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5/23/2022 11:32:56   
  Lorekeeper
And Pun-isher

 

 Warlic's Mage Shop -> Quests -> Dragonlorn Keep

The Frontier of Perdition

Journey to Dragonlorn Keep, part 2




Panning introduction to the east side of a fortress in a flame-scarred desert scene, at the border between Stormfallen and the Far West. On-screen title: Terminus - Eastern Border

The player character arrives at the initially empty gateway.

<<You>> (Thinking): Great. Closed, unmanned gates. Really encouraging after traveling on unmarked trails for over a week.
<<You>> (Thinking): The letter warned that Stormfallen was likely to be hit hardest by what 'no doubt the folly of bickering lords allowed to reach the wastes'.
<<You>> (Thinking): I'm going to have some words with whoever wrote something so rushed and vague.
<<You>> (Thinking): With how quiet this looks, I clearly made the right choice. The capitals have plenty of defenders, but if things go awry out here...

Armored gatekeepers enter, alternating lines:

Gatekeeper: Halt, easterner. None may loiter at the entrance, and no passage is allowed in or out.
Gatekeeper:
  • If the player is a Demon Knight: We are on lockdown while investigating disappearances. A novice knight would just throw the chain of command into disarray.
  • If the player is a Pria Knight: We've got enough to worry about with all of the disappearances without adding Rennd's treacherous dung knights to the pile.
  • If the player is an 'Emoran Knight: And if you're going to bring Granemor's trouble with undead, turn around. We've got enough issues with the disappearances.
  • If the player is a Frogzard Knight: You have to admit that it's morbidly funny, though. We've been having trouble with disappearances, and one of the freakin' Detective Knights shows up.
  • Otherwise: We are on lockdown while investigating disappearances. We don't need any trouble from outsiders when we're trying to figure out who or what's behind them.
    <<You>>: Disappearances? ...Listen, kid. I don't care what you think you know about what I am, and if you somehow don't know WHO I am, that's actually quite fine with me.
    <<You>>: But I'm here on a mission for Warlic and *Dragonlords*, who say that this border is going to get hit hard from the Far West because something slipped through the kingdoms' cracks.
    <<You>>: So. I can go the long way around your land and probably be too late. I can go THROUGH whoever gets in the way, getting bogged down in pointless fights and having to fight again when I return.
    <<You>>: Or you can get your priorities straight and worry more about who's got experience dealing with this kind of thing than where they come from.
    <<You>>: So are we going to do this the stupid way, or are you going to catch me up and help me investigate where people are disappearing off to?
    Gatekeeper: Ah, actually... <<You>>, right? We got a letter as well, saying that Warlic would show up or send someone. We have reasons as old as the wastes to trust this seal.
    Gatekeeper: Welcome to Terminus, Chosen. Give us a moment to open the gate and we'll take you to the desert wastes.
    <<You>>: Oh. Er, I guess I didn't need to go on a rant after all.
    Gatekeeper: ...can you teach me to do that, though? I'll pay.
    <<You>>s: Years of REALLY committed villains will do that for free.



    The scene changes to darkness-stained desert wastes, with Mantle Ritualists speaking to a figure in the shadows.

    Mysterious Necromancer: ...But Terminus is an essential first step. Once the triple border is subverted, we'll push from the ancient Sandsea to Skraeling proper, and split Stormfallen.

    (Symbols from the shadows)

    Mysterious Necromancer: You have urged patience for months, after it took YEARS to sow the right balance of rising conflict and waning attention.
    Mysterious Necromancer: If you give us more time to study this power, you will have hosts and thralls to spare, and the usurper will be yours to track down. Why, then, do you rush us now?

    The player character enters from the left, and Demon Knights enter from the right.

    <<You>>: How about being surrounded? Does that do it for you?

    (Much bigger symbols from the shadows)
    Mysterious Necromancer: ...Yes. Yes, it does.
    Mysterious Necromancer: WE'RE EXPOSED! RISE!

    Undead minions burst out of the ground.




    WAR!


    War Scroll: Mysterious Necromancers have snuck into the Far West to seek the power of a bygone menace! When cornered, they revealed that they have been working on a powerful undead army! Rally the western kingdoms and fight!

    Lucretia: Get your healing potions and eye protection here! Line up to the right if you need an infection drawn!
    <<You>>: Wow, Lucretia, you got here absurdly fast.
    Lucretia: I've been on the way for weeks, actually. I got a letter with a very... mysterious seal.
    <<You>>: You too? How'd they convince you to drop everything and come here? They're not keen on Granemorians here.
    Lucretia: The sender wrote the letter on the back of an old scroll. A message from a very secretive relative.
    Lucretia: And if she trusted them back then, so do I.
    Lucretia: Now, I assume you got any specialized potions you needed from my shop before coming here?
  • Sure I did, remember? (Go to the shop)
  • No, but I'm fine for now. (Stay here)


    Twilly: Twillies got invited to becoming a square! No, wait, a squire!
    Twilly: There were four different invitations... But they either live really far away or don't get along.
    Twilly: So Twillies will keep going wherever you go to help anyone in need, no matter what armor they wear!
    Twilly: If you need healing, I can help you.
  • Heal me, please. / I can handle this!


    25%


    At the western border of Terminus, the Knight leaders are gathered. Tyranna and Cerin stand to the left, Tathlin and General Herous to the right.

    Tyranna: Speak your mind quickly. You have only what patience I have left and young Cerin's absurdly insistent requests to thank for the fact that you made it here untouched.
    Cerin: Please, Tyranna. I will not ask that you change your ways, but threats only make your grievances harder to address.
    Cerin: Granemor and Rennd have been denounced accordingly, we must not deny them the chance to make amends.
    Tyranna: Then let's start by dispelling what I should hope are rumors. I have sources that claim that the Mantle bearers were seen near Granemor, then allowed to move through Rennd.
    Tyranna: There are years of such reports, which means that my own people have made a terrible oversight themselves. Trusted agents confirmed such movements while doubting that it was sanctioned.
    Tyranna: You are, of course, equipped to refute such ludicrous accusations, right?
    General Herous: What I am not equipped to do is to DIGNIFY them. Granemor is a primary target of the shadow's imitators. What they cannot infiltrate, they seek to undermine and destroy.
    General Herous: My own knights are called on to stamp the Order out wherever it rears its hoods.
    Tathlin: Many former paladins have been knighted under the name of Pria. I would dare you to tell THEM that they've let necromancers filter through our borders.
    Tathlin: But per the terms of our trial and treaties with Deren, I am more than willing to investigate. As I am willing to investigate Granemor's own role.
    General Herous: ...Excuse me?
    Tathlin: I've heard of this supposed 'Emoran crusade. Our newer knights are largely skeptical. I would support it wholeheartedly, but must see the truth for myself.

    Tathlin leaves.

    General Herous: ...I will expect an apology for spurning an alliance over hearsay.

    General Herous leaves.

    Tyranna: Do you see? When I take away their ability to bicker in my direction, they turn on each other instead.

    Tyranna leaves.

    Cerin: They gravitate to new reasons to cast blame on each other... There are worrying, conflicting influences at play. But this may yet be exploitable to plant the seeds of cooperation.





    50%


    A Demon Knight named Nihama and a Pria Knight named Myrr meet in Stormfallen lands at night.

    Nihama: ...Then the Granemor authorities aren't lying, after all.
    Myrr: Not about this, at least.
    Nihama: Our agents might have, or they might have been fed misinformation. But let's put together what we can verify ourselves.
    Myrr: The skirmish west of Farthwark, when Tathlin and Herous started meeting. That matches up with the time I saw one of them myself, heading west.
    Nihama: All of the sightings I'm certain about inside our actual borders coincide with times when we rallied up expecting trouble from Rennd.
    Myrr: It was about the same for us. But why wear the mantle and risk being seen...?
    Nihama: Perhaps they no longer intend to return. Their plans must be near fruition... We'll have to go around our superiors and talk to the Chosen.
    Myrr: This doesn't look like them making their move to you?
    Nihama: This looks like them making noise. And every time someone else makes noise, they sneak past us.
    Myrr: Yes, they're insisting on an uncharacteristically frontal assault... Being caught red-handed calls for a fighting retreat.
    Myrr: This much fuss tells me they're trying to get away with moving more than their own behinds. Such distractions are how they got through our lands, after all.
    Nihama: Preparing to move when tensions were high, getting through while we're fighting... And now this. It's only going to get worse, Myrr... Come to Stormfallen already.
    Myrr: Rennd can be redeemed, but only from the inside.
    Nihama: And Stormfallen's founding heart can be vindicated.
    Myrr: I can't bear how mutually exclusive the world is making these sound... We could run away, before they make us turn on each other.
    Nihama: We could. I'd like that. But we can also lead by example. Would I be the woman you fell in love with if I wasn't ready to fight until the end?
    Myrr: No more than I would have the nobility that won your fierce heart over if I let circumstances dictate my values.




    75%


    Undead minions charge across the desert wastes, and the animated body of an arch-demon begins to emerge from the sand and glass, raising a hand to call forth undead knights.

    Cut to the west gate, where Myrr and Nihama stand to the left while the Knight Leaders stand at the right.

    Tathlin: You... did WHAT?
    Myrr: Nothing less than be as honest as you taught me, Tathlin.
    Tyranna: I wonder the same thing. Is this... tale true, Nihama?
    Nihama: Completely and shamelessly, my queen. Surely you of all people would not fault me for passion.
    Tyranna: HA. Bold. We taught you well.
    General Herous: I would fault you BOTH, as well as your leaders, for the breach of security...
    Cerin: ...if not for the fact that their report clearly fascinates you every bit as much as the saucy details, my friend.
    Tathlin: It is absolutely true that I taught you to put truth above everything and follow your heart, but the lack of trust you showed...
    Tyranna: Oh, now THAT'S hilariously rich. I'm beginning to be glad you showed up, Tathlin. But lest more such leaks be invited...

    <<You>> (Offscreen to the left): Excuse me! Coming through! No time for the chain of command, for Twig's sake!

    Myrr and Nihama back out, the Chosen enters.

    <<You>> Everyone! You can argue about their report all you want later, and you can take it up with me if you want to hurt them for daring to be in love of all things.
    <<You>> But we're all needed on the battlefield RIGHT NOW. The biggest source of enemy reinforcements just showed itself, and we're going to be overrun by our own fallen if we don't cut a path to it!

    The Chosen leaves.

  • If the player is a Demon Knight:

    Tyranna: <<He/She>> just barged through my entire elite to yell threats and combat information at my face. <<He/She>> will have to be made an example of... And perhaps given a well deserved promotion.
  • If the player is a Pria Knight:
    Tathlin: Did <<he/she>> just stand up to me...?
    Cerin: And yet I sense that you would feel it your duty to do the same thing in <<his/her>> place.
  • If the player is an 'Emoran Knight:
    General Herous: That was quite the bucket of cold water from my own knight... I can see why she likes <him/her>. *sigh* Let's go before my shame endangers more innocents.
  • If the player is a Frogzard Knight:
    Cerin: You all heard the Chosen. We have a duty to attend to. I will have to tell the King that he is being represented most excellently in the region.
  • Otherwise:
    General Herous: Before we follow that insolent hero, there's one thing we can surely agree on. We are all fools for not having knighted <him/her> yet.


    100%


    Desert Wastes. The undead archfiend, here named 'Corrupted Vessel', now isolated and without its escort of undead knights, blasts away some living knights. The Chosen enters.

    <<You>>: I won't let you have them! They finally worked together and risked it all to create an opening -- now it's time to finish this.
    Corrupted Vessel: Not... yet... time... End... End it before it's time...

    BOSS BATTLE: Doomed Archfiend

    As the Archfiend falls, a wider view of the Wasteland shows more minions rising and creating a virtual wall to cover the retreat of larger foes.

    <<You>> (Thinking): ...There were that many more?! Everyone is still fighting the main forces, we're going to get pushed back to the fort again...
    <<You>> (Thinking): ...No. They're walling us off. They're going to get away!

    The figure of a golden titan dragon with light and flame details is shown flying overhead, charging up a spell circle and blasting down with an immense breath weapon. The retreating forces are shown being obliterated before the dragon flies away again.

    Cut back to the Chosen, as the Knight leaders enter.

    Tathlin: The stories don't do it justice. It's from just before my time, and yet feels like something from a wonderful and terrifying fable.
    Tyranna: What immense power... Wielded with unbelievable precision, for such a vast assault.
    Cerin: I have the distinct impression that we have been tricked into working together to smoke out a threat so that it could be swiftly dealt with before it could wound us too grievously. How ingenious.
    <<You>>: ...There's worse out there.
    General Herous: What do you mean?
    <<You>>: If there are such powerful dragons and Dragonlords left, and they feel they have to use trickery to act like this...
    <<You>>: Then there has to be something much worse out there, waiting to be unleashed. That's if we can hope that it's not already active.
    <<You>>: There's no question about where I have to go next.
    General Herous: Nobody has returned from the Far West in one piece, body nor mind, since the great Calamity.
    Tyranna: Whatever remains of the disaster that ended the Second Great Elemental War, not even demons have survived approaching it.
    <<You>>: There's a first time for everything.




    Rewards


    Weapons: Stormshadow
    Shields: Avenger's Bulwark

    Top Wins Variants:


    Doomed Stormshadow
    Once the bow of a western hero, it appears to have warped ominously... As if echoing some terrible fate.

    Redeemer's Bulwark
    Magically combined from the broken shields of fallen knights, this mighty shield has been transformed by their dying wishes and will adjust its protection to your knightly allegiance!


    Titles:


  • Title Name: Terminus Warden
  • In-game description: For earning 10 victories in the defense of Terminus.
  • Title Name: Terminus Hero
  • In-game description: For earning 50 victories in the defense of Terminus.
  • Title Name: Knight-Errant
  • In-game description: For earning 100 victories in the defense of Terminus, resisting the advances of a shadow from before your time.
  • Title Name: Redeemer of the Wastes
  • In-game description: For earning 200 victories in the defense of Terminus, fulfilling the wishes of those who fell defending it.
  • Title Name: Dark Avenger
  • In-game description: For earning 500 victories in the defense of Terminus, avenging the souls of its taken citizens and the knights who fell defending it.
  • Title Name: Knight of All
  • In-game description: You were the pride of even those whose allegiance you don't wear, leading them by example to the defeat of a thousand foes.

    < Message edited by Lorekeeper -- 12/4/2022 10:58:48 >
    • Post #: 126
    5/23/2022 11:35:03   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     

    		 Warlic's Mage Shop -> Quests -> Dragonlorn Keep

    The Far West

    Journey to Dragonlorn Keep, part 3




    The Chosen, Lucretia and Blackhawke are speaking around some crates at the West border of Terminus.

    Blackhawke: Kid, I've always known you were a special type of crazy.
    Blackhawke: Now, don't get me wrong. Lore needs a good dose of crazy on the good side to keep up with the kind of crazy that goes on a conquering rampage over rats and frogzards...
    Blackhawke: But this is the reckless kind of crazy that gets you killed where nobody can help you. Leaving behind the people who are used to these conditions is, well. Crazy.
    Lucretia: As my rough-and-tumble minded customer so eloquently put... <<You>>, we don't doubt how capable you are, but this IS a different kind of risk for even a seasoned survivor.
    Lucretia: An armed campaign's logistical support would be cumbersome, yes, but effective - Especially when the locals have lifetimes of experience with the desert conditions.
    Blackhawke: That's what I just said.
    Lucretia: Yes, but it made sense when I said it.
    <<You>>: Trust me, I know how cr- How impulsive this sounds. But I HAVE given it proper thought, that's why I'm asking for your help and advice on this.
    <<You>>: I can't make the locals give up the defender's advantage and follow me to chase after however many of those things are out there.
    <<You>>: I don't mean the undead, but whatever the Strangers were talking to. We only faced whatever they managed to get to while the kingdoms were distracted.
    Blackhawke: That's a point. If there are Dragonlords left after all, and those had been all the enemies, we'd have gotten more support than vague letters and a fly-by.
    <<You>>: Exactly. I'd be risking losing everyone against an unknown force, when I can be sneaking through on my own instead.
    <<You>>: Mounts and pack beasts don't go near the wastes, and getting enough supplies for a group would require a magical approach. Not very stealthy.
    Lucretia: I still don't like this, but as you've done your research and made up your mind... I'll make some potions for your trip. They'll keep you going, but be careful. These are strong, and don't substitute rest.
    Blackhawke: Which you'll eventually need, since you can't rely on potions to keep you sleeplessly running through the entire freakin' desert. I'll help you pack some better survival supplies for when you do catch a break.
    <<You>>: Thank you. I'll be as careful as I can. I know these are long odds, but I have to take my chances.
    Blackhawke: Heh. Starting to remind me of my old man...



    Desert Crossing segment with alternating day and night scenes. An explanation scroll contains the following features:


    Desert Crossing!
    Crossing the desert to reach the Far West is a dangerous endeavor. To reach the main wasteland, you will have to brave the extreme temperature shifts of the desert, then the strange treachery of the desert wastes. Your supplies are limited - Spend them wisely.
  • "Press onward!" button.
  • Day/Night Counter
  • 2x Vigor Potion: Fully heal HP and gain a reduction to incoming damage for two battles.
  • 2x Quickening Potion: Fully heal MP and gain SP regeneration for two battles.
  • 1x Campfire (Full Rest).


    Eight battles follow, distributed as two diurnal and two nocturnal encounters at a time, with the scroll being displayed again after each. The first time the scroll is repeated, the resource buttons are added - With a limit of one full rest and two of each potion.

    The day and night encounters use two separate pools. Both exclude living sapients. They have Darkness, Undead and insect enemies in common, but the day adds Fire enemies and the night adds Ice.

    During the day, the player is affected by the "Unbearable Heat" debuff, taking an initiative penalty as well as Fire-aligned DPT to HP and SP. Description: "The long trek through the desert doesn't take long to start wearing on you."

    During the night, they're instead afflicted by "Sudden Cold", a -BtH penalty and EleVuln with the description: "The heat you suffered through makes the biting cold hit your body that much harder."

    Checkpoints at the start, middle and end of the segment.






    Far West, Wasteland Borders, sunset. A Mysterious Stranger(?) stands at the border of the scarred forest from Darker Memories, now viewed from North to South. A small zone of clear lies where Warlic stood before, in contrast to the blackened desert wastes leading up to this scene.

    Mysterious Stranger?: How persistent... Resourceful, not merely bull-headed. Enough to make one wonder if the experiment would have succeeded with but the right subjects.
    Mysterious Stranger?: But for now, a different exercise takes priority. The once parting tide flows back onto the mark of the treachery that impelled it.

    The Chosen enters.

    Mysterious Stranger?: Greetings.
    <<You>>: ...I haven't seen anyone in days, so I'm hoping I don't have to judge this book by its cover.
    Mysterious Stranger?: Is it insight or wishful thinking that stays your hand? Judging from such an arrival, I would not presume your recent experiences with the guise have been congenial.
    <<You>>: Let's go with a skeptical mix of both. I'm surprised to see you, but I know that the Mysterious Necromancers were coming TO the Far West. Not FROM it.
    Mysterious Stranger?: You know it, rather than assuming as much? Delightful, that spares us a long conversation. The entire conversation, I'd say.
    <<You>>: I don't think so. Just because you're not one of them doesn't mean I'm going to let my guard down around you. I'm sure you understand.
    Mysterious Stranger?: Of course I do, Chosen. I know well the stories of its bearers, from the usurped to the usurper and the many imitators. Celegra makes for a pleasant outlier, but an outlier nonetheless.
    <<You>>: I'll cut to the point, then. Who are you?
    Mysterious Stranger?: No.
    <<You>>: ...What?
    Mysterious Stranger?: I have made clear that I wear the mantle knowingly, which in belaboring the point should also tell you that I do not wear it lightly. That I wear it at all answered before you asked.
    <<You>>: ...I can't tell which one of us I am more upset with after that. Will you at least tell me if you're friend or foe? Or am I going to have to keep an eye on you?
    Mysterious Stranger?: Mu. Mind you, I do appreciate the irony in quoting a peer. I am not a foe, and I won't burden you with the trial of 'keeping an eye on me'.
    Mysterious Stranger?: You no doubt intend to press westward against the winds of calamities past. You will need your wits entirely about you, then. After all... you *are* surrounded.

    The Stranger disappears, and purple eyes open in the distance.






    Shadows move between the trees, both nearby and in the distance, as night falls. Battle Tactics screen opens, and a checkpoint is set. The warning reads: "Enemies approach from all directions, and a strange darkness closes in with them. You must choose a way to advance."

  • Make an opening!
    Tooltip: They haven't reached you yet. Find them before they do, hit hard and fast, and stir up any other enemies to bog them down. You'll be through their lines and far away before they can catch up.
    Effect: Fight a Doomhost, heal, then fight three random Darkness enemies.

    The Doomhost has the "Broken Ambush!" effect, with a major initiative penalty and ElePotency. Description: "You caught this enemy before they got backup, but they're in their favored terrain!"

    When fighting the three random enemies, the player gets the "Out of the way!" effect, for -MRM and a bonus to initiative, with the description: "You're barreling through enemies and aggravating them before leaving your pursuers to deal with them!", while the enemies get a standard Berserk effect.


  • RUN!
    Tooltip: You're not sticking around to let whatever is coming have their way. Get some distance, re-engage on your own terms, then put the hurt on the strongest one to scare off the rest.
    Effect: The reverse of "Make an opening!". Three random Darkness and undead enemies, fought while the player has the 'On the Move' effect for -BtH and SP degen. Copied from Test of Thunder, option Feint and Flank, it has the description: "You're fighting while running, making it harder to hit or use special maneuvers!"


  • What Goes Around...
    Tooltip: You can't let them surround you, but you can't let them follow you either. Track them down first and defeat enough to make them get the message.
    Effect: Battle four Doomhosts, healing after the second and fourth battles. The enemies have permanent Choke and +MRM as well as Berserk, with the name: "Broken Formation" and the description: "You've pushed the foes on the defensive without a chance to attack how they wanted! When they DO hit, though..."


  • Let them come.
    Tooltip: Challenge battle! Take a defensive position and let four strong enemies reach you without a chance to heal!
    Effect:

    The Chosen is left in a darkened scene with very low visibility. Battle six Doomhosts with no healing, each buffed with guaranteed Initiative, Darkness Elepotency and Light Eleshield under the name "Overwhelming Darkness", with the description: "An otherworldly darkness has been unleashed upon you. Even magical light and senses struggle to pierce it, while enemies are empowered."

    SP Regen and Blind are applied to the player, with the name "Eye of the Storm" description: "You don't need to see them. Your scars and skills are your eyes in this darkness. The mountain doesn't move, no matter how hard the wind blows."

    Doomhost description: These undead aren't animated by any form of Necromancy that you've ever seen before. The Darkness they carry feels as though it could trap even your gaze.



    Far West, Forest Wastes: The first bit of green woods in the Far West, scarred and devoid of other life. The Chosen arrives, near pieces of signs that once read 'Surewould' and 'Falconreach'.

    <<You>>: Are you creeps done coming out of the shadows? What, did you have enough with three days of failed ambushes?

    BOSS FIGHT: Shadow-Claimed Bandit
    Description: Whether they died in the Calamity of the Far West, arrived afterwards, or somehow survived and took to looting... These bandits have been consumed by something terrible.

    <<You>>: Do you have any idea of how used I am to things sneaking up on me in the woods? And everything you've done here has turned the forest VERY quiet.
    <<You>>: Still... Making my way back is going to be a different story. And it's strange. There were more of them showing up at once the closer I got, it's no wonder people don't come back from this place.
    <<You>>: But around here, they just stop coming out at all. What is it that they don't want to get close... to...
    <<You>>: Oh, Lords...

    The view swaps to a distant shot of Falconreach. The walls are deformed and damaged, with the heavily damaged Guardian Tower visible over them.



    Rewards


    Spells: Absolute Darkness

    < Message edited by Cray -- 5/23/2022 11:39:05 >
    • Post #: 127
    5/23/2022 12:26:38   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     

    		 Warlic's Mage Shop -> Quests -> Dragonlorn Keep

    Sorrow's Reach

    Journey to Dragonlorn Keep, part 4




    Eastern entrance of Falconreach. looking away from the entrance. There are dark swirls on the ground far to the right. Figures move between the trees, but hesitate and exit stage right.

    <<You>> (Thinking): I don't hear anything around here... It truly does seem abandoned. I suppose no survivors could have found their way back here, not with the amount of danger out there.
    <<You>> (Thinking): If anyone did... They could hardly make a living. Still, I could have sworn I saw movement on my way here...
    <<You>>: You freaks won't come any closer than that, though. I wonder why... And what *was* moving?

    Ghosts enter from the right, followed by shadows that once again retreat. The player speaks while being rushed:

    <<You>>: Whoa! Easy there, I'm not one of...!

    FOUR BATTLES: Ghost type undead, all with an initiative bonus and a berserk status with a disproportionate BtH penalty renamed "Frightened Frenzy!" and described as "This spirit will not wait for you to move out of their way!". Each is also afflicted by Panic. Heal after every two fights.




    At the main thoroughfare of Falconreach, ghosts enter from the left and scatter in all directions. The Chosen enters.

    <<You>>: Wait! I only want to talk! ...Fine, you've led me on enough laps anyways. I was hoping to learn more about... anything, really.
    <<You>>: ...Falconreach... What happened to you? A fable to match Swordhaven's, fallen into the same sad silence and whispered secrets.
    <<You>>: The stories say Falconreach is inaccessible, yet here I am. Although with everything leading here... I avoided the worst of it, and I'm... well. Experienced.
    <<You>>: Even so, I only had an opening thanks to that Dragonlord. And getting back with depleted supplies... There's no living to be made here.
    <<You>>: The magic from those ghosts felt... distorted going in here.

    IF INT >=100 <<You>>: Mine too, for that matter. I wouldn't trust myself to teleport a rock before figuring out why. Falerin warned me about something like this once, didn't he?
    <<You>>: The air here... isn't right. It pushes at my chest, makes it hard to breathe... It feels like something is missing, like something is asking me a question and the answer is... Can't focus sometimes...
    <<You>>: Those ghosts... How does it feel for them? Are they the souls of citizens returning home, or...

    INT CHECK: Haunting Doubt
    Description: Your question resonates with a lingering trace at the edge of your senses. Can you identify the feeling before it fades?

    On failure, skip to the next note. On success, apply the Insight bonus effect for one battle and display a negative color vision of the original Falconreach with running civilians and formed up Guardians. It lasts for the following three lines:

    Insight: Initiative bonus, +BtH and a small LS chance bonus. Description: "The answer waited for the question. It does not come unbidden, but it does not come from within. Why, then, is your voice one of the ones answering?"

    <<You>>: ...No. No, you don't... belong. Or you didn't... They ran, and ran...
    <<You>>: They made it, right? Those that didn't, those that fell here... They wouldn't be free, not without help... Some of them might have chased me all the way here.
    <<You>>: You're running from them, aren't you?

    Note: The vision ends here, returning to the prior view.

    <<You>>: ...hiding here. Not even the dead are safe out there. You must be so used to everything being a threat that I can't look any different to you.

    The ghosts appear again, gathered in a group.

    <<You>>: So you weren't fleeing from me. You were surrounding me.

    THREE BATTLES: Two ghost type undead, then a pack of ghosts. Full heal before and after the pack. The individual ghosts have the same status effects as the prior. The pack has the "Strength in Numbers" effect, giving them a save bonus against stuns and a slowly stacking outgoing damage bonus, with the description: "Can you hear it? The black tree is singing apart the heart of the world. We can't be saved from our own choices."

    <<You>>: May you find the way to the other side. Because if you leave this city again... They might not let you.



    The Chosen enters the Guardian Tower area. There are piles of heavy rubble and a symbolic grave with Guardian Blades and helmets.

    <<You>>: The feeling is worse here. It's terrible. It's almost like when... He was forced to be Panic, and reached for my fears. Still can't...
    <<You>>: The rubble. Maybe I can get a better idea of what happened. If I could THINK... Talking to myself isn't helping as much anymore.

    STR check: Muscle Detective!
    Description: Can you investigate the debris without hurting yourself?

    On failure, apply damage and play the following line:
    <<You>>: Gah! Not my lucky day. It doesn't look like these are only damaged from falling over... Some pieces rolled all the way to the water, so it must've been hit by a barrage from some huge siege weapon.

    On success, reapply the Insight bonus for one fight and play the displaced rubble animations AFTER playing the following two lines instead:
    <<You>>: Is that... a bite mark? What kind of creature would do THAT kind of damage? Unless... In the water. I thought those bones would have to be recent.
    <<You>>: ...But a dragon that immense wouldn't have only taken a bite out of the tower. It'd do more... the whole picture... I can... I can almost...

    ONE BATTLE: Doom. Load the tower-less scene for the fight, then return to the present scene.
    Boss description: Could you have stopped it? How many scars they left, those of us so desperate to leave a mark... Hero, then betrayer, then betrayed.
    "Inevitable" effect description: Can you hear it? The wind is all that's left of our dirge.
    Line on attempted stun: You can't keep the sky from falling apart.

    A still image of a giant dracolich head tearing into the tower is shown before returning to the present scene.

    <<You>>: ...I can still hear it. The dracolich crashing. The tower being destroyed. The moment they lost hope. I never heard it in the first place, why can I still hear it?
    <<You>>: I have to keep going. This place has answers, but... it's not all of them, and it's messing with me.



    At the West access to Falconreach, the player character looks over a patched-up entrance. Construction tools are concealed behind nearby bushes.

