Complement the ghost's hat and proceed to ask for a name.

Wow, bird, rude! At least knock or something.
Going with the strange man was better then the alternative of having the strange over enthusiastic man standing outside the house causing a ruckus. That and he's apparently mildly ghost-repellant which is nifty.

ah yes the second fave appears
make nervous jokes and get them to laugh so you two become best buddies

>>674227

Tell him to go bother Edgar Allen Poe or something.

It was the only thing you could think of to get him to leave you alone.

Wow they're really spooky looking. Are we used to that?? Anyway they shouldn't sneak up on someone!

>>674227
Look, I'm a sap, okay. I couldn't bring myself to kick that particular puppy.

Ask why he is troublesome. Maybe there's a solution to this where everyone can walk away happy.

Nifty bird skull aesthetic. Say, if you want me gone, I'd be happy to. Only reason I haven't already is that taking the fire exit would set off an alarm. If you can jimmy the lock on the front door, or show me how to temporarily disable that fire alarm, or find some other quick, safe, quiet way out of the building, I'll take it.

>>674224
> ‘My Dearest Nikolai in Polish’

There's probably a funny story behind that, involving an engraver who didn't actually know the language they speak in Poland.

Handsome Dog 2015/10/02(Fri)02:17 No. 674343 ID: eed053
File 144377744197.png - (267.56KB , 700x500 , 44.png )

“It was the only thing that was going to make him stop bothering me for a bit--besides, maybe I’m a bit of a sap but I didn’t want to hurt him,” Heidi says turning around. “You damn near gave me a heart attack too sneaking up like that, what’s your problem?”

The Rag and Bone Man isn’t really a friend, but they were they’re the closest thing to one that Heidi has. They’ve always been around, in one form or another, but it wasn’t until Heidi was an adult that she decided to really talk to them. She’s not sure what they are exactly, they’re not a ghost, or a spirit, just something old that’s always been around, and that's always watching.

Handsome Dog 2015/10/02(Fri)02:18 No. 674344 ID: eed053
File 144377748439.png - (251.57KB , 700x500 , 45.png )

“As rude as ever I see, even when I am so kind as to check up on you.”

"yeah yeah beakie." relax a bit "so what's up?"

they missed us how sweet. since they're feeling nice maybe they can help? like if they know something about this place and can speed things up

Good idea- maybe ask Rag if they know anything hanging about the place?

GOD ok another typo in first panel or latest update, it should be "They are the closest thing to*" honestly i shouldnt write updates while i'm rushing to do something else

"Jeez DAD, I can hang out with boys without your supervision." Maybe your bone chaperone has some ghostly connections around here, you could ask them if they know of anyone haunting the building? Y'know, so you can hurry this ghosthunting business up and get outta here.

>>674349

Well, I do appreciate the friendliness. How goes existence on your end of things?

>>674344
Yeah, well, I get grumpy in the middle of the night. And when I'm locked into museums.

Why do I need checking up on, anyways?

Ask him why he wears such a small hat, compared to his gigantic bird head

Handsome Dog 2015/10/02(Fri)17:53 No. 674500 ID: eed053
File 144383358159.png - (224.51KB , 700x500 , 46.png )

“You’d be a grumpy too if you were locked in a museum for an entire night and the only way to out was by setting off the fire alarm. Ah look, I appreciate you coming out here anyway, I’m just annoyed,” Heidi admits. She sweeps the room with her torch again, and turns back to the Rag and Bone Man. “Since you’re here, have you seen anything hanging around this place at all?”

“Yes and no,” the Rag and Bone Man says. “There are things always coming and going, living and dead by the hundreds each day, and those who pause long enough start to feel the prickle of guilt from trespassing. Visitors, tourists, and spectators are unwelcome and unwanted but allowed to pass through. Stay too long, however and cause too much trouble, and you’ll be unkindly told to leave.”

The Ovilus beeps inside Heidi’s pocket, and whizzes loudly. She fishes it out and catches site of the screen. The constant READY has been replaced with **** and it continues to blare.

“You have been tolerated thus far, but visiting hours are long over.” Rag says, clicking their beak.

Aw shit. Does that mean we're going to get attacked by ghosts? Time to regroup I think.

You're here to infiltrate, not look at some counterfeit artefacts for "cultural growth". You'll leave after you find some intel. As long as the consequences don't involve dying or beyond, this is more about breaking the rules for the loot than it is about destroying the world.

Seriously Rag, lighten up. Hell doesn't pass by here.

Handsome Dog 2015/10/02(Fri)21:36 No. 674531 ID: eed053
File 144384698572.png - (275.59KB , 700x500 , 47.png )

“Look I don’t know what you’re on about, but I’m not here to disturb anything, I’m just having a look around so I can get this night over and done with. Lighten up Rag, Hell doesn’t pass through here,” Heidi explains, looking down at the Ovilus again.

It flashes and whirs, all lights flickering, and then goes silent.

"GO"

Handsome Dog 2015/10/02(Fri)21:39 No. 674536 ID: eed053
File 144384716577.gif - (367.88KB , 700x500 , 48.gif )

The Ovilus reads the text out in a harsh, sudden monotone. It beeps and speaks again.

"GO"

The Rag and Bone Man tilts their skull, weaving their talons together in a thoughtful way. “Curious object. A gift from the troublesome boy? Surely you would not get such a gadget for yourself out of desire.”

“Shut up,” Heidi says, looking down at the Ovilus’ tiny screen.

"ENOUGH"

A pause.

"TIME"

“Perhaps I should leave you now that you have company?” Rag and Bone Man says.

Heidi waves her hand, and shushs them. The Ovilus lights up again.

"SPENT"

Offer to leave in exchange for some intel.

