>>2452469
>make idle chit chats with the monster closest to you.

Surely nothing bad can come from this

>>2452486
Support

>>2452486
support

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>>2452469
You decide that as long as you're on this train, you might as well make some casual conversation with whoever is nearby. You are sitting by yourself in your squeaky clean red seat, which contrasts the dirtied and soot covered exterior of the train, so there's no one immediatly close to talk to. You sit up a little bit to take in the room.

Scattered about there are a few human souls with their heads down, their entire bodies a bright red, indicating that they have more likely been damned to Old Hell. It would be awkward to go up to them, especially since they seem so glum. There are also a few demons moving about the train, but judging by their immense sizes, sharp teeth, and general aura of aggression, you're not too keen to talk to them.

Suddenly, the door to your train car slides open. A thin and well dressed demon with classic red skin and pointed horns walks in with some kind of powdery snack cake in his hand. You can't seem to take your eyes of him. Maybe it's the hat, or the snack cake. Point being, he sees you too, and takes the seat right in front of you before turning around to look you in the eyes.

"So," says the demon, a slight lisp on his tongue, "what are you in for, new guy? Let me guess, killed your whole family. You look like the parent killing type."

You consider your next words wisely.

>Tell him that you're just visiting Old Hell, and nothing more.
>Tell him you're visiting Old Hell to learn some history.
>Tell him you're visiting Old Hell to find Resistance members (probably not something you want to say too loudly)
>Lie; Tell him you're a mass murderer.
>Lie; Tell him you're a BAD MAN, but don't specify anything.
>Turn it around; why is HE going to Old Hell?

>>2452574
>Just came out here for the view.

Then

>ask where he got the cake.

>>2452574
this >>2452582

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>>2452574
Play it cool, you think to yourself, play it cool. You tell the demon that you came out here for the view, and he immediatly flashes you a bright smile, his teeth sharp and numerous.

"Damn, for the view! You're a sick puppy, ain't ya? Came on down here to see your fellow man ripped in half. I like you, new guy."

He extends a hand to you. "The name's Tregumoz but you can call me Treg. Pleasure to meet you."

You shake the demon's hand, ignoring the slight headache thinking about his demon name gives you, and then quickly move onto your next pressing question. Just where in the world did he get that snack?

"Oh this? They've got these right in the catering cart, my man. Demon's gotta eat, right? I just love me Gore Cakes. Probably not the best for you, but just try to stop me from getting them. If you got any cash on ya you can get one yourself."

After buying the train ticket, you are broke. All you have on you is your organic knife for self defense.

>Ask for a piece of his Gore Cake.
>Ask what a Gore Cake actually is.
>Ask why he's going to Old Hell.
>Ask for general information about Old Hell.
>Ask for some good tourist spots in Old Hell.

>>2452682
>>Ask for some good tourist spots in Old Hell.
play it smooth before we go fishing

>>2452682
>Suck up to him. He seems strong, what’s a fellow like me have to do to get strong like him.

Then

>Ask about tourist places he would recommend.

>>2452682
So sorry op I had to step away for a burning minute. Good quest.

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>>2452682
Gore Cakes sound like an interesting snack to check out later, but for now there are more important things to ask. You'll be in Old Hell soon, and you'll need to know your way around. You ask Treg if there are any interesting places you might want to check out once you get to your destination.

"Good question, new guy. What are some good places to check out...well, there's always the Hole. You'd probably like that. Hundreds of souls all just thrown in a hole, squirming on each other like works and having a bad time. Simple, effective, and fun to throw rocks into. Then there's the lava lakes. Same deal, throw some souls in the lava, have some people with pitchforks poking them whenever they try to get out, great source of screams. I'm sure the Pain Game fields will have some cool things to check out too, usually some limb toss, but whatever. Oh, and there's..."

The demon just goes on and on about all the various tortures he can think of. Spike pits, coal storms, the boulder hills, there's a million different things. At some point you start to daze out, thinking about what mess you've just gotten yourself into.

"...and sure, you might get grabbed by one of the torturers and they'll flail your skin off, but you knew the risks when you came down here, didn't ya killer?"

Huh, what? Oh yeah, you're still talking to him. What else is there to say?

>Ask why he's going to Old Hell.
>Ask for some general history about Old Hell.
>Ask him how you can stay safe in Old Hell.
>Ask him how you can start the process of becoming a demon.

>>2453071
Why thank you. Always nice to know that the quest is going well.

>>2453256
>ask how not to get mistaken and grabbed for torture.
>ask how souls become demons. Is it just demons or... more, powerful things.

>>2453274
It’s a shame no one else is here :( I have to step away sometimes you know.

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>>2454059
You would much rather not get tortured if possible, so you ask Treg if he can give you some advice on how to avoid that.

"There's always gonna be a risk of it in Old Hell for you humans, but here's a tip for you. Find the biggest, nastiest, most painful looking weapon you can, pick it up, and crush someone's head in with it. That way they'll know you're here to play ball. They'll also probably be able to tell you're not damned here since you're not red, but still, the head smashing is a good idea. Might even give you some demon points."

This leads you to another question you've been thinking about. How can souls become demons? You've asked this before to a half-demon named Jared back in Nada, but you have a feeling that your new friend here might have more information on it.

"Oh, I get it. You want to become a demon, just like everyone else. Well, Old Hell's the easiest place to do it. Just keep on punishing the wicked long enough and the Demon Lords will reward you for your service. It's definitely best to be part of the team. And the longer you serve, the more power they'll give you. It's a solid deal, right?"

>Ask why he's going to Old Hell.
>Ask for some general history about Old Hell.
>Get up and go to the 'catering cart' for a snack.
>Just make small talk until the train stops.

>>2454328
>ask if he’s ever heard of people who’ve escaped hell.
>ask if there are bounties you can collect
>make chitchat until the train stops

>>2454059
Don't worry about it, if people come, people come. If not, I can wait. I don't want anyone thinking they NEED to stick around.

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>>2454328
As long as you're talking to such an open demon, you might as well throw him some hard hitting questions. You ask if anyone has every escaped the Old Hell before.

"Old Hell? Oh yeah, all the time. The place reached maximum capacity ages ago, people always slip through the cracks."

You then extend your question. Has anyone ever escaped the Underworld before? Treg's smile immediatly drops. "Don't get any smart ideas."

Ah, touchy subject. You should probably leave the heavy questions off the table for now and focus on small talk.

---

CRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrr

The train drags to a halt, your vision outside of the windows now blocked by clouds of smoke.

"Last stop, Old Hell."

You can hear the souls around you weep as they slowly get out of their seats and trudge towards the train doors. Treg gets up and give you a nod of his head. "Be seeing you, new guy."

You get out of your seat and head out of the train, and are immediatly created by an intense and immediate heat in their air that drains all the energy from your body. All you want to do is fall to the ground from the heat, and you instinctively turn back to the far cooler train. But before you can get back inside, flames around the door ignite, pushing you back out. You're stuck here.

The numerous red souls all gather around each other in a mob in front of a massive, multi-eyed demon. It looks like its going to lead the group down a winding dirt road, glowing like embers.

You spot Treg and a few other demons in the distance walking towards some sort of hazy flame far on the horizon. It's hard to tell as the heat is so intense that your vision is starting to blur.

It looks like no one is paying you any attention. You could follow either of these groups, or just head off yourself.

...then again, this place seems terrible. Maybe you should just go find the ticket taker and beg for a ticket out of here.

>Follow the red souls.
>Follow the demons.
>Go exploring yourself.
>Go to the ticket taker.

Well, I'm off to bed. Quiet thread so far, but hopefully we'll get more life soon.

>>2454059
binge lurking here
>>2454684
go exploring yourself

>>2454684
>Go exploring yourself.

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>>2454684
No one's paying too much attention to you, and that's a good thing. It means you can go exploring yourself without immediatly being thrown into some torture chamber or eaten by a demon. You find the emptiest looking road from the train station and start to walk down it, each step draining a bit more energy from you than the last. Wherever you're going, you hope that there'll at least be some water to drink, as unlikely as you expect that to be.

