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>>1591532

Character sheet:

Vanessa

A sensitive soul. Beautiful and weird, charming and vulnerable.

Look: Dainty, disheveled
Age: 17
Origin: Mysterious transfer student

Stats:
Dark +2: See the unseen
Hot +1: Manipulate, seduce, inspire
Cold -1: Hold steady against fear or danger
Strong -1: Fight or undertake a physical task

Traits:
Growing Pains: Whenever you fail a roll, gain experience.

Current Status:
Harm: 3/5
Stress: 1/5
XP: 3/5

>>1591557

You are Vanessa, a sensitive and artistic girl, perhaps ill-suited for a survival situation. But you have tried to help out where you can, and keep the spirits of your companions high.

When you fell asleep last night, you dreamed of a strange and inverse world, a red forest in place of the green woods you had wandered through. In that world, you were pursued by a terrifying machine, but you faced it down with the aid of a strange power, somehow linked to one of the other survivors, your new friend Kate.

Wounded but triumphant, you woke up, expecting to have a hard time convincing the other survivors of just how real the dream had seemed to you. As it turned out, the smouldering wreck of the machine had followed you into the waking world, and now lies across the ashes of the campfire from you, not thirty feet away.

What could this mean?

>>1591568
it means i'm fucking stoked, nightmare planet quest fuck yeah!

>>1591568

"But how did this get here?" you ask. "Did anyone see what happened? Who was on guard?"

"I-i-it was me," says Sam. "I saw a flash so I turned around, and there was this big blue light, like, whoosh! And this sort of electric glitching sound. And this machine, it -- it -- I don't know how to explain it. The air just sort of unfolded and it came out. This big robot thing just appeared out of nowhere and crashed to the ground. I freaked out and woke everybody up, because, you know, that seemed like the right thing to do. B-b-but it didn't move, and we realized it doesn't even have a head!"

"That's when we woke you up," Jason says. "You said you fought that thing? Did you cut its head off?"

"Uh -- yeah, I did."

"Holy shit," Jason says. "I'm fuckin' impressed. How did a shrimp like you manage to take that thing down?"

>I had help.
>Kate turned into a sword!
>I don't know how, but I created a weapon.
>I felt stronger and faster than usual.
>I watched a lot of cartoons, I knew just what to do.
>Just got lucky, I guess.

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>>1591568
IT'S TIME FOR SOCIAL LINKS!

>>1591623
>>I don't know how, but I created a weapon.
>I watched a lot of cartoons, I knew just what to do.

>>1591623
>Kate turned into a sword!

>>1591623
>>Kate turned into a sword!

>>1591623
>Kate turned into a sword!

>>1591623

You say, "I don't know how, but I created a weapon. Out of Kate! She turned into a sword!"

"A sword?" Jason says. "Get out. Was it a pink girly sword with hearts and roses?"

"Actually, yeah, it was."

Jason guffaws, and Kate hits him on the shoulder.

"Is she right, Kate?" asks Tyler. "Could you describe your experience?"

"Yeah, but I'm not sure if saying I 'turned into" a sword is right," Kate says. "Part of me was still here, in the campsite. I felt the grass under my fingers, and if I squinted I could see the night sky. But I also had this weird view of Vanessa holding me, or the sword, or whatever. I could feel you swinging me around at that huge thing. It was like I was in two places at once."

"How were you, ah, summoned?"

"I don't know. I heard Vanessa's voice in my dreams. I woke up, and I could still hear her. She said "take my hand" and without thinking, I reached out, and somehow we touched. I had the weirdest feeling, but it wasn't a bad one." Kate tries to remember for a few moments. "It was like, you know when you're having a long day, and your pants are too tight and your bra is itchy, and you finally get home and just take it all off and have that sense of freedom and release?" She realizes everyone's now picturing her taking off her pants and bra, and blushes as she looks down at the ground. "Uhh, anyway, it was like that."


>Hug Kate.
>Just thank her politely.
>Investigate the dead machine-thing.
>Let someone treat your wound.
>Try to go back to the red forest.
>Go back to sleep and deal with this shit in the morning.
>Stay up all night. No way in hell you're going back to sleep after what just happened.

>>1591696
>>Just thank her politely.
>Investigate the dead machine-thing.

>>1591696
>Just thank her politely.
>Investigate the dead machine-thing.

>>1591696
>>Hug Kate.
It was really awesome and nerve-wracking at the same time.
>>Investigate the dead machine-thing.
>>Let someone treat your wound.

>>1591696
this >>1591732

>>1591696

"Thanks for everything, Kate," you say. "You were ready to fight with me, without even knowing what was going on. Whatever happened in there, whether it was real or not, you were with me, and I'm grateful." You start to turn away, since you were just going to be polite and demure, but at the last moment you change your mind, turn back, and throw your arms around Kate's neck.

"Hey now," Kate says, laughing. "We don't even know I was in any danger. You got scratched up, sure, but maybe I would've been fine either way." She pats you on the head and ruffles your hair, then frowns. "Hey, you've got a nasty slash up here. When that thing shot at you in the other world, it somehow carried over."

"I'll handle it," Tyler says. "Where's the sowing kit?"

"It's okay, I can do it," Kate says. "I -- oof!" She stands to stand up, then immediately sits back down as her legs wobble almost give out. She laughs in embarassment. "I guess turning into a pink sword took more out of me then I thought. Maybe I will let you take care of it, Tyler. It's in the side pocket on my bag."

You're pretty exhausted after all that yourself. Turns out fighting a huge robot in a dream world takes a lot of energy. But there's one thing you need to take a look at. As Tyler rummages in Kate's bag, you marshall some of what energy you have left to get up and go take a look at the fallen machine.

(Continued)

>>1591879

The headless body of the machine lies collapsed on the ground. The stump of its neck is still dripping a black liquid, oil or ichor or something, staining the grass. Through the wound, you can see past its metal plating and into some of its interior workings. You can see machinery inside, circuits and servos, but some of it looks an awful lot like flesh or organs. Is this just how the machine is built, some weird technology that only looks like living tissue? Or was this thing somehow ... alive?

You get closer, feeling drawn to the machine in a way you can't describe. You reach out to touch it, but just before you make contact, a twisting coil of blue light erupts from its body. The light splits into fragments: floating, luminous orbs, like big versions of those wisps you saw earlier.

"Are you seeing this?" you ask the others.

"Yeah," Kate says, awestruck, as simultaneously Jason says, "See what?" Sam looks around, confused, while Tyler frowns and squints.

The lights lower themselves to surround you, slowly twirling and spiraling. You reach out to touch one, when they all react and turn inwards to you. The lights pierce you with a painless, purifying sting, and vanish into your body. A strangeness twists in your stomach, both hot and cold, solid and ethereal.

"What the hell just happened?" Kate says.

"I have no idea," you say. You flex your fingers, making a fist, then opening them. You feel the same, other than the sensation in your stomach, like you swallowed an ice cube and a hot pepper at the same time. "I'm fine, but ... I wonder ...?"

>Gained the power of Soul

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>>1591924

"Whatever it was, perhaps we'd best concentrate on our level of reality for the moment," Tyler says. "If you'll sit down, Vanessa, I'll get you stitched up.

The two of you step away from the campfire ashes to give you a bit of privacy, sitting down on a huge fallen tree.

"I only have a level one first aid certificate," Tyler says. "But I'm familiar with basic procedures like this. If you hold still, I think I can just--"

"Ouch!"

"I said hold still."

Grim-faced with concentration, Tyler goes about his task. You try to ignore his close proximity, the gentle but firm pressure of his fingers on your forehead, the view down the open collar of his shirt of his wiry physique.

