Remove ads

Nyctohylophobia (Perma-death Quest)

Reader mode
Well most horror movies like don't mention how it is like a horror movie scenario within the movie. Which I personally don't understand why. It is missing out a grand opportunity to make some pretty great references.
 
Yeah, which goes to show how underused this concept of referencing other horror movies and the like are in horror movies.

It has so much untapped potential. Hollywood should get on a higher level.
 
Shiranui said:
Yeah, which goes to show how underused this concept of referencing other horror movies and the like are in horror movies.

It has so much untapped potential. Hollywood should get on a higher level.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
So long as it doesn't degrade into characters going "This is just like one of my Japanse animes those Friday the 13th movies! Good thing I'm genre savvy and won't get killed like those character!" then I will agree.
 
[X] Suggest all three of you go check on Eli & Danielle.

Sure, let's all pretend this is a game of Delta Green/Call of Cthluhlu and advance in the diamond formation. Not my quadrant!

Joking, of course. We need another person for that.
 
TheLordofAwesome said:
"To be fair," Lucas says, raising a finger. "They tend to write those characters to be as unlikable as possible so you don't feel bad when they are killed."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Careful now, Lucas. You are dangerously close to attaining self-awareness, and we can't have that.

So how long until the hidden artist in him takes over and he decides to make an addition to the gallery of horrors?

[X] Ignore it, it was probably nothing.
-[X] You and Sierra go check the basement, Lucas keeps watch and signals if anything happens.

Who here wanted to see a horror movie?
 
Last edited:
Remove ads
Chapter 7: The Descent and The Door
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Suggest all three of you go check on Eli & Danielle.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    "Let's go check on them anyway. Even if it turns out to be just them messing around, I'd rather be safe than sorry."

    You push yourself up from the bench, looking to Sierra and Lucas expectantly, and to your relief they don't question your decision and get up from the bench themselves. Together, the three of you leave the room and make your way back to the main entrance, trying not to look at the creepy artwork on the walls. Once you all get back to the entrance hall, you ascend the stairs to the upper floor, your collective footsteps causing the old stairs to let out a cacophony of squeaks and groans as the three of you apply your weight to each step on the way up.

    Upon reaching the top of the stairs, you got a good look of the upper floor. It was another hall way, one that extended the entire length of the house, with a series of doors on each side of hall paralleled to each other, all of which were missing their doors like every other door in this house, and a single shattered window at each end. And, to no one's surprise, there was yet more creepy graffiti sprayed onto the walls.

    "Where did that sound come from?" You whispered to your companions.

    "If my mental map of this place is correct, then the room above the Creepy Eye Room should be..." Lucas looks around a bit, trying to puzzle out the house's layout in his head, before he points to the second to last door on the right. "Right there."

    You nod your head and began slowly making your way over to that room, trying not to make too much noise despite the old floorboards beneath your feet. As you approach you could swear you can hear the faint sound of... giggling? Once you reached the door you slowly leaned to the side, peering into the room. And what you saw... made your face go beet red and your eyes widen. Down on the ground was Eli and Danielle, Eli with his back on floor with his girlfriend straddling his waist. The two of them were furious making out, fortunately still fully dressed (thank God for small miracles), with Danielle leaning over Eli, cupping his face as they kissed. Meanwhile Eli was a little more "handsy" as he felt up her legs, his hands slowly travelling up the length of them towards her rear.

    Embarrassed from catching the two of them in an intimate moment, you pulled yourself back while trying to keep your blushing down. Sierra and Lucas looked at you, clearly wanting to ask you what you saw, but after analyzing your facial expression they seem to be curious themselves and leaned to look into the room and you see the two's eyes widen.

    "Seriously guys?!" Sierra says in loud exasperation. The sudden announcement of your presence to the couple seems to have startled them as your hear a muffled squeal of surprised from Danielle and the duo quickly shuffling around. You decided to peer back into the room, seeing the two had stood up and were now about a foot away from one another, with both of them looking embarrassed and annoyed at the three of you.

    "Why did you have to go and do that, Sierra? I was enjoying the show!" Lucas said with a chuckled before Sierra elbowed him in the side.