    <<You>> (Thinking): I'll have to come back here in time, but for now... That'll have to be enough.
    <<You>> (Thinking): The fallen, if not something else, left such a strong impression here... It's like the city itself was trying to tell me something.
    <<You>> (Thinking): Not just something... A lot. Too much at once. So many memories, feelings... I don't know if the dead seek Falconreach out because of that, or if their presence causes it.
    <<You>> (Thinking): But now that I'm clear of it, something else stands out. The city should be in a much worse state.
    <<You>> (Thinking): Someone has been pushing through this sorrow in the air and taking care of the place. Homes, shops, even repairing this wall.
    <<You>> (Thinking): Nobody has lived here in years. Is it hope? Attachment? Maybe they simply can't bear to let it fall apart.
    <<You>> (Thinking): I've learned a lot here, but the Dragonlords haven't shown themselves again yet. Then the worst of this threat has to be farther west, where this endless wind is blowing from.



    At the bottom of a lake, the silhouette of toppled castle ruins. Shadows reach towards the sunken bones of a giant dragon.



    Rewards


    Weapons: Burden of Insight
    Post #: 128
    5/24/2022 10:41:45   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     

    		 Warlic's Mage Shop -> Quests -> Dragonlorn Keep

    Forlorn Wake

    Journey to Dragonlorn Keep, part 5




    The player character is standing at the Western entrance of Falconreach.

    <<You>>: It might just be the closest thing to a safe stop this far West, but I have to keep going.
    <<You>>: As much as these visions might tell me, whoever has been coming to take care of the city can hopefully do so without making my head feel like it's imploding.
    <<You>>: Goodbye for now, Falconreach. I hope we can make you safe again one day.

    The scenery changes to the western wasteland.
    FOUR BATTLES, full heal after every second one. Pool: Skeleton and ghost type undead.



    At a dried, muddy riverbed with husks of contaminated foliage, the view looks over fallen pieces of a castle damming the flow from a vast northern lake.

    <<You>>: Lords, nothing escaped the devastation. If I didn't know there was a forest here once... Looking back like this, it looks like it just barely didn't hit Falconreach.
    <<You>>: Hopefully I'll get a clearer view on where this wind is coming from after climbing out of the riverbed.

    Impact sounds play.

    <<You>>: ...Hold on. What's that sound?

    Darkness and Earth sounds follow.

    <<You>>: I heard that. I FELT that, too.

    The player character enters.

    <<You>>: Who's there?!

    Undead Hydra Heads peer in from the right.

    <<You>>: Reaper's tightest britches, if you are *anything* to go by, it looks like things are going to get a lot uglier from this point onwards.

    BOSS FIGHT: Undead Hydra Swarm
    Description: Giant, undead Hydra heads swarming around? Great, now who can tell how many of these terrible things there are out there?!


    <<You>>: ...Was that thing unbound? Necromancers aren't making it this far, and you'd think this is a lot closer to the Dragonlords.
    <<You>>: The ground is still rumbling... There are even more of those out there? I better get out of here before they notice I've trimmed their family tree.




    The player character enters the Oaklore Forest Wastes - A dense forest, dark-tinted and with reduced visibility. Dark mist pools and swirl across the ground in places, and distant eyes lurk in the shadows.


    <<You>> (Thinking): What in the world... I don't even dare to open my mouth in this place. The air feels heavy, but it's not exactly physical. Like a storm that doesn't ever quite arrive.
    <<You>> (Thinking): I'm trying to keep the deeper woods to my left and the water to my right, and even walking straight gets me feeling like I'm taking a long turn.
    <<You>> (Thinking): And what is this bizarre charge everywhere? Warlic didn't describe this.

    If INT>=100
    <<You>> (Thinking): It's a stagnant charge. There is an unnatural density of mana around here, but not unbound. Clearly there was a mass infusion or realignment...
    <<You>> (Thinking): Which fits the huge blast that Warlic told me about. But for the charge to then radiate and become stagnant, it must have been drained... Or collapsed. Was there a second wave?
    Otherwise:
    <<You>> (Thinking): ...It feels as if my soul was moving through dust. Getting covered in it.
    Continue:

    SIX BATTLES: Same pool as before, fully healing after every second battle.

    Enemies are given the "Resonant Shadow" status. The effects are Light elevuln, paralysis resistance, and Darkness elepotency.
    Description: "An otherworldly darkness has empowered this enemy for long enough to begin wearing on their body."

    The player character receives the "Dark Fallout" effect for a Darkness burn that gets worse every turn, with Darkness vulnerability AND potency. Attacking with Darkness reduces the severity of the burn.
    Description: "Harmful Darkness energy is coursing through your body and getting more destructive. Attacking with that element can release it."



    The grinning Mysterious Stranger from part 3 stands before a cave in the Oaklore Forest Wastes, addressing a deformed and darkened spirit within it. The spirit speaks in symbols.

    Mysterious Stranger?: Ah, so the source of such twisted Wrûn happens to be *you*. How muddied your essence. Rather literally it would seem. Come, spirit, state your case and hurry now.

    The spirit speaks.

    Mysterious Stranger?: *Serve*? Hah, how exaggerated your ego. You could no more compel *me* than stand to see the sunrise. But for all that, you have my curiosity.
    Mysterious Stranger?: Reveal yourself, spirit, and curry favor while you maintain my curiosity. Or, in your obstinance, you will BE revealed.

    The spirit speaks.

    Mysterious Stranger?: Even among the shadows, you prove yourself remarkably dim. My patience draws thin, Spirit, so I suggest you unscramble your feeble wit swiftly.
    Mysterious Stranger?: Before you waste what little time you have left through the remarkable feat of wasting *mine*.

    Tendrils reach for the Stranger, who aims a hand forward and makes them disappear.

    Mysterious Stranger?: No.

    The spirit speaks.

    Mysterious Stranger?: I care not. I see you for what you are, for what you and your kin have done. And you have not learned a thing since then. Of course you haven't.
    Mysterious Stranger?: You instead have wallowed in self-misery. Wasted any and every iota of progress in such twisted change into this...filth.
    Mysterious Stranger?: Remained vanquished conquerors who would have no kith, parasites and those who are foolishly subsumed by them.

    The spirit speaks.

    Mysterious Stranger?: I. Care. Not. Savrashi, you hold no sway over me. To see your kind brought so low may entertain me, but it does not *satisfy*...
    Mysterious Stranger?: Even so, you linger in a state far more luxurious than you deserve, for the atrocity you have committed.
    Mysterious Stranger?: Millenia of progress. The Regencies and Principalities approaching a harmony not seen since the Walkers worked wonders upon land and sky.
    Mysterious Stranger?: Cooperation the likes of which could have brought the Consort back in joy and not judgement. The world could have so easily welcomed those lost to it.
    Mysterious Stranger?: Even were you to survive for a millenia, no expression you could divine would ever be able to encompass everything you have ruined.

    The spirit speaks.

    Mysterious Stranger?: By all means, struggle. Perhaps then it will feel worth the effort.
    Mysterious Stranger?: Time, however, is of the essence. This retribution will prove to be as unsatisfying as it will be swift.
    Mysterious Stranger?: Ah, well, as you have stepped well within my restrictions, perhaps you could at least offer a semblance of entertainment with your dissolution.

    The spirit says "NO" and is torn apart.

    Mysterious Stranger?: Yes.

    Mysterious Stranger?: Even in dissolution, you manage to be bothersome. Once this farce is attempted on the Chosen too, they will know their lines have been crossed.
    Mysterious Stranger?: And in reacting to the *possibility* of more people following in a hero's footsteps, they will doubtless make it a necessity instead.
    Mysterious Stranger?: I must delay yet again, then.



    The Chosen continues through the Oaklore Forest wastes. The haze is thicker, like a dark aurora at ground level.

    <<You>> (Thinking): I can't be going in circles. I've even gone straight through the brush when the path was too winding.
    <<You>> (Thinking): It sure feels like I am, though. This dark aura makes it just about impossible to make out landmarks until I'm right up against them.
    <<You>> (Thinking): Watching my step, keeping an eye for threats, not getting turned around when I fight... I swear, it's like I have to pick just one or two of them.

    The Chosen moves forward a little, going over a dark spiral.

    <<You>> (Thinking): At least the sound of dead grass is a good giveaway when something ... And I stopped hearing it. Great.

    The darkness springs open and upward like a trap.

    <<You>>: Whoa-!

    The scene transitions to a hollowed out pit where the Lurking Doombinder peers in slowly. A checkpoint is set.

    <<You>>: What kind of elemental IS that?

    The Doombinder plays an attack animation.

    BOSS FIGHT: Lurking Doombinder
    Description: A strange elemental spirit of Darkness that has possessed the land itself. It has trapped you and is trying to channel a strange power into your body!

    After the standard Doombinder is defeated, it reforms in front of the Chosen and grabs for them as the screen darkens. The Chosen blocks.

    <<You>>: No you don't!

    The Doombinder grabs on with its spirit arms. The screen begins to darken further.

    <<You>>: Gah- What are you doing?! I can't move!
    <<You>> (thinking): It's that dust again...? From so far... It's flooding both of us...
    <<You>> (thinking): No, no, keep it together. Stay awake, pay attention... It can't move either. As long as I fight back, it's stuck struggling against my spirit.
    <<You>> (thinking): It's holding me still so whatever this is can do SOMETHING to my soul.
    <<You>> (thinking): I can pretend to give in. That power will hurt, but it'll be my chance to destroy... it...
    <<You>> (thinking): I can see it. It's...
    <<You>> (thinking): There is no light...

    Two options appear:

    Give it more than it bargained for! - Mouseover description: Optional challenge! A harder boss fight that will take more time and effort!

    Give in... When hovered over, this button instead reads "...to your power." in a fiery color.

    The first option sets a new healing checkpoint and triggers the challenge fight, after which the next scene is loaded. For the duration of the fight, the player also receives the dummy effect "Eye of the Beholders", with the description: "Savior and destroyer in one vessel. We see you."

    If the second option is picked, the Panic animation from War's Legacy marks the Chosen's transformation into War.

    War: Enough. Traitorous spirit, you are of Lore, but have long served a hostile power from beyond.
    War: You have turned against your Lord, your kind and your world. The plane of Darkness still suffers the infamy of your deeds.
    War: You may yet have lived if you had abandoned your allegiance. The Powers believe in redemption. It is not my place to punish you, but you will not escape the fate of what you have attached yourself to.

    Bubbles from the Darkness spirit frantically appear and disappear around the Doombinder.

    War: QUIET.

    War: Invader. Your folly imposes on who and what I am.
    War: I try to spurn the succession, my lords and friends allow it... Again and again I resist, but your intrusion turns my choice into a struggle and not a freedom.
    War: Darkness whose parallel you use to lure victims, you reach through this spirit to seek power, and you have found it.
    War: The power I would resist. The mantle I would cast away. Beyond freeing my hand, you are so driven as to force it. So be it. What I cannot resist for this moment, you will not either... For the moment you have left.
    War: Burn away under the weight of my burden.

    War tears apart the Doombinder's spirit with a pillar of divine fire.




    Outside the pit trap, the Chosen reenters the scene.

    <<You>> (Thinking): No more of that... Even with that thing getting what it deserved, that was too much.
    <<You>> (Thinking): Creatures like that must be what keeps producing more undead. The war, the Calamity... And now everyone who dares to brave the wastes.
    <<You>> (Thinking): They might have fled into the ground itself and turned into traps like this... And they've had a lot of... material.

    Beat.

    <<You>>: ...No more.

    Fade to black.



    Dialogue continues in a black screen, with bubbles from the following directions:

    Bottom left: Rhiannon
    Top left: Aodh
    Bottom right: Dante
    Top right: Magnus

    Aodh: The shadows weaken.
    Magnus: Barely.
    Aodh: But that they do at all is new. They have never faded without our intervention.
    Rhiannon: They have been relentless for twenty years. That will not change so suddenly. If you feel a weakening, then someone must have either followed Grainne or found us.
    Dante: Have we made a mistake? Causing curiosity is inevitable, but that they would actually follow us...
    Magnus: It shows persistence. Power. This may be someone worth allowing close, if only to observe.
    Dante: I don't doubt that. Our vigil may benefit from it. But we created the circumstances that allowed someone to make it so close.
    Dante: The unreachable West has been breached, and we are partly to blame. One has come. Others may follow. When the shadows realize this, they will either prepare to feed in greater numbers...
    Aodh: Or they will grow desperate. They may want to act before risking the arrival of even more people who might get through them.
    Rhiannon: Our watch was never going to last forever. But now that we've almost gotten through to the fallen...
    Dante: They could force their way in after we've spent so much time trying to get through to the others peacefully. No, I won't allow that.
    Rhiannon: Alright. Aodh and I will go on watch. You two go find this shadow vanquisher.
    Dante: Let's go, Wrinkles.
    Magnus: Watch it, fire brat.




    Rewards:

    Pets: Undead Hydra Head

    Title: Doombringer
    Awarded for defeating the challenge boss.
    Description: A force from beyond threatened to overwhelm your mortal limits and make you its host. Yet you only needed mortal hands and mortal power to rip and tear until it was done.


    < Message edited by Cray -- 5/24/2022 10:47:18 >
    Post #: 129
    5/24/2022 11:51:24   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     

    		 Warlic's Mage Shop -> Quests -> Dragonlorn Keep

    Last Watch

    Journey to Dragonlorn Keep Finale




    At the Oaklore Forest Wastes, a shadow of overhead movement rushes along the ground from left to right.

    <<You>> (Offscreen to the left): Whoa, what was that?

    The player character enters from the left, then Dante does from the right. Dante is an armored dragonlord with loose brown hair.

    Dante: You've come a long way, <<You>>. In both senses. But not even an army-stopping hero like you should wander around here any longer.
    <<You>>: I *finally* found you! Well, the other way around, but there is so much we need to talk about. ...For starters, how do you know me?
    Dante: You were all that Artix would talk about on the way to Battleon. All he *could* talk about, other than the Exodus.
    Dante: Besides, I believe you know us as well. But for the sake of getting this over with: I'm Dante, and this is my brother-in-arms, Magnus.

    Magnus, a very large dragon with brown scales reminiscent of the peers in from the right.

    <<You>>: ...It's been a long time. I never even got to thank you for saving Battleon. There was so much I wanted to ask, but nobody would talk about... all of this until recently.
    Magnus: We know. It was more than the laws of time that kept the Paladin's lips sealed.
    Magnus: The sorrow he hid made it clear that he wouldn't have wanted to speak of our past. Even if the ones who brought him through the Void had not forbidden it.
    Dante: We saw the gathering clouds again when the Exodus finally arrived. But by then we had a different duty... And we were already helping, from the past.
    <<You>>: That duty is what I'm here to talk about. Warlic and I realized that the invaders from the great calamity left survivors.
    <<You>>: It's clear from coming all the way here that you've been holding them off, maybe something worse too, but now some very dangerous people are determined to join up with them.
    Dante: ...A lot has changed, <<You>>. And now that you've come here, we have very little time to prepare for them to change again.
    <<You>>: I agree that we need to prepare, but I'm missing something. We beat the Strangers back, and now the kingdoms know to watch out for them. What else is coming?
    Dante: Their misstep and our intervention allowed for someone very powerful to make it through. The West is no longer unreachable. If I were one of *them*, I'd think I'm out of time to prepare.
    <<You>>: Prepare for wh-
    Dante: Pick <<him/her>> up, Wrinkles. It's safer to discuss this at the Keep.
    <<You>>: Uh oh.




    Clearing through the veil of darkness, the view advances into a distant view of Dragonlorn Keep: A fortress built from the combined ruins of Oaklore and Dragonsgrasp, surrounded by a gap in the foliage that has been blasted into a wind-swept dustbowl: The Oaklore Wasteland. The shores of the vast northern lake are visible behind it. All dialogue happens offscreen as the Chosen is carried in the claws of Magnus.

    <<You>>: Is that...?
    Dante: This is where we live now. What's left of our duty.
    <<You>>: I can't hear you over this wind!
    Magnus: Down below! They're already getting started!


    At the edge of the Oaklore Forest Wastes, Doombinders and other undead emerge from the ground and entering the area of Dragonlorn Keep from the right. Fade to black.



    WAR!

    War Scroll: Successfully reaching the Far West has sounded the alarm for the dark forces surrounding its deepest secret! Now it's time to join the last remnants of the Dragonlord Order and defend Dragonlorn Keep!

    War Scroll Background: Entrance to Dragonlorn Keep

    Lucretia: <<You>>! You made it!
    <<You>>: ...Says the woman who somehow made it all the way here too.
    Lucretia: A stranger helped us against an incursion of mysterious necromancers and told us about you getting here.
    Lucretia: He said that all the forces that normally make the Far West unreachable were about to concentrate here and surround you!
    <<You>>: ...A stranger? I think I know who you mean, but how did you actually *get* here?
    Lucretia: The forces at Terminus were already preparing to cross the desert in case something happened to you.
    Lucretia: When the enemy retreated, they were able to get all the way to Falconreach, fix up some ships, and start shipping reinforcements from there.
    <<You>>: That's impressive. If that line of reinforcements holds, we really do stand a chance.
    Lucretia: You blazed a trail, and the enemies turned their back on us. We simply seized the opportunity.
    Lucretia: Besides, some of us remember the way. ...I used to have family here, when I was little.
    Lucretia: Anyways! You did remember to buy any special potions before I brewed you some for the journey, right?
  • I did, remember? (Flashback time!) / I will next time! (Stay here.)

    Twilly: None of this is like I remember it... It's so sad here. People left, but their sadness is still here. So many...
    Twilly: Oh! <<You>>! Twillies is so glad to see you!
    Twilly: Are you okay? We heard you went through the entire West by yourself! Do you need healing?
  • Heal me, please./I can handle this!



    25%

    At a cliff overlooking the Oaklore Wasteland, the Chosen is camping with Rhiannon and Aodh. Rhiannon wears a female version of the worn Dragonlord armor with red details. Aodh is a black-colored fire dragon with golden eyes and opaque membraned wings, blending in with the night.

    Rhiannon: Thank you for joining us for the night watch, <<You>>.
    <<You>>: Don't mention it, Rhiannon. This way we can have more pairs of eyes looking out for the reinforcement ships and still look out for enemies if you have to fly off.
    Rhiannon: ...Yeah. We're just... not used to working with other people.
    <<You>>: Is it really just the four of you left?
    Aodh: As far as we know. We took a lot of casualties during the war. We were so wrapped up in the chaos of it all that we didn't realize we weren't just taking losses. We were being hunted down.
    <<You>>: Warlic did tell me that something terrible happened right here towards the end of the war. He thinks the war built up to it, but experience has me assuming it was more of a screen.
    Rhiannon: You're both right. The war kept us spread thin, trying to get civilians out of the way and convince anyone who would listen to stop fighting.
    Aodh: Some who wouldn't listen, too. Blasted Frostgale, always the crusader... Still hurts to know how far she fell. Her followers in this age made warmongers out of the Ice champions.
    Rhiannon: That wasn't all that they were covering up for. They grew their champion right here, under our noses...

    Rhiannon takes a hand to her face.

    Rhiannon: ...Sorry. If we ever met someone again... Just one person, let alone so many, I imagined I'd share everything that happened.
    Rhiannon: I'm not as ready to talk about it as I thought I'd be. Just give me some time. If we get through this, we'll have so much less to worry about.
    <<You>>: With how hard it was for Warlic to open up, I can't imagine how much worse this has to be for you all of a sudden.
    Aodh: We've been here for twenty years now. Hunting, fighting... Rebuilding. Trying to ease the spirits of my brethren, to keep the shadows away from them... This is our life.
    Aodh: As long as the enemy was out there, claiming victims and gathering strength, we had to stay here. Now we finally have help, but... The Keep has also never been in more danger.
    <<You>>: Listen. You're so strong that you endured the kind of isolation that would have broken many heroes. And the east may be safer, but we've been through a lot as well.

    Rhiannon looks forward again.

    <<You>>: We've got your backs. We WILL get through this.
    Rhiannon: I'm going to have to stop giving Dante a hard time about bottling it up now. But you're right. One last stand, and then... Then we can really rebuild.


    50%


    Dante and Galanoth are standing at the entrance to Dragonlorn Keep.

    Dante: Burn my hair and call me a slayer, if it isn't Galanoth. I have to admit you're the last one of the lot that I expected to find here.
    Galanoth: Is that how you're greeting me after two decades?
    Dante: Don't get me wrong, I'm pleasantly surprised. You've been around us for a while and I've not seen you complain or brandish that blade even once.
    Galanoth: Rhiannon warned me that you'd turned into a mix of brick wall and an absolute donkey.
    Dante: I don't mean to be hostile. We just parted on poor terms. You'd made a lot of progress, then went back to-
    Galanoth: Don't you go there. I've helped lead the alliance with the Vartai for YEARS and I still get grief- You weren't there, so I'm going to cut you this much slack.
    Dante: You can't blame me. It's a hard impression to shake. Your renewed hunts were half the reason we couldn't get a lot of dragons out of the war-
    Galanoth: And those dragons were the WHOLE reason I couldn't save a lot of people! Dragons like those are why good kids went astray, and why I lost my BROTHER.
    Dante: No. No, Demento...?
    Galanoth: YES, Demento. And dragons like THEM were a whole lot of the reason why dragons like YOURS weren't around anymore.
    Galanoth: So get that attitude in check before I have to do it for you.

    Galanoth storms out. The player character enters.

    Dante: ...Gods, I really did miss the old man after all.
    <<You>>: Any reason you waited for him to walk off before blurting that out?
    Galanoth (Offscreen to the right): I missed you too, kid. Stop growing up so much or I'll knock you back down to five feet.
    Dante: Great, I forgot his ears actually work.
    <<You>>: Stoicism isn't going to work on him, you know. Of all the people who have been shutting their feelings in since before I took up adventuring... He's probably the worst. He can tell how much you care.
    Dante: Look, <<You>>, you caught me being nostalgic, but *caring*... It's been a long time. I'm not sure I can even manage that much anymore. We have different ways to cope than you.
    <<You>>: If you didn't care, Dante, you wouldn't be fixing up Falconreach.
    Dante: ...How did you know?
    <<You>>: Human hands at work, no dragon tracks... It was a fifty percent shot. Besides, you can't tell me you put up with the ghosts and the visions if you can't care anymore.
    Dante: ... What visions?

    Beat, then fade to black.


    75%

    An exterior view of Dragonlorn Keep and the dragons standing tall enough to look over the walls is shown. Cut to a view from the walls, with the dragons looking over from behind the edge to talk to the Chosen.

    <<You>>: Dragonlorn Keep... I understand the name. But I hope you'll get a reason to change it one day.
    Magnus: ...I appreciate the sentiment, hero, but I don't think any of us will live to see that day. We really are the last of the Order.
    Aodh: The Dragonlord assassinations weren't just an attempt to get us out of the way. They were trying to make sure our numbers kept going down - They hunted us for the amulets.
    Aodh: When we lost contact with a key priestess, we knew they had cut off our ability to forge new bonds. And of the remaining amulets... Most were lost in our last sacrifice.
    <<You>>: There are neither new amulets nor the means of obtaining new ones? There really is no end to what was lost back then... And what was this sacrifice?
    Magnus: While the casualties are the greatest loss, it IS cutting off the restoration of the amulets that was the biggest enemy victory. As of the sacrifice, you're standing on it.
    <<You>>: What?
    Magnus: Part of this place used to be a flying fortress. Pulled across the sky by the toughest of us... We called it Dragonsgrasp. It was essential to our neutrality.
    Magnus: And at the very end of the war... It was the weapon that finally stopped the Calamity. We... We were badly wounded, so we couldn't do anything. They threw all four of us into the water, then... They sacrificed themselves.
    Aodh: The enemy raised a titan that they'd hidden right under Oaklore. It was devastating everything, spreading darkness to all the land. But for some reason, it suddenly focused on attacking something in the desert.
    Aodh: Our remaining friends saved us, then crashed into the corrupted Vizalain. They did something to the heart of Dragonsgrasp, and everything went dark. It was all over by the time we came to.
    <<You>>: ...I don't know what to say. They went to such an extreme sacrifice to save us, and we went this long without knowing while you toiled away here.
    Magnus: Then don't say anything. Just keep fighting on our side. Help us get used to having allies again, before my rock-headed partner faints from actually experiencing feelings.
    <<You>>: Absolutely.
    Aodh: Excellent. We'll be counting on you. That... that feels good to say.
    <<You>>: I just have one question... How does the fort look this solid?
    Magnus: The foundation didn't survive the Darkness collapse, but two titan dragons make for very good builders. The heart of the fortress is still untouched, though. We had to build around that entire place.
    Aodh: Not even we can go near. The spirits of our brethren haunt the place. They're the source of the wind that blows everywhere from here... And part of what we're protecting.



    100%

    The Dragonlords, their dragons, and the Chosen, are gathered to the right of Dragonlorn Keep, in the small grassy area before the wastes.

    Dante: They've never been this quiet. Remains are being left where they stand... I think we smoked out all the binders behind this assault.
    Rhiannon: Look who's sounding hopeful all of a sudden... But we can't discard the possibility that some cut their losses and ran. The West just got safer even if that's the case, but we have to be vigilant.
    Rhiannon: We have never known them to be anything short of relentless, even if they were the ones with the advantage the last time armies were involved.
    Rhiannon: We need to reorganize the defenders, just in case we're being given a false sense of security. Keep anyone from giving chase into the woods until we've done some flying passes...
    <<You>>: I had been wondering where the Dragonlord that did that out by Terminus was hiding...
    Aodh: Grainne is a friend. She... doesn't have a Dragonlord anymore, but still lends a hand sometimes. We don't know where she roosts, though.
    Rhiannon: She's the last living descendant of Sunscale. Every bit as zealous as her ancestor, since losing her companion to the invaders.
    Rhiannon: After noticing the familiar I sent Warlic, she checked in with us and agreed to hunt down any enemy remnants that you flushed out.
    <<You>>: Sunscale? That's another name that Warlic mentioned, but there wasn't time to explain anything else.

    Streaks of the dark green aurora from the Forest Wastes fly through the screen while darkness sounds play.

    Magnus: ...I know that feeling.
    <<You>>: They must have been up to something after all. Move out, everyone!



    Enlarged Doomed Archfiends emerge from a darkened patch of sand in the Oaklore Wasteland, projecting dark auras from which more minions pour out. The player character enters from the left.

    <<You>>: Where are they even bringing those in from?! I'm cut off!

    Aodh and Magnus peer in from the left.

    Aodh: We've got this, keep going!
    Magnus: Find where that power surge is coming from before they catch the army out of position! We'll catch up in no time!



    Wasteland Shore - An east-to-west perspective of an area where the dusty shore meets the edge of the darkened sand. Rising cliffs surround the beach.

    An undead warrior rises from the water; a twitching amalgam of body parts, corrupted bones, and partial Doom Knight armor. The Chosen and the dragonlords enter from the left.

  • Skeletal Doom Knight: An undead, thoroughly consumed looking wearer of almost-complete doom knight armor. Most of the armor is complete, but the torso, helmet and shoulders look as though broken pieces had been attached to a body and fused into it, eventually consuming it until there was only bone.
  • Black dialogue bubbles from the ShadowScythe spirit in part 5. The bubble's symbols hide two sets of words: "Unlive" and "make it stop"
  • A dark-bordered aura that seems to open to the Void.
  • Billowing dust clouds to signify stronger winds

    Start with an empty scene, then a closeup to the water as the Doom Knight slowly steps out of it Terminator style. Once it has emerged, Rhiannon, Dante and the player character enter.

    <<You>>: Is that...?
    Rhiannon: No. It can't be.
    Dante: That's not him. But some of that armor...

    The Doom Knight speaks in dark symbols as a tear to the Void spreads from its body.

    Rhiannon: ...That's not Darkness magic I know. Is that the Void?!
    Dante: No. Not one step further. We finally had a chance to make things right without having to worry about YOU-

    A strong wind picks up in the area.

    Dante: The wind is picking up...
    Rhiannon: The dragon spirits are roaring? What is going on?

    The Doom Knight raises a hand, which glows with red energy.

    Dante: Careful, <<You>>!

    The Doom Knight blasts the player character, who doesn't move.

    Rhiannon: ...<<You>>?
    <<You>>: ...Invader.

    The scene transitions to a diagonally split vision divided by a splatter of blood. The top left is a fragment of the negative color Guardian Tower, while the bottom right is a jagged, crimson-tinted view of the Void. An illuminated hand clad in an armored dress reaches down from the top left, as the bottom right side shows a hand in Doom Knight armor reaching toward it -- But frozen in the middle of falling away.


    Checkpoint.
    BOSS BATTLE: The Betrayal. Full heal before and after the fight.
    Description: The power to save them from danger. The power to save them from themselves. Even to try to save them from death. But once you have the power, once no one can save you, who will save them from you?




    The scene returns to the shore with a fiery flash. Rhiannon, Dante and the player character stand to the left. Magnus and Aodh peer from each side. Only burnt remains lie where the Doom Knight stood, in the middle of a patch of sand seared into glass.

