This is a game - IC

[Sir Grave]

THIS IS A GAME

MAP (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hULZuYvmwDVN9wsde7VaK1paYce4Z5MFClNj0EtGks4/edit?usp=sharing)

Destiel - A fallen angel

Ewan - A red headed mage

Goolette - A slime girl.

The characters awaken. They find themselves in a rather bland and ordinary square room made of stone. There is only one door.

[Dwarven Cabbage]

Goolette

A pink puddle in the corner starts to bubble up and form a vague shape, much akin to that of a loaf of bread with eyes. It lets out an audible, gurgling yawn as it slinks absently across the area in front of the door, somewhat oblivious to the other two creatures in the room.

"Hmm hmm..." Goolette yawned again, the loaf taking the shape of a humanoid head floating in the gloopy, ever-bubbling puddle.

[stanleyindraven]

Destiel looks around. "This is not where I should be."

[Sir Grave]

Destiel and Goolette look around the room. While they both are presently active, the small red headed character seems to be in a deep sleep.

Then suddenly, another sleeping character appears. It seems to be a plague doctor from the Victorian era.

Nothing else of note. The walls behave like walls. The door remains unopened. Impatiently so.

[Sir Grave]

The door suddenly becomes a blaring red color to stand out to the characters, in case it had gone unnoticed.

[Hypersmith]

Malcom sits up and readjusts his mask to properly cover his face, then looks curiously at the people around him. Or rather, the pseudo people. Abominations was a better word. He grips his came and speaks, his voice rather eerie because of the reverb of the mask.
"Who are you, and how did I get here? What Magyks did you use?"

[stanleyindraven]

"I am Destiel, I do not know how I came to be here. Though I am thinking that door is were we are supposed to be going." The angel shifts about with his wings in the small room.

[Hypersmith]

The doctor raises his cane and pokes at the angel's wings, then the gooey mass. "They appear real... Curious. I must get out of here to start the experiments! You shall be my subjects. Come along."
He casually turns his back and pushed the door open, then checks over his shoulder. "Soulless ginger, you are included. Come, follow."

[Dwarven Cabbage]

Goolette

The pink puddle proceeds to permit the prodding from the plague doctor as the cane would likely just stick into her amorphous mass. She seems relatively unfazed by any of it.

"Goolette is Goolette. Who are you, bird person? And other bird person?" The puddle blinks slowly as if relating the two by similar characteristics she had noted in birds; a beak and wings respectively. The goo slowly inches towards the redheaded mage, leaves behind a dollop of her goo on his shoe, and slithers back beside the others.

"Going going~" She burbles, sliding down beneath the doctor's legs and into the hallway proper.

[Sir Grave]

The red head remains asleep. It is possible the characters must leave him behind or carry him along.

On the other side of the door is a slightly bigger square room. An old guy stands between the characters and another door. It looks like he's about to drone on about something. Options are presented before the characters.

A. Listen to the old guy.
B. Attack the old guy.
C. Ignore the old guy and move to the next room.
D. Talk before the old guy speaks.
E. Other.

[Sir Grave]

The red headed character disintigrates.

[Sir Grave]

Then, just as soon, a donkey appeared.

[Gaius]

<Yet Unnamed Donkey>

The donkey appears very confused, looking around as his long ears bounce and twitch, tasseled tail flicking nervously. In a surprising twist, he proceeds to speak. "Wha--? Where am I? Who the devil are you all supposed to be?" He then begins to notice a funny feeling in his, well, his everything. His voice takes on a tone of great concern. "What happened? Why do I feel so... peculiar...?"

[Sir Grave]

The old man’s face begins to turn purple as he holds his breath, patiently waiting for the characters to make their choice before he begins his monologue.

[Hypersmith]

The doctor stomps a foot on the ground. "Hardly a loss. Plenty of gingers at home. The law is the problem there. Speaking animals are far more interesting.
He points grandiosly at the donkey. "I was wondering the same, intelligent ass. I am Malcom the peculiar, cuter of disease and banisher of evil magics. For the sake of science, you will accompany me, the winged being, and the sentient Goo to the nearest alchemy station.
He attempts to poke the options with his cane. "Is this some form of cursed novel?"

