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Yeah, I'm starting to lose track. Three?
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Nov 28, 2016 17:31
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| # ? Jun 7, 2024 22:05 |
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Chapter 5, continued SFX: Door opening quietly Rosa pushed the door to his room open. SFX - A faint sort of rushing noise underlies this section. It has a bit of wind sound and a slight pulsation to it. (It's a nice effect since it is nearly inaudible and just adds to the mood, but not something that can really be recreated in this format).  ... It felt like a different world inside this room. By closing the door, it was as if she had cut herself off from the living. Rosa took an unsure step once she found her bearings. She placed the tray of food on the nearest flat surface, careful not to make any noise. SFX: Fire flaring up  Rosa heaved. The air felt humid here, the atmosphere almost... stale. Now that she was inside and venturing deeper, a sudden impulse to find the door gripped her. She looked back. It seemed farther away. Why was she so anxious? She had been in this room before. It was perfectly normal. Tonight, it was a different story. The room seemed to breathe. Rosa gulped. What a curious word. There was no other way to describe it, though. The flickering shadows made it seem like the walls were respiring around her. The room felt alive. It was asleep, like its owner, but alive. In the dim light of her candle, the red carpet looked like flesh. The furnishings were viscera. It didn't feel like she entered a room at all... but a belly. Something darted in the corner of her eye. Rosa snapped her head. ... Just a curtain. Rosa let out the breath she was holding in her chest, aware with every move her body made. She tiptoed towards the canopy. SFX: The faint rushing sound gradually gets a louder over the next several lines as Rosa approaches the bed. It was perhaps the highlight of the room, an organic monstrosity of red plush and velvet. From afar, it didn't look like a bed at all, but a cage. If the room was a cavern of meat, then this...this was its heart. Rosa approached. Every muscle in her body was tense.  He was lying on his chest, back bare, clothes littering the floor. Guilleme seemed to have fallen into the bed instead of climbing in. One of his arms stuck out from the mattress. His breath was fitful but slow, a light snore coming from him. SFX: Sound of something falling, maybe hitting a wall or the floor. ...! What was that? Rosa looked around for the source of the noise, but the room was still. A slow trickle of sweat traced her spine. Did that come from the window? S-Should she check? Rosa didn't move. Something was in the room with her. She could feel it. She stole a glance at Guilleme. He hadn't moved from the bed. Rosa's ears tried to pick up the faintest noise. It felt like hours of her staying frozen on that spot, wishing to blend with the darkness. But there was no one there. She had probably imagined it. She took a deep breath and calmed herself down. The sooner she was out of this room, the better. Philia's effect would diminish once the candle died. After that, she might not have another chance. She had to find out more about him tonight. The thought of her goal helped steel her nerves. Where should she begin? She took a step. SFX: Sound of some small thing running ...! Rosa darted her head, looking for the source of the skittering noise. Her ears were too sensitive now. She heard every creak and moan in the room. She took a deep breath. Focus. Rosa surveyed everything. There was a book by Guilleme's bedside table. It was only a couple of steps away, but she’d have to come dangerously close to the bed. As much as she could, she'd rather maintain the distance between her and the creature on the bed. ...Creature. Why did she think that? Perhaps it was the arrangement of the sheets, or the shadows playing their tricks, but — Rosa shook her head. Perhaps there was another place to look?  We've come here to gather information. You should check the book. ...Rosa sighed. Mother was right. She had to check every source to be sure. She inched herself closer to the bed. The faint candlelight indicated that the book on the bedside was red. It wasn't the journal she had seen Guilleme write in. Rosa tiptoed her way closer. Guilleme's hand dangled mere inches away. She reached her arms towards the book. SFX: Sound of a book being, uh, noiselessly swiped. And swiped it noiselessly.  She backed up from the bed with the book under her arm. Adrenaline surged in her blood. It almost made her smile. Rosa examined her prize. A book in a foreign language. She remembered seeing such thin obscure characters somewhere. She wasn't sure which country, but it was probably Asian. She flipped the book and saw a piece of parchment folded on one of the pages. A sailing permit for a barge named "La Victoria" dated for the end of the month. Two days from now. It outlined the cargo and the purposes of the trip with no date of return.  Travelling? No... Leaving...Guilleme was planning to leave. This was a suspicion she had since she had started observing him. His sudden aloofness with the town affairs. The secret purchase of a ship. The decrease of servants in his employ. Now, it was confirmed. It's just as well we found this. We must end it tonight before he has a chance to escape.Although it was a good thing to confirm this suspicion, the fact helped her little. If anything, it just made it even more urgent to find something tonight. She had to continue. Rosa steadied herself and stepped back to the bed. SFX: The faint rushing noise, which has not ceased, continues louder; still quiet but clearly audible now. Her hand finally brushed against the wood of the table after some quiet fumbling. She caught sight of something shiny inside the drawer. Open it, child.scene bg guilbedopen SFX: Drawer sliding open. Rosa pulled the drawer open, ever so slightly. She peeked inside. Inside was an ornate dagger with a golden hilt, set in with rubies. An old, delicate pattern was carved on its blade. There was a heat emanating from it, almost like it was alive, like the rest of the room. She almost missed it in the dim light, but there was also a key in the same cabinet.   -Take the dagger first. -Take the key first.Which will it be, the dagger or the key?
