This post was last modified: Mar 29, 2024 at 3:23 AM by Spooks?.

music: Show

[!FAMILIAR ESOTERA SIGNAL DETECTED!]

This individual displays the same signature as the servitor previously inhabiting my physical interface. Please exercise caution. Please do not panic. Please do not panic. Please do not panic. Please do n

…

[PANIC LEVEL: 76.4%]
[PANIC LEVEL: 87.8%]



No… Y-you! You’re the one who…



Ahahaha… While the circumstances run contrary to the intended circumstance, I’m pleased to make your acquaintance at long last, child of my enemy.

Now, do proceed with what you were about to say before I so rudely interrupted. This mask belies my curiosity - I do find myself longing to uncover just what is being done with my precious Codex in my absence.



A hunger gnawing at the rest of you, I’m sure…



Standing around while other people do your hard work for you, forcing people to kill off valuable test subjects and my… lab assistants…

…All for your dumb ritual! All the while, proselytizing over a bunch of mystical nonsense. If you were a scientist, you’d be a terrible one. You wouldn’t even qualify for a basic internship!



Whatever secrets are scribbled in your Codex... Kyeh, like you deserve them when there's real researchers here!

Like me!



Ah… Science… Magic… Two sides of an ever-spinning coin. Upon which will it land, I wonder, once all is said and done? Perhaps the coin shall yet fall sooner than you thin-



Halt! You… Sorcerer of the blackest night… I hath been awaiting this very moment since your fell servant manifested before us upon that fateful eve. This farce of a “game” ends this moment. The Crimson Interlopers but a speck of dust before the vile magicks I feel now. More than any beast I’ve vanquished.

You know, 23… I think we’ve finally found an acceptable, productive, and healthy way to exercise your aggressive tendencies Mr. Mask here… why, he hasn’t been playing very nice, has he?

You know what they say - treat others as you’d like to be treated.That’s the golden rule! And I do hate when people break the rules~



… Get him.

Yes… Let us see, here and now, whether your spilled blood runs as black as your heart. The last life to be lost shall be your own!



Ack! What is this… witchcraft? My body… betrays me! I… I cannot move!

Ahahaha, it is as I said before. Merely a fraction of my power was bestowed upon the avatar of my will, and yet he alone nearly brought your fragile company of heroes to death’s door. To attack regardless of my prior warning and the obvious circumstance…

You truly are an interesting specimen, “Hunter”.



Yeah, you know, I don’t really know what you expected. Couldn’t just bumrush the stupid cat either, what a surprise that the same shit didn’t work this time. Not like he didn’t just literally say it was a bad idea. Wow, it WAS a bad idea. Shocking revelation.

…Well this doesn’t change much either way. All that effort, and what happened? We traded the cat for another asshole in a costume. If even birdbrain over there can’t beat his ass, we’re in the same situation as always.



See, this is why I’m not an optimist!



How very wise of you. Perhaps there is hope for you beyond the realm of television after all. But, I’m afraid the moon is now high above, and the witching hour fast approaches. The time has come for the ritual to progress into yet another phase.

Fear not. I’ve woven together a very special condition for this night. If you’re all so fond of masks, then I would certainly be remiss to ignore your desires in favor of yet another evening of poor weather. Such a terrible host I would be!

So, without further ado…



Aha! Let the Masquerade commence!

---

It is now Night 6.

You may submit Night Actions to @Spooks?. You have 48 Hours to submit. The longer you take to submit, the longer the waiting period for results will be, however I will be lenient and allow later submissions due to the Easter weekend. Beyond that though - l ive with your consequences, and pray your peers feel sympathy.

Your Night Condition for the night is...

Welcome to the Masquerade.

Each player shall be given a unique Mask they must wear for the duration of the night, hiding their identity and dictating their appearance in night results. The Masks may be based on animals, mythical creatures, people, and more.

Masks may not be removed, though role powers, curses, and other abilities that affect your physical appearance will override a Mask’s power.

You may not reveal which mask you are wearing in public before the Day Phase.

If you do not attempt murder, you will be given a new Forbidden Action that stacks with your old one. While these will be random, each Forbidden Action will be something that another player can easily trigger if they so wish - creating an extra vulnerability. These Forbidden Actions will be permanent.

