Completed Diary Of A (Mad?) Man - A Codexian Nightmare. (DREAMWEB) - COMPLETED

[lightbane]

The end is near...

 

[CappenVarra]

The riddle of flesh

 

[Crooked Bee]

 

[ghostdog]

< 10 > - < A DELIVERER OF MERCY >

Spoiler

It's about time I located Jacy West, but as I'm about to leave my flat, my gaze falls on a crimewave article :

Over 78 people have lost their lives and countless
numbers have been injured over the last week alone.

Some murders seem to have been the work of a
psychopathic killer including the murder yesterday
of a school teacher. The killer, now called
"The Dealer", is leaving a playing card next to each
of his victims.

Other crimes are linked to robbery or muggings.
The murder of Peter Hines has shocked the city.
Police, as ever, repeated that everything is
under control but we must ask ourselves, is it
time we took the law into our own hands?

For a moment I wonder if somehow I'm the one behind those murders. I'm having these blackouts after all and my state of mind is certainly questionable.

Wait a minute, yesterday I was after Caen, I couldn't have killed that school teacher... Right ?


I convince myself that I have nothing to do with any of this. Playing cards and school teachers have nothing to do with the Seven and Dreamweb. I'm not the "Dealer". I pull myself together and head out. Caen's file said that West was residing in a certain boathouse...

I stand on an embankment covered in silted earth. Sea water washes slowly and darkly against the sand and the bank is littered with rocks and boulders. Stone steps lead upwards.

We haven't been treating the environment very nicely, so the environment is returning the favor. I head to the right.

The boathouse is located here on the beach. It is about ten feet up in the air supported by concrete pillars that plunge deep into the beach and into the murky waters.

The fence isn't very high, I think I could climb it...

Rashly ? Each move I make is the result of careful consideration, I tell y-

***







Ok, maybe that was a little rash. The file *did* mention that West was heavily protected by a security system. I take a closer look at the fence :

Right. I spot the device on the north wall.

I 'll need to bypass it somehow. Very carefully I search for any openings.

Damn. There *must* be a way in. I can't have come all this way for nothing !
As I walk up and down the beach , desperately trying to think of something, I step over something metallic...

Yes ! This must be providing power to the security device !


I remove the sand from the cover with my hands.

Hah, a thin gap is all I need ! I pull out my trusty knife :

Damn ! The knife bended. I need something stronger.


I grab my screwdriver...

Nothing, the lid is too heavy.


There's only one thing left to do...

The plasma shot bounced off the lid and barely scratched it...

I can't believe it... this goddamned lid is shielded better than that goddamned aircraft !


A cry of agony escapes my lungs.

So is this the end ? Is the world going to be doomed, because some bloke made a really sturdy junction box ? At this moment of utmost desperation, I realize that the blue crystal in my inventory is emitting a strong light.

When I take it in my hands, a voice echoes in the night :

Ryan. I will offer you help to surpass this obstacle, but first I want you to answer a question.

W-who are you ?

My identity is of no importance, but my question is. Listen carefully and think hard before you answer. Tell me... "What can change the nature of a man ?"


I stare baffled at the crystal. Out of nowhere someone is offering me help, but he wants me to answer some strange riddle first. My mind feels like it's on fire. I think of Eden...

Is the answer... love ?

A man can change *through* love but not *by* love. It's a good answer but not *the* answer. Try again, my question is tricky so I will give you more chances to answer it correctly.

Then it's power. Power can change the nature of a man.

No. Power corrupts, but corruption isn't change... not entirely.

Is it... madness ?

Is it that you fear that madness has changed you, my friend ? No, madness isn't a force of change, it merely opens and closes certain doors in your mind. Try again.

Ah, regret. Not a bad answer since regret is a herald for change, but not its cause.

Fear then.

I'm afraid not. Fear is one of the driving forces behind your very existence. It cannot change you, not by itself, it *is* a part of you. I've given you many opportunities, Ryan. I'll give only one more chance at answering correctly.

But my quest is very important, please help me without riddles !