---

Despite this realm of the Underworld seeming to stretch on for ages, there isn't actually a lot to see as you travel. Sure, there are skulls lying about, bizarre spiked structures jotting out of the ground, and the semi-constant screams in the distance, but you're starting to think you might have just gotten yourself lost.

As soon as you start to think that, some good fortune falls onto you. There is a signpost! You cannot really run without immediatly tiring yourself out, so you lightly jog to the arrows and give them a read.

Devil Housing--->
<---Lake Languish
<------Human Housing

Looks like you finally have a little direction. The only problem is beyond the names on the signs, you have no real details about these places, so you might just need to follow your gut. Where do you head off to?

>Devil Housing
>Lake Languish
>Human Housing

>>2455374
>Devil Housing.
Also
>Try to find a weapon or something

>>2455374
Devil housing, keeping an eye out for weapons, stealth is priority

>>2455374
>devil housing
>look for weapon

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>>2455374
You decide that you might as well go towards the Devil Housing area. A lake sounds nice, but for all you know it could be a lake of blood or something else terrible like that, and who knows how they house the human souls down here. As you follow the sign and walk down the ashy path, you wonder if a devil is somehow different than a demon, or if that's just another name for demons. Eh, you'll figure it out when you get there.

You continue walking down the path, keeping an eye out for anything usual or suspicious. As the area around you becomes more mountainous, you begin to notice the peculiar amount of skull carvings in the rocks. Not just human skulls either, in fact, those are are minimal compared to the sheer amount of monstrous looking skulls. Odd.

You eventually come across a small set of houses on the hills, simple box shapes. Somehow you felt like this place, the first real town you've found in Old Hell, would be more impressive. But it is not.

You could walk into town right now, but you decide to look around one last time before making a decision on what to do next.

The path ahead leads directly into the town, and presumably the demons (or devils?) who live there. But you don't see any demons around.

To your left, you notice a small plain breaking up the hills, littered with stone colored pitch forks! Treg did tell you to find one of these, right? But they look pretty heavy, so it might take some time pulling one of them out of the ground.

Far to your right, away from the village, you think you see some kind of animal. It kinda looks like a cow or a buffalo, but something is on its back, shaking. A small figure you can't fully make out leads the creature along slowly.

What do you do?

>Go into town.
>Try to get one of the stone pitchforks.
>Go to the weird animal and the guy leading it along.

>>2455715
Go to the weird animal but be slow and stay out of sight.

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>>2455715
You might at well get a closer look at the people (or things) you might be dealing with. You decide to get low and slowly creep your way across the hills, keeping your eye on the strange animal ahead. Once you're close enough, just a few hills away that keep you hidden, you finally start to piece together what it is.

It's a cow, that much is sure, but not like one you've ever seen. It's bulky and huge, long like a snake, and covered with horns all over. Its moos are more like shouts, and it eats the rough patches of stone on the ground in front of it.

A small, frog like demon pats the monster cow on its back, and speaks to it in a croaky voice.

"That's it now giiirrrl, eat up now. You need to be big and strroooong for supperrrrr."

What do you do?

>Introduce yourself to the demon farmer.
>Stay hidden and keep watching.
>Sneak away from this thing.

>>2456288
>>Stay hidden and keep watching.
Also be wary of flanking, maintain high paranoia.

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>>2456288
Gripping your organic knife in case things go back, you continue to watch the cow beast and the demon farmer go about their business.

"Who needs to torturrrrreee anyway? You're my meal ticket, giiirrrrrl."

What is this frog going on about.

Suddenly, the frog demon tenses up, its eyes darting around. You hide your head back behind the hill. Did it see you? Outside of the cows yell-like moos, there's no other noticeable noise. Is the frog just standing there? Is it trying to sneak around? What should you do?

>Stay still and stay hidden.
>Sneak away.
>Run away.
>Attack head on.
>Sneak up to the demon and attack.

>>2457183
Run away!

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>>2457183
You're not gonna risk being caught by these violence happy demons! You run for it, leaving your hiding spot and making your way back to the outskirts of the town.

The frog demon calls out to you. "What are you rrrruuuning from!?"

You don't look back, you need to keep running, and you need to--

CLONK!

You feel a blunt pain in the back of your head, and fall right on your face.

Your skull is ringing, and it takes you some time to open your eyes and try to get up. When you try, you are immediatly faced by the frog demon, who sticks to a nearby stone, upside down.

"What's wrrrrooong with you?"

>Run for it!
>Make excuses; You weren't spying, you were just taking in the sights.
>Introduce yourself.
>Admit that you were spying on the demon.
>Ask why your head hurts.

And I must sleep. I have a big day tomorrow so I won't be able to post much, but I'll try to get a couple in later that night.

>>2455715
>Treg did tell you to find one of these, right?
Bitch, where?

>>2458314
>>Ask why your head hurts.
Meh. Why not?

>>2458511
He more specifically suggested finding "the most painful looking weapon you can"

>>2458314
>Make excuses; You weren't spying, you were just taking in the sights.
Ask him about the monstrosity. Try to find out what's valuable in this realm.

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>>2458314
Time to lie your ass off. You tell the frog demon that you were just seeing the sights, exploring the realm, taking a stroll, or any other combination of words you can think of.

"Then why werrrrrrrre you running away?"

Uuuuhhhhh. Quickly, change subjects. You ask the frog just what that strange animal is.

"That's my wild demon cattle, obviously. Don't play dumb, you wanted to steal my cattle, didn't you? Stealing an old woman's animals, you humans arrrrreee all the same."

This frog is a woman!? Uhhh, okay.

"Just wait till I call the authooorrrrrrities on you. They'll teach you what foooorrrrrrr."

This isn't good. You better say something soon before you wind up in some torture chamber.

>Act ignorant; you're new to Old Hell and have never seen anything like that animal before.
>Apologize; get on her good side.
>Intimidate; You could crush this frog easily, she shouldn't be making threats to you.
>Attack!
>Question; why is one demon treating another demon like an animal?

>>2460081
>>Apologize; get on her good side.
Offer her your services as penance.

>>2460319
Minus services.

Then . . . >Why is one demon treating the other as an animal?

>>2460081
>act ignorant

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>>2460081
You quickly apologize to the frog demon, begging her not to call the authorities on you. She is at first skeptical, reasonably, but after you explain that you really didn't mean any harm and you wouldn't even know what to do with the "cattle" in the first place, her grimace seems to lighten up.

"You do seem prrrrretty pathetic. Maybe I will show you merrrrrrcy."

Seeing as you are getting somewhere with this woman, you decide to ask her a question. If that cow creature watching you with crazed eyes is a demon, why is she treating it like an animal.

"I alrrrrready told you, she's a wild demon. When demons are born, they are blessed with power from the Demon Lorrrrrds. Some of that power must go to their smaarrrrtts. If they arrrreee not given the blessing of a clear mind, they arrrreee wild demons. Only good for laborrrrr and eating."

The cow huffs, not paying attention to you anymore. So it seems that if a new demon isn't born smart, it's basically a wild animal. Is eating the demon meat considered cannibalism? Would the demons even care?

"Now who arrrrrre you, human, and why arrrre you herrre?"

>Tell her you're just exploring.
>Tell her you're here to learn the history of the Underworld.
>Tell her you're looking for other humans.
>Tell her you need a place to stay.
>Leave.

>>2460948
>Tell her you're here to learn the history of the Underworld.
Tell her it was a request granted by the demon lords

>>2460948
>Tell her you're here to learn the history of the Underworld.

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>>2460948
You tell the frog demon a half truth. You are here to learn the history of the Underworld, as you've heard that Old Hell is a place full of a lot of history. You make sure not to mention anything about the rebels you plan to find to learn that information, but still, you're being truthful enough.

"Historrrry? You want find any of it herrreee. Young demons have no rrrrrrespect for their elders in this town."

The woman hops down from her rock and goes up to you, pointing off to the distance with her stubby hands.

