|
[The power comes on.] [A monitor flickers uncertainly in the dark. Speakers growl decay as the title music sings at the silent room. It took a lot of time and effort to find the game, and the parts for a setup it would allow itself to be run on. But it was working - one fresh copy, decades old; one last chance.] [The game that only gave you a one in a million shot.] 
|
#
¿
Oct 17, 2020 18:01
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 16, 2024 10:09 |
|
|
[According to the Blue Book, pressing Alt-F8 after the music ends should bring up the hidden playable intro.] [It works. The screen flashes once, and the cutscene begins.]  You watched as she ran up the mountain path. You were the last thing between her and the singing nightmare bearing down on you. Your ageless body screams with pain, as you raise your arm to take a final strike.  You watched as she walked down the sunlit rubble. You were the only living soul left in the aftermath. She comes to you (with her arms outstretched?), willing to give you what you asked for (with her arms outstretched...).  OST: The End - Begin Again ... You wake up. Immediately your mind fights through the fog, demanding assessment. Where? On your side, in some dark and damp space. In some... cave? No, a box. Heavy cardboard box. Looking out the open flaps shows a dirty stone wall, and the shadows of nightfall. You make out yellow-painted graffiti through the grime- of a hyena, laughing with something hidden. You turn attention to your body. Sharp pains... just muscles cramped from lying down; no wounds. Your sidearm- safe and sound on your belt. Still only 5 bullets left in it. Your suit is stained and wet. You move to sit up, and something hard lightly bumps the back of your head. You freeze, before slowly reaching back to confirm two things- one, what you bumped into was a sword. Two... there's something stuck to the top-back of your head. Feeling carefully through your hair, you touch something hard and dense. You dig in your nails to pull at it, surprised when it doesn't give at all. You search the object, pulling, prodding- your heart heats up as you confirm what you're feeling. ANXIETY: [10%] There's a large mass of rock-hard tissue crowning your head, and as far as your fingers can tell, it's fused into your skull. The reveal tickles your nerves with panic. You exhale, thankfully assaulted by too many other sensations to let this one take over your thoughts. You look at the psuedo-sword. It's a slab of concrete, cracked and worn, broken in such a way that it resembles a crude blade. The 'hilt' was even wrapped in white rags for a better grip. What makes the sword strange is that it appears to be striated with a glossy pitch-black substance. You rub a finger over it, and quickly realize that it feels the same as the scar on your skull. Your disquiet is interrupted by a chorus of screams, and the earth shuddering with a sensation you knew- bombs falling from afar. Instinct demands you move; you obey, scuttling from the box to look up. The timing is perfect as a plane roars overhead, illuminated by a sky-piercing flash of light.  ANXIETY: [X][20%] MOVE! Your body and mind go into overdrive. Your hand grips the stone sword, and you escape from the box, and begin to run. You didn't know where you were, why you were here, or even who you were... but your instincts still worked. You leave the alley, coming out onto the streets, given precious seconds to assess- unusual buildings, of many architectural styles you didn't know. Fires burning all over. People screaming in the streets; some looked like you did, but others looked unlike anything you've ever seen. Rocky giants, leaf-covered women, slender and insectoid people, little walking rats. But you weren't afraid of them for one reason; they were all showing fear, and they were all running for their lives. You merge and move with the crowd, keeping your head down and weapons close. A voice cries out in a language you don't know, but somehow understand clearly- "THE DOCKS! GET TO THE DOCKS! THE BOATS ARE LEAVING!!" There's a violent rush, as everyone begins to fight past each other to change course. Event Log posted:People running for their lives create a stampede. You could... (!Tyranny 12 - [3]+[2]+[5] = 10 - Success!) Something, back in the black of your mind, speaks out. It tells you to not panic like they do. It tells you to stand alone in the darkest part of the street, still and stone. Your heart slows its beat as you follow the instinct... and everyone simply flows around you, as if there was a bubble of gravity they dared not approach. Soon they've cleared out, allowing you to follow. Having waited proves to be the right decision- not a minute later, you feel the roar of the strange-looking planes overhead, and hear them drop payload, destroying where the crowd had gone. You're safe where you are, and change streets to go around the blasted area. But chancing a glance down a large avenue where the bombs fell reveals why it was happening.  These planes weren't the enemy. They were trying to destroy something that was invading. You see towering sheets of flesh wriggle and slither across stone, gently curving around fires and lapping up the roasted flesh of the fallen. Some sheets of flesh tear off and drift on the hot breeze- when they land on a body, they seem to worm into the meat, and make it begin to dance and cry. You stare for a minute too long in dread fascination. You've seen things like this before, but never to this degree. The flesh sheets start to work their way down the bombed road, towards where you are, which shocks you into an escape. But something had noticed you- something tall and putrid, wheezing from its dead lungs being crushed and moved by the sheets of meat possessing its organs. The dead mass shambles after you, and you find yourself trapped in another alleyway. You had no choice. You were ready to kill.  OST: War In Hell Boss Fight Log posted:Dead Meat blocks the way out of the alley! ANXIETY: [X][X][30%] Your heart rate and breathing begin to leave your control. Muscles tighten into killing cords. You stalk, animal, growling at the wet flesh slapping against the dirty stone. You were ready to cut it down the second it tried to get you. You only snap back to reality with the sound of another distant bombing; you easily step around the wriggling pile, and run again for your life. A half hour of mindless searching later, you're left gasping for air and within view of the docks. Many boats were floating in the cold night waters. They had a dozen and more designs you've never seen before. Your heart skips as you search the crowded docks... there! There was one more ship to board! But it was swarmed by a riot, of those desperate to get on and escape as it started to drift away.  Event Log posted:Getting on the boat without getting hurt or killed will be hard. You could try to... (!Darkness 10 - [4]+[3]+[6] = 13 - Failure!) Your body acts before your mind can make a decision. That same voice from before speaks, this time through your body. Your blood runs cold... and then hot. Bubbling. Boiling. Your eyes are on fire as you feel your vitae sizzle in your veins. But past that internal hell comes a sudden surge of POWER, violent energy making your legs contract like steel springs. You begin to run, blood still burning, teeth clenched and the survival autopilot banishing all rational thought. You leap from the edge of the docks, and SAIL through the air with impossible strength, flinging yourself at the boat. You have more than enough power to do it. What you don't have is the precision... and you slam into the edge of the deck, wind knocked out of you, as you begin to immediately slip and fall. But you don't drop into the waters, to die alone. Something clawed and weak grasps your wrist, and begins to frantically pull you up as you gasp for air. The haze of pain passes, and you find yourself staring up at a worried smiling face, framed against the dark sky. A haggard boy, who'd you call human if not for his angular features, and the two chicken wings that sit in place of his arms. -6 HP HP: 8 / 14 ANXIETY: [10%] "Are you okay?" You stare at him, blinking dumbly. You nod once. He helps you up, and you look back as the boat begins to leave. The city was burning. Nobody left in it would survive past the end of the night.  As you watch the city recede into the black you swear that you see a single figure cloaked in white, watching you from atop a burning church.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 17, 2020 18:02
|
|
|
(Please enjoy your playtime, and good luck. To continue, make your first of many choices.) The First Decision @-->--->--- Black August fucked around with this message at 20:48 on Feb 28, 2021 |
|
#
¿
Oct 17, 2020 18:02
|
|
|
(Most votes will have a set time before they close. In this case, the first decision vote will end around 9pm-10pm EST.)
