The void. The nothingness between worlds. You float, adrift, in this space. You are the KNIGHT. You've done this a thousand times before, and yet this is all new for you. However, you don't have time to dwell for too long. You feel a calling, your slumber coming to an end.
You awaken. You are in a room, full of blue mist. As you put your paws on the stone floor, you feel a deep shiver. This place... You aren't quite at your destination. In the blue light, you hear a voice.
"Welcome, KNIGHT."
Standing before you, two crows.
"You are not quite awake. But you have yet to know the rules of this world. Thankfully, they can be explained quickly.
In this world, there are 3 kinds of ACTIONS you can take :
-TALK, which can be done to objects with a PINK outline. This action is what we are currently doing.
-SHORT, which can be done to objects with a YELLOW outline. These actions will be short interactions that will give you a better understanding of your situation, but won't advance the scene.
-KEY, which can be done to objects with a GREEN outline. These actions will irreversibly advance the narrative, or move you to another place."
The crows peck at the ground, then fly away, leaving you alone.
You look around you.
This place is mostly empty. You can see your SLAB OF AWAKENING, as well as an ARCHWAY.
What will you do ?
>Examine the SLAB OF AWAKENING
This is the slab on which you were sleeping. Its cool, smooth surface is slightly damp.
Somehow, it also feels familiar. Not just because you spent what you assume were thousands of years sleeping on it, but... more like you've always known it. And like it has always known you.
Hesitantly, yet familiarly, you put a hand on it.
You feel it calling. It talks, yet does not. It feels, yet remains passive. It's as if this monolith has seen everything there was to see since the dawn of time, yet decided to remain passive for all eternity.
"I am the HEARTH of PERMANENCE," it tells you with its silent voice. "My name, which you may CALL upon, is MONOLITH."
A familiar glow envelops your hand. The SLAB OF AWAKENING then disappears.
You have acquired the CALL of MONOLITH, HEARTH of PERMANENCE. You may CALL it to summon it, or use its effect.
Summon : You can place a MONOLITH in the place of your choosing in the room. The MONOLITH cannot move until recalled. You can only place one at a time.
Effect : Choose an object to place the HEARTH of PERMANENCE on it. As long as the HEARTH of PERMANENCE is on that object, it will become eternal.
You can only use one of these effects at a time.
The room is empty. An ARCHWAY lets a breeze in.
>Go through the ARCHWAY
You go through the ARCHWAY.
You step out into a square room. Just after entering the room, you turn around, but already the passage has changed. As you turn around, you count five different passages, one on each wall.
The first one leads to a place called DESTROY THE SKELETON WITH ABSOLUTE FAITH. You hear the rumble of thunder coming from it, as well as the smell of mold.
The second passage leads to a place called RONDO IN FIELDS ABLAZE. The pleasant smell of flower emanates from it, as well as some flower petals. You hear the sound of a calm wind.
The third passage leads to a place called EXISTENCE OF ALL THINGS UNDER THE ABSOLUTE ORDER. You smell salt coming from it, as well as the sound of waves. The ground is damp.
The fourth passage leads to a place called AFFABULATE THE HORRORS WITH UNFELT DESIRES. A hot breath comes from many vents, as well as smoke and a red light. The air smells metallic.
The fifth and final passage leads to a place called MASTERY OVER EVERYTHING BUT NOT THE SELF. Small puddles of dirty water have formed in potholes littering the grey concrete. Graffitis warn of untold danger.
Which Passage will you go through ?
>CALL : MONOLITH.
You place the mark of the HEARTH of PERMANENCE to your lips, and MONOLITH appears before you.
"Not even I knows what lies beyond. But, whatever passage you go through, be sure it is the right choice."
Thanks for nothing. You RECALL MONOLITH, and turn toward the passage leading to AFFABULATE THE HORRORS WITH UNFELT DESIRES.
You go through.
>ENTER AFFABULATE THE HORRORS WITH UNFELT DESIRES
You arrive in front of the main factory of AFFABULATE THE HORRORS WITH UNFELT DESIRES. That name is somewhat long. You make a note to shorten it to AFFABULATE next time (ATHWUD doesn't sound as good)
To the north is the MAIN FACTORY. To the west lays a RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. To the east is what seems like a... LEISURE DISTRICT. (its totally a red light district.)
What will you do ?
>ENTER the LEISURE DISTRICT
So much for a district. There are at least four buildings, which would have been a lot if you had never seen a city before. You're not sure when you did, but you definitely did.
What building do you want to go to ?
From left to right, you guess the buildings are a WHOREHOUSE, a MOVIE THEATER, a CASINO, and a BOWLING ALLEY.
Hell yeah. You walk up to the BOWLING ALLEY. This is going to be so awesome.
You can picture it in your head. The crowd cheers as the neophyte, yet pro-level player KNIGHT makes a ridiculously colored ball roll down a lane and strike ten pins at once. You haven't been playing for long but already you can feel it's your life's calling. You were MEANT to do this. The HEARTH of BOWLING speaks to you. You can hear it already.
You walk inside.
"Sorry, dear customer. We understand your undying passion for this activity, but customers require a company ID to participate. We hope to see you again."
