Sarah Nuln, an illustrated Lobotomy Corporation clerk Quest

[Docere AcDiscere]

I could give a full explanation here as to what I think is going on and what exactly we're dealing with, but it involves a lot of spoilers and I'm also not exactly the best with the game's lore either. What I will say is that I'm about 85% sure that Yggdrasil is effectively the facility itself. Mostly, I'm guessing that based on the room's location, the tree's actions, and just an overall hunch. My other 15% of theories (I'm considering it being the company, wing, cooperation, or REDACTED's body all being the essentially the first theory) have it being literally Yggdrasil, some really strange ordeal, or an insanely ridiculous Aleph abnormality.

Click to shrink...

Thanks, I really didn't think about the facility being a tree, even when something called a "seed of light" is related.

Now going back to the story

[X] head up the corridor. I am not ready to return to the tree. But what does it even mean to be ready.

I think she has 1 point of sanity left...

 

[Burned_Cookie]

I'd like to point out that this is not the facility from the game. This is a different site.

I copied some of the Abnormalities, but some are made up entirely by me.

I will give no info on how right or wrong your analysis is, of course.

 

[_brightwing]

One good thing that came out of this is the new trait. We now take half the sanity damage - while also healing half. This is such a boon, cause we take white damage like we do candy


[X]Center ourselves

We need to process all this before we make a move.

 

[Nevill]

Spoiler: typos

Yet something lies hidden behind the comforting behind the comforting picture drawn by my mind.

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but I tiny speck of heated dust in an unseeing and uncaring universe of unseeing

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[] open the door to an opportunity. Something great rests beyond this door, a chance the like rarely repeats itself.

Click to shrink...

[x] head down the corridor. To hell with all this, I´m going elsewhere. Even if a distance that can be walked by me is only arguably elsewhere.

Down the corridor is still away from the tree, yes?

Though with only two ways out, where does that leave us?

Edit: although perhaps with the Claustrophobia trait active we should get out of the corridor sooner rather than later. Any input?

 

[Burned_Cookie]

Down the corridor is still away from the tree, yes?

Click to shrink...

Yes. Only the crawlspace and up the hall lead to the main employee area, that is currently an infinite blasted plane.

Why do I get the feeling this isn't what what the employees had in mind when they demanded "more space"?

 

[Oracle of Space]

Yes. Only the crawlspace and up the hall lead to the main employee area, that is currently an infinite blasted plane.

Why do I get the feeling this isn't what what the employees had in mind when they demanded "more space"?

Click to shrink...

Management is completely out of touch with the realities of the inside of the facility. Perfectly normal then.

Can you imagine how many agents died due to some idiot manager thinking that the line "Do not look at Schadenfreude" didn't apply to them?

 

[Burned_Cookie]

Can you imagine how many agents died due to some idiot manager thinking that the line "Do not look at Schadenfreude" didn't apply to them?

Click to shrink...

I actually got caught in loop with that one when I first encountered it, because I didn't have any research yet, so I micromanaged the first assignment as I always do, and it promptly broke out no matter what I did.

Of course, it would also be instantly supressed, as my top agents were always on standby when I investigated new things.

So here I was with no idea how to keep the thing contained, just playing whack-a-mole.

 

[Blacksheep]

I had no idea this was based on a game XD


I think centering ourselves again would be good, we need a clear mind to navigate the impossible


[X]Center ourselves

 

[Burned_Cookie]

I had no idea this was based on a game XD

Click to shrink...

It's a great game, you get to play as the manager of a facility, you should check it out.

It's called Lobotomy Corporation.

 

[Burned_Cookie]

Given that center ourselfs is currently winning, I do have to ask:

Is that supposed to be a write in that says she should "center ourself"? Because that is a perfectly valid write in, but I am not certain that that is what you are trying to have her do here.

I´d love to write it, but I´d also feel kinda bad if I ended up tricking people into going down a path they didn´t want Sarah to go down.

 

[Nevill]

We should center ourselves against the two doors then try to enter both of them at once. It's a non-Euclidean space, I am sure it will work!

(not the center voter, but I assume people want Sarah to take a break and recover some of the white damage.
don't know how that would work out given we are claustrophobic while being stuck in a tiny corridor.)

 

[Burned_Cookie]

Very well, I shall read that as trying to center herself. However, I must warn that that is not dissimilar to the option deal with what I just saw, and therefor shall bear similar risks, even if with somewhat different goals.

Anyone who wishes to vote for the actual []Center Ourself interpretation, please write []Center Ourself (sic).

Putting this as a voting threadmark, so that no one is taken by suprise.

