You awake with a grim purpose today, mind still reeling from the events of the day before. It is almost lunchtime when you receive a text message from Ian with two simple words: I’m ready.
You dress warmly, then set off to Skelly Manor for what may be the final time.
Hey guys. Uh, can I get some confirmation that skipping puzzles actually means you lose out on rewards? I appreciate the content warning for the dials puzzle, because things that induce vertigo give me day-stopping migraines. But when I click skip I get: "Confirmation requested: Click OK to skip the activity and potential rewards."
Please please tell me that I'm not actually going to miss out on rewards because I'm disabled, Staff.
Spoiler-ing for people who haven't finished the plot.
Anyone else disappointed...
Anyone else disappointed that there wasn't a villain in this plot? I was really looking forward to a reveal of a Big Bad. Whether it was the Dungarde, or the Skedhu, or the spirit of Jaxon's dad. (What happened to that guy, anyway??? If he outlived his son, wouldn't that actually make HIM the last Skelly? Or is Jaxon the last Skelly because his spirit stuck around to haunt the place? But if Jaxon's dad died while he was away, I gotta know what happened 😭 )
Or really just a big boss for us to fight. I would've been happy if it was Noflaik, tbh. Or some crystal golem creature that blocked our path to Jaxon's remains.
But, really, I knew this whole time that there was no threat to Jaxian. So, to me, I wasn't feeling any kind of conflict in the story. And I like when there's some conflict.
Also, I was really hoping they would explain more what exactly the Skedhu is, because I'm still confused. 😭
Side Note
I'll be honest with you guys...I got really excited when it seemed like (for a very brief moment) we would have to run for our lives from an evil spirit and his demented, mad scientist boyfriend, crazed with desire to be united with his love for the rest of his life, any sense of morality gone from his mind......but go figure Jaxon was just pulling our legs. 😒
But don't get me wrong, y'all. I still really liked this plot. Also in that same camp of wanting to know who the heck lives in that cabin.
OKAY BUT...
IS NOBODY GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE LITTLE PYLOTS IN THAT ONE SECTION. Like the creatures that smacked the branch down, if you investigate them and climb up the tree (because I decided to try to do as many of the off-shoot paths as possible with reckless abandon because why not / morbid curiosity). I was pretty thrilled to see pylot getting mentioned again. That's such a cool easter egg / cameo / inclusion, Subeta. ;w;! They're an entire species! I love it.
Also I'm glad it turned out okay in the end! I'm a little surprised the Dungarde was actually a nice/good character the entire story. I think it's kind of funny that the writing / narration mirrors that (pun intended), with your character thinking it was going to pull something really bad at the end there and the Dungarde having the keep you calm/pacified long enough for you to realize it was just your own paranoia. I think so many of us are used to storylines in which the "nice" characters always have some kind of hidden agenda, or end up being really untrustworthy / the most antagonistic of them all / they somehow betray you by the end of it, so this was actually really refreshing for once to break that trope. It does a good job of building up expectations and misgivings about this character, for the "twist" only to be that all along it had only the best intentions at heart (secondary pun also intended). Well done, Subeta. I'm happy that the Dungarde didn't end up being antagonistic. I'll be the first to admit I didn't trust them at all from the very get-go, and it's because of that trope. So I think this was a really nice change of pace. ♥
And of course I'm really happy that Jaxon and Ian get a good ending instead of the tragedy everyone was worried about. I know a lot of people were worried about the "bury your gays" trope (and rightfully so, especially with current world events going on), but Subeta's always been very LGBT+ community friendly, so I had faith/confidence that things were going to turn out okay. I kind of honestly loved the drama in the last part - it added so much to the stakes of what was going on. Not going to lie, this is one of the few events that I've actually personally been really emotionally invested in, so kudos to the writers! There's a lot of people out there that thought there was too much writing (which to be fair, is a valid opinion - not everyone enjoys reading such lengthy or word-heavy content), but I personally really enjoyed it. I thought it was rather brilliantly written. Seriously, whoever was the writer for this plotline, you did one heck of a job building up the plot and the character development and the tense atmosphere there at the end. Thank you for taking so much time to give us a truly wonderful experience!
Also...
This next bit is about the last plot step rather than the finale -
Also I wanted to talk about something, but to be honest I was too upset to, but my feelings / etc. differ a little from what most people had been worried about the last step. I think most everyone else was embroiled in the "what was going to happen," but I'm not gonna lie - Jaxon's backstory actually ended up deeply disturbing me. The way in which it was told was REALLY unnerving / unsettling to me for some reason, so much so that I actually couldn't sleep because I was too restless / agitated about it, and I was very anxious / feeling a lot of dread.