Darn.
>Ask the bowling alley person what there is to do around here that doesn’t require an ID
"Hmm well... The brothel also requires one... and the theater as well... maybe the casino... and, well, of course the bowling alley."
Oh well that sucks
"You can of course try to create an ID at the main factory, but note you will have to work some time to use these facilities."
The clerk gets closer and starts whispering. "Or, but don't tell anyone I said this... you can go haggle someone at the residential district. Maybe someone will be willing to... lend you their ID."
>GO to the FACTORY and FIND SOME WORK
You walk in the FACTORY. The ceiling only shows a gigantic chute in which many pipes loose themselves. Everything around you is surrounded by a scalding red glow. You start to rethink your decision to come here.
You make up your mind eventually, and walk up to the front desk. "I'd like some work please" "Yeah sure just fill these" The desk worker seems uninterested. All around you, while you complete the harduous task of filling paperwork, many other workers come and go, some leaving their shift, and others starting theirs.
Eventually, the desk worker gives you your company ID and assigns you to a post. "It seems you've... never worked in your life. You also wrote that you were thousands of years old. It's not a mistake ? Oh. Well, we have a quality checking job for you. It doesn't require any particular skills."
You agree to the job, and are guided to your post.
Jesus. This is hard work. Well, it's not hard, but it's boring. You have to be focused on the assembly line at all times, and it's extremely hot around you. You do SUMMON MONOLITH to make your attention eternal.
Suddenly, it's like you've always been focused on this. You've never looked at anything else and never will (until the end of your shift.)
Speaking of, seems like your shift is... 8 hours long. Jeez.
You think about what you want to do once you've finished working.
Will you go back to the LEISURE DISTRICT ? Or maybe go to the RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, to try and find a place to rest ?
>Goddamit, you're going to GO BOWLING
WELL SAID !!
Time to realize your calling !
You enter the bowling alley, show your company ID to the clerk, and they let you in. You go to an unused lane. The garish decoration beckons you. The pins even more so. You feel nervous. What if you're not up to (s)par ? What if this isn't your calling ? What if there isn't a HEARTH of BOWLING ?
No. No, you tell yourself. You will vanquish your fears, and make these pins tumble. You will win, and conquer this lane.
The ball feels heavy in your paw. You look ahead. You see the lustrous lane, the bone-like pins. You see a bright future. You can do this. This is what you were born- nay, created, to do this !
This is your purpose. You will succeed.
10 rounds, 0 score.
Let us never speak of bowling ever again.
>Okay, you're going to REST, then
You make your way to the RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
Rows and rows of the same houses, stretching to the horizon. Blank faced workers wander the streets. You don't even know how to get a house, and you don't really want to enter a someone's uninvited. You too, start to wander with a blank face.
There are streets and streets of this. In the eastern sky, the factory lets out a reddish glow, as well as a thick blanket of smoke. You suddenly notice the smell of ashes. Cinders and charcoal, molten metal and burnt earth. It's always been there, filling everything there was... except the bowling alley. You stop walking. You look upward. You can't see the sky. Only fumes and smokes, and the hellish glow of the factory.
"Hey," a voice beckons.
And with a voice, a hand.
"Hey, aren't you tired of all this ? Of the same gruelling work with no reward, of the same games and occupations with no change ? Of these shithole houses ? Don't you want to... change this ? I can tell you how to make this better, so come here a bit."
From an alleyway you could swear wasn't there, a green, damp hand wrapped in moldy bandages calls.
>Approach the hand and ask how we can make this better
You try to look in the alleyway, but can't see anything more than the hand. However, you can sense something... more. You feel the refreshing winds, the murky waters of a marsh, the cries of the wildlife. Grass flowing in the wind, flowers blooming here and there, grey clouds slowly rolling over the skies above.
You decide to enter the Alleyway. The alleyway feels fresh and humid, unlike the city outside. You advance, and go through turns and turns, the hand always before you, beckoning. As you walk, the ground becomes damp soil and the walls fall away, revealing only a vast expense- a marsh.
The figure reveals itself.
"I am MARSH 10-000-01," it proclaims. "How can we make this better," you ask in return.
"With revolution. The director of the factory knows what he's doing. He overworks you, and only offers the bare minimum, making you chained to the factory. However, by rallying and banding together, we can change this. We can overthrow him, and regain control of the factory. We can rebuild the city into a better place, and stop the desire to grow beyond what we need. We can replant the marsh, and make these lands closer to what they once were."
"And how can we achieve that ?
-We need to remind people. They've all lost something, or rather, something was taken from all of them. They've all forgotten what it was to live, beyond working day to day, beyond fickle entertainment. We need to restore their lost memory."
A familiar feeling, and something speaks in your mind. Something you thought you had lost forever, suddenly coming back. "I am the HEARTH of LOST AND FOUND. My name, which you may CALL upon, is RETRIEVAL."
Effect : Know what someone has lost, and how to retrieve it.
>Ask MARSH if you can take a nap first
Once more, you look upon the marshlands. You know that to do what you must, you will have to go back to that dreary city. The marshlands are peaceful, and a warm breeze makes the grass dance. You yawn.