"All right," he says after a few quiet minutes. "I'm finished. How should we do this?"

"Sorry?"

For a moment you think he's asking how you're going to have sex, so you try to cover your embarassment when he says, "Experimenting. We have to learn what happened to you, right? Decipher the nature of this other world you visited."

"R-right, of course," you say. "What do you think it could be?"

He shrugs. "I'd dismiss the whole thing as a hallucination, but the very real machine over there precludes that. You and Kate are the only ones who have seen that other world, and you had the clearest perceptions of it. What do you think? What was that place, and how was this machine there?"

"Maybe ..."

>It was a different planet. A third one, not here or Earth.
>It was the afterlife.
>It was the place we go where we dream.
>It was some sort of psychic nether-space.
>Someone made that thing. But who?
>What if I created it out of my fears?
>I think it might have been alive.
>It was guarding something.
>It was waiting for something.

>>1592019
>>It was the place we go where we dream.
>>It was some sort of psychic nether-space.
>It was waiting for something.

>>1592019

>We don't have nearly enough info to start guessing on where or what that place was.

But,

>It was waiting for something.

>>1592019
>It was waiting for something.
>It was using abunch of medical terms

>>1592019
Shouldn't we mention this isn't our first trip to that place?

>>1592019

"Really, we don't have enough info," you say. "But if I had to guess, maybe it's the place we all go when we dream? Maybe our minds get projected into some kind of psychic nether-space. It's just that on Earth there aren't any killer robots there waiting for us.

"As for that machine thing, I don't know. It was making noises, like these blasts of machine code. I almost felt like there were words underneath it somewhere. Maybe if I could understand what the hell it was saying, I'd have some ideas." You think about it. "There is one thing I noticed. Its legs were covered in vines and moss. It was almost rooted into the ground. I think it had been there a long time. Waiting for something."

"For what, though?" Tyler says.

"Something like us, maybe. Travellers appearing. There's something going on here, Tyler." You hestitate, then add, "This isn't the first thing I've seen something like this."

His eyes narrow. "What do you mean?"

"I saw something, on our first night. A shadowy hall, and this huge, awful presence. I thought it was just a regular nightmare. But it tried to talk to me, the same way as that machine. Maybe they're connected somehow."

"I see." Tyler keeps his expression carefully neutral as he finishes packing away Kate's sewing kit, but you can tell he's disappointed. "I would appreciate it if you informed me of such things in the future. I need information to make decisions." He looks down at his hands and mutters something.

"What was that?'

He shakes his head. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. You have enough to deal with."

"No, go ahead. Tell me."

"I just feel ... frustrated. It's difficult. Not knowing. I'm used to knowing things. I read a lot, and I remember most of what I read. Our species has an incredible store of knowledge, both theoretical and practical. It's how we came to dominate the Earth." His fists tighten. "None of it makes any sense now. It's not useful. I'M not useful. I'm used to just slamming my brain into problems and solving them. Now I don't know what to do."

>Well, I like you, so you're useful for something. (+Hot)
>Don't say that about yourself. (+Cold)
>We're all lost in the woods. (+Dark)

>>1592207
>We're all lost in the woods. (+Dark)

>>1592207
>We're all lost in the woods.

>>1592207
>>We're all lost in the woods. (+Dark)

>>1592225
>>1592226
>>1592254

Roll with Dark (1d10+2)

Rolled 6 + 2 (1d10 + 2)

>>1592299

Rolled 1 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>1592299

Rolled 1 + 2 (1d10 + 2)

>>1592299

>>1592312
>>1592315
jaysus

>>1592312
>>1592315
Does a double crit fail at saying we're lost in the woods mean we aren't lost in the woods. Please.

>>1592207
>>1592304

"We're all lost in the woods, Tyler," you say. "Literally and as a metaphor. None of our usual skills or methods of coping apply here in the same way. I mean, I'm freaking the fuck out! I should be curling up in my cozy chair with my headphones and a cup of marshmellow hot chocolate, not stranded in an alien forest and getting shot at by nightmare robots! Right now we don't what's going on, there's no way around that. For someone you like you who's used to knowing everything, that must be even worse. But we're all in this fucked up situation together. All we can do is stick with each other and keep trying."

Tyler nods. Sharing your pain seems to have reassured him. "You're right. Thanks, Vanessa."

>The next time Tyler helps you, he will have an advantage.

"Happy to help," you say. Tyler is a hard person to reach, with a lot of defenses, but you feel like maybe the gap between the two of you is starting to close, just a little.

You return to the others. "What do you want to do, Vanessa?" Jason asks. "Seems fair you decide for now."

"Right now," you say ...

>Everyone but whose turn it is as guard, get some rest.
>Everyone but me, get some rest. No way I'm sleeping tonight.
>Pack up the camp. Let's get the fuck out of here.

"And then ..."

>Let's keep travelling north.
>Let's look for a more permanent campsite.
>Let's try to figure out what the fuck happened.

>>1592373
>>Everyone but me, get some rest. No way I'm sleeping tonight.
>Let's keep travelling north.

We can figure out what happened when we have a permanent campsite.

>>1592373
>Everyone but whose turn it is as guard, get some rest.


>Let's look for a more permanent campsite.to the North

>>1592373
>Everyone but whose turn it is as guard, get some rest.
>Let's keep travelling north.

>>1592373
>>Everyone but whose turn it is as guard, get some rest.
>>Let's try to figure out what the fuck happened.
Scavenge the robo

>>1592373
Adding what >>1592406
said. Tear the metal from that thing for tools

>>1592373

"Everyone just go back to sleep and get some rest," you say. "Oh, aside from whoever's turn it is as guard next."

"I think it's me," Kate says.

"Nah, you need to rest," Jason says. "I got this."

"You sure? You already went first, right?"

"I'll be fine. I might not be able to turn into a pink sword, but if any of those little feathered stealers show up in the camp I'll send the bastards packing."

"If you say so," Kate says. She might be more willing to argue the point if she wasn't clearly exhausted.

"I do want to try and figure out what happened, or what that weird dream-world place was," you say. "But let's try and find a good spot for a permanent campsite first. In the morning, let's start heading north again and keep our eyes out for a place like that." The husk of the machine catches your eye. "After we try taking that thing apart. The metal might be useful for tools."

Shortly afterwards, you crawl back into your makeshift bed of spare clothes. You're drained and exhausted, but it's not quite so as easy as just dropping off. Outside the small circle of light from the campfire, the darkness haunts you. Every time you start dozing, fear grips you. The memory of that huge machine chasing you through the woods, knocking aside those trees like they were made of paper, its machine gun whirring as it spun into action, the muzzle flashing as it fired ...

It takes you a while to get back to sleep.

(Continued)

>>1592481


The next morning dawns. While your sleep was troubled, nothing attacked you in the night, and you didn't visit any strange netherworlds in your dreams. At least, not that you remember. So that's something.

Jason leans back against a tree, breathing heavily. He pulled off his shirt a while ago, leaving just his undershirt, and the sweat of exhaustion glistens on his athletic body. With Kate's help, and Tyler pointing out the right angles for leverage, he's been trying to pry off sections of the robot's metal for what seems like an hour, with no luck so far.He takes a long drink of water from his bottle. "Shit. Sorry, guys. I don't think it's happening. I don't know what is keeping this thing together, but I can't do shit to it with just the crowbar and the knife. Maybe if I had an excavator, or a bomb. And even then I'm not sure."

"Thanks for trying," you say. "It's a shame we couldn't get anything from this guy. I was hoping we could get the metal for something useful."

