Fandom [Homestuck] The Mobius Strip

[GamerKitty205]

> Bria: Investigate

The land does indeed seem to be filled with Libraries! At least if you can assume the other towers hold much the same. Despite the revelation, you’re filled with disappointment. Must the ever pouring rain and dank environment ruin the one part of the name you were excited for? Practically every sheet of paper in the whole place is destroyed from years of weathering the elements.

The only thing that seems to be of use to you is the red gem glimmering in the distance. And even then, you aren’t sure what it would be used for, or how easy a task it would be to retrieve it. Not that it would be beyond you— Princess Briallen of the Kingdom of Eternal Night!

> What is that

You turn, and stumble back. A TURPENTINE ABOMINATION slowly lurches towards you. It is as if the goop covering ogres and imps wrapped itself around a skeleton, and unable to control it’s form is simply forced to shamble around in some vague approximation of a walk.

Basically it’s a sludge covered zombie. Odd, considering how you were thinking about necromancy earlier. You wonder if it was once a person, before it got gooped, or merely a game construct with a cadaverous flair.

> Focus

Oh, right. It’s walking towards you. It’s probably best to at least do something. Considering how similar it is to the other underlings, it’s probably hostile. And if it’s placed in an obviously important position after the ogre it can’t just be a more humanoid imp.

You don’t want to waste one of your pens of pain, so you grab a book (ew) and chuck it at the Turpentine Abomination​

 

[Orikanyo]

> BE Rudy: converse


Rudy is more than willing to help, of course, being the ood lad he is. But he is admittably suprised to see a castle atop of a cloud! But then again, everything is suprising to him thus far. With the crook in hand you give it back, assuming it was this fellow who had dropped it.

The climb was of course no issue, the rope helped and no doubt you are fueled by the SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE so there's no true cause for any form of worry untoward your stamina.

You inquire towards the nature of the castle, why is it here? does it have a name? if theres a castle, is there a king? or queen?​

 

[SerbianMounted]

===> Saul: Converse​

Spoiler: Dersitelog

SAUL: H-h-hey there!
SAUL: M-m-m-m.....m-m-m-m.....my name is.....
SAUL: SAUL! it's saul
SAUL: S-s-s-sorry

They ask if you are cold, and if you would like to sit by the fire to warm up.​

SAUL: Uh......y-y-y......y-y-y.......YES!
SAUL: haha.....uh, y-y-yes
SAUL: I am c-c-c-c-c-cold, and that's the......only reason.....i'm talking.....like this
SAUL: S-s-s-so.....
SAUL: How long have y-y-you, villagers, lived here?

They pause for a moment to think, before giving the estimate of roughly 3 years since they had to move here.​

SAUL: Where are you.....uh......originally.....
SAUL: From?
SAUL: S-s-s-s-sorry, if that's too.....p-p.....personal

It's fine, they tell you, most of the people here are from Derse, but a few survivors from Prospit are here too, as well as on the other planets in The Medium. ​

SAUL: S-s-survivors?
SAUL: I don't really know what any of those p-proper nouns mean, except for the medium, of course
SAUL: What is prospit, and w-what is....derse?
SAUL: I'm s-s-sorry if i'm wasting your time, i'm a foreigner

They are happy to help, they say. Derse is the purple planet beyond The Medium, once home to the Dersites, though now overrun with the acrid tar monsters. Prospit was the golden planet that once orbited Skaia, but ever since the invasion a few years back, Prospit is no more.​

SAUL: I-i-invasion?
SAUL: What invaded? And uh, oh
SAUL: I'm so rude....hahah......sorry
SAUL: What's your name?

In another life, they were an Orbital Veiltech, but now they are just an Ordinary Villager. They say that the Invader was the source of all of this. They point up towards the sky, through the ribbons of technicolor vapors, towards the inky black dot beyond The Medium. That is the Invader, living in the festering corpse of Skaia.​

SAUL: F-f-f-festering corpse?
SAUL: That doesn't s-s-s-sound.....great
SAUL: Are the purple monsters a part of this invader?

They look to the side, annoyed, before speaking. No... the Demons appeared after the invasion had basically finished. Around the same time that she showed up.​

SAUL: s-s-she?

The demon girl, some kind of Uberviolent Disasterkid. They ask if you have seen her yet, she likes to hang around where the wild Demons gather and just sort of... fight them. But not in a way that they think is helpful. ​

SAUL: D-d-d-demon girl?
SAUL: I-i suppose that doesn't sound like bria....
SAUL: Where is the nearest place like that around here?

Nearest place would probably be the pass you just came through, if they had to guess. Nasty things like to hole up there.​

SAUL: A-a-also.....um....
SAUL: There's a tower made out of blue crystal on this world
SAUL: D-d-do......you uh, happen to know anything about that?

The blue tower? They say that it didn't always used to be like that, that one of the Princesses of Derse lived there once, but when things went bad, the sapphire encased the tower to prevent the Demons from destroying it. The Demons like destroying a lot of things.​

SAUL: h-how many demons are there?
SAUL: and princess? is she still there?
SAUL: d-d-does she need help?