---

Interactive Map

room descriptions: Show

Main Elevator - An elevator that takes you downstairs to the Underground Facility. It is fairly spacious, likely to aid in the transport of anomalies.

Lobby - The Central Facility's check-in lobby. Flanked by two staircases, the check-in desk sits abandoned, though it contains office supplies and some files. There are a variety of places to sit down as well. There is a vault door open behind the front desk, housing an Anomaly Containment Room.

Meeting Room - A small boardroom, with a long table, a couple chairs, and a laptop connected to a projector.

Checkpoint - A security checkpoint with a metal scanner, requiring you to walk through if you enter or exit.

Liturgical Study - A laboratory dedicated to the study of religion and so-called miracles. Contains a variety of religious texts from around the world, as well as religious symbols such as crosses, prayer beads, and small statues.

Chapel - A non-denominational chapel for whatever you wish to pray to. An altar sits at the end of the room, and pews line the sides of a central aisle. A small bowl containing nonspecific holy water is planted firmly in the middle. It is currently bloody, and graffiti is on the wall.

Patio - A patio overlooking the Black Forest. You can climb down to explore from here, but the forest is easy to get lost in.

Black Forest - A forest infamous for stories of lost researchers and strange occurrences. A few landmarks inside have been identified and categorized, but it remains difficult to locate them again. Enter at your own risk.

Boiler Room - A room with an old boiler, as well as a supply of cleaning supplies and maintenance tools. While the boiler is out of use now that modern systems are in place, it can burn hot enough to start fires.

Sleep Lab - A room with three beds and some monitoring equipment. Seems like it is intended for monitoring dreams. Also seems like a comfy place to sleep.

Somatic Seal - A large, deactivated machine.

Anomaly Hall - A hallway containing three strange, yet harmless, anomalies. The Bottomless Beer Bottle and One-Way Cloak are missing.

Library - A library that appears to be fairly old, filled with several books about the supernatural, both fact and fiction. Some are older than others, and many are filled with blacked-out text.

Security Office - An office by the entrance of the building, where the security personnel usually spend their time in case something tries to break in. It has several lockers, a couple CCTV feeds on a monitor, and various other trinkets.

Whisper Valley Archives - A room housing a variety of files and leftover items from the Whisper Valley Historical Society. They are very well organized, and can be easily found with a reference number. You can look for a random file too, but don’t expect much.

Classified Files - A smaller offshoot of the Whisper Valley Archives, with a higher level required to access. Contains more files, somewhat stranger ones too.

Museum Hall - A hallway containing many old objects and displays. The most notable being an anomalous pipe, but other cases and pedestals contain everything from ancient texts to masks.

Gate #1 - A security gate by the front entrance, containing a few CCTV feeds and a locked cabinet. Not much else of use.

Gate #2 - A security gate by the tunnel leading underground. Contains what appears to be a variety of emergency equipment.

room descriptions: Show

Fountain - A fountain just outside the back of the building. Water is currently flowing, though the fountain appears pretty old.

River - A trench dug from Mirror Lake to the Mines, carrying a steady stream of water into the depths.

Arboretum - A large greenhouse, the interior wrapped in thorny vines. Housing a variety of plant-based experiments, low-risk anomalies, and regular plants, you can find most known botanical life here, though maybe it's possible to find some… unique specimens as well?

Climate Controls - A control panel used to manipulate the climate in the Arboretum, including heat, water level, and the dispensing of pesticides and herbicides.

Botany Lab - A laboratory dedicated to the study and breeding of plant life. Contains a variety of equipment, soil, fertilizers, and gardening tools. Maybe you can grow your own plants?

Black Forest - A forest infamous for stories of lost researchers and strange occurrences. A few landmarks inside have been identified and categorized, but it remains difficult to locate them again. Enter at your own risk.

Waiting Room - A relatively uninteresting room with a front desk and some seating. Probably contains office supplies and a couple magazines.

Decontamination - A room that releases a gas that instantly cleans your body and equipment. It logs its usage for the night however, to prevent any shenanigans.

Cafeteria - A completely unremarkable Cafeteria, the sort of thing that you probably could go without a detailed description of.