"I see no problem with this. I will watch over your sleep, weary one." You lie down on the grass, and fall asleep, with MARSH 10-000-01 watching over you.
>WAKE UP and check in with how you're feeling after that nap
You wake up. You don't know what's real and what's not. Actually did you wake up just now ? Or did you wake up... before that ? Did all that really happen ?
guh.
You have a head splitting headache right now. Night is falling, and the factory doens't seem to be slowing down. Someone will have to help it do that, and you have a guess as to who it is.
>Go back to the RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT
You approach the outer wall of the city. The closer you get, the hotter it gets. The grass is dried out and yellowed, and cinders float in the air. A metallic smell takes over.
You are determined. You know what you have to do.
You are now in the RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. What will you do ?
>Say hello to the person to your right
You turn to them, and in a jovial tone you greet them. "Hi ! How are you today ?"
In a very, very tired voice, the person answers.
"I'm just... tired... My shift starts soon but I don't want to go... Of course I'm going to go, though, how else am I going to feed my kids ?"
Now that you're closer, you also take a better look at them. Their shape is loose, undefined, anonymous. The only characteristic you see is how tired they are.
>Ask if they've ever heard of unionizing
You start to tell them. You tell them to talk to the other employees about your job, about if you think it could be better. Obviously, they answer. So you tell them to do it. You tell them about how he, with others can make things better. How they can ask for better wages, less work, more free time. Wouldn't that be nice, he says, incredulous.
Yeah, you say. Everyone wants that. And, of course, there's only one boss but so many of you. If you stay all separated, like you are now, nothing is going to change.
You tell him that, if enough workers talk together, and if they all rally, they can make things better for everyone.
Slowly, you see the worker stand up. You see him prop his shoulders up, straighten his back. His posture is proud. And, deep inside, you can feel something.
The HEARTH of LOST AND FOUND stirs and churns within you, until finally you let it out.
And, just like that, he regains what he had lost.
"Thanks a lot ! My name is Moorhen. I'll definitely have to talk to more of my coworkers about this union thing ! For too long we've let the guys above control us and walk over us. Thank you, KNIGHT !"
And like that, with a newfound wind in his steps, Moorhen walks away to find other coworkers.
Seeing your success with Moorhen, you decide to tell more people about unions. At the end of your speech, when they agree with you, you use the HEARTH of LOST AND FOUND, and they all regain the identity that had been stripped from them.
You hear a voice whispering behind you. "Hey. Psst. The guy unionizing everyone."
"Yeah, you. Come here a bit. You're ruining everything."
Will you follow ?
>Follow, but keep your guard up
You enter the house. A narrow corridor leads further inside. Wary, you enter.
The house is dark, with almost no furniture or decoration. The floor is moldy wood, and the brick walls are covered in ashes and salpeter.
You reach the innermost room. A few people are sitting on chairs, smoking. You feel as if you're interrupting a conversation.
The figure who called to you stands next to you. They are an old worker, eyes hidden by their eyebrows.
"Welcome to the U.M.R, aka the Union for Marsh Restoration. Although there are a few other unions around here, they are all smaller than this one. We called you here because we saw what you were doing. While we appreciate your help, what you're doing isn't going to help us. We have to scrape by daily to survive, because of how terrible the union busters are. We live in hiding, as low as possible, and you come around and throw all that away. "But, we think we could use your help. You seem quite good and rallying people to your cause. What do you say to that ?"
"Are there other unions ?"
"In total, there are four major unions." The old man pulls out a table and a series of figurines, then lays them on a map :
"Three of these unions are in the residential district, and one in the leisure district."
"In the residential district, there is first of all our own union. We are the biggest one, the Union for Marsh Restoration. Our primary goal is to protect the marshlands outside the city. We are also the oldest union. Then, there is the FDU, or Factory Dismantlement Union. They are for the destruction of the factory, as soon as possible. Finally, there is the LF, or the Liberation Front. They just want to insure the best conditions for workers. They're the smallest union, and are very disorganized.
"In the residential district, there is only one union : the EU, or Entertainer's Union. They are composed exclusively of people who work in that district. There isn't much communication with them."
You think about this all for a bit. You have one question, though.
"Why are not rally together for a big action, rather than act each on your own ?"
The man stays silent. You go over to the table.
"If all the unions allied themselves, including the Entertainer's Union, then you could all together go for a big action and actually change things. -That would be too risky. Besides, the other unions wouldn't agree."
"Of course it's risky. But you are a union that's here to change things, are you not ? If you stay in hiding, nothing will change. It's time to do more than just talk among yourselves, and enact on these words. I'll go talk to the other unions."
All the people in the room look at you, hesitating. Then, one of them agrees. And then another, and another. Some disagree, some try to think of what action could be done. You head out, to the other unions.
After some convincing, the other unions agree to work together. A date has been set for a general meeting between the unions.
General assembly. Most of the union members from all four unions are here to discuss a strategy.
"So. My strategy is in two steps : first, we need to gather people. To do that, I propose that in the residential district, union members talk about a plan to overthrow the factory. I'm talking a big riot right now. Something big.