They say that since the Demons basically replaced the Underlings, they really couldn't say how many there are. They don't know where the Princesses or Prince of Derse are, no one does. They all went missing during the invasion. They can only assume the same for the Princes and Princess of Prospit.​

SAUL: What about this land?
SAUL: W-what happened to the.....the gingerbread houses?
SAUL: w-were they destroyed by the invaders too?

No, that was the Demons. They don't think the invasion ever reached the Land of Dreams, Sapphire, and Snow. They haven't seen a single sludge underlings in the past three years, only Demons and the skeletal underlings they feed on.​

SAUL: w-wait so what IS the invader? w-what attacked prospit and derse?

They don't know. Rumor has it that it was unleashed by the Prince of Derse, but it's hard to say, no one knows where it came from or really what it is, just that it controls the Underlings of the other planets with it's Phantoms, the undying commanders of its armies.​

SAUL: phantoms?
SAUL: are there any....on this planet? w-what happens if they're gone? d-do the underlings just stop or do they go rogue?

Not here, no. Nor is there one on the Land of Clouds, Towers, and Adventure. And while they don't know for certain, the Invader can still probably control them remotely. The Phantoms only showed up after the Underlings took control of a planet.​

SAUL: W-well okay then
SAUL: I don't know if that blur i saw was her or not
SAUL: b-but that demon girl has a lot to answer f-for
SAUL: though first, uh
SAUL: have you seen any spirograph yellow pattern thingies?
SAUL: i k-kind of need to get home

They look quizzically at you. Yellow? The only gates they've seen here are Purple. Regardless, there is a nearby Return Gate on the outside of town. It won't give you progress, but it can send you home.​

SAUL: Is there a gate nearby that CAN give me progress?

They say that the Second Gate is somewhere in the Land, but they don't know where it is, you'd have to find it yourself.​

SAUL: Damn, well
SAUL: Do you know where i should go past here?

They gesture to the other side of the village, down the other half of the mountain pass. If there was a way you were supposed to go, they would guess it's there.​

SAUL: O-okay then
SAUL: Is there any way i c-c-can help you?

They say that they don't really need much help, they aren't consorts, they can handle their own problems instead of passing them onto the nearest schmuck.​

SAUL: consorts?

The original inhabitants of the planets in The Medium, though they all died out a long time ago, they inform you.​

SAUL: Okay then....uh, b-bye
SAUL: I'm gonna see what i c-can do
SAUL: And explore more of this land

 

[Eidolon Astronaut]

> Kiyo: Book it.

You run from the STORM, when something ominous happens: A strange METER appears at the top of the screen / your field of vision, and above it, in bold text is a title...

The Chariot.

The HORDE of underlings flows around and above itself, less like a stampede and more like a TIDAL WAVE, as a FIGURE emerges from the eye of the storm. Riding astride a dark, viscous horse (or more so FUSED to it like the NUCKELAVEE of legend) is a slender COWBOY HAT with a large REVOLVER on it's hip. It rushes forward, dragging the HORDE with it like they were attached, are reaches a long hand towards you, inches from grasping your arm, when suddenly...!

Busting open the SALOON DOORS in the ghost town up ahead, a massive, brawny individual in a similar hat carrying some large device walks into view, and after a moment of spinning up, an absolute TORRENT of NEON-COLORED BULLETS spray from the barrel of the CHAIN GUN they hold. The Chariot's HEALTH METER depletes just barely before the horde swarms around it, shielding them. The gunfire gives you enough time to run away, but it isn't enough to push the horde back.

> Mari: Book it.

You follow the DOGMATIC DETECTIVE through the streets of LOBEAF, passing through tight turns and narrow walkways, until finally you arrive at a small building in the shadow of the PAGODA. Inside the window you see another black-shelled individual with a SILENCED PISTOL trained on the two of you, who puts it away when your new ally(?) waves his hand down.

He enters the small building.

> Bria: Book it.

You BOOK IT, by which you mean you throw a BOOK at IT.

Its head falls clean off it's body from the impact of the book. It takes a long while for it to bend down, grab the fallen sludge, and place it back on it's shoulders. It's crooked. It shambles towards you again, but it is so SLOW that you'd have to stop moving for a good 20 seconds fro it to take the time to actually be able to attack you...

... You could probably just grab the gem and leave, this guy doesn't seem to be much of a threat.

> Saul: Book it.

You depart from the MOUNTAIN VILLAGE, armed with a greater understanding of the game's LORE. You are walking down the other side of the pass, and when you finally arrive on the other side of the mountains, something bat shit happens.

A creature you now know is called a DEMON the size of a 4-story building is sent flying past you at considerable speed, crashing into the mountainside. In the direction the "projectile" came from, you see a violet BLUR dashing rushing through the vast open BOREAL TUNDRA making a beeline for the DEMON, which struggles to STAND.

> Rudy: Crook it.

You return the MYSTERIOUS CROOK back to the CASTLERY DEFENDER, who thanks you for returning his most prized weapon, the BULL PENIS CANE. Can't beat up underlings without a FISTFUL OF PENIS, he always says!

And to answer your questions, he responds with: don't know, no, no, and he hopes! (respectively)​

 

[Orikanyo]

Rudy: Uhhhhhhh


Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

You are uncertain about the words that just exited this fellow's mouth(?) and your brain shifts for a moment, uncertain of how it should process this moment or information it decides to furiously blot out the whole moment. There is a great deal of red tape involved and alot of white out. Brain thought it's work was done since it didn't probably have to blot out any more MOM THINGS.