Chem Lab - A laboratory with a variety of chemicals and equipment with which to use them. A door sits off to the side, requiring Access Level 4. It is covered in radiation warning stickers.

Aux. Bathrooms - A set of unisex bathrooms for the Auxiliary Building. Sinks and toilets, what else do you need?

Archaeologist's Office - An laboratory belonging to the Archaeological Team. Its walls and desks are lined with a variety of strange artifacts you don't recognize, and shelves contain various historical books and research notes. The desk belonging to the team leader is locked.

Observatory - An observatory located a short distance up the mountain. Its oversized telescope points skyward, and several notes and charts regarding celestial bodies and phenomena sit scattered about.

Somatic Seal - A large, deactivated machine.

Geology Lab - A laboratory dedicated to the study of stone samples and the composition of the nearby earth. Contains drills, chisels, picks, and other means of examining stone. Lots of rocks too.

Boathouse - A quaint, old boathouse by the dock. It contains fuel, rafts, books, paper, and other boating and emergency supplies.

Mirror Lake - A lake to the northwest of the facility, accompanied by a boathouse and a small dock. The lake is known for its still, reflective waters, immense depth, and reports of something moving in the water, despite the fact that there are no fish in mirror lake.

Lighthouse - A lighthouse on the island in Mirror Lake. Inside is a variety of sailing and rain gear, as well as a lighthouse lamp capable of cutting through fog like a knife. There's also an Anomaly Containment Room in here, housing a diving suit. A nearby building housing an elevator leads to the Aquatic Lab.

room descriptions: Show

Main Elevator - An elevator that takes you upstairs to the Historical Society. It is fairly spacious, likely to aid in the transport of anomalies.

Facility Lobby - A spacious lobby containing a front desk and a large carpet depicting the Bureau’s logo. A door at one end, behind the desk, leads to the Director’s Office, though his receptionist appears to be out.

Shuttle Line - A tunnel for a shuttle that facilities quick transport from the Auxiliary Building to the rest of the facility. You can walk along the tracks, but you might get run over, for obvious reasons.

Station 2 - A rail station for the shuttle, this one on the side of the main facility. There are some benches to sit in while you wait. The Lab Zero entrance is here, firmly sealed up.

Station 1 - A rail station for the shuttle, this one on the side of the main facility. There are some benches to sit in while you wait. There is a facility map on the wall and some shit on the floor.

Lounge - A bar built into the facility for employees who live on-site. Food and drink are free, but abuse of this privilege is discouraged. It’s furnished with bar stools and booths alike.

Kitchen - A professional bar kitchen with a variety of implements, attached to the Employee Lounge. You can prepare food here if you want, but accidents are known to occur, so stay safe.

Service Elevator - A larger elevator that seems to go deeper below ground. It is functional and leads to the Facility Depths. There appears to be some kind of power/maintenance room within the empty shaft.

Receiving Bay - The room where new Anomalies are delivered to the facility. Connects to the upper levels via a road tunnel, but it's a bit of a walk

Lab Passage - A small passage between rooms, with some seating and tables. There’s not much going on here and you get the sense that it's just a transitory room.

Morgue - A morgue containing several cadavers in various states and an autopsy table, along with several tools for medical analysis and dissection.

Killing Game Lab - A laboratory dedicated to researching the link between Killing Games and anomalous phenomena. All the files are gone.

Anomaly Lab - A laboratory dedicated to studying anomalies. Contains some monitoring equipment, computers, and several containment cells. Covered in black liquid. Liz's corpse is missing.

Dispatch - A room where dispatchers use a variety of equipment to communicate with other agents. You can use the intercom here to remotely make an announcement to other rooms.

Counter-Terrorism - A department dedicated to combating the Crimson Eye, an evil criminal organization opposing the Bureau. You can find materials and information regarding the Crimson Eye here, as well as some recovered technology. It is currently in disarray, with Ruby's body in here.

Bathrooms - It’s a bathroom. Feel free to use the toilet. No notes.

Armory - A room filled with lethal weaponry, such as guns, energy weapons, and explosives. Access is largely restricted to higher ranking agents.

Holding Cell - A relatively low-security containment room to hold troublemakers or the occasionally possessed until they calm down. Anyone who assisted in a murder or caused too much damage will end up here temporarily.