    "Can we help you?" Danielle gives the three of you a glare, her face red with either anger, embarrassment, or both. Hard to tell really.

    "Umm, we heard a loud noise and we wanted to see if you guys were okay..." You muttered as your shift a bit uncomfortably under her gaze.

    Danielle looks at you for a moment before sighing, her expression softening. "Better than okay, actually."

    "That noise you guys heard was probably us," Eli said, nodding his head. "Danielle here tackled me to the ground. Which actually kinda hurt." He shoots his girlfriend a playful accusatory look, who gives him an apologetic look.

    "Really, Dani? Trying to jump his bones in this creepy place?" Sierra sighs, shaking her head. "At least have the self-restraint to wait until you got back to camp!"

    "I'm sorry!" Danielle exclaims, her cheeks glowing red from embarrassment. "It was in the heat of the moment and I got carried away..."

    "Heat of what moment?" Lucas asks, his eye brow raised in curiosity.

    Danielle looks down, fidgeting where she stood. She took a few timid steps towards the door way, raising her left hand and presenting it. On her hand, on the ring finger, was a ring of silver with a heart shaped diamond embedded onto it. Your eyes widen, you tear your gaze away from the ring and to Danielle's face, which was now sporting a grin.

    "Is that a-"

    "Yep." Danielle nodded, her teeth beginning to show.

    "That means he-"

    "YEP!" Danielle lunges forward, wrapping both you and Sierra into a hug. "He asked me to marry him!"

    That was quite the shock to hear. Of all the things you had expected to find out when you came up here, it certainly wasn't that. Looking at Danielle you can just see the pure joy she must be feeling at this moment; her eyes so bright and full of life, her joyful grin, and the girlish giggling as she embraced you and Sierra. You honestly couldn't help but feel happy for her, and it would seem neither could Sierra and she started smiling and giggling along with Danielle, and soon so were you.

    "Danielle, congratulations!" Sierra laughs happily as she wraps her arms around you and Danielle.

    "Thank you!" Danielle says as she breaks off the hug. "I'm so happy right now I could cry." And right on cue tears seem to well up in her eyes. She uses her arms to wipe away the tears, chuckling and sniffling as she does so. "I think I jinxed it..."

    "Dani, this is really great news to hear. I'm happy for both of you." You give Danielle a smile and look over to Eli who sort of blushes and chuckles a bit embarrassed.

    Eli walks over to the doorway, hand extended towards Lucas. Lucas gladly grasps it with his own and pulls Eli, each wrapping an arm around the other and patted their back.

    "Congrats on her saying "yes", man." Lucas gives Eli a proud grin as he breaks off the hug.

    "Thanks." Eli nods as he pats him on the shoulder and walked through the door. "C'mon, let's give the girls some time to talk."

    Lucas nodded and followed Eli, leaving just you, Sierra, and Danielle alone in this room. Sierra crosses her arms and looks at Danielle, beaming a bright smile at her.

    "So his idea of an ideal proposal location was this creepy place?" Sierra gives a good-natured laugh, shaking her head. "I have weird friends..."

    Danielle laughs along with her and gives Sierra a playful pat to the head. "You know you love us~!" Danielle looks at her ring and softly smiles at it. "Besides, it's the thought that counts. I could care less about the location."

    "You really love him don't you?" You ask. Danielle just smiles at you, nodding her head slowly. "Are you sure you are ready for this? I mean, you're both young and you've only been dating for a few months."

    "And we've known each other for years." She pointed out. "Honestly, had I known he'd treat me better than any of my exes I would have gone out with him sooner."

    "Either way, we're both happy for you." Sierra said, genuine sincerity in her tone. Despite how sarcastic she could be, or how much Danielle might get on her nerves, it was times like these you could see that Sierra does genuinely consider Danielle her friend. You look at Danielle and nod in affirmation of Sierra's statement.

    Danielle reaches over and pulls the two of you back into a hug. "Thanks, guys." she whispers. "This means a lot to me." She breaks up the hugs, sniffling and rubbing her eyes. "Enough about me, what about you guys?"