For future reference, this is the quest of Sarah, not of you, and everything is in first person as a result.

 

[Docere AcDiscere]

[X]I believe that to "center ourselves" refers to the time we "took stock of ourselves", that we calmed down, gained knowledge of our stats and how we feel in general? That's my interpretation.
EDIT: I'm somewhat dumb, so I think I still don't understand what I did wrong.
if this still is still wrong, or difficult to understand, then please count this as a vote to

[X]Center Ourself (sic).

I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

 

[Burned_Cookie]

[X]Center Ourself interpretation, please write

Click to shrink...

Er... what?

 

[Docere AcDiscere]

Er... what?

Click to shrink...

I... don't know how to explain it.
Sarah went through somewhat traumatic events, and knowing how her emotional state is could be useful ???
EDIT: I'm probably saying whatever crazy thing passes my head at this point

 

[Burned_Cookie]

I... don't know how to explain it.
Sarah went through somewhat traumatic events, and knowing how her emotional state is could be useful ???

Click to shrink...

You voted for, and this is a direct quote, for her to "Center ourself interpretation, please write". That isn´t even a statement anymore.

Instructions above in threadmark.

Edit:
I will be counting it as a vote for the Center Ourself as in the sense of what you wrote beneath.

 

[Nevill]

I still don't understand what I did wrong.

Click to shrink...

One of the possible interpretations is the difference between "center myself" and "center ourself".
Sarah is a singular person, who has recently allowed an entire hivemind in her head, as indicated here:

[x] I will open the door, even if just a little. While it is mistaken in overall nature, there is no harm in listening. We have seen many things. Knowledge is itself a kind of power. Let us help you help us seek vengance. There is little danger in opening the gate but a little bit, is there?

Click to shrink...

We should be careful with the pronouns, because taking stock of multiple people living in her head may not have the calming effect we hope for.

As grateful as I am to Samuel, I should not expect all the spirits of the fallen to be prepared to censor their stories for my own good.

Click to shrink...

That's leaving aside her taking stock of ourself-the-players, which is entirely possible given the nature of the place.

 

[Docere AcDiscere]

One of the possible interpretations is the difference between "center myself" and "center ourself".
Sarah is a singular person, who has recently allowed an entire hivemind in her head, as indicated here:

We should be careful with the pronouns, because taking stock of multiple people living in her head may not have the calming effect we hope for.

That's leaving aside her taking stock of ourself-the-players, which is entirely possible given the nature of the place.

Click to shrink...

Oh, ok thanks for explaining that to me, it doesn't sound like a very good idea now.
Do I delete my previous vote? I want to wait until someone has an idea.

 

[Burned_Cookie]

Oh, ok thanks for explaining that to me, it doesn't sound like a very good idea now.
Do I delete my previous vote? I want to wait until someone has an idea.

Click to shrink...

Just strike it out and vote anew, either in a new post or back there.

However, while waiting is an option, I´d like to point out that I don´t exactly have an army of voters, so the odds of someone bursting in with new ideas once the conversation has died down is minimal. People tend to not interact with threads where there is no active discussion, for obvious reasons.

 

[Docere AcDiscere]

Just strike it out and vote anew, either in a new post or back there.

However, while waiting is an option, I´d like to point out that I don´t exactly have an army of voters, so the odds of someone bursting in with new ideas once the conversation has died down is minimal. People tend to not interact with threads where there is no active discussion, for obvious reasons.

Click to shrink...

Ok, I'll think about it then. Thanks.

 

[_brightwing]

[X]I believe that to "center ourselves" refers to the time we "took stock of ourselves", that we calmed down, gained knowledge of our stats and how we feel in general? That's my interpretation

Although literally setting off towards the center of this place is certainly an idea,
I meant the (deal with what I just saw. My training tells me visions like this are dangerous to dwell on, but with risk often comes reward…) vote. I changed out to center ourselves last minute to match with the other vote, which seemed a short hand for basically this one. I think it's fine to go ahead with the update.

It strikes me that sitting down looking at the World tree as lightning blasts the landscape.. has a surreal sort of zen feel to it.

 

[Blacksheep]

[x]Center herself

Hard not to write in plural when we discuss actions in plural

 

[Burned_Cookie]

Vote closed. I need to write now.

 

[Burned_Cookie]

I must persevere. I must push forward.

I must find my footing once more.

I cannot simply rush forward like some brazen fool; I have trained many years for moments just like this.

I take a deep breath.

I find that this is perhaps not the best of times or pl- find that I am focusing on myself, and all that is not Me. Shall. Stay. Silent!