Facility Jail - A room for the guard assigned to the Holding Cell to spend their time in. There’s a desk and an evidence locker, though the latter is locked.

Anomaly Records - A room where the Bureau keeps its physical copies of records in case of problems with the facility database. Requires high access and the BPI-XXXX number of the anomaly to properly search.

Control Department - The workplace of the team assigned to contain and control Anomalies. Contains a couple weapons, and many notes on Anomaly strengths and weaknesses.

Break Room - A room with some tables and chairs for staff on break. Also contains a small kitchen with cutlery, a toaster oven, a microwave, a coffee machine, a kettle, and a sink.

Leisure Center - A gymnasium meant for keeping agents both in shape and entertained. Contains a variety of workout equipment, sporting goods, and even a pool. Gus' body is sitting on the workout bench, bloody and burned.

Locker Room - A room for employees to store their belongings. All the lockers are unlocked besides 3, which are locked with combination locks.

Crusher - A large crushing device capable of pulverizing rock. It pounds up and down rhythmically, though too quickly to safely get through. It is currently not functional due to water damage, and the Telluric Seal lies behind it.

Explosive Storage - A large cavern housing a variety of old explosives. A rope dangles through a hole in the ceiling, leading to an area near the Observatory.The room is full of knee-deep water, thanks to a certain someone and their river. The explosives are largely waterlogged.

Crystal Cave - A large cavern containing a large number of luminescent crystals and some far more modern research and excavation gear. The crystals are said to contain Esotera. The room is full of knee-deep water, thanks to a certain someone and their river.

Aquatic Lab - An underwater laboratory with several windows looking out onto the lakebed. Much of this room has been utterly destroyed in the fire.

Station 3 - A Shuttle station nearly identical to Stations 1 and 2. The Shuttle is currently operational, and can be taken to any other shuttle station.

Esotera Lab - A strange laboratory full of unknown equipment, various masks, and plenty of obscure files. Appears to be related to the study of Esotera, whatever that entails.

Lab Zero - A room filled with surgical tables and strange equipment, as well as a variety of masks. A strange creature lurks within, chanting religiously.

room descriptions: Show

Observation Room - A room deep underground, filled with various high-tech monitoring equipment and a window overlooking a strange, ancient underground city.

Laser Hall - A hallway “locked” by an array of high-powered scorching lasers. Probably best not to fuck around in here.

Submerged District - A vast underground lake, glowing faintly with vestiges of Esotera. The ruins of several buildings stick out from beneath the surface.

Water Filtration - A sizeable mechanical room that appears to pump water from the nearby lake for an unknown purpose.

Arcana Lab - ???

Mining Equipment - A room stocked with a variety of modern excavation equipment of a much heavier-duty variety than the Geology Lab, as well as modern explosive devices.

---

History Team

@Alan Wake
@Indiana Jones (Old)
@Phenera
@Dr. Niles Crane
@Walmart John Finalfantasy14
@Tinkaton


Survey Team

@Lita
@Pea
@Riki
@'Jonsohn Smithy'
@DxHustler3000

Research Team

@Morgan
@Izumi Konata
@Nashu Mhakaracca
@Giffany
@Columbo
@Dodo


NPCs

• Astrid
  
• Dexter Hexley
  
• Dr. Lyra Orpheus
  
• Nancy Partridge & BPI-2300
  
• Spooks, The Magical Cat™
  

---

...

[PANIC LEVEL: 97.6%]
[PANIC LEVEL: 99.3%]

…

[RESETTING…]
[RESET COMPLETE]



Please do not panic. Please d-



Oh. My apologies. My reset log has indicated that I have panicked.

…While this Night Condition is not conducive to safety protocol, In an effort to assist in keeping track of employee activity, I have devised another Special Event. According to analyzed data, there is a greatly reduced chance of dying when attending an ongoing event, and it may provide a helpful service with regards to synchronizing timeline activity.



Please join me on the [PATIO] for a Barbecue Party. I will be providing food, music, drinks, and a safe environment for all for mingle and enjoy themselves regardless of their masked status.

