Alabaster: The Doomed Session - BACK FROM THE DEAD IN 2023

ALABASTER UPDATE - GRANDIOSE DREAMS

MSPFA VERSION





Via: Land.




It was hard, but you didn't break any bone.




==->



You fell in the highest floors of an unknown building, whose spire was crowned by Renart's hive. More stairs, freedom in sight.

The material seems to be corroded copper. You need to be cautious, some parts of these structures could collapse easily.




==->



Without stopping, you start listening to the last messages Batori and Ginneo left you.

Apocryptid Residents. Their trusted Lieutenants. The Subaltern Conscripts, the metamorphic bestiary. And the trained, often genetically modified armies of the Saturnine Sovereignty.

It is a lot to take in.





Renart: Complete Automatons.



RENART: Rîsê And shînê, dêfêndêrs ôf thê Têrrîtôry.
JENNY: Who... Who are you?
RENART: Thê Prîncê, ôf côûrsê, înhêrîtîng thêsê lAnds, yôûr ônê lôrd And MAstêr.







JENNY: The... Prince?
XAL: The Benefactor of Innocence, Jenny.
JENNY: Oh great!






JENNY: Thank you, thank you, thank you!






JENNY: I'm Jenny, they are Xal. You can call us Xal and Jen!
XAL: The prophecies did say you would reassemble us.
RENART: And thAt yôûr fûnctîôn wôûld bê tô sêrvê yôûr Prîncê.





XAL: We belong to another era, Benefactor, as thus we must avail. We have no more future except for your service. Speak and we will obey.
RENART: My, My. Thîs îs A kînd ôf dAncê Î côûld êâsîly lêAd. Hêâr My dêsîgn, thên...





RENART: Yôû wîll ênslAvê thîs wôrld.
JENNY: My lord?





RENART: Yôû wîll sûbjûgAtê All thê CôncôMîtants. SlAûghtêr thê ônês whô rêsîst. My plAns ônly tôlêrAtê gôôd sêrvAnts.







RENART: Î wîll pût thêM tô ûsê... My schêMês Arê côlôssAl. A Môb-grîndîng tôwêr, An AûtôMAtêd prôdûctîôn ôf MêrchAnt gôôds, MôûntAîns ôf fôôd...






RENART: Wê wîll rêstrAîn thê sêrvAnts în bôxês tô pût thêM tô lAbôûr nîght And dAy. Nô nêêd fôr bêds, tôîlêts. ÊAch wîll hAvê A hûMblê wôrkbênch, A lôôM, A grîndstônê ôr -
JENNY: My lord...
XAL: Benefactor, your humour is singular, but I am afraid we are not the kind to easily appreciate. Or maybe it is a kind of satire?

XAL: We just woke up from the longest dream. Will you not speak out the truth of your mind?
RENART: Herm.
XAL: Really. You're scaring me and scaring my friend.

[color=##a10000]RENART: Thîs îs thê trûth ôf My Mînd, My rêAl dêsîrê. î wAnt tô pôssêss êvêrythîng. î wAnt tô dêstrôy êvêrythîng. î fînd êndlêss dêlîght în thê scrêAMs And thê têArs.[/color]

XAL: Then you are the enemy.
RENART: Î AM yôûr rîghtfûl lêAdêr, MAchînê.
XAL: We are the Protectors of Oscuridad. We are sworn to p-preserve this Territory and its population.
JENNY: Xal...
XAL: We refuse your instructions. We will not tolerate any of your crimes.

The Protectors are useless. Useless!

You'll have to destroy all of the others, too, thousands of parts, lest them be reassembled by some third party and launched against you. This could take hours.

An entire army of powerful robots, your own drone batallion, worthy of the Empress herself, rendered meaningless by their pathetic do-gooder ideology.






That's it. No more mister nice troll.







Deputies: Activate.

ALABASTER UPDATE - KILLING SWITCH

MSPFA VERSION




Sallie: Get the game.