The answer to my riddle is equally important. Take your time and be very careful.


The pressure is pushing me off the edge. I have an instant blackout and my life passes before me in fractions. I... see. Is this the answer ? My mouth opens and spouts out the word :

YES. If there is anything I have learned in my travels across the Planes, it is that many things may change the nature of a man. Whether regret, or love, or revenge or fear - whatever you believe can change the nature of a man, can. Belief is the driving force for change.

I... I answered correctly ?

Indeed. It was belief that you are fighting to save the world from devastation, that you are chosen to defend the Dreamweb from corruption... belief than you are protecting your loved ones, that changed your nature. It's belief that brought you where you are, Ryan. Belief *can* change the nature of a man.

But was I right to believe all this ?

There is no right or wrong here. You've made your choices, you are what you are. Now, it's time I fulfilled my promise. Go over to the railing by the steps. The hinges are rusty. Remove a sizable piece and it will give you enough leverage to open the lid.

That's it ?

That's it. Endure. In enduring, grow strong. Farewell.


I stand still for some time. I realize that without divine intervention --or whatever you want to call this-- I would have never discovered this crazy solution. I approach the railing.

With the piece in my hands I go back to the Junction box.

At last, it's open. I take a peek inside...

Hah, I know what I must do now. I *did* find a pair of wire cutters earlier !

What the fuck ? The cutters are so dull they couldn't cut through pudding.

Oh gods, why are you tormenting me ?!


I glance at the crystal but its light is dull again. It seems I'll have to figure out this goddamned puzzle myself. As I search my surroundings the sewage pipe grabs my attention.

The filthy water seems toxic. If only I could gather some of it without spilling it on me... Hey, Sparky could give me an empty bottle, or something !

When I arrive outside the bar, I realize this is a solution only a madman could have devised. Then, I see that the drunkard isn't lying there anymore. He has left his empty beer bottles behind though.

That's all I need. Back at the beach I approach the sewage pipe with the bottle in my hands.

Armed with machine's *and* human toxic waste, I attack the Junction box.

It never stood a chance.

There isn't really anything left of the security machine. There's just a crater in the wall where it used to be. Small wisps of smoke rise slowly upwards from the blackened wreckage.

The blast from the exploding security system has left a gaping hole in the balcony railing. It should be safe enough to climb up now. I hoist myself onto the balcony.

That blast has created quite a big hole in the window. Shards of broken glass lay all around and the edges of the window are sharp and jagged. Some parts of the window seem to have melted. Gingery I step through.

The room has been wrecked by the explosion I caused. There is blood everywhere and a trail leads to Jacy West who lays barely alive with her intestines trailed out behind her.

I approach her.

Uh, Ryan, that's your... uh... name isn't it?

Yes. Although some call me Chefe.

I wondered.. uh... how long... it would take for you to find me.

I have come this far, I have to kill you all.

Where are the others?

As if... uh... I'd tell you! Riccitiello is growing, soon he will be too strong.

Tell me where he is, or I'll leave you here in agony !

No, please I... don't know !

You should've been dead by now, but it seems your body has become stronger with the power of the Dreamweb. Who knows how long you could survive in this state...

Then talk !

H-He... He's in some Church, I don't know which one, they didn't tell me for security reasons. Please believe me...!

I believe you.


It's time I showed some mercy.

 

[marooned]

So bloody cool.

 

[Gondolin]

MCA ex machina! :D

 

[CappenVarra]

username: mca, password: ymca

Also, I read about the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus in Gibbon the other day and remembered this LP, and now they make an appearance - how cool is that?

Also, Jasede needs to check out that comic :D

 

[ghostdog]

These two puzzles where really frustrating. I remembered I had to do something with the bottle from my old playthrough, but that fucking railing was mindblowing. Thank god for mca's intervention.

As for the sleepers of Ephesus, yeah, this diary prompted me to find out about them, it's a cool story and one that's surprisingly told in both Christian ands Islamic texts.

 

[Crooked Bee]

Awesome.