Sam says, "W-we should at least get gold and experience for killing it, right? Or you and Kate should, anyway." She hesistantly approaches the machine. "It's like an Evangelion ..."

"A what?" asks Jason.

"This thing from a cartoon I watched," she says. "I-i-it looked like a robot on the outside, but on the inside, it was a living thing. Sort of. I'm not sure, actually. That show was confusing."

Kate says, "It was worth a shot, but I think we've spent enough time on this. Should we get moving?"

"I guess so," you say. "Let's try and keep track of where this thing is, just in case. For now, let's pack up our stuff and head out."

(Continued)

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>>1592529

Soundtrack: Stellardrone -- To the Great Beyond
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VfFdaxdP5o

Your little procession starts its journey northwards again, in the same order as before. Jason blazes the trail, with Tyler navigating behind him. Kate takes up the rearguard position. You and Sam struggle along in the center, just trying not to slow down the group. You walk on and on through the green of the forest.

You walk between huge, ancient trees that tower over the forest floor, their leaves forming a canopy like the roof of cathedral.

You walk past twisted groves, the trees all curled around each other like a nest of snakes.

You walk past beautiful, prismatic meadows, the flowers glowing in unearthly colors, iridescent hues and luminous shades you couldn't name if you tried.

You see green-winged dragonmoths perching on tree branches, slurping nectar from flowers, or snatching insects out of the air with their long tongues.

You also see several of those feathered stealers. Sometimes they're rooting in the ground with their talons -- one of these you see snatch up a big fat grub in its mouth and swallow in one gulp. Other times, they're chasing or stalking the dragonmoths. You see one pounce and fail, the dragonmoth fluttering away just in time.

At one point, a group of four of the stealers follows you for a short distance, but they scatter and run off when Kate yells and threatens them.

When the sun is overhead, Jason calls a halt for lunch. You had a candy bar and some of your jar of peanut butter for breakfast. For lunch you think you'll eat 2 of these:

>Fuzzfruit (1)
>Candy Bar (2)
>Canned Peaches (2)
>Peanut Butter (2)
>Pork & Beans (2)
>Salty Crackers (3)

And you'll sit with:
>Jason
>Kate
>Tyler
>Sam

>>1592544
>>Fuzzfruit (1)
>Salty Crackers (1)

>Sam
Need to social link her too, as much as I want to spend time with Kate.

>>1592544
>Fuzzfruit (1)
>Salty Crackers (3)

>Sam

>>1592544
>Sam
I don't think we've linked her yet

>>1592544
>>Fuzzfruit (1)
>Candy Bar (1)
>Sam

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>>1592544

"Hey, Sam," you say, plopping yourself down next to her.

Sam shrinks back for a second on reflex before recovering herself. "H-h-hi, Vanessa. Um, did you want something?"

"Just a buddy to eat lunch with. Is that okay?"

"I-I-I mean, y-y-yeah, if you w-want ..." She seems to stutter more the more attention is on her at any given time. "I'm just not much f-f-fun to talk to ..."

"Hey, don't say that. I think you're fun, for starters." You rummage in your bag and pull out your remaining yellow koosh-like fuzzfruit, wondering if this will prevent you from getting scurvy. "I know things were probably tough for you back at school, Sam, but you don't have to worry about me. I'm on your side, okay?"

"Okay ..." Sam won't meet your eyes, though. You wonder if she's been burned by this exact sort of thing before. It might take a little time and effort here.

"I keep seeing you writing in your notebook," you say. "What are you working on?"

"I'm m-making a map," she says. "I'm trying to k-k-keep track of all the things we see and the route we're taking."

"Hey, nice. Someone's got to keep track of that, right?" You pop a couple of saltines into your mouth and crunch down.

"I-I-I like making maps. In my D&D game I kept track of where we were in the dungeon and where the traps and secret passages were and stuff. So I'm good at it. And I have to try to be useful to the group somehow ..."

"Don't be too hard on yourself for that. I'm in the same situation, you know? We're both pretty small and not very strong, there's only so much we can do. But just because Jason and Kate have actual muscles and Tyler's smart doesn't mean the two of us have to feel totally useless. We're going to contribute, just in our own way. You can make maps, and I'll ... you know ... kill giant robots with pink swords. Or whatever."

Sam laughs. "Y-yeah, okay ..."

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>>1592627

As you're talking with Sam, you notice a strange foreboding. A chill runs up your spine. You try to ignore, but it grows stronger.

You turn around just in time to notice a huge six-eyed blue wolf slowly emerge from the shadows between trees. It growls in multiple pitches at once, a low growl much like the wolves back home matched in polyphany with eerie, hyena-like yelps. Drool hangs from its ripped jaws, while strands of phlegm link hyperdontic fangs. The creature is clearly a savage, brutal predator.

Sam sees it too. "V-V-Vanessa? Oh god ... wh-wh-what do we do ...?"

You don't have time to call for help. By the time Jason or Kate gets here with a weapon, either you or Sam will have your throat ripped out by this thing.

>Push Sam out of the way. (+Cold)
>Fight it. Somehow. (+Strong)
>Run away! (+Strong)
>Shove Sam in front of it.

>>1592670
>>Push Sam out of the way. (+Cold)

Get Sam away, be the distraction. After that, we can use the sticks we have to whack it.

>>1592670
>>Push Sam out of the way. (+Cold)
>GET HELP NOW SAM!

>>1592676
>>1592681

Roll with Cold (1d10-1) and good luck.

Rolled 2 - 1 (1d10 - 1)

>>1592705

Rolled 8 - 1 (1d10 - 1)

>>1592705
You feel lucky, punk

>>1592670
>>1592713

"Sam," you hear yourself saying. "Go get help. Now."

"B-b-but I-I-I-"

"Do it!" you shout, shoving her away from you. "Get out of here and get Jason!"

Sam takes off. The whole time, you keep your eyes on the wolf. It's a little hard to have a staring contest with something that has six eyes, a part of you thinks giddily, even as your primal brain screams at you in terror and demands that you run, that you hide, that you freeze.

>Condition: Terrified

Somehow, you fight past your fear and pick up your big walking stick. You raise it with shaking hands to put it between you and the predator. "C-c-come on, you fucker!" you manage to spit out. "See if you can do it!"

The azure wolf hows like a mournful ghost as it lunges towards you, glistening fangs outstretched for your throat ...

>Roll Strong (1d10-1)

Rolled 8 - 1 (1d10 - 1)

>>1592757

Rolled 10 + 1 (1d10 + 1)

>>1592757

Rolled 10 - 1 (1d10 - 1)

>>1592757

>>1592760
>>1592761
>>1592766
I think we killed it, lads.

>>1592757
>>1592761

Screaming a war cry at the top of your lungs, you swing your stick down in an overhead strike with all the force your tiny body can muster.

Your timing is perfect. With a satisfying thwack the stick thuds directly into the wolf's head, right between both sets of three eyes. The creature is knocked out of the air in mid-lunge. It sprawls on the ground, stunned, leaking blood from a badly damaged eye.

Jason sprints over with his crowbar at the ready, Kate close behind him. They both skid to a stop when they see the situation -- the stunned wolf at your feet, you breathing heavily with a blood-stained stick. "Holy shit!" Jason says, putting his hands on his head in disbelief. "Vanessa, you're a beast! This planet should be afraid of you, not the other way around!"

You laugh, feeling a swell of confidence, and heft the weight of the stick in your hands. "Thanks, Jason. But, you know. I wasn't about to let this fucker take me down just when things are starting to get interesting."

Jason grins and claps a few times. "Fucking right you weren't."

Kate cautiously looks at the wolf from a distance. "It's bleeding, but alive. What should we do?"

