Monsters & Mazes (Rogue route ver. 1)

Didn't Gregg and Angus ask you to come over and play Monsters & Mazes? You're free today, so maybe they're free too.
(if you didn't help Lori)
Helping Lori with a horror movie sounds interesting, but playing a tabletop RPG sounds more fun.
(if you helped Lori)
Helping Lori with her horror movie was certainly interesting, but you feel a little freaked out since he cut her arm while doing it. Besides, playing a tabletop RPG sounds more fun.
You decide to text them on chattrBox to see if they're up for it. Gregg answers excitedly, saying that you can come over to their place in the late afternoon after they're off of work.

gregg "ill text evry1 2 tell them the news!!!"

Everyone? Must be some other people. Maybe… what was his name again? "Germ"?

When the afternoon comes, you hop on your motorcycle and head over. There's some heavy holiday traffic on the way over, though, so it's slower going than you'd like.
When you arrive at the building where the bakery can be found, it doesn't look any more lived-in than it did before- no surprise there. Luckily it isn't quite so dark this time.
As you park your bike, you look forward to the prospect of pretending to be some fantastic character from another world. Wonder if this game has any dragon characters available to the player? That'd be pretty cool.
You go around the back of the building. You see a light in the window, unlike last time. Makes sense, since you need to see all the stuff on the table.
You hear the faint murmur of conversation as you ascend the fire escape. Are you late somehow?

Once you climb in the window, your eyes adjust to the light and you see Angus leaning over a card table, placing some charts and diagrams in front of him.

angus "Oh hey, [newname]! I'm glad you were free today, I'm not sure we would've found another opportunity to do this anytime soon."
player "Yeah, me too. Though to be honest, I have a pretty open schedule as it is."
angus "Hmm, in a way you're lucky. Most of us don't have that luxury."
player "Uh, sorry, did I make you jealous?"
angus "Don't worry, I enjoy running the bakery."
player "Oh good."

You look around, and notice there are now Longest Night decorations all over the place (like Angus said yesterday). Not only is there a small tree in corner- one of those living trees in a pot, no less- the walls are adorned with shiny metallic garlands, and almost every horizontal surface is covered with some brightly-colored dollar store knick-knack.
How did he do all this in just a few days?

Gregg emerges from the kitchen, carrying a bowl of snack mix, with pretzels and crackers and other things.
He's also holding a bottle of pumpkin ale in his other hand.

gregg "[newname]! You're here! I thought you weren't coming after all for a minute there!"
player "Oh yeah, there was traffic. Sorry about that."
gregg "Yeah, everyone's totally got places to be."
angus "I think it's much nicer to slow down and have fun during the holidays."
gregg "Aw, why does the fun have to be slow? Fun is fun!!"
angus "Er, yes. Fun."
player "Too bad you have to sit down the whole time today!"

You're only joking, but Gregg does seem weirdly antsy. Moreso than usual.

gregg "Then I'll just have to use my imagination!!"

He sets down the bowl of snacks and cracks open the bottle of ale with a pocket knife from his jacket, which glints in the electric lights all over the room.
He pulled it out so fast you were startled by it.

angus "Please be careful with that, Gregg…"
gregg "I always am! You should know me better than that…"

The ale has a strong, pumpkin-y smell, wafting from the mist that trickles out of the top.
But it also has an overpowering beery smell, like it was made cheaply.

gregg "I got a whole dozen cases of this stuff for Harfest! I've made it last for almost three months."

He takes a swig of it.

gregg "…Wanna try it? It's pretty good!"
player "Uh… no thanks, I have to drive home."
gregg "Ah, gotcha."
angus "So you ready to play? We've already set up."
angus "We almost started without you!"

You blink, remembering why you're here. Gregg can be pretty distracting. You return your attention to the game laid out on the table.
Sitting at the table are a couple of people you don't recognize.
One of them is an opossum wearing what could be either grunge or country rock attire. You're not sure which.
The other is a raccoon who's a straight-ahead goth, wearing hornrimmed glasses and an enigmatic expression.
You have a strong suspicion they're only here for the game, and not because they're friends of Gregg and Angus.

gregg "Behold… the Possum Springs Tabletop Society."
player "There aren't very many of you, are there?"
gregg "Nerds are in short supply in this town, I'm afraid."

You look for your seat- a metal folding chair like the others- and notice an empty one next to it.

player "Hey, where's, uh… Germ?"
angus "Oh, he had to bail, unfortunately. Personal business, apparently."
player "Huh. Did he say what it was?"
angus "He didn't, actually. He went offline almost as soon as I responded. Guess he's busy."
player "Weird."
angus "Weird is the word for all things Germ."

