Stories from Spring Valley

[Prpl_Mage]

So being away from a useful computer is kinda annoying, but at least it can manage typical writing software. So I've been doing a bunch of writing lately and the first thing that came to mind was Spring Valley since we just finished it.

The bad news is that I can't really recall everything in the game in regards to names and such and I can't boot the game at the moment.
The good news is that being vague is pretty useful when writing since it leaves more to the reader's imagination.

Gonna post some stories every other day or so. Just need to decide if I want to post them as link to a google drive document or to paste everything in here on the forum.

[Prpl_Mage]

Notes from the grimoire

I hope I can master the arts written in this volume. The basics of arcane energies are starting to make sense now. But my parents keep pestering me about mathematics and grammar. Why should I put so much effort into normal school subjects when I can learn to bend the world to my will? Not yet though, first I need to find a way to channel the energies without this woozy feeling in my head.

My friends do not understand me, I dabble into these forbidden arts to do something of my life, to learn what people don’t understand. They want to talk about boys and horses - , horses?! Who in their right mind care about horses? I managed to pull a unicorn into this world last week, at least it had a unique feature to talk about…

I tried my hand at using Arcane Missile again, the nosebleed was okay and the trashcan got out okay. I’m starting to think there is a limit to how many invocations your mind can remember. It would explain a lot about my difficulties lately.

I heard a voice today while invoking my spell, thinking back on it I can’t remember the words, just the meaning. Something about an offer of power in exchange for something. It seems my arts are attracting something beyond this world. But what it is, I don’t know. From what I’ve read this is common, there are a few techniques to try to silent those voices.

I finally found someone to guide me on my path. Sure I realize that he is not a master of the arcane arts but a Tibetan monk working as a conserver of knowledge. But sometimes insight and a buttload of scrolls are what you need to help arcane dabbling teenagers with their problems.

My teacher confronted me about my dabbling into the arcane today, she insisted that it will summon the devil or break my mind. But I find this literature course to be far better at that job. Why would I want to read a book from hundreds of years ago that is pure fiction? I’m handling tomes with purpose that are thousands of years old every day! That’s the real literature.

Arcane energies are created by people? It makes sense I suppose seeing how it is absorbed into our bodies and what it can do. But to think that creativity and imagination could lead to arcane energies is still alien to me. I understand the whole belief thing, it corresponds well to the fact that people believed in gods in the past and would go lengths to appease them.

I realized that I’ve been going about this all wrong, thankfully my guide once again helped me back to the right state of mind. Arcane powers needs to be understood just like any science. I’ve been messing around steered by emotions to serve as motivation and thinking practice is enough to become a master. But the mind can only perceive what the mind knows.

The laws of physics applies to this world, by understanding the laws of physics we can understand the world. At least that’s what my mother and teacher are telling me. But that’s a load of bull. Because of the arcane energies, especially in places of powers like the distortion zones the laws and rules of nature don’t apply. There is little to explain why throwing a ball in there does not collide with objects and has it instead passing through everything at a constant speed without slowing down…

My guide showed me how music and dance are said to work as an arcane source. I didn’t tell him since it would freak him out, but he was right. I could feel the energies seeping from every movement and every tone. It wasn’t much though, far from as much as the other things I’ve felt.

Out of my classmates, only six people could tell the difference between my arcane summoned pie and the real pie I baked last night. Out of those six, maybe half got the right answer by a stroke of luck. Still, baking the pie was more irksome than summoning the other one.

I’ve heard about a distortion zone on Summath Island known by the commoners as the Shifting Alley. I have decided on making journeys into distortion zones to excavate and do readings. It’s just weird that nearly all of them are centered around the proximity of Summath Island.

I’ve met with a traveling merchant, although their face probably discourages a lot of people I felt inspired. The merchant did remind me of another group I’ve met in the past, but who am I to judge? He carried tomes and grimoires from other lands, times and worlds. It always surprises me how many of these are written in common English however, but I’m not complaining. I rather learn spells than languages.