Because seriously, you will alert the police and get a police record if you bash open the fire exit. Whoever is talking to you has to bribe you to go that far.

>>674536
Sounds like someone or something is trying to tell you to leave. Rags might be right.

Hmm. So... if a bunch of ghosts do get mad that you and the doofus aren't leaving, what's the worst they can do?

I think you should get yourself and that guy out of here before something unfavorable happens.

announce to the air that you are leaving now and start walking. will probably leave you alone as long as they think you are leaving.

"you guys know I can see the dead, right? you can talk right to me instead of fidfling with this thing, I mostly just took it to appease that other guy."

if the ghost or whoever wanted to talk to us face to face they probably would! assuming they can tell we're a medium. so that's a fair warning i guess? mmmaybe we should advise zeke to not stay the night

this is getting spoopy. Maybe you should go find Zeke and make sure he's okay? Plus since ghosts hate him, he's probably safer to be near then by yourself.

>>674566
"come on bros lets party"

Shout "Hell no! We won't go!"

... Maybe we should go make sure ZEKE isn't disturbing any spooky ghosts. You can tell them that you don't want to bother them if you like (whether or not they'll accept that- from what Rag says, they don't sound overly patient). However, Zeke can't even control himself around the living.

Handsome Dog 2015/10/04(Sun)22:16 No. 674912 ID: eed053
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Heidi looks around the room, narrowing her eyes. “Hey, alright dude, don’t stress, I’m not trying to bother you or upset you. I’ll take my bird and go, alright?” Heidi calls into the air. She wants to tell it that if she busts down the fire escape door she’ll get a police record, but she doesn’t think it would understand. The ghost probably doesn’t care about her reputation or ability to get a job.

The Rag and Bone man makes a disapproving noise from somewhere within their chest. “What will you do?”

Heidi shrugs. “I’m gonna go find Zeke, see if he’s ok and keep him out of trouble--hopefully whatever it is that makes ghosts avoid him will keep this guy--” She gestures to the Ovilus, “--at bay for a while.”

“There is certainly something… grating about his persona.” The Rag and Bone man replies. “But perhaps that will make spirits and the deceased more inclined to attack him instead of flee?”

“Only one way to find out. Thanks for coming, by the way, I’ll see you around.”

Heidi heads back into the entrance hall, and can hear Zeke talking to himself again. “...This device is called a spirit box, it rapidly scans radio frequencies and allows us to hear electronic voice phenomenon in real time through the white noise.”

Heidi steps into the entrance hall.

Handsome Dog 2015/10/04(Sun)22:17 No. 674913 ID: eed053
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The room is dark, Zeke’s laptop screen casts an eerie blue light around the room while the torch mounted to the camera lights up his body. He’s bending down in front of the light, showing off the chunky “”””””””S P I R I T B O X”””””” from before. He turns it on, and white noise blasts from the speaker, so loud and sudden that it takes Heidi by surprise.

“Is there anyone here?” Zeke calls into the darkness, holding the spirit box out at arms length.

Handsome Dog 2015/10/04(Sun)22:17 No. 674914 ID: eed053
File 144402226714.png - (679.27KB , 700x500 , 51.png )

The white noise grows quiet, and Zeke points to the speaker excitedly. Something comes through over the white noise, low and regular, like waves. It’s ragged and wheezing, and it makes the hairs on the back of Heidi’s neck stand on end.

Zeke frowns down at the box, and covers it with his hand, muffling the sound.

“It’s never done that before,” he says to himself.

>>674914
>“It’s never done that before,” he says to himself.
Does that mean it's working, then?

Try taking out the batteries. If it does that again after a full restart, walk around and see if there's some kind of source or signal bouncer.

you seemed to be having better luck with the ovilus. ask who was effin with the S P I R I T B O X

HAHAHA SAY THIS >>674916

>>674914
so.. laughter?

Maybe it's an EVP? Try rewatching the camera footage to see if there are any messages you didn't hear initially.

Suggestion 2015/11/24(Tue)22:29 No. 685606 ID: 586f5c
File 144843297051.png - (219.41KB , 700x500 , 52.png )

“Does that mean its working?” Heidi says quietly to herself with a smile.

“What?” Zeke asks.

“Never mind--Hey, I don’t want to tell you how to do your job or anything but maybe just take out the batteries and restart it again, or see if it’s something else messing with the signal?” She suggests.

Suggestion 2015/11/24(Tue)22:30 No. 685608 ID: 586f5c
File 144843304229.png - (264.96KB , 700x500 , 53.png )

“No, no, it should be fine, it’s meant to just spew out white noise until it picks up something paranormal, but this is regular, it's picking up something--” Zeke’s face lights up. “Do you think its an EVP?”

“A what?”

“Electronic Voice Phenomenon,” Zeke explains with a sniff. He waves his hand dismissively, “just Paranormal Investigator talk for ghost voices.”

The spirit box continues to sound, rasping and wheezing, and Zeke goes back to trying to decipher whatever message he believes is there. He seems to be struggling with it, changing the frequencies, turning it off and on, and eventually hooking up his headphones to it with a serious frown. His camera is still set up and recording.

The air feels strange. The main hall is spacious, with no big items of furniture in the middle of the floor, but Heidi feels claustrophobic, like she’s being crowded. Her skin pimples beneath her jacket. The Ovilus beeps quietly in Heidi’s pocket, whirring and chirping, just on the edge of forming words.

>>685608
Take it out and see if it says anything then

Sooo...have you personally encountered angry spirits before? Can they harm you?

>>685608
Tell him that you device at least worked. Also apparently there are no ghost residing here, just some who pass through every now and then.

>>685657
This is the relevant question. If we are pissing off ghosts being here, how bad can it get? What are they capable of? I hope you know the rules, there.