Carte Blanche Part #9 - Tooth 9. Macabre Deeds.

Part 9: Tooth 9. Macabre Deeds.

Tooth 9. Macabre Deeds.

Edgar's stats

Naiveté 7
Reputation 2

Barter 5 (yes, the Observation gain message was a bug)
Bitterness 1
Break-in 1
Corruption 4
Deduction 3
Examination 4
Music 2
Observation 6
Persuasion 6
Scam 1
Searching 3
Spying 3
Tail 1
Taxidermy 1
Ventriloquy 2
Wrestling 3

: Previously...

: ...Edgar tried to bribe a murderous Mayan Mexican from California with porn featuring a fat Italian.

: Before we look for the teeth, let's see what's going on at home.

: 'The roof is on fire' must be getting to her.

: Go play elsewhere!

: That's literally what we need to do. Leave and come back.

: Treasure!

: Mrs. Malaki's crowbar. I suppose this poet really gets on her nerves.

Crowbar > Take

: I'm borrowing this crowbar from you, ok?

: Oh well, no answer means yes.

: Oh, I've also got some really old pages from the case files.

: I've been thinking... Can Telesphore tell us anything related to the current events?

Telesphore > Talk > McCullough

: Does the name McCullough ring a bell?

: Come on, we know you were whistling the Traviata.

: He came here a few times. He takes out his old fossil off a mother downtown.

: Aren't you into that, old fossils?

: Your sarcasm has no grip on me..

> Talk > Small talk

: It sells like hot cakes! In fact, I often wonder how my clients haven't noticed that they all wear the same supposedly unique ring.

: Who else is out there with new things to say?

: What?! No! Why?

: Just talking, you know. I figured things like that are bound to happen often in big cities...

: Not that much, really.

: Anyway, Romeo is the guy who knows the location of the body.

> Talk > Small talk

: Nietzsche wrote: 'God is dead', what do you think about that?

: I think I'll find the son of a gun who did that!

> Talk > Granny

: Has Mrs. McCullough been buried yet?

: She's at the morgue, why do you want to know?

: No reason, really... Where's the morgue exactly?

: I'll tell you when you tell me why you want to see the body...

: This unlocks the scam option. It's the only last-day skill actually useful before the final "boss".

: Alright, I'll tell you why I want to see the old lady's body. She was a good client of Telesphore, the antiquarian... A very good client, if you see what I mean?

: They were lovers? Isn't he homosexual?

: Huh?! Why, yes, of course! But beyond a certain age, you know, it gets hard to tell the difference.

: Edgar,

: Ah! Good old Telesphore. I suppose he wants to pay her a last private visit?

: Exactly. But please don't tell anyone!

: Alright, I'll tell you where the morgue is.

: WHAT?

: Thank you.

: Well, at least there hasn't been any actual necrophilia in the game... so far...

: Of course it's Dr. Freeman. But Edgar is the one with the crowbar now.

: Before you scroll to the inevitable video link, make a guess what Dr. Freeman's voice sounds like. Whatever you imagine is most likely very wrong.

: Formaldehyde, flesh tenderizing products, grips, scalpels... stuffing material, a pot of candy, mustard, croutons... hmmm... makes me wonder about Dr. Freeman's methods.

: There's a corpse on the table.

: There's a body on the table. I'm not sure, but I can guess it's Mrs. McCullough.

: On the left there are those drawers where the doctor was sleeping.

> Searching [3]

: Right, let's interact with the man himself.

: He's our last training dummy and a bit of a dick at that, because we can't get Ventriloquy and Scam anywhere until we meet him.

> Examine

: He looks like he came right out of a horror movie.

: Or are you simply feeble minded?

: Guys, I'm starting to think Gaspard's last message was a practical joke.

> Wresting [3]

: What are you trying to do exactly?

: Sorry, I mistook you for my dead aunt's body.

: I like the way Edgar wrestles some characters with no advance warning whatsoever.

> Ventriloquy [2]

: Are you speaking to the corpse?

: It's only polite to answer when you're spoken to!

> Talk > Small talk

: Don't you think it's a little morbid to sleep in a drawer intended for dead bodies?

: Then what is a bed, if not a cushion for dead bodies to be?

: I guess I never looked at it this way.

> Talk > Romeo

: Do you often work with detective Romeo Duguay?

: Too often, if you ask me. He likes to give orders and always rushed me for the autopsy reports. I hate to work under pressure. I prefer to make my clients comfortable first by getting to know them before opening their rib cage. They are very prude you know?

> Talk > Granny

: I'm looking for my aunt's body, Mrs. McCullough.

: She's just there, right in front of you.

: I see. Have you performed an autopsy?

: Yes, heart attack. That's all I ever see here: heart attacks! I have colleagues in New York or Chicago that see extraordinary deaths! Some ripped, some drowned, some dipped in concrete, inspired work! But not for me! Here it's always heart attack. Just like your boring old aunt.

: I'm sorry... I guess...

: Dr. Freeman emerges, the video.

: This gives us the option to search the body, but...

: I don't want to search her mouth in front of Dr. Freeman.

: This in turn opens up the scam option, but that will make him leave, and we need to squeeze another skill point out of Dr. Freeman. I go skill grinding...

