The Abyss Sucks

[09:15] <visceralVanguard> visceralVanguard [VV] began conversing with snuffshotMartyr [SM]
[09:15] <visceralVanguard> Greetings!
[09:16] <visceralVanguard> Is this Lyra?
[09:16] <snuffshotMartyr> Yeah
[09:16] <snuffshotMartyr> You're one of Nickolai's people, right?
[09:16] <visceralVanguard> Hahaha, yes, that would be me :)
[09:17] <visceralVanguard> My name is Faerzen, pleasure to make your acquaintance!
[09:17] <snuffshotMartyr> Right, he mentioned that name a couple times
[09:17] <snuffshotMartyr> You're the other one with wings, yeah?
[09:17] <snuffshotMartyr> And there was also... Byron?
[09:18] <visceralVanguard> Yes, that would in fact be a direct identifier of me
[09:18] <visceralVanguard> Byron is another one, yes
[09:18] <snuffshotMartyr> Alright then
[09:18] <visceralVanguard> There were a couple of others, but since connections got scrambled up, I don't know who is here anymore
[09:18] <snuffshotMartyr> Sounds about right, yeah
[09:18] <visceralVanguard> It seems you are on our team now?
[09:19] <snuffshotMartyr> Guess so
[09:19] <visceralVanguard> What has your session been like so far?
[09:19] <snuffshotMartyr> Y'know
[09:19] <snuffshotMartyr> Same as all others
[09:19] <snuffshotMartyr> Pretty much everything sucks
[09:19] <visceralVanguard> That sounds about right, unfortunately
[09:20] <snuffshotMartyr> So whaddaya need, Faerzen?
[09:20] <visceralVanguard> I mostly wanted to introduce myself
[09:21] <snuffshotMartyr> Fair enough
[09:21] <visceralVanguard> If we are going to be on a team, it would seem prudent to know your allies
[09:21] <visceralVanguard> Would you mind telling me a bit about yourself?
[09:21] <snuffshotMartyr> I s'pose you've got a point
[09:21] <snuffshotMartyr> I'm, uh, from the age of computers.  Earlier than Alex, later than Nickolai
[09:21] <visceralVanguard> There seem to be quite a variety of people stuck playing this twisted game
[09:22] <snuffshotMartyr> Mhmm
[09:22] <visceralVanguard> What else?
[09:22] <visceralVanguard> What's your planet like? Any interests you have?
[09:23] <snuffshotMartyr> My planet is this huge cliff-canyon thing
[09:23] <snuffshotMartyr> Bridges and deadly cliffs all over the place
[09:23] <visceralVanguard> Dare I even ask what sort of awful things this game has thrown at you?
[09:24] <snuffshotMartyr> I've died like three times, but keep on getting back up.  Froze to death, died of blood loss, and I don't even remember the third one anymore
[09:24] <visceralVanguard> How have you been able to get back up?
[09:24] <visceralVanguard> That sounds miserable
[09:24] <snuffshotMartyr> No clue.  The game just won't let me die
[09:25] <snuffshotMartyr> Can't let the suffering end that easily
[09:25] <visceralVanguard> Of course
[09:25] <snuffshotMartyr> Also switching my consciousness between bodies, so that's fun too
[09:25] <visceralVanguard> You have multiple bodies?
[09:25] <snuffshotMartyr> Seems like, yeah
[09:26] <visceralVanguard> Oh that's right, Tarane seemed very confused by that when I talked with her
[09:26] <visceralVanguard> How does that work?
[09:26] <snuffshotMartyr> One with Alex, one on Derse, and one here
[09:26] <snuffshotMartyr> No idea how or why
[09:26] <visceralVanguard> I suppose if you keep facing mortal peril, having an extra body may prove handy
[09:27] <snuffshotMartyr> I guess
[09:27] <snuffshotMartyr> Kinda sucks to need to visit Derse, though
[09:27] <visceralVanguard> Not that that makes it any more bearable
[09:27] <visceralVanguard> What is Derse like?
[09:27] <snuffshotMartyr> It sucks
[09:27] <snuffshotMartyr> Can we just leave it at that for now?
[09:27] <visceralVanguard> I am on Prospit myself so I don't know much about the place
[09:27] <visceralVanguard> Very well
[09:28] <visceralVanguard> There are many things if you were to ask me about, I would say the same thing
[09:28] <snuffshotMartyr> Seems fair
[09:28] <snuffshotMartyr> So what's your story then?
[09:28] <visceralVanguard> Yes I suppose I should return the favor!
[09:29] <visceralVanguard> I am from the "future", so I would guess the same time as Alex
[09:30] <visceralVanguard> I lived in Norway before it was obliterated by meteors
[09:30] <visceralVanguard> I enjoy tinkering in my workshop
[09:30] <visceralVanguard> My planet is an odd place full of thin rocky spires jutting up out of a sea of darkness
[09:30] <snuffshotMartyr> Wait, the future still has Norway?
[09:31] <visceralVanguard> Above that darkness though, everything is full of light and orbs
[09:31] <snuffshotMartyr> Alex said countries weren't a thing anymore
[09:31] <visceralVanguard> It's very pretty
[09:31] <visceralVanguard> Albeit boring
[09:31] <visceralVanguard> Yes, Norway is still around
[09:31] <visceralVanguard> In some vague sense of the word around
[09:31] <visceralVanguard> Scandinavia was least affected by the ewars
[09:32] <snuffshotMartyr> Huh
[09:32] <visceralVanguard> We still return some autonomy from Faucet
[09:32] <snuffshotMartyr> Megacorporation?
[09:32] <visceralVanguard> But a string of corporate mergers have been eroding that
[09:32] <visceralVanguard> Indeed
[09:32] <visceralVanguard> It was only a matter of time before we got absorbed into New Netherlands
[09:33] <snuffshotMartyr> ... Huh
[09:33] <visceralVanguard> And then the meteors came
[09:33] <snuffshotMartyr> As they do
[09:34] <visceralVanguard> I still do not understand how that works if the world ended by meteors four times throughout history
[09:34] <snuffshotMartyr> Wait, four?
