The Silver Circle
Released: 20th February 2015
Level 17 Storyline Quest
Previous Quest: The Hearing
Next Quest: Plot Twists
Level 17 Storyline Quest
Previous Quest: The Hearing
Next Quest: Plot Twists
Main Characters / Extra Characters:
My Characters
|
Requirements / Rewards
Level 18 Reward - 25 Diamonds |
Part 1
Danny: Silver Circle? What is this?
You stare at Holly, open-mouthed, the letter from the Benefactor still clutched in your hand. The mysterious package sits before you, unopened.
Danny: Holly! What is the Silver Circle?
Holly: It’s… it’s… it’s the stuff of legends! It’s a secret society of Hollywood elites, supposedly going back to the invention of cinema! Its members include many of the best and brightest in Hollywood, and they collaborate all the time!
Danny: A secret society? Why are they contacting me? Why now?
Holly: Who cares?! Don’t you see what this means? This is how we can get ‘Permanent Wound’ made the way it deserves to be made!
Rewards
Danny: What do you mean?
Holly: We couldn’t get Zoe to sign on because our budget is so pitiful… But with all the Silver Circle’s resources at our command, we could make ‘Permanent Wound’ a big budget movie… without the budget! Membership would grant you access to lots of useful contacts, all of whom would practically work with you for free.
Danny: Okay, that sounds a little too good to be true.
Holly: I assure you. The Silver Circle is legit. And if you’re too asinine to believe me, let’s see what’s inside the package…
You and Holly carefully open the mysterious package to find four folded pieces of paper, each emblazoned with a shimmering silver circle… Holly unfolds one of the pieces of paper.
Holly: It’s a riddle!
Danny: And look! This one’s some sort of answer sheet… there are spaces for three letters…
Holly: Aha! We simply have to solve these three riddles and align the answers on the answer sheet… that should tell us what to do next!
Part 2
Holly: Riddles within riddles…
You and Holly pull the first riddle out of the box and look at the couplet printed on the paper.
Danny: ‘This TV series about some shambling stiffs; stars a troubled and brave deputy sheriff.’
Holly: Yikes. That rhyme’s a bit of a stretch.
Danny: Hmm… the TV series they’re referring to must be ‘The Walking Dead’! ‘Shambling stiffs’ obviously means zombies! And the main character in ‘The Walking Dead’ is a former sheriff’s deputy!
Holly: Ding ding ding! Well done, Danny.
You and Holly scrutinize the second riddle.
Holly: ’21 or 22, he’ll jump a busy street for you; he’s strong, he’s tough, he’s extra-buff, he’ll step up and do a dance or two.’ I think the answer, in this case, is the name of an actor! But almost all Hollywood leading men are excellent physical specimens, so it hardly helps to know he’s buff…
Danny: The clue must be hidden somewhere in there… I think it’s Channing Tatum!
Holly: Well, Channing Tatum definitely has the body of a Greek god, but how do you know the other lines are about him?
Danny: Don’t you see? ’21 or 22, he’ll jump a busy street for you.’ That’s a reference to 21 and 22 Jump Street! And ‘He’ll step up and do a dance or two’ refers to his starring role in the first two ‘Step Up’ movies!
Holly: Oh, that makes sense! I thought you were going to reference ‘Magic Mike’.
Danny: I suppose that’s a certain kind of dancing…
You unfold the third riddle and read the clue printed on the paper.
Danny: ‘Tom Hanks’s success is in large part due; to this film of a man with a low IQ.’. Hmm… a movie where Tom Hanks plays a man with a low IQ. It must be ‘Forrest Gump’! Forrest Gump had a low IQ! And that role definitely helped Hanks solidify his status as a leading man!
Holly: Correct! Good job, Danny.
After completing the riddles, you arrange the answers on the sheet provided.
Danny: Let’s see… we have ‘The Walking Dead’, ‘Channing Tatum,’ and ‘Forrest Gump’.
Holly: There’s only enough space for three letters on the answer sheet… maybe the first letter from each answer? That would spell ‘WCF’…
Danny: ‘WCF?’ As in…
Holly: Hollywood U’s Waldorf Center for Film! That must be where the Silver Circle is located!
You and Holly head over to the Waldorf Center for Film.