|
|
#
¿
Oct 17, 2020 19:16
|
|
|
VOTING IS NOW CLOSED. Do You Need The Tutorial? Yes - 11 No - 6 LOADING...  ...LOADING
|
|
#
¿
Oct 18, 2020 02:27
|
|
|
[The intro ends, revealing the second secret of the Alt-F8 attempt. A prompt comes up, asking if you'd like to read over the tutorial for the game systems. You smartly select 'Y', as a series of help screens appear to make sense of what the hell you just saw.] Welcome to Zen Hell End. Following will be a brief overview of the systems you saw in the intro, to help you understand how to play, and the why of the mechanics. First is an answer in the meta. Zen Hell End uses art and assets from all across the internet. Some pieces are edited. Some are put through a deep dream program. All of them are run through a 'make this look like pixel art' program. ALL credit goes to the original artists, most of whom I don't even know who they are unless there's a watermark, but credit goes with them nontheless. Music is and will be from numerous sources, edited and kept as an unlisted youtube for a private OST to match the mood of the game. Same credit goes to those artists, who will be much easier to track. In the intro- Once Upon A Time (Fall [8-Bit Drone Music]) The End - Begin Again ('Heels' It Follows OST) War In Hell (Sweet Home NES Battle Theme) Zen Hell End is a roguelike with NES and MSX stylings. In the meta, its 'code' and game system are based off of a self-made custom hack of the GURPS (Generic Universal Role Playing System) roleplaying system, called GURPS Superlite, whose mechanics will be used for gameplay. YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THAT ENTIRE DOCUMENT! But it will be there to provide context to game mechanics. Conflicts in the game are resolved using three six-sided dice, with the aim being to roll under a set score. So if you need a '12 or less' to succeed at something, you roll 3d6, and a 12 or less means you win. Keep this in mind when deciding to vote on life-or-death choices. Zen Hell End is not forgiving. It will try to kill you at every available opportunity, and it isn't fair. The majority of its attempts to kill you will come from three game systems- Resources, Events, and Combat. Resources come in the form of managing your time, your food, and your health. Health Points (HP) and Fatigue Points (FP) serve as the baseline measures of how bad off you currently are, and they suffer when your resources do. Events come in the form of the example seen above- in several situations, you might be called to react, using an Attribute, Skill, Power, or unique option (such as your class or special knowledge) in order to overcome or change the event. Failure doesn't always mean something bad, but more often than not, it means resource loss or new dangers. Sometimes, your best tactic is to choose what will hurt you the LEAST. To see how it works, let's look back. Event Log Resolution Example posted:This describes the event going on in flavor text. (!Tyranny 12 - [3]+[2]+[5] = 10 - Success!) This is the visual representation of the dice. First it lists the value being used- the !Tyranny skill, against a 12 or less. The dice got a [3], [2], and [5] on a 3d6. This is 10... a success. Dice rolled used both https://www.random.org/dice/?num=3 and https://www.wizards.com/dnd/dice/dice.htm to get fair values. All rolls are taken as they come- the game does not forgive cheating and cheapening its damnation. Combat has three types. The first is known as Grinding, which acts a lot like an Event does. You have to choose a location, an amount of time resource to expend, and a degree of effort to expend in order to hunt and murder easy prey in order to carefully and safely sharpen your skills and gain Levels. The second is Boss Battles, as seen with Dead Meat. These are a turn-by-turn encounter, often with players getting a choice to vote during critical turns, as these fights pose mortal danger, and provide the greatest rewards. The last are known as Scenes, which hybrid with Events- these are cutscenes with intermittent checks to roll against, sometimes combat related, sometimes not. These happen in special cases, such as a running battle against a helicopter while inside of a sinking skyscraper. Important after all that is the last topic, your character, and building them. Your character comes mostly premade... but you've been gifted three things you can decide on, together, to give your character a chance of survival. This include 3 Levels to spend on whatever you want, the ability to choose a Subclass (your primary class is and always will be TYRANT, but there's many others to pick as a secondary backup class), and the ability to pick a Trait. Please read the provided Tutortial Sheet. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE ASK IN THE THREAD BEFORE PRESSING 'CONTINUE' TO LOAD THE NEXT CUTSCENE, AND THEN BEGIN CHARACTER CREATION.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 18, 2020 03:10
|
|
|
Of note as its own post as part of the tutorial- this game will heavily and frequently feature player participation through votes and/or group-discussed consensus for choices, such as asking a question or making a wish. These will come at set points, random points, as well as from other unique situations during gameplay.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 18, 2020 03:13
|
|
|
Ignatius M. Meen posted:Well, for starters this could use a little bit of clarification... Roll under, for clarification. For Bloodlust, a 16 or less on 3d6 means you resist giving into the Flaw, so it only triggers on a 17 or 18. Whereas with Disquiet, it's a much more difficult 9 or less on 3d6 to not give into it.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 18, 2020 04:04
|
|
|
Oh whoops I see the problem, I used the wrong language on the tutorial sheet. Sorry!