    <<You>>: Wait, what just happened? I was fighting... Wasn't I...? It was like back on Falconreach...
    Dante: You caught fire. A lot of fire.
    Rhiannon: You were really out of it. Then you and the enemy were caught in a pillar of fire. I thought it was an enemy attack, but then it stopped and... Well, take a look.
    Magnus: Kid, you lit that thing the heck up. I'm not sure how much like Sepulchure that thing was, but we've never seen something like it taken down in one hit.
    <<You>>: One hit? I could have sworn I just had a long fight with... That's who it was. I saw Sepulchure. I felt rage, darkness, sorrow.
    <<You>>: And there was a power from beyond reaching into this enemy-- Oh, my head is *killing* me. ...Wait. All you saw was fire?
    Aodh: A whole lot of it. The last time I saw something like that was when people were trying to fight the corrupted Vizalain titan...
    <<You>>: ...I don't know if I should be relieved. I'll figure it out later. How about the rest of the enemy force?
    Magnus: Gone. We didn't leave a lot standing, but the few that were left booked it the moment the fire went up.
    Aodh: We still need to organize a push into the woods to make sure nobody is falling for a false retreat and feeds their numbers, but... It's over. Thanks to all of you, it's finally over.
    Rhiannon: After all this time of fighting on our own... We can finally focus on bringing peace to our fallen friends. I hope their spirits will listen. We have good news for them for the first time in twenty long years.
    Dante: ...Oi. Hero.
    Magnus: It might not be the time for that tone, Dante. I can feel your turmoil.
    Dante: Can it, Wrinkles. Let me just... do this at my own pace. Please. Listen, <<You>>.
    <<You>>: ...Yes?
    Dante: Thank you. And the others, too. Thank you all so much. There is so much we have to do, and so much I want to show you, that I don't know how to put it in words.
    Dante: I'm just... glad. Glad that the world kept growing. That someone like you has been there to protect it.
    Rhiannon: ...You're making me look bad here, Dante. Here I was having a hard time sharing, and you're finally opening up. I'm proud of you.
    Dante: Don't make me regret it, Rhia.
    Rhiannon: Still, I agree. We're not done protecting Dragonlorn Keep from whatever is left out there... Or the land from what lies inside. But it feels like for the first time, even if just for a while... We can really rest.
    Rhiannon: Thank you. For everything.
    <<You>>: We were all in danger here. I couldn't stay away from it. And to the four of you as well... Thank you for your long vigil.
    <<You>>: Take as much time as you need. There are many mysteries left, and a lot of people who will want to talk to you... We'll take it step by step.





    Rewards:


    Weapons: Aodh's Intervention
    Shields: Magnus's Tremor

    Top Wins Variants:


    Magnus's Grand Tremor/Searing Bastion
  • Description: A shield personally empowered by Magnus, successor to a Great Earth Dragon, who wields Fire through his bond with Dante!

    Aodh's Radiant/Blazing Intervention
  • Description: A crystallization of the power of Aodh, Fire Titan Dragon whose bond with Rhiannon has bestowed with Light powers! This <Light/Fire> version can be activated to unleash a Burning breath with your next attack!

    Titles:


  • Title Name: Pilgrim
  • In-game description: After two decades, you were the first to make the journey to the once impenetrable west. (10 victories)
  • Title Name: Hero of Two Lands
  • In-game description: From the Last Dragonlords of the West to the Guardians of the east, all know you as a hero. (50 victories)
  • Title Name: Protector of the West
  • In-game description: A land far from home, plagued by troubles from before your time - It matters not. 50 foes lie at your feet as you stood your ground in its name.
  • Title Name: Oaklore Avenger
  • In-game description: One hundred minions met their end at the hands of the hero who put the name of Oaklore back in the deepest fears of its final foes.
  • Title Name: Dragon Avenger
  • In-game description: A trail of 200 enemies marks your rampage as you enact justice for the memory of the fallen Dragonlords.
  • Title Name: Honorary Dragonlord
  • In-game description: Back in its time, the order would have gladly trained you. You have burned that impression into 500 servants of their greatest enemy.
  • Title Name: Dragon Savior
  • In-game description: Trampling a thousand minions of a great enemy from before and beyond, you have saved the dreams of many fallen dragons and their companions.
    • Post #: 130
    12/3/2022 15:06:43   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    Into Dragonlorn Keep

    2020 MC Quest



    Introduction and Quest Hub



    Scene - Warlic's shop, the same scene as the opening for Dragonlorn Keep part 1.

    Warlic: Magnus, Aodh, Grainne... And only two Dragonlords remain. It's - ...No, I've thought we had lost everyone for so long. We should be happy that some of our friends are alive.
    <You>: Grainne has apparently become a hermit, although she *has* taken an interest in the new Paladin Order. You could come see the others, though.
    <You>: I'm due to head back West after escorting all the wounded back home. Lucretia would probably appreciate someone to brainstorm with, she's full of ideas about the wasteland.
    Warlic: ...I'd love to. But all the same, it may be a poor idea. The war has cleared so much of the region's distortion that divination is slowly becoming clearer. But with the effects of the Darkness collapse still lingering...
    Warlic: It would be good to know that I won't be a beacon to any hiding threats while other magics could still have disastrous side effects. Especially after what you reported, we can't assume the threat is *completely* over.
    <You>: If you need to study the magical fallout more, take your time. The immediate danger seems over, so I'm not rushing you into something that complex *and* personal.
    Warlic: Thank you. It'd be different if it was just one or the other, but...
    <You>: Warlic, you're able to work grand and incredibly complex magics, but you always come back to basic alchemy and a big, warm cauldron. I'm not the only one who can see what this means to you.
    <You>: It's alright to take comfort in the simple things. But when you're ready to see that you don't need to wait for special circumstances to show yourself that you can handle this, we'll be there for you.
    Warlic: ...When I offered to lend you books, I wasn't assuming that you would read me like one.
    Warlic: There are larger concerns. The world's magic is changing in ways that could shake more than just the West, and I feel a duty to understand it for everyone's sake. But when I have to talk about myself, I... Just...
    Warlic: ... Thank you. I'll be there for you as well.
    <You>: Now then, let's take the first step. I'm going to Dragonlorn Keep again - They're going to need help tending to the spirits of their fallen. Is there anything you'd like me to tell them?
    Warlic: Yes. Informing them about how the loss of the Leyline of Life and Death may impact the persistence of their foes could... in the very long term, at least... No, that's not right.
    Warlic: Tell them I missed them.



    Scene - Dragonlorn Keep exterior. Rhiannon and Dante ride Aodh and Magnus at opposite sides of the screen, with a scroll in the middle containing the following buttons:

    Buttons:

  • Introduction
  • The Keep
  • Exploration: Branches out into three sub-options, each of the explorable paths.
    -Northern Wing (Introductory quest)
    -Inner Keep (Main set quest)
    -Obsidian Roots (Elite items)
  • Artifacts: Display list of all unlockable artifacts that can be found on the explorable paths, each being usable to trigger a cutscene or open a shop.
  • Return




    Introduction

    Dialogue happens in the hub scene, minus the menu.

    Aodh: Chosen. Good to see you again.
    Dante: That is such an awkward thing to be called. Don't you get tired of it?
    <You>: The name gets a little... heavy sometimes. You don't need to be formal with me.
    Rhiannon: That's good. Since you offered to help, I thought it'd be good to finally have some... proper introductions and explain what we're doing here.
    <You>: It can't hurt to make sure we're on the same page. You told me some of what's been going on all this time, but future plans are a different story. I'll get us started, then. I'm -
    Dante: <You>, Chosen of the people and gods alike, not that I imagine anyone took the time to ask you how that makes you feel for the longest time, Hero of the East...
    Magnus: You're doing it again.
    Dante: ...Right. Not to imply it's gotten to your head, it's just... Your friends beat you to the introduction a few times. Some of your fellow adventurers won't shut up about you.
    <You>: ...That's part of what I meant.
    Magnus: ...I can relate. Moving on: I'm Magnus, Champion of Earth. I was guarding Tremor's domain when everything went apocalypse-side up. This tin can curmudgeon is my battle-brother. Or more like a grandkid...
    Dante: Big happy family, yes. Like you said, *moving on*. Like Wrinkles here said, we're a team. I was a free agent for the Dragonlord Order, like Rhiannon here. Except with more swords and magic in her case.
    Rhiannon: Are we all going to step on each other's introductions? ...It's nice to get properly acquainted anyways, <You>.
    Aodh: ...And I'm Aodh, the last sane person in dozens of miles. Learning your tongue hasn't helped. Mind the fire breath.



    The Keep

    Rhiannon: Now that you're here and we don't have to worry about another all-out assault, we can finally work on the reason Dragonlorn Keep exists.
    Rhiannon: We built the Keep here for a lot of reasons, but the most important was protecting the spirits of our brethren. Dragons and humans who made the ultimate sacrifice, but couldn't rest.
    Rhiannon: They destroyed the enemy champion, blasted the reinforcements away... But when we got here, we found them haunting the place. Fighting something else until the enemy's roots finally went inert.
    Dante: We couldn't figure out *why*, though, because there was no convincing them that we weren't the enemy. Since a few of them got taken by the enemy survivors... the others have been hiding from us.
    Aodh: It's also why the skies are so dangerous around here. If you think what happened to their bodies is bad... You don't ever want to be swarmed by dragon wraiths high in the sky.
    Magnus: We're hoping they'll react to you differently. Their disposition let us build this fortress, but it doesn't help us get through to them. If you can get to even one of them, we can figure out how to bring peace to the others.
    Magnus: Between your experienced help and having allies to watch the area, we don't have to worry about lowering our guard. We might even pull this off before the enemy remnants get any ideas.
    Rhiannon: We can press deeper into the Keep as we liberate our brothers and sisters. If your methods work out at the Northern Wing barracks, we can move on to the Inner Keep.
    Rhiannon: That's where most of our fallen lurk, and where we stored any equipment and relics we could recover.
    Dante: The central chamber will be tougher to deal with. That place was meant to shut away the Titan's roots, not our own people. But they broke in nonetheless, and a barrier keeps us out.
    Dante: Maybe we can finally take a crack at opening it, but it might not be wise to rush it until we've dealt with everything else. If it's there for a good reason, we all might have to take up defense duty when someone goes in.




    Artifacts

    Dante: You'd think we'd have more useful gear here. We built Dragonlorn Keep to be a fully functional fortress, not that we've got much in the way of furniture. The haunting got out of hand quickly, though, and a lot of our things ended up left behind, or got lost in a scuffle.
    Magnus: We've gone back to get anything *essential*, but if you find anything interesting in there, go ahead and bring it over to us.
    Rhiannon: Unfortunately, any relics from Oaklore that survived in the calamity are likely scattered far from here, but I would be grateful for any keepsakes of our Order that you can find.
    Aodh: Well, there's no need for you to go out of your way for a bunch of trinkets, but it'd at least give us something to talk about while you're resting. I'll see if I can get you something special once you're done.


    Exploration

    Rhiannon:
    The haunted areas get tougher to deal with as you move closer to the center, where the more coherent spirits draw the others in. They won't let up often once they notice you, so you'll need to bring some potions with you.

    When you catch a break, heal up if you need it. Then you can take the chance to move deeper into the haunted area. If you think it's too dangerous, you can keep dispersing them from outside to make the plunge easier - But mind your supplies.



    How the quest works:

    Instead of two full powered mobs between heals, the standard wave for this set is four battles against half-power mobs, followed by a rest stop. At each stop, a scroll explaining the quest mechanics is displayed. Every time this scroll is encountered, there is a chance to also find a memento lying on the ground next to it. Each quest has two unique mementos, for a total of six. Mementos can be clicked at the hub to view unlockable cutscenes, and finding all six unlocks a shop with the Dragonlord helmet face. The chance to find a specific memento begins at 10% and increases with every missed attempt.

    If all artifacts are already found, the following message shows up: Nothing left out there but someone's collection of pottery shards. Should you...? No, you leave those be.

    The ghostly pressure mechanic afflicts the player with Choke and Daze for the next area when choosing to Go Deeper, with a severity ranging from 50% at Extreme to 0% at Clear. One can rush through at the cost of greater danger, or make the next area safer before going deeper.

    Healing is limited to four Vigor and 4 Quickening potions in the first two quests: Vigor potions fully heal HP and provide damage reduction for two battles. Quickening potions fully heal MP and provide SP regeneration for two battles.

    Quest Details:

    Northern Wing: Encounters have normal enemy level scaling. There are two levels before the boss floor, with chances to find a different memento in each.

    Inner Keep: Enemy levels increase when going deeper, following the level of each next tier of set shop. There are five levels and two mementos. The first artifact can drop in the first and second layers, the second in the third and fourth. The fifth is the boss floor, ending with the choice between the level 135 set and a second boss battle that unlocks the level 150 set.

    Obsidian Roots: There is a scaling floor of level 135. Full heals are in place instead of the limited potions. Both artifacts can be found in the exploration levels before reaching the boss.

    < Message edited by Lorekeeper -- 12/3/2022 15:16:23 >
    • Post #: 131
    12/3/2022 15:13:21   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    Into Dragonlorn Keep — Northern Wing


    At the end of the exploration segment, the player character encounters the faceless ghost of a dragonlord warrior. She floats in front of them, barring the path to the inner keep.

    <You>: Looks like this is the eye of the storm... Easy there. I don't want to fight - I'd like to help you and the other spirits. Can you tell me who you are?
    Spirit: I am... train...er...
    <You>: A trainer? Do you remember your name, or who you trained?
    Spirit: Our dragon brethren... their strength... strength of will... Faltered. I...

    If STR is a mainstat:
    Spirit: I can train you... further.
    Otherwise:
    Spirit: My friends could... train you...

    <You>: Try to stay with me. Where are your friends? Some of your other friends sent me to help - Rhiannon, Dante... Do you remember Aodh or Magnus?
    Spirit: ...safe... wouldn't wake... would be wrong. To force them... our fall... wrong. Hid them.
    <You>: So you hid the four of them to keep them safe from... something that happened to you. They're safe now, and the enemies are far away. If you come with me, you can talk to them.
    Spirit(Speaking in the Chosen's head): ...No. No, how long have I...? Our dead, I was trying to calm them down. Come with me, friend. I'm no exorcist, but once you're worn down... I can help you.

    BOSS FIGHT: Aine

    Aine: I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you. I've been trying to gather my Dragonwarriors, but I'm... so tired.
    <You>: You're finally lucid. You sounded strangely like you were dreaming, so I was hopeful that your mind hadn't actually started going. Most of the other ghosts aren't even that responsive.
    Aine: I'm... not sure that it hasn't. I've been fighting for so long, hero. Even talking might make me dream again. But if friendly, living heroes have found us, is it time to rest?

    If the player's class is set to Paladin:
    <You>: I know that it's hard to accept it, but yes. It's not good for a spirit to fight for so long, but you can lean on me. I can help you move on as soon as you're ready, but I'm sure there's time for you to see the others.
    If the player's class is set to Necromancer:
    Aine: ...I know your power. Many like you... served our enemies. Fell to their promises. But others died alongside my Dragonwarriors. You empower spirits, you don't twist them... Maybe we can work together.

    Afterwards:

    Aine: ...No. I really am too tired, after all. While I'm still myself, I can move on. Maybe then the others will start to follow, or begin seeing you for what you are. Just tell me: Are the four of them truly alive?
    <You>: Yes. They were isolated for a long time, but they've finally gotten in touch with other survivors again.
    Aine: Good... I'm happy, in the end.

    Aine disappears.
    Post #: 132
    12/3/2022 15:42:22   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    Into Dragonlorn Keep — Inner Keep


    Scene - Dragonlorn Keep interiors

    After going deeper into the Keep twice, the Chosen enters from the left while a dragonlord rogue stands to the right, initially faceless.

    Spirit: It seems I missed one... You got close to the wrong shadows, friend... I will... your misery.
    Spirit: You don't seem as badly worn out as Aine. Hold on, I'm not here to fight.
    Siprit: Can't take... chances. Fooled before. Lost... too many friends. But... no. You're with them. You fought with them. They're... alive?

    The spirit's face appears.

    Spirit: Ugh... It felt like leaving a dream that fell down on top of its dreamers.
    <You>: ...I'll take your word for it. Between you and Aine, it looks like every ghost here is trapped in some sort of mass delusion.
    Spirit: That's a tactful way to remind a guy he's dead. How about starting with a greeting? "Hail, noble Mi'Kael, I'm a hero on a rush, tell me your secrets."
    <You>: I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-
    Mi'Kael: It's alright, I'm pulling your leg. *sigh* I remember it now. I had to hunt down our brothers who were claimed by the shadows. Burn the bodies, get Paladins to ease their spirits...
    Mi'Kael: They'd been picking away at us for longer than we realized. All it took was one traitor, or one fool... My pupils and I severed that link, but it was too late. We had to come back to the worst news yet.
    <You>: You mean whatever happened at Oaklore?
    Mi'Kael: Yes. The monster that ripped out of the Great Oak. Warlic always said the Vizalain were important to keep safe. We got a big example of why.
    <You>: I hate to dig at an old wound, but I'd like to help you and all your brethren move on. The survivors built this keep are helping me find any of you who'll listen. Maybe telling me what happened will help.
    Mi'Kael: Tackling the issue head on? You're from the East, aren't you... Not that we were much better, but those kingdoms had more of a reputation for not being scared of ghosts. It's refreshing, given my... transparency..
    Mi'Kael: But I've got to find the spirits of my pupils, so I'll do you one better. Keep going in that direction - I'll take you to someone who saw it all happen from right here.
    <You>: I appreciate your dedication. And seriously, I should have just approached you like a normal...
    Mi'Kael: Alright, kiddo, I'm stopping you there. I WOULD appreciate the company after all this time, but I almost stabbed you. In the face. It's fine. Now suit up if you have to, there's some worn gear you can use, and let's go.





    After the next stretch of exploration segments, Mi'Kael and the Chosen are standing on the left, opposite of the blue barrier.

    <You>: Impressive barrier. Seems like it covers the entire center of the Keep.
    If INT >= 100
    <You>: It feels a little like dragon magic. Not exactly the same in essence, but a very good imitation. I guess it makes sense for a Dragonlord. Wait. It's... absorbing power?
    <You>: This is absurd! It manages energy and essence almost seamlessly, and it's sustaining itself with excess from both sides. It could take ages to dispel this without being sent flying. There should be SOMETHING regulating it...
    OTHERWISE:
    <You>: I'm not exactly Warlic, but I don't think something like this can just last forever. Is someone maintaining it?

    Continuing from either:

    Mi'Kael: You'll see.

    A dragonlord mage appears.

    Mi'Kael: End of the line for me, kiddo. Word to the wise? Just cut right to hitting him. Mercy is a virtue, but so's knowing when the other guy won't listen. Take it from me.

    Mi'Kael disappears.

    <You>: ...I've got a whole career that tells me he's right, but still. I have to give you a chance - You seem clearly different. I am <You>, and I come from the East. Are you... awake?
    Jonath: I am. I appreciate you being reasonable, <You>. Mi'Kael's sense of humor may be... obnoxious, but it's a sign that he remains himself. I am Jonath, Dragonmage instructor of the Dragonlord Order. Are you friend or foe?
    <You>: Oh! It's a big relief to see you're lucid. Mi'Kael figured I should just... You know. Knock you awake. I'd prefer to avoid a fight. The survivors of your order and I are working together to exorcise the Keep.
    Jonath: Excellent. Then I can finally lift the wards - Hopefully the sight of them will ease Dekanor's frenzy. It won't be the same, but... They will have to do. As much as this isn't the barrier's original purpose, it's even more urgent.
    <You>: Dekanor? The missing Great Dragon of Darkness?
    Jonath: The very same. I... assume from your question that the war reached the East faster than history could. If you want to know how it all ended, I suppose I should start there.
    <You>: I'd appreciate it. If a Great Dragon is here, I assume they had ties to the order, but I never knew about Dekanor having a Dragonlord.
    Jonath: Dekanor was... not fond of people. He only cared about his role in the balance of the world, and keeping the realms in check. His sister was apparently just as powerful, perhaps more, but very much his opposite.
    Jonath: She left these lands to roost elsewhere, but first introduced her brother to a friend. Suhn had lost a friend who... turned into an enemy leader, and turned just as sour as Dekanor. It was a beautiful disaster when they met.
    <You>: That wording sounds equal times endearing and worrying. It sounds like it started off great, but given the calamity Warlic described...
    Jonath: They got in each other's hair to the point of getting to know each other better than planned. It made them such fast friends that Suhn wound up becoming his Dragonlady. A Knight-Errant, and the Great Darkness Dragon!
    Jonath: But not long after... she was working the forge, Dekanor was resting... possessed traitors attacked both of them with weapons best left unnamed. I was hoping she would be among the survivors who sent you, but...
    Jonath: ...Alas. The only Wind powers I have felt are those our uncontrolled presence creates. And as of everything that happened afterwards, the others should hear it too. Bring them here, <You>. It's time they knew.
    Jonath: I will remove this barrier, and perhaps together you can finally bring our old friend peace. But I can't help you for much longer, or if he turns hostile-- To keep the barrier stable, I bound myself to the spell as its regulator.
    <You>: ...Which means you'll disappear some time after breaking it. This is a lot to take in all at once, but I appreciate the warning. A Great Dragon, gone mad with grief... I'll hurry back with the others.

    Fade to black.


    Scene - Inner Sanctum, beyond the barrier.

    The player character and the last human Dragonlords stand to the left, while Jonath stands to the right.

    Jonath: Ah. It's just the two of you? Pity, I always liked your partners better... *mumble* Then again, Dekanor didn't...
    Dante: Sorry, *what*?!
    <You>: The others had to stay behind. Magnus is continuing to make the rounds while Aodh keeps watch to blast any enemy stragglers who might jump at the opportunity.
    Dante: Are we just going to pretend he didn't just--
    Rhiannon: We'd love to all be here to help, but this way they can contact us telepathically if anything goes wrong.
    Dante: ...Fine. Just... just tell us what happened.
    Jonath: Oaklore was... blown away. An enormous crystal monster consumed the Great Oak from within; a dark Vizalain of such power and size that its appearance brought nightfall... Along with a numberless legion.
    Jonath: We all knew it was our last stand. So we hid our civilians and anyone in critical care, like yourselves... Except for Dekanor. He wouldn't leave - And he had a plan.
    Jonath: We would create an opening, then crash the fortress into its base and detonate the Heart of Dragonsgrasp. Vizalain being deeply magical beings... An anti-magical collapse was all we could do that might work.

    Jonath begins to fade. Dialogue bubbles for Dekanor appear from the right.

    Dekanor: Strain yourself no more, battle-brother. I can feel your spirit's struggle, and words are not worth risking your anima for. You have fulfilled your duty. Now rest, and let me reclaim mine.

    Jonath disappears, and Dekanor rises through the background before his head enters from the right.

    Dante: You're alive!? How? We built this fortress ourselves, and if you were at the Heart when it exploded... Your body. There was no body. We thought you'd have been consumed, like the others.
    <You>: ...We thought you'd be a ghost, like the others. How did you even get in here unnoticed?
    Dekanor: I was the catalyst of the anti-darkness collapse. It *should* have killed me, just like all of my brethren... Whose dream I am snared by, even in life. But the Vizalain was more than a beast of war. It was a conduit.
    Dekanor: It reached from the Void, as a bridge for an invasion that deluded fools *invited*. If its roots had reached the Core, it would've been over. I remain... because I was cast into the Void when it fell.
    Dekanor: I was all but stripped of elemental power. The Void was not kind, but whatever it did to me spared me of a worse fate. I recently found my way back, through the sealed roots of the titan. The remains of the conduit.
    Dekanor: It was overwhelming. I... When I close my eyes, I have to fight the wind. In their dreaming death, the others pick away at the remains of traitors to the Darkness Realm. My mind... gives, and I can't but join them.

    Dekanor's eyes gain an eerie glow.

    Dekanor: But with your help, we can seek help to end this wilful prison-dream. Rhiannon, Dante, if you dare cross the seas, your friend could... Your... friend.
    Dekanor: No, not now. Always you slip into my mind and the dream comes screaming back. The burning at the center of it all, covering me and leaving me in the Void... the wind will not take me without a fight this time.

    Dekanor rears up to attack

    <You>: FOR THE LOVE OF LORE, WILL PEOPLE STOP CHARGING ME OVER ASSUMPTIONS, I JUST WANT TO FINISH A SENT-

    BOSS FIGHT: Dekanor, Whisper-Claimed


    <You>: Good grief, I don't suppose any of you two want to take a nap and sleep-punch me?
    Dante: I *am* kind of tired, now that you ask... The walls didn't clear themselves.
    Rhiannon: Oh shush it. Are you alright, Dekanor, <You>?
    Dekanor: ... I apologize. That was... ignoble. I have only been here for a few days, and already the dream devours me so. <You> dared to press this far... $he must be a capable hero, if you have brought <him/her> here.
    Dekanor: If I am liable to attack strangers like this, I could threaten anyone whose aid you procure, whichever sea they cross only to die here... No. I have to withdraw, and you must avoid me until I am free.
    Dante: You can't be serious. Is this what's left of your sense of duty? One misstep and you're going to start staying away from us? We just finally found someone else, for the love of... Fine. Just... To Heck with this.

    Dante leaves.

    Rhiannon: Two men with a sense of duty gone wrong and a bigger fear of loss than... Good grief, I'm surprised these two didn't end together. I'll go bring him back, <You>. I... used to be like that. I can get through to him.

    <You>: ...And who's going to get through to the Great Dragon of Moping?
    Rhiannon: Dekanor is... strict. Or he was. It took someone even more hard headed to make him open up... And you're a more sensible type. Just... Come with me, maybe Magnus can figure something out.

    Rhiannon leaves. The following options appear for ending the quest or pursuing the maximum level set respectively.

  • Leave Dekanor (135 set shop)
  • Challenge fight! (150 set)

    If the challenge fight is chosen, the scene continues:

    <You>: ... Burn me, I know exactly what to do. I'll have to thank Jonath if I ever get murdered for good.
    Dekanor: Your courage does you credit, but you said it yourself. You're in danger.
    <You>: Not from you.
    Dekanor: What did you just say?
    <You>: Exactly what you heard. If you fall asleep, I'll just have to beat you up again. I suppose you can't be a Great Dragon if you lost so much of your power, but you *definitely* aren't a Great Dragon while sleepwalking.
    Dekanor: Small one, I can tell that you're trying to manipulate me. I respect your strength enough to recognize you've earned the right to gloat. Tread lightly beyond that point, lest you run into the end of my patience.
    <You>: That's exactly what I'm trying to do. I'm either going to walk out of here satisfied that you're out of self-pity, or disappointed out of my mind in your supposedly duty-bound ways, you so-called champion of balance.
    Dekanor: Do you presume to play the part of nursemaid, like I'm some feeble hatchling? I ought to-
    <You>: I presume to find what in Heck's blazes Suhn ever found worthy about you, other than a head that could serve as her anvil!
    Dekanor: DO NOT USE HER NAME AS AN INSULT, YOU FEEBLE-
    <You>: Then show me the Great Darkness Dragon already!

    BOSS FIGHT: Dekanor

    Dekanor: You've had your way, "hero". Eager to gloat some more now?
    <You>: A little wouldn't hurt, but you're the one that should feel proud right now.
    Dekanor: ...What are you playing at?
    <You>: I know you weren't exactly yourself for the first round, but come on. You were a lot more threatening just now. You fought harder, smarter... And you've got more power than you give yourself credit for.
    <You>: In fact, I think you're starting to make some of this place's power your own. So sure, you can go at it alone and mope until you starve.
    <You>: But the Dekanor you showed me just now? He can kick the sleepwalking Dekanor's tail. And if he still cares about them, he's got trapped brethren that he's clearly strong enough to help. So let me know when he's up for it.
    Dekanor: ...Get out of here, <You>. The only person who got away with talking to me like that is gone.
    <You>: Pity. But I know you can do much better. Goodbye, Dekanor.

    Dekanor looks back up in remorse.

    Dekanor: Not so fast. Suhn... She was working on something before the end. Its Darkness aspect is lost, but the power of this Keep has claimed it as it has me. Take it with... My gratitude. And that of the other dragons you've helped.




    < Message edited by Lorekeeper -- 12/4/2022 10:59:14 >
    • Post #: 133
    12/3/2022 16:02:10   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    Inner Keep — Obsidian Roots

    Scene - Dragonlorn Keep entrance

    Dante, Rhiannon and the Chosen start out on the left.

    Dante: I appreciate you having our backs, <<You>>. We can hold our own, but it's best not to take chances when we're finally making a lot of progress.
    <<You>>: Don't mention it. So, this stranger who wanted to meet. You say he's helpful, but suspicious. That's been a pattern lately, so give me more details and I might identify him.
    Dante: Black cloak, won't show his face or say his name... Not the exaggerated mysterious type, just only seems to do what he wants. And what he can do to the calamity's remnants? Not pretty. Deserved, but... Yeah.

    The cloaked man titled "Mysterious Stranger?" from the Paladin quests and Dragonlorn Keep event Appears.

    If the player's class is set to Paladin.

    <<You>>: ...I figured it might be you. You're the one who warned me of the ambush, aren't you, "shaman"? I didn't notice at first, just from how differently you talked.
    Mysterious Stranger?: It is a mask I have worn from time to time, but compared to another you may yet have cause to meet, I wear it but poorly.

    Otherwise:
    <<You>>: ...I figured it might be you. You're the one who warned me of the ambush. And you're clearly an enemy of just about all other mantle wearers, but you still use it. ...Books and covers, I said it myself, but still. Context.

    Afterwards:

    Mysterious Stranger?: We both use the right tool for the right job, Chosen. Rhiannon. Dante. It's been a long while since I last scolded you.
    Dante: Not long enough.
    Rhiannon: Excuse the tension, Walker, but after everything that happened, I'm sure you can understand how much it puts us on edge by now to see someone in that guise.
    Mysterious Stranger?: As well you *should* remain alert. But as none of us are here to discuss symbolism and no introductions are needed: To business?
    Rhiannon: To business. We know of your interest in studying the roots. Thoralune has assured us that if you wanted to cause trouble, you'd have already done so from 'the other side'... Which I only partly grasp, but is valid.
    Dante: Grainne, our brethren's spirits, Thoralune, Artix and even a letter from Dragonspine. Enough vouch for you that if you can help us calm our people at the central chamber, the roots are yours to study.
    Rhiannon: We're willing to take a chance on you, with <<You>> here to help.
    Mysterious Stranger?: Bargained well and done. Raikenin, I leave the rest in your capable grasp.

    A taller cloaked figure with glowing red eyes oozes out of the stranger's shadow.

    <<You>>: ...I don't think I have to explain what looks suspicious here by now, do I?
    Mysterious Stranger?: I agreed to provide help. My command of ritual is without peer, but his mastery of raw nature is more nuanced. This... issue... suits a Vish-nu better. Besides, I've other matters requiring my attention.
    Raikenin: They have made themssselves creaturesss of the sswamp, even if unknowingly. It would take lifetimesss to educate them fully, but children who choosse the right path on their own desserve acknowledgement.
    Raikenin: You called the walker a ssshaman. The art I work is a fundamental precursor, likely not the original craft but like as not the eldest remaining. It is the meaning that the word has lost. Sshall I explain more on the way?