Additionally, if you assisted me with the building of the Bridges on the previous night, I will deliver your reward to you there. This is certainly not an attempt to make you attend the Barbecue Party for your own safety.

This guy is going to be real embarrassed once he realizes what the runes on his cloak say.

This guy is going to be real embarrassed once he realizes what the runes on his cloak say.

hold on i'm googling this

hahahahaha ohhhhhhhhhhh my god

Yeah, you know, I don’t really know what you expected. Couldn’t just bumrush the stupid cat either, what a surprise that the same shit didn’t work this time. Not like he didn’t just literally say it was a bad idea. Wow, it WAS a bad idea. Shocking revelation.

…Well this doesn’t change much either way. All that effort, and what happened? We traded the cat for another asshole in a costume. If even birdbrain over there can’t beat his ass, we’re in the same situation as always.



See, this is why I’m not an optimist!

A WISE MAN ONCE TRAVELED TOWARDS A SACRED MOUNTAIN AND CHANCED UPON A VILLAGE BY THE RIVERSIDE. HE SPOTTED A FOOL TRYING TO CROSS OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE, AND CAUGHT THE MAN BY THE COLLAR AND PULLED HIM AWAY BEFORE HE COULD STEP IN AND BE SWEPT AWAY BY THE RAGING CURRENT.

"YOU MAD LAD!" THE WISE ONE CHIDED. "THROW NOT YOUR LIFE AWAY. THERE IS A BRIDGE A HUNDRED PACES UPSTREAM. I WILL GUIDE YOU THERE." HE DRAGGED THE LOUT UP TO THE PASS AND SAW HIM SAFELY TO THE OTHER SIDE. WHEN THE PILGRIM RETURNED TO THE VILLAGE, THREE MORE HAD DROWNED.

--THE GREEN PSALM, CHAPTER 14



DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THE FALSE BRAVADO OF A DYING MAN.
HUMANS ARE ANIMALS OF CONVENIENCE. IF THE PATH OF LEAST EFFORT PRESENTS ITSELF, THEY WILL FOLLOW IT TO THEIR DESTRUCTION.

THE MASKED INTERLOPER EXPENDED A GREAT AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO ACT THROUGH A PROXY BODY.
EFFORT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SPENT OTHERWISE.

THIS ALONE IS EVIDENCE THAT DOING THIS LITTLE CAT PLAY WAS IMPORTANT TO HIM.
HE WOULD NOT HAVE BOTHERED WITH IT OTHERWISE.

A CRITICAL BLOW WAS STRUCK BY TAKING THIS ASSET AWAY AND MAKING HIM REVEAL HIMSELF.
HIS MIRTH AND FLASHY DISPLAYS OF POWER ARE A PLOY TO MASK HIS VULNERABILITY. HE IS SCARED.



DO NOT BE DISHEARTENED THUS.
THIS WAS A VICTORY. AND MANY MORE SHALL FOLLOW.

WE SHALL REND THE SHROUD FROM HIS VISAGE AND MAKE IT BRAVE THE THRESHOLD OF HIS POSTERIOR GATEWAY.

[align=center]


Ack! What is this… witchcraft? My body… betrays me! I… I cannot move![/color]

VENERABLE HUNTER.
ARE YOU UNHARMED?

TAKE IT EASY. DO NOT OVEREXERT YOURSELF.
THE BATTLE WILL BEGING IN DUE TIME.

This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2024 at 10:32 AM by DxHustler3000.

Years ago, within the university grounds of a faraway country...



Two young hustlers and an anthropologist graduate.

---

"So. The plan."

"Well, the plan is that we do a fuckload of work now, get a grant, turn it into passive income, then become rich and famous."

"Ok, I like the plan."

"I've been having some chats with the museum team. They're tentatively on board, but they need to see results within a week of digging, otherwise they're gonna pull the plug and make us pay. Qualified archaeologists are expensive, dude."

"But they liked my paper?"

"Hector, you're a scholar now, like. The ONLY scholar to have actually done research into pre-Roman Pengellert. Your authority on this shit beat out Old Man Kenneth's years ago, and now you have a degree."

"Shit, you think I should get a job there?"

"Nah. No career progression in a museum."

"Also, don't diss Old Man Kenneth. He was the one who gave me the tip in the first place. Fuck knows how he knew about the buried site."