|
|
#
¿
Oct 18, 2020 04:10
|
|
|
They're both avoided by rolling UNDER the limit whenever they're provoked. So Disquiet triggers if you fail to roll a 9 or less, and Bloodlust only if you fail to roll a 16 or less. As for what happens? Manual doesn't say.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 18, 2020 04:16
|
|
|
I also need to put up a general warning on the first page to go for the rest of the thread-GAME CONTENT WARNING posted:This game will have disturbing, unhappy, and explicit content. It is by design a horror story.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 18, 2020 04:37
|
|
|
[The game is left on overnight, just in case. The help section would be closed in the morning, to get to the first task - character creation.] LOADING...  ...LOADING
|
|
#
¿
Oct 18, 2020 07:09
|
|
|
[You press 'Continue'] The boat drifts off into the deep blue, ocean currents drawing you to an unknown land with that awful gravity... OST: Descension  You hide with the chicken boy down underneath, in a forgotten side room of the drifting ship. You're safe enough there, able to sneak out and procure supplies for the three of you. Three, because the boy had a friend with him.  She was sickly, frail, and starved, but she was the last one of the boy's former coop- the rest had died to the mobs during the fall of the city. She was a quiet and kind little bird, and you found comfort when he offered to let you hold her. Days pass, with you quietly stealing what you need with the help of the boy. Everyone avoids each other, with fights and killings happening often. You only meet one other 'friendly' figure during the journey; an old witch. At first, she looked horrifying, grotesque, full of malice-  ...but as she coughs and sputters rich green bile across her ivory dress, you soon figure out that she's a drunk. Her sharp-tooth smile greets you every time you go past; when you manage one time to procure and hand over a bottle of whiskey, she becomes so pitifully grateful that she shares a mad secret. "You poor thing! Doomed sweet thing. Did you hear it coming hence? The Island came looking for them, and it cost the city their all. Over and over the wall of night... you sad suffering thing. Remember this, remember it- my name is Bella, Bella, Bella." Her words stuck with you. It made you think again of the white-cloaked figure, and you realized you had been dreaming of it every night. Always one step closer, approaching from a great distance. Always making the blackness squatting in the pit of your stomach bubble with unease. You occupied yourself by talking with the boy and learning all about him. He tells you that he came from a settlement that was hidden in the far woods beyond the city, an awful place where everyone struggled with violence and survival. He had made a deal with the Fae, who took advantage of the child- he only had to promise his soul, and they would give him the power to escape the malice of the village. But as the Fae loved to do, he had been tricked, and was fused with a chicken... which gave him the Coward's power to escape. Now he was on the run, avoiding the Fae who wished to collect, and doing his best to care for his last chicken. You liked him. He understood what it was like to be plagued with unease. ANXIETY: 10%  One morning with a blue fire dawn, you head above deck to take in the damp air. Your muscles were stiff and sore from poor sleep in the last few weeks, and you decided to risk being in the open for a little while before daylight. Heading above, you pass by the old witch. Her face was different that dawn; it looked older, but softer and without the bitter lines so defined. Though half asleep, she still looked at you, and smiled. You pause for a second, but then continue up. To your surprise, there was some land! You stare at the rocky cliffs of what looks like an enormous mountain range, as rainy clouds wash down a blanket of mist and spray. He said he'd be up with you soon- you wanted him to see this. You wanted a lot of things, that you weren't strong enough to take for yourself.  ANXIETY: [X][X][30%] (In Shock) ...what? That's- . the ship is broken in half it's moving so fast where is he?  help  ANXIETY: [X][X][X][X][50%] (In Shock)(Drowning) That Little Voice In The Back Of The Black posted:Listen to me. Of course you listen. It doesn't give you more air. It doesn't take your body out of cold numb shock. It doesn't slow the thunder of your heart. It does pull you through the storm of your mind. Your body moves with its own awful volition. Eyes open. Lungs seized. Arms clawing upward with killing intent. Unblinking through the sting, until- thrashing mad and the waves beat you like a sinner- air then water air then water air then water where IS he? wood wreck slivers by and shreds the arm, elder bullet cast by the winds LAND (Untrained Swimming (DX) 10 - [2]+[2]+[6] = 10 - Success!)  You vomit. Salt water bile becomes the proof of life, as you shake and rattle with exhausted adrenal cold. You start to scream, forcing air through you as you pull your gun and aim at the stormy sky, body still on the deck of the ship; deep under water; beached and beaten. You gulp in one more belly of air, before you pukesneeze out the last of the water, and feel your mind and body slam back together. ANXIETY: [X][X][30%] you're moving. if you stop moving you'll die it'll get you do NOT stop moving- ANXIETY: [X][X][X][40%] ...you stop disassociating some unknown time later, still walking down the beach and sweeping your gun across the empty ocean horizon. You stop, heart racing faster, and realize you're looking for- for him, or anyone. ANYone. Anything. There's no wreckage. Just you? JUST you?! (DISQUIET 9 - [3]+[3]+[3] = 9 - Success...) You send yourself into a spiral. But you manage to turn the horrified energy into something useful, as you start to run down the length of the beach, screaming, calling, gun out and ready for anything that might respond. Please, someone, respond. You pump your legs as though slowing for even a second means someone will die. -4 HP -6 FP HP: [10 / 14] | FP: [8 / 14] ANXIETY: [X][20%] You collapse, exhausted. You've been running for a long time, and your ribs are slicing through your lungs with every breath now. Your arm has stopped bleeding, and your face and skin are mottled with deep bruises. You lie there, hopeless, staring exhausted at the sea, and a strange plant in the sand. It takes you about a minute to realize that there were no plants on the beach, and that this one had feathers and moving legs. You scramble up with easy energy, nearly galloping over the sands to where it met the waters, your hands grabbing into the wet muck to pull free a limply thrashing chicken. You're stunned as you hold it in your arms, making an animal noise of Heavensent gratitude, walking backwards from the waters before breaking into another run to shelter underneath a rocky cliff. You put the chicken down, taking off your suit coat, wrapping it in the soggy cloth while holding it to your body. But the chicken wasn't breathing well. You didn't know how to do chicken doctoring. But you had to try something. (Untrained Chicken First-Aid (IQ) 9 - [6]+[1]+[4] = 10 - Failure [By 1].) "Kwiat..." ... You don't know why you called her that. But it's what feels right. You can't lose her- Wait, she's breathing! Arise chicken!! The chicken was arised. But she wasn't well. You'd have to do repeat care, and find shelter soon to keep her living. But for the moment, despite a poor job, she'd be able to hang on. You put Kwiat into your pack, keeping her wrapped in your suit coat. You fiddle with your dress shirt, and take one last lingering look around the beach. You notice that your running has taken you to a place where the mountains part, and reveal the beginnings of pale grassy fields, and distant mist-hidden forests. You head towards them, gun holstered but sword out, a strange light calm pulling you in despite all that just happened. You can't think of him, or the witch. Not now. You're alive, and you saved Kwiat- that's victory. Walking in the warming silence of the rainy morning, feeling the chicken moving in your pack, and your body riding lofty on the high of numb autopilot gives you a bright clarity. You think over everything that's happened, looking back at it all while that little voice stares over your shoulder, silent.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 18, 2020 18:36
|
|
|
