F̎̋̀͝I͋ͦ̿ͦ̇̈́N̷̏́̊̽̔̍͒A̶ͧ̂͒̍L̛ͧ̃͜ ̶̛̐̀́ͪ̈́̐ͤT̒͘͠R̨͐͊̀̕ĬA̢͊̓͌͗͢Ļ̋͞

[strangerpeople]

F̶̡̯̻̠̤̻͔͋͊ͬͦͤ̊ͯ̆Ḭ͙̜̺͇̽͟ͅN̷̰̥̥̹̱̐͛̎͞A̮͋̎͛͊L̛͚̱̯͈̄ͧ̿̂̋́͡ ̵͓̜͑͊͐ͨ̎̀̚͡Ț̸̢̥̥̲̼͔̻̟̣͂R̦̭̥͇̓ͧͣ̉͠Į̮̻̪͙̺̘͈̰͉̋ͮ̆ͩ́̔̉͌Aͩ̒ͤ͏̖̼̣L̫̥̰͉ͥ̂̐͐̓͑̑̚͢

[It is time.

Though there was no timer, the time was clearly nearing its end. The darkness that encompasses this place becomes even darker as the hours dragged forward, until even the lights of the City's skyline seems to darken along with it. You can almost feel the Noise watching, an infinity set of eyes in the void beyond staring back, as everyone pulls together again to proceed down the street.

The brightest building in the sky is the dome, now. There's no barrier preventing you from going beyond the Central Building now. There's no need for it-the City is completely empty, its streets devoid of life, as everyone inevitably finds their feet bringing them to the dome.







There's no turning back now. Whatever you have, that is what you will bring on this final journey. Not just in items, but in mind, in spirit, and in soul. IT, the avatar of the Thing and orchestrator of your game, will not relent. IT knows it has bent you, but not broken you. Now IT intends to finish the job.

As you round the corner to the dome, you feel the rhythm suddenly take control of you. You feel a sucking sensation grab onto you, and try as you might you cannot fight. You are pulled in. And when you manage to clear your head and eyes, you are inside the building. It is massive, domed, and-





you are only in one corner of it. There is a small table with chairs, with everyone's name on little dot matrix displays in front of chairs. Not all of them, of course. There are 15 chairs, and where the survivors' chairs are white, the chairs of the dead are black, their dot matrixes empty and lifeless.

A glass panel separates this little set up from the rest of the building, which is concealed in red fog. Despite this, a worryingly slack-jawed Link and Hiyori are sitting in chairs on a raised step just behind the glass, their suits still impeccable and their irises swirling more intensely than before. They do not react when everyone comes in; they do not respond if someone tries to greet them. Next to Hiyori is a briefcase and a boombox, which even through the glass it is quite clear the static, pulsing rhythm coming from it is very, very loud. Kyuubey sits in its own chair, meanwhile, its eyes watching and its expression unchanging; a fourth chair sits empty next to them.

There is no visible sign of IT. But IT is there, just beyond the glass, just waiting to unleash ITs full might. It's almost mocking the Strangers, as if to say go ahead, draw your conclusions. You won't win. You can't escape.

Fifteen Strangers, from scattered multiverses. They were brought together once more to kill. Now, they must solve the final riddle. All of the knowledge and experiences they've had have led to this, and their newest evidence may help as well. The survivors have one chance to make this right and stop IT for good. Failure cannot be an option. If it is...no. Don't think about it. Just do it.


The trial for the future of all existence has now begun.]







[It's time!! The Strangers' objective here is simple, but all-important: they must pull all of the evidence you have together, unlock the answers they seek in full, and at last confront IT, the Mastermind.

This is it. There is no turning back. The blight curls ever-further from the darkness between the clusters. Can there be a cure?

Have fun, good luck, and may the right prevail.]

Comments

The True Mastermind

[15unknowns]

[There is a silence from the rhythm, as the happiness and joy of all the Stranger survivors, the Hosts, and Sho being on the same side permeates through the dome. To others, it would be infectious and good and uplifting.

Not to the thing in the fog.

A large, massive tentacle-like appendage smashes through the glass not attacked by ITs former peons, sending shards all over the Strangers, It is grey, and dessicated, and looks organic as it flops away, red fog flashing through and overtaking the smoke.]