 

[lightbane]

Bloody awesome as always.

I can't believe it... this goddamned lid is shielded better than that goddamned aircraft !

I realize that the blue crystal in my inventory is emitting a strong light.

My sight may be quite bad, but isn't that violet?

 

[ghostdog]

My sight may be quite bad, but isn't that violet?

You goddamned nitpicker !


But you're right of course. When I was writing the text for some reason I believed the crystal was blue. Later on when I had the picture I completely missed it. What can I say, belief shapes the planes.

 

[Brother None]

ghostdog you're the best

 

[spekkio]

ITT we learn that 2D chip and 512 KB of memory is enough to make great games.

 

[ghostdog]

< 11 > - < THE CHURCH OF ENTROPY >

Am I awake ? Is it a dream ? Or a dream within a dream ?

I don't know. I don't care. I release West's energy into the dreamweb and face the keeper.

I can feel their strength.

The two left are a priest, named Riccitiello and a violent psychopath named Kotick.

Riccitiello. I looked him up. He was the all powerful CEO of the EA conglomerate.

He was the mastermind behind the assimilation of Origin, Westwood, Bioware and others into EA's massive corporate body. He looked for developing studios with vision and talent, aggressively acquired their stocks, slaved them to death into mass producing inferior products and afterwards pissed on their rotted carcass.

Disgusting. At some point he left EA to create the Church Of Scatology, did he not ?

He still pulls the strings of EA behind the scenes, but yes, he formed his own religion. Scatology teaches that people are immortal beings who have forgotten their true nature. Their teachings are based on the beliefs of the prophet Skyway, who proclaimed that the world was created from feces.

What a load of shit.

Indeed. It is basically a cult that financially defrauds and abuses its members, but now that Riccitiello has become one of the Seven he can do immense damage. Mutations have already taken place inside his body...

He will use his power to transcend the boundaries of Earth. He seeks higher goals than the mere domination of the Dreamweb.

Can I reach him in time?

Perhaps. But you must act quickly.

What if he has reached Entropy?

Kotick... Wasn't he the CEO of another conglomerate ?

CEO of Activision Blizzard and a director of the Coca-Cola company. Merely his job description requires him to be evil, but he surpassed all boundaries. He mercilessly pushed for franchises that can be exploited over a long period of time and thus drowned the world in endless, hollow sequels, damning all fresh ideas with innovation and vision. Money was the only thing Kotick ever believed in.

Oh yes, I remember. when confronted about how expensive his products are he replied "if it was left to me, I would raise the prices even further." What a prick. But he vanished at some point, what happened ?

When he was chosen as one of the Seven, his psychosis exploded out of control. He went off the grid to fully indulge into his murderous appetites. Since then he has committed atrocities beyond belief.

Armed with grim determination I proceed with the opening of the next seal.

I stand on an embankment covered in silted earth. Sea water washes slowly and darkly against the sand and the bank is littered with rocks and boulders. A weather-beaten sign is posted next to me.

Polluted water is the least of my worries right now. I head back to my apartment.

I must find the whereabouts of Riccitiello and Kotick, and I'm sure that the cartridge I found in Bleszinski's home holds the answers...

If only I knew the password ! I try some guesses, but to no avail.

As I feverishly try to think of the right password, something on my bed catches my attention...

Huh ? What's this, a diary ?


I shift through its pages and I realize that it was me who wrote it. I don't know what frightens me more, the fact that all this looks like the ravings of a madman, or that I have no recollection of keeping this diary...

Suddenly, a page in the diary piques my interest...

St. Septimus... Septimus... of course !


I go back to my console :

Yes, I'm in !

BRIEF:

To all members involved with Project 7
please note that Riccitiello is now
within his secret chambers at St.Septimus
and is not to be disturbed there.

Next stop : the goddamned church.

The outside of the church looks gray and foreboding. I'm filled with a sudden desire to leave as soon as possible. The wind blows light drops of rain into your face as I stand in front of this unfriendly place. There's a sign with a dirty glass front by the entrance :

I'm in the right place. But the gate is locked.