But here we are.

Called in on your sunday because the office was "extremely busy" and "Really needs your help."

it was a land of adventure, brain thought, how could it get weird?

Turns out it did, now we're back.

Rudy: Rejoin the moment.

Rudy nods lightly at the words, the CROOK OF BLURRING now very much non-permissible to be seen, you consider the man's answers for a moment and then look towards the castle. You are curious as to what was inside, castles tend to have things. Things meant stuff, stuff meant alchemy? You didn't know much about alchemy but any type of possible armor might be better than your totally not possible DEER GOD CULT ROBES

Will you evolve from freaky druid in the woods to Knight?

Likely not but hey any chance for stuff is good.

You motion to wanting to check out this castle, figuring it would be helpful to look around, if not barred, you will begin to do so with all the grace of a RPG HERO. That is to mean, scoping out every corner of the place and occasionally hitting walls to see if their fake...​

 

[SerbianMounted]

===>
​

You brace yourself as the demon's body slamming into the side of the mountain creates a cloud of debris. You cough, covering your head with your hands. You sputter a bit, looking over in the distance to see the BLUR fast approaching. It's the same color as the one from earlier. There's no doubt about it. You brace for the impact of the figure against the demon, careful not to get too close. You call out its name, Uberviolent Disasterkid?​

​

 

[SpectrumCrow]

> Mari: Consider your situation

Is it really the best idea to go in there? That guy just had a gun pointed at you and might have been the one that shot at you earlier. But then again, he backed down thanks to your rescuer... You'll see what they have to say, at least.

You follow the mystery man into the building. Not your smartest move, but here you are. Once inside, you let out a small sigh of relief, a feeling of relative safety washing over you. Keeping your gaze fixed on the detective, you decide it's probably safe to speak now.
​

Spoiler

MARI: so...
MARI: thank you for helping me out there, sir! but um... who are you?

 

[GamerKitty205]

===>

Well… that’s positively underwhelming. Absolutely pathetic. You’d feel bad for it if not for the fact it would definitely try to kill you if it ever managed to reach you. Not that it ever will. You pick up another book and aim right for the abomination’s head. It once again falls off and rolls a few feet away. The abomination slowly turns towards it’s fallen head.

You just sigh and turn towards the red gem. For a second you think to check for traps… but considering the state of everything else in the tower? You don’t have anything to worry about. You dash over to the pile of books and pick up the RED GEM​

 

[Eidolon Astronaut]

> Saul: Converse?

The BLUR leaps into the air on a collision course for the DEMON'S HEART, but your ill-timed blurb distracts it, and they crash into it's stomach, bouncing off and landing in the SNOW. The DEMON bursts from the impact anyway and dissolves into a ridiculous amount of GRIST.
​

Spoiler: Show Demonlog

???: ow.

> Bria: Captchalouge red gem.

You grab the red gem, which upon closer inspection is thin and transparent, more like an ovular RED LENS. You pocket that in your sylladex with absolutely no fuss whatsoever. The TURPENTINE ABOMINATION shambles towards you, now re-headed. It stumbles on a pile of books and falls over.

You hope the rest of the game is more exciting than this.​

 

[Orikanyo]

>Be Rudy: Converse

Spoiler: Dialog

Rudy: So, is there other people inside?
Rudy: I'd love nothin' more than to check out a cool cloud castle.
Rudy: But like does anyone live here?

Oh sure! Plenty of people live here, he assures you. He lifts his face plate to reveal his hard-shelled face and beady little eyes with absolutely nothing going on behind them.

Rudy: Right, makes sense since your protecting it and all.
Rudy: So I came through a portal thing.
Rudy: theres others like that around right?
Rudy: With more monsters everywhere?

He blinks, one eye and then the other. He says probably!

Rudy: So it's okay if I go have a look around then yea?
Rudy: Place ain't gonna blow up?

He stops to think for a moment. He doesn't think it will, so go right on ahead! He starts heading to the drawbridge, which begins lowering.

Well, that was that, you follow the fellow in, but you have also remembered that you forgot to introduce yourself.

You, for now, take it upon yourself to call him Clubs, since thats the card suit and all.

Would it be... Sir Two of Clubs?

Clubs for now.

> Follow Clubs​

 

[SerbianMounted]

> Saul: Converse...

​

Spoiler: Chatlog

SAUL: A-are you okay?!?!?

A single fist punches up from the snow, before extending a thumb up.​

???: super duper.
???: mind uh... mind giving me a hand here?

You reach down and grab onto the hand with both of yours. ​

SAUL: U-uh sure!
SAUL: Okay count of three....o-one.....two....three!
???: oof.

You pull the non-blurred individual from the snow pile, both landing on your asses. She quickly stands up and brushes the snow from her hair, giving you a moment to see her unique appearance. She turns to you and speaks again.​

???: now WHAT did you call me?
SAUL: O-oh uh, i didn't mean it like that!
SAUL: T-the d-d-dersites arpund here just have that name and i didn't have any other ideas
SAUL: U-uh, im SAUL!
SAUL: W-whats yours?