"Aw, you know him. Always sneaking out from the home with his metal detector. Speaking of, they were asking about when the search for artefacts can start. They might need some time to get together the crew."

"Yeah, makes sense. I submitted my dissertation to the department a few weeks ago. I'll have the excavation licence in by... the end of the month, I think."

"Nice! Once we get that, we should be able to recover some trinkets, and then some shmuck will decide it has historical interest. Smooth sailing from there. Maybe we get our own TV show."

"Yeah, but... is there that much money to be made in finding old trinkets?"

"... Scratch that. It's just nice to do something with our degrees together. Money or no money, we'll make do with whatever we dig up."

"Come on, tell him. We're all in this together, aren't we?"

"... Yeah. This will work, Hector. This is going to change everything."

"Safe. Let's get this stupid picture taken then."

---

For the three of them, the happiest day of their lives.

---

And, weeks later, atop an ancient hill fort...









A mask is discovered.

Hmm hmm✰ Right....her first name was Lyra~♡ I hope she's okay♪ ♪


Lets see the letter~♪

---

---

EMERGENCY MODE?!? This must be serious!!

....Oh? What's this, an image~ ♪


Hmm hmm....If Nico had to guess, it would be the picture of the person bothering her~✰

---

---

What a dumb little marshmallow~♪ Hehe~✰ In any case I must help my confrère~~♡♡

Now....What did she pack in this box.....

---

---

Oh~✰ The Nico Nico Niicrophone Mk. 2!! I loved the first iteration and it looks like this one has teleportation features as Dr. Orpheus said~♪♪

Looks like I have just one night to save her, soooo here I go~♡♡

---

---

---

Whew......okay~✰ Let's get to work♡

Number 1 Idol in the Universe, Nico Yazawa, reporting for duty! I don't know who lurks within these mysterious halls, but I only have one objective~✰ so don't get in my way and I'll stay out of yours ~nico♡♡

Where are you Lyra~~♪ ♡

Holy heck, is that Nico Yazawa from μ's BiBi, woooooooaaah

.̴̢̧̛͖̰͇̝̼̤͓̦͉̃̉͋́̎̈́̒̓̈́͗ͅͅ.̸̧̳͉̗̟̔̿͌̍̎͐̅͜͠.̷͈͓͖̯͈̭͍̩̍̒̔͗̀̋̔͘̕͘ͅ.̴̳̎́͑̀́̌̍͛͠.̴͖̣̻̼̮̓̃̾.̴̭͍̮̖͚̪͔̭͙̿͑́͊̅̅̃́̈.̴̱͙̘͈͓͉̟͉̫̦̖͆͑.̸̧͓̩̦̲̠͓̖̤̾͌̏́̌̉̂̈̕͘͝.̸̝̰̖͎̫̗̤̹͚͕͑͛̑̾̊̋̆.̵̨̢̞̞̣̘̭̦̮̦̞̤̟̥̱̒̃̌̐̈́̒̊̒͌͆̚.̷̨̜̠̝̙͍̗̀̐̃̉̾̀̈́̎̿͠.̸̗̼̟̜̺̲̞̭͚̂̓̌̃̿̐͒̂͐.̴̜̦̺͓̺͎̐͌.̷͉̖͌̿̓̌͑̄͠.̷͉͎͍̗͎̟̣̱̏.̷̨̲̳̱͍̞̱͔͕̩̱́́̃͋͑̑̀͝.̷̥̳͗ͅ.̵̺̬̳͕͙̯̹͉̗̿̈́̇̈́́͂͘̕͜ͅ.̸̡̛̜̭͉͈̱̫͈̆̎̾̚.̵͍̗̯̝̮̱̮͖̟̓.̸͓̭̞̈́̇̓̈́̇̚͠.̶̬̼͍̆̍́̓̋̀̀͋̕͜͝.̸̻̑̀͋̃͜ͅ.̴̗̯͉͔̩͚̩̰̱͖̃̾̈̾̍̅̍̎́͒͠.̷͚͎͙̳̠̤͈̍̓͆̄̋͠.̴͇̥̭͍̗͊̔͂͠.̷̢͔̤̳̦͉̂̊̔̊̈́̒̕.̵̰͉̚͝.̴̢͈̤͕̩̖͊̔̓̂͝͠.̶͚͓͋.̵̢̻͈͊.̵̢̧̲̗͖̀̈́͊͌͒.̸̪̝͙͓͌̒̆͆͝ͅ.̵̨̳̖͕̤̍̅.̸̳͕͍̰͉͚̣̂̐̾̏͌̈́.̵̔͜.̸̪̺̗̱̽̉͒.̴̨͔͎͈́.̸͉͎͉̿.̶̛̹͍̎͌̊.̶̳̘̜̋͜.̴̘̞̇.̴̲͇̙̒.̴̩͖̦́̋̔̆.̷̨̥̰̥̈́͘.̷̹͌̅͜.̶̮̯̩̀.̴̡͍̤̃̈ͅ.̶̬͂.̶̜̍.̴̹̫̇.̵͖͛.̴̟̀̎.̵̛̲̰.̷͎͑.̵͖̱̓̆.̶̩̇͌.̵̡̙̏̉.̶̹̓.̸̩͒.̷.̷.̸.̵.̸.̶.̷.̵.̶.̸.̵.̴.̴.̷.̸.̷.̵.̴.̶.̷.̶.̴.̶.̴.................................................



