Dice In The Darkness: Cthulhu Calls

Chapter 17: Gazing Upon the Starry Sky

Having listened to the three past accounts related to Castle, Liu Xing felt that he had finally grasped the true backstory of this game.

The first master of Castle must have been a noble Wizard who, during the construction of the castle, encountered a mythical creature. He then used the Elder Sign to expel the mythical being. Furthermore, it's highly probable that this initial master was already studying these mythical creatures and had a certain knowledge of the Cthulhu Mythos.

Succeeding generations of Castle's masters, though they did not continue the study of the Cthulhu Mythos, likely inherited the research notes of the first master. Thus, three hundred years ago, a secret cult worshiping the Great Old One emerged in the town of Eins. After the then master of Castle had led troops to annihilate this secret society, it was quite possible that, aside from the Great Old One's statue that was shattered and buried in the Castle's garden, other Mythos-related artifacts were also found. Having witnessed these wondrous items, the Castle's master recalled the stories of his ancestors. He thus unearthed his forebear's notebook and set out to complete the unfinished endeavors of his lineage, delving deeper into the Cthulhu Mythos knowledge, passing it down through the generations.

A hundred years ago, a troop of English soldiers, delayed by a severe rainstorm, took refuge in Eins Castle, only to vanish without a trace overnight. Liu Xing surmised that this detachment of English soldiers was very likely sacrificed by the Castle's master at the time to a certain Great Old One.

"Now, we can be pretty certain that we are about to face a Wizard with a Sanity (SAN) in the single digits," Liu Xing spoke forthrightly because Bai Hecheng had entered without closing the door. Facing the door, Liu Xing saw Old Wayne busily cleaning the hall and felt no need to worry about breaking the game's immersion.

Chen Ling and the others nodded in agreement. They were all veterans of the Cthulhu RPG Game and were quite familiar with it. They knew that a Wizard who engaged with the Cthulhu Mythos would typically have a SAN in the single digits. A single-digit SAN value indicated that the person had become intermittently psychotic, acting without any regard for consequences... Liu Xing thought this and couldn't help but glance at Bai Hecheng.

If it weren't for the fact that Bai Hecheng was still a teammate, Liu Xing might indeed have considered conducting a psychoanalysis check on Bai Hecheng to ascertain his exact SAN value.

But now, Liu Xing realized that, had he passed the earlier inspiration check, he would have seen either a statue or a projection of a Great Old One, which certainly would have jeopardized his own SAN value.

"By the way, I just triggered a hidden roll. When I looked toward the garden, the keeper (KP) had me make an inspiration check. Luckily, I failed and didn't see anything. But now, after what Wang has said, it must have been the Great Old One's Statue buried in the garden," Liu Xing shared the incident that had just occurred.

Upon hearing this, Bai Hecheng displayed a keen interest and glanced toward the garden.

Chen Ling and the others were well aware of what Bai Hecheng was pondering. Chen Ling immediately stepped forward to pull Bai Hecheng back, diverting his gaze away from the garden. Wang Qi, standing by the window, also seamlessly drew the curtains closed.

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Everyone knew all too well the potential repercussions of engaging with the plotline of the Great Old One's Statue. If it were merely Bai Hecheng losing some SAN value, it would be one thing, but if it resulted in summoning a mythical creature or triggering a certain spell, that would be far worse. A group SAN check would be the least of their worries; they might even be wiped out entirely.

Therefore, Wang Qi kept a vigilant eye on Bai Hecheng, ready to intervene at a moment's notice, should Bai Hecheng show any sign of erratic behavior. The implication was clear: if Bai Hecheng stepped out of line, Wang Qi would be there to 'teach him a lesson.'

At that moment, Old Wayne entered, "Ladies and gentlemen, please follow me to the lounge for lunch."

Noticing the curtains were drawn, Old Wayne spoke with a hint of unease, "Er, the Castle's original gardener left abruptly, so the garden hasn't been tended to for some time."

Catching the nervous tone in Old Wayne's voice, Liu Xing reached out to KP004, "KP, I want to perform a psychology check on Old Wayne."

Psychology, 44/70, success.

"You notice that Old Wayne is clearly lying, and it seems he is concealing some fact."

Liu Xing raised an eyebrow, realizing Old Wayne was not as simple as he appeared, for from the information KP004 provided, he knew Old Wayne had a certain understanding of the back garden.

An accomplice to a tiger.

This phrase crossed Liu Xing's mind first; Old Wayne was likely privy to the secrets of the Castle's master, and was collaborating on some unspeakable deeds.

However, it wasn't yet time for confrontation, so Liu Xing smiled and shook his head, "Oh no, I simply enjoy living in dimly lit environments, hence the drawn curtains."

"What, Liu Xing, are you a vampire?!" Just as Liu Xing finished speaking, Bai Hecheng's voice rang out in surprise.

Liu Xing was at a loss for words, about to apologize to Old Wayne when he caught a fleeting expression of shock on Old Wayne's face.

Liu Xing quickly thought to himself, "KP, I need another psychology roll!"

Psychology, 56/70, success.

"You noticed that upon hearing the word 'vampire', a look of surprise, followed by suspicion and wariness, crossed Old Wayne's face."

Liu Xing had an epiphany.

Led by Old Wayne, Liu Xing and the others arrived at the grand living room's dining table, where everyone took their seats casually, while Old Wayne skillfully served up dish after dish from a nearby cart.

However, as Liu Xing gazed at the dish in front of him—a renowned British Empire delicacy called "Stargazy Pie"—he felt utterly dismayed.

A fish head stood erect on the plate, its eyes emitting a strange glow. Around it were some potatoes and beans, with fish soup as the base, but the color of this fish soup resembled muddy water...

Liu Xing seriously doubted whether eating this would result in a loss of SAN points.

As for the rest of the food on the table, only bread and mashed potatoes were left. Liu Xing felt the pressure; the cuisine of the British Empire truly lived up to its reputation...

Of all those present, except for Bai Hecheng, no one dared to touch the "Stargazy Pie," which looked as though it might drain one's SAN points. They silently smeared their bread with mashed potato, while Bai Hecheng happily indulged in the dish, earning Liu Xing's respect for the first time.

Thus, lunch concluded in silence, the four untouched plates of "Stargazy Pie" on the table contrasted sharply with the empty plate in front of Bai Hecheng.

"...Due to player Bai Hecheng having finished the British Empire's renowned 'Stargazy Pie,' a bonus of +1 to Will is awarded. However, player Bai Hecheng is now required to make a SAN check of 0/1." In a daze, Liu Xing felt like he could hear a hint of resignation and puzzlement in KP004's tone.

A sound of dice hitting the table echoed; Bai Hecheng had opted for a secret roll.

"Phew, that was close, so close," Bai Hecheng exclaimed with relief.