    Scene - Dragonlorn Keep gate scene, then Dragonlorn Keep Central Chamber.
  • The central chamber is a much darker, window-less interior in which the entire floor is like a horizontal cut of an enormous tree trunk, with the center having a rift to the Void.
    Characters - Dekanor, Player Character, Raikenin


    Raikenin helps the Chosen and Dekanor resist the ghost-dream steeped in primordial darkness, as the problem is ultimately not the spirits but what they are subjected to. In pushing back the stimulus, the response will adjust in time. The Chosen is depicted by a Dragonlord Relic set loading their face, explained to be done in order to not alarm the ghosts.

    The Chosen and Raikenin enter the bottom of the sanctum, standing upon a gigantic tree root, severed and worn flat. It seems to be made of black stone and crystal, with a swirling Void portal in its center rings.

    <<You>>: So you're a master of a discipline that's older than several comings of The'Galin, and is a precursor to modern shamanism. Are you from a reopening K'eld? Drakel cities do have species who haven't rejoined the modern-
    Raikenin: Halt. It is difficult to teach when you russh without waiting for a reply. Hmm... But you're trying to learn. Not like nestlingss who extrapolate from the assumption that they have sseen it all.
    Raikenin: I am of the Vish-nu, and sshare not an ounce of Wrûn with the Drakel. And though I have changed from ssuch humble roots, time doess not abide such idle chatter.
    <<You>>: I'd almost compare you to the Avatar, if not for the fact that you clearly have a physical body. But that's fair enough, we can talk more some other time.
    Raikenin: You will not waste too much of my time. A relief. Yess, the Avatar, and those they lead. Your world is sssaved by their becoming, but plagued by the first of their delvings into the divine.
    Raikenin: That you understand them will ssave much time explaining the distinction between synchronization and outright ssymbiosis.
    Raikenin: And the swamp is not *a* place, but the knowledge of Earth, Water, and Darkness. Of the cycless of life and death, bound as nature. Of the fundamental connections between them all. You have ssome knowledge of death, yess?

    Dekanor enters

    <<You>>: ...Hold that thought. ...For a while, preferably. Good to see you, Dekanor. This is Raikenin, he'll be helping us get through the gate so that we can free the spirits from their dream.
    Raikenin: I will be doing no ssuch thing, to ssstop at that would be treating ssymptomsss while letting the cause run rampant. But ah, you are a more experienced nestling. There ought to be more to what you can grassp...
    Dekanor: ...Nestling? I could swear that explosion robbed me of more respect than power... Changed as I am, small one, I am Dekanor. I was the Great Dragon of Darkness.
    Raikenin: Indeed? Tsk. You have not brought me to a wisser nestling; a baser child I have sscarcely ever had the burden of teaching. Dragon, can you remember the disstinctions of primordial versus external elementss?
    Dekanor: ...Of course I can! How could I not recognize the difference between the aspects of the Darkness realm and elemental Darkness from a fundamentally different origin?! I was its Great...Why, you disrespectful--
    Raikenin: Hrm. Sssufficient, unlike your early time as a Great Dragon. Your prideful ways once poissoned the realm with arrogance, but in sso keeping to what you could provide by your power alone, you ought to recognize it well.
    Dekanor: I tire of-
    Raikenin: Hussh, small one, let me finish. The people of your realm required a leader, not a ssavior. One who taught kin to work alongsside kith, not to fight alone and expect duty to teach itsself. That flaw is what they now relive.
    Raikenin: They wove a dream. A dream born from the Darkness that gives solace to life and a respite to death, to anchor them while they delve into its anathema. Elder, corrupting, reduced to nothing but a most hostile and insidious facet.
    Raikenin: Chosen, you will dress their like; familiarity is paramount. Ssmall one, you will find the very border of the weave of local Darkness. Water and Nature are absent, death in Earthen stillness... Perhaps the moss diamond?
    <<You>>: ...Let's leave him to his spellcraft. The others can keep watch, and I can see your eyes starting to bulge. Come on.

    The Chosen reaches into the portal after wearing a dragonlord disguise to slip past the spirits. The first exploration segment triggers.



    Scene - Void caverns, as per the Void Dragon War.

    Dekanor and the Chosen enter a frayed tunnel structure. The Chosen steps further ahead while Dekanor lags behind, grumbling.

    Dekanor: Hmph. That old lizard will have to let me talk once we're done here... Not content to hide beneath a blanket, but a shadow as well... Bah. But the spirits are actually healing, not just resting... Wait! Structures don't last in the Void, and whatever this is gets a lot more unstable where you are.
    <<You>>: This is giving me a very bad feeling. It feels like it's... adrift. I don't think there are threats coming *through* here anymore, but whatever 'here' is is still very bad. I see why they've been trying to destroy it.
    Dekanor: I haven't been able to come here with a clear mind since I arrived. Now I can feel what Raikenin meant. There's a trace of a power similar to the Plane of Darkness in its primordial intensity, but very hostile in nature.
    Dekanor: The enemy hunted heroes of Darkness so effectively that I came to think they were working *from* the elemental plane. But this makes it a lot less straightforward.
    <<You>>: A titan with roots trying to reach the mana core, creating an entrance to the Void, with agents in an elemental plane? This could have been even worse. The pantheon would have normally intervened at this point...
    Dekanor: Not from a threat invited by the world's people. The First Great Elemental War must have been a first attempt... The same manipulations, the same rivalries. A thousand years later, they almost finished the job.
    Dekanor: I only had a few days to think about it before being caught up in this haze, but I can see the signs more clearly now. Maybe they didn't target dragons for our power, but to keep us from warning against repeating history.
    <<You>>: ...Every new detail I learn makes what this stranger has been doing make just a little more sense. Was he trying to get me to realize this all along?
    <<You>>: It'd make sense, if he was around then. They took out the best historians, turned people against each other... He must be sick of seeing people not learn. Wait. Days? The exodus to the East was almost twenty years ago.
    Dekanor: ...It was nowhere near that long ago for me. I don't know how long it took me to recover, but I found my way back here soon afterwards.
    <<You>>: ...Do you feel that? In the walls. It's like deja vu, but... wrong.

    A tendril reaches from a gap in the walls to hit the player character from behind. Explosions destroy it, spreading from between Dekanor and the player character to fill the screen before a fade to black.

    <<You>>: The floor- AAH!
    Dekanor: <<You>>!

    Red splash text: "I remember... the overflowing darkness... the great enemy from beyond... and the stillness, before the end."



    Cut to a shot of the gigantic, deformed Vizalain of black crystal from Dragonlorn Keep part 1, during its initial appearance. The Calamity is in full swing as darkness spreads to the sky from it. The Void portal in its trunk spits out a ball of fire, and the player character is shown falling from it. The Dragonlord armor's wings manifest just in time to break the fall, leaving them surrounded by undead.


    After twelve half-power undead battles, the Titan Vizalain is sh own again. It screams out in floating words: "Sepulchure... traitor...", then fires a beam that cuts through the ground before aiming Eastward across the sky. After being nearlt hit, the Chosen hunches over while holding their head.

    Overcome by energy, they manifest as War and grow taller in a pillar of flame. Suddenly matched in size, the Vizalain calls down a veil of deeper darkness to obscure the area and attacks.

    The War form from Burning Solstice is applied.

    BOSS FIGHT: Obsidian, Titan of Shadows



    After the battle, War rips Obsidian from its roots, lifts it, and holds it still. The floating fortress of Dragonsgrasp crashes into it, and its explosion blots everything out.

    Next, War falls into the Void tunnel from the earlier scene, some distance behind Dekanor. They call down a pillar of fire to destroy a creature offscreen.


    <<You>> (offscreen to the right): The floor- AAH!
    Dekanor (offscreen to the right): <<You>>!
    War (Thinking): ...It is done. May what first pulled me into the Void never return from ash.
    <<You>> (Thought bubble from War): I... not again...

    Flames engulf War, who passes out as the disguised player character. Fade to black.

    Dekanor: There you are. I didn't see you fly past me... Let's get you some help before I'm tempted to let you cook as payback. That explosion is burning the tunnel up, we can't stay here for long.
    Dekanor: Human heroes... I wish you could see this one, Suhn. ...Huh. Did she enchant this with my power?

    • Post #: 134
    12/3/2022 20:48:29   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    Into Dragonlorn Keep — Unlockable Scenes

    Elemental Core


    Aodh and Rhiannon speak to the Chosen at a camp overlooking the Keep.

    <<You>>: It's a much more uneventful watch this time. Whatever enemies remain are scattering; it seems like the safe area gets bigger every time we come back.
    Rhiannon: The magical interference is less concentrated, but still there. It was too much to hope for that it'd start clearing just from that victory... But at least it *is* getting safer to be out here for longer.
    <<You>>: That reminds me, I found this gem while exploring the Keep's haunted areas. I've only ever seen ones like it on some golems, but there weren't any like it out here.
    Rhiannon: That's an elemental's gem. They're used to anchor summoned elementals without having to directly supply them with mana. I'm surprised you don't recognize this, especially if you're acquainted with Warlic.
    <<You>>: Wizards don't usually anchor elementals like that back East. Maybe it fell out of favor before I took to adventuring; people don't take kindly to binding summons that can outlast you and cause trouble.
    <<You>>: ...Not that it stops some people from doing it anyways.
    Aodh: So they faded out in the East, while around here... Well, it wasn't called the Second Great Elemental War for nothing. The gem you're holding is even older, though. That's from the First war.
    Aodh: Our ice mages were studying Frostgale's power. She was very powerful herself, but was also capable of summoning a lot of crude but effective elementals for support.
    <<You>>: There's definitely nothing crude about Mistral's summonings anymore.
    Aodh: What do you mean? Wait. Frostgale is sti- You know the... You're on a NAME BASIS with the old Great Dragon of Ice!? And that Doom Knight, you just up and burned... Rhiannon, just what kind of hero did Magnus fish up?!


    Cracked Scrying Orb


    Aodh and Rhiannon speak to the Chosen at a camp overlooking the Keep.

    Rhiannon: ...This was Grainne's. I helped her make it the right size. It was supposed to be a gift for her partner.
    Aodh: She didn't give it to Diarn before...?
    Rhiannon: Doesn't look like it.
    <<You>>: So that's the Dragonlord she lost. Is it okay if I ask why she doesn't join up with you guys now that the enemy remnants can be cleared out?
    $Aodh: Diarn wasn't just her Dragonlord. They were in love. He was... so strangely like a dragon, without a drop of our blood. That's what caught her attention. And once you catch Grainne's eye, well. She's... persistent.
    Rhiannon: The thing is, Sunscale's lineage was always under a lot of pressure to endure. Grainne herself had already arranged to be joined with another dragon. They were expected to revive that legacy together.
    <<You>>: ...I hope I'm not right about where this is going.
    Rhiannon: He seemed to understand. His family even became friends with Diarn. But when Grainne and Diarn split up to evacuate civilians from Dragonsgrasp, Diarn was wounded fighting alongside Fion. Fion just... let him die.
    Rhiannon: Fion's own family took care of him, but Grainne shut everything but duty away. And before anyone could get to her... Well, you know that part. In the end, she's not too different from the ghosts. We just can't reach her.
    <<You>>: It'll be harder to get through to her now that the shadows are running with their backs turned to her. Sometimes I wish I could forget that the overt, army-raising evil isn't the only kind. Hopefully we can help her one day.



    Portrait of Better Times


    Scene / Characters- 75% cutscene arrangement

    Magnus and Aodh meet on the keep walls.

    Magnus: There you are, <<You>>. We were just about to go find you. I was hoping you could tell us more about the East. Reconnecting will go a lot better if we can smooth out some of the culture shock in advance.
    <<You>>: That's... a very level headed way to handle the situation. I guess twenty years might not be a lot to you, but spending all that time here...
    Aodh: You're wondering how we coped.
    Magnus: Barely. That's how. Deciding to protect our fallen as they gathered gave us focus, and two dragons working together can make for fine builders. It was the right thing to do, morally and tactically. Knowing this helped, too.
    Magnus: But until you showed up, our progress was so slow that we lost a little hope every day. We couldn't afford to do more than slowly coax some of our brethren into listening, or flush out an enemy champion now and then.
    <<You>>: ...I can understand. You had the power to turn things around, but if you ever let loose... You'd come back to find everything you worked for, everyone you cared about, worse than dead. Because of you. It's paralyzing.
    Aodh: Exactly. That's exactly right, <<You>>. Chosen... You made light of it, but the word Chosen has a terrible burden to it, doesn't it? I think that there might not have been anyone more fitting than you to join forces with us.
    Magnus: Came to the West carrying the East on your shoulders, didn't you... And now you're very far from the nearest person who can't see the weight you try to hide. You know... That portrait you found. I want you to keep it.
    Magnus: For us, it's a reminder we don't need, of a past we were afraid of never seeing again. For you, it could mean something else. The future you're helping to create. We can all learn to let go, even if it takes a while.



    Ice Dragon Scale


    Aodh and the player character meet on the keep walls.

    <<You>>: I found an odd scale in the middle of some rubble. I think someone may have hidden it in a hollow stone block, like a stash of reagents, but I'm not too sure. Everything else was crushed or worn out.
    Aodh: That's a knuckle scale shed by Cryozen. The Great Dragon of Ice. The first of our generation to bond with a Dragonlord... And Vilmor was definitely a fitting match. She was a powerful warrior and brilliant alchemist.
    <<You>>: Warlic told me a little bit about that. Cryozen being murdered, and how this crime was the final straw that made the war impossible to contain. I never heard anything about Vilmor, though. What became of her?
    Aodh: I don't know. The last time I heard of her, she'd just been acquitted of the murder. She went north to the land of the Frost Giants to find a good place to raise Cryozen's hatchling... and to take down the real murderer.
    <<You>>: The one silver lining to all this tragedy is that at least the hatchling didn't get caught up in the calamity itself. But while I found a town named after her, we still haven't heard of either of them back East.
    Aodh: That's... concerning, but I would never expect her to just fade away into history like that.
    <<You>>: You put a lot of faith in her. It's making her sound very impressive.
    Aodh: Working with Dragonlords teaches you to spot exceptional humans. The best of both worlds coming together, slowly making something greater... Vilmor was the perfect fit for Cryozen, because they both embodied this.
    Aodh: In a sad way, we owe being a team to them. Someone as powerful as Cryozen dying like that, her grief and rage... Realizing how afraid we were to lose each other drew us a little closer. We opened up more.
    Aodh: Dante and Rhiannon, though... It's different for them. They need closeness. They've needed it all this time. And for all that they count on each other, they're barely even friends... because they're scared to death of feeling more.



    Dragonlord's Helmet


    Magnus and the player character meet on the keep walls.

    <<You>>: Hey, Magnus? This helmet looks a lot like something of Dante's. A little caved in, but that could be worked out. Did he lose it or drop it? It was somewhat out of place. Just lying in a pile of rubble.
    Magnus: It's a lot of words in the human tongues... He really hates the sensation of having a limited field of view when flying, without the senses to cover his blind angles. It makes flying with Aodh a pain.
    <<You>>: That's... That's just stupid. I guess a helmet isn't going to save you from a fall from that height, but what about other hits? ...Wait, isn't Dante *your* partner? How often does he fly with Aodh?
    Magnus: Most of the time. We share a telepathic bond, as do Aodh and Rhiannon... Though they don't use it for as many arguments. Mixing the teams on long missions allows us to stay in touch, even if we're not at our best like that.
    <<You>>: Clever. You really are getting the most out of those Dragon Amulets.
    Magnus: That's actually a natural progression of our bond. We were young when we met Aodh and Rhiannon. A healthy bond goes beyond power, it can eventually connect the minds of dragon and rider.
    <<You>>: What *does* the Dragon Amulet do then? Is it what allows the bond in the first place?
    Magnus: It can be a shortcut for it. The amulet helps humans learn our tongue, and us theirs. Through it, the human unconsciously draws and refines our power, which feeds back into us. We strengthen each other
    Magnus: Normally, we grow more powerful by either giving in to innate power and instinct, or cultivating it very slowly at the risk of being vulnerable while we grow up. While humans... Most of you have your limits.
    Magnus: The amulet grants the best of all worlds. Greater growth *and* potential, even for adult dragons, that flows through the bonded human. The increased lifespan isn't too... One day, we'll outlive them. But it'll be a while.



    Falconreach Sign Piece


    Dante and the player character meet outside of the Keep.

    Dante: ...Okay, I can't do the typical guy thing, to quote Rhiannon. Who may or may not have had some choice words with me. Stonewalling you doesn't work, and you've earned better. So, you look kind of worried. What's up?
    <<You>>: I've had something on my mind since I brought up Falconreach. I couldn't go through it without being... haunted, hounded. I can't even think straight there, and the others only managed to rally there after a lot of work.
    <<You>>: I can tell when something isn't coming from my mind, Dante. I have way too much experience with this kind of thing. It's a lot more like what the spirits inside the Keep put themselves through. It's a reflection.
    Dante: Right. These visions you mentioned. What did you find out? Spirits that don't come out while I'm in Falconreach?
    <<You>>: Yes, but they're not the ones that were there during any of the visions I saw. What I'm getting at is that if the place didn't do anything like that to you... The mirror needs something to reflect. Is that how *you* feel all the time?
    Dante: ...Not now, hero. Rhiannon has it a lot worse, she's just a lot better at dealing with it. Magnus... I can feel his pain and guilt all the time, he's *terrible* at hiding it. I know you just want to help, just... help them first, alright?
    <<You>>: I thought you had a tough act going on, but... Dante. It's been twenty years of trying to hold it together, surrounded by everyone's nightmare. You've already helped so much. It's okay to need help yourself. It's okay to *ask*.
    Dante: Falconreach is how I get it, Chosen. I've been patrolling there all along. Started fixing the odd wall or pile of rubble, then windows. I learned a little architecture from Magnus...then I couldn't stop.
    Dante: I guess I don't need to do it anymore, but I don't know what I was aiming for either way. Maybe I wanted it to be ready for the day people came back. It feels like the right thing to do for our fallen, too. But it helps me rest.
    <<You>>: You can keep doing that, if you want. But consider bringing the others. Do it together. Even what you do for yourself is more about helping others. And take it from me: As it turns out, the others can tell. They always could.



    Post #: 135
    12/4/2022 10:36:49   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    The Sisters' Revenge!

    Mogloween 2020


    Scene - Forest border, dusk.

    Plant Dragons enter from the left, followed by plant monsters peering out of the treeline.

    Plant Dragon 1: It's the last chance to back out. Are you still ready to go through with this? Arrok demands ruthlessness, not mindless loyalty. If you still have doubts... Forcing you would make us no better than the forest.
    Plant Dragon 2: ...No, I'm ready. The Unwaking Woods have nothing for us. We shaped our domain without ever hurting it, but now that it has a mind of its own... Arrok is right. While he figures this out, it's time to create a new home.
    Plant Dragon 1: It's a terrible irony that a dreaming mind would ignore dragons with a dream in favor of elves and orcs who merely subsist. Centuries of work undone, and no demipower to bargain with anymore.
    Plant Dragon 2: All I ask is that we go no further than a show of force. The human kingdoms have not unified this land — So we shall stake a small claim and prove that we can uphold it. At first as conquerors, then as protectors.
    Plant Dragon 2: If we are to raise our own Call and command tenders of our own forest, we need to earn more respect than fear. Fear would breed spite, and such rot would strangle any root.
    Plant Dragon 1: So that is why Arrok wanted you at the front. Well, if you can manage that, having the support of other races would make it easier to create a Great Dragon of... Do you feel that? Some incredibly large invocation...



    Scene - Battleon at sunset.

    The scene opens with Lucretia and the Chosen at the center of Battleon.

    Lucretia: Why, hello there, <<You>>. Nice to see you.
    <<You>>: Hey there. It's rare to see you all the way in Battleon on your own. Anything odd going on?
    Lucretia: Oh, far from it. The Far West campaign got me clients on multiple kingdoms, but I've exhausted my suppliers. Anything greener than a rock is expensive around Granemor, so I'm trading through Battleon too now..

    The Cauldron Sisters appear amid a Jack-o-Lantern shaped explosion.

    <<You>>: You never do go below a '10' when making an entrance, do you?
    Toil: Perfect timing, everyone. The time differential is becoming erratic enough that I had my doubts, but you stuck the landing. And please, <<You>>, that was a low two at best. If we REALLY wanted to make an entrance...
    Trouble: Oh, but we will. Just not into Battleon. Ooh, Lucretia is here too? Perfect, your services are about to come in very handy, dear. And personally, I would love to swap notes with someone versed in western dragon alchemy.
    Lucretia: ...I wouldn't say I'm completely versed in it at all, I've only studied a few notes passed down by my family. How do you know that, though?
    <<You>>: And I'd like to know just what she's about to come in so handy for, given what that usually means for the town.
    Bubble: Oh, you've got a bit of a plant dragon invasion coming in from the southwest. It's very cute! But it's on the way, so we'll take care of that too.
    <<You>>: That's still not good. We're still not done pulling back from the Far West campaign, let alone recovering from it. You're also giving me a lot more questions than answers.
    Trouble: We're *very* well informed about that. We've been scrying on the 'Far West' since the Calamity, usually without results. Recently, the interference has started to fade in places. Because we also scry on *you* so often-
    Lucretia: ...I think the word you're looking for is 'spy' there, but carry on.
    Toil: We understand that you're to credit for an incredible blow against the monsters that made the land so unreachable. You even sent them running! We've been preparing for an opportunity like this for nearly *twenty years*.
    Trouble: The Calamity didn't spare our home. We'd just left when it happened, but the aftershocks still broke it apart and left us with just one small piece. Like yours, it can't be reclaimed in one fell swoop... But we're just starting.
    Bubble: Come along! It's alright if your armies have to rest, because we've been spending all this time cooking up one of our own!

    Outside of battleon, an orange portal releases an army of undead and Mogloween monsters.






    WAR!

    War Scroll: The Cauldron Sisters have raised an army to keep up the pressure on the monsters of the Far West! Your victories there have inspired them to make those lands safer to return to, as the start of the quest to reclaim their own home!

    Lucretia: Things sure are moving quickly, <<You>>!
    <<You>>: Tell me about it. Having forewarning about that invasion helped save a lot of people, but pushing right through one army to hunt down another? The sisters are incredibly motivated.
    Lucretia: And they're so knowledgeable! I've had information on draconic schools of alchemy since I was an apprentice, but the amount of references I didn't have context for was driving me insane.
    Lucretia: They don't have the WHOLE context, but it's enough that I can start making some real progress!
    Lucretia: And the best part is, since they got this campaign started so quickly, I don't have to spend a dime on getting all the supplies I bought home!
    <<You>>: ...Your priorities are weird.
    Lucretia: YOU try finding a caravan that can handle both bulk merchandise and lots of delicate ingredients, all for cheap. I'm going to have so much more to spend on books and...
    Lucretia: You know what, you don't need to know everything. It'll just scare you. What you DO need to do is stop by my shop to make sure you've got any special potions needs covered.
  • Go/Stay

    Twilly: Twillies isn't used to undead armies being on our side, but these seem friendly! Nobody wants to explain how they can play the flute, though...
    Twilly: And some of these pumpkin monsters get a little rowdy and start hitting anything! At least they don't have any boxes... but if you need healing, I can help you!
  • Heal me, please. / I can handle this!



    50%


    Scene - Far West, wasteland borders (From Dragonlorn Keep 3 - The Far West).

    At a darkened area of the Far West wasteland borders: A Doombinder emerging from the ground to the left to intercept skeletons that march in from the right. It reaches forward toward the skeletons, which start shaking as if controlled. Mogloween mobs appear behind the Doombinder, and the skeletons suddenly start moving normally again. A question mark appears over the Doombinder's head, substituted by an exclamation mark as it gets mobbed by everything at once.

    Back in a lit area: The Chosen and the Cauldron Sisters gather.

    <<You>>: You really have put a lot of work into this. I'm impressed with how quickly you sent the plant dragons packing, and now this is working out great. I thought it'd be more of a gambit to send undead after necromantic binders.
    Bubble: Hehe, thank you! We thought you'd really like this surprise. Myx is putting in a lot of hard work too, pouring out reinforcements like this, but we promised him a long break after we're done.
    Toil: It would absolutely be a risky gamble to use undead as bait for these crawling mudtraps if they were minions, but we're not ones for the... quantity over quality approach. Every one of these undead is a willing soul.
    <<You>>: ...How did you manage that?
    Toil: We exhausted our reserve of artifacts created under the ley-line's influence, but that still wouldn't have been enough to create an army from scratch. Instead, we've been summoning the spirits that escaped the Doombinders.
    Toil: They were already undead, but needed an anchor. Something to keep them focused. So we helped the ones that agreed to stay gear up for one last counterattack. I gave every single one a curse to slow down the Binders.
    <<You>>: I would have appreciated a quicker explanation before getting pulled along. It looked like you were going to push as far as we did, or try to finish the fight when we've no idea of where the remnant leaders are.
    <<You>>: This is a really sound strategy, though. Cutting off their ability to ambush us or scavenge the dead to mass up reinforcements is the perfect first step - We were too depleted to seize that chance ourselves. Brilliant work.
    Trouble: Ah, Chosen, you'll make me make someone blush. We do get a little carried away... But this is home we're talking about. It's too important for us not to do this properly.
    <<You>>: I do have two questions, though.
    Toil: Ask away.
    <<You>>: First, what's up with all the plant creatures? They're not usually on our side, and you can tell that some of them are *really* not used to it.
    Trouble: Oh, that would be my handiwork. While Toil worked on the curses, I've been... retraining a lot of monsters that you so helpfully defeated. I suppose I might have put too much of a scare into some of them.
    <<You>>: I guess that when you're one big walking reagent, it's a good idea to listen to the scary alchemist. ...And I have to ask again this year. Why is Bubble a cat again?
    Bubble: She fights much better like this!
  • . . .





    100%


    Scene - Dry riverbed scene from Forlorn Wake

    Toil, Trouble and the Chosen stand on the left at the start of the scene.

    Toil: This is as far as we can go without overextending. We've already passed the point where the distortion gets disorienting. Let's fall back to Falconreach. The Bubbles are probably still visiting their friends' empty houses.
    Trouble: No, not yet. There were more of them somewhere around here, many more. I saw them flee. If we fall back, it should be to rain destruction on them from a distance. It's the only way to be sure.
    <<You>>: ...That's the first time I’ve heard you this angry. I agree; let's not get lured out into a trap right after we've done so much damage. But let's not get worn out either - I've got a very bad feeling about this.
    Toil: So do I. We did specifically set out to hunt down Doombinders, but it's very suspicious that they're all we're finding. Maybe any stronger remnants left them behind for being discovered, but it could also be a setup to exhaust us.
    Trouble: Let's fall back and make the land spit them back out, then. I've got *just* the recipe in mind.

    A Plant Dragon enters.

    Plant Dragon: Stop right there, humans.
    Toil: ...Should I tell them, or do you guys want to?
    <<You>>: Let's just not cause any more trouble-
    Toil: Too right, one is already pushing it.
    Trouble: You can only handle one anyways. Now step aside. I'd very much like to live up to my name right now, and you're standing in the middle of where it's going to happen.
    Plant Dragon: Enough. I'm here to admit defeat. We were a small force to begin with- The Unwaking Woods displaced my people, uprooting centuries of work to consolidate a domain for the Nature broods.
    Plant Dragon: We turned to conquest as a means of recovery, and... Whoever betrayed our plans to cause such a swift counter, it doesn't matter. We clearly underestimated the response to even a small advancement.
    <<You>>: For the most part, you were in the wrong place, at the wrong time... Arguably with the wrong head, since you *could* have reached out for help, but you had some terrible luck with scrying siblings. Still, we'll hear you out now.
    Plant Dragon: You've driven us far into the wastes, swept us into a fight with these ghoulish remnants... I don't care if Arrok wouldn't approve, I'm here to surrender.
    Plant Dragon: Unconditionally. As much as it hurts my pride, we're done. I'm exhausted.

    The screen shakes. Doombinder arms reach up from the ground to grab the Plant Dragon

    Trouble: Watch out!
    Plant Dragon: What...?! No, NO! Release me! NO!

    The dragon is pulled into the earth. After some more rumbling, the Bound Defiler emerges.

    BOSS FIGHT: Bound Defiler



    Scene - Crossroads east of Falconreach.

    <<You>>: ...Alright, it should be safer here. Those things must've been hiding deeper in the softer soil.
    Toil: I... actually feel terrible about that enemy leader. It'll probably lead to trouble for you down the line, too. However, what they did to that dragon was too quick to be improvised... Trouble, are you thinking what I'm thinking?
    Trouble: It's like a horrible combination of our fields. The defenders of Falconreach and Willowshire fought something like it before. Not *just* like it, mind. Overriding the host so forcibly, inverting key aspects of nature magic...
    Trouble: It's a good thing <<You>> was there to help put it down quickly. Something like that could have kept absorbing the others until it could inflict its decay on anything, not just living matter.
    <<You>>: There can't be that many Binders left now, but if that's what they can do when cornered *and* they're not even the stronger remnants out here, then we should fall back for now.
    <<You>>: Thanks to you, we can afford to take more risks when exploring these areas, but it should still only be the most prepared groups doing it. Maybe we should focus on making the skies safer next, after what just happened.
    Bubble: We're not done yet, though! You didn't think we weren't going to make time for Mogloween, did you?
    Toil: Bubble is right. Before people start putting up absurdly early Frostval decorations, we've still got a mighty big party planned to hold the line with. Myx has earned a rest, and you've been an awful lot of help.
    Bubble: We finally got to say goodbye to our friends. They'd want us to keep making new ones. Come on, let's go!
    Trouble: The Bubbles may not want to grow up, but that... I'm proud of you, sis.