E̩̥̥͎̦N̤̲͕̓͐̈O̩̐ͩ͊͒̋̀U͒ͨ͆̀̌̽̿͏̙̼̘̬̭̠͙G̢̫̫͓̞̟ͨ̊̌̌ͯ̀̌H͚̦͍͎̜̄ͣͭ̂.̻̓͋͋̊͐̔ͫ

[The fog doesn't clear, but everyone can see the rather large, bulbous-looking silhouette that looms above them. Darkness and static seems to swirl all around it as the voice echoes in everyone's minds.]


Y̡͊̈́ͧ̔O͆ͣU̯̩͉̖͓̱̗̾̓̌͐̓́̕ ̼͈͈̭̉̐̈́H̦̤̯͛ͅÁ̛̟̗ͥͩͦͥV̬̮̳E͍͚͎̿̉ͤ̔̐ͪ͡ ̞͊͑ͪ̊ͥͯ̊́Ṋ̡̺͍̬̂ͣͤ̐͋O̷̼̻̻̺̍ͩ̿T͚̜͙̣͚ͥ͑̉ͧ̇H̭̫̟ͬ̎̆̓̿I̙̿̄N̩̬̼͓̺̘̥ͣ̆ͫ͒ͮG̶̰͉͓̖̔̌̅̔ͯ̾͛ ͌ͤ̾͏̺̝̝Ṯ͛̉̀ͅH̰̳̚Ą̺͓̺̀T̸̹͓͎́͌̆̏̚ ̣͔̣͛̃Í̲̜̞̫̥̤͖ ͈̊̃̆̊̑ͥ̈́D̺̖O̱̙̼̘͂̓ͮͫ̀ ̺̫͎N̤̝͍̤̮̘̝̽O̺͌͗̑͒T͇̭͖̣͕̳̏̀ ̦͎̠͚̤̯́ͅH̴̜͇͚̖̯͚Ả̙͕͇͕͙́ͭV͇̬ͥ͂́̎̒͊͛E̤̍̏͌͑̐͑ͣ͞.̙̬͚͓̙ͬͮ̈́ͅ ̭̓I̹̞̭̣̙ͥ̐̈ͭ̍͑̆ ̛̲̜͎̖̥̦̍A̪͔̰͒ͦ͌̔̀̌́M͙̮̩̥̰ͧ̐ ̖͖̞͖̝͈͍ͪ̔̏P̘͔͙͉͕Ḙ̵͔̺̟̺͉̱A̟̯͔̣̼̣̺̔ͬ̅C̳̘̜̲̖ͥ̿̈ͩ̾̍E͔̙̯͉̔ͧ͒͐̍̍̕,̥̘͕͕̹̿͌́̆͘ ̪̞ͩ̾͠Ḭ͎̣̝̤͇͖ ̥͔͒A͔̦̻ͬ̔̾ͫ̉͋M̮̝̣̖̘͈̹ͭ͋ ̟̝̻ͩ͡P͑ͥ͛ͩ̄ͧͯOW̖͕͇͖̟͐̈́͂ͧE̱̯̙̤͍͓̯͢Ȑ̙̗̟̫ͧ͝.̯͈̪̦ͫ̀̔͌ͧ͐̈
̜̬ͯ
̦̗̬̺̗̟̈ͣ̏̑ͅA͕N̤͓̱̤̜̙D͇͓̜̱̆̈́̄̍ ̡͖̣ͤ̀̉̊͛Ý̵͉͉̅̈̓͒͒͊Ȯ̫̯̗̆ͯU̯̞ͧ̈́͛́ ̢͉̣̹͒͂͂̊̅̂̊W̡͓͕̥̞̠͇̯I̐͐ͣ͆ͯ͐҉̰̼̹̗̜L͚̗̝̫̪͖͒͂ͪ̽L͗̐̐̒̆̕ ̺̞͖̪̝̞̌̈̉̃̂͠S̳̭̘̗̪̼̼̑̎͗͒U̞͔̇͒͐̄̇̔B̲͕̱̭̞̳ͤ͆ͯ́M̮̞̭̋̀̅I̯̤̤̞͍͙̖ͪ̀͐̎͒́ͥT̲̮̻͝.͍͈̠̪̫̽͒̐ͅ
̪̟͖̱̭̬̙

[The pulse roars in, taking control of everyone's bodily functions. Heartbeats, eardrums, all of it is in the pulsing rhythm of IT. Moving is like trying to walk through a howling wind in the middle of an avalanche.