I lack a mirror, so I shall make do with what I can see myself.

My clothes are torn and bloodied, but my wounds are scabbed and disinfected. Closed for now, but far from healed. Loans taken from the future, to be paid over many months or even years as the ever slow pace of natural healing wipes the bill I am racking up now.

Unfortunate. But unavoidable. I am trapped after all. Trapped in this small box of solid walls, and until I am free off the steel and stone and under the skies once more, I must endure anything and everything to finally reach freedom.

I am Sarah Nuln.

I have trained all my life to gain the strength to slay that which will stand in my path, yet here I am, restrained by forces far beyond my reckoning, trapped and boxed in!

Confined between these walls that creep ever closer, standing on a floor so close to the ceiling I could touch it if I wished to, surrounded on all fronts by forces so immovable and dangerous that I dare not seek the respite I so yearn for.

But my body is a well-oiled machine, and it shall set me from this cursed hole!

I need to get under the open sky again, I need space, room, anything that is not these spinning walls and gray monotones!

[White Damage Negated]

I rush forward, tearing free from my prison of fears and stone. I know of but one place free of this nightmarish closeness, the crushing weight of limits and walls, that I can possibly hope to reach.

With massive strides, driven by the force of desperation, I quickly reach the doors I think lead back to the room that has fallen to infinity.

Should I really go in there? It seems unsafe.

[Temperance Challenge Failed]

But nothing can possibly be worse than the crushing weight of the stone above me or the pressure of the surrounding masonry pushing inwards.

With a wordless scream of rage and fear, I tear open the gates to what I hope to be my salvation.

Before me is the Tree of Worlds. Thus I know. Yet if I was not certain, I would never have known.





From my new perspective, it seems no longer wrought from steel.

I can see it is made from the eternally splitting paths themselves, growing from the past below to the future above, holding the massive void of the cosmos itself, as it branches forth from the paths where the crown should be, where I remember the iron skies once being.

Overwhelming darkness has consumed all but the tree itself, the gray scale of the plain replaced by the utter lack of any color at all.

Within the velvet that my eye tricks me into seeing between the monochrome trunks of the Tree of Paths, I can see sparkling gemstones that I know to be assorted fusion engines, minuscule and further away than I could ever hope to comprehend.

But even in the image my eyes present me, the crown has not limited itself to the ordered existence of a tree. It wraps and warps, containing the very tree itself, being the ground from which it grows far beyond below, and forming the ceiling into which the highest of the branches merge as they tower above.

A mesmerizing sight.

The corridor behind me forgotten, I cling to the door frame as the null gravity allows me to float free.

I am free.

Even with but a small taste of infinity, my fears and problems seem so small and insignificant.

I can let go of my worries at last.

But I should not.

[Minor 1.76 MHz Corruption gained]

Even if they are nothing in the face of the great void that is the cosmos, they are what matters to me.

Drifting the eternities holds no freedom, but oblivion.

Under intense effort, I tear my eyes from the sights before me, and focus on the steel frame of the door. I am not ready to face this impossible reality of our cosmos yet again.

But perhaps I can float for but a moment longer, even if I should not let go entirely?

[X] I shall enjoy the freedom from the oppression of the earth. [Restore White]

[] No. I must make haste. There is no time to waste and no telling what dangers truly lurk in this place.


Once I return to the rat tunnels in the trap of stone safety of the corridors, I shall

[] let go. The stars will continue to burn. The unseen matter will continue to move according to the laws of gravity. The voids will continue to not. Wisdom has its time and place. This is neither.

[] deal with what I just saw. My training tells me visions like this are dangerous to dwell on, but with risk often comes overpriced reward…

[] open the door to the fields of dance, a physical threat is exactly what I need right now, even if one wrong misstep may spell my doom.

[X] open the door to an opportunity. Something great rests beyond this door, a chance the like rarely repeats itself. I shall triumph.

[] head down the corridor. To hell with all this, I´m going elsewhere. Even if a distance that can be walked by me is only arguably elsewhere. Besides, I need to get out of this hellscape.

[] write in.

************

Votes are separate.

 

[Docere AcDiscere]

[Minor 1.76 MHz Corruption gained]

Click to shrink...

Can't blame them to be honest, this is like, the third time we nearly go insane? It makes sense that they take the reins a bit, it probably feels like they are taking care of a child, and that is a funny thought.

[X] I shall enjoy the freedom from the oppression of the earth. [Restore White]

I think we need this, but I don't know what will be their reaction.

[X] open the door to an opportunity. Something great rests beyond this door, a chance the like rarely repeats itself. I shall triumph.

I guess they want us to go there.