[09:34] <visceralVanguard> But in some cases with this game, I've learned questions just aren't worth asking
[09:34] <visceralVanguard> Yes, four
[09:34] <visceralVanguard> Well, four that I am aware of so far
[09:35] <snuffshotMartyr> Huh
[09:35] <visceralVanguard> The middle ages, feudal Japan, the 2000s, and then my time
[09:36] <snuffshotMartyr> Haven't seen someone from feudal Japan yet
[09:36] <visceralVanguard> There used to be a guy named Juan on our team from then
[09:36] <visceralVanguard> I haven't checked to see if he survived the scramble or not
[09:36] <snuffshotMartyr> What scramble?
[09:37] <visceralVanguard> The connection scramble
[09:37] <visceralVanguard> Tarane replaced Carlos as my server player
[09:37] <snuffshotMartyr> Oh, okay
[09:37] <snuffshotMartyr> The connection between the two chains
[09:37] <visceralVanguard> We had a ring before, so it is only reasonable to assume there was a change elsewhere too
[09:38] <snuffshotMartyr> I guess so
[09:38] <visceralVanguard> Otherwise someone would be left alone, topologicallly speaking
[09:38] <snuffshotMartyr> TBH, I never really figured out how the connections worked
[09:39] <snuffshotMartyr> I GM Alex, he GMs Tarane.  That's all I know
[09:39] <visceralVanguard> Anyways, I'm sure we will figure that out in time
[09:39] <visceralVanguard> Me either
[09:39] <visceralVanguard> What about you?
[09:39] <visceralVanguard> Who is your server?
[09:39] <snuffshotMartyr> I dunno
[09:39] <snuffshotMartyr> But I'm about to beat her face in
[09:40] <visceralVanguard> Oh gosh, that's what Nick said
[09:40] <visceralVanguard> Have fun with that, I suppose
[09:41] <snuffshotMartyr> Oh, I intend to
[09:41] <visceralVanguard> Just be careful, she is still on our team after all!
[09:42] <snuffshotMartyr> Eh, she'll live
[09:42] <snuffshotMartyr> Probably
[09:42] <visceralVanguard> She better
[09:42] <visceralVanguard> I am under the impression we will need everyone we can get to win this game
[09:42] <visceralVanguard> Her included
[09:42] <snuffshotMartyr> Is it even possible to win?
[09:43] <snuffshotMartyr> So far I've been having trouble just surviving
[09:43] <visceralVanguard> I believe so, yes
[09:43] <visceralVanguard> I have been uncovering a great deal of information about this game over time
[09:43] <snuffshotMartyr> That so?
[09:44] <snuffshotMartyr> Like what?
[09:44] <visceralVanguard> Call it a lucky break, call it happenstance, call it fated by the game
[09:44] <visceralVanguard> But I found a very helpful book
[09:44] <snuffshotMartyr> A guidebook?
[09:45] <visceralVanguard> Of sorts
[09:45] <snuffshotMartyr> Nice
[09:45] <visceralVanguard> I am lead to believe you may have found something similar, our at least tangentially related
[09:45] <snuffshotMartyr> ... ?
[09:45] <visceralVanguard> You have a crown, do you not?
[09:45] <visceralVanguard> Named Regent?
[09:45] <visceralVanguard> It can talk to you?
[09:46] <snuffshotMartyr> Oh
[09:46] <snuffshotMartyr> The book is your Reggie
[09:46] <snuffshotMartyr> Bluh
[09:46] <visceralVanguard> Well
[09:46] <visceralVanguard> Yes
[09:46] <visceralVanguard> Though, quite literally
[09:46] <Regent> "Hmm?"
[09:47] <snuffshotMartyr> I was hoping it'd have an index of the locations for those bed-rocks that were mentioned, but he doesn't know either
[09:47] <Lyra> "What?"
[09:47] <Regent> <Quotes are Thinking to Lyra, by the way>
[09:47] <Regent> "Sounds..."
[09:47] <Regent> "Unusual"
[09:47] <Lyra> "What does?"
[09:47] <Regent> "Her possession of something like me."
[09:48] <visceralVanguard> Those bed rocks are something we should steer clear of unless absolutely necessary at this point
[09:48] <Lyra> "Dude, you're like a planetary constant.  Alex has one too."
[09:48] <snuffshotMartyr> Why's that?
[09:48] <Regent> "..."
[09:48] <visceralVanguard> They are such an unknown factor at this point
[09:49] <Regent> "I would also advise to stay clear of the beds."
[09:49] <snuffshotMartyr> You die, you get back up but stronger.  What's the issue?
[09:49] <Lyra> "You die, you get back up but stronger.  What's the issue?"
[09:49] <visceralVanguard> Anything involving actually dying in this game is something we need to understand more before we come to rely on it
[09:49] <Regent> "Not that you could find them if you try."
[09:49] <snuffshotMartyr> Again.  I've died thrice now
[09:49] <visceralVanguard> How do you know you're stronger?
[09:49] <Regent> "She's right suicide is no minor thing, no matter how many times you've died."
[09:50] <visceralVanguard> Games almost always have penalties for dying
[09:50] <snuffshotMartyr> That's why I need the bed
[09:50] <visceralVanguard> We may not fully understand all of them yet
[09:50] <snuffshotMartyr> Free respawn
[09:50] <Regent> "Free?"
[09:50] <visceralVanguard> It might not be free
[09:50] <Lyra> "Dude.  It worked for whoever"
[09:51] <visceralVanguard> Dying always has a cost
[09:51] <snuffshotMartyr> No comment
[09:51] <visceralVanguard> Just because Byron is alive now doesn't mean he's fine
[09:51] <visceralVanguard> The point is, we don't know yet
[09:51] <snuffshotMartyr> Oh, I get it
[09:51] <Regent> "There is a psychological impact to actually dying Lyra. Not your fading into unconsciousness and waking back up, but actual death."
