Interlude: Forum - "Now, I'm mad."

Official Road to Purgatory-Beta Forum

-Jakyl, confirmed Beta-Account-

Well, guys, I need some help, as I’ve got no idea what to do.

A week ago, I made that thread about Morgana, with a few videos, all nice and dandy. Things got a little heated, but I didn’t think much of it, it’s the internet, of course, there’s drama. When Morgana went to find me in-game, bitching up a fit and threatening curses and divine retribution, I still didn’t think much of it, just that a certain someone has gone native.

Chill, Lady, it’s just a game. An incredibly immersive game, but still. It’s JUST a GAME!

Yesterday, when I logged back in, I got a fun notice in-game. Wouldn’t you know, I’ve been cursed. Curse of the Dark Moon, or some such, no description given, nor a duration. Nothing but ‘Yeah, screw you” and that’s it.

What’s a bloke to do, but head to the nearest temple in hopes to get rid of it, even if I had no idea what it does. I mean, curse equals bad news, should be common sense.

Sadly, again, joke’s on me, the Cleric did some light-show and lo’ and behold, I was told, ‘Yeah, sorry not sorry, that’s a divine curse, tough luck and have a nice life. Maybe try appeasing the Gods, so that they will lift it. Could I interest you in our Lady and Saviour, Lady Persephone?’

Well, I’m paraphrasing, but that’s the gist of it. They didn’t even have the courtesy of giving back the money I had donated to get the diagnostic magic, even if their help was utterly worthless.

Now, why am I here, you may ask?

Obviously, I want to get rid of the curse. Cause I learned what it does and dayum, is it nasty.

Simply said, I can’t sleep. Doesn’t sound too bad, does it?

But let me explain:

If I try to sleep, the moment I fall asleep, I’m suspended in a dark void, with nothing but the cold and a sensation of something sneaking up on me, scaring me out of my mind and back into the waking world. So far, I didn’t manage more than 2 minutes of sleep, since getting the curse. No, ‘Hello Darkness my old friend’ here.

Utterly sucks, I mean, I’m probably not the only one who uses the capsules and Mundus as a way to get some extra sleep, the time-compression thingy, however that works, is incredibly useful. Hop in the capsule for four hours, experience eight hours of sleep, wake up nice and dandy with extra time to game or do anything. Hell, the capsules could be marketed just for that. You know, get extra sleep and all that.

Anyway, I want to get rid of the curse, heck, I even made a ticket to find out more, cause so far, I’m stumped. And given that a certain someone literally told me I’d suffer divine retribution, I thought I try to get @Morgana to explain. Or maybe someone else has an idea.

Goliry, confirmed Beta-Account

So, Morgana said you’ll suffer divine retribution and now you did?

@Howardlight, that might be up your alley. Aren’t you the great specialist of all things divine, or at least one of them? And with a grudge against Morgana to boot?

Jeanyra, confirmed Beta-Account

Wasn’t it said that Morgana is a Sorceress? If so, how in the hell is she able to call on actual divine magic? That’s an entirely different path, it’s not even on the same road.

Unless she hired someone to curse you, but even then, Divine Curses are not something thrown around for money.

I’ll look into the Dark Moon-part, cause that sounds rather interesting.

Howardlight, confirmed Beta-Account

I’ve heard about Divine Curses, though I’ve yet to see one. I don’t think clerics actually get to cast them, at most, they can Condem someone, essentially tattling on them to their divine big brother or sister, who may or may not take action accordingly.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Lifting them is difficult, if not impossible because you need divine intervention, which boils down to, you need the deity that cursed you to lift the curse. Good luck with that, be prepared to grovel.

Malachite, confirmed Beta-Account

Well, I can positively confirm that Morgana didn’t pay anyone to curse you. We’ve been on the road for the last couple of days and I don’t think we’ve seen more than a handful of people, none of whom looked like the type that can call upon divine magic to Curse anybody.

