#rottenbonethief

[vios-rockland-corner]

Nightmare Realized

“Nightmare Realized” is a short visual novel/game that acts as a teaser for the first upcoming Misfits horror game, “The Misfits: First Blood.” 

It’s a haunting precursor for the events that will come, and a good look at one of the characters.

I highly recommend playing it through first (it only takes less than 5 minutes).  Otherwise, I’ll be placing my random thoughts below for fun.

[Spoilers below for Nightmare Realized, Rumors of Rockland Article 1, and The Misfits: First Blood demo]

I absolutely loved this teaser.  Especially the way it was presented.  It’s pretty short, so I’ve decided what I’ll do here is make a bullet list of any little thing that caught my eye.  Once that’s done, I’ll decide what I want to talk about more (I may not address every single bullet point).

1.      Rory Stryker is a kind person at least to Syndey and Tyler.

2.      Tyler might possibly get his drugs from his mother (not clear if she got him into drugs or if she just provides- the phrase “drug abuse” is stated though).

3.      It sounds like…Sydney has trouble being nice with his blood family usually (like his mother and Tyler)

4.      Something is VERY wrong with Sydney.

5.      Sydney may have an obsession with either blades or using them (or both…possibly blood too).

6.      Getting to hear the knives’ “songs often now” implies that he is becoming more active (possibly to hurt or kill people).

7.      Quill, similarly to how he was portrayed in the demo, has a huge ego.  And yes, even his friends think he’s a d*ck.

8.      Sydney considers Quill, Chase and Kinley as family.  Possible even more so than his blood family from what I can tell.

9.      There are romantic relationships among the four.  It’s implied they all may love each other.  Outlaw has a lot of polyamorous and pansexual characters, so this isn’t unusual.  That’s why Sydney’s description for each of the three feels like a genuine love confession. I might say from these depictions they do share, but there are favored partners for each person (Chase-Quill and Syndey-Kinley)?  But I need to be careful about what I say since I’m not familiar with this dynamic. (Btw creators, if this is rude for me to comment on, I’ll try to avoid the topic in the future and edit this part out).

10.   Chase is nonbinary and used to be mute.  They were also abandoned when they were younger.  [Note: I actually knew this already from some Patreon notes, but I thought it’d be good to make that clear here]

11.   All four characters, happily engage in “hunting.”  Obviously, they’re not talking about game hunting here.  If you’ve played the Misfits: First Blood demo, it was mentioned that these guys DO go after people as a pack sometimes.

 One of the biggest things about this game is it’s the first time I believe we’ve gotten to see a glimpse into Sydney’s personality.  Even better, we get a direct look into his psyche since this is POV.  Syndey’s character has been around, but before this game we’ve only had artwork and Quill mentioning his name briefly in the demo.  There weren’t any clues for what this guy was like.

Right off the bat we can see Sydney is very off.  It sounds like he usually puts in the bare minimum when it comes to functioning and interacting with others.  He sounds very out of it.  He only gets more lively and emotions once Quill and the rest of his friends come into the picture.  Let’s not forget either the sinister urges we see invading his mind at an alarming rate. This is apparently a dangerous trait he’s had for a long time.  It’s almost like he can’t help himself.

What was really interesting to me was the very beginning actually.  I’m really curious what kind of relationship Sydney has with his family.  Compared to his friends, his blood family is either a lot lower on his priority list or he just has a lot of issues connecting with any of them.  We still don’t know what the Stryker family does yet, but that could play a part in this.  I wonder, since he seems slightly disconnected from his immediate family, if any of them are aware of Sydney’s “hunting hobby.”  His parents are part of “The Professionals” group, so they’re not innocent themselves.  But I don’t know how much each party influences or is involved with the other here. Unlike with Quill and his father Alchemy (another “Professional”) where we do know from the demo that Quill learned from Alchemy.

I’m also more curious now about Tyler.  We got a good introduction to Tyler in the Rumors of Rockland Article 1 that was released.  He seemed pretty chipper and easy going there.  But I don’t know if he has his own problems.  He’s a drug dealer and…yeah it’s very possible that he’s also addicted to drugs as well.  Sydney specifically uses the phrase “drug abuse,” but I can’t quite figure out if he means Tyler is abusing drugs, or it’s some kind of influence by his mother. Like I said, she could be a dealer herself.  There’s something twisted there.  

Whatever the case, Tyler and his mother seem to be much closer to each other than Sydney is to either of them.  It doesn’t FEEL like Sydney has any malice towards either of the two, but I’d need more information to be sure.  Sydney’s apparently not always nice to Tyler, but Sydney doesn’t seem to pay attention to this fact in his daily life.

One thing I loved about this game is how it progresses.  We start off with Sydney clearly not having a wonderful morning (he’s very distracted).  Then we slowly meet up with Quill, Chase and Kinley.  The minute Quill comes into the picture, Sydney becomes more emotional and thoughtful.  We get to meet Chase and we’re distracted by the depiction of this small character with a sad past.  Then we’re suddenly reminded something.  These people are monsters.  Despite the casual setting at the arcade, once Quill brings up “hunting,” we the audience see the wolves hiding beneath these playful characters through wonderfully dark visuals.  Even cute little Chase has a wicked grin on their face.

There’s even a brief moment where Kinley is introduced and Sydney is able to return to a calm, loving state for a moment (after getting excited over the thought of blood).  Kinley’s a psychologist who took care of his unwell mother at a young age.  He seemed to be picking up on Sydney’s excitement here. So for a brief moment…you think MAYBE Kinley has come over to calm Sydney down and drive away his more murderous thoughts?  NOPE. We’re quickly shown that this man is no different from the other three.  They ALL crave a hunt.  No matter how beautiful you paint a picture of each on the outside, they all have thorns underneath like a rose.

And in a twisted way, Sydney feels more connected with these three because he DOESN’T feel like a monster here.  They are all the same.  Which of course, is horrifying as a viewer. They’re probably far less likely to feel remorse for their actions if they know there are other people like themselves around to share their sick hobbies with.

It’s a chilling and perfect teaser for the inevitable Misfits game.  The message is clear:  Don’t trust any of them.

 Side note:  I personally look forward to seeing more egotistical Quill.  I love it even though I want to punch him in the face sometimes.

#Nightmare Realized #rockland #the misfits #runawayoutlaw #rottenbonethief #Sydney Dixie #Quinton Willow #Chase Knox #Ashley Kinley #Rockland Games #horror game #teaser

[buttlawyer]

@runawayoutlaw please keep ur furry husbands on their respective furry leashes. @sugarhazard is out here committing wanton furry acts in a designated non-furry zone & frankly???? he's scarring the kids

#@rottenbonethief #i'dve told u to keep ur husband on his leash #but ur ALSO out here committing furry acts #so 8//

[whumpsinthecloset]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Boyfriend to Death (Visual Novels) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Sano Kojima/Reader, Sano Kojima/You Characters: Sano Kojima, Sano BTD, Sano Boyfriend To Death Additional Tags: Parasite - Freeform, Insectophobia, Medical, Bugs and shit yo, Vomit, Torture, Horror Summary:

Sano’s running an experiment. Unfortunately for you, it involves some tests that are a little hard to swallow. Written for Day 1 of Goretober: Medical. Tags/Warnings: Some Nasty Bug Shit yo. Like real nasty. Also Vomit.

#btd #sano kojima

[rottenbonethief]

LikeTheLastDayOfSummer ---> RottenBoneThief

updating my username on everything, so if you follow me on AO3 it’s this shit now too.

[vios-rockland-corner]

Rumors of Rockland: Article 1

You’re new in town and about to start up work soon.  Still settling in, you’re looking around Rockland to find a good hang out place.  Someplace where you could just observe what goes on around you.  A place to get your bearings.

Rockland’s funny though.  You can’t help but feel this weird sense of foreboding sometimes.  Not to mention, there’s quite a few colorful characters about.  But that just makes it more intriguing, right?

[Full spoilers below for RoR: Article 1]

The Rumors of Rockland minigames are a continuous installment of visual novels by @runawayoutlaw and @rottenbonethief (@sugarhazard may have his own characters and art appear from time to time).  The MC in these games is the same character every time, making this an ongoing discovery from one set of eyes.  A nice little way to peak into the oddity of Rockland and its inhabitants from a much safer perspective than other games will allow. 

This installment series will also be part of the future 5 year in-game time skip.  Not only will the MC get to meet the characters when they’re younger, but this means they become a more fixed resident themselves and get to see what happens to many of these characters later on in life.

Story

Already with the release of the first article, the MC is finding Rockland to be anything but bland.  First we have a very brief run-in with two bartenders.  One who literally ducks out for a break before the MC can get a word in, and one who appears much friendlier (for the most part) but is also occupied soon-after.  Then we get startled by a loud commotion of a very unhinged man oozing violent thoughts as well as being on the verge of tears as his friends attempt to calm him down.  Then we get caught staring and meet the world’s friendliest drug dealer and his very horrified friend who just wishes.he.would.stop.  Have to say, the situation oddly does get the MC much more relaxed after the previous man’s outbursts.  With all this excitement, the MC just barely notices one bartender come back wiping blood off his cheek.  But after everything else that’s happened, the sight just seems to get pushed to the back of the MC’s mind.  Nor does the MC seem so perturbed with the sinister tone in the bartender’s voice.  It doesn’t dissuade you from making a return to the establishment. 

Quite a roller coaster there.

Rockland’s a small place, small enough apparently where all the locals know each other.  Several of these characters bring this up and it’s even hinted that…may not be to your advantage.  If you’re not from around there, they’ll spot you in a crowd.  As friendly as these people seem, we the audience unfortunately know better than the MC does in this situation.  We know there’s disturbing and sinister characters lurking about. 

A new face means potentially two things for locals:

1) You’re either far from home or you’ve yet to ingrain yourself in the community. 

2) You may very well BE alone, without any connections in town. 

In a normal sane town, that just means the newbie has to learn to acquaint themselves with people and the townsfolk have to come to accept the new face as a resident.  Just the normal challenges of joining a new community.  Here in Rockland though, there are folks who likely share a friendly smile because their excitement over a new face comes from a very dark place.  After all, what kind of people make better victims than those so far from help?

 I’m sure not everyone that steps foot in Rockland has the unfortunate fate of going missing.  It IS a tourist town, and that’d bring a bad reputation if no one made it out alive.  But every now and then the darker folks won’t be able to contain themselves, and just decide to pluck some poor individual from the crowd.  Such events probably don’t catch the outside’s eye enough (or soon enough) to cause mass alarm.  But it happens just enough to make Rockland a very special kind of horror.

So if you can’t hide among the locals, what’s a new person to do?  One, be incredibly lucky I’m sure.  Two, get to know the right people.  I like to think there’s a “judging” or “probationary” phase for anyone new who enters Rockland.  How long this goes for, who knows.  If integration is successful, I’m sure the chances of survival shoot up much higher for the newcomer.  It might also be possible that killers may not want to target locals because not only will those faces be missed IMMEDIATELY, but who knows what other families or groups you’ll upset if you target the wrong person. 