Danny: Who would’ve thought that this whole time I’ve been going to lectures here, a secret society was convening in the very same building?!
Holly: But where in the building? They could’ve given us clearer instructions…
Danny: Actually, I think they might have! Look at this!
Tacked to the WCF’s public announcements board is a paper bearing a familiar silver circle… and another riddle!
Danny: ‘Once you find the place to go, why not take a trip below?’
Holly: ‘A trip below?’ That must mean…
Danny: The basement!
Rewards
A few flights of stairs later, you and Holly enter the basement of the Waldorf Center for Film and look around. Dusty racks draped in sheets line the walls. The center of the room is bare.
Danny: I don’t see anything! Shouldn’t there be a trapdoor or something?
Holly: I don’t know… this must be the right place, but it just looks like a storage room!
Part 3
Danny: There’s got to be something we’re not seeing…
As you and Holly scan every inch of the basement for clues, you spot a tiny detail you missed before…
Danny: Holly! Over here!
Holly: What is it? Did you find something?
Danny: I might have… look at this light switch!
You point to a light switch inlaid with a delicate silver circle…
Holly: The Silver Circle! Try it, Danny!
You flick the switch, extinguishing the overhead lights… but the room doesn’t go completely dark! A black light illuminates one wall of the room, exposing a secret message…
Holly: It must be written in invisible ink!
Danny: ‘Super 8 or 35, this medium keeps our work alive!’
Holly: They’re talking about Super 8 or 35 mm film! Quick, Danny, is there a film reel in here?
Danny: I didn’t see any… maybe there’s some boxes of film under these sheets!
You and Holly start tearing sheets off the detritus of the storage room, revealing old boxes of forgotten screenplays, piles of props and costumes, and finally…
Holly: A projector! Let’s play the film in it!
You turn on the projector and set the focus while Holly blows dust off the lens. The reel of film starts playing, projecting a video of an old-fashioned door on the far wall!
Danny: That’s it!
Rewards
You and Holly brave against the wall and push with all your might! It glides open on oiled hinges, and you fall onto the cold stone floor of the passageway!
Danny: Whoa!
As you step through the door, you spot a warning message painted on the wall of the passage that reads ‘By Invitation Only.’
Holly: Or not. I think you’ll have to do this alone, Danny. You’re the one with the invitation, not me.
Danny: Yeah, I guess that’s true…
Holly: Don’t worry, Danny. I’ll be waiting right out here for you. If this Silver Circle turns out to be some kind of weird death cult, I promise to avenge you.
Danny: Sounds good.
Part 4
Danny: Exploring a dark, scary tunnel all by myself… shouldn’t be too bad, right?
You wave goodbye to Holly and head down the dark passageway behind the hidden door. As you head farther away from the entrance, the light dims until you have to feel your way along the wall.
Danny: A little light wouldn’t hurt…
Around the next bend of the tunnel, old-fashioned gas lamps burn along the stone walls, casting their flicking light on a thick oak door bound in black iron. You raise one hand and knock three times on the door. You hear movement in the room beyond…
Danny: Please don’t be psychos…
The door swings open to reveal…
Time - 14 hours, 15 minutes
Ethan: Danny. You made it.
Danny: ETHAN?! What are you doing here?!
Ethan: Greeting the newest Silver Circle initiate, obviously. Sorry I didn’t tell you… keeping secrets comes with the territory.
Danny: How long were you gonna wait before you told me about all this?!
Ethan: I knew from the moment I met you that you were Silver Circle material, but there was ’t just the little problem of your academic hearing… The Circle didn’t want to take a risk on a candidate who might be expelled any day, even with me vouching for you.
Danny: Didn’t want to take a risk, huh? They should’ve known better than to bet against me.
Ethan: Don’t be like that, Danny. The Silver Circle is wary of any new blood.
Danny: Who makes these decisions?
Ethan: You’ll meet them later. For now, let me tell you why this is a phenomenal opportunity for you.
Ethan gestures for you to follow him down a candlelit hallway. Peering through a door along the hall, you catch a glimpse of a lounge where famous movie stars, directors, and fashion designers socialize over wine and caviar.
Danny: Was that Tom Ford hanging out with Christopher Nolan and Natalie Portman?