Specifically, it was this set of lines from the Dungarde's narration -
"Eventually, the last man fell, and young Master Skelly began the return journey home. Each night on the journey he rested, but each morning he woke a little less the person he had been the night before. As he revisited each camp site, remembering the faces of the men he had begun to know, a sickness began to grow within him. You see, Skedhu means mirror; goodness has nothing to fear from it, but for some, the monster is only their reflection, and it is impossible to hide from oneself. It takes only a drop to paralyze, scarcely more to kill. Young Master Skelly never returned home..."
Admittedly it took me a few hours to get through the peg solitaire puzzle (and I ended up finally just using a guide - usually I like to solve puzzles on my own, because I really adore puzzles and have a fun time trying out the challenge for myself, but this time I felt like it was hindering my progress too much and I really wanted to know the storyline / plot step for the day). This is all important to know for what I'm about to say / explain, as I was feeling a little drained / mentally exhausted after this puzzle, but when I read that paragraph I just quoted, I didn't immediately put two and two together and had to do a bit of a double take and re-read it. And I think honestly the fact that it took me a minute or two to come to the realization is what really drove the paragraph home for me, because once I realized what it was saying, this feeling of dread/anxiousness just WASHED over me and stayed with me for the entire rest of the night and then the entire day after. I was actually shaking really bad and felt really nervous / upset / agitated, aha.
I think it's the way it was told rather than necessarily the content, although I'd have to say, I think suicide is something that I'm a little more sensitive to as far as subjects/topics go, but I'm usually not one to be bothered by murder/death/etc. in storylines. Heck, my favorite fictional storyline is literally a murder mystery - and one of my favorite fictional characters is very homicidal - so it really weirded me out that this storyline affected me so heavily. I'm saying all this though not to make the writer feel bad - actually the opposite. I think it's really fascinating that the writing was written in such a way that I found it REALLY effective on an entirely different level than most storylines. It made me really emotionally engaged in the plotline (even if the feelings weren't so nice), which I think marks a good storyline. Maybe other people wouldn't agree, and I could understand someone else being upset and disliking that feeling of upset - because, again, at the end of the day they are technically "negative" feelings and also I did actually lose sleep over this - but I just. Sort of obsessed over this paragraph and ended up re-reading it multiple times? I just bloody love how well it was written.
It's like - vague enough that it lets you put two and two together on your own, but also direct enough that it isn't a mystery. I like that it's basically showing instead of telling, you know? They don't just flat out say, "Jaxon was feeling guilt/remorse for his actions, so he ingested the poison and died." They let you come to your own realization about what each part means - "Each morning he woke a little less the person he had been the night before." "Remembering the faces of the men he head begun to know, a sickness began to grow within him." That slowly that guilt is eating away at him and destroying him from the inside out. It's spreading through him like a sickness that eventually, ended up being his undoing.
The repetition of the explanation of the ruby widow venom was brilliant, too, because it feels like a break in the narration / story-telling. It's basically very heavy on the implications without right out saying what was going on, followed by the next line "Young Master Skelly never returned home..." is freaking BONE-CHILLING. Or at least it was to me. I don't think everyone else had this reaction, but this line just filled me with a feeling of - completely disturbed. My heart basically plummeted into the floor when I read that and realized what it was saying. It was SO incredibly unsettling to me - I think I was just profoundly overwhelmed by the way it was phrased.
And also I'm really compassionate, so I just - really felt heartstricken knowing how much guilt / remorse Jaxon was going through. Like it was well-deserved, for sure - justice for those he had wronged. Because what he did WAS wrong and there is no glorifying to be had in that whatsoever. But also the juxtaposition of knowing who he is, current day, is so much different than who he WAS I think is what did me in. I feel for him because I know he's a good person now, and gosh it just has to be horrible to be told by your own lover what your past is - a past and a part of you that you don't even remember? Gosh that's just so heartbreaking and bone-chilling in all the best ways. And to his credit, Jaxon took it in stride - it speaks so strongly of his character that he was willing to sacrifice himself / do the right thing / give up on his mortality to free an innocent creature, and continue on the path of justice for those he had wronged, EVEN when he doesn't remember the wrong he had done, he was still willing to own up to it and take the responsibility.