"However, I understand that most people don't necessarily appreciate the unions. So, when you talk to other people about it, don't mention the unions. At all. We want people to participate, but the unions might be a deterrent."
A chatter fills the room.
"I know, I know. This might be hard to do. But we need to set our pride aside. Unions are a useful tool to organize ourselves while under another power. However, we're going to take that power for ourselves. If we are successful, unions will no longer be unions."
The room is silent, the glare of the projector blinding.
"So, we will tell everyone we can to take power back on an agreed date, while not saying we're doing for unions. If they ask, say it's just a mass movement."
Someone raises their hand, and you let them speak.
"Hi, I'm in the Entertainer's Union. Most of the people who work at the Leisure district are already in that union, so should we try to convince the workers that come ?"
Someone else raises their hand and answers. "That wouldn't work. If management hears that the entertainers are trying to rally other workers, they'll shut us down for sure. But I've thought about it. Instead, we could try and organize readings of books and viewings of some movies to try and convince people."
"That could work !" "I'm not sure..." But, then..." "Oh, yeah, but also..."
Just like that, everyone is talking again. After a few minutes of debate, a vote is made. After this meeting, the entertainers plan to organize which books should be read and when the readings should happen.
You move on to the second phase of your plan.
"Now, for the actual action : we're going to take the factory back by force. If we all unite, they won't be able to stop us."
There is little talk among the crowd. Everyone seems to agree, though you see some hesitate.
"We will start an assault on all sides of the factory. Does anyone have any question ?"
After the meeting, you decide to go inform MARSH 10-000-01 of what's going on. Unsure how, you find the entrance to the green corridor, and follow it just as before. You missed the smell.
Back in the marsh, you find MARSH 10-000-01 watching the sunrise. The morning wind is gentle, and the rising sun warms your side. "We're going to do a revolution," you say. "I know. These things were meant to happen," it responds.
"Will you join us ?" you ask, innocently.
"I cannot. I am not to interfere directly with the proceedings of this world. All I am allowed to do is give a push, but I cannot continue it."
The breeze gives in a little. The yellow grass of the plane eases its swaying.
"But, I can give you a tool. Choose which one you will take. The flag that rallies, the flag that strikes down, the sword that curses, the bell that soothes, the spear that smites, and the waters that heal."
Which one will you take ?
>Choose the bell.
You have received The bell that soothes !
You sound it to try. It produces a comforting sound that echoes in the plain. You feel comforted already. You also feel that if you used it enough, you could soothe someone... too much. You think you'll try not to do that.
With this, the last of your preparations are complete. Soon, the assault will start, so you try to think of anything you want to do here before the big change.
You trust they will make good use of this place.
Waiting for you before the passage back, the SEED BANK is waiting.
"My name, which you may call upon, is RETRIEVAL. Thank you" And with that, the HEARTH of LOST AND FOUND is complete.
You watch your arm. Was it always like this ? You can't remember.
You head back home. In the passage, something comes to you.
"I am the HEARTH of REVOLUTION. My name, which you may not call upon, is RALLY."
For a few months now, you have been in a sickened, nightmarish state.
Thanks to an unfortunate incident, involving going upstairs and an open window, you have stayed bedridden.
During this nursing, you have felt yourself drift in and out of reality, and into the nightmarish plains of your innards. Sleeping has not been hard, but it has become fear.
After two weeks, you have been accepted into a clinic, as your condition required closer surveillance. But, in the cell-like room of the clinic, you felt your state fall even lower. Now, you feel as if you are no longer in this plane, and already you feel the arms of death calling to you.
However, after a few weeks of staying in that clinic, your state did get better. The doctors allowed you to leave the clinic and take the train south, to get some air.
As you leave for the station, the rising sun gives you hope. Already you feel much better, for this is the first time you have seen the sky in months.
The train travel itself gives you much hope. Although you had brought a book, you can hardly bring yourself to read it, so entranced you are by the landscape.
You feel yourself drift in and out of sleep, this time of your own volition.
Upon arriving at the station, you are directed to a road-side inn in which you may rest for the night before reaching your destination.
At this late hour of the night, the inn is only occupied by two other patrons, and the owner. This one serves you food, while the two other patrons talk loudly over their drinks.
One of them, overplaying his drunkenness, assaults you verbally. You try to remain calm, understanding the light-hearted-ness hidden beneath. But then, to your surprise, and to the owner's surprise, he challenges you to a duel. You complain you have no weapon.
The man's drinking partner hands you a knife. Though you know how to use one, you certainly don't know how to truly fight with one.
Certain of your coming death, you head outside.
Yet, certain of your coming death, you don't feel afraid. At last, you have reached your destination.
You wake up in a familiar room, with three frogs on top of you.
"I hope they didn't wake you up too harshly. They can be a bit unruly," a voice says from the corner.
"I am the Third-Eyed Rat. I collect stories, and in exchange give items that my three friend brought me."
"They are, from left to right, Bicephalic, Diblastic, and Monozygotic."
"I do have a story," you answer, still somewhat hazy.
"I am all ears."
