Update 5: A Peculiar Ink
EJ: Okay, I’m back at my computer and ready for more Winterstrike! Huge thanks to Josh Grams for creating a script that grabs all the text from a given screen of a StoryNexus game—much faster than copy-pasting.
We start off with a card that’s quite familiar at this point:
A starship carcass
Any number of starships were ruined when the winterstrike hit Iria. From a small distance you see the hulk in fragments of silver and blue-black, the hull pitted and crumpled and marked by crystals of ice like tiny gnawing teeth.
EJ: We grabbed the Shipshard Mirror last time, so let’s see something different now:
A high-pitched, thready sound draws your attention. What could it be?
Treading quietly, you make your way around the side of the crumpled starship toward the noise. You see what it is soon enough: someone’s robot, probably five steps down from sentience, using a laser to scorch a word over and over into the hull. No, not quite a word, more of a pictograph: icicles, or perhaps teeth, splayed like great wings.
You’ve gained 1 x Dubious Omen (new total 3).
EJ: Our next card is Music in an old concert hall, for which we still have only one option available, same as last time. We acquire one more Brittle Rumor. Then we’ve got this one:
Gunfire games
This used to be a outdoors theater for pixel puppeteers. At the moment, however, two people—undoubtedly members of the notorious Circle of Bullets—are using it for a duel while several people watch.
EJ: Let’s try that Finesse challenge this time!
The sport of dueling has never sat well with you. Time for a little mischief. (A chancy challenge – Your Finesse quality gives you a 60% chance of success.)
All it takes, as it turns out, is to dash out before the watchers can stop you and break the duel’s boundary, which is marked in shadow. The duelists cry out and train their weapons on you. You duck behind the cover of a piece of rubble and flee the scene before they can hit you. Fortunately, you are surefooted and there are plenty of winding paths to lose them in.
You’ve gained 1 x Fleeting Merriment (new total 3).
EJ: Huh! That didn’t tell us whether we succeeded or failed, and we gained no Finesse from it. You should always gain points in a stat by doing a challenge that uses it, succeed or fail, so I don’t know what’s up here. It’s a bit buggy, I guess.
Next up, finally a new card!
A roving market (EJ note: I don’t have an icon for this right now because it wasn’t in the folder of icons Josh provided—I’ll fill it in later. Now back to the game text!)
Frozen spheres containing storm-eels with pleading eyes. Winsome thieves. Human-headed snakes in lambent cages. The market moves from street to street, square to square, but some of the sights never change.
A musician is playing a bird-bone flute. Despite the spiraling beauty of her music, her hat—held by an obliging swanfolk gentleman—is nearly empty of contributions. You’re not sure whether pity or bemusement urges you closer. (A very chancy challenge – Your Finesse quality gives you a 50% chance of success.)
A small audience has gathered around a man wrestling an insectine soldier. The insectine—unusual to see one so far from its squad—is doing quite well. Perhaps you could best it. (A high-risk challenge – Your Force quality gives you a 20% chance of success.)
A dark-eyed Irian invites you to play a game of concentration. His deck of cards is backed with Iria’s symbol, the Circle of Glory. Not inappropriate, despite the angled shadows and gray gusts: Iria’s strength has always been its people. (A chancy challenge – Your Resolve quality gives you a 60% chance of success.)
Some of the merchants aren’t as conscientious as they could be about guarding their wares. That box, for instance, abalone-inlaid and red-black shining. [You need 1 x Petaled Key (you have 1)]
You’re in need of a weapon. There are always individuals willing to supply such things. [LOCKED – You need 10 x Labyrinth Crystal (you have 0)]
One of the market’s corners is darker than the others, and projects a watchful silence. You wonder what lies there. [LOCKED – You need 1 x Emberstone (you have 0)]
A graying foxfolk mercenary recognizes your unit by the weapon you’re wearing and indicates a desire to speak to you. [LOCKED – You need 1 x Scintillant Gun (you have 0)]
In spite of the troubling signs that you have seen in every corner of Iria. you are determined to find some cheer in the city.