[09:51] <Regent> "It has a price"
[09:52] <Lyra> "So it's just another deal with the Abyss."
[09:52] <snuffshotMartyr> It's another way for them to break you down
[09:52] <visceralVanguard> Very possibly
[09:52] <Regent> "You are gonna continue to hurt yourself if you just recklessly hurl yourself into these situations"
[09:53] <Lyra> "So?  I don't have any other options, do I?"
[09:53] <visceralVanguard> That does seem to be something this game enjoys doing
[09:53] <snuffshotMartyr> And you still think it's possible to win?
[09:53] <Regent> "You could choose to not kill yourself."
[09:53] <visceralVanguard> I do
[09:53] <Lyra> "And then what?"
[09:53] <visceralVanguard> I am quite certain
[09:53] <Regent> "Why that is even a possibility strikes me as disturbing in your mind."
[09:53] <visceralVanguard> It has been won before
[09:53] <Regent> "Live."
[09:53] <visceralVanguard> Our very existence is proof of that
[09:54] <snuffshotMartyr> How so?
[09:54] <Regent> "And then live."
[09:54] <Lyra> "And then do what?"
[09:54] <visceralVanguard> Lyra
[09:54] <snuffshotMartyr> Eeyup?
[09:54] <visceralVanguard> Despite all of the catastrophe of this game
[09:54] <Regent> "Listen to Faerzen. She knows what she is saying."
[09:54] <visceralVanguard> In some ways, it rather beautiful
[09:54] <visceralVanguard> Yes it destroyed our home
[09:55] <visceralVanguard> Yes it killed my parents and my friends
[09:55] <Lyra> "All I'm hearing is that it's possible to win.  Which means that getting stronger via savepoint-suicide makes perfect sense."
[09:55] <visceralVanguard> Yes it continually tries to smash us into the ground
[09:55] <visceralVanguard> But at the end
[09:55] <visceralVanguard> We create a whole new world
[09:55] <visceralVanguard> Fresh and new
[09:56] <snuffshotMartyr> ...
[09:56] <visceralVanguard> To replace the old and broken
[09:56] <snuffshotMartyr> What are you talking about?
[09:56] <visceralVanguard> I don't yet fully understand how
[09:56] <visceralVanguard> But I'm getting there
[09:56] <visceralVanguard> What do you mean?
[09:56] <snuffshotMartyr> How the heck is this thing gonna create a world?
[09:57] <snuffshotMartyr> All it's done so far is tear things down
[09:57] <visceralVanguard> What I'm saying is that the existence of a whole new world with a whole new civilization of people depends on our success in this game
[09:57] <snuffshotMartyr> Fine
[09:57] <snuffshotMartyr> So how do we win?
[09:57] <Regent> "What she says is true"
[09:57] <visceralVanguard> And we better not give up so damn easily
[09:57] <Regent> "Even though you don't believe it yet."
[09:57] <visceralVanguard> Grow
[09:57] <visceralVanguard> Learn
[09:57] <visceralVanguard> Train
[09:58] <visceralVanguard> Build houses
[09:58] <Lyra> "I'll believe it when it happens."
[09:58] <visceralVanguard> And eventually defeat the black king on the battlefield
[09:58] <snuffshotMartyr> Oh man there's a king too?
[09:58] <visceralVanguard> Yes
[09:58] <visceralVanguard> Just like chess
[09:58] <Regent> "It really is ill advised to throw your life away like this Lyra."
[09:58] <snuffshotMartyr> I've been dealing with the queen this whole time
[09:58] <Lyra> "What's the alternative?"
[09:58] <Regent> "For all you know you won't come back."
[09:59] <visceralVanguard> She is the political powerhouse on Derse
[09:59] <Lyra> "I've come back every other time I thought I died."
[09:59] <Regent> "You would be willing to commit suicide on the words of a stranger?"
[09:59] <visceralVanguard> The king is on the battlefield leading the war against Prospit
[09:59] <visceralVanguard> Mostly preoccupied
[09:59] <snuffshotMartyr> Not much good at politics, is she?
[09:59] <visceralVanguard> For her, I would guess politics mostly means terror and tyranny
[10:00] <Lyra> "Weirder things have happened."
[10:00] <visceralVanguard> The point is there is a lot at stake here, and the prize is enormous
[10:00] <Regent> "Well then, get me a new body first."
[10:00] <Lyra> "Besides, YOU said I'd revive."
[10:00] <visceralVanguard> Why would we throw our lives away so easily into the unknown?
[10:00] <Regent> "You think you can trust me?"
[10:01] <snuffshotMartyr> And there's a way to win.
[10:01] <snuffshotMartyr> You know that for a fact?
[10:01] <Lyra> "Reg, you could have walked me off a cliff last time I was asleep."
[10:01] <visceralVanguard> Yes, those beds may revive us, but how do you know that's better than just straight up not dying at all?
[10:01] <Regent> "Could I have?"
[10:01] <Regent> "Do you really delude yourself that easily?"
[10:01] <visceralVanguard> Yes, I do know that for a fact
[10:01] <Lyra> "You walked me inside.  So yeah, yeah you could have."
[10:02] <snuffshotMartyr> How?
[10:02] <Regent> "Did you know you are a sleep walker Lyra?"
[10:02] <visceralVanguard> Our world was created by someone else winning this game
[10:02] <Lyra> "..."
[10:02] <snuffshotMartyr> ...
[10:02] <Lyra> "Seriously?"
[10:02] <snuffshotMartyr> Seriously?
[10:02] <Regent> "Yes"
[10:02] <visceralVanguard> The book told me, and it is the only thing that is consistent and reasonable at this point
[10:02] <Regent> "Ask her more about the book please"
[10:02] <visceralVanguard> It makes a lot of sense, actually
[10:03] <Lyra> "So you could have had the ogre kill me, then."
[10:03] <snuffshotMartyr> Right, your Regent
[10:03] <snuffshotMartyr> My one wants to know more about yours
[10:03] <visceralVanguard> Yes, that is one of the reasons I contacted you actually
[10:03] <snuffshotMartyr> ??