And slowly, the smoke starts to clear, even as the red fog starts trying to creep across everyone's brains and eyes.

IT is done playing around.]

[relieable]

[oh no. now IT is angry.

Osomatsu shields himself from the falling glass, but that is not the worst of what happens. he is knocked to his knees as IT pulses. his eyes squeeze shut, he covers his ears, screaming]

NOW WHAT?????

[15unknowns]

C̶͉a̟̗̯̩̦r͇͉͖̀t͘e̻̤̮͖͜ͅs̠i̥̫o. ͅḀ̛̖͓̖̝l͇̞̦a͡s͍̩͈k͈a͇̖͇̺̣͇.̦̹̺͇̙̘͇ ̦̪̘͉͕̞ͅÀ͓̙̖̬̻̪n̯̯̤̳d͎̭̞̭ ̴̼n͎̝̣͙̖͜ͅo͖͉͓̩w͉͓͇̙̦̺̖,͉̤͙̼͔͖ ̨̥̻̦M̛̭̼̪e̡̦.͢


D̘̱̭͉̰̼o̦͇ ̨̯̹yo̤̤̲̻̟ͅù ̧̮̹n̜̱̪̣͔̜o̵̟̤t̸̜̖̮͇̗ ̺̙̟͜t̸̼i̧̘͉͈̲̝̭r̠̣e̬̻̗̦̮͙ͅ ̯ǫ̳̝̥ͅf̢̪̖͖͖͓̼̭ ̸͍͔̤̮t̝̮͔͈̣̻̹h̶̖͉̖e͏̞͈̹s̵̝̗̗͍͇ͅe̱̟̮ ̭̪̩g̸͙̤͎a̘̩͉̫̩͜m̙͇͇͎͈e̸s̻̪ ̳̼͚̞̭̺̼͢M̶̹̳̞̹̹a͕̙͎ͅt͙̤ș̩̦̪un̼̼̺͖͉ò̤̼͍̻?҉

[relieable]

[crap crap crap IT is coming, and Osomatsu doesn't know what to do. he tries to lift his head, focus on... his family? of course, his stupid brothers would be the last thing he thinks of before this entity devours him! stupid!

...his brothers, Millium and Sakura, and Bolin and Akko, Emma and Franciscus... and then the people he's met here... they're all his family, and Osomatsu, even being a clone, he loves them.

he grits his teeth, tears in his eyes as he tries to push back against IT. he needs to get over to Karma, become Weapon........]

Y-You... won't get to me...! These games m-may have been HELL. But th-they also m-m-made... me stronger! They gave me precious memories!

[poorlovefool]

[NOTHING IN THE RULES SAYS YOU CAN'T ATTACK A TENTACLE THOUGH!!]

FUCK YOU!!!

[He may not be able to walk much, but he can still raise the weapon in his arms - aiming takes a moment, but Eric fires his shotgun into the tentacle. Also the bullets are frenzy potioned but who knows if that helps against tentacles.]

cw: body horror, uh b l o o d

[15unknowns]

[Between Eric's shotgun and Caleb's marksman vial throwing, the tentacle explodes, showering tentacle bits and what looks like a muddy sludge onto everyone close to it.

However, it will become immediately clear to those people that...no. That wasn't a tentacle. It is too dry, too grey. And the sludge...the sludge was like blood, drained of the plasma, leaving nothing more than a near-black mire to coalesce on the ground.]

[champion_link]

[Link holds the Master Sword up. He can't do much, but he can do what he can to lessen the effect. Maybe.]

[mermaidkin]

I... have... a sense of humor.

[Getting out even this much was clearly an enormous strain through deep breaths. To keep upright he plants his elbow on the nearest podium, back buckling so he takes shelter under Link's sword.]

[15unknowns]

[The Sword of Evil's Bane does do wonders. The effects around Link are significantly lessened, so those around him will find some comfort.]