Telesphore > Ventriloquy [3]

: Fear my revenge!

: Oh my God! I knew that was bound to happen!

: Relax, old pal... You simply experienced my ventriloquy talents.

: All it took to fool the antiquarian is a slight change of voice.

: Sure!

Kid > Small talk

: I heard you might something to do with Old Mrs McCullough.

: Uh!? What?! I have no idea what you're talking about.

: Don't be ashamed. Of course, it was a weak, unarmed old lady, but you're beginning to build a reputation!

: You're nuts, I don't have any kind of reputation whatsoever. And you better not spread that stinking rumor!

: You're the boss, Boss.

Kid > Ventriloquy [4]

: Arg! The newspapers are selling themselves! What will become of me? Technology is killing the small trades!

: Ah Ah! That was only a demonstration of the holy art of ventriloquy.

: Very funny. I think they're waiting for you, back at the circus.

Kid > Wrestling [3]

: Come here, I want to show you something.

: Who am I?

: You're Oliver Twist. And by the way, I have not, in any manner, contributed to the death of an old lady.

Luigi > Wrestling [4]

: Where am I? Are you the prince charming I've been waiting for all my life?

: Err... I have to go, something's cooking in my oven...

Dr. Freeman > Wrestling [5]

: Mom, I swear I won't put dead rats in James' cradle anymore!

: I wonder what became of that poor James!

Communist > Ventriloquy [5]

: The time has come for you to wash me!

: Sorry... I can assure you I've washed it quite recently.

: That's ok, I understand.

: Now, off to get the final points of both Wrestling and Ventriloquy off the guy with 30 in Persuasion resistance.

Romeo > Ventriloquy [6]

: Sergeant! You're a shame to the police force!

: Yeah! Totally! [You got served]

Romeo > Wrestling [6]

: Let me show you something...

: Let me go or I'm calling the police!

: But you are the police!

: What? No! That's impossible! Someone wake me up!

: You should not have allocated your points into just one resistance, Romeo.

: It's time for

> Scam [2]

: I just spoke to private Duguay(VA: detective Duguay). He asked me to tell you that you're needed on a crime scene... I think it's the murder of two midget siamese brothers. Quite unusual eh?

: Where?! Where?! Lord Almighty! Will you tell me where?!

: It's... err... 150 000 Saint Lawrence street.

: I didn't know Saint-Lawrence went so far north! Oh well... I'd better get going.

: And I... also leave to grind for more Scam competence.

: On a completely unrelated note, Edgar can show the ant to the hotel clerk.

: I found this one and a few thousands of her sisters in your rug. You find that normal for a so-called respectable hotel?

: Lord almighty! If the clients found out...

: Surely we can work something out...

: Take everything! The cash register is yours but don't tell anyone!

: Pfff! I'll be damned if there's more than a dollar in this till!

: Ah! These are times of hardship.

: No skill boost here. Just some money, i.e. Edgar's wallet goes from 1 109 to 1 110.

Telesphore > Scam [3]

: Did you know I found your sculpture?

: Yes, thank you very much.

: It will be brought back but the transport has to be paid upfront. That's going to be two dollars please.

: Oh well... I guess I don't have much choice.

Luigi > Scam [4]

: You know the woman you and Mario are seeing? Her husband is extremely jealous and violent! I think it would be wise to put this bucket on your head. That way he'll never recognize you.

: You're right, it could be dangerous. I don't want to risk damaging my beautiful and seductive face.

: Here you are, that's great!

: I'll put it on each time I get out.

: It is an improvement!

Kid > Scam [5]

: I have a surprise for you! I just spoke to one of my friends, he's the principal of a jesuit college. He sais he would take you in freely for the sake of christian charity.

: What? That's great! I'll finally learn to read! It's the best thing that has ever happened to me! You have my eternal gratitude!

: Damn, I didn't think that would work...

: What did you say?

: Nothing... But you have to wait until the beginning of the next school session.

: I don't care.

: Edgar is getting too good at this. No one should have this much power.

Communist > Scam [6]

: Comrade! Your exile is over! I spoke to the police and they told me you could come back.

: Really? Goodbye degenerated peasants! I'm going back downtown tomorrow!

: And that wraps up the vital skills.

: Five minutes of grind to turn Edgar into the ultimate adventuring machine, the video.

: We finally search the drawers.

: Looks like Mr. Freeman uses this drawer for food storage. Just thinking that his cold meat sandwiches are stored next to corpses... Brrr...

Corpse > Searching [3]

: I can't open it!

: And now, the moment I've been waiting for.

: Oh no... Please not that! Anything but that!

: Edgar, when I click a green option you are supposed to use the item.

: I understand the importance of saving Mr. McCullough, but still... I can't do that to an old lady, even dead!

: Edgar!

: Oh well... If there are no alternatives, let's proceed.

: Yes, there's thunder, lightning, and a crunching sound.

: I see a new option, but let's finish what we came here for.

: Atahualpa's dentures! Hmm... Not exactly what I was expecting.

Corpse > Taxidermy [1]

: I can't leave her this way. I'm not really qualified for that, and that's without mentioning it disgusts me to the utmost degree, but when one has a job to do!

FADE TO BLACK