[10:03] <visceralVanguard> My one would
[10:03] <Regent> "I can't make people do something they don't want to do"
[10:03] <visceralVanguard> If he knew yours existed
[10:04] <visceralVanguard> I just told him now
[10:04] <Lyra> "The ogre seemed pretty eager to kill me before you stopped it."
[10:04] <Regent> "It didn't know what it was doing."
[10:04] <visceralVanguard> Fuck, multitasking conversations is hard
[10:04] <Regent> "It wouldn't have killed you."
[10:04] <snuffshotMartyr> Amen to that
[10:04] <visceralVanguard> The point is I'm trying to help mine
[10:04] <Regent> "All it would've done was bruise you a little."
[10:04] <visceralVanguard> Are you doing the same with yours now?
[10:04] <Lyra> "The enemies are peaceful now?  Is that the next plot twist that's getting dropped?"
[10:04] <snuffshotMartyr> Yeah
[10:05] <visceralVanguard> I'm having a dreadful time trying to think at mine and talk to you
[10:05] <snuffshotMartyr> He's trying to talk me out of using the beds
[10:05] <Regent> "The enemies don't want to kill players."
[10:05] <visceralVanguard> Why would you use them?
[10:05] <visceralVanguard> What's wrong with just staying alive?
[10:05] <Regent> "Their Derse commanders do."
[10:05] <snuffshotMartyr> Because they make you stronger
[10:05] <visceralVanguard> How?
[10:05] <visceralVanguard> Flight and clean pajamas?
[10:05] <snuffshotMartyr> Is that what it is?
[10:06] <visceralVanguard> That seems hardly worth death
[10:06] <Regent> "Tell her that I said you can't find them anyways."
[10:06] <snuffshotMartyr> You get back up, right?
[10:06] <Regent> "Don't want to worry the poor thing."
[10:06] <snuffshotMartyr> Besides, Reg won't tell me where they are
[10:06] <Lyra> "Yeah yeah"
[10:06] <visceralVanguard> Good
[10:07] <visceralVanguard> I see no point in killing yourself for something we don't even know is a net gain
[10:07] <Lyra> "So I don't need to worry about enemies anymore.  Is that it?"
[10:07] <snuffshotMartyr> Of course it's not a net gain
[10:07] <visceralVanguard> Our that will even work in the first place!
[10:07] <visceralVanguard> Then why kill yourself?
[10:07] <Regent> "Unless you want this body captured by the Derse too."
[10:07] <Lyra> "I've got a spare."
[10:08] <snuffshotMartyr> Because if this is an unfair trade between two aspects, I need the one I'd get
[10:08] <Regent> "Just because you have a spare doesn't mean you throw away what you are currently using."
[10:08] <snuffshotMartyr> Flying is pretty freaking useful
[10:08] <Regent> "That we are currently using."
[10:08] <visceralVanguard> You can find flight elsewhere
[10:08] <visceralVanguard> Nick and I did
[10:08] <snuffshotMartyr> The wings
[10:08] <visceralVanguard> It's not worth the risk
[10:08] <visceralVanguard> Yes
[10:08] <visceralVanguard> I found them on my land
[10:08] <Lyra> "Then that's it.  I trust you because if I die, you're stuck too."
[10:09] <Lyra> "M.A.D"
[10:09] <snuffshotMartyr> You *found* them?
[10:09] <visceralVanguard> Yes
[10:09] <visceralVanguard> Well
[10:09] <snuffshotMartyr> Tell me how to get the wings
[10:09] <visceralVanguard> I found an item that gave me them
[10:09] <snuffshotMartyr> Tell me how to get the item to get the wings
[10:10] <Regent> "You are acting stupidly Lyra"
[10:10] <visceralVanguard> You will have to look for something
[10:10] <visceralVanguard> I have no idea
[10:10] <Regent> "Try to remember."
[10:10] <Regent> "You already can fly."
[10:10] <Lyra> "Pen-wings don't work."
[10:10] <visceralVanguard> I didn't know it would give me wings at the time so I didn't collect the captcha code before expending the item
[10:10] <snuffshotMartyr> Bluh
[10:10] <Regent> "Well, not for you yet they don't"
[10:11] <snuffshotMartyr> What was it?
[10:11] <Regent> "Think harder."
[10:11] <visceralVanguard> It was a piece of paper
[10:11] <visceralVanguard> With beautifully detailed gold leaf
[10:11] <Lyra> "I'm TRYING!"
[10:11] <visceralVanguard> Showing a pair of angel wings
[10:11] <Regent> "Psh"
[10:12] <Regent> "I hate having to give answers to people who already have all the pieces"
[10:12] <visceralVanguard> Okay, we are getting sidetracked
[10:12] <Lyra> "Dreaming?  Fall asleep and sleepwalk myself to the sky?"
[10:12] <visceralVanguard> Your Regent
[10:12] <visceralVanguard> I have questions
[10:12] <visceralVanguard> As do you
[10:12] <Lyra> "I can't make a flying carpet without grist"
[10:12] <Regent> "Lame"
[10:12] <snuffshotMartyr> Fire away
[10:12] <Regent> "You just had wings a few minutes ago"
[10:13] <Lyra> "I'm not making more deals with the Abyss than I need to."
[10:13] <visceralVanguard> What do you know about him¿
[10:13] <visceralVanguard> As a person or as an item
[10:13] <visceralVanguard> Who is he?
[10:13] <snuffshotMartyr> He's a spirit inhabiting my crown
[10:13] <visceralVanguard> Where did he come from?
[10:13] <visceralVanguard> How did you get him?
[10:13] <snuffshotMartyr> Same place the queen and the planets did.  He's a game construct
[10:13] <snuffshotMartyr> I found him in a dungeon
[10:14] <Regent> "You already made the deal, and didn't even try to understand what you chose."
[10:14] <Lyra> "Help when I get to Derse is enough."
[10:14] <Regent> "Abyss didn't just blindly accept your offer."
[10:14] <visceralVanguard> Has he told you anything about himself?