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Nov 28, 2016 18:35
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Key first, probably best not to gently caress with daggers that feel alive.
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Nov 30, 2016 00:57
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Well, well, well, couldn't even bother to stick around for the community, or Rosa unless she fell in love with you, could you? Wouldn't want to leave a pattern after all... this revenge will be just and sweet. His good side is nice, but it's just not nice enough not to warrent kicking him out of life. Anyway if we didn't come in cdg-ing over and over, slitting and stabbing like a madwoman with a blessed dagger who lost both her sisters then it seems maybe we should keep up with being a smartypants and do indirect things like picking up a key first. There's a chance it means we don't get revenge, but it probably either increases the payout or allows the killing at all. Wanna be a good thief now. RA Rx fucked around with this message at 06:45 on Nov 30, 2016 |
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Nov 30, 2016 06:43
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Chapter 5, continued -Take the dagger first. -Take the key first. Take the key and leave that dagger. ... I have a bad feeling about that weapon. Leave it be. Rosa agreed with Mother. The weapon was as sinister as it was beautiful. She didn't want to touch it. Rosa took the tiny key into her hand, feeling the cool metal against her palm.  SFX: Creaking sound Guilleme shifted. SFX: Quick puff of air Rosa blew the candle out. She scuttled behind the small table. It barely hid her. Guilleme had changed positions in his sleep. Now his face was in full view and facing her direction.  It was so loud, she was concerned the room might echo the sound and announce her intrusion. Rosa waited for a few minutes before moving. She decided to crouch down, holding the unlit candle close to her chest. Easy now. She shuffled away from the bed in relief. The candle was dead, but her eyes were now well-adjusted to the darkness. She could make out a desk in the furthest part of the room. He must do most of his writing there. There is a huge chance the journal is near.It wasn't very dignifying, but Rosa decided to crawl towards it. Now that Guilleme's face was in full view, a flutter of the eyelid was all it would take to catch her. It would be better to minimize her risks. She dropped to her knees and placed her palms on the floor. SFX: Breathing (gasp) She drew her hand back. Was she imagining it? When her palms touched the floor, it felt warm....Wet. Her fingers were sucked into the floor as if she'd touched soft, pulpy flesh. The hallucination was so strong that her nose detected a spray of iron in the air. Her stomach heaved. She rubbed her hand. There was no wetness or blood anywhere. The floor was solid. ... It... It must have been her imagination. Rosa touched the floor warily, patting it and pulling on the carpet fibers. Just a normal carpet. Rosa let out slow, small breaths as she started to move once more. She padded her way to the desk. Every time her skin came into contact with the floor, bile rose up her throat. It took some effort to resist the urge to gag.  She looked back at the bed. From this angle, it was hard to tell if Guilleme had moved. She hoped that the big desk also hid her in its shadows. Rosa rummaged. There was no trace of the book on the table top, she only found a pot of ink, loose sheets of paper, and a quill. That drat thing had to be close. SFX: Drawer opening She opened the first shelf and found a stack of papers. Nothing. SFX: Drawer closing She shuffled through them but the drawer didn't have the journal. SFX: More drawers opening and closing  SFX: More drawers ... And the third. There was nothing of interest. Finally, she pulled on the last drawer. SFX: Drawer catching on lock It was locked. Rosa sucked the air through her teeth.  Of course it's locked! How could I have been so stupid!?Rosa slumped in a depressed heap. The key.Rosa looked at the key in her hand. SFX: Lock releasing She slid it into the hole and heard the lock click. A deep feeling of relief washed over her. SFX: Drawer opening The drawer slid open. Rosa looked inside. There it was. In her eyes, the green journal was a treasure. She lifted the book from its resting place. It was heavier than she expected. Rosa smiled. She ran her hands along the velvet cover of the book, savoring the texture. At last! She had it! Child. We hear the same creepy soundscape that was used in Chapter 4 when Catherine was going mad.Mother's voice was riddled with anxiety. Something is wrong. ...Her excitement had clouded her senses. Almost at once, she felt the change in the air. Everything was.... still. Her stomach shrunk into its cavity. Fresh sweat broke out on her scalp. This silence...It had weight. It pressed on her skin and made the air thin in her lungs. Rosa stood up.  Now. Rosa shuffled her way out of the room. With every step, her legs seemed to stick uncomfortably to the floor. It slowed her movement. One more step. Her whole foot felt like sinking. She held onto a chair and staggered back. SFX: Breathing sound It was throbbing. Musty and red, alive and without skin. The air was filled with the unmistakable stench of fresh meat.  She didn't care that the handle seemed to curl around her fingers. She pushed the door open and spilled into the corridor. SFX: Door opening  SFX: Door closing It almost felt like the door closed by itself. In her confusion, she couldn't be sure.  Just looking at the doorway of the room made her skin crawl. Rosa gathered her wits and stared at the journal in her hand. She hoped it would contain the information they needed.
