C-ASG05 (Sep 22, 1995)

C-ASG05

Puzzle

“Rather wanton (spell check?) to dandy desires.”
Research | 2 Words

Clue

Hover over the clues if you require!
Clue 1: Who is Mr. Gray?
Clue 2: Which person would you describe as having 'dandy desires'?
Clue 3: Just the title and last name.

Answer and Explanation

Answer: Lord Wotton
Explanation: Lord Wotton is hedonistic - fulfilling his own desires - and his name sounds similar to 'wanton'.

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⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️

Summary of Receipt

53 and 1313 sneak into Perversion and track down Dorian Gray. Dorian provides this information: Satan has 2 contract books, one black and one red. The black one is the more widely-known book, and gives the signatory ‘a fraction of a fraction of the Haunterskald’s power’ in exchange for following a strict set of rules. In this case, it’s referring to the Plane itself and not Satan. However, the red book gives the signatory some of Satan’s power without any explicit rules. Dorian then tells 53 and 1313 to track down ‘Tom Walker’ before finally being allowed to escape into his portrait. The two then stole the portrait and made sure he couldn’t get out back to the Flipside. Problem solved.

Transcript

RECEIPT #005 FILED UNDER: CAFE-ASG DATE: 09/22/95 EMPLOYEE #1313 Well, I guess it was a success or whatever. I had loads of fun and also having a fake ID rocks. I highly recommend it. And we did run into Dorian or whatever. He's kinda cute but not really my type. Plus, he's probably like super old or whatever, right? I'm still not totally sure how demon ages work. He looked like 20ish, but he's gotta be like, what 200ish? Yuck. Besides, I've already got my eye on someone else, but that's a secret. I had Shilly do the transcription, whatever thingy, so hopefully, it transcribed everything right. It was kind of hard to hear over the music.

S.O.T.

53: Mr. Gray? Mr. Gray! Excuse me, are you Mr. Dorian Gray?

DG: I'm sorry, what? Like the book?

53: Oh, come on, Dorian, no need to be so guarded. This is a safe place, right? Plenty of other demons around.

DG: If I was Dorian Gray, what would you want from me?

53: What would Dorian Gray know about Padre Santos over at the Open Doors church?

DG: Santos? Never heard of him.

53: Prince of Hell, Santos? Pretty sure you two had a fling?

DG: Oh. Um. He's here? Like now?

53: Yes, and that's why we need to-

[Dorian Gray left the CaDCom transcription range. He fled towards the nearest hallway frantically checking the walls for something]

53: Dorian, Dorian, what's the rush, buddy?

DG: Where are all the pictures?

53: Huh?

DG: Pictures! On the walls! There are usually pictures here! Where are they?

53: Oh, those, kind of dusty, don't 'ya think? We took 'em out to get cleaned.

[Dorian Gray pulled out what appeared to be a small polaroid from his breast pocket and began to mutter something below the vocal frequency range of the CaDCom transcribing system]

DG: Why can't I leave?

53: You can leave, friend. Anytime you want. You just need to tell us a bit about your ex. That's all

DG: I shouldn't.

53: Listen, we got off on the wrong foot, clearly. How about you go buy yourself a drink, and we just relax a bit.

DG: Buy myself a drink?

53: Yeah, sorry about that. These fake IDs only go back to '77. If you want the hard stuff, you're gonna have to buy it yourself. Unless you'd rather go grab a cup of coffee?

DG: No, no, I think a drink is well in order.

[The CaD and Dorian Gray relocated to a quieter corner after procuring two non-alcoholic drinks and one stiff drink for Dorian Gray]

53: Now how about-

DG: Why don't you let her talk, huh? All night it's been your grating voice.

1313: He is kind of right. Your voice does get grating after a while.

53: Wow.

1313: Truth hurts, huh [53]. Anyway, uhm, we want to know about Padre Santos.

DG: What about him?

1313: Ah, uhm- right, we need to know about...

53: His book.

1313: Right. His, uh, book. Thing. Do you know about that?

DG: The dark lord has penned many books in his time. I found most of them to be rather droll. However, his later experimental works were interesting character studies, in my humble opinion.

53: His contract book, specifically.

DG: Oh. That old thing. I've never gotten to see it myself, what with me not actually being one of his prized contracted demons. There's not much to know about his little black book, is there? Demons write their names in it, and in exchange, they get a certain amount of powers and conditions to abide by.

53: And what about his other contract book.

DG: Other? Now that's interesting. Why would you think he has more than one contract book?

53: I'm... not sure, really. It was info we picked up from an unknown source.

DG: And that makes you think there are two contract books?

53: Well, unknown to me at least. We're pretty confident he has three new names in it, the Hatman, Redman, and Mothman.

DG: Mothman? Here? Also? Well, it has been a fun chat, but I would really love to get going if you could just let me-

1313: Not until you spill it, pretty boy. Other book. What is it? Why are those three in it?

DG: Oh, you are a scary one, aren't you? I really don't know much about it. I swear to you. I know it exists and not much else. It probably functions similarly to his black book without all the limitations and servitude clauses, if I had to guess. Basically, they write their name in it, and they get a piece of the dark lord's power in exchange for some sort of service.

53: And how is that different, really?

DG: When a demon, or the lucky few humans, sign their names in his black book, they get a fraction of fraction of the Hauntaurskald's power. Not the dark lord's. In return, they have a strict set of rules laid out for them that allows them to traverse Hell and Earth with relative ease. The red book, and again I can only make assumptions, gives a fraction of the dark's lords powers directly with no explicit rules for how it is used. To know any more than that, you would need to talk with someone who has signed their name in that book, which would not be me. Now, if you would just-

1313: Names.

DG: Names? If I don't even know what the book does exactly, why would I know whose names are in it? Why don't you go chat up the Mothman if you're so curious?

53: Come on, Dorian. You were a consort of Padre. You have to at least an inkling of who is in it. Tell us that, then we'll grab your portrait, and you're free to go.

DG: I really couldn't tell you.

1313: Well, we hope you enjoy LA. Come on, Shill. Let's go.

DG: Wait! Tom might know something.

53: Was that so hard, Dorian?

[53 and 1313 took Dorian to his portrait, and after touching it, he was no longer in range of the CaDCom system]

1313: Are we just gonna leave his portrait here?

53: Yeah- wait, why?

1313: I don't know. He was kinda cute. And the Cafe could use some more art, don't you think?

53: So you're suggesting we steal it?

1313: Mm... yes.

53: Yeah, sure, why not.

E.O.T.

And that's why if you go in the staff bathroom you'll see the portrait of Dorian Gray. Don't worry, I copied 71's sigils around the frame, so he should be stuck in the Otherside for the time being. I think I did the sigils right anyway. Although, based on his reaction to Padre and Pleasant being here, I think he's probably happy to stay in the Otherside for the time being. Can't say he was too helpful, but at least we know who to look for next. Some old guy named "Tom Walker." When I agreed to help with this whole cryptid and demon chasing thing, I kinda thought I wouldn't have to read so much.