Original Questant - Interactive Fiction - Exploring a Non-Euclidean Reflection, Traipse your way to the SafeRoom

[Meridian]

Entering the house you can't help but think that there's no sense in being rude, and so you close the door gently shut behind you. The interior isn't horribly dark, but something about the wood drinks in the light such that it barely travels.. leaving things gloomier than you otherwise expected.

Spoiler: transcript

"how's it looking, our dear jump ahead" asks the first whisper to appear

The same as the hall stretches onwards so too do the whisperings.

[X] INVESTIGATE: Open the second door on the right​

Spoiler: transcript

"I'd rather check the far end than see just how far down any door goes." overlays the next

The door opens to what looks to be an underwater space.

You reach out and touch it... and pull back a wet hand.

[X]INVESTIGATE: open the first door on the right​

When you press the door inwards it feels like you're being pulled along with it, so you let go of the knob.

The door flies off into a starry void.

You stand there stunned for a moment.

As the moment passes you know you haven't been dragged into a vacuum, and feel mildly relieved if still a bit confused.

You look at where the door attached to the frame and see that it didn't seem like it was very attached to begin with. It looks like it was loosely attached.

[X]Traipse: Follow Exit Sign​

Spoiler: transcript

another hallway crossed perpendicular to the prior in the log cabin.
"Not a bad formation, dont you think?" was said
"I find it needlessly intertwined. Form with slivers of function and yet none of purpose. Shuffled chaos." the reply came

It's.. a perpendicular hallway.

Crossing through it you immediately find that there is another set of doors along both the opposite walls from where you came, and along that same wall.

You figured from seeing the other two doors open, but you know now that the interior of this cabin has to be larger than the outside. You have a feeling that you could get easily lost in this place, and decide to follow through to the next room.

Spoiler: transcript

Only the trail end of whispers from elsewhere intrude on this space, with the next room's trailing off into a question turned towards the listener: "You?"

This time the whispering sensation you've been feeling splits.

Back the way you came sounds a bit like it did before, but with something else on top of it..

At this point you're fairly certain you're not hearing them. You know where they were said, and you can hear them without the people who said those things being here.

There's still more further in as well..

[X] CONSIDER: Pelt Rug​

It's.. a rug alright. Weirdly shaped but it's a rug.

[X] INVESTIGATE: Pelt Rug​

The more you look at it the more clearly it looks like it's the skin of some creature.

Something feels off about it.. like it's based on the same thing, but isnt actually the creature's skin.

The teeth in the head shape still look real to you.

If you moved the little table atop it you could definitely try and take it with you.

You're unsure if it you tried rolling it up whether it'd actually fit within your bag.

[X] CONSIDER: Memorabilia​

This room doesn't feel anymore a home to you than the others did so far.

You take a look at the images that decorate the room and dont recognize a single face. You recognize them as faces and that they are probably people who exist somewhere, but no names come to your mind.

[X] TRAIPSE: Onwards​

Spoiler: transcript

"Looks like it's barely primed too" comes across as well as the faint whisper from the prior room
"so... I'm fine with leaving somethign behind for others, you?"

The next place is a pantry it seems.

You don't know if anyone lives here, but know you haven't heard anything else move in this house...

[X] CONSIDER: Bread Jar​

Spoiler: transcript

"so.. I'm fine leaving something behind for others, you?" is centered and more visible as the other fades

The first food you've seen here.. protein bars for hikers and travelers alike. Each one seems to be a different flavor from 'mocha' to 'sunberry delight' to 'salted caramel' to 'maple pancake'.

You have the distinct feeling it'll be fine taking a few. You stuff a few in your bag, and then put one in your pocket for easy access.

The onset of another phantom conversational thread weaves itself in, and you pick up the impression that there'll still be more for other.

[X]CONSIDER: Towel​

Spoiler: transcript

"That does look to be a source token.." is said as the prior messages fade away into background noise of the space.

It looks to be a towel initially. At least you want to assume that's what this long strip of cloth is for.. but a part of you wonders if it's a tablecloth.. or just meant to hand there and look pretty.

If you wanted to use it as a towel you'd need to make space for it.. or figure out how to carry it in-case you need to run.

You think it might be worth coming back for.

[X]TRAIPSE: Leftwards​

Spoiler: transcript

"Its a shame this doesn't go anywhere yet" states one
"It will" replies the second
"I dont wanna wait around for that" in turn responds the third
"A pity, so shall you suffer until that time" notes the second
"I dunno its kinda nice here.. makes me think of those games" the first will have said
And after the first will have stated further "Uhhh the fantasy ones"

Past the pantry you find some sort of pottery workshop.. or maybe a warehouse?

You weren't expecting the immediate next room to be so crowded whether for the objects or the phantom voices

[X]Smash Pots, Get Finances​

The urge to commit wanton destruction of an object overtakes you, and you comply with the urge. Hefting the piece of ceramicwear above your head (lets be realistic, it's heavy, you almost definitely toppled it over, but it's nice to imagine this little power fantasy right, you reassure yourself) and swinging it down against the ground in hopes of finding some form of currency or reasources to survive on.

The first attempt and it's contents only yields a hollowness like you've been feeling since waking.

The next attempt might be different that same urge beckons.

[X]SMASH ANOTHER​

You let out a sigh and pick another close-by pot up with the thought that this time might be different. If this was in enough videogames for the whispers to be discussing it surely people would keep something in pottery in abandoned labyrinthian buildings.

As the ceramics shatter and crumple into a heap of shards.. you spot something!

It seems someone lost a couple sticky-note pads inside.

At least you could write on something other than the walls now.

[X]SMASH ANOTHER​

You give into the urge once more and wonder when the cycle of violence will end.. possibly never. You're getting used to the carnage, the screams of terror from innocent pots.

