LoopThrown - A Cancer Cure Sans Scratch

[zogGears]

Right. After taking a good long stroll through the Land of Helium and Crypts, it's looking to me like Scratching is serious badsauce and not a solution at all; simply an alternate problem. This story is primarily about two longstanding post-Reckoning trolls and the four humans they're manipulating. The end goal is to create a stable time loop inside Sburb - ideally on the Battlefeild - in order to have infinite chances to try and cure Universe B's cancer. Whether this is by removing the Tumour, spawning a better Speaker of the Vast Croak to avoid B's cancer in the first place, defeating Bec Noir, or something I haven't thought of, I don't know. I'm not even sure what the Alternians are like yet, I only know their classes at the moment: Seer of Time and Thief of Space. Seemed like the best combo for setting up a stable loop.

What I do have is a fair bit of writing experience, decent familiarity with the cannon HomeStuck universe, and roughs of the humans.

>Delete all that expositional stuff post-haste!

[Show Spoilerlog]

show spoiler

hide spoiler

The first is one I'll let you name if you like: a 17 year old lover of chance and risk who wins his copy of Sburb in a card game and loads it up not knowing what it is, asking a few happy go lucky questions on game forums while he waits for the loooooong install.

show spoiler

hide spoiler

He'll end up being the Bard of Coin gameside.

Secondly is Grace Hermona, a middle aged woman who's become a shut-in after an incident at her former job as a lounge singer. She works from home as a talent agent/consultant, but has a lot of free time to spend playing games and lurking forums. When she sees a post from the boy mentioned earlier about installing the extremely rare game, she decides to finally use a copy she's been holding onto and jump in as well. She'll be the one that pulls the team together, at least at first.

show spoiler

hide spoiler

I'm not sure what her exact role will be gameside, but I feel like playing with the Void property.

Third is Mitchell Testa. Another young one, he's just recently hit 21 and is fresh out of college with a Communications degree. He wants to do some world-walking to get some grit under his belt and find something to report on, but he's broke. When a colleague drops a lead on a rare game that's rumoured to make people disappear to another dimension, he's all over it. When the story starts he hasn't gotten his hands on a copy yet.

show spoiler

hide spoiler

He'll be Heir of Truth, I think.

Lastly we've got Ruben Conte. He's in his early thirties and an athlete, some sort of competitive martial artist... probably a boxer but I'm not sure. He's starting to lose his edge with age but he still does well enough to live comfortably. When the story starts he's taken a serious hit and has been sidelined. He's depressed and trolling around online while he recovers when Grace contacts him and gets him interested in Sburb, prompting him to dive into an auction for a copy of the game which ends up burning away most of his nest egg.

show spoiler

hide spoiler

He'll end up being the Maid of Flames in game. He really hates the first part of his class title.

No!

As I said, I have some writing talent. I can't draw for shit. If you get inspired and would like to draw for me (no commitment needed) drop me a line. Alright... here goes LoopThrown!

[zogGears]

A (mostly) young (almost) man sits at his computer. Today is April 23rd and while that isn't his birthday, he's feeling like it is! He's fresh back from a hot streak at the NoirJack table and is feeling pretty damn LUCKY today. Or he was until the piece of crap he won decided to take a few million hours to install, anyway. Maybe another game will put him back in a chancy mood... since there's nobody to play with in this little rented room, he'll play with you!

He's already got a name, but fuck that. It's a boring name. Give him a new one... an AWESOME one. Or a shitty one, he doesn't care. It's all on the dice and whatever turns up, at least it won't be boring. ANYthing is better than BORING.

[vengeanceCreed]

>Enter Name: Corey Marsh

[zogGears]

>Enter Name: Corey Marsh

Yig! That's terrible, but them's the breaks... in a fit of specieist paranoia, Corey twists to take a look at his butt. THANK GOD, no tail. Even the happiest of lucky-goers would have a hard time with that pile of snake eyes. Genetic purity assured, he takes another look at the PILE OF CRAP HE WON's progress bar.

54785/7432404 - Fluffing Prophet Vapour

Jesus Chirst. It's not even 0% done yet. Even the famed roll wizard MR. H. G. LUCKY wouldn't bet on those odds. And prophet vapour, what the fuck? What kind of game is this, some sort of VN revolving around flatulent wizards? With a download like that... good lord, it's supposed to be an online game too. With a download like that, over seven million.... WHATEVERS, there's gotta be a lot of content. That's.... a lot of animated gifs. Maybe all of them. He cringes; don't think about the online compatibility. Just don't.

This is seeming like a pretty raw deal all of the sudden. Chirst, it's Checking the Cube now. Distraught, Corey hops down from his seat and casts a wary eye about his cruddy undrawn room; smashing the fuck out of his fart fantasy corrupted computer seems like the only option now.