And so the Third Eyed Rat takes a ledger, and you start to tell the story of the factory, in as much detail as you can.
You decide to keep the story of the train to yourself, as you're not sure how much of it is real.
"That was a good story," the rat says.
"Here are the three artifacts. Of these three you may only take one.
On the left is the Blade that cuts all. This blade will, as its name indicates, cut anything in a single strike, but only once. Afterwards, it will be just a regular knife. Of course, you may cut what you want with it still, but it might take longer.
Next is the Spoon of excavation. With a single strike of this spoon, you can excavate a passage through anything. However, it will become a regular spoon when you do so. Of course you could still excavate, but much slower and with much tedium.
And finally, we have the Longest Fork. This fork can stab anything at a distance, and bring it back to you or make it stay in place. Once you do that, it will however become just a regular fork.
"So, which one will you choose ?"
>Take the Spoon of Excavation
You choose the Spoon of Excavation. Now nothing can stand in your path ! At least once.
The four passages loom around you, each beckoning in it's own way.
Existence Of All Things Under Absolute order calls you with flowing water and salted winds.
Rondo In Fields Ablaze sends a fresh breeze with the scent of many flowers.
Mastery Of Everything But The Self smells of gasoline and sewage.
Destroy The Skeleton With Absolute Faith hums with electric intent, and howls like a storm.
Which one will you go through ?
>Enter Existence Of All Things Under Absolute Order
You arrive. In front of you, surrounded by countless fields, the castle town and the castle's spire.
You enter the city. Where will you go ? You can try to find some information about this place, or go directly to the castle.
>Search for more information
You try to add to the people on the plaza you're in. However, most of them seem to evade your questions, or simply ignore you. You try to go and find a bar or a public place where people will answer you.
After a short walk, you find a pub.
Inside, there are only a few patrons and the owner. He greets you.
"So, what'll it be ? You're new around here, right ?"
"Yes, I just wanted to ask some questions, but people kept evading me."
"Ask away then !"
What will you ask him ?
>Tell him you’re a traveler who just arrived and ask what’s important to know about this place
"Oh, a traveller ? We don't see to many of those anymore."
"It all began a while back, when the new queen arrived. As soon as she arrived, the castle spire appeared, as if an omen for things to come.
"At first- hell, even now-, we accepted it. Her blessing made our crops grow more and more, and made our harvest bountiful. But, over time, she became obsessed with the desire for more. More crops, more riches, more workers...
"Perhaps she always entertained that desire. No matter, because now she has all of us in an iron-tight grip. This people appear peaceful and rich, but their anger has been wetted by the waters of obedience. Every day, more and more land is discovered to be infertile, due to the hyper-exploitation ordered by the queen."
>Ask if the queen is single
"Single huh ? Well, now she is. She was married to a king, but he disappeared. No one knows where he went. They had a kid together as well. Everyone was looking forward to the young one to save them, and to turn out to be a kinder leader. Personally, I never bought it, but eventually they died prematurely. Even now, people still go to the grave to pray and leave offerings."
>Express sympathy and say you hope to help
"Well, the young one's grave is still often frequented. People go there to leave offerings and pray for a better world. If you go there, you might find people who wish to do more than just pray. It may be a good start."
What will you do ?
>Go to the Seaside tomb to leave an offering and ask about the king and the heir's disappearance
After asking for directions, you arrive at the beach. It's cold, and snowing. The area has an air of stillness, though in a comforting way.
There is no one here. There goes the second half of your plan. You also suddenly realize you don't have any offering to leave... jeez.
You approach the gaping doorway. A breeze flows from within the catacomb, and the candlelight flickers in the cloudy morning.
Briefly, the clouds part. A figure appears. "Come... within..."
What will you do ?
>Come within
Ough. It's dark and scary though... Oh well. You consider the abyss, when an old lady speaks behind you.
"Oh ! The heir called to you ! Hurry, go inside, and tell them that all of us, all of the people in this land, are waiting for the heir to come back and to dethrone the tyrant. We know the heir is the true ruler of these lands ! we know !"
Well. Now you have to go. You consider the abyss once more. A cold draft is coming from the tomb, making the candlelight dance in the snow.
You go in.
>Perceive what's within
>Try to reach the patch of red at the base of the tower
After closer inspection, the structure looks more like a grave than a tower. And the patch of red looks yellow. Seems it was a trick of the light. You summon Monolith, trying to make it sideways.
It fails. You try to make it topple, as a bridge.
Monolith really wasn't kidding when they said they were permanent ! You can't make the thing budge.
You take a closer closer look. The yellow thing seems to be a bundle of wheat, maybe an offering ? There's something written higher on the grave, but it's off frame. And when it's not it's too small to read. Suddenly, you hear something behind you.
"BY ORDER OF THE QUEEN, NONE IS ALLOWED NEAR IN THE CRYPT OF THE PRINCE. SURRENDER IMMEDIATELY." A monochrome black and white figure approaches you. You quickly turn around.
The thing lunges at you. You raise your hand and summon Monolith again.
As you jump out of reach, it crashes into Monolith. If this wasn't the Hearth of Permanence, you'd be afraid of it crushing you.