I went into a distortion zone again to try my spells, it’s interesting how arcane energies are literally seeping up from the ground beneath your feet. All distortion zones are the remnants of great arcane events of the past. Some people talk about a mage war, but wouldn’t it make more sense if arcane energies were absent rather than in abundance after a war?

I’m not sure how it works, but arcane powers are different from the powers of the elements. I don’t understand where the elements fit into the world though. I mean, we have the physical world - cats and dogs. Then we have the ethereal world - dragons and werewolves, sometimes they collide but mostly not. But the elements apparently cover both worlds? So while mastering the arcane would make me the master of the ethereal world I would still have to master the elements? Ugh, I guess I’ll have to put some more backbone into those ancient tomes.

I finally visited the Shifting Alley. I did the coin test and was baffled by the results. The typical procedure is to flip the coin until something strange happens. But my first try just kept going without coming down, the second enlarged and slammed down the size of my head and the third one turned into a duck...

I told my guide about what happened today, he looked worried. As I noticed during my earlier practice you can keep up invoking arcane spells by draining your enemies of arcane energies. But today when I did it I could feel something else joining in, it might not be the correct use of terms but there seemed to be a second presence draining parts of the arcane to itself. I’m not sure what caused this, more investigation is needed, although my guide tells me I should stop.

I did some testing on a crystal today, it seems like these type of crystals are able to turn arcane energies into objects. I’m still trying to grasp the core concepts of it but I should be able to apply them. It would make sense that these crystals would’ve been used in the past to channel a throng of religious people's’ faith into something into a physical form. If my hypothesis is correct then this result could be mimicked by any type of conviction and not just religious belief.

My powers of the arcane are getting stronger for each day that passes. All this training and reading has shaped my mind perfectly like a hexagonal. But there is something at the fringes of my mind, something or someone is following my progress. I don’t like this one bit and will try to make my presence less known.

[Moosetroop11]

Nice

I take it this is a personal project and you're not interested in anyone else having a go? : P

[Fisherson]

My word. Usually I'm the one who creates EU fan fic stuff of our chain games but all of that pales in comparison to this. It also matches the enigmatic vibe the game put out. I wonder are these Blimrif's thoughts or some person before her tinkering with Arcane power barely understanding it and already getting somebody we all know's attention? Or is this a script that was meant for a player not in the party but lingering in your mind? I'm fascinated to see how it all turns out.

[Zoltar]

Schweet! I'm not the only one spinning out gnarly fan fiction! Mondo interesting story, prplheim. I can't wait to see if you do more.

[Momeka]

I love it, purple!

[Prpl_Mage]

It's several different types of short stories notes, news articles and the like. Tinkering with tone and narrative, not my strongest suit. So far I have like 10 of these, not sure how long the inspiration will last though, but enough for some weeks ahead. 

Can't really forbid anyone else from joining in, but let's just say there is some sort of plan for this.


Investigation: The Job

-”Hal, I got a job for you.” Escaped, no rather boomed out, from the captain’s fleshy lips.
-”Whatcha got boss?” Henry called back without raising his head from the difficult page of crosswords in the paper. In all honesty it wasn’t the difficult page but it was difficult enough for Henry.
-”Stop chewing that pen you dolt; and take the report.” Captain Beiler grunted back and waved it annoyingly before his face.
-”Fine, if it will get you off my back cap'.” Henry said reached out to grab the paper, missing at first but then grabbing it.
-”Just do your job will ya?” The captain said with a sigh as he lumbered back the way he came, berating someone else on the way.
Henry sighed himself and slowly folded the paper and put it on his desk. Moving to Spring Valley to become a police officer had seem like a fine idea at the time. But he was starting to regret it for each day in service.
He spit his pen onto the desk and looked at the paper he received: it was blank, no wait it was upside down. It said “Vampire sighted at impound.”
Henry managed to let out all his frustration with an audible groan heard all the way to the water cooler at the far end of the office, even starting old John.
He hoped it wasn’t an actual vampire again. That would be too much paperwork, but knowing his luck he grabbed both badge and weapon from the drawer.
-”Anyone tagging along for a vampire sighting?” He called as he passed his colleagues’ desks, some looked up, other away.
-”I got your back Hal.” Izzie said as she pulled her coat. Or the name wasn’t exactly Izzie but that’s close enough.
Henry gave her a thankful nod and offered her a cigarette before popping one himself.