You take your seat, feeling a little awkward next to strangers.

angus "Oh hey, this is [newname], everyone. He's the newest member of our society!"

They both look pretty indifferent to your presence. They probably just want to start playing the game.

eddie "Hey."
britt "Greetings."
player "Uh, hi."
angus "So this is Britt…"
britt "You are the stranger from distant shores of which legend has foretold, are you not?"
player "Uhhh… I just moved into town about a week ago, yes. If that's what you mean."
britt "Your journey has taken you to places unexpected, made you new allies, and expanded your horizons."
player "…"
player "…Sure."
angus "…And this here's Eddie."
eddie "Yeah."
eddie "Man, it's a good thing this is Longest Night break, 'cause this was really last minute, y'know."
eddie "Had to tell my mom where I was going and stuff."
eddie "Can we get this thing started?"
angus "Yes, yes, of course."

Angus sits down behind the screen, and shuffles some papers. Gregg sits down too, spilling some ale on the table as he slams it down.

angus "Gregg, please, you'll get the map wet."
gregg "Yeah, but I didn't get it wet, did I?"

You cringe so much it hurts. That seemed… a bit tense.

angus "Now then, the rest of us have already chosen their characters."
gregg "Yeah, pick what you want! I've already chosen the rogue!"
player "Ah, but of course."

You look at all the other players' choices, and see that the figures are intricate and detailed, and even painted by hand.

player "Wow, these are really nice figures you guys have."
britt "These creations that you see before you are mine, and mine alone."
player "They're really nice."
britt "Your admiration is much appreciated."
player "…Do you always talk like that?"
britt "…Just let me have my thing, ok?"
player "…Sorry."

You refocus on the figures. Like he said, Gregg was a Rogue, a sneaky-looking character in a black mask, carrying a dagger and a bag of what is presumably ill-gotten gains.
Eddie is a Barbarian, a brutish, hulking figure with thick woolen clothing for colder weather, and a huge horned helmet.
Britt is a Warlock, a creepy, hunched-over fellow wearing a black cloak, with long, arching fingers and dark eyes.
There are extras of all the classes, including the ones already taken. No harm in having a duplicate, right?
You haven't played one of these sorts of games since you were a kid. You wonder if they're any different now. Probably. They make revisions to these things all the time, or so you've heard.
There's a pretty good number of choices. What to pick…

menu:
Paladin
Wizard
Cleric
Rogue
Barbarian
Warlock
Bard

You decide to be the *. They're pretty cool.
Britt hands you the figure of your choice.
It's a strong-looking, barrel-chested character wearing a full suit of gleaming armor.
It's a thief in a mask identical to Gregg's.
It's a helmeted figure identical to Eddie's.
It's a cloaked figure identical to Britt's.
It's bearded figure wearing a purple cloak and pointed hat covered in silver stars, carrying a wooden staff.
It's a bald-headed figure wearing a white robe, standing with a very straight posture.
It's a musician carrying a small lute- or something like that- wearing green and a feathered cap.

rogue:
gregg "Cool! Now we can be Chaotic Good together!"

Chaotic Good is exactly the term to describe Gregg.

paladin:
angus "Ah yes, the classic knight in shining armor. I like them too."

barbarian:
eddie "So you like chopping off heads with axes too, huh? Cool."

warlock:
britt "Welcome to the fold, fellow practitioner of the dark arts."

cleric:
angus "That one is Germ's favorite."

Angus hands you your character sheet and dice. You look over your stats, and as far as you can remember, they're typical for your class.

eddie "Kinda sucks that the only people who like RPGs in this town are like, way older than me."
britt "I'm pretty much the same age."
eddie "Yeah but, like, that's it?"
eddie "My mom doesn't actually know you two are, like, over twenty. 'Cause that would sound weird, don't you think?"
angus "Call it adult supervision."
angus "Anyway… is everyone ready?"

The group nods eagerly. Eddie reaches for a handful of snack mix and loudly munches on it. Gregg takes another sip of his ale.

eddie "Yeah."
player "As ready as I'll ever be."
britt "Indeed."
gregg "Let's go!!"
gregg "It's time to go on an adventure!"
angus "Ok then, let's get to it."

Angus clears his throat and straightens himself.

angus "You have arrived in a small village, where you have heard rumors of bandits who have kidnapped much of the local children."
player "And we're here to rescue them?"
angus "Exactly."
angus "Their parents are distraught, but are afraid of the bandits. They threaten to harm the children if they do not pay three bags of gold, but none among them have enough."
angus "They have tried to gather all their life's savings together, but they sadly fall short."
gregg "Such cruel miscreants these bandits be!!"
gregg "Let's save the children!"