[10:14] <snuffshotMartyr> Not really, no
[10:14] <Regent> "It doesn't bend to your terms."
[10:14] <Regent> "You bend to its"
[10:14] <visceralVanguard> Have you asked?
[10:14] <Lyra> "I know that."
[10:14] <snuffshotMartyr> No
[10:15] <Regent> "Well then you know that you can fly right now with your spectral wings."
[10:15] <visceralVanguard> My Regent
[10:15] <Regent> "The ones you can call up at any time."
[10:15] <Lyra> "..."
[10:15] <visceralVanguard> Is a spirit trapped in a book
[10:15]  * Lyra facepalms
[10:15] <Lyra> "Nickolai said the wings were part of the mask."
[10:15] <visceralVanguard> Ask your Regent how he came to be stuck in a crown
[10:15] <Regent> "You really should've asked about the terms of your contract."
[10:16] <Regent> "I'm not stuck in this crown."
[10:16] <Lyra> "The contract was that it'd help me on Derse."
[10:16] <Regent> "I chose to inhabit it."
[10:16] <Regent> "And it will."
[10:16] <Lyra> "Oh well isn't that peachy."
[10:16] <Regent> "It won't stop there though."
[10:16] <snuffshotMartyr> He's not stuck, he's just haunting it for fun
[10:16] <visceralVanguard> Why?
[10:16] <Regent> "Better than just floating around."
[10:16] <visceralVanguard> Why did he choose to?
[10:16] <visceralVanguard> What was he before?
[10:16] <Lyra> "Well good for it.  Always nice to go above and beyond."
[10:17] <Regent> "You aren't able to pay the price you accepted."
[10:17] <snuffshotMartyr> He's basically a ghost.  A crown was better than nothing
[10:17] <Lyra> "So what?  I'll, I dunno, get myself forsworn."
[10:17] <visceralVanguard> Does he ever remember being cursed?
[10:17] <Regent> "Before I was bodiless, the crown gives me a way to inhabit a body albeit indirectly."
[10:18] <Regent> "Cursed?"
[10:18] <Regent> "Nope"
[10:18] <snuffshotMartyr> Crown lets him possess wearers
[10:18] <visceralVanguard> Well that's disturbing
[10:18] <Regent> "You really don't understand."
[10:18] <Regent> "And I don't possess people."
[10:19] <Lyra> "So explain!"
[10:19] <Regent> "The mask will change you."
[10:19] <snuffshotMartyr> You get used to it
[10:19] <Regent> "You will hurt your friends and yourself"
[10:19] <visceralVanguard> I suppose
[10:19] <Regent> "You will do things you can't forgive yourself for."
[10:19] <Lyra> "Darkest Timeline stuff, yeah."
[10:20] <Lyra> "I'm pretty sure it can't be much worse than what Derse is leading me up to"
[10:20] <visceralVanguard> What did he say about being cursed? Is he aware of other versions, iterations, or fragments of himself?
[10:20] <Regent> "It is infinitely more so."
[10:20] <snuffshotMartyr> Says it isn't a curse
[10:20] <visceralVanguard> What isn't a curse?
[10:20] <Lyra> "How?"
[10:20] <snuffshotMartyr> Him being a ghost
[10:20] <Regent> "I don't know what the hell she is talking about other versions."
[10:20] <visceralVanguard> I asked if he had been cursed
[10:20] <snuffshotMartyr> He's not cursed, he's just like that
[10:21] <Regent> "Do you like killing people and eating their entrails?"
[10:21] <Lyra> "There are more copies of you.  Alex has one, Nickolai has one, Faerzen has one."
[10:21] <Lyra> "I dunno, never tried it."
[10:21] <Regent> "Trust me"
[10:21] <Regent> "You won't like it"
[10:22] <visceralVanguard> What did he say about the different versions of himself?
[10:22] <Regent> "Especially when the Mask forces you to."
[10:22] <snuffshotMartyr> He doesn't know they exist
[10:22] <visceralVanguard> They?
[10:22] <visceralVanguard> There's more than just mine?
[10:22] <snuffshotMartyr> Alex has one
[10:22] <visceralVanguard> Ah
[10:22] <Regent> "You've made a big mistake"
[10:22] <Lyra> "Fine.  So now I've gotten myself in with the dark forces.  Nickolai seems fine after he did just that."
[10:23] <Regent> "No. He doesn't."
[10:23] <visceralVanguard> Is that the crystal thing Tarane was talking about?
[10:23] <snuffshotMartyr> Yeah
[10:23] <Lyra> "He kinda does"
[10:23] <Regent> "Ask Faerzen about Nickolai and Abyss"
[10:23] <snuffshotMartyr> Reggie wants me to ask you about Nickolai and his mask
[10:23] <Regent> "About Nick's self destructive tendencies"
[10:24] <visceralVanguard> Oh god
[10:24] <visceralVanguard> What about them
[10:24] <snuffshotMartyr> 'self-destructive tendencies'
[10:24] <visceralVanguard> That is a very large question I very much don't like to think about
[10:24] <snuffshotMartyr> I know he was kinda gouging himself to forget
[10:24] <visceralVanguard> Fuck
[10:24] <snuffshotMartyr> But Reg seems to think it's worse than that
[10:24] <visceralVanguard> It is
[10:24] <snuffshotMartyr> Great
[10:25] <snuffshotMartyr> Tell me my future, O angel from above
[10:25] <visceralVanguard> I've basically been spending every waking minute trying to not get Nick to tear himself to pieces
[10:25] <visceralVanguard> Along with everyone else around him
[10:25] <visceralVanguard> Tell me your future?
[10:25] <Regent> Roll me a CHA check Lyra
[10:25] <visceralVanguard> What do you mean?