    You raise an eyebrow. "What about us?" You got a feeling like you know where she is heading with this...

    "Have you guys been checking out the house together? Seen anything interesting?" Oh. Nevermind.

    "We checked out a bit of the first floor with Lucas." Sierra says, placing a hand on her hip. "Lots of creepy art painted on the walls."

    "Tell me about it." Danielle looks around the room, you follow her gaze and sure enough more art of graphic violence was painted on the walls, which you totally failed to notice when you first came in. Part of you kinda wishes to have been here to see Eli's proposal to Danielle just to see what events happened to lead to proposing in this room of all places.

    "Why do people have to make such creepy things?" You whimper as you look around the room.

    "Some people are just fucked up like that I guess," Sierra shrugs. "Like Lucas. I have no idea why he finds this shit so interesting."

    "Speaking of Lucas~" You spy a mischievous grin spreading on Danielle's face. Oh dear... "You two were alone with him, have any fun with him?" Aaaand there it is...

    "And you ruined it." Sierra gives Danielle an annoyed look. "We were having a nice conversation and you go and ruin it." Danielle started to laugh uproariously at your long time friend; evidently finding her annoyance amusing.

    "Ahh... Your reactions make it worth it, Sierra." She reaches over and wraps an arm around Sierra's shoulder, pulling her in close. Sierra continues to glare at Danielle but doesn't protest against Danielle's invasion of her personal space. "Have you guys checked out the basement yet?"

    "Not yet," you say. "Sierra was going to check it out, but I pulled her away to join me and Lucas in checking out the rest of the house."

    "Sweet! So we're spoiler free!" Danielle let's go of Sierra and marches through the door in an exaggerated manner. "Let's go grab the guys and head on down!"

    You and Sierra followed after her, together the three of you went back down the stairs where you could see Eli and Lucas were chatting while they waited. Hearing the racket from the stairs as your trio walked down them, the two guys turned their heads in your direction. Eli smiled as he spotted his girlfriend, or rather fiancée as you should say, and held open his arms as she hasten he descent down the old stairs, practically leaping into his arms. The two embraced, Danielle giggling happily as she gave Eli a kiss.

    "You know there is such a thing as too much affection, right?" You casually decide to elbow Sierra in the side for that snarky remark.

    Eli chuckles at the two of you as he let's go of Danielle, who pouts in disappointment. "So we're all here, let's all check out the basement!"

    No one objects to the suggestion and everyone begins making their way down the hall to the basement. Briefly you considered suggesting not going into the basement, but you've all come this far, why stop now? No way were you going to be able to convince them to stop, you didn't before.

    Eli, Sierra, and Lucas beam their flashlights down the stairway, illuminating the steps as the group makes their way down. The walk down was pretty tense. Maybe it was just nerves, but you couldn't help but feel a little afraid. Looking around you saw no graffiti on the walls of the basement stairway, which seemed... odd for some reason. Like this was the ideal place for scary stuff to be scrawled on the walls but there was none. You didn't have much time to linger on it, however as you and your friends stepped into the basement proper.

    You looked around, analysis the dark room as best you can. It was pretty big all things considered, maybe being a good sixty feet both in length and width of the room. It had a stone floor and stone walls, with old wooden supports and an old wooden ceiling. Judging by the look of the wood, you were surprised they have rotted to the point where the basement would completely collapsed in on itself. In the center of the room where four altars, which surrounded a large dark stain on the stone floor. Briefly your mind wonders if the stain on the ground was from the blood of those who died here...

    "Guess the guy who lived here was a cultist." You hear Eli say as he approaches one of the altars. The rest of your friends spread out to look around the room, Danielle staying close to Eli however.

    Looking around you again realize there was no graffiti anywhere to be seem, no images of gore and death sprayed upon the walls for visitors to see. In the back of your mind some instinct screamed at you that this was wrong, and you were kinda agreeing with it. Slowly you approach the altars in the room, getting yourself a better look at them, coming to realize that they were carved in shapes. One altar was carved in the appearance of a man, naked in appearance like one of those renaissance sculptures, another was carved in the shape of a lion, another in the form of an eagle, and the last in the form of a bull. You weren't sure why they were carved like this, but you were sure it had some occult significance to the person who once lived in this god forsaken house...