>Finish it off.
>Scare it away.
>Try to befriend it.

>>1592796

Oh, I forgot to mention:

>You are no longer terrified

That one was easy.

>>1592796
>>Scare it away.

>>1592796
>Scare it away.
Can we really befriend something we just beat with a stick?

>>1592796
>Scare it away

>>1592796

"I don't know," you say, trying to weigh your options.

Tyler says, "Finish it off. No reason to leave a predator roaming around."

"Is that fair, though?" Kate says. "He's just following his instincts."

"Fair doesn't enter into it," Tyler says, annoyed. "Fairness doesn't even exist! What exists is that's an animal that has just tried to eat one of us, and may do so again." He folds his arms. "We should eliminate the threat."

"Holding down a wounded animal and executing it, Tyler?" Kate shakes her head, her blonde ponytail shaking. "I get that he's dangerous, but I don't know. It feels wrong."

You watch the wolf as it fights back to consciousness. Its five remaining eyes blink rapidly. It struggles onto its feet, clearly still dazed, but prepared to defend itself to the death.

You raise your stick and, once more, strike down -- but at the blood-stained grass beside the wolf. "Get out of here!" you shout, smacking the ground a few more times, making a show of noise and fury. "Don't bother us again!"

Whether the animal understands you, or is just scared, you can't say. But It turns away from you and lopes off into the woods, just the same. Its blue tail disappears into the shadows between trees.

"I hope we don't regret this," mutters Tyler.

"We did the right thing," Kate says. "That's what matters."

You hope she's right.

>+1 Compassionate
>-1 Ruthless

That's all for tonight, guys. I can't update tomorrow, but I'll try to return to this thread on the day after.

When I do return, we'll continue our journey north, while searching for a good place to make our first real campsite. Hopefully we won't get attacked by any vicious predators or nightmare robots before then.

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>>1592832

That evening, the group sets up another temporary campsite in a small clearing by a winding river. After helping Tyler get the fire set up and started, you have a can of peaches for dinner -- you don't have a can opener, but Jason and a pocket knife get it open for you.

"This just keeps getting weirder, huh?" says Kate. "I thought we had adjusted pretty well to the whole being stranded in an alien wilderness situation. But then a big machine shows up? And it somehow -- I don't know -- crossed over worlds or something?"

"We haven't looked at the bigger picture yet, either," Tyler says.

"What do you mean? The dream world stuff?"

"No, I mean ..." Tyler takes a moment, trying to phrase his thoughts. "Finding animals like the dragonmoths is one thing. A machine is another. That thing didn't simply evolve here. Somebody built it. A race with intelligence. Humans, maybe. Or otherwise."

"B-b-but it wasn't just a machine, right?" Sam says. "It was, like, bleeding. It had organs."

"Perhaps its builders possess a level of technology that blurs the difference between machine and organism. Or perhaps they modified themselves."

"Like a cyborg? Oh geez."

"The point is this," says Tyler. "It's evidence of civilization. Technology. Perhaps we'll find the ruins of a once-great race of builders and scientists, and these robots are their sentinels, still carrying out their tasks after centuries of neglect."

"Yeah, or the builders are still out there," says Jason. "And we just tripped their alarm system."

"There's another possibility," Kate says. "Maybe whatever brought us here brought that thing too."

"We should still prepare for the worst," Jason says.

Sam looks at you. "W-what do you think?"

"We don't really know yet," you say. "But if I had to guess, I'd say ..."

>Jason's right. Whoever built that thing might still be out there.
>Tyler's right. Someone lived here, once, but they're long gone.
>Kate's right. That thing is from outside, and it was brought here, like us.

>>1602644
>Tyler's right. Someone lived here, once, but they're long gone.
The thing was covered in roots and shit

>>1602644
>>Tyler's right. Someone lived here, once, but they're long gone.
Considering the machine was entangled when we found it I'd say no one has tripped the machine or maintain it for a long time

>>1602644
>Tyler's right. Someone lived here, once, but they're long gone.
honestly wish there was a >we don't know, lets reserve judgement and see
option

>>1602677
Pretty sure we can always write-in for conversations

>>1602644
>That we don't have enough facts to make such base conjectures. Seriously, an android like thing from a dream realm and Kate turning into a sword. We're lucky we don't run into elves and unicorns.

>>1602682
Always assumed lack of
> Write-in
meant no write in, but you're right. i'll vote
>>1602688
now as well

>>1602693
I mean I could be wrong.

>>1602688
>afraid of speculating
I think what you said can be assumed

>>1602677
>>1602688

>"We don't really know yet," you say. "But if I had to guess, I'd say ..."

>>1602677
>>1602682


Write-ins are 99% of the time allowed, although I reserve myself a veto. I try to think of everything the MC might say, but I don't catch all the options. I also often forget to add "Write in" as a vote option, so unless I specify otherwise, assume it's an option.

>>1602724
>That this a magical new world, it might not be nice or safe, but who knows what we might find in the future.
Retry
>>1602688

>>1602644


"Someone lived here, once, but they're long gone. That machine thing was covered in roots and moss and stuff when we found it. I'd say no one has turned it on or maintained it for a long time." You twirl your plastic fork around in the can of peaches. "Really, though, we have no idea. We don't have enough facts. I mean, I fought a weird android in a dream realm, and Kate turned into a sword. We're lucky we don't run into elves and unicorns." You pause, thinking of the cartoons you used to watch. "Actually, now that I think about it, I'd love it if I ran into a unicorn right about now."

Sam says, "With our luck so far, it might turn out to be a killer mutant unicorn with face tentacles and try to eat our souls."

You laugh ruefully. "Yeah, no kidding." You hold up one hand by your mouth to act as tentacles and hiss. "Give me your souullll, Samanthaaaa ..."

After dinner, you ...

>Stayed up late talking to someone (Say who)
>Went to bed early. You need the rest.

And at night, you ...

>Had a weird dream about something huge and dark.
>Had a weird dream about something glowing, under the ground.
>Had a weird dream about someone watching you.
>Had a weird dream about watching someone else.
>Got a good night's sleep with no weird dreams at all.

>>1602746
>>Stayed up late talking to someone (Say who)
Sam
>Had a weird dream about watching someone else.
Also Sam?

>>1602746
>Went to bed early. You need the rest.
>Had a weird dream about something glowing, under the ground.

>>1602746
>Went to bed early. You need the rest.
Sleep
>Had a weird dream about someone watching you
Kate
Time to BE the sword

>>1602750
Change mine to
>>1602751

>>1602746

You go to bed nice and early. You need the rest after all that went down. The others don't mention it, just quiet their voices. They aren't going to begrudge you some extra rest.

You snuggle down into your nest of clothes and try to forget for a little while about all the weird shit going on. Somebody drapes an extra blanket over you, but by the time you roll over to check who it was, they're gone.

With the extra time to rest, and the medical attention you got from Tyler last night, you feel like your injuries are on the mend. You'll probably have a scar just under the hair on your forehead, but that's hardly the biggest of your concerns right now.

>Harm healed to 1/5

It's funny. Just a few days ago, before all this happened, something like that -- a small, barely noticeable impact to your attractiveness, a tiny reduction in social currency, would have felt like a world-shattering event. Now you can barely find the energy to care.

You fall asleep, hoping that nothing happens in your dreams, but content that in the waking world, Kate and the others will protect you.

(Continued)

File: huge glowing rock.jpg (534 KB, 1464x958)

534 KB JPG

>>1602820

You find yourself walking down a dark path. A tunnel. You reach out your hand to the side and touch cold stone, and brush your fingers along the rough surface as you walk. A warm breeze blows into your face, from deeper into the cave, bringing with it the smell of trees from the green forest, that mix of earth and metal.