[Sir Grave]

“Excuse me!” The old man shouted suddenly. “Have you no manners? Don’t you know when an old man is about to speak, the young are supposed to listen? Bah!”

He points his cane intently. “Oh, I see! You think cocky whipper snappers can do without my advice? Well, good luck trying to understand the rules of this place, let me tell you! I bet you don’t even know how to attack, or pick up items! You’ll sooner end up dead and starting all the way at the beginning, then you’ll come crying to me asking me how it all works!”

His turn ends, but he continues talking.

[Gaius]

<Yet Unnamed Donkey>

At a certain word from Malcom, the donkey's demeanor changes to a certain baffled affront. He seems to choke on this for a while, demonstrating his consternation in all sorts of ridiculous body language, before finally collecting himself enough to speak around the end of the old man's turn. The old man will likely not appreciate being completely ignored, or even talked over.

"I... Ass!? How dare you, you half-baked, beaked, quack!" He gives an equine snort, ears flattened against his skull. He draws himself up despite his indignation, adopting a more regal bearing than most would assume a donkey could manage. "Have you any idea whom you're addressing? I am hee haw!"

His ears flick and he goes silent a moment. That didn't sound like "Prince Bastien" to him... Fortunately, denial of the uncomfortable kicks in quickly. He reasons that, since such a beastly noise couldn't have possibly emerged from his noble throat, it must not have. So, he tries again more forcefully. "You are addressing hee HAWW!"

The donkey looks positively spooked. Not least from having tried to cover his braying mouth with his hand and finding his arm uncooperative. He looks down, spies his new front feet, and understands why. Horrified but fascinated, he lifts a foreleg experimentally and clops his hoof against the floor a couple of times. Bracing himself, he turns to look over his shoulder and sees his long gray back for the first time, new tail giving a nervous flick, as though waving to him. "Ahh..." he says, sounding ill, "That... explains a bit..."

[stanleyindraven]

"I am willing to is ten. Please explain your rules to me." Destiel says.

[Dwarven Cabbage]

Goolette

The amorphous blob hunkered back down into a loaf-like state in front of the flustered old man, blinking slowly up at him.

"Goolette will... listen." She said slowly, already idly blowing bubbles in her own slime as half of her face basically melded with the rest of her puddle-like self.

[Gaius]

Prince Bastien (?)

The prince-turned-donkey gives a shake of his head, collecting himself as the winged man and ooze woman reassure the elder. He clears his throat and takes a few hesitant clip-clopping steps. "I would also be glad for any words of wisdom about... all of this." He pricks up his ears.

[Sir Grave]

The old man snorts. “Hmph. Well at least half you lot have some manners.
“But you are mistaken, my winged friend. These are not my rules. I am but a tutorial. A tutorial for the game.
”You will come across many rooms like this one. In each room, you will make a choice. Some choices will help you advance forward. Others might keep you trapped in the same place, or sending you backwards. Others...”
His eyes darken, “Others might kill you. Heh heh...”
“Ah why the long faces? I’m sure you sprites were picked by your masters for a good reason!
“In any case, to make certain choices, you’ll need to know the mechanic! Had you selected attack, for example, you would have found yourselves unable to, and I would have proceeded to beat you all with my cane until you died.
”The mechanic is simple. When the text of the narrator is bold, roll a die with twenty faces.”
He laughs. “Oh, don’t understand? Well don’t worry. Your masters understand perfectly well. Heh heh...”
“You should know, however, that the mechanic is not useful against everything. Oh no... there are things you cannot win against... such as the Champion...
”Beware the clanking of boots.
“Also, it’s wise to gather as many items as you can. You’ll never know when they’ll be useful.
“Oh! Your bonuses! Write these down, lest you forget!
“Destiel, you get a bonus two to social interactions, and can access certain doors! But beware of black energy. It can make you unwell.
”Goolette, your attacks progressively make opponents slower, and you can squeeze in spaces that others can’t. But be sure you are never separated.
“Malcom, you can remove certain conditions by spending one turn. And you get a bonus two to scientific items! But you’ve a weaker frame than most. I’d suggest avoiding getting hit.
”Lastly, this... donkey. Hmm. Well...
”He can carry a lot of items. And he’s pretty strong. I’d say a bonus two on strength related rolls.
“Negative two to social interactions. Sorry, but you are in fact a donkey.
”As for the goal? Well. You’ll find that out soon enough.
“Questions? Hmmmmmm?”

