diff --git a/Blessfrey/.~lock.OpenAI.odt# b/Blessfrey/.~lock.OpenAI.odt# deleted file mode 100644 index 991447e..0000000 --- a/Blessfrey/.~lock.OpenAI.odt# +++ /dev/null @@ -1 +0,0 @@ -,grid,Grid,24.09.2023 15:13,file:///home/grid/.config/libreoffice/4; \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Blessfrey/Blessfrey.odt b/Blessfrey/Blessfrey.odt index 5b812cc..cf5b3bd 100644 Binary files a/Blessfrey/Blessfrey.odt and b/Blessfrey/Blessfrey.odt differ diff --git a/Blessfrey/BlessfreyOutline.odt b/Blessfrey/BlessfreyOutline.odt index 57a7f13..aabdba1 100644 Binary files a/Blessfrey/BlessfreyOutline.odt and b/Blessfrey/BlessfreyOutline.odt differ diff --git a/Blessfrey/DG in November.rtf b/Blessfrey/DG in November.rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..d9edc2c --- /dev/null +++ b/Blessfrey/DG in November.rtf @@ -0,0 +1,114 @@ +{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fcharset0 Arial;}{\f1\fnil Constantia;}} +{\colortbl ;\red215\green215\blue215;} +{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.21.2510;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\sa150\sl0\slmult0\cf1\f0\fs24 # Notes\par +* These could be mission areas like in Guild Wars, so exploration is limited. If player wants to go wrong way, he can just scrape the back door or go forward. \par +* Areas have party limit? Only so many available at a time?\par +* Delphine is quiet due to being slightly uncomfortable with English.\par +* Darkness is actually dark so lights and nightvision are needed\par +## The Mall is Haunted\par +It's very late. Cassia was just getting ready to go to bed. There's a knock at the door. The player answers. Blythe stands confidently in the entrance.\par +Cassia: "Uh, hey, Blythe. What are you up to...?"\par +Blythe: It's Halloween Eve! I already explained this. We have a sleepover at the mall and see who gets scared and leaves first. It's just so awesome you came when you did so you can go with us. Hurry up and change. I can't wait to see the look on your face.\par +Cassia: You were serious? It's so late...\par +Blythe: That's the point. It's not scary if it's not late. Oh come on. You chickening out? \par +Ren walks up. \par +Cassia: Ren, you, too?\par +Ren: I guess I have to.\par +>I'm not going\par +Blythe: Don't be a killjoy. Your teen years are your time to rebel. Once you're older, you won't feel like it anymore.\par +Ren: I think you should once, Cassia.\par +>Why should I?\par +Ren: I think you should go. The mall is haunted and most people don't even know. You should see it for yourself at least once.\par +Blythe: Don't make me drag you over there.\par +>Isn't it trespassing?\par +Blythe: Are you actually scared to break the law here? You realize my dad is the sheriff and the force is just glorified mall cops, right? If you get caught once or twice, they'll just tell your parents to ground you. There's no one on duty today anyways because Mr. Policeman is having family drama or whatever at home. That's what you're afraid of.\par +>There's no way it's haunted\par +Ren: It seriously is.\par +>Who else is going?\par +Us, Delphine, and Angel.\par +>Okay, I am going\par +Ren: (Slightly concerned)\par +Blythe: Alright! You're awesome, you know that? You're going to be so scared you'll run right back here anyways.\par +Blythe leads Ren and Cassia to the mall's back entrance.\par +Blythe: "Don't worry about it, I switched the security footage. I know my dad's password." She unlocks the door. "I also copied his key. Wait. Cassia, you don't know unlock magic, do you? That could have been cool. Oh well, let's go in. And be quiet."\par +Cassia and Ren go inside after Blythe. \par +"Hey, guys," Angel whispers in the darkness.\par +"Hey," Blythe replies. "I brought Cassia and Ren. You ready?"\par +Delphine flips a flashlight on and hands some out to everyone.\par +"Thanks," Ren says.\par +Angel: It's Cassia's first time, so she's the leader. Go ahead and explore. We'll follow you.\par +Ren: Be careful, though. Go slow.\par +Everybody joins the player's party. They follow behind and have AI behavior when party attacked. They are on guard.\par +The room is dark, but the flashlights illuminate the area around them. They can also use light magic. They entered through a back security office with a desk, lots of notes, some monitors, and a chair. It's crowded.\par +The door leads out into the back hallway, which connects to the shipping & packaging bay, another office, a supply closet, a nice bathroom. The way to the mall is marked and obvious. The closer you get to the mall, the clearer you can hear monsters. When the player uses the door to exit into the mall, the party stops her to chat.\par +Ren: You hear that, don't you? You ready to see what we were talking about?\par +Delphine: Those are monsters unlike the forest creatures. \par +>Is it safe?\par +Angel: No...probably not. No one has ever gotten hurt, though. Sometimes we do have to fight, though. Are you ready?\par +>Let's go\par + >I changed my mind!\par +Blythe bursts throught the door. "Then I'll be leader next!"\par +The mall is as it usually is, but dark. Monsters are heard. Everyone crowds around the door, peering out. The player can walk out when ready.\par +Delphine: Guys, something isn't right.\par +Ren: They're huge...\par +Cassia and the party have to fight their way out. This gives the player experience managing a party for the first time. Delphine flashes a light by chance onto the pit. They escape outside.\par +Blythe: I had no idea it would be like that! I am so sorry!\par +Delphine: Those were not the monsters from before. These are worse.\par +Angel: Is everyone alright?\par +Ren: Yeah, I think so. Um, usually, the mall is full of these tiny slimes. I mean, they attack you, but it's mostly just gross. Honestly, they're really cute, like puppy kisses. Those were serious monsters, though. If they get out, then the town would be at risk.\par +Delphine: I was seeing a hole where they were coming from. It was never there before.\par +Ren: A hole? Like a door or a pit or what?\par +Delphine: Like a chasm. or pit.\par +Blythe: What are you talking about? There's nothing like that in the mall. Could the floor really collapse like that and have no one notice.\par +Angel: I'm glad Mr. Policeman isn't here today...He would have gotten hurt, huh?\par +Ren: Yeah...\par +Angel: What do we do about it?\par +Blythe: Yeah, my dad wouldn't be a lot of help...Honestly, your dad would be better for this, Angel. And honestly, I can't admit to knowing about this stuff. Can you imagine how freaked out and concerned my dad would be? All of your parents, honestly.\par +Angel: It would help the police prepare a response, though.\par +Blythe: Are you serious? Your mom would be the most freaked out in town. And I'm not going to choose a scapegoat out of you guys. If Night was here, I'd be down on pinning it on him and his weird experiments. But he doesn't even know about this stuff and would never cooperate anyways. "His reputation! The childishness of it. You're not going to convince me of foolishness."\par +Ren: Your impression is actually pretty good. Sorry, um, Night's a good guy. I think he'd provide clandestine assistance if he was convinced of the necessity of it. And this is pretty severe.\par +Angel: Are we really going to deal with this ourselves just because we're afraid of adults?\par +>Obviously we must take matters into our own hands.\par +Angel: Okay. Well, I'll protect you no matter what. \par +Blythe: Of course! You're our guardian angel, of course.\par +Ren: Sasuga, Guardian Angel-chan.\par +Delphine: We can't take matters yet. We must prepare.\par +Blythe: You're right, but, like, how? We all buy weapons, we all buy gear? That's going to look so suspicious.\par +Delphine: We can order online.\par +Angel: Yeah, I mean, we're going into the next year of school and have been using the same gear since middle school. Yours in particular is really, Ren. If we go shopping as friends, I don't think anyone would put too much though into it.\par +Blythe: Maybe you're right. Well, let's arrange a time to shop together.\par +Angel: I guess I'll start a group text the day after tomorrow. For now, let's get back home without anyone noticing. \par +## Halloween\par +## The Day After Halloween\par +In the morning, Cassia receives a group text. \par +Angel: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +>Of course!\par +Angel: Then meet us at the mall!\par +Angel, Blythe, Delphine, Ren, and Cassia meet at the mall. \par +Ren: First let's pool our money. Cassia, you're still the leader, right? You pick everything out for us. \par +Angel: Cassia hasn't shopped for weapons yet, so let me explain. There are a couple of blacksmiths in the region, as well as traveling merchants who bring in foreign weapons. If the options aren't looking so good, you can describe what you're looking for to Auric, and he'll try to find something. Otherwise, we'll have to look online, which is less fun.\par +Ren: It doesn't matter either way. We just need better gear.\par +Angel: Yeah. Let's go.\par +Angel leads everyone to the combat gear shop.\par +Auric: Hey, kids. Getting ready for summer school?\par +Ren: Pretty much.\par +Auric: I'm used to seeing the police and travelers suiting up here. It's good to see the next generation taking interest in defense. You're all high schoolers now, huh?\par +Angel: That's right!\par +Auric: Well, I can sell you more training gear if your old stuff's wearing down. I think you're getting old enough that you should be using the real stuff, though.\par +Blythe: Really?\par +Auric: Of course. You know, I was using sharpened swords when I was a toddler, but you can't do that anymore in today's society. High school is more than responsible enough. Tell me what you need and I'll show you my best.\par +Screen transitions to Auric and the merchant panel. By default, the selected panel is the weapon that corresponds to the character's primary class.\par +If you switch to a \par +## Shop\par +## Meet Rune\par +\par +\f1\par +} + \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Blessfrey/Dungeon Girls - November.rtf b/Blessfrey/Dungeon Girls - November.rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..4ca7352 --- /dev/null +++ b/Blessfrey/Dungeon Girls - November.rtf @@ -0,0 +1,3493 @@ +{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\nouicompat\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil\fcharset0 Constantia;}{\f1\fnil Constantia;}{\f2\fswiss Tahoma;}{\f3\fnil\fcharset1 Segoe UI Symbol;}{\f4\fswiss\fcharset134 Microsoft YaHei;}{\f5\fnil\fcharset1 Cambria Math;}{\f6\fnil\fcharset0 Cambria Math;}{\f7\fnil Cambria Math;}{\f8\fnil\fcharset0 Segoe UI Symbol;}} +{\colortbl ;\red215\green215\blue215;} +{\*\generator Riched20 6.3.9600}{\*\mmathPr\mmathFont5\mwrapIndent1440 }\viewkind4\uc1 +\pard\sa150\sl0\slmult0\cf1\f0\fs24 # Notes\par +Is each part fun, exciting, funny, weird, memeworthy? Would you WebM any part of this? \par +Teach mechanics. Teach basics, teach new ways mechanics can be used. Use skill to attack? You can also use skill to make or change. Build increasingly complex puzzles solvable by the skills of your primary, secondary, and your companions.\par +Is game replayable? Too much to drag through? Once the puzzle is solved one time, are you done? How is each experience new and variable?\par +How long does it take to get into the game? Can you hop in and out or do you need lots of time for a single simple playthrough?\par +If you leave for years, if it hard to get back up to speed? Use a quick reference on phone, maybe even a phone app game that's a practice tutorial, like an rpg or workout video.\par +What themes do I want to convey? What am I building with every word?\par +* Social life\par +* Teen romance\par +* Rebellion\par +* Keeping secrets from adults\par +* Secret world shared with those in the inner circle\par +* Religion \par +* The Confederacy is facism and the United States is communist.\par +* Getting stronger\par +* Getting wealthy\par +* Growing in power (maybe not be just a high schooler anymore? Maybe be challenged by adults?)\par +* Wanting to be part of something bigger (maybe dungeon delving is wrong. Maybe they regret it and have to question their illegitimate motives. Even if it ultimately saved Rune.)\par +* Homemaking (start out with a trashy house and deadbeat uncle, end with a relationship, better uncle who undergoes character development, you clean house, he cleans house, you have someone new living with you to form a real family. Maybe even his wife comes back or he gets married.)\par +* Teamwork and friendship\par +* Trusting each other\par +* Cute girls doing cute things\par +* Interesting guys\par +* Cool older sister, Angel\par +* Each romance option represents something to be inspired to be better in? Night's practical skills, Aries's combat, Ren's academics, Angel's social popularity, Chloe's lore, Delphine's animal knowledge and environmentalism, hot math teacher's math, * Milo's sports\par +* What if the dungeon represents something?\par +* Opening time is late afternoon, dusk, night.\par +* Group text chat has channels - info, schedule, social\par +* Group chat has polls, pictures, text, text colors, text fonts, avatars, backgrounds. Take inspo from Japanese 101 where they uploaded relevant funny pictures like from Ogaki sensei's Instagram or silly class slides. The group and channel names can be changed at any time. Channels can be added or removed at any time.\par +* The group chat app stresses its security and asymmetrical synchronization or whatever security. Messages are encrypted.\par +* Uncle is a racist confederate stereotype. He makes Delphine uncomfortable and tells the player to stay away from her. If told she's French, he is torn since the French did defeat the Northern Aggressors. He's been in Mall Town since the beginning and doesn't want to move, even though he hates the new mayor and scene.\par +* The confederates are influenced by Nazi German culture (NASA), French, English, United States, and sometimes Spanish culture.\par +* Teaching Rune how to read and write - maybe you can teach him ridiculous things that later influence his texting behavior. He sends "Lol :)" when someone's grandma dies, etc. That would be a way to make teaching him fun. He's like your own chat box AI Tay you can program and teach at will.\par +* Exploring the dungeon - like Persona 3 where everyone waits outside, you can return often, and switch out your small party from those there with ease. If sick or busy, they won't be there, but otherwise, everyone waits there. There is one who is an informant and does not ever go with you unless it's a crazy weird mission. OR like Guild Wars, where you can only change from the main hub points and can choose freely from your given selection of teammates. The difficulty of the zone influences the max party cap number. OR like Dot Hack, where you have to email everyone individually to invite them off a contact list. They'll be right there, sorry too busy, or be totally unreachable. They arrive and get ready to go.\par +* Instead of a beach, the map has a lake.\par +* The main character is more memorable for the player and the gaming community as a whole when they have a ridiculous personality or couple of sets of personalities. Very blank, generalized characters like the Champion of Cyrodiil, the Neverine, or Guild War's Chosen One are good for extremely open roleplay or straight-up games without a lot of focus on immersion and story but tons on gameplay or puzzle games like Legend of Grimrock II, but Dungeon Girls makes less sense with that. The RuneScape 2 player character and to a lesser and less in-touch degree, the AdventureQuest franchise protagonists, has a funny sense of humor and takes on generalized characteristics of the general playerbase (kills needlessly and without reason or with silly reason, lots banks full of cool items, likes to play funny roles to scary townsfolk, walks into random houses as "adventuring" to the utter confusion of normal residents, assumes everyone has a quest, doesn't care even a little about Hell levels of dangeous, has traveled the world extensively building massive support networks when most people stay in a single town forever, etc.) Persona 5's Ren can be clueless and dopey and forgetful, bragadocious and exaggeratory about his false charges even using it to intimidate people who think he's like a murderer or something, or probably something else. Sophie is an atheist, lazy, annoying, and immature. The Kalach-cha can be like an NPC and obsessed with payment, routinely demanding it and more from those who are thankful for a difficult quest or are so sympathetic that it's absolutely beyond professional and just jerkish to make the guy pay. Geralt can be pretty pol redpilled, saying "You have to go back" to pathetic needy migrants, being homophobic and uncomfortable around trannies and gays (even though his friend is flamboyant and apparently bi for a trap). The player character for each clan has a distinct personality, dialogue, and even font. Malkavians in particular are remembered a bit in meme culture. That would be a ton of work for a more open-ended game. A lot of people play Nancy Drew games for Nancy, who is a relateable girl with a cute, dutiful boyfriend, silly but well-meaning friends, and a lot of snark and carried-over memories from previous games like that intern, Sonny. The Cat Lady's Susan was a horrible person, depressed, mean-spirited, and argumentary, which is kind of funny. Persona 4's Seta Souji is so chill, like nothing can ruffle his feathers or catch him off guard. \par +* What kind of personality suits the leader of a girl squad with some cute guys? How is it easily rewritten for a male playable character?\par +* Side quests early on.\par +* Player can solo, bring just a few, or have a full party.\par +* The mayor wants to take over the confederacy, and the government is aware and watches him with suspicion. Everyone, the Mayor, the player character, the few in town who are in on it, think they are keeping a secret. The government knew all along and view them as useful fools and guinea pigs, testing out the dungeon and trailblazing to clear out the danger. They are deciding what to do, but they will probably swoop in and take the final level to take the wish. They may consider teaming up with a side.\par +* Maybe mayor is paranoid about who knows and his crazy government conspiracy is true - Big Brother knows.\par +* Slavery was never abolished, but it's a quiant relic of the pre-Industrial Revolution world. Maybe there are industries still better suited to slaves, so there are still a few slave owners.\par +White men are against slavery because they drive down wages and take away jobs.\par +* The first dungeon dead ends, connecting with nothing. There are compelling reasons to explore it instead of the real dungeon because it's good for leveling up, trying out team build strategies, and you find a special weapon and diary at the end with signs of your mayor's exploration methods, knowledge of the red herring enemy. The first dungeon is straight-forward and quick the second time around with simple, fairly obvious strategies. Also some beasts are tameable, so it is good for getting first pets. It is sealed any day the week of the party\rquote s exploration completion, determined by opening the diary and taking the sword or reaching the last level twice. Once closed, it is inaccessible. Maybe a dig skill or explosive barrel reopens it, but this will draw attention onto you.\par +* Some slimes wander the halls of the dungeon, oozing in and out of walls. They could be pop-ups\par +Blythe is a rogue. Charismatic, charming, dextrous, quick, able to open locks, get into secure areas, and conceal her group's presence. By her preference, she uses a sceptor and dagger, dagger and focus.\par +* Daggers are separately equippable, each able to be put in either hand without a "main hand or dominant hand, off-hand, etc" requirement. Double dagger skills require a dagger to be equipped in both hands to activate. Equipping a matching set usually gives a bonus to accuracy or something. Maybe a skill removes this requirement - double dagger attacks are always more accurately, even if your equipment does not match.\par +* These could be mission areas like in Guild Wars, so exploration is limited. If player wants to go wrong way, he can just scrape the back door or go forward.\par +* Areas have party limit? Only so many available at a time?\par +* Delphine is quiet due to being slightly uncomfortable with English.\par +* Darkness is actually dark so lights and nightvision are needed\par +\f1\bullet Flashlight is an off-hand equippable. It is functional, casting a persistent light area skill. It provides neglible stats.\par +\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Father is Mall owner's brother and his foil, trying to confound his wicked plans. He can't act directly and involving authorities would be disastrous. He needs unconventional methods. When be first hears from Chloe that some of her classmates who are competent at self-defense are exploring the start of the trail, he lets it develop. He will provide aide to them and believes they can do it when neither he nor authorities could.\par +* The early stages of the mall dungeon are supply-chain-oriented. Slaves work the land, caring for plants, harvesting, mining, and manufacturing. Initially, the adventurers are shocked and disgusted that this is propping up the mall. "This is where the froyo comes from..." "Wow, people still have slaves. I mean, I know they did, but I had no idea there were slaves in our town..." Delphine is especially disgusted. "You Confederate savages," she spits. \par +* As a black person, Delphine feels a connection to the black slaves. \par +* Most people treat their slaves decently, maybe I need to research the Bible's rules for masters of slaves. But Mr. Klein does not treat his slaves fairly. He represents the worst, the gritty evil literally living under the cushy world of froyo and chocolate mochas. \par +* Research chocolate production and other evil slave-driven industries and fit them within the context of these resource-rich (maybe Africa-like) pits. American ones, like Sunkist's orange slaves from illegal immigrants. That summer reading book I had to read in college. Make it dark. Even the often-criticised and boogeymanned slave owners or complacent non-slave owneers of the Confederacy would judge our modern use of slavery.\par +* Maybe earth angels are slaves? Mr. Klein perverted their generosity and communism.\par +* Hardly anybody owns slaves anymore. Most people use machines after the Industrial Revolution.\par +\f1\bullet Write books with in-line pictures. Some are picture books, full of scribbles, photography, or illustration\par +Outline of the Dungeon:\f0 (outdated, but I'm keeping it for the word count. Chris Baty says we're not allowed to edit, right?)\f1\par +* First levels are like a basement. \par +* Then they are dark, empty, and earthy. \par +* They begin to look more used and civilized. \par +\f0 * The chasm is new, and the guy doesn't go to the dungeon at night, he usually works during the day, so he doesn't know about it or observe it closely. It doesn't look habited and it's earthy and natural. Eventually, it will connect with Mr. Klein's channel. There, they will see his slave supply chain and be confronted with slavery up close and personal. Other games, the slaves are NPCs who barely interact. It will be hard to portray them honestly, respectfully, and fairly without added drama or politics, but it would be interesting to talk to some slaves. Most would probably refuse to talk. Even breaking their chains, like Aladdin did for Morgiana, would stun them, and they would desperately hope to mend their chains. \par +* Some dungeon monster ideas: Desperate slaves, guards, gargoyles, goblins, hobgoblins, gnomes, feral earth angels, rock crabs, snakes, earthworms, spirits, guardians, goddess, warrior, champion, elder god, elf,...\par +* Orders of angels\par +* Reskin or palette swap enemies by theme - rock, earth, nature, flower, ore, iron, crystal.\par +* Not all earth angels are feral, just the ones close to Mr. Klein's capitalist distortion, desacrilization of nature, and unsustainable destruction of nature.\par +* The Indians guided white man through the first dungeon, Southern tall tale says. Indians respected the dungeons.\par +* Indians had slaves way before white colonists. (Indian Slavery Christina Snyder Subject: Early National History, Native American History Online Publication Date: Dec 2014 DOI: 10.1093/acrefore/9780199329175.013.5 - http://americanhistory.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199329175.001.0001/acrefore-9780199329175-e-5)\par +* Maybe only white people view slavery as a perculiar institution. Other peoples view freedom that way.\par +* Slavery was first abolished by the French Republic in 1794, but Napoleon revoked that decree in 1802. ... France re-abolished slavery in her colonies in 1848 with a general and unconditional emancipation. William Wilberforce's Slave Trade Act 1807 abolished the slave trade in the British Empire. (Wikipedia)\par +* French were the third largest slave traders, elevated to that rank by the staggering numbers of Africans delivered to Saint-Domingue (Haiti) in the late eighteenth century. \par +* Delphine comes from a country that traded Africans heavily\par +* Maybe introduce unique enemies at the top first to let people experience more original content first.\par +* Look at group chats for group chat, common typos, and speaking styles inspo\par +* Rune is an earth spirit guide boy or something mystical and elfish\par +Hotkey for pausing the game\par +Maybe initially Night works for the enemy, coerced into healing and ressurecting for free or else being threatened to lose his shop and suppliers. Night is partially paid in their exotic herbs. He heals indiscriminately, so he heals the player. He heavily suspects their involvement and must know. He also wants direct access to the herbs because the slaves are lousy with the rare delicate ones. When.he hears they are working against them, he is fearful.\par +Maybe rez items exist but are also rare.\par +can sit on chairs, benchs, rocks. Role play and glamour screenshot friendly.\par +On the way, teleporters and earth shrines will be discovered.\par +There is one of Klein's slave on the bottom floor.\par +You can reactivate the teleporter by finding a replacement earth angel with the right aspect and no current shrine to attend.\par +There are different skill bars:\par +\f1\bullet the skillbar for usable skills chosen by the player or resulting from gameplay\par +\bullet the effects bar for skills used on the player that are exerting an effect for a duration including enchants, hexes, environmental effects, potion effects, clothing effects, illness, poison, knockdown, etc\par +\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 the skill library for usable skills that are not currently usable but can be placed on the skillbar in certain areas\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 the skill chart for gathering (mining, woodcutting, fishing, harvesting, farming, hunting), processing (cooking, tailoring, crafting, alchemy, construction), and support skills (agility, thieving, speechcraft, sailing, lore, detect traps, eating). These skills are persistant, have infinite slots, have infinite levels, are gained through reaching level one (exposure), are leveled by reading skill books, doing the activity, listening to podcasts, watching others, browsing the web, going to class, meeting people, etc, and increase the amount of activities you can do with the skill as you are higher level. No cooking rat meat a hundred times to reach 99. You must gain experience through variety and experimentation. No grind, no following strict strategy guide, probably (pickpocket Lumby men to level 7, go to Varrock, pick Farmers to 10, go to Draynor, pick the seed stall to 50, etc.) Their primary goal is to encourage exploration. Do all the things.\par +Night hates resurrecting over and over again. It's wrong, it's dangerous, and he is always close to death and isn't over the very recent death of his grandparents.\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Lore helps with names. Recognize the Lesser Earth Angel, just that she's an Earth Angel, or generalize surface-level understanding, observation, and guessing: Beautiful Winged Woman, echoing last thing heard: Earth's Servant. Recognize spells: Raynar's 3rd Fire Bolt, Fire Projectile Spell, etc. Learn specific ones by reading, training, encountering spells, etc. Knowing X names or facts makes your character level whatever. Being level whatever allows level checks, so player will behave better in general, drawing upon her holistic knowledge.\par +There is a cat living in the garden. The locals call her Poppy. She is the people's cat.\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 The levels in uncivilized caverns are separated by holes, gaps, cliff faces, etc. Maybe ladders. Very natural and rudimentary. Maybe can't continue some parts without Blink, rope ladder, warp, etc.\par +Aries needs to join alreasy. The recruitment quests are open and you can do them whenever or never do them. You can solo like Seta Souji, never letting anyone into his core team.\par +Aries takes inspiration from Mage and Taeyang. Maybe he us a little tsundere.\par +Cassia is an overwhelmed millenial with many lesser millenial tropes like no napkins, only paper towels, doesn't really like mayonnaise, uses liquid soap,\par +Cassia is cute and shy and awkward.\par +Recruitment changes if done after dating and hurt relationship "You left me out! I wasn't there all this time when you wrre in danger to protect you?"\par +Dating exes hurts relationship. Angel feels awkward if you date Aries but can get over it and support you as suxh a cute couple. You belong together!\par +sometimes phone batteries die during missions, especially long ones. buy extra battery packs to prevwnT tjis and always charge the phone\par +A really fun fight for me is the solitary fight. Cassia, used to commanding and strategizing a team build, must fight on her own merit. And if she is a healer or glass cannon, she must put together or force a makeshift combat build and equipment set or find a way to bolster her defenses. It leads to fun, desperate playstyles that otherwise would never see the light of day.\par +Rune and Dahlia are brother and sister, so Rune is also a teleportation angel. Maybe this gives him special abilities and conversation options. Maybe his romance arc is exciting.\par +Rune needs to be renamed to a flower name. Or whatever name earth angels get. Something earthy.\par +Rune's romance arc is scandelous since it is a mixed race relationship. Angel thinks it's true love, Blythe thinks it's spicy, and Night and Chloe think it's a bad idea.\par +Rune needs to be a bad guy as long as possible so it's a surprise when he's a recruitable NPC and even moreso when he is a romanceable NPC.\par +Earth angels do not call themselves earth angels. Find another way to refer to themselves. Maybe by appearance, nationality, job, ranking, etc.\par +Sibling earth angels do not always have the same job, but it's highly unusual since it's basically genetic. (I do not know if they mate.)\par +Research flower names\par +Make religious symbols for the shrines: ressurection (a cycle, renewal, used for lesser life uduslly), teleportafion (warp, transfer, travel. maybe symbolized by a pair of earth angEl wings)\par +Find local names. what do earth angels call resurrection and teleportation?\par +The religion of the earth angels is pantheistic\par +Research pantheism\par +Research if any winged animals live underground\par +The first time an earth ngel is shown, pan over artwork of a dynamic shot of her. If keeping flower names, Phlox's design is inspired by phlox flowers.\par +Earth angels are traditionally matriarchical, and men are growing in independEnce gradually. The women look down on men, though. Maybe Rune is suprised by earth's egalitarianism and returns to be a great men's rights activist in his homeworld\par +Delphine romance, she whispers French nothings for you\par +If one person learns a skill, it unlocks for everyone? if one person learns a skill, it unlocks at a standard skill trainer? Player buys skills for each person? A combination of these?\par +Rune speaks ye olde English, or at least colonial era stuff back when settlers were swarming over the countryside, encountering and studying and conquering all the land's peoples.\par +Study French\par +Study post-Civil War France and Paris\par +The earth angels have a spoken and written language unique to them. However, the written is starkly similar to some Indian tribe written language. It is unclear who influenced who or where their origins and peoples have mixed. It is never explicit in the game, unless a really nerdy lexiconical character examines it. \par +Maybe a puzzle or fight or stat check or skill check or something to find communicator.\par +Maybe a puzzle to use the communicator.\par +You have to unlock new teleport shrines by discovery.\par +Maybe Phlox's channel is a debtor community or prison planet, so it is almost unheard of to travel to it. They could have an Ico situation where the crime is being born with horns or something.\par +Force new builds and use of unusal skills to get to the next part of the game. Consider a skill before an item or stat or chat option or whatever.\par +Phlox's channel has many NPCs, most unwilling to talk until your reputation has risen enough. Slowly, merchants and repairmen become available. This should serve to educate how the faction, rank based main channel works.\par +Safe rooms have pacificsm, a healing regenerative effect, and allow noncombat skill use like transmutation and possibly healing\par +Party members learn new skills when gaining higher levels. Party members trigger new events to learn new skills when certain requirements or conditions are met or present. Party members can be taught new skills by experiencing certain events, buying them, being given skill tomes, training at the gym, going to summer school, going to preacher Alder's sermons, and so on.\par +Have preachers write the sermons\par +Take famous sermons like Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards and Spurgeon's sermons, etc.\par +Prince Lotus is more eloquent in English because he not only is well educated as a prince, but he was born into a royal family dependent and highly involved with the humans.\par +Dark skills are unavailable to Chloe. Maybe somethung can lift that limit, especially a "use any skull" skill but that may have ro exvlude elites\par +Rune cannot use light holy healing stuff.\par +The mall has a second-hand clothing shop. The girls complain that they usually get either store credit or almost nothing if they trade clothes in. The player can trade in old apparel, too, for Kohl's cash or whatever. They accept or don't accept almost at random, taking this girl's out-of-season, hole-ridden clothes, but rejecting this brand-new, still has the tags clothes.\par +The earth angels are fallen angels who worship Lucifer or Satan. Gave to look ot up.\par +The earth angels call themselves angels and they call their home the Abyss.\par +But if so, why is basically Hell, the Pit, Abyss, etc so rich in resources like apparently gold-paved Heaven?\par +Keeping the little devil boy in the church doesn\rquote t work out in a humorous way.\par +Chloe is uncomfortable with the devil boy and doesn\rquote t really know what to do with him. They have funny discussions with awkward tenseness. Rune doesn\rquote t like Chloe at all or Father. Cassia generally will take any help she can, espevially from a local with a better grasp on tje pulse of the culture. This is not true for Acolyte Cassia, but Rune still has to live with her. Very awkward scenes.\par +Another scene where uncle finds the devil boy living there in his house. Honestly, he doesn\rquote t mind but reveals hints that he knows about earth angels and has concerns about being caught with one. Cassia pretty much has been revealed as a dungeon crawler to her uncle, though.\par +On the final boss rush, there is either an abundance of changing out your team and build or sparse desert\par +Maybe there can be a Dance with Devils-style otome or something with Rune, Prince Lotus, and more.\par +The earth angels sealed the great evil because it was too powerful and they were turning to more commercial, modern, luxuriating efforts.\par +Earth angels have funny expressions and think human expressions are funny. They have a culture with heavy emphasis on the earth, tunneling, darkness, caves, soil, and rocks. \par +The main character is a beligerent atheist, like Sophie, because it's funny. Everyone kind of pities her but ignores her. Her mean insults roll off like off Teflon. Just like how the church lady still thinks Sophie is so precious and sweet.\par +Easter Eggs\par +Give everyone impossible phone numbers. Maybe too short, like back when area code wasn\rquote t necessary\par +Prince Lotus shares his anime tragic backstory early after meeting him.\par +The earth angels have their own name for their human overlords.\par +The chat app has custom emojis. I want either cute ones or classic ones from somewhere.\par +The chat app has polls, pictures, emojis, games, dice (/roll 3),\par +Prince Lotus is the youngest sibling.\par +The earth angels live in a matriachy. The head of state is the Queen.\par +Maybe the Mayor has his wife over the dictatorship as a puppet as an attempt to fit in better with the culture. The Queen would be more willing to be conquered by a woman than any man. \par +The people of the Confederate States call themselves Americans? Or find what is more historically accurate.\par +Research what being in jail is like, especially for holding.\par +Research confederate proson and judicial systems\par +Current Dungeon Layout:\par +\f1\bullet Shipping & Processing Plant\par +\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Quality Assurance\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Finishing\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Manufacturing\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Processing\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Slums\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Harvesting\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Plantations and Coal Mines\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Slums\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Offices\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Residential District\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Royal District\par +Former Dungeon Layout:\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Buffer colonies\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Wildlife\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Farms and Mines\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Business District\par +\f1\bullet \f2\ltrmark\f0 Residential District\par +\f1\bullet Royal Distict\par +\f0 When in the jail, if the player can escape, they can find the place where the skill effect spirit is who is enforcing the no skill use, maybe even no attack skill effect is being cast. If they remove or kill the spirit, the effect will run out. If that happens, the player can attack and use skills. If people in the prison realize this, there would probably be a riot that tramples everyone unless the player can escape quickly. \par +Have Thanksgiving holiday.\par +The Mayor promotes Black Friday in his Mall. The shopping app has a Black Friday sale, too, which is the lowest prices of the year. Or maybe it's not, to prove a point. \line On Black Friday, the Library has a cringey as all get out 100% off sale on books, movies, CDs, etc. Make it really preachy. Have \par +Use lots of Southern slang: "grab you one", "all get out", "give me some sugar",\par +* Edit this as an extra for my game. More extras seems like more care was put into my game. An art book, a story book (real, side, or alternative), comic book, maybe cards, I don't know. Provide in a variety of available formats, keeping open source friendly in mind.\par +* Steam extras. Badges, achievements, card drops, backgrounds, desirable emoticons for conversion in general (what would I LOVE and always use?), probably more things I don't know about.\par +# Systems\par +## Skills\par +* Skill Pool: Skills are a primary form of manipulating the world. There are several ways to classify them and acquire them. \par +Classifications: Skill, spell, hex, chant, shout, enchantment, trap, etc. Elite, common, PVP-only, PVE-only, etc. Acolyte, Tarot Mage, Soldier, Alchemist, etc. Environmental skills, item skills, etc.\par +Acquisition: Every class starts out with a couple of key skills. Gain more through quests, conversation, skill books, and exploration.\par +Maybe sometimes skills must be on your bar to meet some requirement (see in the dark, lockpick, understand a language, etc) and maybe sometimes skills must be in your effects menu (maybe have blindness, the flu, Healing Breeze enchantment, etc) so at least one guy in the party has to cast it on your, and maybe sometimes skills must be in your skill library (I'm looking for someone who knows at least a master-level fire spell, someone who knows at least one skill per profession, etc...)\par +* Skill Library holds all your skills you know\par +* Skillbar holds all your skills you can currently use with restrictions. 8 skills at a time, no duplicates, 1 elite skill.\par +* Skill Effects shows what skills are being applied to you currently.\par +## Lore\par +* Lore: Lore reflects your knowledge of the world, its history, and its people. It is grainular but adds up to a number level. There are several ways to gain lore.\par +Lore is organized into a node tree. There are topics to master at lower levels (general topics) by having enough knowledge of the higher level (specialized topics). It's good to be well-rounded for actually applying your knowledge's sake, but it is also good to have a high number of lore nodes unlocked for a high lore stat. It may be visible, hidden, or partially visible. \par +The topics can be balanced by having less local things you gain just by knowing who your neighbors are and more nodes for academic and historical topics which require more investigation. You must explore and study to have a high lore stat.\par +Completing branches or trees gains titles. Knowing everything about combat would make you a Battlelord, but knowing everything about computers would make you Techsavvy.\par +General topics with specialized topics examples...\par +Combat>Fire Magic>Fire Ball\par +Combat>Martial Weapons>Blades>Swords>Short Sword\par +Local History>Who Lived Here Before the Mayor>Night's Grandparents\par +Local History>Mall>When the Mall was Built\par +Mall Town>Residents>Evanthe\par +World>Domestic Affairs>National Government>The President\par +World>International Affairs>National Government of the United States>The President\par +World>Confederate History>Wars>The War of Northern Aggression\par +Underworld>Abyss>Earth Angels>Earth Angel Language\par +## Grade in School\par +Your grade in school is tracked by your completion and performance in school-related and generally academic activities and is boosted by your lore. It is measured on a A (100-90) to F (64-negative infinity) scale. It affects your relationship with teachers and students, can earn you rewards (get a good reward for getting all As or top 10 on the summer school exam or whatever), and can cause penalties.\par +## Friendship\par +Friendship is measured on a scale for each character in the game, from stranger to acquaintance to friend to either cherished friend or boyfriend. Friendships are more realistic. You can't rush a friendship or speedrun it by giving 7000 friendship bracelets to a girl, being her maid of honor at her wedding, then never talk to her for 70 years, and still be best friends. You have to stay engaged and keep being nice or you lose your friends or grow distant. Boyfriend relationships are even more picky. They get jealous, they get lonely, they expect you to be there for them in their time of need. If you're not, they may fall for the girl who is.\par +Your options and actions determine where a relationship is heading to cherished friend or boyfriend, although you usually have a yes-or-no choice at some point to make it "official." Some boys are the type who don't let you be friends with other guys because it makes them a little jealous. Play it for hotness (I am so desired!)\par +Having multiple boyfriends causes jealousy and can knock relationship stats back if caught.\par +Ghosting on your boyfriend causes relationship points to slide.\par +Ghosting on friends causes friendships to because "distant friendships" or whatever like in The Sims 3.\par +There are multiple avenues for developing friendships. Talk to them once daily, give gifts a few times a week, remember their birthday, hang out with them, use them in your party, say the right things, do their quests, be friends with their friends (being friends with Chloe makes you closer to Ren, being friends with Delphine makes you closer to Evanthe), not being friends with people they don't like (being friends with Aries makes Angel upset), generally be the right person who interests them (have higher music or poetry lore mastery to passively be better friends with Ren), have a combatible MBTI personality or Zodiac sign or whatever, don't have a conflicting personality or sign, be in the same factions (also be a regular churchgoer for Chloe's friendship, also be have a gym membership for Aries), etc.\par +# Outline\par +.:Prologue:.\par +Cassia can't stay with her family. \par +Her uncle is a final option, so he takes her. It's clear no one thinks he's capable, and the town he lives in is boring.\par +.:Act One:.\par +Cassia arrives in Montgomery National Airport.\par +Cassia's other uncle, her uncle's brother, meets her and has a brief chat.\par +The other uncle drives her from the airport to the town.\par +He stops on the way for food.\par +He arrives in town.\par +The Mayor and Angel greet her.\par +The Mayor gives a spiel about the town and himself and whatever. Talks to the uncle, too.\par +Angel shows Cassia around.\par +Cassia checks out her home and it's empty. Her uncle isn't even here to greet her.\par +Angel is frustrated but not surprised. She encourages Cassia to spend the night with her instead.\par +Cassia spends the night with Angel.\par +Angel and Cassia chat at night until Angel's mom hushes them.\par +Angel's mom wakes them up for Cassia's first day of school and Angel's last day of school. They go early for Cassia.\par +Angel leads Cassia to the school. They see friends on the way there, maybe.\par +The Mayor is waiting and takes Cassia into his office for an explanation. Angel goes ahead on to class.\par +The Mayor leads Cassia to her classroom.\par +The Mayor introduces her to the class.\par +The teacher introduces herself and encourages her to relax and explore.\par +Cassia explores the classroom and talks to the students and teacher. She can do worksheets to learn some skills, lore, or gain reputation points or good grade points or whatever.\par +Player says she's ready to kill the mayor with Prince Lotus\par +Player says she needs time to rest. Maybe Prince Lotus insists a final rest while he assembles everyone.\par +A romantic last night before the battle scene with your boyfriend or just a nervous walk with Angel and Cassia.\par +The party meets in the morning to go but gets intercepted by the police.\par +Rune teleports them to Prince Lotus.\par +The party splits to accomplish both objectives\par +The party kills the mayor and the royal family\par +The party explores the anarchic Abyss\par +Rune teleports them away to Cassia's house\par +The uncle comes in as the "someone's at the door!" jump scare.\par +The uncle chats and explains the situation.\par +The uncle promises to explain his involvement later. His involvement must be foreshadowed. He may even be an agent for the Confederate government. Maybe it should be open-ended a little for those cringey tumblr theories to advertise my game a little.\par +\par +The Uncle talks to them\par +\par +# Act 1\par +It's classic to think the rebel leader is your enemy over misunderstandings then to push aside differences once the true enemy is revealed. I think of the Shining Blade and the White Mantle in pursuit of the Chosen.\par +Not all earth angels are members of the Resistance. In fact, a lot of earth angels are indifferent or against them. Many are disillusioned, believing no good can come from the royal family, thinking it's a trick to round up dissenters or just a powertrip larp from a rich kid who will abandon any civillian who loses their livelihood and societal standing from siding with him. Others believe the society is fine as it is and there is no hope for better. The best hope for individuals is to appease the ruler as much as possible and be as good as a boy as possible. Rocking the boat and provoking them may lead to way worse conditions. Others have found positions of relative safety and security and comfort and cannot sacrifice this from the mass suspicion and scrutiny that would arise from earth angel rebellion. \par +Document progress. Include sketches, mockups, character portraits, finished art, music, story, etc.\par +Goals: Introduce setting. Exciting, interesting, and memorable opening with beautiful scenery and animations and compelling characters that put the player in the action quickly. The opening should only take a few minutes, not long at all. \par +## Opening\par +Fade in.\par +Scenes of railway cars and trains rush bleakly and drearily through the night. Rain is like a black sheet and clears to a weak drizzle in a gray mist, blurring the view of the dark clouds and night sky overhead and harsh beams of the streetlights reflecting crassly off windows. \par +Rain drops plop and streak the window. Behind, the player is slumped over, sleeping dreamlessly and shifting uncomfortably. She is sitting alone, and the train is visibly uncrowded, spotted with passengers. A big luggage bag takes up the seat next to her.\par +The camera draws nearer, and the player stirs moodlessly, gazing out the the window, her face never completely visible.\par +"I can never sleep on trains," the player thinks as the camera shifts out to far overhead, scenery barely visible through the drudge.\par + "Stopping, Station Auburn. Stopping, Station Auburn. Stopping, Station Auburn."\par +A lady comes by, asking for tickets. She reaches the player. Cassia reflexively holds out her ticket and receives her last punch. She doesn't receive it back. \par +"Close now," she thinks as she jumps up. She pulls her luggage out with her into the aisle. It annoys the other passengers, but she couldn't do anything about it anyways. \par +## Uncle Chet\par +She exits the train. The station is quaint. It looks developed and modern but appropriate for a smaller city.\par +She immediately is stopped by an old man.\par +"Cassia! That must be you."\line >No...wrong person.\par +"Ah, don't lay one like that on Uncle Chet. I watched you get born. I'd recognize my little girl anywhere."\par +>...Uncle Chet?\par +"Yes! It's me! I'm so glad to get to see you, even if it's just to drive you down to my brother's. Sorry we can't hang out longer, but I'll be heading on a trip myself tomorrow and have a meeting later today. I know the layover was miserable, but at least I'm completely free to pick you up. Originally, I was going to have my sister pick you up."\par +"Anyways, let's go. It's a short drive to Mall Town. You hungry? I can grab you something in the station."\par +Camera transitions to a car ride. The car is Confederate-made pickup truck. The rain is starting to clear up and dawn will break momentarily. The road's a little unbusy and comfortable to drive. It's a smooth drive. There are cotton fields, corn fields, and cows on either side. The farmland loops until the conversation draws to a close. Then Mall Town comes up.\par +## Car Ride\par +Goals: \par +* He should probably acknowledge why the player is moving abruptly at the end of the school year to a presumably worse town.\par +* This is a chance for the player to learn more about Cassia's backstory, family situation, the new town, and Uncle Chet\par +* Major questions: Why am I moving? What will the new town be like?\par +"So...how you feeling about moving?"\par +>Nervous\par +"Yeah? I think you'll get over it once you make friends."\par +>Excited\par +"Really? That's good to hear."\par +"I've been down to Mall Town every once in a while. For a place in the middle of nowhere, it's amazing, honestly. I don't know what's going on there, but that Mayor is an eccentric rich guy who just pours money into making it seem like a real city. It has a mall, a school, a gym, lots of the necessities. There's some good young people there, and people travel there from the actually bodunk towns for business or tourism all the time. It'll be alright. Maybe I should visit for your birthday. I'll have to see if I can get off work for that."\par +[if birthday is today] "...Well, not today, of course. \par +>Tell me about Uncle\par +"I guess you never got a chance to know him too well, since you were knee high to a grasshopper when he was around last time your mom visited him. He's been living in Mall Town since forever ago, before the guy came and bought up the town and established himself as major. He's alright. I mean, he's never around, and he's usually passed out somewhere, and he never cleans up. Sigh. I hope you'll be a good influence on him." (Maybe some family drama between them.)\par +>Why aren't you taking me in?\par +"I wish I could, girl, but my job has me flown out meeting clients all over the country. At the end of this week, I'll be in Wilmington. That's no way for a girl to go through school. I'll try to help you out anyways. I'll give you an allowance every two weeks, so look out for that. It should be enough to feed yourself and hang out with friends, if you're responsible. And I know my little princess is."\par +"Anyways, it looks like we're here! Now that you live closer to me, I'll finally get to see my little angel again. You have my number."\par +[if birthday within a week] "And don't think I forgot about your birthday. Here you go, girlie. You're 16 now. Time to learn some self-defense. I won't be here to watch out for you all the time, and I know that deadbeat brother of mine won't be either."\par +## Meet Town Greeters\par +Goals:\par +* Robotic, all-business mayor. Serious and stilted to comedy.\par +* Uncle is a deadbeat.\par +They get out of the car. The mayor is there.\par +Uncle Chet: "Can you believe it? The caretaker isn't even here."\line Mayor: "Welcome, Cassia! Welcome to Mall Town. You'll have fun here.\par +The mayor holds out his hand to shake. \par +>Don't.\par +Mayor: "..." (professional expression)\par +Cassia: "..." (avoidant expression)\par +Mayor: "..." (uncomfortable expression)\par +>Shake hands\par +Mayor: "Well! You'll be making friends and learning and off doing great things before you know it. I've heard impressive things from your Uncle here. (if shook hands, professional expression. If not, uncomfortable expression)\par +Mayor: You should stop by more often.\par +Uncle Chet: "I'll try to, for my little girl. Well, I have to go. Promise me you'll behave."\par +The uncle hugs the player, gets in his car, and drives away.\par +## In the Town\par +Angel rushes over. \par +Angel: "Um...Are you Cassia?"\par +>Who are you?\par +Angel: Oh, so sorry! I'm Angel.\par +>Yes. \par +Mayor: "Good, good. Angel, you're up. Why d0n't you introduce Cassia around? I'll be in my office."\par +Mayor leaves.\par +Angel: You're here a lot earlier than we thought you'd be here. The whole town's been talking. I hope that doesn't embarrass you. Your bag looks heavy. I can help you with it.\par +>I don't need help.\par +Angel: No, you're so little and cute and probably have been lugging this thing around for days. Let me do it.\par +>Thank you\par +Angel: It's seriously no problem! \par +Angel easily lifts the bag and carries it along as you walk.\par +Angel: So you're Uncle's niece, huh? Let's head to his house, then.\par +Angel leads Cassia to her uncle's house. \par +Map updated: My Home\par +## My Home\par +She kn0cks. No response.\par +"..."\par +She knocks again.\par +"..."\par +Angel: Um, okay...oh!\par +Angel accidently opens the door.\par +Angel: "It's unlocked."\par +Cassia enters and Angel follows right after. It's dark. Angel turns on the light.\par +The room is a mess. There's crushed Beast cans everywhere, wrappers, pizza boxes, trashbags. All the doors are open. One room is completely empty.\par +Angel: "Oh! It's such a mess! No one seems to be home."\par +Angel leaves Cassia's luggage by the fireplace.\par +Angel: One of the rooms is empty. I bet that's yours. The rest is such a mess...If you ever get the itch to clean, I'll help you. I have lots of cleaning supplies you can borrow, too. \par +>Let's look around\par +Angel: I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that, but I guess a quick look's okay. It will be your home, too.\par +>Let's leave\par +Angel: Yeah, let's just get out of here.\par +Angel: Anyways, we were going to throw a welcoming party later today or tomorrow. Just my class, no adults or anything. We'll have a cookie cake. Oh my gosh, you're not vegan, are you?"\par +>Yeah\par +Angel: Okay, I'll just change the menu then. Good to know. You really are a city girl, aren't you?"\par +>No\par +Angel: Hope you'll enjoy it, then! \par +Angel: Um...I don't think he's getting back...Did you want to sleep here or should I tell Mom I'm bringing over a friend.\par +>I'll stay here. Maybe he'll come back.\par +Angel: If you're sure. School's tomorrow at 6:30. It's not like we'll be doing anything, though, so you can just meet everybody. See ya!\par +>Can you please?\par +Angel: Yeah, totally. Give me a second.\par +Angel texts her mom. Screen transitions to Angel's house. \par +Angel's Mom: Hello! Oh, you sweet girl. If there aren't any problems, you can stay over here any night. I don't want you sleeping in a house all by yourself. It's late, though, and you have school tomorrow so go on ahead and get ready for bed.\par +Angel: It's just the last day, Mom.\par +Angel's Mom: They expect you there just the same. Go on. Night, dears.\par +Cassia goes to Angel's room with her. \par +Angel: Go ahead and change into your jammies. I'll be brushing my teeth. \par +Angel's mom brings a sleeping bag up. "Alright, you two. Fight over who gets the sleeping bag."\par +Angel and Cassia decide to share a bed. \par +Angel: "It's kind of fun having an impromptu sleepover like this. I hang out with Delphine and Blythe and Chloe a lot, but I haven't had a sleepover since I was ten. It's usually just Mom and me here."\par +>No father?\par +Angel: "I mean, I have a dad and my parents are still married and everything. Dad's deployed right now, though. He's in the army."\par +>No siblings?\par +Angel: ...No. No siblings.\par +Angel's mom's voice is heard through the door.\par + Angel's Mom: "What did I tell you girls? Sleep."\par +Angel: Sorry, Mom! (shocked face) (normal face) I guess we can talk later.\par +The girls sleep, little chat bubble z's form, and the screen fades to black.\par +Angel's Mom: It's time for school!\par +Angel: Okay, okay.\par +The girls change into their school uniforms and brush their teeth and pack their bags. \par +Angel: Later, Mom. Thanks for letting Cassia stay over.\par +Angel's Mom: Of course! Any time!\par +Angel: Well, let's go to school.\par +(If stayed at Uncle's)\par +Cassia goes to sleep on the bed.\par +Angel: Um, wake up. Um, sorry I came in. The door really should be locked. Well, I'll walk you to school.\par +Screen transitions to school.\par +## First Day of School\par +### Talk with the Principal\par +Mr. Eldridge: (neutral) \ldblquote Thank you for filling that out \f1\endash Miss/no-title [name]. My name is Mr. Eldridge. I\rquote m the principal of Mall K-12 School. I\rquote ve already been informed of your situation. \par +(neutral) \ldblquote How do you feel about moving here?\rdblquote\par + (Available on new playthroughs) >Can we get the speech over with?\par +(surprise) \ldblquote I\rquote m a busy man myself.\rdblquote (Skip to entering classroom)\par +>Can\rquote t wait to introduce myself!\par +(surprise) \ldblquote Really now? (proud) You won\rquote t believe the mall we have here. It\rquote s incredible for a city this size.\par +>I just want to go home.\par +(neutral) \ldblquote That\rquote s how I thought you must feel. I want to encourage you.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote There\rquote s quite a few kids your age. I think you\rquote ll adjust quickly. (proud) Our Mall is the boast of the region \endash people travel from pretty far to hang out at our mall. You\rquote ll make lots of friends there, I guarantee it.\rdblquote\par +(neutral) This is your classroom. If you need anything, I\rquote ll make time for you. (serious) I\rquote m your principal. I care deeply about every since one of my students.\par +You enter the classroom with Mr. Eldridge. \par +### Class Begins\par +Miss Goldie: (surprised) \ldblquote Class, let\rquote s hear what Mr. Eldridge has to say now.\rdblquote\par +Mr. Eldridge: (proud) \ldblquote Miss Goldie, I am proud to introduce our newest student, Miss/no-title [name]. Why don\rquote t you say hello?\rdblquote\par +>Nice to meet you all.\par +(laughing) \ldblquote Love the enthusiasm!\rdblquote\par +>(smile awkwardly)\par +(if can\rquote t wait to introduce myself) - \ldblquote Where did that enthusiasm go!\rdblquote\par + (if want to go home) - \ldblquote That\rquote s a good effort, at least.\rdblquote\par +>(do nothing)\par +(if can\rquote t wait to introduce myself) - \ldblquote Where did that enthusiasm go!\rdblquote\par +(if want to go home) - \ldblquote She/He\rquote s a bit shy as you can see. Please make her/him feel welcome! Why don\rquote t you invite her/him to the mall after school? I\rquote ll ask the merchants to throw on a discount, how about that?\par +\ldblquote Well, I\rquote ll leave everything to you, Miss Goldie.\rdblquote\par +Miss Goldie: (flustered) Um, yes, sir. \par +Mr. Eldridge leaves the room.\par +Miss Goldie: (Neutral) \ldblquote Well, [name], it\rquote s the last day of school, so we were just having a free day. Go ahead and meet the new students. If you want some tutoring, come see me. I\rquote ll be at my desk, preparing end-of-the-year paperwork, but of course I have time for you so don\rquote t be shy. I\rquote m allowing smartphone usage today, too, so long as you keep the volume down.\rdblquote\par +### Explore the Classroom\par +You can walk around the room and talk to the students or try to leave the room. You can return to the classroom and continue.\par +#### Meet Miss Goldie\par +Miss Goldie is working on papers at her desk.\par +>Miss Goldie\par +Miss Goldie: (Neutral) I hope you\rquote ll like it here next year. I was their teacher for English, Literature, Scripture, Rhetoric, and Logic this year. I\rquote ll probably be your teacher for English, Literature, Scripture, and Japanese I next year. Do you want some practice work from this year or some prep work for next year?\par +>This year\par + \ldblquote Alright! I pulled some key workbook pages just in case the new student needed them.\par +(Item obtained: workbook tear-outs) \ldblquote Here. You can work on them when you feel like it. I can answer your questions or give you a lesson. If you don\rquote t get around to it today, I\rquote ll be around town all summer. You should prioritize making friends today, but I admire your diligence.\rdblquote\par +>Next year\par +(Item obtained: workbook tear-outs) \ldblquote Here. You can work on them when you feel like it. I can answer your questions or give you a lesson. If you don\rquote t get around to it today, I\rquote ll be around town all summer. You should prioritize making friends today, but I admire your diligence.\rdblquote\par +>Neither, just want to meet you.\par +\ldblquote I understand. I was born here, but I left for a long time while pursuing my teaching certifications. This was my first year actually teaching and I feel a little new around here, too.\rdblquote\par +Miss Goldie: \ldblquote Go make friends!\rdblquote\par +(After working worksheet) \ldblquote Oh, you have something you\rquote re stuck on? (Miss Goldie explains.)\par +(After learning Ren likes poetry) \ldblquote You\rquote re interested in poetry? I have a book you can borrow. (Item obtained: 9th Grade Poetry Book) Enjoy.\rdblquote\par +### Meet Chloe\par +Chloe is reading a book by herself.\par +>Chloe\par +Chloe: (neutral) \ldblquote Hey, it\rquote s nice to meet you. New people visit here all the time, but people moving here is unusual. You don\rquote t have to talk about it if it\rquote s private. I\rquote m just glad to meet someone new. \par +\ldblquote Chapel meets every Sunday. You should come visit.\rdblquote\par +>I\rquote ll think about it!\par +(happy) \ldblquote Cool. Really, visit whenever. I live at the chapel, so it would be nice to see you.\par +>I\rquote m not interested in church.\par +(If Acolyte) (concern) \ldblquote What? (neutral) Sorry, just...that\rquote s pretty weird to hear from an Acolyte.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Fair enough. i actually live at the chapel, so I would still like you to visit. Father Alder won\rquote t guilt you or anything, I promise. \par +Chloe: (happy) Come visit me at the chapel! It\rquote s not like the door is ever locked.\rdblquote\par +(If talked to Angel, Blythe, and Ren && girl) >Do you like Ren?\par +\ldblquote Oh, what Blythe said? She just wants to stir up drama. (She lowers her voice.) (flirty) Are you interested in him? Salty snacks are his favorite, especially chips. Brush up on your poetry and you may impress him.\rdblquote\par +### Invite to the Mall\par +Angel, Blythe, and Ren are chatting.\par +>talk to any of them\par +Blythe: (if girl) \ldblquote Hey, it\rquote s the new girl! I\rquote m Blythe, this is Angel, and this is Ren. Stay away from him, though, because he\rquote s Chloe\rquote s.\rdblquote\par +(if boy) \ldblquote Hey, it\rquote s the new boy! I\rquote m Blythe, this is Angel, and this is Ren. Stay away from Chloe because she is all his.\rdblquote\par +Chloe: (annoyed) \ldblquote Stop teasing me.\rdblquote\par +Angel: (neutral) \ldblquote Chloe\rquote s a woman of the cloth, so she can\rquote t really date.\rdblquote\par +Chloe: (annoyed) \ldblquote That\rquote s not true either.\rdblquote\par +Ren: (neutral) \ldblquote There aren\rquote t any rules about \lquote women of the cloth\rquote having relations. That\rquote s a popular belief that\rquote s basis is in the Cult.\rdblquote\par +Blythe: (flirty) \ldblquote You\rquote ve clearly researched the topic.\rdblquote\par +Ren: (irritated) \ldblquote Shut up, Blythe.\rdblquote\par +Angel: (concerned) \ldblquote Um, I think the new girl/boy is uncomfortable. Stop fighting, guys!\rdblquote\par +Blythe: \ldblquote You should go hang out at the mall with us tonight.\rdblquote\par +\f0 Angel: Yeah! I spent so much time planning, then I didn't even tell you. We're going to have a welcoming party at the foodcourt for you! Everybody's gonna come. It'll be way better than meeting in class.\par +Blythe: Well, yeah, of course I mean that. But like, we should hang out later.\f1\par + Ren: (concerned) \ldblquote ...\rdblquote\par +Angel: \ldblquote Really, you should. Don\rquote t worry about Blythe.\rdblquote\par +Blythe: \ldblquote Seriously, it would be fun!\rdblquote\par +>Sure\par +Angel: \ldblquote Awesome. There\rquote s bubble tea and little pop-up shops today, since it\rquote s Friday. I\rquote ll treat you.\rdblquote\par +Blythe: (lowers voice) \ldblquote I meant tonight, Angel.\rdblquote\par +Angel: (concern) \ldblquote Oh. After dark? But what about the rumors?\rdblquote\par +>What are you talking about?\par +Angel: \ldblquote I mean, a janitor went missing during his night shift when I was a little girl. Some of the middleschool boys play around there at night and hear creepy noises. I walked a friend home late at night and saw weird lights in the windows on my way back...\rdblquote\par +Blythe: \ldblquote In other words, the mall is haunted. Let\rquote s pull a haunted mall sleepover. It would be your first big [town] experience!\rdblquote\par +>Let\rquote s do it.\par +Blythe: \ldblquote I bet you can\rquote t even make it until midnight.\rdblquote\par +>Why would I do that?\par +Blythe: \ldblquote Don\rquote t be such a kid. I\rquote m picking you up at 10.\rdblquote\par +Angel and Blythe continue chatting. Ren pulls out his smartphone and starts playing the Mall app.\par +\par +### Meet Angel\par +Angel is chatting to Blythe.\par +>Angel\par +Angel: \ldblquote Don\rquote t listen to Blythe.\f0 The party's still on\f1 . We\rquote ll have lots of fun.\rdblquote\par +\par +### Meet Blythe\par +Blythe is chatting to Angel.\par +>Blythe\par +Blythe: \ldblquote This will be awesome! Don\rquote t chicken out like Angel.\rdblquote\par +\par +## Meet Ren\par +Ren is playing the Mall App Game.\par +>Ren\par +Ren: \ldblquote Don\rquote t listen to Blythe. She\rquote s just trying to stir up drama. Chloe\rquote s just my friend.\rdblquote\par +>What game are you playing?\par +\ldblquote Oh, Dungeon Girls! It\rquote s the app that the Mall promotes. If you\rquote re good at it, you can get discounts at the mall and special gifts. Not me, I\rquote m pretty bad at it. You should download it, though. Honestly, I\rquote m surprised you haven\rquote t heard of it yet.\rdblquote\par +>Is she available?\par +(lowers voice) (disinterested) \ldblquote You like her? Well, she\rquote s usually at the chapel, so you should go visit her.\rdblquote\par +(if you have poetry book) \ldblquote The poetry textbook? I have better books than that. I\rquote ll let you borrow some sometime.\rdblquote\par +\par +## Worksheet\par +>Do worksheet\par +\ldblquote You work on the worksheet. You don\rquote t understand question #9.\rdblquote\par +>Do worksheet\par +\ldblquote You work on the worksheet.\rdblquote\par +\par +## Leaving Class\par +>Try to leave before 2\par +Miss Goldie: \ldblquote You want to leave? I guess that\rquote s alright. Everyone else is probably having a free-day, too. I bet the other classrooms would like to meet you.\rdblquote\par +Player leaves room.\par +\par +>Stay until 2\par +Miss Goldie: \ldblquote Class is over.\rdblquote\par +Player leaves room.\par +\par +### Aries Scrimmage\par +Player runs into Aries in the hallway.\par +Aries: \ldblquote Hey, you\rquote re the new kid, aren\rquote t you! (sizes you up) Can you fight?\rdblquote\par +>I\rquote\f0 m not sure\'85\f1\par +\ldblquote That doesn\rquote t bode well for you. Spar me. \par +>Are you threatening me?\par +\ldblquote I\rquote m challenging you. I want to see what you\rquote re made of.\rdblquote\par +>Of course I can.\par +\ldblquote Spar me then.\rdblquote\par +>Alright.\par +>No\par +\ldblquote I wasn\rquote t giving you an option!\par +Aries spars with you. He uses a very simple strategy to see through, but the player needs to use attacks and skills to win.\par +>Win\par +Aries: \ldblquote Not bad.\rdblquote\par +>Lose\par +Aries: \ldblquote No good. You need to get stronger if you\rquote re staying here long.\ldblquote\par +Angel and Chloe run out to meet you.\par +Angel: \ldblquote Aries, you are the worst! (if girl) Fighting a girl like that! (if boy) Harassing [name] on his first day!\rdblquote\par +Aries: \ldblquote [name], give me a real fight next time.\rdblquote\par +Aries leaves.\par +Chloe: \ldblquote [name], are you okay? I\rquote ll heal you.\rdblquote\par +Chloe casts a full healing spell on the player character.\par +Angel: \ldblquote I can\rquote t believe him.\rdblquote\par +>I\rquote m fine, don\rquote t worry about it.\par +Angel: \ldblquote No, it is not fine! \par +>What\rquote s up with that guy?\par +Chloe: \ldblquote He takes his training really seriously.\rdblquote\par +(I\rquote m fine or What\rquote s up continues) Angel: \ldblquote Aries has no excuse attacking you like that! If he ever does that again, yell and I will pommel him. I am so serious.\rdblquote\par +Chloe: \ldblquote Just ignore him. Aren\rquote t you a [job]? You should train with [trainer], the [job] trainer at the gym. I go there on Tuesdays, so you can train with me if you want.\rdblquote\par +Angel: \ldblquote Aries goes on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so you can avoid him if you want.\rdblquote\par +>Do I have to train?\par +Chloe: \ldblquote You really should, though. [town] doesn\rquote t really have a police force or militia, but combat training is part of our school\rquote s core curriculum. We have to be able to take care of ourselves in this town.\rdblquote\par +Angel: \ldblquote Aries is a jerk, but he won\rquote t hurt you. You shouldn\rquote t go to the mall at night, though. There\rquote s creepy rumors about it.\rdblquote\par +\par +Alternative\par +\par +Player leaves classroom.\par +Player bumps into Aries.\par +Hey, watch where you're going!\par +They back up and look at each other.\par +Oh, you're the new girl/guy. Hey, how about a sparring match? You can fight, can't you?\par +Angel runs over. \par +Angel: Aries, leave her alone!\par +Aries: Relax. I want to see if she can defend herself. \par +Aries: You want to spar?\par +>Are you threatening me? \par +Do you even know what sparring is!\par +>No\par +If you don\rquote t spar with me, your first match will be a real fight. \par +>I\rquote ve never fought before...\par +Then you have to learn fast. \par +>Let\rquote s do it.\par +Battle initiates in the training room. \par +Aries wands and uses weak skills infrequently. \par +Player can wand with preequipped weapon and use small library of skills preloaded on skillbar.\par +Battle ends, and Player and Aries are standing together, while Angel and Chloe stand nearby.\par +>Fight without wanding\par +Your skill variety is worse than a kid\rquote s, and you don\rquote t even know how use your weapon.\par +>Fight without using skills\par +You can use your weapon, but you have to use skills in a real fight. \par +>Win with wanding and skills\par +You know the basics. Your skill variety is pathetic, and you have no strategy. \par +>Lose with wanding, skills and no potions\par +You\rquote re weak. Don\rquote t you have recovery potions? Why didn't you use them?\par +>Lose with wanding, skills, and potions.\par +You\rquote re weak! I wasn't trying to win, and you even used recovery potions. \par +Angel: Hey, you're being too hard on her! How have you never learned that you can't just fight girls like that!\par +Aries: Hey, Player. If you want a rematch, I usually hang out at the gym. I\rquote ll give you a real fight.\par +Aries walks out.\par +>if health low\par +Chloe: ...Don't worry, I'll heal you.\par +>if health high \par +Barely a scratch on you. Let me touch you up.\par +Chloe casts full healing on Player.\par +>if health critically low\par +That was reckless. Even if I\rquote m here, he could have misjudged when to stop. \par +Angel: A rematch? Who does he think he is, hurting Player like that on her first day!\par +Maybe I should give him a rematch, if you know what I mean.\par +>if health low or high\par +Chloe: You should be feeling better now. \par +Angel: The nerve of that guy! I have half a mind to give him that rematch myself.\par + >I want a rematch.\par +Angel: Really? You don't have to listen to that jerk. \par +>I need to get stronger.\par +Then train with us and forget him. \par +>I want to prove myself to him.\par +What is that even worth? You're letting him provoke you. \par +>I hate his guts. \par +Then forget him. I will seriously fight him for you if you want him taken down a notch.\par +Chloe: She may not look it, but Angel's one of the strongest fighters in town.\par +>I need to fight him myself. \par +Chloe: You need to train first. Aries was going really easy. Father Alder has a small skillbook library. You can visit the church and study with me.\par +Angel: I'll help you show him, too. Let's work out together. \par +>Let's move on.\par +Let's. \par +>I\rquote d like to see that. \par +Angel: It'll happen. \par +(Angel will invite Player to watch next time Aries is at the gym.)\par +Chloe: It's time to get out of here. I'm going back to the church to finish cleaning the fellowship hall. It can wait if you decide to study with me. \par +Angel: How can you spend the first day of summer cleaning and studying? I'm going to the beach! Wanna come?\par +>Go with Angel\par +Yes! Wait, you don't have a swimsuit, do you? Um, let's go shopping first.\par +Angel is added to party.\par +>Go with Chloe\par +Chloe: I'll text Father to let him know.