[ah2190]

> Corey: Check Pesterchum or whatever you use to see if anyone's online.

> ???: Pester/Troll Corey as soon as he gets on

[zogGears]

> Corey: Check Pesterchum or whatever you use to see if anyone's online.

Dude, what? Corey doesn't have anyone added on Pesterchum. Not that he's a loner or anything (why would he have a chat program otherwise), but if something has an option to rely on the random, it's a sure bet that's what he's going to rely on. Actually an encounter of that nature is sounding like a good idea, much better than the destructive variety of chance reliance.

Corey fires up Pesterchum, but before his finger can even think of clicking RANDOM ENCOUNTER, somebody's on him! idolVoice? Never heard of them; must be a chancy dancer after his own heart!

[Show Pesterlog]

show spoiler

hide spoiler

-- idolVoice [IV] began pestering cardioDecadon CD at 19:21 --
IV: How far along is your install
CD: uhhhh, what?? what game're you playing here, opening with a hand tip like that!?!??
IV: I prefer not to waste my time with games How far along is your Sburb install
CD: oh that!!! uhhh,, it's still checking out the cube?
IV: The numbers
CD: oh those... it's' uhh, 57kish now
IV: Out of
CD: jeeeeeez!!!!!! .....about 7.4mil,, but shouldn''t you know that??!? seems like you know EVERY thing about this game!!!!? and what i'm doing with it,, more than me even???!!?
IV: This is a response to your forum post
IV: The file size varies between sessions
CD: what foruhuh!?!?!?!!!!? what,, you mean different people get different versions of the gam,e,, or something!?!?!!!!!
IV: Yes
CD: .....yes????!??? i';m not sure i follow!!!?!
IV: Yes The game tailors itself to the users
CD: chirst...... just what sort of game is this.....??????!!

[ah2190]

> IV: Turn out to be a Troll from the A universe

> Cory: Try to get as much information about the game out from IV. Failing that, have a RANDOM ENCOUNTER with one of your fellow players in the session you will be part of.

[zogGears]

> IV: Turn out to be a Troll from the A universe

Pardon? She (whoever she is) finds your use of the colloquial vernacular quite offensive, and your butchery of language simply rude. She is a human, being entirely polite - not trolling at all - to a young man of interest. Both are residents of A UNIVERSE, with no vestigial THE required. Dear me, but these guttural accusations have the poor girl quite flustered.

> Cory: Try to get as much information about the game out from IV. Failing that, have a RANDOM ENCOUNTER with one of your fellow players in the session you will be part of

[Show Pesterlog]

show spoiler

hide spoiler

CD: uhhh.... you still there,, mysterious squinty blue stranger??????
CD: hello...??!!!!?!
CD: oh great, i''ve been sharked.... the heck can they do with that info though...???!?
IV: I apologize
IV: I am unsure what came over me I assure you I am not a shark
IV: Or a troll
CD: that's owell then what aa what?!?!?!!?!?!?!
IV: Pardon
CD: oh uhhh.... sorry, i'm bad at backspace
CD: it's' better to send one message at a time, okay??
IV: Very well Could you repeat yourself more clearly
CD: uhh sure.... i was asking, uhhhh,, what you are if you're not a shark or a troll????!
CD: right,, yeah that, and what's a troll anyway?????
IV: A human as well as an assistant Possibly at some point in the future a friend
CD: what???!?!?! like there's'; any chance you're not human!?!?!???
CD: hello???????????????????
IV: Troll: slang computing to post deliberately inflammatory articles to an internet discussion
CD: well how do I know that!!!!?!!? you came from a forum and sure aren't being helpful!!!!!!!!
IV: Can we slow down a little
CD: uh..... sure??
IV: Thank you I am trying to be helpful Please listen a moment
IV: Is that alright
CD: yeah,, i'm listening.
IV: From what I've read Sburb is no ordinary game That is what drew my interest I don't typically play MMO games
IV: Given its nature it's possible non-humans have played it in some form at some point
IV: What is certain is that strange phenomena surround the player once the game is installed: restructuring of their environment Introduction of alien fauna And catastrophe
CD: catastrophe!?!?!?!!!!!?!?!?!??
IV: Yes I was not finished
CD: sorry
IV: It is unclear whether the players survive However it is rare to find evidence of their death
IV: The standing theory is that they are transported to an alternate dimension This is based on sightings of strange sigils high above their homes which vanish shortly before the catastrophe
IV: I have contacted you because I have a copy of the game as well Until now I have had no reason to use it As this is not a single player game Perhaps MMO is also the wrong term
IV: There are a small number of players per session However soloing is not an option That much is clear from what little information is available
IV: You must have co-players Allies
IV: I'm done now
CD: .....okay, wow
CD: uh
CD: so who's sitting at the table with us?
IV: You and I only So far
CD: we'll need more then....??