I rolled a 20 for the toss...

[katzenpfote]

[Caleb lets loose a torrent of blue flames at the thing, pulling a giant mallet out of his bag and setting it on the floor for whoever wants to use it, because he certainly can't.]

[He also pulls out a small glittering vial and throws it towards IT, aiming for the front part of the tentacle.]

[Thanks, Vita.]

Re: I rolled a 20 for the toss...

[15unknowns]

[this is fine]

[carryabigstick]

[She hunches down to brace against the onslaught of glass. It throws her off for a moment but she quickly regains her footing.

Estelle has her bo staff out and poised, ready to strike at a moment’s notice. And if anyone needs protecting, she’ll be happy to cover them too.]

No!! I won’t! And neither will they!

[15unknowns]

N͏̝̜̜̩ọ͖̱̥̣̙̫͝t̤̰̦͔̣̼͖ ͍͈̖͎̞e̙̕v̨͉̩ͅe͙̖̪̹͓̫̘n͉͇̠̖̻͖̲ ̳̬̩̱͞t̞̫͙̥͚o̧͈̳̙͙̻ ̝̭͚̰̯s͈̠̖͉̼͘a̘̹͟ve̬̲̰̪̲ ̫̪̰͍̰̻̣͟.̜̱͉͔͈̞͉.͎̹̩̼̙̦.̥̰̙͈̻̭̤h͚̟̯̪̼i̼̟͕͎̞̳m̖͓̫̞͎?͓̥̞̠͞

[unwittingking]

[King's able to avoid getting hit by the tentacle or any glass, though that's not really a good thing right now.

He's on his side, one paw clutching at his chest while another is at his head, grabbing at one of his ears and pulling. It's in him, IT's under his skin and he needs to get it out, but his breathing is heavy and his mind is fogging up, and something in his vision isn't right, and he's scared. Scared this is it-this is the last time he's like this. He doesn't want to go out like this-please don't let it be like this-and he's scared, so God damn scared.

He needs help, but he can't get a word out. The most he can manage is a whimper.

He's scared...]

[carryabigstick]

King-- hang in there...! We're all here with you. Same as before. We're gonna get through this.

[She's going to be covering him in case IT decides to do anything, but also staying close in case he needs her.]

[otherworldlyking]

Remember what you swore to me.

[ He's not the most comforting person but it's better than nothing, right. ]

[necroyalty]

King.

[ She sighs deeply, whispering the next few words after humming the first part of a lullaby she remembers her mother singing. ]

The rest of us are here.

If we go, we go together.

[15unknowns]

[IT knows what you've done, King.]

Y͙͔̱͜o̖̹͕̟͙̠͈͟u͈̲͔ ͏̟͚ķ͉͕̼͕̦now͏̣ ̭̻͓̬̘y͖͟o̡u͚̹̩̮ ͚̥̀c͏a̦̘̬̟̤͔͖͝n̫̮͈̝͈̝ ̺̼̯̰͇̙͕̀n̠̮͙͞e͖̜͎̼̼̝v̗ͅȩ̬̘̩̗̞̥͎r̲͔̭͈͚ ͍̝go̶͖͈̤͎̤̭̥ ̼͎̣h̷̝̗̞͔̪͉͉o͚m͎̜̯̺͜e̪,̰̰̕ ̱ḏ̣̝͎̱ͅò̖n͏̹'͔̙̮̟̣ṭ͇ ̡̮̱̟̤͇̗͉ỳ̻̦̻o̹u̢?̲̪̝͖͎̞̤͟

[IT's assault is unrelenting. Everyone can hear them, but for King, he might as well have been the only one in the room.]

