Echoside : The Shorts

[Kain Nobel]

About : Echoside II

The original story story I've been spoiling, while the game is in mid-development, the actual writing for it has been more or less "finished" since early 2012 and I don't really want to *spoil* the entire thing. I do hope the little nuggets I've put on display were enjoyable, but I'm keeping the rest of it a surprise until the project is finished.

With that said, I've started a second story; is it a prequel, is it a completely new world? I'm not sure at this point, but I do know I'm going to focus less on technology and more on magic and (fictional) religion in this iteration. Whatever allusions it may make to the original, this one goes further back in time and expands on mythology and legends which were only hinted about in the first installment.

Echoside II : Introduction

Echoside II : Introduction
Setting : A Mysterious Ruins
Time : Midnight
Scenario : An occult leader forces a sacrificial group of slaves
to retrieve precious artifacts from a cursed and mysterious
temple ruins.

-

Narration
When man seeks riches beyond their wildest
dreams, one can only imagine how far one
might go.

Nevertheless, only through hindsight do
they ever realize the cost... yet, will
they ever learn?

* The black screen fades into the setting; a
view of the night sky, with the title's logo,
which fades. The view slowly pans down over
an ancient fortress.

* The camera continues to pan down until it's
finally focused on the group; a crowd of
hooded cultists, as well as their slaves in
the middle.

Cultist 1
Come hither my little canaries, it is time
to earn your keep.

Slave 1
...N.. no, I don't know wh-

Cultist 2
SILENCE!

* Cultist 2 physically strikes Slave 1.

Cultist 1
You heathens will go in there and fetch us
something good; thus repentance for such
disobedience for not accepting Lord Xeon as
your almighty savior.

Cultist 2
Lest you are to survive, may he have mercy
on your soul.

* The cult members push the slaves into the
dungeon and block the main passage out.

* It is at this time the player may move. The menu has been unlocked,
but there is no Party, Config or Save function. Each "Slave" is named as
"????" for now, and they each come equipped with what we'd refer to
as the "bare minimum". Names may be randomly picked or generated,
along with each character's appearance.

-
On Action : Player attempts to leave.

Cultist 1
Do you choose to disobey Lord Xeon?!

On Choice : Yes

Cultist 1
Blasphemy! Off with your heads!

* Triggers Battle : Cult Leader, Cult Member (x5). This fight
is purposely statistically impossible (without cheating). The player's
party will quickly be annihilated, triggering a Game Over!

On Choice : No

* Cultist 1 turns Slave 1 around and kicks him in the rear, nudging
him forward into the dungeon.
-

* This dungeon is rather linear and there are no monsters to
encounter. The player has to pick one of the eight vault doors
to blow, each containing an elemental glyph. This choice will
influence the attributes of a certain character later on in the
game.

* Once the player has picked a vault door, the dynamite is set.
Each character backs away from the explosion, then steps
inside to be confronted by a dangerous elemental deity.

* Triggers Battle : <Elemental> Diety. A particular deity based
on the elemental vault the player picked. This battle is scripted
as three of the four person party is killed. When there is only one
member standing, they respond...

Slave 1
GO AHEAD, KILL ME!
...WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!

* The scene begins to violently shake as the deity charges into
a giant mass of energy. The view switches to the crowd of occult
members outside the temple, who are also being blinded by the
light.

* Once the light fades out, a giant star entity, along with many
smaller ones, burst out and fly past the occult group, knocking
some of them over.

Cultist 2
No, they must've awoken one of the guardians! Lord Xeon, we
need you evermore!

Cult Leader
I was afraid this would've happened... I-I mean... yes! This...

Cultist 1
What is it, sire?

Cult Leader
The guardian! I think...

...Yes, thank you Lord Xeon!

Cultist 2
...Sir?

Cult Leader
We can tame this wild demon, and commit their services to
our cause.

Cultist 1
Lord Xeon...

Cult Leader
He who hath confirmed our next mission; we have permission
to hunt that... that thing, and break its will, consume it's soul!

Cultist 2
Yes Lord Xeon, as you wish!

Cult Leader
May he who lives within lead us all to great power and great
prosperity! Thank you for your infinite blessings! Xeon!

Cultist (Multiple)
Amen!

* The occult group leaves. As they trail down the mountains,
rainfall begins as dark clouds and thick fog roll in.

* The scene switches to the world map, where the Xeon cult
leave the temple grounds and enter a decorated sail ship. As
they sail away from the island, the temple is engulfed in a
whirlwind of sand and sinks into the ground.

End of transmission d:o