Well that was some hokey dialogue.

angus "You are standing at the outskirts of the town. Villagers are milling about in the marketplace, and there is an inn nearby, where a tavern can be found."
angus "Further down the road is the town hall."
angus "What will you do to find the children?"

menu:
Ask the townspeople
Track the bandits
Stakeout for another kidnapping

rogue:
You look at your character sheet. You have a pretty high "Stealth" stat, typical for a Rogue.

player "I say we sniff out the bandits' trail. They can't be very far from town."
gregg "Agreed! They must have left some clues somewhere."
britt "We should see where the last kidnapping occurred."
eddie "Let's find them quick, so I can give them a taste of my blade sooner!"
player "There's not much to do except go in search of the bandits' hideout."
player "Maybe we should split up and cover more ground?"
britt "I say we ask questions."
britt "I approach one of the villagers, an old woman."
britt "I say, madam, are you one of the mothers that has suffered at the hands of these bandits?"
angus "The old woman is somewhat frightened by your presence."

Angus puts on a falsetto voice to imitate a woman's, but it's not convincing at all. His voice is just too husky.

angus "Oh my! Who are you? What do you want with me?"
britt "Fear not, madam! I and my companions are here to free you of the tyranny of the bandits and rescue your children!"
eddie "We are adventurers, come here to aid you!"
gregg "Down with the tyrants!!"
eddie "Yes, I'm afraid we'll have to kill all the bandits!"
angus "Roll for Charisma to calm the woman down."

You and the others roll the dice, and you do halfway decently.

angus "The woman is no longer frightened, but she eyes you dubiously."
angus "Are you really? You're not the heroes any of us expected."
angus "But thank you, for even though you are strange folk, you will have done a courageous thing. What are your names?"

gregg "Call me Gregorious, dashing scoundrel of the Woods!"
gregg "My arrows shoot straight and true, like… like an arrow!"
player "Gregorious?"
angus "Oh right. Most of us are playing characters we've been playing for a while."
player "Ah, right."
eddie "I am Yüb, Barbarian of the Northern Mountains!"
britt "You may call me Drearkor, Warlock of the Eastern Wastelands."
player "And, uh, I'm…"

You realize you have no idea what to call yourself. You've never been a part of a proper adventuring party.
Not since you were a kid, anyway.

player "I'm… I'm Azor, the Black Nighthound!"
britt "…What?"
eddie "What the hell is a 'black nighthound'?"

You blush.

player "I dunno… those were the first words that came to my mind…"
player "It sounds cool, doesn't it?"
britt "Well, sure, but…"
gregg "I think it sounds awesome!"
player "Ok, ok… Azor the… Wayfarer?"
eddie "Ok yeah, that sounds cool."
britt "Sounds mysterious and elusive." says Britt.
angus "Whatever you like, [newname]. I take it you haven't played a game like this in a while?"
player "Er, no. Not in years."
angus "Well, it's not that complicated. Ask me anything, if you're confused, and I'll try to catch you up."

Gregg takes another swig of pumpkin ale and passes the bottle to you.

player "Oh, um, thanks Gregg, but… I'm driving my motorcycle home, remember?"
gregg "Huh? Oh right. I forgot."

Eddie licks his lips, as if watching Gregg drink triggered his thirst.

eddie "Do we have anything to drink? This snack mix is kinda dry."
gregg "You want some of my pumpkin ale?"
eddie "Yeah."
angus "Gregg, he's underage. He can't have any."
eddie "Killjoy."
gregg "Yeah, total killjoy."
angus "Besides, would you want him to be caught by his mom with alcohol on his breath?"
eddie "…Dammit."
gregg "Then his mom's a killjoy!"
eddie "Hey! That's my mom you're talking about! You want me to get into trouble?"
gregg "Ugh, fine. More for me, then."
gregg "Unless Britt wants some?"
britt "Uhh, no thanks. I prefer wine."
gregg "Whatever…"
angus "You drink wine?"
britt "Only sometimes!"
angus "Well no matter, because we're not serving anyone under 21."
gregg "I drank my first beer when I was eighteen…"
eddie "Hey, are we gonna talk about booze or are we gonna keep playing?"

Gregg takes another drink.
What's happening here? You've never seen Angus and Gregg argue before.
You'd gotten the impression that they were very happy.

angus "I have some sodas in the fridge."
angus "…Seems like Gregg forgot to bring them out."
gregg "…Alright, alright, sorry I forgot the sodas, ok??"
angus "…It's fine."