You wonder, were dreams like this before? Could you smell the trees, feel the breeze on your skin, the stone under your fingers? Did it all feel so real?

There's a light in front of you, a pale blue light. It slowly fades, then intensifies, in a regular pattern. You keep walking, and it comes closer. When you reach the light, you see it is a doorway into a vast cave. You step out onto a rocky platform and look around, taking in the staggering view.

A forest grows in this cave, not unlike the one you've been walking through for days. It grows around a vast central pillar of stone, reaching from the bottom of the cave to the top. Within the pillar shines the blue light you've been seeking. It pulses, slowly, like the heartbeat of a massive creature.

The cavern is strangely warm. You look down and see a path you could easily follow if you wanted to get down into the forest.

>Climb down and approach the pillar of stone.
>Climb down and wander through the forest.
>Stay here and observe the stone.
>Call out.
>Turn around and walk back down the tunnel.

>>1602838
>Stay here and observe the stone.

>>1602838
>Climb down and approach the pillar of stone.

>>1602838
>>Climb down and approach the pillar of stone.

>>1602838

You follow the path down the rocks. You have to grab onto a handhold and drop down a few times, but it's not a difficult climb. Soon you are walking through the forest, between trees much like the ones you left behind.

Wherever this is, you think, it's different from that place with the red forest, where you fought the machine. You still have a feeling of strangeness, a blurring at the edge of your vision, a pressure in your ears, but you don't have that sense of dread, that haunting feeling of imminent danger.

You approach the glowing stone. Up close, the light is intense, almost blinding at the highest peak of its pulsing rhythm.
Y̨̟̪̤̳ͩ̈́̓̋̚͜Ô̘͖̩̭͔̮͎̺̞͎̻̩͇̝̥̯̟ͪ͛̒̿͌̉̆ͣ̇̇͊̚͠ͅͅƯ̼̫̹̭̘̙̘̯̯̺̼͔̬̘̙̌ͩ̓ͨ͐̄́ͮ͒̍ͬ̽̍͊̾̿̀́Y̧̺̼͔̭̩̜̳̗͕̖̩͑͌̔̉̉̾̐͘O̵̡̨͇͎̘̰̱̦̣̫̩͖͛̃̍̈̾͒̓ͯ̄ͭͅƯ̷̬̬͚̤͖͙̝̖͖̭̗͆ͬͅY̤̦̰̳̍ͫ̍͗͒ͦ͒͟O̰̜͉͙̝̠̪ͯ̑̊͛̏ͫ̃ͯ́̓͑͋̋̔͊ͩ͐̀́͡Ủ̢̢̩̰̙̜̬̺̹̤͖͖̝̖̬͕͐̌͐ͫͭͣͦͪͦ͂̀̀ͅ
̴̨̡̰̩̬͙̤̫̮̦̤͔̞͇̥̜̙̱͚̆̓̂ͮ̎ͮ͆̀͜ͅA̢̡͎̯̝̝̱̯͓̹͕͍̰͒̈́̓̽ͅR̡͖̯̰̤͐̇̈͌̈́́̃͆̋̓̑͌͐̍̎̐́̕Ḙ̶̤̤͔̣̘̞̗͈͂̄ͪ̄̕͢͜ͅA̛̠͉̹̻̱̞̦̠̥͇̠̝͈͇͕͎ͫͦ̂̓ͯͯ͋́͛̓ͤ͘Ṛ̱̩͚̱͖͙͙̑̂ͫͫ͟ͅE̯̬͕̳͕̺̰͇̥͕̤̺̼͇̘̥͐͌͛͌͊ͭ͛ͩ̓̈́ͬ̂̓̌̆̋͜͜͡͠A̧̱̙̝͈̠̗͍̤̝͖̮ͮ̌ͧ̍ͪ̎͒ͫͦ̈͊̇ͩ̚͞͝R̴͓͔͙͇͍̞̹͔̹̣̜͂ͩ͌ͫ̓̊̐́͟͠E̶̖̳̬̻̭̺̿͗̈́ͮͮ̈́̋̕
̦͈̮̤̹̭̟̗̼̞̭͓ͬ̏̾͌̓̄̒͂̕͜͠N̵͎̗̞̰̟̯̩̞͔͇̋̄̇̀̔̔ͤ͊̍̽̾̓̆ͮ̒̽͝E̤̼͔̋ͬͬ̃͑̑̀͑ͧ̄͂̾ͨ́W̵̳͓͕̠̣͔̺̝̥̜̖͖̝̫͙̟ͬͫ̒ͫ̉͗ͮN̸̞̝̝̗̗͉̳̯̻̘̠̭̠̞͈̝̞̍͒̈́̓ͤͬ̃ͬͯ̽̊ͬ̉ͬ̿ͨ̕ͅE̴̸̮̣̰̥͕͇̟͐̿̑ͩͧ̈́̄͗͊̓̆̊̎͊̓ͫ̍͜͞W̡̛̝̟̤̝̝͋͊̏ͧ͂ͬͪͪ́̚͞N̷̷̵̳̭̩̞ͬ̇̋̿ͮͨ̐̏̓ͯ̆̀̚̚͡E̷̟̯̼̙̦͖͔̦͈͔̟̙͈̮̹ͣ̈ͩͩͦ̏̏͂͒́͂̔ͬ͝͠W̧̨̡̻̤͎̻̼͍͙̩͖̘͈̣̹͙̝̽͋͛̀ͦͫͤ̊̓ͭ̒̾͋̾̚͝ͅ
̵̴̡̫͇̘͎͎̫̱͈̗͉͇̩͔̙̯̺͌̄̈́͆ͩͬͮ̄ͪ̉͂ͅT̝̻̥̟̜̟̺̹̤͍ͭ̽͊ͩ̊̉̈̐ͭ͗̒̑̍̀͢Ơ̵̖̬͓̺̯͔̠͙̹̠͙̺͉̩̦̪̹̯ͪͫ͒ͣͮ̈̇̂́̈̏͒ͯŢ̴̰͚̘͕̳̮̩̱̻͕̔͑ͫ͑ͣÓ̰͖̤̱̰͍͉̭̱͓͋͂̽́̕͡T̨̛̬͚͕̟̭̺̫̹̰̰̼̪̤̖̺͓̫͌͛ͣ̊̽ͬ̎ͭͦ̀͘͞Ơ̡͚͖̟̜͔͚͉̫͇͔̭̞͖͉̜̣̹̍̎̇̋͟
̷̮̘̠̮̼̝̖̰̫̫̪͉͔͙̤̩̀͐̈́͒ͩ͜͡Ȍ̶͔̼̞̯̳̩̠̩̳̽̑͑ͯͩͯ͒̐̀̂̍ͪͣ̚Ů̵̷̶̬̟̮͕̬̮̗̭̼̹ͩͨ̓͐ͭ͆̄́͐̍͐͗͗͡͡ͅȐ̴̢̨̼̩̣̜͍̗̫͖̙͚̪͉̪͇͎̪̌̾̊̌́̇ͫ̉͘̕Ȏ̶̷̡͚̱̪̬̞̝͗ͫ͌̎͌ͫ͌ͮ̊Ŭ̶̞̖͍̱͈̞̠̥̹͇͓ͩͩ̓͛́Ṛ̙̜͕̱͛̂̒͛͐̾̕O̧̙̱̦̯̙̻͎̦̭̹̹̻̙̟̹͆̋̌ͯ̽̽̐ͪͭͯ̊̀ͅU̧̨̺̳̣̞̭̪̙̖̫̩̻ͭ͌̔̀̔͊͂͗́́͠R͍̖̘̣̣̞̤̤̜̗̝̥̦̙ͯͮ͌̔͑̽
̳͍͙̙̠̣̉̐̑̔ͬ̋ͩͭͨ͡W̷̸̦̹̺̝͔͎̮͍̺͈͌̑̂ͫ̆̊̄ͭ̈ͦ̕͞O̜̺͔͙͇̻̰̤̣͚ͩͭ̑͗̉͘R̷̬̯̖̰̰̗͈̹̟̥̐ͫ͂̀̉ͭ͐͆ͨͬ̓͞L͔͚̱͖̝̗̫̩̠̙̣͐͆̀̔͂̌̀ͪͦ̆ͯ͗̚͞D̥̜̤̗̺͎͍̼̱̟̦̩̼͍̯̰͎̟ͤ̀͐̎́̿̓͛̏̐̎͊̌̉̊̿̎̚̕͟͠Ẃ̴̵͇͖̺̪̥̰̱̘͚̝̝̳̝͐͂̿͐̈̾͂̄̔̈́͂̓́̈́̎ͬ́́͠O̱̹̖̝̳̭̬͇ͯ͋̈́̄ͣͩ̽͟Ṛ̢̧̥͙͇̼͙̖̭̒͊͌̀ͭ̿̈͂̃͢L̟̰̻̰̺̤̮̑͑̓̀̔̓D̷̜͍͕̥̯͙͓͌ͬͪ̎̎̍̔̋̈̂̾ͦ́͠͠ͅ
The voice thunders in your head. It's a sensation of sound and pressure, one that you've felt before. The first night you got here, when you had that nightmare vision of a dark hall, and a lord in shadows. That other voice was awful, like black, sticky oil clinging to you. This one is awfully loud, and hard to understand, but something about it feels different. Almost ... familiar.