Welcome to the Character Build Phase. You will all get to discuss and decide on how you'd like to customize the starting character, before the story begins. Two important notes apply going forward- first, you don't HAVE to immediately spend resources. You can save them for a later date, at specific places and times that allow leveling. Two, there is and will be a chance for respecs at later times. With that in mind, refer again to the Tutortial Sheet, which will be finalized into a complete sheet once decisions are made. You have 3 Levels you're allowed to spend. You can use these to change stats, buy Skills (or enhance existing ones), or buy Perks, with some examples listed underneath. You can ask to see if there's a specific kind of Perk, if you have one in mind. quote:PERK EXAMPLES You also get to pick a Trait. You already start with Murderous Intent, but get to pick one more Trait on top of that one, from the list here. At certain points in the game, you'll be able to take more. ***LIST OF TRAITS*** Finally, and most important, you get to pick a Subclass. Classes work in a way similar to Final Fantasy Tactics. While your primary job is locked to Tyrant, you're allowed to pick one secondary one from the list provided. This class will provide class powers, a Skill, and ways to approach gameplay. It'll also unlock certain allowances- Armsmasters get powerful weapon techniques, while a Ranger gets to work towards high-speed abilities and passives. ***LIST OF CLASSES*** So that's it. Your task is to decide how to spend 3 Levels, pick 1 Trait, and pick 1 Class. Character creation will end when it seems satisfactory. Ask any questions you need while there's time.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 18, 2020 18:39
|
|
|
Forgot to post a class-vote link for all those who'd rather not post in the thread. https://www.strawpoll.me/21121089
|
|
#
¿
Oct 18, 2020 19:46
|
|
|
It seems we have finalists for our decisions. Class picks comes down to Chirurgeon or Psychic, with a lean towards Chirurgeon. Traits seem to come down to a leaning towards Tough, Lionheart, or Second Wind. Levels spent will go towards one of Will, and one towards Strength (when Strength increases, HP does also, so I'd assume you'd want that over a straight HP increase). One last level will go to Magery. I'll start the update in the next few hours- get in final votes now, and when the time comes, a coin flip will determine anything still undecided. Then the game will begin.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 19, 2020 16:51
|
|
|
Oh right. There's also the important mention of Chicken Empathy.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 19, 2020 18:08
|
|
|
Voting ends in 30. Updates being prepared.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 19, 2020 20:32
|
|
|
[Waffling... dancing back and forth on the class select screen between (C)hirurgeon and (P)sychic. There's a quick glance at other options in consideration. (B)eastlords were good for survival, and got a lot for hand-to-hand abilities, with magic depending on what animal was picked. Chicken was always tempting... but was more of a challenge run. (b)erserkers were a REAL fun time, but it was incredibly RNG-dependent. Most player comments in the Blue Book mention that you typically blew through the early game with how much damage you did, but it always seemed to die out sometime around the third Megalith. Plus it was bad for Events. (E)lementalist was always an easy pick- Water was popular for its survivability factor, as was Thunder and Dark. But it took a pretty long investment time to really peak, and you'd always end up with at least one major elemental hurdle. (T)hief was its own kind of challenge run. You had access to a lot of cool stuff with picking pockets, but conquering the Megaliths is hard on a pure stealth build. (V)alkyries were a class that was slow to build up its toolkit, but could be devastating in the later game areas if you got lucky with Einherjar. But it was a LOT of management work. (F)armer... always a temptation, in the 'hardest class challenge run' kind of sense. Proof was in the Blue Book, with some of the furthest runs having been done with Farmers. But the number of Farmer oneruns that never made it past the valley outnumbered nearly every other class.] [(C)hirurgeon... (P)sychic... one was incredible for healing, a clear winner for longevity of play, but it struggled to keep up against the dangers that weren't purely HP-related. The other opened a lot of unique options and powers that were difficult to come by in normal play. Tapping between (C) and (P) flashes the screen back and forth between the portrait of the doctor and the madman.] XXXXXXX posted:just in case! [Alt-F8 is pressed absently while pinging between the two. It doesn't do anything else, but it does make the game hitch for just a second.] VOTE END CHIRURGEON: 6 PSYCHIC: 6  [The game catches up suddenly as the keys are left unpressed. The screen settles on the portrait for 'Psychic'... but it has the flavor text and color scheme of Chirurgeon. But it has the power description for Psychic. But it has the technique allowances of a Chirurgeon. But it shows neither class as being selected. It shows ] [-ENTER-] CLASS CHOSEN
|
|
#
¿
Oct 19, 2020 21:12
|
|
|
Rolling one six-sided die to determine Trait. 1-2 is Tough, 3-4 is Second Wind, 5-6 is Lionheart. [5] - so we go for more Will over more HP for now. CLASS: PSYCHI ̸̛ ҉͜C TRAIT: LIONHEART STATS: +1 ST / +1 WL PERKS: MAGERY Sheet being updated... LOADING...  ...LOADING
|
|
#
¿
Oct 19, 2020 21:53
|
|
|
************************************************************** ************************************************************** ************************************************************** FINALIZED CHARACTER SHEET ************************************************************** ************************************************************** **************************************************************
|
|
#
¿
Oct 19, 2020 23:20
|
|
|
 Your clarity begins to dim, but not without having seen something illuminated. Your mind ruminates over all you've forgotten, and the ease with which you've simply adapted to an existence you woke up to. You feel like you... you did some medical training? No, of course you did, when you first joined. They were teaching all of you a little bit of everything they knew and could share, and there wasn't any time for the kindness of a slow class. It was all done in the moment. Another air raid siren, another street skirmish, another escape, another Servitor strike, and bodies would hit the ground, and something had to be done to stop them from dying. But that isn't what's bothering you. Recalling that made sense in the moment. What didn't make sense was quote:you walking cautiously into the suspicious little white tent. Aitvaras held your hand as you ducked under the folds, his feathers puffed up with anticipation. Neither of your expected to walk into a space bigger inside that it was without, but you'd both seen wonders plenty since coming here. It still took you by surprise, your shoes clopping onto thick silver carpets, a great expanse of shelves and books nestled into a circular pattern. In the back-center was a huge dark desk, behind which sat a svelte man with sandy hair and a red uniform. He was smiling at the two of you, with familiarity. "No matter how many times I wipe your memory of me being here, you're still the only ones who manage to keep finding me. So..." he clicks his fingers, and concedes something. "...let's do reintroductions for the last time, and I'll make a deal with you." What? The Silver Mind posted:I said, let's make a deal. Enough of your neurons have been deformed by the Dreamlands, and even now they're starting to flower with blue. You've always been hyper-aware, taking in every single little last detail- the twitch of a face, the color inside of a mumbled word, the comparison and contrast of past to present, assessing every single point and potential for danger. Climb up from that and look over it all with me, from inside the Silver Mind. You pause at the edge of the woods to look up at the trees, and the silver of the mists hanging over you. It makes you imagine the sensation you just had, and you try to fall out of the world for a moment, finding serenity in the concept of neurons tinting silver.  (The Silver Mind (Tech) 10 - [6]+[5]+[4] = 15 - Failure!) Instead, you think about a chicken almost dying Instead, you think about a dead boy Instead, you think about almost drowning Instead, you think about something so huge it could crush you like an ant Instead, you think about what am I going to do? Instead, you think about you think about you think think think THINK YOU IDIOT, THINK The Silver Mind posted:(He tries to interrupt.) SHUT UP AND LET ME THINK! HP: [10 / 14] | FP: [7 / 14] ANXIETY: [X][X][30%] But your internal argument ends when you see it, through the trees. Undefined against the dense mist. Something moving away from you, heading north- something shrouded in white. You were compelled to follow. Not by any charm. Or with any enchantment. Neither was there curiosity. What pulled you was gravity. You're staring at where your feet step, as silence swallows the land. Underneath was wet, soft, dense grass, a pale green-blue of color, rare with singular little white flowers. The trees were hunched with the weight of too many leaves and never ending rain, bent colossi in mismatched growth patterns. There was no sign of life here, and there never would be. You knew where to follow by the gash going through the ground, meandering with a pace that never slowed. You followed it with the mania of someone who knew what their dream had waiting for them next, and couldn't help but dream it into happening. You're stiff, cold, and wet by the time you walk the miles north, face slack. You come out of the woods and into a grass clearing. It was mid day, the Sun hidden behind the iron overcast. Streaks of silver painted the clouds, where the light failed to come through and see you. Stalking through the field, arms limp at your sides, you finally arrive where the white-shrouded figure waits for you. It stands with its back to you at the bottom of a steep hill, and as you approach, it raises one hand to silence you- the other hand clutches tightly to the rusted scythe it holds close. The arms were bone, covered with sallowed yellow skin, wet with cold blood. The raised finger is pressed to the face in the hood, as it turns to look at you - and with ice in the heart, sensations come flooding back. ANXIETY: [X][X][X][X][50%] (It's her.) OST: From The Valley.  Śmiercią is here.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 20, 2020 01:07
|
|
|
 ANXIETY: [X][X][X][X][50%] (It's her.) ANXIETY: [X][X][X][X][50%] (It's her.) ANXIETY: [X][X][X][X][50%] (It's her.) OST: Tithe Your feet won't move; your throat bulges as you gag and retch out a sudden mouthful of bitter acid. Your hands itch with sweat and fire. The small of your back feels so tight it might crush a disc. There's a singing string of taut red-hot muscle in your chest.  Śmiercią knows this. She's grinning it. She's so angry with you. "I knew you'd be here, eventually. I waited for a long time for you to finally catch up." She's so MAD. Her bone hand shivers and twitches as it holds the scythe, ready to wrist-flick it at any second into your heart. "I watched you in the city - yet again, you were the heart of a disaster." You did a horrible thing. A bad bad bad thing. (I did?) Something she'll never forgive you for. (But I didn't do anything...) "So I'll make you now pay. I'll send you to labours, to earn my tithe. Force your responsibility-" Her scythe comes up to caress your neck. You stop shivering; the only motion allowed is the raging pain of your heart. She rests it there, fingerbones dancing with tresses of shredded yellow flesh. "For the death of my daughter." You knew it was true, pulling you down gravity-black into the guilt. You were crying, face wrenched into an ugly wet mess. Śmiercią is nodding as her wicked flesh curls, wrinkled with a smile of condemnation. (But it's not true! I didn't!) Your memories war with your body, each offering their own series of events, smears of thoughts and scenes rooting you to the spot with the inability to know what to trust. But your body wracked itself with hot shame, somehow aware of every accusation Śmiercią has waiting for you. A long minute passes, before she draws the scythe away, startling you when she slams it into the ground, and begins to gently circle-thresh the tall grass surrounding you. Her voice seems to always come right into your ear, no matter the angle. "Your tears disgust me, and I'll shave them from your cheeks if you blubber or wail. So listen to my tithe, and brand your actions with its price! Do you see the land we walk on?"  Underfoot, the grass was cool and wet, smelling of something perfume-sullen where it had been cut. "This is the Holy Land of Seven Lords. They walked from an Island to this place, and were told to go forth from this valley and be only faithful to what hurt them, and it would earn them their safety and their Lordship. Their cults walk the lands beyond, pilgrims sinful of fallen holies." The scythe finishes its circle, and whips up, gently tapping the crooked point to the puft of your tie-knot. ANXIETY: [X][X][X][X][X][60%] Your stomach makes a grotesque sound, and your jaw pops from being held tight in tension. "I. Don't. Care. About the plight and the past of these cults, those Lords. What I care is that what hurt them was MIGHTY, and it gifted them obscene. Those Lords are rich and quickened, roiling with colours not found in Heaven's rainbow." You can feel Kwiat rustle in your pack, once. Even a chicken knew to hold her breath, when the sallow woman spoke. "What you will do." The scythe presses in, cleanly popping past the fabric- so close to kissing the skin. "Is find these Lords. Every last one. In name of me, this labor to thee. You will harvest them each in turn, and steal them from their faithful and from their hurter. I will use those colours- I will rend open Heaven with them and bring my daughter-lost back." You take in what she's demanding. She allows you this, for just two seconds- and then you're screaming, falling to the ground, hands crossed over your chest with nerves claiming cold and fire, thunder and metal, dark and light and void biting deep. HP: [-18 /18] [*COURTING DEATH*] (CLING TO LIFE (HT) 14 - [4]+[3]+[5] = 12 - Success...) It happened that fast. Seven near-death strikes across your chest, surrounding your heart. Seven tiny pinpricks with Śmiercią's scythe. Seven little vents through to your soul... where you would tether seven Lords to your spirit. ANXIETY: [ ! ][ ! ][ ! ][ ! ][ ! ][ ! ][70%] (DEATH'S DOOR) Quest Log posted:Śmiercią has tasked you with your only hope of escaping her scythe. You must journey from the shelter of the valley into the fallen lands beyond, where 7 Lords reign with their cults. Each must be slain, and their soul taken, such that Śmiercią will have a way to open Heaven and reclaim her daughter, whose death you are responsible for. She squats, leering over you with skin draping off in heavy curtains, taking in your panic and helpless thrashing. Your body was weak, barely keeping your heart going, brain a soft gray scramble of cold cold cold. But her words were still crystal, dragging your head in attention. "You mustn't fail me. You WILL make pay. But if you... should... die." She was there. Lying on the ground as you inched away, eyes unable to break stare from those wet gaping sockets. The scythe hung over you both, held limply as she makes her promise. She leans in to whisper it so close you can feel the crinkle of her parchment lips. "My scythe will already be waiting at your back. It will cut your soul... ribbons to dust... and you'll have never be." Quest Log posted:Śmiercią has tasked you with your only hope of escaping her scythe. You must journey from the shelter of the valley into the fallen lands beyond, where 7 Lords reign with their cults. Each must be slain, and their soul taken, such that Śmiercią will have a way to open Heaven and reclaim her daughter, whose death you are responsible for. ANXIETY: [ !! ][ !! ][ !! ][ !! ][ !! ][ !! ][ !! ][80%] (DEATH'S DOOR)(HORROR) little tight whistle whines hands opening and closing without control blood too cold, it'll go still and stop your heart the tears won't stop and you know she hates your crying screaming wounded animal dashed on the rocks waiting for the End "Shhhh... swallow that sad sound. You're already as close to grave as I'll allow - why cry when only one step away? You'll suffer more under my labours than under my sickle. Shut it in!" (Exert Emergency Control) (WL) (-10 Penalty!!) 8 - [1]+[3]+[4] = 8 - Success!) Something dark, something that's been paying attention, gently wraps itself over your mind. Still shaking, you go slack, sitting up weakly with a detached expression - the light has left your eyes. You nod, body simply responding to her words. "There now. Silent. But I'll let you speak twice, and I'll give you two answers. I'll give you the generous I failed to show Adam and Eve. It suits me most, to watch your torment, you knowing only a little of the lot that waits." Two questions? Two... the silver and the black dance across your numb mind, ruminating in your stead over what a Tyrant might demand, what a Psychic'd like to know. {STRING}{what a __________ would ask} Noise washes across your overwhelmed mind, as you clutch the black scar of your skull, and think, think, think... 
|
|
#
¿
Oct 20, 2020 03:48
|
|
|
PLAYER CHOICE Śmiercią has given you your quest. She now allows you to ask two questions. One of these questions will be voted on in the poll. The other question you ask is any one question *you* collectively agree upon to ask her. Voting will end sometime tomorrow. What Do You Ask?