You̝͉̭ ̻͓̦̫a҉̠͇̣͔̹re̤ ̭̜̙̞ͅa ͕͚̠̝͍̙͍s̮̝̗̻͈͝i̡̭̯̪͓n̜̜͖̰͈ͅn̘̕e͖͚̲̣͇͝ͅr.͔͇͓ T̬͚̳̫h̕e͔͉͖r͉̻͉̱̻̩̹ȩ̩̬̩ ̣̖̥̹̘w̴̪̮̰i͓̜͙͖̱l͍̖̳ͅl̞͝ ͈̮̰b͏e̹̺̙̼͇̜ ͉̰̗͉ͅn͍̱ó͚̯̼͔ ͔͉̮̟̠͈͟p̼͍̫̱̙ea͎͕̣̟̗̱̲͢c̬̹̩̲̤ę̤̻ ̷̖̣̦͔̮̳f̷̩͔̥̜̱͚o̘͠r ̠y̦̪̳͚̤̗o̮̦̻̘͇̻u̼̫.̬̣ Ba̵̫̲̠̫̤i̠̬̳l̹̺͖̩͈̟e͇͔̞̳y͙̱̙͈̰͙͎,̮͇̞̗̕ ̭̝t͓̯̹̣ẖ͇e͏ ̴̱̙̝̫ͅp͎͇͙̕u͙p̷͉̭̪̠̭̤s͉,̯ ̯̼y͟o̙ur ̲̟̺͕̭̺̪f̣̘̰͎͞r̮͚̯̬i̯̜̮͇e̴̮̙͚͍n̖̖͉̯͙̜͢ͅd̪͎̙̺͚̰s̢̼.͢ ̴͉̳͎͇̪T͉̮͢h̬̼͎͞e̳̣̟͚ͅy҉̰͚̼ͅ ̟̬͇͇̮͍͡w̱il͔̟̭̮ĺ ̼̮̤ͅf̺̹̞͉̭͓͜i̜̟̪̫̜͙n̛̦̖̥̦d̻̦̼̺͕̱ ̙o̰̗̝̠̙ú͔͎̜̰ţ̼̳̝̞.̬̕

T̰̮̀h̞̗̗̦e̸̳̠̤͙y͝ ̲̞͔̩̫͖a̷̙̯̘̮ͅͅl̴̥̖͔̩̤w̬̯̩̱̬ͅaý͈̭s̭ ̨̰̦̲̦̙d̬̰͢o̹͕̣̞̳̟.̹͎͈̤̮

[Compared to King's terror, IT's promise is like a soothing balm.]

T̜̦͞hey͖͚̞͇̫̮̩ c̠͢a̹l̺͈̼͠l҉͚̠͓̖̬͇ ̲̼͈͈̪̜͠m̖̯̟͍͖e̸͕͕̞̼̰̥̗ E̺̼̻̥̦̻͘c҉̺͉̜̳͉̫h̳̝̤̰͟th͕̜̺͉͍̘̼r͉͇̜͚o͓̺͍̖̫̤͟s.̬̝̞ ͝E̼̞̲͎̮n̨̟̱͇̹̺e̞͍m͇̜̳̤̫y̦̺͕͎.̴̹̤ ̻̦̭̮̮̜͡B̭̬̯̬̱̞ṷ̱t̜̙ ̡͖̤̖am͈̠ ̨I̻͖̣̙̫̯̬̕,͚͕̘̭̯ ̧̘̻r͟ͅea̪̦̫ḽ̜͇̠̩͎̥͢l̹̞̝̲̲̻̕ý͍̭̰,̻ ̭͢w̹͢h̕e̳͙͈͇͕̟͙n͏̺̣ ̙͇͇̻̭ͅI͎̣͇̯͠ ̧͓̟o̗f҉̯̰̻͈̤͈̲f̪̹̻̯̝̙e͓͕̺͘r҉̞͇͍̺ͅ ̟̣y̟͎͈͍̬o̦͈u͎͈͚̠̥ ̸͖͙͙ș̞͘o͇ ҉̖m̠̖̙̮͔̩ụ̜̞̠c̶̪̣ͅh̦̙͔̫̬̀?̲̼̤

Y̲͖͘o̶̥u̙̻̯̬ ̦͓̕cḁ̛͈̩̮̘n͔̭͚͖̲͡ͅͅn͕͖̤͙̰̝͜o͈ṭ͚̠̗͞ ̦͉̟̮̩͈t̕r̸̪̠͖ͅu̼̹s͙̟̰͖͔͖̺ţ yọ͚̘̬̳̮ͅu̬ŕ̝̹̝̝͉s̹̥̙ḛ̭̰̞l̗͓̲̹f̠͓̯̬ͅ.͡ ̯͍̟S̤͍͇̖ơ̰.̞͚̭̼̳͡.̬̥͎͞.͙̫͙̦̀

[IT crawls through King, like a rumbling purr.]