"But if learrrrrning if what you want to do, you need to go to the Red Librarrrry. Oldest collection of books in all the Underrrrrworld."

Squinting your eyes, you can make out a far off tower of some sort.

"It's a bit of a walk, but soorrreee legs are the least of your worrrrries down here. Hehehehe."

>Thank the demon and go off to this library.
>Thank the demon and head into town.
>Ask the demon if she can spare some supplies for your trip.
>Ask for more information on the Red Library.

>>2461275
>>Ask for more information on the Red Library.
Thank her for her mercy and the information.

>>2461275
>>Ask the demon if she can spare some supplies for your trip.
>>Ask for more information on the Red Library.
These.

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>>2461275
It looks like the Red Library is a place you should visit. But before you do so, you ask the frog demon if she could spare you any supplies for the trip. As she can probably tell, all you really have is your organic knife.

"Bah! Humans, give them one thing, they ask for another!"

She hops into the air and snatches the organic knife from your grasp. Quickly, she hops over to the demonic cow chewing stone and cuts a slice of the creature's body clean off! It screams in pain and thrashes about, but the frog stands her ground and scolds the creature.

"No! No! Bad girrrrrrl! No fighting!"

The cow eventually bows its head and licks its wounds, and the frog hops back to you.

"This is all you're getting out of me, so don't ask for anything else. You eat the meat, you save the fur for trade."

Uhhh...

You shake the weirdness of the situation out of your head and thank her for the slice of bloody, raw demon cow meat. But before you go, you need to ask her just one more question; could she give you any information about what the Red Library actually is?

"BAH! Give a human one thing, they ask for fifty morrrrrre!"

She points in the direction of the library again.

"The Librarrrrry is where all the oldest scroooollls and books of the Underworld. Orrrrrrriginals too, not just copies you can find in any shop. It was founded by the Second Demon Lord, who wanted to rrrreeecord demonic history before you humans shoooowed up and mucked up things."

Huh. So the Demon Lords are numbered, and humans weren't always part of how things worked in the Underworld? Fascinating.

>Go off to the library.
>Go into town
>Go back to the pitch fork field and try to get one.
>Other [write in]

>>2461684
thank the demon, then stop by the pitchfork field to get one before heading to library

>>2461684
>get a pitch fork
then,
>go to the library

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>>2461684
You thank the demon for all her, telling her that you'll be going to the library soon.

"Feh, whateverrrrrrr."

You decide that if you're going to be embarking on any epic quests, you will need to get yourself a better weapon than just your dinky knife (which the frog demon does give back to you without a word). You head over to the field of pitch forks lodged into the ground for seemingly no reason, find the one that seems the right size for you, and begin to pull.

Nothing happens.

You pull harder.

Nothing happens.

You try to give it another tug.

Nothing, no budge.

This continues on and on, you putting in a little more strength each time, always feeling like you just might have moved it slightly, but still nothing notable. You decide to give it one last go, putting in all your strength. You tighten your grip, bend your knees, breath deeply, and...

PULL!

The stone weapon comes out of the ground...only it seems to be attached to something. A stone hand, and an arm that appears to go deeper into the ground.

>Keep pulling.
>Study the arm.
>Stop pulling.

And that will be it for tonight. I'll try to get a few posts in tomorrow where I can. Faust has been taking a real cautious approach so far, it's real interesting to see.

>>2462480
Pull it up if the armpit isn't showing yet, if it is then give that shit a tickling and see if it's single and ready to mingle based on results

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>>2462480
You decide to keep pulling on the arm, just to see what will happen and if you can still get a hold on the actual weapon you want.

With another tug, the stone figure gives way more, and you are able to pull it out all the way to a shoulder and just the faint edge of the side of the statue.

Before you can do anything else, you hear the sound of rubble shifting all around you. You try to find what is going on, but it looks like most of the stone pitchforks are still all in place...save for a stone face poking out of the ground you don't remember seeing before.

>Keep pulling.
>Study the statue so far.
>Study the nearby stone face.
>Stop Pulling and leave.
>Talk to the stone face.

>>2463696
>Talk to the stone face.

>>2463696
>Keep pulling

>>2463696
>talk to the face

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>>2463696
Okay, something weird is going on here, and you're not going to continue messing with these stone things until you know what exactly is going on. You walk up to the stone face, many of its details seemingly eroded over the years, and try to speak with it.

First you say hello. It says nothing.
Then you ask if its alive. It says nothing.
You ask if you can take the pitchfork. It says nothing.

"Talking to rrrrrroocks?"

You freeze up in surprise, and turn around to find that the frog demon is standing right behind you.

"You'rrrrrrrreee a weird one, human. Those stones won't talk to you, too stubborrrrrrrrrn and old for it. Just like me. Hehehehe."

You stay silent, waiting for her to continue explaining just what this is.

"If you want my advice, just leave them be. Some of the young demons will just take frrrrrrrom them willy nilly, but you don't want to be on the mountain's bad side."

Okay. So these rocks are alive? What does being on the mountain's bad side even mean?

>Ask her for more information on these statues.
>Thank the demon and leave without taking the pitchfork.
>Go take the pitchfork; rocks be damned!

>>2464277
>>Take the pitchfork but thank the rocks

Take the pitchfork but leave the meat/skin in exchange

>>2464277
try to exchange the meat for the pitchfork

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>>2464277
You need to get a better weapon than your little knife, but you don't want to steal the pitchfork from anyone, even if they're just some rocks. You're going to leave something nice for the "mountain" in exchange. You walk back to the extended arm in the ground, grab onto the pitchfork, and...

PULL!

The pitchfork snaps out of the statue's grasp, taking a few fingers along with it. It's sturdy in your hands, and you have a feeling that this could come to some good use. Quickly, you place the meat and fur the frog demon gave you into the statue's hand, and try to tell the statue that this is an offering for it in exchange for the weapon. You also apologize for taking some of its fingers with you.

No response. You hope you didn't make it too mad.

You start to walk away from the field of statues when suddenly, the sounds of shifting rubble return, more intense than last time. Once it stops, you turn around to find that the statue that you had been pulling out of the ground is gone, along with the flesh that you had given it.

"Interrrrrrresting," says the frog demon, "I'm not suurrrreeeee what they'd do with some meat, but at the very least they care enough to keep it."

You now have a pitchfork! And you didn't piss off any living rocks to get it...you think.

>Go off to the library.
>Go into town.
>Talk to the frog demon more [write in what topic]

>>2464437
>Go off to the library.
Ask the frog if she wants a lift there too

>>2464437
>head for the library, say goodbye and thank the frog demon

>>2464437
Thank her for her advice and assistance. Ask her if she was ever human, or an animal like her cow, before you head to the library.

>>2464437
>Go off to the library

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>>2464437
It's time for you to get out of this place and go to the Red Library. You thank the frog demon for all her help and advice, and turn to the path to the library.

"Wait!"

The frog hops in front of you again.

"You neverrrrr gave me your name. You can at least give me that for everrrrrrrrything I've given you."

Where are your manners? You tell her the name you have given yourself, Faust.

"If you'rrrreeee ever back in town and someone gives you trrrrrrrouble, just tell them you know Ezal. No demon is scarier than me."

This frog, Ezal, hops back to her cow, now seemingly to have forgotten about its wound. With a nod of your head, you continue your journey.

---

It's back to hot, mountainous paths and endless mountainsides for you. All your time talking to the frog made you forget just how oppressive the heat is here, but now it is all you can think about. Maybe this is the real torture of Old Hell. Your hands sweat around the pitchfork you are carrying, feeling heavier with each step.

Then you see something on the path. A single, black table standing out in the middle of nowhere. On top of it lies two jars. You approach the table, and see two sets of writing carved into the table's surface.

"ቿልጕፕ ል ጠዪርልቿነ ሀቿቿልረ ል ጠዪርልቿነ"

And right under it.

"Take a scream leave a scream."

You look into one of the jars, and notice a strange fog inside of it. The mist churns and shifts until something forms and slams up against the glass. It's a human face!