|
|
#
¿
Oct 20, 2020 03:49
|
|
|
That is the default assumption if no consensus for a unique question is reached in time.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 20, 2020 04:23
|
|
|
Voting will end a while after noon. Please have your question ready and decided upon then.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 20, 2020 15:36
|
|
|
Voting is closed for asking Śmiercią questions. Where are the Seven Lords? - 5 Who are the Seven Lords? - 2 LOADING...  ...LOADING Black August fucked around with this message at 19:23 on Oct 20, 2020 |
|
#
¿
Oct 20, 2020 19:16
|
|
|
[It's the typical pick between the Who or the Where. Where was more helpful by far, going by posts of convenience in the Blue Book. Especially with Psychic... or at least what's been working as Psychic so far, despite the wrong coloration on the status screen. There was enough known about the Who to get by, so it's Where.] Śmiercią leans in uncomfortable close to hear you ask your question, the dark working your suffocating chords to whisper the words. Her head was hidden by the heavy white shroud - she smelled of so many dead flowers. "...where are they? Dry your eyes, afore I pluck them, and see it clearly then! Know these Names to follow out in the holy dark- they are HUNTER, they are MOULDER, they are DOUBLER mightiest Three, they are BLEEDER - BURNER - HIDER - DANCER, with cults of the faithful free. Look! To Heaven!" Her hand was around your neck. But it was the feather's touch, effortless grace pulling your skull to the iron sky as your eyes roll, and vertigo drags your mind's eye out into the dark.  Out into the valley holy.  Into the neverending sky.  [Psychic] - You can handle this. The Silver Mind will reflect this unseen image and keep it. [Tyrant Supports This] you come back down Your sanity sleeps in its disassociation, the black and silver capturing the vision effortlessly. Some time later, you were wet and cold on your side, eyes hissing with heat. The sudden mental clarity high has your mind spike with a fear that the dark can't capture, as you worry you've crushed Kwiat underneath you. You weakly roll and confirm that she's safe. She's still alive. The question comes out before you can stop yourself. [Thankfully, Tyrant and Psychic had good archetype synergies. There was no sanity loss or anxiety peaks from the vision. Which left the second question, that had so many oneruns given an excess of forethought. A prompt was there, to ask her anything. There was plenty of examples in the Blue Book of unique responses. There was always room to ask something new, overlooked, or even trivial.] ["What should I do to save Kwiat?"_] ENTER [...the game is hanging for a while, when an unexpected screen loads. Every failed runner knew it, as it usually preceded a death.]  [Śmiercią had moods. This one was known as 'Oh No'] [But, why is the game taking so long to load?]
|
|
#
¿
Oct 20, 2020 20:40
|
|
|
You were face to face with her. That same nightmare's grace dragged you in, scythe discarded, the flesh dropping from the teeth to be clean and bright with her anger. The rumor of a dead eye glares from the nest of rotcallow in the socket. "You dare?" She shakes you by the shoulders. "You have the NERVE?!" Fingerbones gouge into your arms. "IDIOT-" The bonetips rake over your cheeks, dully scarring the flesh. "IDIOT CHILD" Both hands grip your face and squeeze it hard, jostling your skull. "IF. YOU. EVER." Your hair is grasped, head dragged by it to be shook and stared at. "SAY MY DAUGHTER'S NAME" The scythe is at your temple. EVER AGAIN- ANXIETY: [ !!! ][ !!! ][ !!! ][ !!! ][ !!! ][ !!! ][ !!! ][ !!! ][90%] (I'm Gonna DIE) _ _ _ _ _ _  quote:quote:quote:decided to ask the Farmer about the chicken. Aitvaras knew a lot about chickens, but he didn't know much about the plants and herbs nearby, and how they could affect his henhouse girls. You found her in the old tent at the border in the woods, just as she was coming out of it- you saw the wall of photos once again, still too dark to make out from afar. quote:quote:
quote:Kwiat could Quest Log posted:Holy Valley map updated with the location of Blue Bubblegem Pods.  Śmiercią "□□□□□□□□ " □ □swered, now go forth to conquer their Megaliths, and act in my stead. If you seek counsel, it will be in a place I walk often, buried in the cliff west. Look for a place to hide along the river, and don't cry to Heaven for want of better lodging! There is only doom here - no answer for prayer, when I dance waiting for your slip!" You don't even blink, and she's simply gone. You feel- ANXIETY: [10%] -alive. You assess yourself. HP: [0 / 18] FP: [14 / 14] (Info will be added to the character sheet) You heal 1 hit point every 12 hours. First-Aid acts as a passive skill, meaning you'll recover 2 HP every 12 hours. You heal 1 fatigue points every 10 minutes (6 per hour). You're in one piece. But weakened. You're having trouble remembering the last few hours - there's a humid fog clouding your thoughts, washing out the hue of the black and silver. But you can clearly see the vision from the clouds. You know the valley now. To the west... she'd roam. The south had the beach. The north promised somewhere you could have safety. Plus, there was that one path you caught sight of while following Śmiercią to the Holy Land. Your legs itched. They wanted to keep moving. You didn't feel safe, and it was noon. Night would be here soon. Kwiat was still quiet and clucky in your backpack, alive but unwell. What should you do?