    You approach one of the altars, the eagle one specifically, glancing down at the flat-top surface that was being held up by the eagle's wings. There was a small, circular indent on the wooden surface, with old wax circling it. You guessed that this was for a candle to be placed, but why was the bigger question.

    "Woah..." You hear Sierra mutter from behind you. Looking back, you saw what made he say that.

    There, on the wall, was a large, steel door. It was so large that you all should have seen it when you first came in, but for some reason you are just now noticing it. It felt like it did not originally exist, but simply came to be after you all entered. You approach Sierra, and soon are joined by the others, the beams of their flashlights illuminating the door completely. The door looked like something out of an old medieval torture chamber, feeling too old even for this place. It had a bar like handle, a keyhole in the direct middle of it, and rows of small metal spikes outlined it, and engraved on it was the image of... something. You weren't really even sure what it was you were looking at. You want to say it was some sort of creature, a demon even, but it was so weird and abstract that your mind objected to those notions. But the most bizarre thing about the door was that it was clean, far too clean.

    "What even the hell..." Lucas mutters quietly next to you.

    "Was this always here when we came in...?" Danielle mutters as she shifts closer to Eli.

    "I literally looked at this wall when we came in, it was not here." Eli says, sounding more than a little freaked out.

    Slowly Sierra approaches the door with a outstretched hand. The tips of her fingers touch the steel door, and she immediately retracted them with a surprised yelp, like she had just been shocked. Suddenly, as if in response to Sierra touching the door, this instinctual feeling of dread washes over you, almost exactly like that feeling you got from that old man in the clearing. Like your body is responding to danger before you realize what is going on. Looking to your friends, you can see they are experiencing the same feeling just by the looks of their faces. Sierra retreats to your side, looking extremely panicked and holding the hand she touched the door with. You look back to the door, your mind now pulsating with revulsion just by looking at it.

    [ ] Interact with the door. (Write In)

    [ ] Go back upstairs. Just get out of the basement, you don't want to be here. You're sure everyone else will do the same.

    [ ] Run. Something is horribly wrong here. Just run, get out of the house, get away from that door and get back to camp.
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • WE CAN'T DRAG OUR FRIENDS WITH US AS WE RUN? IS THAT AN OPTION?

    Holy fuck I was expecting to be booby trapped up, and now I'm just scared/confused. I'm bad with horror movies lol, so I'm glad this is in quest form.

    Also, I didn't say it earlier, but I actually appreciate Lucas as a character a lot more after he was so into the creepy art lol. And now we have the loverbirds getting married which is also a fun subversion of a sort for the cliche.
     
    Permadeath does happen quite a bit. Because death is more interesting. Death forces the character and the players to grow. To make their actions count. And yes there are cases where Quest controlled characters don't die. Each Quest in regards to death is different after all.
     
    [X] Go back upstairs. Just get out of the basement, you don't want to be here. You're sure everyone else will do the same.

    Lovebirds are screwed all happy about getting married that is definitely a death flag
     
    Andelevion said:
    I mean, sometimes quest GMs let people start from the previous action, or do things over until they can get through? Or you have a few lives? Though, tbh a lot of times quest-controlled characters just don't die.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Usually not. Because it forces questers not to do stupid shit, like, "Stick head in microwave." (Trust me without it everyone would do that because fuck it funsies.) Even with permadeath some choose to do that but usually they get smacked in the head for it.
     
    Andelevion said:
    WE CAN'T DRAG OUR FRIENDS WITH US AS WE RUN? IS THAT AN OPTION?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Maybe they will be! Or maybe they won't. Depends how cruel and unusual I want to be towards you people when I write the next update. Or maybe not as I know all the outcomes.
    Holy fuck I was expecting to be booby trapped up, and now I'm just scared/confused.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Good! Than I'm doing my job right! :p
    Also, I didn't say it earlier, but I actually appreciate Lucas as a character a lot more after he was so into the creepy art lol. And now we have the loverbirds getting married which is also a fun subversion of a sort for the cliche.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    This makes me all sorts of happy. :3
    Private Lee O'Malley said:
    ...Isn't that what happens in every quest? Permadeath?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    What Andelevion said. But also because I wanted to make it clear that if the players fuck up they are going to suffer for it.
     