>Open the foggy jar.
>Talk to the foggy jar.
>Silently watch the foggy jar.
>Walk away from the table.

>>2464674
>Silently watch the foggy jar.

>>2464674
Talk to the foggy jar.

>>2464674
>Silently watch the foggy jar.

>>2464674
>walk away from the jar, continue towards library

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>>2464674
You are disturbed by the anguished face pressed against the side of the jar, but you can't help but continue to watch it. Just what exactly is it?

In silence, you observe. The face seems to be in utter pain. Ever so faintly, you can hear a scream emitting from the jar. Is this a human soul trapped in here? You've never seen anything quite like this before.

You read the sign again. "Take a scream leave a scream." Is this...a detached scream?

>Open the foggy jar.
>Talk to the foggy jar.
>Scream in the empty jar.
>Leave.

>>2465147
Leave.

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>>2465147
Probably should have said this sooner, but I'll be heading off to bed. Great progress today, and a lot more activity than we usually get, so I'm really happy to see that. I should be a lot more free for threading tomorrow. The world of Old Hell is getting a bit more stranger than Faust might have thought, isn't it?

>>2465147
Let the scream(s) out.
Whisper sweet words of encouragement into the jar.

>>2465147
Let the scream out, talk dirty to the empty jar

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>>2465147
You need to let this thing out, whatever it is. You quickly grab the jar and open it, and are rewarded with the loudest scream you've ever heard right in your face.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

You cover your ears from the pain and wait for the screaming to end. Your eyes set on the face you released, which seems to have started dissipating the moment it made contact with the open air.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHhhhhhhhhh

The more the face disappears, the quieter the scream becomes until it finally comes to an end. You uncover your still ringing ears, and look over the table.

What the fuck was that all about?

>Scream into one of the jars
>Softly talk into one of the jars.
>Leave.

>>2466186
>Softly talk into one of the jars.
Sweet nothings, please.

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>>2466186
You pick up one of the jars and turn it over to its open side, bringing it close to your mouth. You need to see if this thing can really capture your voice, or sound, but you'd rather scream directly into the thing. You have no idea what might happen if you do that. So you whisper into the jar, softly, assuringly. Almost erotically, actually. You're not really sure why, it just seems like the smartest call to make at the time.

And...nothing.

It looks like just talking into this thing won't do. You either need to scream into it or leave it alone.

>Scream into the jar.
>Leave.

>>2466457
>leave it alone
>keep on towards library
eyes on the prize

>>2466554
Seconding

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>>2466457
Okay, you're not gonna mess around with this scream jar thing anymore than you already have. Too dangerous. You continue walking down the path, turning your back on the table.

Once you are a good distance away, you notice something flying high above you. You are unable to make out the details beyond a humanoid shape and big wings, but it goes over you and seems to be heading towards where the table was. Good thing you got away when you did.

---

Eventually, you make it to the burning, massive cathedral that is the Red Library. Or at least, you assume it is the Red Library. Lava flows from the tops of the buildings down into canals. Bizarre demons in spectacles move up and down its stairs with hands full of books. A deep red glow seems to emit from the windows. None of the demons seem to pay you any mind, so you go up the stairs and enter the main building.

Inside, you are immediatly stopped by a long desk covered in scrolls. Seated at it are many different demons of all shapes and sizes, their own distinct trait being the glasses that they are wearing. One of them makes eye contact with you and calls out to you.

"Human, I can assist you."

>Approach the demon librarian.
>Walk away; on second thought, maybe you can find something interesting outside of the library first.

>>2466862
>approach the librarian, cautiously

>>2466862
>Approach the demon librarian.

>>2466925
supprting

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>>2466862
You slowly approach the librarian, pitchfork raised. You never know what these demons might be up to. The demon clasps his hands together and maintains eye contact with you.

"You must be new here. First time in the Red Library? It can be very intimidating I'm sure, but I am happy to assist. Just what types of texts are you looking for?"

Looking past the librarian, you notice shelves upon shelves of books and scrolls, far as the eye can see. You can believe this place is the oldest library in the Underworld, probably even the world.

>You want to read about history.
>You want to read about how the Underworld works.
>You want to read about humanity's place in the Underworld.
>You want to read about demons.
>Other [write in]

>>2467027
>>You want to read about how the Underworld works.
>>You want to read about humanity's place in the Underworld.
These two before all else.

>>2467027
>want to study humanity's place in the underworld, how sins are tied to souls (avoid mentioning our blank scroll for now)

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>>2467027
If you're going to understand just what's going on with you, figuring out how humans are connected to the Underworld is going to be most important. You tell the demon librarian that you want to learn about humans and their role in this reality. The demon lets out a light chuckle.

"Oh yes, of course. We have a wide selection of texts documenting the nature of the human soul and its place on the cosmic scales, I'm sure they would be greatly fascinating to you. I'll take you to them right away, but first could you tilt your head and look at me, please?"

An odd request, but you do as he asks. The demon picks up a small, metal pole with a slightly glowing round circle at its end and quickly stamps your forehead with it.

IT BURNS!

You let out a pained scream as a fresh new heat burrows into your head. The demon pulls out a small flask and places it in front of your mouth, and through your pain you can see, horrifyingly enough, your very scream turning into a mist and being sucked into the flask! You become mute as the scream is stolen from you and the burning in your head dulls...slightly.

"There you go, excellent scream. That should give you plenty of time to browse as you wish. You'll know when your time is up when the circle of flame branded into your head becomes too much. Then we shall remove it and you will be free to go. Now, shall I lead you to the books?"

>Go with the demon.
>Demand to know why he's stolen your scream!
>Run away!
>Attack the demon!

>>2467171
Go with the semon demon

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>>2467171
Ignoring the shock of what the demon did to you and the continuous sensation of burning in your forehead, you quietly allow the demon to lead you into the halls of the Red Library. The place is a labyrinth of material, and the path to get to where you want to go is long. Left, right, up these stairs, down those stairs, forward, backward. If you had gone in here alone, you would have surely been lost.

Soon enough though, the demon takes you to a little alcove of tables and chairs with books all over the place. A sign hangs up above with both demon writing and human writing.

"ጠሁልክዘ"
"Human"

"I'll leave you to it," says the demon, and he walks off.

In this area there are two other souls reading books, a man and a woman, both sitting at different tables. They both are bright red and have burning circles on their foreheads. The man is reading a book titled "The Fall of Yoghouri." The woman is reading something named "Ascension of The Soul."

>Start looking for your own books to read.
>Speak with the man.
>Speak with the woman.

And with that, I am off to bed. Good work making it to the Red Library, everybody! Interesting lore is on its way. I'll update when I can tomorrow.

>>2467446
Talk to the woman about the book she's reading. Ask her about her experiences in Old Hell.

>>2467446
Start flirting with the woman and see if souls have carnal desire

>>2467446
>Start looking for your own books to read.

>>2467446
>talk to the woman about her book, also ask about the rings of fire on head.

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>>2467446
You go over to the table the female soul is sitting at and place yourself in a chair across from her. She is reading through her book intently, and does not seem to notice you. She does seem pretty cute, you think, as far as silhouettes of human bodies go.

You ask her what book she is reading, and her body suddenly tenses up. Her eyes lift from the page and look into yours, almost frightfully. Then her glare turns cold.

"Ascension of The Soul. I'm going to become a demon. My burn ring is getting worse, just let me finish reading."

At the mention of "burn ring" your own ring of fire heats up a little bit, making you twitch in pain. Talking about the ring seems like a good jumping off point for other areas of conversation, so you ask her just what is up with these rings of fire the demons have placed on your heads.

Again, she gives you a cold look. "Keeps us docile. Can't learn too much if your head's on fire. But it won't stop me from ascending." She turns back to her book.

>Ask her for more details about Ascension of The Soul.
>Ask her why she wants to be a demon.
>Ask her if you can take the book after she's done.
>Properly introduce yourself.
>Leave her be, go talk to the man reading "The Fall of Yoghouri."
>Leave her be, go find your own books to read.