Spoiler: transcript

The prior statements begin to fade into obscurity, and those that follow fade into notoriety.
"I dunno it's kinda nice here.. makes me think of those games." says the first
"You will need to be more specific on what sort of game you are referring to." comments the second
"Uhhh the fantasy ones?" replies the first
"I think I know what you're talking about, the one with the twink in a tunic?" says the third

As you nudge aside the innards of your victim you find a frayed-off zipper!

Wait, no, this was probably already sitting on the ground to begin with.. you could probably do with searching your surroundings more thoroughly. Given the track record you're unsure if that'd result in anything substantially different anyway.

[X]COLLECT SPOILS OF CONQUEST​

You decide to pocket the sticky-note pads, and decide to even take the zipper by stowing it away in your bag. It is nt like either takes up much space, so taking useless junk (and useful junk) isn't exactly a problem.

[X]Collect Pottery Shards​

Given to impulsive behavior you pick out an assortment of shards from your fallen foes and deposit them into your messenger back.

Hopefully they wont scratch anything up. Only way to tell is time's passage.

[X]TRAIPSE: Archway​

As you come out from the exit you find yourself in the middle of a meadow of some sort. The wind blows across the hill you're atop, and the meadowland stretches both to your right and left.

Among the distant sounds of animals you initially think it's the onset of more phantom senses filtering in from your surroundings.. but nothing appears in your field of vision the way they had before.

As it continues you realize it sounds like someone's talking to themselves from down the hillside.

[X]Head Left: Find out what the source is.
[]Head right: Avoid it if you can.

---

(The prologue side-story is a pre-determined set of events that happened before Klevas reached the shrine. Any and all commands in this sidestory are intended to evoke what can be done during the normal course of Questant. Commands at the end like this show what would have been chosen for Klevas to get to where they are at the in-media res start of Questant, and cannot actually be voted on. The bolded result just shows what will happen at the start of the next update because of how I cut this one off)

 

[Negrek]

(( People sure do be putting random shit in their pots. I enjoyed the little Zelda reference.

Not clear on whether the prompt at the end is taking votes or not, but... ))

[X] Head Left: Find out what the source is.

 

[Meridian]

Oh nah, I specified in the way I promoted this on servers that like any Prologue Update, the prologue sections arent actually taking commands.
They're more illustrative of how to command a character, as this is a prelude to what happens in the main passage, which'll be entering an exploration phase that parallels the prologue sequence.
I'll append a note tot he end of both uploads. "this is a predetermined set of events, not an actual vote despite it's formatting"

edit from SV, since I bungled the communication and folks there had the same idea
I feel like at some point in the next few months I'm probably gonna update the opening post of this quest
put out a banner, synopsis / premise, how it works, and then a "new readers you can either read chronologically, the start of the exploration sequence, or all the way to the recap before Act 1" section before the body of the work begins.
hopefully make sure entry into the quest is streamlined that way

 

[Meridian]

hey there, hoped to have things done and out by today, or last week really.
I've had an otherwise good week, but made little progress in achieving the animations I wanted to for this update in Blender.
I'm gonna be revisiting my drafts in hopes of getting something out next week. I might do 2D animation to at least get across what I wanted to, but I dont want to make any further promises.

 

[Meridian]

The update isn't today either as I had hoped.
Currently working on it in Blender today.

Late last week I hyperfixated for several hours and made a simple website.
It collects some social medias, and lays out my projects and where they update, or will update. I'll be updating it over the next few months and learning HTML and CSS when I can, but it's a lower priority for at least this year.

Here's the webpage for Voidtraipser which'll be a sort of overview of my creative projects and participation in online creative spheres.
I haven't had much of an art or writing blog before, and I think I'd like to have a website incase tumblr and elsewhere dies.

---

I made this website because I wanted to infodump about my old aliens, as I plan to use them in this setting project.

Many were originally made for Fortuna, and by extension as articles on The Cosmosdex. They're all stuff that folks making fantuna projects or ocs of are already welcome to make.
The Cosmosdex is a fictional encyclopedia, which anyone can submit to when articles are open so long as they follow submission guidelines, and also hosts it's own Art Quest called Fortuna. It's been around since the mspaforums and has a mspfa mirror even, and it's about aliens on suicide mission roadtrips. Some of it's origins tracing to ftl roleplays can be seen in a bit of the vibe and in-game playstyle otpions.
Both media are a big influence on my style as you'll see over the next year or so.. and with the Capture Creature system it's part of what inspires cognions as well.

There is some creative commons content on the cosmosdex as it is, so n the near future I'm planning on submitting an edit of all articles to be contributed to creative commons in some capacity, but I need to do a review of that so far. I'm down for someone to play around and put their own spins on my concept, and I've likewise used public domain media enough that I'd like to contribute something yknow?

This should be every article I made for the cosmosdex over the last 10 years. This doesn't count submissions in items or traits (of which there are a few.. many..), but hey I'd rather you just explore those sections since they're not articles.

• Enmasque - The life of any party. They can be your angle or your devil. Wins costume contests, and needs to take off their true self now and again to relax.
• Eoijal - A compassionate mercantile diaspora that welcomes the weary. "Straight up wack aliens from a 60s comic book called CAPTAIN ZAPPO" indeed.
• Isment - The grand precursors were actually a frightened prey species that developed a clever passive mind control by way of memory erasure. They do like conspiracies tho.
• Sepsim Zeta - The homeworld of the precursors. Bask in their glory and grain silos. The dominant population of this planet is archaeologists.
• Ghoulog Fleet - The actual present homeworld of the Isments. A migrant fleet of interwoven ships that hides in the plain sight of a stellar void.
• Mxr Crescendi - A secret agent? Sure, but enough of a local loser that torture isnt worth the time.
• Heredoggo - Not what you were expecting from a species with "doggo" in its name was it?
• Mortembrosias - Their homeworld. Dug Too Deep = New And Delicious Things To Farm.
• Unidolencia - If you make it big kid you can convert to being a member of this species and never die.. so long as you've got the clout to back up the next clone voucher.
• Ubertopia - THE Premier Theme Park, and the other 30 premier theme parks owned by entertainment giant and elective species for the famous.
• Zhiliatt - A know-it-all who really, truly, would like to leave home. Is considering unplugging for the rest of their life.
• Gladstore - Your local [ STORE ]. Wonder what type it is? Could you tell me?
• Ivfrid - Some creatures like the aphid are born pregnant. What if there was a rodent mon like that? Terrible starters for a space dictator homeworld to give to children that need to learn a lesson about being efficient zoologists.
• Karaden - Sleep Paralysis Parrot.
• Morblod - Free Sky Meatloafs
• Senspray - What if depression was tasty to a parasitic pet? Old Yeller Reinvented for mask-wearing children of a space dictatorship.
• Space Peanut Bush - Hope you dont have food allergies. This plant abuses food allergies like a potter wasp.