Ethan: Yup. There are a lot of big names in the Silver Circle… the connections you forge here can make your entire career.
Ethan leads you into a deserted antechamber with two leather armchairs. You take a seat in one, and Ethan sits down across from you.
Ethan: The Silver Circle might seem like the big leagues… which it is, and it might seem like a weird secret society… which it also sort of is. But I promise you, Danny… this is the opportunity we’ve been waiting for. You’re ready for this. If you’re accepted, you’ll have access to a huge network of the most elite Hollywood U alumni… the best of the best, really.
Danny: Wait… if I’m accepted? I thought I was already in!
Rewards
Ethan: I wish it was that easy, Danny… but it’s not. The Circle expects new recruits to show that they’re committed to this.
Danny: How do I do that?
Ethan: You’re not gonna like this, but they’ve devised a little loyalty test. To prove yourself, you have to sneak into Hunt’s office and steal the Audrey he won for Best Director.
Danny: What?! Does everyone have to do this?
Ethan: Not everyone. But the Circle feels that stealing from Hunt is the ultimate risk you could possibly take. And taking that risk shows you’re committed to our organization.
Danny: Won’t he notice if something like that goes missing?
Ethan: Don’t worry. We’ll give it back to him after you prove yourself.
After saying goodbye to Ethan, you find yourself in the dark passageway once more, fumbling along the walls toward the basement of the WCF. Reaching the secret door, you emerge from the passage and blink in the fluorescent light.
Holly: You’re back. And in once piece. How was it?
Danny: Pretty weird… but also really cool. There’s just one problem… I have to steal Professor Hunt’s Audrey for Best Director.
Holly: Hmm. I was expecting something a bit more creative… but if that’s what it takes to make ‘Permanent Wound’ the best it can be, I’d better help you out. We’ll need to sneak into Hunt’s office while he’s out, but we can’t risk getting caught in there… we need some lookouts to watch our backs.
Part 5
Holly: We need lookouts. Find some people who won’t look out of place in the film building.
Tegwen and Kanoro station themselves along the hallway outside Professor Hunt’s office on the top floor of the WCF.
Tegwen: All clear, Danny. Operation Stolen Glory is go.
Kanoro: We’ll text you if Hunt shows up.
Danny: Thanks, Tegwen and Kanoro.
Holly: Next time you see us, we’ll have an Audrey for Best Director!
Time - 16 hours, 45 minutes
You glance around nervously while Holly picks the lock on Hunt’s office door.
Danny: How do you even know how to do this?
Holly: Simple. If you’re gonna write realistic criminal characters, it’s important to know how they operate.
Danny: I’m suddenly wondering what other illegal skills you’ve picked up just to make your characters more realistic…
Holly: Best not to ask that, Danny. You wouldn’t like the answer.
The door opens with a soft click! You and Holly slink into Professor Hunt’s office and quickly scan for the golden statuette.
Danny: There it is! Right over his desk!
You and Holly start toward the shelf where Hunt’s Audrey gleams when your phone buzzes!
Danny: ‘HUNT AND SINGH HEADED YOUR WAY!’ Crap! Hunt and Professor Singh are coming up to Hunt’s office right now! Hide!
Holly: Quick, in the closet!
You and Holly duck into a closet in Professor Hunt’s office, breathing in the scent of Hunt’s freshly laundered suits.
Danny: Whoa! Gucci… Armani… Professor Hunt has expensive tastes!
Holly: Maybe we should just steal these… they must be worth about four thousand each!
Danny: Shh! I think they’re right outside the door!
The door swings open, and Professor Hunt walks in with Professor Singh.
Priya Singh: You’re too easy on them, Thomas. You should be weeding out the weaklings among our school’s student body, not coddling their egos with fun and easy assignments!
Thomas Hunt: To each his own. I’ve found a teaching style I’m comfortable with. I suppose I am a bit lenient, but--
Priya Singh: It’s not just that, Thomas. You get too attached to your students… Danny, for example. We expect a certain caliber of student at Hollywood U, and Danny has clearly demonstrated an unwillingness to meet that expectation.
Thomas Hunt: I said everything I needed to at the hearing, Priya. You may not approve, but I’m confident that we won’t regret keeping Danny enrolled here.
