After Awakening

Story Event: Stirring Shadows

Episode 4

After Awakening

Previous Quest

The Forest of Madness

Next Quest

Beyond the Gate of Chaos

Summary

It turns out that the one behind everything was Akasha, who had been working to awaken Nyarlathotep sleeping within Lathna. But after Heinwald and Curran see through her plan, the priestess acknowledges her failure.

Dialogue

This is where they took Lathna. It is indeed. Let’s hurry.

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Urgh… Wh-where am I…? Eeek! …… Ah! I have t-to run! *gasp* They’re here, too! No… Someone…please… No need to be frightened, child. *gasp*! …Huh? Y-you’re… I am indeed—and now we finally have a chance to speak, just the two of us. What do you mean? Where’s Curran and Heinwald? They are unfortunately absent. In fact, I believe they are puttering around our church in a vain search for you. For that is where I told them you would be. But why?! Because I believed they would interfere with you becoming your true self. My…true self? Surely you know to what I refer.

Surely you understand the true you.
You are Chaos. The Black.

I am…Chaos… You are the emissary.

The silver key to His awakening.

I am… We… We are the emissary.

We are Chaos. Our body is the lack;
We are the key. A baleful path which welcomes Him.

You are… We are… N Y A R L A T H O T E P Heh heh! Yes, how simply wonderful.

You are Nyarlathotep. You are the key!
Now, let me embrace the key.
I am the gate; a gate of impurity, wrought to welcome Him.
Wrench me open and awaken the Ancient One.

Our body is the key;

wrought to extol the Ancient one.
And thus…

Now…come to me… Gonna put the kibosh on that one, lady. Hastur was never the gate. It was you all along. You! How are you…? You insult me, priestess. Why would we ever believe she’d be taken to where Hastur is? After all… Hastur is not in this village at all. *gasp* All the Hasturs are just transfigured villagers. Copies, as it were. Correct? How…how did you know? Don’t you remember what Hastur said when he gave the villagers his blessing? “Ensnarement of eternity. To you who have passed long years, I recognize your desire.” Long years? Now sure, it doesn’t sound weird to say that to an old man… But Hastur grants IMMORTALITY. Would he really refer to a few decades and change as “long years”? In other words, the Hastur who gave the blessing has the same perception of time that we mortals do. Meaning that Hastur, much like the transformed villagers, was once a mortal person just like any other. …… Now, I cannot say with certainty where the true Hastur is… But I do not accept that you—a priestess of his flock—were unaware that the one in your village is a copy. You… The only things in this village are pitiable humans who received the blessing of a false Hastur and the priestess who has been manipulating them this whole time! Hey, when my man’s right, he’s right. Time to give it up, Akasha! I do indeed appear to have underestimated you. However, you are still a day late and a copper short. Lathna’s awakening is already complete. We are Chaos. A faceless emissary, baying at moonlight

A key wrought in praise of the Ancient One.

Indeed, it is just as you say. How unfortunate that is for you. What do you mean? We are the key; thus we can also lock.

That which opens. That which seals.
That which welcomes. That which rejects
Our bonds are slack; and so the locking of the gate is mark of our freedom.

This cannot be! You are His EMISSARY! Would you truly not welcome Him?! Our body is Chaos.

Thus it is free from burden.

You seem to be misunderstanding what Nyarlathotep actually IS. Urk! Our body is Chaos;

thus it is free from burden.
We are the key by Our will.
Now will you gain reward for this plot to ensnare Us!

Urk! I appear to have made a terrible, terrible mistake. With things as they stand, it will be impossible to open the gate. Thus I will withdraw for now. But! It is a long-established fact that the Ancient One will descend upon our world. Whether now, before, or in the future, it is merely a question of when. Let this never be forgotten.