\par +Chloe is added to party.\par +>Explore the school\par +Angel: Okay, catch you later! \par +Chloe: Bye! Visit any time. \par +## Meet Delphine\par +You leave the gym and run into Delphine.\par +Delphine: Hey, you're still here? I guess the school is kind of interesting if you've never been. I\rquote ll show you around.\par +>Where can we go?\par +X, y, and z. Most of those places are empty, but still open. If you go around to classrooms and the principal\rquote s office, you can meet some people.\par +>Take me to X.\par +>Who should I know?\par +>I\rquote m done exploring. \par +## Meet Mr. Eldridge\par +>Principal\rquote s Office\par +Mr. Eldridge is sitting at his desk, pretending to work.\par +>Mr. Eldridge\par +Mr. Eldridge: (proud) \ldblquote Well, if it isn\rquote t the newest student. I\rquote m the owner of the mall as well, so if you come visit me there, I\rquote ll give you a welcome coupon.\rdblquote\par +>You\rquote re the principal AND the mall owner?\par +(laughing) I am a powerful man!\par +Mr. Eldridge: \ldblquote The mall has a farmer\rquote s market on Tuesdays. You should check it out.\rdblquote\par +## Meet Class 2\par +>Knock on door - Class 2 \endash middleschoolers\par +Mr. Wilder: \ldblquote You\rquote re the new student, aren\rquote t you? Come on in. I teach math, mostly, but I\rquote m also the gym teacher. These are the 6th-8th graders.\rdblquote\par +### Meet Mr. Wilder\par +Mr. Wilder is checking his emails.\par +>Mr. Wilder\par +Mr. Wilder: \ldblquote What\rquote s your name? [Name], huh? I\rquote m Mr. Wilder. Nice to meet you. You\rquote re in 10th grade next year, I heard. Well, I guess what I teach you will depend on your math placement test next year.\rdblquote\par +>How should I prepare for next year?\par +\ldblquote Eager to test out of some classes? I hear ya. Well, I\rquote m more than happy to teach you over the summer. I have summer classes here that are free for anyone. Same classroom.\rdblquote\par +>You teach math and gym?\par +\ldblquote There\rquote s not a lot of staff for the school, so we try to be flexible.\rdblquote\par +>Bye\par +\ldblquote Anyways, job-training is just as important as school. You\rquote re a [job], aren\rquote t you? Go see [trainer] if you can over the summer. It\rquote s important.\par +## Meet Class 3\par +>Knock on door - Class 3 \endash elementary schoolers\par +(Maybe Marin works here but lives with her husband in a different town.)\par +Mrs. Marin: \ldblquote Come in! Meet everyone.\rdblquote\par +## Meet Mrs. Marin\par +Mrs. Marin is tidying the cabinet.\par +>Mrs. Marin\par +Mrs. Marin: \ldblquote I teach most of the sciences, except Mr. Wilder teaches physics. If you\rquote ll be 10th grade next year, I\rquote ll be teaching you chemistry. Hope you\rquote ll be ready.\rdblquote\par +>How should I prepare?\par +\ldblquote Really? I\rquote ll spend most of my time in Village with my family, so I can\rquote t offer tutoring in person. This room should be unlocked all summer, so you can come read the textbook. You can\rquote t do the activities, obviously, but there are plenty of problems and vocabulary to study. Message me if you have questions, but I\rquote m sure you\rquote ll be fine next year. (contact obtained: Mrs. Marin)\par +##\f0 \f1 Meet Milo\par +Milo is looking out the window.\par +>Milo\par +Milo: \ldblquote I\rquote ve never seen you before. You\rquote re the new person!\rdblquote\par +>That\rquote s right. Who are you?\par +Milo: \ldblquote Oh, I\rquote m Milo! I\rquote m a 5th grader. I\rquote m the top quarterback for towns. (if guy) You should play with us sometime. (if girl) You should watch me sometime.\rdblquote\f0\par +## Welcoming Party\par +Cassia goes to the mall food court. Angel and Delphine already reserved a table and are out dealing with the final preparations. Aries, Blythe, Chloe, Ren, and Night are there. Ren and Night are sitting next to each other, chatting. Aries is cutting in every once in a while. Blythe is bothering Chloe, and Chloe is nodding along. \par +Cassia approaches.\par +Chloe: "She's here."\par +Aries: "Hey!"\par +Blythe: "You sit next to me! And Angel, when she gets here."\par +Cassia sits with them.\par +Angel and Delphine arrive. Angel is carrying the cookie cake, Delphine has some plates and napkins.\par +Angel: "Just in time!"\par +Delphine: "You're Cassia! We met outside the gym. Hi!"\par +Angel and Delphine lay out the table spread. The cookie cake box is still closed.\par +Night: "Quiet, everyone! Introductions are in order."\par +Blythe: "We already met at school. It's just you who doesn't know here."\par +Night: Nonsense. These will be her official introductions. Cassia, this is Ren and Aries."\par +Ren nods and puts up an awkward hand. Aries nods confidently with a smile. \par +"Chloe and Blythe."\line Chloe smiles nervously. Blythe scowls.\par +Blythe: Night, seriously, we already talked and invited her to hang out."\par +"Angel and Delphine."\par +Angel smiles sweetly. Delphine nods.\par +"And I am Night!" \par +Night makes a sweeping gesture and bows.\par +Blythe: "If you're doubling down, at least dial it down a notch for today, Night. Seriously."\par +Night: "This is everybody who's of high school age in the town. I say age, of course, because I have already graduated college and worked an internship. Everyone else here is in your class. I go to school every once in a while when business is slow to tutor. You'll usually find me running the alchemy shop here in the mall. Please visit often."\par +Blythe: "...Why bother? Okay, I got a comment. Speaking of school, you're transferring really late. The school year's practically over. Of course, then summer school will start. You'll probably have to take it or something. If you do, we'll get to be good buddies, hah hah...I'm always in there."\par +Ren: "I don't know. The only transfer student we've had is Night, and he doesn't really count. How were your grades?\par +Angel: "Oh my gosh! You can't just ask embarrassing questions like that!"\par +>Pretty good\par +Angel: You're smart? Wow. Maybe you can help me, then."\par +Ren: Um, the school probably got an academic transcript or something then. I'm sure you'll get summer school optionally, then.\par +>Average\par +Ren: Um, the school probably got an academic transcript or something then. Maybe you won't have to take it, then.\par +>Not so good\par +Ren: Um, the school probably got an academic transcript or something then. You might have to take it with Blythe.\par +>Don't answer\par +Angel: "If any questions get personal, don't answer them. We're just so curious about you, you know? It's exciting to have a new girl our age here. We've all known each other since we were little, and it's the same with a lot of the travelers from other towns."\par +Night: Enough introductions. Now, Angel, unbox!\par +Angel obediently stands up and lifts open the box, revealing a cookie cake. It says "Happy."\par +Aries raises an eyebrow. Aries: "Happy?"\par +Delphine: "It cost more to personalize it."\par +Chloe and Ren start laughing.\par +Blythe: Oh my gosh, seriously? I could have pitched in, you know! \par +Angel: "I think it suits the occasion."\par +Delphine: "Cassia gets the first slice, of course."\par +Angel and Delphine start making sloppy, slanty cuts. Night jumps up. \par +Night: No, no! Let me! Okay."\par +Night studies the cake. \par +Night: "X guests, X slices, so each cut must be at a X/360 angle, and --"\par +Aries jumps up next. "Just cut the stupid thing. It's not that hard!" Aries grabs the knife and efficiently cuts and places the slice on a plate and sets it in front of Cassia. "Here you go."\par +Aries serves everyone efficiently while Angel, Delphine, and Night sit down, flustered.\par +Night: "Now that Aries has so efficiently served us, let's eat."\par +The player can talk freely.\par +## Aries at the Gym\par +Oh, Player. What you up to?\par +>Rematch\par +Aries: Really? I hope you're ready.\par +Battle starts between Aries and Player in the padded gym room.\par +Aries fights normally with weapon and skills but at a similar level to player.\par +>Lose both fights\par +You don't even try. There's a gym, a library, summer school, and skill trainers that make it easy. You can even learn stuff on your phone. There's no excuse. \par +If you ever get real, fight me again. \par +>Lose just this fight\par +I went easy on you before, but complacency sickens me. \par +>Finally win\par +I wasn't going easy that time. That was all you. Just needed the motivation, huh? \par +>Win both times\par +So it wasn't because I went easy on you. You're pretty good. Hope you didn't come here just to fight me. It'd be nice to see you around more often.\par +## There's a Dungeon in the Mall\par +\f1 Goals: \par +\f0 * \f1 Show that the mall has monsters inside at night\par +* Search for where monsters are coming from and find the opening that leads to the first level of the pit\par +* \f0 Introduce the \f1 all cops are the local police force joke\par +____\par +\f0 Blythe is an Agent, a subclass of Ranger. Her default path is stealth, trap detection, door unlocking, sleight of hand, pickpocketing, and smooth talking. She is fast, highly mobile, and offers basic offense with crippling caltrops, blindness, poison darts, and other conditions. She can be changed to focus more on dual wielding weapon offense.\f1\par +____\par +\f0 Angel is a Fighter. Her default path is bladed weapon mastery, heavy armor, offense. She causes bleeding, deep wound, and flurries with short swords or stunning and dazing and knockdown with two-handed swords. She is slow, heavy, and powerful with high defense, offense, and vitality. She can endure anything and tank well. \par +She can be changed to focus more on the axe, the hammer, shields, and DPS playstyles.\par +____\par +Ren is a Mage. His default path is offensive elemental magic, especially water magic. He has plenty of wards, healing, and support magic. He can be changed to be more practical with teleporting, telekinesis, polymorph, etc. He can be changed to specialize in a different element, but as an Aquarius, it's less effective. He can be more of an alchemist, like Night.\f1\par +____\par +\f0 Delphine is a Ranger. Her default path revolves around reading the wind, using bows, and living off the land and surviving the elements. If you catch a pet, you can encourage her to pursue pet mastery skills. You can push her to be more like an Agent like Blythe.\f1\par +____\par +Go to the Mall at night any night the first week\par +Blythe: (thrilled) \ldblquote You came! Oh my gosh, awesome. This is going to be so cool.\rdblquote\par +>Let\rquote s go.\par +\ldblquote That\rquote s what I like to hear!\rdblquote\par +Blythe starts walking to the back of the building.\par +>So we\rquote re breaking in?\par +\ldblquote It\rquote s not a big deal. My dad\rquote s the mall sheriff, so it\rquote s not like he\rquote ll be hard on us if we\rquote re caught. I know the shifts, though, and no one\rquote s watching the mall today. Crazy, right? Apparently [policeman] is having some family drama.\f0 It's not like anyone breaks in anyways. Wait. Except me, I guess.\f1\rdblquote\par +Blythe starts walking to the back of the building.\par +Blythe pulls out a key and unlocks the back door.\par +\ldblquote\f0 Can you use unlock magic? I did that kind of reflexively, but if you can use a spell that would have been pretty cool. \f1 I copied a key to a back door. For a sheriff, my dad\rquote s security is pretty bad, huh!\rdblquote\par +Blythe goes inside.\par +>Go inside\par +The mall is the same as in the day-time, but dark.\par +Blythe: \ldblquote We\rquote re in! Want to explore or camp out? I\rquote ll follow you.\rdblquote\par +>Okay.\par +Blythe follows player.\par +It's very late. Cassia was just getting ready to go to bed. There's a knock at the door. The player answers. Blythe stands confidently in the entrance.\par +Cassia: "Uh, hey, Blythe. What are you up to...?"\par +Blythe: It's Halloween Eve! I already explained this. We have a sleepover at the mall and see who gets scared and leaves first. It's just so awesome you came when you did so you can go with us. Hurry up and change. I can't wait to see the look on your face.\par +Cassia: You were serious? It's so late...\par +Blythe: That's the point. It's not scary if it's not late. Oh come on. You chickening out?\par +Ren walks up.\par +Cassia: Ren, you, too?\par +Ren: I guess I have to.\par +>I'm not going\par +Blythe: Don't be a killjoy. Your teen years are your time to rebel. Once you're older, you won't feel like it anymore.\par +Ren: I think you should once, Cassia.\par +>Why should I?\par +Ren: I think you should go. The mall is haunted and most people don't even know. You should see it for yourself at least once.\par +Blythe: Don't make me drag you over there.\par +>Isn't it trespassing?\par +Blythe: Are you actually scared to break the law here? You realize my dad is the sheriff and the force is just glorified mall cops, right? If you get caught once or twice, they'll just tell your parents to ground you. There's no one on duty today anyways because Mr. Policeman is having family drama or whatever at home. That's what you're afraid of.\par +>There's no way it's haunted\par +Ren: It seriously is.\par +>Who else is going?\par +Us, Delphine, and Angel.\par +>Okay, I am going\par +Ren: (Slightly concerned)\par +Blythe: Alright! You're awesome, you know that? You're going to be so scared you'll run right back here anyways.\par +Blythe leads Ren and Cassia to the mall's back entrance.\par + Blythe: "Don't worry about it, I switched the security footage. I know my dad's password." She unlocks the door. "I also copied his key. Wait. Cassia, you don't know unlock magic, do you? That could have been cool. Oh well, let's go in. And be quiet."\par +Cassia and Ren go inside after Blythe.\par +"Hey, guys," Angel whispers in the darkness.\par +"Hey," Blythe replies. "I brought Cassia and Ren. You ready?"\par +Delphine flips a flashlight on and hands some out to everyone.\par +"Thanks," Ren says.\par +Angel: It's Cassia's first time, so she's the leader. Go ahead and explore. We'll follow you.\par +Ren: Be careful, though. Go slow.\par +Everybody joins the player's party. They follow behind and have AI behavior when party attacked. They are on guard.\par +The room is dark, but the flashlights illuminate the area around them. They can also use light magic. They entered through a back security office with a desk, lots of notes, some monitors, and a chair. It's crowded.\par +The door leads out into the back hallway, which connects to the shipping & packaging bay, another office, a supply closet, a nice bathroom. The way to the mall is marked and obvious. The closer you get to the mall, the clearer you can hear monsters. When the player uses the door to exit into the mall, the party stops her to chat.\par +Ren: You hear that, don't you? You ready to see what we were talking about?\par +Delphine: Those are monsters unlike the forest creatures.\par + >Is it safe?\par +Angel: No...probably not. No one has ever gotten hurt, though. Sometimes we do have to fight, though. Are you ready?\par +>Let's go\par +>I changed my mind!\par +Blythe bursts throught the door. "Then I'll be leader next!"\par +The mall is as it usually is, but dark. Monsters are heard. Everyone crowds around the door, peering out. The player can walk out when ready.\par +Delphine: Guys, something isn't right.\par +Ren: They're huge...\par +Cassia and the party have to fight their way out. This gives the player experience managing a party for the first time. Delphine flashes a light by chance onto the pit. They escape outside.\par +Blythe: I had no idea it would be like that! I am so sorry!\par +Delphine: Those were not the monsters from before. These are worse.\par +Angel: Is everyone alright?\par +Ren: Yeah, I think so. Um, usually, the mall is full of these tiny slimes. I mean, they attack you, but it's mostly just gross. Honestly, they're really cute, like puppy kisses. Those were serious monsters, though. If they get out, then the town would be at risk.\par +Delphine: I was seeing a hole where they were coming from. It was never there before.\par +Ren: A hole? Like a door or a pit or what?\par +Delphine: Like a chasm. or pit.\par +Blythe: What are you talking about? There's nothing like that in the mall. Could the floor really collapse like that and have no one notice.\par +Angel: I'm glad Mr. Policeman isn't here today...He would have gotten hurt, huh?\par +Ren: Yeah...\par +Angel: What do we do about it?\par +Blythe: Yeah, my dad wouldn't be a lot of help...Honestly, your dad would be better for this, Angel. And honestly, I can't admit to knowing about this stuff. Can you imagine how freaked out and concerned my dad would be? All of your parents, honestly.\par +Angel: It would help the police prepare a response, though.\par +Blythe: Are you serious? Your mom would be the most freaked out in town. And I'm not going to choose a scapegoat out of you guys. If Night was here, I'd be down on pinning it on him and his weird experiments. But he doesn't even know about this stuff and would never cooperate anyways. "His reputation! The childishness of it. You're not going to convince me of foolishness."\par +Ren: Your impression is actually pretty good. Sorry, um, Night's a good guy. I think he'd provide clandestine assistance if he was convinced of the necessity of it. And this is pretty severe.\par +Angel: Are we really going to deal with this ourselves just because we're afraid of adults?\par +>Obviously we must take matters into our own hands.\par +Angel: Okay. Well, I'll protect you no matter what.\par +Blythe: Of course! You're our guardian angel, of course.\par +Ren: Sasuga, Guardian Angel-chan.\par +Delphine: We can't take matters yet. We must prepare.\par +Blythe: You're right, but, like, how? We all buy weapons, we all buy gear? That's going to look so suspicious.\par +Delphine: We can order online.\par +Angel: Yeah, I mean, we're going into the next year of school and have been using the same gear since middle school. Yours in particular is really, Ren. If we go shopping as friends, I don't think anyone would put too much though into it.\par +Blythe: Maybe you're right. Well, let's arrange a time to shop together.\par +Angel: I guess I'll start a group text the day after tomorrow. For now, let's get back home without anyone noticing.\par +\f0 # Random Mini Stories Available During Act 2\par +## Trader from a Foreign Land - Don't Trust Him!\par +Cassia: Uhm, hey. I don't recognize you. Are you a traveling merchant?\par +Merchant: Well, yes, but I do make it out here a few times a year. I'll be here all week, but I probably won't be here again until the holidays.\par +Cassia: Oh, what do you sell, then?\par +Merchant: Magical rarities! Amazing luxuries and treasures at a price the locals can afford. Only they aren't so interested.\par +--Cassia: Well, I'm interested! --\par +Cassia: Who secures these luxuries for you?\par +Merchant: My sources are very good, but they are secret. I'm sure you can understand that.\par +Cassia: I suppose. Tell me what you are offering!\par +Merchant: First, a classic!\par +## Getting a Cute Pet Instead of an Abyssal Beast\par +Cassia has the Charm Animal skill and gets an idea to test it on the cat that wanders the garden.\par +Cassia uses Charm Animal on the garden cat.\par +Cassia charmed garden cat!\par +Cassia can't rename the cat.\par +People start commenting that they haven't seen Poppy in the garden for a while.\par +When Cassia brings her into the dungeon, she's weak and has to be revived a lot. Maybe she has a special skill to make it worth it as more than a joke or roleplaying.\par +When brought during a dungeon crawl mission, the team comments on it.\par +Chloe: Cassia...is that Poppy?\par +Angel: What? Why is Poppy here?\par +Cassia: I charmed her. She's a member of the team now!\par +Delphine: She's a little kitty. She can't be a member of the team. She's just another precious little thing to protect, not a battle unit.\par +Angel: This makes me feel uncomfortable...\par +Aries: I will have to agree - it's a bad idea.\par +## Trading in Clothing at the Second Hand Clothing Store\par +It's like Platos' Closet and the wares change frequently. Rare stuff is available briefly Monday morning or whenever the truck arrives. Maybe you can even see the truck. Look up when TJ Maxx girls expect new things and match it to that time, whenever it is.\par +Store Assistant: Hey! What do you need?\par +Cassia: I'd like to trade in clothes.\par +Store Assistant: Okay! Let me see what you can trade in...\par +A window pops up with the clothes able to be traded in. Select the clothes and click "check offer."\par +Store Assistant: Just that? Okay...let me see....I can give you either $10 in-store credit or $8 in cash.\par +Cassia: Why don't you accept all my clothes?\par +Store Assistant: I have to follow a vague store policy where I am looking for on-trend, in-demand, correct colors, correct brands. and good condition!\par +Cassia: You sell clothes with holes! How is that better than my barely-worn clothing.\par +Store Assistant: We consider a variety of factors...\par +Cassia: That's all? That's barely worth more than just keeping them in case I need them later.\par +Store Assistant: That's all we can offer.\par +Cassia: That's like nothing.\par +Store Assistant: We calculate it based off of a variety of factors.\par +Cassia: Bah. Never mind, then. I might just donate them at this rate.\par +Store Assistant: If you change your mind, we'll be here!\par +Cassia: Yeah, later...\par +## Uncle\par +I need to decide what to do about the uncle or replace him with a friend of her family, like the uncle or Angel's mom or something. He needs a role in the corruptions, either evil overlord or underground rebel. He need to appear, in his full glory, at a weird unexpected time in the novel.\par +Up until that moment, he can be a pet project. Groom him upo, clean him up, get him a girlfriend, and watch his life improve through your feminine touch. Or watch him deteriorate and disappear.\par +## Father's Sermon\par +Father gives Southern sermons. Maybe fire and brimstone or cheesy personal anecdotes.\par +It's all about random acts of kindness.\par +Be a friend. Be a friendly person!\par +# Act 2\par +## The Day After Halloween\par +In the morning, Cassia receives a group text.\par +Angel: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +>Of course!\par +## Buying Equipment\par +Angel: Then meet us at the mall!\par +Angel, Blythe, Delphine, Ren, and Cassia meet at the mall.\par +Ren: First let's pool our money. Cassia, you're still the leader, right? You pick everything out for us.\par +Angel: Cassia hasn't shopped for weapons yet, so let me explain. There are a couple of blacksmiths in the region, as well as traveling merchants who bring in foreign weapons. If the options aren't looking so good, you can describe what you're looking for to Auric, and he'll try to find something. Otherwise, we'll have to look online, which is less fun.\par +Ren: It doesn't matter either way. We just need better gear.\par +Angel: Yeah. Let's go.\par +Angel leads everyone to the combat gear shop.\par +Auric: Hey, kids. Getting ready for summer school?\par +Ren: Pretty much.\par +Auric: I'm used to seeing the police and travelers suiting up here. It's good to see the next generation taking interest in defense. You're all high schoolers now, huh?\par +Angel: That's right!\par +Auric: Well, I can sell you more training gear if your old stuff's wearing down. I think you're getting old enough that you should be using the real stuff, though.\par +Blythe: Really?\par +Auric: Of course. You know, I was using sharpened swords when I was a toddler, but you can't do that anymore in today's society. High school is more than responsible enough. Tell me what you need and I'll show you my best.\par +Screen transitions to Auric and the merchant panel. By default, the selected panel is the weapon that corresponds to the character's primary class.\par +Should friends pick out their starter weapon? It is fun to steal their money, though.\par +if you pick a different option from your primary weapon,\par +Auric: You want a sword? That would interesting to see how you plan to augment it with your primary job. (Maybe too long, maybe only first time)\par +Auric: A spear? Are you just looking for that physical damage?\par +Auric: A wand? Don't be afraid to get up and personal. You're a warrior!\par +Auric: If you're getting a wand, don't forget the focus.\par +You can also buy armor.\par +Auric: Now you want armor to match the weapons, huh? Well, I do have training gear that provides some protection, but I don't have armor to fit Milo.\par +Auric: Alright, kids. Respect your weapons. That's live steel powerful enough to take a man's life.\par +Angel: Thank you so much, Auric!\par +Ren: Yeah, thank you!\par +Angel: So...what did you get everyone? You're the leader, equip us!\par +Angel: A...wand? What are you planning?\par +Angel: I have a real sword now!\par +Blythe: Uh...are you expecting me to get close enough to a monster to hit them with this?\par +If you gift non party members, they will equip your gift weapon so long as it matches primary or secondary.\par +Gift Aries a sword: Aries: Oh, this this sharpened? I honestly have never something lethal like this. This must have cost a lot. Thank you. I'll train and make you proud.\par + Gift Aries a wand: Aries: Wow. It's impressive, but I am inept at using magic. I'm afraid it's just a stick to me. I really appreciate the thought, though.\par +Give Chloe a book: Thank you. It's so ornate and lovely. I'll cherish this.\par +Give Chloe a sword: ...A sword for me? It's beautifully crafted. Thank you, but this would only gather dust as a treasure. It would make me happier to see someone like Aries or Angel train with it.\par +Angel: This is so cool! I feel like training!\par +Ren: We should. We got it to really use, not admire.\par +Blythe: That's kind of freaking me out.\par +\par +After first real battle against monsters.\par +Angel: This stuff really works.\par +Blythe: It used to take all of us to fit one slime and now even Ren can solo one.\par +Ren: ...I'm going to pretend you didn't say that.\par +Angel: Don't overextend! If we get hurt,...\par +Ren: Should we enlist Chloe?\par +Blythe: She's amazing at keeping secrets. I'm surprised you even let me near a secret like this.\par +Ren: But you kind of were the one who let /us/ in on the secret.\par +Blythe: ...I guess so. Huh.\par +Angel: I agree, but Chloe's too much of a rule follower. Not that that's bad or anything, but you know what I mean. Do you think you could convince her, Ren?\par +Ren: This has elevated from trespassing as a joke to protecting the town. It's a lot less about following the rules now.\par +Angel: If you think she'll come, the more the merrier. I don't think I could convince her, though.\par +Ren: Don't be so shy. She's more open-minded and forgiving than you think. She's friends with me, after all.\par +Blythe: True. \par +## Convincing Chloe\par +____\par +Chloe is an acolyte with default skill sets and skill progression following a traditional healing track with some protection and offense. If you change the direction of her progression, she will being learning either prot, offense, or avatar branches.\par +____\par +Ren: Hey, Chloe...\par +Chloe: What's up, Ren?\par +Ren: Well, it started out as just some weak, harmless slimes appearing in the mall at night. It was funny and weird. But a few days ago, I went and it was full of real monsters. Like, actual gargoyles hurling hexxes and punches.\par +Chloe: In the mall? (wide eyes)\par +Ren: Yeah! We had to fight our way out. They actually attacked us!\par +Chloe: Was anybody hurt?\par +Ren: No, not too bad. But can you believe that?\par +Chloe: If worse monsters are gathering, could they get out? Where are they coming from?\par +Ren: Delphine said she saw a pit that was never there before.\par +Chloe: Oh, creepy...so they rise from the ground. Maybe the slimes oozed in through cracks, like bugs getting in the house in the winter. If a passage opened, then more worse may come up. Have we lived on top of a monster pit all along?\par +Ren: That makes a lot of sense if true. So the opening's growing? It could spread to the rest of the town.\par +Chloe: Are you telling me first?\par +Ren: ... We were afraid of telling anyone, since...you know.\par +Chloe: You know Father would be more concerned about the safety of the town and would be willing to listen confidentially. He'd probably tell you to fess up to your parents and the mall oner, but he's more of an advice guy than a cop.\par +Ren: Well, you know the mall cops. They couldn't handle it. It's too...\par +Chloe: Oh, you want me to join in.\par +Ren: No, I just want--\par +Chloe: You're telling me you, Blythe, Delphine, and whoever goes down into this dangerous, dark pit at night without a healer or someone like Night who could produce healing salves on the way.\par +Ren: Well...\par +Chloe: You won't even tell anyone about it, so if something happens to you, it'll be as though you disappeared without a trace, leaving your families with no hope of closure.\par +Ren: Um...\par +Chloe: And instead, you bought weapons from Auric, saying it was for summer school. Summer school that you don't even attend.\par +Ren: How did you know?\par +Chloe: You got Auric trying to sell me all kinds of upgrades so I won't fall behind in my classes. He probably does the same to Aries and Angel.\par +Ren: Well, we wanted new weapons, too, but that's kind of awkward. But yeah, you are right.\par +Chloe: Eh, he does that anyways. It's nothing to worry about. How about a compromise? If I go as your healer, I'll tell Father everything about the situation except your names.\par +Ren: I don't think anyone would say no to that. Well, Cassia doesn't know him too well, so maybe she wouldn't understand.\par +Chloe: What preparations have you made? Weapons, armor, and?\par +Ren: We usually bring flashlights. I dunno.\par +Chloe: Hmm..I dunno, I never dungeon crawled before. We'll have to go slow, then.\par +Ren: You serious? You're coming?\par +Chloe: I don't want you to get hurt, but I don't really know a better solution anyways.\par +Ren: We're going on a real adventure together!\par +Chloe: Have to admit, it'd be pretty exciting. If we are in over our heads, we will have to get help.\par +\par +## Chloe Asks Father for Help\par +Chloe and Father are in the backroom.\par +Chloe: Father...A friend told me something that's too big for me.\par +Father: You can tell me anything, Chloe.\par +Chloe: You know the classmates who dare each other to stay in the haunted mall at night?\par +Father: (concerned) Yes?\par +Chloe: Well, it was just slimes haunting the mall at first, but now they saw an opening from below and more dangerous monsters were there. My friend said they fought gargoyles.\par +Father: Gargoyles, they said? And they think they are coming from below? This isn't something the town is prepared to tackle. (troubled expression)\par +Chloe: They thought that. They want to go down and investigate the infestation themselves. They even bought new equipment. They don't have a healer and asked me to go with them.\par +Father: (thoughtful idea) They want to deal with it themselves? And who are they, exactly? Aries, Angel, and you are better fighters than you think, actually. You guys might be a great probe to look into the situation with. Discreet, apt, and responsible. You're a favored soul among healers, so you may even be able to learn the miracle of resurrection some day. \par +Chloe: What are you saying? You would support this sneaky roundabout behavior?\par +Father: I would take full responsibility for it and support you in any way I can, in fact. There are dark forces at work in this town and it looks like they are finally breaking the surface. It is no longer time to deny but to act.\par +Chloe: ...What are you saying?\par +Father: The mall was built there for a reason. I'll just tell you that for now. \par +Chloe: I don't know who is asking, exactly. My friend didn't say who else went.\par +Father: Indeed? Well, try to bring them together here. We'll speak quietly in the back room to avoid being overheard. I'll explain more once I've had time to think this over and lay my eyes on your team.\par +Chloe: Thank you, Father.\par +Father: Of course, Chloe. God is on your side, moreso where you go.\par +## Chloe Relays Info to Team\par +Cassia gets messages from the Dungeon Crawl text group.\par +<>\par +Ren: <>\par +Chloe: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Chloe: <>\par +Chloe: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Chloe: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Chloe: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Chloe: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Blythe puts up a poll: Let's meet around noon tomorrow. Y/N\par +Everyone puts up a Y.\par +Angel: We're decided. See you tomorrow, Chloe.\par +Delphine: Wonder what Father will say?\par +## Everybody meets Father\par +Chloe is sweeping the fellowship hall. Delphine comes first.\par +Delphine: Chloe, hi.\par +Chloe: Good morning, Delphine! Father's in the library, reading, I think, and I'm cleaning up.\par +Delphine: I don't come too early. Angel and Blythe and Ren and Cassia are coming right behind me.\par +Angel: Hey guys.\par +Ren: Hey, Chloe.\par +Blythe: Well, I'm here.\par +Chloe: Is that everyone?\par +Angel: Sure is!\par +Chloe: Alright. I'll close up the church so we can have privacy.\par +Chloe closes the front door and leaves a sign that only emergencies should enter, the Father is speaking privately. Then Chloe leads everyone to the backroom. It's full of books with a desk and a round table. There's no window. Father is seated at the head of the round table.\par +Father: Everyone, come sit. Chloe told me you all were coming. \par +Chloe sits next to Father, Ren sits next to Chloe, Angel sits next to Father, Blythe sits next to Angel, and Cassia sits next to Blythe. If player sits down first, they will sit down in the next available seat, working clockwise.\par +Father: Now Chloe gave me a twice-filtered account, so neither of us are up to speed. Cassia, why don't you tell me what you saw.\par +Cassia: Ren told me the mall is full of weak slimes at night, and Blythe invited me to see them because she wanted to see me scared. When I went, however, the back area was empty, but the main shopping area was full of these menacing, aggressive stone beasts. They attacked us with hexxes and stone fists and horns. We attacked our way out, but it was scary.\par +Father: Where were they coming from? Did you see?\par +Delphine: I saw a hole that went into the earth. But I went to the mall the next day and it was gone.\par +Father: You went in the daytime?\par +Delphine: Yes.\par +Father: So there's a hole that's opened up at night, allowing worse creatures out, but it's closed up or hidden during the day?\par +Delphine: I think so.\par +Father: That's about what Chloe told me. Now, kiddos, you've stumbled upon a serious plot that's been going on since the town was refounded. I told Chloe the mall was built there for a reason, and in fact, the whole town was bought up for that same reason. We're seated on top of a spiraling pit that descends into another world. Angels live down there, with all manners of holy monsters. There's a lot of power in this spot to tap into. Mr. Klein, the founder of your town, wants this power. Now, you all are worried about your parents taking away your smartphones or your teachers expelling you, but you've stumbled upon something more serious than a prank. If you get caught here, you will bring wrath upon this town. The army will come and purge us. You've been doing this for years now, so Chloe says, and I knew nothing of which of you were involved besides Ren so you know how to be discreet. Well, you need to be discreet if you want to continue. I believe you are the best hope.\par +Ren blushes.\par +Angel: So we shouldn't talk about it at school anymore...\par +Blythe: Yeah! Mr. Klein owns the place! Geez, what was I thinking?\par +Father: There are many pits like ours all over the world. They were once the homes to the earth angel societies, but most of them have fallen and become feral. But most pits are sealed through rock segmentation, erosion, earthquakes, and landslides. Inside, they are rich with all the resources needed for a comfortable society: precious metals, vegetation, even treasures. Not everything is so peachy, though. They are also full of feral angels and holy beasts. By chance, Mr. Klein found heard of a bodunk nowhere town that was formed on top of one long ago. No one was really aware of this information, and if they were, they probably wrote it off as some me-maw tall tale. By buying the land on top of and around it, he can claim ownership of the whole pit. No one can investigate it. He can supply his mall with the wealth of the pit, pool the money earned from tourism and townsfolk, and rise to power. And no one could challenge him because it's his property. He's started hiring mercenaries, those mall cops you see. It's coming slow, but he'll be building an army to defend it and reach its depths. At the bottom of these pits lie earth angels who will grant wishes. \par +Angel: We've been on top of this this whole time...?!\par +Blythe: I mean, that riches and fame and mythic reward is awesome and all, but what kind of beasts are we talking?\par +Father: Not much is known about these pits, but I would assume to be on guard and use excessive cautious at all times. Retreat when it's too much for you. But you'll have my girly with you, so you'll have less to worry about.\par +Cassia: But what should we do? What's our goal?\par +Father: Clear the dungeon, of course. You kids should have its treasure, not my wayward cousin. \par +Delphine: That is the kind of treasure to murder over.\par +Father: I believe you can defend yourself. But make friends and companions to bring along who can act discreetly. And I will bestow blessings and give you gifts as I can. The first of which is Chloe.\par +Blythe: So Chloe can go with us?\par +Father: Yes. Rely on her.\par +Angel: Thank you so much!\par +Delphine: Yeah, so great!\par +Ren: Do you have suggestions on how we should prepare?\par +Father: Yes, yes. \par +Father gives the party some advice on what to buy and how to go about exploring the unknown depths, sharing what his extremely limited knowledge of the space below. \par +Father: Well, my talk is over. Chloe, you closed up the church, didn't you?\par +Chloe: Of course\par +Father: Good girl. We shouldn't be closed too long. Now some of you kids can go and some can stay to break up the illusion of your group. Try not be too obviously the dungeon crawling team to everyone. Any operarional security methods you can employ will prove to be worth it at some point, I fear. Thank you for taking time to see me today.\par +Angel: Blythe, let's go out together. My mom wanted to see you.\par +Delphine: Uh, Chloe? I help you clean?\par +Chloe: If you don't mind. I am okay doing it alone. There are supplies in the closet. I mostly need to dust and sweep.\par +Ren to Cassia: Um, I want to read. The church has a pretty impressive collection of books. Father is a collector. Sometimes, even scholars travel for some of the rare out of print books in his collection. I don't know if you like reading, but there's novels, reference books, combat books, picture books, and of course religious writings. You might be interested, especially on the books that teach you how to fight.\par +Ren wanders over quietly to read books in the library.\par +Father returns to the main room with Angel and Blythe to open up the church and remove the sign.\par +Father: Good-bye, girls!\par +Angel and Blythe: Thank you!\par +## After-meeting Meeting\par +Cassia receives a text in the dungeon crawlers group text.\par +Ren: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Angel: <> \par +Ren: <>\par +Chloe: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Cassia: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Cassia: <>\par +Angel: <>\par + Ren: <>\par +Cassia: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Chloe: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Ren: <\par +Blythe: <>\par +Cassia: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +## Heron is Brought Up in Group Chat\par +Cassia: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Cassia: <<...? Who are you talking about?>>\par +Ren: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Cassia: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Cassia: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Cassia: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +## Meeting Heron\par +Player knocks on next-door neighbor\rquote s door. \par +Heron: "ONE MINUTE!"\par +Heron: ...\par +Heron: ...\par +Heron: ...\par +Heron: ...\par +Door opened by Heron. He's tall, lanky, very thin, elegant, and sleepy-looking. He has naturally droopy eyes. His hair is a little long and wavy.\par +Heron: "..oh! You're not who I expected! Uh...why did you knock?"\par +Cassia: It was by accident.\par +Heron: Oh okay. That actually happened to me once actually. Uh, but who are you? Are you visiting from a nearby town?\par +Cassia: I wanted to meet you.\par +Heron: Yeah, who are you? Are you visiting from a nearby town?\par +Cassia chooses to introduce herself.\par +Heron: So you\rquote ve lived here for [time spent playing]! I was surprised when Night came back, but you're completely new. I guess even a deadend town can grow.\par +Heron: Well, hi. I\rquote m Heron. I\rquote m a boring guy. I don\rquote t get out much and nothing\rquote s ever going on with me. I spend most of my time programming or playing games. So...there isn't much reason to visit me.\par +Cassia: I have a present\par +Heron: (likes or loves) This is my favorite! Angel must have told you I like these.\par +Heron: (neutral or worse) Oh, okay. Thanks.\par +Cassia: What games do you play?\par +Heron: Strategy games, mostly. \par +Cassia: You can program?\par +Heron: Oh yeah. It's easy. Anybody can program. You got a phone, go download a text editor. \par +\f2\ltrmark\f0 The player hears a ding.\par +Heron: \f2\ltrmark\f0 Oh, my ramen\rquote s ready. So, um. Bye...\par +Heron closes the door. \par +Angel and Ren were waiting nearby. They are smiling and on the verge of laughter. Cassia walks with them out of earshot.\par +Angel: Hehehe, strange one isn't he?\par +Ren: Wow, you talked for like a whole minute.\par +Cassia: You think we can get him down in the dungeon with us?\par +Angel and Ren laugh. \par +Angel: Oh, no, that is not very likely.\par +Ren: I mean, there are probably ways he could help, but fighting is so not one of them.\par +Angel: He's pretty, though, isn't he? Just like Blythe said. I'd be more worried with him in the dungeon than you when you first came here, pretty little city girl.\par +Ren: Yeah, I was worried about her, too. Blythe was forcing her, and I didn't agree, but I stuck around to watch her.\par +Cassia: Hey! I can defend myself.\par +Ren: I mean, we can see that now, but, you seem pretty delicate.\par +Angel: It's a compliment, really. You'll have an easy time getting a boyfriend when you want one. \par +Ren: Do guys not like you, Angel?\par +Angel: (shrugs resignedly with a sigh) Guys don't like girls taller than them. It's a fact.\par +Cassia: Do you like guys, Ren?\par +Angel: Whoa! Did you just ask if--\par +Ren: (blushing) Uhm...I mean, no.\par +Angel: (beet red) Wow, Cassio.\par +Ren: (more assertive) I broke up with Chloe last year. We were dating.\par +Cassio: (if playing as male) That's a shame...\par +Angel: (dying with huge eyes and a little horror) ...\par +Ren: (confused and taken aback) You aren't saying--? Uh, whoa...no thanks. \par +Everyone bursts out laughing.\par +Cassio: just kidding\par +Ren: (still very much offended and concerned)\par +Angel: ...(suspicious and going to laugh again, on the verge of a second outbreak of laughter)\par +Ren: Well, then.\par +## Recruiting Heron\par +## Recruiting Milo\par +Milo is a lot younger, but his parents are so hands-off like they were with me that he could honestly get away with a lot worse than having a sweet, nearly platonic relationship with Cassia. He is \par +## Recruiting Mr. Wilder\par +Mr. Wilder's a little older than the high schoolers, but he's Gen X so not too far removed age-wise or culturally. Mr. Wilder is hot, he's interested in internet culture. He has an email circle of friends he shares stories and arguments with. Most of them are starting careers or families with babies. He has a Youtube channel and blog with moderate success he will never share with his students. He's a lonely guy who never had a girlfriend before, so he lacks experience. Honestly, even though he's the teacher, it's Cassia who will have to educate him how to love. His apartment and diet severely lacks the feminine touch. To start, Cassia needs to start taking care of him. Bringing him a nice box lunch or a pet cactus is a good start.\par +## Cassia Appreciates Blythe's Stealth Skills\par +Cassia: Why are /you/ our best stealth agent?\par +Blythe: Ha, I know, right! There's more to me than meets the eye. My daddy is the chief of police. I have snooped around his stuff since I was tiny, but I always was aware that I must conceal my tracks. I have gotten into just about everything and nobody knows a thing. I have practically been training my whole life. What do you think? Do you think I could be Blythe: International Super Spy of the Confederates? Infiltrating the communist utopia to the north?\par +Cassia: I don't know, but you have been doing a great job so far. Keep it up. Don\rquote t know what we would do without you.\par +Blythe: You are so sweet. I am pretty sure you hated my guts earlier when you first came here, but now I think you understand I just like to have fun.\par +## Invite to the Dungeon\par +Cassia: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Chloe: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Chloe: <>\par +## Exploring the Dungeon\par +Goals: \par +* Compel the player to keep exploring deep into the dungeon\par +* Introduce antagonist\par +* Educate player about the dungeon\par +Everyone arrives late at the mall in groups. Angel and Ren take Chloe, and Blythe and Delphine go together.\par +Cassia: That's everyone. Anyone forget anything?\par +Everyone shakes their heads. Cassia takes the silence as confirmation everyone is ready to move forward.\par +Cassia: Alright, then. Blythe, let us in.\par +Blythe: Yup! Brought the key and everything. \par +Blythe unlocks the way in and everyone goes inside. Everybody proceeds to the door leading to the main shopping area, talking as they walk.\par +Ren: Alright, this is the back hall. It's safe here. The monsters are always concentrated in the center of the shopping area.\par +Chloe: Always?\par +Blythe: Yeah, every time.\par +Chloe: I wonder why.\par +Angel: Wow, never thought about it. Yeah, I don't know why, but that's always the case. They never chase us into that back hall, either, so it's not too scary to run away from them. At least, when we stay at the surface.\par +Delphine: We'll be going down tonight?\par +Cassia: Probably so. We'll see when we get in.\par +Ren: Here we are -- the door.\par +Chloe looks out at through the glass panes.\par +Chloe: (Shocked and scared) We have monsters like that inside our town? I see them. They are walking around a bit aimlessly, confused, like they shouldn't be up here. So they attack you guys aggressively?\par +Blythe: Yeah, they do. The second you walk through that door and they'll attack.\par +Chloe: But they don't come back here? Nor do they ever appear during the day?\par +Ren: We told you, never.\par +Chloe: Is it the light? That's the only area allowed to be dark. Maybe we should try turning the lights on.\par +Blythe: I know how to do that! \par +Blythe hops back to one of the offices, and some curious individuals follow to watch. She goes straight to the switch and naturally puts her hand on the correct one like a natural. Before flipping it, she says,\par +Blythe: This isn't stealthy, and we're supposed to be stealthy. I can turn on the main shopping area with this switch, but anyone walking out would be suspicious. It's not something we can get away with. \par +Ren: There are spells for that sort of thing, I'm sure. Maybe I will research that. Under the cover of an enchantment, we can probably do whatever we want in here.\par +Angel: You're amazing, Ren. If there's anyone who can do it, it's you.\par +Chloe: Uh, what about power outages? Do we know if the mall has ever been dark?\par +Everyone scratches their heads and takes a silent moment to think.\par +Chloe: I don't think so, either. Also, how long does it take for these monsters to appear and how? Do they teleport? Do they dig up from the ground? Do they climb out of the pit? Then how do they leave?\par +When, once again, no one has an answer, Cassia takes over.\par +Cassia: We will investigate and learn as much as we can.\par +Here, the player can choose to observe or move in and attack. They can learn that the monsters climb out of the pit after it gets dark enough, then they look around for food or threats. There could be some beasts like Enderman who warp in and out freely, are more magical, intelligent, and creepy. They are sensitive to light and dazzled or dazed by bright, sudden flashes of light. Lightning, light, and fire flare magic is especially effective. Darkness magic is ineffective. The skills that hurt them and the skills that they are immune or highly resistant to should both be available to force the player to use a strategy. The next group of enemies should require a contrasting strategy or one in a new direction to keep the player on his toes. When it gets too light, they crawl back into their hole. The mall is designed with extravisual light always on and supported by infallible generator systems to corale the monsters. That's the most effort Mr. Klein puts into it. Before, the pit opened, the slimes oozed through the ground up to the surface, inside the mall. They would sometimes wander into extravisible light, but not much. They are blind but still sensitive. It hurts them. \par +## You Died: Night Has to Heal You\par +If the party dies without hope of resurrection, then they will be reborn at the earth shrines by the neutral earth priestesses once those are encountered and allied with the party after an evaluation and challenge. This will come later. Otherwise, one of the survivors will drag everyone to Night by the cover of night. \par +Night: Oh-!\par +Night: Hello, it's Night. I am taking care of you. \par +Night: Please take it slow. You came to me dead, and I am preparing a resurrection poutrice. Very high level alchemy mastered by very few but a cinch for me! \par +Night: Okay, you seem to be in good health. Very fortunate for you to have an alchemist as talented as I in this trashy town! As for the poultrice, I recommend a long shower. \par +Cassia: I died?\par +Night: Yes. I don\rquote t know the details, but perhaps you can ask Angel. She was the one who brought you. \par +Cassia: Night, you can do that? You can raise the dead? Are you a necromancer?\par +Night: No, no, no, no... I am an alchemist. I don\rquote t communicate with lost spirits or use magic to bind them with a body. I research the effects of herbs prepared in different methods.\par +Night: Using a soultrapping incense and regenerative poultrice to treat death is not so different from using a humidifier and herbal honey tea to treat colds. \par +Night: There is nothing to worry about. I prevented your soul from leaving and regenerated your body. If you ever are risen by a necromancer, it's something you would immediately be aware of. Their methods are vile, dangerous, and existentially dreadful. Really, you didn't even die. Your body died, but your soul did not. \par +Cassia: That sounds really bad. Are there any downsides?\par +Night: Not really for you. Young, healthy bodies regenerate readily and recovery is usually complete and quick. \par +Night: Older bodies weakened by illness recover slowly and never regain full health. There\rquote s a point when it stops working at all. Thus are the current limitations. \par +Cassia: Amazing. \par +Night: Ha. You think that is amazing? I suppose it would be amazing to people who aren't as good as me. I suppose I am. Don\rquote t rely on me, though. The effects of resurrection have only been studied after one or two. Beyond that, I don\rquote t know what negative effects it has.\par +Cassia: How much do I owe you?\par +Night: Oh my, more than you can imagine. More than I could possibly charge anyone in this town. Except the mayor. \par +Night: It\rquote s free. I just hope holding you here and talking your ear off is enough punishment. Die again and I\rquote ll start charging you a high percentage of your savings, unless you strike it rich and can actually pay the proper amount. And if you do, I will charge you that.\par +Cassia: How exactly do you do it?\par +Night: Trade secret. If try to figure it out by analyzing the poultrice at home, though, tell me your conclusions before trying it. Minor mistakes can have extreme consequences, and I would prefer to check your work. But really, just appreciate I\rquote m here to care for everyone. \par +Night: Okay, well, now that you seem a lot better, may I ask the questions?\par +Cassia: Gulp. Okay. Here it comes...\par +Night: What were you doing? Not to scare you, but you came to me in ghastly condition. I must admit I have not seen a status effect quite like that, and want to monitor you for a time to make sure you respond to my treatment well and have a full recovery. This is something I expect to see in a medical mystery show or an international metropolitan hospital. What trouble did you run into here? Your energy was exhausted completely, too. You were struggling, fighting something?\par +Cassia: ...(startled)\par +Cassia: ...(guilty)\par +Night: The shop's locked up. No one knows you are here, unless Angel was less stealthy than she seemed to be acting. No one can hear you back here. I keep everything back here confidential, just like out checkups. Also, the more I understand the situation, the more I can help you. Your condition upon arrival is evidence enough that what you would tell me is unbelievable, so go ahead and try me.\par +Cassia: Where can I even begin?\par +Night: Don't make me guilt you into it. I am your doctor. Who more trustworthy can you find? If you can't tell anyone, you know that I've kept less important secrets for every patient I've had. Come on, Cassia.\par +Cassia: It's none of your business. \par +Night: Then I won't press further except to say, if you are implicating me in something by expecting me to heal you, it would be polite to inform me just what I am a part of. If you change your mind for any reason, I will have open ears and be able to better specialize and personalize my care. Otherwise, I will do the best I can to heal you, regardless of what is going on. As a physician, I am obligated to recommend staying absolutely far away from whatever fire you are playing with. Do not take your good health for granted. \par +If Cassia didn't explain the problem, she has a Death Virus Curse spell affecting her. It is like a permanent Death Penalty or something. It's not a medical thing, it's a curse and needs a special kind of curse-turning priest to dispel. Night can find herbs to remove it, but he will charge for that since they are coincidentally not very expensive. The treatment is easy to do at home, too. Just take the pills. \par +## You Died: Night to the Rescue for a Second Time\par +Night: Ah.\par +Night: Hello, it's Night. I am taking care of you. \par +Night: Please take it slow. You came to me dead, and I am preparing a resurrection poutrice. \par +Cassia: ...? (confused and hazy)\par +Night: Rest. I'm taking care of you.\line Night: It hurts, doesn't it? It's probably the same as last time. You died again and here you are, back with me. It hurts me, you know, to see a good girl like you in a state like that. If you don't get to me quickly enough, you won't be coming back to me, you know?\par +Cassia: Sorry...\par +Night: What could be so important you do this to yourself? Is this something close to town? You never leave, as far as I know. Is it something you brought from outside town? Is anybody else at risk?\par +Cassia: ...Under the mall, there's a pit. It's full of monsters. \par +Night: What kind of monsters?\par +Cassia: I'm not sure. I've never seen them before. They're like mythological beasts. Moving stone, hazy creatures, glittering clouds, animated ooze...\par +Night: And these are under the mall? In a pit?\par +Cassia: Yes...There's something deep under the mall. It's not like a basement or cave. It's so rich and beautiful and populated by fantastic creatures.\par +Night: I see...This is what I'm dealing with.\par +Cassia: Er--\par +Night: I believe you, of course. I am just troubled there's something like this. You've implicated me so much thus far, relying on my charity procedures. Now take me. Let me see for myself. Surely you would feel safer if I were closer and you didn't have to travel so far to find me. I may be a city boy, but I grew up right here. My academic combat background is solid, if not rusty. I can assist you.\par +Cassia: It's hard to argue with that. But it's too dangerous to go on a whim.\par +Night: What do you mean?\par +Casssia: (hushed) The mayor is behind this.\par +Night: You don't say? Your story sounds like the product of a rambling patient still high from the Scarlet Angelica, but the holes it fills are compelling. Why the intense interest in the town and the mall just before I was born? Why was this whole area guarded so strictly before the mall went up? Why the combat education in our school? Interesting explanation for everything. Please, I must see this.\par +Cassia: That's right...your grandparents were here before everything happened with the Mayor.\par +Night: They told me everything several times growing up. It's all stuck in my mind. So confusing. Everyone else here is new, so they just don't understand how bizarre the circumstances of refounding the town were. Well, except your uncle. He's been here since the beginning, too.\par +Cassia: Seriously? He has?\par +Night: Oh, I didn't realize he didn't tell you. Maybe I'm getting too personal. It's the truth, though. He's been here before the Mayor swooped in and bought everything. Do you promise you'll take me, though?\par +Cassia: Sure. Welcome aboard.\line ## You Died: Night to the Rescue a Third or Later Time\par +(randomly pick one)\par +Night: Finally.\par +Night: Hello, it's Night. I am taking care of you. \par +Night: Please take it slow. You came to me dead, and I am preparing a resurrection poutrice. \par +Night: This should be routine, no? \par +Cassia: Ohh...that never feels good.\par +Night: Yet you keep on doing this to yourself. If you won't keep yourself out of danger, at least train harder. I don't like seeing you hurt...\par +## You Died: Night to the Rescue a Third or Later Time\par +Night: Finally.\par +Night: Hello, it's Night. I am taking care of you. \par +Night: Please take it slow. You came to me dead, and I am preparing a resurrection poutrice. \par +Night: ...Anyways, hey again.\par +Cassia: Yeah, hey.\par +Night: I'm not very happy with you, you know? What if I couldn't bring you back? It's a matter of time.\par +Cassia: Yeah...I know.\par +Night: Sigh.\par +## You Died: Night to the Rescue a Third or Later Time\par +Night: Finally.\par +Night: Hello, it's Night. I am taking care of you. \par +Night: Please take it slow. You came to me dead, and I am preparing a resurrection poutrice. \par +Night: Again, huh?\par +Cassia: I know what you're going to say.\par +Night: Then why don't you take it to heart? Prevention is the best medicine. Please.\par +Cassia: Sigh.\par +## Night Joins the Team\par +____\par +Night is an alchemist, a subclass of Mage. He deals lots of conditions and healing, throwing bombs and healing salves everywhere, living off the land, combining what he finds and fighting experimentally and riskily and randomly, his abilities changing their results based on the area he is in. He can be taught to follow a more combat-oriented elemental mastery or academic one.\par +____\par +Cassia starts texting in the group chat. \par +Cassia: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Night: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Night: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Night: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Night: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +## Delphine Wants to Tame Abyssal Beasts\par +Cassia talks to Delphine privately, over text or in her room or player's room.\par +Cassia: Okay, here's a private place. This way, no one will hear or snoop in on our conversation. What did you want to talk about?\par +Delphine: I was wondering about these creatures beneath the earth, trying to learn more about them. In the end, they are just animals like elephants and bears, isn't it?\par +Cassia: You don't think they may be spirits or demigods or hellbeasts or something else?\par +Delphine: This is something I want to see for myself. I know a lot about animals, and even aggressive ones can be tamed and trained and domesticated and breed. Sometimes, they accept the instruction of a human master easily, and other times, there are special circumstances and equipment needed.\par +Cassia: You want to try that? It sounds dangerous. It would be a safer alternative just to clear the dungeon.\par +Delphine: Yes, we can do that if the beasts are too wild. But when we do, we lose a chance to learn and forgive.\par +Cassia: Do you need anything to try? I can help you.\par +Delphine: Oh, I am always pleased with your willingness to support me. Mall Town is better ever since you came here. Brighter, even. *!! Her answer will have to depend on research. What equipment is needed and what is the process?\par +Cassia: I'll do that for you.\par +Delphine: Thank you, Merci!\par +Cassia: I have a concern about this. Where exactly where you be keeping them? Domesticated and born in captivity or not, these are still the same beasts we are trying to keep out of the town. I don't feel comfortable with you bringing them outside.\par +Delphine: This is a good point. Perhaps we can build a barn in the dungeon.\par +Cassia: Would the Mayor notice? And how do we even do that? And where?\par +Delphine: Yes, our only boy is not so manly is he? Do you think anyone has experience? We need a strong structure. A fence or a moat or anything we can let them in or out of safely and give them some room. I do wonder where we can go without being trapped in the Mayor's spiderweb network. If the barn is a bad idea, I think there are other very good ideas to build. Camps, lights, storage, potties. Have you seen sign or him yet? It is presumably his many-year plan to explore this dungeon, since before I was born. Yet it looks like a cave. No lights, no camps, no stone path, nothing a self-important rich bastard, prick, and dandy like him must demand.\par +Cassia: You are right, but this is still the area that apparently opened up just recently. If he\rquote s been going down, he must already have had another entrance that he uses and still prefers. In fact, since Blythe always switches the footage at night and his nightguards are incompetent, he may not have opportunity to learn.\par +Delphine: You mean he may not know. I think he probably does and just sent a quick scouting party down nd didn't find enough of interest to care. Or he will be reacting later.\par +Cassia: If there is a second entrance, there may be more. We should find alternatives in case we lose this one.\par +Delphine: Oh, yes, this is essential!\par +Cassia: I guess it's likely we are either exploring a deadend that bored the Mayor's team or are soon going to find our entrance inaccessible.\par +Delphine: We must reach the bottom. These monsters are weaker and good for training. There is no reason not to continue before facing our real foe.\par +Cassia: Agreed. We both have a lot to think about and prepare for. See you later, Delphine.\par +Delphine: Au revoir.\par +Cassia receives a text message.\par +Delphine: I have been thinking... We should reach the botton of this pit as soon as possible. Since it's new, it must connect with another passage or dead-end. It\rquote s good training and we may find something, but it feels like Mr. Klein would want to close up passages that are almost public like this one, you know? Surely his passage is more private.\par +Ren: That makes sense.\par +Cassia: Should we set a deadline? Like this week?\par +Delphine: How can we? We have no idea how deep it is.\par +Night: Just think about what you are saying. Are you saying we cannot explore the unknown objectively? Our estimations will improve as we go. A week sounds like a manageable chunk of time to begin planning around.\par +Ren: Yeah, it sounds good. As deep as you can go in a week. Let's shoot for it.\par +Angel: I'll support you guys however you need me!\par +\par +\par +Cassia and her companions enter the dungeon. They explore. The top levels have sparse groups of scouting monsters with broad, territory-sweeping paths. More concentrated groups of monsters appear further down, with more functional roles identified: guards, casters, tanks, encouragers, healers, defenders, etc. Their paths are more dense or more wandering, still making sense of their area. They are lost parties, caught in a tidepool, so some random, disordered monsters are trying their best to form coherent parties.\par +As it is not an abyssal pit but very close to one, it has some ores and vegetation, foreshadowing the tropical wonder to come. The player can harvest rare (to their geographic region above ground) herbs and some small treasures. They can learn the mining skill, get a pickaxe, and mine.\par +The next discovery is the earth shrine.\par +## Discovering a Room of Pacificism\par +Cassia: This room looks safe. It's decensible, it's enclosed, and we can relax here. Why don't we tale a look at our skill sets here?\par +The safe room has a skill effect that promotes pacifism.\par +Maybe an Earth Angel of Pacifism is there. Maybe this foreshadows the presence of immensely powerful maguic inconceiuvable to humans like Ren!!!!\par +Speaking to her is voluntary.\par +Earth angel of pacifism:\par +Maybe angel is gone now but the spell cast by her is persistant.\par +Ren: No, it's more than that. Can't you feel it? Nobody can fight here. There is a room effect that prevents it.\par +Blythe that kind of makes me want to test it.\par +Night: No reason not to. I've seen that room spell. It's cast in prisons and courtrooms and government buildings in big cities with enough funding.\par +Ren: It's costly on the caster, though, and not glamorous. The funding is required just to attract anyone willing to do the job for more than a few hours. There are so many other better things to do with that level of spell mastery. I don't understand how it could be in place here without an enchanTment maintenance mage.\par +Night: So, the spell has to be maintained?\par +Ren: This one, yes, I know it. Otherwise, you would have to have such great magic reserves you can cast it once with a long duration or, possibly, stay in some central location and maintain several.\par +Cassia: It's a mystery, but we should take advantage of it while we can. We already know earth angels are masters of magic.\par +Night and Ren: Agreed!\par +## Discovering an Earth Shrine\par +The player walks up to it. Others follow. Chloe stays respectfully back.\par +Delphine: It's beautiful.\par + Night or Cassia: This was built by someone.\par +Chloe: This is a shrine. Don't you think?\par +Angel: Oh! Um, what should we do?\par +Chloe: I don't know their rules. I've never seen those symbols.\par +Ren: You're right, they are unusual.\par +If no Night, it ends there. Player has to stand on it for spirit to appear.\par +Night walks up to the shrine and stands on it. Chloe cringes.\par +A beautiful earth angel appears. Wings are draped like a cape of brown feathers, skin light gray and ashy, eyes bright spring green and full of life, she is covered in clover tiaras and anklets and pansy behind her ear. She is tall, slender, and elegant. Her golden brown hair sweeps to the floor.\par +Everyone is taken aback.\par +Cassia: Hello. Who are are you?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: I am Earth's servant. My aspect is Spring. As a blessing, I will resurrect your fallen.\par +Cassia: Thank you, greatly.\par +Everyone is almost silent with astoundment. Night is more levelheaded and his thirst for knowledge fuels his courage to speak to the supernatural.\par +Night: You can resurrect the dead?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: Yes. Spring is renewal for the flow of life. Anything can return if she so chooses.\par +Night: Is it dangerous for us?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: There is no risk. The natural laws of God can be played cyclically with no pain, no risk. You will be dead then alive.\par +Night: Gangrene? Decomposition?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: I know the concerns that ail you, young healer. You cannot truly heal because you cannot touch the forces of nature directly. This is no concern for me.\par +Chloe: What about the human's resurrection skill?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: Any human that can direct the flow of Nature will find powerful, limitless skills.\par +Delphine: So you'll resurrect us if we die? Under any circumstance? From anything? Wherever?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: This is my job.\par +Everyone feels more at ease, since she answers calmly and evenly. Night feels bruised.\par +Angel: Are there more of you?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: Yes. Earth shrines dot the earth, appearing along pits and anywhere the earth's servants dwell.\par +Cassia: Some of your people became monsters.\par +Lesser Earth Angel: They are driven mad by undue stress humans put on the earth. I know you are not among them, so I will treat you with respect. If the crazed angels attack you, please defend yourselves.\par +Cassia: Have they been here? The bad humans?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: Yes, they were last here this morning.\par +Blythe: Uh, really? Are they still here?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: I do not know. I hide my face from them.\par +The angel's message sets everyone on edge.\par +Cassia: Thank you again for your patience and wisdom.\par +The Lesser Earth Angel smiles and nods. "Until we meet again, children."\par +As they step away, the earth angel disappears.\par +Angel: You are so brave, Cassia! I was completely frozen! I couldn't say anything.\par +Ren: Did we really meet an angel?\par +Night: Yes, a Lesser Earth Angel to be precise. Her aspect was Spring, as are all the attendants of Earth Shrines.\par +Angel: How do you know that?\par +Night: I'm well-read. Much of the nation\rquote s initial wealth was found in pits and reversed our chances of winning the war. Without discovering these, we would be in the United States right now.\par +Blythe: You mean we could be in the communist utopia to the north?\par +Night: Who knows how different history would have turned out if the country never split? Maybe.\par +Chloe: Guys, guys, let\rquote s chat history later. They were here not too long ago in this spot.\par +Blythe: Yes! We should be quieter and more alert from here.\par +Night: Anyways, I guess you don't need me anymore...\par +Blythe: Guess not!\par +Ren: You're not just our last resort, Night. You're our potion-maker and you know so much more about this stuff than us. (highest starting lore)\par +Blythe: Unless we could get that angel to join the team.\par +Cassia: Didn't we just agree to hush?\par +Ren: Sorry.\par +Blythe: One more thing-- silence your phones.\par +Angel: Oh yeah, of course.\par +Everyone silences their phones.\par +\par +## Teleporter Pad\par +The team proceeds more cautiously than before, searching for signs of other humans and human presence.\par +Down another few levels, the party encounters a stone table or rune or some teleporter pad.\par +A slain earth angel lay next to it. Dahlia is found slain in an area that could be slept in.\par +Cassia: Gasp aloud. What happened here?\par +Night: Why doesn't the other angel resurrect her?\par +Cassia: I don't know..\par +Night: We could use the shrine if the angel was resurrected. Maybe it's tactical?\par +Ren: What shrine is this, anyways? This looks completely different from the earth shrine.\par +Angel: Can we step away from the scene? (averting her eyes, a little teary and scared)\par +Cassia: Maybe we should.\par +## Telling the Earth Shrine Attendant About the Fallen Earth Angel\par +Cassia boldly and confidently approaches the shrine. The lesser earth angel appears once again.\par +Lesser Earth Angel: Greetings.\par +Cassia: We encountered a stone structure surrounded by runes. An earth angel was slain there...\par +Lesser Earth Angel: Yes. Dahlia was killed by the other men. I know you were not with them, so I do not blame you.\par +Cassia: So you know? Can you resurrect her?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: No. Angels are not alive like you. I cannot control the force to use for my own species. Humans are the only ones capable of that.\par +Cassia: Should we bury her?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: We perform our own burial services. I cannot leave my station, and she was the only other one here.\par +Night: Can we bring you her body? Is there anything else you need?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: You are different from the other humans. You have respect for the Earth when you respect her servants. If you bring me Dahlia, I can give her rest.\par +Night looks at Cassia for her answer.\par +Cassia: We will bring her to you. How did she die? Did the other humans really kill her?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: Yes. I averted my eyes, so I do not understand the context. They killed her.\par +Angel: Why...?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: Did you need anything else or did you only come here on my behalf?\par +Cassia: That's all we needed to tell you.\par +Lesser Earth Angel: Thank you, children.\par +\par +## Pick Up the Body\par +The player tries to pick up the body.\par +Cassia: Um\par +Night: Cassia, you should leave this to us. Ren, would you help me?\par +Ren: Sure, no problem.\par +Night and Ren hold the body and cannot use weapon attacks, only spells and shouts.\par +They travel back.\par +\par +## Return Body\par +The party approaches the shrine again.\par +Lesser Earth Angel: (tearful) You brought her? Thank you. Lay her on the shrine. There are no words for your kindness... Don't grow up to be like the adults of your people. You children are so precious.\par +Party gains xp.\par +Cassia: So her name was Dahlia? Do you have a name?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: Phlox.\par +Cassia: What was Dahlia like?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: Her aspect was space. She moved people and places. She was my sister.\par +Angel: Oh, this must be so hard for you!\par +Lesser Earth Angel: I am greatly comforted by your kindness. I have been givwn closure.\par +Cassia: Good-bye\par +## Grave Robbing\par +When the party returns, there is a flowery grave nearby. It's bright and beautiful. Night has never seen the flowers and would like to study them, but who could rob a grave apart from a player character?\par +The player gathers the grave flowers.\par +Angel and Chloe: Stop! What are you doing!?\par +Lesser Earth Angel: ...you desecrated Dahlia's grave.\par +Cassia: Sorry, I didn't know!\par +Lesser Earth Angel sighes. Children are ignorant by nature, so I forgive you. Never take from a grave. It is a great crime.\par +Cassia: So sorry!\par +Lesser Earth Angel sighs. Do not grow up in the egocentric narcissism that rules your elders. Take this experience as a lesson, or I will no longer ally with you.\par +The next time you return, the grave is less beautiful than before but still filled with flowers. The Earth Angel has a reputation hit towards the player.\par +Gift the flowers to Night: ...this is quite a black gift. It would be worse to squander them now that they've been obtained. They are unknown completely to me, and I am a recognized expert. Could it be a new species? (unlocks new potion) Even so, never gift me anything like this again. It will weigh heavy on my conscious to work with these metaphorically black flowers and there are surely other ways to obtain these...