Playing this option will get you 10x Memory of Far-Flung Stars, 10x Fleeting Merriment, and 10x Oddment of Honor, at the cost of 10x Dubious Omen.
[This branch is now free to play]
[LOCKED – You need 10 x Dubious Omen (you have 3)]
A cluster of ravenfolk veterans is playing card games. You join in.
Playing this option will get you 10x Memory of Far-Flung Stars and 10x Oddment of Honor.
[This branch is now free to play]
[LOCKED – You need 10 x Spark of Camaraderie (you have 1)]
EJ: Phew—a LOT of options on this card! We’ll be exploring many of them in time—and as always, please let me know if there are any you’d particularly like to see!—but right now we’re going to take our first opportunity to use the special item our “envoy” background gave us, the Petaled Key.
Your Petaled Key breathes fragrance at the box’s lock, like a purloined moment beneath a flowering tree. The lock snicks open. The box contains rare desserts topped with celestial cream and stellate sugar crystals. It’s only a moment’s work to take the choicest for yourself and return the box to its place, leaving its owner none the wiser.
You’ve gained 1 x Evanescent Treat (new total 4).
EJ: And then! Finally! The card I’ve been waiting for all this time! It unlocks with Winterlocked 1, there’s no condition we needed to meet to see it, the RNG just hates me and wants me to suffer. But anyway:
Restoration of a forbidden temple to birds
A team of Architects appears to be excavating a temple, relic of an earlier era. And not just any temple: one of the Avian Temples that proper Irians consider taboo.
The Architects must have uncovered something especially delicious if they’re braving the Irian taboo. You think you see a way of relieving them of their prize. (A high-risk challenge – Your Finesse quality gives you a 20% chance of success.)
The Architects only seem interested in their immediate vicinity. You might be able to find curiosities of your own if you venture farther afield. (A tough challenge – Your Finesse quality gives you a 40% chance of success.)
The Irians must have this taboo for a reason. It might be best to talk the Architects out of their endeavor. (A very chancy challenge – Your Resolve quality gives you a 50% chance of success.)
(EJ: This icon’s also missing, whoops!)
One of the items already recovered is a piece of art, a tapestry of optic fibers and harp strings and beads of luminous glass. The subject matter is familiar, although the Architects discussing it seem to be under the amusing misimpression that it represents a gun-saint of the houndfolk.
Playing this option will get you 3x Associated with the Architects of Ink and 10x Dubious Omens.
[This branch is now free to play]
[You need Finesse 3 (you have 4)]
You’ve seen a starship like this in your travels. What does it remind you of?
It looks like the Architects are having difficulty shifting some rubble. You could lend them a hand. (An almost impossible challenge – Your Force quality gives you a 10% chance of success.) [LOCKED – You need Force 2 (you have 1)]
EJ: Lots of options here too, but we are for sure taking the one that gets us 3x Associated with the Architects of Ink anytime this comes up for the foreseeable future. If you have an interest in any of the other options, you can still let me know, but we may not be seeing it for quite a while.
Success!
You have to clear your throat three times before the Architects notice your presence. Terrible security. But they are most interested in hearing what you have to say about tech-priest symbols used among the insectines.
Still, one of the Architects is unpersuaded, and urges upon you a book. “Familiarize yourself with these theories,” she says, “and then maybe you’ll see the truth of my views.” Unlikely, but no harm in accepting the book.
You’ve gained 3 x Associated with the Architects of Ink (new total 4).
You’ve gained 10 x Dubious Omen (new total 13).
Resolve is increasing…
EJ: Weird that that option requires Finesse but gives you points in Resolve instead, but whatever, I’m so happy to see this card I don’t care.
Next we draw An artist’s curiosity, attempt the Finesse challenge again, and fail again, but we do reach Finesse 5 from that.
Securing a shelter
A little way off is a shelter run by one of the many neighborhood societies. It flies a brown-and-gold welcome-banner.
A man is limping toward the shelter. Slowly. He leans against the walls of cracked buildings as he goes, and his fingers leave red, descending marks. He would reach the shelter faster with your assistance. Go
A tall, severe Woman with a Lace Scarf motions for you to come closer. She probably doesn’t have a weapon.
