Darkest Night

Survive the wilderness

The woman smiles and stops crying. She closes her eyes, and you notice that the snow is no longer falling.

​

"Such a beautiful book," she whispers. "Remember, Noct is the darkness. Nostalgia and regret bloom here."

​

The woman turns into a flurry of snow and it swirls around you, whipping the cold wind in your face, before the flurry twirls off towards a new opening in the trees. You follow, rubbing your face and trying to knock the snow off of your clothes.

​

You walk for a long time when the howling starts up again. You look around, but you can't see anything. Your lantern begins to flicker wildly, and you swear that you see eyes in the trees every time the darkness descends. You run. If you can only make it to the next clearing! There are still more challenges to find!

​

Your legs are tired and they're heavy with the cold. You feel so cold that your bones feel frozen. Did the snow woman do something to you? Or is it the woods? Have you gone the wrong way?

​

Your light goes out entirely, but you still run. You can hear something like wild dogs barking behind you in the distance. You can't afford to stop, even though the night is black as pitch. The clearing can't be too far ahead. None of the clearings have ever been this far from each other...

​

You run into something sticky and spongey, and you scream. You thrash, and it feels like webbing. You've run into a gigantic spider's web!

​

A low laugh comes closer, as does a sudden burst of flame. You can now see how entangled in the web you've become. A massive spider carefully makes its way down the web, holding a torch. It seems to be smiling at you.

​

"Poor thing," it says. "What am I to do with you?"

​

You are hoisted upward, closer to the colorful spider. You try not to scream though you are terrified.

​

The spider seems to ponder you curiously. "Noct would not be happy if I made a meal of you," it says. "Tribute must be given. Sacrifices are owed." It brings the fire closer to you. "Nearly frozen. What was that woman thinking?"

​

Carefully, you are hoisted upward. The spider seems to be hauling you up into the trees. When you reach a large hole, the spider unwraps you and hands you the torch.

​

"There, not so cold now," it says, almost smiling. "What is Noct's requirement?"

​

You shake as you try to explain what you've been tasked to do. You tell the spider about the other tasks you've already been given by the other spirits.

​

"Well, then. It seems I know just how to help," it says, settling down on a branch. "As you and I have met, read a book about strangers meeting. Noct is known for passing by strangers and prodding them for good or for ill. I am sure he will like this tribute."

You write down your notes.

"Now," the spider says, saliva dripping from its mandables. "I am starving. Winter is not kind to beings like me. I will not eat you, but I must be fed somehow." There is a hollow sucking sound. "Your senior summoner, Alfie... he has a number of demons. Tricky little things. He must be willing to part with one of them. They are all the same." There is a gross gnashing sound that makes you shiver.

"What kind of demon does Alfie Flowers have?" 

​