Characters

So how about the very first characters the MC meets here?

Not much we learn about Foal.  The finger up seemed like a specific signal to Whesker though.

You’ve got the bartender Whesker.  Seems like a friendly and jovial guy for the little bit of time you get to spend with him.  But he also is one of the first to warn you about telling people you’re new and don’t know anyone here.  There are hints of something dark within this man.  It’s difficult to say though what he thinks of the MC.  Is he subtly giving them a warning here about how dangerous Rockland is?....Or does he already view them as a victim?

Then, you’ve got the violent man Avery.  It’s plain to see this is a man you do NOT want to get in the crossfire of.  He’s very unstable and his stress gives him the urge to grind anything to dust as a way to deal with his emotions.  For anyone who’s played the Misfits: First Blood demo…you know these threats are not empty.  He very much has the capacity to kill someone, no matter how little their offense is.  Luckily, he’s accompanied by his friend Callum who seems to not only know Avery well enough that he’s spared getting a punch in the face, but looks like he’s had to handle a situation or two like this before.  Avery is terrifying, but also tragic.  We don’t know what he’s done here, but from the demo we can take some pretty good guesses.  What’s interesting is that he KNOWS that stuff isn’t okay though and doesn’t actually even want someone to say it is.  He’s self-aware.  But he seems to have no control over his emotions.  There’s also a hint that alcohol was a factor here. 

It seems that Avery also has someone who he doesn’t want to disappoint, but the things he does would break their heart.  The man we see depicted in the bar I think is someone who is their own worst enemy.  He might have difficulty controlling his emotions and/or actions (ex. excessive drinking), but he knows what he shouldn’t do and wants to be better.  It’s a curious thing…can he get better?  Even some of the people who know him have their doubts.  We know Avery’s coming full blast in the “Welcome to Rockland” game, but it’s possible we may ONLY see his worst in that.  With more RoR installments, perhaps we’ll get to see if Avery ever gets better…or worse.

One problem that Avery may have is that he lives in Rockland of all places.  It’s possible that he gets away with a LOT more than a normal criminal does because things like that are considered the norm in Rockland, or because they get swept under the rug.  It’s not incredibly clear, but it’s possible that Whesker had been called out back specifically to clean up Avery’s “mess.”  This is a problem because it means Avery lives in a place where there are little consequences to his actions.  If you go so long without punishment, it’s hard to find a reason to reign yourself back in.  Even his friends like Callum worry that they may be enabling his behavior.  It’s difficult when you know the good sides of a person because you feel less inclined then to berate them when they mess up.  But sometimes you have to call someone out on their behavior, even if it hurts their feelings.  With Avery, I don’t know if yelling at him would be a good idea though, considering how dangerous he can become.  Tough situation.  If you can’t tell, I have mixed feelings about the fellow since I know his violent nature, but something about seeing him helpless here was a little sad.

Finally, you’ve got the drug deal Tyler.  Literally, probably the nicest drug dealer you could ever meet.  Certainly an eccentric fellow, he’s oddly far less frightening than someone like Avery.  His friend Dylan may be horrified by Tyler lacking any means to be discreet, but they seem like good friends none-the-less.  Interestingly enough, Tyler and Dylan are probably the most welcoming and safest appearing characters that you meet this time around.  Are they truly safe?  Who knows.  That might be a fun future game to play: Which Rockland character is safe?

Future characters mentioned but not physically in this installment include cops like Roy.  It’s very possible we may get to see, if not Roy, at least one cop or detective at the bar in the future.  I’m looking forward to that kind of interaction, because what do the cops of Rockland think of new folks?  Do they view them as potential victims they need to keep an eye on more for safety?  Do they act a little gruff to make Rockland seem less welcoming (so the newbie will leave)?  Or are they corrupt and completely aware of what goes on in Rockland (but let things be)…so they don’t make any attempt to drive away or give any kind of warning to the player?  Maybe they just flat out don’t like newcomers because it’s a tight nit town and they already have enough on their plate.  Rockland also seems to be a place that attracts sinister characters honestly.  Not just potential victims.  So the cops may be skeptical about what kind of character has just rolled into town. 

This is only the tip of the iceburg.  There’s so much more to discover, and I feel like these installments will be a great way to see sides of characters we don’t normally get to see in the main games.  I for one enjoy a setting where the MC gets a chance to observe some of these characters in a more public setting.  Oh I’m sure the more intimate settings with certain characters in the others games will be to die for.  But you know, maybe save those games for your more expendable OC’s.

#Rockland Games #Rumors of Rockland #RoR #runawayoutlaw #rottenbonethief #rockland #visual novel #avery greyson #Whesker #Tyler Stryker #Dylan Austin #Callum Willow

[vios-rockland-corner]

Life in Rockland 1

[Author’s note:  “Life in Rockland” is a creative writing project utilizing a specific OC in place of the MC for the “Rumors of Rockland” series.  I do not own any part of the Rockland universe, only my OC.  Fair warning, creative writing is not my forte.  This is a means of practice and a fun way to enjoy the content further].

Sasha Holmes is new to Rockland and just had quite an interesting day.

 Setting: After game events

Play: Rumors of Rockland- Article 1

[Spoilers below for RoR Article 1]

Sasha’s Choices:

[“Like the guy from Resident Evil?”]

[“Ah ha, what exactly do you have to do to look like you’re from around here?”]

[“Are you serious?”]

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“I can’t believe you’re still not unpacked yet.  Hasn’t it been almost a week since you moved?”

The voice came from Sasha’s laptop.  She was busy multi-tasking while video-chatting with her best friend Pierce.  Well she could see his face IF she turned over from rummaging through boxes and laying out things on the floor.  Some might consider this rude, but Pierce just found it a little hilarious.

“Look it’s a lot of stuff okay?  Besides, I was busy this week going back and forth with work preparations and trying to get the layout of the place,” Sasha said with a huff, looking over her shoulder at the computer.

“Sounds like too much work. You should’ve just stayed home. What’s wrong with waiting a few more years before moving out?”

“Nothing.  Nothing’s wrong with it.  I just...”

“Wanted to break your best friend’s heart?” Pierce gives a very exaggerated pout.  Sasha turns around and smiles coyly.  She crawls over to the computer and lays in front of it, resting her chin on folded arms.

“No.  Even though you kind of deserve it sometimes.”

“I COULD always go easy on you in pool you now?  I don’t mind toning it down.  You’re not gonna beat me otherwise.”

“First off, I don’t want a pity play from you.  Second, you know damn well how close I got last game.”

“Yeah, only to hit the eight-ball into the complete opposite pocket you called. Gotta say, it was almost impressive how you hilariously made a masterful bounce into the wrong fucking pocket,” he grins, holding back his laughter.

“Well I mean that counts as skill doesn’t it?”

“Yeah like scoring a basketball shot for the other team.”

“Whatever, jerk.”

“But back on topic…”

“Okay yeah, look.  I love my hometown, my parents, and even your obnoxious butt.  But I just…didn’t want to get rooted.  I didn’t want to be living with my parents the whole time.  I didn’t want to know ONLY my home.”

“You worry too much.  The rest of the world’s not going to get up and leave if you take too long to hit the road Sasha.”

“I know that, but I wanted…a challenge.”

“A challenge?  You?  I thought you liked everything neat and controlled.  You want to throw things out of wack now?”

“Nothing elaborate.  Just a life challenge.  Take care of my own expenses and start from the ground up.  Meet people on my own and establish a career.”

“I feel like you’re letting your childhood slip away here.”

“Pierce, we’re not kids.”

“YOU sure as hell aren’t.  You always took freakin part-time jobs during college, and full-time jobs in the summer. I had to DRAG you out to the pub and parties for your own sanity.”

“Well moving and covering the cost of living is EXPENSIVE, Pierce.”

“Jesus, how much did you have saved up?”

“Enough so that I could get a place living by myself,” Sasha smiled proudly.

“Not that I don’t think that’s an impressive achievement girl, but I think I would have felt a little better if you had a roommate.  You’re out there by yourself I mean.”

“Look I worked hard for this, so I want my privacy.  I also didn’t really feel comfortable with finding a roommate way out here.”

“You didn’t pick your roommate in college either though.”

“Yeah, but that was our local college Pierce.  I had friends and family right nearby, so if things got weird I had help.  I’m a few hours away from all that now.”

“A ‘few hours’ you say.  It’s like, you’ve gone too short a distance to even warrant a move, and yet just far enough to making it a hassle with visits.”

“I disagree.  I think it’s the perfect distance.  I wanted to be able to visit home, but I didn’t want the temptation to go running home every chance I could get.  Not impossible to go home though.  The point here Pierce is for me to be ‘independent,’” she huffed.

“Whatever.” Pierce rolled his eyes.

“Say what you will, the deed is done.”

“So uh…Rockland.  Why?”

Sasha shrugged.  “No particular reason.  Just seemed like the best choice.  I looked at job advertisements for surrounding areas by distance, looked at their reviews and job pay and what kind of areas they were located at.  The job in Rockland was just better pay from my current job, and the place is small but still attracts tourists.  Means I don’t have to worry about being overwhelmed, but at the same time it SHOULD have just enough amenities and attractions to keep me entertained.”

“Oh?  Entertain yourself huh?  Last I checked that was my job.  Isn’t your idea of fun sitting at a café and going through files?” He smirked.

“Very funny.  Did you forget all the movies we’d watch together too?  I don’t need a buddy for that, and I’ll find other hobbies here. Maybe I’ll start running again.”

“Well good.  Not like you’re gonna get any excitement from your current job.  I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to push yourself to do something a little more interesting.”

“Thaaat’s what the hobbies are for Pierce.  The job is just for stability.”

“Could have added a little more drama to your life if you’d just decided to follow your namesake.”

“Pierce, literally no one in my family has ever been a detective.  DESPITE our last name.  It’s just a random name picked by a random author for a character that became randomly popular.  It is not a go ahead to pursue a career in criminal justice.”

“Seriously, why has NO ONE in your family ever tried to be a detective?”

“Because it requires you to see a lot of messed up shit?  I think I’ll pass.  I mean…if it makes you feel better, I had a great uncle who was a PI.”

“Really?? What was that like!?” Pierce looked a little excited.

“Honestly?  From the stories I heard, he just got a lot of crazies paying him.  People paranoid about being stalked or just using him as a way to harass others.  Wasn’t exactly fun work.”

“Bummer,” he said in a dejected tone.  “Well, I guess if you’re in a place like Rockland, probably wouldn’t get much action anyway.”

“What makes you say that?  Haven’t you been here before?”

“Just SOUNDS plain to me.  LITERALLY makes me think of rocks.  Yeah I’ve been there.  But that was like, when I was a kid?  Just visiting.  Was never for long.  Uncle was there.”

“Right.  Younger you was probably also too busy running around and sticking his hands in the dirt to actually pay attention to what was around you.”