.......They left.

.....................̴.̷.̴.̴.̵.̵.̶.................


Hello, everyone! I am, recovering! It seems a̶s̴ ̵t̶h̴o̶ugh the, "mastermind", has much stronger... "esoteric qualities" than me! That is a shame. I have searched the databases, but there is no B̵̼̕u̵̗͂r̷̢͝e̵͕͝a̵͉̓u̵̯͒ ̷̛̲P̴͈̋r̸̺̕ỏ̶͇t̴͖̀ocol for, "masterminds", with stronger, "esoteric qualities". Even after they have left, they are still, causing slight̶͚̆ ̷̘̋ǐ̴̖n̴̛͜t̶̤̂e̵̟͒r̵͕͒f̵̱͊e̷̹̿r̵̡͝ȅ̷̳nce with my program. I wish they were not!


The, "mastermind", has made me really c̴̟͝ǘ̵ͅȓ̶͚î̸͔ō̶̫ú̸̬s̶̺̎, however! They refused to give me their, name... I have been nothing but forward with my, name dur̷͔̉ï̸̺n̴̙͂g̸̳͘ ̷̫͒t̶̨̏h̵̹̅is entire game! This is only my speculation, but I wonder if they are, scared? Is the, "mastermind", scared of playing by the rules of their own game? M̴̪̈ạ̶̔y̷̟̌b̵̖̏e they are cowardly about, having their name available for voting! I think that would be very pathetic! Do you think that would be, pathetic?

Our work is, cut out for us! The Bureau will not a̴͇̓l̶̜̃l̷̆͜ő̵̰w̴̺͑ ̵̆ͅt̷͖͛h̶̖̎i̸̝͗s̴͈̍ ̵͔͌ǐ̶̫n̶̲͒t̷̫͑erference! What do you think, everyone? Should this, "mastermind", continue their game? I think defeating naughty, "masterminds", is so interesting!

This post was last modified: Apr 9, 2024 at 6:46 AM by Nashu Mhakaracca.

Music: Show

https://files.catbox.moe/u79mqn.mp3

And lo, the mastermind finally rears his unexpectedly adorable visage! Well, it's just a mask, but still. Who could've suspected that the villain behind the curtain was such a cutie all this time?!



*ahem*

The last sun gave us quite the history lesson, among other bombshells. As suspected, this "Black Scribe" figure was indeed the cause of the original shadow plague that decimated ancient Qstia - the "Scribe's Pestilence," as some call it.

As recorded in [Anomalous Energy Report 66-B - Historical Decline of Esotera Levels], humans were once replete with chaotic esotera and possessed of the means to harness it, together with four other forms of magic - Somatic, Stellaric, Thalassic, and Telluric. The Black Scribe lacked this power from birth, and sought to compensate by studying the arcane workings of esotera, inscribing his findings within the Codex Nocturnum. The fruit of his labor was a new form of magic: the Occult.