(Continued)

>>1602927

.

C̴̛̣̗̿͆ͨ̇́A̷̡̫͓̫ͩ͌̈́̔͒̄̄ͭ͗Ņ̷̢̫̭̠͙̜͎̐͋̌̄ͤͯ͌ͦC̨̝̖̫̰̺̟̫͆̔̐̓Ă̡̗̩͍̄̾̈́̇ͤͧ͂N̛̺̳̤̮͌ͧ̊̏̒ͤ̇́C͖̫̗̼͙̗̗̮̣ͯ̔̀͠A̧͖͕͔͍̦̤̼̽̈̀͢N̷̴̮̫͇̟ͪͯ͌̒̒̂ͅ
̶̸͓̝͖̞͉̳͔̂͌̎̑ͪY̤̦͍̙̳ͬ̽͂̎̃͑ͣ̈́̚Ö̴̗͍̔̋ͦ̈́ͩ͠ͅṲ͓͍̯̰͍̰ͧ̾̑ͯỲ̭̥͍͖̻̖͖̜͔̑͊ͯ̍́ͮͨ͡Ǒ̺̻̔͟Ǔ͖̣̾̐͐̍͘͝Y̧̬͙͛ͬ̇̏̌̓̏̋͊͟͠O̷̦̣̫͎̮̼̻͇ͤ̏̚͘U̸̴̗͉̻̳͗̂
̗̠̪̘͓͚̪͂ͦͮ͒̏͆̽̚H̦͕͓̜̔̓̈͌͌ͨĚ̵̛̮̪̐ͧ̓̇͐A̮͚͕̪̱̖͑̚R̥͕̭̟̹̞ͨ̇̐̍̒͞Ḩ̛̖̹̹̭̳Ẹ̡̛͖͇̐ͭ̑ͨ͆̉̄͢Ả̛̻̱̟̖̺̹̥͛͐ͣ͋͑͌͞R̨̠̯̳̟͚̓̊͊͊ͬ̿H̡͖̮̟ͯ̎̎ͬ͠E͎͍̥̣͚̦̗̫̔ͭ̉A̴̙̮̱̳̗̫̭͗ͪ̍Ȓ̘̝̔̈̄ͩ̀͝
̶̸̹̪̗͚̈ͮṀ̬͕̫̜̯͆̊̀E̶̱͙̼͓̹͆̉̀̔̓̿͟M̨̠͈̣̥͚̏ͦ̄̋̔E̳̾ͨ͌ͬͩͭM̸͈͓̗͓̖̖ͦ̀̈́̋͒ͮ͡ͅĘ̜̯̩̙̬̜̣̭ͩͫͦ͂͋ͨ̍͡͝
̢̥͇̟͙̟̱͛̂́ͩ̇̈́̈́ͅL̴̢͎̱̼͈͍͉̽ͧI̢͉͌̉ͬ̈́͐͛͊͗̕T̨͎̝͚͔͙͍̦͓̄ͮ̄ͭ͢T͇̘͎ͫͮͬͦ́̕Ĺ͔̼̳̭̻̝ͯͯE̼̣̭͉ͯ̂ͧͧ͂̃͊͝L̴̮̻̗͚̏̆ͅỈ̡̯̺̰̤̮̮͎̉ͦ͒͘T̨͓̘̗̥̜̗̝̳ͯ̏̍͒ͭͩ̚͘T͉̞̹̟̠͖͐͛̽̍͌̂́̚Ḷ̰̽̔ͬͣ̉ͭ͆̓Ę̶̠̱̫̬̳̻̗̤̥̓ͬ̈̿̓̎̃
̶̹̙̤̦̽̀̊̐̄ͅF̝̮̹͛R̨̻̘̻̻̳̔̃̂͌̌̎ͤͨİ̴̸͎̜͛̄̔̐̍ͪͧE̵̱̮̜̙͓̠̱̳ͪ̈̃͂͛́̚͞͡N͉̠̗̬͐̆͗͆́͜ͅD̡̹̻͎̝̟͎̣ͩͪ͘͘?̸̧͔̖̻̙̋̀ͤ̃̾̄̎́F̸̧͈̯̟͂ͣͦ͐ͧ̉ͮ͐̊͡R̴͈̤̳͚ͪ̎̽̍͒͌ͅI͇͍͇͙̭͗ͤ̆̽̽̑̚E̸̤̠͖̻̥͕̙̩͆͗̓̄̀́N̘̓ͨ̏ͯ̈D̮̪͍̖̯̱̈̄̄ͅ?̗̂ͮͮ͋̆̊̽͝͞

.

>Try talking to the glowing stone.
>Touch it.
>Try to summon Heartbreaker.
>Get the hell out of here.

>>1602941
>Try talking to the glowing stone.
Hello?

>>1602941
>>Try talking to the glowing stone.

>>1602945
Seconding.

>>1602941

"H-hello?" you say to the stone. "I-is someone there? Can you hear me?"

.