You extend a hand anxiously to this new person.​

???: im not some kind of
???: "uberviolent disasterkid" or whatever.
???: im the ultraviolet demonslayer.
U.D.: you can call me u.d.

She proceeds to do an elaborate SECRET HANDSHAKE with you, or rather, TO you, as you don't know whatever high-speed tricks she is pulling, you can barely make it out, let alone repeat it.​

SAUL: H-hi.....U.D
SAUL: Ultraviolet, huh? W-what are you doing in LODSAS?
SAUL: And uh, why are you kiling these demons?

You AWKWARDLY try and keep up with the handshake to no avail.​

U.D.: did you seriously just ask a demonslayer why they are slaying demons?
U.D.: bruh.
SAUL: Okay well....
SAUL: Why are you a demonslayer, how about i p-put it like that
U.D.: its my sworn duty to eradicate all of demon kind.
U.D.: because theyre massive dongers.
SAUL: A-are you a part of the game or....a-are you something else?
SAUL: You d-dont seem like a game construct
U.D.: im one of a kind nerdboy.
U.D.: aint nothing else like me.
SAUL: T-then what are you doing here?
SAUL: The d-dersites told me ab-bout an invasion....
SAUL: A lot of things in this place feel.....off, like something isn't quite c-c-c-clicking
SAUL: What uh....are you? A monster or an alien or what?
U.D.: man
U.D.: you sure do ask a lot of questions.
U.D.: anyone ever tell you that nerdboy?
SAUL: M-maybe.....
SAUL: B-b-but.......this is a confusing situation
SAUL: And i have no c-clue who you are
SAUL: I h-h-have a right to ask q-questions
U.D.: bro i dont know who you are either.
U.D.: you see me asking you questions about your whole deal?
SAUL: I w-would!
SAUL: I-if you asked anyway
U.D.: no thanks.
U.D.: more of a
U.D.: shoot first ask questions never
U.D.: kinda person.
SAUL: That's kind of.....frustrating.....
SAUL: Um.....anyway
SAUL: You m-mind if i take this grist?
U.D.: is that what that stuffs called?
U.D.: knock yourself out.
U.D.: i dont have a use for it anyway.
SAUL: Cool....
SAUL: Oh and uh, in your searching around here, killing demons and w-whatall
SAUL: Have you seen one of those purple spirograph portal things?
U.D.: yeah.
U.D.: id ask why but i dont think i care.
U.D.: that demon youre scooping the guts of came from it.
SAUL: o.....kay
SAUL: Uh, mind pointing me in it's direction?
U.D.: yeah sure
U.D.: its over in candy cane forest over there.
U.D.: heh.
SAUL: W-why don't you come w-with me?
SAUL: If it came from that direction there's bound to be a swarm around it, protecting it
SAUL: I can progress, you can kill demons....or whatever
U.D.: im not interested in the small fry.
U.D.: i got big bois to hunt.
SAUL: Ah.
SAUL: Okay.....
SAUL: Bye.

You turn around after collecting the fallen grist and leave. Though, as you step away, you do produce from your sylladex a JALAPENO and shove it into her hands. You realize you're being rather terse right now, given you're pretty sure the earth has just been demolished by meteors. But you figure a nice THANK YOU gift for being pointed in the right direction is necessary, even if it IS PROBABLY A TRAP OR VERY DANGEROUS.

But you can't go forward without risk. So you keep going towards the CANDYCANE FOREST OF POSSIBLE DEATH.​

 

[Squad141]

> Head for your new target

Like an arrow riding the air, you pick up the pace quite a bit as The Chariot, which you can only assume to be some of mini-boss or just straight up boss, emerges from what you will now be calling the Horde. You have no ammo ready, no weapons drawn, solely because you have the feeling that losing any distance between the Horde and yourself would be detrimental. Quickly passing several streams of neon ink on either side of you, and skillfully dodging cacti when it gets in your path, you begin to see more of the Ghost Town. You're unsure if this is the right place to be, but all signs point here, including the legion of death behind you.

whoosh.

Something whizzes past your face, something nearly as colorful as the liquid running through this desert's. You nearly falter, but don't. Focusing in front of you, near the Ghost Town, when something emerges into your line of sight. Something, no, someone bulky, and someone holding a large gun. You move to the left slightly as the figure unleashes a barrage onto the Horde and the Chariot. With the small advantage, you sneak a peek behind you and see the creature swallow itself in the Horde, meaning it most likely is the controller of said storm of monsters.

With the small boost, you make your way over to the figure out to hopefully engage in conversation. Your hands on ready in case this person is also hostile and you need to draw quickly.​

 

[SpectrumCrow]

> Mari: Converse​

Spoiler

MARI: so...
MARI: thank you for helping me out there, sir! but um... who are you?

Him? He's nobody, he tells you, just another hard-boiled shmuck trying to get by in this rotten dump of a town.
​

MARI: but surely you have a name?