You can tell that it isn't fine.
The two of them exchange a look. You have no idea what that look means, but it makes you nervous.
Angus briskly stands up and goes to get the sodas. When he returns, Eddie cracks one open and acts as if nothing happened.

angus "Anyway…"

Angus goes back into character.

angus "Well, you four certainly look like you're ready for action. And yes, to answer your question, my poor child has indeed been kidnapped!"
angus "My poor Rothgan! My son! Wherever can he be?"
britt "My condolences, madam. We wish to search for him and all your children!"
eddie "The villains will suffer for their heinous deed!" says Eddie.
player "Um… where did the last kidnapping occur?"
angus "It was at the old Turnip Farm, nought but a mile from here."
angus "My poor Rothgan was coming home from picking the turnips for the harvest, when I and my husband saw the flickering of torches in the distance, in the direction of the turnip fields."
angus "When we went to investigate, all we found was this note nailed to the scarecrow. It read:"
angus ""This is your last warning. Leave three bags of gold under Founder's Boulder or else.""
gregg "Gadzooks! That's a large sum of money!"
angus "Indeed it is."
britt "Thank you for your help, madam. We shall investigate the Turnip Farm."
player "Yes, our, uh… skills of detection are unmatched."
player "We will find your son, madam. We are very sorry for your loss."
eddie "Where is this field? The sooner we discover their whereabouts the better!"
angus "It's right down the road, to the east. You can't miss it."
angus "Thank you, you will have my son's thanks as well as my gratitude."
angus "Please, help find my son!"

Angus coughs. Seems he can't do the voice any longer.

angus "The woman thanks you profusely, and continues on her way."
player "Ok everyone, we have a lead. We need to get to the turnip farm as soon as possible."
gregg "Agreed! The bandits won't stay hidden much longer!"
gregg "I head east towards the Turnip Farm!"
player "Hey, wait up!"
player "I, uh… hurriedly follow after him."
eddie "Ditto."
gregg "You guys, hurry up!"
angus "As you work your way through the crowd, the houses begin to thin out, and you see farmhouses on the horizon."
gregg "I see it!! Let's go!"
britt "I start huffing as I try to catch up with him."
eddie "Ditto."
angus "There's only a few houses left, and then the street ends at the beginning of the large field."
britt "Gregorious, hadn't you better save that energy for when we must fight the bandits?"
gregg "I thought you were as impatient as me, Drearkor!"
gregg "This dumb plot has just barely started! I want action!!"

Gregg suddenly stands up to strike a dramatic pose, but winds up nearly knocking over his beer.
He barely catches it, and some of the fluid spills onto the table and soaks a corner of the map.

gregg "Oh crap, sorry…"
angus "Gregg, please! Be careful!"
gregg "Ok, ok…"

Gregg tries to wipe off the beer with his leather sleeve. All it does is spread it around.

angus "Use a napkin."
gregg "Ok! Geez!"

Gregg grabs a napkin and cleans up as quickly as possible, and tosses the soggy thing on the ground.

angus "Not on the floor!"
gregg "Ok, damn!"
britt "Guys, calm down. We're here to have fun, remember?"
gregg "Yeah, Angus."
angus "She means both of us. Sorry everyone, I guess I'm not in the best of moods right now."
gregg "You can say that again."
angus "…And you're not helping."
gregg "…Sorry."

This is definitely souring the mood. And making the game drag on longer than it should.
Gregg picks up his trash and tosses it in a wastebasket, and sits back down.

gregg "Let's just get to the field."
gregg "…I stand at the edge of the turnip field, looking around for clues."
britt "I begin investigating as well."
britt "Everyone look around!"
angus "Roll for Intelligence to find clues, everyone."

Everyone rolls their dice. You all roll high numbers, except for Gregg, who rolls a 2.

gregg "Dammit!"

He takes a big chug of beer, exhaling loudly and spreading the smell across the table.
Eddie wrinkles his nose. Gregg belches.
Everyone tries to pretend nothing happened.

britt "What do you see, friend?"
angus "…You all discover fresh footprints in the soil where turnips have already been harvested."
angus "Except for Gregorious, who mostly looks under rocks and misses them entirely."
gregg "…Wha-?"
britt "Look! Surely this will lead us on the trail to the bandits hideout!"
gregg "It could. Or it could be a dead end."
eddie "Umm… why do you say that?"

Gregg doesn't seem to have heard the question.

gregg "Pff. I was lookin' under rocks." *drunken smile*
britt "Worry not, Gregorious, for your arrow will take down many a foe!"
gregg "Yeah, I just point my arrow and shoot it, an' everything will be fine."