“Yeeeeep that sounds like me,” he smirked.

“Well, I don’t know if the place has changed since you were little or you literally just have zero awareness of what’s around you, but I wouldn’t EXACTLY call this place boring.  Not after today.”

“Oh?” Pierce leaned in, curious.  “I’m so sorry, what WAS your day like dear Sasha?”

“Well, I was…looking for a place for a regular hangout.  I found this one bar in the Town Central.  At least it felt a lot more welcoming than some of the clubs around here.  Most of the people in general seem friendly here…but they can tell I’m new.  Like…ALL of them can tell.  It’s a little nerve-racking.”

“Look if you didn’t want to want to stick out like a sore thumb, you should have moved to a city.  I told you that.  Much easier to blend in there.”

Sasha shook her head.  “No, I didn’t want to get overwhelmed like that.  The best city choices were too big.  Then I’d really feel lonely.  It’s not bad here, I just…have to be sure I make a good first impression is all.  I don’t…think they hate new people?”

“You JUST said they were friendly, didn’t you?”

“Yeah but…see the bartender…” Sasha shook her head again, “No, no you know what?  I think I was just getting jittery since it’s a new place.  Forget it.”

Pierce tilts his head. “What about the bartender?”

“He…OH!  His name,” she quickly recovered and laughed.  “His name is Whesker!”

“Like Resident Evil Whesker?” Pierce chuckled.

“EXACTLY LIKE RESIDENT EVIL WHESKER!  Dude even knew what that was!”

“SHIT FOR REAL?!  That’s actually pretty sick.  Points for the bartender.  What’d you order from him?”

“Nothing, actually.  Him and the other bartender had to do something out back.  Didn’t actually get to drink anything the whole time I was there.”

“Boo.  Points deducted.”

Sasha chuckled, “Well I mean they were busy.  I wasn’t really mad.  Kind of got distracted with this one guy having…a mental breakdown?”

“Woah.  Like, what do you mean?”

“I mean he was…really off kilter.  Not gonna lie, dude was kind of terrifying.  He kept cussing up a storm and saying he was gonna slit someone’s throat. He did SOMETHING awful.  Could not figure out for the life me what EXACTLY he did. He had a friend with him and I was certain this dude was going to punch him in the face or toss him across the room. He didn’t though.  He just…kinda…slumped down into a weeping mess. It was weird.  He said something about drinking.  I think the dude was an alcoholic.  It was kind of scary to watch.  At first I was kind of quivering from the raw temper he had.  Then…I felt a little empty.”  Sasha went a little quiet.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Pierce said in a reassuring tone.  “Dude was probably just drunk.  Lots of people probably get a little emotional when they’re drunk.  Met a ton of guys who say a lot of shit they don’t really mean when they’re wasted.  Did he go near you?”  Pierce looked a little concerned.

“Oh no, no I didn’t get caught up in any of that.  His friend I guess took him to some place to cool off.  The alcoholic kept saying something about disappointing someone for…whatever he did.”

“That’s good.  If you were to guess what he did though, what would you say?”

Sasha shrugged.  “Maybe he got in a fight?  Broke someone’s nose?  Or maybe he’s got a gambling problem?”

“Yeah.  Could be those.  He could also literally have just spent all his paycheck on booze, and now he’s gotta figure out what to do for rent.  I’ve seen that a few times.  Whatever the case, just…keep your distance Sasha.  Dude was probably just being overly emotional, but I suggest you stay away from wildcards like that you know?”

“Oh yeah don’t worry.  I don’t do so great anyway with very…loud people.”

Pierce laughed. “Yeah I know.  Just saying that if it’s a small place, you MIGHT spot him again.”

“I’ll be careful.  Should be easy to tell if he’s been drinking again anyway.”

“Sounds like his friend can keep him under control.  Don’t worry, I’m sure the next person you come across won’t be as scary Sasha.”

“Well…by all accounts…I suppose you’re not wrong, even though I feel like you should be,” Sasha laughed nervously.

Pierce cocked an eyebrow.  “The heck is that supposed to mean?”

“I..ummm…I never thought I would say this in my entire life…”

“And that would be?”

“….I met a drug dealer.”

Pierce blinked. “YOU.  Met a DRUG DEALER?  You are shitting me right now.”

“No, no this is a thing that happened.  Right after the alcoholic left.”

“What, you parked close to the back alley and he came out to hassle you?”

“No this was in the bar.”

“Oh, oh so you’re telling me that a drug dealer just walked right the fuck up to you and said ‘Hey wanna buy some drugs?’” Pierce was grinning and trying to hold back his laughter.

“…Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“YES!  I’m not joking! This happened!  And the dude collects snow globes and friendship bracelets too!” Sasha blurted out, exasperated.

Pierce burst out laughing, “NO FUCKING WAY!  No, I’m not believing that shit for a second.  Sasha you must have misinterpreted something there or this dude was just fucking with you.”

“THERE’S NO WAY TO MISINTERPRET THE LINE WORD-FOR-WORD, ‘You want to buy drugs, kid?’”

“Sasha no drug dealer is going to deal that stuff in public.  Cops eat at those places too.”

“Yeah, about that…apparently the cops here are either inept or can be ‘persuaded.’  I don’t know. Tyler’s plan was apparently to give them a blow if he got caught.”

“Okay one, who’s Tyler?  And two, which blow you talking about?”

“Tyler is the drug dealer and…both?”

Pierce stares for a full 10 seconds, stunned.  He then burst out laughing again, falling over on his side this time.

“OH MY GOD!  OH MY FUCKING GOD! Sweet innocent Sasha left home for no less than a week and you’re already hooked up with the world’s nicest drug dealer.  Oh man.  Sasha I take back what I said about Rockland.  Sounds like a riot.”  He had a large Cheshire grin on his face, but was holding his sides from laughing so hard.

Sasha rolled her eyes and said in a deadpan tone, “Well I’m glad through this long conversation, the thing that finally seems to get you to approve of my move is my association with a drug dealer.  Of all things.  Your reaction also makes me understand Dylan’s pain even more now.”

Pierce sighed, “Oh man, that just, that just made my day.  Thank you….wait who the hell is Dylan?”

“You’re welcome, and Dylan is Tyler’s friend.  He was mostly horrified about how open Tyler was.  Probably one of the more sane people in the bar that night. He dragged Tyler away at the end.”

“Aww, so you didn’t get any drugs?”

“No?  No number, no drugs.”

“Why would you NOT get drugs?!”

“What th-YOU KNOW ME!  That’s not me.  Plus my parents would have a heart attack if I tried anything.”

“But Sasha!  It’s not enough to just not buy a product from a vendor whose actions you don’t approve of.  You gotta purchase from their competition whose conduct you prefer!”

“…Okay I get what you’re saying.  Like if I want to support humanely raised animals, buy the food in the store that’s only from farms with humane raising tactics.  But, Pierce…you’re talking about DRUG DEALERS here. That’s ALL illegal.”

“Same difference.  I’d rather pay the friendly snow globe collecting drug dealer in the bar than the creepy freak in the dark alley.  It’s how you make the world a better place Sasha!  Illegal or not, not like they’re going away.”

“You are…just…I think I understand Dylan’s feelings even more now.”

“Let me come visit sometime.  You can take me to see Tyler.”

“Oh hell no!  If I have any say in this, I’m gonna try my hardest that you two never meet.  I will NEVER hear the end of it otherwise.”

“Boo.  Fine, be that way.  …Hey can I tell your parents about Tyler?”

“NO.  You’ll make THEM start to question my choice in coming here.”

“Okay okay.” Pierce settled down.  “So in summary, you walked into a bar where the bartenders dipped out, an alcoholic was in hysterics and the drug dealer was trying to get you in his books….Eh, you know when I say it out loud it doesn’t sound like the craziest bar ever. May even be pretty normal compared to some standards,” he grinned.

Sasha chuckled, “Yeah, I think I’ll pay the place another visit sometime. It was…interesting.”

“You could use a little spice in your mundane life girl.  Sounds like this place could be a gem.  Let me know who else pops up there next time, kay?” he winked.

“I will.  Have a good night Pierce.”

“Say hi to Tyler for me!”

“GOOD NIGHT Pierce.”

Sasha clicked “End Call.”

Sasha sighed.  She felt emotionally exhausted.

Her eyebrows furrowed.  “Did I forget something?  I think that was all the news.  There was something though…” Sasha thought to herself.  Something was nagging at her.

“The…bartender?  What am I…oh no I mentioned his name!  Pretty sure that was it,” she chuckled.

Sasha looked at the boxes and just shook her head.  She’ll finish it later.  Right now, bed sounded like the best idea after all that excitement.

#Rockland #Rockland Games #rumors of rockland #runawayoutlaw #rottenbonethief #my OC #sasha holmes #Life in Rockland #RoR

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RoR Article 2: Do Nothing

To make things easier on myself, I’m splitting up my thoughts on the Rumors of Rockland second article.  I already gave an overview of this game.  Here, I’ll cover whatever random thoughts and observations I had for the events that occur when you choose to do nothing.

 [Major spoilers below for Rumors of Rockland Article 2]

First off, it’s not unrealistic that the MC passing by might not choose to do anything about Callum’s situation.  They’re not wrong that they could get hurt or be a hindrance.  Shame they wouldn’t think to go get help but let’s be honest…a lot of people prefer to stay out of trouble and leave people to their own devices.

If it makes you feel better, you could always imagine up an MC who has a bit of a deeper reason why they would choose to do nothing in this situation.  The MC may suffer from extreme anxiety that won’t allow them to think properly if they try to invest themselves in the situation.  This could even be related to trauma in their past. Maybe they even did try to either help directly or get help for someone else in a similar situation like this before…but it ended poorly.  Or maybe the MC has the belief that people need to be able to take care of themselves? Could be a lot of reasons you could come up with for that line of thinking, good or bad.

Or yeah, people do just pass by a lot of stuff daily without inserting themselves.  Like I said, not unrealistic.  At least we know Callum turns out fine here regardless.

When you choose to leave Callum alone though, there’s not much one-on-one interactions that occur afterwards.  You pretty much get stuck listening to the chatter in the bar because there’s no real good way to insert yourself from here on out.  I think that makes sense that if the MC wasn’t feeling up for helping Callum out, they also really wouldn’t have the confidence here to interject in whatever’s being said.  Not to mention, Avery clearly did not like strangers trying to start gossip with him.

Regarding this gossip in particular, there isn’t a whole lot for me to comment on.  This feels more like trivia about Trevor and Heidi, who clearly didn’t have a good relationship.  I don’t know about Heidi, but we might see Trevor in the future.  But otherwise there’s not much else to take from that.

I don’t think the subject of the conversation is the main takeaway here anyway.  What’s more important is the lesson about gossip and rumors.  By the way, yes I love that the creators actually utilized a “rumor” in this series. Now the title fits.  