[10:25] <snuffshotMartyr> roll 1d20+5
[10:25] <`DICE> snuffshotMartyr rolled 1d20+5 [ 1d20=7 ]{12}
[10:25] <Regent> Roll 1d20+5
[10:25] <`DICE> Regent rolled 1d20+5 [ 1d20=13 ]{18}
[10:26] <Regent> Lyra blinks
[10:26] <snuffshotMartyr> Reg says I made the same deal
[10:26] <visceralVanguard> Fuck
[10:26] <visceralVanguard> No
[10:26] <visceralVanguard> No
[10:26] <visceralVanguard> No
[10:26] <snuffshotMartyr> And now he's trying to possess me, so that's nice
[10:26] <visceralVanguard> This is not what I wanted
[10:26] <visceralVanguard> What deal did you make
[10:26] <snuffshotMartyr> I wanted help in Derse
[10:27] <visceralVanguard> And?
[10:27] <snuffshotMartyr> Said we'd decide on a repayment later
[10:27] <visceralVanguard> Fuck
[10:27] <visceralVanguard> Fuck
[10:27] <visceralVanguard> Fuck
[10:27] <visceralVanguard> Okay
[10:27] <visceralVanguard> Um
[10:27] <visceralVanguard> This is one of those things I mentioned earlier
[10:28] <Regent> Lyra types on the screen: "Regent is making me type this. I have allowed the mask to imprint on me and am to be ruined by it in the future. Please help."
[10:28] <visceralVanguard> You know, the "I'd really rather not go into that?"
[10:28] <visceralVanguard> How do I put this
[10:28] <snuffshotMartyr> Aww crumbs.
[10:28] <visceralVanguard> Okay
[10:28] <visceralVanguard> Sorry, this is hard for me
[10:29] <snuffshotMartyr> S'fine
[10:29] <snuffshotMartyr> I got time before I turn into a bloodthirsty cannibal
[10:29] <visceralVanguard> In the future, a future that I hope to god isn't this one, the mask drove Nick over the edge
[10:29] <visceralVanguard> He is already psychologically unstable
[10:29] <visceralVanguard> I've been doing my best to try and preserve him
[10:30] <visceralVanguard> But in the future
[10:30] <visceralVanguard> He went more insane than I could save him from
[10:30] <visceralVanguard> He went on a rampage
[10:30] <visceralVanguard> Tortured members of our party
[10:30] <visceralVanguard> Murdered almost everyone
[10:31] <visceralVanguard> Kidnapped and stranded others
[10:31] <visceralVanguard> Apparently I was a female then, and
[10:31] <visceralVanguard> ....
[10:31] <snuffshotMartyr> Gotcha
[10:31] <visceralVanguard> Well, he raped me, I guess
[10:31] <visceralVanguard> The point is
[10:31] <visceralVanguard> He had no control
[10:32] <visceralVanguard> No boundaries
[10:32] <snuffshotMartyr> Welp.  Time to pick one of these weapons to blow myself up with, I guess
[10:32] <visceralVanguard> And knowing that he did that with the mask is torturing him now
[10:32] <visceralVanguard> No
[10:32] <snuffshotMartyr> No?
[10:32] <snuffshotMartyr> I can't just chill with Alex in my backup?
[10:32] <Regent> "Won't help."
[10:32] <visceralVanguard> It doesn't have to be that way
[10:32] <visceralVanguard> But it can
[10:33] <visceralVanguard> That mask is dangerous
[10:33] <snuffshotMartyr> Fine.  How do I fix it?
[10:33] <visceralVanguard> It can technically be used for good
[10:33] <visceralVanguard> But it is incredibly risky
[10:33] <visceralVanguard> And nigh impossible to control
[10:33] <snuffshotMartyr> Barbatorum
[10:33] <visceralVanguard> What was the exact deal you made
[10:33] <snuffshotMartyr> Gotta aim the nuke to use it for good
[10:33] <snuffshotMartyr> "Hey come help me on Derse"
[10:34] <snuffshotMartyr> Then I said we'd agree on terms later
[10:34] <visceralVanguard> And what happened from that?
[10:34] <snuffshotMartyr> I gave it back to Nickolai and went on my way
[10:34] <Regent> "You got screwed over by not being specific enough."
[10:35] <Lyra> "I said we'd agree on terms.  That means I'm going to have to agree with the terms."
[10:35] <visceralVanguard> But nothing apparent yet has resulted from that?
[10:35] <snuffshotMartyr> Not yet, no
[10:35] <visceralVanguard> Fuck
[10:35] <visceralVanguard> That's so open ended
[10:35] <snuffshotMartyr> Haven't slept, so I dunno what aspect the help is even gonna provide
[10:35] <visceralVanguard> Anything could happen
[10:35] <Regent> "Good luck with that."
[10:35] <snuffshotMartyr> Probably something useless, knowing this game
[10:35] <visceralVanguard> It can demand almost anything from you
[10:35] <Regent> "Agreeing on terms while you are under its influence."
[10:36] <snuffshotMartyr> And I can say no.
[10:36] <visceralVanguard> It can even control you!
[10:36] <visceralVanguard> What makes you think you can say no when it makes you say yes?
[10:36] <snuffshotMartyr> Contracts made under duress are null and void.  It won't count.
[10:37] <visceralVanguard> Says who?
[10:37] <Regent> "Lyra, Honey, This ain't a court"
[10:37] <snuffshotMartyr> ...
[10:37] <snuffshotMartyr> Aww crumbs.
[10:37] <visceralVanguard> That is a legal term
[10:37] <visceralVanguard> Nobody is here to enforce that now
[10:37] <visceralVanguard> It can do whatever it wants
[10:37] <snuffshotMartyr> Then what's the point of making a deal?
[10:38] <visceralVanguard> So it can profit
[10:38] <snuffshotMartyr> It coulda screwed me over the moment I put on the cursed item
[10:38] <Regent> Lyra blinks to find herself on the ground of Alex's house
[10:38] <visceralVanguard> It had very little interest in helping you, I would imagine, unless it profits from it
[10:39] <visceralVanguard> Who knows what its motives are?