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Dec 6, 2016 06:15
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Did...did the room turn into flesh for a second?  The darker corners of this story are really showing themselves now.
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Dec 6, 2016 17:09
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That part really freaked me the gently caress out the first time.
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Dec 6, 2016 17:18
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 That's nasty. Doesn't Guilleme have a dedicated maid service? He doesn't have to live in squalor that's so bad it spontaneously comes to life.
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Dec 8, 2016 17:05
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 "La Chambre" by Circus Marcus She wasn't too surprised to find that a number of entries were written in different tongues. The dates jumped from decade to decade. The writing spanned centuries. Another suspicion validated. Guilleme was... not human. Or at least, he did not have a normal human lifespan. This discovery made Rosa search her mind for her date of birth. It distressed her that she could not remember. She shook her head and turned back to the journal. Despite the multitude of languages, the first entry was translated into several languages. For sentimental reasons, perhaps? Or maybe a feeble attempt at reminiscing a more innocent time.  Each entry is presented like this, and with the sound of a page turn. Since the text is a bit small, here is this page in full: quote:
SFX: Page turning The other preceding pages were still in a different language. Rosa flipped through the pages until she came upon one she could read. quote:
quote:
quote:
Bad memories began to surface in Rosa's mind. Desperation. A cornered animal that fought back. It reminded her of her own sins. Her hands were drenched in red. And yet, here she was, planning to kill another man. This had been her goal all along, hadn't it? That same, familiar guilt began to stir in her mind. She bit her lip. SFX: Pages turning Rosa skipped some entries. Most of them were garbled, almost incomprehensible. They were written in old ink, faded and unloved. Still, though they were melancholic, they painted a picture of a man with sufficient black humor to keep sane. quote:
quote:
There it is. There is confirmation that he can be killed. So he bleeds like everyone else, but heals enough not to die. A strike to the heart. If we find a way to leave this wound open, perhaps he can be exterminated.Rosa continued reading. Another feeling was starting to grow in her chest. She began to question her cause the more she read through the journal. quote:
Rosa shuffled through more pages and saw a different penmanship in one such entry. It caught her eye. quote:January 1500 quote:
The next entry's penmanship was scratchy and difficult to understand. quote:
... He consumes love. I do not know exactly what he is, but he is a monster. A demon! Didn't I tell you? I felt it in my bones! -That's enough. -Read more.Do we keep reading, or do we want to act now?
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Dec 12, 2016 00:42
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Keep reading. Maybe we'll learn something else useful.
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Dec 12, 2016 00:53
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This raises the question of whether we're actually still missing the eye under our overhang of hair.
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Dec 12, 2016 01:16
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Read more - this stuff sounds familiar even if we dislike it...
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Dec 12, 2016 03:33
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 but with the journal pages. (Read more)
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Dec 12, 2016 17:19
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Read more Get to the point where he killed our darlings. Remind herself he gets sympathy, but she still executes him. Not gonna go amateur-hour and fail like a fool because he's similar to her. He ate two of our five family members. RA Rx fucked around with this message at 07:35 on Dec 14, 2016 |
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Dec 14, 2016 07:31
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I know what I would do if it was me: Read More. My curiosity is insatiable! Also it might give us more clues/important information.
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Dec 15, 2016 19:22
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Chapter 6, continued -That's enough. -Read more. We aren't going to toss aside this journal so soon. quote:4th December 1550 ... So that was why he fell so easily for the sedatives. That is not all. Perhaps we can destroy him this way as well. He is most vulnerable right now. If we attack now, he won't be able to put up any defenses.quote:12 February 1601 quote:August 1605 quote:29th June 1724 The entry was not finished and some fresh pages were torn out of the book. Even if there were no names mentioned, Rosa felt that the last entry was for Catherine. I'd sort of forgotten that while it is uncertain as to whether it really is for Catherine, it does fix the date for the game, if only roughly, since Rosa can consider it as a possibility. It still seems a few decades early for most of the other elements we've seen. There were more entries that she didn't explore, but she decided to close the book. She had read enough for now. Rosa's hands were shaking by then. A growing feeling of understanding came over her. His thoughts were too much like her own. They were too similar.  ... Guilleme consumes love--Rosa remembered the taste in her mouth when she had kissed Catherine. There was something else in that kiss. A boundless flavour that coated her mouth and made her realize how hungry she was. SFX: Heartbeat The same night that Catherine began to change. SFX: Heartbeat Rosa's throat throbbed. The thumping felt like it resonated through her whole body. Rosa fell to her knees. SFX: Heartbeat That same feeling of dread began to rise up in her throat. The mere mention of the thought seemed to summon the feeling in her chest.   Did I taste Catherine's love that night? Then that means that I am also-- ...Mother? Am I-- The same?She hastily pulled out the locket that Guilleme had given her previously. It was still as difficult to open as before, But right now, Rosa was armed with a terrifying conclusion. She struggled with the drat thing until she thought her nails would peel off her fingers. The pendant popped open, revealing a yellowing portrait inside. Oh, finally figured it out, have you? Do you see it now? Do you see why Mother wants his punishment? My child... He is a monster. The very thing I stopped you from becoming. Don't you see? I saved you! I stopped you from feeding on other people's love. I didn't want you to be filthy! Mother's love is all you need. ... You have learnt enough. Now you know what to do. Kill him. The expression on Rosa's face changes whenever Mother speaks, giving us a clear indication that we are indeed inside her, not a disembodied spirit only she can hear. ... He must perish. La tapa del jueves - Circus Marcus ... The discovery of Guilleme's identity shook her to her core. But it also made her feel the burden of their years together. Perhaps the understanding of his pain as well. Must we really do this, Mother? You still have doubts after everything you have learned? No... But-- This knowledge just makes me want to-- You stupid child. Can't you see it is what should be done? -Do it for the greater good! -Do it for me!This will likely be the final decision for us to make. In addition to voting on this choice, please add in other considerations that might be decided next time: * Should Guilleme be destroyed, or simply stopped? * Do we trust Rosa to finish this properly, or do we need to maintain our hold on her?