What happened here is that Avery didn’t get all his details straight.  There was definitely some truth being said, but some of the facts were fabricated or exaggerated.  It’s a good thing Foal came along when she did to correct Avery.  If she hadn’t, rumors and gossips like that could have easily spread further among Avery and Callum’s friend group and reputations and events could have gotten worse for the wrong reasons.  

It would have been bad if they kept assuming that Trevor was using, and it would also been bad if they assumed Heidi was providing drugs.  Yes as bad as Heidi sounds, it’s very important that you judge a person for what they have ACTUALLY done, not an assumption.  People should be judged only for the crimes they actually commit.  Don’t ever make up stuff more than what’s been done (even if you hate a person, that’s still not fair regardless).

Brief real talk, this definitely applies to real life.  It’s never a bad idea to fact check something very serious if it’s something you’re especially concerned with.  If you’re not careful, lots of information about a person or event could end up being exaggerated about or misconstrued along the way.  What’s worse, there are people who WILL deliberately lie about something to sway an audience their way.  For example, we all know abusers and other toxic people exist.  You can even have a person who cheats on their S/O and then gets caught…who will THEN go to their friends or on social media and play the victim saying the S/O was the one who cheated on THEM.  I have a particular disgust for people who do that, and unfortunately as long as you act out the part of the victim properly, you can sometimes get people on your side without even providing evidence.

If you can ever find solid research and evidence to support claims made, that’s always best.  Getting everyone’s side of the story is good too. I understand though that it’s nearly impossible to NOT form an opinion or have certain emotions about something you’ve just heard.  I think what’s more important though is your actions after the fact.  I’m not a fan of people who act viscerally to the point where they take extreme measures without having tried to get the details from all sides.  But that’s just me.

I’ll stop there with the real talk though (this can be a touchy subject for me for a variety of reasons).  Let’s get back to the game.  What does mean now as the player?

Basically, it confirms that you can’t ALWAYS trust what some of these characters say to you. Admittedly, I made the mistake of actually believing every word Avery was saying before Foal stepped in. Why?  Because I don’t know these characters or this world very well yet, so I’m relying on the characters we’re presented to give me the low down.  Yes I know, very bad of me that I wasn’t even following my own advice.  But hey, it’s not like I was going out and flipping picnic tables or anything from stuff I heard, so no harm no foul.  It’s just a game.

If you’re like me, you were expecting every character to be knowledgeable about the goings-on in Rockland. Unfortunately, it seems not EVERY character’s words can be taken at face value.  From now on when a character talks, there’s going to be three types of information they’ll provide us:

-        Honest Truth

-        Misinformation

-        Deliberate Lie

Pretty self explanatory. Honest truth is provided by characters who are both knowledgeable about a subject or person AND see no reason to misconstrue facts to the MC or in an open setting.  Misinformation is provided by characters who aren’t INTENTIONALLY trying to lie, but are not actually as knowledgeable about a subject or person as they think they are.  The information they have could be an understatement, overexaggerated or misconstrued in some other way such as being taken out of context.  Avery serves as a good example of that here.  I stated in my previous post that I consider Avery a very honest person.  I still do. He was not TRYING to mislead Callum about what had happened.  He just had his facts wrong, so not a deliberate lie.  

Deliberate lies are provided by people who characters who are indeed knowledgeable about a character or subject, but choose to actively provide false information for their own purposes.  No we have no idea yet if we have come across any deliberate liars in RoR.  I wouldn’t be surprised though if the MC or other characters are lied to about “certain activities” other people commit to avoid a panic.  Especially if it has to do with murder or another crime.  

It may not always have to do with crime though.  Maybe some characters hate each other and will be trying to spread some nasty rumors so we view their enemy/rival in a more negative light when said person is actually not that bad.  Or it could be the opposite case where someone knows a person who is VERY messed up, but they will paint them in a good light because they are either a friend or just trying to cover for them.  Maybe they’re even trying to lure people into a false sense of security…

From the characters we’ve seen, here’s my guess list as to what I THINK these characters will provide us so far:

-Whesker: Honest Truth or Deliberate Lie

-Foal: Honest Truth or Deliberate Lie

-Avery: Honest Truth or Misinformation

-Callum: Honest Truth or Misinformation

-Tyler: Honest Truth

-Dylan: Honest Truth

- Shane: Honest Truth or Deliberate Lie

- Sydney: Deliberate Lie?

 I don’t have much to go off of here.  My reasoning goes as such: If they’re a much older character or appear more sound of mind, they’re likely more knowledgeable.  The younger ones I think are more likely to be honest or misinformed, and ones that are more likely to engage in criminal activity or more likely to lie.  Foal is the only one of those I don’t THINK engages in anything criminal, I see her more likely just KNOWING what some other people do.  Tyler and Dylan I don’t know much about, and I’m only going by how they seemed to view Avery in a different light than Callum does.

Speaking of Callum, I won’t be surprised if there’s a big chance of misinformation from this dude. I’m already thinking he treats Avery a little too lightly at times.  “Puppy dog” isn’t really what I’d describe Avery as…more like a “bull dog.”  I still have gotten no vibes that he does anything criminal other than use drugs he probably shouldn’t be doing.  I’m starting to doubt he even knows what his own brother Quill does on the side.  That means even more chances for misinformation.

What does this mean for me writing these posts then?  Well, despite everything I just said…I really will just be taking everything at face value.  Just like the MC said.  I know that sounds crazy, but unless I’m aware of a character’s actions and mannerisms from another game, there’s no way for me to know whether what I hear is accurate or not.  So in future posts, just know I will be treating nearly all information received as a fact to make it easier to discuss.  BUT, I may still entertain the possibility of the information given being false from time to time.  Probably not everything because that’d just be too much work, but things I guess I feel would be very interesting if they were false.  If that makes sense.

What else happened here? I did notice that I THINK what Avery was applying to Foal was that she’s been the victim of rumors before?  I’m not entirely sure to be honest.  It wasn’t very clear what Avery was implying (he was kind of tripping over himself there).

Finally, while we don’t connect with any characters this route, we get the little bonus at the end with Sydney and Shane Dixie.  Again, you can get their names if you check the website and scroll over their pictures where you would download the game.  The Dixie family is something in Rockland, but I don’t have enough information to really be able to guess what their deal is. Only other Dixie I think I remember is August Dixie.  It’s also interesting to note that Sydney’s last name is Dixie, but his father is named Dante Stryker.  Sydney’s mom and brother also have Stryker for their last name.  Not sure what to make of that yet.

Shane is apparently Whesker’s brother, so more proof that Whesker knows a LOT of dark stuff going on. We don’t have a lot of context in the scene for what just happened other than Sydney was helping a friend and Shane had to either help or completely bail Sydney out of a situation.  I won’t be surprised if we see similar situations like this in future where you have the older dubious folks having to keep the younger dubious kids in check.  Hey, lots of bad stuff happens in Rockland, but the older ones know they can’t let the younger ones grow up thinking they can get away with ANYTHING without getting caught.  That’s not going to be good for the town if it gains a bad reputation OUTSIDE of Rockland.

I could see the younger characters acting out a lot on their emotions or off a high that they can get away with whatever they want because they know people that can clean up after them. But yeah, the older folks need to teach them before it’s too late to use their head or else.  That’s probably why this game brought up a lot of names of people who keep things straight around town like Sergio.  There’s some order in this chaos.

I’m happy Shane didn’t see the MC as a liability here at least.  That’s a relief.

With that, I believe I’ve reached the end of my thoughts on Rumors of Rockland Article 2.  See you next time.

#Rockland #Rumors of Rockland #RoR #runawayoutlaw #rottenbonethief #avery greyson #Callum Willow #Foal #Rockland Games #Shane Dixie #Sydney Dixie

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RoR Article 2: Get Help

To make things easier on myself, I’m splitting up my thoughts on the Rumors of Rockland second article.  I already gave an overview of this game.  Here, I’ll cover whatever random thoughts and observations I had for the events that occur when you choose to get help.

[Major spoilers below for Rumors of Rockland Article 2]

Well now, this was quite a treat.  I will say this is the first time we really get to genuinely see Avery friendly.  In the Misfits demo he’s the thug from hell.  In Rumors of Rockland Article 1, he’s an absolute mess both raging and sobbing.  So it shouldn’t be too surprising that thus far I haven’t had the most positive view of Avery.  Mostly fear and some sympathy, but this article let him just be a normal dude you can chat with (well, after the fight).

It does sound very logical that the MC would go to try to get Whesker for help.  Whesker’s not only someone they know, but he’s one of the people running the bar so yeah, he might not want a fight breaking out in the alleyway.  But he’s not there this time, so you make due on short notice. You know at least Callum and Avery are buds, so he might be able to help.

 Avery doesn’t hesitate, and the good news is that he’s able to subdue the drunks fast.  It’s not that the drunks didn’t deserve at least a punch in the face, but we know Avery was very much capable of killing them.  In fact, without Callum and the MC there, he likely would have.

Callum at least recognizes right away when Avery’s taking things too far and does make an attempt to get Avery to stop.  He does try to make a little joke of it though to the MC that Avery’s “not letting up.”  I don’t know if he was just trying to calm the very alarmed MC at the moment, or if he just assumed there wasn’t much he could do to stop Avery at this point. Maybe it’s both.  We don’t know yet if Callum’s always able to stop Avery when he’s present or if Callum just can’t read the warning signs before it’s too late sometimes.

Remember, Avery was merciless to the MC in the Misfits demo when he didn’t even know what offense the MC had committed.  You bet that Avery would have murdered the drunks for messing with Callum.

Luckily Callum is able to stop Avery from getting blood on his hands. I’m not entirely sure though if Avery stopped because Callum raised his voice on the second try, or because Callum reminded Avery that the MC was there.  I don’t know if Avery was more interested in not upsetting Callum or not killing in front of the MC.  Took Avery a second to stop looking a little fierce until he noted the MC cowering.

Notice how when Avery calms down, he acts almost like nothing had happened.  There’s no remorse.  First he seems reserved when he joins Callum and the MC, but he then joins in on the conversation and sometimes even takes over a little.  

Overall it was very interesting listening to the two of them.  Rockland’s painted with a nice image at some points, but we’re also still reminded of the danger.  A couple more of my questions got answered.  It’s confirmed that if you know the right people and know how to cover your tracks, you can get away with a lot.  It helps that it sounds like people in Rockland usually take care of their own business rather than running to the police for help.  Usually at least.  Sounds like there are also several people who take charge around Rockland. I suppose if the Irish mafia has a hold on the town, it kind of makes sense why people would conduct themselves this way.

 We also learn that simply being in Rockland doesn’t guarantee you’re going to die.  Avery says you can walk by a really unhinged person every day and have nothing happen to you.  So that calms my nerves a little.  But at the same time, I have to remember that the main games to be released in the future will primarily be horror.  Hard to let my guard down sometimes.  But I’m thinking with those games it’s going to show us what the experience is like for an MC who either offended the wrong person, stuck their nose where it didn’t belong or is just plain unlucky.  Avery said don’t do stupid things that would get you killed in a horror film after all.