\par +## Discovering the Camp of the Men\par +Cassia and her companions continue exploring. They happen upon what must be camp - discarded flashlights, food wrappers, packaging, lint from clothes. The earth is disturbed.\par +Blythe halts. Ren as well.\par +Angel: They /were/ here...\par +Delphine: And littering. (nose up)\par +Cassia investigates. It's cold, no way to determine when they left this spot, but at least a way to confirm it wasn't very recently.\par +Delphine: They left hours ago at worst. We can't say they aren't still here.\par +Blythe: She's right.\par +Ren: How can you tell? It's cold?\par +Delphine: It's cold, sure. No bugs interested in the food crumbs yet. Any liquid evaporated.\par +Angel: You're so observant! That's amazing.\par +Delphine: This is all taught to me by my father...He was an amazing ranger. (serious, serene)\par +Angel: He was. (a little sad and sheepish)\par +Cassia: Let's take it as encouragement and a warning. They may be here, but we may have learned of their presence first and they are far ahead enough and obviously comfortable enough to litter and not hide their presence. We'll know where they are before they know where we are. Be careful and watch your backs. They are no less dangerous for making this mess.\par +Night: I'm behind you.\par +the Slaves or run?>>\par +Ren: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Night: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Cassia: <>\par +They leave, either making it out and having to return later (possibly a save, restock, change build moment) or get ambushed, changing the encounter.\par +Cassia: <>\par +They proceed. There are signs of human presence - litter, lights, equipment.\par +There are two big, burly, rough-looking men and a third smaller black man. They are sitting on rocks, talking.\par +Cassia and her companions approach the men They can stay back and listen or run up and attack.\par +Blythe: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Everyone takes glances. Many shake their heads in the negative.\par +Angel: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Night: <>\par +Here, it would be effectively probably or at least my strategy to flag everyone back and tell them to wait here. Then as a lone player move forward, inching toward the men's camp until the conversation is audible. Cassia can open the sound recorder app and record the conversation. If Blythe or Night are close, they will record without asking.\par +If their aggro is broken, they will cease conversation, attack, and increase security.\par +The men are no friends of the earth angels, assuming they cannot both share thw land with the original inhabirants and utilize the resources for selfish gains. Also, the men are rough and rude and the earth angels were immediately prejudiced against them. They are unaware of the earth angels' culture or purpose, preferring to kill them on sight. It is outside the realm of their imagination that they could be allies of the children and provide high level master level spells, such as teleportation and resurrection. Night is out in town and his resurrection takes much time, missing a whole day. No one else, even Father can resurrect the dead. If the earth angels resurrect the party, they will be completely off-guard and have no idea what happened. There is another opportunity to eavesdrop.\par +Smaller man: --Hey, where did their bodies go?\par +Big man: What are ya talkin about? Hey, what!\par +The other big man rushes over.\par +Rough man: ...Where'd they go? We killed them.\par +The stand in a circle, scratching their heads.\par +Rough man: This is bad. Boss will take it out on us if they escape knowing about this place. They was young kids, too. They'll blab.\par +Big man: I swear they were dead.\par +Small man: That alchemist could have healed them!\par +Big man: He's not here, and he can't do nothing without a huge set up. The chamber would smell like cut grass if he was doing that witchdoctor voodoo ritual.\par +Rough man: Teleport? I don't know what could have happened. This is unnerving.\par +Big man: The pit could have taken them, you know? Made them into those feral angels.\par +Rough man: Don't give me the creeps like that. We gotta find them. And if we don't...\par +The small man shivers.\par +Big man: We have to tell him. It's worse if we don't.\par +Blythe: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Night: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Night: <>\par +The men start patrolling, although they are slow, clumsy, and nonobservant. The player has to fight them once noticed or they may tell the mayor, so they need to be observant and aggressive enough to provoke a boss battle fight.\par +\par +## Slave Boss Battle\par +They are scary, but the mayor doesn't take the best care of them. They are overworked and a little weak. Their brute strength and resilience makes them a little formidable. Draw out the fight to whittle them down, defend against their big coordinated spikes, and whatever makes a good boss battle.\par +Win, and they surrender before death.\par +Rough guy: Kids, you clearly are a force to be reckoned with and we underestimated you.\par +Cassia: Are you going to explain what's going on down here?\par +Rough guy: We're just human tools to do our master's bidding. We don't have the full picture and we don't have anyone to go home to. If you are going to stand in our way, finish the job.\par +Cassia: What about you two? Are you afraid?\par +Cassia points her weapon, brandishing it, at the big man then the smaller man. They break down and hold their hands up. The big guy is crying.\par +Smaller guy: Please, don't send us back to him.\par +Cassia: Why don't you get out of here?\par +Rough guy: He'll catch us. He'll know. It's too late. It's too late for you, too. He'll catch you. He'll know you were here. You should have stayed behind in the shadows like you guys probably have been all along.\par +Cassia: I don't want to kill you...\par +The big guy straightens up.\par +Big guy: Then we'll finish the job.\par +The fight continues.\par +Angel: Is there anything else we need to see here? I just want to go home...\par +Night: We can't waste the opportunity. Let's look around.\par +Angel: Yeah..\par +Angel and Chloe stay back while the others investigate the rest of the small room.\par +Chloe: You okay, Angel?\par +Angel: Yeah...\par +Chloe: Eh, the others can finish looking around. Let's just look at cute pictures on my phone. I've got some funny cat pictures.\par +Angel: ...\par +Angel: Hehehe...hehe...oh, Chloe, you always know how to get my mind off things.\par +Night: Cassia, is there anything useful? Plans, notes, salvageable equipment, supplies?\par +Ren: Should we...you know...be taking equipment like that? It's stealing. I mean, we just defended ourselves, but looting is a step beyond.\par +Cassia: This is war. Besides, they are just NPCs.\par +Ren: I guess...\par +Scattered about in chests, on tables, and spread out are simple equipment. A pickaxe, some gardening shears - (Night: ...oh, they must have been looking for the last herb I requested.), and some orders.\par +Orders are an item to pick up. Double-click to use it in the inventory to open the text box that looks like papers.\par +Orders: Bob, Jim, and Booker - you are my vanguard team. Scout out the new opening. Confirm that it does not connect to the main channel. Always be on the lookout for Guam for Night so he can continue to perform his resurrection ritual if needed.\par +Night: (takes a deep sigh) I am such a tool to them.\par +Ren: Is it really okay that you're down here with us? What if they go to you and you're gone? Or they run into you down here?\par +Night: I don't want to resurrect you guys, either. I want to be on the frontlines, helping as proactively as I can. They barely let me in on what was happening anyways. And after seeing what I've seen, I cannot support them. If they come to me, I'll let them die...\par +Delphine: Night, that's not like you.\par +Night: Can medical practitioners really be so impartial while still human? Maybe that would be great, but that's not for me. I'm too young and fiery hot. I see what is wrong and can no longer stand for it. I will undermine them in any way I can.\par +Delphine: You are fiery...your passion glows and shimmers so beautifully and admirably. If you were to reach the bottom alone and claim the wish, what would you wish for?\par +Night: Indeed...\par +## Alternative Slave Boss Battle\par +Cassia: This is for Dahlia, the earth angel you slew!\par +Rough guy: That slut? You\rquote re going to kill ys because of some whore in the street? --She was hardly innocent.--\par +Cassia: ...? (eh? wha? face. stunned by sudden contradictory information.)\par +Aries: What did you -say about- just call a slain angel! There's going to be nothing left of you when we're done with you!\par +Cassia: You murderers! Eye for an eye!\par +Big guy: (Defiant) We ain't afraid of some whoresons.\par +(Level boss battle commences)\par +Cassia: Aries, stand down! I will hear both sides of thE story.\par +Aries: Like hell! (yelling up to the sky, fire in his eyes, his friends holding him back)\par +Tough guy: (flinching) Ya will?\par +Cassia: Explain how Dahlia died.\par +Rough guy: We were sleeping. We had set up cmp and were ready to tuck in, when this glittering creature crawls in with us.\par +(Create a nobody was the bad guy svenario somehow where one dies due to the other's action or inaction.)\par +Rough guy: And I killed her.\par +Aries: You have no excuse for your actions!\par +Cassia: Either way, we can't have you reporting back to your boss...\par +Angel: That is a little hard core, don't you think, Cassia? (grimace)\par +(battle commences)\par +## Learning Stealth Skills\par +Ren: Blythe is pretty good, but we need more security skills in our team. And I know I really should be stepping up. If you find skill books, can you share them with me? \par +## Finding the Main Channel\par +Angel: No, we'll go in together! I'll be your bodyguard. Let's go, Cassia.\par +Cassia: You're so great, Angel. Let's go.\par +Cassia: This isn't what I expected, but this sure seems like something.\par +Angel: Yeah...It feels like this is it, but what if it's not?\par +Cassia: If he's set it up like this, this is an important place to him. If this is not the main channel, as he calls it, then it probably has clues or notes about it. \line Angel: This is crazy...\par +Cassia: He won't come in. He's busy all day. But, then again, I don't know if his cronies won't be lurking around. Is my bodyguard scared?\par +Angel: Oh, I'm brave, but that's doesn't mean I'm not absolutely creeped the freak out. Let's scout quickly and go.\par +Cassia: I agree 100 percent!\par +The girls snoop around. It goes down deeper and there are notes and equipment scattered around. He is trying to amend his tragic backstory, like heal his wife's cancer or his child's autism or something. It makes them feel bad.\par +Angel: Man, we really shouldn't be down here...\par +Mr. Klein: Now that's an understatement.\par +The girls jump then turn around and jump. Exclamation marks appear over their heads, if this game has emotes like that. Mr. Klein is directly behind them, alone.\par +Mr. Klein: Girls, why are you snooping down here? Now, Cassia, your uncle would probably congratulate you and know why you left your old school, so I understand why you would be a bad influence on our precious Angel. But Angel, what if I told your mother where I found you? She would be beside herself. You've been less diligent about your summer school, too. \line Angel: That's not true!\par +Mr. Klein: But it is. I've been watching your grades and attendance patterns. Cassia's been a bad influence on you. It'd be a shame if you were separated. From what I understand, your mother has been taking care of her, too. \line Angel: We're sorry!\par +Mr. Klein: You're kids. You explore, you run amuck all over the town. Your minds detect a mystery and relentlessly pursue it. Am I going to get that mad at you?\par +Cassia and Angel: ...\par +Mr. Klein: You kids might think you're heroes out on an adventure, getting Mommy to buy you pink armor and cute vambraces, talking to Night like a grownup buying those cool mysterious potions you were always too afraid to buy, taking selfies with your daggers, copying the choreography of your videogame character's attacks. You are being kids. Kids are stupid and get themselves over their heads and grieve their parents' hearts. I was the same way and remember my childhood days fondly. I was a lot like you, you know. But this is not exploring a creepy abandoned house, uncovering your dad's affair, or trying weird drugs. This is death. Stay away or you will witness things that will break you before being killed in a dark, cold place far away from your parents.\par +Cassia and Angel: ...\par +Mr. Klein: May I walk you back up?\par +(If they have taken anything while down there) Mr. Klein: Also, your sleight of hand is not so slick as you'd like to think. Give me back my greater invisibility potion, my bag of holding, my company logo phone case, and those pencils. On second thought, whatever. You can keep the pencils, just scram.)\par +Screen transitions to the area in front of the mayor's mansion yard. Once he kicks you out and leaves you there, Cassia and Angel look at each other. \par +(if Mr. Klein takes back his loot, calculate highest value thing he took back) Cassia: I can't believe he took my greater invisibility potion...\par +Angel: (confused) ....?\par +Angel and Cassia laugh. \par +Angel: Let's go. I need froyo to chill out.\par +Screen transitions to cute chairs around the froyo store in the mall.\par +Cassia: Why are we chilling in his mall where half of the problems were caused?\par +Angel: Are you seriously questioning froyo?\par +Cassia: Nah...I've really not.\par +Angel: Did he threaten us?\par +Cassia: Yeah, basically. He will kill us if he catches us. \line Angel: It's too risky to go back that way. Maybe there's another way in.\par +Cassia: Or we're going to need a better way of getting in that way. Invisibility, stealth, diversions, something...\par +Angel: How much do you think he knows? How aware do you think he is of what we're up to, what we know, who's involved, and so on?\par +Cassia: We should assume everything. \par +Angel: Hey--do you think it's ok to talk like this here? What if the froyo people are his agents?\par +Cassia: You never know. Probably not, though. I don't think Night is.\par +Angel: Oh my gosh, what if Night is like a double agent?\par +Cassia: We probably should assume he is.\par +Angel: ...but he's our friend. Are you joking right now?\par +Cassia: I don't think he is, but you never know.\par +Angel: Yeah, you're right. I don't think these people could be his agents. (Looks over to the foreign mall chicken workers.) Aren't Chinese sometimes spies?\par +Cassia: (spits out water) Gosh, Angel, that's a lot.\par +Angel: You're right.\par +Cassia: Let's text from now on, lol.\par +Angel: Yeah...can't trust anyone. He found out somehow. Until we know how, let's just text to limit his eyes and ears' reach.\par +## Recruit Aries\par +____\par +Aries is a Fighter. He's strong, pretty fast, and deals heavy DPS in high, concentrated bursts. He can become a tank, but he's less adept at it.\par +____\par +Angel: I mean, I'm not psyched about it, but Aries would be great. He's mean but trustworthy.\par +Cassia: Do you have personal beef with him?\par +Angel: Ugh, don't even go there.\par +Cassia: Sorry. I agree, though. We need Aries on board. Any suggestions on how to talk to him?\par +Angel: He never went with us before because he thought it was dumb and a waste of time and only losers and his exe were there. I think you should talk to him. Explain what you were invited to, what you saw, and that you need his strength to continue.\par +Cassia: I'll do it.\par +Cassia is living her life and meets Aries at the gym.\par +Aries: Hey.\par +Cassia: Hey, Aries, when you're done, can I talk to you about something?\par +Aries: Yeah, of course.\par +Screen transitions to post workout.\par +Aries walks over, freshly showered and glistening.\par +Aries: Talk to me.\par +Cassia: Somewhere more private?\par +Aries eyebrows go up: Yeah, okay. Take me wherever.\par +Cassia takes him somewhere private. They settle in.\par +Aries: Okay, Cassie. What is it?\par +Cassia: ...It's a lot, so give me a second.\par +Aries waits patiently, eyes even.\par +Cassia: Do you know about how some of our classmates explore the haunted mall at night?\par +Aries: Yeah. Did they force you to go?\par +Cassia: They did, but they didn't tell it was full of monsters.\par +Aries: Yeah, it apparently is. Slimes.\par +Cassia: No, hordes gargoyles and goblins.\par +Aries: What? No, it's always slimes. Is it really getting that bad?\par +Cassia: We were worried about the monsters getting out at first then we started exploring beneath the mall, and there's a whole dungeon.\par +Aries: You're kidding? There's something like that here?\par +Cassia: You're one of the best fighters in town and are really strong. Could you help?\par +Aries: Completely against the rules, right?\par +Cassia: I'm afraid the mayor jyst threated to kill us.\par +Aries: oh wow, this is huge, then. How can I say no to actually using my training fir once? Of course, I'll protect my girl.\par +Cassia: Thanks, Aries. I feel so much safer now. We have a group chat. Let's get you in.\par +Arues: Yeah, go for it.\par +Aries has joined the group.\par +Blyrhe: <\par +Cassia: <>\par +Cassia: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Night: <>\par +## Relay Mayor's Threat to Team\par +Cassia and Angel are chilling out (or hiding) in Cassia's room.\par +Angel: I feel better here. Whew.\par +Cassia: Yeah, we can chill here as long as we need. I have books and a videogame console and of course our smartphones. We could do cute girl crafts together, too.\par +Angel: Yeah...thanks.\par +Cassia: We need to tell the others what happened. Are you ready?\par +Angel: Yeah, I am, I guess. You start and I'll support you.\par +Cassia and Angel start texting in the group chat.\par +Cassia: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Cassia: <>\par +Aries: <>\par +Cassia:<>\par +Angel: <>\par +Aries: Should we take the fight to him?>>\par +Ren: <>\par +Angel: oh gosh, Cassia. Can we kwep him on a leash?\par +Cassia: Hehehe\par +Aeies: <>\par +Cassia: (choice 2) <>\par +Angel: You can't be serious.\par +Cassia: Let's hear him out.\par +Aries: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Aries: <>\par +Cassia: Time is of the essence. He's right about that much.\par +Angel: Oh gosh, Cassia! You're running us into sometjing awful.\par +Cassia: When have we not been in danger, tjough, really?\par +Angel: True dat.\par +Cassia: (choice 1) <>\par +Cassia: <>\par +Cassia: (choice 2) <>\par +Cassia: You, too!\par +Angel: Bah, I just changed out of my gear, too.\par +Cassia: (choice 1) <>\par +Aries: <>\par +Angel: You know, we could make an official base of operations. Not to replace texting, but sometimes you havE to lay eyes on everybody before the mission. Don't Can't cover up you fears with a smilie emoticon.\par +Cassia: Can't say I'm opposed to that. It would feel very authentic. So basically my room because everyone else would care?\par +Angel: Yeah, hehe. Well, no, actually the backroom of Father's church would be another option.\par +Angel: Do you think we can really trust him? I feel so bad for saying that!\par +Cassia: (choice 1) I don't think we should.\par +Cassia: (choice 2) We can.\par +Angel: Well, out of those two , between those two two, I say we have an official dungeon crawl headquarters! I just totally made a decision without anybody else, hehe. Well, you're leader, so you can do that. You just consulted with me with for a second first.\par +Cassia: This is a lot of exposition.\par +## Confront Mayor Directly (Aries's Plan)\par +## Stealth Route (Default, if team has sufficient skills. Relying on Blythe and Delphine's default skillset and lore alone will fail.)\par +## The Team has found the real main channel, from the Mayor himself or his notes.\par +## If found the right notes the first time down and knows where the main chammel is, then skip above sections.\par +## Enter the Main Channel\par +## Finding a Resurrection Shrine.\par +\f1\bullet Explain it to new party members\par +## Finding an operationational teleport pad\par +\f0 ## Asking Phlox About the Teleport Shrine\par +Cassia: So what was that other shrine? Was Dahlia a resurrection priest, too?\par +Phlox: No. That was a teleportation shrine.\par +Blythe: Whoa, we have access to stuff like that?\par +Ren: That is such high level magic to hand out freely...Honestly, and I can barely provide stealth or cover and I'm a grade straight A studEnt in magic combat. (grimace) What do I even bing to the tble here?\par +Delphine: May you explain how this works? Can you teleport, too?\par +Phlox: No, each angel has a gift. She may be able to other things, but I am not such a multitalented angel. I cAn only resurrect and was stationed out in the less populated tunnel. I do my job dutifully.\par +Cassia: Are you lonely?\par +Phlox: Well, before, I had Dahlia, who was so close with me. But now...yes.\par +Cassia: What if I found a replacement? What if I brought a teleport mage here to be your friend once again?\par +Phlox: I couldn't fault you for trying... but no one can replace my lost friend.\par +Cassia: I will avenge her!\par +Phlox: Avenge, I do not care for. But please, place justice across their throats like heavy chains to drag them down into the abyss where they may never lay a finger on another girl again.\par +Cassia: (sighs with a sense of duty) Yes.\f1\par +\f0 ## Teleport Trap Before Meeting Rune\par +(Make spell breaker easily obviously available before this)\par +Cassia and her companions walk down to the next level.\par +They take another step and appear back.\par +Angel: huh?\par +They repeat their action and result.\par +Ren: This is trippy...\par +Cassia: One more time, and Ren, tell me what is going on.\par +They repeat their action with the same results, but this time, Ren is paying attention. The player can, too, with high enough magic or lore. A teleport spell effect appears on the skill effects monitor.\par +Ren: It's a teleport spell. I can't tell if it's a trap or room effect or if there's soneone casting it on us, but it's a teleport spell.\par +Cassia: How can we pass?\par +Ren: Dispel, spell block, become untargetable, ...there are strategies to try.\par +Cassia and her companions return to the safe room for strategy adjustment.\par +Cassia and her companions pass through successfully.\par +Ren: Wow, we did it.\par +Angel: No, you did it! (increase Ren disposition and affinity)\par +Ren: Wow, maybe I do contribute a little. That makes me feel better.\par +(either force the player to actually also fight with the build or not but quickly offer a safe room either way. Fighting a boss without good skills would be fun.)\par +Blythe: Right there. I think I see another safe room.\par +Angel: Thank goodness. I can have a real build again!\par +When the party leaves without spell breaker, they brace for teleportation but from nothing.\par +Ren: Either it was a trap, room effect, or the secret caster gave up. Loojs like we are in the clear. Let's go but be careful!\par +## Meeting Rune\par +First levels are like a basement. Then they are dark, empty, and earthy. They begin to look more used and civilized. You move into your first encounter with Rune.\par +The group of monsters toward the end of the level is particularly coordinated, using a mix of strategies on the fly - spiking, spike healing, tanking, etc. \par +Kill them, then a final boss or three comes out.\par +Kill them and another, bigger worse mob runs out, all giant bosses.\par +The leader emerges, Rune, a guy a year or two younger than you with weird colored or jet black hair and red or black eyes, riding a monster. \par +He holds out his arms and commands them to stop. \ldblquote STOP ATTACKING!"\par +Ren: Wha-?\par +The mob freezes and cancels all attacks.\par +Delphine: He controls them.\par +Rune gets down and walks over to the party. \par +(if all high or middle school) Wait, it's high schoolers?\par +(if younger) Wait, there are kids?\par +Angel: Who are you?\par +Milo: Don't call me a kid!\par +You don't get to ask questions like that! \par +Who is the leader?\par +Cassia: It\rquote s Angel.\par +Cassia: Ren!\par +Ren: Whoa, wrong! No, Player, please. \par +Rune: Stop the stupid drama.\par +Cassia: Milo\par +Cassia: Chloe\par +Cassia: I am. \par +Rune walks to player\rquote s position and faces him.\par +I don\rquote t care who you are or why you are here. \par +Leave.\par +Cassia: Fine. But I\rquote ll be back.\par +There\rquote s no secret route. You won't be able to without passing by me and my generals. (he's lying.)\par +Aries: Nobody's afraid of you!\par +\par +Cassia: I won\rquote t leave.\par +Cassia: Who are you?\par +Cassia: What is this place?\par +These kaijuu will kill you in a second.\par +Cassia: Can we talk?\par +I will not talk to you. Leave.\par +Cassia: Your monsters don\rquote t scare me.\par +You don\rquote t scare me.\par +Cassia: I\rquote ll leave...for now.\par +Cassia: Get ready to fight!\par +Angel: We can't win! Let's go back to town!\par +Chloe: This is suicide! Run away, Player!\par +Aries: If we can't win, retreat!\par +Blythe: Are you crazy? Shouldn't we be running?\par +Night: Fool, retreat!\par +Maybe lead to a chase scene out of the level by unkillable foes if insist on fighting. But if you kill them, you get rewarded. \par +\par +Once all foes dead\par +Aries: He's gone! He needs to die for putting us through that!\par +Delphine: This must be a brutal defeat for him. He must have lost years of taming and training. He won't be a threat anymore.\par +Blythe: Where'd he go?\par +Rune is gone. You can keep going and continue the crawl. As a reward, you can look at stuff and take it that would have been gone. \par +\par +Once past the civilized areas\par +Milo: They stopped chasing us.\par +Chloe: We can rest now.\par +Angel: I think they stopped. \par +Aries: We got chased out!\par +Blythe: He was kind of cute. \par +Delphine: He can control the monsters. \par +Night: What now?\par +Cassia: Let\rquote s go back down.\par +Chloe: Seriously? We'll be chased out again.\par +Cassia: Let\rquote s go back to town. \par +Angel: I always look so ragged when I come home. Ugh.\par +## Meet Rune, Alternative\par +The otherworldly force approached the leader, kited by submissive beats of the dungeon: a royal train.\par +The Force: Cassia...\par +Cassia feels called, a tugging in her soul directing her feet to leap forward and confront the force alone in the darkness.\par +The Force: Any who enter die.\par +Cassia grasps her sword and raises it high over her head.\par +The camera pans out, viewing a high angle over the battle field.\par +First, a small group of level guards fight her.\par +Then a small group of tougher foes with a boss fight.\par +Then a few higher lever guards with a weak boss.\par +The Force: Why do you resist? Just die already!\par +A huge boss fights.\par +The Force: Think they are easy? Do you toy with us? I will face you myself.\par +The Force takes shape, gathering into form, filling a body, filling fingers, filling toes.\par +A face materializes and its eyes open, empty and void.\par +The Force takes the force of a little boy, about Cassia's age and about Ren's build. As Cassia's vision clears more, she can see he is a young earth angel and handsome in a cute, yandere way.\par +Cassia gasps.\par +Rune: --!! A girl?\par +Cassia: Who are you?\par +Rune: You are invaders, continuously storming in and threatening our way of life. --You must explain yourself. What is your goal?\par +Cassia: --\par +Rune: You killed Dahlia, so die!\par +Cassia: --What, no! That was the other men!\par +Rune: Lier! All you humans work together!\par +Rune fights. Cassia wins yet again. Rune yields.\par +Rune leaps back to safety and an abyssal beast shields him.\par +Cassia yells: Will you now listen to me? I was never with them!\par +Actually, maybe the fight gets interrupted.\par +Lesser earth angel appears. Her name is Phlox.\par +Phlox: Stop this immediately!\par +(Rune stops mid-attack and turns to face her) Rune: Phlox--?\par +Phlox: Cassia gave Dahlia a proper funeral. Without her, she would be dishonored.\par +Rune (utterly confused and freaked out): What..? (He turns to Cassia, more earnestly) You helped us?\par +Phlox swoops over to lay a hand on Cassia's shoulder in support.\par +Cassia: It's true. It was the right thing to do.\par +Rune: But what about those other humans...?\par +Cassia: We're trying to stop them.\par +Rune: If that's true--I have really made a mistake. I am so sorry, yet sorry does not cut it. I need some time alone.\par +Rune disappears instantly.\par +Phlox is still there.\par +Cassia: ...?\par +Phlox: I got here as soon as I could. I abandoned my post for this, but I cannot allow Rune to act on his feelings like this and discriminate against all humans. I cannot allow Rune to hurt you, and I cannot allow you to hurt Rune.\par +Cassia: What's going on? Who is Rune?\par +Phlox: He's still young...I hope you have it in your heart to understand this brash, bold, fiery behavior of his. The young earth angel you brought me was his sister.\par +Cassia: Oh...\par +Phlox: Yes...He's not taking her death at the hands of humans well and is lashing out at you and your friends as a result. It's difficult to keep him tied down. He's a teleportation earth angel, just like Dahlia was...\par +Cassia: Could Rune be used as a replacement for Dahlia and connect your tunnel back to the network? If that worked, we could travel back to your tunnel. In fact, we could travel from your tunnel to the main channel, couldn't we?\par +Phlox: Rune is undisciplined, so I never see him providing a role like that for us...He is talented, though. If you manage to befriend him, he could teleport you into the main channel.\par +Delphine: You can teleport without shrines?\par +Phlox: Shrines make it safer. If you teleport, you aren't sure if you're teleporting into something. By using these networks, you can ensure the teleport mages arrange for safe travel among within their network and report concerns early and communicate them well. Since not everyone can teleport, the shrines are placed logically to reduce traffic and keep the system clear.\par +Angel: Like the metro, huh?\par +Cassia: So you think Rune could help us?\par +Phlix: Yes\par +Cassia: What about you? You could be a big help to us. And you already said you were lonely.\par +Phlox: I have to serve my duty honorably. If we all wandered like Rune, there would be no society. If you visit ne, though, I'll provide my service openly and freely.\par +Cassia and her companions walk away.\par +Angel: Are you sure about befriending Rune? He is unpredictable and scary.\par +Aries: We need any help we can get, right?\par +Angel: Hmph. (slightly frustrated)\par +Cassia: No, everything freely vent your frustrations. I'm not sure myself.\par +Night: Ren, can you learn teleportation like that?\par +Ren: Man, I don't know. If you guys have leads, I'll give it a shot. I am no master wizard, though.\par +# Act 3\par +## Save Rune! Or Don\rquote t.\par +Rune is fighting Mall Owner\rquote s Brother. Rune will obviously lose.\par +The player party notices.\par +Delphine: Do we hide or should we protect him, Player? \par +Blythe: We should help him, shouldn't we?\par +Night: The enemy of our enemy could be an ally. We should defend him. \par +Angel: What should we do, player?\par +Cassia: Don\rquote t interfere.\par +The party watches as the MOB kills Rune and worse, maybe takes an important item, turns him into a worse enemy, etc.\par +>Protect the boy\par +Rune becomes an ally. Fight the MOB. If Rune is dead at the end of the fight and MOB survives, same thing happens but player only sees a little. Maybe MOB does the same thing to Player and her party.\par +(If Rune is alive at the end)\par +Rune: You didn't have to do that. Thank you, no matter why you did it. Go ahead and talk. I'll answer this time.\par +\par +Cassia: Attack the boy\par +Fight without allies against everyone. Same thing. If Rune and MOB die, then player can take the item. \par +MOB doesn't actually die. He uses a skill to teleport to marked location. "I know who all you are. Don't think you've escaped."\par +Aries: Stop running away, you coward! \par +(If rez Rune) \par +Rune: Here again? Wait, you guys resurrected me, didn't you?\par +Rune looks around.\par +Aries: He ran away at the last second.\par +Rune shakes his head.\par +Rune: Well. What do you want? I'll talk to you.\par +Cassia: Who was that guy?\par +He thinks he owns the place. He's looking for something. Sometimes he comes down with a fat guy that looks a lot like him in the face. \par +Night: The mall owner?\par +Cassia: Why did he attack you?\par +He has been trying to catch me my whole life. The animals have lookouts, and I know the dungeon well. I can usually escape, but...you killed Noam and Chop...so\par +But you saved me here.\par +Cassia: Who are you?\par +My name's Rune. I got lost down here when I was young, and--\par +Sand: Rune..?\par +Aries: No way.\par +Angel: Rune!! \par +Rune: Confused look.\par +Angel: I'm Angel. You were in our daycare. Everybody searched for you, but you completely vanished.\par +Aries: You did get separated in the mall, didn't you. Wow, you were down here when you were, what, 6 or 7?\par +Night: Rune, your parents...\par +Angel: Sad face\par +Rune: Are they still up there?\par +Angel: No...\par +Rune: Emotional face. ...\par +Rune: We can talk about that, later, I guess. \par +Night: Why did you never come back up?\par +Rune: I was lost and scared and didn't know what to do. I started liking this place.\par +I have a family down here. Maybe you can't understand. \par +I never felt accepted up there anyways. \par +You're Aries, aren't you? I think I know all you. Well, no, not your leader or the slave girl. \par +Delphine: My family is French. We were never slaves.\par +Rune: (embarrassed) But you're so dark.\par +Why would French move here anyways? \par +Delphine: (frustrated) Look, not all people with tan skin are negros.\par +Cassia: Are you going to stay down here?\par +Rune: It isn't safe for me here anymore. \par +Cassia: Do you want to come back with us?\par +Rune: Wow...I...guess so. I have to. He'll find me otherwise.\par +Angel: But where will he stay?\par +Chloe: There's only two places where no one would have to explain too much. Either the church or probably with you, Player. Your uncle wouldn't care, huh?\par +Delphine: I know you guys knew him as a kid, but are we sure we can trust him?\par +Chloe: Rune doesn't have a lot of reason to trust us, either. \par +We need to find out more about this place, don't we? We've already found the missing kid from a decade ago, so we're really onto something big. \par +Cassia: Chloe, are you sure Father would take him?\par +Rune: Thank you.\par +Cassia: Rune, you can stay with me.\par +Rune: Thank you.\par +Rune needs time to relax, so he spends the first few days sleeping a lot,\par +## Recruiting Rune\par +_____\line Rune is a mage with emphasis on high-level practical skills like invisibility, teleportation, and control. He can be taught combat oriented elemental skills or alchemy, too.\par +As a friend, his track is a lot less about hanging out and a lot more about buying him the things he needs and teaching him what he needs to know to be a normal citizen on earth. He needs to learn cell phones, the written English language, money denominations, and so on. Chloe will teach him about God and get into debates with him about it.\par +_____\par +Cassia visits Rune.\par +Cassia: Um...how are you feeling? I saw that you were taking some time to recover. If you need more time, that's okay with me. I'll give you as much time as you need.\par +Rune: I feel better. I still feel bad about what I did to you guys, though. I think about it a lot.\par +Cassia: No, we are at fault, too, for attacking your friends. We apologize, too. It's better to move on. \par +Rune: I guess so...\par +Cassia: I had a question for you: Will you help us fight?\par +Rune: You mean, against those guys?\par +Cassia: Yeah. The group that killed your sister.\par +Rune: You mean it? You would let me fight on your side? After everything I have done?\par +Cassia: I forgive you, Rune! Do you know what that means? \line Rune: ...(question marks)\par +Cassia: Don't you?\par +Rune: ...(smiling stupidly)\par +Cassia laughs: Well, it means everything bad you did, it is like it never happened to me. It disappeared. We can start over and be friends now. And I need you.\par +Rune: Oh! (big eyes) Um, okay. What should I do?\par +Cassia: Well, you are such a strong fighter. And you can teleport like that. Those are amazing skills. If we work together, we can fight.\par +Rune: Really? Well, okay.\par +Cassia: Okay, I'll add you to the text group! --Oh wait. Rune, you really should have a cell phone. Hmm. I'll try to get you one. \par +Rune: (question marks) Um, okay. Whatever you say.\par +## Buying Rune a Cell Phone\par +At the mall, there is a little cell phone stand. \par +Cassia to herself: Yeah, I should get Rune a cell phone so the group can contact him freely. Maybe I should get him something simple since he doesn't seem to understand even the basics of what is going on in the overworld.\par +Cell phone man: Hello, there! You're the new girl, aren't you? Just moved here not too long ago. How you likin' it?\par +Cassia: Oh, it's nice.\par +Cell phone man: Haha, I know you are enjoying it. I see you here all the time with all your friends. I even think I saw you here with my son not too long ago.\par +Cassia: (a little surprised) Huh? Who?\par +Cell phone man: Aries! You don't know me, I guess. I'm Mr. Aries. Nice to meet you. Now you seem like a nice girl, but stay away from my son. \par +Cassia: Oh, don't worry about that.\par +Cell phone man: So, you're obviously not here about Aries. You are looking for a cute cell phone case?\par +Cassia: No, no, I need another cell phone.\par +Cell phone man: Trading up?\par +Cassia: No...just need another.\par +Cell phone man: Two cell phones? I don't understand you kids, but it's good business for me. Go ahead, look at our options. Make sure you follow the plans carefully. It's expensive and you're expected to pay every month. If you don't, then you'll fall in debt, which isn't good for someone still in high school. Choose carefully. \par +Cassia: I'll have this one.\par +Cell phone man: Alright! Just sign here and here and she's all yours. I'll take the first payment.\par +Cassia: I'll pay in full.\par +Cell phone man: ...Really? You must have really wanted this and been saving up for it. Well, knock yourself out, kid. Do good in school.\par +Cassia: I will. Thank you, Mr. Aries!\par +Cell phone man: Need me to set it up for you?\par +Cassia: No, I can do it myself. Thank you!\par +## Gifting Rune a Cell Phone\par +Cassia goes to visit Rune again in his room. \par +Cassia: Rune, I have a present for you.\par +Rune: (uncomfortable) What is it?\par +Cassia: Oh, don't make that face. Get excited. I got you a cell phone!\par +Rune: (question marks) Oh, thank you. \par +Rune opens the box and is surprised: Oh! Wh-what is it?\par +Cassia: A cell phone! You use it for making calls! Need me to show you how to use it?\par +Rune: ...uh, yes. Please.\par +Pan over image of Cassia teaching Rune how to use a cell phone. They are sitting in the middle of the floor, gaping at this phone.\par +Cassia: I've added my number to your contacts. Any time you want to ask me something, but I'm gone, you can go here to contacts, click Chloe (that's me!) and send a message or call. \par +Rune: (Nervous)\par +Cassia: Now, I'll download a group chat app for you. You can use this to talk to the group.\par +Cassia: Now the last thing - it could break if you drop it, so be careful. I got you a case and screen protector, too, but you never know. Also, NEVER get it wet. If it's submerged in water, it will break.\par +Rune (Concerned)\par +Cassia: It's a lot of fun. Just play around with it. You won't break it by using it. Even my grandmother uses a cell phone and she never breaks it. I doubt you could, unless you step on it or something. \par +Cassia leaves. \par +She decides to text Rune for fun.\par +Cassia: <>\par +(After several minutes) Cassia: Well, I'm sure he'll figure it out.\par +Rune: <>\par +Cassia: Oh, he did it! Hehehehe, wow. He's pretty clever.\par +Cassia: <>\par +Rune: <>\par +ACTUALLY, Rune is probably illiterate in the human tongue and language and written language.\par +Cassia: Having trouble replying to my text, Rune? \par +Rune: (Sheepish)\par +Cassia: ...You can tell me. Do you not want to text?\par +Rune: (verge of tears)\par +Cassia: What is it?\par +Rune: I don't know what it means?\par +Cassia: What what means?\par +Rune shows Cassia his screen.\par +Cassia: ...oh, can you read?\par +Rune: ...\par +Cassia: Gosh, you're illiterate! I'm so careless, I didn't even consider that. Um. Well. I guess first, we need to teach you to read.\par +Rune: ...I'm too much of a bother, aren't I? I'm in the way.\par +Cassia: No, no! This is my fault. I was gungho and didn't really consider your needs. I can teach you to read, if you want to. If you could read, we could text everyone important stuff. \line Rune: ...\par +Cassia: Come on. We'll do it together, don't worry. Everyone has to learn.\par +## Teaching Rune to Read\par +Rune is uncomfortable in the big group and prefers to be alone with Cassia. Angel and Delphine are excited to teach Rune how to read, too, but Rune prefers Cassia. She does have Delphine help often, since Delphine remembers learning English. In fact, huh. I wonder. Rune, do you know French? No, he only knows the human language of his region. The French earth angels probably know French but not English.\par +Cassia: Okay, Rune, we're going to spend some time today teaching you to write. I brought Delphine along to help. She had to learn English and writing, too, so she can give you tips as someone who learned English as a second language.\par +## Delphine Tags Along to Teach Rune English\par + Delphine: English wasn't my first language, either. I had to learn it when I moved here.\par +Delphine: Well, how do you speak English anyways?\par +Rune: We are taught the human language in school. I am not good at it...I never wrote in it.\par +Delphine: Really? In school?\par +Rune: The children are taught by a tutor in a neighbor's house. It is not like a school.\par +Delphine: Wow, you really have a whole enclosed society down there. We had no idea up here. At least, we're usually taught about earth angels alongside John Bunyan and his blue calf and Johnny Appleseed.\par +Rune: Yes. Humans are very different than I was taught. There are many things I don't understand. But many things are the same.\par +Delphine: If you were taught human language, did you learn French? Parlez vous francais?\par +Rune: I don't understand...This is human?\par +Cassia snickers and Delphine has a red frustration mark or sweat mark.\par +Delphine: It's the language spoken in France, where I was born.\par +Rune: There are other worlds?\par +Delphine: Countries. We live in the Confederate States of America. To the east is an ocean. Beyond that is Europe, where France is.\par +Rune: I had no idea. And they speak differently in France.\par +Delphine: They speak French, but they can speak English sometimes. When I visit when Mom does seasonal research, I pretty much have to use my French the whole time.\par +Rune: Oh. Maybe I can visit.\par +Delphine: It's expensive, but maybe you could. It's beautiful place.\par +Delphine: What does your native language sound like, Rune? Is it beautiful? Can you write in it?\par +Rune: \'80\f3\u8457?@? \f4\'a6\'e6\f0\'a4\'a3 \f5\u8710?\f6\'89\f7\u8251?\f3\lang1033\u8470?\f8\'a7 \'b5\f5\u8730?\f6\'87\f4\'a6\'e7\f0\par +Cassia and Delphine: !!!\par +Rune: \'80\f3\lang1033\u8457?\f0 ..Ah, why are you looking at me like that! (Surprised)\par +Cassia and Delphine start giggling. Rune chuckles nervously after them.\par +Delphine: I am sorry, Rune. I just have never heard anything like that. It's so strange and beautiful. How do you make that bell sound?\par +Cassia: What did you say? Can you translate for us?\par +Rune: I didn't really say anything. Um, that I don't know.\par +Delphine: Well, why don't you translate English into your language. How about you translate...\par +Cassia: I love you.\par +Rune: Okay...um, \'80\f3\u8457?@? \f4\'a6\'e6\f0\'a4\'a3 \f5\u8710?\f6\'89\f7\u8251?\f3\lang1033\u8470?\f8\'a7 \'b5\f5\u8730?\f6\'87\f4\'a6\'e7\f0\lang1033\par +Cassia: Where is the bathroom?\par +Rune: \'80\f3\u8457?@? \f4\'a6\'e6\f0\'a4\'a3 \f5\u8710?\f6\'89\f7\u8251?\f3\lang1033\u8470?\f8\'a7 \'b5\f5\u8730?\f6\'87\f4\'a6\'e7\f0\lang1033\par +Cassia: Thank you.\par +Rune: \'80\f3\u8457?@? \f4\'a6\'e6\f0\'a4\'a3 \f5\u8710?\f6\'89\f7\u8251?\f3\lang1033\u8470?\f8\'a7 \'b5\f5\u8730?\f6\'87\f4\'a6\'e7\f0\lang1033\par +Delphine: Aw, that's too short. How about another one. "I'm sorry."\par +Rune: \'80\f3\u8457?@? \f4\'a6\'e6\f0\'a4\'a3 \f5\u8710?\f6\'89\f7\u8251?\f3\lang1033\u8470?\f8\'a7 \'b5\f5\u8730?\f6\'87\f4\'a6\'e7\f0\lang1033\par +Cassia: Rune. How do you say your name?\par +Delphine: Oh, good one!\par +Rune: \'80\f3\u8457?@? \f4\'a6\'e6\f0\'a4\'a3 \f5\u8710?\f6\'89\f7\u8251?\f3\lang1033\u8470?\f8\'a7 \'b5\f5\u8730?\f6\'87\f4\'a6\'e7\f0\lang1033\par +Cassia: My hovercraft is full of eels.\par +Rune: ...Sorry. I do not know.\par +Delphine: So unexpected. Let's try "How are you?"\par +Rune: \'80\f3\u8457?@? \f4\'a6\'e6\f0\'a4\'a3 \f5\u8710?\f6\'89\f7\u8251?\f3\lang1033\u8470?\f8\'a7 \'b5\f5\u8730?\f6\'87\f4\'a6\'e7\f0\lang1033\par +Delphine: You're amazing! Can you write our names in your language? Do you read and write in it?\par +Rune: Yes, we have reading and writing. I don't read and write Human because I didn't try...\par +Delphine: It's English! There is no Human language. Humans speak hundreds of different languages.\par +Rune: Oh, we learn there are only a few languages above ground and only study one. There is. So you humans do not understand each other?\par +Cassia: No! I barely understand Delphine when she speaks to her mother, but my -high school- French class was terrible. \par +Delphine: You didn't tell me you took French! We should speak in French!\par +Cassia: Oh please, hehehe. We would both be embarrassed.\par +Delphine: No! There is no shame in learning and practicing. I was once terrible in English and now have good grades in school. We both are helping Rune learn English, and there is nothing embarrassing about that.\par +Cassia: You're right. Rune, we just want to help you together.\par +Rune: Yes...I do need to learn if I stay here.\par +Cassia: Wait, you plan to stay here?\par +Rune: I do not know. I give myself options. \par +Delphine: Regardless of your plans, English is fun! I learn lots of funny phrases. So, here's a pen and paper- write Delphine! That would be so cool!\par +Rune dutifully pens it in sweeping, scrawling letter. He finishes in seconds and turns the dollar store notepad around so that the girls can read it. The study it silently and breathlessly, feasting their eyes on the alien script. Rune blushes with the embarrassment of being fussed over like a toy or cute well-trained dog performing tricks.\par +Cassia: It's...\par +Delphine: Asian-looking?\par +Cassia: Like..Myanmar...or something?\par +Delphine: The spoken component of the language sounds nothing like that.\par +Cassia: I don't know...Do you know the origin of your people, Rune?\par +Rune: (blushing) No...I'm not a good student at all. I didn't really attend.\par +Delphine: Oh, that's okay. \par +Cassia: Maybe he should go to school with us. (grinning)\par +Delphine: Oh gosh, you think so? Could we possibly take him with us when he can't use a cell phone?\par +Cassia: Well...maybe if he shows progress.\par +Rune: What is this school?\par +Delphine: Oh, it's a drag. But we all go - me, her, Angel, Blythe...All the boys, too, except Night.\par +Rune: Oh...maybe I could go, too. Or maybe I am like Night.\par +Delphine: Write Cassia's name for her. You're leaving her out.\par +Rune: Oh, so sorry, Cassia.\par +Rune dutifully pens Cassia's name on a fresh sheet and presents it. Once again, the screen pans over an image of the strange angellic script.\par +Cassia: Wow...It's beautiful. Um, now it's your turn.\par +Cassia writes Rune underneath her own name. Once again, a scribbling pen sound effect plays.\par +Cassia reads it outloud: "Rune" \par +Rune studies it. \line Rune: My name?\par +Cassia: Rune. (Smiles)\par +Rune: How is it said?\par +Cassia begins dissecting the word, writing each letter on its own line.\par +Cassia: Each one of these is a letter. Each letter makes a sound. This is the letter R. It makes a rrrrrrr sound.\par +Delphine: The second letter is U. It makes a u or U sound. In your name, it makes a U sound. \par +Rune: Two sounds?\par +Cassia: Yeah, the vowels make two sounds. Next is N. which makes a nnnn sound. And E, which makes a e or E sound. But in your name, it's silent.\par +Rune: No sound?\par +Delphine: My name has a silent e, too. It makes the u make a U sound.\par +Rune: (clearly puzzled)\par +Cassia: Bah, this is too much to jump into before the alphabet. But that's your name, Rune. R-U-N-E. Rune.\par +Rune: R-U-N-E.\par +Delphine: You just spelled your name! So we did get some learning in today. \par +Cassia: I'll say so.\par +Rune: Hehe, this is studying?\par +Delphine: Learning to write is hard. You have to take it slow and introduce new concepts one at a time. Today is just an introduction. Your first word: "Rune."\par +Cassia: Yeah, we'll go over the alphabet and writing next.\par +## Teaching Rune the Alphabet\par +## Teaching Rune to Write the Letters\par +Delphine: Should we teach him cursive?\par +Cassia: Delphine, do you know cursive?\par +Delphine: I might remember. I've never used it...\par +## Reading a Kid's Book with Rune\par +## Rune's Essay\par +## Rune's Introduction to Text Language\par +Delphine: You are better than me at this point, Rune! Are you sure you are a bad student? You learn so quickly and well.\par +Rune: I never had pretty teachers.\par +Cassia and Delphine: blush "..."\par +Rune: -You are nice and it is just like hanging out.- Really, it comes back to me. I did take it in school but never cared to remember it.\par +Cassia: Well, are we reviewing today? He's already doing so well.\par +Delphine: Oh, no, new material today. Advanced stuff.\par +Rune: Boring?\par +Delphine: No, advanced like actually practical. Casual chatter is very difficult for foreigners. There are still many phrases and slangs that surprise me. Today, we're learning how to text.\par +Cassia: Oh, awesome! That's a great idea, Delphine.\par +Delphine: We're learning emoticons, too, since they don't always pass the cultural barriers. Hehe.\par +Rune: I don't understand...Like phone?\par +Cassia: Yeah! We talk differently when we text. We say things like lol and OTL.\par +Rune: ...\par +Delphine: No, it's fun. It's all jokes and feelings. Cassia will explain a lot of them, though, because I am also an outsider.\par +## Rune's Graduation: Rune Joins the Text Group\par +Cassia texts in the text group while Rune and Delphine are still sitting at the table.\par +Cassia: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Rune has joined the chat.\par +Ren: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Rune: Oh, they are surprised....\par +Angel: <>\par +Chloe: <>\par +Night: <>\par +Cassia: Go ahead and say something. We're here, if you get stuck. They're just happy you're in the chat with us.\par +Rune: Okay, here I go.\par +Rune: <>\par +Delphine: Short and sweet! Awesome, Rune.\par +Chloe: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Rune: <>\par +Delphine: <>\par +Angel: <>\par +Night: <>\par +Chloe: <>\par +Rune: Oh so many questions...\par +Cassia: That's okay. Just ignore the ones you don't want to answer. \par +Delphine: We do it all the time, hehe.\par +Rune: It's rude?\par +Cassia: No, when you text, everyone understands that you might be busy or forgetful. Delphine like never answers me.\par +Delphine: I am lazy!\par +Rune: Oh.\par +Cassia: But you did it! You're 100% a member of the group, now. You get to be in the loop with all the news and stuff. If you just read and don't talk, that's okay. We text in there when we meet up, so you can wait until then to talk to us. But texting is fun.\par +## Exploring the Main Dungeon - Two Branches\par +Up until this point was the tutorial, which took place in a self-contained, fairly linear, small, underwhelming location. There should be an "escaping prison in Oblivion" moment where you see how big and open the underworld is. It's not a straight tunnel down; it's the world of the earth angels. There are citizens, towns, settlements, gardens, farms, mines, schools, and all kinds of things further down. \par +The first areas are dominated by the mayor and his croonies. Maybe I could take some inspiration from the first group mission of Aion, where the mayor has enslaved the earth angels and is using them in his underground plantation to grow fantasy opium, process it, and form a drug cartel empire. In this game, it would probably be best to tie it into the mall supply chain. Maybe he has a frozen yogurt or tapioca ball plantation or something mildly cute and horrific. Something like the evil chocolate industry, etc. The "See that mountain? I can climb it" moment would be seeing this crazy intricate industrial plantation empire underground, just out of sight of where most of the party had lived their whole life without knowledge. They are confronted with the worst form of slavery early on.\par +Then, further down, gradually, you find there has been a whole civilizations just out of reach, hiding from the humans. As they grow to trust you and word of your respectful burial for Dahlia spreads, then they will begin to all you to use their services. It would allow for a factional rank-based society - at rank 1, you see nothing. At rank 2, you see some minor NPCs. At rank 3, you gain access to a general shop. At rank 10, you can request commissions from their couturier. At rank 1000, you can freely enter the king's bedroom and chat. You gain ranks visibly (Guild Wars: Eye of the North) or invisibly (Animal Crossing) by reputation, killing the earth angels' enemies, participating in their economy, befriending their people, doing their quests, rebuilding their homeland, removing the human influence, learning about their language and culture, contributing to their museum (Varrock Museum-style after quests) and so on. \par +This naturally leads to taking sides. There could be the human route and the earth angel route. That would be fun, add replayability, and add a ton of work since the levels and missions would completely deviate from each other. The end results must be different. Choices must matter. There's too many games where they don't, and it's too lame. Even if it has to be added later as DLC or a content update or something. That could have a huge revival and reason for getting press again after a release. Maybe it would be better to save "the evil route" for later.\par +For the Earth Angel Route\par +Your goal is to rid the dungeon of the evil humans' influence and return earth angel society to as it was before the mayor ever knew about Mall Town. This is the default "good path" to take. Free the earth angel slaves, find a way to cleanse or redeem the feral earth angels. \par +Make it to where the humans will never return again by finding common ground with them and forming a peace treaty or truce, exterminating the humans, finding a new place for the earth angels to run away to, finding a perfect way to conceal their presence forever, or giving them strong enough defenses, breaking the humans' will, getting the humans to acknowledge the sanctity and dignity of their people, having the earth angels protected by law, \par +The consequences are the thanks of the earth angels, the prosperity of the earth angels, the restored beauty of their underworld, the loss of a revenue stream for the mayor, closing of the mall, the arrest of the mayor for crimes against humanity, disruption of the local economy, the direct loss of jobs for Evanthe, Night, and all other mall workers, the dissolution of the town, the end of traveling merchants, many residents moving away to better locations, the school is shut down (can the students get academic transcripts and stuff if that happens?).\par +For the Human Route\par +Your goal is to conquer the earth angels. This route probably should be a "the humans did nothing wrong" kind of thing or comically corrupt company. The evils must be justified and their antagonists must be unsympathetic in ways. Conquering new lands, dominating new people, exploiting resources and natives, building up a viable company, and living comfy, cushy, overly marketed lives propped upon the backs of improverished, oppressed peoples is something every American contributes to, even a little. Is bringing our slaves directly beneath our feet at the mall any different from exporting the practices to other countries and shutting our eyes to it? \line The consequences are the rise to power in the mall's supply chain, being able to control and open your own branch (like Crossroad Keep), the flourishing of the mall, the prosperity of the town, the rise to power of the mayor, the conquering of the earth angels as slaves.\par +## Meet as a Group to Discuss Using Rune's Teleport Skill to Get Past the Mayor's Security and Enter the Main Channel\par +Cassia invites her companions to meet her in their official meeting spot: her room. Everyone trickles in, a little at a time in small groups of chatty friends. \par +Angel: Okay, this is the first time in a while we are all here together. Especially since Heron joined.\par +Heron: Hey.\par +Chloe: So, is this about the main channel or the mayor? Have you made a decision about what he said?\par +Cassia: We can't go through his path because it's too risky. Rune is an earth angel with the teleport aspect. I was wondering if you could launch us right in, Rune.\par +Rune: What? Me? Um...\par +Ren: You can teleport, Rune? \par +Blythe: Yeah, he's very talented.\par +Rune: (blushes)\par +Chloe: Is that anything holding you back?\par +Rune: It's dangerous to teleport randomly. It's against the Council's orders, actually, ever since the incident where some kids teleported directly into a priest and they both had to share a coffin. Usually, you communicate with other earth angels to make sure there is a clear arrival. But the communication channel is down. I need a way to communicate.\par +Cassia: How do you usually communicate with the other earth angels?\par +Rune: There's official channels for it. I need special equipment to get into the system.\par +Angel: ...\par +Blythe: ....\par +Cassia: Do you think Dahlia had one?\par +Angel and Blythe: ...\par +Rune: Oh...Probably so.\par +Cassia: We can go look for it. You don't have to come if you don't want to.\par +Rune: No, you won't know what you're looking for if I don't come. This is important. I'll help you.\par +Angel and Blythe: ...(feeling down)\par +Cassia: You don't have to come, but we appreciate if you do. Once we get the communicator, will you have everything you need? Are there limits on using it? Like...do you need to be near a cell phone tower or in a place with good coverage?\line Rune: Yeah...I don't really know, honestly. I have seen my sister use it before, but I never really bothered. \par +Cassia: Then we will take this one step at a time. Team, our next mission is to retrieve the communicator. \par +Ren: Sounds good! What does it look like?\par +Rune: It's a stone...It's really specific. It's like...(smiles) a rune.\par +Night: If that's the case, then we are abundantly pleased to have you come along. But coming doesn't mean you have to push yourself. Take your time.\par +Angel: Yeah! We'll be there with you.\par +Rune: Thanks, guys. Honestly, I haven't talked to Phlox since and want to apologize to her.\par +Cassia: Then reaching Phlox will be our secondary mission. Are we ready to go?\par +Ren: Well, you told us to be ready to go.\par +Everyone else agrees.\par +Cassia: Then let's go.\par +Cassia and her companions go back to the first dungeon to find what they had missed, hoping it was still there and not gleaned by the mayor's croonies for their rock collection.\par +## Returning to the Scene of the Murder\par +Rune walks up to the scene.\par +Cassia: This is where we found her.\par +Rune: (teary but strong) Yeah, I can tell.\par +Rune pauses to collect himself. Cassia and her companions give him space.\par +Rune starts searching the area. He obviously is disappointed.\par +Cassia: You okay?\par +Rune: It's not here. At least, I don't think I see it.\par +Cassia: That's okay. Let's go see Phlox. Dahlia's grave is next to it.\par +Rune: Okay. I'm ready. Let's go.\par +## Rune and Phlox Talk Again After Rune Joined the Party\par +Rune and Cassia and her companions approach Phlox.\par +Rune: ...Phlox, hey.\par +Phlox: Rune? I didn't expect to see you here...\par +Cassia and the others give them space.\par +Rune: I'm looking for something. I need Dahlia's communicator to teleport them.\par +Phlox: I was holding onto it. Dahlia had it on her.\par +Rune: Oh! \par +Phlox: Yeah, here you go. Of course.\par +They both look at their feet sheepishly.\par +Rune: I'm helping them now. You were helping them, too, weren't you? You made me stop fighting them.\par +Phlox: Yes, I trust them to do what is right. I am so happy to see you help them.\line Rune: They want me to help them enter the main channel.\par +Phlox: You're a gifted teleport mage. You'll be a big help. That isn't why you're here, really, though, is it? You want to pay your respects.\par +Rune: ...Yes. (brave)\par +Phlox: She's right over here.\par +Phlox leads Rune over. Cassia runs over and holds his hand while he prays. Rune allows it. Afterwards, he cries on her shoulder. Cassia is silent, but supportive, listening and lending her calm warm presence.\par +## Cell Phone Coverage is not Forever\par + At lower levels of the dungeon, the cell phones lose reception. At that moment, they are taken aback and are impressed, honestly, at how long those things held out.\par +Aries: I guess I've always taken good cell phone coverage for granted.\par +Night: Most small towns, you're lucky to get coverage. People will go hold their phones up to the sky standing in the one spot in the field to get a message to their parents. It truly is a wonder.\par +Delphine: You really that surprised, though? That creepy mayor got a mall, a gym, a school, all life's commodities and amenities. Good cable and cell phone coverage is almost more of a life necessity. Of course we wouldn't overlook it when he brought all these other aberrations.\par +Blythe: Honestly, I am so thankful for him. Why are we even investigating him?\par +Angel: How can you say that, Blythe? Our precious Rune...Not to mention the earth angels and how they are treated...\par +Blythe: Oh, Angel. Lighten up. It was a joke. Come on!\par +Night: But we have lost our ability to communicate telepathically. Let's proceed with caution. Don't lose sight of each other. If we get separated now, we can't just call or text. If we run into danger, we can't boldly strategize right in front of our enemy. We are going to have to make more touch and go decisions from here on. Hope you are prepared, Cassia.\par +Cassia: Of course I am. I'll get you all through.\par +## Using the Communicator\par +Cassia: Well...can you use it?\par +Rune: ...(put on the spot and unvertain)\par +Phlox: Here, let me show you.\par +Phlox demonstrates how you would use it And places it in Rune's hands.\par +Phlox: Now let's see if you can do it...\par +Rune mimics her actions.\par +Rune: Like this? (Unsure) Oh!\par +Voice From the Other Side: Dahlia? I can't hear you.\par +Rune looks at Phlox for her. Phlox takes it and talks while Rune looks scared.\par +Phlox: Is this Anemone? This is Phlox. I run the rez shrine over here...\par +Maybe no one picks up when Rune tries, but he's sure that's how it works.\par +Cassia: Let's ask Phlox about it.\par +Phlox does as above.\par +Phlox takes the communicator.\par +Phlox: Anemone, can you hear us? ...Anemone?\par +Phlox: Okay, give me a second. She adjusts her communicator.\par +Phlox tries again: Calluna? Vervain?\par +Phlox stops and waits and looks down.\par +Rune: Is it broken?\par +Cassia: Can you call yourself?\par +Phlox: That's a good idea.\par +Phlox fiddles with it again.\par +Phlox: Hey...?\par +The message comes through fine.\par +Phlox: Well...\par +The party is stumped.\par +Angel: (hopeful) Could they be at a teleporter meeting and stepped away? Maybe we could try again later?\par +Night: When is the last time you heard from the main channel? Did you ever hear from them often? Have you ever communicated?\par +Phlox: Um, well, if you imply that the system is disconnected, (proceeds to explain that the systEm works when underground and cannot be blocked or jammed or have poor or choppy connection or be disconnected.)\par +Night: I see...Then--\par +Phlox: I don't usually hear from them, unless they need some rare resource that grows here.\par +Night: Mhmm...Could they be ignoring you?\par +Phlox: Well, maybe. We aren't on the best terms...\par +Night: Oh.\par +Rune: What can we do?\par +Phlox: Rune, are you familar with the main channel?\par +Rune: No...hehe\par +Phlox: Well, looks like you have to take a risk. Keep trying to reach them, but eventually, you have to take the leap.\par +Cassia: Rune would be our Trump card, but we have alternatives. If we could sneak through the mayor's office or even find \\another/ opening, that would be sufficient.\par +Phlox: Sounds equally risky.\par +Cassia: Yup. That's how we roll.\par +\par +## Learn More About Phlox's Channel\par +Cassia: Um...if you don't mind, can you tell us more about this place and its relationship to the main channel? And what was it like before the humans came.\par +Phlox explains the inequality in her society and the isolation of her class to these vanguard buffer colonies against the mysterious and potentially dangerous surface where tales of dangerous men and their violent history originate. It used to be relatively standoffish like Australia or something where they could live as they please and hold jobs like rez shrine attendant and teleporter priest, but they must be quite separate from the other class of folks. Phlox is quite ashamed but trusts Casdia enough to explain her shameful status.\par +That's why Rune doesn't have the proper schooling and is a bit deliquent.\par +Cassia understands better now. Sbe or maybe Delphine challenges the inequality, shocked by the presence of slavery and class struggles in this microsm. Little do they know they were the lucky ones in the end.\par +\par +## Teleporting into the Main Channel\par +Cassia: The best option is for you to teleport us in. Can you do it?\par +Rune: Easily. But I need to know where.\par +Cassia: Beneath the office.\par +Cassia: I foynd a map from his office. Can you reference this?\par +Rune: Perfect! Yes.\par +Rune: Okay...here we go.\par +The warp transition plays, spooking and amazing Cassia and her companions.\par +They end up in about the spot any successful route would get you.\par +\par +## Exploring the Main Channel\par +The party finally arrives, looking over the vast, oppressive plantation of enslaved earth angels.\par +They gape, especially Rune.\par +Rune: (wide eyes of horror) What is this?\par +Night: We should leave and regroup. If we get caught here, it could be bad. We should also be ready to fight.\par +Blythe: Without looking around a little?\par +Rune: Cassia?\par +Cassia: Let's regroup.\par +(You can look around first)\par +Cassia: Let's look around a little first...\par +Cassia: Okay, Rune, I'm ready - let\rquote s head back.\par +Rune: Alright...\par +Rune teleports them back to the nearest safe spot or Cassia's bedroom.\par +Cassia: Thanks, Rune\par +Night: Let's change our gear. Tell me your plan.\par +Cassia suits the team up and changes out her crew.\par +Cassia: Rune-\par +Rune: Right away!\par +Cassia and her companions sneak around the plantation. Most slaves refused to talk, averting their eyes. Most slave drivers refuse to talk and attack on sight. Some earth angel slaves support their drivers when attacked. I am seeing the Dukaki Mines from Aion in my head as I type this.\par +Rune: Um, maybe we should talk to some of the earth slaves. \par +Ren: I don't think they'll be willing to talk to us...\par +Rune: Surely some will explain what's going on.\par +Ren: Well, we can try.\par +Blythe: We should be prepared to fight the guards...Maybe some of the slaves, too.\par +Rune: What!\par +Night: Yeah...Don't be surprised if the earth angels are on their side. There's no benefit for them to go against their masters.\par +Rune: But...(sullen)\par +Angel: That's why we're here. We'll get to the bottom of this, Rune.\par +Rune: Yeah...\par +Rune: Hey-\par +Earth Angel Slave Who is Willing to Talk: You should get out of here.\par +Cassia: We are here to help.\par +Slave: There is nothing you can do to help. I would never accept help from your kind anyways.\par +Slave looks over to Rune.\par +Slave: What are you thinking?\par +Rune: They are on our side. They took out the humans in my channel.\par +Slave: (gazes over the humans dubiously) Whatever. Stop talking to me.\par +Whenever you try to talk to her again, she refuses to speak to you.\par +Rune: I don't think they're willing to talk to you. I mean, they're not willing to talk to me either, but.\par +Cassia: Yeah...Do you think you can do the talking?\par +Rune: What should I say?\par +Cassia: We just need information. Anything, honestly. What happened here.\par +Rune: Okay...I'll try.\par +The party continues talking to slaves. It would be more realistic for them to refuse to speak in English out of disrespect for the humans listening in on the conversation. Rune will have to sum up the conversation afterwards, although the player can learn the Angel language and understand more and more on each playthrough with New Game+. Conversations should be tense, terse, brief, and rushed. Straight to the point. They should be interrrupted often with guards, unless a skill prevents them, or slaves are isolated. The idea is to talk to many different slaves and put together the disjointed, exhausted comments to form some idea of what to do.\par +Rune: Um, hi...\par +More Helpful Slave: (surprised) Who are you?\par +Rune: I'm Rune...from the other channel. These humans helped free me.\par +The slave looks wearily over them.\par +Slave: You shouldn't be here. There's nothing for you here. You should be able to see that for yourself.\par +Rune: But what happened to the main channel..?\par +Slave: (sighs) Your friends happened, that's what. \line Rune: Could you be more specific?\par +Slave: They came and forced us to work on these plantations, growing cocoa and making chocolate. They work us to death, but they quell any chance of rebellion by starving us and stripping us of any power. They are eager to make examples of any rebels. You prison planet apes really know nothing about this?\par +Rune: ...wow. No, we didn't...\par +Slave: (sighs) Figures that you underdogs would be on top. Um, I really should be working...I don't want to be caught talking to you.\par +Rune: Okay...\par +Cassia: What did she say?\par +Rune: They were conquered by the humans and forced into this. They're afraid...\par +Cassia: What can we do?\par +Rune: I don't know...\par +Rune looks for someone else.\par +Nervous Slave: Why are you here? Everyone has been keeping an eye on you.\par +Rune: I'm from the prison channel, so I had no idea this was going on. I need to know, though. Are you all like this? Is it just the surface?\par +Nervous Slave: How could I know? Those who escape never come back...\par +Rune: I see...How long has it been like this?\par +Nervous Slave: Decades. You won't be toppling it. You should get out.\par +Rune: You're wrong. We'll fix this. My friends already freed the prison buffer colony. \line Nervous Slave: Is that so? I feel the humans gained power here through similar diplomacy. I wouldn't trust them.\par +Rune: Well, I trust them...\par +Nervous Slave: Suit yourself...\par +Cassia: Translation?\par +Rune: Um...It's been like this for a long time, since before I was born. Yet I had no idea...\par +Cassia: Wow...that could be since the mayor purchased this land.\par +Rune: Hey-\par +Tired Slave: Yeah? The humans taking their pet for a walk?\par +Rune: (frustrated) What do you do here?\par +Tired Slave: There are many plantations here. We work on cocoa here. It's grueling.\par +Rune: But why? Why do we need so much chocolate?\par +Tired Slave: I don't need to know that. I see them box it up and carry it away to the surface where it disappears. What more could I need to know?\par +Rune: There's a shopping center above us that sells chocolate...\par +Tired Slave: Well, there you go, kid. You know more than I do. I'm not a tourist attraction. Go sight see somewhere else. I'm sure your humans have a treat for you if you behave well.\par +Rune: (grimace) Thanks\par +Cassia: (looks questioningly)\par +Rune: Um...they produce chocolate and send it to the surface. \par +Cassia: No...that's not where the chocolate comes from, is it?\par +Rune: I think so...\par +Everyone in the party feels sick.\par +Rune: I don't want to talk to them anymore...\par +Cassia: That's fine...take a break.\par +## Chocolate Plantation Boss\par +Maybe they want to take down the chocolate plantation boss\par +## Exploring the Main Channel\par +Maybe they immediately realize how futile that is and how they barely put a dint in ending the system of oppression by killing the plantation owner, who was in more of a managerial position anyways.\par +They set their eyes on real change - a real target, not just a hated target. They need to free the people and raise a rebellion. Restore the people's spirits. They need to be indomitable. It sounds too big to bother with. They are just kids. They need to make the leader look weak and easily toppled and ridiculous to take seriously. They need to fight back. \par +They also want to find pockets of the earth angels. Surely there are more in hiding. They can't all be conquered and enslaved.\par +Maybe they are. Humans desecrate their temples and they inhabit their homes, eating their food and stepping in their gardens. The earth angels hide in caves and secret churches, always out of sight. As the humans are conquered and driven back, then the earth angels slowly retake their homes and old jobs, getting their society back up and running again, complete with interesting stores and services for the player. This gives the chance for progression and accomplishment and real change. The player's actions are felt.\par +Maybe there is already a rebellion underway and the player can join them and motivate them, rising in their ranks.\par +## Joining the Rebel Army\par +Prince Lotus: Could you be on our side?\par +Cassia: ...Let's cease fire on both sides. We obviously have a lot to talk about. Who are you, exactly?\par +Prince Lotus: Let's start with you, human.\par +Cassia: I am Cassia, and these are my friends. I am partially aware of the mayor's subjagation and conquest of your people and want to do whatever I can to free you. It isn't right. I already helped Rune and helped prepare a burial for Dahlia.\par +Prince Lotus: So that wasn't you?\par +Cassia: No...some of the mayor's men.\par +Prince Lotus: Awful...It seems I was mistaken about you. Okay, Cassia. I will take the trust of Rune and Phlox and the respect you gave towards Dahlia as a sign I can trust you. You seem capable and have a lot to offer for us, and you being humans might even provide an interesting bonus. I'm the Seventh Prince, Lotus the Young, of the Garden Channel.\par +Rune: (bewildered confused)\par +Prince Lotus: I lead the rebellion against the humans. Currently, we are biding our time, building up resources, and rallying the people. My father, the King, is complacent and does only what is best for himself. He has been bought and his family with him while the people suffer. I say no more. The humans can turn any minute the royal family is no longer of use. By submitting, they've demonstrated how weak they are. By selling their people, they are now nothing. Now that I am of age, I will make something of myself. I will overturn the wicked human regime and make the Garden Channel a proper land for the earth angels again.\par +Bell: My prince--\par +Prince Lotus: It's okay. If they betray us, they won't get away far. And besides, this is information that the mayor already knows. So, Cassia. Will you join forces with us?