To high for me to climb, but I've got something that might help me here :

That wasn't so hard, nevertheless I fell reluctant to enter the ruined church, but I know that I have to.

I stand just inside the entrance to the church. Two large statues stand either side of the door and stare blankly into space. The floor is made from old and broken stone blocks that lead towards the altar. Something is lying in the floor in front of me :

Hmm, this hand... there's something...

There's something about this hand and the ring in its finger. I can't remove the ring, so I morbidly decide to bring the whole hand with me. While I'm kneeling on the floor, I examine the markings :

So this church is also a burial ground for long-forgotten saints or is it... devils ? A fitting place for this corpse to remain. I wonder how many more victims these halls will claim before the day is over. I move further in.

Rows of wooden pews line the central isle of the church. High above my head wooden beams support a badly maintained roof. Bats fly occasionally above me and the atmosphere is cold and unwelcoming. Ahead of me lies the altar :

I feel some kind of power emanating from this room. The alter stands on a raised platform that has a wooden rail running round it. A small set of steps are leading into the darkness at the side of the platform. A large wooden cross towers behind the altar :

On the floor is a small wooden box that is used for holding communion wafers.

I decide to leave them be, I have enough sins on my back. I take the stairs down :

I find myself in a narrow room that spans the width of the church. There is a solid set of metal doors in the rear wall and the room is cold and very damp. Riccitiello must be beyond these doors :

Next to the door I spot a wooden handled switch.

Damn ! I look at the Grating on the floor :

Frustrated I go back to the altar and examine it closely.

A-HA ! I remove the things on top of the altar...

And discover something interesting :

Reluctant to use my own hand I place the skeletal hand I carry with me :

Glad that it wasn't my hand caught in the mechanism, I get ready to give the altar a push :

:SPIT:

:RUB:

: PUSH:

:COMPLAIN:

: PUSH HARDER:

A small hole that looks just wide enough for a man to squeeze through is revealed before me. The hole is framed with wood and cobwebs cover it.

Wish me luck.

 

[spekkio]

The comic alone is the work of genius.

Are you sure you're not one of MCA's alts, Dawg?

 

[Azira]

 

[lightbane]

The end is here...

 

[CappenVarra]

choose your own black company adventure

 

[Crooked Bee]

AMAZING

 

[ghostdog]

Are you sure you're not one of MCA's alts, Dawg?

Such heresy !

I'm just a humble disciple.






Nevertheless, thank you all for your kind words.

 

[GarfunkeL]

HOLY SHIT!

This is awesome, excellent work ghostdog!

Though it's funny that it's only because the photoshopping is otherwise so good, that the few mistakes are thus so glaring - like the couple of times that you forgot to change Trash into the game.

Anyway, thanks for doing this LP. As said, the comic alone is magnificent!

 

[ghostdog]

HOLY SHIT!

This is awesome, excellent work ghostdog!

Though it's funny that it's only because the photoshopping is otherwise so good, that the few mistakes are thus so glaring - like the couple of times that you forgot to change Trash into the game.

Anyway, thanks for doing this LP. As said, the comic alone is magnificent!

Can you pinpoint those mistakes ? It's easy overlook them sometimes.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Sure. Update 2:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xVb2c5BFOsg/ULhdWaIG3aI/AAAAAAAAKfs/Z9LN6sKqDYo/s1600/scummvm00730.jpg

It's Trash first but later in the paragraph, it's Louis.

 

[GarfunkeL]

In update 3:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J_q0vrwZdnA/ULph520T8xI/AAAAAAAAKmQ/7Mw6UMAg8Fk/s1600/scummvm00845.jpg

Louis's lobby instead of Trash's and Louis' doorbell as well.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZoIZ5o5wSKY/ULpiJlNTJaI/AAAAAAAAKoA/VS1COkmPIJA/s1600/scummvm01128.jpg

Louis again

 

[ghostdog]

Thanks! I'll fix them. Eventually.