Roll of Dice

"This thing is true as the story went on...

...While watching the street the sun is dawn...

...He is alone in his lonely house...

...any visit shall find out."

While I am complaining about the lock of a fantasy convenience. The Keeper seems to be speaking a poem. His sudden poetry really did break the flow of the previous conversation and what that did is puzzling me.

"What is with that poem? Is it even a poem?" I asked while also befuddling at the sight outside. The orange sky represents the sunrise, it is as the poem describes.

"It is for you to find out" This time The Keeper gives a little glance at the dice, maybe hinting me to roll it more. Maybe it is a keyword for when the dice can be used? is he hinting that to me?

"What do I roll for?" I am asking this because I know how the game work. Different skill rolls give different results and if you fixed a skill roll in this kind of situation for the player you are a dictator-style keeper and I shall condemn you for it for making me roll for things you dictate me to.

"Save me some trouble by knowing the rule" The keeper smiles gently. "An idea roll is sufficient for a hint and inspiration and 'The-Creationist' roll for perhaps an answer. You can of cause may suggest anything else this is your choice after all. But be vary for unlike the game you know time always fly."

An Idea roll, means my intellectual stat being used as a variable. As for that Creationist stat it must be something to do with the keeper and all behind it since it can be use for information regarding the keeper himself.

I look down at the dice on the top of the sink and absorb some information, I need at least 11 to perform the-creationist skill successfully; a normal success at that which means regular at 11 to at most 20. Odd is not that high I see.

"My Intelligent stat should be higher than the-creationist skill point right?" I ask the keeper to see how much he can give away.

"You can check your stat through the HUD and since it hasn't been unlocked yet so you must find it out through trial and error. How confident are you on how smart you are against average Joe?" Not a conclusive answer but at least a hint of how to work around is good enough. May sound cocky but I believe at least I see myself as a thinker and must be higher than average Joe with all stat of 50 maybe I will score myself around 75 if I have to estimate.

"What is the meaning of the previous poem? I will use my own mind to process the information this should at least warrant an intelligent roll correct?" I will have to test out how these dice work anyway can it do anything other than show a magical number glyph? I grab the dice from the top of the sink then gazing into The Keeper colorful eyes and awaiting his respond.

He nod. "You may certainly try" A classic line came, how nostalgic it feel hearing that. I roll the dice.

*Crack crack* rolling on the sink counter the dice stop and do it magical glyph thinky and then the result.

[75] Perfect for gauging my stat. Let see whether I am overconfident or not. I already have a gut idea of what the poem works just a guess since it just occur once.

"A regular success dear Arostier" at least 75 I try to keep a mental note but and idea came up so I check my pant pocket and as expected there is a notepad and a small pen as it is the starting equipment for any investigator. So I note it down on the first page 'Int ~75/~37/~15'

"So is there any benefit in a success?"

"For the idea roll at most what you gonna get is just a hint. And as for that hint as you might expect the poem may have power over nature. Maybe what I state in the poem is a kin to the narration of the world so it may be the truth. I am the Keeper after all" That is what I thought but have no confirmation and I this is not counted as a confirmation since he suggest that it is an idea.

"Can I still do the creationist skill check for this?" He mention it before and there should be no reason why I couldn't use it so let try it out even if the chance is low.

"You may certainly try" As he said I once more recollect the dice from the sink counter and then roll it and watching it do it magical stuff.

[62] Definitely fail no surprise there since the odds are not that high but will there be any consequence for the fail roll.

"Failure but to your knowledge there seems to be nothing happening as a consequence" Does it work like an Idea roll but will give a definite answer? I can only guess for now.

Nothing can be gained while thinking alone since time is flying let first explore this house which should be mine if the poem states the truth. and maybe act fast since there might be a visit not sure whether it is a friend or foe though.

I found a kitchen knife because there would be a kitchen knife in a kitchen. Something to give me some assurance in this unknown place. Collecting the dice into my pocket pant and then I decide to open the door to my left first.

The door open just fine and what wait behind is a stairway leading down to a stone floor not a long stair down. To my immediate right a switch I flick it up and it light up the hanging light bulb and the room beneath. I then close the door and went to the other door in the kitchen.

"Well that must be the cellar last place I will go after searching the house period." There is clearly a plot point down there since it is part of the poem Considering that something may die down below it is best to survey an escape route first.

Out of the kitchen, a small hallway to the right seems to be the entrance to this place. but before I go on exploring this place I got something bugging me so I ask out.

"Hold up this place suppose to be my house right why do I need to explore this."

This time with no place for The Keeper's reflection he didn't appear but he voice back

"A map of the house is actually included in your HUD but since it still locks so fine you must find a workaround yourself," I swear why don't you just unlock it for me to use it from the beginning if you going to mention it so much? I felt deprived.

Thank god my intelligence stat is not that low this should give me another chance to use the dice.

