BARGHEST

[soulping]

[ The Traveler steps in front of all of you, her arms raised dramatically! ]

Today, we take the first step of a very, very long journey together! This dream belongs to a young man, a criminal and his gang who on an otherwise normal heist has gotten in way over his head! Normally, this would be a nightmare, full of blood and death and abject horror!

Fortunately, I have taken the liberty of altering this dream so that it is completely safe and above all, fun! It would not do to have your first foray into the world of unreality to be so unwelcoming! The goal of this game is to survive, reach the end, and solve the mystery...

The mystery of the Train Tracker!

Comments

[recode]

. . . the mystery of the train tracker?

Fine. I'm good at survival, I'm sure.

[chuggachuggasnoozesnooze]

Excellent!

[recode]

So? How do I start?

[chuggachuggasnoozesnooze]

You talk to the conductor!

[ There's a red-haired frumpy looking conductor standing over by Barghest's train! ]

[recode]

[. . . approaching conductorchan]

Excuse me.

[soulping]

[ The conductor gives a small bow, smiling. ]

Oh, hello! Is your team ready?

[recode]

Just about. Before that, I want to talk to you about a few things, though.

[soulping]

Like what, sir?

[recode]

You're the conductor of this train; you know everything about this train, in other words. Where it's going, when it's going and such. Tell me about that, firstly, to warm this conversation up. Where is it going?

[soulping]

...You should know, if you're boarding it, right?


...Eh, it's a non-stop ride to New York.

[recode]

Of course, but this is just to set the mood. Who else is going to New York?

[soulping]

...A lot of people. Most notably, the senator's wife and daughter, but there's also an orchestra and some group of people in white suits.

[recode]

Have you seen any suspicious people?

[soulping]

...The white suits are pretty suspicious, I'd say. But they paid their fare, so...

[ SHRUG ]

[recode]

Describe them to me. What makes you say they're suspicious?

[soulping]

They just got this crazy look about them, is all. The way they're dressed, you'd think they're going to some fancy party, but they ain't fancy at all.

[recode]

Is that so?

Thank you for your cooperation. One last thing - do the words "train tracker" mean anything to you?

[soulping]

[ He grins a bit at that, but shakes his head. ]

Haha, what, that old story? It's nothin'.

Nothin' at all.

[recode]

Hold on. Story?

[soulping]

...You haven't heard about the Train Tracker?

It's a story people always love to tell on trains like these. He's a monster that shows up on trains with no stops and eats the passengers. And then, when everyone's dead...poof. The train vanishes into thin air!

There's only one way to be spared, but, it's all just a story.

[recode]

My parents weren't fans of fairy tales. What is that "one way"?

[soulping]

All you gotta do...

Is believe the story.

[recode]

[blinks]

[. . . . laughs] Ah. What a silly story.

[soulping]

I know, right? Probably shouldn't even think about it.

[recode]

Yes.

My team's ready; sorry for taking up so much time.