A few months from now I'll be working on art and writing submissions to the cosmosdex again. I've had articles on the backburners a while.

---

I dont have much in the way of sketches I'm prepared to show this time around, but I've got a mockup I did early this week while experimenting with blender sculpting to familiarize myself with the program's layout.
I made a rough gemheaded head, and sketched a 'displayed' face over it. I then gradient mapped things a bit iirc.

This character is presently unnamed, and is meant to be a post-isment of sorts. Ze's an odds and ends patronne trader. They're going to be attending the public swap market of Rememaudlin in Act 1. The currency system of this setting is a little abstract as being a creative material as well as a trade material. It'll be called Essencia as a loose energy term.

I'll probably redraw them, but they're intended to be a character that'll show up in the Safehouse when Klevas reaches it.

The Shop UI style is something from the fortuna and fantuna style, as the UI just works and I've enjoyed it as a great way to keep it simple.

---

Poll Time​

From here on out each time I do one of these I'm down for votes on the next subject.
I'd like to try and get some form of thread update out every friday. Ideally a mainline update, but if not it'll have to be a Make-Up post, or alternatively a Prologue Post, but I prefer those to either prelude an update in the days leading up or for them to come before voting ends as a thread bump.

[] Cognion 101

I'll put out a worldbuilding update on them if this is selected. This will cover where cognions come from, and little things like that.
It'll include sketches I've done in the past of cognions.
This will cover some info about my next project, NERrium. Expositing on a mechanic or two centered around cognions and how they pertain to the ecosystem sim.
Ending it will be a way to vote on what the next cognion update would be centered on, and the topic would be what species from the list I'll give for me to sketch and outline a couple cognions for.

[] NER 101

I'll be putting out a worldbuilding update on NERs if this is selected. This will cover the nature of a NER, and further exposit on the dynamics of what composes a NER and even an inner world: the segpock.
I'll be posting some old photo edits, and showing off a segpock or two that'll be coming up either in the forumventure or a mainline update.
This will cover some info about NERrium as well. Expositing on mechanics centered on segpocks and the ecosystem sim. I'll be previewing a couple segpocks that'll be in the first NERrium update.
Ending it will be a vote on whether to focus on worldbuilding or characters within the setting. This one will require me to do minimal artwork, so I'll probably focus it on setting up a part of my website to contain either lore or feature characters from the toyhouse.

Feel free to tack on your vote to whenever you get around to voting next.
Thank you for your time reading this update, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend

 

[Negrek]

I've seen concepts like the Cosmodex for fanregions/fakemon, but it's really cool to see a more all-encompassing version for worlds of all kinds. And projects that pull together and remix a bunch of open-source material are really cool!

[X] NER 101

 

[Meridian]

alrighty I was unsure whether to give up on the blender animation or not, but we're pretty much done with it.
Tomorrow may be an update day, but it'll more than likely be saturday afternoon PST wise. Voting will run until mid-week, and I should have another 'prologue' update out before voting closes as per usual.

After this update things will move on towards the exploration phase that'll round out the rest of the prologue. I've been excited to move onto Act 1 for a while, but that's still at least a month of updates or so off.

 

[Meridian]

🛑 This update has both an animated images and music.
🛑Springtime is Here's instrumentals include a siren-like noise that repeats now and again.
🛑Using headphones, and turning them down, is recommended
🛑 The animated video midway through has this sound about a second or two into the video.

Patricia Taxxon - Springtime is Here

Spoiler: transcript

"I sing," Klevas notes and nods vaer mask to Korite, moving to retrieve the chosen reagents.
The protein bar, the frayed-off zipper, and then the pottery shards.
"and memory.." Klevas says to ask: "What do you do to make them.. a cognion?"

Spoiler: transcript

A subtle shift in Korite's appearance is something Klevas notices before they reply, "A friend helped me think of the shrine like a sink's basin."

"The basin fills itself with our intent and the void's aesthet. The ritual space is one to work within, but without suberging our reagents in the catalytic mixture.. it's a labor-intensive process to say the least." They explain, all the while taking on further glow.

Something is stirring beneath the smoke. You're sure of it.

They continue to repeat that in many rituals one must act as a conduit to channel the energy needed for the working. In this case they're 'spooling' up the base energy from their side of the connection to pour across and into the altar's basin.

They chuckle and let another grin play out across their head, "It builds until I can make a crack in the lining of our shared unreality.. and then I pry the gap wide enough for the duration of the working."

"It is my magic, my energy, and importantly my will that crosses through and directs what may be.." and they look up to you, "Of course, I have a volunteer to help make this more teamwork than a solo project, and all I need of you is this much further:"

"As though you were reading from your scrapbook dwell on the memory you've chosen.." They say, and were it not for the glow arising from somewhere beneath the smoke and veils on Korite's head, the chriilth'tyn would have managed to immediately focus on dwelling inwards, "It would serve you well to try and intertwine the chosen memory with your intent, as to see if you may bring about a union of the two."

