Part 92: Blackwell Epiphany - Update 17 (Part 1)

For those keeping score, today's update officially means we've gone longer than Convergence. By the time we finish Epiphany, it will have more updates than any of the other Blackwell games.

Update 17

We've had Heather on the backburner for a while now. Time to see if we can get her sorted out.

Vantini



Let's try to catch up on what we know. Heather was a prostitute around the time she attended the Grace Group meetings. Some time after that - long enough for Michael to become a Priest - she contacted him and confided in him that she wanted to make a change in her profession, and in her life.

However, she obviously died before that happened, since her (quite young) ghost still seems to think she's a prostitute. She seems to be working for some kind of pimp named Ray. Cory informed us that Ray was found at Vantini during a police raid a while back. Rosa and Joey decide to investigate. If they can dig up Ray, or some information about him, they might learn something about what happened to Heather.

You think they'd have coffee in a place like this?
Only with whiskey in it. Maybe. This palce looks like it was falling apart even back in my day.
Really? You think it's that old?

Joey glares back at her.

Right. Sorry.

Fittingly, for such an old bar, Gilbert re-uses the Flashback music here. It's a great piece of music, I think.



New location, fresh snow. Time for Rosa to start stompin'!

I'm not drunk.
Could have fooled me.

Before heading inside, Rosa scouts out the area.



There's a side gate here, but...

The gate is locked.

...looks like we're not getting around the back easily. Not that we really have any reason to go there, anyway. Let's just head inside.



Inside the very red interior of Vantini, Rosa finds a bartender and some old drunken lady.

Well, brave or stupid anyway.
Er. Right.

Rosa and Joey take a look around, first at the bartender.

A young woman tending the bar. She doesn't look happy to be here.
She looks kind of young to be working in a place like this.

Then the old woman.

She looks like she's had several martinis and is just getting started.
She must really like this place to be here in this weather.

They continue surveying the room.

They've got a pretty varied selection. Although, I wouldn't really know. My criteria for picking out wine is "has pretty label" and "under twenty bucks."
My knowledge of wines went out of date when I did. Hope she keeps her hands off the booze. We need to keep focused.

Continuing to look around, Rosa finds a couple of fairly obvious cast inserts.

Looks like some kind of promotional poster for a burlesque act. It's a painting of a woman dancing. It's dedicated to someone named "Mistress B".

This is obviously a reference to Whittaker, who is a burlesque dancer in real life. I'm guessing "Mistress B" is either her stage name, or a simple reference to her name ('B' for 'Becca', I guess?) There is also a painting on the wall.

Whoever this was, he signed it "Thanks for the tie. With love, AG."
Some hack actor. Nice tie, though.

This is a picture of Abe Goldfarb, who voices Joey.



Now, there's actually a strange little easter egg here. If Joey tries to use his magic tie on the picture, some kind of portal opens up.

Red, do you see that?

The Goldfarb Dimension



Without warning, Joey is sucked into some kind of strange alternate dimension!



Huh? Where the hell am I?

This is a collection of characters that have been voiced by Goldfarb over the years for Wadjet Eye Games. From left to right, we have Reggie from Resonance, Rabbi Stone from The Shivah, Kane from Gemini Rue, Crispin from Primordia, and Zander from Puzzle Bots. They engage in a wacky little all-Goldfarb conversation.

Stone: Wherever this place is, it's not kosher.
Zander: Are we in space? Because this really looks like space.
Crispin: Does that mean you guys will implode? Because that would be AWESOME. Er, I mean tragic. Definitely tragic.
Kane: Trust me. We're not in space.
Reggie: You lot are missin' the bigger picture. The question isn't WHERE we are, but WHY are we here?
Stone: That's a question that's been asked since the beginning of time.
Reggie: That's not the point, mate. Think about it.
Kane: I'm thinking that I wish I still had my ship.