He tells you a name doesn't mean anything in a place like this, he's just a corpse waiting.
​

MARI: :/ if you dont tell me one ill have to call you by a nickname

He would rather you didn't.​

MARI: then give me something to work with please!
MARI: i feel rather awkward just calling you 'sir'

The gunman (or gunwoman? it's kind of hard to tell) in the corner gives a look that says "this kid" to the Dogmatic Detective. DD tells you that ain't no one called 'sir' these days.​

MARI: hmmm I'll let it slide for now
MARI: oh! thank you very much for helping me out back there! i probably would have gotten trampled or something if you hadn't come along hehe

He tells you to calm down with the saved damsel routine, he assures you, it's for purely selfish reasons.​

MARI: oh hush, I'm still allowed to thank you for helping me regardless of your reasons!
MARI: but um
MARI: speaking of, what ARE those reasons?

He plans on using you as a weapon. Can't very well do that if the weapon dies five minutes after arriving.​

MARI:
MARI:
MARI: what

He asks what do you think it means. He is going to use you to kill The Emperor.​

MARI: I hate to be the bearer of bad news for you, but I can barely hold my own against imps! Let alone an emperor

No shit, he says. You just got here. But you have a luxury he doesn't. Carapacians can't get stronger, you soft-shells can.​

MARI: carapacian?

He raps his fist against his head lightly, producing a hard sound. He tells you he's got a carapace, he's a Carapacian.​

MARI: ok ok dumb question on my part
MARI: but ive got a lot of questions before I agree to help you with any of this. I should at least know a little bit of what's going on
MARI: first... Who is the emperor? Why do you want to kill him?

The Emperor, he corrects. And he tells you that it's the giant that's leading the monsters around, this planet's Phantom.​

MARI: phantom?

The big monsters controlling the little ones, he thought that was obvious.​

MARI: this is all new to me! I just wanna make sure I have the right info.
MARI: and you didn't answer my question of why you want to kill him
MARI: aside from the monsters I guess

Does he need a reason beyond that, he asks? Sometimes you just have to kill a few eggs to make the omelette.​

MARI: hm fair enough I suppose.
MARI: so did he attack your home city....?

This ain't his home, he tells you. Derse has fallen, and Prospit... well, Prospit isn't around anymore. And he doesn't know why the Phantom is here fucking things up for the rest of them, just that it is.​

MARI: hmm
MARI: alright
MARI: well... for now ill try my best to help, but no pointing guns at me, no shooting at me in an alley, and no referring to me as a weapon!
MARI: my name is mari!

Sure, kid. He tells you that if you're going to stand a chance against The Emperor, you'll need to get a lot tougher, and maybe bring some friends. Phantoms like the dark, so getting the power back on would probably help too. They can't get into the pagodas to do that, only you soft-shells can.​

MARI: thats not my name- actually, ill take it. kid is fine.
MARI: luckily for you, i have plenty of friends that could help me!
MARI: is this where ill be able to find you usually?

He tells you that it's dangerous to stick around in one place for too long, but he's got ears everywhere, if you need to find him he'll know.​

MARI: alright! ill take your word on it!
MARI: in that case... may i go back to my exploration now sir?

Knock yourself out. He tells you that if you want to avoid getting trampled next time, you should stick to the rooftops, the underlings aren't great climbers.​

MARI: the rooftops???? omg
MARI: how do i get up there???

The gunperson opens a nearby window, leading to a FIRE ESCAPE. DD tells you that you should probably try using your head.​

MARI: hey! maybe there was a staircase or something somewhere nearby

He just gives a look the the gunperson.​

MARI: well, thank you again sir! ill see you later!!

> Mari: Climb

You climb out of the fire escape and move up to the roof. Those two weren't the most friendly, but things here do seem pretty serious! Maybe this is your main objective in the game, to kill The Emperor? Who knows! But you need to continue your scouting of the area, so you make your way to the roof and look out on the city, looking to see if you can see anything new from this vantage point.​

 

[Eidolon Astronaut]

> Rudy: Enter castle.

You follow the Castlery Defender inside.

The CLOUD-TOP CASTLE is filled with dozens of other CARAPACIANS, mostly dark-shelled wearing purple but some lighter wearing yellow. Seems these guys live here, you guess. They don't seem as chipper as the Castlery Defender is.

The castle is quite large, many rooms and halls where the chess-like Carapacians live. One room's sign catches your eye in particular, the HALL OF HEROES. You wonder if you could get some COOL HERO STUFF in there.

> Saul: Enter candy cane forest.

After your interaction with U.D. you enter the mint-flavored woods, hoping to find the Second Gate.

After wandering around for a while, you come across a clearing in the canes. In the center is a SAPPHIRE SPIRE atop which, formed from spiraling PURPLE light, is the Second Gate. Unfortunately, surrounding said spire on the ground is a collection of slumbering, canine-like DEMONS. There's got to be at least a dozen of them.

> Kiyo: Run into town.

You run towards the ghost town, away from The Chariot as fast as you can, when suddenly, the hail of bullets stops. Ahead you see the large figure has run out of AMMO, and begins the process of loading the next bandolier. In the time it takes to do this, however, the STORM begins broiling as the HORDE opens up to reveal The Chariot. The CHAIN GUN is thrown to the ground as the figure runs towards you.

A bolt of LIGHTNING crashes down into the center of the HORDE, but instead of harming them, passes through them like conductive wire as The Chariot draws their REVOLVER. You feel a hand grab you by the collar of your shirt as the figure throws you behind them and stretches out their other arm to the horde. The LIGHTNING passes through The Chariot, and as it reaches the revolver, they fire. The bolt of lightning streaks through the air and collides with the figure, who somehow is still standing, though their poncho is slightly ON FIRE.