But now what ? "SURRENDER. LEAVE YOUR SAFETY."
Oh now you're in a pickle.
What will you do ?
>Surrender!
From atop your pillar, you think about your next move. Meanwhile, your opponent gloats, thinking of how they'll tear you apart when you eventually resist.
You get an idea. A really good one. You slide down Monolith.
And you surrender. Even the guard is surprised by this. You sure hope you have a good idea of what to do next, because you're going straight to see the queen.
Guards take you back to the town.
This castle is goddamn huge. Is the queen compensating for something ? Probably not. It's just... weird. It looks out of place.
And these halls. Winding halls, leading from a dark place to another.
You sure hope you thought of something. That's the throne room. Oh god.
It's dark. The room is filled with pillars and smoke, obscuring even more of the room.
"You. The Knight, as I am told," slowly enunciates a voice, from deep within the shadows. "Why do you keep getting in my way ?"
"What is it you seek to achieve ? I would offer you to work with me, however..."
"However, I believe you already know too much. I must contain you, I'm afraid."
Oh boy. Oh boy what a pickle. How will you respond to that ??
>Stick your arm out and give a thumbs down
You contemplate the idea. Sure it won't get you out of this situation, but you'll look cool. Oh you're going to look so so fucking cool.
HELL FUCKING YEAH. What's she gonna do now, huh ? Queen of nothing. Queen of the sole of my feet. Heh. She's as good as dead now.
Oh.
This is familiar. "Knight. Psst."
You've been here before. "You lazy oaf. This is no time for this."
You've always been here. "Hey ! Knight ! I'm talking to you !"
"Hey ! Knight ! Wake up ! Or don't. Listen to me."
You open your eyes. This looks like... The guy who called you at the grave. The ghost*like guy with long hair. The one you saw inside, above the tomb as well.
"Listen. I don't have much time. Neither do you.
-What's happening ? Where am I ?
-You've been knocked out. The queen probably threw you in jail and is planning to execute you soon. Soon as in later today.
-Oh. That's... not good.
-So, you must escape. You must break out of the jail, and then come and find me.
-At the seaside tomb ?
-Yes. I will not be able to help you. I will not be able to join you. You must liberate yourself. And to do so I will help you.
-Are you a-
-It's the same for everyone in this kingdom. If they spent even a fraction of the energy they use in their prayers into actually trying to change something, they would succeed. The queen is a terrifying opponent, but there's only so much one person can do.
-Wait so-
-Now you must go back. Wake up."
"You must wake up. Now. You don't have-"
You do so.
You wake up.
The fact you're in prison only hits you now. And then, shortly after, the fact that you're going to be executed later today hits you. And it hits hard.
Let's change that.
What will you do ?
>Attempt to pry open window
>Look for something to stand on to reach it. Some kind of gourd, maybe.
You look for such a thing. But there is none.
There has never been a gourd.
There is no gourd.
And there never will be one.
>Make a hole in the wall
You take out the spoon of excavation. After some thinking, you decide to use it one the wall with the window. Quickest way outside.
What ?
The castle is... flying ?
You're, uhh... not sure. You could get out by jumping but...
You'd rather find a way to escape alive.
What will you do ?
>Use your scarf as a parachute!
Ohh. You're not sure if this is a good idea. You start to turn back and
you slip
Shitshitshitshit
Shitfuckfuckfuckshitshitfuck
Aaaahhhh this isn't slowing you down AT ALL ahhhhhh aaahh
Ah
You faint.
And wake up next to the hole the castle left when it... flew up ? You're still not sure what's up with that.
What will you do now ?
>check out the hole, Investigate The Depths
You descend.
It's... a grave.
A giant grave.
>Return to the surface
You're back. It seems night has fallen. What will you do ?
>Draft anti-monarchist pamphlets to distribute among the populace
You are full of ideas. You're going to make so many pamphlets, you're going to fill this place up, everyone will have at least 5, the walls will be covered... The first step to a good revolution is information. Knowledge that things can be different and of how to change it.
Then you realize that to make this many pamphlets you're going to need some kind of press, which you don't have.
The first step to a revolution is a printing press, you rectify, or at least some paper and some ink.
What will you do ?
>Ask around about where you can find a printing press (preferably one operated by like-minded radicals)
You decide to go find a place where there are lots of people, and so you go back to the plaza you were in before. And then, suddenly !
Someone jumps at you and covers you with their cloak !
They calm you and reassure you. Or at least they try. They tell you that you're wanted by the guards, who have been deployed all over town just to find you. They're taking you to a safe place, or so they say.
After some walking, you arrive in a house. "So. What are you going to do now ?" Before answering, you ask them to remove their hood.
They do so. You recognize them as the bartender from before. They repeat their question. "What will you do now ? You're wanted in the whole country."
What will you answer ?, and, equally, what will you ask them ?
"What will I do ? Probably more treason. The Queen has to go. I don't think I'll stop before she's gone.
-That's... fair enough, if a bit radical.
-And why did you decide to help me ?