Gregg laughs for some reason, a snorting, snickering sound, and polishes off the bottle in one swallow.

gregg "Here's to new foes!"
britt "Huh?"
gregg "To new foes! To new friends! Long live the King!"

Gregg falls silent for a moment.

gregg "The straight, pointy arrow guy needs another drink…"

He stands up awkwardly, causing the chair he's sitting on to make a dreadful screeching sound. He spins around and grabs another bottle of pumpkin ale from a cooler in the kitchen, and returns with it already open.

gregg "Ok, but… what if we're outarmed? Er… outnumbered? Like before?"
angus "…Before?"
gregg "Uhh… nevermind."
eddie "Outarmed? Is that a real word?"
britt "I'm not sure."
britt "Why do you ask, friend?"
gregg "Well, I have my bow an' arrow, and you have your axe…"
player "And I have arrows too."
gregg "Ok, but… all Mr. Wizard here has is her…"

Gregg waves his fingers around, presumably to mime the casting of a spell.

gregg "Oooooh..."
britt "I'm a Warlock, remember?" says Britt.
gregg "Well… what's the difference anyway? They're both male."
britt "It's… mostly a difference in the style of magic."
britt "I thought you'd remember, we've played these characters before."
gregg "Is it important?"
britt "Not really. I just like the character."
gregg "…Oh."
eddie "I like the finer minutiae of the game as much as the next guy, but…"
angus "Yeah…"
angus "So anyway… you follow the footprints in the field, and they take you clear across the whole thing, until you reach the edge of the woods."
angus "The sun has set, making the woods very dark. You can't see very far into it."
player "Looks as though they're hiding somewhere in there."
gregg "What now, Mr. Warlock?"
britt "We go in, I illuminate the area with a flame spell, and we see where the prints lead from here."
angus "Roll for Magic."

Britt rolls her dice, and comes up with a number somewhere in the middle.

angus "Your fireball is only decently sized, so it only creates a light in a seven foot radius around you."
gregg "…Too bad your fireballs aren't bigger, huh?"
britt "…Excuse me?"

Gregg snorts again and takes another large drink. Everyone ignores him.

player "Um… let's go."
player "I walk forward into the woods."
angus "You see a thin winding trail before you. There are more footprints and signs of someone dragging a large object."
britt "Follow me, everyone. I see a trail!"
eddie "Do you suppose that's where the child was dragged in a bag?"
gregg "Dragged in a bag. That almost rhymes."
eddie "Er, yes it does."
eddie "But if that's the case, there are even crueler than I surmised!"
eddie "We begin to follow the path."
angus "It twists and turns in a zigzag, and despite never losing sight of it, you begin feel as lost as a person could feel in these woods."
gregg "How can we feel lost when we're still on th' trail…?"
angus "You… you can't see where the woods begin nor where they end."
gregg "Oh. I see."

Gregg seems to drift off, as if trying to think.

eddie "Keep your eyes open, you never know if there are bandits hiding in the darkness…"
angus "You keep your eyes open and continue, but it's at this point you notice a large shadow in front of you."
player "AAAAAAAA!"

Eddie seems startled by your shout, but quickly brushes it off.

player "I grab my bow and arrow and aim it cautiously!"

Gregg yawns.

britt "I stop in my tracks, and prepare to fire my magic flame, just in case." says Britt.
eddie "I raise my axe, ready for battle!"
eddie "Who goes there?"
angus "The figure steps forward, into the light."
angus "It's a huge, hulking wolf, carrying a spiked club. He pats it into his palm menacingly, and he glares at you through his black mask."
eddie "It's a bandit!"
eddie "Get out of our way, child snatcher! Or else face our wrath!"

Angus puts on a low growling voice, unlike his usual softer tones.

angus "Your quest ends here. You're not going any further!"
gregg "Ooh, that's your hardcore punk voice!" says Gregg.
angus "Umm… yes."
angus "The giant bandit raises his club and prepares to bring it down upon your heads."
gregg "Pff, we'll take care of this."
gregg "I whip out my bow and arrow and fire!"
angus "Skill check."
gregg "What?"
angus "Roll the dice, Gregg."
gregg "Oh right."

Gregg rolls his dice. He comes up with a 3.

gregg "Crap!"
angus "You miss the bandit entirely. He laughs at you, a big, booming sound."
gregg "What?? That's not fair!"
angus "The wolf tries to smash you with his club."

Britt and Eddie roll their dice. You're not sure why, but you do it as well anyway.
The numbers are good this time.

angus "You're able to dodge the bandit's crushing blow. You duck and dive out of the way, and the club smashes a tree instead, knocking it over and causing leaves to fly everywhere."
angus "Stay still, puny heroes!"
angus "He lumbers around, trying to swing at you."
britt "He's slow! Keep moving everyone!"
angus "Roll for Agility, everyone!"