\par +Cassia: I have stated my goals. I will do what I can, but I must judge your rebellion by its actions and not by the words of a prince. If I approve, I will assist you. My end goal is to overturn the mayor, though.\par +Prince Lotus: An admirable answer.\par +Cassia: Are there any things I can do that will help you in general? Surely you have been studying this longer and have more expertise and ideas than us.\par +Prince Lotus: Yes. Keep our secrets, keep our locations secret, kill humans, free slaves, gather resources. If you have resources: food, weapons, clothes, to donate to our cause, leave them in this area and our agents will pick them up. But I do have a specific task, if you are interested.\par +Cassia: I am listening.\par +Prince Lotus: Very good. The more you perform for us, the higher rank you'll gain with us. The higher rank you have, the more services you'll gain access to. It's a matter of trust, you see?\par +# Act 4\par +## Completing the Prince's Task\par +Prince Lotus: Ha, I was testing you to see if you wete really who the Resistance needs. You pass beautigully. Please understand the misleading, since I must know the character of my allies. Now, let's discuss objectives.\par +## Gain Access to the General Merchant\par +Cassia: Um, hey- Are you a merchant? I haven't seen merchants around here...\par +Merchant: No, you shouldn't have. I've been watching all that you have been doing for the Garden Channel and realize that even some humans can be trusted. Please, I would be proud to do business for such a strong supporter of Prince Lotus.\par +Cassia: Yes, absolutely! Let's trade.\par +## Chatting Up Prince Lotus\par +Cassia: First thing's first - how do I call you? Your Highness?\par +Prince Lotus: No, please, nothing that stiff. I'm just the 7th prince - I am royal, but that isn\rquote t worth so much. Just call me Prince Lotus. No decorations or titles or formalities. We have no time for that. I need you to be clear with me and communicate quickly. We dob\rquote t have the luxuries of slow courts and gearings and visitung hours.\par +Cassia: Okay, I understand.\par +Cassia: I don't understand...you seem young. Exactly when did this rebellion start?\par +Prince Lotus: 8 months ago.\par +Cassia: But I heard you've been in these conditions for decades. Why didn't you guys just rebel?\par +Prince Lotus: That's easy for you to say from a position of relative security. (Take ideas from my Constitution book about how it is human nature to tolerate great injustices without rebelling so there is no fear of random needless coups all the time even when the founding documents encourage it openly.)\par +Cassia: I just have trouble belivevinng these people are okay with these conditions. They have lost everything, their jobs, their land, their safety. They live in fear.\par +Prince Lotus: Their spirit was broken. But we must empower them again.\par +Prince Lotus: Cassia, this isn't as simple as I make it look. I'm going to be fighting my own family. There's no way out of that. I have to to end the corrupt system they've placed us in.\par +Cassia: Are you sure? That's horrible.\par +Prince Lotus: Yes. (Melancholic)\par +## The Prince Formally Asks Cassia and Her Companions to Join Him\par +Prince Lotus: Cassia, join us.\par +Cassia: Yes, I will.\par +\par +## The Prince Explains His Master Plan\par +Cassia: Now, I don't know if you'll do this in the game or keep me relatively in the dark or if you plan in reactionary bursts, but what is your plan?\par +Prince Lotus: We must overthrow the mayor and his men. The earth angels cannot be slaves in their own home anymore.\par +Cassia: I come from the surface. I know where the goods you are processing go. There's a mall directly above here, where they have lots of stores and nice things to sell. To tell you the truth, we used to hang out there.\par +Prince Lotus: I want to win.\par +Rune: --you? Overtake the Queen's throne? Could your rule even be legitimate? You're a man, after all. I don't want to be too blunt or sexist, but I just don't think the people could accept you.\par +Prince Lotus: I have to do it. If none of my sisters will stand up because they have too much to lose, I'll do it. I'm a man. I mean nothing in this kingdom. How can I be dissuaded from the fight? Rune, surely you have some of the same feelings.\par +Cassia: What do you mean by that? Of course men can fight. Of course men can lead.\par +Prince Lotus: Yes, but does that mean they should? Society protects and nurtures men, but I can't stand by because of my gender.\par +Night: The earth angels have a matriarchical society, Cassia. And Prince, that is strange to us humans because we have only recently granted more rights to our women. Traditionally for us, men rule, men work, and men lead.\par +Prince Lotus: Is that so? What a backwards society you must live in.\par +Cassia: Eh, we're alright. Hehe, your society is the topsy-turvy one. Just look at it.\par +Prince Lotus: Aye. Well, we'll see how it changes. Maybe men can lead after all. I must study your history more. I feel ashamed, being educated about your people and not knowing something so fundamental.\par +Night: Maybe the most fundamental points are the most difficult to glean from studying documents.\par +Prince Lotus: Maybe so, maybe so.\par +\par +## The Prince's Tragic Backstory\par +Make the Prince sympathetic so all the tumblr girls have a crush on him and his state seems angsty enough that he would actually start up a revolution that would destroy his country.\par +Cassia: I don't understand. Why are you doing this? Do you have the support of any of your family?\par +Prince Lotus: Cassia, you must understand. I have a tragic backstory. Will you listen?\par +Cassia: Here we go...\par +Prince Lotus: I was born into the royal family when Father had already turned it over to the Mayor. The mayor and I have clashed on a personal level. For me, this fight is personal.\par +Cassia: Oh...I understand.\par +Prince Lotus: But what is your reason for fighting?\par +Cassia: It's honestly fun.\par +Prince Lotus: But everyone has left you. You could die! You are betraying your own race for a race of maggots. You will lose everything!\par +Cassia: Yeah...it's pretty fun.\par +Prince Lotus: I am so confused. But you are one of my best soldiers, so you better never cease having fun.\par +Cassia: Yeah...haha. Probably.\par +\par +## The Mayor Knows\par +The mayor persuades you to part forces with Prince Lotus and join the Mayor with some slander and darkening of your opinion of Prince Lotus. Make the player stop supporting Prince Lotus.\par +Mayor: And Cassia...One more thing.\par +Cassia: ...? (hidden expression, doesn't know what to expect)\par +Mayor: It seems you've gotten to be good friends with one of the King's little boys. I do hope you're getting along.\par +Cassia: ... (grit teeth)\par +Mayor: I don't think you know him as well as I do. I was in his nursery, you know? He's selfish, he's brash, he's not very reliable. Join his ship and you'll be wrecked.\par +Cassia: ...(fights with her eyes)\par +Mayor: Well, what do I know? Good-bye. I'm sure I'll see you again...\par +Aries: Bastard...\par +Cassia: Aries! I forgot you existed.\par +## Cassia Talks with Her Companions to See Where They Stand, each privately as their own social event\par +Angel is sympathetic to Prince Lotus's tragic backstory. She is creeped out by the mayor and angry at him.\par +Ren\par +Aries\par +Night\par +Cassia chooses and is by default not leaning one way or another.\par +Delphine\par +Blythe\par +Chloe\par +Rune is not sympathetic to Prince Lotus but doesn't like the mayor either.\par +## Boss Fight: Chocolate Plantation Owner\par +Chocolate Plantation Owner: So you're the guys who have been causing trouble around my plant. You're kids-!\par +Angel: Don't look down on us!\par +Owner: Well, I'll send you up to the surface and tell your mommies. I bet you'd be real upset about that!\par +Cassia: I don't have a mommy.\par +Owner: Ouch. Sorry to hear about that. I was just kidding. Anyone who mnesses around in here gets killed. You kids are no exception.\par +Cassia: Fine with me. I was just kidding anyways.\par +Chloe: Oh my gosh lol....\par +The battle commences. It is him, the big man, and his croonies. He tries to get away.\par +Owner: You didn't accomplish anything kids, but I hope you feel real big about it...bleh\par +Cassia: Die in dirt, chocolate man.\par +Blythe: So. Um...\par +Angel: What happens now?\par +Night: Their leader died. They'll dissapate now. They lost their pay, their orders. What else could they do?\par +Chloe: It makes sense...Um, maybe we should look around his office for what we can learn.\par +You can find a keycard, notes, orders, an explanation of the hierarchy (who the real leaders are), gain access to alarms, and so on. You can also find treasure and money, too.\par +(once found all important items) Night: I doubt we could do better than that. We should get out of here..\par +Blythe: Yeah, I don't see anything else important to grab.\par +## Disguises\par +Ren: What if mom finds out I killed someone?\par +Angel: Don't even mention that!\par +Blythe: My dad would probably be proud of me for taking down an evil overlord slave driver.\par +Ren: Your dad's in on it!\par +Blythe: Oh yeah...oh man.\par +Cassia: Guys, hush. No, that is probably a real concern. Um, should we disguise ourselves as earth angels? I mean, we are the kids from the small town above. There isn't a lot we can do to conceal our appearance as humans.\par +Ren: Yeah! Like shapeshifting.\par +Delphine: Um, I was thinking more like costumes.\par +Cassia: Whichever works better faster. We need to get on it asap.\par +Chloe: Rune, would you evaluate our attempt?\par +Rune: Hehe, this actually sounds like it will be hilarious.\par +Cassia: No! This needs to be serious.\par +Night: I have no idea how this could be 100% serious, but go for it, Cassia.\par +Cassia: Ugh.\par +## Making the Disguises\par +Cassia: So...how do we look, Rune?\par +Rune: (blushes) You won't be tricking me. Um, maybe from a distance. I mean, they're amazing, Delphine! It's just...I can tell you're humans.\par +Delphine: I understand the limits of my craft.\par +Ren: Let me try my magic:\par +Ren casts a spell to modify the party's appearance further.\par +Rune: Oh! That's actually not bad. You'd freak out anyone you talk to. Your mannerisms give it away.\par +Cassia: Right...Bah, the costumes are just half of it. We'd have to act like earth angels, too. And we couldn't talk because there's no way we're getting your accent or language.\par +Rune: You think? Well, it's not bad. ...Um. You look good as earth angels, ladies.\par +Angel, Cassia, Chloe, Blythe, and Delphine all blush.\par +Rune: Maybe you can make me a human costume some time.\par +Cassia: That would be adorable! May-be.\par +Delphine: Oh, we could give it a try. Blythe, you have anything in his complexion?\par +Blythe: I'd have to check, yeah.\par +Cassia: Anyways, can we fight in these?\par +Delphine: Maybe not. I'll bring a repair kit, I guess.\par +Cassia: Well, we'll see how this turns out, basically.\par +## Exploring the Main Channel\par +Cassia: Delphine, you were too modest before. These costumes are holding up amazingly well.\par +Delphine: I'll have chalk it up to Ren's enchantment.\par +Cassia: I don't know what I'd do without you.\par +## Wearing the Costumes\par +Cassia: So when should we wear these costumes? We definitely need them, I would think, but none of you have seen any of the men down there, yes?\par +Angel: I swear, not a face. The town is so small. I even know the farmers and merchants who travel down here. But not a man there.\par +Blythe: Seriously. They must have been born down there or something.\par +Night: It must be a tip top secret operation. No one is seem traveling down, or up, if they even do that. They seem to have everything they need down there. It very possibly may be a one-way trip, so a one-time stranger traveling here and disappearing in the mall would not be a memorable occurance. I can't imagine he just lets people go either, from the cruelty we've already seen...althoiugh he was very lenient with us. Or at least it seemed that way at the time.\par +Cassia: Well, if we don't know them, they don't know us. Am I wrong?\par +Angel: The mayor's behind this. He knows each and every one of us and holds our permanent records in his hands.\par +Blythe: He already knows...\par +Cassia: No, he knows about me and Angel. I don't think he knows about Night at all, and he may not know about the rest of you, althrough he likely has heavy suspicions. There is no reason to cast away that anonimity.\par +Night: Fair enough. Thanks.\par +Cassia: So we'll need them at lower levels or in his areas. Let's keep them on us.\par +## The Cops Come for Them\par +Cassia uses the group chat feature.\par +Cassia: <>\par +Blythe: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Cassia: <>\par +Cassia meets her companions at the beach.\par +Cassia: I brought cookies. I baked them yesterday. Let's just have a relaxed meeting. I'm not much of a pep talk person, so I hope some time together steels your nerves. Maybe afterwards, we can swim.\par +Angel: That's so sweet, Cassia. Yes, this is just what we need.\par +Chloe: May I pray for us?\par +Cassia: I guess we should. Go ahead.\par +Everybody rolls their eyes.\par +Everybody closes their eyes and bows their heads. Cassia plays with her phone under the table.\par +Chloe: Dear Father, thank you for preserving us this far. Please continue--\par +Authoritative voice: Don't move! You're under arrest.\par +Everybody looks up and freezes. They hare surrounded by cops.\par +Second cop: That's them. Every last one of them, including the green freak. Bring them in.\par +Everybody looks to Cassia. \par +Night: Cassia-\par +Blythe: These aren't local cops...Where's my dad...?\par +Everybody thinks to themselves in shock that she's right. What's going on??\par +Cassia: Rune-\par +Rune teleports them away in an instant to a location deep underground.\par +Everybody falls back, hugs themselves, or looks around with suspicion and anxiety.\par +Chloe runs over to Rune and hugs him. \par +Chloe: Rune! Rune, you saved us, but you also probably put us on a national watch list. All of our lives are over, but I don't even know what else we can do at this point.\par +Cassia: Nothing? No, we move forward. They're afraid because we're worthy opponents.\par +Night: So we ruin their business? They escape into the underworld with their skin and hidden fortunes and live again under new names in new countries. Us? They can take our academic records, work, and families from us. We have everything to lose.\par +Cassia: We've already lost it. Let's go.\par +Blythe: Did you here me? None of those cops are locals!\par +Ren: This is bad. They're after us. The Mayor got people after us.\par +Chloe: We can't go back up. We're stuck down here.\par +Angel: My mom is going to cry...\par +Cassia: Let's get to Prince Lotus. But first, lol. Those disguises.\par +Delphine: We're actually using them?\par +Blythe: I so forgot about those. Crazy.\par +Rune: But what about me?\par +Cassia: To be honest, you have less to lose than us. A disgusise really would have no benefit at this point.\par +Rune: Yeah, I guess so. I just wanted to fit in.\par +Everybody changes into their costumes.\par +They reach Prince Lotus's outpost. Cassia boldy marches in.\par +Cassia: Prince Lotus, we are ready.\par +Prince Lotus: ...what are you wearing?\par +Cassia: We're in disguise. We are wanted by the police and are being pursued on the surface. We evaded the cops and made it here. I wouldn'tt be surprised if they knew we would come down here and what we are abiut to do. Time is the enemy here. Start it, Lotus!\par +Prince Lotus: Yes, lady! Gladly. \par +## Time to take it to the Mayor - Are you Ready? If not, get ready!!\par +Prince Lotus: You're back? Excellent. Everything is in place. Let's take it to the mayor. \par +Cassia: You serious? Now?\par +Prince Lotus: That's what I like to hear! Now or very soon. The operation will take a while, so I understand if you need to some time to prepare. Go ahead and get done stuff you need to tie up. But don't take long. I am eager to strike. \par +Cassia: I'm not ready. I'll be back soon.\par +Prince Lotus: Don't take long. I long to sink my teeth into his back.\par +## Going to Bed the Night After Prince Lotus's Preparations are Complete\par +(Your highest ranked r0mantic interest comes to visit you. If tied, your highest ranked friend will come to visit you. There's also something about the last NPC you talked to. Maybe take inspiration from Dragon's Dogma's "who is my beloved?" tension. For the epic reference, it would be great to reference that beautiful last night in Neverwinter Nights 2. Night = Sand, Delphine = that elf girl Elanee, Blythe = Neeshka, Ren = Ammon Jero or Qara, Angel = Sandra, Rune = Zhjaeve, Chloe = Casamir, etc.)\par +Cassia is getting ready for bed. There is a knock at the door that gives her pause. \line Cassia: If it was uncle, he would have just walked in...Who is it? I guess I should investigate.\par +Cassia gets up and walks over to the front door.\par +Night: Cassia...Cassia, are you there?\par +Cassia: Oh-! It's Night...\par +Cassia opens the door.\line Night: Um...Good evening, Cassia.\par +Cassia: Night, hey! Oh, you shouldn't be on my porch at this time of night. Just come in.\par +Night: If it's okay with you. Thank you.\par +Cassia leads Night inside. \par +(if Cassia never improved the apartment) Night looks around, but the apartment is a mess. There is nowhere to sit down.\par +Night: It's a wreck. Cassia, you live in this?\par +Cassia: (sigh) Yeah...Um, you can sit down in my bedroom.\par +Night: (blush) Oh, okay. \par +Night follows Cassia to her bedroom. \par +(if house improved)\par +Cassia: Here, let's sit on the couch and chat.\par +Cassia leads Night to the couch.\par +They sit on the couch together. Initially, they look down in awkward, clumsy, nervous, happy silence.\par +Night: Is your uncle not here, Cassia? Where is your uncle?\par +Cassia: He's never around. Was he any different when you were here?\par +Night: No...I wouldn't really know. I never knew him too well. \par +Cassia: What did you come here for, Night? (blushing)\par +Night: (blushing) It sounds like we're really getting right up to it. The end. I spent time in private working on something: a gift. I wanted to help you in any way I could. \par +Cassia: You did that for me? I'm surprised. That's so thoughtful, Night.\par +Night: We need to go all out for this, okay. If we lose, we lose everything. If we win, I'm not even sure how much that safeguards us.\par +Cassia: We're doing the right thing.\par +Night: Yes. You're right. Um, here, I brought the present with me.\par +Night fumbles with his bag. He finds it, pulls it out, and presents it.\par +Cassia: A potion?\par +Night: A healing potion. Several. They are very strong. Free of charge, of course.\par +Cassia: Amazing. Thank you, Night.\par +Night: Are you nervous?\par +Cassia: Yes, I am very nervous.\par +Night: Then I hope my gift calms your nerves somewhat. Um.\par +Cassia: Um, Night, there's something I want to tell you.\par +Night: Yes? (flushed and happy, listening eyes.)\par +Cassia: I like you.\par +Night: (completely flustered) -! Well, um,\par +Cassia moves in for the kiss and kisses him. Night accepts. They kiss tenderly, then finish.\par +Cassia: Thank you for visiting, Night. \par +Night: Yes...\par +He hops up and leaves, leaving behind his potion (5).\par +Cassia picks one up and looks at it, swirling it and swishing it as it glitters and swirls.\par +Fade away into the next day.\par +(Most would text the next morning, but Night is stunned and flustered and couldn't possibly initiate conversation voluntarily like that right now. Maybe. Usually cocky, but hesitant by love or something.)\par +## Ren Before the Final Night\par +Ren is dorky in love.\par +Ren: Hey, Cassia...May I come in for a minute?\par +Cassia: Ren? Is that you?\par +Cassia opens the door.\par +They look at each other.\par +Cassia: Well, come in. Sit down.\par +Ren: Yeah, thanks...\par +Cassia: What did you want?\par +Ren: Well...We're going down soon, huh? I thought I should come talk to you for a bit.\par +Cassia: I'm listening, Ren. Go ahead.\par +Ren: I want to let you know I'll protect you. Man, that's pretty lame...\par +Cassia: Yeah?\par +Ren: I wrote you a song. I was on the edge about playing it, I've been meaning to play it for a while. I actually wrote it a long time ago, but I don't want to leave regrets.\par +Cassia: You'll play a song for me?\par +Ren: Yes...it's about you.\par +Ren plays Cassia's Theme, accompanied by his voice.\par +At the end, Cassia claps. Ren bows his head.\par +Cassia: Amazing! Amazing, Ren!\par +Ren: Thank you...\par +Cassia: When did you write it?\par +Ren: (sigh) When I met you, really. It's about that moment.\par +Cassia's heart is stilled.\par +Ren: Um...anyways...I'll be going.\par +Ren gets up and walks to the door.\par +Cassia: Ren, wait-\par +Ren stops and looks back.\par +He looked back into a kiss.\par +Afterwards, Ren smiles.\par +Ren: Sleep well.\par +Cassia: You, too.\par +The next morning, Cassia wakes up to some texts from Ren. She has notifications and checks them.\par +Ren: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +Cassia: <>\par +Ren responds immediately.\par +Ren: <>\par +Cassia: <>\par +Ren: <>\par +\par +## Angel and Chloe Before the Final Night\par +Cassia hears a knock at the door and goes check.\par +Angel and Chloe are there when the door opens.\par +Cassia: Oh, hey, guys!\par +Angel: Hey! How you feeling?\par +Chloe: We came to check on you. A big day's coming.\par +Cassia: Oh, thank you. I need this. Did you want to come in?\par +Angel: We were going to bring you out. Chloe couldn't sleep, and I couldn't either. We were going to go on a walk and wanted to check on you.\par +Cassia: Oh! Then I'll get dressed.\par +Angel: Don't worry about it.\par +Cassia runs back and gets into her shoes and jacket.\par +She hops right back out.\par +Cassia: Let's go.\par +The girls chat as they walk, keeping their voices down.\par +Chloe: I'm so glad you are willing to come with us. I'll be real with you. This is scary stuff we're getting into. I mean, I knew it for a while, but this is getting real.\par +Cassia: Yeah, I know right. I'm feeling it, too.\par +Angel: Yeah...\par +Cassia: How did you get out, Angel?\par +Angel: Hehe, I know, right! I just snuck out. It won't be too bad if I'm only out for a bit. My mom's asleep, so...\par +Cassia: How much more in trouble could you get, right?\par +Angel: A bit how I felt...(sigh) My poor mom.\par +Chloe: Have you talked to her about it at all?\par +Angel: No...Aren't I awful? Chloe, tell me I'm awful.\par +Chloe: Just being real, if I was in your shoes with your precious mom, I wouldn't want to worry her. It's a hard position to be in.\par +Cassia: It'll be over soon. I'm not sure if we can sneak around any longer after this. Everything will be revealed or everything will be sealed.\par +Chloe: What about Rune? What about Lotus and Phlox? Will we be saying good-bye?\par +Angel: Man...What if we are ending all of that? I don't want to sound shallow or whatever, but that world is so cool and made me feel so important. I'm not ready to say good-bye to all that.\par +Cassia: I think we'll be able to explore there afterwards. In fact, we may be exiled down there and unable to ever come up again because of what would happen if we get caught.\par +Angel: Oh no. I can so see that happening, too. You really think? Oh my poor mom...\par +Chloe: Cassia! This is a calm down walk. You're getting us sick.\par +Cassia: What can I say? My mind is churning with these thoughts. We should be ready. Prince Lotus may give all of us titles for this. You girls ready to be royalty?\par +Angel: Princess Cassia, hmm?\par +Chloe: Oh, we won't be princesses unless he marries us.\par +Angel: Oh gosh, you're right. Um...Duchess Cassia?\par +Cassia: I think I'll be going for princess.\par +Angel: Ow, ow! You serious? Do you like him?\par +Chloe: That's amazing. Honestly, I guess, if you get along with a prince, you should go for it. I don't know if I could settle down with an earth angel, though.\par +Angel: Would it be awkward with my name? It might have to be you. Once you're in the system, grant us refugee status if we really need it?\par +Cassia: I hope Prince Lotus rules with a good view of humans. His whole platform at the moment is to kill and destroy all humans and human influence.\par +Chloe: You think we're making a mistake giving a human hater so much power right and a whole kingdom directly underneath a significantly weakened human settlement full of all the people we love? (sigh) I'm only half joking.\par +Cassia: I haven't really thought about it. I dunno. Maybe I should think about things better. Well, Prince Lotus seems like a decent guy. He seems to rely on us. He can't be too racist against all humans, right? Just the mayor and his croonies.\par +Chloe: (sigh) We'll see.\par +Angel: Let's shift topics. Both of you have the worst senses of dark humor sarcasm and I love you all, but I just can't listen to it right now. Do you hear that? How quiet and still the night is? It's lovely. The breeze is nice. Winter is coming soon. That'll be your birthday coming up, both of you.\par +Chloe: Haha, sorry, Angel. We'll stop.\par +Cassia: It is beautiful out here. I don't know about you two, but this is definitely calming me down.\par +Chloe: Agreed. Angel, should we plan a party for Cassia when this is over? You asked me to plan the welcoming party with you, but I was busy then...\par +Angel: Yeah...that'll be fun.\par +Angel: Well, we've ended up at my house. I'll sneak in. You ladies alright by yourselves? I don't want my mom to miss me...\par +Chloe: We're god killers now. I think we can walk alone anywhere after what we've seen.\par +Angel: True. Night, ladies. See your beautiful faces tomorrow.\par +Cassia: Night, Angel.\par +Chloe: God bless.\par +Angel sneaks in. Everything seems to go well.\par +Chloe: Should we walk back to your house?\par +Cassia: Okay, sure.\par +Chloe and Cassia walk back together to Cassia's house.\par +Chloe: It's really late. I should head back or Father will be worried. Actually, do you want to spend the night with us? We have spare beds. For your safety, I worry if someone will come for our leader while she's sleeping all alone in that house...\par +Cassia: Please, actually.\par +Cassia and Chloe walk back to the church and Father greets them at the door.\par +Father: I'm glad you're safe, Chloe. Is Cassia spending the night?\par +Cassia: If I may.\par +Father: Absolutely. It's probably the best idea. I'll make sure both of you are safe. No matter who comes for you, they'll have to come through me.\par +Chloe: Do you mean that, Father?\par +Father: Yes. I will protect you and assist how I can in ending the regime below us.\par +Cassia: Father, may I ask you about that?\par +Father: Not tonight. Tonight, you must rest. Maybe an earlier or later night.\par +\par +## Cassia Asks Father What He Knows About the Underground\par +Father, when he was a younger firebrand, did some regretful actions which led to a tragic backstory. He needs to atone himself for helping the mayor, his old friend.\par +Cassia: Father...You're helping us out of guilt, aren't you? Why are you so personally involved in and supportive of our operations? Aren't they wrong? Isn't it a sin to go against authority?\par +Father: It's time for change. This is a personal atonement I must make. \par +## Mayor Boss Fight\par +Maybe Prince Lotus is taking the fight to the king here and fighting him and his older brother.\par +Maybe the party splits here and Prince Lotus takes the party members of your choice to fight the royal family alone. Find a way to indicate power lwvel or key needed skills snd a way to hint at them so the player knows. The NPC team will fight the rotal family and Cassia's team gies on gto fight the Mayor's family. They promise to meet up afterwards and fight together, under Cassia's control.\par +Mayor: Hahaha, you fools. As you fought me, the real work was taking place. My wife has finished the ritual.\par +Cassia: Bluff all you want! I will stop all of your croonies!\par +Mayor: Eurgh...\par +>Finish him\par +Cassia: It doesn't matter. I'll kill you.\par +Cassia deals the final blow, thrusts her sword through his head and heart, and turns to leave.\par +>Leave him\par +Cassia: You're pathetic. Don't waste our time.\par +Cassia turns to leave.\par +Cassia: Guys, let's get out of here.\par +Aries: To the burial grounds!\par +Angel: We'll stop them.\par +## Cassia and Her Companions Reach the Ritual Chamber\par +Mayor: You-\par +Cassia: We'll stop at nothing!\par +The mayor is surrounded by dark power.\par +Rune steps forward: Guys, we're too late! He's summoning Saturn!\par +Night: He's what!\par +Blythe: I thought the end is where you get a wish granted!\par +Rune: A wish? This is the burial ground of our god!\par +Chloe: Your- God...? (Chloe's eyes are bright and wide, her face in shock)\par +Angel: So like Satan? (confused shock)\par +Chloe: Uh, basically.\par +Angel: Oh...\par +The party gapes. The screen transitions to a high angle view overlooking the obscured manifestation of power then, far below, the party gazing upon it in horror, hatred, and initiative.\par +Epic chorus-driven boss music begins to play.\par +The screen transitions into the boss fight.\par +Like Persona, the characters talk a little before actually fighting.\par +Chloe: Let's blast him with the power of God and seal him once more in the Abyss!\par +It's a long, grueling, difficult battle.\par +It is a classic, three-part battle where you fight the woman and her ascending form.\par +At the end, her form dissolves into her limp body. She falls a bit, too.\par +The Mayor swoops in and grabs her. He yells and transforms into the final boss, Satan and Lucifer, who is finally willing to take someone.\par +They summon lots of devils during the fight, turn Rune against the party, and use unholy cursed magic.\par +Finally, they win.\par +\par +## Short Lived Victory.\par +The oarty falls back on their butts and hands in relief. Some of the girls are crying.\par +Blythe: Whew! (wipes brow dramatically)\par +Ren: Did we do it?\par +Cassia doesn't answer, watching Prince Lotus approach with a stoic expression.\par +Chloe looks upon him with dirision and suspicion.\par +Cassia: Where's Aries? Where's Night? Why are you alone?\par +Prince Lotus: Time to tie up some lose ends.\par +Cassia: Why! We helped you!\par +Prince Lotus: As I helped you. Now, we've accomplished all I can. Now to be a real leader, I need to make an example of any humans.\par +If I can't come up with a decent reason for him to actually be evil besides him of course being a devil prince, he will be the ambiguous coup ruler of the Abyss.\par +\par +## Boss fight: Prince Lotus\par +Can be avoided or if not he can be romanced before this point for mega awkward change to this scene\par +After he is slain, all the rebel earth angels turn on you. Many are glad to be rid of him. There are fighting factions now: an Abyss divided.\par +Cassia has to ask a group of rwbels why they continue to fight for a dead amd bested leader and put their homeland in turmoil during a time they could be rebuilding\par +The group of rebel earth angels: We will fight to the last person to rid the earth of you humans!\par +This conveniently leaves some end game of fighting the rebel earth angels in the abyss, maybe.\par +\par +## Where are my Friends?\par +Angel: Let's find Aries and Night first.\par +Cassia: At once!\par +They run to where the royal family was. The royal family is slain, and Aries and Night are unconscious and injured.\par +Angel: There they are!!\par +Chloe jumps to their side.\par +Chloe: I'm here, I'll take care of you!\par +Chloe begins treating their wounds. Being a powerful healer who can even bring back the dead at this point, it's no insurmountable trouble for her no matter what condition they are in. To see them like that is shocking nonetheless, though.\par +Now if Chloe's there, Night will jump to the rescue.\par +Night: There-! I'm coming.\par +Night leaps to their sides and into action, setting up his ritual.\par +Night: I'm not so good as Chloe. Once she's up, she'll be able to patch everyone up. It'll be okay.\par +If both Chloe and Night are down and Cassia is unable to resurrect, they will be in a pickle.\par +Rune: Phlox- Or someone like her. I'll call her.\par +After he calls her, their bodies disappear.\par +Rune: Phlox has them...they'll be fine.\par +Angel: Oh, thank goodness...\par +If Chloe and Night are down and someone can resurrect, they'll ask Cassia.\par +Angel: Should I? I don't really like the responsibility if something goes wrong, but...it looks like it's up to me.\par +Cassia: Do it.\par +Angel: Right.\par +\par +## After the Final Boss Rush\par +The mall caves in, and the abyss is revealed.\par +The people learn about the earth angels\par +The region is flooded with top national journalists.\par +\par +## The Walk Back\par +The party is reunited and runs and hugs each other.\par +Blythe: So everyone's okay?\par +Aries: Okay? We're invincible!\par +Angel: We really are, though. What more could be said? How are we going to celebrate? I'm going to plan the most amazing party after this!\par +Ren: Oh no...I'm going to be sleeping for a week once we pause long enough. I have no idea where you get this energy from.\par +Night: Really, though, what is after this? What did we do, really?\par +Cassia: For our day-to-day lives up on the overworld, I seriously have no idea. We just got rid of our local government. If anyone investigates that, which they are sure to, we are probably going to be implicated. I have no idea what would come of that. He will be missed eventualy, though. He was our city's backbone. He was the leader of the mall, our school, the whole city government. And to be honest, I'm dreading that. I did the right thing. I stuck with my convictions. That's true for you guys, too, I know it. But I don't know how our actions will be received. Really, though, I say judst let it happen. Don't sweat it. We're heroes and we know it. For our reputations down here, well...\par +Night: It's anarchy down here. We're kingslayers. We killed the rebel prince. We killed the human dictators. We alone live to tell the true account of what happened here, and we are the race of the defacto enemy. What can we do?\par +Cassia: I don't know how their society will take it. They have no structure or anything. Some of them were born into slavery and are suddenly now free. They'll probably be heading into civil war.\par +Blythe: Seriously?\par +Night: I completely agree with that prediction. The conditions are perfect for a military coup, a populist rise to power, and a dictator's reign. We might have made it worse. But their fate is a little less pressing. They're going to kill us. Nothing will hold them back.\par +Rune: Um...I can teleport you out if you're scared you're in danger.\par +Cassia: No thank you, Rune. I want to explore a little.\par +Rune: Should I be prepared to warp us out at a minute's notice?\par +Cassia: Haha, yeah, probably...\par +Rune: Okay. (Nervous)\par +Cassia: Alright, let's go!\par +## Rune Teleports the Party out of the Abyss into Cassia's Livingroom\par +Cassia: Okay, Rune, get us out of here!\par +Rune: Right away!\par +Rune teleports the party away.\par +Aries: Back here again, eh?\par +Rune: Uh, I didn't know where. Hah, I just put us here.\par +Cassia: My bedroom? You could barely have done better.\par +Night: Well, let's keep it down. Who knows who is waiting to trap us. Really, we shouldn't stay long...\par +Angel: Will we have to confront them eventually or hide forever? I don't think I can live like that...\par +Blythe: Bah. Rune, exactly how good are you at teleporting? Can you warp us away to Malibu or Tokyo or Rome?\par +Rune: Um...where?\par +Chloe: If you can figure out how to teach him, I'll come with you guys. I think we all need a vacation.\par +Ren: Doesn't sound bad...\par +Night: Honestly, our situation could be worse than being foreigners with a devil in a country without passports or fluency in the language.\par +Cassia: Maybe I'll do the side quest to take us all out to Tokyo. Maybe find an accurate anime or something.\par +Blythe: Figures. That's a no, then.\par +Aries: Guys, get serious! What are our other choices?\par +Chloe: Whisper, Aries.\par +Aries: Yeah, sorry. We are wasting our time and we will be getting ourselves in big trouble. Focus, guys! Where should we go? What can we do?\par +The party is hushed and thoughtful.\par +Chloe: So we can flee the country, if we can get Rune on it. We can turn ourselves in sooner instead of getting caught and hopefully lessen the consequences...\par +Delphine: Wow...\par +Chloe: Yeah. We could kill anyone whom comes for us. We're part of the way through anyways, jusy keep pushing until we get to the light at the other end.\par +Angel: Just wow.\par +Chloe: We could live among the earth angels and find a way to integrate into their society. That may be best for you, Rune.\par +Rune looks at his feet bashfully.\par +Chloe: Eh, we could...You know, if you guys have any alternatives, we should be spitballing right now.\par +Angel: Well...We could--\par +Just then, there is a rap at the door. Everyone has ice spikes through their limbs and falls dead silent and can't move apart from their eyes, which lock onto the door.\par +A hand falls on the doorknob, grasps, turns, and the door opens, revealing dark. The form enters and Blythe and Delphine shriek.\par +Uncle: Huh? Oh, you guys are here, hey.\par +Uncle greets them as he lumbers on in, cool, chill, and unassuming.\par +All the kids are taken aback.\par +Chloe laughs to cope with the anxiety.\par +Night: Well, lock the door behind you.\par +Uncle: Yeah? It that bad?\par +Cassia jumps up and hugs his neck.\par +Cassia: Uncle, I don't know what to do about this!\par +Uncle lays his eyes on Rune. Rune quivers.\par +Uncle: You brought one of them in here? Wow, it's real bad huh?\par +Rune watches him guardedly.\par +Uncle: It was you guys who killed the mayor, huh?\par +Everyone jumps and is shocked into a second turn of silence.\par +Uncle: The royal family, the heirs, the plantation owners, huh?\par +Cassia: Yes....Yes, Uncle.\par +Uncle looks at them all really seriously\par +Uncle: You know the chief of police was sending me in first. I'm going to have to send you in to jail.\par +Everyone looks horrified. Angel cries.\par +Aries: You serious, old man?\par +Uncle breaks into a laugh. Everyone looks like they were just shot then found out it was for a prank.\par +Uncle: Oh ho ho... You should look at you all. Hooey!\par +Aries: What are you saying, old man! What is it going through your head?\par +Uncle: Oh, sorry, sorry kids! You all sit tight and relax. Uncle isn't gonna let a hair on your heads in danger. It was a\par +mean joke and maybe one too far, but how could I not. You all look like you witnessed your own funeral. Now come on in, Angel, stop crying, baby girl. It's alright.\par +Aries: You think everything we've been through is FUNNY? I'll kill you!\par +Cassia: Relax, Aries. My uncle's weird, okay? He's so...very...weird. So how do you know all this?\par +Uncle: Oh, it's a long story. I won't bore you with it just right now but I owe it to you later, you got that guaranteed. What's big right now is the cop swarm you stirred up. Now, I was kidding that I have any support for 'em, but I wasn't kidding that they'd take you in the second they spot you to hold yeah until they figure out just what to do with you all.\par +Ren: Are you serious? They'd really put us in jail?\par +Uncle: For sure, son. Your disappearance is on the news and everything.\par +Blythe: For real? Haha, wow. It's all over for us. What about Night's career?\par +Uncle: Night is getting media silence. Still getting that coverage the Mayor gave ya, huh?\par +Night: He found out when it was too late, I guess.\par +Uncle: Other than that, all of you on plastered everywhere.\par +Angel: What about my mom..?\par +Uncle: Oh, she's on fire. She asserts you would never do anything wrong, that you're her daughter.\par +Blythe: Oh, Mrs. Angel...\par +Delphine: Of course...\par +Angel is deeply ashamed.\par +Uncle: I believe her. You did nothing wrong, Angel. You were clearing out the underworld. The swamp isn't going to let that go like it's the right thing to do, but I know. It's alright, Angel.\par +Night: Sheesh, are you saying I could stop hiding with them and walk around like I didm't do nothing?\par +Uncle: Maybe so, kid. You're friends with all these guys, so you'll be questioned. I dunno how prepared you are for that.\par +Blythe: Would you abandon us, Night?\par +Cassia: I don't know...If that's true, maybe you should.\par +Night: I couldn't leave you, Cassia. I'm right here until the end.\par +Uncle: Atta boy! Now you kids got a place to go or you hiding well in here?\par +Cassia smiles.\par +Uncle: And you, devil boy...You running from home?\par +Rune: Yes...I am.\par +Uncle: Now, you would make quite the spectacle if caught. Watch yourself.\par +Rune: Yes...\par +## The Police Catch Them\par +They end up going to jail, just holding until their trial, and then they get a guest: The wardens lead in the President of the Condederate States of America.\par +Police: Stop! Show your hands! Get on the ground!\par +Blythe: Oh man...\par +Everyone complies.\par +Police: We're taking you in.\par +They separate everyone and take them in.\par +Cassia is stuck in her cell. \par +## The Government Gets Involved\par +# Act 5\par +## Kicking Down the Mayor's Door\par +Prince Lotus joins the party. \par +Prince Lotus kicks open the door to the Mayor's office.\par +Prince Lotus: We're here to finish this.\par +Mayor: (Gasp) ...Lotus, is that you? \par +King Garden: Lotus...My boy, I am very disappointed in you.\par +Prince: I will be securing my birthright, even if you want to take it away from me! My people will be freed. This is a coup.\par +Mayor: If you want to take it that way, so be it. \par +The boss battle rush begins against the royal family and the mayor.\par +## Reach the End\par +## Cassia is in Jail\par +Cassia wakes up the next morning.\par +Cassia: Wow...so it wasn't a dream. I really am in jail.\par +Cassia: If they try me, there's no way I'm getting out...I may even get the death penalty, too. This is awful. I have to try to get out of here. It may make things worse, but I don't have a chance to begin with...\par +Cassia: Blah, they have a skill block up. And they confiscated all my items.\par +Cassia: Videogames make it look so easy to escape, but I just don't think I can do it. It's all over for me...\par +Cassia: I don't even think Rune could teleport us away. They have kept us under skill block since spotting us.\par +Cassia: I guess I still have the human element. If my charisma stat is high enough, perhaps I can just talk to someone and work my way out of here. Maybe even the judge. I think all my friends will be tried separately, though, so I can only clear me. If I get out, maybe I can help the others...\par +Cellmate: You meditating or scheming?\par +Cassia: Scheming (distraught expression)\par +Cellmate: Ah...Well, nothing you can do, haha. Nothing that I haven't tried.\par +Cellmate: My name's Patience.\par +Cassia: Cassia.\par +Patience: What are you in for, Cassia? You are too young and sweet to be in a place like this.\par +Cassia: Um...it's a lot to explain. I killed the mayor and the royal family of a hidden and forgotten subterranean kingdom that was taken over by my mayor and turned into plantations and sweatshops.\par +Patience is taken aback.\par +Patience: You know you're crazy, right?\par +Cassia: Well, it happened. I even brought one of the Subterranean race members back with me, but he's in this jail, too.\par +Patience: (whistles) Dang, girl. Then I guess I'll be hearing about this when the gossip rolls around at lunch time. So you some big damn hero.\par +Cassia: You didn't say why you're here.\par +Patience: The accusation is racketeering, but I had no part in that. My no good boyfriend was, though, but they raided my apartment and took me in instead. The absolute state of the police!\par +Patience: Ho, I know those footsteps. You're getting a visitor. Look good.\par +Cassia brushes her fingers through her hair. Patience retreats to the back corner and quietly reads.\par +The warden approaches with her uncle.\par +The warden explains: Cassia. James Bay would like to speak to you, but keep it short. I will be watching you.\par +Uncle: Cassia! Deborah's sweet little girl is in jail. Wow, you mother is going to kill me.\par +Cassia: Does mom know...?\par +Uncle: Oh yeah. The police notified the family. They've been lighting up my phone like fire, and I've been playing damage control.\par +Maybe the uncle should keep that all secret or even lie about it because it only stresses the very stressed-out Cassia even more.\par +Uncle: Your friends are all okay. They're all locked up, even your devilboy friend. I'll visit them later, but I gotta see my sweetie first.\par +Uncle: Now, I know being in jail is shameful no matter how innocent you are, but the townspeople know and we're pooling for a good defense attorney.\par +Uncle: The world's moving. You did great things for us and really proved yourself and we'll repay you. We're all fighting for you, Cassia.\par +Cassia: Thank you, Uncle. I'm scared...\par +Uncle: Don't cry, babe. You are a perfect little angel.\par +Cassia: What are they going to do with Rune?\par +Uncle: Well, we are worried about that. They're holding him for now but not for trial but to figure out what to do.\par +Cassia: (sad)\par +Uncle: Look, keep your chIn up. Can you look me in the eye and tell me, assert to me, promise me you did nothing wrong.\par +Cassia: I didn't do nothing...\par +Uncle: Then you're going to be fine. Keep your chin up and don't cry. I'll take you out for ice cream in Montgomery once we get out. I'll drive you to New Orleans. Heck, I'll take you to (the old name for Hawaii).\par +Cassia: I'll look forward to it (chin quivering)\par +Uncle: Atta girl!\par +Cassia: How is--\par +Warden: That's time up.\par +Uncle: I love you! I'll check on the other kids, pep Em up. Later!\par +Cassia: Bye...\par +The warden and her uncle leave.\par +Cassia slumps.\par +Patience: Don't be like that. Who was that guy?\par +Cassia: My uncle...I've been living with him this year\par +Patience: He a cool guy. I like him.\par +Cassia: Yeah...He's pretty weird, though.\par +Patience: Really?\par +Patience: So tell me about that devil guy. He the subterranean you were talking about?\par +Cassia: Yeah...Rune. He looks like an earthy angel, with delicate wings and empty black eyes and pale skin and robes. He's beautiful. His language sounds like singing and ringing of bells.\par +Patience: He help you guys?\par +Cassia: A bit. He helped teach us about the area and people and history. He lived there, so he knew how bad the kingdom was corrupted and taken over.\par +Patience: Man, I thought my boyfriend was an adventure, but all he got me was in jail. It sounds like you're more fun, if it all ends here anyways. Coups and other races n shieet.\par +Cassia: Yeah...\par +\par +## It's Time for Patience\par +The warden is coming.\par +Patience: It's time, isn't it, Cassia? (dry)\par +Cassia: Time? For what-? (Confused)\par +Patience doesn't answer. She gets up and walks over closer to the door.\par +Warden: It's time, Patience.\par +The warden spends time cuffing up Patience and telling her the procedures. Patience nods, yessiring back.\par +They both leave together, Cassia left locked alone.\par +Cassia: Patience!\par +Patience: Later, Cassia.\par +Now Cassia spends time alone without a guide or sympathizer.\par +\par +## The President Interferes\par +Maybe the region is _not_ flooded with press. Maybe the government engages in a large-scale coverup.\par +Maybe you have to fight the president, too.\par +Maybe he wants to conquer the Abyss. The reasons are obvious - riches, resources, and land and his opposition is already taken care of, thanks to you.\par +Maybe foreshadow the presidential survellience. Add a double agent to the party or town cast or some spies. Maybe even add the double agent to the Mayor's team and have a scene where he evaluates Cassia and her involvement and side and intentions. The agent should add to Cassia's forces, giving free resources, training, or weapons or whatever. Maybe the uncle is the spy. \par +\par +The warden comes, a little startled.\par +Warden: Uh...You have a visitor. Let's go to the visitation center.\par +The warden leads Cassia over.\par +The President doesn't follow the procedure. He busts right in, and walks right in.\par +President: Cassia, do you know who I am?\par +Cassia is stunned breathlessly.\par +Cassia: President Jackson...?\par +President: That's right! And you are a hero.\par +Cassia: I'm a what?\par +President: And heroes shouldn't be in here. I tell you what, little lady, I'm going to get you and your little friends out of here.\par +Cassia: Thank you, Mr. President! But-\par +President: Cassia. I know precisely everything about the Abyss underneath your town and the mayor who sought my throne! We have been trying to undermine their rebellion for years but unsure how to do it discreetly. Then your crew swings in, destabilizes the region, and eliminates our confederate traitor. Fast, discreet, clean! Well, except alerting the police at the very end there, but I can step in there at the very least.\par +The president turns to the warden and addresses him.\par +President: Let Cassia out.\par +Warden: Wha- This isn't the procedure. You should speak to my manager about-- (startled)\par +President: (glare portrait) ...\par +Warden: At once, sir! (fright)\par +The warden goes through the procedure of opening the door, silently and routinely.\par +Warden: Cassia\par +Cassia walks out of the cell hesitantly.\par +President: Thank you, Mr. Stone. Now, Cassia, come with me. \par +Cassia follows the President, completely confused. She catches the Warden's eye as she passes, and he is just as bewildered as she is. The other prisoners snear and jeer as they walk by, but the president ignores them. Finally, Cassia asks the President anything.\par +Cassia: Uh...Mr. President, what about my sentence?\par +President: You will not be serving a sentence. You will not even be receiving a trial. I am fully pardoning you and all of this is going to disappear. Don't think I don't know about your friends. None of them will be receiving any penalties for their act of heroicism and service to this great country. I am the President of the Confederate States of America. Do you not realize the power I have?\par +Cassia: But why, sir?\par +President: My agent has been keeping my informed. I am very proud of you.\par +The President leads her to an office and walks right up to the desk. \par +Jailmaster: Now you can't--wha\par +The president whips a stack of papers out of his briefcase and slaps them on the table.\par +President: You will immediately clear Cassia Juste, Ren Py, Chloe Dove, Angel Ward, Blythe Howard, Night Sky, Aries Prince, Delphine Defrancois, and that demon boy right here in front of me.\par +Jailmaster: Sir-\par +President glares once again.\par +Jailmaster: Yes sir...\par +The Jailmaster goes through some paperwork and says\par +Jailmaster: It's done...I'll finish up, but I'll send someone to get them out.\par +President: At once!\par +The Jailmaster rings up some people.\par +The President observes him and says\par +President: Let's go get your friends.\par +The President leads her to each of her friends. They are each shocked by circumstances. Rune is bewildered, though. He doesn't know any of these people. \par +Rune: Who are you? What's going on? Cassia!\par + President: I am the President of the country you live in the dirt of. I'm well aware of your people, so you don't surprise me. What does surprise me is that one of you ended up in my prison system. I've released you just the same, so you can go back to be with your friends or whatever.\par +Cassia: It's okay, Rune. Come with us.\par +Rune: Okay...\par +The President leads them to get their possessions back.\par +The President leads them all out to the courtland.\par +President: Now, you are free. There is only one condition. You will be having dinner with me next week on Thursday. I will honor your bravery. How does that sound?\par +Cassia: Can we have some answers then?\line President: Haha, certainly you can chat with me. I am in a hurry, though, unfortunately. I must be going.\par +The President hurries away, leaving Cassia and her companions staring at each other outside the prison.\par +## Out of Jail\par +Blythe: Before any of you talk or whatever, let's leave as soon as possible. Now. To go anywhere.\par +They leave. Once they reach a comfortable distance away, they begin to talk.\par +Angel: I'm so stunned, I couldn't talk for so long.\par +Delphine: I had no idea what I was going to do! My mom came and visited me last night and just cried until the Warden took her away!\par +Angel: Oh, don't even bring up moms...\par +Ren: This is Montgomery, Night, isn't it?\par +Night: Yes. We're somewhere downtown right now.\par +Blythe: Wow, I barely realized it, but we really are, aren't we?\par +Fades to a panning image of the big city.\par +Night: Are we really free?\par +Cassia: I watched the president sign the papers...\par +Everyone takes a collective sight.\par +Angel: Lucky...\par +Cassia: I think it's more than luck. I think we might have been pawns or something. I don't think this is all over.\par +Blythe: Wow, it never ends. Not ever since you moved in.\par +Cassia: Yeah...\par +Night: Does anybody have anything? I just have my ID and some money.\par +Blythe: Seriously? They're lucky I didn't have health potions and throwing knives.\par +Night: Where can we stay? We can't even us the city transit...\par +Cassia: I have an uncle who lives here, but he's away on business right now, I think...\par +Chloe: Wow, really? I didn't know our group had connections to places like this.\par +Ren: Oh...\par +Angel: Oh my. I don't know about any of this. I'm so glad we're with an expert.\par +Night: Yeah...I--\par +## Uncle Reappears with a Place to Stay and an Explanation of Who He is\par +Uncle: There you are! \par +Everyone turns to the pointed voice.\par +Cassia: Uncle!\par +Uncle: There you all are! I got a place for you to stay.\par +Night: Hotel rooms?\par +Uncle: Oh, you'll see. I'll explain everything there.\par +Uncle leads them to a national hotel. It can be Trump Tower, Lacroix Tower inspired.\par +Night: Wah- No...\par +Angel: What is it?\par +Chloe: Yeah, what, Night?\par +Cassia: This is Trump Tower. \line Blythe: What!\par +Uncle: Right inside, guys. After me.\par +Receptionist: Ah, Agent Uncle...Go right ahead. And the children?\par +Uncle: They're with me.\par +Receptionist: Certainly. Enjoy your stay.\par +Ren: What is going on...?\par +Uncle takes out his card and swipes it at the elevator. \line Uncle steps aside and directs his hand.\par +Uncle: Go ahead.\par +Everybody gets on the elevator. Uncle gets on last.\par +Uncle pushes the buttons and the doors close.\par +Angel: Uh...\par +(This is a moment for an awkward elevator ride, one of my favorite things from Mass Effect 1.)\par +\par +\par +## Say Good-bye to Friends\par +# The End\par +No party limit. Bring everyone and build an epic like 20-man team build against the ultimate boss\par +## Cassia's Birthday\par +Cassia's other uncle comes back to visit. He comments on how much she's grown and matured since then and it makes him proud. Cassia's honestly speechless confronted with all the change since he drove her down here.\par +\par +## The Fate of the Mayor\par +Cassia can let him live, kill him, or work with him.\par +Maybe he gets arrested and the news learns about everything through the subsequent investigations.\par +Maybe the government thanks you for uncovering the coup plot against the Confederacy.\par +## The Fate of Prince Lotus\par +Cassia can kill him, let him live, or work with him.\par +Maybe he gives up easily when he is clearly outnumbered and his supporters aren't so cozy as he had hoped. He folds and is welcomed back to a smug family, letting him take back his place of insignificance and no real power, complete subservience to his parents and older siblings. \par +\par +# Holidays\par +Have a good mix of "made up" holidays and real world holidays. Space them out well for good rhythm. Something new and exciting. New theme. Change the town and characters up visually.\par +## New Years' Eve & New Years' Day\par +## Independence Day\par +Celebrated not about England but about the United States. Confederate symbols abound, but the holiday itself is probably very similar to our real world Independance day: barbeque, lawns, pools, fireworks, and patriotic symbols and messages.\par +## Mall Town Day\par +The day the Mayor bought the town. It would be boring to just have education or something. Maybe some ridiculous school play that has to be put on every year.\par +## Halloween\par +Trick or treat at every house.\par +Buy silly costumes online or in stores.\par +## Thanksgiving\par +Cassia wonders if her uncle will be there for Thanksgiving or if she should join Angel's family.\par +Maybe a big town-wide gathering potluck.\par +Eat until you're stuffed.\par +## Black Friday & Cyber Monday\par +The library advertises cringey "100%" ads on its books, movies, CDs, and games. It's really preachy.\par +Some people participate in #buynothing day and it's really cringey and preachy and anti-capitalist and stuff.\par +Some people drive to Montgomery for the sales. Should the player be able to visit Montgomery?\par +## Christmas\par +Christmas party outfits! Maybe different themes for different years. Christmas sweaters, Christmas dresses, all white & gold, all ren & green, elfs, trees\par +# Romance Arcs\par +Reference Zodiac Compatibility Charts for Descriptions. Maybe even use them? MBTI compatibility, too.\par +## Romancing Night, the Sapiosexual\par +He is stuck up and believes everyone to be beneath him. He is surrounded by imbeciles who cannot fathom or begin to have an equal footing conversation with him. However, he begins to acknowledge that Cassia, the Player Character, has this spark of intelligence to her. She is the only person he can talk to and feel like he is actually talking to someone. It's such a relief and so special. Honestly, he expected everyone was so dull in the boonies because the boonies are dull. He expected in the city to find intellectual peers, but even then found no one interesting or compelling. Everything thinks he's smart, so they just passively accept his expertise. Everyone praises him and is so easily impressed with simple things. No one understands him and he always feels like he's babysitting others. But Cassia is different. Cassia is the first person he cares about. Who he wants to listen to. Who has valuable ideas. Who will argue with him and sit solidly on her principles. And she's beautiful.\par +Cassia thinks he is in the wrong, trying to teach him to appreciate everyone for their strengths. He's not surrounded by mindless NPCs but real people with depth. Night and Cassia argue over this, and sometimes, Cassia begins to wonder if she's the one who's wrong.\par +Night despairs because he knows he must leave soon and is uncertain whether Cassia would pursue him. He feels he has little time and needs to make good use of it.\par +## Romancing Aries, a Partnership\par +Aries doesn't expect less of women, so a lot of people think he's a woman hater and too hard on women. He's actually very egalitarian. Unfortunately, most women either judge him harshly or cannot live up to his high standard, which is equal to men and himself. His standard is usually based on combat skill, since he loves working out his body, pushing his limits, and being strong enough to protect others. He also appreciates high intellect, high artistic ability, or honestly any admirable mastery of skill over a passionate field of expertise.\par +He tried dating the amazonian Angel, strong and kind, but it severely did not work out. Aries got over it and moved on, but Angel holds a heavy grudge against him and sometimes wants back together and sometimes hates his guts. Aries hates that mood swingy nonsense. \par +Cassia, however, is strong and masters anything she sets her mind to. Aries feels like he can challenge her and be challenged by her. They work out together, get stronger together, learn together, study together, and never let the other fall behind. If anything bad happens, Aries is poised to defend and take full blame off her. He will protect her like a shield.\par +Romancing Aries hurts Cassia's relationship with Angel and less so with Blythe because it's just awkward and weird to date Angel's exe when they did not break up that long ago. And, even worse, Angel still thinks there's a chance of getting back together with him. But Angel tries not to let it get in between her relationship with Cassia, even though it's obvious she disapproves. Eventually, this leads to a confrontation where Angel sets Cassia free with her consent or Angel's quite hurt by Cassia.\par +## Romancing Ren, Artist and Muse\par +Ren is a bit of an outcast in his mind. Although he always hangs out with Blythe and Angel or Chloe and Night, he always feels isolated due to his interests. His relationship with Chloe came close, but he doesn't want to force her to choose between God and him. He loves art, he loves poetry, he loves classical music, he loves animal bones and being cute. He isn't so manly and he is artistic. No one but the forbidden Chloe can connect with him on this spiritual level. He appreciates that Delphine also loves nature, but she loves it in more of a practical, ecologically mindful way where he is purely transcendental. \par +All this until Cassia comes along. She lies in the grass, giggling like a bell, calling for encores of his forest cello performances. She'll read poetry with him. Cassia takes Chloe's place in this, and since Chloe is quite possessive, she drifts away from Ren, even though she wants to paint herself as unconcerned, unjealous, and uninvolved in Ren's love life. Chloe prays and desperately hopes to get back with Ren, her true love. As it is obvious that Cassia serves as a muse, where Chloe once did, becoming a character in his music and songs and poetry and art. Chloe begins to recognize this from afar. It leads to a confrontation where Chloe lets Cassia understand how this hurts her. Ridiculous, she knows. Cassia can be understanding, but Chloe will ultimately let her have him either way. Maybe it's for the best that Ren's taken. Sigh.\par +## Romancing Rune, Welcome to Alabama, My Forbidden Love!\par +Rune is a lost sheep, wide-doe-eyed, gaping at simple everyday miracles like froyo. He never knew human society and it is markedly different in many ways. Cassia enjoys being his first with activities, coming up with gifts and activities that will surprise him. \par +Rune is a little dependent on Cassia, once showing mastery and domination over his level, he now is lost in an unfamilar world. He is honestly quite childish and cute, wanting to hold hands to not get lost, speaking quietly so Cassia has to lean in, asking Cassia to order food for him, and so on.\par +People are shocked to see an earth angel in real life. Other girls are jealous that Cassia has such an exotic and lovely boyfriend. Others are disgusted by the race mixing. Others are concerned about what it even means. Chloe doesn't think you should get emotionally entangled like that. Only date someone you would marry, and how could you marry someone who isn't even human!\par +Cassia flirts with Rune.\par +Rune: Angels and humans aren't supposed to mix, you know?\par +## Romancing Heron, Drawing Heron out of His Shell and into the World\par +It's hard to get him out of his room at all. Doing that is too similar to Persona 5's Futaba for my taste, though. It would be funnier to romance him online and go on dates in Mac Anu or whatever. I think in Welcome to the NHK, Satou deals with a girl who will only talk to them through an MMO chat.\par +## Romancing Milo, Babysitting\par +A shota romance!\par +Take inspiration from Persona 3's Ken, Rune Factory 4's Doug, or fanfic Killuas.\par +## Romancing Mr. Wilder -- Please, Call me Nathaniel.\par +Reference Imogen Heap's Come Here Boy as much as possible. I don't have any personal experience to draw from, really, about flirting with teachers, thinking teachers are cute, or dating teachers. There's Kenji's social link in Persona 3, and there's Come Here Boy. Teachers dating students is a sensitive topic in the news with lots of controversies with teachers sleeping with and being impregnated by students. Drawing inspiration from those relationships is super edgy. I want the relationship to be genuine and sweet, not quid pro quo or whatever.\par +## Romancing Angel, the Nurturer\par +## Romancing Delphine, the Exotic French Lover\par +## Romancing Chloe\par +## Romancing Blythe\par +Maybe it would be like dating Peyton. Blythe just goes through boyfriends, is completely obsessed with them, hates them afterwards, has all kinds of drama, and looks for boyfriends when she's single. \par +## Romancing Prince Lotus\par +Romancing Prince Lotus is pretty doomed, as it is two people mutually using each other and it is fairly obviously shalllow and loveless, though each finds the other hot at least\par +Other companions comment on how shallow it is or cheer her on. It generally confuses Rune, though.\par +# Friendship Arcs\par +## Aries\par +## Welcome to the Gym [G01]\par +Player is training in the gym.\par +Aries stops training and walks over.\par +No, you are doing it all wrong. \par +Spamming space is a waste of effort. You only need to press once to continuously attack. \par +And wait.\par +Why don't you have a full skillbar? Press K to see your skill library, then drag and drop them into your bar.\par +If you don't have enough skills, you haven't been putting yourself out there. Just go to a skill trainer and buy some.\par +Where is your training gear? Get something practical to wear at the mall or from a shopping app. \par +And another thing.\par +Where is your weapon? \par +\par +The gym is the best place to test your strategies. There are trainers who can explain combat in-depth, and there are dummies track DPS. You can grab a foam weapon from the rack to practice with. \par +## Last Battle\par +Last Battle [AR01]\par +Aries is graduating and moving away.\par +[hated] It\rquote s you. \par +Let\rquote s go to the dungeon one last time. I\rquote ll fight you for real. \par +>You\rquote ll lose.\par +I won\rquote t hold back.\par +>I\rquote ll lose\par +I don\rquote t fight anyone who doesn\rquote t stand a chance. \par +>Let\rquote s fight. \par +>We don\rquote t have to do this.\par +You want to lose the chance to fight the guy whose guts you can't stand. \par +Last chance. \par +>Let\rquote s fight \par +>No.\par +Whatever. [ends. Aries walks away and refuses to talk to you.]\par +\par +If you are a guy, Aries is harder. If you are a guy, he will kill you. If you are a girl, he will stop before killing you. If you are about to kill him, Chloe appears and heals him. If you threaten to kill Chloe, she escapes and mall cops begin to pursue you until you wait a week in mall jail. Chloe hates you afterwards.\par +## Ren\par +Just like Haji! [R01]\par +[After F02]\par +P: Why do you play the cello?\par +R: Have you seen Blood+?\par +P: That anime was boring.\par +R: Are you serious? Okay, well, I just wanted to play the cello like Haji.\par +P: I love Blood+!\par +R: Oh yes! It's amazing, isn't it? I learned cello to play like Haji, but I have really since fallen in love with the instrument.\par +R: [if girl] You should cosplay Diva. She is just perfect.\par +P: No?\par +R: It's so good. It's about this high school girl who fights vampire monsters, but the anime has its own mythology and history. The characters are really fleshed out and unique, too. Blood+ has so much to it. I\rquote ve really got to watch it again this summer.\par +P: Maybe I'll watch it.\par +R: So good.\par +P: I don't like anime.\par +R: What! Then we can't be friends anymore.\par +R: Just kidding.\par +Watched Blood+ [R02]\par +P: I watched Blood+.\par +P: It was so boring!\par +R: What's wrong with you! Blood+ is amazing. Did you get to the Schiff? You watched Blood+, right, not Blood-C?\par +R: Whatever, why am I even talking to you? [end]\par +P: I love it.\par +R: I mean, obviously? So that's what got me into the cello.\par +Want more [R03]\par +P: [if liked Blood+] Got more anime recommendations?\par +R: Darker Than Black is amazing. Oh, you should ask Aries for anime recommendations, though. He watches more than I do.\par +P: Aries watches anime?\par +R: I know, right? He likes seinen. A lot of people here like anime, though. Even Mr. [the hot math teacher].\par +P: [if Blood+ boring] Got more bad anime recommendations?\par +R: Are you actually bullying me? I'm going to cry. Oh gosh, I'm so sad!\par +R: Yeah, I do. Go watch Infinite Stratos.\par +Watched IS [R04]\par +[recommended IS]\par +P: I watched Infinite Stratos.\par +P: It was amazing!\par +R: What is wrong with you? Are you joking? What do you even like about it?\par +P: Recommend another?\par +R: I guess Kimi no Iru Machi?\par +## Uncle\par +He\rquote s Actually Home [U01]\par +Player enters home.\par +Uncle Wayland is drinking Beast on the couch, watching cartoons. If you check the fridge, it's full of Beasts and a sandwich or some pizza with a note for you. The kitchen only has a microwave. The player can clean up the crushed Beast cans and empty pizza boxes and take out the trash to better the house. Wayland is usually gone.\par +Oh, Uncle Wayland is home.\par +Player can talk to him or try to leave the room.\par +Wayland: Player, is that you?\par +>I\rquote m busy\par +You are? Have fun, kid. [end]\par +>Hey\par +Sorry I brought you out here. Nobody else would take you, though. \par +You\rquote ll be in 10th grade next year, so soon you'd be leaving anywhere regardless. \par +>I like this town\par +Really? I guess there's lots of good young people here. Glad you're taking it well.\par +>I hate this town\par +Something's off about this place, from the excessive commodities to the inexplicable arrival of those French. \par +This town isn't for us common people.\par +Nothing's likely to happen suddenly, so you should try to enjoy your time here. Just stay out of trouble.\par +>You see too much into things.\par +Do I? Maybe I do. I'm an old man who has seen a lot of changes. Ignore my ramblings. \par +Could you grab me another Beast from the fridge? There's a sandwich in there for you. You like mayonnaise?\par +>What about the French?\par +Delphine's Dad and Evanthe! Out of nowhere, they move here and settle in and go about their day like that's normal. \par +Then Delphine's Dad died in that way that left the coroner confounded. \par +It's weird for a patriot is move out here. What on earth could they want out here?\par +Most French in our country move to the Midwest. That family is suspicious. \par +>What about the commodities? \par +Froyo, bubble tea, a gym? What are we, a university campus? \par +Why would the mayor buy the town, immediately put up barracades and begin construction? He's hiding something.\par +>Is it safe to be here? \par +Look, I've been here since I was a little tike. I've stuck my nose where it doesn't belong, I've stirred trouble, I've seen the town change. Nothing's going to happen tomorrow. \par +>I agree with you.\par +Do you? You're not like your mother. She always called me crazy. Way Out Waylander. \par +Look, though, I'm responsible for you. I may not be here for you all the time I should, but I trust you not to get into trouble.\par +>If she cleaned the house a few times\par +The house has even been looking better since you moved in. \par +>If going to summer school most of the time\par +And you\rquote ve been getting to class, even though it\rquote s optional. It\rquote s very responsible and makes me proud, even if it\rquote s dorkish. \par +Wonder where I\rquote d be if I had gone to school like that...\par +Anyways, go do whatever. I\rquote ll be around.[end]\par +\par +>examine TV\par +It\rquote s a new version of a longrunning cartoon franchise. You kind of hate this version.\par +Wayland: Nothing ever on, huh?\par +>[End conversation]\par +>Why don\rquote t you stream videos online?\par +Yeah, I watch some of those. \par +>Why don\rquote t you cancel your cable?\par +What! Then how would I get the local news and weather?\par +>Internet. Your phone. Apps. Social media.\par +Yeah, that stuff\rquote s good and all but you can\rquote t rely on it. \par +>They stream for free online and through apps. The news is just reading social media anyways.\par +>I don\rquote t have time to read cat pictures and selfies all day.\par +>If you subscribe to the right people and watch what everyone is talking about, it only takes a few minutes to scroll through.\par +Hmm.\par +\par +>Examine fridge\par +It\rquote s full of Beasts! Oh, there's a sandwich for me.\par +Wayland: Grab me a Beast, will you?\par +>Grab a Beast\par +>Grab your sandwich.\par +You can walk to Uncle and\par +>Give Beast\par +Hey, thanks! The sandwich is more you. You like mayonnaise, right?\par +## Rune\par +## Meeting Computer Guy [A01]\par +Player knocks on next-door neighbor\rquote s door. \par +"ONE MINUTE!"\par +...\par +...\par +...\par +...\par +Door opened by Rune.\par +"..oh! You're not the delivery guy. Uh, why did you knock?"\par +>It was by accident\par +Oh okay. That actually happened to me once actually. \par +Who are you? Are you visiting from a nearby town?\par +>Introduce yourself\par +>I wanted to meet you.\par +Yeah, who are you? Are you visiting from a nearby town?\par +>Introduce yourself\par +So you\rquote ve lived here for [time spent playing]! I was surprised when Night came back, but you're completely new. I guess even a deadend town can grow.\par +Well, hi. I\rquote m Rune. I\rquote m a boring guy. I don\rquote t get out much and nothing\rquote s ever going on with me. I spend most of my time programming or playing games.\par +>I have a present\par +(likes or loves)\par +This is my favorite! Angel must have told you I like these.\par +(neutral or worse)\par +Oh, okay. Thanks.\par +>What games do you play?\par +Strategy games, mostly. \par +>You can program?\par +Oh yeah. It's easy. Anybody can program. You got a phone, go download a text editor. \par +\f2\ltrmark\f0 The player hears a ding.\par +\f2\ltrmark\f0 Oh, my ramen\rquote s ready. Anyways, talk you later. \par +# Max Friendship Arcs\par +## Max Friendship with Alder\par +## Max Friendship with Angel\par +## Max Friendship with Blythe\par +## Max Friendship with Chloe\par +## Max Friendship with Delphine\par +## Max Friendship with Evanthe\par +## Max Friendship with Aries\par +## Max Friendship with Milo\par +## Max Friendship with Night\par +## Max Friendship with Ren\par +## Max Friendship with Mr. Wilder\par +## Max Friendship with Ditzy Teacher\par +## Max Friendship with Rune\par +## Max Friendship with Heron\par +## Max Friendship with Mr. Klein\par +## Max Friendship with Chinese Food Workers\par +## Max Friendship with Phlox\par +## Max Friendship with Angel's Mom\par +## Max Friendship with Mall Cop\par +## Max Friendship with Uncle\par +## Max Friendship with Prince Lotus\par +## Max Friendship with the President\f1\par +} + \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Blessfrey/OpenAI.odt b/Blessfrey/OpenAI.odt index 2ec59cf..b354992 100644 Binary files a/Blessfrey/OpenAI.odt and b/Blessfrey/OpenAI.odt differ diff --git a/Blessfrey/aries-training b/Blessfrey/aries-training new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8073dae --- /dev/null +++ b/Blessfrey/aries-training @@ -0,0 +1,60 @@ +goal: establish that Aries cares about Helia + +Yeah. I don't think it would take much to get me up to speed. +Let's spar! +Think so? +With practice, you'll learn. +>Eh, that wasn't your best. +>You'll get it. Keep trying. +Okay. + +I come here looking for you. +<...(raised eyebrows) +Oh, this is awkward. No, I don't really like the gym. +Yeah! +It's exciting. +I've never done it before. +Is that important to you? Surely that is never necessary here. It seems so safe and slow. +I'm fine! +Oh...I appreciate the training. +No...I'd rather not, honestly. +You know, I never feel like working out before I get here. +Oh yes. I have to force it. It feels good once I've started, but breaking the inertia. +Probably not. Probably just us. (smiles slyly) + + diff --git a/Blessfrey/night- b/Blessfrey/night- new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3de3f1d --- /dev/null +++ b/Blessfrey/night- @@ -0,0 +1,6 @@ +It's a quiet place to be. +No- let's chat. +(go to tables) + +