-”Are you waiting in the car or coming along?” Izzie called as she crushed the cigarette butt under her boot.
-”Just a sec.” Henry mumbled back and took one last drag before stepping out the driver’s seat.
-”I think we have our suspect up ahead.” Izzie called, hand naturally resting on her holster.
-”Nah Izzie, that’s just Carter.” He said pointing with another cigarette in hand.
-”Yeah ****, you’re right. My bad.” She said embarrassed and loosed her shoulders.
-”Izzie, don’t apologize unless you shoot someone.” He said with a mocking grin while greeting the elderly citizen.
After a typical lengthy and unproductive conversation with the clerk at the impound, the pair was finally pointed in the direction of the alleged vampire sighting. The lack of panic and commotion was a friendly sight but deep down Henry knew this was probably the result of the Shifting Alley spewing more and more strangeness into people’s lives.

-”That’s a vampire” Izzie said and quickly armed herself, eyes locked at the lanky figure strolling between the cars. Besides the pointy ears and the fangs it could’ve been any old man from the neighbourhood.
-”Shoot on sight or try to talk it down?” Henry asked bored and flicked his cigarette to the ground.
-”Let’s give diplomacy a go.” She said, although not showing any sign of lowering her gun an inch. Henry grunted in approvement and strode up to the car blocking his passage.
-”I’m Inspector Lambright, you are trespassing on human territory. Would you kindly remove your presence from the area?” It wasn’t his best act of friendliness but it was good enough for a vampire. Or was it?
-”They must all die!” The vampire hissed, turning his emotionless rubbery face towards Lambright who moved his free hand to the holster while holding the cigarette in the other hand.
-”Don’t do nothing stupid now you hear?” He urged the creature, but it made no pass at him, just kept looking around the cars.
Izzie moved around the other side to flank the vampire, her gun raised, the very figure of caution.
-”So why are you here? If I may ask?” Henry continued but had to walk to keep up with the vampire who was clearly preoccupied with something else.
-”I’m killing those nasty felines.” The vampire said, his face still nothing but hollow eyes and no expression. In fact it was strange that he managed to mouth words at all.
-”Um, any particular reason for that?” He asked, getting the feeling that this was not so much a threat to the people of Spring Valley. Maybe their cats sure, but they could do with some fewer poop machines around.
-”The cats conspired against my father and killed my brother and framed me for it.” The vampire continued, showing a very slight smile as his eyes locked onto a tail in a barrel ahead.
Before Henry had the chance to interfere the vampire launched himself at the creature and stabbed it with a stake. Izzie aimed her gun but Henry get her a sign to stand down.
-”Are you done now?” Henry asked indifferent as the vampire buried the body in trash.
-”I believe that was her.” The vampire said and shrugged. “I’m Bert Reginald III Rapscallion by the way my good man.”
-”How did you even get into town?” Izzie asked as she approached.
-”Well, there were some younglings who asked me to follow.” He stopped and pondered for a moment, or at least that’s how Henry perceived it since the face showing nothing.
-”However, they wanted me to kill someone for them…” He finished and shrugged, at least one gesture the officers could understand.
-”Do you remember what they looked like?” Henry asked, grabbing a notepad to scribble down useful words and doodle.
The vampire shook his head. “No, they both wore hoodies, covered their faces well.”
-”Do you remember who they wanted you to kill?” Henry continued, doodling a terrier in a hoodie.
-”Afraid not, I must’ve lost focus when I spotted the vermin and followed it here.” The vampire replied with what could be interpreted as an apologetic tone.
-”I guess the case is not completely closed then?” Izzie asked her superior who sighed.
-”It is for today. Join us in our car and we’ll get you back to where you came from.” Henry told the vampire as he put the disappointed notepad back in his pocket.
-”Much appreciated.” The vampire replied and fell in line.
Unfortunately the car had been towed which meant yet another long tedious conversation with the clerk of the impound before they went on their way. They dropped him off and watched him enter that unstable street before suddenly vanishing from view.

