NPCA figure in decaying tatters is rocking to and fro, muttering indistinctly in several different voices, occasionally breaking into hoarse laughter. As you come closer, she freezes and turns slowly to look at you. An ugly, rusted mask covers her face. "Are you... here to take Zdena to the other side? No. No no no."
NPC"You're just wandering around in the dark. Looking for the light... but it's nowhere to be found. Do you really not see it?"
YOU"How do I become the flagship's blood?"
NPC"Oh, Zdena will show you. And you'll see the true light. Come. Come now!"
end of branch
YOU"Who are you?"
NPC"Old Zdena. Zdena the Outcast. Zdena the Mad. Zdena the Disaster. Zdena the Curse. Zdena the Spurned." The woman hugs her arms to her chest and starts cackling loudly. Broken chains clink at her emaciated wrists and neck. "A ghost of the past? A shadow of the present? Only the Undying One knows. He alone..."
YOU"How do I become the flagship's blood?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What is this repulsive place? Do you live here?"
NPCThe woman scratches her neck nervously. You note her deformed fingers, ravaged by some unknown disease. "Here, where the unfortunate meet their undeath. Here, a dumping ground for the bodies of those the Undying One rejects. Here, where pestilence dwells. Zdena welcomes them all. Talks to their ghosts. Here, where Zdena... lives? Yes. That sounds right."
YOU"How do I become the flagship's blood?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What is this repulsive place? Do you live here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You talk to... ghosts?"
NPC"You... can't hear them?" Zdena points somewhere off to the side, laughs, then stops herself sharply. "They don't like it when people come here."
YOU"How do I become the flagship's blood?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What is this repulsive place? Do you live here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You talk to... ghosts?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why are you wearing chains and a mask? You haven't escaped from the enforcers, have you?"
NPC"Ah, these. Gifts, they are. The chains clink to announce Zdena's approach. For others to hear." She slides her disease-darkened palm down the rough, rusted metal of her mask. "They hide, fearful of becoming like Zdena. Afraid of losing face... ha ha ha!"
YOU"How do I become the flagship's blood?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What is this repulsive place? Do you live here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You talk to... ghosts?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why are you wearing chains and a mask? You haven't escaped from the enforcers, have you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"There is a blood symbol next to you. I have seen such marks before. Is this another part of the Song of Trailing Blood?"
NPCZdena bursts into hysterical laughter. "Oh yes! Oh yes... The song... Here, listen, listen!"
NPCThe woman starts chanting hurriedly: "She wandered an eternity in dark, yet was consoled. Web foretold: Undying One's blood-secrets glowed, a light to guide her faithful fold. But threads must end. And so the spider did that which was owed: her life and death to ship bestowed..."
NPC(sequence)
NPCThe final test. This time, they want you to make a sacrifice. If one were to interpret this entire mystical search as a repetition of the saint's journey, then the logical conclusion is that you are supposed to sacrifice yourself — to merge with the blood that has drenched the flagship from bow to stern.
end of branch
NPCShe laughs again. "And you'll see, you'll see if you learn to see! Look into the darkness, look, look!"
YOU"How do I become the flagship's blood?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What is this repulsive place? Do you live here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You talk to... ghosts?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why are you wearing chains and a mask? You haven't escaped from the enforcers, have you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"There is a blood symbol next to you. I have seen such marks before. Is this another part of the Song of Trailing Blood?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Peer into the darkness] "I cannot fathom what I am meant to see here..."
NPCYou peer into the darkness, and are gradually able to make out the outlines of objects hidden in the shadows. Rotting corpses. Rough walls. The twitching death throes of infected people left here to die. You see no light in this place, only more darkness and despair.
NPC"You don't see, do you? You don't see!" Zdena shakes her head frantically and starts tearing off her rags. Strips of her decaying flesh peel off along with them. "You will not see until you become like Zdena. The flesh and blood of this ship!"
YOU"How do I become the flagship's blood?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You are insane. Out of my sight!"
NPCZdena breaks into hysterical laughter. "You'll be back! Everyone who's looking for something comes back. Or... do they? Why come back when you've found what you were seeking?"
end of branch
YOU[Leave]
NPCThe woman turns away and starts talking to someone only her eyes can see.
end of branch
YOU[Peer into the darkness] "I cannot fathom what I am meant to see here..."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"There is a blood symbol next to you. I have seen such marks before. Is this another part of the Song of Trailing Blood?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Peer into the darkness] "I cannot fathom what I am meant to see here..."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave]continues where this line first appears above
NPC(sequence)
Abelard"Lord Captain, this woman is clearly ill in both spirit and body. Best to leave her be."
end of branch
Cassia"Her colours are all mixed, smudged, poised to reveal a pure shade of madness... And yet, scarlet threads separate these trembling patches, preventing her from losing herself."
end of branch
UlfarUlfar clutches his protective amulet, his brow furrowing. "Malevolent, ever-hungry spirits prowl in places such as this. It was they who gnawed the madwoman's mind thin. It is dangerous to speak to people like her — madness is a contagious bane."
end of branch
YOU"Why are you wearing chains and a mask? You haven't escaped from the enforcers, have you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"There is a blood symbol next to you. I have seen such marks before. Is this another part of the Song of Trailing Blood?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Peer into the darkness] "I cannot fathom what I am meant to see here..."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You talk to... ghosts?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why are you wearing chains and a mask? You haven't escaped from the enforcers, have you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"There is a blood symbol next to you. I have seen such marks before. Is this another part of the Song of Trailing Blood?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Peer into the darkness] "I cannot fathom what I am meant to see here..."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What is this repulsive place? Do you live here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You talk to... ghosts?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why are you wearing chains and a mask? You haven't escaped from the enforcers, have you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"There is a blood symbol next to you. I have seen such marks before. Is this another part of the Song of Trailing Blood?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Peer into the darkness] "I cannot fathom what I am meant to see here..."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Leave]continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 4 of 4
NPC"You're just wandering around in the dark. Looking for the light... but it's nowhere to be found. Do you really not see it?"continues where this line first appears above