how other people design blogs

+september 2, 2020 +web design
+
+Blogs are difficult to design, since there’s a lot of information to present, most of which needs to be visually deemphasized next to the actual blog posts.
+
+I don’t follow active blogs right now besides maybe Just One Cookbook. In lieu of favorites, I’m looking at examples from Examples of Blogs – Inspiration for New Bloggers, straight from the top two first page Google results. They are going to be SEO in the flesh, but the principles are worth observing.
+
+(I'm not making money off this article, just critiquing or educating or whatever 'free use' thing. But just in case I'm not allowed to share screenshots of other blogs, I redrew them.)
+
+

Keep Reading

+ How do you make the “keep reading” button obvious?
+
+ “Keep Reading…,” “Continue >>,” etc, are all long words and phrases. ▶ reminds me too much of the Youtube play-button and audiovisual media in general. How do the professionals do it?
+
+Skint Dad uses something I’ve definitely seen a lot: A stock photo link with a clickbait-style headline which is also a link. Stark, direct, no matter what you click on is driving you straight to the article.
+
+
+(stock photo by Ethan McArthur on Unsplash)
+
+You can do it with color, like Miss Thrifty's red >>.
+
+
+(stock photo by Raul Varzar on Unsplash)
+
+Cup of Jo's snippets are very large, almost filling the screen. The headline, picture, and 'read more' are all links to the article. Links are highlighted with color, all-caps, italics, sizes, or font changes. There's also a link to the category (RELATIONSHIPS), a comment section, and different social media outlets for reposting the article.
+
+
+(stock photo by Vlad Tchompalov on Unsplash)
+
+
+

Article

+ Since Skint Dad represents the 2020 SEO-optimized blog look really well, I’ll refer to him again for his article layout. + Check out those SEO keyword navigation links. + Line by line… + • Big headline + • Pale name, date, and a journalistic integrity disclaimer + • An in-your-face newsletter link color box because you gotta be building that mailing list. (Personally, I like getting infrequent newsletters from anticipated games, but newsletters are definitely a marketer’s darling in all industries and are going to be featured in one of the biggest, most brightly colored, bribe-laden pop-up boxes on any website. Like all things SEO, they apparently have really good conversion rates or whatever, but cumulatively overtime across the internet they are formulaic and more concerned with leading search engine interests and statistics than creative, individualistic user demand.) + + + + + + Surprise! This Skint Dad writer is a she. :) +KnowTechie has another common layout. The category’s up above the headline. Putting tags in a pale, italicized font under the headline or article or using them more as categories in color-coded boxes above the headline is a good idea for presentation. More article snippets are clustered along the side and bottom without distracting too much from the article. I think it’s very suitable for tons of content related by theme, as opposed to using a timeline for small amounts of chronological content, but it’s still a nice idea. + + +A Cup of Jo + + + There’s more white-space, but there’s still lots of similar elements from busier sites. The category is above the headline, the timestamp and social media sharing links are below the article between two thin red lines. There’s links to subcategories of the article’s category on the side bar and snippets of related articles below the article. + The sidebar is pretty narrow and focuses more on text and small icons than big pictures, so it holds a lot of info without making the page look as dense as other sites. It has a link to the writer’s about page, a newsletter sign-up box, social media links, a trending articles box, related subcategory boxes, and a disclosure box. + There’s also tons of comments, all under the article. I might want comments later, but for now, I don’t want to have to monitor all the user content under all the articles. As much as I like seeing what people have to say, I probably wouldn’t have many genuine comments to begin with. I have no context for how many weird scam bots or whatever I’d have to delete, though, especially since I wouldn’t want to use Captchas or accounts unless I have to. It’s better just to let it go until I have more experience and people interested in commenting anyways. If people really want to comment, I guess they would find my Twitter or email anyways, so it’s not really closing off communication too bad. + + + I never really see these writer boxes or related posts under dev diaries. I wonder if they are a good idea? I’m going to be the sole contributor for now. Maybe a guest post or something might make sense here and there. If I got a publisher or expanded my team or something really shakes up blessfrey, I bet other people would be contributing. For now, though, it’s just me. + Leyla is not the sole writer, so seeing her specific background probably helps with understanding whether they want to seek out her articles more often as opposed to the other Motherhood Diaries writers. Blessfrey doesn’t have a lot of choices. You either enjoy reading my articles or you try another one of the countless dev blogs out there. + Although blessfrey has one writer, it does have lots of projects. I see a lot of value to anyone reading a random blog post to be able to see a summary of the particular project. Following Motherhood Diaries, I could even have a tab for latest posts related to that project. I’ll write about blessfrey mostly, but I probably will write about Cat Store, CheeryOS, game jams, and other projects at some point. A little About the Project box would help bring readers up to speed in a few sentences. If they want more, they can then go read the full ‘About the Game’ page. + If someone really wants to see a write-up about me, I hope a dev section on the presskit page is adequate. It’s so awkward to write about yourself. +Ideas + Instead of a mundane daily blog bloating my article count and creating the need for multiple pages of snippets per month, I can do a weekly roundup. Days of value can be pulled out, as well as well-written articles for other devs, but I doubt I’ll ever go over like 10 or something, which isn’t too bad. + Also, I need a presskit page. Why did I not think about that? So much less embarrassing than an “About Me” page, too. diff --git a/Blog/220210 b/Blog/220210 new file mode 100755 index 0000000..e0dd482 --- /dev/null +++ b/Blog/220210 @@ -0,0 +1,31 @@ + +

lucrest, a player home based on my home

+february 10, 2022
+#game-design #setting #lucrest
+
+
+

quick overview of blessfrey's game world


+Blessfrey takes place between two worlds: the southern American town of Lucrest and the underground world of Blessfrey. This week, I'll explain the concept behind Lucrest, then on the 24th CST, I'll tackle Blessfrey.
+
+

the only game set in the modern-day deep south


+Most of the worlds I make in creative writing are on the fantastical side, but Lucrest is quite mundane in comparison. It's more or less representative of a typical town, complete with a shopping center, school, church, a neighborhood, and some natural beauty. It's perfect for filling with my real experiences growing up with other people, places, and things. Looking around at other games, though, it seems like a little portal into suburban Deep South life could be somewhat novel.
+
+Japanese media presents endless amounts of interesting tidbits of Japanese culture, and this window into another culture is part of what draws me in. English games feel the same way. I understand so many English cultural references because I was exposed to them through RuneScape growing up. I wonder if American-set games alienate but intrigue other people in a similar way? American culture has dominated all media channels for ages, so maybe everyone's sick of us by now, but the vast amount of broadcasts show L.A. or NYC culture anyway. American-set games are similarly narrow in how much of our country they display. I'm not even sure there's much to learn about us from games in general, since I've played countless US-based shooters that massively de-emphasize setting, characters, and mundane situations. Some are so generalized you can't even tell what city they are modeled after. This could just be my experience, though. I've played games with richly detailed settings, too, like Bloodlines's L.A, Mafia II's 1950s urban east coast, and all the Night in the Woods's and Life is Strange's out there. None of these are set in my region, though, and America is so patchwork that I've picked up on tiny cultural differences in each of these titles.
+
+There's an urban vs rural divide, but there's also a regional divide. Game writers favor other regions heavily then collapse the entire South to Louisiana and Florida, which are both geographically southern but culturally divergent with stronger historic ties to France and Spain respectively than the English derivative Deep South. Wikipedia agrees. In their list of games by state, California, Alaska, the West, and the D.C. metropolitan area dominate American representation. It's not like the Deep South is the most romanticized setting, but, excluding Miami, I'm only seeing an Assassin Creed game, a Hitman game, Left 4 Dead, a Call of Juarez game, and The Walking Dead series. Most of those are too historical or post-apocalyptic to really count, either. Alabama is the least favored by writers all states: only one notable game, a random sports game from 1995, while Mississippi only has three.
+
+(Honestly, seeing the stats surprises me. I always thought the patrician world where the Age of Chivalry took its last bow was just as plausible a setting for a bunch of knight errants doing quests as tired ole' medieval Europe. The Antebellum South has swords and farmers and pirates and tradesmen and everything RuneScape has, so why not? And with all the DOS-era games based on books, nobody tackled Gone with the Wind? And is there not more than one Civil War game out there when there are how many tens of random war games released every year?)
+
+

what's there to do in lucrest?