The others roll, getting high numbers.
You roll your dice. You come up with a 2.

player "Ouch."
angus "Your agility isn't the best, but it's passable."
angus "You just barely get out of the way of his club, and one of its spikes scrape your head, leaving a small bloody wound. You lose three hitpoints."
britt "Go go go!" says Britt.
angus "What are you waiting for, weaklings? Attack me!"

You notice Gregg seems to be staring at you, smiling lopsidedly. You try to focus on the game.

britt "I blast him with my fireball!"

She rolls her dice, and it's a mediocre result.

angus "You manage to scorch the wolf's clothes, and he roars in pain, but now everything is shrouded in darkness."
eddie "What are you doing? I can't see! I can't hit the wolf with my axe in the darkness!"

Gregg keeps grinning at you, seeming to forget that he's still playing.

player "Are you gonna help, Gregorious?" you say.
gregg "…Hmm?"
gregg "Oh, you three are doin' fine."

You're starting to feel a bit frustrated.

player "Is this some sort of Rogue thing? Standing back and letting the others do the work?"
gregg "Oh no, it ain't that… Just admiring… your skill, tha's all."

What skill? You've barely contributed to this game at all.
You sigh, and he takes another drink of pumpkin ale.

player "Dreary… er, Drearkor… can you cast another fire spell?"
britt "That'll keep me from attacking. My level isn't high enough to cast two spells at once!"
player "Then just keep firing over and over as quickly as possible!" you say.
britt "Hey, good idea!"

She rolls her dice, but they come up short.

britt "Uh oh... I've rolled a 1. I really should've rolled a 6 or something instead."
angus "Your fireball fizzles out, and it stays dark. The wolf continues swinging, but since he can't see either, he keeps missing. But just barely."
britt "I try it again!"

She rolls again, and this time comes up with a much better number.

angus "You repeatedly shoot fireballs, just managing to illuminate the wolf every other second. He howls in pain as each of them hit."
angus "You keep firing, but now the wolf is too close and he manages to close his vice-like grip around your wrist."
britt "I create another flame and set his hand on fire!"

She rolls, and it's the maximum number.

angus "You set his fist ablaze and he screams bloody murder and releases his grip. He jumps up and down, trying to put out the fire."
eddie "I strike him with my axe while he's distracted!"
player "I, uh… shoot my arrow!"

Both your dice have high numbers.

angus "You hack into him and fill his hide with arrows. Soon, the beast falls over, dead!"
eddie "We did it!"
eddie "Yeah! We're the best warriors in the realm!"

You feel like you accomplished a lot, coming up with the idea to shoot fireballs repeatedly, but you can't but wonder why Gregg didn't contribute anything.
He's still drinking his ale, and smiling at you. It makes you cringe a bit.

gregg "Well, ya may be the best warriors in the realm…
gregg "…But I doubt if any of ya will survive a battle against an entire horde of bandits."
player "Oh, yeah?"

You're confused by his negativity, even though he seems drunk and slightly giddy.

gregg "Who knows what lies across the road?" he continues.
angus "Gregg, it's okay. I'm not gonna throw anything at you that you can't handle."
gregg "Uh huh."

You suddenly realize you feel a bit peckish, and reach for a handful of snack mix.
The bowl is empty.
You look up and see Eddie's chin covered in crumbs.

eddie "Oh sorry, dude. Did you want some?"
player "No, I'm good…"

You look at the empty bowl and wonder what else there is to eat.

angus "Ok, I'm gonna order some food. What are you guys in the mood for?"
britt "Can we get tacos? I want tacos."
player "Yeah, that sounds pretty good, now that you mention it."
angus "Ok, how about Taco Buck? They're the closest."

(if you went to Taco Buck with Gregg)
player "Gregg took me there the other day. They had a really amazing pizza taco there."
angus "Hmm, I don't think Gregg mentioned it…"
gregg "…Didn't I?"

eddie "Yeah, I'm still hungry. Tacos sounds good to me."
britt "Do they have a veggie option?"
angus "I'm sure they do."

Everyone, including yourself, picks the kind of taco they want. Angus orders them on the phone, and soon enough the campaign resumes.

angus "You step over the unmoving body of the bandit, and soon find yourself in front of an abandoned house."
eddie "This must be where the bandits are hiding!"

Suddenly there's a honking sound coming from a car outside.

angus "That must be the food."