>>2468075
>go talk to the man

>>2468075
>Leave her be, go find your own books to read.

>>2468075
>Leave her be, go find your own books to read.

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>>2468075
The woman is clearly busy and doesn't want to converse with you, so you decide to leave the table and start looking for some of your own books to read. There are so many to choose from, and this is only one small section of the library. Still, you focus on finding any books that catch your eye (along with ignoring the slowly increasing burn in your head). These are the books that seem to pop out to you the most.

>"From Humble Endings: The Origins of the Underworld's Human Heroes."
>"Humanity: A Testament to the Vanity of Heaven."
>"The Joys of Suffering."
>"Damnation For Dummies."
>Talk to the man reading "The Fall of Yoghouri."
>Go back to the woman reading "Ascension of The Soul."
>Keep looking for books.

>>2468497
>"From Humble Endings: The Origins of the Underworld's Human Heroes."

>>2468497
>"Damnation For Dummies."

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>>2468497
You have trouble deciding between two of the books in front of you, "From Humble Endings: The Origins of the Underworld's Human Heroes" and "Damnation For Dummies." One of them would certainly give you more knowledge of the notable souls in Underworld history, but the other would give you a run down on all the things you haven't been able to figure out yet...or so you think, you are just judging these books by their covers. But after some consideration, you grab "From Humble Endings" and take a seat at one of the empty tables. You crack open the book and start reading.

---

To the countless beings that call this place home, the Underworld and its many realms may be thought of as the property of demonkind, with humankind as either their prisoners or their burden to bear. However, history shows us that this could not be further from the truth. Since mortal souls first came down below, there have been individuals who have proven themselves not just as allies to the Demon Lords and their children, but as key figures who helped the Underworld be the place that it is today.

There are many chapters that you can choose to read from. Some that catch your eye include...

>"Francis The Traveler"
>"Edward The Hunter"
>"Catherine The Healer"
>Put the book down and find a different book.
>Talk to the man reading "The Fall of Yoghouri."
>Go back to the woman reading "Ascension of The Soul."

>>2468748
>"Catherine The Healer"

>>2468748
>catherine the healer

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>>2468748
Catherine the Healer? You wouldn't associate a place as brutal as the Underworld to care that much for healing. You decide to flip to her chapter and give it a read.

---

Catherine the Healer in life was much like any other witch or sorceress. A woman who learned how to tap into the demonic energies below the material world, she strived for power and mastery over forces that were beyond here. Her life was ended when the ignorant human masses learned of her abilities and put her to the noose. Her soul was quickly damned to The Arcane, where those who lived by magic will continue their pursuit of knowledge for eternity. Within her first decade of damnation, she would take up an apprenticeship with the demon sorcerer Dogthaxag and spend the next century working by his side, focusing most of her studies on the threading of energies and the repairing of demon hives. It was noted by her master on multiple occasions that she had an uncommon aptitude for the manipulating of mystic materials for the purpose of repair. She would not rise to fame, however, until the peak years of the Yoghouri Massacre, where hundreds of demons were slain and returned to the Demon Lords. After finally completing her apprenticeship, Catherine would found a hospital for demon soldiers in the Arcane, where she would use her powers to repair the broken bodies of near dead demons, and part her knowledge onto her own apprentices. Some scholars argue that if it were not for the efforts of Catherine, over 30% of the veterans of the Massacre would not be here today. For her service to demonkind, Catherine's Soul Scroll was placed in the Halls of The Demon Lords, and was stamped with the new title of Catherine The Healer. At the time of this book's writing, she is still in the Arcane, teaching those who dedicate themselves the powers of regeneration.

The circle of flame on your head burns just a bit more intensely.

>Read about "Francis The Traveler"
>Read about "Edward The Hunter"
>Put the book down and find something else to read.
>Talk to the man reading "The Fall of Yoghouri."
>Go back to the woman reading "Ascension of The Soul."

>>2469245
>Put the book down and find something else to read.

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>>2469245
You decide to place the book down for a bit. You realize that you only have so much time to read what you can in here, so you need to make that time count.

>"Humanity: A Testament to the Vanity of Heaven."
>"The Joys of Suffering."
>"Damnation For Dummies."
>Talk to the man reading "The Fall of Yoghouri."
>Go back to the woman reading "Ascension of The Soul."
>Keep looking for books.

Gotta head off to bed. I hope this first little lore chunk was entertaining. There's a lot more to go, assuming that burning circle doesn't fry Faust's head in.

>>2469570
>"Damnation For Dummies."
lets get our basics straight

>>2469570
>"Damnation For Dummies."

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>>2469570
You pick up the "Damnation for Dummies" book, a thick piece of text made of cheap feeling paper. You sit down and start reading.

---

So, you've found yourself trapped in the Underworld, huh? Not good enough for those snooty angels in Heaven? Well don't feel down, because there are millions of others who are just like you! Everyone has to start the rest of their existence somehow, and by choosing this book, you've given yourself a head start above the rest. This comprehensive guide will tell you all you need to know to thrive as a spirit and carve out your place as a citizen of the afterlife.

Some chapters of note include...

>"I've just been damned! Now what?!"
>"Everything hurts!!!"
>"How do I get out of here?!"
>Put the book down and find a different book.
>Talk to the man reading "The Fall of Yoghouri."
>Go back to the woman reading "Ascension of The Soul."

>>2470202
Oops, forgot the name.

>>2470202
>"How do I get out of here?!"

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>>2470202
You very much would like to get out of here, so you turn to the appropriate chapter.

---

Now I know what you're thinking. You've just read through a whole list of terrible things that could happen to you in the Underworld, and you don't want to risk any of it happening to you. You want to get out of this place as soon as possible! Well, I'd hate to break it to you, but doing that is not going to be easy, and it may not even be worth it!

1. Can't I just go to Heaven?
You may hear talk from some of the shadier parts of the Underworld that there may still be salvation open for you. Perhaps if you do enough good deeds, or resist the demons long enough, you'll ascend to a nice cozy room in Heaven. If you believe this, I have one simple question for you; have you seen any angels in the Underworld? Your answer will most likely be 'no', as there has not been any sightings of holy beings in the Underworld for millennia. The truth of the matter is that the Court of Heaven has nearly cut off all ties with the Underworld, and the moment your soul is damned, it is damned for good.

2. Can't I just come back to life?
In theory, yes. If decreed by the Demon Lords for very specific and unique reasons, such as delivering important messages or haunting certain
individuals, a human soul may briefly return to the realm of the living as a ghost. Yet these are but temporary excursions, and when the ghost's mission is done, they must return to the Underworld. In extremely rare cases, some souls have been able to make their way back to the gates of the Underworld, avoid the Judge and the guards, and come back to life. However, without the power of the Demon Lords to guide their journey, there is no telling where or when the soul will return to. Time, much like many things in the human realm, operates on a different level than it does in the Underworld, and as such a day in the Underworld might have been two thousand years on Earth, in the future or in the past. Vice versa, a day on Earth may have been five thousand years in the Underworld. Without the Demon Lords guiding the journey, either the world you return to will be different than the one you remember, or you will be an entirely different person. You will also be trapped as a ghost wherever you end up, and will most likely go insane from it all.

3. Is there anything I can do at all!?
Yes, there is! Realize that while you may not be able to go to Heaven or Earth, there are countless places to go in the Underworld. Embrace it, work hard, make money, buy train tickets and travel the realms! Meet new friends, learn new things, and see the Underworld as your new home. If you can't shake the need to visit Earth, however, double down on your service to the Demon Lords. If you're lucky, you might be able to ascend to demonhood, and get sent to the surface to possess the body of a human being. Now wouldn't that be fun?

(1/2)

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>>2470366
You clench your head in pain. The ring of fire is getting more intense. You could read more if you want, but you have a feeling that after the next chapter or book you choose, you'll need to get out of here or your head might burst.

>"I've just been damned! Now what?!"
>"Everything hurts!!!"
>Put the book down and find a different book.
>Talk to the man reading "The Fall of Yoghouri."
>Go back to the woman reading "Ascension of The Soul."