What she does have is a proposition. The Scarf and Feather Society suspects that this unassuming shelter contains succulent luxuries. If you take a look around, they’ll offer you a cut of the take. (An almost impossible challenge – Your Finesse quality gives you a 10% chance of success.) [You need Finesse 5 (you have 5)]
It’s been a long day, and you could use a place to sleep.
The Ocular Guard isn’t known for compassion, but someone in the upper ranks is cognizant that places like this one keep Iria’s winterlocked inhabitants easier to manage. They’re offering a small wage to those willing to keep order on a day they expect to be unusually chaotic. (An almost impossible challenge – Your Force quality gives you a 10% chance of success.) [LOCKED – You need Force 5 (you have 1)]
You’re cold to the point where you’re not sure you feel it anymore except as a slowing tide in your heart. A night under a warm roof is what you need.
Playing this option will get you 20x Dubious Omen.
[This branch is now free to play]
[LOCKED – You need Ice 10]
EJ: In my Scarf and Feather playthrough I did steal from this shelter a number of times, but I always felt like a horrible person for doing it, so I’m glad I don’t have to do it this time! We’ll go ahead and take that first option.
He doesn’t seem to hear you, but he accepts your supporting arm, not least because he’s near collapse. Step by step, you make it along the ice-pitted street until the welcome-banner is just overhead. An older man sees you both and hurries to find their latest guest a cot.
“He might have frozen to death so close to shelter,” the older man says to you afterward. “He’s asleep now, but I will tell him of your kindness.”
You’ve gained 1 x Oddment of Honor (new total 2).
EJ: Next up we have Gunfire games again, and since the “dueling has never sat well with you…” option turns out to be a little borked, let’s try the Resolve option instead:
This game intrigues you. One of the watchers, a youth who fairly thrums with nervous energy, might make an appropriate opponent for a newcomer. (A modest challenge – Your Resolve quality gives you a 70% chance of success.)
The youth merely raises her eyebrows at your approach. “You don’t have the heart of a duelist,” she says dismissively, and turns her back. You won’t embarrass yourself by pressing the issue.
Resolve has increased to 6!
Resolve 5 failed in a challenge!
EJ: Coincidentally, we next get An invitation to duel, and we try the same “ask to observe a duel” option we did last time, but now…
You don’t express your interest with sufficient enthusiasm, and the duelmaster shakes her head. “Perhaps another time,” she says.
Resolve is increasing…
Resolve 6 failed in a challenge! (This challenge was old territory for you - you won’t learn so much.)
EJ: Then we get A moment’s birdsong and take the one productive option available to us, gaining 1x Dubious Omen. And what should appear next but a second copy of Restoration of a forbidden temple to birds! I feel like I’m just being taunted now. Obviously, I take the option that gives us 3x Associated with the Architects of Ink again.
Next up is more Gunfire games, so we take another shot at that Resolve challenge:
This game intrigues you. One of the watchers, a youth who fairly thrums with nervous energy, might make an appropriate opponent for a newcomer.
Success!
The youth nods curtly, and calls for a duelmaster to pace out an arena for the match. The duelmaster’s path is not quite a circle, and silver-edged shadows hang in the air to let you know where the boundary is.
The duelmaster provides each of you with a sleek pistol for the purposes of the duel: apparently only high-ranked duelists may use their own guns.
You’re aware of your rapid heartbeat, of the cold air in your lungs, the gun. Your opponent moves first, like a wind out of the hound-gates of hell, but your aim is sure and your bullet takes her in the chest.
The duelmaster looks thoughtful as he bends over the fallen youth. “She’ll rise at dawn to duel again,” he says in response to your questioning gaze. “Perhaps next time you’ll be the one fallen. It’s hard to tell.”
Resolve has increased to 7!
You succeeded in a Resolve challenge! (Simple challenges mean you don’t learn so much.)
You now have 1 x Caught in the Circle of Bullets.