[Hypersmith]

Malcom mutters something about leeches under his breath as he turns to listen to the old man. He taps his beak and replies.
"Accursed riddle speaker. Have you anything you can give us to ease the start of this maze?"

[Sir Grave]

The old man smiles, showing his crooked yellow teeth. "Trust your masters. And if all is lost... they may always reset."

[Gaius]

Prince Bastien (?)

The donkey's ears droop at the mention of his diminished social interaction skills. "But I had so many years of etiquette lessons... I should be practically made of charisma. For crying out loud, donkey or not, I'm still a hee haww!"

He grimaces, face getting hot. "... For an actual question, why does that keep happening and how do I make it stop? While you're at it, any idea how I turn back into a--" The donkey catches himself. "-- into what I used to be?"

The royal jackass then actually thinks about something beyond his personal dignity, ears pricking up at something the old man said. "Resetting sounds... ominous. What would that involve?"

[Sir Grave]

Prince Bastien (?)

The donkey's ears droop at the mention of his diminished social interaction skills. "But I had so many years of etiquette lessons... I should be practically made of charisma. For crying out loud, donkey or not, I'm still a hee haww!"

He grimaces, face getting hot. "... For an actual question, why does that keep happening and how do I make it stop? While you're at it, any idea how I turn back into a--" The donkey catches himself. "-- into what I used to be?"

The royal jackass then actually thinks about something beyond his personal dignity, ears pricking up at something the old man said. "Resetting sounds... ominous. What would that involve?"

“Hey, I don’t make the bonuses, I’m just the medium.

”And how should I know? Your master chose the sprite. Ask him... well... perhaps you can’t. Then again, perhaps on your ventures, you might find the creator. He might know.

”As for resetting, it means starting all the way from the beginning. A clean slate. Everything as it was when you first began the game.”

[Hypersmith]

Malcom taps his cane on the ground a few times as he thinks.

"Nothing else is forthcoming from you then. If we reset, expect me to be in a bad mood for this delaying my research. And you, ass. I have heard of tales not unlike yours. Witches turning men into frogs and familiars. I will research a cure. Now step aside old man, so I may access the next passage!"

[Gaius]

Prince Bastien (?)

The former prince nods along. "Creator, hm... Who is that? And what's this business about 'sprites' and 'masters' anyway?" The donkey's ears drop. "And why do I get the sense it's going to make as much sense to us as that 'twenty faces' gobbledygook?"

He heaves a braying sigh of relief at the masked one's words, tail practically wagging. "Oh, thank you, good doctor Malcom! That does my heart a kindness. Er, sorry for that 'half-baked quack' remark. ... Though I would ask to be called by some name other than 'ass.' At least until my name and title stop coming out as a bray."

[stanleyindraven]

"Donkey it is then," Destiel says with a smirk.

[Hypersmith]

"Unfortunately for you, ass is quick and convenient. You'll need to offer some alternative yourself, my mind is otherwise occupied.
He leans in with a conspiratal whisper. "The poor man is either possessed, or has taken a hard knock to the head. Ignore his inane ramblings."

[Gaius]

Prince Bastien (Donkey ?)

The gray-furred prince winces at the fallen angel's idea. He likes it better than "ass," he supposes, but can't bring himself to say he likes it. "It's certainly... accurate, for now..."

His ears perk and adjust slightly to better tune in on Malcom's whispering. Actually amused a touch, he smirks and whispers back, "Now, now, don't knock it. Since I woke up this morning, I've gained twice as many legs and about a foot's length in each ear. I'm rather hoping I'm either possessed or suffering a hard knock to the head."

In any case, absent any suggestions, the transfigured prince gives another braying sigh and then begins thinking of something to call himself. Unfortunately, general stress and aggravation at his predicament pair with rising annoyance and affront at the necessity of having to come up with something as significant as a name in the moment like this... Well, they prove quite distracting. They don't take long to boil over. "Y'know what?" he says, ears flat and tail athrash. "I've decided I don't care. Given the noise I make when I try to say my name, why not call me 'Bray.' Whatever shortens the time I spend stuck like this."