It was just so good. So like honestly, seriously - whoever the heck wrote this? Oh my word? You're hecking amazing?! This is like the only Halloween-related thing I've seen this whole month that's genuinely spooked the actual flying heck out of me. Like dang fam I feel so alive (ironically, in a story about ghosts). Like maybe really unnerved, but weirdly invigorated. And then for the entire story to turn out just fine - it's just really fascinating and neat? I've really, really grown to love Jaxon and Ian through the character development we got in this plotline. Y'all did one heck of a job - the whole team, not just the writer. Kudos to those who made the puzzles, and all the beautiful artwork that accompanied this plotline. Like you all really did a marvelous job. I for one really, really enjoyed this storyline. It might be one of my favorites from Subeta now in all honesty. Thank you for taking us all on this experience. It was fantastic. ♥
Me when the dials game came up: Oh no But it was much easier this time around so no complaints really.
ALSO
LOOK AT THAT DON'T YOU LOT FEEL SILLY NOW FOR CREATING SO MUCH DISCOURSE SMH
Oh damn this plot was so good! Maybe not as involved as others, but I really enjoyed the story. Oh my heart! ;o;
I kept feeling like the Dungarde would
By the way, "pride and accomplishment"? I see what you did there. :P Also...
SPOILER (click to toggle)
turn on us and become a BC challenger (I know we already have a Dungarde opponent, but he could have easily been unique). I'm glad he didn't, and I hope he'll make a return at some point! :D
immature gigglingSPOILER (click to toggle)
"Saucier bits"
what happened in the plot?
me: sees courier text in choose-your-own-adventure prose me: oh homed stuck?
This wasn't really a neopets-style plot. Making it through wasn't really the point, although you could have chosen that if you wanted. It was more of a fun little JRPG with bonus puzzles if you liked and bonus battling if you liked.
I enjoyed the way the site-event worked partly because I was already familiar with JRPG style games, but because I could see that this even was meant to have a little something for everybody even if they didn't have interest in all of the site-features. There was a romantic story, some puzzles, some Myst-like searches, and Challengers to fight.
SPOILER (click to toggle)
me I was disappointed that the water resistant BOOts weren't necessary to be worn in Wardrobe to find the remains because that would have also included the fashionistas who would have remembered to put them on under their HA. But I'm weirdly completionist like that.
;)
Ok I can't get this scene out of my head... XD
SPOILER (click to toggle)
Anyone else now picturing Ian playing doctor (or nurse lol) to make sure Jaxon recovers fully? And of course Jaxon is being a grump but not really saying no to the attention?
Just me then.... ok.
SPOILER (click to toggle)
is the noflaik just for today, stay around until morostide ends or? I'm not able to beat it and I won't have time to git gud if it vanishes lol
Okay but I wanna know who lives at the cabin I found...
SPOILER (click to toggle)
<3
Congratulations on a wonderful & successful plot! I found myself looking forward to each segment, eager to see where the story would go and what challenges would be faced... and now I can wait for the final wrap-up with a smile of relief.
I was thankful? I wanted a good long look long enough to gossip about later, and some Instagram-worthy snaps.
My only problem with the plot was that there was too much hand holding throughout. You really didn’t need to read 95% of the text to make it through and you didn’t need to do much except click through the dialogue and solve the puzzles. Unless there were secret steps that are about to really piss people off.
MY kokoro!!! ;^; Y U do thiz? <3 THANK YOU!
I'VE BEEN RUNNING THROUGH THE WOODS GETTING LOST FOR 84 YEARS NOW HOW TO I GET TO THE POOL I DON'T UNDERSTAND D:
thank you MagnificentToaster @
I loved this plot so much!!! It's been worth the wait q
Thank you Subeta for a wonderful plot. I got my Hallmark Movie ending. :)
Try to click on the dial when the needle is in the green zone. There'll be three dial puzzles!
Oh man, I don't know if I'm pleased or disappointed that the Dungarde didn't turn out to be evil, ahaha. I was suspicious of him from the start. But yay for the happy ending! Though it's not happy or ending enough until we get an update from Ian, of course (and a reward).