Professor Hunt moves to the window, where Professor Singh joins him. With their backs turned, you and Holly have the perfect opportunity to sneak out… You ease the closet door open and both quietly tiptoe behind Hunt and Singh. As you cross the room, you snatch the Audrey for Best Director off the shelf! Holly flashes you a thumbs-up, and you start to head out…
Priya Singh: Damn it, Thomas. You were always too soft. That’s why you and I… That’s why you and I just didn’t work.
Danny: …
Crouched behind Hunt’s desk, you gaze wide-eyed at Holly! Holly gives you an exasperated look as you motion to her to wait. You peer around one leg of the desk at Hunt and Singh. Professor Singh sighs deeply, her eyes full of regret. She reaches up and lays one hand on Professor Hunt’s cheek.
Priya Singh: Don’t you ever wonder what might’ve been, Thomas? What we might’ve been?
Thomas Hunt: You don’t get to touch me like that, Priya. Not anymore.
Professor Singh lets her hand fall back to her side.
Priya Singh: All right then, Professor Hunt. I’m sorry to have bothered you. Is there… Is there someone else?
Thomas Hunt: No. Maybe… I don’t know. I— I just can’t do this right now. Just… go.
Priya Singh: Fine. I’m gone.
As Professor Singh leaves, Hunt slumps against the window sill, lost in thought. Holly motions to you to follow her, and the two of you sneak out of the office.
Danny: We did it!
Holly: Shh! He might still hear us! Let’s get out of this hallway first…
Rewards
You hurry down the hall and meet Tegwen and Kanoro at the end.
Tegwen: Jackpot.
Kanoro: You got our warning, then?
Danny: Yeah, thanks so much! You guys totally saved us.
Tegwen: All in a day’s work.
Holly: Okay, Danny. I’ll let you focus on locking down our budget. See you later.
Danny: Thanks for your help, Holly.
Holly: Don’t thank me. I just want to make my movie. But you’re welcome.
Part 6
Ethan: Do you have my Audrey?
You head back down the passageway in the basement and meet up with Ethan again.
Ethan: Damn, back already? That might be a record!
Danny: Never make me do that again. I almost got caught!
Ethan: But you got the Audrey, right?
Danny: Yeah, I have it right here.
Ethan: Nice! Don’t worry… we’ll make sure this gets back to Hunt. In the meantime… there’s someone here who’d like to talk business with you. She’s in the Silver Circle bar, just down the hall.
Rewards
Following Ethan’s directions, you enter an opulently decorated room with a long mahogany bar at one end. Through the haze of cigar smoke, you see a familiar face reflected in the mirror behind the bar.
Zoe: …
Danny: Zoe?
Part 7
Zoe: Let’s talk business.
You grab the barstool next to Zoe and order a drink.
Zoe: Hey, Danny. Surprised to see me?
Danny: Is everyone I know in the Silver Circle except me?
Zoe: Not everyone. Now let’s talk ‘Permanent Wound’.
Danny: Okay… what about it? You said you weren’t available…
Zoe: I wasn’t available to an indie filmmaker with no budget. But for a fellow Silver Circle member? I can make an exception. Doing your movie will earn me something more valuable than money… a favor from the Silver Circle.
Time - 21 hours, 30 minutes
Danny: You want to make ‘Permanent Wound’ with me? But… we can hardly pay you!
Zoe: No worries. Just pay for my drink. And… say hi to Kip for me, will you?
Danny: Kip? Who’s Kip?
Zoe just smiles as she drains her glass. She slides a note along the bar to you and walks out of the room.
Rewards
Rewards
You pick up the note, recognizing the silver circle printed on the paper.
Danny: ‘Congratulations on passing our first test, recruit. Ethan spoke very highly of you… now I see why. I look forward to meeting you. -Kip Valmont’
The Silver Circle is opening all sorts of doors for you! With Zoe cast in ‘Permanent Wound’, you’re almost ready to start filming! There’s just one more riddle… who exactly is this Kip Valmont guy? Keep playing to find out!
Danny: Silver Circle? What is this?
- Level Danny
You stare at Holly, open-mouthed, the letter from the Benefactor still clutched in your hand. The mysterious package sits before you, unopened.