(2/2)

>>2470369
Talk to man about the cause of massacre

>>2470369
>"Everything hurts!!!"

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>>2470369
Piecing two and two together, you realize that whatever the Yoghouri Massacre event mentioned in the Catherine The Healer reading was, it has to be the focal point of the book "The Fall of Yoghouri", currently being read by a man at one of the tables. You sit down across from him and quickly ask him just what exactly the Yoghouri Massacre was, not caring too much about formalities as you are in increasingly more awful pain.

The man closes up the book and gives you a wide smile. "You asked at just the right time. This is a really good book, I'd recommend it. Anyway, you don't look too good and I'm not gonna be much better soon, so I'll make it quick."

The man takes a deep breath.

"Okay, so this thing happened ages ago, long before I got here and very long before you dropped in, I assume. Basically, human rebellions in the Underworld were always a thing, but they were always stuck to just the single realms they started in and got crushed easily. That was until Yoghouri showed up. That wasn't her real name of course, but that thing's been scrubbed from the records, so it doesn't matter. Anyway, Yoghouri shows up and starts connecting each of the smaller resistance groups together, starts organizing protests, winning over more people, all that classic stuff. The book says she actually got people so riled up that the Demon Lords were almost convinced to start being a little bit easier on the humans, so that's real great for us. Only problem is, Yoghouri gets it in her head that there needs to be an all out war against the demons. She calls in some orders and the next thing you know, there are full scale riots in every single realm in the Underworld."

The burning is getting really bad.

"Sorry, I'll speed up. Now while all the demons are distracted fighting the humans, Yoghouri is secretly trying everything she can to gain power. Magic, technology, demonic weapons, you name it. She gets so power hungry that she winds up trying to take the Demon Lords head on and claim rule for herself, with all the demons gone and the humans as her underlings. She's killed, her messed up body is revealed to everyone, moral breaks and the demons save the day. Crazy stuff, great read."

And in that moment, you let out an anguished SCREAM, and everything goes black.

---

You wake up at the front desk of the library. The demon librarian from before softly smiles at you.

"Did you enjoy your time in the library?"

You feel your forehead, and the burning ring is gone.

>You want to go back in.
>Get mad at the librarian for branding you in the first place.
>Get up and leave the Red Library.

>>2470504
>Get up and leave the Red Library.

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>>2470504
You need to get out of this library and think about the things you've learned. You pull yourself up from the ground, quietly nod to the demon, and leave the building. Finding a nice looking stoop to sit on, where demons and humans alike pass you up and down, giving you little time to think about all of this information.

First there was Catherine The Healer. This woman is apparently so smart when it comes to magic that she knows things that even the demons don't know. Perhaps if you found her, she could figure out just what makes you so unique compared to other souls.

But she is allied with demons. If you found her and told her you were working with the Resistance, she would sell you out immediatly. She clearly chose her side during this so called "Yoghouri Massacre."

But that itself also brings up questions. Is the Resistance that you helped back in Nada and are trying to look for in Old Hell a remnant of this Yoghouri person's group? How much of what the man told you was true, and how much of it was demonic propaganda. And more importantly, how could Yoghouri be "dead" if human souls cannot be destroyed in the Underworld? Was that a lie, or was that person something other than human?

Beyond all of that, there is the biggest question of all. Just what are you going to do when all is said and done? If "Damnation for Dummies" is to be believed, there is no way you'll ever be able to go to Heaven, and getting back to Earth wouldn't be much easier. Should you just stay down here and accept your fate? Should you try to escape the Underworld, no matter the risks? Or should you give up your humanity and become a demon so you at least have some level of power in the Underworld?

What do you want to do?

>Look for a lead on where the Resistance members might be.
>Leave the Red Library and backtrack to Devil Housing.
>Leave the Red Library and keep exploring the rest of Old Hell.
>Get back into the Red Library and try to learn more.

>>2470504
ask the librarian how long we were passed out

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>>2470975
Just want to apologize for the huge gap between this post and the last one. I know I'm infrequent but this one I could have been more on the ball on.

>>2470977
Sorry man, missed it only by so much.

>>2470975
>go back to the scream jars, try to bring one to the library and exchange for book time

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>>2470975
You decide that you do need more time to read the books of the Red Library, but you'd rather not get yourself horribly burned again to do it. You need a scream to pay off the library, and what better place to get it than the stand just giving screams back down the path? You sit yourself up and go back the way you came.

---

When you get back to the table where the scream in a jar was located, only to find both jars are still empty. Looks like no one came to give a scream after you released the single scream there. What a shame. You are about to consider your next course of action when...

WOOSH!

A gust of wind (honestly pretty welcome, considering the humidity and heat down here) rushes over you, and a tall, winged demon stands before you.

"Hey there, ጠሁልክዘ. What are you doing out here all alone? Don't you know these roads are dangerous? Wouldn't want someone to drain you of your screams, now would you?"

You raise your pitchfork defensively. The demon cocks its head.

"Pretty piece of farming equipment you got there. You know how to use it? Because I certainly do."

It flaps its wings again as it slowly walks closer to you.

>Threaten the demon.
>Reason with the demon.
>Attack the demon.
>Run away!

And that's all from me for tonight. Here's hoping that the latest insights have given you guys some things to think about and consider, and let's hope next time that Faust finds a way out of this sticky situation.

>>2471299
>ask the demon for training in pitchfork techniques

>>2471299
Was it an act of cockiness? Were you trying to mock the demon? Or did you genuinely think you could get him to do for you? Either way, the first thing to come out of your mouth was a request for the demon to teach you some pitchfork techniques.

The demon stops in place, contemplating what you've just said.

"Gladly. Had that thing over and I'll show you how to stab someone with it."

The demon grabs onto your pitchfork and pulls, trying to rip it from your grasp. But despite its intimidating size, it does not seem to be as strong as you would think. You pull back and hold on tight, and it becomes a tug of war between you and him.

"You've got some sticky fingers. I can't wait to pry them off one by one."

The demon flaps its wings again and begins to take flight with you along for the ride! As you dangle from the pitchfork and see the ground growing farther and farther away, you can hear the demon cackling like a maniac. He begins to shake the pitchfork, trying to throw you off.

What do you do?

>HOLD ON TIGHT!
>Climb up and grab onto the demon.
>Try to pull out your organic knife and stab the demon.
>Let go.

Apologies for the lack of a picture, 4chan's still acting funny.

>>2472022
>tell the flying demon that we're a friend of Ezal (the frog)

>>2472022
>Climb up and grab onto the demon.
and tell it about the frog

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>>2472022
Hanging up in the air like this gets your mind racing, and through your panic you come up with an idea. You yell out the name "Ezal" as loud as you can, and it seems to catch the demon off guard.

"Ezal? What is an Ezal...oh! You know Ezal?"

The demon slowly flaps his way down to the ground. It looks like you might have just saved your skin...that is until right before your feet touch the dirt, he shakes the pitchfork forward and flings you into the side of the mountain!

As you struggle to get back up, the demon laughs and casually walks towards you.

"You think I care what that old bitch has to say? She's small and weak, just like you. That's why she doesn't do anything other than farm, because she knows her place. And I'm about to teach you your place."

He lifts the pitchfork high above his head, ready to plunge it into you...but he stops.

"You know, if you know Ezal than you probably got her 'don't take from the mountain' speech, didn't you? Good on you for not paying attention to that nonsense. Sure, I'm going to stab this thing right in your head, but you've got spunk."

There is a rumbling in the mountains. The demon does not notice the eyes that crack.

"They say that the mountain's alive. Made up of all the demons who were too stubborn to die and become one with the Demon Lords again. Well, if the mountains are watching, let's give them a show."

The rumbling continues.

>Keep the demon distracted and talking.
>Attack with the knife!
>Run away!
>Other

>>2472232
>Keep the demon distracted and talking.
admire his physique. ask how he got so strong. ask his name.

>>2472232
>attack with the knife!