That intent.. vae considers how to interconnect the intent to create a 'companion' with the workshop they apprenticed in. Maybe with more control vae could bring about a cognion that better resembled the beasts of their homeworld, but for now they could easily live with a friend that walked alongside them.

Spoiler: transcript

"Congratulations be unto you my friend, as you've managed the hard part on your end.." They say, and the interface begins to hum in-time with the points on them that come alight.
There's a slight shift, and Korite says with a giddy tone, "So let me go to task on my end, and show you something new~"

Spoiler: transcript

[ As the altar workspace takes in a flow of energy from Korite's side of the connection Klevas sets to vaer song. Alternating slowly from one released valve to the next in drawn out notes... ]

Just as you might intone, so too does the acolyte.

Their gaze looks as if to burn a hole into the basin as it distends beneath the once-dresser's surface. Each syllable they call out is steadily made and held out for it's breadth until the next rises to the call, or is plucked together from what patterns emerge.

Spoiler: transcript

"There we go.." They say in the lull as the reagents all become exposed to the void that exists apart from the shrine's pockmark in unreality, "A bit of the buildup is just in getting that first breakage to happen~"

And they resume the motion.

FileGarden Mirror​

The basin that formed shatters into shards that fall away into the void beyond the segpock Klevas stands within, and the ones that stay reach for the reagents.

Klevas tastes the ozone that wafts from the altar as lightning leaps from the tendrils and across the reagents.

Korite's act in the rite is.. relatively clear. Their intoned calls arrest control of the writhing tendrils.

Those same tendrils that once were the ritual circle now drip from thin air and bleed their ichor back into the void they've merged with.

What control they have, where, and what one should do in this ritual remains a mystery to Klevas. Guiding the tendrils with intoned gestures even as they writhe about, as though arresting control of a puppet from another's hand.

Meridian threw 1 100-faced dice. Reason: VOID FILLS THE GAP: [Holographic] Total: 7
Rolled a 7 (+5 = 12) ; failed the 65 or higher check
Meridian threw 1 100-faced dice. Reason: VOID FILLS THE GAP: [Glazed] Total: 53
Rolled a 53 (+5 = 58) ; failed the 65 or higher check

As the tendrils swirl and whorl about all Klevas can make out is that something happened to the foil and the pottery shards alike, and vae is left waiting to find out what that will mean beyond that the void's done something.

Vae does still manage to see the set around the protein bar take on a holographic tone, but that isn't much to go on.

Meridian threw 2 100-faced dice. Reason: [ Creative ] Participation: Ability Total: 106
Rolled a 71, 35 (71+15 = 86 ; 35+15 = 50) ; passed the 30 or higher check, takes higher result
Meridian threw 2 100-faced dice. Reason: [ Creative ] Participation: [ Music ] infusion Total: 60
Rolled a 10, 50 (10 + 15 = 25 ; 50 + 15 = 65 ; passed the 65 or higher check

Klevas can however tell that vaer intonations have not only wreathed the reagents, but that in doing so has imparted two different additions to the cognion that is forming within the void's gap.

Spoiler: transcript

A limb pokes free from the basin, and grips the rim. It is composed of foil that glimmers and glints alike under the vintage furniture store's magenta and violet lighting.

Spoiler: transcript

Korite wry smile glowing eyes closed raised lid
The alien acolyte cackles, "Shaky footing.. why of course I'll lend a hand little one, so long as you can stick the landing~"

You can just barely see the ritual circle below the cognion's form move to give it a boost.

And a boost it is given..

Klevas hopes they'll be fine..

Spoiler: transcript

RITUAL COMPLETE
(1) out of (1) cognion brought into being

The chriilth'tyn lets out a toneless sigh from the valves of vaer instrument, and marvels at vaer starter..

---

Spoiler: Starter Abilities

Abilities

• GLOMP!!
  • This attack does lesser Crush damage, and reduces the target's speed for the next 2 turns.
  • Has a short charge time.
• Pap
  • This attack's damage is determined by the material of the used limb.
  • CONTEXT: Foil Wrapper, low to negligible Neutral damage.
  • Has a near-instant charge time.
• Inventory Access
  • An augment within the cognion allows it and its Keeper access to the inventory system contained within it.
  • Contents become weightless and do not strain the cognion or its Keeper to possess.
  • Has a near-instant charge time.
• Reunion
  • This cognion breaks something in the unreality surrounding it to create a stable 'unzipped' opening in the voidiferous aesthet, so that it may return to the side of the Keeper it became separated from. This bridges the distance no matter how far to return to its Keeper.
  • Has a short charge time.

Spoiler: Starter Bodyparts and Materials

Bodyparts / Limbs

• foil wrapper limbs
• zipper limb
• protein bar core
• foil wrapper shell
• ceramic shard mask

Materials

• Foil Wrapper
  
  • The same foil typically used in wrapping snack goods, toy goods, and others alike to both attract customers and protect the trade goods in transit.
  • Resistant to Chemical, Toxic, Plague, and Growth based damage. Vulnerable to Tear based damage. Cold damage bypasses this material.
  • [ Holographic ]
• Ceramic
  
  • Commonly seen in usage for housewares and other goods alike.
  • This material resists Burn, Chemical, Deprive, and Rupture based damage. Vulnerable to Crush based damage.
  • [ Glazed ]
• Protein Bar
  
  • An edible product intended for both those undergoing physical training and strenuous tasks such as labor or survival. Ingredients and flavors vary, but this one is of a salted caramel flavor.
  • Resistant to Cold and Suffocate based damage. Vulnerable to Split, Burn, Growth, and Nuclear based damage.
  • [ Glazed ] , [ Flavored ]
• Zipper
  • A once-closure for a garment or object, this zipper has become an integral part of this cognion.
  • Resistant to Crush, Split, and Cold damage. Vulnerable to Tear damage. Shock damage bypasses this material.