[10:39]  * snuffshotMartyr goes to the computer to continue
[10:39] <snuffshotMartyr> ((Without Regent on this body))
[10:39] <snuffshotMartyr> Probably the same thing the rest of Sabath wants
[10:40] <snuffshotMartyr> Drag us down and make us suffer
[10:40] <visceralVanguard> No
[10:40] <visceralVanguard> That's not its end goal
[10:40] <snuffshotMartyr> Right, first we gotta make a new universe for it to torture
[10:40] <snuffshotMartyr> Otherwise we'll eventually break and it'll run out of stuff to do
[10:41] <visceralVanguard> It is reproducing
[10:42] <ATtheorytime[Huelicopter]> Lyra notices a phantom limb sensation in her back between the shoulder blades
[10:42] <visceralVanguard> It needs to press us to make sure the seeds we produce are viable and strong
[10:42] <ATtheorytime[Huelicopter]> Spectral wings are back again
[10:42] <Lyra> "Aww crumbs."
[10:43] <snuffshotMartyr> Seems like giving it something new to torture is a pretty bad thing for us to do
[10:43] <visceralVanguard> It screws us over so that only the truly strong teams win
[10:43] <visceralVanguard> Can you say that though?
[10:43] <ATtheorytime[Huelicopter]> < Darwinian evolution baby>
[10:44] <visceralVanguard> Is this brief week of insufferable existence really bad enough that it invalidates the beauty of the entirety of the human race's time on earth?
[10:44] <snuffshotMartyr> One week, huh?
[10:44] <visceralVanguard> Just because a flower dies and goes to seed, turning ugly and rotting, does that make the existence of the bloom pointless?
[10:45] <visceralVanguard> We might as well just not have flowers then, by that argument
[10:45] <snuffshotMartyr> Don't get philosophical on me here
[10:45] <snuffshotMartyr> Sabath could have, I dunno, NOT destroyed the planet?
[10:45] <visceralVanguard> Yes it probably could have
[10:46] <snuffshotMartyr> But...
[10:46] <visceralVanguard> But would we have as much motivation to press forward and succeed if we knew we just had a normal planet to fall back on?
[10:46] <visceralVanguard> We would have no reason to endure any of this!
[10:46] <snuffshotMartyr> The only reason we need to do this in the first place is because the old world got destroyed by freaking meteors!
[10:47] <visceralVanguard> All a part of the life cycle
[10:47] <visceralVanguard> Everything dies
[10:47] <visceralVanguard> Eventually
[10:47] <visceralVanguard> And everything is reborn
[10:47] <visceralVanguard> That last part is why we're here
[10:47] <snuffshotMartyr> To fix the game's screwup
[10:48] <visceralVanguard> That's one way of looking at it
[10:49] <snuffshotMartyr> So what does the Abyss have to do with this whole thing?
[10:49] <snuffshotMartyr> That's not at all how regular Darwinism works
[10:49] <visceralVanguard> I like to think of it more in terms of propagating life, but whatever
[10:49] <visceralVanguard> Abyss?
[10:49] <visceralVanguard> I have no idea
[10:50] <visceralVanguard> I do know it is an unknown force that is apparently okay with entirely demolishing sessions
[10:50] <snuffshotMartyr> Oh, great
[10:50] <visceralVanguard> As it did Nick
[10:50] <snuffshotMartyr> So this isn't propagation at all, that we're doing
[10:50] <visceralVanguard> For what purpose or goal, I know not
[10:51] <visceralVanguard> How so?
[10:51] <snuffshotMartyr> The propagation part was the meteors that split us off from Earth
[10:51] <snuffshotMartyr> Right now, this is us trying to defend the young from predation
[10:51] <snuffshotMartyr> Like the Queen, or the Abyss.
[10:51] <visceralVanguard> Yes, that too
[10:51] <visceralVanguard> Aren't they one in the same though?
[10:52] <visceralVanguard> Sending seeds and new life into the world
[10:52] <snuffshotMartyr> I don't think so
[10:52] <visceralVanguard> Testing so only the most fit survive to reproduce themselves
[10:52] <visceralVanguard> Sounds like classic Darwinism to me
[10:53] <snuffshotMartyr> Sorta, I guess
[10:53] <snuffshotMartyr> But there's a lot of better ways to go about it than this parasitism
[10:53] <visceralVanguard> Survival of the fittest
[10:53] <visceralVanguard> Maybe there are
[10:53] <visceralVanguard> Maybe there aren't
[10:53] <visceralVanguard> But this is how it is, and there isn't anything we can do to change that
[10:53] <snuffshotMartyr> Fine
[10:53] <snuffshotMartyr> You're right
[10:54] <snuffshotMartyr> Gotta endure, and eventually it'll get better
[10:54] <visceralVanguard> So the best we can do is try and beat this wretched thing and then change it
[10:54] <visceralVanguard> Yes
[10:54] <visceralVanguard> Exactly
[10:54] <visceralVanguard> Who knows
[10:54] <visceralVanguard> Maybe when we create a new world, we can make this part about it different
[10:54] <snuffshotMartyr> Well that's... really really unfortunate
[10:54] <visceralVanguard> We'll find out when we get there
[10:55] <visceralVanguard> But a have to get there first
[10:55] <snuffshotMartyr> Now I gotta figure out a new not-a-plan
[10:55] <snuffshotMartyr> I had one, for dealing with Derse, for when the mask failed to come help me
[10:55] <snuffshotMartyr> But I guess this screws that over
[10:56] <visceralVanguard> I think Regent can help with that
[10:56] <visceralVanguard> Maybe
[10:56] <snuffshotMartyr> Well I can't really ask him anymore, unless he's sitting there on the other computer
[10:57] <visceralVanguard> Why?
[10:57] <visceralVanguard> Aren't you wearing him?