T̨r͚̞̬u̡͉͈̮̖̞͇s̖͉͉̬̜t ̷̩m̲̺͢ͅḛ̫͔͉͈,̷̞ ̬̟̯̳̗a̢̠͉n͙̞͞ḑ̖̭͙̹ ̲

l̮͙̀e̦̘͖̟t̓̀͋͂͏̠ ̬͔͙͋̂̂̄m̸̬̭̜̬̙̲̔̑̒́̒ͫ̓ͅe̛̜̝̺͂̈́̑ͬ̂̍ ̫͔̙̾̈ͬ̚͝ͅi̯n̢̅̐̓ͫ̈́̒.̡͋̈͛̎̄̿̊

[katzenpfote]

King! We're here. You will be safe. You will get home to them. You will be all right.

... You're family. I will help you. You can do this. Fight.

[otherworldlyking]

[ Well, when the tentacle thrashed out, McBurn would've attempted to strike at it with Angbar, then Dawnbreaker first quick and mercilessly before it drew away.

Unfortunately that's about all he could do for the moment, though if anything, IT's attempts to stop him - and everyone else - in their tracks was nothing more than an annoyance at his level.

Even if he still felt the effects. It'll take a lot more than that to make him, of all people, submit. ]

[poorlovefool]

[go get em' baby!!]

[incendiarize]

[Arthur had already been struggling, Karma and Caleb had just gotten him functioning again - and now this. He isn't like the others. He is small, and he is weak, and he is starved. He can't sling his formulas like he could back home. His power doesn't let him attack.

But Charles said hope. Karma said hope. Arthur said hope, over and over and over again.

But he's so small and weak and powerless--

But his small and weak hands killed a god, didn't they? With determination and frustration, and stubborn willpower and a crocodile. A friend. He has his friends here. He'd had something else, too, didn't he? A purpose. He fought fear for a reason.

He fought Fear for her.]

Emma...

[He may be weak and immobile right now, but he remembers her, and he is not alone.]

[15unknowns]

[Emma

Suddenly, it's like the mere thought of her-what she means to him-causes IT to snarl back, away from his mind, loosening its hold on him. Suddenly, Arthur can think and more more freely than before. It is like a great weight was put off of his shoulders, and even the punishment from earlier in the week, feels...less terrible. It's still there. But its effect on him does not feel so terrible.

No, what's terrible when he thinks about her?]

> Ascend

[otherworldlyking]

[ Anyway back to this.

McBurn will leave the love speeches and shit to everyone else or what the hell ever. There's a ten feet leap up to the glass area where the enemy was, so he'll head over and begin stacking the chairs with little to no warning while people were shouting at King. And uh, things were happening with Eric.

Towards the end of the latter of the two events, he's definitely pretty much finished, and beginning to make his way up. He didn't necessarily shout he's doing this but it's pretty obvious something was going on over here.

Also to be quite honest, he was getting real tired of IT fucking around here. So he's going to see how close he could get to the tentacles.

Anyone's free to accompany or do whatever, of course. ]

[incendiarize]

[Arthur tries to help with King, and the others re more effective....and then Caleb falls under. Caleb, who's protected and helped Arthur since...what, day three? Day two? Caleb, who's sheltered him. Helped him through nightmares. He knows what Caleb has done and been through.

He could reach out to him - use their newly-accepted bond to pull him back - but no...no, this just proves IT will go after them, take them one after another, force them to rescue one another in circles until they're exhausted. This cannot be allowed to go on. And there's a simpler way. Why untie the puppet when you could just....cut the strings?

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the chair pile McBurn is making. Perfect.]

I'll be back soon, d.....dad? [That. That feels weird to say? He wanted to give it a shot.

And then he turns, and sprints as fast as he can, bounding and scrambling up the pile of chairs, possibly before it's even finished. He just has to get up there....he leaps for it, makes the leap. He's a kid with a mission now and no one is going to stop him--]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[Bone staff in hand, he runs, bellowing, into the beyond where hopefully IT has a body. So, tell me - does it have a body he can get close to?]