He stands up and heads for the window that goes to the fire escape.

player "What, already?"
angus "Well it is only a couple doors down the street." he says.
player "Oh, cool."
angus "Gimme a minute."

You watch as he climbs out the window and disappears down the fire escape. You hear the faint sound of Angus talking to the delivery guy.
A couple minutes later, and he emerges with a couple greasy paper bags.

angus "I keep telling them that they don't have to drive the car here, but it's apparently some kind of policy…"

He hands you a bag and sits back down.

angus "This is yours, [newname]."
player "Thanks. Smells delicious."

You and the others open the bags, pulling out the paper-wrapped tacos. You opted for a traditional carne asada.
Eddie chows down immediately and chugs his soda.
Gregg shoves his bottle in Angus' face.

gregg "…Ya sure ya don' wan' any, Angy? To wash your food down?"
angus "Angy?"
gregg "…Tha's wha' I'm callin' ya now."
angus "No thank you. I'm trying to run this game properly."
gregg "More like makin' it harder…"
angus "You're just having bad luck, that's all."
gregg "Hmmm…"

You all eat in silence for a few minutes, refraining from playing the game to keep the grease off of everything.

gregg "Y'know, yer lookin' kinda cute under these lights…"
player "…W-what?"

You had stopped paying attention to him.

gregg "Ya look cute with th' Longest Night lights shinin' on ya…"

(if the player chose feminine)
Huh? Isn't he supposed to be gay? Can he not see your feminine looks?

Isn't… isn't he supposed to be in love with Angus?

(accept)
player "Oh, um… thanks. That's nice of you to say."
gregg "And I mean it!"
angus "I… you… how…"
angus "Dammit, Gregg! You're sitting right next to me!"
(reject)
player "Gregg… Angus is right next to you, y'know."
gregg "That's no reason to stop lookin'…"
angus "I… you… how…"
angus "Dammit, Gregg! How is that not a reason??"

gregg "Oh sorry, I guess I can't compliment somebody now!"
angus "That looked like flirting to me!"
gregg "Pff! No way! I just think they're cute!"
angus "…You don't just tell somebody other than your partner that they're cute."
gregg "Why not? I didn't mean anything by it!"
angus "…You just don't."
gregg "…Fine. I'm sorry."

Angus sighs, an extremely heavy one.

angus "…Apology accepted."

You're not so sure if it is. Sounds to you like he's only saying it for the sake of the company.
The others are trying to keep straight faces, but they're obviously very uncomfortable.

angus "Shall we continue the game, then? We are about to go into the bandit's hideout."

Eddie pulls out his phone and checks the time.

eddie "Crap…"
angus "What is it, Eddie?"
eddie "Sorry dudes, I gotta get back home…"
eddie "Still gotta curfew."
gregg "But the game's just started!"
eddie "I know, I know, but my mom'll kill me if I'm late."
gregg "Aw mannn… just when it was gettin' good…"

Eddie stands up, and the other feel compelled to stand up too, except for Gregg.

angus "Well, I guess we'll pick it up again later. How soon will you be able to come over?"
eddie "Believe it or not, my parents are going on their second honeymoon on Longest Night."
eddie "They're gonna leave me alone with my grandpa, and he falls asleep watching TV in the afternoon!"
eddie "I can just sneak out when that happens."
angus "Oh, um… well that'll be fine. Gregg and I only have plans to open presents and eat some Chinese takeout this year."
eddie "Awesome. Be sure to order some extra then."
angus "Anyone else free that day?"
britt "I already take long walks most days. No one misses me."
angus "Alright. How about you, [newname]?"
player "Me? Oh, I haven't got any plans. I'll see if anything comes up, though."
player "I guess I can come by if nothing else happens. Go on without me if I don't show up, though."
angus "Ok, we'll do that."
angus "It'd be too bad if you didn't show up, it was fun having you. I liked your idea for defeating the bandit."
britt "Yes, that was most impressive."
eddie "You totally scorched the guy."

You shrug shyly, unused to compliments.

player "Well, it was only one bandit…"
player "But still, it was a big one, right?"
player "…Thanks."

You look over to Gregg, who's still sitting dejectedly at the table.
…He looks so sad now.
You wonder if it might be weird to try to cheer him up.

angus "Alright, well, see you around!"
britt "We must depart, but we will reunite once more."
eddie "See ya."
player "Guess I'm off too…"
angus "Oh, and [newname]…?"
player "Hmm?"

While Britt and Eddie clean up the trash and gather together the board, figures, and dice, Angus takes you aside, out of earshot of Gregg.

angus "…I apologize for Gregg's behavior this evening."