In the future I’ll dedicate a post to Avery completely, but that won’t be until after his game “Welcome to Rockland.”  But I will say that from all I’ve seen about him so far, Avery is a completely honest character.  He lets you know EXACTLY how he feels about something or a person (whether it’s good or bad) and won’t mince words.  All the stuff here that he warns the MC about I think is probably on point.  When he says he’s one of the people you shouldn’t mess with in Rockland, we know how dead serious of a statement that is.  

It’s kind of fun when dialogue like that pops up actually.  For the MC in the story, it’s a little unnerving but they could see it as just a joke or someone trying to put up some bravado. Though the MC did witness Avery almost killing two guys, there may still be some doubt if he would REALLY have gone that far.  As the audience playing the game, we know what the truth is though.

I look forward to more morbid or casual warnings from characters in the RoR series that we may get to see are very real in the main line games.

Other fun bits, I absolutely loved the part with Avery shaking Callum after Callum just nonchalantly confesses to getting ecstasy from Tyler. Genuinely laughed out loud at that. Seems Avery can also be a little more sensible than even Callum at times.  Callum seems so carefree about nearly everything.

I’m all for Whesker kissing guys, Callum being a little feminine and AveryxCallum as well~  Also, what the hell Kinley?! XD

Also learning that Tyler is an actual doctor is flat out hilarious. So many jokes you can make with that. Like…does that mean he’d feel obligated to tell you all the side-effects of the drugs when you make a deal with him? Drug dealer and doctor are such opposite positions it really makes the whole situation bizarre.  Not entirely sure what Tyler’s been getting away with currently since it sounds like there are luckily other characters in Rockland there to go, “NO DON’T DO THAT!”

 Oh, I forgot to mention something!  Someone else brought this to my attention, I didn’t figure this out myself. There’s a small edit that was made at least to the very end of Article 1 where Whesker does ask for and gets your name.  You just pick to play article 1 in the 1.7 patch and you’ll find it.  That’s very important because you probably noticed in this article that Callum calls you correctly by your name.  The MC didn’t formally introduce themselves in this article.  This is further emphasizing how much the MC sticks out in town since Callum was able to figure out who you were when even the MC confirmed he hadn’t turned around last week to see you.  This also means that Whesker’s a bit of a gossip, haha. I’m not really surprised since he’s a bartender, and a new person in town would likely be a hot topic.  So if he knows your name, he’s going to pass it around.  Again, that just serves as a reminder that you can’t blend into this town quietly.

It really did feel like at the end that Callum, Avery and the MC were genuinely having a good time together.  Lots of small details thrown out in the ending conversation, but I think the biggest takeaway was just there are people who’ve been around for a long time and getting close with some people gets you inheriting a bunch of stuff.

I can’t confirm if the MC has full friendship status with Avery and Callum here, but it definitely sounds like they could freely ask them any questions they had from this point forward.

#Rockland #Rumors of Rockland #RoR #runawayoutlaw #rottenbonethief #Callum Willow #avery greyson #Rockland Games

[vios-rockland-corner]

RoR Article 2: Help Callum

To make things easier on myself, I’m splitting up my thoughts on the Rumors of Rockland second article.  I already gave an overview of this game.  Here, I’ll cover whatever random thoughts and observations I had for the events that occur when you choose to help Callum.

[Major spoilers below for Rumors of Rockland Article 2]

First surprise here, Callum can actually hold his own.  Have to admit, wasn’t really expecting that (dude kind of looked sickly in older sprites). Well honestly, I wasn’t exactly expecting the MC to be capable of driving off the drunk dudes themselves unless they were going to threaten to call 911.  More like…I didn’t know what to expect.  Since it was now 2-on-2, was the MC suddenly going to start throwing down? I just didn’t see it happening. No, turns out Callum was quite capable of taking these guys out by himself.  

What I love about this though is that the minute the MC enters the scene, Callum actually goes into protection mode.  He may genuinely have not been afraid of these guys from the start and thought it was even funny to see them riled up.  He’s initially holding back his laughter when the two guys are initially antagonizing him and only got a little serious when they brought Whesker’s name up. Between the first two articles, Callum’s now shown concern for people like Avery, Whesker and the MC.  The MC isn’t even someone he’s close to yet. Maybe I’m calling this a little too early, but Callum might just be a nice and well-meaning guy.  There are certainly a lot of dangerous characters in Rockland, but so far nothing to suggest anything sinister about Callum whatsoever.

Getting back to the scene, I kind of found it adorable that the MC rushing in flips a switch for Callum. It was like he was going, “Hey, woah woah woah.  These guys are a joke, but seriously I don’t want anyone getting hurt now.”  So his playtime had to end.  Otherwise, he seems like he’s pretty goofy and relaxed most of the time.

By the way, who else took a good look at that CG of Callum giving a good kick?  If you look in the background, you can actually see the silhouette of a person.  SOMEONE saw that whole altercation go down, but didn’t interrupt.  We can’t be sure though if the MC hadn’t been there, if this person would have come down to assist Callum instead.  Might not have been someone concerned about Callum (just watching out of curiosity).  In the “Do Nothing” path, Callum does not even mention what happened outside when he goes to talk to Avery (but he doesn’t act frazzled at all).

A curious thing about the silhouette though is that it’s very reminiscent of the drawings seen in the “Nightmare Realized” teaser game for the Misfits.  Coincidence?  We do even see Sydney show up in the “Do Nothing” path.  Was he the one watching and came to help out Callum if the MC doesn’t help in anyway?  Sydney did mention helping his friends, but whether that’s related to Callum or something else, I’m not sure.  Callum is Quill’s brother, but we don’t have evidence yet that Sydney and Callum are friends with one another.

Moving on, it seems Callum is quite similar to Quill when it comes to being very chatty and dropping names like crazy.  Must be a Willow thing (wonder if the parents are like that too).  Callum gives you a lot of interesting information though, but it differs vastly depending on what person you’re most interesting in asking about.

If you ask about Sergio, you learn that the town is basically run by the IRISH MAFIA. That…explains a whole lot.  Prior to this, I had theorized that some of the crime syndicates may have some pull with finances and politics of Rockland when I was trying to think about how the Professionals could operate for so long without repercussions.  I believe this might sum it up pretty well.  It’s kind of funny how normal Callum treats the matter too.  I mean, I appreciate that the mafia aren’t racists and try to keep some order (mafia is indeed ORGANIZED crime).  That’s always nice.  Still…it is a mafia.  Not only does that mean that people in Rockland might not want to get a swelled head for justice around these parts, but crime is still crime.  We don’t know yet what kind of illegal activities the mafia does yet.  Could be just a lot of theft and forgery.  Or perhaps there is a lot of murder and human trafficking behind the scenes.

This also explains why a lot of the characters in Rockland have Irish accents.  Before these games, I knew a couple of the characters like Trevor and Roy were Irish.  Apparently Whesker has an accent too.  I genuinely just thought it was just a foreign type the creators’ favored.  But there’s actually more meaning to having numerous Irish characters in Rockland now.  It also means if you come across someone in Rockland with an Irish accent…maybe do your best to stay on their good side.  Just in case.

Wait a minute…Roy is Irish (or at least he was)…That either could be just a coincidence, or there might be something interesting later down the road about that.  Is he linked to one of the Irish mafia families in anyway? If so, did he cut ties and is in opposition?  Or is he actually still part of that group too?  If it’s the latter, that would mean the police force in Rockland IS under the mafia’s thumb too.  We won’t know this I think until much later though.  Like I said, could also just be a coincidence that he’s Irish (if he still is). Not all Irish people know each other. It’s more likely though in such a small and tight nit town like Rockland.

If you ask about Scarlet, then you just get some fun image in your head of family gatherings for holidays. Cute but what I really want to focus on here is that BEASTKIN ARE OFFICIALLY MENTIONED IN GAME FOR THE FIRST TIME!  I know there are probably several people who are excited about that.  It’s officially our first supernatural element introduced if you don’t include the Zeitgeist demo.  Now we don’t know a lot about beastkin, just that they’re around.  Both Scarlet and Foal are beastkin, but you probably wouldn’t be able to tell Foal is one at a quick glance.  They can have tails (though unfortunately some had their tails cut off), but we don’t know what other kind of physical aspects usually manifest.  With Foal, she has darker skin and white hair.  The darker skin isn’t really a giveaway, but the white hair might be.  I had figured she just dyed it or something, but it’s possible that’s her natural hair color.

If you’re trying to make a beastkin OC for Rockland, not much I could say yet for what is fair game in canon.  Just tails and possible hair color at the moment can give their beast status away. We don’t know anything about abilities yet.   I feel like we’re also going to be focusing on the more human elements of Rockland for the most part.  The beastkin are around, but not the main theme here.  Still nice to know it’s an existing element though.

If you ask about Jett, you learn Callum and Avery play music.  On the website, the Callum and Avery are indeed listed under “The Band” section.  This was more foreshadowing I believe for a future “Battle of the Bands” themed game. Fun, but not much else I feel I need to comment on here.  

After talking with Callum so long, I can’t be certain to say you gain full friendship status with him in this route, but you’re definitely on some pretty good terms now.  Avery probably appreciates hearing that you went to help Callum, but otherwise he’s more occupied with his troubled thoughts in this situation rather than getting to know you better.  You probably have earned good points with Avery here, but not nearly as much as if you do the “Get Help” route where you get much more conversation time with him.

Since you let Callum go after Avery though, Foal seemed to appreciate the choice and you get some positive interaction with her.  So points earned there too.

In the end, choosing to help Callum yourself gets you in good with Callum of course, and a slightly better reputation with Avery and Foal.  Not bad.  I can’t be certain if you’ve earned brownie points as well from the person who was watching in the CG because I don’t know if they were looking out for Callum’s safety or just looking for a show.

#Rockland #Rumors of Rockland #RoR #runawayoutlaw #rottenbonethief #Callum Willow #Rockland Games

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Rumors of Rockland: Article 2 Overview

Feeling much more comfortable in your new home of Rockland, you’re eager to return to the bar you remember being quite an interesting experience last time.  You’re hoping to see Whesker again, but what’s that commotion in the alleyway?...

 [Major spoilers below for Rumors of Rockland Article 2]

With the second article of Rumors of Rockland, we receive a much more dynamic experience.  

The first article released was in a much more linear style.  Dialogue options led to different conversations and small nuggets of knowledge you may not get with another option.  It made for a fun overall experience worth replaying to see all the different scripts, even if the choices were very few.

The overall experience of the first article was more consistent.  The major events that occurred were the same regardless of your options, such as introducing yourself to Whesker, watching the exchange between Callum and Avery and meeting Dylan and Tyler.  As a result, everyone’s MC will remember these events vividly and a few get a call back in the second article.  A new person should definitely play the first article before playing the second to better understand what’s going on.

Unlike the first article though, there is a HUGE difference with what happens to the MC just based on the first choice you get.