    After-shop scene - dialogue bubbles only. They alternate between left and right.

    ???: The Binders have stopped retreating. Only a handful made it around the shore. Fewer still made the crossing. That will cost the Scythe Mantle the majority of their clout with the Circle, but we all stand to lose from it.
    ???: An undead army being raised under our nose is... unlikely. Obsidia has not lifted a finger since her contacts went dark - And she is not equipped to operate on this scale. The Moglin would seize assets, not destroy them.
    ??? You suspect treachery.
    ??? Yes, but for once not from the Brilhado. The Shadow Mantle might have become puppets, or decided to try their own hands at pulling the strings. Our own expeditioners sailing further West are unreachable.
    ??? More likely dead than compromised, and the same can be said of the ill begotten "Void Mantle", whatever terrible fate they failed to expect. But it would still be best to assume our own moves may have been betrayed.
    ???(Right) Exactly. They want to find an exposed neck. I say we offer it. Offer the remaining Scythe passage to their northern excavations. We can claim the Paladins have discovered us and convince the others to sound the Recall.
    ???(Right) Summon as many as you can to the Orcus Archive. I expect most of the others will only send enough of their leaders to feign compliance, but any traitors will sense weakness and begin their coup. We will be ready.

    Two successive splash screens:

    THE MANTLE CONVERGES

    TO BE CONTINUED

    • Post #: 136
    12/4/2022 10:53:06   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    The Waning of Pestilence

    Harvest 2020 Scavenger Hunt




    Warlic and a Guardian are speaking outside of a medical tent.

    Warlic: Ah, very good work. I didn't even have to ask you to update all of these charts. You're making my work a lot easier -- Forgive me for not being able to do more than keep their symptoms at bay for the time being.
    Guardian: We wrote rules to handle crises like this after the cursed gold situation last year. I'm just following them. But don't beat yourself up, Blue Mage. That you've managed to help us cure even a few is encouraging.
    Warlic: Thank you, Captain. I've sent word for some further help to make sure I can continue giving you my full attention. As you were.

    The Guardian exits stage right, and the player character enters from the left.

    <<You>>: There you are, Warlic. Did the situation get worse than your message said? This outpost has a surprising number of patients. I didn't expect all the different tents, cabins, and... springs. There's a whole squad in one.
    Warlic: I'm glad you made it, <<You>>. We've been forced to expand the premises due to the need for very particular arrangements for some patients... As well as some rather volatile symptoms in others.
    <<You>>: Yikes. It looks like Guardians are getting the worst of it, but I've seen adventurers and other civilians as well. What have you figured out so far?
    Warlic: There isn't enough BURP activity to directly threaten the farmlands, but people in key areas started developing curious symptoms. Expedition teams were affected first, followed by hunting lodges and logging camps.
    Warlic: Most of them are involved in either defending the western and central farm regions, or supplying the defenders and rebuilding teams. The situation was contained quickly, but improvement is far too slow to be sustainable.
    Warlic: I offered my aid, suspecting some sort of poisoning, but discovered that attempting to treat any of them with a spell would take... devastating amounts of energy. These aren't mere toxins or diseases. They are also curses.
    <<You>>: ...Pestilence. It has to be that traitor.
    Warlic: That... traitor? Still, your deduction is perfect. This magic is clearly divine in nature, the energy is so efficiently used as to be very hard to detect. The variety is such that I believe Pestilence may be... experimenting.
    Warlic: Especially because some of these are very precisely crafted, while others seem more like outlandish tests. The medics have classified hyperthermia inducing spores, parasitic photophobia, bacterial pyrogonadism...
    <<You>>: ...That explains the cartloads of different reagents from Lucretia and her suppliers. I'm guessing you need my help with the rarer... ... ...BactoWHAT?
    Warlic: Bacterial py-
    <<You>>: You mean with their...
    Warlic: Yes.
    <<You>>: On fire.
    Warlic: Yes.
    <<You>>: I'll get to work right away.
    Warlic: ...I can devise simple but time-consuming alchemical cures. The Guardians are keeping me stocked, but some of my personal reagents are dangerous to-
    <<You>>: Give me that list before I have any more time to process that mental image.

    A scroll with the scavenger hunt items emerges. The items and locations are as follows:

    spoiler:


  • Sigil-Sustained Ice
    (Frost Effigy, found in the first Frostgale Set quest)
  • Rafflesian Goggbladder
    (Goggplant, the boss of Burning Solstice part 3)
  • Hyperporcine Tallow
    (EpPig)
  • Moglinoid Ectoplasm
    (Moglin Ghosts, included in the Dragonlorn Keep pools)
  • Cyclone Wyvern Venom - Do not touch or freeze.
    (Cyclone Wyvern and Cyclone Wyvern rider, both found in Dragonspine 19 - Wyvern Rider War)
  • Feral Draconic Swim Bladder
    (Water Dragon)



    • 50%



    Warlic: We're making good progress. A corps of alchemists has been organized with the help of cured guardians, and I've been able to task them with replicating treatments and cures as I analyze the living curses.
    Warlic: However, I fear Pestilence is testing not only his powers, but *us*. His work can be frighteningly intricate, but the difference in subtlety between each instance is almost... leading us on. Testing how quickly we figure them out.
    <<You>>: Or how much he can accomplish with the least amount of power. He's changed his methods so quickly that I didn't even expect something this methodical. Anyways, how are the patients holding up?

    Guardians wheel in a colleague who is encased in a block of ice from the knees to the chest, moving him into the medical tent. Nara enters to speak to Warlic.

    Nara: We've unloaded the Chosen's deliveries, sir, and the entire lumber yard detail has been rotated out for examination. Some of the workers have been covering for them. I'll update you when the outhouse fires are contained.
    Nara: Unfortunately, we've also had to bring in some more patients from among our own men. This one kept catching on fire and got carried away using ice magic to deal with it.

    Nara leaves.

    <<You>>: ...Don't say it. Not one word. I'm going to go finish that list.


    100%


    The Chosen and Warlic meet inside the medical tent, where armored patients are laid out on beds, now ice-free.

    Warlic: Excellent work. I knew we could count on you.
    <<You>>: I'll have nightmares about some of those diseases for a few days, and I won't ever look at hot springs the same again, but it's worth seeing so many make a recovery.
    Warlic: Not only that, but you've ensured we'll be able to supply treatment in case there are any new instances or cases that we missed. The doctors and alchemists will work with the Guardians near their homes to ensure that.
    Warlic: What do you mean about hot springs, though? ...Oh, that ward. I suppose they would have resembled geothermal...
    <<You>>: Please stop.
    Warlic: ...Certainly. One last thing, though. The recovering expeditionaries left something to reward you for all your hard work.


    Post #: 137
    12/4/2022 10:57:31   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    Close Your Eyes

    Tree Decoration 2020


    Robina: Alright then. Now that the tree is looking as nice as ever, let's go see Yulgar about a warm mug before we do anything else. We're used to being out in the cold for hours, but you really should slow down a little.
    <<You>>: Maybe the *year* should slow down. I can't believe it's Frostval already...
    Robina: I meant that you're looking kind of tired, not just in general. But since you're going there... When is the last time you caught *any* rest? You blazed a trail back West on your own, and everything that followed...
    Robina: I'm not sure I ever saw you just resting. Actually resting for a few days, that is. Rangers are out there in the wilderness most of the time and we still know to let our heads and muscles recover a little.

    The words: "Aren't you tired?" appear at the same time as the preceding line.

    <<You>>: There's still a lot of trouble out there. Wasting an advantage against the Strangers or a chance to make the kingdoms work together could have been terrible. And then there's the outlaws organizing to make bigger moves...
    Robina: Alright, I'm stopping you there. I'm not saying you did anything wrong, or less than you should have, but thinking about everything you *could* have done is how you justify pushing yourself to a breaking point.

    The words: "Aren't you tired?" appear at the same time as the preceding line.

    Robina: We're all happy that you're helping reclaim our home, even if none of us might live to see it restored. I can't begin to tell you how much it means to me personally, it's... The point is, you're burning the candle at both ends.
    <<You>>: ...Alright. I didn't think I was making you worry that much. It just finally seemed like we'd have a chance to make some permanent progress, to end a threat for good. I thought I might save us a terrible war later on.
    Robina: Alright, that does it. Just because you're right doesn't mean you're not missing the point. You're going to go to deflate those bags under your eyes just now. Don't even let me hear the first 'but'.
    Robina: Cyrus and your new North allies have that entire region on watch, Rhubarb's got the shores covered. With the kingdoms actually having to work together to find any other spooks, the Guardians can focus on the South.
    Robina: *I* can look into the bandit leads just fine, and I *dare* you to tell me otherwise. *You* are going to go to Yulgar's, have yourself a long sleep, and wake up to a nice warm mug, all on my tab.
    Robina: When you wake up, we're going to bury you in so much Frostval cheer that you're going to be recovering for years. Now go on, we've got Frostval in the bag.

    The words "Come to me..." appear at the same time as the preceding line.

    Cut to an inn room, where Yulgar is leaning in at the entrance.

    Yulgar: And don't even think of getting up before we come knocking.

    Yulgar slams the door shut.

    <<You>>: How's being that loud going to help me slee... *yawn*... Alright, a few hours won't hurt.

    Fade to black.

    Nightmare Queen: Welcome home, dear...


    Post #: 138
    12/4/2022 11:09:51   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    Welcome Home

    Frostval 2020 part 2



    Nightmare Queen: Welcome home, dear...

    An impact is heard. The scene fades into the Chosen's nightmares within the Horror Realm: A dusky, menacing stretch of rolling black hills, twisted foliage and distant mountains, lit by an annular eclipse. A nightmarish silhouette of Carnax can be seen stepping over a mountain range in the background, always watching.

    <<You>>: GAH!

    Cut to a close-up. The Nightmare Queen awaits, as the Chosen enters from the left, having appeared in the Nightmare Realm bed and all.

    <<You>>: ...Oh no. This is the opposite of what I needed.

    Nightmare Queen: You've kept me waiting for so long, <<You>>. How deliciously cruel of you. Naturally, when you finally came to my arms, I had to pull you the rest of the way through.
    <<You>>: You're awfully coherent. You weren't like that when the potion effects kicked in the last... few times. That... that's actually scarier than you not being yourself.
    Nightmare Queen: I could hardly not be myself. A chance to have my Chosen's mind AND body here was simply too important to pass up. And unlike a mere Moglin's nightmares, *yours* are altogether special.
    <<You>>: Listen, this fixation is still going creepily strong, but you clearly have your wits about you. You have to send me back - We could talk via Khandie and figure out a way to help you so that you can focus on finding her family.
    Nightmare Queen: You help me every time you close your eyes and weave this land, <<You>>. Little else keeps me going while failing Khandie so horribly. Why would I send you back when I need you more than ever?
    Nightmare Queen: You understand, I see it in your every dream. For all the horrors they enrich us with, these puppet conflicts do so get in the way. I finally cleared my mind enough to endure the trappings of waking diplomacy...
    Nightmare Queen: ...only for Deren to be of no use! Civil war commands Tralin's attention while our mere visits inspire more attacks. Cerin, of course, pursues peace abroad while his people need him. Plans upon plans, that one.
    <<You>>: Alright, so we can't work on uncovering Khandie's past yet, and... *sigh* Yes, I do understand. It's ridiculous - All this corruption and strife dividing Deren when Tralin was doing such a good job as a ruler. But wait--
    <<You>>: We're talking about you. It really sounds like you're thinking clearly; you *have* to know these feelings aren't real. We should take the chance to figure out how to remove that false emotion and go home.
    Nightmare Queen: I AM emotion. Horror can be nothing else; so what does it matter why I feel? I am as real as the chills in your spine, and so is this love -- no matter the source. Besides, we *are* home. This is your dream.
    <<You>> (Thinking): Getting physically pulled into the Nightmare Realm is enough trouble, but my own dreams? ...I need to play along and find a way to escape her attention. Khandie will be looking for her, she might be able to help.
    Nightmare Queen: Oh, how it's grown over the years, your land within our realm. Exquisite and vast, a kingdom in its own right. Only mortals can know such fear, yet only the divine can know enough to feed it so richly.
    Nightmare Queen: Now be a darling, darling, and clear some trees. Break them, flay them... And I will spin us a properly imperious love nest. Mind the 'wild' life; my forces are so very clingy. I don't know where they get that from.

    Four standard battles with heals every second one



    The player character enters a different scene in the hills.

    <<You>> (Thinking): Alright, she's concentrating on that... Time to make a break for it while she's distracted.

    The player character exits stage right. The Nightmare Queen's bubble points offscreen, to the left. From this point forward, dying in battle before the boss will play a scene of the Nightmare Queen swooping in from behind to catch the Chosen, showing her melting face.


    Nightmare Queen: YES! A dream about escaping! You know me so well... I'll give you a headstart, my dear, now run!
    Nightmare Queen: RUN FOR YOUR LIFE



    Twelve battles at 0.5 power, healing every fourth battle format.

    The player character enters from the left. A dialogue bubble appears, pointing offscreen to the right.

    ???: You. You shy away from power, so you may not share my folly... but even in your dreams you won't let me rest. To be Forsaken and die, you know what that is like...

    Nightmare Nightbane enters from the right.

    Nightbane: And you almost let me be dragged screaming back, to suffer even worse torment. Is it that memory that keeps me alive in your mind? The scars? I know I left a few. Is it fear, you privileged godling?
    Nightbane: If I take you apart and look into your skull, will I find out?
    <<You>>: Balius, wait!

    A checkpoint is set. Nightbane rears up in part of his wing attack animation

    Two buttons appear.

    Face Nightbane!
    Mouseover: The Nightmare Queen is chasing you; there's no time for a pitched battle. Face a standard boss fight, unlocking the normal quest rewards.

    -NIGHTMARE MODE
    Mouseover: You have a feeling your dreams have even worse in store. Delay Horror's encroachment on you through a challenge fight for a special reward.

    <<You>>: ...He's gone. And somehow there's even worse than THAT out there. I need to get out of here fast, but how...?

    Khandie Khain enters from the right.

    Khandie Khain: Not easily. You've been heading straight for the border to Terror, but running won't help forever.
    <<You>>: Khandie, I've been looking for you. You know what's going on, how can we stop this?
    Khandie Khain: If I hadn't been looking for you too, you wouldn't have found me. We can't simply sneak you out while you're *physically* in the dream world. Dad can't just stop you from dreaming like that.
    Khandie Khain: Especially not while you're in the half of your dreams that belongs to mom. And *especially* not in a nightmare of pursuit. Anywhere you arrive, even where you want to go, she'll be waiting there.
    <<You>>: What can we do? I do want to help, but she's... lucid feels like the wrong word, but you know what I mean.
    Khandie Khain: You can't always be stuck on that mentality. If you want to help, you need to know when YOU need help, and TAKE it. I'll show you a tunnel to the Terror half of your dreams.
    <<You>>: That sounds just as unwelcoming.
    Khandie Khain: It's dad's domain. She won't have eyes on you all the time there. I'll distract mom while you cross over, but not a second longer. I can't stand being here. It's like my old dreams, but... bigger. Now come on, run!


    Post #: 139
    12/4/2022 11:24:46   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    All Alone

    Frostval 2020 part 3





    The player character enters a cavern scene.

    <<You>>: I can't feel my spine crawling like it's about to get crushed anymore. Hopefully that means I'm not being chased anymore...

    A disembodied voice speaks.

    ???: Only for the time being. Our pawns may scatter, but my wife is not so easily deterred.
    <<You>>: Ah crud. This is the part where I get in trouble with you as well, isn't it.
    Nightmare King: Terror is ruled by no fool. Involved as though you were, I know you are not to blame for the Queen's condition. As I know better than to spurn one such as yourself, one of the prime contributors to my realm.
    <<You>>: I meant no offense, it's just that I don't know how long I've been running and finding trouble at every turn. I think I've only now made it far enough from her to catch my breath.
    Nightmare King: It is not yours to know, only to dream and wake. The mind moves in directions the body cannot recall, wandering through its own dreams. Bringing the body as well, though, does introduce certain limits.
    <<You>>: So I've noticed. Are you actually here, though? I can barely see you... Er, your... Panic-ness? And I could really use your help getting out of here.
    Nightmare King: For your own convenience and health, I am making myself only partly known. I can assist you even without properly manifesting. You approach my realm, where I am anywhere.
    <<You>>: Being everywhere sounds useful for getting me wherever I might need to go.
    Nightmare King: Not everywhere. Nothing so blatant. Anywhere. Horror is not to be underestimated, Chosen, but Terror is fundamentally different. It is the dread of anticipation. The vision at the corner of your eyes.
    Nightmare King: My Queen rules dreams of lightning and thunder. I dwell in the faces the storm illuminates; the whispers it drowns out. Poetic expression aside, Chosen, you should NEVER see me with your waking eyes.
    <<You>>: ...I'll take your word for it. Not to be rude, though, but can we move on to how I can get out of here?
    Nightmare King: You are crossing the border to my share of your dreams. By the time your mind decides it is there, I will be distracting my Queen with other matters. See to it that you escape your own terrors before she notices.
    Nightmare King: As to how you might do that? You cannot flee or confront terror, it will find *you*. Anticipation must end, and so you will have your chance to face it. Or succumb to it, past the usual point of waking.
    Nightmare King: Of course, I doubt you fancy taking leave of your senses, so I suggest you find your way to my wider realm in one piece. Then I will be able to help you without worrying about the Queen hearing.


    FOUR BATTLES: Standard power, healing every second one. Backgrounds change between the fights, showing caves, exterior scenes, and gigantic innards.



    The scene changes to BattlesEnd, what at first seems to be a view of Battleon. The various buildings are relabeled, with their names and descriptions changed as follows:

  • Twilly - Click on Twilly for orientation!
  • Rip in the Sky - CLEFT FOR THEE, BE LOST IN ME
  • Mountains (Not clickable) - The North has never been safer.
  • Stat Trainers (Not clickable) - Renamed to Circus, description: you don't want to go there you don't want to go there she will find you
  • Archery shop - Renamed to Forest Ranger, description: She can't guide you here.
  • Housing Shop - But you're home already.
  • Mage Shop - Renamed to Apothecary, description: No gods will come from this machine.
  • The Inn - The start of a way out, perhaps.
  • Pet Shop - Renamed Menagerie, description: Aria knows how you treat the beasts.
  • Zardhunter Shop - Devoured from the head, is that how your dreams feel?
  • Guardian Tower - It may guard you from this world, or this world from you. Which is it, dear heart?


    Clicking on the Rip in the Sky results in playing the animation for being devoured by Pae from Isle D'Oriens, then going back to Battlesend.

    Clicking on Twilly results in the following exchange:

    Twilly: Hiyas! My name is Twilly, and I am a Moglin. This is one of my favorite towns in the whole wide world-- the town of Battlesend!
    <<You>>: Battle... send?
    Twilly: Battle's End, silly. It's the most important trade outpost in the East! Every merchant from Falconreach stops here before going anywhere else. Anyone going West stocks up here, and it's where the elves come to trade!
    Twilly: That also gives us the best trade deals on this side of the continent on anything from beyond any sea! It's the most prosperity anyone has seen since the worldpool and the end of wars!
    <<You>>: ...I can't be dreaming about Falconreach trade routes, I've only just come back to Battleon.
    Twilly: Battle ON? You haven't been listening, stranger. The fighting ends here. Nothing can reach us anymore, so we don't need to fight back. And if we start fighting each other again... HE will come.
    Twilly: So it'd be better if you surrender quickly. Then I can take you to my hospital and we can be friends after you recover...

    ONE BATTLE: Red Moglinster, then full heal.
    Altered description: ...I don't think Twilly is going to be as helpful here.

    Clicking any of the non-blocked buildings results in entering them in this sequence:




    Yulgar's Inn


    <<You>>: What? This isn't where... Even for a dream, this looks off.
    Yulgar: You've come to the wrong town to ply your trade, arms dealer. Unless you're here to have all of those melted down, in which case we're overjoyed to get that big of a donation.
    <<You>> (Thinking): ...Okay, let's play along this time. I'm not going to figure out this dream if I get in trouble everywhere I go.
    <<You>>: I'm not here to trade, Yulgar. I'm just on my way out of the realm.
    Yulgar: Are you now? How is something that small going to get anywhere out there?
    <<You>>: Something *what*?
    Yulgar: Get me a broom, Hans. We've got another rat. I'm going to have to ask Warlic to purge the storage walls...

    ONE BATTLE: Yulgar
    The scene changes to the shrunken view of the inn, with the boss being Yulgar's feet.
    Altered description: Yulgar doesn't take kindly to rats stinking up his town. Knights and adventurers are always running off and becoming pawns of the corrupt, and that makes them rats in his eyes.


    Aria's Pet Shop:


    Aria: Oh, I've been waiting for hours! I asked Hans to stop by and help me feed the new animals, but you'll do just fine. Any body would, really. Can you lend a hand? Or two, really.
    (Note: Deliberately sinister phrasing rather than a typo there.)
    <<You>>: ...Sure?
    Aria: Thanks! I'll let them out now. Try to make sure the little guys share you, okay? They have to learn to eat together in peace.
    <<You>>: Wait, what!?

    FOUR BATTLES, 0.5 power, then a heal. Enemies: Snake , Two-Bear, Axebane Burrower, Acid Dragon.
    ONE BATTLE: 0.5 power Gogg (3)

    Aria: No, no, this wasn't their exercise time... Aw nuts, now they're all too tired. I'll let it slide, but you had better help me potty train them to make up for the work time I lost!
    <<You>>: Oh Lords, I hope I don't have THAT nightmare when I get out of here. I'll... I'll just check out the next shop.


    Warlic's Shop


    Warlic's name is replaced with Blue Mage throughout the scene. As he notes, the word 'war' is struck from the scene.

    Blue Mage: Interesting. Very interesting. You're definitely back too soon this time. Don't you know what happens when a dream gets its hands on its dreamer? If it even lets go, it might just decide it doesn't need one...
    <<You>>: Okay, I'm stopping you right there.The King told me to confront my 'dread', and I'm clearly not going to manage that playing by the dream's rules. Especially if it's going to be coy with me. Now tell me how to escape.
    Blue Mage: That's what this nightmare *is*. It meanders and gets sidetracked, as dreams do, but this thinnest shell of your fear is your escape. The world where you don't fight. Where no one does.
    Blue Mage: The world where your very nature is so forbidden that your name and anything like it have come to an end. With all the cold tyranny that it takes to drag the pulse of the world to a screeching halt.
    Blue Mage: You already *are* escaping.
    <<You>>: I know! I can't not know, being here forces me to. And that's probably why there are all these distractions and strangeness, but... It doesn't matter what this place is, I can't *be* here.
    Blue Mage: Then don't be. You already said that you're not going to get anywhere playing by our rules. Stop trying to get out of this world, and go through it. Right through its heart. Right through YOUR heart.
    Blue Mage: Find what you have never dared to consider, since well before the burning question was answered. You know where to go, don't you?
    <<You>>: ...Yes.


    Guardian Tower Entrance


    <<You>>: Let me through. You can't guard me from it. Or... it from me.

    The Guardians uncross their swords.



    The scene transitions through a distorted flashback combining scenes in which characters say "I'm counting on you." or "We're all counting on you." to the player. The words "CAN YOU KEEP COUNT?" fade in before cutting to the next scene.

    Standing on an invisible platform overlooking Lore from space, The'Galin stands to the right, speaking to a figure with the player character's face and name. This version of the Chosen is wearing a battle-worn and partially burnt cloak.


    The'Galin: I'm glad I could count on you. Gaiden is not well. He... may not recover, not from tangling with a foreign demipower. I cannot deny him his father at such a time. *sigh* We had hoped it would never come to this again.
    <<You>>: I thought it never would. We tried to be vigilant, but...
    The'Galin: Entropy. I know. We protected you as best as we could, but we can't save our children from their own choices. Unity has to be achieved, not forced. Unfortunately, all that remains after the war of uncreation is... Tyranny.
    The'Galin: In its current course, Lorians will either take to the stars as tyrants, or be razed by their own corruption. Worst of all - With Tjeli's maw open, I can't stay my hand any longer. There is yet Hope, but.
    <<You>>: ... but it must be tested, I know. Lore will stand united, or... start over, and hopefully heal.
    The'Galin: With the orbs gone, they will have to endure the worst of the test at once. You can still stand back. I could make you forget, if you want. As we too will need to forget. But if you're still ready, my friend...
    The'Galin: Then you know the words. Speak them, and we'll begin.
    <<You>>: Freely, I am yours.

    A flare of red energy covers both. The robed version of the player character now stands hunched, with their face darkened by the mark of Omega.

    The player character enters from the left.

    <<You>>: ...No. No, I couldn't... I don't want this. I'd never do this.
    Omega: Of course you don't want this. None of us do. But would you truly never consider it? Have you never asked yourself, or is this the question you never wanted to finish in your mind?
    <<You>>: I stood against you before. I would do it again.
    Omega: Yes, you would. You served me best by delivering the failure I so desperately wished to experience. But surely you have imagined the implications of being a friend of the gods. One of the only people they can count on.
    Omega: And after your own taste of divinity, one of the few people who UNDERSTANDS them. If the world was doomed beyond redemption, would you not give it another chance? Would you truly never help a friend?
    Omega: You can't run away from your heart when it is laid bare before you.

    Checkpoint

    <<You>>: No. But I don't need to. This is what they meant earlier. I can't make you go away so easily, but I won't run away from you either. Then the only way out of here... is right through you.

    BOSS BATTLE: Omega

    Fade to black.

    Nightmare King: Impressive. You took the single most direct exit possible, and your mind is... mostly in one piece. You avoided the brunt of your dread by taking in the very point of the blade. That most direful surmise. Delightful.
    Nightmare King: You will be beyond her notice for a while, so take the chance to... put yourself back together. Do try not to fall asleep, if you even can, but rest while you are able. The Gate of Whispers awaits.


    • Post #: 140
    12/4/2022 11:40:00   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    Never Alone

    Frostval 2020 Gift Delivery





    The scene opens in the Terror Realm — a broad background of bleak plains lit by a periodically blinking sun, where the limbs of trees are occasionally replaced by human or monster ones. Some scenes have the hidden silhouette of a duck. Watching. Judging.
    A gold and white bonfire ignites in a campfire The Chosen enters, and the Nightmare King manifests as a partial silhouette.

    Nightmare King: You're finally ready. Good.
    <<You>>: As ready as I'll ever be, after that ordeal... I can't manage to actually rest up here. Everywhere I look, it feels like something's waiting to... I don't know, just *waiting*.
    Nightmare King: The unknown is not always content to wait, but for once shying away from it may be wise.
    <<You>>: When DID this get here? It really doesn't feel like a nightmare.
    Nightmare King: Wyrd's Blaze is a wanderer with no one place it truly belongs. It simply likes stories, joyous or dreadful, those who make and those who share them. Bringing it to you was trivial; the fire adores adventurers.
    <<You>>: That's very interesting. However, I doubt it's going to light the way... Orientation seems irrelevant here. So giving it stories is going to help me escape in some other way?
    Nightmare King: Precisely. Reaching the Gate of Whispers is not a matter of walking, but dreaming in the right direction. And my Queen is no fool. While crossing it in this direction would be a grand feat, she has taken precautions.
    Nightmare King: Her forces await at both sides of the Gate. It would not do for you to escape a company into the arms of an army. Give your story to the fire, and I will make way for it to reach your allies.
    <<You>>: ...Alright. It feels a little odd. I do appreciate everything you're doing, it's just so strange to be... nevermind. Let's get started.




    Robina, Sage Uldor, Warlic, and Yulgar are gathered in the inn's back room


    Robina: You've all had the exact same vision too, right? Was it spotty for all of you?
    Sage Uldor: Yes. Based on my own experience, I can confirm that it's neither prophetic nor planted. Magical, yes, but not... deliberate. It's as if the dream itself was empty, and the fire happened to follow into it.
    Warlic: It's too much of an intrusion for the Nightmare King to risk perfidy over a simple trap. Nor would he have a reason to subvert Wyrd's Blaze - I would have been able to tell if a living spell had been forcibly altered.
    Yulgar: Hate to be the one to point out the obvious to you magical experts, but <<You>> went missing, bed and all. Right out from under our noses. Even if it was a trap, we have to find <him/her>. You're sure it's not? Good, let's go already.
    Robina: What Yulgar said. We're *well* aware of how that Queen has the creeps for $him, so let's not delay. Even if it's not how Wyrd's Blaze usually appears, $he is stuck with some gods-awful company.
    Warlic: Ah, you know of it already? Of course, then I'll prepare at once.
    Robina: Mhm. What kind of ranger hasn't shared stories over a fire? Alright, I'll get out and find you the shortest path to where that gate is supposed to be. Start sending people after me as they get ready. Move out, everyone!



    War!

    Scene - A forest camp overlooking a cave access. The duck silhouette is hidden in this scene too.
    Scroll: There's no way your friends will let Frostval pass without coming to your aid! While you fight off nightmares and echoes to dream your way home, they're delivering gifts and clearing out a Waking Nightmare army!


    Twilly: There is NO WAY Twillies is going to stay here while our friend is all alones like that!
    Twilly: It's not right! If we can't break through soon, I'm gonna... I'm... Argh, I hope it's not too bad there!
    Twilly: OH. Sorry, hehe. I didn't notice you! Hiyas. My name is Twilly. If you need healing, I can help you!
  • Heal... me? / I can handle this. Or they can?