I'm glad that the "final solution" was the one I was suspecting since the last update, and I'm pretty amused that neither Ian nor the player character thought that one up. I thought it was pretty obvious. --Does anyone know if there will be bonus prizes or plot prize currency for players who did every puzzle? I think the last plot we did also had options to skip the puzzles, but I don't remember if it was counted into the prizes or not. They were a lot of fun, though!
the happiest squeal ever
i dont know what i am suppose to do with the dial!!! Could someone just tell me what i am suppose to do?
am I the only one whose eyes hate reading white text on a black background? I've turned down my screen's brightness but I'm still seeing lines burned into my retinas when I look away from the screen (first I tried to use a browser extension I have that can change the text and background colour of websites but when I tried to save the settings and go to the next page it somehow broke on me so now the extension isn't working at all anymore :(..) how much longer is this choose your own adventure bit going to take? also do your choices actually matter, like.. can you miss out on things if you pick the wrong options?
SPOILER (click to toggle)
"When that last heart comes to this one, it will be a heart that has loved and been loved, and that is how this one wishes to start a new life."
When I read that I couldn't help but imagine the tombs turned into a place for wedding ceremonies and Dungarde becoming a vow master. (After I went full HNNNG and swept the tears, of course)
- file a ticket and will be able to check your flags for you to possibly see what happened!
Enjoyed my first plot! I hope I don't miss out on too many 'points' (just found out what those are) cus a few of the mini games just didn't work for me so i had to skip them, but i still enjoyed it all
Thank you, staff, for a brilliant plot. I loved the ending.
Sigh 57 fucking years old and this one is crying her eyes out! During this fucked time in history, thank you so much SUBETA TEAM for this beautiful plot and Happy ending... Now.. I wanna go visit my new friend Dungarde, all the time. I love him! <3
THANK YOU.
Oh that was wonderful. A really good story. I loved the choose your own adventure and I laughed at Ian covering Jaxon's "saucy bits".
That ended better than I thought.
I seriously thought that
SPOILER (click to toggle)
Ian would give up his heart for Dungarde or something (being an honorary Skelly) and then he and Jaxon would become haunting couple forever. Maybe after they both die of old age? Or once Ian dies of old age since I don't know how Jaxon will age now. But I'm all for spookiest couple becoming Morostide spirits together.
Do the reliquaries actually have a purpose now that the plot is over? Do we read them, eat them, dance with them?
I'm a bit confused.
Nostalgia factor through the roof, you guys don't even know how much time I spent as a kid with spooky choose-your-own adventure books. THE BEST.
I'm super freaking salty right now. Apparently I went from the pond to the manor, and skipped a big chunk that happened in the middle of those two points. I'm super pissed. xD
Thank you all that made this very enjoyable plot. Hope we have many more in the future.
SPOILER (click to toggle)
Subeta made me cry again today but this time in the best way.
Gosh, you guys have really outdone yourselves! The writing in this has been amazing. You've had us all worried since day one and that's 100% the mark of good writing. And while I know it would've been good, narratively, either way? As a reader I was so happy with this ending that I took my dog outside and ran around with her, laughing.
Thank you staff for the best morostide gift ever. ♥
Thank you Subeta, this was so enjoyable !!!
Awww, the plot was awesome! Thank you for your effort of creating it, Subeta Team. :)
What happened?! I went from the pond to the dial puzzle, and skipped the crypt entirely. I think I missed a huge chunk of the plot. :
I CRIED I CANT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS ;;A;; THAT 5TH DAY REALLY HAD ME WORRIED!! WHENS STHE PRIVATE WEDDING???
i dont know if this counts as a spoiler lol but with how it ended
SPOILER (click to toggle)
pls let me visit my new dungarde bff all the time whenever pls pls
iM YELLING, I WAS SO WORRIED,
SPOILER (click to toggle)
Finished the plot just in time (I'm little busy right now x.x). I've to say my English is not good as I wish and I hope I didn't missed something important. As far as I understood Ian and Jaxon are a couple, or something like that and I love it! I need the wedding right now! Also I love that last quote: "When that last heart comes to this one, it will be a heart that has loved and been loved, and that is how this one wishes to start a new life" cries in spanish Anyway, I need to improve my English but I enjoy the plot.
ok super great plot. i even teared up a bit. thank you subeta! jaxian is my OTP. T oT <3
Maybe it's my dark little heart...
SPOILER (click to toggle)
I kinda want a Noflaik pet now.
I won't consider this plot over until after the wedding.
FIRSTLY
SECONDLY
SPOILER (click to toggle)
'I don’t know what I honestly expected - some kind of magic, or curse? Just him… what? Sleeping in a glass coffin, waiting for a kiss?'
SPOILER (click to toggle)
'When that last heart comes to this one, it will be a heart that has loved and been loved, and that is how this one wishes to start a new life.'
"saucier bits" giggles