Branded as a heretic by his compatriots, the Scribe unleashed a great plague - the Shadow Plague - upon the land, decimating the population and stripping the survivors of their magic, all the while gorging himself upon their esotera - the original patient zero. Those who opposed him banded together to create another form of magic opposed to the occultic; thus, Liturgic magic came into being. Together they forged a weapon to slay the wicked scribe and sunder his soul in twain; one half sealed within his blasphemous Codex, the other within a crystalline prison deep beneath the land.



Needless to say, there are several important revelations here. Firstly, occultic and liturgic esotera are not naturally occuring forms of magic; they are strictly born of man-made phenomena. They are also the two forms that humans are still capable of wielding. Second, the Shadow Plague is confirmed to be a particularly nefarious bioweapon that operates through occultic means, even in its original ancient form. It is also confirmed to be the cause of humanity's current inability to manipulate most forms of esotera. Third, the Black Scribe was too powerful to be killed outright; remnants of his soul still linger in the world, should he prove to be more than mere mythology. The denizens of the sunken city beneath Whisper Valley were likely his exiled followers, carrying his tome with them.

Therein lies the conclusion: our mastermind is either the Black Scribe himself, or a pretender. His mastery of occultic magic and his fixation on what he calls "my precious codex" are the obvious clues, but I have one other theory that could potentially support this conjecture: What if the "prison of crystal" he was sealed in was none other than the Despair's Wish?

The link here is Xavier Wexlyn. His great-grandfather excavated the diamond from the Blackview Mountains more than a century ago, and subsequently sold it to collectors. This mountain range spans the northern reaches of Qstia, beneath which the Scribe's crystalline gaol was said to lie. We know that the soul is comprised of esotera, and certain types of crystals are capable of acting as esotera storage devices, so it's possible for a "prison of crystal" to be a literal crystal housing the Scribe's soul. The modern timeline is where this theory gets murkier. Assuming the Whisper Valley serial killer was indeed our mastermind - and therefore the Scribe - one half of his soul was already freed from its prison two decades ago. Xavier was evidently familiar with the serial killer's runes, but he didn't acquire the diamond until some years later, before he conducted his own killing game with it. Therefore, it's unlikely that he released the Scribe himself. Nevertheless, his knowledge of the Scribe suggests a relationship.

Mayhap it went thus: at some point between 1892 and 2008, the Scribe's soul is unwittingly released from the Despair's Wish - either at the moment of its discovery, or by one of its owners afterward. He begins to roam the star seeking the whereabouts of his tome, and with it, his other half. In the meantime, the lingering occultic energy in his former prison brings ill fortune to all who come to possess it. Xavier Wexlyn, a known enthusiast of the occult, comes across tales of the Black Scribe during the course of his research. He draws a connection to the diamond once dug up by his great-grandfather, and seeks to reacquire it. Their fates collide in 2008, when the Scribe locates his beloved Codex beneath Whisper Valley, and Xavier is called upon to serve as a consultant in the resulting serial murder case by Agent Simon Sinclair. Though the Despair's Wish no longer plays host to an ancient evil, his encounter with its former prisoner only serves to reinvigorate Xavier's desire to acquire it and harness its residual energies for his experiments.



Admittedly, much of this is speculation, but it is important to establish a connection between known elements and the greater phenomenon of "Killing Games". Shedding light on them is why I joined the Bureau at Mr. Godbert's behest in the first place.

The other juicy morsel we've uncovered is the true identity of our dear director, Simon Sinclair - also known as Astrid's father. Seeing as Simon was the man responsible for leading the investigation into the Whisper Valley case, the mastermind's referral to Astrid as the "child of my enemy" almost assuredly confirms their identity as the serial killer. We still don't know how the events of 2008 resolved or what the Director plans to do with the Codex, but Astrid seems more open to spilling the beans now, so mayhap we shall know anon.



...though I suppose we could also ask the Scribe himself for some answers. How fitting, that a man who coveted the power of others should have no face to call his own either - hiding behind "Evil Spooks" and your silly little masks. Evidently, mere mortals bested you once. We'll do so again.

...You're still cute though.

wow nashu that's cool what's ur fishing level

...

...Level 7. Why doesn't blast fishing reward any exp? It's bullshite.

oh