Ernst Zimmer's House


Ernst Zimmerls House
Region	Ocean City
Unlocked by	Wandering in Ocean City

Quests

Enter the house and climb the stairs to its attic, where you find Ernst Zimmer generating otherworldly noises on a cello. Speak with him. He had a vision of the end of the world (Haunted: "Sounds... wonderful...") caused by a dark rift in his basement, which he somehow knows he can suppress by playing like this.

Optionally, offer to have a look. Take the Zimmer basement key.

In the basement, get too close to the shelves.
Examine the top shelf. You find the "dark rift" is simply some tar dripping from a punctured container.
Give Zimmer the good news back in the attic. The following stat tests are now reduced by 2.

You have several options to get Zimmer to stop playing:

With Brag and 4^ish Muscle, convince him you'll take care of it.
With 4^ish Mysticality, give him a rational explanation for this madness.
With 4^ish Moxie, calm his nerves and get him to just relax.
Wearing the terribly cursed fedora, drain his energy with shadow speech, leaving him too tired to play.

Go back down the stairs. Naturally, the house transformed into a shadow nightmare the instant Zimmer put down his bow. Give him the bad news, or don't.

Warning: If you leave the house at this point, you will see the consequences of your recklessness. You won't be able to return.

Poke around the ground floor if you like.
In the basement, find a shadow rift, possibly the first you've encountered. (This shadow zone is not listed on that page since it doesn't use the same mechanics as proper rifts.)

Step into the rift, leaving any semblance of good sense behind. The creature inside is bolstered by the thirteen thrumming spikes of nega-energy surrounding it.

Dampen some or all of the spikes and approach the creature.
With Muscle of at least 1 plus the number of still-thrumming spikes, pull from the creature's chest the rift crystal which appears to serve as its very heart.
Choose wisely (or foolishly, if you feel like it):
- Destroy the crystal, either when you first take it or as you step out of the rift.
  - Tell Zimmer the rift is closed, earning Zimmer's cello and 10 .
- Keep the crystal for yourself. Your character is disturbingly enamored with it, as is Zimmer if you show it to him.
  - Finish looting the place to your satisfaction. Then walk out of the house with the crystal and observe the horrifying consequences.
  - The crystal can be made into a rift crystal amulet for 300 at Rodkin Fine Jewelry.

Interactions

Before you meet Zimmer, this area is identified simply as Eerie Music House. If you take the rift crystal out, the area is identified as No House.

Ground Floor

Fishing in the teapot
Limit	Once
Items	eldritch mist

12 furniture items laid out in a circle.
Jazz Agents can check the bookshelf on the left for Intermediate Jazz Theory, a Ranged Damage perk.
The cabinet on the right contain sheet music, but it's all in German, und du kannst kein deutsh gesprechen (and you can't speak German).

When haunted:

The tea pot is now a fishing spot: eldritch mist (once), and also bubbling black sludge.
The plates on the shelf shatter in unison at your approach.
One of the chairs demands that you sit on it. Whether you comply or refuse, the chair will never speak to you again.

Upstairs

Converse with Ernst Zimmer.

Cellar

Fishing in the puddle of tar
Limit	1/day
Items	gob of tar

Initially, the cellar door is locked. To enter, get the Zimmer basement key or get Zimmer to stop playing.

Express your creativity in the dust on the second shelf.
Find a fuse on the third shelf.
Fish for a gob of tar. (only once?)
Cryptobotanists can collect fustulent grulch from some boxes of moldy sheet music.

When haunted:

Only the rift is accessible.

Shadow Zone

Dampen spikes to silence them. You can pluck them to get them vibrating again.
The creature's description changes as you dampen or pluck the spikes:
- 10-13 vibrating spikes: "The creature looks like it could rip you in half without even really trying, maybe without even really noticing."
- 8-9: "The creature looks like it could become very aggressive and dangerous if you mess with it."
- 5-7: "The creature looks a fair bit weaker than it did when you came in."
- 0-4: "The creature looks extremely weak -- almost docile."