[10:57] <snuffshotMartyr> I swapped bodies a couple minutes ago
[10:57] <visceralVanguard> Oh
[10:57] <snuffshotMartyr> Now I'm on Alex's computer again
[10:57] <visceralVanguard> Okay, well
[10:57] <visceralVanguard> Some context
[10:57] <visceralVanguard> My Regent
[10:58] <visceralVanguard> Was cursed to be stuck in the book
[10:58] <visceralVanguard> By something or someone
[10:58] <snuffshotMartyr> Okay
[10:58] <visceralVanguard> But also cursed to have great knowledge
[10:58] <visceralVanguard> Vast knowledge
[10:58] <visceralVanguard> He's been helping me a great deal
[10:59] <visceralVanguard> Until recently
[10:59] <visceralVanguard> I screwed up
[10:59] <visceralVanguard> I made Regent mad
[10:59] <visceralVanguard> Something happened
[10:59] <snuffshotMartyr> ??
[10:59] <visceralVanguard> And now he has no memories of before now
[11:00] <visceralVanguard> He's terrified and depressed
[11:00] <visceralVanguard> And confused
[11:00] <snuffshotMartyr> Oh, of course.  Can't give you proper information for long enough to let it help you out
[11:00] <visceralVanguard> Sounds like Regent alright
[11:00] <visceralVanguard> But my Regent is feeling awful right now
[11:00] <visceralVanguard> And in
[11:01] <visceralVanguard> And I'm pretty sure it's my fault
[11:01] <snuffshotMartyr> ...
[11:01] <visceralVanguard> I think your Regent may be able to help
[11:01] <visceralVanguard> But I don't know
[11:01] <snuffshotMartyr> Dude how could you possibly tick off Reg?
[11:01] <snuffshotMartyr> He's like the most obnoxiously cheerful dude
[11:01] <visceralVanguard> Let's just say
[11:02] <visceralVanguard> I have a talent for being an asshole to the people I care about
[11:02] <visceralVanguard> Not my Regent
[11:02] <visceralVanguard> Mine was very moody and melodramatic
[11:02] <snuffshotMartyr> Huh
[11:02] <snuffshotMartyr> Weird
[11:02] <visceralVanguard> He'd been trapped in this book more or less alone for a long time
[11:02] <snuffshotMartyr> Ah
[11:03] <visceralVanguard> And now he doesn't remember any of it
[11:03] <snuffshotMartyr> Isolation was kinda a thing mine was bothered about too
[11:03] <visceralVanguard> Maybe mine is a future version of yours
[11:03] <visceralVanguard> Maybe they are unrelated
[11:04] <snuffshotMartyr> Hard to say
[11:04] <snuffshotMartyr> Wait, yours called itself Regent?
[11:04] <visceralVanguard> I don't know, but I figured talking to yours might help both of us
[11:04] <visceralVanguard> Yes
[11:04] <visceralVanguard> It says its name was Reggie
[11:04] <visceralVanguard> Or Regent
[11:04] <snuffshotMartyr> Alright, guess that answers that.  Yours is future-mine
[11:05] <snuffshotMartyr> Or... something
[11:05] <snuffshotMartyr> I gave him the name
[11:05] <visceralVanguard> Ah
[11:05] <visceralVanguard> Interesting
[11:05] <snuffshotMartyr> So now we've got time travel
[11:05] <snuffshotMartyr> Fun
[11:05] <visceralVanguard> Well I may need to come visit at some point
[11:06] <snuffshotMartyr> Guess so
[11:06] <visceralVanguard> Oh, believe me, we already had time travel
[11:06] <visceralVanguard> I've seen a future version of myself die in my arms
[11:06] <visceralVanguard> That's fucking time travel right there
[11:06] <visceralVanguard> Nick too.
[11:06] <snuffshotMartyr> Right, Nickolai's Darkest Timeline
[11:06] <snuffshotMartyr> Almost managed to forget about that
[11:07] <visceralVanguard> Well don't
[11:07] <visceralVanguard> Because it unfortunately may be important
[11:07] <snuffshotMartyr> Eeyup
[11:07] <visceralVanguard> I've been telling my Regent everything you've been telling me about yours
[11:08] <snuffshotMartyr> Mine's just been watching the screen
[11:08] <snuffshotMartyr> Except now, I guess, because he's on the other planet
[11:08] <snuffshotMartyr> Possibly reading anyway
[11:08] <visceralVanguard> And I want some time to properly talk with it and figure out what it wants to do
[11:08] <snuffshotMartyr> You there, Reggie?
[11:08] <visceralVanguard> Guess not.
[11:08] <visceralVanguard> Hmm
[11:09] <visceralVanguard> We will figure something out here
[11:09] <snuffshotMartyr> Eeyup
[11:09] <visceralVanguard> I'll let you know what I find out, and I'll also talk to Nick
[11:10] <visceralVanguard> Please keep me posted on Abyss and Derse
[11:10] <snuffshotMartyr> Eeyup
[11:10] <snuffshotMartyr> This is gonna suck, isn't it?
[11:10] <visceralVanguard> Almost certainly
[11:10] <snuffshotMartyr> Fun
[11:10] <visceralVanguard> But if we prepare and stick together, we have a better shot
[11:10] <snuffshotMartyr> Sure
[11:11] <visceralVanguard> I'll talk to you soon
[11:11] <visceralVanguard> Thanks for everything!
[11:11] <visceralVanguard> It was great to meet you
[11:11] <snuffshotMartyr> You too
[11:11] <snuffshotMartyr> Even if it means I'm now a herald of the apocalypse
[11:11] <visceralVanguard> It's nice having conversations with someone who questions things as much as you do
[11:12] <visceralVanguard> We'll get something figured out
[11:12] <visceralVanguard> Don't worry
[11:12] <snuffshotMartyr> Whatever you say
[11:12] <visceralVanguard> The apocalypse already happened
[11:12] <snuffshotMartyr> Then the double apocalypse
[11:12] <visceralVanguard> Hehehe
[11:12] <snuffshotMartyr> The death of whatever worldspawn we're protecting
[11:12] <visceralVanguard> Yay.
[11:13] <visceralVanguard> I will talk with you soon
[11:13] <visceralVanguard> Hang in there!
[11:13] <snuffshotMartyr> You too
[11:13] <visceralVanguard> VV bid farewell to SM
[11:13]  * snuffshotMartyr ceases pestering visceralVanguard