    Lucretia: Nobody else? Okay, let's take a look at this report... Oh, you there. You haven't restocked on healing potions yet, come over and help yourself.
    <<You>>: Lucretia? You guys aren't really here, are you?
    Lucretia: Yes, yes, Frostvale is the bigger business, but I've hired assistants to keep them supplied this once in case something happens.
    Lucretia: Are you all set for healing and potions? Good, I want everyone at their best out there.
    <<You>>: Of course. This must be an echo of what's going on just to the other side. The more I manage to dream of Frostval time with them, the closer I seem to get.
    Lucretia: Alright, that's everyone taken care of in record time. Now to brew up something nasty... These glorified chess pieces will see how much worse than poison I can throw at them.
    Lucretia: ... They did get my specialized potions before getting lost in there, right? I don't quite remember.
  • Go / Stay





    33%


    In a spoof of the Reindragon gift delivery scene, a grandma flies down and runs a Reindragon over, sending it flying. A disembodied dialogue bubble follows:

    <<You>>: ...I don't think that dream came out right. I'm supposed to be dreaming about delivering gifts to get home, not... Whatever that was.



    66%

    Back in the Terror Realm, the Chosen is surrounded by disembodied copies of their voice, in dialogue bubbles using the player character name.

    <<You>>: This feels like a dead end. It's hard enough to try and dream while physically IN the nightmare realm and WIDE AWAKE. I'm supposed to have gotten there by now, aren't I?
    <<You>>: But I've been trying to keep it to pleasant dreams of home and Frostval all this time and... I don't think I'm getting any closer. Maybe I'm pushing too hard.
    Voices: Or maybe I'm still getting it completely wrong.
    <<You>>: ...And just what is this place trying to do to me NOW?
    Voices: Yeah, what AM I trying to do to this place? I'm supposed to make it move me in the right direction, but I keep trying to move IT.
    <<You>>: Great, I get to hear me being cryptic with myself. As if everyone else doing it wasn't good enough. I don't suppose you have a cloak for me to wear, so I can fit right in?
    Voices: How can I fit in when I'm looking for the wrong dreams? I mean, I'm looking for pleasant dreams in the land of Terror itself.
    <<You>>: And it's looking more like the Horror side here... I'm thinking too much about the escape. The King said I have to dream my way to the Gate if I want to reach the other side.
    Voices: Which means I have to dream of home. But is that what my dreams of Battleon are like anymore? All nice and restful?
    <<You>>: Battleon is home. If my dreams of it aren't comforting, what are they?
    Voices (From all the spots at once, labeled War): WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY ARE, WAR?
    <<You>>: Stop that.
    Voices: Yeah, I better stop that. Most of my dreams of home are so stressful. What's coming after us next? When will we catch a break and see some real progress in the eastern towns? When will I have to save my friends again?
    Voices: So there's only so far I'll get without recognizing those dreams. And if I'm going to get to the other side, I have to dream of what's on the other side. Which isn't exactly *me* helping *them*, now is it...
    <<You>>: No. No, it's not. They dropped everything to come help. They know I've gotten out of worse crises, but they're not taking any chances. I... have to want them to save me.



    100%

    At a clearing of the Nightmare Realm

    Initially clear scene. The Chosen enters the scene as the Nightmare King's apparition awaits.

    <<You>>: This is the place, isn't it. I can feel it, like I'm at the edge of a cliff.
    Nightmare King: You made it. So long as you are not trying to take anything from your nightmares with you, the Gate should appear to let you through.
    Nightmare King: ...But it's not there. You're not foolish enough to have taken anything from this realm that you shouldn't have. There has to be a- *HURK*
    <<You>>: ...Zard spit. She must have caught him. *Now* how do I get to the door?!

    Voices using the player character name appear again.

    Voices: Well, there aren't that many possibilities, when I think about it.
    <<You>>: Lords, this again.
    Voices: Yes, this again. I have to figure this out all on my own now, after all. Just me...
    Voices: And me...
    Voices: And me...
    <<You>>: You're really wearing out the sound of my own voice for me, you know. Let's get this epiphany over with.
    Voices: Oh, AM I. And let's. See, I can only think of two possibilities here.
    Voices: I didn't take anything with me, so something must have hitched a ride unbidden. I lowered my guard and something got in. Or out, more likely.
    Voices: Or maybe there's a problem with escaping the Horror realm like I did. Escaping doesn't really count as not playing by its rules, now does it? I could have gotten away with it if the Queen was still distracted.
    <<You>>: ...It's both. This isn't subtle, like the Terror side. If I didn't notice something changing, it has to be something that's there all the time. Not just when I sleep. Something that's always troubling me.
    <<You>>: *sigh* You can come for me now.

    Checkpoint. A Nightmare version of War enters from the right.

    BOSS BATTLE: The War Within

    The Nightmare Queen enters from the left.

    Nightmare Queen: How perceptive of you. You noticed my little present! I gave it to you so you wouldn't be able to leave so easily. Though I wonder if you'd have noticed without that little leftover taste of horror
    <<You>>: ...I had my suspicions when that voice stopped being introspective and got derisive. Please tell me you didn't hurt your husband to get to me.
    Nightmare Queen: Ah, no need to underestimate my poor dear. While I am much stronger, he can pick himself back up so very well... You and I, though, have other business to get back to. It's not wise to tease a queen.
    Nightmare Queen: But you're going to make me work to take you home, aren't you?
    <<You>>: I really don't like how much you seem to enjoy the idea, but I'm getting to that gate even if I have to go through you.
    Nightmare Queen: Perfect.

    Checkpoint.
    BOSS BATTLE: Nightmare Queen, Obsessed

    Nightmare Queen: A fine warm up, but I've been waiting for far too long to let you go THAT easily.
    <<You>>: Could you at least TRY not to be creepy?
    Nightmare Queen: I'm only thinking of our future. Do remember your promise, too. It will be much easier for you to help my Khandie if you're always within reach. Quickly, now, I can't seem to feel my forces anymore, so-

    The Gate of Whispers, a stone gateway with a swirling portal within, rises from under the Nightmare Queen and sends her blasting off again. Lucretia, Robina, Warlic, and Yulgar rush in.


    <<You>>: Guys! You made it through!
    Yulgar: You bet we did. We've got all the presents delivered, and there's no way we're letting you miss the party.
    Warlic: We were supposed to clear the way for you, but the gate was not opening from your side, so... I got creative.
    Robina: No army of walking chess pieces was going to keep us from dragging you out of this creepy place, anyways. Are you okay?
    <<You>>: ...I am now. Thank you, everyone.
    Lucretia: You're okay now, you giant dolt. Just you wait until we're out of here, you had us... You forgot to get your special potions!




    Fade back into the inn bedroom scene.

    Yulgar: And make sure to get some actual rest this time, alright? Room's on the house. Warlic says you shouldn't have trouble for a long time, but he's setting up some wards anyway.
    <<You>>: Thanks, Yulgar. I'll see you in the morning. Happy Frostval.
    Yulgar: Happy Frostval, <<You>>. And sleep well.

    Reveal the room, with the player character standing in it and noticing the lack of a bed. The furniture was left back in the Horror Realm. From a hidden corner in the room, a duck stares judgementally.

    <<You>>: ...Oh.

    Fade to black.

    • Post #: 141
    4/7/2023 6:49:53   
    bszoke88
    Member
     

    		 Please update Grenwog shops links in this post:
    Eggstra-Secret Shops

    Carrot weapons info
    Carrot weapons info 2

    Grenwog '16 Commemorative Spoon
    Tyrannochicken Rex Rider
    Tyrannochicken Rex Rider

    Invoke Tyrannochicken Rex

    Missing ?? info on
    grenwog hood face
    mutant egghead
    yolk extractor
    baby egg pet
    mutant egg defender
    hair-raiser

    Grenwog Slayer Chopper/Cleaver/Wand
    Grenwog Slayer Garb
    AQ  Post #: 142
    5/24/2026 11:00:51   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    To Spring a Trap

    It’s knot easy beating green (Grenwog 2021)





    The player character’s state is dangling upside-down from a tree in a charred clearing.

    <<You>>: Yep. That’s me. You’re probably wondering how I ended up in this tangle.
    <<You>>: Now, I’m not sure how many minutes of story-time I have in me before blood and gravity throw a party in my head...
    <<You>>: But I think the vines are kind of helping with that, so here goes.





    FOUR BATTLES: Forest and plant creatures. Full heal every two.

    The player character enters a forest scene.

    <<You>> (thinking): Okay, I’ve been searching for hours now. I wouldn’t expect Guardians AND Valencia's contacts to be wrong about bandit activity, but I haven’t seen a single one of them.
    <<You>> (thinking): Unless I count that one TerrorZard. It wasn’t doing anything, but it was there. Just... Existing.
    <<You>> (thinking): If those things being around isn’t against SOME law, it ought to be.
    <<You>> (thinking): ...Hang on. I recognize these trees. Wasn’t there an Orc village around here? Maybe they’ve seen something.


    FOUR BATTLES: Forest and plant creatures. Full heal every two.



    Scene - Forest
    Characters - Bandits, Player Character
  • The bandits are the same ones as in the Umazen Uprising part 1.
    Assets - The tips of branching vines thrashing on the right side of the screen.

    A group of three bandits enters from the left and a second shortly afterwards, stopping in the middle while the first exits through the right. The ones from the group that stops begin to talk.

    Bandit 1: That looks like the spot up ahead... But we’ve been cheated! That’s no Umazen camp! What now?!
    Bandit 2: Settle down, you zardbrain. You know exactly what to do.
    Bandit 2: Either the informant was wrong, and we take our money back plus some more for our trouble... Or they were lying, so we fill their house with honey and then tell the Hybees they stole it.
    Bandit 3: Alright, alright. So we have some fun either way. Still looks like an easy score up ahead. No orcs in sight, looks like a simple loot and ru- Hang on, the guys ran into something.
    Bandit (Offscreen): Uh. Hello, ladies.
    Dryad (Offscreen): This entire area is barred to your kind while we heal the damage of Carnage’s passing. You had better have a noble or useful reason to intrude.
    Bandit (Offscreen): Well, ah. Say, you look like the sort to not mind us while we take all of these valua- Ahem, worthless and clearly unnatural objects away from your sacred woods.
    Bandit (Offscreen): So if you wouldn’t mind remaining calm and not violently thrashing us with those vines while we loot and dash...

    Vines poke out of the right side.

    Bandit (Offscreen): THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT I REQUESTED.

    Dryad (Offscreen): This was the home of friends of the forest.
    Dryad (Offscreen): It will be reclaimed by nature, not by greedy parasites like yourself.
    Bandit (Offscreen): STOP. I’M ALLERGIC TO HUMILIATING BEATINGS.
    Bandit (Offscreen): AAAAAAAAAAH!

    Bandit 2: ...And just like that, my allergies are acting up too.
    Bandit 1: I didn’t like those guys anyways.
    Bandit 3: Let’s get out of here before this gets even worse.
    Bandit 2: I’m not disagreeing, but how could it get even worse than THAT?!

    The player character enters.

    <<You>>: Gentlemen.

    Bandit 1: Just for the record, I hate all of you.

    Checkpoint.

    THREE BATTLES: Orc Bandits (2), Poacher (2), full heal, power:2 Bandit, full heal.
    The bandit pack is at half power, but has permanent Celerity and Berserk, with the name "Last Stand" added description: "Caught between a thorn and a Chosen, these cornered bandits are desperately ganging up on you!"

    The bandits and vines are removed from the scene. The player character advances to the right and offscreen.

    <<You>> (Offscreen): Now to see what those numbskulls were doing to the village- Oh. Hello there.
    Dryad (Offscreen): You missed an intruder, sister.
    Dryad (Offscreen): Worry not. <he/she> stepped on the vine trap.
    <<You>> (Offscreen): I did what now?

    The vines return. Fade to black.

    <<You>> (Offscreen): Why am I getting dragged into this?!



    Back in the forest clearing, the player character is dangling next to the bundled bandit.

    <<You>>: And then they just left me here. So that’s how I wound up in this mess. Maybe I wouldn't be stuck here if I'd signed up for that bare-handed gardening and lumberjacking course.
    <<You>>: Maybe I'm just cranky because I drank all of my water before setting out again. Oh, they’re finally coming back. Good talk. I’ll try not to forget to untie you for the Guardians when I’m out of here.

    Two Spring Dryads enter from the right.

    Lyrana: Now, let me see these intruders our sisters caught... Oh. Oh dear. Not all of these are common bandits, Senna. Our sisters' vinework is excellent for being so new, but they should learn how to apply some diplomacy.
    <<You>>: Fantastic, now can you please let me do... Hello? Are you ignoring me?
    Senna Why should they? That’s a word for the cities. Trade and negotiation don’t mean anything to us. The forest can’t ask for permission to grow.
    <<You>>: Ladies, I’m surprisingly used to discussing philosophy by now, but I’ve needed a bathroom break for HOURS and-
    Lyrana: The forest grows in will, not only in shape. Sooner or later, that means intersecting other wills.The blessing of Spring must tend to new life. We can hardly renew the damaged forest through antagonism.
    Senna But we can. The cities stand in our way. The lumber trade slows our growth. Nature reclaims, sister. Is that not our power and purpose? Lyrana, we’re practically fighting-
    Lyrana: It’s alright to want to grow, and to push back threats. But if we expect people to learn from nature, we cannot make the lesson it teaches be a wildfire without renewal.
    Senna Not if we win.

    Zoom in on Lyrana’s face as she smirks.

    Lyrana: Is that so? Outsider, I’m letting you down now.

    Zoom out to the same scene, except the player character is standing now.

    Lyrana Admittedly, I expected you to come down on your own. You don’t look like a common bandit. I would hardly expect some vines to be enough to keep you bound for long.
    <<You>>: Listen, flower power, I’ve been holding it in since before being tied upside down next to Chuckles over here. I was hoping your sisters would be a little kinder and let me down instead of running off.
    Lyrana: ... ... Very heroic. Now then, I’d hoped you might be able to assist me with a little thought experiment. Could you tell me what you’d do if ideas like those of my sister prevailed, and the forest became bent on conquest?
    <<You>>: I don’t want to cause any more damage, but I've seen where that mentality leads. So until people finally learn to sit down and talk... I would fight back to protect anyone caught in the way. And so would many others.
    Lyrana: Wonderful! Senna, <<You>> stands in your way. Yes, the Chosen. Show me your idea of how nature reclaims. If you can drive $him away, your vision may work. What mere poacher or despoiler could stop you?
    Senna: You... have a point. <<You>>, I will have to impose this challenge on you.
    <<You>>: ...Senna, I can see where your sister is coming from, and I would much rather you get to know the people you want to fight instead of settling this with violence. I also hope they'll be reasonable with you.
    <<You>>: But I’m tired, I’m cranky, and you’re standing between me and my own call of nature. So just this once, do as I say and not as I do, because I’ll settle for solving this the quick way. No hard feelings.

    BOSS FIGHT: Senna

    Lyrana stands next to her defeated sister.

    Lyrana: Now, it might be unfair to pit you against one of the strongest heroes out there, but our Fall counterparts have also faced $him before.
    Lyrana: But now that you’re bruised, exhausted, and in need of rest before you can return to healing our home... I trust you’ve learned a lesson?
    Senna: ...Yes. NEVER get between a hero and their restroom break.
    Lyrana: ... Close enough. <<You>>, you have my thanks.
    Lyrana: <<You>>?

    Zoom out. The player character is gone.

    Bandit: Mmmphg mgnt mhmer mher.
    <<You>> (Offscreen, to the right): Gah! Am-Bush!
    <<You>> (Offscreen, to the right): WHY?!

    < Message edited by Lorekeeper -- 5/24/2026 11:08:56 >
    • Post #: 143
    5/24/2026 11:09:22   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    Last Resort

    Snugglefest 2021



    Yulgar is alone at the entrance counter to the inn. The Chosen enters.

    Yulgar: Huh. Hey there. Done being everyone's hero already?
    <<You>>: Yeah. It's been a quieter Snugglefest than usual. I was half expecting something absurd, like Sham showing up in a bear suit handing out dangerous amounts of chocolate.
    Yulgar: Now that's something you don't want to jinx, <<You>>. But yeah, Battleon barely has half the usual bustle for this holiday. We got very few customers, so I told Hans to take the day off and take Aria on a date, lest I fire him.
    Yulgar: Robina's been spotting for the Guardians well enough that they can patrol for bandits effectively, but it's still gotten just unsafe enough that fewer people want to flock here for the smaller holidays.
    <<You>>: I don't like how close to the major trade routes they're muscling in. One big war that doesn't go our way might be all they need to start jumping on entire caravans.
    <<You>>: The smaller settlements and farms could get cut off, and then *they* would be vulnerable. I'm going to have to talk to Nimrod and see how I can help with that...
    Yulgar: Adding even more to your plate? Maybe you should be the one taking a beach vacation before it gets that bad.
    <<You>>: ...Beach vacation?
    Yulgar: Yeah, the other reason we aren't getting a lot of people today. There's a big craze about some tropical island charters. People are booking entire ships to go on a Snugglefest retreat.
    <<You>>: ...I've got a not so sneaking suspicion that this is about to get bad. Hopefully I'm wrong, but I'll investigate. See you whenever I'm back.




    SIX BATTLES: Heal every two. Pool includes outlaws, leprechauns and angry protesters. If there's time, the protesters should be a version with Sham's head on their signs instead of the Chosen's and the description: I guess it would be hard to identify just one thing Sham did to anger these protesters, but why are they taking it out on you?!

    After battles along the road and hillside, the player character arrives at the Krovesport docks, where a queue leads into waiting sailing ships.

    <<You>>: ...Okay, I want to say nothing looks out of the ordinary, but that was an awful lot of Sham's agents and other shady sorts trying to make it here. I'll need to find an officer and make some pointed questions.

    'Fan' dialogue bubbles start popping up from different directions.

    Distraught Fan (Offscreen): *gasp* There <he/she> is! Wait, I don't see Cyrus OR Robina. Someone lied to me!
    <<You>>: ...What?
    Distraught Fan (Offscreen): Oh, Lords, <he/she>'s also going to the Cai-Man Islands for Snugglefest! ALONE!
    Distraught Fan (Offscreen): Not with Warlic?
    Distraught Fan (Offscreen): Shush. Not with Valencia?!
    Distraught Fan (Offscreen): Why isn't <he/she> going to Safiria's castle instead?!
    Distraught Fan (Offscreen): <<You>> clearly belongs with Kalanyr and you all can eat my boots.
    Distraught Fan (Offscreen): None of this fits my headcanon!
    <<You>>: ...Head cannon? Is that pirate slang? Is this the setup for a mugging?
    Fans: GET <HIM/HER>.

    BATTLE: Naval Fan Club

    <<You>>: Gah! Why is my love life or lack thereof so important to people?! I swear, every time I go near the docks or meet couriers, something like this happens.
    <<You>>: ...Look, is there anyone here who *doesn't* want to pry into my personal life that could tell me if this is seriously a queue to sail where those people said?

    A random civilian answers:

    Alyssa: The less I know about that gossip, the better. No offense, I've got evocation studies to focus on when I'm back. And yes, this is the second tour ship bound for the newly discovered Cai-Man Islands.
    <<You>>s: Thanks. ... Well, I was just about out of hope that it wasn't something this troublesome anyways. I'm going to have to go along and keep the first lot from getting stomped by Archos and his fellow wardens...




    The Chosen disembarks in a beach scene.

    <<You>>: ...Oof, this is a mess. They're all over the place. I don't see a sign of whoever organized this, which doesn't sound... well, non-grisly.

    A crashing and cracking sound comes from the trees.

    <<You>>: ...Of course they're already in the woods. Time to get them out of trouble.


    Two battles, then heal. Pool: Forest creatures, pirate and outlaw humanoids.

    After the battles, the player character finds a stranded group of beachgoers.

    Beachgoer: Of course we're not going in circles, my armored future apprentice. My sense of direction is absolutely flawless. Isn't that right, my friends?
    Beachgoer: Just keep getting between the wildlife and my date and I'll say it's good enough.
    Adventurer: ...Wait, someone agreed to date that one?
    Beachgoer: Smooth, knucklehead. Let's focus, people. We'll rescue our tour guides in no time, then we can get back. I promised you a Snugglefest adventure anyways, we've got this in the bag if we stay together.

    Two more battles, then heal.

    The player character enters.

    <<You>>: There you are. You should head back now; whoever sold you a trip to these islands really understated the danger. The natives aren't bad, but they don't take kindly to interlopers.
    Beachgoer: Natives? I'll take your word for it, but we've been here a while without running into anyone.
    <<You>>: Count your blessings and get out while you can, then. Follow a straight line along where I came from. It took an army to placate the Cai-Men when invaders made them angry, and that was just PART of the tribe.
    Adventurer: Whoa, whoa, Cai-Man isn't just a name? Alright, fine, I'm out of here. I'm all for meeting new people, but not by trespassing on their land first.

    One adventurer leaves, followed by the rest of the regular group and some of the beachgoers.

    <<You>>: I'm glad they listened. Now, how about you tell me about these missing tour guides and follow your friends? I'd let you come with me, but you've probably made a bad impression... And you're badly undergeared.
    Angry Beachgoer: Why you.... you... I was at least a YEAR closer to getting a Snugglefest date!
    Angry Beachgoer: You're an adventurer just like us, why do you have to hit our plans in the knees like that?
    Angry Beachgoer: You didn't have to be a jerk and overshadow us like that. I had everyone asking about my scars! This was one successful rescue away from ending my streak of not finding a Snugglefest hero.
    <<You>>: ... Did... did you not hear the part about it taking an army to get through to the natives when someone made them mad? Do you not mind repeating that risk, or a diplomatic disaster if you're lucky?
    Angry Beachgoer: I am GREAT at diplomacy. Do you even know who I a-
    <<You>>: No. I don't know, and I don't care anymore. In fact, your new name is Dangerous Beach Clown Number One.
    Dangerous Beach Clown #1: I don't like that name.
    <<You>>: YOU are Dangerous Beach Clown Number Two.
    Dangerous Beach Clown #2: My father will hear about this.
    <<You>>: And YOU are now Steve.
    Steve: That's actually my name.
    <<You>>: Then, out of fairness to the others, you are now Honk Honk.
    Honk Honk: Aww man.
    <<You>>: And I'm going to cut a deal with you and your friends. I'm going to let you through. IF you and everyone ELSE who wants to risk unleashing a war on all those hapless tourists out there can beat me.
    <<You>>: If you can actually get through me, then maybe the tribe will respect you enough to talk. Gang up on me all at once if it gives you confidence, but if you all lose... Then you're leaving the island right now.

    The battle tactics map unrolls, with the following three options:

  • Show them patience: Six 0.5 power battles without healing, mixing angry beachgoers with standard Cai-Man and forest mobs (Sans dryads). The Chosen has an initiative penalty, but SP and MP regeneration.
    Description: These newbies are in over their heads, and more than a little silly... But many people have an odd phase and turn out well. Show them how a patient adventurer handles a long fight by taking it slow, letting them come at you first and conserving your power.
  • Show them the way out: Standard option. Four fights against packs of 2 beachgoers, then a boss level one, healing after fights 2, 4, and 5.
    Description: You don't have time to make this an even bigger deal than you already have. Take on a few small groups, then pick the toughest looking of the lot and make a big show of taking them down.
  • Just show them who's boss: 1, 2, 3, then 4 angry beachgoers at once, all without healing.
    Description: (Challenge fight) Maybe one day this bunch will turn into a good, smart adventuring group. Right now, though, they need to know NOT to come back. Take on more of them every fight, all without healing.


    With all of the beachgoers gone, Archos enters the scene from the right.

    Archos: I seem to recall you speak the language of diplomacy well, <<You>> of Battleon. But once again, experience shows that you've been made to learn when not to use it.
    <<You>>: Unfortunately. I'm glad to see you, Archos, though we really do need to meet through better circumstances one day. You don't happen to know about any missing tour guides, do you?
    Archos: Of course. My wardens seized the "missing" humans, but they are no guides at all. Only pirates who deliberately scattered these... boisterous kin of yours. Doubtless in hopes of distracting us, or spreading us out.
    <<You>>: I appreciate the fact that you kept the tourists out of harm's way.
    Archos: You presume kindness. There was no reason to retaliate against those *deceived* into trespassing. We remained out of sight while herding them back. Some ex-Wardens were heedless. They were dealt with too.
    Archos: However, I will entertain no requests to leave the leaders unharmed this time. The deceivers themselves are guilty of perfidy. You'll agree that their cowardice made them deserving of our justice.
    <<You>>: ...Maybe. What are you going to do with them?
    Archos: They have already been dealt with. I have arranged for them to be delivered to their rival Rhubarb in a most humbled state. They will be our first warning to the world, now that we have been so thoroughly exposed.
    Archos: Future warnings will be less merciful.
    <<You>>: Hopefully you've seen that I'm willing to support your people's right to establish boundaries, but I have to oppose that. Escalation will just get more people dragged in until everyone thinks they're fighting in self defense.
    <<You>>: You trade in secrets, your counter-intelligence and stealth are enviable... Maybe we can still figure out a way to turn this situation to your advantage? People still think this is just some beach getaway with dangerous locals.
    Archos: As Chief Warden, I must be decisive in managing our strategy and defense. Stealth and intelligence are the expertise of our Reefstalkers... But I understand what you're implying. Yes, our veil is lifted... But not in full.
    Archos: We will never be fully hidden again. More will come, from now on. But we can still shape how we respond to future outsiders... And, indirectly, how they react to us. We can manipulate that reaction. Control it, even.
    Archos: In their current state, these people are a burden to watch over. Harnessed through all but a few secret docks, they could become a screen forcing enemies to blend in with unarmed, observed tourists.
    <<You>>: ...You're kind of starting to worry me, Archos. All of that sounds kind of sinister. Can you tell me, calmly and plainly, what you have in mind?
    Archos: Oh, I can show you.


    The scene changes to a beach party, with a full dance floor in front of a sunglasses-wearing Archos as he plays music from a DJ booth.

    <<You>>: ...I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this.



    < Message edited by Lorekeeper -- 5/24/2026 11:22:59 >
    • Post #: 144
    5/24/2026 11:23:09   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     

    		 The scene opens outside the Bank of Leprechaunia.

    O'Holy: This is most concerning. Containment should be even better this year, but he should have recovered already... I'll double check the safety charms.
    Uncle Sham: Love is in the air...

    Light flashes through Sham's window.

    O'Meany: Get the chains, he's bending the bars! The gold, it does nothing!
    O'Holy: CODE PINK! CODE PINK!

    Love Sham bursts out of the window and flies off, sending leprechauns flying through the hole.

    Love Sham: ...AND SO AM I!

    Cut to the sky view, with Love Sham flying through.

    Love Sham: At last, I feel the wind on my belly! The time has finally come to make this season count -- and make sure EVERYONE feels the love!
    Love Sham: As usual, SnuggleFest left too many without a hero... NO MORE, I say. Today, Love Sham will find everyone their hero... No, nothing so temporary.
    Love Sham: Love Sham will find you... THE ONE!
    Love Sham: ...But wait. What's this hideous...gloom? Someone isn't feeling the love at all. I'm not going to get anything done if that brooding is contagious.
    Love Sham: Yes, love has failed too many. I shall take matters into my own hands and BE love! And if I'm to help anyone at all, I will have to start by giving YOU your medicine.




    Warlic is alone in the Battleon outdoors.

    Warlic (Thinking): It's difficult to admit it, but I don't understand. The world should have compensated for the loss of a leyline by now, but this doesn't match any of our models. Its properties haven't been distributed to any others...
    Warlic (Thinking): Yet there IS a clear change. We'll have to spread out to map it out. Walk the world and rediscover its dynamics. Letting magic humble us all over again sounds... like being a child again, in a way.
    Warlic (Thinking): It would be... nice. It would be dangerous, too. The West... Something was trying to turn the Expanse's kingdoms against each other again. And my friends, I... But we know, now. We're not in the dark anymore.

    A heart arrow suddenly flies in and sticks to Warlic's shoulder.

    Warlic: Augh! How...? My wards!

    Warlic raises a barrier.

    Warlic: Show yourself before I rend your hiding place... Ow. This feels strange. Familiar... invigorating. That doesn't smell like blood, but... the potion?

    Warlic is riddled full of Sham's cupid arrows. He goes wide-eyed.

    Warlic: Uh oh.

    With a stage explosion and a guitar riff, Warlic suddenly turns into Wabio.

    Wabio: The time has come! For far too long, the magic of love has been bound and unswoled, the music of its swaying locks and rippling pectorals denied to the masses. I will unleash love. I will BE love. Dawn breaks at last!
    Wabio: ALL SHALL LOVE ME AND...
    Wabio: ...this... pear? What is this rosy-hued pear in undergarments doing in the path of my conquest?

    Love Sham enters.

    Love Sham: I am here to spread the love, Blues Mage. And no one will be exempt from it.
    Wabio: SPREAD love? Nonsense. Love should be a magnet. A singularity! An inspiration drawing all to one. To ME.

    Wabio and Love Sham stare at each other as a guitar sting plays.

    Wabio and Love Sham, in unison: ...There can only be one.



    WAR!
    Scene: Distant view of Battleon, surrounded by two different crowds. Lucretia is wearing a goggled gas mask. Twilly is blindfolded

    War Scroll: Love Sham and Wabio are at war, and Battleon is caught between them! You will need to stop one of them so you can get through to the other!

    Lucretia <<You>>? Ugh, I can barely see in this thing, but I'm not taking one chance with those bumbling, blithering, bemuscled buffoons.
    <<You>> What in the world is going on out there? The Guardians have a perimeter around Battleon and there are huge brawls all over!
    Lucretia Don't ask me how it started, but Warlic is... THAT again, and Sham is... Sham. Their followers are fighting it out, but they're too busy doing their thing to finish it.
    <<You>> ...If we can't catch the two of them in one place, this isn't going to deescalate easily. I'll have to figure out which one to take down first so the other will listen.
    <<You>> At least you seem to have figured out a way to not be affected by... Yeah.
    Lucretia It's alchemical in nature, so I'm just taking standard precautions. From WAY away. You seem pretty resistant yourself, but you might want to buy some specialized protection from me.
  • Go / Stay

    Twilly: Twillies has seen enough bellies made of bricks for the rest of the year.
    Twilly: Twillies thought they were dehydrated and tried to heal them, but love hurts. Now he's okay not getting to use his eyes for a while.
    Twilly: If you need healing, just stand very still and I'll try to figure out where you are so I can help you.
  • Heal me, please. / ...Maybe when you're steadier.