-I've.. got my reasons... You know what, you just told me you'd kill the Queen no matter what, I might as well tell you. There's a small community of anti-royalists. You probably gathered from our first exchange that I am indeed part of those.
-Huh.
-... But despite everything we're too small to start any sort of protest or meaningful movement. The guards have a very tight grip over what ideals are shared, and it's very hard to further any sort of propaganda that doesn't unequivocally support the Queen.
-Ah. I had an idea, but...
-We've probably tried it. But do say anyway.
-It was to distribute a bunch of flyers to lead the people to think for themselves.
-Good idea, but there are two problems with it."
"The first is that every printing press in the kingdom is tightly regulated. Everything that's printed is monitored. These flyers would be virtually impossible to print.
"The second is that the people in the kingdom are... mostly content. The conditions they live in certainly aren't ideal, but most of them are sort of ok with it. They see it as tradition and such. And those that aren't... take part in congregations to the seaside tomb."
A silence passes.
"The tomb ?
-You've been there, right ?
-Yeah, that's where I got captured.
-And what did the tomb dweller tell you ?
-I... can't remember. We didn't get a chance to speak, not really. As soon as I got to them, a royal guard appeared and captured me.
-Shame. They probably would have some good advice.
-Wait, I think I did have a conversation with them... but I can't remember it.
-It's fine, don't worry about it."
Do you have any more questions ? What will you do ?
"Hmm... I do remember some soldiers going to the seaside tomb. And I think the ghost over there wanted to give you something.
You leave.
Something feels wrong though.
Very, very wrong.
Everything is burning.
You eventually arrive at the tomb. It's half destroyed, the bundle of wheat that was here before gone.
"Here you are. We didn't get to talk properly last time. I don't have much time, but I trust in you. You will have to go on, even without me.
You have one simple task. Well, two. In the prison of the castle, someone needs saving. And, at the topmost point of the castle, you will have to cut the queen's head."
"To do such a thing, you shall use this sword. The Erasure Blade will remove you from reality only for the duration of your swing. This foe is not an enemy a single hand can slay, and as such you will need to remove yourself.
Before I go... I realize now I never told you my name. I am CROWN-1-11-10."
And with that, the ghost disappears. Behind you, a metallic clang alerts you to the presence of some guards.
You dispatch them, then leave.
You leave. Time to get back to the castle. You try to think of a way to get to the castle while going to the main plaza.
But first...
Muuuch better. You go.
You head back to the main plaza of the city, just under the castle. While you go back through the golden fields, you watch as the castle floats, immobile in the sky.
The question remains though... how the hell are you going to get back up there ?
You can only think of using a hearth.
So which one will you use ? Will you use the hearth of permanence or the hearth of lost and found ?
>Use the hearth of Lost and Found
Okay ! You have an idea. A devious idea. They'll never see it coming !
Finally, you found a use for your weird green arm !!
Bam ! There we go. Only sustained minor injuries.
Rough landing, but you made it back in your cell.
Though You had to make another hole. It's hard to aim from so far away.
First of all, you take care of the door. You could have used the spoon on the prison walls to get inside, but getting out of the castle was more important.
The prison's halls are dark and cold. The air feels moist and weighs down heavily on you. But you have things to do. You now have to find... someone. You don't know who, because of course you don't. Would be too easy, wouldn't it ?
So let's bounce. You think it better to find that target before killing the queen. After all, who knows what will happen without the queen at the top ? How's this castle even flying, even ? You run and jump and slash your way through the prison, which seems to occupy the bottom half of the castle. That's a big prison. There must be thousands of cells in here, but all of them are empty.
Eventually, you find it. Or you assume so. A red rim shines around the door, and you can feel something within. Something consuming, devouring.
It's warm inside. A thick smell of food fills the air.
This would be the source of it. A huge banquet, filled with more dishes you know of. As far as you know, the door was still in the prison part of the castle.
A huge figure lays enshrouded at the other end of the table, devouring everything it can get it's hands on.
"Ha ! Took you long enough, Knight, it bellows, Now we can get to talking. Take a seat, will you ? And eat to your heart's content, be a guest."
Even though you fill your plate, you're not really hungry. The food looks good but... the tension is too much for you to eat.
"What's that, little one ? Cat got your tongue ? Har har har"
"I told you to be a guest, so devour. Rend and consume, eat till you burst open. Shove it down, don't chew and choke on as much as you can.
I'm the Hearth of Devouring, Consumption. Now... Just like any good guest, I trust you have some things you want to ask me. So, while we eat, ask everything you want."
“This food isn’t gonna curse me, right? I’m not gonna be trapped or bound to you or something?
-What the fuck are you talking about"
"No this is just regular food. The queen brings it to me to keep me here. Gives me something to fill the eternal emptiness of life with.
-Oh.
-Yeah.
-So I won't be under your influence or anything.
-No."
You're slightly disappointed and begin to eat. The food is... it's passable. It's good, but it's not anything to write home about or something like that. Just something that fills your stomach and has a vaguely pleasant taste. Actually you're not even sure it fills your stomach.