+Functionally, it will have story events and side quests, but it will mainly serve as the hub for recovering and gearing up between dungeon crawls. I think of it as Torchlight a lot. (At least, the hub from the first game.) As for the smaller details that will be nested into the environment and character interactions, it may end up realizing some of my old game designs.
+
+This isn't my first iteration of game world that's more of a personal diary for things I encountered growing up. I spend a lot of my middle school years filling out a GDD for a game named after the fictional neighborhood it was set in. The protagonist was Walker, a girl who she ripped out all the pages of her diary in a moment of grief and set them to the wind. All you did was walk around, watch events, collect diary pages, and do some basic puzzle-solving. There's an entire subdivision to explore, each neighborhood with its own flair and obstacles. As you collect diary pages, you unlock a clearer image of who Walker is and why she was sad. At the time, I was inspired by Tale-of-Tales, especially The Path and The Graveyard, but similar genres have since emerged like walking simulators and whatever those Slenderman collect-all-the-pieces-of-paper games were. The only remnant I have left of the game is an old tumblr blog. If only Unity went free earlier; I would totally be sharing an broken demo instead of a moodboard with a broken theme.
+
+
(image: a screenshot of my old game project moodboard. There's flowers, home gardens, fortune-tellers, cute girls, fairy rings, polaroid cameras, and meandering prose about Walker's encounters in her neighborhood. Overall, the writing was meant to evoke Kafka or Sisyphus, like how she watches a boy recreate a Michelangelo masterwork in sidewalk chalk, only for the first drop of rain to fall on it as he finishes the last stroke. Deep stuff.)

+
+Sixth View's gameplay is really basic, the narrative is really linear, and a lot of it is middle school cringe, but there's a tiny glimpse of Lucrest in there. Like Sixth View neighbors, Blessfrey townspeople are going to be drawing with sidewalk chalk, having yard sales, playing Concentration 64 and Big Booty, painting clear nail polish over chiggers, avoiding water serpents in the brook, doing Bible drills, folding fortune-tellers, having class in portable classrooms, playing I Spy or license plate games, finding golden orb weavers in their gardens, my mom scaring me with stories about Wampus Cat, wondering why pairs of shoes end up hung over telephone lines and trees, wearing clover crowns, making sock monkeys, blowing dandelion puffs, VBS, finding arrowheads in the river, playing four square, cutting through cotton fields, and all the stuff I think of when I think of my childhood.
+
+The GDD it probably won't be like is the RuneScape clone set in the Antebellum South (because you know like all 90s kids, I had at least 3 RuneScape clone GDDs saved in WordPad). I wish I had a scrap of any of those GDDs because they're probably funnier to pick apart than Sixth View.
+
+Last updated January 16, 2022 +
diff --git a/Blog/220224 b/Blog/220224 new file mode 100755 index 0000000..296f363 --- /dev/null +++ b/Blog/220224 @@ -0,0 +1,61 @@ + +

designing a fantasy game world: where do I even start?

+february 2, 2022
+#design #mechanic #blessfrey
+
+
+

quick overview of blessfrey's game world


+Blessfrey takes place between two worlds: the southern American town of Lucrest and the underground world of Blessfrey. Last week, I explained the concept behind Lucrest, and now I'm tackling Blessfrey.
+
+

blessfrey, the fantastical


+Blessfrey is functionally a vast, unknown world full of exploration, combat, gathering, and plot-driving discoveries. This is where the real game takes place, though the overworld is a nice safe place for getting your bearings. It's populated by multiple uncontacted cultures, so artistically, it's a chance to do whatever I want without having to ground it firmly in real world logic.
+
+That also makes Blessfrey a white sheet of paper. With Lucrest, I can model society and all its components after my own. In fact, the more I lean on my local surroundings, the more unique the setting will be. With Blessfrey, I don't have a lot to start with.
+
+The earliest vision of the setting illutrated Blessfrey as a vast world under Lucrest. In Podunk, Alabama, you shouldn't expect more than farmland, a general store, and a church, but rural Lucrest florished under its current mayor beyond believability, stocking all the luxuries and exotic goods you would expect from a big city, albeit at a tiny scale and population. Tourism off-sets a little, but the local population doesn't support all this - the mayor propped up the entire local economy through conquering a pocket of Blessfrey and establishing it as a secret micro mercantilist colony.
+
+Initially, Blessfrey was defined by Lucrest's needs, and the impulse doesn't go far beyond "subterranean" and "alien." It needs to have rich natural resources equal to a nation to solely support a town. It needs a full-bodied manufacturing and supply chain. (In contrast, the town will have next-to-zero above ground areas dedicated to industry.) It needs a population that can be subjugated and perform labor. It also needs a population that would seldom be seen by anyone above ground.
+
+However, Blessfrey existed long before Lucrest. The mayor learned about it through Civil War era historical records, so it was technologically advanced 150 years old ago, while Lucrest is a small Alabama town and couldn't have been founded much earlier than that. The world, or at least the region beneath the town, is positioned to be culturally rich, visually intricate, and descended from a comprehensive history. Since this is a game, I don't need a worldbuilding bible to rival the real Bible, but there needs to be enough to support a cast of characters, a host of locations, story events, and a general sense of depth for the players. Where do I start?
+
+

character-driven approach

+The first Blessfreian I designed was the main cast member Rune. He's a young castaway of his people living in the buffer zone between civilization and the outside world. His class is the first special class the player will encounter. The humans will have access to the expected RPG classes: melee, magic, ranged, healing, etc, but Rune and the other subterranean people will have different and apparently more powerful classes: teleporting, shape-shifting, mind reading, time manipulation, etc. He's pale, thin, very tall, with expressionless red eyes. He also has rigid keratin horns that blend into his dark hair, a little like G-Dragon from the Monster video.
+
+He's intended to be a project for the player, like a Princess Maker ward, Geralt's adoptive son in The Witcher 2, Brother Martin in the original kingmaker concept for Oblivion, or Shandra Jerro in Neverwinter Nights 2 if you could multiclass her. You can turn him away or take him in and train him up, critically branching the game's trajectory. He'll start out undersocialized, monosyllabic, and ignorant of most of the world, and hopefully the player helps him to become human, expressive, and capable.
+
+

+(image: G-Dragon's hair from Big Bang's Monster music video.)

+
+Rune is a member of a dominant Blessfreian race, so this gives me some ideas what the rest will look and act like and possibly even some ideas about the prevailing culture. Semi-rigid keratin horns made from hair is a trait the race can have, and every member can have a different style. Rune's are long and curve harshly to rest on his head like a halo, while GD's are short and slightly curved at the top. Individualized horns make me think of Homestuck, which isn't my favorite webcomic, but honestly most horned races offer this variety. Rune's an outcast, so there's a potential in-group/out-group culture at play here, be it resulting from legal disputes, religion, or his personal appearance. It's also possible his society would find his abandonment reprehensible, and it's due to a negligent mother or tragic accident.
+
+

environment-driven approach

+Just because a world is underground doesn't mean it has to be all caves or hellscapes. If I do learn on the familarity of spelunking through local caverns here, though, it gives me a foothold. There's crystals, bottomless pits, and underground waterfalls and rivers. There's solutional caves, tectonic caves, and volcanic caves. There's eyeless fish, bats, and cave swallows. People have built mines, entire cities, escape routes, secret passageways, and metros underground. Certain indigenous people groups have lived underground or tell stories of ancestors who once did.
+
+I can also be inspired by what is not underground. The sun, passage of day to night, weather patterns, seasons, star patterns, migration patterns, fresh air, chlorophyll, and countless other things don't fit as logically into an isolated subterranean civilization.
+
+Using these reference points, I can start piecing together a world. How is time measured? The concept of an hourglasses still works, but rotation-derived hours do not. What is the fashion? Perhaps roots, asbestos, or fine metallic threads dominate over animal derived fibers...unless they use their own hair. If this isn't a vast inner world but rather cavernous pockets, how is their waste managed? Do they have designated dumping tunnels or use bottomless pits?
+
+

genre-driven approach

+I can refer to others who explored the concept of an inner world.
+
+As for games, I already mentioned Torchlight, which isn't too dissimilar to Blessfrey, with a town supported by a dungeon that involves some other worldly power. Persona 3 exists between two worlds, an ordinary Japanese town and the shadow dungeon Tartarus that only appears in the school at a certain time of night. SMT IV is set in an apparently Edojidai Japanese town with a demon-filled dungeon.
+
+As for entirely subterranean games, Arx Fatalis is an apocalyptic game where the world's population was driven underground and their war continues. Avernum is an prison planet game (like Gothic), but the prisoners are kicked through a portal that leads somewhere underground, a place inhabited by prisoners, hostile subterranean natives, dragons, and lots of mushroom-based life like trees and cows. I think Wizardry and Ultima Underworld games take place in an underworld, too, but I've never played them lol. There's also infinite JRPG dungeoncrawlers out there, of which I've played very few.
+
+For books, there's endless iterations of this idea. I'll guess Divine Comedy or Journey to the Center of the Earth are the most famous, but there's a full genre of hollow earth exploration written by sci-fi authors, pseudoscientists, theosophists, followers of Eastern philosophies, and schizophrenics. I've read a few of these already, like William R. Bradshaw's The Goddess of Atvatabar and Ingersoll Lockwood's Baron Trump's Marvellous Underground Journey. Poe and C. S. Lewis have incorporated this idea into their books, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket and The Silver Chair. The youth fiction series Artemis Fowl featured an magical underground world full of fairies. There's also the manga Made In Abyss and all the countless dungeoncrawl, dungeon isekai genres out there.
+
+Subterranean worlds also appear in myth and folklore. Hades, Patala, Shamballa, Jigoku, some of the Norse 'heims. The Tuatha Dé Danann live underground, and so do dwarves, asura, and naga. The Hopi people originated from underground, and so did the Lakota, Navajo, Apache, and Zuni. It's possible Eden is underground now.
+
+Plenty of reference material. Each has its own interpretation of a giant dungeon, which can spur questions about Blessfrey's worldbuilding. Why does the dungeon exist? How does it interacts with the surface world, and why did surface-dwellers explore it? Who lives there, and what factions are at play? What's at the bottom of the dungeon? Some of them get pretty deep, asking what the dungeon represents and how it mirrors the surface world.
+
+

altogether

+Designing a fantasy world, like the subterranean world of Blessfrey, from scratch can feel like an overwhelming blank on a page. If you're already in the midst of writing your story or designing your game, the page might not be as blank as you think. I have a surface world that has active and prior interaction with this fantasy one. I have a character who lives in this world.
+
+Also merely by placing it underground, that connects my world to a wealth of material to reference. Analyzing other worlds will begin to fill your once blank page with questions to answer. You can always skip this step and jump straight into a pre-made questionnaire, but building off of other entries in your genre is an inspiring personal process to undergo that will tip you off to audience expectations. Whether you serve them or deconstruct them is up to you.
+
+At the end of the day, what will really draw your players into your game are fun levels that make clever use of your game's mechanics and your characters. If all your world does is justify a crowd-pleasing level and favorite character, it's perfectly adequate. After all, an almost lore-less released game is more successful than an epic-length worldbuilding bible with less than a demo to show for it.
+
+Good luck worldbuilding! +
+Last updated January 16, 2022 +
diff --git a/Blog/220324 b/Blog/220324 new file mode 100755 index 0000000..2d7c853 --- /dev/null +++ b/Blog/220324 @@ -0,0 +1,18 @@ + +

factions

+march 24, 2022
+#factions
+
+
+

out of the norm


+RPGs are all about the stats that define their characters. The values of each stat are constantly being jostled around by buffs, debuffs, enchanted equipment, environmental effects, and perks. If you allow each
+
+

when does a character become hostile?


+NPCs generally will not seek out the player for combat. They will either stand stationary or follow their patrol route, oblivious of the player until becoming hostile.
+
+Usually, if an NPC is hostile, that means a threat got too close. Currently, proximities in Blessfrey mirror Edward T. Hall's zoning for interpersonal distances. Intimate distance is the range for physical interaction and melee attacks and social distance is the range for assessing hostility and ranged attacks.
+
(image: A visualization of proxemics by WebHamster of Wikipedia. Around someone are 4 concentric circles with varying diameters: within 25 feet is their public space, 12 feet is their social space, 4 feet is their personal space, and 1.5 feet is their intimate space.)
+(By WebHamster - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link)
+
+Last updated January 12, 2022 +
diff --git a/Blog/220421 b/Blog/220421 new file mode 100755 index 0000000..a165cca --- /dev/null +++ b/Blog/220421 @@ -0,0 +1,32 @@ + +

defining the major jobs in blessfrey

+february 10, 2022
+#game-design #jobs
+
+
+

the basics


+RPG classes are called "jobs" in Blessfrey. Characters will have a primary job, but they will have limited access to other jobs through multiclassing. It's similar to Final Fantasy Tactics. I think it's cute to call secondary job a "side job."
+
+

job requirements


+Guild Wars and Magic: The Gathering are my main inspirations for Blessfrey's game mechanics. I had trouble getting into other MMORPGs after Guild Wars. Others have so many mechanics, classes, levels, consumables, and levels of equipment that they begin to feel so chaotic, random, and unlearnable, or (even worse) the meta's so obvious that players only use a 1% of the content doesn't matter because there's a +, and all your successes are owed to time, micro-transaction money, and RNG. Guild Wars + because they are never as tight in their design or allow player skill to shine as often. In contrast with standard MMOs with more class ArenaNet self-labels their game as a CORPG (competitive online role-playing game), so it's not surprising it plays so differently. Guild Wars, especially before expansions started coming out.
+
+

lucrest, the mundane


+Lucrest is more or less representative of a typical town, with a shopping center, school, church, a neighborhood, and some natural beauty. Functionally, it will have story events and side quests, but it will mainly serve as the hub for recovering and gearing up between dungeon crawls. I think of it as Torchlight a lot. (At least, the hub from the first game.) Artistically, it's an opportunity to work with what's familiar to me.
+
+I think it's a chance to do something a little different in a game, too. I learn lots of interesting little tidbits of Japanese culture through Japanese media, but I feel like my day-to-day life and childhood rarely come up in games with American settings. Some games do have detailed settings, like Bloodlines's L.A, Mafia II's generalized 1950s east coast, and all the Night in the Woods's, Life is Strange's, and David Cage games out there, but America is so patchwork that I enjoy them for their cultural differences as much as I do for their cultural simularities.
+
+This is due to an urban vs rural divide, but it's also a regional divide. Writers favor other regions heavily, then limit the South to Louisiana and Florida, which are both geographically southern but culturally divergent with stronger ties to France and Spain respectively than the English derivative Deep South. Wikipedia agrees. In their list of games by state, California, Alaska, the West, and the D.C. metropolitan area dominate American representation. It's not like the Deep South is the most romanticized setting, but there's only 1 notable game in Alabama for me to compete with, and it's a sports game.
+
+Really, I just want to put the things meaningful to me and my world in this game, good and bad. Looking around, though, it seems like a little portal into suburban Alabamian life could be novel.
+
+

what's there to do in alabama?

+This isn't my first iteration of game world that's more of a personal diary for things I encountered growing up. I spend a lot of my middle school years filling out a GDD for a game named after the fictional neighborhood it was set in. The protagonist was Walker, a girl who she ripped out all the pages of her diary in a moment of grief and set them to the wind. All you did was walk around, watch events, collect diary pages, and do some basic puzzle-solving. There's an entire subdivision to explore, each neighborhood with its own flair and obstacles. As you collect diary pages, you unlock a clearer image of who Walker is and why she was sad. At the time, I was inspired by Tale-of-Tales, especially The Path and The Graveyard, but similar genres have since emerged like walking simulators and whatever those Slenderman collect-all-the-pieces-of-paper games were. The only remnant I have left of the game is an old tumblr blog. If only Unity went free earlier; I would totally be sharing an broken demo instead of a moodboard with a broken theme.
+
+
(image: a screenshot of my old game project moodboard. There's flowers, home gardens, fortune-tellers, cute girls, fairy rings, polaroid cameras, and meandering prose about Walker's encounters in her neighborhood. Overall, the writing was meant to evoke Kafka or Sisyphus, like how she watches a boy recreate a Michelangelo masterwork in sidewalk chalk, only for the first drop of rain to fall on it as he finishes the last stroke. Deep stuff.)