Spoiler: Starter Traits

Traits

• [ Holographic ] : Light shimmers as it touches this cognion. One could find themselves distracted by this dazzling quality. (Applied to Wrapper Foil material layer. Cosmetic, Foundational.)
• [ Glazed ] : This cognion has been glazed as a result of a sugary coating being applied to it. The taste of the cognion on consuming it or parts of it's form will be sweetened as a result. (Applied to Mask part, Body Core part. Edible.)
• [ Flavored ] : This cognion has taken on a specific flavor profile as a result of it's components or augments. The taste of the cognion on consuming it or parts of it's form will taste like [ Salted Caramel ] as a result. (Applied to Body Core part. Edible.)

---

Spoiler: transcript

There's something that only feels right to Klevas in this moment..
"B A B E E !!" vae trumpets and bows vaer instrument to express vaer delight.
Vaer excitement doesnt lessen as the cognion before vaem shifts back and forth to distribute weight across its foil ribbonclaws, observing Klevas as much as vae does it.

Spoiler: transcript

"How wondrous!" They cackle, "It seems the void had no problem carrying your tune~"
"I can only recommend having a cognioneer take a close inspection at some point."

They size up the chriilth'tyn once more, "For now it is of more importance that we get you to safety, of course, but even more so... you will give your starter a name, yes?"

MAJORITY vote. CHOICE: Name the cognion​

[] Name: Write-In

​

MAJORITY vote. CHOICE: Ability for Starter​

As a result of Klevas' infusion of vaer song ; vaer starter has taken shape with an additional ability.
[] Ability: Simple Song

• This cognion has found a way to make music, and uses it to make a simple song. At the very least it is cute. Can be used for a variety of purposes.
• With a bit of training it could be used as an attack, and would deal low Rupture damage.

[] Ability: Basic Mimicry

• This cognion is capable of mimicking what it's been trained to repeat, or otherwise shown and experienced.
• It may be anywhere from similar to uncanny. With a bit of training it'll do better.

[] Ability: Write-in

• Describe a simple ability derived from the noeme of [ Music ] or [ Sound ]. The damage type available is primarily [ Rupture ], but feel free to try and make a case otherwise.
• Submissions may be edited for balancing or lore reasons, and may be recycled for usage with wild or tamed cognions in this or other works in the setting. I'll add a note like this as the quest expands to allow further submissions. If your write-in isn't chosen this round it will likely be an option to train the cognion to use in a future update.

 

[Meridian]

There are some errors in this update.. such as that I forgot to draw the starter's upper set of arms that hold its mask in place. You'll see the sprite (not scaled 350x up, at it's original size) with arms in the future.

This update includes my first blender animation in several years, and a few other animated gifs too. It's also the first update to have recommended listening music, which'll feature now and again in updates. This update def got a little away from me heh.

 

[Negrek]

(( Oooh... it's shiny. If my cognion was salted caramel flavor I would probably eat, because I'm a monster. :P

Congrats on getting all the animation done for this! ))

[X] Name: Nougat

[X] Ability: Basic Mimicry

 

[Meridian]

Tyyyy, and lol I notate edible because its 100% an option folks deal with. People eat a Tropius's nanners, if I make an edible critter they probs grow it back / folks hunt wild cognions for food

 

[Nonakin]

[x]Name: Phlipzaanis
Conveniently shortens to "Flips."
[x]Ability: Simple Song

 

[Meridian]

It's unlikely I'll be getting out an update this weekend. Was really hopeful to get both updates out for this week, but alas.
Caestellau's spritework goes smoothly (for the most part), and I'm expecting to get Prolo 4 out on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Mainline update to follow next Friday 🤞

In absence of an update this week have Zippi's base sprite
Zippi won as a total of 2 votes, whereas Simple Song won as a total of 4

As a clarififcation: Simple Song is usable as an attack with training.

Spoiler: The details

Klevas won't have real time to train Zippi until Act 1's underway, and if used as an attack untrained it would be dealing Negligible Pressure Damage. Which is gonna be chip damage / "-1 hp" on anything that isn't at the same equivalent "power level" as Zippi is, or weaker.
If a crit roll happened I'd bump it up to Low and do something there.
Overall 'Simple Song' has the more immediate potential for dealing damage. In theory a sufficiently-trained mimicry skill could deal it's own damage via reproducing a damage source.
They're both trade-offs of what they can immediately do, but share overlap in just about the same potential usages. Simple Song could be used to lure out a wild cognion, and so could Basic Mimicry. With Basic Mimicry it'd be possible to spend a little time prepping Zippi to mimic a sound Klevas or something in the area had produced, but a higher quality reproduction, retaining longterm memory of it, that sort of stuff would require the same downtime training that Zippi will need to actually use Simple Song in an offensive capacity.

 

[Meridian]

Hey ive progressively felt more like garbage the last thirty hours or so. Im pretty sure Im sick or coming down with something.
Ive finished the walksprite, but what I could work at eluded me for the last couple days. I havent finished the assets I need for either update, and the script needs work as well. Panels are not yet assembled.

Barring my feeling peachy with a perfect day of meds and a hyperbaric chamber I am not managing a 'prologue' update tomorrow, or a mainline friday. It'll likely be another week.

I dont have the next makeup article prepped past the outline because I expected I had another couple weeks before I needed it.

 

[Meridian]

Hey folks, I'm still not at 100% and struggled to make any progress most of last week as a result. I did eventually manage to make progress on Caestellau's talksprites, and am nearly done! I'll be finishing on the last asset I need for eyr talksprites today.
Most of the prolo update is scripted and should be able to be finished today. Worst case it gets posted Saturday morning.
The Mainline update will be a day or so later, ideally. Sometime late Saturday, or failing that at latest Monday evening.
Voting'll probably run to Mid-week.