(if you accepted his advances)
angus "I'm not mad at you."
angus "But I also wish you hadn't encouraged him."
player "…Oh. Sorry."
angus "It's ok. You just wanted to be polite, right?"
(if you rejected his advances)
angus "And I appreciate you not encouraging him."
player "Yeah, I couldn't just go along with it when you were right there."

angus "You're not mad at him, are you?"
angus "He knows I'm upset, but I think he'd feel worse if you were mad at him too."
player "No no… It was… weirdly flattering, really. But also really out of nowhere."
angus "That's good, because I think by now he really is sorry."
angus "It's just… we've kind of hit a rough patch."
player "Oh, that sucks. What do you mean exactly?"
angus "He's been… drinking a little too much lately."
player "Oh, damn. And you two seemed so happy when I first met you!"
angus "Yeah… we love each other a lot…"
angus "But he's been kind of… different since we moved back into Possum Springs."
angus "I still want to stay together, but it's been tough."
angus "Don't worry too much about it, though. I'll spare you the gory details."
player "Ok…"

Well, this is a new side of these two. You've never seen them like this before.
You'd feel awful if you were dividing two people who love each other.

player "Is it weird that I feel sorta guilty for being here?"
angus "Don't be. Maybe you just have some sort of appeal I'm not seeing."
angus "…Not to say you don't have it."
player "That would be… a confidence boost, actually."
angus "You're a nice person, [newname]. Gregg likes nice people. He thinks I'm nice, and I think you're nice."
player "…Thanks, I think."

While the others shuffle towards the window to leave, Gregg suddenly jumps up, looking as bright and chipper as he was earlier.

gregg "Everybody, I've got an announcement, dudes!"
angus "Oh boy… here we go…"
gregg "You're all invited to our Longest Night Eve party tomorrow!"
gregg "We'll have food and drinks, and everyone can bring their ugliest sweater!"

Eddie already had his foot sticking out the window.

britt "I… don't have an ugly sweater." says Britt.
gregg "That's ok! We can dance too! And I'll play some music!"

eddie "Uh… I've gotta spend tomorrow with my parents, dude."
gregg "Well, ok… how about you, Britt?"
britt "Thanks, but… I'm not much of a party person."
gregg "Aww, but it'll be fun…"
britt "Sorry, but it's not my idea of fun. Thanks for the invite, though."
gregg "Ok…"
eddie "See you next time, though."
britt "Yes, we'll meet again."

As Eddie continues to slip through the window and Britt follows, Gregg turns to you.
He's giving you those sad puppy dog eyes.

gregg "You'll be able to come, right, [newname]?"
gregg "Mae, Bea, and the others will be there too."
gregg "Wouldn't it be nice to go to a party where everyone gets along?"

He's doing an excellent job of making himself look pitiful, although you can tell he's being sincere.
Angus looks at you, silently pleading you to say yes for Gregg's sake.
(if you went to the spa)
You remember him mentioning this party, now that it's brought up again.

player "Of course, Gregg. You guys are my friends now, after all."

Gregg immediately brightens again.

gregg "Awesome, dude! You got an ugly sweater?"
player "Oh, uh… I'm afraid not. But… I can still bring the Longest Night spirit with me?"
gregg "That's the best kind, dude. So glad you can come!!"
angus "Yeah, we both appreciate it."
player "Then see you tomorrow!"
player "It'll be my first party in years, actually…"
gregg "Awesome sauce."

Eddie and Britt have finally disappeared out the window.

angus "I'm glad you said yes, [newname]. Gregg worked really hard on the preparations."
gregg "It'll be so much fun!!"
angus "Uh-huh…"
player "I'll meet you guys tomorrow, then. Happy Longest Night."
gregg "Yeah, see you then, friend! Happy Longest Night to you too!!"

You nod at Angus, who nods back, and you head out the window and climb down the fire escape.
As the cold air hits your face once you're outdoors, you're struck by all that just happened.
That was… a lot to take in. You met two new people, took a deep dive into a game you hadn't played in years…
…And apparently Gregg and Angus are having a bit of a spat? You wish you could help them somehow, but you're not sure how.
Then you have a thought. Why is Gregg drinking like that? You badly want to ask them, but you don't want to pry.
As you head out into the street, it's gotten dark. You can just the backs of Britt and Eddie in the distance. They seem unaffected by today's events, but you're worried…
Maybe things will be mellower tomorrow. All your new friends will be there, and they seem to have things together, more or less.
You sigh as you hop on your bike and head back home. You're not sure what's going to happen tomorrow, but you need to get some rest.
When you get back home, you spend the rest of the evening researching Monsters & Mazes classes and rules before going to bed.