Danny: Holly! What is the Silver Circle?
Holly: It’s… it’s… it’s the stuff of legends! It’s a secret society of Hollywood elites, supposedly going back to the invention of cinema! Its members include many of the best and brightest in Hollywood, and they collaborate all the time!
Danny: A secret society? Why are they contacting me? Why now?
Holly: Who cares?! Don’t you see what this means? This is how we can get ‘Permanent Wound’ made the way it deserves to be made!
Rewards
- 75 Cash
- 4000 XP
Danny: What do you mean?
Holly: We couldn’t get Zoe to sign on because our budget is so pitiful… But with all the Silver Circle’s resources at our command, we could make ‘Permanent Wound’ a big budget movie… without the budget! Membership would grant you access to lots of useful contacts, all of whom would practically work with you for free.
Danny: Okay, that sounds a little too good to be true.
Holly: I assure you. The Silver Circle is legit. And if you’re too asinine to believe me, let’s see what’s inside the package…
You and Holly carefully open the mysterious package to find four folded pieces of paper, each emblazoned with a shimmering silver circle… Holly unfolds one of the pieces of paper.
Holly: It’s a riddle!
Danny: And look! This one’s some sort of answer sheet… there are spaces for three letters…
Holly: Aha! We simply have to solve these three riddles and align the answers on the answer sheet… that should tell us what to do next!
Part 2
Holly: Riddles within riddles…
- First Riddle!
- Second Riddle!
- Third Riddle!
You and Holly pull the first riddle out of the box and look at the couplet printed on the paper.
Danny: ‘This TV series about some shambling stiffs; stars a troubled and brave deputy sheriff.’
Holly: Yikes. That rhyme’s a bit of a stretch.
Danny: Hmm… the TV series they’re referring to must be ‘The Walking Dead’! ‘Shambling stiffs’ obviously means zombies! And the main character in ‘The Walking Dead’ is a former sheriff’s deputy!
Holly: Ding ding ding! Well done, Danny.
You and Holly scrutinize the second riddle.
Holly: ’21 or 22, he’ll jump a busy street for you; he’s strong, he’s tough, he’s extra-buff, he’ll step up and do a dance or two.’ I think the answer, in this case, is the name of an actor! But almost all Hollywood leading men are excellent physical specimens, so it hardly helps to know he’s buff…
Danny: The clue must be hidden somewhere in there… I think it’s Channing Tatum!
Holly: Well, Channing Tatum definitely has the body of a Greek god, but how do you know the other lines are about him?
Danny: Don’t you see? ’21 or 22, he’ll jump a busy street for you.’ That’s a reference to 21 and 22 Jump Street! And ‘He’ll step up and do a dance or two’ refers to his starring role in the first two ‘Step Up’ movies!
Holly: Oh, that makes sense! I thought you were going to reference ‘Magic Mike’.
Danny: I suppose that’s a certain kind of dancing…
You unfold the third riddle and read the clue printed on the paper.
Danny: ‘Tom Hanks’s success is in large part due; to this film of a man with a low IQ.’. Hmm… a movie where Tom Hanks plays a man with a low IQ. It must be ‘Forrest Gump’! Forrest Gump had a low IQ! And that role definitely helped Hanks solidify his status as a leading man!
Holly: Correct! Good job, Danny.
After completing the riddles, you arrange the answers on the sheet provided.
Danny: Let’s see… we have ‘The Walking Dead’, ‘Channing Tatum,’ and ‘Forrest Gump’.
Holly: There’s only enough space for three letters on the answer sheet… maybe the first letter from each answer? That would spell ‘WCF’…
Danny: ‘WCF?’ As in…
Holly: Hollywood U’s Waldorf Center for Film! That must be where the Silver Circle is located!
You and Holly head over to the Waldorf Center for Film.
Danny: Who would’ve thought that this whole time I’ve been going to lectures here, a secret society was convening in the very same building?!
Holly: But where in the building? They could’ve given us clearer instructions…
Danny: Actually, I think they might have! Look at this!
Tacked to the WCF’s public announcements board is a paper bearing a familiar silver circle… and another riddle!
Danny: ‘Once you find the place to go, why not take a trip below?’