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>>2472232
You aren't going down without a fight! You spring to your feet and charge at the demon with your organic knife in hand! In the heat of the moment you let out a battle cry...which turns into a violent scream, as you are quickly impaled. Your scream flows out of and turns into a mist, before being dragged into one of the jars on the table.

You hang limply on the pitchfork as the rumbling around you continues. More stone eyes watch the conflict.

"You wanna know my favorite thing about you humans? You're jus so durable!"

He twists the pitchfork inside you, forcing out another scream from you and into the other jar.

"It gives me all the time to make you suff--"

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE

All at once, boulders come tumbling down from on high! The demon doesn't have time to react before both he, and you, are crushed under the tremendous weight of the stones.

---

You awaken to the sight of the stones rolling off of your body. Everything about you feels flatter and broken, but as always, your body is slowly repairing itself. You see the limp body of the demon under the rubble, the pitchfork clenched in his exposed hand, completely undamaged.

You smell something peculiar nearby, and turn to see a dusty slab of meat by your side; the same slab of meat that you gave to the statue back near Devil Housing.

>Take the pitchfork and the meat, then get going.
>Thank the mountain.
>Try to talk to the mountain.
>Take the scream jars and go back to the Red Library.
>Any combination of the above options.
>Other

>>2473517
Oh yes, and you can also.
>Go back to Devil Housing.

>>2473517
>take the meat
>leave the pitchfork
>take the scream jars
>thank the mountain, try to ask the mountain about your blank scroll

>>2473517

>Thank the mountain.
>Try to talk to the mountain.

>>2473517
>Take the pitchfork and the meat, then get going.
>Thank the mountain.
>Try to talk to the mountain.

>>2475076
>>2474669
These I guess.

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>>2473517
You pick up your things, the pitchfork and the slab of meat, and look over to the mountain. Before you can decide for sure if you should go back to the Red Library, Devil Housing, or somewhere else, you need to thank the mountain for all its help. It may have crushed your body under the immense weight of a rock slide, but the demon is now dead, and who knows what would have happened if he was still kicking. You turn to a face that seems to have formed in the rocks, and thank it for saving you.

No response.

You ask it if there's anything you can do to repay them.

No response.

You ask it if it has any advice on what you should do next.

No response.

Well, the mountain may be helpful, but it sure isn't a talker. You turn around to the demon's corpse, and notice something strange; it's falling apart. Its skin flakes off and floats into the air, flying upward unnaturally. Is this what the demons mean when they say they "return to the Demon Lords"?

You hear a rumbling again. When you turn around, all the eyes and faces are gone.

What do you do?

>Take the scream jars and go to the Red Library.
>Go back to Devil Housing.
>Just go exploring.

>>2475517
>take scream jars to the Red Library

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>>2475517
You need more information, and the Red Library seems like the only place that can give it to you. You scoop up the two full scream jars in your arms and start to walk back towards the Red Library. These are YOUR screams after all, you might as well make use of them.

---

Back the Red Library, the librarian looks over the two screams you have given him.

"My my, these are some fine specimens. Just what did you have to do to get them? No, don't tell me, the gruesome business doesn't matter. You have some books do read, don't you? How can I help you?"

>You want to read about history.
>You want to read about how the Underworld works.
>You want to read about humanity's place in the Underworld...again.
>You want to read about demons.

>>2475871
>You want to read about how the Underworld works.

>>2475871
>read about how the underworld works

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>>2475871
The librarian puts away the screams and pulls out his branding instrument just as you tell him that you want to learn more about how the Underworld works.

"Delightful. We have documents studying our lovely little realm here since the birth of the first Demon Lord. You'll be an expert in no time. Could you please tilt your head and look at me? Thanks."

You thought you didn't need to get branded! You just payed the guy! Still, you need to read. Closing your eyes, you look up to him and wait for the burn to happen...and all you feel is a cooled poke. That didn't hurt at all!

"There we go. With those screams you gave me, the circle is set to extra chilled, that should give you some time to read to your heart's content before it ignites again. Follow me, please."

You follow him, and once again you are taken through winding hallways and staircases until you are eventually brought to another little alcove of books and tables. A sign hangs up above in demon and human language.

"ዪዐረዕዪሠዕክሁቿ ሃቿዐኗረዐኗ"
"Underworld Geology"

This little area seems almost empty, save for a single demon reading a book in the corner talking to himself.

"Now let's see here uh...now the energies create a fiber that holds up the...aw consarnit! I ain't never gonna figure out this stuff."

Wait a second, that's [blueDelgrimok![/blue] The friendly demon who talked to in a Vice City prison cell. You also saw him traveling Nada just awhile back! How'd he end up here?

>Go look for a book to read.
>Go talk to the friendly demon.

>>2477794
>ask Delgrimok what he's reading about

>>2477794
>[blueDelgrimok![/blue]
*Delgrimok

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>>2477794
You head over to Delgrimok and say hello. His stalky eyes grow wide as he sees you.

"Well hey there now! You're that Faust fella, right? I remember you!"

He then starts to whisper. "You're public enemy number one back in Vice City, there's cops searching for you all day long! I had to go to Nada just to get some peace and quiet...and also because they were looking for me and all the other escaped prisoners too, but still. Nada was alright, but then it got real bright for some reason, so I decided to take a day trip to Old Hell."

The demon shakes his head and chuckles.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you're here. Your secret's safe with me."

You ask him what book he's reading.

"The Makeup of The Underworld! I decided if I was here, I might as well catch up on some book learning. But it's all so confusing. I think I'm just gonna find myself some good ol' fiction. You wanna give it a read?"

>Take his copy of "The Makeup of The Underworld."
>Look for some other books.
>Try to get information about other places to visit in Old Hell.
>Try to get information about where the rebels might be in Old Hell.

>>2477996
>take "The Makeup of the Undrworld"
then
>ask him if there are rebels anywhere in Old Hell

This guy! I love this guy! He's my nigga!

>>2477996
>>Take his copy of "The Makeup of The Underworld."
>>Look for some other books.
>>Try to get information about other places to visit in Old Hell.
>>Try to get information about where the rebels might be in Old Hell.

I'm voting for every option for the following reasons (so that no one thinks it's just fluff/QM pandering BS).

Obvious Faust needs to learn about the Underworld's makeup. This is a supernatural place that doesn't respect "real physics" and "reality" as he knows it. They use blood and screams for money here. Not the place to take lightly.

Look for other books should be obvious. Like super obvious. Even 4chan isn't that stupid (right?).

Getting information about other places to visit might give Faust a sense of direction and thus, where to learn more about his unique situation.

Finally, the rebel arc. Faust was told that they might have info on what's going on with him. Also, as the only friendly-to-Faust faction currently in the quest, it helps to be amongst friends in a setting where, as previously stated, he can take Ls at any time for any reason (see the demon fight from earlier for examples).

There you go. Reasoning as to why I chose all options. Legitimate backing rather than "let's just make the QM's life hard/pretend to like the quest" bullshit (which i hate as a QM myself btw).

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>>2477996
You thank Delgrimok and take the book from him. This should make for a good read later. But before you can do that, you need to ask your demon friend an important question. You whisper in his...ear? His head is pretty rounded and beyond his mouth and eye stalks you can't really tell if he has ears. But still, you whisper, and ask him if there are any rebel camps he knows about.

"Oooooh. So the rumors are true, huh? You are some kinda crazy rebel super weapon who just looks like a man? Crazy. Listen, I don't want no part in this, alright? I ain't no rebel sympathizer, not me, no sir. I ain't like those human-loving demons that live in Devil Housing that are helping out the resistance, not at all."

Wait, what did he just say? There are demons in Devil Housing that are helping the rebellion? How convenient!

"Wait, uh, no, I don't know if that's true. It's just a rumor. You didn't hear it from me. Uh..."

>Thank the demon and leave the Red Library.
>Thank the demon and start reading "The Makeup of The Underworld."
>Thank the demon and look for a different book to read.

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>>2478219
I love it when players discuss their reasoning behind choices. Just wanted to give you some props for it.