[ah2190]

Pardon? She (whoever she is) finds your use of the colloquial vernacular quite offensive, and your butchery of language simply rude. She is a human, being entirely polite - not trolling at all - to a young man of interest. Both are residents of A UNIVERSE, with no vestigial THE required. Dear me, but these guttural accusations have the poor girl quite flustered.

Sorry, just thought that, you know, you were from the universe which created this one. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

> Cory: Scout out the memos for potential fellow-players, and end up encountering someone with the initiles JN, who's completly unrelated to the plot whatsoever.

[zogGears]

Me too, for the late update. I haven't been feeling well. Here goes again!

> Cory: Scout out the memos for potential fellow-players, and end up encountering someone with the initiles JN, who's completly unrelated to the plot whatsoever.

[Show Pesterlog]

show spoiler

hide spoiler

IV:Yes Four is the precedent
CD: precedent???? you've done this before!?!???
IV: No But I've had my copy for some time
CD:man.... i dunno if i could sit on a stack like that for long
CD: i mean i just started installing this thing right away then asked questions
IV: I know What is the progress
CD: uhhhh.... oh!!! it's done a hop actually,, it was stuck on that cube for a while
CD: it's anchoring satellites now.... wait....
IV: The numbers
CD: aren''t satellites orboh,,, that....... you sound like a shark again
IV: I am not a shark Sharks don't have fingers
CD: ha!!!! a loanshark i mean
CD: all numerical and whatever
IV: I see Well I'm not that either
IV: Or a troll
CD: ha. okay
CD: so uh..... oh rig,ht,, numbers
IV: Yes please
CD: it's at about 76k now
CD: 1%, ALRIGHT!!!!
IV: It looks like you have some time I will direct you to a better forum for your questions
IV: And recruitment
CD: better than gamefrecruitment!!???!?!????! why am i the dealer all of the sudden??!!!!!!?!?
IV: I'll be looking there too
CD: oh...... okay.
IV: [link]
CD: where to???oh, okay
IV: I'll contact you later
IV: Keep your bandwidth open It will speed the install
--idolVoice finished pestering cardioDecadon at 19:43--
CD: okay
CD: uhm

So much for that! What a bossy lady. Maybe lady. PROBABLY bossy. That's a self-hedging bet right there. But either side of the fall, Corey may as well check on that link. Nothing better to do but watch one huge number chase another.... except be thirsty! Damn thirsty, gotta watch that mouth breathing tell. Bluh, gotta love having your tongue pasted to your palette. To the fridge; refreshment awaits!

Where's the fridge? There are distinct disadvantages to being PRETTY LAX WITH HOUSEKEEPING and owning a minifridge.

[zogGears]

>Corey: actually do what the player is telling you

After tearing apart the sock pile and in the process of digging into the VARIOUS UNMENTIONABLES pile, Corey hears a PRETTY NOISE. Oh, it's Pesterchum telling him he's being pestered. IV doesn't seem like the hasty (or troll) type, so who could it be? There it is again. Corey's CUIRIO CITY begins work on a new structure, digging down into the foundation of his PERSONIFICATION MATRIX. While the groundwork is laid, Corey forgets he's thirsty and heads back to his computer to check it out.

This is good, because we're about to run out of capital. There's six left.

[Show Pesterlog]

show spoiler

hide spoiler

--jestorialNixologist [JN] began pestering cardioDecadon [CD] at 20:02--
JN: hey
JN: heyhey
JN: heyheyhey
JN: !
--jestorialNixologist finished pestering cardioDecadon at 20:05--

it was a big sock pile, alright?

[Show Pesterlog]

show spoiler

hide spoiler

--cardioDecadon [CD] began pestering jestorialNixologist [JN] at 20:06--
CD: don't fold so easy!!!!!!
JN: no
CD: hey,, if you'r'e gonna be like that i don't mind taking the pot
JN: don't do drugs
CD: huh?????? i don't!!!!
JN: then don't
CD: i don'''t!!!!!!!!!!!
JN: don't start
CD: i won't..........
JN: no
JN: you don't sound so sure
CD: i'm so sure
CD: wtf, what's up with my caps???????!???
JN: they don't work
CD: no shit
JN: don't swear
CD: well whatever......!!!
CD: soooooo sure
JN: no
CD: yes!!
JN: no
CD: yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JN: no
CD: yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JN: no
CD: fuck these caps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JN: no
JN: don't swear
CD: i'll swear when the fuck i want to!!!!!
JN: no
CD: yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JN: no
CD: yeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JN: no
JN: !
CD: yes

So they'll be at that a while. Corey's going to be MIGHTILY thirsty when he's done. You should find him a drink.