The Chariot's red eyes stare through the two of you as the storm begins broiling again...

Only for every door in the town to burst open and every hidden CARAPACIAN reveals themselves, drawing many pistols and rifles, and begins opening fire on The Chariot. Unable to withstand the onslaught, the Horde swarms around them and ABSCONDS, taking the DARK STORM with them.

Phew.

> Mari: Ascend.

It is still pretty DARK here, your only light being the FIREWORKS and the semi-phosphorescent BREW. But you can still easily see the TALL PAGODA a few blocks away, as well as patrols of UNDERLINGS down on the streets. Up here, you feel as though you are UNBURDENED and UNRESTRICTED, like you could do anything and go anywhere without being hassled. It feels great.​

 

[Orikanyo]

> Be Rudy

Your eyes cannot believe themselves... Well, they can, it's just your brain trying to get things right. Alotta folks in here, purple and yellow kinda clash honestly but you got no clue about fashion so who cares.

You consider asking about the reason why everyones dressed like that but the door catches your eye...

...

And whos to say, maybe you are a hero in a way.

You did protect the castle soooooooooooooo why not take a peak yea!?

Eyeing your armor covered pal for a second you decide to try and open the door and slip inside if it gives way.

Who knows what cool stuff could be in there?

> Rudy: Snoop​

 

[SerbianMounted]

===> Saul: Review options

Hm. You've once again faced a situation with INCREDIBLE RISK for yourself at a low level. You scope out the area for a while, staying deep enough into the peppermint brush to avoid detection from the dogs. You could benefit from assessing a few plans of action to get to the portal without dying. You think for a moment:

PLAN A: Take a big rush at the dogs and attack them. Probably the worst idea. Your FEEBLE ARMS and SOFT, TEARABLE FLESH are practically begging to lose in a 1 v 12 match against enemies already much higher on the rung than IMPS. You estimate it would probably take them less than a few minutes to start taking parts of you for dinner.

PLAN B: Rush through them and try to enter the portal before you can get attacked. Also not great. Your legs are long and your gait pretty wide but you're far from fast enough to get away in a dead sprint. Besides, the spire is pretty steep and would require a good CLIMB, of which you are even less equipped to do effectively.

Hm, you're also not really WELL EQUIPPED. You're doing okay with your warm pajamas in the cold of the snow. But your SHARP SHOVEL and little to nothing else really (ironically) isn't going to cut it. You don't even particularly LIKE shovels, you only have this allocated to your strife specibus because it freed up inventory space while GARDENING. Something that didn't rely on your melee capabilities so much would be preferable. Though then again you don't really have the hand eye coordination to use a GUN or a BOW.

Hm? Oh, you'e spacing out again. You look around and find yourself gazing at the PEPPERMINT BRANCHES of the tree adjacent to you. Ah, Plan C. Of course.

> Saul: Enact Plan C

You pull the SUPRISINGLY MALLEABLE thin trunked peppermint tree down with your weight and tie it to the ground with your shovel staked to the earth and tied with the last of your rope. Though not before cutting a bit of the rope in the middle so it begins to peel and break off, giving you limited time before the rope snaps and the tree crashes back into place, causing a LOUD SOUND. You sneak to the OPPOSITE END of the clearing from the underbrush and then wait. If all goes well, the LOUD NOISE will distract the dogs and have them inspect the area you're opposite of, giving you a chance at the pillar. ​

 

[GamerKitty205]

> Bria: Exit

You walk past the TURPENTINE ABOMINATION and just shake your head. You really hope this area is just an easy one. I mean… it’s the very beginning of the game, it’s not like they would throw a giant monster at you the minute you teleported into your land. That would be insane.

You exit the TILTED LIBRARY and sigh as your feet squish into soft soil and drops of water patter against your cloak… and into you hair. You quickly pull up your hood. You must've taken if off inside. Great, now you gone from damp to absolutely soaked. Whatever, maybe you can alchemize a super drier when you get back home... though you have no idea how to get back to your house. Whatever, you can worry about that later!

You uncaptchalogue the RED LENS. No wonder you mistook this as a gem. It literally just looks like a piece of red glass. It looks incomplete in a way. Perhaps there is a frame or handle it's supposed to fit into? Maybe one of the other libraries holds parts of a pair of glasses. Regardless of how plain it looks, it's still a lens. You know what to do with a lens. You hold up the RED LENS to your eye.

> Look

 

[SpectrumCrow]

> Mari: Advance

You advance towards the TALL PAGODA! But as you do, you can’t help but marvel at the FREEDOM of the rooftops! It does indeed feel great. But you really wanna know what’s at the pagoda! It looks super important. Ok, maybe not SUPER important… but it looks important!

Thus, you try to make your way there from the rooftops. Preferably, you can do so by some sort of walkway system up there. Such as built in ones, makeshift ones out of stuff like wood, or just by jumping over! That is, if you can make it!

You might be brave, but you aren't stupid enough to try jumping across building rooftops you aren't 99% sure you could clear. (99% because you can never be too sure!!)​

 

[Eidolon Astronaut]

> Rudy: Enter Hall of Heroes.