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Dec 19, 2016 20:19
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I see Rosa's gone full Norman Bates here.
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Dec 19, 2016 20:32
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Maintain our hold and destroy him.
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Dec 19, 2016 22:18
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Is Guilleme Rosa's dad?
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Dec 21, 2016 04:17
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Rosa is naive, we should tell her to destroy him for the greater good. And of course we'll need to keep control of her in the process.
Orbs fucked around with this message at 07:59 on Dec 21, 2016 |
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Dec 21, 2016 05:13
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Do it for the greater good, keep control of her in the process and destroy him.
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Dec 21, 2016 06:06
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Chapter 6, continued -Do it for the greater good! -Do it for me! It's not just us who suffered, there's Emilie, and Catherine, and probably countless others. And there will be more if he gets away.  It is the right thing to do! ... Is it really? It is easy to say that.... But... What do you really want? -To destroy him, of course! -To stop him from hurting more people. Are you really this daft, child? He devours the minds of those that love him. I cannot think of a more disgusting creature. We must destroy him, it needs to be done. He needs to pay for the victims of his curse. But is it really the right thing? Is death the only way to change him? -Yes, it is. -Maybe not.We want him destroyed. It's too great a risk to try any other option. Of course it is! There is no other choice. It's the only way to stop him. He is a monster. Besides, it is what he deserves. Am I not like him, Mother? I am also... a monster. We are the same. -No, you are not! -Yes, you are. You are not a monster! I have raised you, guided you, and loved you enough. All my sacrifices were for you. To stop you from turning into something like him. Oh, I was always afraid. Always. Always. There's been a subtle change... sometimes Rosa is taking on Mother's facial expressions, sometimes she's reacting to them, and sometimes it may be a bit of both. He may be a monster. But you are not. Because of me. Because of a mother's love for her child. ... Now that you know his true face, there is only one thing to do! ... ... ... No. No? I... I think he can change. Perhaps I might still be able to save him. -He will never change. -He will not listen to you.We need to make sure our child knows that whatever she's planning isn't going to work. You cannot change him, child! This is his nature. That kind of creature has no redemption! Yes, but isn't he a creature of love? So am I. Love, no matter how lonely and depraved, always gives all of itself. Only I can understand. Only I can save him. That is why I want to try. -So you are throwing all our efforts away? -What do you intend to do? The spell is in full effect! I cannot allow you to throw away all our efforts! It won't be for naught. I will light Agape and make him remember. -You are to do no such thing! -Will that even work?!She's showing some defiance. If we push her too hard now we might lose her entirely. What if it doesn't work, child?! Agape is a blessing, not a curse. A monster of his calibre will only shrug it off. And what will become of you then? Please don't do this. Trust in me, Mother. I will do the right thing. You? You?! What could you possibly hope to do, you dumb child?! You are ignorant, naive! Just a brainless, dangerously idealistic girl with her head up in books and fiction. There is no happy ending in this life, you worm! Oh, you bring me so much pain! I should have abandoned you years ago! You cannot hurt me any longer, Mother. I know that you love me. As such, I want to remember you as the one person who loved me with her whole heart. Not the tainted woman who abused me. It is my fault you act this way. Your voice is my own insecurities and my own pain. Now, not anymore. How dare you degrade me into an apparition! I am real! Listen to me! You have called me a good person before. You believe in me, don't you, Mother? You have guided me well. Believe in me. Believe that I am doing the right thing. ... I love you so much. But I cannot follow all your wishes anymore. Let me make my own decisions from now on. -Scream at her. -Plead.Once again, we must be careful in how we treat her. M-My darling... I-I know you are strong now. But please... Are you not going to avenge me? Wouldn't you do that for me...? Revenge? Is it really what you want? Will that give you the peace you seek? -Yes! -...I don't knowWe know our own purpose quite well. We just have to get her to see it our way. Of course! I want him to suffer as much as I have suffered. All those years of torment-- My pain during my last moments-- I want him to pay-- ... I do not think that is what you really want. You are a part of me, Mother. You do not want vengeance, just as Catherine and I do not. You simply crave