|
|
#
¿
Oct 20, 2020 22:20
|
|
|
[Where to go? Always a tough decision.] [PLAYER CHOICE] Where First? Black August fucked around with this message at 22:27 on Oct 20, 2020 |
|
#
¿
Oct 20, 2020 22:22
|
|
|
Voting is closed for choosing where to go first. Explore the Holy Land - 0 Head to the Hideout - 2 Go explore the path you passed - 4 LOADING...  ...LOADING
|
|
#
¿
Oct 21, 2020 15:29
|
|
|
[It seems like the game didn't crash after it glitched out. Thank God. There wasn't much forgiveness with crashes- sometimes the game was fine, and sometimes, that was your onerun and you're both poo poo and gently caress out of luck without another copy.] [Looks like the cutscene reset some of the stat values. Anxiety is back to baseline, which was good since dealing with a panic attack post-Śmiercią wasted the first day. Of the three places to go, south was a good choice for securing supplies, depending on how the RNG felt.] You're on your feet, teetering, spitting up dried wads of phlegm while looking around the empty Holy Land. You didn't like this place- it made you feel something foreign that you weren't comfortable with. You didn't want to go find the hideout Śmiercią promised yet either- the dim day was still early, and the red remnants of your panic urges you to keep moving to learn your surroundings before night was here. Retracing your steps through the misty grass brings you south and east, a mile or so of slow wandering to find the trail, and then head down in. Even though you knew there was nothing living around, that did not exclude other categories of things that liked to be plenty active without needing stuff like 'oxygen' or 'organs made of meat'. Going down the path feels nice, though. It was warmer now, and you were mostly dried off, allowing your mind to wander absently. Colors shift inside your brain, neurons sparking silver... [Psychic Passive] (The Silver Mind 10 - [4]+[1]+[5] = 10 - Success!) nEurrONsssSPARKsssssSILVER and creep creep creep - bend up like a flower; face the Sun, and smile. The Silver Mind posted:[Your brain was the Holy Valley, spread and draped in silver curtains, capturing the radio waves expelled in patterns across the sky, each broadcasted from inside someone's skull.] OST: JC-TV Jingle quote:GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD ~ MORNING JANDOUBI! oh god that's loud quote:It's ya boy, JC, with your morning news fix of JC-TV! Can I get an all-call? FROM MY CREW IN JANDOUBI! FROM OUR FAM OUT IN THE LAND! FROM ALL THOSE STILL LISTENING DOWN IN PARADISE! god please turn down the volume your skull is vibrating quote:YOUR TIP-TOP-TAT NEWS - We're not far from the day that Paradise unlocks itself again for our return! Tensions have risen with unrest over recent activity spotted out in the ocean, with Backup in the wild keeping vigil. Dancer has declared a last ramblin' pilgrimage, walkin' the clockwise before regrouping every Backup to return to Paradise. Now let's figure out the local Jandoubi weather; we're going to check in on Bang Bang, who will let us know how sick Hider is tod SSSssssssTOP stop stop STOP STOP stop stop stop stop ANXIETY: [ X ][20%] ... Your neurons seem to calm down. You felt it, though. Felt voices north in the valley, as well as somewhere just outside of it. In the sudden haze of psychic noise, you didn't notice that you've arrived at the end of the path. Before you, in a large clearing among the silenced woods, was...  Well it looked like a cornerstore, or at least the idea of one as you were familiar with. On top of a soccer field? In the middle of a forest. With the lights on. Just playing it cool, like there's nothing wroooooOOHHHH WHAT IS THAT SMELL? It's such a heavy, greasy stink! Kwiat starts to get active in your pack, while your bowels grunt and agree that your freak physique needs a protein-payment if you wanted to continue your subscription to Six Pack Perfection. But in the back of the black, a voice commands your biology to recognize caution, discipline, and obedience. ...but poo poo you are hungry. Strength has made a demand! Health supports this. Tyrant doesn't agree... (STRENGTH 18 - [1]+[6]+[5] = 12 [MoS 6] -VS- WILL 18 - [5]+[6]+[1] = 12 [MoS 6]) STALEMATE ... Ok you're just tensing your abs and making a strained face while passing gas. You're undecided. You know it's not a good idea but... INTELLIGENCE IS HERE TO SAVE THE DAY! (INT 8 - [5]+[3]+[3] = 11) - FAILURE) While your willpower and your strength have a titanic war of decision, your brain pops and sizzles a little and tells you that you see something SHINY and it's right by the door and oh look you may as well head in now, Good Idea. By the door was, in fact, some colorful coins scattered on the pavement, lit by the false gloam of the store windows. You scoop them up, counting three, noting that they scintillate between shades of red, yellow, and blue. Each coin was emblazoned with the symbol 'CRUNCH COIN®©™' on the front, and MC&D on the back. You're drawing a blank until you look at the door, and see two signs- one of them listed the hours of the store. STORE HOURS posted:M: CLOSED The other seemed to talk about the coins. CRUNCH COIN®©™ posted:The new exclusive currency for all MC&D brand fractal-convenience! Convert any currency recognized by MC&D at one of our kiosks, and use your CRUNCH COINS®©™ to buy what your hunger commands! Okey-dokey. You approach the glass doors. They slide open clean and neat, blinding you with the interior lights and the wave of scents- plastic and tile, fried foods and sugars, meats, treats, and things discreet. OST: SUPERSHOP It's... amazing.  It's huge in here, as you wander around the saturated aisles. Nobody else was around, and the counter only had a scanner and a coin deposit for buying things.  Kwiat pops her head out of your pack to stare around in usual chicken fashion. The reek of fried foods was heavy in the air, along with the omnipresent hum of machinery.  As you wander further in, you realize that this place is bigger on the inside than on the outside. An hour or so spent carefully walking around and studying posters gives you an idea why- this store apparently uses proprietary 'Fractal Technology', which makes no sense until you walk down enough aisles to realize you can see where you came from on the ceiling, while a drink machine casually churns away seated vertical to the wall. Aisles, shelves, products, and machines meld into each other deeper in, with more and more unique products.  Coming back around to where you can make out the entrance (just in case just in case), you realize that it seems ONLY junky food is sold here, and that you still haven't seen anyone around. You're no Thief, but maaaybe you could just load down your pack and- *ZZZZZZZZZZZT* What was that?  Oh. Oh jeeze. ANXIETY: [ X ][ X ][30%] Oh hell. You calmly reach behind, to where Kwiat was holding a pack of corn nubs for you, and wrest it away to put BACK on the shelf, while staring plain-faced at the glowering red glass eye above you.  You play it cool, and head over to actually confirm the prices of things you can buy. Adding up your three colorful coins, you can buy some things, and then get the hell out of here. You didn't have any money to convert, anyways. It looks like you could get...
|
|
#
¿
Oct 21, 2020 18:36
|
|
|
PLAYER CHOICE What To Get? (Voting ends in a few hours.)
|
|
#
¿
Oct 21, 2020 18:40
|
|
|
VOTING CLOSED FOR GETTING A UHHHHHHHHHHHHH Bedrock-Banana Protein Bar + Shockolate Powerthirst + x1 Double-Boil Egg - 2 Platonic Cheeseburger + Mushroom Cola + Curly Fries - 3 Dry Salad + Gallon Water + Fruit Puffs - 0 woah hey is that belvedere? a PINT? gimme that - 0 hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh- yeah you want the sandwich, sugar drink, and the fries. You need protein, but you also want raw calories, sugars, fats, and salts right now, and something heavy enough to keep you feeling full while also feeding Kwiat. You're still shook from having nearly died three times since the morning began. You punch in three coins, and press for the burger with fries, while scanning the soda you found in the far back inside of a blacklit cooler with a script you couldn't read. The scanner hums happily with each coin forced in, confirms your purchase, and then spends a minute bringing down a blue-steel module with a number of technological and otherworldly components slotted in. It starts the process of cooking your request, your inner eye catching a glimpse of the mental scan process the module throws through the store, staring at your Ideal Burger and comparing it against its vast database. The synthesizer floods with the essential essence of lard, superheated under the direct of perfect algorithms. Soon the process is done with a few more alchemical synthenizations, making you wait for it to cool.  Everyone has a custom at this point- you got the food, the side, and the drink. What came first? For you, it was the drink. Cleared the throat for the first bite. You open the giant soda can by pulling on the mushy metal tab, until it cracks loud enough to startle you. No fizz comes out, but you can feel it irregularly coursing through the can strong enough to make your hand hum. It smelled of something deeply purple-blue, and it had a dim glow. You first taste nearly has you spit it onto the floor. More out of complete surprise at the flavor than it being bad. It's BITTER, and oily, but then descends into a strongly grape-cherry aftertaste that made swallowing it easy. The module pings, and robot-shoves your order out, each wrapped in a perfect little paper bindle. You grab them, one packet of some orange sauce, and head outside, sipping your soda. You get the distinct and undeniable feeling that the store wants you to be thanked, and to come back. You sit on the sidewalk, facing the soccer field. A light rain had started to fall, darkening the sky to a dim blue. You sit near the tree to avoid the droplets, and open your luck-gotten meal. You try not to think about the blood stains you saw fresh near the coins. You try not to think about why nothing is alive in these woods. You put out the colors, the tightness in your chest, the raw burn of your weakened body with its seven scars. You try to not panic immediately when you pull Kwiat out of your bag, and find she had swiped a pack of the double-boiled eggs. Your peace is interrupted. Of course, right? Right? Something bad happened. This meant they saw it, right? This meant they'll kill you, right? They'll come outside and scream and something terrible and angry will want to MURDER YOU. Disquiet (9) - [1]+[1]+[2] = CRITICAL SUCCESS!! quote:The Thief was smirking it off. He had such infuriating control over what his eyebrows could do. "Hey, no reason to get excited. Of course I lifted something extra. Practice, like the boss said! It's just a pack of crisps anyways." ANXIETY: [_]  ~ Sunday. 2:00pm. The First Day. You found beauty in Hell. The rain picking up brings you back to the world. You stare at the lit store glass for a long 30 seconds, but... nothing is happening. You deftly take the eggs and crush them up, and place them down on the paper from your burger for Kwiat to have (with a little of the provided salt). The wrapper is hidden in your bag. ...you're clean, got away with it. You let go, and begin to eat, focusing all of your senses on enjoying your first meal here, and the quiet of the rainy field. Just one moment, captured. Where you didn't worry, and didn't think about anything, but how good the moment was. ~
|
|
#
¿
Oct 21, 2020 21:32
|
|
|
[That was an unexpected relief. Finding Beauty In Hell this early was a great headstart into managing the esoteric of anxiety. The burger was a fun and common option when lucking into this event- it fully satiated hunger, and Psychic was one of the few archetypes to interact with mushroom cola. One player in the Blue Book swore that choosing it is part of what lead them to the freak event in Jandoubi with the palette-swapped Bleeder.] [The only travel option left now was heading to the Hideout to secure it before nightfall. The burger event plus the Beauty In Hell helped make that feel a lot more viable.]