Holly: ‘A trip below?’ That must mean…
Danny: The basement!
Rewards
- 2 Diamonds
- 4000 XP
A few flights of stairs later, you and Holly enter the basement of the Waldorf Center for Film and look around. Dusty racks draped in sheets line the walls. The center of the room is bare.
Danny: I don’t see anything! Shouldn’t there be a trapdoor or something?
Holly: I don’t know… this must be the right place, but it just looks like a storage room!
Part 3
Danny: There’s got to be something we’re not seeing…
- Spend 15,000 Cash
- Level a Friend
As you and Holly scan every inch of the basement for clues, you spot a tiny detail you missed before…
Danny: Holly! Over here!
Holly: What is it? Did you find something?
Danny: I might have… look at this light switch!
You point to a light switch inlaid with a delicate silver circle…
Holly: The Silver Circle! Try it, Danny!
You flick the switch, extinguishing the overhead lights… but the room doesn’t go completely dark! A black light illuminates one wall of the room, exposing a secret message…
Holly: It must be written in invisible ink!
Danny: ‘Super 8 or 35, this medium keeps our work alive!’
Holly: They’re talking about Super 8 or 35 mm film! Quick, Danny, is there a film reel in here?
Danny: I didn’t see any… maybe there’s some boxes of film under these sheets!
You and Holly start tearing sheets off the detritus of the storage room, revealing old boxes of forgotten screenplays, piles of props and costumes, and finally…
Holly: A projector! Let’s play the film in it!
You turn on the projector and set the focus while Holly blows dust off the lens. The reel of film starts playing, projecting a video of an old-fashioned door on the far wall!
Danny: That’s it!
Rewards
- 2 Diamonds
- 4000 XP
You and Holly brave against the wall and push with all your might! It glides open on oiled hinges, and you fall onto the cold stone floor of the passageway!
Danny: Whoa!
As you step through the door, you spot a warning message painted on the wall of the passage that reads ‘By Invitation Only.’
Holly: Or not. I think you’ll have to do this alone, Danny. You’re the one with the invitation, not me.
Danny: Yeah, I guess that’s true…
Holly: Don’t worry, Danny. I’ll be waiting right out here for you. If this Silver Circle turns out to be some kind of weird death cult, I promise to avenge you.
Danny: Sounds good.
Part 4
Danny: Exploring a dark, scary tunnel all by myself… shouldn’t be too bad, right?
- Level 28+ Danny
You wave goodbye to Holly and head down the dark passageway behind the hidden door. As you head farther away from the entrance, the light dims until you have to feel your way along the wall.
Danny: A little light wouldn’t hurt…
Around the next bend of the tunnel, old-fashioned gas lamps burn along the stone walls, casting their flicking light on a thick oak door bound in black iron. You raise one hand and knock three times on the door. You hear movement in the room beyond…
Danny: Please don’t be psychos…
The door swings open to reveal…
Time - 14 hours, 15 minutes
Ethan: Danny. You made it.
Danny: ETHAN?! What are you doing here?!
Ethan: Greeting the newest Silver Circle initiate, obviously. Sorry I didn’t tell you… keeping secrets comes with the territory.
Danny: How long were you gonna wait before you told me about all this?!
Ethan: I knew from the moment I met you that you were Silver Circle material, but there was ’t just the little problem of your academic hearing… The Circle didn’t want to take a risk on a candidate who might be expelled any day, even with me vouching for you.
Danny: Didn’t want to take a risk, huh? They should’ve known better than to bet against me.
Ethan: Don’t be like that, Danny. The Silver Circle is wary of any new blood.
Danny: Who makes these decisions?
Ethan: You’ll meet them later. For now, let me tell you why this is a phenomenal opportunity for you.
Ethan gestures for you to follow him down a candlelit hallway. Peering through a door along the hall, you catch a glimpse of a lounge where famous movie stars, directors, and fashion designers socialize over wine and caviar.
Danny: Was that Tom Ford hanging out with Christopher Nolan and Natalie Portman?
Ethan: Yup. There are a lot of big names in the Silver Circle… the connections you forge here can make your entire career.
Ethan leads you into a deserted antechamber with two leather armchairs. You take a seat in one, and Ethan sits down across from you.