"I will roll the dice and try to recall the structure of this house since this house is mine using my intellect"

"You may certainly try" a voice affirmed so I crouch and roll the dice on the floor then watched the glyph fly and then a result.

[18] "Hard Sucess, And as you trying to recall the room structure of your home" He stops speaking, and then a small flood of information spark in my head. I turn to my left and know that the room there beside the kitchen is a bathroom. Opposite the bathroom is the bedroom which is double as my study room. Beside the bedroom is the living room. Down the kitchen is indeed the cellar and for some unknown reason, there seems to be a tunnel connect to it. I now even know that this place this house is built in a Victorian style around 100 years ago and seems like I inherit this place from my aunt. It's a two stories house where the second floor seem to be just a storage area.

I pick up my notepad and update it a little 'Int ~75-89/~37-44/~15-17' and then pocket it dice included.

The main goal of the session must be to go into the tunnel so I must prepare myself first. I walk to my bedroom. It is not a big bedroom and not well furnished only an iron frame bed, a wooden wardrobe, a wooden shelf and a study desk that is all. But what I am here for is the thing that hanging beside the bed the calendar.

'Year 1923 January' There are also 'X' marks on all the days from Monday 1 to Tuesday 30.

"So today is the Wednesday 31st of January and the year is 1923. Well, a typical setting for this game is" Next question now is the place.

"Where is this place" This time I didn't even wait for any affirmation from The Keeper I just use the dice and roll them.

[34] and like before The Keeper's voice rang in my head. "Hard Success, So you know this basic knowledge stuff for the session can be found immediately in the HUD so unlock it fast for your convenience in later session" I didn't even know why I am playing the session and can you stop mentioning things I can't use already?

A flow of knowledge came into my mind. The placid city of Providence, 79 Power St. Rhode Island. On the College Hill. I am on earth but seeing the setting that this keeper seems to base it on this earth is not my previous one. Must be the fictional one in the Lovecraft setting if I have to guess.

"So the United States huh... these might be a little troublesome since even in the previous world I never came to the west." I speak out maybe to voice out my concern to The Keeper.

He surprisingly spoke back "That's why the dice is your first gift. Use it in an awkward situation to spare yourself some trouble."

"Well, Or you know? Why not just make the setting around my home country aren't you The Keeper why does the story have to be here." And maybe spare the dice gift for after the HUD damn it.

"*ahem* I have my reason and thing must come in order if Sir. Arostier wishes to know why things are like this come ask me when the session is done *Smirk*" I can't see you but I can hear the smugness from here, I kinda want to smack him a bit.

I then glance at the clock a wall hanging clock. The short-hand clock is at 6 and the minute hand is on 30. Wow, I already miss the digital watch speaking of which has it been invented yet? Maybe a history check?

"No need to roll for that it doesn't exist yet" The Keeper interrupt me mid-thought. "But you can actually try to roll for it if you want to know when it will be invented according to your history."

"Got you! I knew it you could read my thought a question save for me." what a surprise revelation I didn't even plan for this. I cannot see his face but let's imagine him with an expression of sadness... Fck isn't that just me being sad?

"I will use a history check for the digital watch is it possible?"

"I suggest it so consider it as a tip for the power of the dice. But Sir.Arostier you know yourself since when did you learn history of when the digital watch got invented" Uh... yay have I? Maybe a little you know the internet is wide place.

"Don't kid yourself I can read your thought give me a hard history check." Only hard huh? You are kinder than I imagine you push... grace.

I roll the dice on the desk while also pen and notepad in hand.

[77] Well that was a disappointment.

"Failure, You must not remember or might never see the info before. Not that I blame you since it is very trivia."

"Now that I know you read thought I might as well just speak can I try to push the roll? I will focus really hard for a long period of time that is" The push roll is for when the roll is a failure player can attempt again at the risk of higher consequence for another failure.

"Great thing that Sir.Arostier knows the rule of cause you can." That is the affirment so I reroll the dice.

[77] Well is this lucky or not?

"Failure, You spend more time thinking hard and it gives you a headache and then you feel hungry."

A throbbing pain appears around my forehead. Feel like a migraine type of pain. I felt hungry like I miss breakfast and as I turn and look toward the hanging clock I see that the short hand of the clock is at 10 while the minute hand is at 30. Well I really did miss breakfast huh?

Wait! 4-hour pass by? Instantly? These dice skip time for laborious work for me!

*Growl* my stomach is calling. 4 hour of wasteful thinking but atleast I know a little more about the dice. I jot down the note collect the dice and relocate to the kitchen finding some meal to prepare for myself. 'History 2x/x<77/(2x/5)'

As I was about to roll a dice to prepare for a meal I heard a knocking noise from the entrance.

*Thump Thump thump...*

"Guest arrived Sir.Arostier" The Keeper in my head warns.

"It seems my meal will need to wait." I then walk toward the entrance knife in hand.