W̶͍̥͈͕͚̯͉̯ͪ̓ͨ̄̈͑̈́̽͂E̤̘̥̙̼̖̩͐̋̔̽͟W̛̗̞͔̘̿̋͐̄͒̈́ͧ́͜Ȩ͇͇̹̼̬͉̪ͪ̊̎͜͜W̸̨͈͈ͩ̍̄̈́͞ͅÊ̯̳͓̖̪̗̔͗ͣͤͭ
̸̪̤̦͓͉ͪ̾ͯ̉̄̈ͅH̷̺͎͇̱͍͈ͦͭ̓ͮ̃̾̕E̢͇̘̟̥̦̰̭ͨ͗̉A̦̓̏͠R̶̜̞̺ͮ̓̈ͨ͢H͍̬͓͒͊ͮ͗̏̂ͨ̋E̵͈͎̱͛̿̈́̑̓̏͢A̰͙̟̯͔̫̻̦̿̾̓͋̆R̸̜͉ͬ̏̇̐̿H̢͍̻̹͕͑̓͆͑̌̓͛͢͝E̶̹̞͚A͕͍̩̺̗̟̣̋̈R̤̠̻͊̄̏̀͊̃ͫ̈́ͅ
̵̡̦͓̼͎̞ͣ̓͒ͅẎ̧̤̙̫͇̟̟́Ǭ̮͔̮̺͎̩͙͔̄͐̌ͦ̔͡ͅU̵̹̺ͦ̂̽̀͑Y̱͎ͤ̌ͩ̕O̵̧̞͙͙̜͖̮͋̇̽ͣ͋̊̾Ü̠̫̬̠͓͕̟͓ͬͫ͒̑ͣ̚͞Y͙̟̣͍ͩͪ̍O̡̫͚͎̼̼͈̩̣̐̍̾͛̃́̈̀͝Ų͍̬͎̠͖̫͙̮ͯ̔̕ͅ
̷̤̥͓̠̩̋ͨ͜L̴̛͚̪̬̹̝̟͍̮̄ͪͧ̉̐Î̤͓̼̭͗T̢̟̩͕̙̰ͪ͒̓ͭ͂ͧ̄͑́͝T̝̗̼͈͈̩̝͎͖͒́Ě̵̺͚̪̮͇͉͎͕͐͂L̢̝͎̥ͧ̂̈̔͂ͯ̚͡I̵̯ͣ̉T̢̢̤̣̻̖̦͎͔͕́́̒T̡͇̮̙͙̟͚̖́͂̊Ļ̼̮̼ͫͪͭ͜ͅͅḘ̘̯̹̰̯͆ͣ
̙̒̈́̀̄͆̎̀͘Ơ̫̖̰̓̆͑̉̃̈́ͧ̋N̷̡̟͓͚̼̩̈́̀͗̓̒̊̎̄̆Ȩ͚̭͑ͨ̕͝O̮̭͉͖͇̼̙ͯͭ̂̊̆̒ͨ̔̑͠Ǹ̟̖̣̰Ẹ̻̞͉̙͕ͦ̑͂̕Ơ̸̟̠̰̟̝͕̜͍͂̽ͬ̏͒̔͜N̙͓̗̣͚̎́Ẹ̸͎̣̤ͬ͡
̮̫̦͔̬̭͍̮͂́ͅW͈̩̣̝̼ͬ̐͋ͭͯ̈́̕͝͝ͅḚ̬̘̹̟͕̩̬̎́ͭͪ̎̂ͪ̎Ļ̛͕̺̼̼̪̥̰͍̳̆̋͊̈ͫͮ̚Ĉ̴̮̣̺͉̭͜͢O̜̤͚͆̋͋ͤM̧̜̱̹͙͓̞̦͗̈̔̔Ȩ͖͎̬̺̥͋̓ͩ͂͞C̭͇͍̱̺̬̺̿ͧ͠O̼̞̍̑̈́͊M͇̘̓̚E̱̤̦̮͙̳̭̘͊̕͠

.

"I'm sorry, I ... I can't understand you." You ball your fists in frustration. Of course there's no way that whatever this is would speak English, right? But then, since you aren't really talking with language, but some kind of psychic mind-thing, maybe there's some way it could work. "Can you alter your speech somehow? I can almost hear you."

There's a pause, and then you hear inside your head:

CANCANCAN
YOUYOUYOU
UNDERUNDER
STANDSTAND
MEMEME
NOWNOWNOW
LITTLELITTLE
FRIEND?FRIEND?

"Yes! Sort of! I mean -- some of it?" It's hard to parse the thundering almost-words into coherent information, but somehow you're doing it.

Maybe now you can finally get some answers. You'd better choose your questions wisely, though. You don't know how long this is going to last.

>Who are you?
>What do you want?
>Where am I right now?
>What is this place that me and my friends are stuck on?
>What is the nightmare world?
>How, or why, were me and my friends brought here?
>How can I get home?

>>1602982
>Who are you?

>>1602982
>Who are you?
>How can I get home?
>What is the nightmare world?
Top 3 in order

>>1602982
>Is there a way to defend ourselves from what ever it is that wants to harm us here?

>>1602982

"W-who are you?"

WEWEWE
AREAREARE
WHATWHATWHAT
REMAINSREMAINS
AFTERAFTERAFTER
THETHETHE
ENDENDEND
FORTRESSFORTRESS
SANCTUARYSANCTUARY
HIDINGHIDING
WAITINGWAITING
CALLINGCALLING
FOUNDFOUNDFOUND

"Found? Found what?" You point at yourself. "Me?"

The pulsing of the glow intensifies. You feel a vibration through your feet, as though the earth were shaking.

YESYESYES
YOUYOUYOU
CANCANCAN
HELPHELPHELP
OUROUROUR
WORLDWORLD
FADESFADES
COMECOMECOME
FINDFINDFIND
USUSUSUS
PLEASE
HELP
US

>>1603071

You bolt upright, waking into darkness, your heart pounding your chest. You wipe the sweat off your forehead, trying to control your breathing. This is getting to be a regular occurance.

Kate happens to be the one on guard, and she sees you sitting up and panting. "Vanessa? Are you all right?" She immediately crosses to kneel at your side. "Did you -- you know? Cross over?"

"I'm not sure," you say. "I had a fucked up dream, maybe a "real" dream like the other night. But it was different, too. I didn't fight anything. There was like this big glowing stone, in a cave? And it talked to me? I could actually understand it, sort of. It was like a bunch of people talking at once. They said something about being a fortress, something that "remained after the end." And then --"

You put a hand to your forehead, struggling to remember. One thing that the other world shares with regular dreams is that memories are frustratingly evasive, slipping through your fingers like grains of sand. "Shit. I don't know. I can't remember."

"If it wasn't trying to kill you, it can't have been that important, right?"

"I'm not sure," you say doubtfully. "I think maybe it was. Maybe -- no, it's gone. Fuck."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out later," Kate says. "None of the rest of us have any idea what's going on with that other world, but you've already cut off a big robot's head, and apparently you talked to ghosts in a big rock. If anyone can deal with this nightmare planet stuff, it's you." She pats you gently on the back. "Are you feeling all right now? Caught your breath?"

"Yeah, I think so. Thanks, Kate."

"Do you want to go back to sleep? I can give you some privacy."

>Yeah. Thanks for watching out for me.
>No, it's okay. I'm wide awake now. Let's talk for a bit.
>Can can you stay with me until I fall asleep?

>>1603118
>No, it's okay. I'm wide awake now. Let's talk for a bit.

>>1603118
>>Can can you stay with me until I fall asleep?
Sleep is important

>>1603135
Seconding.

>>1603135
>>1603156

>Can can you stay with me until I fall asleep?

Roll +Hot (1d10+1) to see how she takes it.

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>1603180
+1

Rolled 1 + 1 (1d10 + 1)

>>1603180

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>1603180

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>>1603118

"I don't know, Kate. I'm still kind of freaked out." You look away bashfully. "C-can you stay with me?"

"Wha--?" Kate recoils. "What do you mean?" Color rushes to her cheeks.

A giggle escapes you."Hang out with me until I fall asleep, silly. Just what did you think I meant?"

"Right, o-of course. Hah. I mean, not that I -- you know, you're a girl, so --" Kate cuts herself off and clears her throat. "A-anyway, yeah, I'll stick around. If that's what you want."

"It would make me feel safer. Thanks, Kate." You reach out and lightly touch her hand. "For everything."