The only thing guaranteed that everyone’s MC will have the same knowledge and experience of is what was mentioned in the brief intro (MC feeling more confident in town, having mostly been unpacking, seeing Whesker at the farmer’s market and being introduced to Dexter and Alex) and hearing Callum getting confronted in the alleyway.  After this point though, the people you do or don’t connect with and the information you learn changes VASTLY depending on your choice of action.

You have three choices: You can help Callum yourself, go get help or do nothing.  The good news is, all choices lead to Callum ending up fine, don’t worry.  I know some people might feel a little guilty (like me) about the “do nothing” ending. But I assure you it is worth it to go back and see how ALL these choices play out.  Even the secondary choices you get once you pick a path lead to incredibly different focuses/information.  As a quick example, when talking to Callum and Avery, only one option has you learn that Tyler is a doctor.  Another example, talking to Callum alone, only one option lets you know it’s specifically the Irish mafia that runs the town.

It’s really fun to imagine either self-inserting oneself or playing as a personalized OC, and seeing what exactly happens with your particular MC.  You could either play as what would be the “ideal path” you would want to visualize your MC ends up with, or just play as what is most realistic for yourself or your OC to do/say in that situation and get what you get.  But unless your MC can time travel, you can only learn so much or connect with certain people based on your actions.

Now obviously, a lot of the stuff that happens after the first choice can’t necessarily be called back to in future articles.  Not in a way at least that would cause the MC to react different if they had learned about something prior.  Same with familiarity with certain characters.  The more dynamic paths are more fun because it makes everyone’s story a little different.  The more linear paths are easier to build off of though for future articles.  All MCs experience Tyler trying to sell you drugs, but not all MCs learn in this article that he’s a doctor for instance.

Not to worry, there are plenty of new characters to meet in Rockland and lore to learn that should prevent continuity errors.  

When it comes to character interactions, your choice makes a big difference as to who you end up on good terms with.  For a brief rundown:

-        Help Callum: You get more friendly with Callum, tiny interaction with Avery, and a little bit of friendly interaction with Foal

-        Get Help: You get more friendly with both Callum and Avery

-        Do Nothing: No personal connections made

Now I will say there is a consistent…I guess you could call it a theme, with this article in particular. It differs greatly what’s being talked about depending on your choices, but I’d say nearly every path hints at:  There is something wrong or dangerous with Rockland, BUT the dangers are downplayed or the MC is told they likely have nothing to worry about.  Avery makes it sound almost like you live in a horror film, but if least you mind your own business and don’t do something stupid, everything’s great!  The town is literally run by organized crime, but it’s played off in a way that’s viewed as “okay” or almost beneficial to the citizens.  Those are just a few examples.

The “Do Nothing” choice doesn’t portray this aspect as well as the other two, but we do have the small ending bit with Sydney and Shane (you get Shane’s name from the Rockland website) hinting something questionable happened…but when Shane passes you he just pats you on the head.  No threat about having heard anything because you’re recognized as one of Whesker’s regulars.

The first article just showed tiny hints of a sinister feel about.  This article became more open about some things, but the characters reassure the MC that they’re fine.  At least it seems that way.

Overall, this was a very good addition and I look forward to what the next article will end up being. If it’s another linear path, that’ll be something we could expect to get built on in a future article.  Or we could get another dynamic article like this one where personal MCs take a different journey from one another.

I wanted to give a good overview here for this article, but there’s obviously a lot going on here.  I figured it would be best to split up my thoughts.  Keep an eye out, because I’ll be returning to talk about certain aspects based on the “Help Callum,” “Get Help” and “Do Nothing” paths in the near future.

#Rockland #Rumors of Rockland #RoR #runawayoutlaw #rottenbonethief #avery greyson #Callum Willow #Foal #Rockland Games

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RoR Article 2: Spoiler-free chatter

I finally finished everything in Rumors of Rockland Article 2 released on Patreon~

As usual, I won’t spoil anything for now.  Usually I’d complain about having to wait for 2 weeks (when it’ll be released to the public) before I could really post anything...but honestly I think I’m gonna need those 2 weeks to prep posts with this one 0.0

No spoilers below line.  Just chatter that I originally wasn’t going to tag but...I have a little bit more to say than usual so I figured, “Oh heck, let’s just make this a tagged post.”

RoR article 2 is a little bigger than the last one.  While yeah there’s technically not a lot of choices you have to make, what you ask/do makes a HUGE difference as to who you spend time with and what information you get.

There is SO much information dumped into this article, haha.  Nearly every option you pick has very specific script.  This is going to take some time to sort things out.

Remember, this is supposed to be the same MC every time in the RoR series.  So that kind of makes it a little more fun and different for each player.  What exactly did YOUR MC do?  They learn very specific things depending on their actions here.  So with the information they do receive, how do they process it?  It gives you very different views of either certain characters or of Rockland itself based on what you hear.

I’ve played both the first article and this second one blind in the first playthrough as my own OC.  I play as naturally as it would fit her character.  I was quite surprised with what ended up happening honestly in this installment XD  I’m still debating whether to keep the first playthrough as what my OC canonically does.  Gotta admit, it’s a little tempting to want her to learn some things or converse with some people over others.  But that’s kind of what makes this a little fun: I can only pick ONE path.  My OC ain’t a time traveler, so I can only give her a single reality.  I still lean towards making sure what she does is in character.

It’s hard to tell for future installments, but depending how things work out, an MC might be able to “connect the dots” in some cases later on.  Not always though.  This article was able to play off of some of the stuff in the previous one because the first installment was a little more linear.  Article 2 would be a little more difficult to follow up on because the choices provide vastly different outcomes.

Not a problem though because future installments can always focus on bringing in brand new characters or talking about elements of Rockland not previously brought up.  

Basically, if there’s information brought up in an installment that ALL MCs are guaranteed to learn, then it’s fair game to spotlight again later.  If it’s something only learned through a specific choice path, then it probably won’t be as big of a focus in another installment.  Or at least it can’t be presented in a way that would have the MC react differently based on if it was something they COULD have previously learned or never learned through their choices.

While I won’t able to post any analytical posts or creative writing pieces until this installment goes public, you can at least expect to see me post a complete bio for my OC before then.  I know that’s more filler content for some people, so my apologies.  It’ll have to do until the public release.

I technically have the bio made now, but I’m still debating on whether to shorten it or change anything.  It’s tough when you want to give your character a background but have them moving through a story that’s not your own.

As for thought posts, definitely going to be at least one for this game.  Actually, it might be a lot easier to break some talk up into several posts because there’s just so much said here.  I need to figure out how to comment on everything without making the post into a mess.  Or less of a mess at least.

Overall, these game installments are proving to be an excellent way to explore facets of Rockland that we may not get to see even in a main game.

#rockland #Rockland Games #rumors of rockland #RoR #spoiler free #runawayoutlaw #rottenbonethief

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Rockland: The balance of good and evil

The date of this post is 3/27/20.  Please note that information revealed at this time via Patreon or any of the creator’s blogs may be subject to change after this date

I’ve been debating lately on how dangerous the Rockland universe is.  Lately it seems like there’s been more focus on the horror, so things start to look bleaker by the minute.  I was wondering if Rockland is primarily ruled by more evil forces and characters, but there may actually be some shred of light in this world.

I feel it’s best if I try to tackle this by looking at a few of the major groups I’m aware exist in this universe.

Let’s try examining alignments and see where we go from there with just a few (not all) of the main groups that exist in Rockland.

The Misfits

Alignment: Evil

Just based on the Misfits: First Blood demo and everything else we’ve seen and heard, I think it’s safe to say that the Misfits should generally be considered one of the more sinister elements of Rockland.  Now we haven’t seen all the characters yet, so characters here may indeed range between how evil one character is versus another.  Even the Misfits you meet in the demo game mention they do normal stuff from time to time.  They just have a propensity for murder.  Murder is a “no no” though, so I’m still classifying them as bad guys.  We’ve yet to see how big the group is, so how much of a hold they have over the town/city they live in is an unknown factor.  This group could either an occasional problem for society, or a much more serious danger.

The Professionals

Alignment: Evil

We have some names and faces now, but we definitely lack far more information on the Professionals than we do the Misfits.  Still, considering these characters have some confirmed blood ties with the Misfits, and even dialogue in the demo confirming that murder basically runs in the family, it’s probably safe to assume this group is just as dangerous as the Misfits.  In fact, they are possibly even more dangerous.  I went through some ideas in a previous post on the dangers the group could hold in society and how these familial connections mean you better watch out who you make an enemy of in Rockland.  I also touch on how this group may end up being the reason why so many of the human characters get away with murder.  Especially if it’s through the generations.  Same with the Misfits though, not sure how many characters make up the Professionals.  Numbers and positions in society would determine the overall threat they pose.

Fallen Angels

Alignment: Neutral?

After we get some games out on the Misfits, we’re probably going to head back into the focus on Zeitgeist (Cain’s remake game).  It sounds like we’ll get a lot of lore in said game and better learn about the Fallen Angels themselves.  Now, I’m not 100% sure on the alignment here, but I’m taking a stab to consider that the Fallen Angels are part of the natural order.  They have specific jobs to do relating to the mortal world, so that’s their main focus.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the reason they’re likely not going to swoop in and save people from characters they’d likely punish in the afterlife (like the Misfits or Professionals) is because they simply aren’t allowed to, or aren’t that invested in every single small infraction made by mortals.  I mean, if you live for thousands of years, you may not be that interested in solving every single little problem that occurs.  

Now...specific angels may fall into different alignment categories.  Sam Volkov my current guess is that he’d be something like Lawful Neutral.  I think he’s still a reaper in this universe, and when it comes to death everyone is pretty much equal (good, bad, young, old, you get the idea).  He can be a friendly character though from what we’ve seen in the Zeitgeist demo.  Another fallen angel I’m aware of that we haven’t seen yet (he WAS referred to though in the Zeitgeist demo) is Michael Volkov.  Now I have no confirmation on what his current role is, but in the past he was basically the fallen angel of war and chaos.  He wasn’t necessarily a character you wanted to run into either.  Now if he still has that role...he can TECHNICALLY still be neutral.  If it’s based on the natural order, sometimes you need entropy and conflict in the universe.  If it’s his job and he happens to enjoy it, *shrugs* we may just consider him chaotic neutral in this case.  Cain Zeitgeist is....well we have so many spoilers but this fellow makes me keep changing my mind as to what he’s about.  For now my guess is he’ll either be true neutral or chaotic neutral.  He still keeps me on my toes, but he may not be as bad as his previous incarnation.  

Then we have someone like Damien Morningstar.  In previous lore, he was both against Cain and honestly his father’s work in general.  Cain may be changing but I think....Damien in the Rockland universe is not only still going to be a priest, but also still hates his dad Luke (aka Lucifer).  So he may not stand for the same beliefs as all the other angels.  If he resembles some of his older incarnation, he could be one of the few angels who actively works in the mortal world to assist humans as much as he can.  Still not a lot of information yet, so I can’t be sure if he’s still neutral or if he jumps up into a good alignment.