UP: Ok♠y S♠llie we need to get you into the g♠me quickly!
UP: Tell me this b♠d boy is working!
UR: i think s-o.
UR: installing o-n m-y ≠nd.
UR: should soon be load≠d.
UP: You're set ♠s the Client, I'm your Ser♥er Pl♠yer.
UP: If ♥♠nny is re♠lly de♠d, I m♠y try to connect to Ginneo so he c♠n m♠n♠ge the m♠chines for my tutori♠l...
UP: Or m♠ybe I'll do it like ♥♠nny ♠nd Renny!
UR: y≠ah you all ar≠ s-o s≠lf-s≠rving.
UR: b-y th≠ way.
UR: i-f i now refus≠d t-o play.




==->




UR: i-t would put u-s i-n a doom≠d tim≠lin≠, right?
UR: a compl≠t≠ d≠ad ≠nd.
UP: I... suppose so?




==->



UR: tbh that's alluring.
UR: think about i-t. i would not n≠≠d t-o b≠ th≠ fifth play≠r. i'd simply d-o nothing and doom u-s all.
UR: i'm th≠ fat≠d play≠r, without m≠ non≠ o-f this can happ≠n.
UP: You're joking right? =:(ɸɸɸ




==->



UP: You c♠nnot do th♠t! Ple♠se do not do th♠t!
UR: this s≠≠ms t-o hurt you.
UR: d≠licious.
UR: it is d≠cid≠d.
UR: i will doom th≠ ≠ntir≠ world, th≠ univ≠rs≠ ≠v≠n. b-y m-y d≠cision alon≠, this mom≠nt will birth a-n ≠ntir≠ copy o-f our r≠ality, and b-y m-y d≠cision alon≠, i-t will b≠ consum≠d i-n th≠ fir≠s o-f twist≠d d≠stiny.
UP: NO!




Sectra: Open fifth memo.





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

unkemptParamour [UP] opened memo 'EMERGENCY no deviation please' on board TEAM ALABASTER.


undesiredRecollection [UR] joined memo.

martialPuppeteer [MP] joined memo.

UP: STOP THEM!

unsettlingMerchant [UM] joined memo.

UP: PLEASE STOP THEM!

psychedeliciousRefreshments [PR] joined memo.

UP: DO E♥ERYTHING YOU C♠N TO STOP THEM!
UM: My, My. WhAt sêêMs tô bê thê MAttêr?
MP: Could we have ONE memo which will noҐ resulҐ in decades o╙ Ґherapy?
UR: don't worry lov≠ly. i-t will b≠ th≠ last on≠.
PR: A most tragyc confessyon must be made: thys ys not the tyme for yntroductyons. Rather, my clav-vs are fyrmly anchored yn the task at hand, the completyon of my part of the Revolutyon quest.
UP: There will be no quest ♠chie♥ement if you don't listen, B♠tty!
UP: They want to doom us ♠ll!
MP: Argh, déjà vu.
UM: Wê dêfînîtêly nêêd tô stôp rêûnîtîng lîkê thîs.



==->




PR: Are v-ve yn the presence of our preordayned comrade?
UR: i a-m th≠ last pupp≠t. i a-m th≠ final nail.
PR: Yn v-vhat predycament are thou tyyng fortunes?
UP: They refuse to pl♠y!
UM: And why sô dîstrêssêd?
MP: I╙ Ґhe ╙i╙Ґh Player does noҐ play, we will Ґip over Ґhe Alpha Ґimeline. A new branch will be born, a cursed Ґimeline.
UM: Ah.
MP: Yeah.
MP: Ґhis Ґime, we're all going Ґo ҐoasҐ.
UR: and you cannot chang≠ i-t. b-y m-y word you will p≠rish...
MP: Why are you doing Ґhis?
UR: pur≠ sadistic pl≠asur≠ r≠ally.
UR: th≠r≠'s nothing mor≠ t-o i-t.




Renart: Break down.



This. This cannot be.

You are on the verge of divinity!