And for those who think that maybe the cleric travelling with Morgana is responsible, she’s a cleric of Eleutheria, so Freedom and travel are her jazz, pretty sure there are no curses in her portfolio.

Kelphram, confirmed Beta-Account

Interesting, when I got the curse stuck on me, it wasn’t divine, it wasn’t even a real curse, I call it that for convenience. I also didn’t get a nice explanation to what was happening, I just died.

Heracles, Official Pantheon Moderator

Oh, my…

With the previous topic drawing some heat, I decided to look into your ticket and I’ve gotta say, Oh, my…

You managed to annoy a rather scary being and now, you’ll get shafted for it.

I guess there’s going to be a few labours assigned to you, working in penance, you know the drill. Go to the temple, ask to do penance, it needs to come from you, and the first step is to acknowledge you did wrong.

Alternatively, you can die, which is where you are headed. Exhaustion is a bitch..

Whisper, confirmed Beta-Account

Dear me, now, I’m really intrigued. A divine curse, and so nicely connected with Morgana? It could be a coincidence, but let’s be real, does anybody here believe that? I mean, I believe in coincidences, they happen every day, but really, this is a little too on the nose.

Interesting though that an actual, official mod has given game advice, I thought you only concern yourself with the conduct on the forum?

Heracles, Official Pantheon Moderator

Eh, I’m allowed to give advice, as long as I’m only pointing people in the right direction to test mechanics we need to have tested. In this case, getting rid of a divine curse is an involved process, so it’s good that someone suffered from one, makes it so we don’t need to throw down random curses, that people have to get rid of.

Or maybe that’s what happened here, who knows, it might all be a coincidence.

Morgana, confirmed Beta-Account

Pointing fingers, why does that remind me of someone?

Anyway, I firmly believe you got the retribution you deserve and I certainly have not outsourced any revenge to anybody. Vengeance is mine, says Morgana, I don’t need no stinking Lord.

Incidentally, I was busy with Alchemy, as Malachite can confirm, fascinating subject. She might even be willing to post a short clip of one of our experiments if she feels like it.

Malachite, confirmed Beta-Account

If you put it like this, I’ve got something.

[foul.avi]

In a sparse forest, a petite, blue-skinned elf is sitting comfortably on the lap of a far larger person. Just one of the larger person’s arms is almost the size of the elf, but the position seems to be in harmony. The elf takes a pinch of coarse, dark powder out of a small pouch, muttering to herself. After studying the powder in her palm for a few moments, she raises her hand, sniffing the powder. With a frown on her face, she takes a small pinch, putting it into her mouth, her lips distorting in disgust as she tastes.

Her eyes close, as if deep in thought and her jaws start to tremble as time passes until finally, her eyes snap back open, she moves away from the larger person she had been sitting on, before noisily vomiting on the ground, spitting and sputtering in disgust.

Suddenly, a weird, almost clear mug materialises in her hands, automatically filling up with a silvery liquid and she instantly takes a sip, before spitting it back out. The moment the liquid hits the ground, mist starts to form as the ground starts to freeze over. That action is repeated multiple times until the elf is entirely shrouded and hidden.

[/foul]

Now, kids, what do we learn from this?

Alchemical analysis should not be done on the tip of your tongue. Or in other words: In Alchemy, as in chemistry, we don’t lick the spoon.

Morgana, confirmed Beta-Account

Really, you picked that one…

And here I hoped that you show off your stuff, not make me look like a fool.

Whisper, confirmed Beta-Account

Ah, yes, the fearsome dark lady, Queen of Frozen Dorkness or something.

Not so scary, that look on your face, just adorable.

Jasper, confirmed Beta-Account

Not gonna lie, that was utterly cute.

Bit weird, but cute.

What was that strange mug at the end, though? Some sort of infinite mug, and if yes, where can I get one with ale or mead? And what was it that you drank?

-Jakyl, confirmed Beta-Account-

Really, I don’t care. I want to get rid of the curse, so can we please stay on topic?

And thanks, Heracles, I’ll see what can be done.