Ethan: The Silver Circle might seem like the big leagues… which it is, and it might seem like a weird secret society… which it also sort of is. But I promise you, Danny… this is the opportunity we’ve been waiting for. You’re ready for this. If you’re accepted, you’ll have access to a huge network of the most elite Hollywood U alumni… the best of the best, really.
Danny: Wait… if I’m accepted? I thought I was already in!
Rewards
- 90 Cash
- 4000 XP
Ethan: I wish it was that easy, Danny… but it’s not. The Circle expects new recruits to show that they’re committed to this.
Danny: How do I do that?
Ethan: You’re not gonna like this, but they’ve devised a little loyalty test. To prove yourself, you have to sneak into Hunt’s office and steal the Audrey he won for Best Director.
Danny: What?! Does everyone have to do this?
Ethan: Not everyone. But the Circle feels that stealing from Hunt is the ultimate risk you could possibly take. And taking that risk shows you’re committed to our organization.
Danny: Won’t he notice if something like that goes missing?
Ethan: Don’t worry. We’ll give it back to him after you prove yourself.
After saying goodbye to Ethan, you find yourself in the dark passageway once more, fumbling along the walls toward the basement of the WCF. Reaching the secret door, you emerge from the passage and blink in the fluorescent light.
Holly: You’re back. And in once piece. How was it?
Danny: Pretty weird… but also really cool. There’s just one problem… I have to steal Professor Hunt’s Audrey for Best Director.
Holly: Hmm. I was expecting something a bit more creative… but if that’s what it takes to make ‘Permanent Wound’ the best it can be, I’d better help you out. We’ll need to sneak into Hunt’s office while he’s out, but we can’t risk getting caught in there… we need some lookouts to watch our backs.
Part 5
Holly: We need lookouts. Find some people who won’t look out of place in the film building.
- A Level 10+ Movie Star Besides Danny (Tegwen)
- A Level 10+ Movie Star Besides Danny (Kanoro)
Tegwen and Kanoro station themselves along the hallway outside Professor Hunt’s office on the top floor of the WCF.
Tegwen: All clear, Danny. Operation Stolen Glory is go.
Kanoro: We’ll text you if Hunt shows up.
Danny: Thanks, Tegwen and Kanoro.
Holly: Next time you see us, we’ll have an Audrey for Best Director!
Time - 16 hours, 45 minutes
You glance around nervously while Holly picks the lock on Hunt’s office door.
Danny: How do you even know how to do this?
Holly: Simple. If you’re gonna write realistic criminal characters, it’s important to know how they operate.
Danny: I’m suddenly wondering what other illegal skills you’ve picked up just to make your characters more realistic…
Holly: Best not to ask that, Danny. You wouldn’t like the answer.
The door opens with a soft click! You and Holly slink into Professor Hunt’s office and quickly scan for the golden statuette.
Danny: There it is! Right over his desk!
You and Holly start toward the shelf where Hunt’s Audrey gleams when your phone buzzes!
Danny: ‘HUNT AND SINGH HEADED YOUR WAY!’ Crap! Hunt and Professor Singh are coming up to Hunt’s office right now! Hide!
Holly: Quick, in the closet!
You and Holly duck into a closet in Professor Hunt’s office, breathing in the scent of Hunt’s freshly laundered suits.
Danny: Whoa! Gucci… Armani… Professor Hunt has expensive tastes!
Holly: Maybe we should just steal these… they must be worth about four thousand each!
Danny: Shh! I think they’re right outside the door!
The door swings open, and Professor Hunt walks in with Professor Singh.
Priya Singh: You’re too easy on them, Thomas. You should be weeding out the weaklings among our school’s student body, not coddling their egos with fun and easy assignments!
Thomas Hunt: To each his own. I’ve found a teaching style I’m comfortable with. I suppose I am a bit lenient, but--
Priya Singh: It’s not just that, Thomas. You get too attached to your students… Danny, for example. We expect a certain caliber of student at Hollywood U, and Danny has clearly demonstrated an unwillingness to meet that expectation.
Thomas Hunt: I said everything I needed to at the hearing, Priya. You may not approve, but I’m confident that we won’t regret keeping Danny enrolled here.