==->




UM: WhAt cAn wê ôffêr yôû tô chAngê yôûr bêhAvîôr?
UR: nothing. i'v≠ b≠≠n gift≠d a-n ≠ntir≠ univ≠rs≠ to cond≠mn. how could i NOT d-o i-t?
UR: th≠ gam≠ its≠lf s≠≠m≠d d≠adly ≠nough, but this i-s much b≠tt≠r.
UR: piquant.
UM: WhAt Arê yôû dôîng, yôû fôôl, îgnôrAMûs? Yôû côûld bêcôMê A dêîty! Yôû shAll rêîgn ôn A whôlê nêw côsMôs!
UR: ... i-t would b≠ int≠r≠sting t-o tortur≠ ≠ntir≠ n≠w sp≠ci≠s...
UR: but what about m-y own pain? i d≠sir≠ i-t t-o ≠nd.
UR: what finish mor≠ sup≠rb than taking all of r≠ality with m≠?





==->



UM: Î'LL SMASH YÔÛR HÊAD! Î SWÊAR Î WÎLL!
UM: YÔÛ ARÊ NÔTHÎNG! YÔÛ ARÊ NÔTHÎNG!
UM: Î WÎLL RÎP ÔÛT YÔÛR ÊYÊS! YÔÛR GÛTS! ÊVÊRYTHÎNG!
UR: hahahaha.
UM: YÔÛ FÛCKÎNG WASTÊ ÔF SPACÊ
UM: YÔÛ STÔP THÎS SHÎT ÔR ÊLSÊ
UM: Î WÎLL FÊÊD ÔN YÔÛR BLÔÔD THRÔW YÔÛR BÔNÊS TÔ BARKBÊASTS Î WÎLL RÎP YÔÛ TÔ PÎÊCÊS
UM: SÔ MANY FÛCKÎNG  PÎÊCÊS YÔÛ CANNÔT GÊT THÎS SHÎT ÛYÔÛ WÎLL NÔT YÔÛÊ WÎLLÊ JRÔNÔT ARJRJA JÛST CÔMMÊ HÊRÊ YÔÛ FÛCKZKDÎNG PÎÊCÊ ÔF SHÎT
UR: i think i'm gonna com≠ alright.






UM: YÔÛ WÎLL DÔ NÔTHÎNG! YÔÛ ARÊ NÔTHÎNG!
UR: told this on≠ alr≠ady.
UM: Î WÎLL BÛTCHÊR YÔÛ Î SRLWÊAR Î WÎLL DANCÊ ÎN YÔÛR BLÔÔD Î WÎLL CARVRVÊ A BLADÊ ÎN YÔÛR HÔRN AND Î'LL SLÎCÊ YÔÛ AGAÎN
UR: w≠ should talk mor≠ r≠nny.
UM: Î'LL MAKÊ FIFTY NÊCKLACÊS ÔÛT ÔF YÔÛR FÛCKÎNG FLÊSH
UR: now w≠'re going cr≠ativ≠.
UM: DÔ NÔT DÔ THÎS ÔR Î WÎLL KÎLL
UR: you know this i-s just m-y friday wank mat≠rial.
UM: YÔÛ DÔ NÔTHÎNG! YÔÛ LÎTTLÊ SHÎT!
UP: Lo♥e! C♠lm down!
MP: Ґhis is bad sҐraҐegy.






UP: Please ple♠se ple♠se!
UP: Don't do this!
MP: I sҐopped someone ╙rom desҐroying us once. I can do iҐ again.
UR: ar≠n't you i-n th≠ gam≠ alr≠ady. s≠ctra and m≠ ar≠ th≠ only on≠s r≠maining o-n this dying plan≠t.
UR: and s≠ctra i-s without a v≠hicl≠ and s-o far away.





==->




PR: So thys ys the artery thy steps v-vent astray yn?
PR: Very v-vell, ruffyan.
UP: Why... This is so horrible...
UP: It's too stupid. I don't w♠nt things to end like this.
UR: i d-o tast≠ your t≠ars.
UM: Yôû wîll cêAsê thîs chîldîsh bêhAvîôr îMMêdîAtêly.
UR: b≠g.