He takes a few clip-clopping steps closer to the old man. "Now, unless you have any helpful answers to my questions about this 'creator,' 'sprites,' and 'masters' business -- or anyone else has any questions right now -- then thanks, I'm calling us done in here, so let's be on our way." The donkey gives the geezer something like a respectful nod. And then probably regrets his next words. "So help me, I will carry someone if it gets us moving faster."

[Sir Grave]

The slime girl, bored with all the talking, stared off into space and began sliding towards the doorway.

The old man chuckled. “Ohohoho. You think I’m crazy?

”Perhaps I am. But once you realize the truth, perhaps you’ll be just as insane as I am.

“Then again, denying the truth before you might make you insane as well... in this case, choice is meaningless.

“Oh well. In the absence of reason, the only thing left to do is play the game, isn’t it...?”

The old man falls asleep standing up.

Proceeding on past the next door, the group encounters a door on the left, the right, and ahead of them. Three doors in total. Left is green. Right is blue. Forward is red.

Which door?

[stanleyindraven]

"Green means go, I say we go that way," Destiel says to the others.

[Gaius]

Bray (Prince Bastien)

Bray gives as good of a shrug as he can. "Sound enough reasoning to me." He perks up his ears, listening intently. "Hm, I don't think I hear any clanking so far... Unless there's some other idea, I'm fine with green."

[Hypersmith]

"I see little point in starting a dispute. Green is appropriate for me.

[stanleyindraven]

Destiel will open the green door.

[Sir Grave]

The Green Door opens... (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IyUShIhcpcNQv5_vbcZZ6339WnAzYYj3b-D5bDlx95s)

A cold washes over the four characters. The smell of pine floods their nostrils. Before them, a snow covered clearing amidst a dense forest which seems to sway back and forth with an eerie wind. It is dark, with no moon, no stars. Only a ceiling painted to be midnight blue, and an eerie light source unknown to any of the character’s present.

The trees are so packed there doesn’t seem to be a way through them. The clearing only leads one way: to the mouth of a cave. The inside of which is a pall of shadow no one can see beyond.

What do you do?

[Hypersmith]

Malcom takes a slow, deliberate look at the trees, inhaling the cool atmosphere. He twists the top of his cane to loosen the hidden sword inside, readying it for trouble. "I'm not at ease here. Lead the way. I'll be right at your back."

[Gaius]

"Well. This is... unexpected." The prince didn't imaginehe'd ever feel that way again after discovering his new body, but here he is. He nods to Malcom and trots forward, hooves crunching the through snow. He feels a slight chill and supposes he should be glad he's coated in fur. This silver lining does not survive his remembering that he is technically going about starkers.

Feeling cautious, Bray doesn't head into the cave, but stops a distance away, squinting as he tries to peer into it. If his eyesight in the dark has improved since becoming an animal, it's not enough to matter. "Hmm... If that's really meant to be a cave, it might not get any brighter than it looks," he muses to his allies. "Perhaps we'd be better off going back to try another door? Maybe see if we can find a torch or something?"

[stanleyindraven]

Destiel stands just inside the door, staring at the trees and snow.

[Sir Grave]

A decision has yet to be made. Understandable. One must always think before choosing.

As the group ponders their next move, a small dust bunny flows gently on the cold wind.

Otherwise, nothing happens.

[stanleyindraven]

"I have no problem proceeding."

[Gaius]

The donkey gives a braying sigh. "Well, if you're sure... It's not as though I can work a door handle myself like this." He lifts a forehoof and glares at it. "So, better to get a move on than stand around in the cold."

Still wary of any sound, sight, or other sense, Bray leads the way into the cave.

[stanleyindraven]

Destiel will start to proceed toward the cave.

[Sir Grave]

The group proceeds down the snowy path. As they close in on the cave entrance, they hear drips echo from within.

The forest becomes eerily quiet.

...

A shadow looms from behind Goolette who freezes in place. An antlered creature appears appears, grinning as it gazes down at the slime girl.

[Gaius]

Bray pauses, noting the sudden quiet outside. Nervously, he takes another look back over his shoulder... and spots the new menacing arrival. "Ahh!! Look out!" Having shouted a warning, he whirls around as quick as his awkward new body can manage, facing the thing for a better look.