+
+Sixth View's gameplay is really basic, the narrative is really linear, and a lot of it is middle school cringe, but there's a tiny glimpse of Lucrest in there. Like Sixth View neighbors, Blessfrey townspeople are going to be drawing with sidewalk chalk, having yard sales, playing Concentration 64 and Big Booty, painting clear nail polish over chiggers, avoiding water serpents in the brook, doing Bible drills, folding fortune-tellers, finding golden orb weavers in their gardens, wondering why pairs of shoes were hung over telephone lines and trees, wearing clover crowns, making sock monkeys, blowing dandelion puffs, finding arrowheads in the river, four square, cutting through cotton fields, and all the stuff I think of when I think of home.
+
+Last updated January 16, 2022 +
diff --git a/Blog/Dungeon Girls.docx b/Blog/Dungeon Girls.docx new file mode 100755 index 0000000..97578c2 Binary files /dev/null and b/Blog/Dungeon Girls.docx differ diff --git a/Blog/attack loop b/Blog/attack loop new file mode 100755 index 0000000..e99c32b --- /dev/null +++ b/Blog/attack loop @@ -0,0 +1,15 @@ +setup + handler_setup + set_process(true) + +handler_setup(user) + attack hander = res.instance() + add_child(handler) + MB.subscribe("attacked", handler) + user.connect("hit", self, "handle attack result", [0, user]) + user.connect("hit", ai, "hit") + +handler teardown + disconnect signals + handler.queue_free + diff --git a/BotM/Beloved of the Moon.rtf b/BotM/Beloved of the Moon.rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..7752c66 --- /dev/null +++ b/BotM/Beloved of the Moon.rtf @@ -0,0 +1,145 @@ +{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fcharset0 Arial;}{\f1\fnil Constantia;}} +{\colortbl ;\red46\green46\blue46;} +{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.21.2510;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\sa150\sl0\slmult0\cf1\f0\fs24 # 1\par +\tab Silver, predatory eyes burned in the dark, locked with hers. She froze as prey without escape. All was dark, motionless, and silent, as though the world ceased to exist outside of the glint of sinister intelligence before her. He stepped forward and paused, breaking eye contact to look over her body with unnerving possession. In turn, she examined him. Moonlight revealed the cut of his jaw and long, thick hair. His face was barely perceptible apart from the intensity of his eyes. His eyes locked with hers once more. \par +\tab "Cassarah."\par +\tab She was absolutely paralyzed now, her heart plunging. She clinged to his eyes, waiting. He took another step. He towered over her now. Large, blocky fingers met her jaw. She howled desperately to alert anyone but nothing came. She struggled, attempting to jump back, talk, move her finger, communicate in any possible way her distress. Nothing came. She really has been paralyzed. What is this!\par +\tab "You can't move." \par +\tab He knows? What is this! \par +\tab The predator relaxed, resting his elbow on the bed next to her head. He was very near now and speaking more quietly.\par +\tab "You are scared," he said with self-satisfaction. "I am just guessing, though. I don't know what you are thinking."\par +\tab He pulled back her covers and ran his fingers along the outer curve of her body. Then he grabbed part of her belly. She was mortified.\par +\tab "Too fat. You're past the point of softness and just look overfed. It all goes to that solid round belly," he said as he patted it. "How unlucky. You would look a lot better if the fat favored your breasts and hips and you weren't so short. That's not important to me, though."\par +\tab He crawled on top of her, and she realizes he is completely naked. She waits in resignation as he unbuttons the front of her gown. Like a flash, he turned rough. His fingers were inside her, clawing and digging. His large firm body felt overpowering, but there was no way to howl, fight, or flee outside her mind. Her heart felt ready to explode in protest with any attempt at moving, even the tip of her finger. She could not even breathe. \par +# 2\par +\tab Cassarah threw up. It came in big, reaking chunks and covered her sheets and nightgown. She was torn and excrutiating \i down there\i0 . She had never been particularly conscious of her privates apart from the mild sensation of washing with soap during her shower. She would not dare look yet. She was filthy and naked. She went to the shower. Her eyes caught hers. She paused at the mirror, a bit horrified and not quite recognizing herself. She balanced on the edge of the shower area and turned the hot water knob. She held her hand in the running water, waiting for it to warm. Every time she blinked, those gray eyes were back. She had to know.\par +\tab Stepping out, dripping and shivering, she returned to her bedroom. The cover and sheets were everywhere, as if she had struggled all night. Vomit colored them orange in nasty globs. Ripping her eyes away, she looked at the window to fit it neatly locked and shuttered. Her closet is empty with shoes and hung garments. The patio door was also locked with no evidence of tampering. The front door was locked and deadbolted. Her kitchen window, her balcony, her bathroom, her walls, her floors, everything was as she left it. Her keys were tidly hanging on their hook. No sign of trespassing existed except the disheveled bed. Cassarah paused. \i No sign of escape existed either.\i0\par +\tab Cassarah held her breath and listened to the apartment. Besides the guassian fall of water through the wall, could she hear anything? Surely if he was here, she could. Surely she should have seen him in her earlier search! The man was huge. Where could he possibly hide in her little room?\par +\tab With no apparent entrance, no apparent exit, and complete lack of presence, Cassarah felt her first pangs of doubt. He was handsome with an envious body, too. It was so dark, but she could tell. Even if he was capable of pulling off this perfect crime, why would he? The scenario made less sense. \i It couldn't have been a dream--could it?\i0 \par +\tab Lost, confused, reaking, and in twisting pain, she retreated to the shower to cry bitterly.\par +# 3\par +\tab Cassarah stood in front of the open refrigerator, staring at its empty shelves. She was tired of living off of snack cakes and fruits all weekend and craved protein and oil. If only she had gone grocery shopping on Thursday with Katherine like she planned. Dr. Jaron did not even show up to the meeting, so it was a waste of time to go. She did not want to go out right now. She just wanted to curl up and play petsites all day. She really did not want to go out. Ordering pizza might be better, but the idea of inviting a stranger to her doorstep required too much bravery. She got ready to go out. After all, this was the only thing she needed to do today. \par +\tab Her closet still smelled a little like vomit. Would boiling a potpourri help? She quickly picked through the buttons, sheer layers, and lace-ups and settled on a belted denim maxi dress. It was the easiest thing she owned. She tossed on a car coat, booties, and shoulder bag before giving herself one last peptalk in the mirror. \i It's just the grocery store.\i0\par +\tab No one was out in the hallways or by the mail boxes. She breathed a sigh of relief. Once she was outside, her mood brightened significantly. The sun was out and happily shining, though it provided virtually no warmth. The wind kept blowing her hair out of place, but it was not so bad. Most importantly, everyone was gone. The parkinglot was less than half full. Everyone always goes home on holidays. The students who stay tend to be the sort locked up in their rooms with study material and are quiet and unassuming when they go out. That, or they are foreigners without a reasonable opportunity to visit their families. Neither group bothered her. \par +\tab The rustle of trees, the crunch of dead leaves underfoot, and the occasional unhurried car provided a grounding soundscape. How silly that this is the world she had been hiding from all weekend. Across the street, there were two tables of friends seated outside the bar. Their inoffensive chatter was comforting. They looked happy.\par +\tab The grocery store's parkinglot was also half-empty. When the students leave town, the stores usually put up their best discounts in celebration. As Cassarah pittered her buggy down the aisles, a little pressured by the sales prices. It was the best time to stock up on basics, but she only planned to spend a few minutes here. She ended up putting a month's worth of pasta, eggs, rice, oil, water, and frozen vegetables in her cart among some snacks, soap, toilet paper, and cuts of beef. It all looked so good, and she looked forward to having a full refrigerator again. She didn't feel like cooking right now, though, so she grabbed a few microwave meals, too. She went through self-checkout to avoid the overly talkative staff.\par +\tab How am I going to carry all this? She forgot she walked here. If only she had brought her car. After returning the buggy, and distributed the weight between her hands and marched back. \par +\tab ** Embarrassed and feeling fat with all the groceries. Bad thing sours her mood worse. **\par +\tab She plopped her bags at her front door and hesitated at the lock. Circling the facade, she discovered nothing out of order. Sighing, she unlocked the door and lugged in her groceries. As she sorted them, she became lost in thought about him. His eyes, the pain, his words, the apparent impossibility of his entry...\par +\tab "I must be crazy."\par +\tab ** Another day of lounging, self-talk, and awkwardness passes. Does she have any duties? Flashcards, studying, projects, etc. How do they tie into the theme? **\par +\tab She glimpsed at the clock again: 12:35 A.M. For a break with plenty of time left to finish her project, she should be in bed by now. The word processor will still be here in the morning. She brushed her teeth and crawled into bed. Every time she closed her eyes, she was looking back into his eyes. If she shifted in the sheets, she swore he had just brushed her skin. The next few hours were another round of trying to keep her eyes closed for more than a minute without hopping out of bed and turning on the light. \par +\tab "Maybe I should get a gun for self-defense."\par +\tab When she did fall asleep, it crept over her so stealthily she felt she had not slept at all. Nights passed, and she felt more comfortable in her skin again. \par +# 4\par +\tab ** Chandrakant thinks he is just preying on a random girl, but he has some weird desire to return to her night after night. He usually could care less about his victims once he got the burst of life energy he needed from them, but he observed Cassarah from the spiritual dimension as he troubledly thought over this. Virgins are the freshest and most desirable source, so he never returns to a victim. Cassarah is his first repeat victim. He spent a long time trying to talk himself out of visiting her again while he visited her neighbors and friends. He is a little superstitious that he may be falling in love or just fell into some unintelligible fetish or compulsive behavior. Either way, he is confused and frustrated with this change in his approach to his prey, whom he viewed no more as food that can be played with - similar to the way a cat approaches its prey. **\par +\tab "I've watched you these past nights. You've been looking everywhere for me."\par +\tab Cassarah's eyes shot open. He had returned - leaning over her bed. She screamed, but it was all the same as the first night. She couldn't move; she couldn't breathe!\par +\tab "Don't struggle. Have you not realized you're paralyzed yet? You look relaxed to outsiders looking in. No one would understand the torment you go through to see me. I don't understand how you call me so strongly. I enjoyed our last visit, but let's be honest - you are nothing special."\par +\tab He looked troubled for a minute. \par +\tab "My name is Chandrakant.\par +\tab "So who do you think I am, I wonder. You haven't reported me, so you must not take it very seriously. You must have turned the blame inward, calling it a wet dream or hallucination. Or have you been scared of me? Did you think I would come after you? You are lucky either way, saving yourself the embarrassment. No one can find me unless I let them."\par +\tab He pulled off her cover and popped the snaps off her gown, one by one. \par +\tab "You've been a wreck this week. There isn't a need for it. Just relax and enjoy. I'll take it slow this time and make you like it. I don't think I can stay away."\par +\tab ** Chandrakant is an incubus who needs life energy extracted through intercourse. Funwa is a baku who needs dream energy to live. Dreams manifest as dreams, ideas, thoughts. Funwa can hollow a person out, leaving them without drive or social capacity. He, too, was drawn to Cassarah's burning light of life energy and passion. However, when he finds an incubus, essentially a rival at the watering hole, he immediately challenges him. Funwa wants Cassarah to himself. He doesn't think deeply on how peculiar her energy signature is until later. For now, she seems to be in an easy position to be sweettalked into letting him stay and hollow her out. Only until she has noticeably hollowed him out will he realize the dual nature of her enticement and ability to destry, like a sweet honey venus flytrap. **\par +\tab "Back off, demon!" \par +\tab The man froze in place. The voice emerged from the dark. Cassarah saw no one in the dark but couldn't turn her head to look better. His form was unknown, but the voice was silly like a clown who was trying to sound theatrically brave and strong for his audience.\par +\tab "You're right to fear me. I can erase every mark you've made on the earth."\par +\tab He whipped around to face some invisible foe then jumped back.\par +\tab "Baku? You eat dreams, not spirits. If anything, you would aide me by removing this girl's memory of us. What more can a baku do than make people forget?"\par +\tab "I'm not a dream-eater anymore; I eat malevolent spirits now. Cross me, and I'll devour you, too. I'll hunt every last one of you night demons to extinction. Making people forget is powerful."\par +\tab Chandrakant screamed and threw his whole body into a punch, ending with a weighty thud. After regaining his balance, he stomped down hard on the ground. Cassarah's eyes were adjusting, and she caught a glimpse of Chandrakant's broad, dark shoulders and a second, smaller figure. And with a flash, Chandrakant was on the ground, howling and scrambling. \par +\tab "You castrated me!"\par +\tab ** Chandrakant has become the castrated incubus. He essentially lost his ability to eat and will starve at the present moment, growing weaker and weaker until death. He is going to have to go to the spirit hospital and hope for a transplant or IV. Taking Cassarah's sexual energy was perfect for preventing her growing until she eclipses society. Funwa can't take her sexual energy without a special penis, so he's in danger the longer he stays around her. **\par +\tab Cassarah's heart lunged. The baku was not playing around. \par +\tab "Yet you live! Be gone and redeem yourself."\par +\tab Chandrakant slinked away, out of Cassarah's line of sight. In his place, the smaller man came over to her.\par +\tab He looked over her nakedness, dazed for a second. She was able to catch a glimpse of his pointy little face and narrow shoulders. Then she woke up, alone once again.\par +\tab "What can be done about these nightmares?" \par +\tab She had woken up clothed again in her gown and tucked into the sheets. He must have done this.\par +# 5\par +\tab "I want to talk to you."\par +\tab Cassarah slowly woke up to yet another man leaning over her bed.\par +\tab "Good, you're not scared. Uh, I'm Funwa. I'm the guy from, you know--earlier."\par +\tab Cassarah sat up against her headboard.\par +\tab "Hello, Funwa. I'm Cassarah."\par +\tab "Nice! So that guy was an incubus. You were in a lot of danger, a lot more than your chastity. I don't think he'll be able to come after you anymore, but I can't guarantee he's the only one hunting you."\par +\tab "What do you mean? I've never seen anything like this before. What do they want?"\par +\tab Funwa paused before answering.\par +\tab "I don't understand them very well. I scouted all night and found one more to send back to hell."\par +\tab "Why have you come here? What do you want?"\par +\tab "I hunt demons. I hunt anything that poses a threat to humans. I have something to ask, though."\par +\tab "What is it?"\par +\tab "Can I stay with you?"\par +\tab "What?"\par +\tab Funwa sat down criss-cross on her rug.\par +\tab "I don't think it's safe for you. You need someone to protect you. You draw those demons like a magnet, so it would make it far easier on me to hunt them down."\par +\tab "There really will be more?"\par +\tab "I think so."\par +\tab "Why are you doing this?"\par +\tab "I'm a slayer. Please assist me. This benefits everyone."\par +\tab "I'm not sure. How exactly would you stay here?"\par +\tab "I'm a baku. I don't need anything. I want to bind to this area to ambush demons."\par +\tab "Maybe." \par +\tab "It's for the best. I'll leave once it's safe for the community. You don't just draw incubi to yourself but to those close to you, too. It's sick and needs to end now."\par +\tab Cassarah drifted back to sleep.\par +\tab ** She wakes up to find Funwa, a little tapir curled in the corner, snoring and cooing adorably. Cassarah's apartment does not allow pets over 50 pounds, and she was pretty sure whatever he is must be exotic and probably illegal in her state. Having a guy staying in her apartment would probably be harder to explain, though, to her family and friends. **\par +\tab She woke up again, alone, not immediately remembering the previous night. Every muscle in her body was completely relaxed, allowing her to sink into the mattress in a way she usually is too tense to imagine. The light trickled in through the window in soft gentle mist. She lay there taking it in. She grabbed her phone from the charging tray and checked her messages. None, as always. If only she could get up and return to this perfect state of serenity when she lay back down because she needed some coffee. Resigned to her fate, she turned to get up and jumped on top of the mattress. Her foot brushed fur. \par +\tab Peering back down, she let out a gentle gasp. Before her, wrapped into a fat leathery ball was a massive pig with a stark white back and deformed, overly elongated face. It stirred, blinking then looking up.\par +\tab "Oh, you're up. It's just me - Funwa."\par +\tab "You're who? So you shapeshift?"\par +\tab "Yes, but into nothing else."\par +\tab "You're a--tapir. Right?"\par +\tab "Of course. I told you I'm a baku."\par +\tab Cassarah was slightly troubled by this. Her realtor only allowed pets under 50 pounds. On top of that, tapirs probably fall under some heavily regulated exotic pet classification which was probably illegal pretty much anywhere in America. Of course, a strange man living with her would be just about as hard to explain if anyone she actually knew found out. \par +\tab "You thinking about something, Cassarah? Tell me how you're feeling."\par +\tab "I don't know how you could get away with 'binding here' or whatever. I'm sorry, but there are so many rules about pets and roommates here."\par +\tab "Is that so?" Funwa's voice was confusingly dismissive. He seems amused by her concern. "As part of my work, I enter homes all the time without notice."\par +\tab ** Funwa, Chandrakant, and all spirits are invisible to humans. Funwa and Chandrakant both are a little shocked and unnerved that Cassarah can see them with apparent clarity (as opposed to 'just the wind' or 'strange creaking hall' or 'moving shadow'). Chandrakant doesn't think too heavily as his needs are simple and unburdened. Funwa is a little concerned, though, that she may be some kind of spirit entity or otherwise special person gifted with an unintelligible ability. If it goes deeper than 'better perception than usually possible for humans,' (prophets and artists sometimes can see directly into the spiritual dimension) then she may pose a threat. He is afraid to let her out of his sight but unsure what to do in case of new developments. He feels an uneasy anxiety but is capable of maintaining his clownish demeanor for now. **\par +\tab "No one ever sees you?"\par +\tab "No," Funwa chirped. "I work in secret."\par +\tab "Why do you come out in the open for me, then?"\par +\tab Funwa hummed. "Why did that demon come out in the open for you? He left me with few choices which would have allowed me to live without guilt."\par +\tab "They don't usually?"\par +\tab "No, incubi don't. Have you never read myths or urban legends about women being raped by dark shadows or evil mist? The most physical accounts are usually so surreal and deformed that they barely qualify."\par +\tab "So incubi usually look like that? Just...like a human, I guess."\par +\tab "Are you disappointed? We all share the same Maker."\par +\tab "...God?"\par +\tab "Yeah...Well...Don't you have classes or something?"\par +\tab "It's the break. You know about school?"\par +\tab "Of course I do. I hunt incubi, so my work intersects with daily human life very often."\par +\tab Cassarah was intrigued by her new roommate. Not only does she get to hang out with this supernatural being, but she has such an open and communicable one at that!\par +\tab "I want to ask you so many questions...That's probably rude."\par +\tab "I want to stay here," Funwa grinned. "That's probably rude. Can we not trade rudeness?"\par +\tab Cassarah went over to her kitchen and started brewing her coffee. Do baku drink coffee? Cassarah was intrigued. Funwa came up behind her in human form.\par +\tab "Do you want some?"\par +\tab "I might..."\par +\tab Cassarah's eyes widened. \par +\tab "What kind do you want?" She asked with wide eyes.\par +\tab "Something astringent. A darker roast."\par +\tab She giggled.\par +\tab "I just have a chocolate blend."\par +\tab They both laughed then Funwa said that was fine. She made two cups and poured his into her guest mug - she maybe only used it three times before. They both sat down at her little table with their mugs on coasters. Cassarah did not touch her coffee yet. She stared at Funwa, curious at how he would drink her coffee and receive it. With anticipation building in Cassarah, he cupped his hands around the hot mug, raised it to his nose, and breathed in the aroma.\par +\tab "Any sugar or milk?"\par +\tab "No..."\par +\tab Funwa blew over the ripping surface then took a sip. His face wrinkled up, and he spit it out.\par +\tab "It's terrible? Oh no! I'm so sorry, Funwa. Do you want something else?"\par +\tab "No no! It's...I didn't expect it. Why do you stare like that?"\par +\tab "It's interesting! You drink coffee."\par +\tab "I am just learning. I've never actually had coffee. I've just watched others."\par +\tab "Oh. I did that, too, my first time. Coffee is an acquired taste, you know? I guess you just need a lot of coffee then. Sugar and milk makes it easier to drink. Here," she pushed over a tray of sugar cubes and a little carafe of milk.\par +\tab This time, it went down much easier. As he was thoughtfully sipping the coffee, she ventured a more serious question.\par +\tab "...Do you really eat spirits, or is that an expression?"\par +\tab "I do."\line\tab Funwa did not feel like explaining further, so he deemed two words enough. This silly person in front of her has killed persons who seem conscious, possessive of free will, and in command of their personality. Cassarah nodded. She has accepted quite a hardened character into her home. It seemed he was not so open as she thought. What secrets could this guy be hiding and was he a danger to her? If he is a threat, how could she get him to leave? He already forced his way here. He probably will continue not to take no for an answer. The best she could do is be cautious.\par +\tab "Don't make that face! I was just kidding. Bakus don't eat dreams, either. We just help you forget them--the bad dreams, of course."\line\tab ** People need nightmares and scary stories like the Grimm Tales, don't they? What if baku were like the Undertale mom and don't allow humans to come into danger, foolishly hurting them but with the best of intentions? **\par +\tab "You bit off his penis."\par +\tab "Oh-oh, no, that's right. I do eat spirits. The bad ones, of course. I'm not a monster."\par +\tab Cassarah just watched him.\par +\tab "To preserve justice, you have to be a little monstrous. St. George beheaded a dragon, but he did so to save a girl. I will do anything it takes."\par +\tab Cassarah was beginning to wonder how many speeches she would have to hear about justice.\par +\par +\tab\par +\tab\par +\tab\f1\par +} + \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/BotM/Driscoll.docx b/BotM/Driscoll.docx new file mode 100755 index 0000000..318327b Binary files /dev/null and b/BotM/Driscoll.docx differ diff --git a/BotM/NaNoWriMo.docx b/BotM/NaNoWriMo.docx new file mode 100755 index 0000000..bc0fa90 Binary files /dev/null and b/BotM/NaNoWriMo.docx differ diff --git a/BotM/That Other World.rtf b/BotM/That Other World.rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..79dbd24 Binary files /dev/null and b/BotM/That Other World.rtf differ diff --git a/BotM/nanowrimo20.odt b/BotM/nanowrimo20.odt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..54ac30f Binary files /dev/null and b/BotM/nanowrimo20.odt differ diff --git a/Classes.docx b/Classes.docx new file mode 100755 index 0000000..4141f21 Binary files /dev/null and b/Classes.docx differ diff --git a/Dymn/Dim.rtf b/Dymn/Dim.rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..e39499b Binary files /dev/null and b/Dymn/Dim.rtf differ diff --git a/Dymn/dymn.docx b/Dymn/dymn.docx new file mode 100755 index 0000000..47c94ab Binary files /dev/null and b/Dymn/dymn.docx differ diff --git a/Fanfiction/Digital World.rtf b/Fanfiction/Digital World.rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..078fc27 Binary files /dev/null and b/Fanfiction/Digital World.rtf differ diff --git a/Fanfiction/Elona.odt b/Fanfiction/Elona.odt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..7103eef Binary files /dev/null and b/Fanfiction/Elona.odt differ diff --git a/Fanfiction/GoldenSunLand.docx b/Fanfiction/GoldenSunLand.docx new file mode 100755 index 0000000..b9071c1 Binary files /dev/null and b/Fanfiction/GoldenSunLand.docx differ diff --git a/Fanfiction/TheWanderingJew.odt b/Fanfiction/TheWanderingJew.odt index aeb9ab0..f92d961 100644 Binary files a/Fanfiction/TheWanderingJew.odt and b/Fanfiction/TheWanderingJew.odt differ diff --git a/Fanfiction/calder b/Fanfiction/calder new file mode 100755 index 0000000..c90aaae --- /dev/null +++ b/Fanfiction/calder @@ -0,0 +1,39 @@ +Dearest Mother and Father, + +Are you doing well? + +I've always been your most capable and gifted son, so I know you would never worry about me. Regardless, I felt it would be right to write to you during this rare recess. + +It's true I've dropped out of the University. I'm well aware the headmaster has probably contacted you, but he likely made me out to be a villain or slacker or worse. You know me, + + + + + + + + + + + + + +[center][b]headstrong, forceful, god-like power of Rally + Eliminate[/b] + +_________________________[/center] + +An Arcane University dropout to whom magic comes naturally and study does not. His effortless mastery of the most powerful spells feeds into his superiority complex over those with lesser abilities, which included his professors. He was distinctly unpopular among his classmates, not that he cared, and was perpetually getting into fights at school. Among teachers, he snubbed constant waves of criticism over his lack of restraint. They even had to intervene in several cases to prevent extensive property damage. + +Despite the extreme disruptions to the university, Calder was allowed to study for a full three semesters. His classmates are certain it's because he's the headmaster's son, which amplified their animosity towards him. The headmaster could only shield him from the consequences of his explosive episodes for so long, however. Outright setting fire to the university was a crime judged by federal jurisdiction, not the board of directors. + +Calder, now disowned by his father and summoned to a court heavily stacked against him, had nothing to lose. Before tucking his tail and running, he burned down the courthouse. Fire being his favorite weapon of chaos and destruction, he traveled to the Ashfall Waste, where they surely are less sensitive about little fire fights. + +It turns out, the Fire Flight is even less impressed by conflagration. After accidentally burning the exterior of The Angry Angel, Lise has demanded repayment. After initially blowing her off, fire war veteran Heath roped him in to doing his portion of chores and acting as the night guard. + +He has a natural rivalry with Sand, who has deep respect for magic and has devoted his life up until this point to its study. Both Calder's genius aptitude for magic and blasé disregard for its effects haunted Sand as power beyond control. While Sand was a perfect image of a scholar with a dear love for his books and warnings. Heath indirectly attempts to separate them as much as possible to prevent any possible clashes. + +[center]_________________________ + +[b]someday...[/b] +[outfit=1193073][outfit=1194028] +[item=will o' the ember][item=gossamer flame tail jewel][item=starseer's emblem][item=gossamer silk scarf][/center] diff --git a/Fanfiction/caldercomic b/Fanfiction/caldercomic new file mode 100755 index 0000000..ee0e72f --- /dev/null +++ b/Fanfiction/caldercomic @@ -0,0 +1,25 @@ +but why the mire of all places? it's /filthy/ + + + +i thought you were all powerful +those frogs are enormous, you simply can't comprehend + + + +you fight kamaitachi all day but you can't take down a simple frog? +I can! at least, the water ones sometimes. the fire ones are enough to make Arcanist himself cry! +That's right! Fire's the best!! +Who's side are you on? + + +what are you wearing? +today's mire drops +(Bloodscale Shoulder Guards, woodsdrake cape, bloodscale chest guard, bloodscale greaves, swamp kelpie mane) + +Calder wearing t-shirt CAN'T AIM FOR SHIT + +and you brought ALL of them home? +How could I not! They were giving me the puppy eyes. (do they even have eyes?) +well we can't keep them. we'll have to figure out something. +(dagmar at baldwin, face in shadow. Excellent! Another ingredient for the brew) diff --git a/Fanfiction/coh_backstory.txt b/Fanfiction/coh_backstory.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..504b9aa --- /dev/null +++ b/Fanfiction/coh_backstory.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8 @@ + Dress for the job you want, she recited as she rummaged through Cat Man's closet. She nuzzled against tweed, monks cloth, camel hair, admiring the exquisite tailoring and designers. A plaid particularly caught her nose, drenched in the warm nostalgic smell of Cat Man. She made her selection. She dressed before his mirror, posing and grooming. The spitting image of an executive, she fancied. Once the shareholders take a look at this, they will insist upon her. The sudden intrusion of delicate footsteps and trademark Cat Man scent burst her delusions. The other cat is coming. Her hair raised in a spiky stripe across her back as tiny bits of spit flew. She hates other cats. Panic thrust her into Cat Man's bedroom. Her scrambling escape toppled a tower of hundred dollar bills, now a disorientating cloud of green. A ray of sanctuary light overcame the cloud, tracing a path to the window. She leapt, unlatched, and jumped, money trailing. + + + Dress for the job you want, she recited as she rummaged through Cat Man's closet. She nuzzled against tweed, monks cloth, and camel hair, admiring the exquisite tailoring and designers. A plaid particularly caught her nose, drenched in the nostalgic smell of Cat Man. She made her selection. She dressed before his mirror, posing and grooming. The spitting image of an executive, she fancied. Once the shareholders take a look at this, they will insist upon her. The sudden intrusion of delicate footsteps and trademark Cat Man scent burst her delusions. The other cat is coming. Her hair raised in a spiky row across her back as tiny bits of spit flew. She hates other cats. Panic thrust her into Cat Man's bedroom. Her scrambling escape toppled a tower of hundred dollar bills, now a disorientating cloud of green. A ray of sanctuary light overcame the cloud, tracing a path to the window. She leapt, unlatched, and jumped, money trailing. + + The shareholders called him cute today. The client was especially charmed by his presentation, despite being delivered beneath a table. Board members kept reaching out to stroke his neck. As the hands came toward him, he leaned away. Negotiations with the big players while trying to avoid being seen was exhausting. He impatiently watched as the elevator counted up to the moment he could rest. Upon arrival, he noted the open window and toppled stacks of hundred dollar bills. Drowsily, he ignored the warning. The caressing breeze was not unwelcome anyways. In his sleep, the gentle breeze stirred into a storm, sucking his wealth out the window of his penthouse and into the street below. With a crack of thunder, Cat Man awakened, too late for anything but spectating. As his last dollar slipped away, he uttered a low moan heard throughout the city: "MY MONEY!" If you find any loose dollars, you must return them to Cat Man. It is his money. + + The shareholders called him cute today. The client was especially charmed by his presentation, despite being delivered beneath a table. Board members kept reaching out to stroke his neck. As the hands came toward him, he leaned away. Negotiations with big players while trying to avoid being seen is exhausting. He impatiently watched as the elevator counted up to the moment he could rest. Upon arrival, he noted the open window and toppled stacks of hundred dollar bills. Drowsily, he ignored the warning. The caressing breeze was not unwelcome anyways. In his sleep, the breeze stirred into a storm, sucking his wealth out the window of his penthouse and into the street below. With a crack of thunder, Cat Man awakened, too late for anything but spectating. As his last dollar slipped away, he uttered a low moan heard throughout the city: "MY MONEY!" If you find any loose dollars, you must return them to Cat Man. It is his money. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Fanfiction/coh_backstory2.txt b/Fanfiction/coh_backstory2.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..f07c3c5 --- /dev/null +++ b/Fanfiction/coh_backstory2.txt @@ -0,0 +1,19 @@ + Dress for the job you want, she recited as she rummaged through Cat Man's closet. She nuzzled against tweed, monks cloth, camel hair, admiring the exquisite tailoring and designers. A plaid particularly caught her nose, drenched in the warm nostalgic smell of Cat Man. She made her selection. She dressed before his mirror, posing and grooming. The spitting image of an executive, she fancied. Once the shareholders take a look at this, they will insist upon her. The sudden intrusion of delicate footsteps and trademark Cat Man scent burst her delusions. The other cat is coming. Her hair raised in a spiky stripe across her back as tiny bits of spit flew. She hates other cats. Panic thrust her into Cat Man's bedroom. Her scrambling escape toppled a tower of hundred dollar bills, now a disorientating cloud of green. A ray of sanctuary light overcame the cloud, tracing a path to the window. She leapt, unlatched, and jumped, money trailing. + + + Dress for the job you want, she recited as she rummaged through Cat Man's closet. She nuzzled against tweed, monks cloth, and camel hair, admiring the exquisite tailoring and designers. A plaid particularly caught her nose, drenched in the nostalgic smell of Cat Man. She made her selection. She dressed before his mirror, posing and grooming. The spitting image of an executive, she fancied. Once the shareholders take a look at this, they will insist upon her. The sudden intrusion of delicate footsteps and trademark Cat Man scent burst her delusions. The other cat is coming. Her hair raised in a spiky row across her back as tiny bits of spit flew. She hates other cats. Panic thrust her into Cat Man's bedroom. Her scrambling escape toppled a tower of hundred dollar bills, now a disorientating cloud of green. A ray of sanctuary light overcame the cloud, tracing a path to the window. She leapt, unlatched, and jumped, money trailing. + + The shareholders called him cute today. The client was especially charmed by his presentation, despite being delivered beneath a table. Board members kept reaching out to stroke his neck. As the hands came toward him, he leaned away. Negotiations with the big players while trying to avoid being seen was exhausting. He impatiently watched as the elevator counted up to the moment he could rest. Upon arrival, he noted the open window and toppled stacks of hundred dollar bills. Drowsily, he ignored the warning. The caressing breeze was not unwelcome anyways. In his sleep, the gentle breeze stirred into a storm, sucking his wealth out the window of his penthouse and into the street below. With a crack of thunder, Cat Man awakened, too late for anything but spectating. As his last dollar slipped away, he uttered a low moan heard throughout the city: "MY MONEY!" If you find any loose dollars, you must return them to Cat Man. It is his money. + + The shareholders called him cute today. The client was especially charmed by his presentation, despite being delivered beneath a table. Board members kept reaching out to stroke his neck. As the hands came toward him, he leaned away. Negotiations with big players while trying to avoid being seen is exhausting. He impatiently watched as the elevator counted up to the moment he could rest. Upon arrival, he noted the open window and toppled stacks of hundred dollar bills. Drowsily, he ignored the warning. The caressing breeze was not unwelcome anyways. In his sleep, the breeze stirred into a storm, sucking his wealth out the window of his penthouse and into the street below. With a crack of thunder, Cat Man awakened, too late for anything but spectating. As his last dollar slipped away, he uttered a low moan heard throughout the city: "MY MONEY!" If you find any loose dollars, you must return them to Cat Man. It is his money. + + A cat who is also a man. He works a 9 to 5 office job doing the work. He makes 6 figures and lives in a penthouse. One day, he left the window open as he usually does but a strong updraft sucked all his money out the window. Devastated, he let out a mournful cry: "MY MONEY....!!!" Now he travels the land in search of his lost money. If you find any loose dollars, you must return them to Cat Man. It is his money. + + The shareholders called him cute today. The client was especially charmed by his presentation, even if he delivered it from under the table. Board members kept reaching out to stroke his neck. As the hands came toward him, he leaned away. The moment all eyes looked away, he dashed back to his apartment to try to fit his 15 hours of sleep in. Upon arrival, he noted the open window and toppled stacks of hundred dollar bills. Drowsily, he ignored the warning, welcoming the caressing breeze. In his sleep, the breeze stirred into a storm, sucking his wealth out the window of his penthouse and into the street below. With a crack of thunder, Cat Man awakened, too late for anything but spectating. As his last dollar slipped away, he uttered a low moan heard throughout the city: "MY MONEY!" Now Cat Man roams the city, scavenging enough of his net worth to afford rent. If you find any loose dollars, you must return them to Cat Man. It is his money. + + The shareholders called him cute today. The client was charmed by his presentation. All the board members wanted to stroke his neck. 10 years of hard work was finally paying off. And he did it all for the attention. The moment all eyes looked away, he dashed back to his penthouse to try to fit in his daily 15 hours of sleep. Inside, he crawled past the open windows and toppled stacks of his hundred dollar bills. He ignored the warning, drowsily welcoming the caressing breeze. During his nap, the breeze stirred into a storm, blowing all his money out the window. Cat Man woke too late for anything but spectating. As his last dollar slipped away, he uttered a low moan heard throughout the city: "MY MONEY!" Now Cat Man roams the city, scavenging enough of his net worth to afford next month's rent. If you find any loose dollars, you must return them to Cat Man. It is his money. + + +She is so bad at talking face-to-face, she needs email to talk to her own family. Her specialty is computers, especially programming. She is actually a famous blogger with over 1 million followers, and works on updates day and night to grow her audience even more. On the other hand, she's basically an indoor-type who is obsessed with MMOs. Even though her name is Anko, she despises anko bean paste. Her favorite is spicy food. + + A hoshimori so bad at talking face-to-face, she needs email to talk to her own family. However, she is an expert at using computers with programming as her specialty. She is actually a famous blogger with over 1 million followers, and works on updates day and night to grow her audience even more. On the other hand, she's basically an indoor-type who is obsessed with MMOs. Even though her name is Anko, she despises anko bean paste. Her favorite food is spicy food. cv. Yumi Uchiyama \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Fanfiction/elona2.docx b/Fanfiction/elona2.docx new file mode 100755 index 0000000..8fb6f3d Binary files /dev/null and b/Fanfiction/elona2.docx differ diff --git a/Fanfiction/osrs.docx b/Fanfiction/osrs.docx new file mode 100755 index 0000000..832ff8d Binary files /dev/null and b/Fanfiction/osrs.docx differ diff --git a/13.odt b/Guardian/13.odt similarity index 100% rename from 13.odt rename to Guardian/13.odt diff --git a/Guardian/Artless.txt b/Guardian/Artless.txt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..f01e0eb --- /dev/null +++ b/Guardian/Artless.txt @@ -0,0 +1,228 @@ +Trace Reynolds +
Meaning: without guile or deception. +
Gender: Female +
Birthday: December 24 (Capricorn cuspal with Sagittarius) +
Age: 17 +
Relationship Status: Single +
+
Physical +
Physique: Slim and short +
Complexion: Pale with dark hair and eyes +
Hair: Thick, dark red hair worn choppy and short. +
Eyes: Brown +
Notable Features: Poor posture +
Style: Loose-fit, classic colors, jeans, bomber jackets +
Dominant Hand: Right +
Health: Good +
+
Psychology +
Voice: Reticent, soft-spoken, often mutters under breath. +
Quirks: Pulls eyelashes out and picks at herself when bored +
Temperament: Generally friendly but a little aloof. Easily intimidated by unnecessarily aggressive behavior. +
Positive Traits: Diligent, practical attitude. Lots of patience. +
Talents: Good student +
Negative Traits: Stubborn, overly protective of her possessions +
Flaws: +
Motivation: Self-driven +
Sense of Humor: Sardonic +
private, quiet, follower, organised, cautious, solo, pessimist, introvert, listener, serious +
+
Preferences +
Likes: +
Dislikes: +
Most at Ease: +
Fears: +
Dream: +
Regret: +
Secret: +
Favorite color: +
Quote: +
Hobbies: +
Theme song: +
Favorite Things: +
Priorities: +
+
Background +
Childhood: +
Social Class: +
Education: +
Best Qualification: +
First Memory: +
Worst Memory: +
Most Influenced by: +
Role Models: +
Residence: +
Dream Residence: +
+
Relationships +
Mother: +
Father: +
Siblings: +
Children: +
Pets: +
Partner: +
Previous Relationships: +
Relationship to Others: +
First Impression: +
Completely Breaks: +
Best Thing in Life: +
Worst Thing in Life: +
+
Philosophies +
Life: +
Death: +
Love: +
Sex: +
Family: +
Friends: +
Politics: +
Religion: +
Work: +
Money: +
Alcohol & Drugs: +
Body Modification: +
+
Combat +
Ability: +
Weapon Proficiencies: +
Weakness: +
Strength: +
+
Personality +
Greatest Source of Strength: +
Greatest Weakness: +
Soft Spot: +
Biggest Insecurity: +
7 Deadly Sins Fights: greed, pride +
7 Deadly Sins Gives into: sloth, wrath +
7 Virtues Has: chastity, abstinence, diligence, patience +
7 Virtues Fights: kindness, humility +
+
Self-Perception +
How your character feels about herself: +
Three words your character would use to describe herself: +
What do your character consider to be her best characteristics? +
What does your character consider to be her worst characteristics? +
Are these realistic assessments? If not, why not? +
How does your character think others see them? +
What four things would your character most like to change about herself? Why? +
What lie does your character believe about herself? +
+
Goals +
Immediate goal(s): +
Long term goal(s): +
How does your character plan to accomplish goal(s)? +
How will others be affected? +
+
Problems/Crises +
defensive, planner +
How does your character react in a crisis? +
How does your character solve problems? +
Kinds of problems your character usually faces: +
How does your character react to NEW problems? +
How does your character react to change? +
+
Working +
Job title: +
Where? +
How Long? +
Dream Job: +
Do they like it? Why? +
Previous jobs? +
Job related skills: +
+
Favorites +
Color: Green +
Mode of transport: Walking, planes +
Food: +
Drink: +
Books: +
Films: +
Music: +
Art: +
Person: +
Place: +
Sayings: +
Swear words: +
Quote: +
Animal: +
Pet peeves: +
Guilty pleasure: +
+
Habits & Behavior +
Spending habits: +
Nervous tics: +
Drives - what? +
Any Hobbies? +
Worst bad habits? +
What does your character do too much of? +
Too little of? +
Most prized possession. Why? +
Criminal record? +
+
Abilities & Skills +
Extremely skilled at: +
Unskilled at: +
Good driver? +
Observant? +
Play any instruments? +
How did your character learn? +
Any unusual abilities? +
How did your character learn? +
+
Character Building +
Worst thing your character has ever done: +
The most frightened your character has ever been: +
The worst injury your character has ever had: +
The worst pain your character has experienced: +
What does your character hate the most? Why? +
Your character's strongest desire: +
Happiest moment: +
The most important event in your character's life: +
How honest is your character? +
What does your character lie about? +
If granted one wish, what would it be? Why? +
+
Notes +
+
Interview +
Growing up, how did you get along with your family? +
Describe your family and the other characters. +
Whats the worst thing theyve ever done to you? Whats the worst thing youve ever done to them? +
What did/do you want to be when you grow up? +
Did/do you enjoy school? +
As an adolescent, were you popular? Who were your friends, and what were they like? +
Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses. +
How do you feel about yourself? +
How do you think others see you? Do you care what they think? +
What do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime? +
Where do you see yourself in five years? +
What embarrasses you? What was your most embarrassing/humiliating moment? +
What do you lie about? +
Where do you like to hang out? +
What song is your song? Why? +
How would you cope without technology/magic? Could you survive? +
What one thing could you not live without? Why? +
Is there a person you feel you cant live without? Who? Why? +
Who is the person you respect the most, and why? +
Who do you despise the most, and why? +
When were you the most frightened? +
What do you feel most strongly about? +
Whats your idea of the perfect Sunday? +
Whats your idea of the perfect holiday/vacation? +
Whats your idea of the perfect date? +
What are your views and feelings about sex? +
Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love? +
What do you look for in a partner? +
What have your past relationships/partners been like? +
Do you want to get married and have children? When do you see this happening? +
What's the worst thing you've done to someone you loved? +
When did you feel the most loved and accepted? +
What would be the perfect gift for you? +
How do you deal with stress? What do you find most relaxing? +
If you were to gain an obscenely large sum of money, what would you do with it? +
What is the most financially valuable thing you own? +
What do you have in your pockets/bag? +
Tell me about your political/religious/moral views. +
Do you think redemption is possible? +
What is the one thing for which you would most like to be remembered after your death? \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Guardian/Freefall.rtf b/Guardian/Freefall.rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..64109e7 Binary files /dev/null and b/Guardian/Freefall.rtf differ diff --git a/Guardian/Frefall.doc b/Guardian/Frefall.doc new file mode 100755 index 0000000..15f43b5 Binary files /dev/null and b/Guardian/Frefall.doc differ diff --git a/Guardian/newstory.docx b/Guardian/newstory.docx new file mode 100755 index 0000000..ba0bd6d Binary files /dev/null and b/Guardian/newstory.docx differ diff --git a/Guardian/the princess.docx b/Guardian/the princess.docx new file mode 100755 index 0000000..8bb7246 Binary files /dev/null and b/Guardian/the princess.docx differ diff --git a/HelloTraveler/Hello, Traveller.rtf b/HelloTraveler/Hello, Traveller.rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..2e71161 --- /dev/null +++ b/HelloTraveler/Hello, Traveller.rtf @@ -0,0 +1,184 @@ +{\rtf1\ansi\deff3\adeflang1025 +{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}{\f1\froman\fprq2\fcharset2 Symbol;}{\f2\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 Arial;}{\f3\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Liberation Serif{\*\falt Times New Roman};}{\f4\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 Liberation Sans{\*\falt Arial};}{\f5\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 MS PGothic;}{\f6\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Segoe Print;}{\f7\fnil\fprq2\fcharset0 Noto Sans CJK SC;}{\f8\fnil\fprq2\fcharset0 Lohit Devanagari;}{\f9\fnil\fprq0\fcharset128 Lohit Devanagari;}} +{\colortbl;\red0\green0\blue0;\red0\green0\blue255;\red0\green255\blue255;\red0\green255\blue0;\red255\green0\blue255;\red255\green0\blue0;\red255\green255\blue0;\red255\green255\blue255;\red0\green0\blue128;\red0\green128\blue128;\red0\green128\blue0;\red128\green0\blue128;\red128\green0\blue0;\red128\green128\blue0;\red128\green128\blue128;\red192\green192\blue192;\red215\green215\blue215;} +{\stylesheet{\s0\snext0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052 Normal;} +{\s15\sbasedon0\snext16\rtlch\af8\afs28 \ltrch\hich\af4\loch\sb240\sa120\keepn\f4\fs28\dbch\af7 Heading;} +{\s16\sbasedon0\snext16\loch\sl276\slmult1\sb0\sa140 Text Body;} +{\s17\sbasedon16\snext17\rtlch\af9 \ltrch\loch\sl276\slmult1\sb0\sa140 List;} +{\s18\sbasedon0\snext18\rtlch\af9\afs24\ai \ltrch\loch\sb120\sa120\noline\fs24\i Caption;} +{\s19\sbasedon0\snext19\rtlch\af9 \ltrch\loch\noline Index;} +}{\*\generator LibreOffice/7.3.7.2$Linux_X86_64 LibreOffice_project/30$Build-2}{\info{\creatim\yr0\mo0\dy0\hr0\min0}{\revtim\yr2024\mo1\dy9\hr21\min29}{\printim\yr0\mo0\dy0\hr0\min0}}{\*\userprops}\deftab720 +\hyphauto1\viewscale90 +{\*\pgdsctbl +{\pgdsc0\pgdscuse451\pgwsxn12240\pghsxn15840\marglsxn1440\margrsxn1440\margtsxn1440\margbsxn1440\pgdscnxt0 Default Page Style;}} +\formshade\paperh15840\paperw12240\margl1440\margr1440\margt1440\margb1440\sectd\sbknone\pgndec\sftnnar\saftnnrlc\sectunlocked1\pgwsxn12240\pghsxn15840\marglsxn1440\margrsxn1440\margtsxn1440\margbsxn1440\ftnbj\ftnstart1\ftnrstcont\ftnnar\aenddoc\aftnrstcont\aftnstart1\aftnnrlc +{\*\ftnsep\chftnsep}\pgndec\pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +## 1} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +The first punch knocked Van off his feet and hollering. He rolled to dodge the second and had his pistol prepped before he was on his feet. Chandra saw the glint of metal and froze. Even in self-defense, even with all of Van's }{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +boasting}{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +, that gun terrified her. } +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +A second group of men surrounded Chandra within an instant. They were armed with knives. She dropped to the ground and prayed outloud for protection and forgiveness, so loudly and so intensely she missed the next few critical seconds. } +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +Gunshots fired, and a tall, thin figure appeared from nowhere to behead the man who was closing in on Chandra. She looked up and Van was scanning the surroundings and overhanging trees. To her side, deeply lacerated thugs lay at the feet of a manila figure.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"You saved me."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +She realized she was thanking the air.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"}{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +Where-}{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +?"} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"}{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +I\u8212\'97did?}{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"}{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +No, t}{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +hat man. }{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +H}{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +e saved me. Cut down these people who attacked me."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"Are you okay?"} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"Yes! I'm fine. He got rid of all of them before disappearing into the night like that."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"Thank God for angels. Please stay close and quiet."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +Chandra took a section of Van's tunic in her hand and followed him closely, preoccupied all the while by the mysterious hero. She liked Van's description of him - an angel. Dark, beautiful, mysterious, invisible, good. Her guardian.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +The sun never rises here, and there are few places safe to land, making this former prison planet a dangerous part of the pilgrimmage. Although prisoners are no longer sent here, the children and grandchildren of the most dangerous criminals in history linger here, preying on pilgrims and lost voyagers. With the rampant crime and decline of the Church, no one is willing to reform the planet and install basic infrastructure. Therefore, reaching the shrine is a half-a-day's journey from the landing site of ambushes and danger.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +After staying low and listening for strangers, Van pushed onward, gun ready to shoot. He had made this pilgrimmage twice before, and he knows the way well enough, even in the anonymizing darkness. Just another quarter mile and they will arrive. } +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +***} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"Hello, traveller -"} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +The tall, manilla man stood in the field, motionless. Van and Chandra approached, intrigued by his presence in this secret place. The nearer they drew, the more clearly Chandra could see his long, handsome features. She immediately recognized her rescuer in his cool demeanor. As he turned toward them, relinquishing interest in his notebook, Chandra saw the spiny protrusions, smooth, brown, and venomous. She realized a second thing about him:} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"--he's not human."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +Van gave her an extinguishing side eye before studying the figure. His garb is worn leather, clearly the scars of battle. His face is solemn and honest, and he stands barefoot in accordance with the holiness of the site. He relaxed a degree, less convinced he had encountered a looter or bandit. He might even be able to help them.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +The figure glanced over Van, aware of the pistol at his hip, and studied Chandra closely. } +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"Prophetess?"} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"Y-yes?" Chandra straightened up. The first time she heard his voice and the first time she spoke to him.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +They held eye contact briefly, but Chandra could learn nothing from his unwavering almond-shaped eyes. The rush-colored cheeks, thin brown lips, interesting thorns and barbs, the sandy hair...she felt uncomfortable meeting the eye of such an exotic individual. His clothes were made of foreign leathers and suedes, dyed in natural shades. She stammered.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"We are on a Pilgrimmage. Are you here to honor Saint Rigel, Brother?"} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"Yes," he returned his notebook to his pocket. "But I must be on my way. Be safe on your journey, Prophetess."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"Yes-s," Chandra parroted. "You, too."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +He held contact with her before sharply breaking it and disappearing into the wilderness. } +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +Van looked at Chandra quizzically. } +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"Interesting fellow. Not many take the pilgrimmage who aren't directly employed by the Church. There are still clingers-onto the faith, but they are few and easily intimidated by the danger and cost of the route. And he apparently takes it alone."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +Chandra half-listened, a little bothered by the memory of his dark, clear eyes and smooth voice.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"What are you getting at, Van?"} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"Nothing, girl," he yawned and motioned forward. "It's been a long day. Let's go ahead and pray."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +***} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +/* Yuna dances, goes through puzzle shrines, gets a new aeon each time. Oblivion MC collects artifacts from each shrine and gains holiness and eventually can meet ghosts and become a divine crusader. What could be the special thing about each stop? *\\} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +They reached the tablet reading out the summary of St. Rigel, who was exiled to this jungle prison planet for his faith but started a church while in prison that grew to rival the size of the prison itself. This spot marked where the first church meetings were held a secluded courtland. A ruthless criminal was sent to the planet and killed St. Rigel to prove he was tough. His congregation split, half willing to turn the other cheek, the other ready to war. The moral is to serve where you are.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +Van read it aloud to Chandra, and the traveller corrected him.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"The moral is the fickleness of the faith of seeds scattered on hard ground. Nothing stayed here. It became a brutal world not long after, ruled by the strongest, wildest criminals. His work is nowhere to be seen. His church is dust, and his people are dead. Even the wardens have found a new planet for their prison colony, so even his detractors are gone and unable to provide a bad view of him. The Church placed this here to soften the public opinion on their moves to reform prison."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +/* Space Israel controls the Catholic Church which is used to do evil things like pol's ideas about Jews and Israel and stuff. America exists, too. *\\} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +Chandra blushed at his challenge on the Church's integrity, but Van replied even-toned.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"He never lost faith, even at his dying breath. He brought hope and reform under impossible circumstances. He didn't change the universe across time and space - he changed the people around him. He did everything that was asked of him. Regardless of who was using his memory at the time to leverage political power, he has remained a part of the pilgrimmage to inspire similar behavior in us today."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"Fair enough. Have you traveled far with just one guard?"} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +The question was directed at Chandra this time, his dark almond eyes given a mystic quality when illuminated by the votive light.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"Well, yes. Thank you for saving me before."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"It's too dangerous to rely on strangers. Please allow me to join you."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"--Join?"} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +Chandra looked to Van who seemed to be in agreement with the figure.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\f6\loch +"I'm Van and this is Chandra. What's your name?" He asked as he extended his hand to shake.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af5\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1041\f5\loch +"}{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +Colt," he replied, bowing slightly. Van retracted his hand awkwardly.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"We receive a meager stipend from the Church for carrying out its duties, but we are mostly mercenaries, carrying out small tasks for locals to scrape by. We have a modest lifestyle. We just began our once-every-seven-years pilgrimmage and will be traveling all over the Solar System, spending little time at each stop. If you wish to join us, we'll gladly accept you. Of course you can leave whenever you like. But, I have to ask why you would join us."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"My conscious couldn't leave me alone if I let one man guard a prophetess. I have no one left to return to and nowhere left to go, so I'll let you determine my next journey.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +/* Colt is a prisoner or a descendent, looking to escape. *\\} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +/* Each stop is still in our solar system, but there are colonies on the different planets, moons, asteroids, comets, the sun, etc. Each body has its own diverse, rich culture. Power struggles, esp. religious. Different races' homeworlds and from neighboring stars. *\\} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"Welcome aboard, Colt."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +Van telephoned his pilot to let them know approximately when and where to pick them up. "And we'll be bringing on a new member...Yes, the strangest places indeed...Just be ready when we are...Yes, see you soon, thanks."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +Although Van knew the way well, Colt was far better at stealth and shortcuts. They evaded enemies without alerting anyone to their presence, slipping through the brushes and tall grass with relative ease and mutual silence. When they reached the plains, Van took over and communicated the pickup with Faber. The ship dipped down, they stepped through the intermediary area, allowing for a cleansing ray, and stepped into the ship.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"Welcome to the Prodigal, Colt," Chandra smiled.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +The doors opened from the cockpit, and a slightly overweight man with warm rusty hair hopped out.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"So, who am I meeting?"} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"This is our pilot, Faber," Van introduced him. "He was my pilot during the Israeli-Martian war. He's top-notch and the sort of person to trust your life to."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"You are a veteran and have such terrible control of your pistol?"} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"--a reporter, actually. And Chandra, I care for like a big brother. I took her in three years ago. Just as you said, she's a prophetess for the Intergalactic Jupiteran Catholic Church and works with women and children ministries. I support her best I can. We're a team," he smiled and patted Chandra on the back.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +/* Runaway Catholic Princess? *\\} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"Faber, this is Colt. We were ambushed and separated on our way to the shrine, but Colt rescued me. Van called him an angel for what he did."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +Faber cooed. "Is that so? Then anything you need, I'll do my best to help you. Chandra is precious to us."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +Colt shook his head.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"Really, no praise. I'm a vagabond without a home. If you can give my life some purpose, that's thanks enough."}{\loch +\line }{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"Sounds a lot like Van and me, then. I don't know what we'd do without Chandra."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +Colt looked down at little Chandra. She blushed and looked at her feet. } +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"Stop it, you're all so embarrassing."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +## 2} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +They settled onto the ship and showed Colt his chambers. } +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"We were given this ship and were tasked to assemble a crew, so we have more rooms than we need right now," Van explained to Colt in the hallway while Chandra flushedly removed her baubles from the spare room. "I guess Chandra was using this one as a hideout." Chandra gave an embarrassed look over her shoulder as she finished clearing the room. "It's not dirty, just a little messy. She keeps her areas neat." Colt listened bemusedly, which made Chandra blush harder. Once her collection was removed, she disappeared. "Go ahead and check it out."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +Van stepped in after Colt who was gazing over everything with appreciation.} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"It's very nice. I haven't done anything, and you'll let me stay here? What must I do?"} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"You saved her! If you promise to protect Chandra, that's enough to let you stay. You've met the whole crew. We're tiny and need your help. Chandra wakes up early to cook us breakfast and does most of the chores. Faber is able to repair most things that go wrong, either computers or engines. I do most of the mercenary work to help keep us afloat between stipends. I'd appreciate it if you help where your talents lie, but another guard for Chandra would be an immeasurable weight off my shoulders."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"You're so generous--! Of course I'll find where I'm useful. Thank you."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +"If you need anything, ask me. I'm the commander, so as a member of my crew, you're my responsibility. Understand that?--Good. I'll let you have time to yourself and check on the others."} +\par \pard\plain \s0\rtlch\af8\afs24\alang1081 \ltrch\lang1033\langfe2052\hich\af3\loch\nowidctlpar\hyphpar0\ltrpar\cf0\f3\fs24\lang1033\kerning1\dbch\af10\langfe2052\sl0\slmult0\ql\sb0\sa150\ltrpar{\hich\af6\loch\cf17\fs24\lang1033\f6\loch +Van slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him. } +\par } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Home/Driscoll (More complete maybe).rtf b/Home/Driscoll (More complete maybe).rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..d9c0205 --- /dev/null +++ b/Home/Driscoll (More complete maybe).rtf @@ -0,0 +1,81 @@ +{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil Constantia;}} +{\colortbl ;\red46\green46\blue46;} +{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.21.2510;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\sa150\sl0\slmult0\cf1\f0\fs20 Driscoll\par +Chapter One: The Hall of Monuments\par +\par +A shadow of a man approached her. She felt unearthly chills as his misty eyes met hers. Gradually, she came to realize he was speaking to her in a watery voice that trickled into her ears.\par +\ldblquote So, you have come.\rdblquote\par +She did not know how to respond to the ghost. He did not seem to be a benign spirit, so she did not take a step back as he drew nearer. Confidently, she said something. She knew she was dreaming.\par +\ldblquote Where am I?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote The hall of my master. The connection you have with him has finally brought you here.\rdblquote\par +Her question was hardly answered. Looking about her, she discovered she was indeed in a once-grand hall. Now the elaborate stone work and monuments lay in shambles with disorganized heaps of treasures scattered about in sawdust. One of the walls had collapsed into a story-high pile of bricks, blocking the spot where the entrance should be. The ceiling was impossibly high and tickled her batophobia, but little of it remained. Snow fell through the open patches and dusted the broke tile floor. She wondered what kind of master this ghost once served.\par +\ldblquote Who\'85who was your master?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote You have never met him nor heard of his exploits, but he was an admirable man. You would not expect a boy that small and sensitive to rise to the heights he did, but he was a hero. If you are truly the final part of his soul, then you understand him more completely than his own mother. Every intricacy of your persona is shared between you. Your every life event mirrors his.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote But the hall. How old is he?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote He is long gone.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Gone? But this makes no sense. How am I exactly like him when I do not even know him?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote That is the nature of souls. Some are split and shared between people. Early people had a concept of this, but it only remains in your culture loosely in the term \lquote soul mates\rquote . They misuse it. This special bond has no romantic meaning, though it is natural for those who share a soul to fall into a romantic relationship. You both share a soul and, by extension, interests, a personality, and a life.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote So I will do great things like him?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote There will be no way to avoid it. You will make the same choices he did.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote But\'85I do not understand.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Look around his hall. His hall is also your hall, and you can return here anytime you like.\rdblquote\par +She gazed upon the ghost for a moment longer. His eyes were faded but pure white and ate deep into her mind. It was hard to break contact with them. \par +She sorted through the sawdust in one corner, careful not to catch herself on a rusty nail or sharp splinter. A variety of warped jars were nested in the pile, filled with all manners of whimsical things. \par +\ldblquote Ah, my master was fond of alchemy. He had a talent for growing and mixing herbs. He kept his rare ingredients on a shelf there that has long since rotted away. He always told me that he was saving them for just the right sort of potion but never seemed to find the right occasion.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Alchemy?\rdblquote she asked. She spent long hours as a tween leaning over pictures of old men with beakers of aqua regia and nitre wishing to join them in their experimental concoctions. \ldblquote Are these ingredients still viable?\rdblquote Glass takes hundreds of years to warp like this.\par +\ldblquote Of course. I may have let the building go, but I will guard his treasures forever. He has ordered me to for you.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote But where is he? You remain here even after death.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Yes. But my master is long gone.\rdblquote\par +That question was obviously a dead end. \par +She sifted through more silt and found a small chest. The lock held fast.\par +\ldblquote Nothing in there. My master always teased me with that, telling me that he had bought an invaluable treasure from another world and locked it in a box for me. I\rquote d fiddle with it every weekend for years before opening it years after his death. There was nothing in there, of course. Imagine my frustration!\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Nothing at all?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Well, some snide message about my diligence, but I was too frustrated to read it. I locked the chest again, wishing the same fate on some poor soul. Honestly, I could care less at the moment. My sense of humor has eroded completely away.\rdblquote\par +She laughed at that, and the ghost dulled in pigment. \par +Continuing her search, she found a whole wardrobe of exquisite regalia.\par +Continuing her search, she found a capsized wardrobe filled with exquisite regalia under the dust. She gently lifted a garment and examined the material and stitching. Besides some use, the clothing was in fantastic shape. Nothing was threadbare or unraveling. The flowing silken robes with embroidered roses and quilted finery appealed to all her factories of sense. The ghost\rquote s ability to maintain little things like this was astonishing, considering how ancient these garments must be.\par +\tab\ldblquote Yes, he loved clothing. He collected it, even women\rquote s clothing. He hardly wore any of it, but he did not need to. He was content to appreciate the feel, pattern, design, and some other nonsense. The few times he did, he looked rather silly. As I said, he was so small and skinny that everything awkwardly hung off of him. Even so, he enjoyed it like a child in his parent\rquote s suit. I did not understand, but I know you do. At least someone could relate to you, I guess.\rdblquote\par +\tab It was true. She loved clothing in the very same way. She was fascinated with the ghost\rquote s master. He really must be made from the very same essence as she. She felt a little moment of warmth, realizing for the first time how cold it should be in an old ruin in the middle of a snowstorm. Honoring this corollary of lucidity, the dream blasted arctic winds over her. \par +\tab Of course, the winds did not blow the dust from the relics. She had to continue searching without assistance. She pulled a rich fur coat over her head.\par +\tab\ldblquote Curious. It hangs on you the same way. For a moment, I saw my master again,\rdblquote Trace barely heard under the ghost\rquote s breath, if he even takes breaths now.\par +\tab The stone bookcases needed only a little dusting. Selecting at random, she read a few pages from a bestiary, a manual of some sort, and a collection of fables. \par +\tab\ldblquote Books were his favorite thing to collect, I am fairly certain. He read nearly everything that was ever written, I am certainly sure.\rdblquote\par +\tab Last of all, she uncovered a simple beaded necklace. It did not have the mark of worth or rarity on it, unlike anything else in the room. It seemed to have been lost by mistake by a visitor to the hall and preserved by the ghost\rquote s magic like everything else. Inquisitively, she fingered the simple glass beads, studying each one. \par +\tab\ldblquote I apologize for losing the necklace. After filling his hall, my master came across these beads. They were purchased from an insignificant vendor and fashioned from cheap materials, but they caught my master\rquote s eye. Somehow, he knew that you would come to this hall someday, and he wanted you to have these. He held onto them as long as he could in life to give them to you personally, and I kept them after him. Please, try them on.\rdblquote\par +\tab She did as instructed.\par +\tab\ldblquote It is such a cheap piece of jewelry. My master never understood girls. You may keep them as you like, though.\rdblquote\par +\tab She ignored the ghostly words. The pale, delicate beads were round and chilled to the touch. They were beautiful in the more homely sense of the word. She tried to imagine the ghost\rquote s master fingering the same beads and desiring them as his own to later give to the extension of himself. He wanted her to have something of his, and now she had it. She was enchanted by the weight of the necklace.\par +\tab\ldblquote Ghostly watchman, what is your master\rquote s name?\rdblquote came the whisper.\par +\tab\ldblquote It is not mine to say.\rdblquote \par +\tab The necklace made her walk into the dead end. Finally, she asked,\par +\tab\ldblquote Ghostly watchman, what is your name?\rdblquote\par +\tab The ghost\rquote s clouded visage parted for a moment, revealing a ray of light.\par +\tab\ldblquote Driscoll.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote My name is Trace,\rdblquote she responded. \ldblquote Thank you.\rdblquote\par +\tab She was not entirely sure why she thanked him, but it felt as though he had helped her in ways no one else had ever tried. Fearful of soon awakening, she asked the ghost for his secret.\par +\tab\ldblquote Then, Driscoll. I can return here at any time?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Always. This is your hall as much as it was my master\rquote s.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote How do I return?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote The same way you entered, I suppose.\rdblquote\par +\tab She lamented for she knew that she could never reenter a dream. The connection Driscoll claimed she had to this place was strong enough for her to feel it. She belonged here. \par +\tab\ldblquote Don not worry. You will return. You must be the hero to lead the land. It is torn further and further in every sense of the word every day. Politics, nature, families\'85But you can bring it all together again.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote I am nothing like the sort of people who can do those sorts of things.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote No? You are exactly like the one I knew. But regardless, your life is bound to my master\rquote s. You will repeat everything he ever did.\rdblquote\par +\tab The room was filled with light. She desperately tried to photograph everything in the hall with her mind. Instead, she only gained more and more awareness until she was looking around her bedroom and yawning. \par +\tab\ldblquote Wake up, already!\rdblquote her mother kept calling from the foot of the bed.\par +\tab She tried not to show her frustration at losing the dream and changed into her clothes.\par +\tab By second period, she remembered eighty-percent of the dream, far more than usual. By fourth period, she was praying to slip back into that world away from everybody else. The ghost promised that she would return. Most people would regard believing in one\rquote s own dreams silly, but Trace lived by her dreams. It was not that she was excessively superstitious or spiritual, but she took everything with a child\rquote s approach. A child can believe in many things without actually believing in them. By fifth period, she needed to use the restroom. While washing her hands, she looked up at the girl next to her and caught a glimpse of the necklace. She was still wearing the very same necklace Driscoll\rquote s master wanted her to wear. Her jaw parted. Fingering the beads, they the very same. The very same that Driscoll\rquote s master had kept for her.\par +Chapter Two: The Necklace\par +\tab When she returned home, she rushed to her bedroom and closed the door behind her. She could not find a mirror, but she could use a CD. Stretching the CD far away from her face, she could see the pale, iridescent image of herself in the necklace. She treasured this piece of jewelry more dearly than anything else she had ever come across. As a tomboy, she had never dressed up or worn makeup before, so she wondered how no one could have commented on the fact she wore a necklace to school. The girls always pressure her to dress up. Once again, she blamed perpetual invisibility. Perhaps she is invisible because she never belonged in this world to begin with. She belonged with Driscoll and his absent master all along. \par +\tab She sighed deeply and shook her head. She was utterly ridiculous. \par +She sat through the rest of the day until she could finally go home. That night, she did not go to sleep until hours after her family. She had done this as long as she could remember without her parents\rquote knowledge because the absolute darkness and silence consoled her. Once she was away from all the noise, she was usually free of all the problems other people caused for her. Today, it closed out all other thoughts besides her dream last night. She supposed it was real; there was no reason to suspect it might be false. Her parents and classmates would call her names for believing in anything even slightly fantastical, but they claimed to be religious. She knew they even shied away from their own faith when it ceased to be so concrete. She did not want to become like them, so she kept the advised \ldblquote heart of a child\rdblquote .\par +She tried to will herself back into that hall. \par +She lay in bed half the night, thinking about Driscoll and the necklace. She tried to imagine his master, the man so close yet unknown to her. She considered the nature of that world and its history in contrast with her own. Eventually, she fell asleep and her dreams seamless slipped in amongst her thoughts. She woke up the next morning feeling as though she had not dreamt at all.\par +Gradually, the dream faded in her memory and seemed less and less real. Bitterly, she cast the entire thing aside as wishful thinking and continued life as usual.\par +She stayed up late into the night writing or drawing or something to distract her from reality. She played instrumental music that at least muffled the arguments and TVs roaring in the background without adding too much to it. When she became too lonely, she took her characters out of their medium and conversed with them as a child does with imaginary friends. It never filled her social needs, but it was all she could do. She had tried to invite the girls over who had been nice to her from time to time, but they never accepted. After enough rejections, she gave up. People do not need friends, she finally decided. Loners were always the most interesting character in a work anyways. \par +\par +Every time the necklace or Driscoll\rquote s dutiful eyes entered her mind, she shut it out until the thoughts never returned. She lived this way undisturbed and completely forgetful of the dream. Instead, she turned to her imaginary friends. \par +Some of her father\rquote s liberal commentary on the upcoming election flitted into the room, preventing her from being able to read. She glanced at the calendar on her wall and saw it was November 5th, the day before what was to be the most important election in American history. The most hopeless as well, the girl always added. \par +\par +} + \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Home/Driscoll.rtf b/Home/Driscoll.rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..ab187c5 --- /dev/null +++ b/Home/Driscoll.rtf @@ -0,0 +1,82 @@ +{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil Constantia;}{\f1\fnil\fcharset0 Constantia;}} +{\colortbl ;\red46\green46\blue46;} +{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.21.2510;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\sa150\sl0\slmult0\cf1\f0\fs24 A shadow of a man approached her. She felt unearthly chills as his misty eyes met hers. Gradually, she came to realize he was speaking to her in a watery voice that trickled into her ears.\par +\ldblquote So, you have come.\rdblquote\par +She did not know how to respond to the ghost. He did not seem to be a benign spirit, so she did not take a step back as he drew nearer. Confidently, she said something. She knew she was dreaming.\par +\ldblquote Where am I?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote The hall of my master. The connection you have with him has finally brought you here.\rdblquote\par +Her question was hardly answered. Looking about her, she discovered she was indeed in a once-grand hall. Now the elaborate stone work and monuments lay in shambles with disorganized heaps of treasures scattered about in sawdust. One of the walls had collapsed into a story-high pile of bricks, blocking the spot where the entrance should be. The ceiling was impossibly high and tickled her batophobia, but little of it remained. Snow fell through the open patches and dusted the broke tile floor. She wondered what kind of master this ghost once served.\par +\ldblquote\f1 Who\'85who was your master?\f0\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote You have never met him nor heard of his exploits, but he was an admirable man. You would not expect a boy that small and sensitive to rise to the heights he did, but he was a hero. If you are truly the final part of his soul, then you understand him more completely than his own mother. Every intricacy of your persona is shared between you. Your every life event mirrors his.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote But the hall. How old is he?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote He is long gone.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Gone? But this makes no sense. How am I exactly like him when I do not even know him?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote That is the nature of souls. Some are split and shared between people. Early people had a concept of this, but it only remains in your culture loosely in the term \lquote soul mates\rquote . They misuse it. This special bond has no romantic meaning, though it is natural for those who share a soul to fall into a romantic relationship. You both share a soul and, by extension, interests, a personality, and a life.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote So I will do great things like him?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote There will be no way to avoid it. You will make the same choices he did.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote\f1 But\'85I don\f0\rquote t understand.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Look around his hall. His hall is also your hall, and you can return here anytime you like.\rdblquote\par +She gazed upon the ghost for a moment longer. His eyes were faded but pure white and ate deep into her mind. It was hard to break contact with them. \par +She sorted through the sawdust in one corner, careful not to catch herself on a rusty nail or sharp splinter. A variety of warped jars were nested in the pile, filled with all manners of whimsical things. \par +\ldblquote Ah, my master was fond of alchemy. He had a talent for growing and mixing herbs. He kept his rare ingredients on a shelf there that has long since rotted away. He always told me that he was saving them for just the right sort of potion but never seemed to find the right occasion.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Alchemy?\rdblquote she asked. She spent long hours as a tween leaning over pictures of old men with beakers of aqua regia and nitre wishing to join them in their experimental concoctions. \ldblquote Are these ingredients still viable?\rdblquote Glass takes hundreds of years to warp like this.\par +\ldblquote Of course. I may have let the building go, but I will guard his treasures forever. He has ordered me to for you.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote But where is he? You remain here even after death.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Yes. But my master is long gone.\rdblquote\par +That question was obviously a dead end. \par +She sifted through more silt and found a small chest. The lock held fast.\par +\ldblquote Nothing in there. My master always teased me with that, telling me that he had bought an invaluable treasure from another world and locked it in a box for me. I\rquote d fiddle with it every weekend for years before opening it years after his death. There was nothing in there, of course. Imagine my frustration!\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Nothing at all?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Well, some snide message about my diligence, but I was too frustrated to read it. I locked the chest again, wishing the same fate on some poor soul. Honestly, I could care less at the moment. My sense of humor has eroded completely away.\rdblquote\par +She laughed at that, and the ghost dulled in pigment. \par +Continuing her search, she found a whole wardrobe of exquisite regalia.\par +Continuing her search, she found a capsized wardrobe filled with exquisite regalia under the dust. She gently lifted a garment and examined the material and stitching. Besides some use, the clothing was in fantastic shape. Nothing was threadbare or unraveling. The flowing silken robes with embroidered roses and quilted finery appealed to all her factories of sense. The ghost\rquote s ability to maintain little things like this was astonishing, considering how ancient these garments must be.\par +\tab\ldblquote Yes, he loved clothing. He collected it, even women\rquote s clothing. He hardly wore any of it, but he did not need to. He was content to appreciate the feel, pattern, design, and some other nonsense. The few times he did, he looked rather silly. As I said, he was so small and skinny that everything awkwardly hung off of him. Even so, he enjoyed it like a child in his parent\rquote s suit. I did not understand, but I know you do. At least someone could relate to you, I guess.\rdblquote\par +\tab It was true. She loved clothing in the very same way. She was fascinated with the ghost\rquote s master. He really must be made from the very same essence as she. She felt a little moment of warmth, realizing for the first time how cold it should be in an old ruin in the middle of a snowstorm. Honoring this corollary of lucidity, the dream blasted arctic winds over her. \par +\tab Of course, the winds did not blow the dust from the relics. She had to continue searching without assistance. She pulled a rich fur coat over her head.\par +\tab\ldblquote Curious. It hangs on you the same way. For a moment, I saw my master again,\rdblquote Nykki barely heard under the ghost\rquote s breath, if he even takes breaths now.