punishment. You crave atonement. ...How dare you say that! ... ... Is it not true? ... Darling... What will become of me now, without my role to guide you? Can you really make it on your own? Of course, Mother. I will still listen to you and love you. I will save him, whether you allow me to or not. -Why...? -You love him, don't you? W-Why are you making an effort to save him? After all that he has done-- Because I am all he has left. But you have seen what he really is! You have seen his true, ugly face-- We are all ugly. I want to believe there is something worth saving in him, as well. After all, Mother. Where would I be if you had not seen beauty in me, too? I'm sorry, Mother... I know you hate him from the bottom of your heart. But I have already forgiven him. Like how I have already forgiven you. -How dare you... -I understand... I don't need your forgiveness... H-How dare you... ... I will try to save him from himself because that's what I'm supposed to do. Perhaps that is the reason why I was sent his way. I got to spend years with him and have memories of him. He taught me how to be strong. He got to watch me grow into this strength. It is more than I can ask. You do know that he does not feel the same way for you? He does not love you, child. Yes. That makes me better than him. Because I love him without asking for anything in return. A concept that has never yet crossed his mind. -Stop! -S-So be it...She's slipping out of our grasp; all we can hope is that she remembers some of our advice. S-So be it. Just know that he is powerful and full of pride. He will not take kindly to being bound by magic. We can only hope, Mother. -I don't trust him. -Please, take care of yourself. Won't you at least find something to defend yourself with? He is quite volatile. It would put me at ease if you get yourself a weapon.Rosa thought for a while. That is reasonable enough. I shall find one.Rosa's final course of action is now decided. We've lost some control over her, but hopefully she will carry out our wishes. There were some options I could have chosen to keep a tighter hold on her, but I think it's more consistent with all the thread choices so far that we're not going to be overly abusive to her.
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Dec 26, 2016 18:31
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I have to say, this is an interesting take on a raising sim.
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Dec 27, 2016 01:53
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Glazius posted:I have to say, this is an interesting take on a raising sim. I'm kind of afraid to ask what this is.
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Dec 28, 2016 05:29
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Raising sims are just another kind of simulated life/social interaction games, and they typically punish you for not taking care of the character in your care. Usually you'd expect treatment like what we've done to Rosa to lead to a bad end. Exactly what constitutes a good or bad end in Cupid is open for at least some debate. There is an LP in the archive of Princess Maker 2 if you'd really like to know more (yeah, that game can get a bit creepy, though). But as for this game, we're headed into the last chapter for our first run, and the next update should be up soon. It's probably the most gif-heavy; after this point there's more talking and less weirdness, so get ready.
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Dec 29, 2016 05:58
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To kill a demon You can do it Rosa!
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Dec 29, 2016 09:38
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Chapter 8 I normally don't like to call attention to them, but the title below has one of the game's more noticeable typos. Every other reference to this chapter calls it 'Transience', so this isn't some kind of odd insertion of 'Science' into the ending, just a mistake that made it to the graphic. Now, on with the final chapter.  What in me is dark.  SFX: heartbeat But that is not me.  SFX: heartbeat What is in me, is not me. I fought with it, lived with it, survived. SFX: heartbeat Yet, we become what we subdue. If this is true, then I was never myself.  SFX: heartbeat I am not a monster.  ... ...tired.  Did you even really love me? Or were you just hungry?It is hard to divide that line sometimes. Hunger hovers over every action I take. ...Maybe I was bored.  That's sweet of you, Gilly. Truly, marvelously classy. "La Tapa del Viernes" by Circus MarcusWhat are you doing in my dream, Catherine?  I came to punch you in the face, you loving bastard. And then, perhaps... ...Say goodbye.Pain wells up in my throat and I answer it with anger. Goodbyes are pointless. I have no need for them. You're just another voice in my conscience that will fade away in time.  No, I am not. You're still a bastard, mind you. But I love you still.And I loved you. But does that matter now? I will love another one quite like you in the future. You know, I can always tell when you're lying to me. Your mouth does that little twitch, and your nose flares up like you smell something bad.That man you knew is gone. He was nothing but an illusion you yourself designed, my dear. I only adapt. ...  