>>2478237
>pocket "Makeup of the Underworld," then look for more books while there's still time

>>2478258
This, but also...

>Ask Delgrimok if there is a way for Faust to keep in touch. He seems friendly enough.

>>2478250
No need to thank me. Like I said from day zero, I'm a real ass nigga man. If I like something I like it, and I'm gon show out like a mother fucker when it's active. Told you yo ass got a reader in this bitch.

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>>2478237
You put the "Makeup of the Underworld" book down for now for later reading and decide to check out the other books first. There is only the fainted bit of heat on your forehead right now, so you think you will have some time to read, but it's better safe than sorry for you.

Before turning to the shelves, you ask Delgrimok if there's anyway you can keep in contact with him once you head out.

"You wanna be my friend? Well I very much would appreciate that. Let me see here..."

The demon fishes around behind his back for something, then pulls out a bizarre looking butterfly of all things!

"This right here is a mimic fly. Not the best pets, they don't really do much, but all you gotta do is say something to this guy and he flies off to tell your friend about it."

He whispers to the mimic fly, "isn't that right?" and hands it over to you.

"Isn't that right?" says the mimic fly in a somewhat cracky way, like a parrot.

You just keep that little fella and whenever you wanna talk to me, just send him out with whatever you wanna say.

You now have a mimic fly!

With that, you turn to the book shelves. A few books that stand out to you include.

>"Old Hell and Older; The Mysterious Origins of the Underworld."
>"A New Realm?!""
>"The Law of Belief."
>Just read "The Makeup of The Underworld."

>>2478397
try to take "Makeup of the Underworld" out of the library, and hit the road towards Devil Housing.

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>>2478397
On second thought, why would you even need to read anything in the first place? You'll learn everything you need to from the resistance, right? You'll just pocket "Makeup of The Underworld" for later, get going, and--

"Partner, you can't leave with that. This place is real high security, only demons with special privileges can check out these things. You best just read what you can and come back tomorrow if you can't finish it."

> Read "Old Hell and Older; The Mysterious Origins of the Underworld."
>Read "A New Realm?!""
>Read "The Law of Belief."
>Just read "The Makeup of The Underworld."
>Try to sneak out of the Red Library with "The Makeup of The Underworld."

>>2478861
>Just read "The Makeup of The Underworld."

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>>2480107
So many books, so many topics. Even with your chilled burning ring, you only have so much time to read them, and just looking at these things makes you worried. You decide to just keep the names of some of these books in the back of your mind and start reading "The Makeup of The Underworld."

---

The Underworld is world unlike any other. One could never mistake it for Heaven, and certainly not Earth, for the very makeup of the Underworld alone is unique entirely onto itself. Both material and immaterial, to truly study and understand the Underworld to its fullest would take centuries. But if you are up to the task, dear reader, I encourage you to read on.

Some chapters include...

>"One with the land."
>"Expansion of the realms."
>"Manipulation of energies."
>Put the book down and find a different book.
>Ask your demon friend to just summarize the book.

>>2480405
Get your friend to summarize whatever he has read so far, maybe this isn't his first time handling this book. If the information seems inadequate then read up on manipulation of energies. Maybe then you can figure out what makes hell run?

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>>2480405
What a slog to read through. Maybe if you can just get someone else's notes on this, you can avoid reading this book all together. You ask Delgrimok if he can summarize the contents of this book to you.

"Man, first you take the book, then you try to read a different book, then you try to leave with my book, now you just want me to tell you what it's all about? You've got yourself a real scatterbrain, don't ya? Not that I'm judging or nothing."

There is an awkward silence between you two.

"Shoot um...okay, let me see what I know. So the book tells ya that that everything can be broken down into energies, right? They're like uh, those atoms or whatever you've got on Earth, 'sep they're made out of emotions and thoughts and souls and everything like that. It's what makes the land, and the demons, and the Demon Lords. And the thing is, it's expanding too. The more souls that come down here, the more energies we get, and the more realms eventually get made. Takes awhile, like thousands and thousand and thousands of years, but it's real cool! And, what's even cooler, is that if you're one of them wizard folks, you can mess with them energies and make 'em into fibers, which then turns them into stuff, and uh...yeah, I didn't get much farther than that. It's all complicated stuff."

Your head is starting to get noticeably hot.

>Read the chapter "One with the land."
>Read the chapter "Expansion of the realms."
>Read the chapter "Manipulation of energies."
>Find a different book to read.
>Thank the demon and leave the Red Library.

>>2481303
>>Thank the demon and leave the Red Library.
We have a way to keep in touch. The Resistance and/or Arcane can give us info for FREE. Keep in mind Arcanes have to be around for centuries, so we can get pain-free thousand-year knowledge from living beings.

Fuck this place. It sucks donkey dick. Thank Delgrimok for his help and tell him not to be a stranger and all that.

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>>2481303
You've learned all you need to from this place. It's time to find the rebels in Devil Housing, and if they're not there, you'll go someplace where you can use your new understanding of the Underworld; the Arcane. You thank Delgrimok for all his help, put the book down, and go to leave the Red Library...though you can't quite remember how you got to this spot in the first place.

"Here, let me get you outta here," he says.

---

With a quick grab and a pealing back, the demon librarian remove the burning circle from your head just as it's about to get terrible. He thanks you for your visit, you leave the Red Library, and you are once again on the road back to Devil Housing. Luckily, at no point of your trip are you jumped by any demons or miscreants, though you do hear the occasional screams in the distance. That's normal though.

And soon enough, you are on the outskirts of Devil Housing, with your pitchfork in your hands, your mimic fly on your shoulder, a piece of meat and a small knife by your sides, and new knowledge. You feel prepared for whatever may come next.

What do you do?

>Go into town.
>Try to find the frog demon's farm.
>Watch the town from a distance, just to be safe.

>>Go into town.
>>Watch the town from a distance, just to be safe.

Combination of both? We observe a bit if we aren't in a vulnerable position, then slowly make our way in.

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>>2481792
You need to enter the town, but that doesn't mean you can't be careful too. You slowly creep from hill to hill until you make it to the first sets of houses and the rough cobblestone roads. The buildings are nearly identical in terms of construction, and since all the signs hanging their walls are written in the demonic language, you can't really make them out. You can hear the murmurings of people or demons in the distance, but there appears to be nothing directly nearby. Maybe you can let your guard down...

Just then, a man turns the corner and stumbles into view. A red soul, impaled with a long spear! Despite his injuries and his labored breath, you can tell there is a focus he is trying to hold; perhaps he is refusing to scream. The heavy, labored steps of demons follow behind him.

The man sees you.

What do you do?

>Run over to help him.
>Hide and watch.
>Run away!

>>2482830
Help the guy out.

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>>2482830
You rush over to the injured man's side, urging him to get up, telling him that you will try to save him. This isn't the first time you've needed to save a soul from nefarious demons, and this time you are more well armed than ever before. The man slowly drags himself up to his feet, the spear still lodged in his body, and gut punches you!

While you're reeling from the surprise hit, the man moves with a burst of energy, snatches your organic knife off from you, gets behind you, and holds the blade to your throat!

"Shit, shit, shit," the man keeps uttering to himself. The lumbering footsteps get louder, until a group of four demons comes into sight. Three of them are the standard red skinned and horned humanoids you've seen before, and one is made completely out of fire (which you've only seen once before, in the form of the Underworld boyband "The Cry Demons").

The man shouts out to the demons. "Take one step closer and I'll make him suffer!"

The man made of fire raises his hands up, cautiously. "Okay, stay calm. Whatever you do, do not hurt that human."

And now here you are, in the middle of some standoff between an impaled human you were trying to help, and a group of demons who want to save you. How bizarre.

And that is the end of Episode 3! Thank you again to everyone who contributed! Episode 4 will be up in a few days to give me some more time to plan and for the thread to get sent farther back to the end pages.

If you have any comments, advice, criticism, or questions about this quest, or just want to talk about it with other readers, feel free to check out the discord chat: https://discord.gg/zxdyg