Kate smiles and pats you on the head. "No problem. I said I'd be your protector, didn't I? Even if that means turning into a sword, somehow. I'll do what it takes."

"I believe you. Even with everything that's going on, I feel a little safer knowing you're watching over me." You yawn and snuggle into your makeshift blanket.

You reach out to Kate, and feel her hand take yours, her graceful and strong fingers gently wrapping around yours. You held hands, sort of, when you summoned her into the other world. But this is the first time you've done it in this world.

The two of you pass a few minutes in quiet intimacy, as you watch the flickering flame of the campfire and drift off back to sleep.

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>>1603351
>>1603351

Soundtrack: Disasterpeace - Cascades
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXkAiPCVvXw

The next morning dawns, and travel gets under way. As you move north, the terrain becomes increasingly uneven: the rolling mounds, open meadows, and shallow rivers give way to steep hills, river-worn gullies, and ravines.

"We must be close to those hills we saw," you say during a break. "Can you boys see anything up front?"

"Not really, but you're probably right," Jason says. "We're definitely climbing higher, and the trees are getting farther apart. We'll probably be out of the forest soon."

Following a small but fierce river upstream between the mossy cliffs of a shallow valley, you emerge into a wide pool with multiple waterfalls cascading from a high, rocky hill. For a moment, you see a shimmering rainbow form in the spray of water. The sight of it all takes your breath away. Even with all that's happened, there's still beauty in this world.

"Might be a good place to set up camp around here," Jason says. "Don't know how easy it'll be to find food and water as we get higher, and with watering holes like this one, usually you'll find lots of wildlife. So there'll be good hunting."

"Hunting us, you mean?" Kate says. "Shouldn't we be trying to stay away from the local wildlife? That wolf-thing almost ate Vanessa!"

"Yeah, and she kicked its ass," Jason says. "Our supplies are already running low. We've got, what, two more days of food? We need to stop for a while and get that shit figured out. We don't want to head up into the hills and find out there's nothing up there to eat. Here, if nothing else, there's that fuzzy fruit. Vanessa and me have both eaten a few of those and not died, I think we can call officially call them food. And we can try hunting some of those dragonmoths, or maybe the feather-lizards."

Tyler rubs his chin. "You may have a point. It would be prudent to see to our supplies. Vanessa also expressed her wish to establish a more permanent camp before experimenting with that other world, which I believe is a priority. So, I agree."

Sam giggles.

"What's so funny?" you ask her.

She tugs on your sleeve, and you step closer. She whispers, "I-I just thought it was f-funny that Jason and Tyler agreed on something,"

You grin. "Yeah, it has to happen sometimes, right?"

The group stops to eat lunch by the falls, watching the glistening cataracts pour into the lake below. From the distance, the roar of the water is muted, and the lake beside you is quite still. You munch on a candy bar of chocolate and nuts and enjoy a moment of tranquility.

>Stress healed to 0/5

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>>1603356

After lunch, the group agrees to split up a little to try scouting the local area a bit faster, and to meet up back at the falls in an hour. You and Sam go with Jason. "I hope we run into one of those blue wolves," he says, flexing his bicep. "I can't let you keep showing me up like this, Vanessa."

"I-If it's all the same, I'd rather not," Sam says.

You don't know anything about nature. You went camping a few times with your friends, but you let them handle the details like where to pitch a tent or find water. Now you're in a survival situation with basically no skills.

Jason you already know has spent plenty of time in the woods learning basic camping and survival skills for his training in the army cadets. But it turns out that Sam actually has some idea of what she's talking about. She brings up details about where to place a campsite in relation to the wind direction, or a source of water, or useful plants.

"Where did you learn all this, Sam?" you ask her.

"F-from my granddad," she says. "W-w-we used to go for w-walks and stuff and he would, you know. Tell me stuff."

"He sounds like a cool guy," Jason says. "My granddad mostly talked about killing Japanese guys in the Pacific. I liked it at first, but it got old after a while."

Eventually, Jason and Sam both settle on a site that looks good for a campsite, which you agree with:

>Near the falls, with easy access to water.

>A hilltop, with a good view of the surrounding area.

>A natural cave, easy to turn into a shelter.

>A secluded grove of fuzzfruit trees in the forest.

>You changed your minds, and decided to keep moving north.

>>1603365
>>A hilltop, with a good view of the surrounding area.
Hard to flood too.

>>1603365
>A natural cave, easy to turn into a shelter.
So long as we already checked it out. The other places can be checked on in routines. If not then

>A hilltop, with a good view of the surrounding area.

>>1603365
>>A hilltop
Another quest ruined by anime and /u/. Two bombs weren't enough

>>1603365
>A natural cave, easy to turn into a shelter.
We can just note the rest of the locations for use.

>>1603365
>>A natural cave, easy to turn into a shelter.
As long as the cave doesn't recede too far into darkness.

Calling it for cave now, before we tie again. Writing.

>>1603365


You find a natural cave in one of the hills nearby, with a grassy space in front and trees on either side. From the entrance, you can see one large, empty space, about the size of a really big living room, and a passage to a smaller area beyond it. You bravely venture inside (behind Jason) to check whether there are any wild animals or evil robots inside, or whether the back chamber might contain a secret doorway to the black depths and unknowable chthonic horrors. Jason checks every corner, thumps all the walls, and climbs up to investigate a small tunnel high up near the roof: it leads back outside, and is curtained by a small waterfall running down the side of the hill. He declares the place safe, and a pretty good campsite. You followed him on his patrol and, for what it's worth, are inclined to agree.

"There's water right nearby, with that little stream outside." Jason says. "Pretty close to that lake with the falls, if we need more for something. Trees outside for wood. Fruit not too far away. This place could do for us. If we're right about there being, you know, aliens or whatever, then maybe we'll find a place with an actual roof and walls. But for now, this is fine." He steps back and casts his eye over the cave. "If we can get some kind of curtain set up for the front door here, we'll be safe from the wind and rain. Enough space in the main cave here for everyone to spread a mat. The little back chamber there can give us a little privacy. Yeah, this is pretty good, all things considered."

"I'm okay with it," Sam says.

"If it works for you guys, then It works for me," you say. "Let's get back to the falls and meet up with Kate and Tyler, okay?"

"Y-yeah, okay." Sam walks beside you as you exit the cave. "I'm r-r-really glad we found a place to camp and ch-chill out for a bit. We're starting to run out of food and all, and uh ..." She whispers to you. "I'm tired of walking."

"Me too," you whisper back. "I wonder if--"

BLAM

From far off, you hear a sound that you recognize from all the movies. You turn to Jason. "Was that ...?"

"It was," he says. "And it came from the falls."

BLAM, BLAM

"B-b-but," Sam is stuttering badly. "Wh-wh-what c-c-could it be?"

Jason takes the crowbar out from his belt and grips it tightly. "It doesn't matter. We've got to check if Kate and Tyler are all right. Stay behind me, girls."

You set off into the forest, now deathly silent.

(Continued)

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>>1603613


The three of you make your way back to the falls. Jason in the lead, you and Sam staying close behind him, you approach your meeting place at the lake cautiously, behind the cover of some trees. It isn't long before you see Tyler, standing alone near the edge of the lake, with his back turned to you.

"There's Tyler," you say. "Is he alone? Where's Kate?"

Jason mutters, "It's him. He's the one."

"What?!" you say, a little too loudly. Jason shushes you, but it's too late, and Tyler hears you. He turns around.

Tyler's glasses are knocked off, and he's badly bruised.

He's holding a pistol, a curl of smoke trailing from the barrel.

And he's got a smile on his face.

That's all for Part 4, everyone. Thanks for playing.