While the Castlery Defender is talking to another Carapacian about something or other, you slip away and enter the HALL OF HEROES.

Rather than COOL ARMOR OR WEAPONS or anything helpful, all you see in here are a bunch of CANDLES AND FLOWERS laid at the base of a series of MURALS, almost like a MEMORIAL. There are SIX murals in total. From left to right:

A princess in golden garments, in her hands a jagged crown. Behind her, the symbol of six spiral arms failing to meet in the middle. This mural is titled "VOID."
A prince in golden garments, in his hands a powerful wand. Behind him, the symbol of a wound, three drips spilling forth. This mural is titled "BLOOD."
A prince in golden garments, in his hands a blinding flame. Behind him, the symbol of a circle with three squiggly arms. This mural is titled "MIND."
A princess in obsidian attire, in her hands an inverted pentacle. Behind her, the symbol are an angered face hiding in a smiling one. This mural is titled "RAGE."
A princess in obsidian attire, in her hands a tiny horse. Behind her, the symbol of a heart that is only half-filled. This mural is titled "HEART."
A prince in obsidian attire, this mural is broken in half, undecipherable. This mural's name has been defaced to say "STINKY." This mural does not have any candles or flowers beneath it.

A small wooden LOCK BOX sits on the ground in front of the murals, surrounding by the offerings. You probably shouldn't open it...

... right?

> Saul: Create distraction.

SNAP.

The PEPPERMINT TREE breaks in half, seems like rope is stronger than candy. Regardless, the noise is sufficient to wake the HOUND DEMONS. They swarm over to the tree to examine the noise, but they do not leave the circular clearing to do so. They sniff around in the direction of the tree.

Best get moving.

> Bria: Inspect lens.

Holding up the RED LENS to your eye, you can see faint markings in the center, a circle with two orthogonal lines passing through it. You wonder just what exactly this fits in.

While you are observing the ocular apparatus, you notice a large SHADOW pass over you from above the tree canopy ominously. It is heading in the direction of the PATH. The TURPENTINE ABOMINATION also stumbles out the door of the library, falling into the mud.

> Mari: Traverse narrow catwalk.

You begin slowly walking across narrow planks of wood that have been strewn about (presumably by the Carapacians to get around) until you come across a gap with no board. Looks like a clearable leap. You jump...

... And land safely on the other side, a bit further than you were expecting, honestly. You continue your travels, jumping alleys you cannot walk across.

> (S) Mari: Freestyle.

Subconsciously, you begin picking up speed, rushing from one building to another. Before you know it, you are completely forgetting about the planks of wood, instead jumping every gap you see. The wind rushes through your hair as you are now at a full sprint from building to building, lost in THE FLOW.

You land on the roof of the building neighboring the PAGODA, only now realizing the feats you just accomplished.​

 

[Orikanyo]

Rudy: Hit up that memo like a tourist.

​

Spoiler: Memolog

CT: Yo yo yo what up boyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy its Rudy comin' atchyea from the castle in the sky.

CT: Legit good movie.

CT: But i'm in here with cara bros an my boy Clubs in the hall of heroes!

CT: Mega lore stuff n here bros.

CT: Check it.

CT: *Several pictures of various murals, including the stinky one.*

CT: Before you say it ya boy didn't do that to the last one, hellah wierd.

CT: But like one of these guys is called blood and thats super metal.

CT: No clue what it means but ya boy sure whatever the stiny dude did.

CT: Prob deserved it.

CT: Box here, gettin loot, brb.

​

Rudy: Open the tantilizing box

You see the box, all adventurers know that anything contained in a box is important and-

Most of all

Free to take.

Rule of adventurers and all.

You saunter your way up to the box and with that usual rudy smile began to open it up, giving a moment for the theme music to pop up. Gotta do this right animators were paid top dollar for this to line up right.

​

 

[Elision of Ecritures]

===> Saul: Climb!

With a dexterity often lost upon you you LEAP forwards and produce from your freshly emptied sylladex several pieces of PEPPERMINT BRANCH. You lick the ends of each and slam them upon the sapphire pillar, giving you a more proper foothold. You repeat the process several times, each with a freshly licked piece of branch before you manage to finally reach the top. You hear the dogs SNIFFING WISE to your dastardly plan and CONTINUE RUSHING UPWARDS in fear for your life. You do not stop until you pass the threshold and ENTER YOUR GATE.

​

Spoiler: Memolog

GC: The dersites (black shelled carapacians) i spoke to believed that the invasion incident was caused by a 'dersian prince'
GC: Whatever this invasion was, it feels like it made a lot of anomalies in our game's locations, for the lands at least
GC: I met a girl who sticks out like a sore thumb.....her name was U.D, and she looked like some kind of demon girl?
GC: She wasn't antagonistic, but she was really powerful and was destroying a lot of demons around.....
GC: I'm going through the second gate now, i'll keep you all posted when i figure out where it leads
GC: Also....it doesn't seem suspicious to just me that there are 6 nobles depicted in those murals, and they have an even gender split matching up with us exactly?
GC: I dunno....maybe it's just a mere coincidence, but something about that feels off

 

[SpectrumCrow]

> Mari: Squee

You almost squee with excitement and joy, but you manage to hold it in. You’re relatively safe on these rooftops from the imps below, but you don’t want to chance it! Admittedly, it’s harder to do than you wish it was. You just can’t help being so excited!! You jumped!! Over gaps between BUILDINGS!! MULTIPLE TIMES!!! YES!! THAT WAS SO COOL!