After this update cycle, I'm going to be focusing on preparing a makeup update for next week, on the NER concept.
I've got a convention I'm volunteering for, and it overlaps on my mainline update days.

 

[Meridian]

As you descend the hill you see with considerable ease some sort of large boat stranged in the meadowlands, and just in front of the brush obscurring the way up it you can make out some sort of standing in front of it.


When you get a bit closer you can overhear them exclaim "Bah! It's not actually bloomed.. well there should be one in this place."

You deliberate on whether to get their attention, but ultimately decide being alone any longer could start to wear on you.


[X] "Are you lost too?" you call out

The figure visibly tenses, and turns a bit of their head towards you. You briefly make out the sight of muttonchops and an eye giving you a look over before the rest of the scalemailed head turns to face you. Their form relaxes, and they turn about and begin to clear the distance between the two of you.

Spoiler: transcript

"Are you talking to me?" The figure asks.. and you immediately feel something pressing onto your thoughts, leaving you with the impression what eyr pronouns are, "I'm pretty used to NERs by now, though I have still gotten lost in them before."

You can't help but ask "What's a ner?"

Spoiler: transcript

"You just passage in? It's okay if this is your first time in a [NER].." ey asks, and you feel something beyond yourself once more pressing against your thoughts.
You didnt know how to refer to them before, and now the same you feel your thoughts drifting.. no pulled.. towards the shape of what ey speaks of.

A NER... standing for 'Non-Euclidean Reflection' in reference to the human philosopher Euclid and the geometric system he was first to propose. A common abbreviation used by many of the void where you are, and the place you are now.

You feel like the world around you is spinning.

Considerable as a living creature all spaces within it are pieces of it, and they change like you do. People build them, sculpt them, and even inhabit them if they choose to.

Everything you say, think, and do within them will possibly change them.

You struggle to say anything at all as the knowledge of where you are flows into you.

Spoiler: transcript

"..I'm gonna circle back to the start buddy, but just lemme know when you're ready" ey says, and positions eyrself so that you could lean against em if you felt unsteady. You're not quite sure you want to do that and start to take a step back, and nearly stumble as you try to keep stable. Eyr arms swing around you, but remain spaced enough of a gap. "Dont wanna touch ya without knowing it's alright, but I'm not gonna let ya fall either."

You nod to say you're fine with em touching you, and try to catch your breath in eyr grip. You feel like eyr strong, as you're able to put a fair bit of your weight onto eyr grip and not feel unsteady.


You steady yourself upright once more, and voice "..I think this is my first time."

Eyr expression shifts a bit, and while the plates of eyr face dont make it easy you can assume it's a frown eyr making as ey say "I'm gonna hazard a guess that you dont know how you ended up here."

When you shake your head, ey continues, "Guess you're the lucky sort running into me, as I think I can make that dizzy spell up to you. My way of being in this life is helping folks, especially like yourself, get outta NERs." ey throws eye arms out to put up a display as if to say 'check this out', and then asks "I'm also gonna guess you've been wandering aimlessly for a bit, and that you'd rather be done with it sooner than later?"

You nod albeit unsure where eyr going with this.

"Then just stick around me for a bit, and we'll get you outta here. I've even got a bit of a gift for you," Caestellau notes, "hm.. there's some stuff that's gonna be best done where it's safer."

"Is it unsafe out here? It looks uh.. pretty empty?" You say, and look about the meadow, and up to see it could probably be described as overcast.

"Most of the segpocks in a NER are, but it's not always gonna be that easy. There's one along the way I came that'll be good for taking a break." Ey says and offers out one of eyr hands, "So, mind following me for a bit?"

You nod, and take eyr hand in your own..

[ Caestellau has joined your Party. ] ​

Spoiler: transcript

"Yeah, has a whole human mythic reincarnation cycle thing. It's a long-running series right?"
"I guess on another earth it would have been. The company that owned it went under in a recession and pivoted back to love hotels... How did you hear of it?"
"A human in the dorms had a collection and I got to try a few.. did you try the love hotels?"
"No but a friend did. She said the worldbuilding needed work."

Spoiler: transcript

Caestellau shares "I came to this part of the NER from a place called a safehouse"

You recognize the phrase thankfully from your mind's more normal vocabulary as a place that people wait out danger, usually in plain sight, and speak up,

[X]"That's a type of place to hide, right?"

"Yeah you definitely can do that there, but it's usually just where people like you and I take a much needed rest after a day of traipsing a NER." ey says "It's how I got here, and a way out of this place too."

"So it's safe?"

"Safest place in a NER usually."

Caestellau leads you along the top of the hill towards the slope up from it, and once atop you can see the edge of some woods.. and more importantly what look like a flight of stairs that leads nowhere atop some concrete.

[X]Inspect: Treeline

Spoiler: transcript

"are.. are those trees.." you trail off, struggling to dedide on what to say
"those ones?" the carapaced stalwarte points off in the distance, hazarding a guess

"Yeah, they look like there's something.." you say, and are unsure whether to say they're encased in soemthing or glowing, "on them. It's not the sky.. are the trees alright?"

Spoiler: transcript

"Uhh," ey states, reaching to scratch the back of eyr armored head as the lights atop eyr head dull for a moment, "Dunno. If it's not my wheelhouse I go on vibes. It's probably something with the NER.."

Ey'd said that the place you're in, the NER, is composed of the (smaller?) places you came through. It doesn't entirely add up, so you say, "What's happening here to make the sky come apart?"

"Someone explained it like the parts of the NER influence each other. Everything's connected right? The way they conflict with each other causes changes."

"In this case yeah.. My best guess is it's something about the way transit shrines grow?" ey looks off a bit unfocused, trying to think of what to say next

[X] Wait until later to ask.
"Anyway, we'll be taking the stairs down." ey says, pointing out the freestanding flight of stairs you'd already noticed.

You decide to state the obvious by saying to em that "It doesn't go anywhere.."