  • Take on Love Sham's forces
  • Take on Wabio's forces

    War Pools: Humanoid enemies for both sides, with an Energy bias for Wabio and a Fire bias for Sham. Protesters with the faces of the opposite boss are in each side's pool.


    Wabio 33%

    Wabio stands alone on stage, spotlights converging on him.

    Wabio: Now sing along with this, my pecs' duet! My power over you grows stronger yet...
    Wabio: Women of Battleon, and soon all of Lore... Rejoice, for none shall fail to comprehend your love for me any longer. I welcome, I require the love of EVERYONE to overwhelm this pretender!
    Wabio: Love is magic, and I breathe magic into the world! There is no one more fitting to represent love, and conquer that magic across all of Lore! Love Sham wears his falsehood on his very name!
    Audience: How can he keep people away from Wabio? How DARE he not love Wabio?!
    Wabio: By these rippling muscles, by the flowing locks that crown me, rise! Rise and bring the impostor down!
    Audience: TRACK DOWN THIS LEPRECHAUN! HE MUST BE BOUND!


    Wabio 66%

    As objects are thrown at Wabio's stage, two voices stand out from the indistinct crowd.

    Kyrie: ...This is the party everyone keeps talking about? I don't see what the big deal is. I thought just letting loose might help me feel better about myself, but I don't know if I'll ever manage that again.
    Valencia: Don't say that. Everyone makes mistakes, and second chances are a huge deal to the heroes of this land. Trust me, I have a friend who's seen a lot of people through times like that. Even me.
    Kyrie: I believe you, but it's hard to feel like I deserve that. *sigh* Snugglefest was a mess again. At least the Thunder Crown can't see me like this. I wouldn't be able to face them. Or their ridiculous successors. Or Blackheart...
    Valencia: Stop focusing on other people. Let's talk about *you*. It's okay to figure out where you started to go wrong, but the sooner we start working on the 'you' that you'd be satisfied with, the better.
    Kyrie: I'd just...I'd never felt so heartbroken before. Nothing like that had happened to me in centuries. But to be hurt once and go down this road... I'm supposed to be an uplifter of the worthy.
    Kyrie: How can I give hope to the fallen if I disgrace myself the moment things go wrong for me?
    Valencia: ...Alright, we clearly need to take this slow. Starting by working on your ability to listen. Let's get closer to this concert and see what it's about. We'll blow off some steam, then go on an adventure. You'll feel worthy soon--

    Beat.

    Valencia: Oh. Oh no.
    Kyrie: ...Oh. Here I go, blasting again.

    Lightning strikes the audience, sending people flying in a crowdsplosion.

    Kyrie: OUT OF THE WAY, EVERYONE. LET ME SEE MY LOVE'S ABS UP CLOSE.




    Wabio defeat - You give love a bad name

    The player character storms Wabio's stage

    Wabio: So, you're ready to admit your love after all. I must say it pains me to see you put so many adoring fans out of commission, but Wabio encourages determination. With fans like you, the world will be my stage even sooner!
    <<You>>: ...What? No. Lords, no. First of all, I'm not helping ANYONE conquer lore, not even a friend. I'm here to save them from you, and you from yourself. Second of all, even in this... state... You can't be serious.
    <<You>>: Is this seriously all you think there is to love? Abs, hair, more abs, and fans who are *compelled* to like you?
    Wabio: Yes.
    <<You>>: ...Okay, nevermind, it'll be violence first after all. It's not the answer, it's really not, but you need a slice of humble pie. And the rest of the pie. And the tin.

    BOSS BATTLE: Wabio Superstar

    Wabio: This makes no sense. It's so nonsensical that it hurts my abs to think of it. Why can't you feel the love, like everyone else? How could you overcome me?
    <<You>>: I've no idea of why it doesn't work on me, and after last Frostval, I'm perfectly happy not knowing. But maybe I could beat you because, deep inside, you wanted to be defeated.
    Wabio: Wabio does not crave defeat. These deltoids were made for love, and these pecs for conquest.
    <<You>>: ...Right. Let me put it this way, then. You wanted to be helped. Just like you want to be loved. I think that's why the potion turns you into... well, this. I assume Sham's arrows work a lot like that, if he hit you with one.
    Wabio: Wabio's glutes do feel like they're filled with pins and needles instead of the usual quaking pulse of raw, destructive power.
    <<You>>: When you open your mouth, my stomach tries to punch my brain for letting you. *sigh* Don't you see, Warlic? Everyone has coped with the past differently, but you hide your pain from everyone. It's okay to want help.
    <<You>>: Pushing everyone away doesn't protect them - It just makes you think they feel as bad about you... as you yourself do. Then a war, potion or- er, an arrow comes along to force all that bottled loneliness out, and... Well.

    Wabio turns back into Warlic.

    Warlic: ...You can stop the speech, <<You>>. I do want to let everyone back in. I've tried, but suddenly I see faces from twenty years ago, and... I wish I could recover as well as you can. I'll try again, slowly. My friends deser-
    Love Sham (offscreen): Love is in the air...

    Love Sham enters from the right.

    Love Sham: ...and so am--
    The Chosen and Warlic interrupt in unison.

    <<You>>: NO.
    Warlic: NO.

    Warlic zaps Love Sham as the Chosen begins to play the attack animation. Fade to black partway through.

    Love Sham: IIIIIIIIYEEE! Not that high in the aaaair!


    Sham 33%


    On a road, a grizzled Guardian is facing a Seeker.

    Guardian That's right, you fiend. I AM a Guardian, and I won't let you hurt any of my friends - Your search ends here.
    Seeker: Any last words before I...

    One of Sham's arrows hits the Seeker's back.

    Seeker: ... love you.
    Guardian ...What?
    Seeker: I've been searching for someone like you my whole life. We can finally be together...

    The Guardian runs, and the Seeker follows them offscreen.

    Seeker: LET ME LOVE YOU.

    Cut to a crowded hill, where Dame Constance and Trish are standing apart from the assembled.

    Dame Constance: Trish, you know I like a good fight as much as the next adventurer, but you need to slow down. You've been acting weird since that stray arrow scraped you. Let's stop by the apothecary, it'll take five minutes.
    Trish: No. I was too busy for Snugglefest, just like every year. But the one time I'm NOT too caught up pulling rookies out of some dank ruin to look for a hero that's just for me, there's a perfect chance. Too perfect to pass.
    Trish: I've dealt with weirder than some overenthusiastic goldgoblin with more abs than brains, and happy couples are cropping up all around him. So if that's what I have to deal with to find the one, it's fine by me.
    Dame Constance: Yes, but so are weird archery incidents and weirder people who don't want to get healed. Magic arrows that go away on their own are suspicious.
    Trish: Whatever, I've dodged arrows before, and we've got each other's backs. But there's this loud, littering, legion of LOUTS in the way, and I can't hear a THING he says or catch his attention.
    Dame Constance: They ARE getting awfully rowdy...
    Trish: Not as rowdy as I'm about to get. I'm going to start knocking people out until I can get that leprechaun to notice me and find the right hero for THIS hero. Let's get going.

    Trish exits stage right. Dame Constance looks down.

    Dame Constance: Maybe you'll notice me then.

    An arrow flies by from left to right. The Zard Hunter runs across in the opposite direction, chomped by a Zard with a heart arrow sticking out of it.

    Dame Constance: ...Or maybe you'll get eaten. TRISH!

    Dame Constance follows behind Trish. Fade to black.


    Sham 66%

    Aria is waiting in the forest, partially covered by a tree, while Hans enters from the left.

    Hans: Aria! I got here as fast as I could. What's going on?
    Aria: ...Let's run away.
    Hans: Wuh-What?!
    Aria: Come on, Hans... You know exactly what I mean.
    Hans: I do? I mean, I do, and it sounds... it sounds great, but this is so sudden... Did something happen?
    Aria: Battleon is way too loud right now, I had to move the poor critters to the shelter dad helped me build. But he got sidetracked on the way, so it'll only be me there... And I'll need a hand.
    Hans: O-oh. Are you sure you... Actually, Aria, are you feeling alright? You look a little feverish.
    Aria: It's okay, I just need to catch my breath after rushing to get them all away from the noise. But it's worth it. The critters will be happy to get some space for longer than usual. And...
    Aria: Of COURSE I'm sure, Hans. You don't need to be self conscious, or TRY to win me over. It's been years, I'm tired of playing this game. I know how you feel, you know how I feel, let's just say it...
    Aria: I love -

    Aria steps out from behind the tree, moving closer to Hans, which reveals the arrows. She then falls over face first. An animated ellipsis plays over Hans's head.

    Hans: ...I think this is my villain origin.



    Sham defeat - Live and let love


    The scene opens with Love Sham floating on his own in the woodland, firing arrows off to the right.

    Love Sham: Hrm. This confirms it. My matchmaking skills are indeed unparalleled, as is befitting of the incarnation of love. My marksmanship, on the other hand... Well, I'm sure there are good couples counselors around.

    The Chosen enters from the left.

    <<You>>: Finally. You have no idea of how long it took to bait you away from the gaggle of confused people and collateral... Shammage? I can't believe target practice of all things is what got you.
    Love Sham: Oh, excellent. I've been looking for you, Chosen. I'm in desperate need of your help.
    <<You>>: Do I dare hope that it's to stop this latest holiday fit and turn you back to normal so we can fix this mess?
    Love Sham: You do not.
    <<You>>: Indeed I don't. It would be nice, though.
    Love Sham: Now that we're done being silly, I'm facing a serious conundrum. You see, I'm completely stuck on the question of who to pair YOU with. It's not that I'm drawing blanks, mind. There are too many answers!
    Love Sham: There are forces at play pulling in every direction here, and every name comes up at least once. This is terribly dangerous, Chosen. Too much love can kill you. But with some personalized help, I can find your match.
    Love Sham: Well? What do you say?

    Dots animate over the Chosen's head.

    BOSS BATTLE: Love Sham

    After the fight, the Chosen is left in the middle of the screen, with a face-down Love Sham off to the right.

    <<You>>: ...Some questions are better left unanswered. Trust me on that one and we won't have an even bigger mob to deal with.
    <<You>>: Look, I can respect what you're all about. I really do. Wanting everyone to feel loved is admirable. But you can't take choice away from love. Love IS a choice. One made every day. You can't make it for someone else.

    Love Sham turns into Uncle Sham.

    Uncle Sham: It feels like me rump's been left ta dry in the cold air...

    Wabio enters, behind the Chosen.

    Wabio: Excellent work. I knew I could count on you as a champion. Should I take this to mean that you are finally ready to admit that you love Wabio?
    <<You>>: ...Yeeah, about that whole 'loving you' thing. Not only is that not working out, but just the threat of it attracted even more trouble. And now you get to deal with it.
    Wabio: This indirect vagueness is perplexing, but Wabio's abs can heal even the most troubled--

    A net full of Nightmare pieces drops on top of Wabio from the top of the screen.

    Wabio: Uuuurg... Love... hurts...
    <<You>>: You don't know the start of it, buddy.

    • Post #: 145
    5/24/2026 11:58:56   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    Utgard, Loco!

    April Fools 2021


    The scene opens with Aria and Hans in the pet shop.

    Aria: That's everything packed up for me. I know we've cancelled three times already, we've been getting sidetracked all year... But this is big. Literally.
    Hans: Hey, don't worry about it. If it's important to you, it's important to me. We'll find the time when we're back. And <<You>> is free to help, so I'm sure things will go smoothly. We just have to hope it's nothing bad, and stop it if it is.

    The player character enters.

    <<You>>: Sorry I took so long, I got caught up looking for gogg tracks.
    Hans: ...Gogg tracks near the pet shop? How would a gogg sneak past the whole town?
    <<You>>: ...Better safe than sorry, I guess. Don't mind me. Let's start over: Hey, you two. Can you fill me in on this long trip you need help with?
    Aria: Hi, <<You>>! Hans caught a few adventurers swapping rumors of a huge castle appearing out of nowhere, northwest along the river. Too big even for frost giants. But the part that worries me is where it is.
    Aria: I know the exact place they were describing. It's where I go with Robina to release rehabilitated wolves. The packs barely recovered from Absolix setting up nearby, so I need to check it out before poachers hear about it.
    <<You>>: Calling me might not be the safest bet this time of year, with a certain demigod out to get me, but I understand the need for discretion.
    <<You>>: It doesn't sound like it's an overt threat, at least for now. If we're going to scout it out, we should at least figure out if this castle really just appeared there or if it was under some sort of concealment magic.
    Hans: If it was there for a long time, they haven't gone out much. You'd think a place like that would need some serious supplies. Either they're not big on hunting in their surroundings, or it really is new.
    Aria: That's what I was wondering. If it was already there, the occupants were already leaving the wildlife alone so far. If it's new, well, all the more reason to check before someone causes trouble.
    <<You>>: Good thinking, both of you. I'll get ready to leave right away.





    FOUR BATTLES: Bandits, general ice mobs, excluding wolves.

    Aria, Hans and the player character are traveling through a trail in the tundra towards a distant castle.

    Aria: It doesn't look like anyone's gone too crazy over this story. Maybe it's the snow along the road, but I haven't seen any recent tracks. I thought we might have gone off course, but it's just some hills that look different.
    <<You>>: We ARE a little behind our time, though. Stupid bandits. We'd better pick out a shelter before it gets even colder.
    Hans: I think there's a good enough cave over there. That reminds me, though, why do bandits still think they can take on YOU? Not to suck up, but... come on, they have to know they can't win.
    <<You>>: It's a little baffling, yeah, but they're not out to win. They just need to distract someone with thugs long enough for a sneakier one to snag the loot. It's all about the element of...

    Loco appears.

    Loco: SURPRISE!
    Hans: Oh no.
    <<You>>: ...I knew it. Of course you were just waiting for an entrance.
    Loco: You were taking WAY too long to stop being boring. Now then, I have too many years of payback racked up, and you're about to call it usury... Because Papa Loco charges some SERIOUS interest, kids!
    Loco: ...Wait. Waaait. This is... Oh horseknuckles, we're HERE? That's way too close to that know-it-all's house, now he's going to know I'm here... Why would you come here? This ruins EVERYTHING! Again!
    Hans: If this place is bad news to you, it sounds like a good place for us to be.
    Loco: Oh, you sweet summer hammered-head snark. See that castle? That's bad news for ANYONE with a sense of humor, and I'd like to imagine that even YOU lot aren't COMPLETELY boring. I'd have to fix that.
    Aria: It does freak me out a little that even a demigod is scared of that castle, but unless we're about to take Loco's word for something... we still have to make sure it's not messing up the reserve.
    Loco: SCARED? I could turn that place upside down and show Humbug-gard who's boss in a hundred different ways. Ninety-three of which he wouldn't see coming. ...if you give me some prep time. About a year.
    <<You>>: ...Right. What I'm getting out of this is all this failure is starting to weaken you, so you can't be sure that any tricks you pull, even on US, would slip by the lord of the castle. You have some history with them.
    Loco: No. Maybe. Look, rule #1 of being the prank god is... Actually, I'm breaking that rule right now. Rule II is that there are no rules I won't twist to my favor, so be careful what you wish for. Rule C is know your audience!
    Loco: So maybe I spent a little too much prank sauce last year. Thanks for that, by the way. MAYBE there are a few people I only hit with my best material, so they don't get too big for their boots... No, you know what?
    Loco: I don't need to explain myself. I get front row seats to watch YOU have to deal with that. So go on with your little trip. I'll even let you set up camp this one time, but you'll owe me.
    Aria: No wonder you don't have temples nowadays...




    Resting inside a cave, the party is woken up in the darkby tremors and rumbling sounds.

    Hans: An earthquake?! Hold on to something!
    Aria: Aaah!
    Hans: I've got you! ... OOF. My funny bone... OW. My funny EVERYTHING.
    <<You>>: I can't see the exit! Wait, what's been brushing up against me-

    The scene opens with dim lighting and the lamp lighting beside Aria and Hans, then the Chosen enters.

    Aria: It finally settled...

    A mass of hairy tendrils rises from the right.

    Hans: What in SPACE is that thing?!

    MINIBOSS BATTLE: Dark Tendrils?

    The "tendrils" retreat, revealing an opening to the outside.

    The group exits back onto the snow.

    Aria: We're clear! Keep running, just in case... Uh. Whoa.

    An enormous giant pokes his head in from the top right.

    ???: Oh, greetings. Are you all well? I dropped my hat earlier today, I didn't notice someone had gotten into it until I fell asleep.
    Hans: ...We were getting rolled around inside your hat?
    Sykmir: So it seems. I just figured the blasted thing was getting itchy.
    <<You>>: ...Itchy? I've been laying into your head like there was no tomorrow, it looked like some sort of wool monster or hairy tentacle beast. If I'd gotten any more serious, I could have seriously hurt you!
    Sykmir: More serious? That was serious at all? Hoho, aren't we a confident one. I assume that you're camping on the way to Utgard's keep? It's a lot closer than where I picked you up from, but here's a word of advice...
    Sykmir: I'd leave that attitude at the door if I were you. Pride won't do you any favors with the lord nor guests of that castle. Utgard is much bigger and tougher than yours truly, after all.

    Sykmir's head withdraws, and the screen shakes a few times while giant footsteps are heard departing.

    Loco appears.

    <<You>>: I can't believe I'm going to say this, but where have YOU been?
    Loco: Watching! So, you're done cruising around with that snoring beardo? You're not as committed to your flea impression as I expected. That's going to look bad on your audition.
    <<You>>: I swear, if you're behind this...
    Loco: Oh, give me more credit. Where was the pizzazz in *that*? Anyways, are you giving up yet? There's still time to have a proper Day of Fools, but you're free to keep entertaining me.
    Aria: Absolutely not. This is too important to give up just because we had a weird experience with a weirder giant.
    <<You>>: You heard the lady. Besides, if something being that odd was enough to deter me... You'd have gotten the better of me long ago.
    Loco: Touché. ... ... HEY!

    FOUR BATTLES: Ice creatures, full heal every two.



    The party and Loco approach the entrance of a giant castle.

    Hans: Sykmir really wasn't kidding... Uh, should we knock?
    <<You>>: I think I saw a knocker on the way, but... Yeah, that's not worth the attempt. I'll take point, we can back out if things look bad in there.

    The Chosen slides between the doors, followed by Aria and Hans. Loco lingers.

    Loco: This is going to suck. At least it's probably going to suck more for them than it is for me.



    Aria, Hans, Loco and the player character enter a throne room, ending up before the feet of another giant.

    Hans: ... Don't get stepped on, don't get stepped on...
    <<You>>: Okay, this is going to hurt my throat. HELLO?! WE'RE DOWN HERE!
    Utgard: I can hear you, tiny ones. Nothing within my throne room escapes my ears. What is the reason for your intrusion upon my halls?
    Aria: I'm here to make sure the wolves I've been releasing on these lands aren't in any danger because of your castle's sudden appearance.
    Hans: I'm here to help her.
    <<You>>: Same here. Just keeping those two out of trouble.
    Utgard: Boldly spoken, and truthfully at that. You deserve an answer. However, a peaceful purpose is suspicious when in the company of an oddly passive Prince of Thieves. What say you, Loco?
    Loco: You've been eating your protein, Utgard. Could've sworn you were a little smaller. Don't mind me, we can have a nice chin-wag and catch up tomorrow. And by 'tomorrow' I mean next year.
    Loco: I don't often get to be the audience when someone is getting played. Usually it's unbelievably BORING, but I can always make everyone regret failing to entertain me.
    Loco: And it will help to learn how a certain fire catches here... or doesn't, that would be just as insightful for dealing with some pranks and power thieves...
    Utgard: Tiny ones, your misfortune is great. Both for witnessing the usually boisterous God of Fortune at his most destitute, and for what will doubtless befall you for having seen him at his meekest.

    Closeup on Utgard's blue face, showing all-white eyes and red hair/beard.

    Utgard: Come morning, you may see for yourselves that I allow no harm to come upon the minuscule wildlife of this land. The only hunting these halls entertain is that of far greater beasts than mere wolves.
    Utgard: However, the privilege of a night's stay in this castle is only given to those who perform a feat worthy of my hospitality. What skill would you have our bards sing of, small ones?

    The view returns to the group while the hero replies.

    <<You>>: ...I'm not much for being talked down to, even if it's kind of literal... Well, I'm a pretty experienced adventurer, and I've taken on many great threats.

    Closeup on Utgard's face for one line:

    Utgard: Lest we organize an entire contest on a mere claim... A combat trial will do. Few here are weak enough to fairly test you... You may entertain yourself with castle vermin while I find someone of your category.

    TWO BATTLES: Beasts of all kinds, with a bias for tough enemies and ice creatures. Full heal.

    From this point onward, all combat takes place in the duel pit scene, interspersed with the other scenes.



    The scene resumes with everyone but the player character in front of Utgard.

    Utgard: While your champion is humored... God of Fortune, I abide no mere observers. What contest of wits or trickery would you dare to bring to my presence this time?
    Loco: Oh, no. This player is done being played. Just this once, I'm along for the ride. So point me at the food and I'll just empty your stores while watching these numbskulls fall on their faces.
    Utgard: So be it. Logi, a challenger has arrived. Let twin feasts be prepared for each. The fastest and most prodigious eater shall be the victor.

    The scene cuts to a giant banquet table, atop which Loco stands next to a simple looking man named Logi.

    Checkpoint.

    Loco: That's it? You're putting me in an eating contest with this kid? Your loss.
    Logi: Don't let your food get cold, prank god.


    TWO BATTLES: Ice Dragon (2), Gogg (3, full power), then full heal.

    Back to the banquet table scene, close up on loco with his plates empty.

    Loco: *BURP* Done. Beat that, kiddo!

    Zoom out to the full table, with Logi's side completely burnt away.

    Logi: Are you going to finish that?
    Loco: ...You're going on the list.

    Back before Utgard, Aria and Hans wait their turn.

    Utgard: And you, young man? What feat shall you perform?
    Hans: ...I don't think you have a forge I can work with, so... Well, I've become a pretty fast runner over the years.

    Checkpoint.

    Utgard: Ah, a most underappreciated talent. It would be a fine feat among great hunters. However, you had best be a truly great runner, boy.

    TWO BATTLES: 1.5 Power Roc, Hydra (power:1) with Celerity. Full heal.

    As the player battles, Hans is shown hunched over and panting. A man named Hugi repeatedly runs past him from each side while calling out:

    Hugi: On your right!
    Hugi: On your left!

    Back before Utgard, only Aria remains.

    Utgard: Only you are left untested, miss. How do you wish to prove yourself?
    Aria: I don't. I'm here to check on the wolves, not get dragged into games. You already said that you'd show me that the wolves are safe, and we can find another shelter, so I don't have anything to win here.
    Utgard: Hm. Clever.


    Utgard regards the player character at the dueling pit.

    Utgard: Thank you for your patience. Hopefully that light entertainment was enough to keep you awake while you waited -- it would seem that only one of my guests considered your challenge. My nurse, Elli.
    <<You>>: "Light entertainment" my bruised pinky toenail-- Wait, your *what*?

    Elli, a kindly looking granny clutching her cloak, enters the duel pit.

    Elli: Oh my, Utgard has found himself another rascal. I'll happily wrestle with you, my dear, but do forgive me if I take it slow, yes? You don't look like you're eating well, and I would feel terrible if you broke any bones.
    <<You>>: ...Am I being pranked after all? I mean, I know better than to judge a book by its cover, but this is pushing it.
    Utgard: Regard your opponent with honor and respect, adventurer. This is your one chance to prove your mettle.

    Checkpoint.

    Elli: I hope you've done your stretches, honey.

    BOSS BATTLE: Elli. Elli takes off her cloak to reveal a wrestling outfit.



    Everyone gathers at the castle interior.

    Utgard: That was an... interesting showing. Tell me, small ones, how would you say you have fared?
    Loco (At the same time as the last line): I'm going to replace your entire afterlife with bees.
    Hans: *huff* *huff* I've never seen someone run so fast...
    <<You>>: This does NOT conform to my reputation...
    Aria: It was a little funny, but I'd like to get back on track now.
    Utgard: ...That would be good. You may at least dine here as recognition for your efforts, but... yes, it would be best to get... "back on track". I shall see you out myself.



    Back at the spot where the party was Sykmir, everyone is on the scene from the start, the party stands next to Utgard's feet. The same place that priorly looks pristine seems like it has been recently torn up by battle damage.

    Utgard: As you can see, my magic keeps undue attention away from the packs. Along with your own attention, it is because of me that neither brigands nor the menaces of the Far West reach these shores.
    Utgard: Now then, I believe the gig is very much 'up'.
    <<You>>: ...The 'gig'? I didn't notice any trickery, but... is that why Loco was being...
    Loco: Harrumph.
    <<You>>: ...Yeah. That.
    Utgard: I have been luring you into my illusions from the start, hoping to impart a lesson in humility. Had I the slightest idea of what I would witness, though.... If I never see any of you again, it will be too soon.
    Hans: ...What are you talking about? This has been going terribly from the start.
    Utgard: Yes, yes it has. FOR ME. I was Sykmir all along, and this is where I dropped you off. Look at this destruction! You weren't struggling to hurt my head, you almost killed me several times!
    Utgard: And I should have known better than to test a demipower! Even when being so disturbingly merciful, you nearly proved more voracious than the manifestation of wildfire itself!
    Utgard: This young man took a while to get tired while racing against THOUGHT. I frankly don't want to imagine what could inspire a man to learn to flee in that manner.
    Utgard: You, young lady, are not only able to walk amongst entire packs of wolves, but saw through ME! AND YOU! You held out against AGE. Don't even act surprised, I will not be insulted with false modesty.
    Utgard: Anyone who can hold out against the ravages of time incarnated is someone I want to be far away from. Whatever your fate has in store that's so much worse than decay, I want NO part in it.
    Utgard: So have a safe, and FAST, journey home. Just forget about the castle, and don't even bother trying to find me. Goodbye!

    Utgard disappears.

    Loco: ...Yeah. I knew all along. I sure showed him. Question me at your own peril, etcetera... I'm... I'm just going to prank the compulsively costumed leprechaun to get SOMETHING done in the minutes I've left.

    Loco disappears.

    <<You>>: Whatever in the world just happened...I'm perfectly happy with pretending it never did.



    "Utgard" is shown speaking on his own, visibly panicking as his name is revealed to be Kéanos.

    Kéanos Great. Just... just great. You've really gone and done it now, Kéanos. Talk about overcommitting to a setup. A lesson in humility?! Well, SOMEONE learned one! Gah!
    Kéanos There's something wrong with these people... A millenia-old method of illusion and they just... Gah! They shouldn't even have a clue! ENTIRE ARMIES, with capable magi, couldn't even tell there WAS an illusion!
    Kéanos What do they even FEED this generation?! Ley lines?! I knew I shouldn't have fallen into the fashion of testing the younger mortals. They were even rubbing it in my face by playing clueless! Okay, breathe...
    Kéanos And, AND, the God of Fortune showing restraint! He was setting me up for something even bigger! I don't think anywhere is safe anymore, it's high time to follow the Walker's example...

    Fade to black.
    Post #: 146
    5/24/2026 12:11:05   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    Wyrd West Rescue!

    Who protects the protectors?





    The player character enters a wasteland scene in the Far West, finding the bones of defeated undead.

    <<You>>: People have definitely been fighting around here. Very recently. Doesn't look like anyone other than the hostile undead was seriously hurt, but... Zard spit, this looks bad.
    <<You>>: There's a trail going back East through here, but these bones are over it. Someone went back in and had a fight. They went far from the roads, and the expeditionaries haven't figured out how to make THOSE safe yet.
    <<You>>: Whoever went back to where a rescue team ran away from is in over their heads. I hope it's not too late to find them.


    FOUR BATTLES. General undead. Full heal every two fights.

    In the forest wastes southeast of Falconreach, Protectors are finishing off undead enemies. The player character enters from the left, followed by Telegon entering from the right.

    Protean: Watch out behind -- Wait, <<You>>?! Unbelievable, it has been such a long time...
    <<You>>: That's me. Your voice IS familiar... Oh wow, are you the first Protean that we teamed up with?
    Telegon: The very same. I am Telegon. These are my fellow Protectors.
    <<You>>: It's great to see you all again. I don't suppose you're the adventurers that got reported as going off course from the expedition here?
    Protector: No, we've already extracted those poor fools. Thankfully they were clever enough to hunker down and wait for rescue when they realized they were in too deep. But we have to go back there as soon as we catch our breath.
    <<You>>: Go back? Can I get some context?
    Telegon: Most of us have been assisting K'eld Valkan, but we decided to stay behind as a roaming team. We are always on the move, operating as a rescue team for extreme conditions. Demand for such operations has spiked here.
    <<You>>: No kidding. That explains why we haven't seen you around much. Alright, you do seem very qualified to help here, but something's clearly gone wrong. Why do you have to go back, are there more people lost?
    Protector: We got ambushed after getting the explorers out of their hideout. Our leaders held them off and ordered that we finish the mission. Now that we got them to safety, we're going back for them.
    Telegon: Our leaders are powerful bonded pairs; they can hold off these enemies. But even if they are uniquely capable of resisting the effects of the elemental contamination, nobody should be alone here without supplies.
    <<You>>: Agreed. It's smart to not rush after them if you've been worn down, so go ahead and catch your breath -- But in the mean time, point me in the right direction. I'll rush through and clear a path so you can get them out.
    Telegon: You are as brave as I remembered, <<You>>. If oddly sharper. We are glad to accept your help.