Professor Hunt moves to the window, where Professor Singh joins him. With their backs turned, you and Holly have the perfect opportunity to sneak out… You ease the closet door open and both quietly tiptoe behind Hunt and Singh. As you cross the room, you snatch the Audrey for Best Director off the shelf! Holly flashes you a thumbs-up, and you start to head out…
Priya Singh: Damn it, Thomas. You were always too soft. That’s why you and I… That’s why you and I just didn’t work.
Danny: …
Crouched behind Hunt’s desk, you gaze wide-eyed at Holly! Holly gives you an exasperated look as you motion to her to wait. You peer around one leg of the desk at Hunt and Singh. Professor Singh sighs deeply, her eyes full of regret. She reaches up and lays one hand on Professor Hunt’s cheek.
Priya Singh: Don’t you ever wonder what might’ve been, Thomas? What we might’ve been?
Thomas Hunt: You don’t get to touch me like that, Priya. Not anymore.
Professor Singh lets her hand fall back to her side.
Priya Singh: All right then, Professor Hunt. I’m sorry to have bothered you. Is there… Is there someone else?
Thomas Hunt: No. Maybe… I don’t know. I— I just can’t do this right now. Just… go.
Priya Singh: Fine. I’m gone.
As Professor Singh leaves, Hunt slumps against the window sill, lost in thought. Holly motions to you to follow her, and the two of you sneak out of the office.
Danny: We did it!
Holly: Shh! He might still hear us! Let’s get out of this hallway first…
Rewards
- 90 Cash
- 4000 XP
You hurry down the hall and meet Tegwen and Kanoro at the end.
Tegwen: Jackpot.
Kanoro: You got our warning, then?
Danny: Yeah, thanks so much! You guys totally saved us.
Tegwen: All in a day’s work.
Holly: Okay, Danny. I’ll let you focus on locking down our budget. See you later.
Danny: Thanks for your help, Holly.
Holly: Don’t thank me. I just want to make my movie. But you’re welcome.
Part 6
Ethan: Do you have my Audrey?
- Level Danny
You head back down the passageway in the basement and meet up with Ethan again.
Ethan: Damn, back already? That might be a record!
Danny: Never make me do that again. I almost got caught!
Ethan: But you got the Audrey, right?
Danny: Yeah, I have it right here.
Ethan: Nice! Don’t worry… we’ll make sure this gets back to Hunt. In the meantime… there’s someone here who’d like to talk business with you. She’s in the Silver Circle bar, just down the hall.
Rewards
- 1 Diamond
- 4000 XP
Following Ethan’s directions, you enter an opulently decorated room with a long mahogany bar at one end. Through the haze of cigar smoke, you see a familiar face reflected in the mirror behind the bar.
Zoe: …
Danny: Zoe?
Part 7
Zoe: Let’s talk business.
- Level 29+ Danny
You grab the barstool next to Zoe and order a drink.
Zoe: Hey, Danny. Surprised to see me?
Danny: Is everyone I know in the Silver Circle except me?
Zoe: Not everyone. Now let’s talk ‘Permanent Wound’.
Danny: Okay… what about it? You said you weren’t available…
Zoe: I wasn’t available to an indie filmmaker with no budget. But for a fellow Silver Circle member? I can make an exception. Doing your movie will earn me something more valuable than money… a favor from the Silver Circle.
Time - 21 hours, 30 minutes
Danny: You want to make ‘Permanent Wound’ with me? But… we can hardly pay you!
Zoe: No worries. Just pay for my drink. And… say hi to Kip for me, will you?
Danny: Kip? Who’s Kip?
Zoe just smiles as she drains her glass. She slides a note along the bar to you and walks out of the room.
Rewards
- 5 Diamonds
- 4000 XP
Rewards
- 25 Diamonds
You pick up the note, recognizing the silver circle printed on the paper.
Danny: ‘Congratulations on passing our first test, recruit. Ethan spoke very highly of you… now I see why. I look forward to meeting you. -Kip Valmont’
The Silver Circle is opening all sorts of doors for you! With Zoe cast in ‘Permanent Wound’, you’re almost ready to start filming! There’s just one more riddle… who exactly is this Kip Valmont guy? Keep playing to find out!