-”A job well done.” Henry said and shrugged.
-”Man that place is weird, we should probably seal it up or something.” Izzie said.
-”Yeah, unfortunately the new mayor has the police putting together safety protocol for Goblim attacks.” Henry said and lit yet another cigarette, and not his last for the day.
-”Goblim attacks? But they live peacefully in the forest, what could possibly make them attack us?” She said bewildered while accepting her second for today.
-”Hell if I know, but that lady fits right in this place.” He replied while getting back in the car,

[Fisherson]

Dude now I kinda wish we could retro in these two instead of the bland cop NPCs we had. The cat killing vampire too. You did excellent in narration! Novel-esque ttechniques.

  possibly make them attack us?” She said bewildered while accepting her second for today.
-”Hell if I know, but that lady fits right in this place.” He replied while getting back in the car,   

And points for the Naomi ref. Lol


Oh and I will legit cut anyone who interrupts Mardok from continuing the story. :3

[Zoltar]

This is mondo funny to read for some reason. Like cops met the twilight zone!  This is what the sequel should be about!

[Momeka]

Oh man, the cop stories are so great!

[Prpl_Mage]

Summath Island Press

Unappreciated change in NCH

Around 5 PM yesterday several witnesses reported seeing a Gryphe of the Hippogryph family soaring through Neon City Hub. Although not a rare sight in Greyspire or Spring Valley both which are close to the distortion zone known as the Shifting Alley the creature made its debut  in the metropolis yesterday. Although the police quickly restored order in the city and evacuated the people in the hazard zone:  the citizens were clearly shaken by the event. Summath Island Press interviewed one of the witnesses:
-”I heard a sharp cry and then saw this huge monster coming right for my Jerry, I was so scared! Those wings were flapping and the smell! It smelled like a wet dog! I’ve never seen anything as disgusting as that abomination in my life.”

The situation was handled after the creature roosted on top of one of the many MDUs in the city. Private Security Corps CEO commented on the event with the following words:
-”After being contacted by the police we deployed our drones and mechanized security to deal with the perp. As a result we managed to avoid human casualties completely. We appreciate the trust given to us by the city and hope to expand our security detail in the future.”

Other concerned voices have been raised as a response to yesterday’s incident such as the running mayor.
-”It’s clear that this is a problem that affects all of Summath Island, we have been blessed enough to be spared from this before but now is the time to join together, all of our citiscapes to make a budget for how to deal with this problem before it gets out of hand. I know that’s what I will do at least.”

Worries have also been raised about if it was a good idea to link the sewerage system together between Spring Valley and Neon City Hub. Although no one suspects the Gryphe to have appeared from the sewers one can only hope that nothing else emerges from that cesspool.

Summath Island Press
C. Bremer



Spring Valley Summer Camp Closed Indefinitely

The Board of Health and Recreation recently had a hearing about the incident last June when a group of kids and their summer camp leaders woke up surrounded by Goblims in the Spring Valley National Park. At the meeting was also the Board of Education and Child Services.
The meeting concluded quite soon after discussions about how the problem could be solved and newly appointed mayor Naomi Reegan was rumoured to be very upset about the entire business. Almost on a personal level.

The decision of the board was to cancel the coming year’s summer camp until the town of Spring Valley can guarantee the safety of the participating kids and leaders. The incident last June didn’t end in casualties even if some kids had been tied to a wooden post before a bonfire. It is safe to assume that if anyone had been seriously hurt the repercussions would have been otherwise.

But where will the kids of Spring Valley go during this summer? Shouldn’t the town ensure that there are recreational activities for everyone to enjoy? Right now there are reports of groups of teenagers disobeying the safety checks to enter the Shifting Alley. And surely that distorted area holds more hazards than any forest of Goblims could.

Let’s hope the new Mayor takes action soon to solve this problem for the future of our children and all the campers.