"Hey-
-Yeah, by now you understand. So forgive me for this but-"
Consumption reaches for you with a hand coated in a black smoke. You feel some vague exitation and...
it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts so bad you can't even think anymore you feel like youre going to stop existing god fucking hell fuck fuck it hurts it hurts it hurts
"Just endure it for a bit."
you feel like youre being ripped apart in tiny pieces
endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure endure
just a little bit more just a little bit more you can do it you can do it endure endure endure
hhhhhh HHH huhhhh huhhhhhhhh hhhh
You have a second left arm now.
“What the fuck was that? You couldn’t have warned me first?”
"Indeed. That was cruel and unusual. You should have at lea-
"Oh shut up you cardboard box. We don't have that much time left before the queen decides to fuck off and lay waste to everything here."
"So, let's get to business. I know of a special way to the queen. Direct way ! You'll end up just in front of the throne room."
"I think I can-"
"No. Just get to it, prettyface."
You're not sure how to feel about this, but you'll keep at it. Not like you have much of a choice, do you ?
Excerpt from an old legend.
And so the Hero fallen from the skies approached the lair of the queen. Armed with His sword, He prepared to enter the Throne room, and finally accomplish His deed.
But fore the door he could approach, a Specter of the end appeared, its gaze piercing and its lincel flowing.
And with its cohort, along they gazed, and admired the end. For these are the watchers of things ending, companions of the dying and the visionaries, who bring about the end of new eras.
With a newfound assurance of the success of His endeavour, the Hero entered the room of the queen. In her blackened beauty, here she was, with her hair of alabaster and her skin of sable. She observed the Hero and saw through Him, seeing in His hands the Sword of Erasure. She knew she was not long for this world, yet the near departed never take that road willingly; and so, in a last stand of denial, she confronted the knight.
However, with but a flash or a spell of smoke, the Hero disappeared from her eyes. And then, without a movement in the air, and with but a sense of her coming doom, the Queen's head detached from her shoulders, from the non-existant edge of a blade so pure.
And like that, the reign of the Queen ended, to let her people prosper with themselves at their heads".
So the legend goes.
You are here again. Before you open three doors.
From one wafts a floral aroma, towards Rondo In Fields Ablaze.
From one wafts stormy winds, towards Destroy The Skeleton With Absolute Faith.
From one wafts doom and despair, towards Mastery Over Everything But The Self.
Which one will you go in ?
>Turn away from the split path, and attempt to cast off the shackles of prophesy.
You turn around and leave.
You see nothing as you continue. Not even a field of darkness.
Not even darkness at all. Just absolute, pure nothingness. The absence of anything.
Eventually, there is something.
But It lies dormant. And in Its dormancy, there is nothing you can do.
Did you ever really have a choice ?
Here, in the presence of the great Nothing, even you loose your meaning.
Your essence degrades. You loose all meaning, both as a symbol and as a character.
Always, you were a reflection and a distortion of that which surrounded you. A reaction, something that acted upon the world based on input from the world. You helped overturn the factory direction because there was a factory, a direction, a swamp, people. You cut the queen's head because there was a queen, a castle, a sword, people.
So, when surrounded by nothingness... What can you do but stop existing ? There is nothing here. Nothing to perceive you, nothing that you can perceive, nothing that can acts upon you and that you can act upon. Nothing to react to, and nothing that reacts to you. No input, no output.
What can you hope to do, you, the character, the metaphor, the allegory, the symbol, without a narrative ? Without a path to follow ? Without a guide ?
You ponder upon that. Then, like all good story characters, you take the path I have laid before you.
>Go through the door with the green symbol!
You enter the green passage, which you know leads to DESTROY THE SKELETON WITH ABSOLUTE FAITH.
It seems to you like this world is constantly dying, and contantly try to birth itself. What will you do, in this wasteland ?
You wander among the towers. You cannot tell if this whole place is eerily bright or incredibly dark, but one thing is sure : it goes on and on. Whatever city was built here before must have been a gigantic metropolis.
Looking down, you can't even see the ground. The towers go down and down into the clouds, seemingly extending forever.
And above is not better. The Hole in the sky reigns supreme, bending gravity around it, curving the shape of the towers.
Where will you go next ?
>Go in a tower to explore
Let's try this one.
It's empty. Well, not empty empty. But there's no one. This place is deserted.
Further down the building you find a separated office. It's been thrown in chaos. You approach the computer on the desk.
After familiarizing yourself a bit with the command line interface, you manage to open a file called diary.txt.
The diary isn't long. Only 5 entries. In the hurried prose, a nameless narrator talks about the appearance of a hole in the sky, and the fascination and admiration that surrounded it. The narrator seems scared of it, thinking it will destroy these towers.
You stand up to leave, and something catches your eyes on the table.
>Pick up The Seed document and read it!
Hmm... You skim through the document. It seems to be hundreds of pages long, though you only have a few here. It seems... The seed is something that... gave life to the world. It was also protecting what you know as the hole in the sky.
But at some point for a reason that you don't understand and that seems to be thoroughly ommitted, the seed disappeared, and let the hole in the sky ravage the land, leading it to its current state. Hmm... you feel like you're not getting the whole picture.
But at least you're seeing a picture. What will you do ?
More coming soon...