I have to say, I absolutely love that the music here is the NYU Theme from all the way back in the original Legacy - not even a Regin piece. It was probably the best track from Legacy, so good to hear it again.

Zander: What about you, little guy? Can't you fly out there and bring back help?
Crispin: I don't fly. I HOVER.
Zander: I can totally fix that! I'm pretty good with robots. You want a jet pack? I gave Hero a jet pack, once. He's due to re-enter orbit any week now.
Crispin: Um. No. Nobody messes around inside me except the Boss. Or shiny gynoids.
Reggie: Bloody hell. Stop and think for a blasted minute! Why are we here? What led us here?
Stone: Who can say? What led YOU here?
Reggie: Everything's connected. All things have a pattern that can be followed. So, what's OUR pattern?
Kane: You lost me, pal. Sorry.
Zander: No. Wait. I think I get it. You're saying there's some circuit that is connecting us all?
Reggie: Something like that, sure.
Kane: That's all great. But that still doesn't tell us what this place IS.
Stone: Whatever this place is, it's not kosher.

They then start repeating themselves. I've put this scene in a video here, if you want to see it.

http://www.polsy.org.uk/play/yt/?vu...v%3DmyQchvnE8VI

Joey can try to interact with them, but none of them seem to even realise that he's there.

Is that accent supposed to be real? Hey. Guy. A little help here? Nothing's resonating.
Listen to him. He sounds like he's gargling gravel. Excuse me, fella. I was wondering if you could help me out. He can't hear me. It's like talking to a stone.
He's trying to sound tough, but I don't buy it. Hey. Could you help me out here? Don't think he can hear me. Just as well. The guy looks spaced out.
I have NO idea what that thing is, but God what an annoying voice. Ah. I don't even know what that IS. Let alone know what to say.
Listen to that guy. He sounds like he swallowed helium. Um. Hello? I don't think he can hear me. Probably for the best. Why would I want to talk to someone who wears a tie like that?

Once we've had our fun, Joey simply returns back through the portal.

Vantini



It was different, anyway! Rosa and Joey try heading upstairs.



I really hate the paintwork in this place. Rosa and Joey keep looking around.

Some vintage posters of a German crooner. Looks to be fifty years old.
No idea who that guy is.
A painting of a woman in Victorian dress.
She looks kind of old fashioned. Even by my standards.
Looks like the kind of place old men would read newspaper. If people still read newspapers, anyway.
Doesn't look like anyone's sat there for a long time.

There's also a mirror up here.

Ugh. No. I've been walking nonstop for two straight nights in the snow. I don't want to see how I look.
All I'll see is a whole load of nothing.

Nothing much to see around here.



Let's try talking to the locals instead.

Hey. What can I get for you?
Er... I'd better not drink. I need to keep a clear head.
How about a coffee or something?
No thanks. I already have one.
Hm. I see.

It's a nice touch how Rosa takes her coat off in here, and her portrait changes appropriately.

So what can you tell me about this place?
It's old. Quiet. I like it that way.
Really?
Yeah. I work on my thesis, most nights. Honestly, I'm surprised a big place like this can stay open. It's always empty.

The bartender's name is Denisse, in case you missed it when the old lady said it earlier.



Rosa tries asking Denisse about Ray.

Ray?
Yeah. Is he here?
No. No he is not.

Denisse sounds kind of evasive here. Rosa tries a different angle.

Do you know a Heather Goffstein?
Sorry, I don't.

Damn. Although, Heather probably died when this girl was a small child, so I guess that's not surprising. If she knows anything, she's keeping her mouth shut.

Well. Thanks. I'd better get going.



What about the old lady? If she's here in this snowstorm, she's probably a regular. Does she know of Ray?

Hm? Yes?
I'm looking for Ray. Do you know where I can find him?
Ray, huh? And why would you be looking for Ray?

That sounds somewhat promising. Rosa has three choices. She can simply say that she needs to talk to him:

I just need to talk to him. I can't go into specifics, but it involves a woman who worked for him.
Worked for him, hm? In what capacity?