EJ: I think it’s been mentioned before that the Circle of Bullets duelists don’t stay dead, but this is our first time personally witnessing the fact that if you die in the duels you DON’T die in real life. This seems to be duel-specific and not the result of the general weirdness taking place around Iria, but I don’t know how they manage it. Maybe you find out more if you befriend the Circle.
After this, we get a bunch of cards we’ve seen before with a bunch of options we’ve seen before. I’ll post our stats and inventory at the end, but we’re in a grindy bit at the moment and there’s not much of note to share from plowing through these cards, other than that I STILL somehow haven’t succeeded at An artist’s curiosity. Then I pull another copy of A starship carcass, and we haven’t seen all the options on that one yet, so:
You think that’s a hatch over there. Perhaps you can pry it open.
It’s a hatch, all right. It comes off easily enough, but it looks like other looters have been here before you. You see blood frozen to the deck, but no sign even of the corpses.
EJ: Well, now we know that one’s a waste of time, at least! Anyway, then we pull An artist’s curiosity again, and somehow I fail at it again, but…
Finesse has increased to 6!
EJ: And having both Resolve and Finesse at 6 or more unlocks a new pinned card:
A peculiar ink
It’s derived from a poisonous flower, but some people swear by its mystical properties. The bit about using it to rouse prophecies is probably a myth, though. You appear to have come across a small supply of it while rummaging through an escritoire with words of ice driven into its drawers.
Note: Declaring a faction affiliation either here or at “A legendary weapon” will allow you to advance to midgame content through “The ironbird’s inexplicable hobbies.”
The Architects would be intrigued by your find. They might even be able to tell you more about it. The likeliest contact is a One-Eyed Scholar, who lives in a tower-library near the starport. The Scholar is sure to welcome you. Her defenses are another matter. (A high-risk challenge – Your Resolve quality gives you a 20% chance of success.) [You need Resolve 6 (you have 7)]
A certain Swan Thief enjoys curiosities in her epistolary games. She is sure to have a use for the ink, and you might be able to catch up on the latest gossip. She won’t see anyone who doesn’t have the proper social graces, however. (An almost impossible challenge – Your Finesse quality gives you a 10% chance of success.) [You need Finesse 6 (you have 6)]
You could imbibe a dilute form of the ink. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Playing this option will get you 20x Fleeting Merriment.
[This branch is now free to play]
The ink reminds you of the Architects and their tattoos. It’s time you declare your affiliation with them. [LOCKED – You need Associated with the Architects of Ink 10 (you have 7)]
You admire the Society’s devotion to civilization’s finer pleasures. The ink will prove a handy excuse for you to speak to someone about joining. [LOCKED – You need Flirtation with the Scarf and Feather Society 10 (you have 3)]
EJ: We’re one forbidden temple away from being able to declare our affiliation with the Architects of Ink, but in the meantime let’s try to get in touch with that One-Eyed Scholar and see what happens:
You don’t know why you were concerned about her defenses when the real issue is finding the wretched place. Even though you should have known better, you attempt to take a shortcut through the frozen-over starport. People have chipped tunnels through the ice, and the place is a veritable labyrinth, complete with gray severed fingers left behind by unfortunate frostbitten travelers. Leery of being trapped here yourself, you concede defeat and hurry out of the tunnels.
Resolve is increasing…
Resolve 7 failed in a challenge! (When you try a challenge that’s difficult for you, you learn more even when you fail.) Onward
EJ: … Yeah, that’s about what I expected. Still, I think that’s a good place to leave it! We’re a stone’s throw from reaching the midgame… assuming of course that I can draw the right cards.
Here’s our final snapshot of Rosal’s stats:
There’s nothing new in our inventory this time, but our item totals are:
1 x Petaled Key
1 x Memory of Far-Flung Stars
26 x Dubious Omen[1]
1 x Shipshard Mirror
2 x Brittle Rumor
5 x Evanescent Treat
2 x Spark of Camaraderie
3 x Fleeting Merriment
2 x Oddment of Honor
1 x Fledgling Ironbird
between the Architects of Ink formerly-Nex-locked option and the number of times I drew A moment’s birdsong, we’re really racking them up! ↩︎