Summath Island Press
T.S. Cortega



Arkhum Asylum Personnel Overworked

The staff at Arkhum Asylum located in Greyspire City are on their knees with the ever increasing number of people needing psychiatric help. This years increase in people deemed to be criminally insane has skyrocketed in all of Summath Island.  Minister of health,  Dave Hart, recently made an appearance to address the issue. We later sought Mr.Hart for an interview.

What is the main problem right now?
-”I believe that the biggest issue right now is how the staff at the asylum have terrible working hours and the coffee isn’t good enough. For the doctors and nurses to be happy we need to fulfill the needs they address.”

What would be the root of this problem?
-”The latest statistics have shown that a lot of crime has been caused by people suffering from immediate psychological stress. These patients aren’t easy to handle and requires skilled personnel who can give them what they need. Our health system wasn’t ready for this steep increase of patients to be honest. That’s why I hope the politicians will ensure that there is room for a larger budget in the future.”

What are the consequences of this issue?
-”The staff are mostly affected by these working conditions, with more dangerous people entering the institution it’s harder to guarantee the staff’s safety. That in turn makes it harder to reach out to all the patients that needs our help.

How can we solve the problem?
-”With the funds we can ensure that every doctor and nurse feel safe and at home at their working place, having access to top of the line coffee and an inner garden. We have also presented a budget to increase the funds to our research department that is trying new and creative ways to treat patients. However, I believe that if we can meet the demands of our staff then we can ensure that the patients are cured of their insane ways and can rejoin society.”

Summath Island Press
B. Anderson

[Moosetroop11]

Looove the cop one. And the latest one sets up a lot of different areas : )

And sure you can forbid people from participating! : p If you're building up to something cool then the floor is yours!

[Prpl_Mage]

Well, hold off for now then, got some more lined up, some sort of ending to it planned. After that, we'll see. But we'll see if I pull through. I have a tendency to leave things and move on after a while.

Mr.Unicorn

They all said I was insane, but I am not insane. I am a unicorn, magnificent and graceful. I am the beauty in this dull place and the force of purity and justice that everyone can rely on. Sure, the people outside may rely on the Tiger, the yellow vigilante prowling the streets. But in here people have to rely on me, the pink watcher, the best unicorn of all.

I’m waiting for my turn at the piano, I’ve listened to the same chorus of the same song for 10 minutes now and getting slightly annoyed. The nurses brought me meds today as well, I pretended to take them and hid them in my horn, they wouldn’t dare touch my horn. Only those pure of heart can touch it. Although I was surprised that Bert managed to touch it earlier, he seems to be quite the opposite. I can see him now humping a plant in the corner.

My friends are all here, some speak less than others but they all accept me as the unicorn I am. The doctor told me I am a human, but he is clearly wrong, he is trying to assimilate me and my friends to this dull and grey society where everyone believes they are human. I remember my friend Shannon, she always used to stroke me and call me a good doggie. She would always tell her stories, of a person she once knew and of the flames. The flames spoke to her and if I weren’t a unicorn I would probably have tried to master the flames as she did. I wonder where she is now? She did what many of us dreamed of: getting out of this prison.

I look at the clock, it’s almost time for dinner, will I get the chance to play my song before that? Or do I have to wait? I know the chef sometimes uses the piano while we all eat. It’s a shame that he’s such a terrible cook though, surely he must know how to make food for beautiful unicorns like me?
I hope no one is reading my thoughts, because I know a secret about this place. But most of all I know that there is something out there outside these walls. I’ve sensed it, I’ve dreamt it and seen the pain and the horror, the limbs on the couch, the blood red sun in the sky sucked into a vortex of darkness. I saw the death of my dear mother, my brother and everyone in here - No! I can’t think of that! There is no darkness! There is no evil! I am not a weak human! I am a unicorn! I am brave and pure! That has nothing to do with me! Life is beautiful! Bounce along!

[Momeka]

Oh sweet, the unicorn one is great.

I'm also posting the stories on the itch.io page and thought some art to go along could be nice. So started mapping scenes from the stories in rpg maker. So far I've only done it for the police story.

Keep it up, prpl. I love reading these.

[Prpl_Mage]

Aw sweet, fan art for my fanfic.