> Mari: Take a deep breath

Okay. Deep breath in. Deep breath out. Okay. You’re calm. You. Are. Calm.

But that won’t stop you from striking an epic pose before you finish your journey.

​

[art by me]

Okay! Now that that’s done, time to get to the pagoda. You’re probably better off getting down from the rooftops and entering the building normally.

> Mari: Look for a way down and enter​

 

[GamerKitty205]

> Be Bria

As you see the shadow above you, you can’t help but start to smile. A big ominous shadow had to be something interesting! Helpful npc, or actually challenging enemy— You can’t wait to find out what it actually is!

You hear a thump behind you and quickly turn ar— Oh it’s just the Turpentine Abomination. You would’ve assumed it would have stopped following you by now… You really hope it ends up being a boss later on. You can’t imagine why anyone would code an enemy that’s so useless yet persistent

> Check Memo

Oh yes! You haven’t done that in a while. It seems like it’s been forever since you’ve talked to your friends. You hope their adventures have been more interesting than yours. You captchalogue the red lens and take out your phone. ​

Spoiler: Memolog

TA: That is most concerning, but the similarities seem to end there…
TA: I don’t believe any of us has a particular connection to equines or fire…
TA: Of course, that’s no reason to ignore it, these could be warnings are much as they are history
TA: I wonder if these ‘nobles’ were previous players, there had to be some people who played it closer to its release…
TA: Though that then begs the question of why we ended up in the same lands that they did
TA: Oh, and I have to say that I am awfully envious of the two of you
TA: My land hasn’t had much of note, let alone a fellow demon!
TA: Only a great deal of illegible books and a weirdly persistent sludge-covered zombie

> Follow Path

Ah yes! That is the way the shadow fled and so it is the way you will go! Not that there’s much else to do. You didn’t exactly bring a boat or climbing equipment, so that seems to be your best bet. You continue on through the swampy woods. ​

 

[Eidolon Astronaut]

> Rudy: Examine contents of lock box.

You open the small wooden chest.

Spoiler: Open lock box.

Inside you find naught but a single PHOTOGRAPH, torn, faded, and lightly burned.

You can tell it's a group picture of SIX HUMANOID FIGURES, but time has worn away most DETAILS of them. One of them has some STRANGE CREATURE cradled in their arm. A series of signatures are at the bottom of the photograph, as well as what looks to be a SMUDGE of an acrid black fluid.

> Saul: Ascend.

You attempt your most spirited LAD SCAMPER yet, trying to reach the Second Gate atop the spire. The HOUND DEMONS track the smell back to you, and begin to chase you up the spire, when suddenly an ULTRAVOILET BLUR streaks through the clearing, half of the demons dead. U.D. stops for a moment to look at you.
​

Spoiler: Show Demonlog.

U.D.: heh.
U.D.: you look like a doof right now.

U.D. kills the last HOUND DEMON as you finally reach the top of the spire. As you stand beside the PURPLE gate, the light that composes it FADES AND FLICKERS, to black, before reilluminating with YELLOW light instead. U.D. calls up to you.
​

Spoiler: Show Demonlog.

U.D.: hey nerdboy
U.D.: toss me your phone real quick.

> Mari: Descend.

You drop down the building via another FIRE ESCAPE, and walk around to reach the front of the PAGODA. A large heavy door is guarded by two CREOSOTE LICHES, who have yet to notice you.

> Bria: Follow the brown muddy road.

You walk down the winding serpentine PATH through the swamp, following the large shadow.

You reach a place where the trees clear, but you still can't see the sky, as a single MASSIVE MANGROVE TREE, dozens of stories tall towers over the clearing. A door has been built into the base of the tree. Several small HUTS have been built in the shade of the tree, but have all begun sinking into the mud from disuse.

Above, you see the source of the shadow, a WRITHING MASS OF TAR AND TENDRILS, floating through air like some kind of ELDRITCH HORROR. It weaves itself through the branches of the massive tree, entering the structure through a HOLLOW. After a few moments, the shape exits and flies off into the rain out of view.​

 

[Orikanyo]

>Rudy: Think.

You gaze at the little photo, one of the faces having been... No you've some knowledge on this, it was burn't out. the one in the middle. If the names lined up, its the one in red. B.T... Also seems to be holding something... A thing that... hrmm... It stares deep into you.But, you could guess, the one thats burn't out might be the Stinky one. But thats a guess.

You take out your phone and snap a quick photo of the photo for the memo. You don't talk on it this time but just send a pic.

You also take a sec to look on the back of the photograph, nothing, hmm...

You captchalogue the photo and close the box. it may become handy.

>Leave the hall of heroes.

Well, that would be a good idea.

And yea you do feel like theres not much else here.

But...

....

> Selfie infront of the stinky mural

You do so, it's shit, but you send it anyways because you revel in second hand cringe.

Now you leave the hall, slip out the same way you came all sneaky like.​