself entirely separate from the rest of his formless and feckless ilk. And I'll grant him that if Eve really has been whispering in the ears of all of the Everdark, he's done a damn good job resisting it. I mean—look at Ursula, choice? Umbra compared to her is a right rose by another name entirely. But at the end of the day, he's still Umbra. He's not human. He hasn't been human for longer than any of us have been alive. Well—most of us, anyhow.

I don't like it. I really don't. Out of the few people who seem to be able to sway No. I's mind, I'm the only one who truly opposed this, for what it's worth. But… I suppose if No. 1 thinks it's a right good idea, then… I'll give it a chance. And, I suppose Umbra's whole purpose in life went up in a spectacular, glorious, lovely jubbly flames, didn't it? He's a cat without claws these days. A shadow without purpose. A shadow whose very maker has come back into the picture, something I don't reckon he ever thought would come to pass. Ain't that a kick in the pants?</span>

CD-SOE03 (Jul 10, 2022)

2024-07-31T19:24:24Z

SpareAccount1:

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>CD-SOE03</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“The lowest and blackest tide.”<br>
Knowledge | 4 Words</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 3: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">The Shore of Eden</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">With Eve's return, the balance of power has shifted. The Black Tide is no longer a deterrent to The Cold, but the Gates of Hell is still a good enough deterrent. There's not much time left to decide what to do.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] THE LAST CAFE<br>
[SERVER] V<br>
[DATE] 7/10/22<br>
[INDEX ID] SOE03<br>
[SECURITY] AND & ARCHIVES<br>
The debt has finally come due. At least, in one part. Eve has returned. Normally I would say "as was Fated," but I doubt this is Fate's work. It is, however, unfortunately fortuitous for Fate, given the nature in which Eve and Eden have returned to the Universe. With the Black Tide… "gone," it removes one of the more tangible barriers to Fate, Phantom, Wicked, and Secret's entry into the Universe. The Cold have always kept their precious distance for fear they would end up like Pale among countless other threats to Bird's ramshackle kingdom.

I will say—with Eden back, the Black Tide itself is not "lost" so much as it has finally been found. Which is to say, there is no point in pursuing a path to restore the Tide to its once fearsome role as a saber for Bird to rattle incessantly. It has failed, as all mistakes eventually are bound to do. I am not certain what path forward from here is the wisest one. We have a few options, though many would see the Universe thrown into a state all but unrecognizable to the one we already know.

The good news, if you can really consider it as such, is that we have time. Not a lot. Perhaps to the end of this year or less. It feels like the seals are shattering with every passing breath. But we do have time. Bird still has one deterrent against the Cold… Hell itself. Yes, the "Otherside" is often conflated with the concept of Hell, but it is no such thing. Hell is, well, it is a hell unto itself. It is the other prison, the other debt that lingers in the Universe. The other betrayal that brought about peace to the wayward chaos of creation. So long as the Gates to Hell remain intact, the Cold would never dare to make a move as they too could end up alongside poor, old, Abraxas.</span>

CD-SOE03 (Jul 10, 2022)

2024-07-31T19:24:13Z

SpareAccount1:

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>CD-SOE03</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“The lowest and blackest tide.”<br>
Knowledge | 4 Words</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">The Shore of Eden</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">With Eve's return, the balance of power has shifted. The Black Tide is no longer a deterrent to The Cold, but the Gates of Hell is still a good enough deterrent. There's not much time left to decide what to do.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] THE LAST CAFE<br>
[SERVER] V<br>
[DATE] 7/10/22<br>
[INDEX ID] SOE03<br>
[SECURITY] AND & ARCHIVES<br>
The debt has finally come due. At least, in one part. Eve has returned. Normally I would say "as was Fated," but I doubt this is Fate's work. It is, however, unfortunately fortuitous for Fate, given the nature in which Eve and Eden have returned to the Universe. With the Black Tide… "gone," it removes one of the more tangible barriers to Fate, Phantom, Wicked, and Secret's entry into the Universe. The Cold have always kept their precious distance for fear they would end up like Pale among countless other threats to Bird's ramshackle kingdom.

I will say—with Eden back, the Black Tide itself is not "lost" so much as it has finally been found. Which is to say, there is no point in pursuing a path to restore the Tide to its once fearsome role as a saber for Bird to rattle incessantly. It has failed, as all mistakes eventually are bound to do. I am not certain what path forward from here is the wisest one. We have a few options, though many would see the Universe thrown into a state all but unrecognizable to the one we already know.

The good news, if you can really consider it as such, is that we have time. Not a lot. Perhaps to the end of this year or less. It feels like the seals are shattering with every passing breath. But we do have time. Bird still has one deterrent against the Cold… Hell itself. Yes, the "Otherside" is often conflated with the concept of Hell, but it is no such thing. Hell is, well, it is a hell unto itself. It is the other prison, the other debt that lingers in the Universe. The other betrayal that brought about peace to the wayward chaos of creation. So long as the Gates to Hell remain intact, the Cold would never dare to make a move as they too could end up alongside poor, old, Abraxas.</span>

CD-SOE03 (Jul 10, 2022)

2024-07-31T19:23:58Z

SpareAccount1: Created page with "<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-SOE01</center></strong></span> __TOC__ <h1>Puzzle</h1> <p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px"> “The lowest and blackest tide.”<br> Knowledge | 4 Words</p> <h1>Clue</h1> <span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br> <span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">..."

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>C-SOE01</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">
“The lowest and blackest tide.”<br>
Knowledge | 4 Words</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span><br>

<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">The Shore of Eden</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">???</span></span>
----
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">With Eve's return, the balance of power has shifted. The Black Tide is no longer a deterrent to The Cold, but the Gates of Hell is still a good enough deterrent. There's not much time left to decide what to do.</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>[BRANCH] THE LAST CAFE<br>
[SERVER] V<br>
[DATE] 7/10/22<br>
[INDEX ID] SOE03<br>
[SECURITY] AND & ARCHIVES<br>
The debt has finally come due. At least, in one part. Eve has returned. Normally I would say "as was Fated," but I doubt this is Fate's work. It is, however, unfortunately fortuitous for Fate, given the nature in which Eve and Eden have returned to the Universe. With the Black Tide… "gone," it removes one of the more tangible barriers to Fate, Phantom, Wicked, and Secret's entry into the Universe. The Cold have always kept their precious distance for fear they would end up like Pale among countless other threats to Bird's ramshackle kingdom.

I will say—with Eden back, the Black Tide itself is not "lost" so much as it has finally been found. Which is to say, there is no point in pursuing a path to restore the Tide to its once fearsome role as a saber for Bird to rattle incessantly. It has failed, as all mistakes eventually are bound to do. I am not certain what path forward from here is the wisest one. We have a few options, though many would see the Universe thrown into a state all but unrecognizable to the one we already know.

The good news, if you can really consider it as such, is that we have time. Not a lot. Perhaps to the end of this year or less. It feels like the seals are shattering with every passing breath. But we do have time. Bird still has one deterrent against the Cold… Hell itself. Yes, the "Otherside" is often conflated with the concept of Hell, but it is no such thing. Hell is, well, it is a hell unto itself. It is the other prison, the other debt that lingers in the Universe. The other betrayal that brought about peace to the wayward chaos of creation. So long as the Gates to Hell remain intact, the Cold would never dare to make a move as they too could end up alongside poor, old, Abraxas.</span>