The alien stalwarte trods over to the foundation and swings an arm out to gesture down, "You're looking the wrong direction."

And you can immediately see down into a messy stairwell entry.

"..oh, you're right. I wasn't expecting they'd go down."

"Down there's the first direction we need to head. Good place to take shelter too."

With each step downwards there seem to be slightly more buttons littering the stairway you're traversing, and soon you can hear the sound of the armored alien's footfalls brushing aside just enough of a pile to make a path for you... as well as the growing avalanche of buttons that precedes the two of you.

With no moment like the present, you speak up.

[X]"So what was up with the sky?"

Spoiler: transcript

"You'll see it happen when you traipse deep enough into a NER. Stuff degrades.. somtimes until it breaks down entirely."

"Like the sky'll be gone?"

"Maybe eventually? Sometimes things get replaced entirely, or they just change a little at a time."

The lumbering alien turns as if to take the next flight of stairs down, but stops blocking the way as if instead to say you've arrived. "This space will do plenty for our needs my friend."

"So.. what are you?"

Ey practically beams, the plates of eyr face shifting towards a giddy smile, and before ey replies with whats on eyr mind, they stop, "Y'know, you should shit down actually," ey gestures to the steps you're standing atop still, and you take em at eyr word and sit upon them. Now ey goes back to practically bouncing in place, "Good, good." ey says and takes a moment.

Spoiler: transcript

"Oh now, I am just your typical errant [ Stalwarte ], at your service," ey says sending your world spinning again as eyr wings spread out.
Something aligns to your mind once more, and this time it's the idea that when push comes to shove this one would gladly take blow by blow for the sake of your survival.
"Right, right.. suppose I'm glad I didnt give you any of those on the way down.."

Some Stalwartes choose to specialize in replicating the way of another, and in this instance it is of the Escorte. The typical Escorte is one who ensures others find their traipsing of the void a smooth one whether from one end of a NER to another, or from strange port to their nomeplane. The Stalwarte speccing into this is likely to be found by the side of their chosen charge, contracted or not, and serving as a companion in the moment until it passes.

Spoiler: transcript

"Just let me know when you're ready, alright?"

Anyone tasked with performing the way of a stalwarte will find they best serve by way of the front lines of any conflict, so long as they are not tasked with a charge or defending against the likes of flanking or attack from the rear of a Party.

As the rush begins to wane again you can see Caestellau swing above between the digits of eyr hand a length of beads. You think you can make out eyr own face in eyr palm before the next understanding makes itself known to you.

Some Stalwartes choose to specialize in replicating the way of another, and in this instance it is of the Patronne. The typical Patronne is a friend to all and a stalwarte that specs into this will find themselves lending a shoulder to cry on much the same, and in kind lending that which sustains others as they are able. A stalwarte like this isnt an uncommon sight amongst a welcome wagon or an asylum granting ship.

It passes again, and you're able to look up at em long enough for em to notice.
You decide to note that you'd been curious about what sort of alien species ey belongs to as you've never met one of.. whatever ey might be.

Spoiler: transcript

"Ah.. that's a bit of a longer story because I'm a hybrid," ey says, and taps eyr hands together as ey form the words, "you'll meet folk like me who aren't a member of just one species, now and again, and then there's some folk who even change their species.. so that sorta question gets complicated fast."

With the conversation drawing to a lull, ey adds "With one of my parents being a hybrid too I've got about three different species I could talk about.. it's probably best I tell you about my heritage another time."

Spoiler: transcript

"But hey, probably answers why I'm in this NER. A while back I decided I'd probably do alright with keeping those new to the void safe," Ey says, and strikes a light pose to puff out eyr chest, "I'm happy to stick by you for about as long as it takes for ya to get your bearings, or get you back home. How about I get you set up with some basics?"

Eyr confidence shows as they make a show of the pose, and it's striking just how large of a person they are. With what you now know of stalwartes you find yourself wondering if that's a hard requirement for the role, or if eyr stature's an unrelated matter...

You tilt your head as if to ask what ey means, and are met with em saying "Mind opening your bag?"

You reach over to your side and present the contents, and then pull some of what you had in your pockets to show em as well.

Spoiler: transcript

"Those aren't the slimmest pickings I've ever seen for someone who squarefell their way into a NER but I'm glad you ran into me when you did." Ey says, and ey raises an arm to which another symbol like eyr face phases into being. Its mouth opens, and out slides a glass bottle of water, "Even if I hadn't spec'd into patronne I'd be keeping supplies on me for folks like you."

Ey passes you the first bottle as another quickly follows out the same floating symbol. "If I had the time I'd be trying to help you catch a starter cognion and get you an inventory system," Caestellau muses, "and while I've seen a few and know there's plenty worse to find yourself in, this still isn't the safest NER to traipse."

Once you've bottles stowed away in your back ey smiles, "Alrighty, so now you can satisfy your hydration in-case of the worst. Is there any way you prefer to collect your thoughts?"

You try and think of something, but don't come up with much.

The stalwarte looks over your things, and gestures to the scrapbook and pen, "Writing them down is among the safe bets I suppose. You attached to the scrapbook?"

You shrug, and share that you haven't been able to get it open since you woke up.. and share a bit of how you got to where you met em.

"Well if it's been with you from the start it probably's on the important side." ey says, "I'll try and get you a way to interface with your memories. That or a profile's usually the easy stuff to help a new voidtraipser with.."

Spoiler: transcript

"Yknow I took on an artificiere minor for a spell before I switched to escorte." Caestellau says, puffing up for you once more ready to share a new idea, only to droop and stop eyrself before continuing "Dunno if you're familiar with the concept, but it's about giving an object new properties."

This one at least feels on the easy side as you volunteer, "Oh, enchanting?"

"Exactly!" Ey says, and holds out eyr guantlet, to which you pass the pen, "Now I wasn't all that good at it past the introductory course or two but I did learn enough to make a decent patronne in cases like this.."