|
|
#
¿
Oct 21, 2020 21:43
|
|
|
Because the vote was 2/2 as of my posting, it was a split event where the burger was taken, but Kwiat attempted to steal the eggs as well. Because of the critical success for Disquiet, the event went with no horror, and so both the character AND Kwiat are fully fed for the day - she got to eat the eggs.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 21, 2020 21:45
|
|
|
You savor the rare of a perfect satisfaction in your belly with the amount you eat, and how much you needed it. Full without feeling sick. You wipe your hands in the wet grass and thank God, gently packing up Kwiat and disposing of your leavings. You dished off the cola too, and it went real good with the burgin'. Washed it all d [M U S H R O O M] it's a good thing you have your world-class lungs because your esophagus is expanding like a frog's croak. A rip-roar sudden GAG tears up through you. No no. No way. You glare daggers at your biology in front of the Tyrant. (NOT GONNA DO IT (HT) 14 - [3]+[2]+[2] = 7 - Success!) OHHH YOU ARE STAYING IN THE DOGHOUSE. You stand up, stretch, cough out one more hard gag, and then swallow, breathing deep. You keep it down. You suddenly go dead cold. ...was that poison? WAS THAT BAD?! [PSYCHI ̸́̕ ̶́͟ ̨͡͡ ҉̛͜C̵̨͠͏͜ H́͞͠͏̛I͡͞URGEON - Automatic Intervention.] Her Office posted:You were always comfortable around the Doctors. Well, ok. They were the four assistants to THE Doctor, but you got along with them well since they knew Mom. They argued, cajoled, insulted, and hyena-barked at one another in a constant bickering storm to point out each and every error in technique of care they were all making, constantly micro-correcting before another bout of concerned smelling and self-angry search for the right information among the reams that the Doctor had set them to study since landfall. w ait no you're ok. You feel f ine. Alright. ANXIETY: 10% You're fine. You need to move. It'll be 3 or so hours to the hideout from here. You have to get indoors by nightfall. HP: [ 9 /18 ] (Event Bonus) FP: [ 14 / 14] Restrengthened feet move under sullen trees, as the rain refused to let up beyond a constant foggy mist. Somewhere to the northwest, there was a strange black streak to the sky, hidden often by the closer clouds. You pass back through the silent (silent silent) Holy Land, not looking back on the Blue Island Waters Blue Blue Island Blue Waters. You start to head north, ^ along the river = and through the trees & hanging over its edge, until you begin to slowly mount a long series of rocky ~ hills of some deep bronze stone that shone dim with the rain, and demanded your attention as you work over them to stay with the river. Eventually, you come up the rain the frame building of a pale golden stone, temple-like to your eyes. It was shrouded shrouded with tree leaves growing in upon themselves forever to cover it up. But the distinct part was how the entire structure appeared to intersect with a waterfall, like someone simply phased it through where the waterfall began to descend, a perfect bisection. You could divine it by 4 by 8 by 12 by 0 [Psychic] - PSI power increased. PSI !ESP is temporarily β level in power. Stat downs of altered state cancelled. The Silver Mind posted:"Trust me over the Dark on this. Don't feel anxious. Just walk through the spiral, not down it. You'll get through this safe. You REALLY shouldn't have done those. But, you didn't know. How could you? Here, watch this." well, nobody could because there's never been anyone there. Your hand is a pale little claw, and you look at the nails bitten on until they were ripped bloody. It was all growing fractal and making your inner eye stare backwards instead of forwards. (Tyrant Exerts Control Over Altered State (WL) 18 - [6]+[4]+[4] = 14 - Succfail!) ([MUSHROOM] Tyrant is confused...) f e e l i n' f u n k y neurons that gleam silver are most beutiful when reflecting rainbow. https://i.imgur.com/KHnaIiR.mp4 so wait hold on posted:why am I speaking in here? I can see the hideout but I know Someone is there and it scares me, but I can't see what their face is yet. It's hypergloss swirls when you can see the PSI hiding in everything! So tell me. Who is waiting there, in the courtyard of that palegold stone place, wandering to see the waterfalls before they catch scent of me? "[NAME_NONE posted:"]
|
|
#
¿
Oct 22, 2020 02:41
|
|
|
(Voting will end tomorrow morning.)PROTIP posted:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOADING...  ...LOADING
|
|
#
¿
Oct 22, 2020 04:26
|
|
|
Voting ends at 1:00pm EST.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 22, 2020 17:42
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 16, 2024 10:09 |
|
|
Voting over for 'Who Waits At The Hideout?' Kaigen, 'The Beast' - 4 Merkja, 'The Iron Saint' - 6 [Over time, players would begin to correlate small differences in events that would let them tell a little in advance what the RNG had decided on, many of them written down in the Blue Book. In this case, when entering the Hideout, appearing on the LEFT side of the screen meant dealing with Merkja. On the RIGHT, and it was the Beast who spawned. The @ comes in on the left this time, so... the Iron Saint was here.] LOADING...  ...LOADING
|
|
#
¿
Oct 22, 2020 18:06
|
|