She can say that she's working with the police:

I am working with the police.
That still doesn't answer my question.
I need to speak to him about someone who worked for him.
Oh? In what capacity?

Or she can say that someone has died:

I'm looking into a death. Ray knew the victim.
Oh? In what capacity?

Whichever way, the lady asks us about Heather. Rosa responds.

She was a... working girl. Heather Goffstein. She worked for Ray, and now she's dead.
Hm. I see.



Wait a minute. This old lady is Ray?

Your employ?
Yes. You want to speak to Ray, she's right in front of you.
The former Rachel Mendez, at your service.

Ray is short for Rachel, hey? So Ray isn't a man after all. I guess that's how the bartender knew we didn't know Ray. In fact, that even explains why Heather knew that Joey was lying about knowing Ray. Clever.

So you work here?
Not directly, but I suppose I'm as much a fixture here as anything else.
So Heather worked for you? Can you tell me about her?
It's been... gosh, several years. I'm afraid I can't tell you much.



Ray gives us something, but it's mostly superficial.

She's really dead? How did it happen?
I don't know. That's what I'm trying to find out.
Is this a police matter?
Not... directly. I'm working with them, but I'm pretty much on my own.
Well. In that case... ask me whatever you like.

At least she's amenable to questions! Rosa tries asking some.

You said Heather "left your employ?" Could you explain?
Just that. She packed up and left.
And you were okay with that?
You think I would drag her back against her will? Absolutely not.
And what would be the point? I replaced her the next week.

I guess this was when she went to the Grace Group meetings and decided to change her profession. But her ghost still seems to think she's a prostitute - furthermore, she still seems to think she works for Ray. Something's not quite matching up here.

It's the nature of this business. Some girls try the life, discover it's not for them, and then leave. Some stay for years and it grinds them alive. But occasionally, with luck and persistence, one can flourish.
Like I did.

That's a bit too much information for me.



There's no bedroom upstairs, if that's what you are asking. I own several apartments in the city. I give the girls room and board in exchange for the money they receive. Some of them skim. Hell, all of them skim, but I make sure to treat them well. They treat me well in return.

Rosa keeps pushing Ray about Heather.

Did Heather have any enemies? An obsessive client, or anything?
I suppose anything is possible, but not likely. I screen our clients carefully, and I keep very careful records.

Client records, hey? We'll be wanting to see those.

If you kept careful records, does that mean you have a list of Heather's clients somewhere?
... No. I'm sorry, but no.
I really need that client list.
Absolutely not. I give a premium product, and our clients expect premium service. Privacy is part of that service. That client list stays in my office where it belongs.

Looks like a trip to Ray's office is in order!



Although, it would be easier if Ray just cooperated with us. Rosa keeps trying to push her.

That client list could help.
You have no reason to suspect one of her clients had anything to do with it. You can't even tell me how she died. I won't betray my clients' trust based on a flimsy guess.

Rosa then threatens police action.

I could bring in the police.
I'd like to see you try. Every few years they try and raid this place. Make a show of getting tough.
But nothing sticks. I make sure of that.

I guess Ray's used to dealing with that kind of thing. Rosa gives up for now. We'll just have to find that office ourselves.

Well. I guess that's everything.
Sorry I can't help you. For what it's worth... I liked Heather. I'm sad she's dead.



Out of the blue, Ray proposes a toast to Heather's memory.

Thanks, but no.
Hm. More for me, then. Denisse! One gimlet, please. You know how I like it.

Sure enough, Denisse brings out a cocktail for Ray, who leaves it to settle for a while.



Interesting lady.

The obvious thing to do now is to head out back, in an attempt to find Ray's office, but...



...when Rosa tries to head out the back door, Denisse stops her.

You can't go out that way. Sorry.
Er. Right. Sorry.

Looks like Joey will have to do this by himself.

(continued next post...)