Then why do you still do it? How can I still tell you're lying?I'm not.  Liar.  I don't see it!"Sagittarius is over there!" I laughed, pointing your hand to the night sky. Beneath this blanket of stars, the brightest one was sitting right beside me. Would you believe me if say I never meant to kiss you? But I'm glad I did. I had hoped you wouldn't see my hand shake.  "In your eyes, I feel like I am somebody worth loving."I am a lie. But that was the truth.  The arrow you struck my heart with worked both ways, mon chou. I have loved you since I was a child. And you had to keep this mask on for years, longer than you usually had to. But, you see... When you become something for a long time, it imprints on you like a seed. Maybe you liked keeping this face, mon chou? You were crying so hard, nobody could comfort you. Candies or sweets and bribes never worked. In my desperation, I said "Everything dies", as if that was a truth worthy to be told to a child. "Did you know that the baker's dog also died?" "Things die, so please don't be upset." Your eyes stared up at me.   Gilly, you are such an idiot! "The baker's dog also died." Are you really trying to cheer me up?I shifted uncomfortably in my boots, but your laughter had you in stitches.  But you can't take away my memories.Memories falter and fade. When you have lived as long as I have, memories are cheap. Love is cheap, Catherine. So, would you please leave me now? I don't want to remember you anymore. I don't want this. I-- Once upon a time, there was a man who lost his heart. So he eats others'.I never lost it. I have always been cursed without it. Then take mine.Yours?  Take my love with you until the end of time. You will never go hungry again.That's not true. You hated me at the very end, like everyone else.  Well, you ruined my life, so of course I hated you. You lied to me. You used me. But... Love and hate can be so similar. It's as simple as flipping a coin. But don't give me apathy, Guilleme. I want my memory to burn as bright as a star in your mind. And this memory I want you to remember me by, is not my body hanging lifelessly by a rope. My dear, Guilleme. I love you. I forgive you.An unfamiliar bitterness washes over my tongue. It threatens to sting my eyes with tears, clenching my throat with pain. Curiously, it is a sensation almost foreign in its rarity. Love... Is it possible? Can I love a memory? Can I survive with only your love to give me sustenance?  SFX: glass breaks (music ends)  Something stirred in my dreamscape, and suddenly you are not there anymore.  "Descent" - JimiMod & S. LaRue. Track 1 here [The same partial loop of this shows up here that was in Chapter 3 (when Émilie fell).]I see you in the distance. A semblance of your visage upon a grassy hill. The sky is dark. The moon hangs ominously upon your head. Catherine! Run!But you cannot hear me. My legs are draped in clear jelly. In dreams, everything is slow. I cannot get to you in time. SFX: Scratching sound, as of a creature flexing its claws Your face begins to change.  You are Émilie. You are Marcus. You are Diomedes. You are Psyche. Your head begins to snap and distort. The skin bubbles and the flesh tears to reveal the pulsing hide of the monster inside. Your glistening heart pumps in your chest. Your feathers pruned and majestic from recent feeding. Yet I am not afraid of this thing and its many mouths. You are merely holding a mirror up to me. SFX: Squishy, fleshy sound A slithering hand wraps around my neck and lifts me from the ground. The pressure tightens as I struggle. One of your tongues licks at the side of my belly, as if sampling the food before the course.  Running away again? Content to starve yourself and feed off a memory? Pathetic.You still look like Catherine. Maybe that is the most painful part. I can't bear to look at you. Why starve yourself when there is plenty to eat? Why beg for scraps when you can gorge? Did you really think your life could change?...  Son of beauty. Brother of night. Love. That's you. You are a sickness. Wherever you will go, this shadow will haunt you. Collect your trinkets, by all means. Relive your precious memory. But know that you will be nothing more than a hypocrite. A clean man walking in a mountain of filth. Open your eyes. Open them. Behold my true, glorious form.... Humans are insatiable.Men and women, they are all rabid for love. How many times have you been their toy?Humans are cruel to things they desire. I must be powerful. I must be on top.I control them instead of them controlling me. I will not be a piece of meat. Never again.Your face softens, and the grip on my neck drags me close to your lips.  Spit ropes between our lips. Love is my sustenance. Love is my sustenance. I will take what I can-- --because they so willingly give. It is playing with my mind. Catherine is gone, like her memory. In the end, this was all an old, vile magic. A cheap parlour trick.
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Dec 29, 2016 17:42
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Looks like we're going to have to knife him.  I mean, I don't mind him recanting, good for him! But let's kill him afterwards. Fortunately it appears he is going to put up a resistance.