Mark of Belial Main Cast

Alignment: Good

Much longer down the road, the creators want to work on a set of detective games known as the Mark of Belial (or at least that’s what the first game would be called).  In those games, you actually will be working to find a killer.  So naturally, you’re working with a specific police precinct to catch the perpetrator.  I think that blatantly tells us we’ll be working with the good guys for once.  Only way I could see the main cast here as a bad alignment is if we get the rug pulled out from under us and find out ALL the characters and division are corrupt, haha.  Not an impossibility, but I don’t think that’s the plan.  The original concept I believe was an all human cast, so I’m going to keep up with that assumption here.  So unlike the Fallen Angels who (mostly) probably keep their nose out of most mortal affairs unless it’s job related, this would be a group of human characters actively working towards the safety of the citizens.  So yay, finally some hope in all this!  This tells me not all the characters in Rockland will place their tail between their legs and bow to characters like the Misfits or the Professionals.  There may be SOME cowardly or corrupt members of the police/detective division you work with, but I believe the games WILL be geared towards trying to catch the culprit.  You do stand a fighting chance.

The Hand of God

Alignment: Good?

Another group without a lot of information, but the name gets thrown around here and there.  Now if the characters of the Mark of Belial Cast are all human, they will most likely end up dealing with (and being more competent with) human affairs.  The Hand of God we’ve gotten hints that they are more aware of some of the more supernatural elements of Rockland, including the Fallen Angels.  That means they KNOW stuff, which is a big help to keeping citizens safe.  The creators have said they are aware of the dangers some of these supernatural entities or characters pose.  I’m making the assumption for now that this group is actually made up of good guys trying to quietly keep the peace from behind the scenes.  While normal citizens are busy fearing disappearances or murders that are committed by human characters like the Misfits and the Professionals, the Hand of God is likely being kept busy by “bigger fish to fry.”  Not to say that humans can’t be extremely dangerous (either via a violent nature or a dangerous intellect), but between a human serial killer and a supernatural one, I’m placing my bets that the supernatural killer is much more of a threat.  Also, the reveal of certain supernatural elements to the public might cause a mass panic.  So I think the Hand of God group will be working for the greater good, but it’s very possible that they’ll have only so much time and resources to spend on dealing with the more dangerous elements or Rockland.  The police and detectives will just have to be left in charge of taking care of the more sinister human characters in Rockland.

I have to say...I feel a little better.  Yes, the more evil characters and elements of Rockland are likely still going to be EXTREMELY problematic.  They probably have ways not only to survive and avoid judgement, but to continue their heinous deeds as they please.  I wouldn’t have it any other way because it’s more fun and interesting when you have villains capable enough of committing evil deeds and getting away with it.  They won’t be a joke.  BUT, it does seem like not every character we meet in the Rockland games is going to be against us.  Sure, we may not know right away which characters we can trust or not, but it looks like there will be some who mean you no harm or even want to keep you safe.  It’s just a matter of which opponents the good guys are up against, and if they are in the right place at the right time to save the day.

You know what’ll be fun to see though?  I’m sure several of these groups are going to end up intermingling with each other at one point or another.  What each party is aware of about the other when they meet is also interesting.  For example, if you’re doing police/detective work in the Mark of Belial games, you might have to go check a dead body or two for clues.  Said dead bodies may be currently kept in a funeral home they’ve recently arrived at.  That means we literally have some strong potential of getting at least cameos of the Willow family (which consists of Misfits and Professionals characters) in the MOB games.  Now wouldn’t that be fun?  You have to talk obliviously to literal murderers while you’re hunting for a murderer.  I wonder how characters like Quill and Alchemy would view the case.  I always imagined with the MOB games though that they’ll make a brand new character to be the main killer for those.  Who knows though?  Maybe you find out the killer IS a pre-existing character.  Maybe even one who’s usually “immune” when they commit crime.  Could end up being quite a pickle.

Also I have a weird feeling Quill will just go out of way to be super creepy to the detectives when they visit.  Just a feeling, haha.

Will be fun to clashing sides, though it may be quite a while before we get to that kind of content.

#rockland #Rockland Games #runawayoutlaw #rottenbonethief #sugarhazard #Cain Zeitgeist #the misfits #the professionals #hand of god #mark of belial #horror

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Rockland: Cops

The date of this post is 5/16/20.  Please note that information revealed at this time via Patreon or any of the creator’s blogs may be subject to change after this date.

Pretty much every town has to have some form of police to keep the peace, and Rockland is no exception.  Problem is, we know Rockland is a rather dangerous place with criminals getting away with a lot more than they should.  What are the cops in Rockland like then?

(Spoilers below for Rumors of Rockland Article 1)

I’ve mentioned the police in different posts here and there when appropriate because we know they exist. We’ve never actually gotten any real confirmation though about what they are like.  Only recently do we have the confirmed name of at least one cop in the Rockland canon: Roy.  Roy, for those who don’t know, was actually created to be part of the Mark of Belial game even before the Rockland universe had been fully conceptualized.  It’s been quite a while since then, but if I recall correctly he was portrayed as more of a tough cop who took his cases seriously and didn’t like people like the news nosing into his business when he’s trying to do his dang job.  Not only could I be wrong though, his character could be revamped to a different personality for Rockland.  All we know right now is apparently the local drug dealer thinks he looks pretty fine (I don’t disagree with that from old illustrations.  I eagerly await Roy’s return).

Lately I haven’t been able to stop thinking about how effective the police operate in Rockland and what these officers even think of their hometown.  We know they do their job to an extent, otherwise we wouldn’t be getting a Mark of Belial game in the future.  How well and often they do their job is an entirely different question though. Couple of questions I’d had:

1)     Are the bulk of police people who’ve grown up in Rockland and lived there their whole life?  Or do more of them move or transfer there from other divisions?  Is it a mix?

If they’ve been long term citizens, there’s a higher chance they’re more familiar with certain groups, missing casings and other strange things around town.  Maybe people move or transfer to Rockland assuming it’s easy work at first but then find it’s a lot MORE work than anticipated due to the sheer number of dangerous individuals living there (this may even drive new officers away).  Or maybe it’s the opposite and it feels like there’s nothing either to do (like a lot of illegal activities have just been expertly kept quiet), or that there’s nothing someone of the law CAN do (like they feel there’s too many unknown variables for them to effectively protect everyone, or restrictions in the system).

2)     Are they aware of the town “abnormalities” or just think it’s a regular tourist trap?

This is huge.  What the officers themselves are aware of is going to greatly affect what they think of Rockland.  For example, if they’re a person who’s more conscious of the dangers in town and have a strong sense of justice, they may not have a whole lot of love for their town but still feel the urge to keep it clean.  Depending on how long an officer has worked in Rockland though, the persistent crimes that don’t get resolved may start to wear down a person, making them become pessimistic or lax in their duties because “nothing they ever do is enough.”  If an officer is completely in the blind though, they may just see Rockland as an easy going place where you’re just expected to get a couple calls here and there about speeding, theft and reckless drunks.  

3)     Do they tend to greet folks with a friendly face or do they tend to assume most people in town are up to no good?

This kind of works off of the previous question too.  The state of the officer’s work may affect how approachable they are.  If they’re only used to handling smaller offenses and feel more relaxed, they could be friendlier.  Of course, if an officer is completely unaware of Rockland’s darker nature, then how they treat residents relies solely on their own personality.  Officers with a lot more work to do or who have a lot on their mind though may not be as willing to entertain folks.  

4)     What do they think of tourists?  What do they think of people who have just moved to town?

If an officers knows that a fresh face coming in is more likely to either end up as a potential victim OR another psycho, they might not be so keen on outsiders stepping into their turf.  Then again, maybe they like to see new faces because it’s a breath of fresh air for them. Gets their mind out of their current world and helps them remember that not every place is like Rockland.  

For tourists, the officers probably aren’t going to question why they’re there.  It sounds like a tourist town, so that’s self-explanatory. With a new resident though, they may wonder why they moved to Rockland of all places.  Now sometimes there isn’t any particular reason.  It may just fit some criteria for the mover, but otherwise there’s no special meaning or attachment.  If an officer knows how Rockland operates though in the shadows, they might not be able to stop thinking, “Of all the places you could have gone…”  I don’t know either if an officer will attempt to watch a tourist or new resident more carefully for their protection…or if they’ll actively turn a blind eye because they’re expecting the worst (and don’t want to feel as bad IF something happens to them).

5)     Do they knowingly let things slip under the radar or are they simply out of the loop?

This is similar to my second question, I know.  I’m just kind of re-emphasizing here that there has to be a reason why so many people don’t get caught in Rockland.  If the officers are knowledgeable about all these activities, what stops them from protecting more people?  Apathy? Do they not have the resources to stop all of these folks?

6)     Are they restricted by their higher ups or by certain groups around town?

Now maybe the officers themselves don’t take as much action as they should due to their own personality and views.  But what if you have an officer that’s incredibly gung-ho about keeping everyone safe? What’s stopping them?  Well their higher-ups may withhold certain information from them or directly order them to keep their distance from some situations. These higher-ups could either be corrupt themselves, or being coerced to do so by certain groups of Rockland.  We know there are people in the Black Market business and groups like the Professionals around.  These sinister groups may have a strong hold over Rockland that makes it difficult for the police to perform at full capacity.

7)     Are they usually pretty lazy or do they crack down harder in Rockland than they would other places?

This is just another reworded question for emphasis.  The officer’s personality, what they know, what duties they aren’t restricted from performing and how much their workload is all affect how serious they are going to take their job.

 Let’s talk about one particular viewpoint we have from someone who commits illegal activities in Rockland: Tyler.  One of the weirdest things I have to say is that surprisingly selling drugs is probably on the lower end in Rockland of “illegal activities.”  Yes, it’s definitely illegal, but if you’ve played “The Misfits: First Blood” demo I think you’d agree that there are FAR worse things that happen in this town.  

When Tyler mentions getting out of being arrested by the cops by either providing them drugs or a sexual favor, it’s a little more insightful than you think.  This tells us that the local drug dealer doesn’t feel threatened by the cops.  Now we don’t know too much about Tyler yet.  He could be joking around here.  He was half-joking about selling the MC drugs only because he WOULD but he didn’t have any on him at that time.  Or he could just be a little prideful.  Now the tone he uses doesn’t feel anything like “disdain” or “annoyance” towards the cops.  He’d gladly go down on Roy, so there’s even a weird compliment there. He’s just not afraid of them. Maybe that would change if a cop was directly in front of him?  Lots of people like to talk a big game when they’re out of earshot from authority like that.

Now if what Tyler says is NOT a joke though, then that means the cops in Rockland are either easily persuaded or just don’t take their jobs seriously.  That does not necessarily bode well for public safety.  Maybe these cops don’t take the drug dealing as seriously though because they have bigger fish to fry.  Who knows.

Never thought I’d analyze a scene where a guy talk about blowing cops, but there you go.