    FOUR BATTLES: 0.5 power pool of Doomhost, Doombinder, Undead Poacher, General Undead. Heal after the fourth.




    Beiris and Eidoth, two golden Proteans, are watching the cave entrance alongside Golden Protectors as the player character enters.

    Golden Protector: We've got incoming... Huh. A living one.
    <<You>>: Don't worry, I'm here to help you link up with the rest of your team. Is everyone alright?
    Beiris: THE <<You>>? That is certainly a high class rescue.
    Eidoth: We are well for now, Chosen. Thank you for coming to our aid. We repelled the initial ambush, but this area is unsafe for multiple reasons now.
    <<You>>: Even more threats than usual? Fill me in. Who or what ambushed you?
    Eidoth: Cloaked Necromancers were roaming this area. Something was... off about them. They seemed unresponsive. Like automatons. Left to their own devices, they appeared to destroy or... *drain* Doombinders.
    Eidoth: They appeared to have been turned undead, themselves, but not through magics or technology we are familiar with. Oddly enough, they would simply retreat when our allies attacked them. But when they noticed us...
    Beiris: They went into a frenzy. We had to send the team away before they got caught up in the fight and our charges got hurt. We eventually fought them off and holed up here, but we were followed by other creatures.
    <<You>>: What kind of creatures?
    Golden Protector: I don't know what to call them, but... Oh Heck, I don't need to. Here they come again!

    Checkpoint.

    FOUR BATTLES: Transmorphers, Network mobs (Any that are up to date, revamping Diceros or Malzar if they're not, or Tytoa otherwise). Full heal every two fights.
    BOSS BATTLE: Boss power transmorpher. Full heal afterwards.

    <<You>>: There are Network forces out there as well, but... Transmorpher are especially bad news. I don't know if they've gone rogue... Not that it'd be any weirder. But if Erebus is making moves again... Bad news. Very bad news.
    <<You>>: Especially if both these minions and some unhinged necromancers are coming after you. Do you have any idea about why different enemy groups might be targeting you specifically? I don't suppose it's just a taste for gold.
    Golden Protector: No leprechauns or skull-obsessed royalty are involved, no. It has to be our powers.
    Eidoth: Some of us Proteans have been making an effort to adapt to life on Lore on a more fundamental level. We achieved a breakthrough during one of the human wars. We do not yet understand what exactly changed...
    Eidoth: ...mostly because we were not done studying the conditions when some manner of rupture altered them. However, we were able to achieve a form of harmonic resonance that amplified our natural electromagnetic control.
    <<You>>: I'm sure Kamui would be ecstatic to get a report from you guys, although you ah... May have something to say about his enthusiasm for experimentation. Anyways, carry on.
    Beiris: We grew in power, and became better able to coordinate with our hosts. As long as we are bonded, they are able to resist the mental and spiritual hazards of this area. I would wager that this is the crucial detail.
    <<You>>: That sounds right. It may get you perceived as a threat, or maybe they're actively targeting sources of protection against their influence... if even the wielders can fall prey to it, it may be some new ploy.
    <<You>>: But it still doesn't explain the Transmorphers. Whatever Erebus wants with you, it can't be good. I'll have to warn everyone. In the meantime, you should come with us again. We can watch each other's backs that way.
    Eidoth: Of course. And we would be happy to share our breakthrough with you as well.
    <<You>>: Sure. I'd be happy to fight alongside you again.
    Post #: 147
    5/24/2026 12:17:14   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    Encroaching Hunger

    The War Between Shadows, part 1





    After playing the Terminus intro scroll, Nihama is standing at the right side of the entrance, joined by other Demon Knights.

    The player character enters.

    Nihama: Welcome back, <<You>>. I hope your rescue mission fared well.
    <<You>>: You could say that. Everyone should be back now, and we've even made some new allies, but I have some bad news. We found some Transmorphers that acted a lot like they did before rebelling.
    Nihama: Transmorphers...? 'Bad news' is one heck of an understatement. Hadn't they turned on Erebus before the banishment? Our last intel on them said this Entropy figure made a big show of playing with their loyalties.
    <<You>>: About that... Maybe because of what Entropy did, that banishment doesn't seem to have stuck. They haven't done anything overt until now, but this has 'Erebus' written all over it. Which is even more suspicious.
    Nihama: What DID Entropy do? Antagonizing Erebus, then letting them slip back in through banishment cast by *gods* seems tactically backwards.
    <<You>>: ...I don't think it was on purpose. Or that Entropy cares. Either way, just because they seem to be less of a threat *lately* doesn't mean they're any less dangerous. The civil strife in Deren erased their tracks last time.
    Nihama: We'll have to discuss that in greater detail later. Stormfallen must not be caught off guard, but problems that required divine intervention to solve are beyond my pay grade. Back to topic -- Did you see the beast as well?
    Nihama: I'll take that lack of recognition as a no. Curses, I was hoping you'd seen it. We need more intel on that. My fellow knights were hunting down remaining binders, and reported that something huge beat them to each one.
    Demon Knight: Aye... It was too fast to catch up to. It wasn't just fighting the enemy remnants, it was... EATING them. The binders clearly fought something else, maybe these "Transmorphers", but it's the beast that got them.
    <<You>>: That part doesn't tell me much; the ShadowScythe remnants seem to attack anything they can overwhelm, but I'll keep it in mind. It looks like it's already time for me to lead another search. Care to join me?
    Nihama: I'm afraid I can't. My punishment for breaching security was to have a permanent post here in Terminus. I am assigned to oversee traffic of foreign forces through this checkpoint, and specifically liaise with Pria Knights.

    If the player is a Pria Knight or 'Emoran Knight:
    Nihama: Tyranna demands we recognize that the perfidy of our rival kingdoms isn't to be blamed on individual knights such as yourself. I am to keep Terminus peaceful, while my fellow Demon Knights watch over me in kind.

    If the player is a Frogzard Knight:
    Nihama: Tyranna demands we recognize that the perfidy of our rival kingdoms isn't to be blamed on individual knights, in keeping with your order's findings. I keep things quiet while we wait for the strife in Deren to end.

    Otherwise:
    Nihama: I am to keep Terminus peaceful, making sure Pria and 'Emoran knights don't cause or get grief for their leaders' crimes. My fellow Demon Knights watch over me in kind, to avoid any conflicts of interest..

    <<You>>: It sounds to me like Tyranna knew exactly what she was doing with that 'punishment', politically and personally. I hope you and Myrr get to spend more time together, then. Well, I'll get rested and head back out.
    Nihama: Good luck, Chosen. And... thanks for standing up for us, back then.





    FOUR BATTLES: General undead, Doomhosts, Shadowrisen Knights, other enemies from the Dragonlorn Keep summer event. Specifically excluding Doombinders. Full heal every two.

    After battling through desert wastes scenes, the player character enters the forest wastes.

    <<You>> (Thinking): Necromancers turned into husks that were draining the Binders, and now some sort of beast outright attacking them... Something's beyond fishy around here. Too suspicious to let it happen unchecked.
    <<You>> (Thinking): Maybe some rogue Mantle bearers are trying to salvage what power they can after dealing with the ShadowScythe went wrong for them. But why would they turn on Erebus's creatures too?
    <<You>> (Thinking): It could just be the scattered undead swarming them, but I can't imagine Transmorphers would have any issues dealing with those undead if they're with Erebus again... Or if it's some that never left his side.
    <<You>> (Thinking): Either way, all of these new threats turning on each other mean I can't find any fresh traces of Binders. That would be great news if I didn't have to worry about something worse taking their place


    FOUR BATTLES: As above, plus Transmorphers in the pool.

    In the same scene, a Mantle Ritualist stands over scattered Doombinder pieces and the defeated transmorpher.

    <<You>>: You there! Don't think I don't recognize that mask. Hands where I can see them, and don't you even start casting. What's going on around here?

    Beat.

    <<You>>: Did you hear me? I need some answers, and what's left of your order knows that I can get them the hard way.

    Beat.

    <<You>> (Thinking): ...Must be one of those weird ones the Protean mentioned. I thought those retreated, or went on a frenzy against Proteans. Is it... Do they only attack non-Lorians on sight?
    <<You>>: Alright, chatterbox. The hard way it is.
    Mysterious Necromancer?: *chittering*
    <<You>>: What?

    The cloak shreds to reveals the Shadow Scavenger, which attacks.


    BOSS BATTLE: Shadow Scavenger



    Falerin appears before the player character.

    <<You>>: Loremaster! It's been years, there is so much I've been wanting to talk about.
    Falerin: No, I am afraid that from an objective standpoint it has not been years nor even days since our last reunion. I am no less pleased to see you for it, Chosen, but there is tragically no time to properly catch up.
    <<You>>: From an objective standpoint? Since I don't recall meeting you, that wording implies uncreation.
    Falerin: Precisely so. The war of uncreation wages on, and as the attack on Abode freed my hand to contest Entropy's wanton abuse, I have focused on countering it while our mutual friend spares you the worst of it.
    Falerin: We have therefore reconnected several times already, but only on occasions where Entropy pulled at such a fundamental thread that I had to be present in order to protect you and restore the 'dirty edit'.
    Falerin: Believe me that I would dearly prefer to catch up over tea, perhaps pain au chocolat, but even this meeting is requiring a painstakingly precise misdirection from Galian to cover for.
    <<You>>: Then as much as I have to ask, I will have to hold it back for now. I hope you're doing well, at least. Shall we get to what you're here for, then? It must be urgent.
    Falerin: Anything but, but urgent it is and so we shall. By the very name that bid you to leave, I now summon you. You have been watching long enough, Erebus.

    Falerin raises his staff, forcing Erebus to appear to the right.

    Erebus: How uncharacteristically pompous of you, chickadee. And yet you picked a most unceremonious location to try to reinstate my banishment... Surely you could not begrudge me watching over our rising starling.
    Erebus: Although you are rather playing the coot of late, kicking my imitators out of every lawn they step into. Well, are you two here to give me the boot? It might just stick this time.
    <<You>>: ...You're not even pretending to be frustrated at getting caught. But if the banishment wasn't affecting you, Falerin couldn't have summoned you. Or you'd be fighting back. Either you're weak, or you're laying low.
    Erebus: Mu. Hehehe... Oh, did I cramp your bit?
    Falerin: Your lack of pretense is pretense in itself; and I take it from your answer that both answers apply. The banishment remains in place, so there would be no return were you to leave by any means, forceful or willing.
    Falerin: So were I to banish this fragment, it would be gone for good. Yet you both wish for and count on me doing no such thing, in spite of knowing that there are more of you elsewhere. You are not the only extralorian threat.
    <<You>>: Then you're hiding from something other than Entropy. And you think it's in our best interests to let you hide... Because there's something else out there. You already know what it is, and if we get rid of you, WE won't.
    Erebus: Bravo! If I didn't know any better, I would say that you have been learning from each other. I suppose you do share a cage now... What will it be, then? Your hand is freed, but you won't raise it, will you... chat?
    Falerin: ... Compound puns, now. I suppose turnabout is fair play. No, shade, I am not here to go through the hassle of hunting down and containing each instance of you. I am here to speed your plot along and have it play into ours.
    <<You>>: I get it. The recent threats here only stood out because they went after your forces. On top of whatever you're doing here, you've used them to make us deal with undead that you can't just claim... What is coming for you?


    Fade to black.



    Ritualists surround a point of magical energy in a dark cave. The scene is initially frozen mid motion.

    Erebus: Coming for me? On the contrary, they are coming for everyone. In time. But they would certainly prefer to get to me first, even if it means having to play by your rules until they can... My kin and very much NOT kin.
    Erebus: They have something and someone for the likes of me. They always did, even before I was born. A weapon meant to take on their very own, to consume deviants to their paradigm... You'd think them Technocrats.
    Erebus: As eager as I'm sure you are to be rid of little old me, you would not want them to be the ones to do it. It would be your... doom.

    The scene brightens and 'unfreezes', with the portal appearing.

    Scythe Ritualist: It is done. The scavengers have recovered enough to hide the pact in the interference. We may plunge this world into darkness yet...

    The Mysterious Stranger enters through the portal.

    Mysterious Stranger: Oh, you shall do no such thing.
    Scythe Ritualist: I... what?
    Mysterious Stranger: You have squandered enough of my predecessor's seeds, figurative and literal. Don't get me wrong, I have been eager to arrive... But this world is guarded by more active creators than expected.
    Mysterious Stranger: You should forget all about such ambitions... Or you will not live nor unlive to see the day when we may return it to the peace beyond darkness. No, no no... I believe we will even play *nice* this time.
    Scythe Ritualist: ...We cast everything aside, even the rest of the Mantle left us behind, to tear down the laws of gods and light. What was the point of that sacrifice? What are we even to work toward now?
    Mysterious Stranger: So painfully dull... Don't worry. You will learn much, and pave a new way. We will pursue something just as satisfying, for both ourselves and the powers that be... Why, I have already sent someone to start.
    Scythe Ritualist: What is our goal, then?

    Fade to black, leaving a black dialogue bubble with red words:

    Mysterious Stranger: Revenge.


    Post #: 148
    5/24/2026 12:36:45   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    Once Upon a Sheme

    The War Between Shadows, part 2




    Near Mt Thrall, Hollow and the player character are standing on a field covered in half-buried metallic pods.

    Hollow: Alright, I'm done with the final spot. Thanks for sticking around, <<You>>. It's a lot easier to expand our security perimeter with the added backup, though I'm sorry our intel went dry.
    <<You>>: I'm happy to help, Hollow. Though I might have to ask for a hand getting back home faster. Everything you reported going away before I arrived makes me think it could all just be a distraction, but...
    <<You>>: Even that would be strange. Erebus is usually overt with his distractions, and there were two anomalies here. The Transmorphers that are back on his side, and the undead that are hunting THEM....
    <<You>>: ...Even though those were only showing up near the Far West so far. Undead that Erebus can't control showing up everywhere the shade makes a move, then both of them disappearing?
    Hollow: From what I've seen, that creep usually goes for ambiguity and taunting, not little distractions, so I agree. It's not the only strange development either; the Network stragglers have completely turned tail.
    Hollow: We're only getting to expand our perimeter because they've been pulling back. From this side, at least. We never did find some pods, but the agents aren't fighting us OR each other lately.
    Hollow: Not that it's safe, you can still count on a fight for your life if you get too close to a camp or outpost. They'll sooner vaporize an area than risk letting witnesses give away their location.
    <<You>>: ...Talk about twitchy. Ryuusei is going to have a handful turning more of them to good. Do you think that might be why the activity died down? Maybe the Transmorphers and undead got too close
    Hollow: Mmm... I don't know. There WAS an outpost nearby, but they actually evacuated it weeks ago. Maybe they left something worth taking? It was in the big ruins, over those hills in the distance.
    <<You>>: ...Wait, ruins? I was in that exact area before, helping out some Diceros with a turncoat that was abducting Malzar. There was a crashed airship, but nothing like old ruins.
    Hollow: I don't know what to tell you. It sounds about right with the airship and the Malzar, and a couple of Diceros told us about that. But every patrol drone that got too near that area recorded two things.
    Hollow: Network agents camped out in some local ruins, and Network defenses shooting it down.
    <<You>>: I... I remember this very clearly. It's possible that uncreation is involved. We have different memories about it, though... Maybe it happened while I was... ambushed in the Hall of Memories.
    Hollow: That would sound like a stretch, but there ARE Network rogues that sided with the Devourer to learn about Uncreation. I'd say it's worth looking into the ruins as long as we're sneaky. It's dangerous here.
    <<You>>: Agreed. I still need to get back to Terminus soon, but let's check this out while we're here. This is way too suspicious to just let it sit.

    FOUR BATTLES: Two forest creatures (Excluding Dryads), two general undead. Full heal every two.


    Hollow and the Chosen reach a set of ancient ruins and look around.


    Standard checkpoint

    <<You>>: I'm even more certain that this wasn't here before, now. I would absolutely remember ruins like this. This looks kind of... Taladosian. Whoo boy, that's concerning.
    Hollow: Tell me about it. I'll have to call the Knights of Order, they let us know to alert them of any remnants like this so they can completely remove them.
    Hollow: Anything else would feel excessive to wipe from the map. This... This can go. A Talados forward base is bad enough, but one that seems valuable to the Network is too much trouble to be worth it.
    Hollow: Before we get back down bad memory lane, though... Those were undead alright, but definitely not the ones our systems spotted fighting Transmorphers.
    <<You>>: Doesn't fit the Western reports either. Maybe a stray Network necromancer draining power sources, or some undead slayer. Let's see those tracks... No, too big for either. What could've left them?
    Hollow: ...Something like a turf war with angry rhino men that have their own undead to deal with now?
    <<You>>: I guess that would do it, but that's awfully specific. What gives you that idea?
    Hollow: The angry rhino men escaping toward us and the undead closing in behind them.
    <<You>>: Oh.

    THREE BATTLES: Two random Diceros, full heal, Dissonant Dracolich (power 1.5 miniboss), full heal.

    The Dissonant Dracolich is Berserk and Immune to blind. The description on the blind immunity is: "You are clearly not this frenzied creature's prey, but a supernatural focus on the hunt keeps its senses from being clouded further."



    The scene begins with Erebus using shadowy energy to tamper with the security panel of a heavy metallic door concealed in the otherwise ancient stone ruins.

    Door: OVERRIDE ACCEPTED.
    Erebus: Good. How considerate of my grand-grand-makers to use such conveniently derived energy for their laboratory. If I didn't know any better... oh, but I do... Hehehe.

    Hollow and the player character enter.

    <<You>>: Now THAT was more like the reported undead... Ah sackelberries. Hold it there, Erebus!

    Door: INTRUDERS DETECTED. LOCKDOWN IN EFFECT.

    The effects stop, and Erebus turns around.

    Erebus: Ah, now look at what you rude birdies have done. I would hesitate to settle for calling you pigeons, but if your migration gets any more predictable...
    <<You>>: Not your best tern of phrase.
    Erebus: ...Oho?
    <<You>>: *facepalm* I swear I didn't mean it.
    Erebus: It nonetheless warms my heart to have influenced you so profoundly.
    Hollow: So the head creep really did come back. What does it take to get you to leave?
    Erebus: Since you're asking so nicely...

    Erebus turns around again and exits stage right.

    Hollow: Hm. Isn't that guy supposed to be a lot more dangerous, and a LOT chattier?
    <<You>>: Erebus is always up to something, but I'm more curious about why they'd WALK away instead of vanishing. Or knocking us out... or sending Transmorphers in.
    <<You>>: Not toying with us in any way is doubly suspicious.

    Door: DEFENSE FIELD FAILURE. REROUTING POWER TO ACTIVE DEFENSES.

    Hollow: ...Scratch that last part.

    BOSS BATTLE: Project E Security Droid
    Full heal

    Hollow: Very nice work. Tell you what, I'll help you get in there if you'll help me carry that robot back to the hangar. The plating's impressive and the weaponry is decent, but I could... Oh, just wait until I get it to my workshop.
    <<You>>: Deal, I can't wait to see what you can do with it.

    Door: Int... RUD... ecTED

    <<You>>: Oh come on, what now?!

    TWO BATTLES: Transmorphers.

    Hollow: Really shouldn't have said anything about not being toyed with... Alright, let's crack this open. If there's any security left, I can probably disable it before it regains power.
    Hollow: Chances are there's something awful in here that we need to stop.



    Hollow and the player character enter a command post with several computer terminals and a discarded tablet. The screens have a progress bar for the deletion of all files

    Hollow: I've seen this before... This isn't Makkisar's style. This is a VESPERIAN outpost.
    <<You>>: Emergency wipe...? Is that what it sounds like?
    Hollow: Blast! I'll try to stop it and figure out what's going here, you let me know what you can find in that other one!

    At this point the player has to click the computer and access at least one file for the 'Continue' button to appear in dialogue.

    <<You>>: Someone here was studying the Shadow Universe, but it was primarily an observation outpost for "project Epsilon". I only got a few personal log files and some weirder partial entries sent over, though.
    Hollow: There's no saving the rest. That wipe did so many passes that they might as well have melted the drives.It's a shame that we missed out on what could have been some good intel to use against Erebus.
    Hollow: Trust me on this, though: We're all better off with no one having this information.




    In the woods near the ruins, Falerin is having an argument with the Mysterious Stranger-like figures from Dragonlorn Keep part 3. The usual smirk shown by the shorter one is replaced by a serious face.

    Mysterious Stranger?: Because I can't and won't do what you do. It's plainer by the day how much it wears on you, and how much you suffer, even with your freedom to sometimes preserve your charges.
    Mysterious Stranger?: I don't disagree with the principle, but it is not a burden I can carry alongside those I already am responsible for.
    Falerin: Are we on professional terms now, or is this strictly allegorical? Either way, shall I too call you Walker now? Perhaps then you may see the irony of throwing the word 'freedom' at me about this of all things.
    Mysterious Stranger?: Touché. Your pain is no less relevant. You love them too much for your own good, and as it is too much for their own good as well, you suffer all the more to give them solace.
    Mysterious Stranger?: Still, fair enough. You're in a fractally tangled morass of divine politics, and I can't imagine this one lifted restriction won't come with its own unenviable mess of consequences. I won't say 'freedom', then.
    Falerin: Correct or not, regardless how we each believe that we cannot be any other way, the time may be nigh for the guise to go. Your fashion makes its statement loud and clear, old friend... Through denotation.
    Falerin: Connotation, on the other hand, is liable to swing out of your control. The one who introduced the fashion will shape the message, and you are curmudgeonly enough to compensate without the guise.
    Mysterious Stranger?: As if I should let such an upstart decide how I communicate.
    Raikenin: Could you desisst in this grandiloquent prattle already? Ssave the heartwarming reunion and the humor for later. If the inciterss of the Calamity have returned, the time for chatter hass long since passed.
    Raikenin: They should be excised with extreme prejudice. Their manipulated puppets tracked down, all new stringss severed... Our mutual contact is making progress there, but Erebus is slowing $him down.
    Falerin: I do have some helpful intelligence to offer, restricted though I may be. Do bear in mind there is a margin of imprecision. The pantheon is strained; The'Galin in particular is exceedingly busy.
    Falerin: It's taking much of his attention just to make the precise changes necessary to preserve Lore and minimize loss of life when counteracting the rogue uncreator. Still, he noticed the lack of an invading front.
    Raikenin: Ssomeone MUST have facilitated their return. The signs of their activity are present and coordinated... But if they are not preparing to attack... They lack the means to avoid intervention.
    Raikenin: We have an advantage... But even IF they are not to invade, we cannot afford to let them succeed. Their plot must be uncovered, unraveled, and thwarted... Without playing into the sshade's hand.
    Falerin: I'm sure Ryuusei and <<You>> could tell you a few things about the challenges of pretending to fall for an insidious manipulator's trap. They saved enough lives doing exactly that to prove the method's worth.

    In a distant view of this same scene, Atlas Maxwell can be seen at the edge of the screen.

    Maxwell: ...I see.




    Writer's note to the players: My apologies for packing several of the characters with the most vague and verbose speech patterns into a single scene. Condensing their pending interactions into one point without fundamentally rewriting the interaction was a mistake made in the service of plot adjustments, resulting in way too dense of a scene.
    Post #: 149
    5/24/2026 12:38:30   
      Lorekeeper
    And Pun-isher

     
    Text Files from Once Upon a Scheme


    Personal Log, Entry 4
    quote:


    Day 3

    This is the only time I will ever type the name "Observation Post Tempest" unless ordered to, and I write it only to digitally scream about how terrible of a name it is. I was told this glorified locker would be built into a remote ruin that suited our purposes, but I am apparently the only one who has done enough research on Lore's pantheon and history to know why you don't want to give this name to something built into a TALADOS outpost.

    The building team was all too eager to depart when we arrived to set up. They weren't even informed about what world this is. In fact, their telemetry was altered to spoof another planet's readouts. For their own safety, I'm told. It makes sense. If they don't know what we're doing and things go wrong for us, any divine retribution is likely to pass them. As important as our work is, you REALLY don't want to have your infrastructure people uncreated. So we downright pamper them when it comes to security.

    -Dr. Percy

    P.S: I need to check on Miiva, the roboticist. She took one look at our security systems, started saying a lot of colorful words, and locked herself in her workshop.

    P.P.S: ...She came out with a bigger, better robot with freaking lightning fists. I think I'm in love.


    Boundary Investigation
    quote:


    One does not enter the ranks of the Alpha expecting to have a lot of time for personal research. Our purpose is involved. Consuming, even.

    Unfortunately, my innovation in dimensional containment and magitech correspondence had the opposite effects of what I intended. I am officially too good to promote, and have been assigned not to the paradigm circle nor even deployment initiative... But an observation post. The "logic" being that Lore's frequent alterations due to uncreation will force us to develop correspondence and translocation solutions in situ... Which, while true, IS NOT A ONE WOMAN JOB.

    I can get the data and understand it better than anyone outside the paradigm writers, then write proposals based on it. But instead of having the team to develop a solution to interplanar communication from a world with heavy interference AND displacement from uncreation, I get to send up my 'professional opinion'. Then some stuffy old Vesperian will do the actual development, send it back for review, and I'll have to explain to the arrogant coot that "Just do everything from the Astral" is not a solution. If you want to create a god, you should know better than to think you're already as smart as one.

    All of that aside... There are some bright minds here, even though only Dr. Percy is proficient with local magical practices. I will have to requisition some of their spare time to assist in an investigation of this Lore's boundaries... There is some disturbing overlap with one of the big No-Nos. Elemental collapse scenario, the kind of place you get fired for joking about opening a portal to.

    -Mira



    Project Epsilon
    quote:


    In my time working for this initiative, I have come to a perhaps controversial stance on the Epsilon project.

    What we're doing is wrong. Irredeemably.

    Most in our ranks are unaware of how targeted the project itself is. Technocrats through and through, these are daring innovators whose worlds don't deserve them yet. To them, artificial apotheosis is the logical extreme of taking evolution into one's own hands. The man-made god is the ability to respond to unjust paradigms and visionless oppression by developing new paradigms.

    But Epsilon isn't merely the creation of a god. It's the usurpation of a god. A very specific god.

    A god that doesn't deserve this.

    In all of my studies of various pantheons, god wars and divine paradigms, I have scarcely heard of a deity this gentle and caring. My peers in the paradigm core care not. My subordinates ignore that I'm even a part of such an innermost circle. But we have seen the future. In time, even the anathema will fail, and Lore will spew forth a tide of tyrants to the stars. And so I condemn a beacon of good to prevent evil. What others eagerly do out of ambition, I do as a duty, and I do it in absolute disgust.

    It's all I can do to hope that when the project is complete, I can ensure that Epsilon learns from that which it's meant to replace.

    -Oren


    Twilight Reactor
    quote:


    Well. I was right. And it's not good. It took a long expedition to the South, but we discovered an area with severe crossbleed. It's not a runaway effect, more like the aftermath of someone trying to cause it. Whoever stopped it clearly knew what they were doing, but they lacked the numbers or equipment to do much about the lingering consequences.

    The Light/Darkness reaction thoroughly contaminated my arcanoelectric generator, but the silver lining is that I could contain the sample easily enough. Since the conversion is manual for the field kit, it was safe to lock up and bring back. Found out that it's some potent stuff (That's a technical term), as long as you don't get greedy with it. I'll work on better containment, and make a roundtrip to develop a higher capacity reactor. The base needs a better power source.

    -Mira



    Status Update
    quote:


    Multiple ships have crashed throughout the continent. Their origins are suspect at best.

    The Cor-Dem are getting restless. They already disliked this site -- Something about the psionic heritage of its original creators. Dr. Percy oft agreed with them about a Taladosian outpost of this location and nature couldn't have remotely peaceful purposes, but this place is more eroded than my patience with the topic. Now they have rather valid reasons, with their kin roaming about the region.

    To make matters worse, I've confirmed reports of an order with ties to Uncreator that hides, secures or destroys any previously unaccounted-for remnants of Talados.

    Some good news, at least: We have successfully transitioned to the new power source. The Twilight Reactor is as reliable as it is pretentiously named. I fear we will not get much use out of it, if our secrecy is threatened any further.

    -Oren


    Diary
    quote:


    Today I have learned three things.

    -Percy and I have the same password. Whoops.
    -He signs even his own logs as Dr. Percy... So that's his last name too. He's Doctor Percy Percy.
    -He's either in love with me or my Tempest Droid. He talks about the robot more, so... Let's go with that.

    The Cor-Dem are getting pretty nervous. One of them up and left. If you ask me, that's the smartest thing to do after getting cut off and losing members to the Network. Me, I think I'll find my way to Vandar. Nasty politics, but I've made some useful Drakel contacts.

    -Miiva


    OUTPOST TERMINATION
    quote:


    We have failed. Catastrophically.

    I was prepared to relocate us to a potential deployment site with a new construction team when the news hit.

    The project was launched. It HAD BEEN launched for months. Some time after we sent the data on the 'Shadow Universe' phenomenon and the need to move farther away from areas compromised by it, the process was initiated without me. It makes no sense; we still hadn't figured out how to coordinate the paradigms for Transcendence, Correspondence and Colocation-- They're still mutually exclusive in all of our models.

    And now we never will figure it out. Epsilon was manifest, and studied. Definitions were updated to reflect it -- The specifications are insane. True, but insane. It then disappeared, only to return completely different and take our core team with it. There's a localized disaster zone matching the data we sent where the laboratory was.

    I'm scattering everyone. I would pray that they don't get caught up in the collateral, but then the gods would catch them. If this shadow ever passes, that's a fate that I'll reserve for myself. The only one left to be held accountable for anything.

    -Oren






    Tablet



    The tablet screen initially only reads "Lie to me" while showing a password field. Upon entering the password "557", it shows a Cor-Dem rune translation of the Negh-Rak sentences:

    +epsilon_remade_itself-

    +the_shade_lies_and_reality_listens-

    Note: The word "lies" is missing from between its surrounding space symbols.
    Post #: 150
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