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Dec 29, 2016 19:12
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Chapter 8, continued Guilleme woke up with the dream still fading from his memory.  He was not in his room, but in Catherine's. "Snowdrop" by Kevin MacLeodThis did not surprise him. Whoever cast the spell did not do so on a whim. To take him away from his sanctuary was to render him weaker. A pure, white candle flickered on the table, its flame looked as though it was ready to go out.  I couldn't save you. I tried.Rosa stepped out of the shadows.  You--!Guilleme stared at her with irritation. What is the meaning of this, Rosa? This is your doing?She looked at him with sadness. I was too weak to save you, Guilleme. Save me from what? From what you are.  I didn't expect such contempt from someone I trusted. Do you expect me to ask your forgiveness for what I've done, Sire? Because I won't. I will stand by what I did. I will do it again if I can. But such a spell requires much preparation. You are not to do that again, do you hear me? I will not allow myself to be subjected to such an insult. I'm not trying to do something that petty! I am trying to save you-- I do not know what you're talking about! If you persist in this foolish behavior then I will be forced to take action. Go ahead. But I will simply try again. Stop it! They stared at each other in heavy silence, and Guilleme somewhat regretted his forcefulness. But Rosa did not flinch or look away, even at his outburst. There was no fear or fragility in her eye at all. She held her steady gaze until it was Guilleme who looked away.  Why-- Why are you doing this? You should know how pointless it is. I had to try, Guilleme. If there is a way to save you, I am inclined to take it. I had hoped Catherine's memory might work on you. ... Guilleme, I cast a spell to give you her memory-- --So you don't have to resort to feeding.Guilleme recoiled from her like her skin was scalding to the touch.  You-- How did you-- I know what you are because we are the same. We are creatures that emanate desire and feed on love. I have lived with this curse knowing only a semblance of what I am. Mother taught me how to control it, even in her own twisted way. I was lucky, Guilleme. I wasn't alone. ... But you were.Rosa's eye bloomed with sadness. I can only imagine... How hard that must've been. So there was another one like him. A desperate hope clutched onto him like talons. Was that why he had taken to her so without wanting to feed on her? That's why I am doing this, Guilleme. I wanted to give you Catherine's memory, like how Mother's memory keeps me sustained. Love doesn't have to be taken like this. There are other ways.Guilleme frowned indignantly.  Don't you think I have tried that? You're still very young. I can tell. I have already endured centuries of this curse. I know all the tricks to survive. From strangers to the villagers, I know how much I can take. I am meticulous. Then why must you insist on this method--With no reason to stand for ceremony, Guilleme's face changed easily. Rosa's jaw clenched.  His face lost the virtue that once belonged to a blameless man. It was replaced by a curious, cheeky grin, a perpetual look of childlike mischief. This man irritated her, and yet, somehow, Rosa felt like she had known him for a lifetime. He had always been there, hadn't he? Or rather, it had always been him.  Why? Because it is fun. And the taste is worlds better. ... The experience of drawing out love is unlike any human feeling. It is transcendent. It is the only moment I feel alive. The only moment I feel like a god. Once you've had a taste of it, nothing else compares. You must try it! I bet you can only afford to be self-righteous because you don't know any better. You're wrong! I did it to Catherine. I tasted her love, but I was able to stop myself in time! I knew it would destroy her! So that was you, hm? It makes sense that Catherine's love for me waned. That never happened before. Desire can be controlled, Guilleme!  I do not wish to control it! Why should I?! Admit it, you've longed for that taste since your tongue dipped in its pot.Rosa did not speak. She shifted nervously on her feet. Guilleme went on.  We are given this curse to endure, Rosa. Why must we scutter in the corner and humble ourselves? To whom do we abdicate ourselves to? To normal people? They are beneath us. For all their achievements and talents, love is the one thing that can drive them mad. Don't you see? Their weakness is the one thing we feed on. It is the natural order.Guilleme stepped closer to her and touched her bare arm. He tried to hide his bliss.  I told you before. If you need power, then be powerful. I will teach you how to wield it. You still have much to learn. If you will join me, Rosa, just imagine what we can do. We will be powerful, you and I.
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Dec 31, 2016 00:05
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Man, that's a lot of dream teeth.
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Dec 31, 2016 10:22
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I had a lot of guesses early on for where this story would end up. This wasn't one of them.
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Dec 31, 2016 18:28
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Rosa reminds me of my Masquerade vampire, Charles Flonne. She gets a special pleasure from paying her taxes! But seriously, let's knife him already. This game should have well-written, delightful combat! RA Rx fucked around with this message at 18:41 on Dec 31, 2016 |
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Dec 31, 2016 18:35
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This is starting to look like a bad ending, which raises the question of whether this game has any good endings.
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Dec 31, 2016 18:44
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Really? I think it looks like we kill him.
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Dec 31, 2016 22:07
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Exactly what you consider a good or bad ending here is open for some debate. The endings are probably the best part of the game, and I also think the dream monster is one of the best images in the game.
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Jan 2, 2017 00:55
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Kangra posted:The endings are probably the best part of the game, and I also think the dream monster is one of the best images in the game. RA Rx posted:This game should have well-written, delightful combat! 