\par +\tab The stone bookcases needed only a little dusting. Selecting at random, she read a few pages from a bestiary, a manual of some sort, and a collection of fables. \par +\tab\ldblquote Books were his favorite thing to collect, I am fairly certain. He read nearly everything that was ever written, I am certainly sure.\rdblquote\par +\tab Last of all, she uncovered a simple beaded necklace. It did not have the mark of worth or rarity on it, unlike anything else in the room. It seemed to have been lost by mistake by a visitor to the hall and preserved by the ghost\rquote s magic like everything else. Inquisitively, she fingered the simple glass beads, studying each one. \par +\tab\ldblquote I apologize for losing the necklace. After filling his hall, my master came across these beads. They were purchased from an insignificant vendor and fashioned from cheap materials, but they caught my master\rquote s eye. Somehow, he knew that you would come to this hall someday, and he wanted you to have these. He held onto them as long as he could in life to give them to you personally, and I kept them after him. Please, try them on.\rdblquote\par +\tab She did as instructed.\par +\tab\ldblquote It is such a cheap piece of jewelry. My master never understood girls. You may keep them as you like, though.\rdblquote\par +\tab She ignored the ghostly words. The pale, delicate beads were round and chilled to the touch. They were beautiful in the more homely sense of the word. She tried to imagine the ghost\rquote s master fingering the same beads and desiring them as his own to later give to the extension of himself. He wanted her to have something of his, and now she had it. She was enchanted by the weight of the necklace.\par +\tab\ldblquote Ghostly watchman, what is your master\rquote s name?\rdblquote came the whisper.\par +\tab\ldblquote It is not mine to say.\rdblquote \par +\tab The necklace made her walk into the dead end. Finally, she asked,\par +\tab\ldblquote Ghostly watchman, what is your name?\rdblquote\par +\tab The ghost\rquote s clouded visage parted for a moment, revealing a ray of light.\par +\tab\ldblquote Driscoll.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote My name is Nykki,\rdblquote she responded. \ldblquote Thank you.\rdblquote\par +\tab She was not entirely sure why she thanked him, but it felt as though he had helped her in ways no one else had ever tried. Fearful of soon awakening, she asked the ghost for his secret.\par +\tab\ldblquote Then, Driscoll. I can return here at any time?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Always. This is your hall as much as it was my master\rquote s.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote How do I return?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote The same way you entered, I suppose.\rdblquote\par +\tab She lamented for she knew that she could never reenter a dream. The connection Driscoll claimed she had to this place was strong enough for her to feel it. She belonged here. \par +\tab\ldblquote\f1 Do not worry. You will return. You must be the hero to lead the land. It is torn further and further in every sense of the word every day. Politics, nature, families\'85But you can bring it all together again.\f0\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote I am nothing like the sort of people who can do those sorts of things.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote No? You are exactly like the one I knew. But regardless, your life is bound to my master\rquote s. You will repeat everything he ever did.\rdblquote\par +\tab The room was filled with light. She desperately tried to photograph everything in the hall with her mind. Instead, she only gained more and more awareness until she was looking around her bedroom and yawning. \par +\tab\ldblquote Wake up, already!\rdblquote her mother kept calling from the foot of the bed.\par +\tab She tried not to show her frustration at losing the dream and changed into her clothes.\par +\tab By second period, she remembered eighty-percent of the dream, far more than usual. By fourth period, she was praying to slip back into that world away from everybody else. The ghost promised that she would return. Most people would regard believing in one\rquote s own dreams silly, but Nykki lived by her dreams. It was not that she was excessively superstitious or spiritual, but she took everything with a child\rquote s approach. A child can believe in many things without actually believing in them. By fifth period, she needed to use the restroom. While washing her hands, she looked up at the girl next to her and caught a glimpse of the necklace. She was still wearing the very same necklace Driscoll\rquote s master wanted her to wear. Her jaw parted. Fingering the beads, they the very same. The very same that Driscoll\rquote s master had kept for her.\par +\par +\tab When she returned home, she rushed to her bedroom and closed the door behind her. She could not find a mirror, but she could use a CD. Stretching the CD far away from her face, she could see the pale, iridescent image of herself in the necklace. She treasured this piece of jewelry more dearly than anything else she had ever come across. As a tomboy, she had never dressed up or worn makeup before, so she wondered how no one could have commented on the fact she wore a necklace to school. The girls always pressure her to dress up. Once again, she blamed perpetual invisibility. Perhaps she is invisible because she never belonged in this world to begin with. She belonged with Driscoll and his absent master all along. \par +\tab She sighed deeply and shook her head. She was utterly ridiculous. \par +She sat through the rest of the day until she could finally go home. That night, she did not go to sleep until hours after her family. She had done this as long as she could remember without her parents\rquote knowledge because the absolute darkness and silence consoled her. Once she was away from all the noise, she was usually free of all the problems other people caused for her. Today, it closed out all other thoughts besides her dream last night. She supposed it was real; there was no reason to suspect it might be false. Her parents and classmates would call her names for believing in anything even slightly fantastical, but they claimed to be religious. She knew they even shied away from their own faith when it ceased to be so concrete. She did not want to become like them, so she kept the advised \ldblquote heart of a child\rdblquote .\par +She tried to will herself back into that hall. \par +She lay in bed half the night, thinking about Driscoll and the necklace. She tried to imagine his master, the man so close yet unknown to her. She considered the nature of that world and its history in contrast with her own. Eventually, she fell asleep and her dreams seamless slipped in amongst her thoughts. She woke up the next morning feeling as though she had not dreamt at all.\par +Gradually, the dream faded in her memory and seemed less and less real. Bitterly, she cast the entire thing aside as wishful thinking and continued life as usual.\par +She stayed up late into the night writing or drawing or something to distract her from reality. She played instrumental music that at least muffled the arguments and TVs roaring in the background without adding too much to it. When she became too lonely, she took her characters out of their medium and conversed with them as a child does with imaginary friends. It never filled her social needs, but it was all she could do. She had tried to invite the girls who had been nice to her from time to time, but they never accepted it. Her acute loneliness returned, and her thoughts turned increasingly inwardly. She would have never recalled her entrance into the hall of the hero if it had not been for the necklace.\par +Her room had become ghastly messy, so she finally resigned herself to cleaning it. This included sorting through everything that had been stuffed into her closet and under her bed and usually led to nostalgic retrieval of her childhood trinkets. When she pulled the simple, yellow glass beads from a box, she stared at them for a time, remembering everything all at once. Perhaps it was all real. \par +\ldblquote Girl,\rdblquote the same voice called. \ldblquote Katherine, I believe it was?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote\f1 Driscoll\'85\f0\rdblquote she sighed. \ldblquote That was his voice. If I could hear it once more.\rdblquote\par +But he was behind her. \par +\ldblquote Behold, here I am,\rdblquote he said.\par +Katherine jumped. \ldblquote What! It\rquote s! \endash !!\rdblquote\par +\par +\par +} + \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Home/Ghostly Hall.rtf b/Home/Ghostly Hall.rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..5565398 Binary files /dev/null and b/Home/Ghostly Hall.rtf differ diff --git a/Home/Hall of Monuments.rtf b/Home/Hall of Monuments.rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..2efdcdc Binary files /dev/null and b/Home/Hall of Monuments.rtf differ diff --git a/Home/Home.rtf b/Home/Home.rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..abeb952 Binary files /dev/null and b/Home/Home.rtf differ diff --git a/Home/NaNoWriMo.docx b/Home/NaNoWriMo.docx new file mode 100755 index 0000000..bc0fa90 Binary files /dev/null and b/Home/NaNoWriMo.docx differ diff --git a/Memoirs/doc.odt b/Memoirs/doc.odt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d44e8ba Binary files /dev/null and b/Memoirs/doc.odt differ diff --git a/Nephe/I was alone. I was finally alone. I couldn't beli.rtf b/Nephe/I was alone. I was finally alone. I couldn't beli.rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..f1ac4ea Binary files /dev/null and b/Nephe/I was alone. I was finally alone. I couldn't beli.rtf differ diff --git a/Nephe/I was alone.docx b/Nephe/I was alone.docx new file mode 100755 index 0000000..19696f4 Binary files /dev/null and b/Nephe/I was alone.docx differ diff --git a/Newcomer/Adah.rtf b/Newcomer/Adah.rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..3bf1893 --- /dev/null +++ b/Newcomer/Adah.rtf @@ -0,0 +1,263 @@ +{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fprq1\fcharset128 MS PGothic;}{\f1\fnil Constantia;}{\f2\fnil\fcharset0 Constantia;}{\f3\fswiss\fcharset0 Arial;}} +{\colortbl ;\red46\green46\blue46;} +{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.21.2510;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\sa150\sl0\slmult0\cf1\lang1041\f0\fs24 # 0\lang1033\f1\par +Trudging along, sun dropped over the horizon, darkness falling like a sheet over the world. A chill followed, and the song of insects. There was no hope of reaching the next town before the darkness thickens to opaque.\par +\par +How had night crept so well upon him? He shouldn't have allowed himself to become so burdened by the words of Chief Solftieer. Now just to find a place to sleep, with good cover from wind and the eyes of strangers. He wrapped his coat nearer his body, considering how disconvenient a blanket it will make, while climbing the rocky crag to try to spot a place for himself. Scanning, mostly seeing trees with like brush, chops of rocks, hills, but nothing particularly comfortable.\par +\par +\ldblquote Well- not my first rough night.\rdblquote\par +\par +He moved into a tight cluster of trees, roots touching and knotting and forming a platform shielded from Queen\rquote s Road. Probably anty, but it will do. A rock crag slimmed and took shape as he approach with the weak, flickering lantern light.\par +\par +\ldblquote God. A girl.\rdblquote\par +\par +Definitely a girl- slumped, pale, and injured. Lewis unconsciously dropped his bag and lantern and ran to her, hestitantly kneeling over her, speaking in a soft voice,\par +\par +\ldblquote Are you okay? Can you hear me?" He brushed the hair out of her face and arousal innocently flourished in him. Beautiful. Bright red, he examined her. She didn't seem to have any back injuries, but how could he tell? He wet his hand against his lips and checked her breathing. Her breath through her lips was shallow and infrequent. She is breathing, though. Gingerly, he rolled her to side to help her breath more easily. She murmured in pain, unnerving him.\par +\par +"I can help you. I have some medical training. Stay with me."\par +\par +God, he thought.\par +\par +He started to position her legs and arms so she can breathe. She stopped. In an instant, he had her on her back and readied for CPR.\par +\par +Why do I always have to do this with such attractive women, he lamented as he concentrated on the right rhythm.\par +\par +Nothing. Nothing. Nothing for heartbreaking seconds. She starts coughing up thick, black blood.\par +\par +That can't be a good sign. What happened to her? Is she lost and he only risking some exposure to disease?\par +\par +He continued CPR, night so dark now that he could no longer see her silvery silhouette and shiny hair and dewy skin -- Staying Alive! Staying Alive! Oh oh! Can't lose his rhythm. Staying Alive! She kept coughing up thick globs of congealed blood and struggling all the while.\par +\par +She started breathing more steadily. Exhausted, he rolled her into a better position and sat next to her. Finally, he draped his jacket over her.\par +\par +"I'm here for you. You'll be okay." He kept repeating that, panting and sweating.\par +Hours of panting and sweating passed, a strained murmur broke the night.\par +\ldblquote Are you awake?\rdblquote Lewis leaned closer.\par +\ldblquote Why?\rdblquote\par +Voice like a bell. Lewis\rquote s heart held still. Why was this happening to her? Why did he help her? How can he answer?\par +\ldblquote I am just a traveler. I found you near the road. I have basic medical training, so I did what I could.\rdblquote\par +Silence fell over Lewis. He was so exhausted.\par +\ldblquote Please. You should rest. I\rquote ll stay right here.\rdblquote\par +\par +A tickle across his shoulder, the chatter of forest life, sunlight: daytime came all at once. The girl! He looked next to him. She was sitting up, propped against the trunk of a dogwood, in a dazed stupor. Her face was hardened by pain. He couldn\rquote t see her but barely last night, but here she was in the daylight. Pale-skinned, perfect black hair. She was dirty and bloody, but she was obviously quite lovely. Looking over her small, fragile body\emdash in this condition\emdash fanned flames in his heart. Who did this to her? His thoughts were interrupted suddenly as her vacant eyes fell upon him.\par +\ldblquote Good morning,\rdblquote Lewis greeted her warmly. She didn\rquote t respond verbally, but she held eye contact. \ldblquote My name is Lewis. I am glad to see you awake. Oh--! You should eat.\rdblquote He reached for his bag\emdash gone? He looked behind him: still there, on the ground next to his lantern right where he dropped them. He retrieved it, brushed off the grass, and rustled inside. \ldblquote I have some fruit, and it shouldn\rquote t be too hard to eat. Please, eat,\rdblquote he placed it in her hands. He was so relieved to see her eat. He took some of his jerky and ate with her. \ldblquote I have water, too. Please, take my canton.\rdblquote She drank, too.\par +She is so much better! I\rquote ll have to take her to Sisterly with me. Otto can look at her. She\rquote ll be okay.\par +She finished and relaxed.\par +\ldblquote Thank you,\rdblquote she murmured.\par +\ldblquote What is your name?\rdblquote\par +She looked at him with such big, brown eyes. \ldblquote Adah.\rdblquote\par +She seemed pliable, but probably because she wasn\rquote t fully conscious.\par +\ldblquote Do you know where you are?\rdblquote\par +She clearly hesitated, in another display of lucidity, furrowing her brow. \ldblquote Near the capital.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote I think you\rquote ll be okay, Adah, but you\rquote re so hurt. I want to take you to see my friend. He\rquote s one of the best doctors in Sisterly.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote\emdash Please,\rdblquote she murmured curtly. \ldblquote No Sisterly.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote No Sisterly? Adah, you need a doctor, and Otto is the best. I insist.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote\f2 Please\'85\f1\rdblquote\par +He had to take a pause to consider. Is her attacker in Sisterly?\par +\ldblquote I\rquote ll protect you. No one can hurt you.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote No.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote I have fighting experience, and I have my sword. No one will lay a hand on you.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote I just can\rquote t!\rdblquote She raised her voice.\par +\ldblquote Adah...What if I call you by a fake name and disguise you? Please. No one will know you. I\rquote ll never leave your side, even at the doctor. Please, Adah, please for me.\rdblquote\par +She stopped responding.\par +\ldblquote Well, I\rquote ll carry you. You can sleep.\rdblquote\par +He wrapped her in his jacket and scooped her into his arms. It was like carrying nothing. So tiny! She complied, either out of weakness or resignation. \ldblquote You\rquote ll be okay.\rdblquote\par +Lewis continued his journey to the capital with the girl in his arms. As he recommended, she slept the entire way there. They stopped for lunch, but Lewis tried to hurry. They reached Sisterly in the late afternoon.\par +\ldblquote Lewis! It\rquote s good to see you,\rdblquote a guard called.\par +\ldblquote Van! It\rquote s been too long!\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote This girl with you--?\rdblquote The guard raised an eyebrow wryly.\par +\ldblquote Haha, please! She is my friend, Eve. Van, she\rquote s injured. I need a doctor urgently. I did what I could, but I need Otto.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Doctor Otto? He\rquote s here, probably in his home. He\rquote ll be glad to see you, regardless of the circumstances. Godspeed!\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Godspeed.\rdblquote\par +Lewis hasted past him, tracing the route to Otto\rquote s manor. He took to more covert routes, conscious of his conspicuousness. It was a slow day in Sisterly, anyways. Most people must be in their homes.\par +\ldblquote See?\rdblquote He murmured in her ear. \ldblquote No one will question you if I\rquote m here. You\rquote ll be safe.\rdblquote\par +Soon, they were before the manor\rquote s main entry gate. Confidently, he slipped over the fencing, and rapped on the door.\par +\ldblquote It\rquote s Lewis Ashcroft. Doctor Otto, it\rquote s Lewis. I need you.\rdblquote\par +There was shuffling around the door.\par +\ldblquote Lewis Ashcroft. Doctor, I need your help.\rdblquote\par +The sound of tumblers and key jangling promptly followed, and the door opened. \ldblquote Lewis, my boy!\rdblquote Otto looked ready to hug his neck. \ldblquote Lewis, you\rquote ve returned to the city! But with a lady?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Eve. We were traveling back and were separated when almost to the capital. I found her unconscious, and I\rquote m worried she\rquote s hurt. Please, Doctor, will you help her?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Well, of course, my boy! Please, come inside. Tove! Prepare the patient room. We have a visitor! Brian, make some tea.\rdblquote\par +Otto led Lewis to the patient room briskly. Tove already had the bed prepared, so Lewis gently placed her down and unwrapped her.\par +\ldblquote She\rquote s not even bathed! Tove.\rdblquote\par +The slightly plump, freckled girl set about gently wiping the grit from her wounds and preparing disinfectant.\par +\ldblquote Otto, I\rquote d like to stay here and comfort Eve.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Why, of course, my boy.\rdblquote He dropped his voice. \ldblquote Is she very special to you?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Please,\rdblquote Lewis replied laughing jovially, shaking his head and waving his arms. With sincerity, he repeated, \ldblquote allow me to stay, Otto.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote You\rquote ll have to tell me the story. You have my word I won\rquote t separate you two.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Thank you.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Tove, bathe her, Lewis insists to stay, but I\rquote ll step out. Let me know when she\rquote s ready.\rdblquote\par +Tove watched Lewis with the kind of quiet interest interns take in the drama surrounding the lives of their bosses. \ldblquote Right away,\rdblquote she chirped.\par +She brought out the washing pan and started undressing Adah. Lewis averted his eyes.\par +After she was washed up, Tove applied disinfecting ointments to her wounds and dressed her while Otto returned, carrying a tray of spice tea. He set it on the counter, washed his hands, and set to work.\par +\ldblquote My family is indebted to Lewis. He saved my daughter. If you are a friend of his, I will do everything I can to make you comfortable.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Please, Doctor\emdash\rdblquote Lewis was blushing. Tove walked over to him and offered him a cup of tea. Retrieving one for herself, she sat next to him in the intricately carved wooden guest chairs.\par +\ldblquote It\rquote s true. He\rquote s a fine young man. My name is Otto Upton. I need to ask you a couple of questions. What is your name?\rdblquote\par +Adah hesitated. \ldblquote Eve Fisher.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Do you know what day it is?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Tuesday. November 1\emdash\rdblquote\par +She was speaking as if from a dream. It was hard to understand her.\par +\ldblquote Do you know what happened?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote I\emdash it all happened so quickly. I was lost. Then they came from behind. I fell.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote\f2 I see\'85Well, let\f1\rquote s begin the physical examination.\rdblquote\par +An hour passed of probing, shining lights, and scribbling notes. All the while, Otto chatted calmly about Lewis.\par +\ldblquote He\rquote s told me a lot about you, too. Must be embarrassing to listen to,\rdblquote Tove commented in a quiet voice. She was trying to comfort Lewis, who was visibly strained from the recent events. Finishing a sip of tea, she continued, \ldblquote Are you sure you need to stay in the room? You can have a warm bath and a change of clothes. You know Otto takes good care of his patients.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Thank you, but I promised. She\rquote s worried to be apart.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Are you very close?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote It\rquote s a complicated story, but I have to take care of her.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote So noble. Just like in Otto\rquote s stories. I won\rquote t press then, guessing it\rquote s some Queen\rquote s mission.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote You are helping Otto?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote I\rquote m the Doctor\rquote s apprentice. I\rquote m training to be a pharmacist, but I help Otto with patients, too. You must be older than you look. I\rquote ve been here for about 11 years now. There\rquote s another apprentice here, Sand. He\rquote s studying to be a doctor, like Otto.\rdblquote She dropped her voice lower. \ldblquote He\rquote s kind of a jerk, though, so I worry about any patient that has to deal with him. Well, it\rquote s just his attitude, really. So haughty.\rdblquote\par +Lewis chuckled. \ldblquote I actually knew Otto when I was a young teenage.\rdblquote\par +Tove seemed surprised and not surprised. \ldblquote So you\rquote re in your 20s?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote 26.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote I\rquote m 20. Not so far apart.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote And Sand?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote He\rquote s 24, closer to you. But gosh, so young! You look younger than me.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Is your job to flatter guests while they are waiting?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Yes, actually! I am just teasing you, though. You are something of a celebrity around here. Otto talks about you in this stilted mythic language. I\rquote m bored of the stories, really, but he keeps repeating them. Then out of the blue, you arrive with this beautiful injured girl, wrapped in that jacket\emdash it\rquote s the very one, isn\rquote t it, that the Queen gave you? Gosh!\emdash insisting to stay by her side in true mythic chivalrous form. And you\rquote re just so handsome! I have to tease you, you know?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote It didn\rquote t work out between you and Sand, did it?\rdblquote\par +Tove turned bright read. \ldblquote There was never nothing there.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote If you tease me, you open yourself to teasing.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Lewis--\ldblquote Tove straightened up, Lewis stood up. \ldblquote It\rquote s mostly trauma, she\rquote ll be fine. I\rquote ll send you plenty of ointments and bandages, but she needs rest. Lewis looked over to Adah, but she was sleeping. \ldblquote Make yourself at home, boy. You can go home when she wakes up. For now, I\rquote d like you to clean up. I insist.\rdblquote\par +Unable to break his promise, Otto eventually brought dinner to the patient room.\par +After catching up, Adah woke up, and Otto encouraged Lewis to bring her to his home for more rest. He obliged, whispering to Adah that everything will be fine and telling her about his room, which is housing offered as a reward for serving the nation.\par +\par +\ldblquote Tove,\rdblquote Otto murmured. \ldblquote Lewis is out of his mind. He completely lied just now.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Lewis?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote You're so young! That's right, did your mother tell you? About Adah, the rebel princess who drew us under enemy rule? Are you old enough to recognize the girl? This \lquote Eve Fisher?\rquote\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote No?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Adah Stone. She\rquote s the rebel princess who destroyed the southern province.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Adah! Surely not!\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Lewis lied, intentionally or not. I don\rquote t know what he\rquote s involved in this time, but Adah is a traitor. The Queen has a bounty on her head. Wrapping her in that coat, calling her by a false identity, and relying on charisma will get him beheaded the moment he falters. I trust Lewis, and trust you not to breathe a word. Regardless, with those injuries, she\rquote ll be dead in days. She\rquote s suffering for her crime as we speak, but she'll go easy. If she\rquote s caught, it will only hurt Lewis. He's a good man, and I trust him. You're loyal to your friends before your nation.\rdblquote\par +\par +Tove agreed quickly and solemnly. She had bathed Princess Adah... She was probably at just as much risk at beheadal as anyone. \par +\par +\lang1041\f0 # \lang1033\f3 1\lang1041\f0\par +Lewis woke up on the hide rug. Adah was still asleep on his bed. Morning was peaceful in his apartment. The light sifted in through his curtains, and the birds had yet to begin singing. His neighbors were either gone or still sleeping. All was quiet apart from the weak ebb and flow of Adah's breath. She was pale as a ghost, this slender beauty. If she recovers, Lewis thought, I hope she stays. She's just so delicate. She needs someone to protect her. I think we could be happy together.\par +\par +He searched his cabinet, but it was empty apart from some salt and flaxseed. He didn't want to leave her, but it would be best to bring food from the market.\par +\par +"I'll be back in a minute with good food. I'll lock the door behind me. I'll be back before you know it," he murmured into her ear.\par +\par +She did not stir, gritting and twisting in pain as she had when he laid her there.\par +\par +He hastily buckled his shoes and drew a cloak around him. In a moment, he was down the hall and out the front door. In another moment, he was selecting vegetables and meats for a hearty stew, paying, and finally, he was unlocking the front door and stepping in.\par +\par +As before, she was in his bed.\par +\par +(Maybe she wakes up and murmurs something.)\par +\par +It was as though she was slipping away. The light was leaving her face. Darts in his heart and ice spreading in his veins. He was here, but at the same time, he was at the mountain daughter's bedside that night she died. Everything was the same.\par +\par +"I'll save you! Otto will be here."\par +\par +He burst from his room and hit Tove squarely, knocking them both into the floor. Pills and liquid spilled everywhere.\par +\par +"Tove!" The incident dazed him. "Oh, Tove, Tove! Please, bring Otto."\par +\par +"Oh, Lewis--I--\rdblquote Tove paused to recollect herself. \ldblquote Lewis, let\rquote s talk in your room.\rdblquote\par +\par +\ldblquote You don\rquote t understand; Eve needs help!"\par +\par +"Hush, I need to talk to you." Without permission, she pulled him up and led him to room 23E. Once inside, she closed the door. Lewis stared expectantly.\par +\par +Honestly, Tove wasn't prepared for this. "Yesterday, when you came in,--\rdblquote\par +\par +\ldblquote Doctor!"\par +\par +Tove turned around to see Otto filling the doorway.\par +\par +"Quiet yourself, boy, are you mad? You want your neighbors coming over to investigate?"\par +\lang1033\f1\par +\lang1041\f0 # 2\par +\ldblquote There is no magic in my world.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Don\rquote t give me that. You are the one who insisted on intruding upon my secret place. This is one of the last places in Accord without immediate signs of humans. No trash, no trails, no landscaping. This is no place for humans like you.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote I insisted because I was worried about you. You can not come out to secluded places like this alone at night. What if this is a spot for drug trade or gang initiation? Out here, there is no one to help you.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote It isn\rquote t so dangerous outside as it is in your mind. People used to do everything outside and still do elsewhere in places. Your house isn\rquote t so safe either, right? Statistically the most dangerous place to be. I\rquote ve slept out here, spent my whole day here, as a child a lot weaker than I am now, and I\rquote m still here! If you are patient, you might come to understand the serenity of a place like this. I am welcome here, and no place is so comfortable. Do you really think I\rquote d be safer at home?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote I still think you are exaggerating. Obviously your home is safer than the middle of the woods.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Don\rquote t bring your arguments here. If you must be here, be quiet.\rdblquote\par +Emily huffed. The argument reached a sturdy wall.\par +\ldblquote Really, though, the water\rquote s so thick and black. On the surface, it is a perfect mirror.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Yeah, why is the water so black? Is it dirty, or is it full of some algae or bacteria? I don\rquote t think you should sit near it.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote It is a mirror under the surface, too. If you crawl in, you will crawl out of the same pond, and see yourself peering from the other side. The sky\rquote s underneath, the trees are underneath. It is more than a mirror\emdash it is a parallel world. You can see the bits of it through the water\rquote s glassy surface. I told you they exist, and there\rquote s one here.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Maybe you are right about these things, but if you hide here, maybe you should spend the time at my house.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Did you come here just to ask that?\rdblquote Will sat down on a cushion of peat moss. \ldblquote Where did this all come from anyways? I don\rquote t even know you.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote A girl should not be going out here by herself.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote I\rquote ll do what I want. You don\rquote t care. Go home to your family.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Emily, I\rquote ll walk you home.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote You should not have followed me here! Go away!\rdblquote\par +Will left begrudgingly. He should not force her, so he left her. It was a long walk to the bus stop. He checked his watch. Three hours until the buses stop running.\par +This is ridiculous.\par +He turned around and\emdash\par +She was gone. He hadn\rquote t heard her leave.\par +\ldblquote\emdash Emily?\rdblquote\par +Dead silence echoed back at him. She was gone. \ldblquote Emily!\rdblquote He searched a bit in the woods. Nothing. Grimacing, he even reached a finger into her \ldblquote portal.\rdblquote No sky underneath, just slime. Eugh. After searching for a time, he hurried back to the buses.\par +He went to bed early that night. Rolling in bed, he thought about her soft skin and smooth hair.\par +At school the next day, he pushed through the day, just waiting for break. The final bell rang, and he was first out. He waited just near Emily\rquote s last class. A stream of 10th graders exited the room, grouping into eagerly chattering cliques. The last few stragglers walked out slowly, a couple of boys talking about when they can meet to finish some lit project. Taking a deep breath, he finally peered into the room. Emily was gathering her things slowly. Everyone had left, even the teacher.\par +\ldblquote Hey, Emily,\rdblquote he greeted gently.\par +She sighed. \ldblquote Will, hello.\rdblquote She met his eyes unwaveringly but without any evident hostility.\par +\ldblquote I\rquote m going to the park. Will you come with me?\rdblquote\par +She hesitated.\par +\ldblquote Come on. There\rquote s swings and a walking trail. It is beautiful. It is quiet, too.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Okay.\rdblquote\par +Euphoric! A butterfly beat its wings against his heart. A smile and a blush spread across his face. He could not hide it.\par +They walked together down the hall. It was already empty.\par +They go on a cute date and\emdash\par +\par +\ldblquote It is real\emdash\ldblquote Will breathed. Did I just slip through to the other side?\par +\ldblquote I told you. There\rquote s points between the world everywhere.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote How are you so calm! You\rquote ve been here before or something?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Well,\rdblquote Pink flushed over nose. \ldblquote I\rquote ve watched it from our side.\rdblquote\par +She is so queer, Will thought. So weird! \ldblquote Well, let\rquote s go back. I don\rquote t think we should be here.\rdblquote\par +Emily stepped back into the puddle, but it wasn\rquote t the same. \ldblquote Just water.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Wait, just water? Well, you know these things. How do we go back?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote It is not a portal anymore. We will need a new one,\rdblquote she mused, stopping to peer into the still water. \ldblquote Nothing below but water.\par +\ldblquote I\emdash it will be dark soon, though. What will my parents think?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Like I said. No place for humans.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Do you know what\rquote s here? Animals? People?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Yes,\rdblquote she confirmed solemnly. \ldblquote No place for humans.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Stop saying that! You are human just the same as me. What you are is ridiculous.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Well, let\rquote s look around. There is nothing here for us. Whatever danger is out there will get us just the same here as around.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Right\'81\'63\rdblquote\par +They proceeded in dead silence, avoiding stepping on noisy terrain covered in leaves and rocks. In time, they relaxed. Uneventful minutes eased the initial tension of an alien world. In time, they hiked casually, chatting easily.\par +\ldblquote Just like park,..At least, quite a bit like the park,\rdblquote Will mused.\par +\ldblquote Right. It is parallel. I told you,\rdblquote she replied weakly.\par +There was just nothing but wilds for as long as the brush allowed sight. \ldblquote Just nothing here. No swings. No hot dog stand. We are alone! No dog walkers or screaming kids.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Now, the people are different here. They aren\rquote t so free-spirited. You will have to be more cautious. It is parallel, not the same, you know?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote I suppose\'81\'63\rdblquote Apprehension sprang up in Will\rquote s heart.\par +\ldblquote There aren\rquote t any portals?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Well\'81\'63they are rare, you know? They aren\rquote t for humans. They are in secluded places. They come and go. They are sensitive in that way. They\rquote ll leave you.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Are you saying they\rquote ll close or something with me around? That\rquote s just silly. We\rquote re no different.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote I\rquote m saying we are. You just don\rquote t believe me.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Of course I don\rquote t believe you. There\rquote s no magic, like I said. There might be a hollow earth, there might be wormholes, but it\rquote s for conspirators to believe. Nothing proven.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Except for what\rquote s before you. Listen, okay I\rquote m not human. I\rquote m just not. Not like you. You\rquote re different from me, Will, and it doesn\rquote t matter in most cases from your point of view, I know, but it\rquote s true. It\rquote s something I feel and am constantly reaffirming.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Isn\rquote t there anywhere to sleep? How will we be safe? It\rquote s already getting cold\'81\'63.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Don\rquote t worry. Look among the rocks. If there\rquote s a shallow system of caves, we\rquote ll hide among them. Of course, you\rquote re probably worried, but it\rquote ll be better shelter. If it\rquote s shallow, there won\rquote t be established communities inside.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote Like this one?\rdblquote \ldblquote Perfect!\rdblquote\par +Emily set down her backpack and took out a little dollar store flashlight. \ldblquote The cave ends right there. There\rquote s nothing here but us. Let\rquote s wait for morning.\par +\ldblquote But my mom will be worried sick\'81\'63.She\rquote ll call the police even.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote She\rquote ll have to chill. We\rquote re here and will get out when it\rquote s time. Just accept it. We may not be out so easily, considering we should get out together.\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote But uh,\'81\'63\rdblquote\par +Emily stopped clearing aside dirt.\par +\ldblquote We\rquote re sleeping here?\rdblquote\par +She stared, waiting for his point.\par +\ldblquote Together?\rdblquote\par +\ldblquote You are such a sensitive guy. It\rquote d kill you, regardless of consent. But yeah. Take the other wall, if it bothers you. Just leave me alone, okay? Perv. You know your boundaries.\rdblquote\par +He sat down next to her.\par +"Emily?"\par +She looked a little apphrensous after what he just said.\par +"I am scared."\par +She sighed. "You shouldn't be here. You should be with the people who love you. I'm sorry. It's partially my fault, but what can I do? I've been in situations like this before, you know, out in the wilds, sleeping just somewhere. It's not like you die the second you leave your home. We'll probably be okay. I understand you'll be missed, though. I don't exactly know what to do about it."\par +"Why do you sleep outside?"\par +"Well, if you want to know about my upbringing, it's embarrassing to tell you. These aren't happy stories. I'm not even sure you'd believe them. It's not like it matters anymore."\par +Night was falling, and it was getting harder to see.\par +"Just go to sleep. We'll sort things out in the morning."\par +Will zipped up his jacket and rested his head on his backpack. Before shutting his eyes, he knew he wouldn't sleep a wink. He never can without a glass of water or his feet tucked in. Emily fell asleep almost immediately, breathing rhythmically.\par +\par +He felt lost and alone. This was the first moment Will really considered his surroundings. Wind was constantly stirring leaves and dirt, making him paranoid. Every once in a while, a twig would snap, or a branch would fall. Something howled in the distance, an eerie otherworldly sound. That was no animal he was familiar with. If anything happened, he seriously foubted his ability to defend Emily. If it came down to it, he was in a dangerous foreign world with a small, weak girl. He has to take responsibility for protecting her. \par +\par +\lang1033\f1\par +} + \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Newcomer/EscapingCyre.odt b/Newcomer/EscapingCyre.odt new file mode 100755 index 0000000..31fdda9 Binary files /dev/null and b/Newcomer/EscapingCyre.odt differ diff --git a/Newcomer/Newcomer.rtf b/Newcomer/Newcomer.rtf new file mode 100755 index 0000000..7e38982 --- /dev/null +++ b/Newcomer/Newcomer.rtf @@ -0,0 +1,337 @@ +{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fprq1\fcharset128 MS PGothic;}{\f1\fswiss\fcharset0 Arial;}{\f2\fnil Constantia;}{\f3\fnil\fcharset0 Constantia;}} +{\colortbl ;\red46\green46\blue46;} +{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.21.2510;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\sa150\sl0\slmult0\cf1\lang1041\f0\fs20 #\lang1033\f1 Outline\par +Emily in real world \endash Disliked\par +Will, new guy, likes her\par +They hang out, Emily doesn\rquote t trust him\par +Emily leaves?\par +Comes back\par +Will and Emily discover abandoned tunnel\par +To the Forrest. \par +Wander\par +Ninja jump kick back of head, unseen\par +Unconscious wake up. All stuff is stolen. Thief/highwayman/something^\par +Lady there, cooing, wake up? \endash Futura?? Asks who are, what were they doing there, from the looks of their outfits, are they Hearth, gives them names to assure safe passage, glad you found me, (she looks surprised and shocked at who they are)\par +Takes to Moonstone\par +Talks hushed excitedly. Kids left where can\rquote t hear.\par +Futura returns, leaves kids in Moonstone\rquote s care, leaves promptly and mysteriously\par +Moonstone takes to her camp, makes sure okay, are fed, etc\par +Both sides ask questions\par +Keep them for a day? Maybe leave afternoon. Nice timing, we\rquote re having a mentor\rquote s meeting\par +Go to mentor guild in main town Sisterly, capital\par +Mentors apprenticed except Moonstone (Futura\rquote s involvement, possibly)\par +Moonstone makes case, talks, no apprentice allowed to hear\par +Moonstone allowed to mentor Emily and Will\par +Training sessions and introduction to Moonstone and her camp who she is where they sleep\par +\par +Lewis comes, heard of Luna, hey\par +Luna defensive and protective at first, but then realizes is Lewis and not from her fathers kingdom\par +Lewis fellow mentor\par +Final war with all nations against great threat?\par +Holocaust of Alcara?\par +Jesse Jut Forgoes is the chosen one, not Nykki and not Ellis. He sacrifices himself and saves the world\par +Alcara are quickly killed\par +Still the Alcara push on and they kill the Alcara?\par +Futura kills Nykki herself before Ellis\rquote s eyes. Nykki is Alcara\par +Ellis lives, runs\par +Futura puts the mark of the alcara on Nykki\rquote s forehead clearly\par +Futura runs off to tell the mentors that are still alive (Lewis died and head mentor died) the news of Nykki\rquote s true race\par +Demoralizing news to mentors (most)\par +Nykki\rquote s actions since she was led to believe she was chosen caused the great evil boss??\par +Ellis goes crazy and lost his love\par +\lang1041\f0\par +#\lang1033\f2 Prologue \par +\par +\par +\tab Luminous blue eyes opened and darted about the room quickly. The room still lay at rest, only the edges were made faintly visible by the moonlight. The woman strained her ears for any disturbances, but not a sound could be heard. It seemed a typical night, not even a breeze to arise suspicion. \par +\tab Still not satisfied, the woman slipped out of bed, careful not to draw any possible attention to herself, and ghosted to the center of the room. Nothing. Such silence usually triggered lighthearted feelings of serenity and reminiscence but tonight only unsettled her. The woman stood motionless in the center of the room, hesitating silently as to what she needed to do. The stagnant air chilled her skin, raising goosebumps. A wave of thoughts overwhelmed her of whether this sense of urgency and importance weren\rquote t just lingering from her strange dreams and memories of other nights like this. \par +\tab Then a shift in the air interrupted her indecision. The woman peered out into the balcony. Still nothing. She crept out onto the sturdy stone anyways, awaiting the discovery of the cause of her disconcertment.\par +\tab\ldblquote Moonstone,\rdblquote the familiar voice murmured a step behind her. \par +\tab\ldblquote Futura!\rdblquote Moonstone hissed. \ldblquote Why is it that you come to me here? It\rquote s never safe for you to be out here. What if someone had spotted you? What could be so important?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Moonstone, remember. Not one of these fools could ever concern me. However, I keep myself hidden for my own reasons. So to leave my shadows just to deliver a message, it must be very important, and you\rquote re the only one I can trust with this information. Now before you say anything, you must not tell a soul. It\rquote s of upmost importance. However, I feel I must tell somebody.\rdblquote Futura half-smiled. \ldblquote So naturally, I find you.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote You couldn\rquote t possibly\'85Is this a prophecy?\rdblquote Moonstone gasped, her eyes shimmering in the dark.\par +\tab\ldblquote The last prophecy,\rdblquote Futura affirmed. \ldblquote The Prophecy of the Newcomer\'85\rdblquote\par +\par +\par +\par +\par +\par +\lang1041\f0 #\lang1033\f2 The Source of a River \par +\par +\par +\tab The sun was dipping just below the horizon, the sky still tinged in slight ripples of amber and crimson. The smooth waters of the lake captured the tips of the mountains against the warm tones of the sunset with the distorted quirks of Monet. Frogs and insects took signal to begin their nightly symphony, shrouded by the dark, known only by their voices. Fireflies were taking turns in dotting the scene in short, dim glows. A lone girl stubbornly sat at the edge of the lake, knowing it was time to return home. She knew this, sure, but she didn\rquote t care. She knew her family didn\rquote t care. Nobody in the whole world would care. So why should she? \par +\tab The age old laws of how children should behave ruled out in the end, and the girl made the long way home in the void of night, making the trip by muscle memory alone. She had been this way and back several times before, and sight wasn\rquote t really needed anymore. She arrived at her house and entered through the back door, knowing the tricks to avoid the creaky hinges and the threshold for what would wake her family. School was tomorrow anyways, so she slipped into bed. \par +\tab\par +.:~:.\par +\tab\par +\tab The morning was just a series of motions: get out of bed, shower, get dressed, brush teeth, brush hair, get a bowl of cereal, pack backpack, try not to get underfoot, and get in the car. Once they got to school, she got out of the car with her backpack and started towards the building. Some student calls her out and pushes her around. One of her friends joins her and give the girl a rough time. The girl completely ignores the two girls and continues to the door knowing they\rquote ll have to part to visit their lockers and hurry to class at some point. \par +\tab Then for the first time, the cycle was broken. \par +\tab\ldblquote What are you picking on this little girl for? Don\rquote t you have anything better to do?\rdblquote a boy the girl had never heard before cried out in defense. \par +\tab The girl was just as shocked as the two other students, looking up from her feet for the first time since she had gotten out of the car.\par +\tab\ldblquote Y\emdash ,\rdblquote one of the girls started but couldn\rquote t arrive on anything to say. After half a second\rquote s confusion, she and her friend lapsed back into idle taunts and jabs. \par +\tab\ldblquote Hmph. Like what are you? Her boyfriend? Awww, how sweet. And I didn\rquote t think anybody could ever take trash like Albright.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote No\'85You don\rquote t have to be in a relationship with someone to help them out,\rdblquote the boy stuttered.\par +\tab\ldblquote Ha! You want to help Albright out? Then you must be new here. Albright is trash. If you don\rquote t know why yet, just hang around the school a little longer. The students hate her. The teachers hate her. She\rquote s just scum. She doesn\rquote t deserve help.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Scum? Well, the only people here acting like that seem to be you and your friend. Just leave her alone.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Sounds like somebody\rquote s ready to hold us countable to those haughty words,\rdblquote the blonde girl sneered. \ldblquote Hero boy\rquote s not gonna fight us, is he?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote No! And I don\rquote t have to. Just leave her alone.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Then what are you going to do? Words mean nothing, you know?\rdblquote\par +\tab The boy hesitated, and the two girls saw it immediately. \par +\tab\ldblquote Precisely. We\rquote ll let you off clean this time, but stay away from that girl if you know what\rquote s good for you. Don\rquote t put such a bad reputation on such a cute face. It\rquote d be a shame. Anyways, come on, Stace.\rdblquote\par +\tab The two girls strutted away indignantly, leaving the girl and the boy alone.\par +\tab\ldblquote Erm, he\emdash\ldblquote The boy started, perplexed by the scene.\par +\tab The girl turned to her apparent hero with startled, untrusting eyes in wonder which quickly melted to anger. She quickly left him to rush to class. The rest of the day flowed as any without any more breaks in schedule, but the girl never settled back into the series of classes to sit through. She found herself constantly glancing out the door for a glimpse of that guy again. Nobody ever was just\'85nice to her. Especially like that. Who was her to stand up for her? \par +\par +.:~:.\par +\par +\tab She didn\rquote t spot him for the rest of the day until the bell rang. She gathered her books and fumbled with her combination, having to redo it once. She had her homework and filled her backpack, so she could leave the school building yet another time and find someplace to be alone for a while. Just as she was leaving the school, she spotted him again: average height, smooth dark hair, brown eyes. She hurried past him to get back home as quickly as possible. \par + \par +\par +\par +\par +\par +\lang1041\f0 #\lang1033\f2 Spark and Burning Low \par +\par +\par +\tab The girl learned which halls the boy went down and avoided him with near-paranoia. It took a few days for her usual bullies to block her entrance into the school and degrade her between classes, but after they had, the girl eased slowly back into her routine, but she hadn\rquote t forgotten the hiccup.\par +\tab Eventually, she had learned that his name was Will. He was new to the school, enrolling in the middle of the year due to his dad\rquote s job unexpectedly moving. He was a grade above her, a sophomore. Luckily, they shared no classes. \par +\tab Just as she was leaving the school, the girl heard her name then was tripped onto the concrete walkway. She didn\rquote t break anything, but her books and pencils spilled everywhere. Then there was that boy again\emdash Will. \par +\tab\ldblquote Are you okay?\rdblquote asked Will, quickly gathering her things into her backpack for her. \par +\tab The girl only stared back incredulously, speechless for a moment. \par +\tab\ldblquote Erm, what\rquote s your name?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Emily\'85\rdblquote the girl breathed back. \ldblquote Why?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Err, my name\rquote s Will,\rdblquote he introduced himself as he handed Emily back her backpack. \ldblquote Here.\rdblquote\par +\tab Emily took it like someone accepting a shot.\par +\tab\ldblquote You mind if I walk you home?\rdblquote\par +\tab By now, more than a few students had stopped their idle chatter to watch the scene from afar. Not one said a word. \par +\tab\ldblquote But\emdash uh,\rdblquote Emily stuttered. \par +\tab She pushed herself to her feet, feeling so light-headed, she hardly felt contact with the ground. \par +\tab The two walked together in silence, the student body watching after them in utter bewilderment. \par +\par +\par +\par +\par +\par +\par +\lang1041\f0 #\lang1033\f2 Gray Fortress \par +\par +\par +\tab\ldblquote Emily, I\rquote m sorry for startling you and probably making you feel uncomfortable. Err, are you okay?\rdblquote asked Will after walking in silence for a long period of time. \par +\tab\ldblquote Why are you acting like this?\rdblquote Emily replied curtly. \ldblquote What do you think you can get out of this?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote What do you mean? Surely not everybody treats you like that.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Really. Stop with the games. Just tell me what you want and leave me alone. I\rquote ve never bothered you.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote How far away do you live?\rdblquote Will changed the subject. \par +\tab\ldblquote A while.\rdblquote \par +\tab\ldblquote Ah, I live a while away, too. There\rquote s a school that would only take me twenty minutes to walk to, but the districts were set strangely, so.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Neither one of us is answering the other\rquote s question, and I trust you will break first long before me. Why are you walking me home?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Because I\rquote m hoping to understand you a little better and because you seem to have no idea what it\rquote s like to have someone do you a favor. So I\rquote m being nice.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Understand me better?\rdblquote \par +\tab\ldblquote Yes. Why is everybody so mean to you? They single you out for no reason. You don\rquote t seem to have done anything to anyone.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Whether I have or not doesn\rquote t matter. You don\rquote t understand; people treat me how they do because it\rquote s the way it works. People respond to teachers one way, trees another, dogs another, siblings another, and so on. You don\rquote t seem so perplexed at why we walk over the grass as though it doesn\rquote t matter.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote What? No, well, why you over anybody else in your class or any other class?\rdblquote pressed Will. \ldblquote Or me?\rdblquote \par +\tab\ldblquote You\rquote re not me. So you\rquote re not treated like that. However, you seem to not understand at all that rule.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote I don\rquote t. What rule?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote It\rquote s just how the world is. I don\rquote t know what exactly it entails or who set it down. It\rquote s just the way it is.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote You\rquote ve listened to those people for way too long. You\rquote re a beautiful girl and seem alright. That puts you a step above most of the girls I\rquote ve seen. You\rquote re hardly the \lquote scum\rquote people describe you as.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Err, that\rquote s the way it\rquote s been since I can remember. And it\rquote s held true for every person I\rquote ve encountered since birth. Why are you so different?\rdblquote\par +\tab Will was taken a step back. He didn\rquote t quite know how to respond. \par +\tab\ldblquote Anyways, there\rquote s my house,\rdblquote Emily gestured to a row of houses. \par +\tab She abruptly walked to the last one and went to the back entrance. Will stood where she had left him trying to form an opinion and turned to walk to his house. \par +\tab Emily sighed in relief and walked to where her house actually was, enjoying the fact that she finally found a use for the old house. She wondered when Will\rquote d try to visit or call, only to find that the house was vacant and had been for years. It was kept orderly by an OCD neighbor who made it his own personal crusade to keep the grass perfectly cut. \par +\par +\par +\par +\par +\par +\par +\lang1041\f0 #\lang1033\f2 A Secluded and Wooded Valley\par +\par +\par +\tab Will\rquote s walking Emily home became a habit to the shock of the student body. Will never seemed to realize that they weren\rquote t actually going to Emily\rquote s house, though Emily had fun inventing reasons why her parents\rquote cars were never there and why the lights were never on. \par +\tab The trick worked for a while and allowed Emily to be flat out stubborn towards Will until they walked up to the house one day and a new sign was out in the front. It read:\par +\par +For Sale.\par +Please contact Minnie Bininger at 555-2686.\par +\par +\tab Emily froze.\par +\tab\ldblquote You\rquote re moving?!\rdblquote Will cried. \par +\tab\ldblquote Err.\rdblquote \par +\tab\ldblquote Oh,\rdblquote Will realized. \ldblquote So where is your real house?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote How quickly do you need to get home?\rdblquote asked Emily.\par +\tab\ldblquote Err, my parents are pretty laid-back. So long as I call, I can hang out as long as I like...\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Okay then. Why don\rquote t I show you something?\rdblquote Emily sighed. \par +\tab\ldblquote Okay\'85\rdblquote Will complied. \par +\tab Emily led Will alongside the road and through light forests for a long distance. Will trotted along, curious for what Emily could want to show him. He didn\rquote t speak a word in fear of Emily rescinding her offer. The foliage grew thicker and richer at the crest of a hill, a leafy veil for what lie just behind them. They broke the line of trees and stepped onto the spongy grass and soil of the lake. Everything lay perfectly untouched, the animals freely going about their business without the fear of human trespass. As with all things in nature without the gaudy d\f3\'e9cor and rearrangement by humans, the sparkling beauty of the lake and surrounding rocks was hard to define, though it was of a simple nature. \par +\tab\ldblquote Oh, Emily,\rdblquote Will gasped, rarely having had been in one of the out-of-the-way pockets seeded all about the countryside. \ldblquote What is this place?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Nobody seems to know or care about it, so I come out here whenever the world gets to be too much for my liking. Frogs and fireflies care little about the rules of the world, so I enjoy their disinterest occasionally. How little they know, yet how orderly they are fascinates me. Uh, mostly I come out here to think. I don\rquote t really know why I showed you this place. But I usually come here instead of going home. How I\rquote m treated in school is just as tolerable as it is at home, and I don\rquote t care much. It is nice, though, just to take a break out here. It\rquote s beautiful.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Oh\'85Well,\rdblquote Will took in the scene around him. \ldblquote It\rquote s wonderful. Err, yeah, thanks for showing me.\rdblquote\par +\tab Emily was lost in the turbulent little ripples along the shore, and Will observed all around him, shocked by Emily\rquote s foreign openness, at least in this one thing. \par +\tab\ldblquote So how often do you come out here?\rdblquote Will asked as they sat down on the rocky outcroppings leading out to the waters of the lake. \par +\tab\ldblquote Daily, if I feel my absence won\rquote t affect anything due to certain circumstances. I like to be here instead of being there,\rdblquote Emily brushed her shoulder. \ldblquote So why are you so ready to be sympathetic towards me? I\rquote m sure you\rquote ve lost any friends you might have made just for one who\rquote s not worth it.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote That doesn\rquote t really bother me at all. You seem to need a friend, so I want to try to be one. And you seem to be a really interesting person, but you just completely mistrust everybody. \par +\tab\ldblquote Need a friend? So you throw away any chance of making it through school because I \lquote need a friend\rquote ?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Everybody needs friends\'85And people haven\rquote t been that rough on me. Just the occasional odd stare. Nothing unusual\'85\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Yeah, the students\rquote ll form their opinion about you soon. The teachers, though, I\rquote m not too sure about. I\rquote ll let you make your mistakes if that\rquote s your inclination.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Exactly what is this system you see set up that sets you apart as something to abuse? If you got it from somebody, it\rquote s not right. You\rquote re just a girl. I\rquote m sure there have been misunderstandings and jealousy\'85\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote No, you don\rquote t get it. I don\rquote t listen to other people. They always lie. I know they do because I\rquote m told something, believe it, and am let down. It proves true every time if it\rquote s a promise or something that could help me. I don\rquote t listen to other people. I observe things on my own. I meet somebody. They are cruel to me. I meet more people. They verbally abuse me on a daily basis. I don\rquote t form a theory until I have seen it come true so many times, I doubt it could ever prove not true,\rdblquote Emily ranted. \ldblquote Then there\rquote s you.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Am I really that different for just trying to be a little caring?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Yes. It shouldn\rquote t happen. So I don\rquote t believe you either.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote I can\rquote t expect you to\'85I hope you will, though.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote You don\rquote t?\rdblquote Emily\rquote s eyes snapped to Will\rquote s face with a strange glow. Her eyes begged for a reply.\par +\tab\ldblquote No, Emily. Had anybody ever allowed you just to be you without obligating anything on you? You\rquote re your own person, Emily. You know that?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Eh,\rdblquote Emily suddenly looked hurt. \ldblquote I\rquote m sorry, just why are you doing this?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Em\emdash\ldblquote Will started as Emily leapt up and sped away, quickly disappearing behind the trees. Will didn\rquote t linger. He got up and started home. He had forgotten to call his mom about it anyways. \par +\par +\par +\par +\par +\par +\par +# Means How Much \par +\par +\par +\tab Will was thankful once again for his parents being so hands-off in the way they raised him. They were the sort of parents who allow their children to grow up without overly strict rules that led to death if broken. They had always felt that led to rebellion, and the punishment would do little to mend \ldblquote problems of the heart\rdblquote . Instead, they taught their child what is right and what is wrong, then allowed Will to make mistakes and see the consequences for himself so long as they weren\rquote t hazardous or would negatively impact his future. They thought that a child would learn proper behavior from having to deal with the consequences himself than being blindly punished for breaking silly, meaningless rules. Will is what most people would call a good kid with great respect for his parents, so the guilt of displeasing his parents was often enough to keep him in line. He got off easy, though his mother had private concerns about it. Will never forgets to call home of all things. She didn\rquote t hold one mistake over him, though, and reminded him to call if he was going to be late.\par +\tab After apologizing several times, Will headed up to his room and cleared his computer desk to start on his homework. He realized he didn\rquote t have his bookbag with him, so he checked downstairs. Then he remembered leaving it at the lake. He was so foolish! Luckily, he remembered the gist of the material and only brought the books to be used to brush up on what he was fairly confident he remembered, but there\rquote s no telling what could happen to it. \par +\tab He knew he had to run out and get it, but he had just gotten back late after not calling. So foolish! The lake wasn\rquote t too far from the school, so Will resolved to pick it up early the next morning. \par +\tab He quickly knocked out the notebook work on one of his home notebooks. He had finished his math homework in class as usual and had only a few questions left to complete in history. History was his third period class, but he was pretty sure he could finish them in time. \par +\tab Since he was planning on leaving a little earlier, he got into bed around 9:45 P.M. \par +\tab Emily burdened his mind once he had stilled himself to go to sleep. She was just your average teen who has been mistreated and disliked more often than not and grew into being a lonely person who has lost all self-confidence. Will has always tried to be a friend to these people, feeling their depression and apparent helplessness as his own. Emily, however, bothered him. He wasn\rquote t sure how to even describe it; her situation was different. Her disposition, her surroundings\'85just different. Just how she looked at him before running away killed something in him. She must have truly had a very different life than most people like her. And she must hold the feelings in very differently. It hurt to think about. In fear of nightmares, Will shook off all his thoughts and tried to fall asleep.\par +\tab Despite willing his sleep to be easy, Will had bad dreams, though he could hardly remember any of it after opening his eyes. Anything that bothered him usually led to a bothered sleep. It was an inescapable curse for Will. \par +\tab Oh, right! My bookbag! Will thought. He glanced up at the clock.\par +\tab\ldblquote 6:27 A.M.,\rdblquote the digital display blinked. That was about the time Will usually woke up in the mornings. Great. Great, great, great. \par +\tab Keeping his bookbag in mind, Will got ready in record time, vaguely reminding him of all the times he had been able to shower in under half a minute as a little kid so he could watch some program on the TV. \par +\tab\ldblquote 6:36 A.M.\rdblquote Will eyed the living room clock as he pulled on his shoes. \par +\tab\ldblquote You seem in a hurry,\rdblquote his mother commented.\par +\tab Will jumped. He had been so focused on getting ready, he hadn\rquote t noticed that his mom was in the room. \par +\tab\ldblquote Err, yeah. I left my bookbag at school, and I had a few problems in history that I needed to answer before class.\rdblquote\par +\tab Will\rquote s mom half-smiled and replied, \ldblquote Ah, then I won\rquote t slow you down.\rdblquote\par +\tab Will hesitated then hastened out to his car. License, err\emdash no bookbag, the homework I did manage to do, uh, yeah. I guess, he skimmed through an imaginary checklist. As he was pulling out, he noticed his bookbag sitting right beside the front door. He jumped out of his car and snatched it up. Nothing was tampered. It didn\rquote t look like anybody had even opened it.\par +\tab Emily, the name passed briefly through Will\rquote s mind as he drove off to school. \par +\par +\par +\par +\par +\par +\par +# Bird Catcher \par +\par +\par +\tab Will brought his history book to homeroom in hopes of completing his work assignment before the first bell rang. He laid his notebook on his desk and opened to page 81. A scrap sheet of paper slipped out from the pages and fell to the ground. Robin and Jenna were the only other people in the room at the moment, and both were too preoccupied with wasting time to notice the others in the room. Will leaned over casually and picked it up off the floor. Once turned over, he saw a handwriting other than his own scrawled across it:\par +\par +\tab I don\rquote t entirely not appreciate your efforts to be nice. I\rquote m sorry; I\rquote m just not used to the idea. If you really want just want to be friends, I\rquote ll try. It\rquote s just a strange concept to me, and I wouldn\rquote t be that great of one. But if you want to anyways, I can try. I know how \ldblquote teen\rdblquote this sounds, but I\rquote ve just never met anybody like you who is just\'85nice. But I don\rquote t know. I might retract the offer later. But this is really incoherent, and you have some problems in history, so. Err\'85Sorry\'85and\'85Thanks.\par +# Emily \tab\tab\tab\tab\par +\par +\tab After reading it, Will quickly folded it and put it in his pants pocket. He didn\rquote t have time to meditate on it, but. It was new. He just wished he could get inside Emily\rquote s head more and see what all has been working through her to get her to feel like she could accept anybody. \par +\tab But he had a history assignment and only four more minutes to complete it before sacrificing his free-time, so he got started. \par +\par +.:~:.\par +\par +\tab At the final bell, Emily met Will at his locker. \par +\tab\ldblquote Hey,\rdblquote was all she said. Will nodded back and got his books together. They walked out of the school after Will had texted his mom. Neither really said anything until they had reached the lake. Once they had, Will spoke up first.\par +\tab\ldblquote Thanks for getting my books for me\'85I would have been late if I had to come out here myself before school.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Yeah, it was nothing. I usually spend at least a few minutes out here every morning anyways.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Really? You must spend a lot of time out here.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Admittedly\'85Yeah. It just feels like home more than anyplace else ever has. Not that there\rquote s really anything about it. Just\'85relative silence. No criticisms. No expectations. Just relative peace. And it\rquote s\'85nice.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote It probably means a lot that you\rquote d take somebody into this place.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote It does. But I don\rquote t know why I did. You haven\rquote t ruined it, though. So I guess it was okay.\rdblquote\par +\tab The two fell silent again for several minutes. There just simply seemed to be nothing to say. Emily just gazed about the lake with an air of satisfaction that she never had in school. Will just waited, feeling slightly awkward.\par +\tab\ldblquote I\rquote m sorry I\rquote m not talking. It\rquote s making you feel uncomfortable. It\rquote s because you don\rquote t want to say anything to offend me or upset me. Really. It\rquote s okay.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Err, okay\'85Emily, what\rquote s your family like?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote My dad and my mom are together. No siblings. I was adopted, though I\rquote ve never heard much about that. They fight a lot, and neither really likes me. I\rquote m not a perfect child or anything, but yeah. They just don\rquote t like me. I\rquote ve never really fit into the family, though. I\rquote m such a loner in my eyes, I guess, that it\rquote s hard to be in those sorts of relationships. I guess. I don\rquote t know. But I just never have. And maybe I can, but what\rquote s in my head is in my head and nothing feels right. Though that sounds crazy. Sorry.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote You say sorry so much, Emily. It\rquote s fine,\rdblquote Will tried to get her to understand. \ldblquote And I sort of think I know what you mean. Even though I\rquote ve never really felt like that anywhere\'85So you\rquote ve just never had friends or anything? Even as a little kid?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote No\'85I was the kid who just entertained herself and didn\rquote t care much for the others in the room. Academic and skills-oriented pursuits interested me, but that was about it. Other kids didn\rquote t care for me either. They just left me out of anything I tried to get involved in. And they were mean. But whatever. And that stuck\'85apparently.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Not everybody in the world can treat you like that without even knowing you.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Then just shadow me and watch how strangers respond to me. It\rquote s how the world works.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote But\'85how? Why? You don\rquote t look extraordinarily different from anybody else. Just short for your age, I guess. Nothing that\'85off\'85\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote It\rquote s how the world works. Don\rquote t reason with it. You just always lose in the end. You accept it and take your place. It\rquote s how the world works.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote But\'85it\rquote s so\'85I don\rquote t know. Everybody? Just. I don\rquote t know.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote You\rquote re the first. Really. And maybe you\rquote ll learn later.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote And you\rquote re okay with this?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Like I said. You can\rquote t argue what never changes. Just live with it.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Surely that really just eats at you inside, though. Does it?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Well. Emotions don\rquote t matter much.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote It\rquote s who you are, though.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Who I \lquote are\rquote don\rquote t matter much. There\rquote s a world, and I\rquote m just a point on it. People near me don\rquote t usually give me a second thought. Why would I matter on any scale?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote You can\rquote t live like that.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote I haven\rquote t?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote I don\rquote t find you that way at all.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote I haven\rquote t been a burden to you?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Don\rquote t talk like that. You\rquote ve just been living in the wrong company for too long. You matter loads. The others are just stupid. I hope you recognize that.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote An entire world stupid? Fancy.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote I don\rquote t really have my mind wrapped around that and don\rquote t I could if I had been through all of life with you\'85And just let me ask you. Do you really feel this way, Emily?\rdblquote\par +\tab Emily didn\rquote t answer. \par +\tab\ldblquote That\rquote s okay. I don\rquote t really want an answer. Err, do you do anything? Like hobbies.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Sorta. I just like to pass time here. It\rquote s just the lake. I\rquote ll pick up any new skill that might come in handy, though. Reading is always nice, but I really would just prefer to watch the lake here.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote How many years have you been out here?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Only two. The first was less enjoying the presence of the lake and more overcoming everything that hung so heavily on me. It was mostly a place that I knew I\rquote d always be alone here. It wasn\rquote t until this year that I really started noticing all the special quirks about the lake. It\rquote s order and immutable ecosystem, Bugs, frogs and fish, other fish, raptors, the rare sighting of a larger creature. All move about their daily cycle, inches away from their enemies, yet never flinching. It\rquote s a different world there, and I\rquote ll never be a part of that. I\rquote m hardly a part of my own world. I don\rquote t know, I guess it\rquote s comfortable. Just watching from the outside how everything progresses. Nothing ever seems to stand out between the days here. People aren\rquote t like that. It\rquote s probably less interesting, but I just enjoy the peace here. Paradise, I guess. Everything they need. No fear, no pain.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Sentimental spot, then?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Yeah\'85Home. Do you have anything like that?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Not really. No place has stood out as that significant for me. Though I love my parents\'85if it\rquote s okay to mention that.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote I have no remorse. I never had and never really met those who gave birth to me. Though I don\rquote t find it hard to believe they threw me out like everybody else.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Oh\'85Well, I love mine. So I guess just being with them. I\rquote m an only child, so I guess I\rquote m more attached to them.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Heh, doesn\rquote t always work like that, I guess.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Yeah, guess not.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Anyways\'85you have a lot of homework, don\rquote t you? I\rquote d rather you get started on that instead of blowing time.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Right, later\'85\rdblquote\par +\tab Will got up and brushed himself off to leave. Emily just remained where she was because she had no place else to be. Once Will was out of earshot, she sighed. It all just felt strange. She was crazy, but there was something she could feel in him. But she was crazy.\par +.:~:.\par +\par +\tab The next day, they tried again. \par +\tab\ldblquote So, what classes are you taking this year?\rdblquote Will started.\par +\tab\ldblquote Err, just the basic 9th grade stuff. You know.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Ah. Yeah. New here, so I don\rquote t know any of your teachers specifically or anything.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Where are you from, anyways?\rdblquote Emily asked.\par +\tab\ldblquote Virginia. Nowhere special. My dad is a carpenter and his work moved. So we had to move with it. So now we\rquote re here. It was really unexpected, so I had to leave school halfway through the year, which was slightly stressful with testing and all. But I\rquote m adapting, I guess?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Ah,\rdblquote Emily smiled slightly. She had a prejudice against Virginians for the longest time. She couldn\rquote t remember why anymore, though, so she had just let it pass. \ldblquote Is anywhere really that special?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Eh, well,\rdblquote Will responded. \par +\tab\par +.:~:.\par + \par +\tab The two went on for about a week, then one day, Will hadn\rquote t shown up. He had started to feel that Emily was a bit off and another guy told him off about Emily and told him to go somewhere with him. Will does so reluctantly, and Emily stands alone in the school doorway for about an hour until she gives up. She drags to the lake and gazes into the water, feeling somewhat dejected. She realizes that she doesn\rquote t totally mind Will\rquote s presence and the lake and just hangs out for a while. Will doesn\rquote t come back for 3 days until Emily catches him. She comes to him, softened, just wanting him. He feels crushed, realizing what he had just done. Emily starts speaking to him more and eventually they go for a walk around the lake and find the portal to Cyre.\par +\par +.:~:.\par +\par +\tab Emily gets really discouraged and falls into her black cloud of discontentment and just runs away. Will waits at the lake for a week, hoping to catch her. Soon after, he gives up, knowing her nature. He tries to slip into a normal life at the school. After 2 weeks, he gets the strangest urge to travel to the lake. He obliges, feeling so strange doing so, and meets Emily there. Emily had realized how she didn\rquote t care one wit about the world at all and was perfectly content to live out somewhere, whether she died or not. But she missed Will. She had tried to dismiss it, but his memory persisted. So she just had to run back to the lake. If he was there, she would stay with him. If not, she\rquote d just forget him. She gets to the lake and he\rquote s there. It\rquote s dark and she can hardly make out the trees, but she recognizes him immediately and stops breathing. It\rquote s him. After all that time, it\rquote s him. Will is taken aback as well, seeing her in the moonlight. Gorgeous. They both are spellbound by each other and unwilling to talk. Emily finally musters, \ldblquote\'85I\rquote m sorry.\rdblquote Will says nothing, star struck. The next day is the weekend, they agree to meet out. Will tells his mom that he\rquote s going to be spending the day with a friend. She asks who. \par +\par +\par +\par +\par +\par +\par +# Cross the water\par +\par +\par +\tab\ldblquote You look like you\rquote re ready to go somewhere,\rdblquote Will\rquote s mother came up from behind.\par +\tab\ldblquote Oh, I\rquote m just spending the day with a friend,\rdblquote Will replied.\par +\tab\ldblquote Oh, good! Who is he?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Her, actually. She\rquote s a girl I met in the school. She seemed to have had a really rough time from the other girls in her class and stuff.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Aww, how sweet. So you watch over her. You don\rquote t like her, do you?\rdblquote\par +\tab Will blushed vividly on cue. He wished he was one of those people who could be asked questions like that, guilty or not, and keep a straight face. He wasn\rquote t, however, and it started more rumors that he could ever care for.\par +\tab\ldblquote No, no, I just have to be a friend to those who don\rquote t have any. You know how I am.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote You know I\rquote m just picking on you, Will. You\rquote ve grown up to be such a good person. Anyways, I\rquote ll let you go ahead. You know your curfews and all those other burdens.\rdblquote\par +\tab Will smiled back. \ldblquote Of course, Mom. See ya.\rdblquote\par +\tab Will was jovial on his way to the lake. He still had chills from last night, even though he felt sort of silly about it. He eventually gave up walking and jogged the rest of the way there. As always, Emily was waiting for him. \par +\tab\ldblquote Do you want to look around? We\rquote ve never ventured out back the water\rquote s edge,\rdblquote Emily called out.\par +\tab\ldblquote Sure,\rdblquote Will shrugged. \par +\tab The two ventured about, admiring trees and the little pockets of nature. Emily had a deeper admiration, moving slowly, cherishing every detail. Will had never really been out in nature before and was astonished at nature\rquote s ornaments and own structures. They ambled aimlessly, going every which way, until they had reached the base of the mountains where a curious stone structure stood. The architecture was far different from anything either of them had ever heard about, and it looked very old. Two timeless statures guarded the great stone door listlessly, gazing past Emily\rquote s attempts at eye contact. Their faces surprised her, resembling humans only slightly. The male was shorter and its face was flatter. Long, thin ears extended from the sides of its stone head, ended in points. Its hair was scraggly and untrimmed, and it had a tail similar to a lion\rquote s. The statue depicting a female was tall and lanky, her hair thin and wispy like a baby\rquote s. Around her tall forehead was a headband with a jewel at the center of her forehead. Her hands presented a timepiece of sorts. Will guessed it to be some form of a primitive hourglass. \par +\tab\ldblquote\'85Ancient gods? Or? How does this seem untouched? It looks like it\rquote s been out here for hundreds of years!\rdblquote Will exclaimed. \par +\tab\ldblquote\'85If people knew about this, would someone have heard about it at some point?\rdblquote Emily gawked at the towering statues.\par +\tab\ldblquote Well\'85yeah\'85\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Well\'85?\rdblquote said Emily. \ldblquote If this was seriously some government secret, this would be guarded or destroyed or at least have better foliage coverage. So.\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote If we touch it, we wouldn\rquote t trigger any traps, would we?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote You\rquote d have to check. But you want to touch it?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote We\rquote d have to, though! It\rquote s an ancient, mysterious door in the middle of the woods.\rdblquote\par +\par +\par +\tab The two teens vaguely became aware of a swirling, roaring world out of the black. The light was blinding at first then became bearable. The backs of their heads ached as though a leather sap was brought against them. Someone was calling to them. A woman.\par +\tab Emily picked herself up, still feeling groggy. A startlingly beautiful woman a bar below average height met eyes with Emily. Her hair was long, thick, and braided into wild curls that showered down her shoulders. When she saw Emily awake, she smiled. Emily\rquote s vision was so blurred, she couldn\rquote t make out any intentions under that smile, so she just stared back. \par +\tab Will grunted and got up to his knees. \ldblquote Whash\'85?\rdblquote\par +\tab Then Emily jolted fully awake. \ldblquote Where\rquote s my stuff?\rdblquote\par +\tab Will forced himself up to his knees. \ldblquote Whash\'85?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote It\rquote s gone. Yours, too. All gone. Where\rquote s my stuff?\rdblquote Emily streamed, surveying the horizon. \ldblquote\'85Wait, what happened?\rdblquote\par +\tab Will looked up and shook himself. \ldblquote What is this place?\rdblquote\par +\tab\ldblquote Ah, you two are finally awake! Good! I was just walking along and happened to find you here. Fortunate I was the one to find you. Who knows what cutthroat might have happened upon you. Though perhaps a thief has? Whose apprentices are you? Your attire looks awfully odd, though. Are you travelers from far?\rdblquote questioned the woman. \par +\tab\ldblquote Mm\'85you could say we\rquote re travelers.\rdblquote\par +\f2\par +} + \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Newcomer/Newcoming.doc b/Newcomer/Newcoming.doc new file mode 100755 index 0000000..74232c6 Binary files /dev/null and b/Newcomer/Newcoming.doc differ diff --git a/Newcomer/nano.docx b/Newcomer/nano.docx new file mode 100755 index 0000000..397e194 Binary files /dev/null and b/Newcomer/nano.docx differ diff --git a/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/.~lock.Fashion.odt# b/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/.~lock.Fashion.odt# new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4e7f7b2 --- /dev/null +++ b/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/.~lock.Fashion.odt# @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +,grid,Grid,28.04.2024 00:04,file:///home/grid/.config/libreoffice/4; \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/.~lock.Week3.odt# b/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/.~lock.Week3.odt# new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4e7f7b2 --- /dev/null +++ b/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/.~lock.Week3.odt# @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +,grid,Grid,28.04.2024 00:04,file:///home/grid/.config/libreoffice/4; \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/.~lock.Week4.odt# b/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/.~lock.Week4.odt# new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4e7f7b2 --- /dev/null +++ b/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/.~lock.Week4.odt# @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +,grid,Grid,28.04.2024 00:04,file:///home/grid/.config/libreoffice/4; \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/.~lock.YoungAdults.odt# b/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/.~lock.YoungAdults.odt# new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4e7f7b2 --- /dev/null +++ b/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/.~lock.YoungAdults.odt# @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +,grid,Grid,28.04.2024 00:04,file:///home/grid/.config/libreoffice/4; \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/Young Adults 6x9 paper book.sla b/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/Young Adults 6x9 paper book.sla index 2a63817..35a4691 100644 --- a/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/Young Adults 6x9 paper book.sla +++ b/Study/BlessedAreThoseWhoWashTheirRobes/Young Adults 6x9 paper book.sla @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@ - + @@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ - + @@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ -
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