Also we have capital again. Congratulations on surviving the recession.

[ah2190]

> JN: Are you from Universe A, by any chance? If not, keep on semi-trolling Corey

> Switch to IV if possible.

[zogGears]

> JN: Are you from Universe A, by any chance? If not, keep on semi-trolling Corey

You ask JN that. JN says no. JN then proceeds to tell you that it is from Triorefrain7 as an absolute unnegotiable certainty, and immedietely stops talking to Corey. Corey sends JN a few more messages, mostly things like YES,,,, BITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!! then gets back to digging through the VARIOUS UNMENTIONABLES pile in search of his puny little fridge. He'll be at that for a while too.

> Switch to IV if possible.

You can, and do. Hopefully Corey doesn't die of thirst in the meantime.

She's doing what Corey should be (she told him to!), searching through the forum she'd pointed him to for someone to add to their session. Oh, here's something... actually, it's a little amusing.
A student of some kind has noticed him talking about his won copy of Sburb on mainstream (ugh) gaming forums and is worried that there will be an influx of 'dumbass preteen neckbeard COD kids' in this carefully moderated little corner of the internet; more than the community can handle. Funny how things like carelessness and hypocrisy tend to orbit...
No, not him. But the thread is getting a lot of attention, maybe there was someone in there who could be useful to her cause. The cause, ahem. It was EVERYone's calamity that was coming, after all.
No, no, no.... no, not that either. She may be at this a while too. You'll need something to do in the meantime.

[ah2190]

> IV: Just when you are about to give up... somehow find TT's walkthrough. Or a useful ally who may turn out to the the Space player of the session (That is, unless any of the others who are introduced are the Space player of this session)

[zogGears]

> IV: Just when you are about to give up... somehow find TT's walkthrough. Or a useful ally who may turn out to the the Space player of the session (That is, unless any of the others who are introduced are the Space player of this session)

She'll probably give up in a couple days. If you want to wait that long, you'll MOST CERTAINLY need something to do in the meantime. Remember what kind of lady you're dealing with here; the kind that's been sitting on a copy of SBURB for years!
Lucky for you, she finds someone that might be useful in that thread in not too much time... a gaming columnist, looks like. Going on his written temperament and grammar alone, he seems mature enough... and he speaks like he knows what he's talking about when it comes to games and their design, if not about SBURB itself. Going to his profile, you find out his chumhandle is walkingTalk, and at him to your chumlist. He's not on right now, though... meantime, she'll do a little tiding of her room while she watches the thread for anything of interest being added.

A wild CHARACTER SELECT screen appears! There are six options, four in the top row and two in the bottom. Strangely, there's two other buttons, one to the left of each row... but there's no picture in it. Only three portraits are lit, those of Corey, IV, and WT. So it's one of them, or one of the two MYSTERIOUS UNOPTIONS. Or... y'know, something entirely unrelated because you've got the mad haxxor skillz like that.

[ah2190]

> Select WT

[zogGears]

Hang in there! I'll be replying the shit out of this thing tomorrow evening. BTW, that was THE RIGHT CHOICE. <=øD

Okay, shit. Big overtime at work today. I'll try and tide you over before wifey goes to bed, but there'll be bigger stuff coming, promise. I HAVES IDEA.

> Select WT

Choice. You are now WT. He says you can call him Mitch, buddy. He's not the type to get all mysterious on you limited omniscient narrative commander types, though he suggests that you give him some free play; he can figure out a lot on his own and hey, that's a benefit to you, right? You say sure.

YES YOU DO. Mitch is VERY PERSUASIVE. Look, it's in caps, it must be true.

He's kinda on the young side at 21, but that doesn't stop IV from being right about him; he's PRETTY MATURE, and she's a DECENT JUDGE OF CHARACTER. Mitch doesn't judge though, no more than his work forces him to... which isn't much at all. Gotta keep an open mind and be objective as a MOSTLY FREELANCE JOURNALIST. Lately it's been mostly gaming columns, that's where the MOSTLY part comes in, he's been working for Games Yo a lot lately. He's starting to feel ITCHY about it, really, time to move on to something else. Maybe that BIG BREAK!

The rumours surrounding the mMOSPG (minutely Multiplayer Self Partnered Game, a term he coined just for this unusual game... when it comes to coining terms, you'll find he's the best there is) Sburb smell like they might lead to it, the BIG BREAK. He'll put everything he's got into it and don't you doubt it!!

But all this UNFOCUSED AMBITION needs a place to go!