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Jan 3, 2017 16:52
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Chapter 8, continued The hard look appeared on her face once again. I will never join you.You'd need to get a sweet black cape at a minimum for us to consider it, Guilleme. You use people for your gain! So?! Guilleme's voice couldn't keep from rising. What of it?! Isn't it the rule of human existence? It's all a game, Rosa. A game I play to win! So people's lives are a game to you?Guilleme shrugged. Of course they are. ... Humans use and abuse and they throw away on whim. They destroy for no apparent reason except that they want to. It took me the longest time to understand why. I realised it is simply their nature. Humans don't play fair, but I do. And I still get ahead.Rosa's eye narrowed at Guilleme. I like that these expressions about her eye are still being kept consistent. How can you throw people away so easily?! Don't you see that there are good people, like Catherine?! You are afraid to remember. You are afraid to give them the worth they deserve! You rejected her memory, content to forget her value! ...Guilleme was silent for a few moments. Then he gave a low snicker. Rosa, Rosa, Rosa. That is... an amusing thesis.He looked at her dumbfounded face pitifully.  You got me all wrong, Rosa. I do not undervalue people.  In fact, I love them! I revere them. I am grateful. They sustain me, after all. That alone deserves all the appreciation and care I can give. ... I loved Catherine. ...With every fiber of my being. She was a kind soul. She tasted... perfect. But I think you underestimate how long I've been on this dirty, forsaken rock. Good people are not rare and precious treasures. As such, they are not to be handled any differently from the rest. What...? And all this talk about worth... Do you mean some people are worth more than others because they are "kind"? Or how about those in the lowest caste of society? Ruffians. Rapists. Thieves. It is easy to be kind when you are privileged. But those poor, unworthy souls... Surely no one would miss them! Would that make you feel better?Rosa faltered.  T-That's not what I'm saying! That is exactly what you are saying. You're telling me I shouldn't feed because there are good people out there that deserve better. So if they're bad, it is alright? How terribly judgmental of you. ...No... I... Every human being has a capacity for kindness or cruelty. To judge somebody on such a volatile detail, that is prejudice. After all, a kind man can mull the death of his fellow man, no sooner than a criminal can turn a new leaf. The truth is, there are no good or bad people. There are just... people. ...And I'm not picky. Stop saying that! You don't really believe that, do you? You hurt like me! You want acceptance like me! I know deep inside you want something more. More than a feeding or a craving! You've written as much in your diary-- You sneaky little minx. Didn't I tell you you were not supposed to touch that? Stop! P-Please stop this, Guilleme. I implore you! But the callousness in his heart had decades to harden. He snorted. Or what? What do you plan to do, little girl? ... Is this it? Is this your plan? Put on a light show and talk me to death? Surely you didn't think it would be that easy. ... If you have a different offer, I'm all ears. ... Hm. I thought as much. Well, good talk. Albeit a little pointless, I'm sure you'll agree. ... Is that what you think of Catherine, then? Nothing but... cattle?Guilleme winced despite himself. I loved Catherine... I know you, too, loved her completely, whether you admit it or not. You can't take love without giving it, can you? ...Guilleme sighed in annoyance. Just another spoke in the old, fun wheel. You're lying if you say you are not the least bit troubled by your actions. That's a start, Guilleme. The first step. It means you are not as cold as you want to appear. ... If you admit your guilt and take responsibility for her death--Guilleme waved her away with an indifferent scoff. I refuse. Her death was her own decision. I had no hand in that. She reaped what she sowed, and I collected. That is all. ...! He shrugged. Who knows, maybe she could've gotten better over time? Most people bounce back from the loss of love. Or not... Who really knows? ... Is it my fault she gave me everything? I didn't ask her to. ... Which was only fair. Like you said, I didn't hold back. It was an equal exchange.Rosa's throat went dry. Oh, love. Love is the strongest force in the world. But it is never pure. Always tainted, always poisoned. What are you talking about? Well, I hate to shatter this vision you have of Catherine, but she wasn't so righteous. She was as selfish as everyone else. What?! Think back, Rosa. All of our fights started because of her jealousy. She couldn't stand the thought of somebody else getting a slice of her pie. And why not? Wasn't I convenient for little Miss Perride? ... Yes, of course. Convenient and perfectly adequate. Sweet, boring, obliging Marquis de Gul. Wasn't he so easy to love? He could help her achieve her grand dreams, give her the good life that hovered just beyond her reach. After all, Guilleme didn't seem to have any plans of his own, did he? As if satisfied to exist only for her? Honestly, what a catch. What an impressive... pedestal. Even when the core of this love poisoned her, she made no attempts to leave. I wonder why? Ah, now there's a question. Why, indeed? Because she had hope, Guilleme! She stayed hoping her feelings for you would return! That was how much she loved you! How sweet of you to say. You really thought Catherine stayed with me just for love? And not at all because she was... scared? Insecure? ...Comfortable?Guilleme tapped his chin in mock contemplation. Or maybe... She just wanted so badly to be a Marquis' wife? Such a proud girl, she was. Must she settle for anything less? That will show all the people who used to scorn and underestimate her. They, who called her sister a whore; the ones who called her and her mother mad.Rosa took a shaky step back. Mother's words forced themselves into her head. They are all the same. Rosa bit her lip. It is not true! I won't believe it! Catherine was a kind person! So what? ... Does it matter? Does being kind justify selfishness? Does being kind even save anyone? ... You... You are... heartless. Maybe. It has been so long I can't tell.
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Jan 4, 2017 19:40
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I kind of like that this section doesn't have any dialogue choices, like you might expect it to have in other VNs. We have/Mother has had the chance to influence Rosa; now everything is on her, and it will either work or it won't. Really drives home her growth as a character. Also this is a really good smugface.
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Jan 5, 2017 00:48
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Klingon w Bowl Cut posted:Agreed. The ending we're on is probably my favorite, but they're all good. So, Rosa is trying to drain him of MP so he falls unconscious and becomes a nicer person? Well... you say most. Gotta give it to Guilleme, his arguments aren't all too cohesive, but it's a good effort.
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Jan 5, 2017 05:18
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Is it wrong that I'm sort of siding with Guilleme?
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Jan 5, 2017 07:43
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