    I guess it was a good thing that the other players voted to stop Sierra from going alone down into the basement it probably would have led her to opening the door
     
    TheLordofAwesome said:
    Maybe they will be! Or maybe they won't. Depends how cruel and unusual I want to be towards you people when I write the next update. Or maybe not as I know all the outcomes.

    Good! Than I'm doing my job right! :p

    This makes me all sorts of happy. :3

    What Andelevion said. But also because I wanted to make it clear that if the players fuck up they are going to suffer for it.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Yeah but (Man I sound like a condescending jerkbag I apologize.) that doesn't make it unique.

    ...

    Although I suppose it could be unique as in "When the character dies, he/she fucking BITES ZA DUSTO NO RETRIES." because admittedly that does happen often in so called "Permadeath" quests.

    Mind you I wonder, how will you deal with troll votes? Like say somehow everyone was sleeping and the level headed people are away, causing people to vote like idiots? (See: Rational Naruto Quest's Youth Suit Incident/ChernoQuest's Nuke Incident/SayakaQuest's Black Hole Incident)
     
    Private Lee O'Malley said:
    Yeah but (Man I sound like a condescending jerkbag I apologize.) that doesn't make it unique.

    ...

    Although I suppose it could be unique as in "When the character dies, he/she fucking BITES ZA DUSTO NO RETRIES." because admittedly that does happen often in so called "Permadeath" quests.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Eh, it's all cool. I realize it probably isn't unique. I mean, I'm not so arrogant to believe that I came up with some original concept completely unknown to quests. Besides, so long as people enjoy themselves, it doesn't really matter to me. :3
    Mind you I wonder, how will you deal with troll votes? Like say somehow everyone was sleeping and the level headed people are away, causing people to vote like idiots? (See: Rational Naruto Quest's Youth Suit Incident/ChernoQuest's Nuke Incident/SayakaQuest's Black Hole Incident)
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    So far we manage to avoid drowning haven't had that happen yet. But that is a good question, one that I'm not too sure how to answer. Because part of me wants to respect the majority votes people making, and the other wants to ensure my players enjoy the quest regardless if they fuck up or not. I guess it boils down to how malicious said troll voters are being and whether or not said choices will result in death (as I intend to fuck with people's expectations as best as my horrible writing can manage). Still, you've given me something to think about. Any advice you could give someone new to running a quest?
     
    TheLordofAwesome said:
    "YEP!" Danielle lunges forward, wrapping both you and Sierra into a hug. "He asked me to marry him!"
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    They're so going to die.

    Also, @TheLordofAwesome, have you checked with the mods if the scene where we find the two lovebirds doesn't break any rules? It's better safe than sorry, and all that.

    [X] Interact with the door.
    -[X] Take a Picture.

    [X] Go back upstairs. Just get out of the basement, you don't want to be here. You're sure everyone else will do the same.
    -[X] Up! Up up up! Let's go ladies and gents!

    It's a common trope that spoopy stuff don't appear in pictures. That, or the camera sees something we can't. Either way, that'll prove to our friends that we really should stay away from this place.
     
    Hannz said:
    They're so going to die.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Man, everyone is expecting the lovebirds™ to die.
    Also, @TheLordofAwesome, have you checked with the mods if the scene where we find the two lovebirds doesn't break any rules? It's better safe than sorry, and all that.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    I read the rules very thoroughly and from what I can tell that scene does not break any rules.
    [X] Interact with the door.
    -[X] Take a Picture.

    [X] Go back upstairs. Just get out of the basement, you don't want to be here. You're sure everyone else will do the same.
    -[X] Up! Up up up! Let's go ladies and gents!

    It's a common trope that spoopy stuff don't appear in pictures. That, or the camera sees something we can't. Either way, that'll prove to our friends that we really should stay away from this place.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    I actually didn't think of that particular write in option. Clever girl. *adds it to the board*
     
    Last edited:
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top