Spoiler: transcript

"Now this is a sight," ey says, "Something must've happened to your pen in the fall too.. I was gonna give it a light enchant, but it looks like I can crack its exophysioshit open a lot easier-"
The stalwarte's lights glow brighter, and you can see eyr guantlets light up in kind with the same green light as ey grips the pen from both ends.

You only realize ey is going to break it in half too late to stop em.

To your surprise, ey only bends it enough to send hairline cracks across its surface.

Something about the light in the area dims as soon as ey does.. and you can swear you see something move in the mirror behind em.. and before you can turn around to look if there's something behind you the shadows in the mirror push free like serpents to coil around Caestellau and strike at the pen's seams.

They pulsate, rushing to fill an impossibly small space, and the whole time the Stalwarte cackles with joy on eyr voice.

You've stood up considering whether you should run, and find that the moment has passed. The lights are back to normal as though nothing had changed.

Spoiler: transcript

"I'm no expert but my friend what you just saw was a very good sign," ey says handing you back your pen, "That little thing's voidtouched now, and while it's too soon to tell I'd like you to do me a favor and keep it out at the ready while we traipse. Should know sooner than later what's going on with it."

---

This one seriously took a lot longer than I had meant for it to, but wahoo I can finally show you The Third Character.
Eyr design amounts to "gentle xenogiant". I found it fairly funny that the tallest possible species was chosen in character creation, as ey and the cleric that'll show were both intended to be "as far as the first person you meet in 'the backrooms' after wandering alone, these are probably some of the scarier ones to see ; kind of a relief that this stranger has 0 reason to hurt you and would be weirded out at the idea of that".
Now they're just respectively 'slightly taller person who could still take you in a fight' and relatively similar.

Mainline'll probably be Monday evening.

 

[Meridian]

forgot I have an eye exam tomorrow afternoon, and that I should probably have my eyes dilated. Always put it off til the next exam when I was a kid, so I still havent ever had it done.
I have 0 idea whether Im getting writing or panels done tomorrow, and it's probably not a good idea to play around with that. Mainline'll probably be tuesday then

 

[Meridian]

Spoiler: transcript

It comes to Klevas in an instant, so vae says with cheer "I. have. the perfect name."
To which Korite chimes, "How do you intend to communicate that to the wee fuck?"
Klevas hums considering how many pets learn the sound of their name.. but vae had another tool at vaer disposal, and so vae taps out a drumbeat tempo against the side of the dresser the shrine was built from. A couple variations, and it should be simple enough to follow...

​

[ Zippi will die in Klevas's stead. ]​

​

Korite smiles at the exchange and asks "So, what name did you decide on?"

Spoiler: transcript

Snapped out of fixating on singing with vaer starter, Klevas tilts vaer mask back to Korite and replies, "Oh, I decided on Zippi, because you know.."
Vae intones the same mini song and then says in a sing-song way "Zee-eye-pipi-wye!"

Klevas hums and looks around to make sure vae weren't leaving anything behind, but recalls vae didn't have much to begin with...

Spoiler: transcript

The chriilth'tyn says, "I'm about ready to head out.." and vae realizes vaer not quite sure how to open vaer new inventory system, "Do I just ask Zippi to open up my inventory?"

Spoiler: transcript

To Klevas's surprise, Zippi opens up expectantly.
It doesn't get much more than a shrug from the acolyte, "Follow your intuition's lead and your starter will (i) probably (i) do the same."

Klevas considers vaer inventory and wonders how vae should organize it..

---

Klevas's Inventory​

Items stored in vaer inner world will require a near-instant charge time to retrieve.
Items stored on vaer person will not, but will contribute to vaer carrying capacity.
Both sources then take time to equip or use.

Klevas currently has equipped a Messenger Bag. It can contain various items.
It isn't as full as it was, but it'll fill quickly again. Contents:

• (3) protein bars (assorted flavors)
• (2) fliptop bottles (mineral water)
• (1) gel pen (voidtouched)

Klevas currently has equipped a Scrapbook.

Klevas also has two Pockets on vaer outfit. Each pocket can contain a few objects if one is optimistic.

• Right pocket contains: (1) stickey note pad
• Left pocket contains: Nothing.

Other Items:

• (1) Spoopermart Cauldron (Plastic) - Container
  • Has to be carried in-hand due to its size. Can contain various small items.
• (1) Bottle of Entrafresh (Cranberry Flavor) - Ration

PLAN VOTING: Inventory Management​

Klevas already has an idea of how vae might organize vaer inventory, but you may have a better idea.

[] Inventory Plan "Klevas's Instinct"
-[] Store (Spoopermart Cauldron, (2) fliptop bottles, (2) protein bars, Scrapbook) in Inner World
-[] Store (Entrafresh Bottle, (1) Protein Bar) in Messenger Bag
-[] Store (Stickey Note Pad) in Right Pocket.
-[] Store (Gel Pen) in Left Pocket.

[] Inventory Plan "(name)"
-[] Store (items) in Inner World.
-[] Store (items) in Messenger Bag.
-[] Store (items) in Right Pocket.
-[] Store (items) in Left Pocket.

---

Okay, we're finally here. I'd planned at various stages for this to either be just the prep for leaving the shrine segpock, or moving into the following one.
This cuts it off as a short update, but I still wanted to experiment with something, and in this case it was doing a quick song in beepbox.

 

[Negrek]

It's great to properly meet Caestellau here! Fun to have a little music in this latest update, too. It's really cool how you're branching into various forms of multimedia with this quest.

Don't think I have any strong feelings about inventory management; Klevas may as well do what feels right imo!

[X] Inventory Plan "Klevas's Instinct"

 

[Meridian]

regretfully unsure I'll be able to finish the makeup update for this week, as con prep is taking a bit more time than I had expected