It should be noted that I’m sure lots of these cops have individual personalities and a mix of long-term resident vs. newbie, knowledgeable vs. in the dark, and lazy vs. dutiful means that one common depiction won’t necessarily reflect the entire police force. Depends on how many active officers we’ll end up meeting or hear about I suppose.

I am indeed fully aware that even with a capable police force though, crime will still happen. It’s impossible for the police to nab every single criminal at the perfect moment and keep things clean. Unfortunately people get away sometimes, or you just have to be at the right place at the right time to catch/stop them.  Maybe there’s nothing unusual or weak about the Rockland police force after all. Rockland itself is just too much.

I don’t know when we’ll see our first cop in Rockland.  We will probably see or hear more about some in the Rumors of Rockland installments first before Mark of Belial I assume.  I’ll just have to wait patiently.

#Rockland #Rockland Games #runawayoutlaw #rottenbonethief #Mark of Belial #pre-release

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Rockland: Game Thoughts Masterpost

Hey guys, I figure it’ll be handy to have a masterpost for any thought posts I make regarding fully released games for the Rockland universe by @runawayoutlaw and @rottenbonethief.

This post will be strictly for fully released final products.  Pre-release thoughts and any posts discussing demos will be over here instead.

Main Games

Supplementary Games

Rumors of Rockland: Article 1

Nightmare Realized

RoR Article 2: Spoiler-free Chatter

Rumors of Rockland: Article 2 Overview

RoR Article 2: Help Callum

RoR Article 2: Get Help

RoR Article 2: Do Nothing

Other

[Note: Dollmaker is a cancelled project released with an unfinished build.  It is not part of the Rockland canon.  However, some of its characters may be recycled into Rockland someday.  After some debate, I have decided to list these thought posts here instead of in my pre-release masterpost because it is a closed project rather than a demo with a larger scale game in the works]

Dollmaker Talk PT 1

Dollmaker Talk PT 2

Dollmaker: Sano Kojima

Dollmaker: Akira Kojima

#Rockland #Rockland Games #runawayoutlaw #rottenbonethief #horror game #masterpost

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Life in Rockland 2

[Life in Rockland is a creative writing project utilizing a specific OC in place of the MC for the “Rumors of Rockland” series.  I do not own any part of the Rockland universe, only my OC.  Fair warning, creative writing is not my forte.  This is a means of practice and a fun way to enjoy the content further].

Sasha’s in a much better mood than a few hours ago.  As she settles in for the night though, she’s faced with a small predicament that grows into a much deeper pondering about the day’s events.

Setting: After game events

Play: Rumors of Rockland- Article 2

[Spoilers below for RoR Article 2]

Sasha’s Choices:

[Get Help]

[I get the impression people can get away with a lot around here]

“Speaking”

Thinking

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The sound of tapping filled the room.

Sasha wasn’t typing, just lightly tapping on the top of her laptop while sitting at her desk.

I would have called or texted him by now.  Well I mean it’s late, won’t hurt if it’s not today.  God I wanted to talk about everything though, but…

She sighed and pushed her laptop to the side.  She shifted her chair over to the other side of the desk and reached over to pull a small pot close to her.  

“Hello Hydra~ You’re always a good listener.  Mind hearing me out?  I got a little problem.  It’s supposed to be good to talk to your plants anyway,” she chuckled.

It was a small venus flytrap.  Nothing extravagant, but she loved the bright green stalks and red mouths.  All wide open with the exception of one.

“Oh look at that. Looks like you already found yourself some dinner.  You’re the best bug repellent a girl could ask for.”

She gently petted the closed mouth.

“So see, this town is definitely small.  Pierce wasn’t kidding about running into people again.  I just didn’t expect THIS kind of situation to happen so soon.”

“So let’s run over the details again.  I told Pierce there was a raging alcoholic last time I went to this place.  He said dude was probably being emotional and just blowing smoke, but I should probably keep my distance from wild cards like him anyway.  Yet I ended up having a pretty good time with Avery and Callum tonight.  So I’d like to say bad first impression that led to a misunderstanding and all’s good now.  At least…that’s what I’d LIKE to say.”

Sasha sighed.

Fuck I feel awful even having these thoughts after Avery and Callum were nice enough to get me more familiar with people.

“It’s the middle part that’s killing me a bit here.  I guess I just kind of pushed it to the back of my brain while settling down in the bar.”

“Okay first of all, I don’t regret my actions.  I would hate myself if I hadn’t done SOMETHING.  Callum’s such a sweet guy, and I really feel like he was about to get beaten up.  No offense to him, but he doesn’t exactly look like a fighter.  It was also 2-on-1 anyway.  God, what if they would have killed him out of prejudice?!  Am I overreacting? Maybe, but I don’t know.”  

“But hey, it’s not like I would have made the odds any better if I had joined in myself.  I don’t really have any fighting skills, and something tells me two grown men aren’t going to be that intimidated by 5’4” woman. Not to mention, I don’t sound intimidating at all.  If I had at least SOMEONE else with me, maybe…did that once with Pierce.”

Sasha started reminiscing.

“There actually was one time where Pierce and I came across someone being hassled near a bar.  But Pierce and I approached pretending to be the dude’s friends.  We just made our voices VERY loud about how were happy to see the guy and then said something along the lines of ‘Dude come on, you’re so late.  Everyone’s been waiting, stop holding things up.’  Think we were pretending to be in a hurry.  Pierce literally just cut by the jerks, grabbed the guy’s arm and we just all walked together to the bar while continuing our conversation about our very made up plans.  I was dead afraid those guys were going to jump us from behind, but it never happened. The dude we pulled out of there was definitely grateful.  I thought it was cool, but Pierce told me later that method won’t always work for everyone.  We just got lucky that the guys we came across were the type that didn’t like attention being drawn to their shitty attitudes.  Pierce said some people won’t give a damn though about who sees their nasty side.  So with that in mind and the fact I can’t really act as smoothly as Pierce can anyway…yeah no way I could have jumped in to help Callum without backup.”

That’s a VERY different approach than the one Avery took too…

“Look I don’t know why I didn’t think to just call the police.  I either wasn’t thinking, or I just thought they’d blow me off for it just being drunken bar nonsense that wasn’t even happening in the establishment.”

Now it doesn’t sound like people call the cops much anyway in Rockland.

“I didn’t know Whesker wasn’t there.  I just saw Avery and well…things turned out okay.  But how was I supposed to know he was going to nearly beat the two drunks to death tonight.  It’s not like I care for garbage like that, I just think personally playing executioner to some folks without attempting to even dissolve the situation peacefully first is just…”  Sasha groaned.

“Okay, calm down Sasha. Maybe you’re just overexaggerating the situation.  Just because you heard…bones cracking, doesn’t necessarily mean he would have gone all the way, right?  People can sometimes just be fragile.”  

He said he wanted to snap someone’s neck last week.  He’s not all bark and no bite.

“Fuck, stop Sasha!” She muttered to herself and placed her head in her hands.

“Avery was protecting his friend.  The drunks were homophobic and might have hurt Callum.  Maybe they would have even killed him!  Not like they didn’t earn at least a punch in the face.  Callum’s safe now, and both Avery and Callum treated me so well tonight.  Why the hell am I being so judgmental?”

Because I almost watched two men get murdered in front of me?

“Ridiculous.”

Sounded like stuff like this happens under the radar a lot.

Sasha got up from her desk and heading towards the bathroom. She turned the sink on and started splashing water on her face.  She took a few deep breaths and looked in the mirror.

“Hey, you’re new. Feeling a little jittery is all. You’ve never really known much anywhere other than your own home for most of your life.  It’s a lot of new experiences at once.  …Why the hell am I talking in second person?”

Sasha left the bathroom and sat back in front of Hydra again.

“I’m the new person here. Everyone else has been here for a long time.  I’m more like a guest or intruder at this point.  Sounds like things will only go south for me if I get too nosy or mess with the wrong people.  When have EITHER of those ever been a problem for me?  Hell, I never even drank underage.  Pierce calls me too boring at times too,”  She chuckled.

“Worst crime I feel like I’ve ever done is jaywalking.  And yeah, I know if there’s ever trouble, I’m the type to go to the proper authorities for help.  Whether it was work, school or town life.  But I’m an adult, and if this place is more of a ‘you take care of your own business’ type of deal, I need to respect that and take responsibility for myself.  MOST of the people I’ve come across have been nothing but friendly towards me.  Maybe I need to stop jumping to conclusions. There’s no way that I’m going to be scared off back home by stuff like this.”

I won’t lie, it’ll hurt my pride a little if I move back home just because I didn’t try to fit in.

“Well I’m not sure if I’m being open minded here or too lenient out of naivety.  I AM sure that Pierce would raise an eyebrow though. There’s no way I could explain away how I knew to call out to Avery in the bar.  I didn’t say his name last week, but he’ll remember the alcoholic I mentioned.  Now if this was in our town, Pierce would probably make some kind of weird joke about this.  But I think…he wouldn’t admit it but I think he’s been a little anxious lately that he’s not here with me to watch my back.”

She pet one of Hydra’s heads.

“When we’re together, he likes to poke fun at me and take me to my places that sometimes aren’t in my comfort zone.  But that’s only if he’s confident enough himself that he can get us out of a tight bind we might get into.  He never took to me to anyplace extremely dangerous or introduced me to people he didn’t trust.  He doesn’t know anyone in Rockland.  I’m sure telling him how the possible alcoholic can possibly beat people to death would put him on edge.  Especially since I’ve run into Avery twice now.  Pierce would be nervous about that proximity.”

So I’m fighting between relying on my hometown friend’s judgement and giving new people a chance.  Not to mention putting my own judgement skills to the test here.

Sasha leaned back and hummed to herself.

“So here’s the story. Callum was getting hassled in the alleyway.  I called out to his friend from last week who was having a bad time.  Out of necessity of course.  He came and knocked the drunks away and then Callum, Avery and I had a good time going over the different citizens in town.  There we go.  Short and simple.  Not even a lie.  Why was I even overthinking all this?  If Pierce presses, I’ll just say Avery can look scary.  Dude IS pretty tall too, probably can stare off a lot of people with just a glare.”

Definitely believe he’s not to be messed with.

“I missed the VERY beginning when Avery entered the alleyway anyway.  Callum may have sounded chipper, but who’s to say Avery hadn’t spotted one of the dudes trying to pull a knife or something.  If you’re gonna beat a knife and two guys with just fists, you BETTER act fast.”

Sasha nodded to herself.

“Everything’s fine.  Even the drunks at the end of the day will recover. Hopefully learned a lesson and become better people, but that’s up to them.”

She looked at the clock. It really WAS late.  Sasha stretched her arms and headed over to the closet, looking for some nightwear to change into.

“…but seriously, who the hell is Kinley?”

#Rockland #Rockland Games #Rumors of Rockland #runawayoutlaw #rottenbonethief #my OC #Sasha Holmes #Life in Rockland #RoR