UM: Bêg yôûr pArdôn?
UR: b≠g o-f m≠. all o-f you b≠g of m≠, and mayb≠ i will consid≠r changing m-y mind and participating.
UP: Ple♠se! Don't do this to us!
UM: Hôw lôw wôûld yôû wAnt ûs tô knêêl êxActly?
MP: NoҐhing will do. Ґhey don'Ґ inҐend Ґo change Ґheir mind.
MP: I won'Ґ plead ╙or my li╙e.
UR: t-o kn≠≠l i-s not ≠nough.
UR: i want you all t-o lay o-n your stomachs. right now.
PR: Hush.


==->




UR: what did you say?
PR: Hush.
UR: what did you dar≠ t-o say?
PR: Y knov-v thy kynd, canker. Here ys v-vhat v-vyll happen.
UP: B♠t don't m♠ke them ♠ngry!
PR: Thou v-vyll obey.
UR: no.
PR: Thou v-vyll do the tutoryal.
PR: Thou v-vyll enter the game.




==->




PR: V-Vhy, v-vyll thou ask?
PR: Because Y v-vyll BREAK thee.
PR: Y v-vyll fynd thee, my dear. Y v-vyll entyrely destroy thy mynd and body. Y v-vyll bend thee to my v-vyll.
PR: Thou shall be but a toy betv-veen my cruel hands.
PR: Las! Do thou really thynk thou knov-v all sufferyng?
UR: ok but you do r≠aliz≠ that is mor≠ inc≠ntiv≠.
PR: Thou are mystaken.
PR: Thys v-vyll not be revenge for thy v-veak hope of ymagynary defectyon.
PR: Thys v-vyll be v-vhat happens v-vhen thou enter our game.
PR: Y shall feed on thee as on the flymsyest prey.


==->




PR: Go on, then, precypytate us all yn the abysmal end.
PR: V-Vhat are thou v-vaytyng for?



==->




PR: Go on, puppet.



==->




PR: Thou can't. Thou are nov-v entranced.
PR: And therefore knov-v me for thy ryghtful mystress.
UR: i




==->




UR: i will play th≠ gam≠.

undesiredRecollection [UR] ceased responding to memo.

UM: Hôw... Hôw dîd yôû ManAgê thîs ônê côntrîvAncê?
UM: ThAt wAs ÎNCRÊDÎBLÊ.
UP: Wh♠t the fuck did you do?
UP: Wh♠t the hell*
MP: IҐ was masҐer╙ul.
PR: My ancyent v-vysdom extends over more than one fyeld.




==->




PR: Our new comrade's essence appeared lympyd to me.
UM: By All pôssîblê hêlls, clArîfy yôûr thînkîng!
PR: Yt was pretty obvyous thys Sallye ys a sv-vytch.

And here we go! We are all up to date!

It's been such a long time since I've visited Eagle Time. And as some of you may have observed, Alabaster just came back from the LONGEST HIATUS.

I drifted away from this webcomic at the end of 2013, for multiple reasons. 2014 only saw three short updates, all stuck in the Ausira flashback. In 2016-2017, I tried to force myself to update again, but my heart wasn't in it anymore. I only did 21 pages before entirely dropping the work.
Part of the reason why I stopped is I didn't love Homestuck anymore, and I didn't feel any special passion for this project.

But the unexpected happened - little by little, the inner fire came back. I found myself entranced with the idea of coming back to Alabaster, and to properly wrap it up, without rush, quite the opposite in fact: I wanted to draw better, I wanted to give more attention to each panel... I didn't want to skip anything, but rather to conclude the adventure the way it should have been completed back then.

So here we are, a decade later. In Spring 2023, after much preparation, I started Alabaster again. And I'm happy about it, and happy to re-introduce it to you here on Eagle Time. Hi everyone, WE'RE BACK! :D

ALABASTER UPDATE: A NEW LEADER, 1




Deputies: Patrol.





Batori: Act further.




PR: Nov-v that our entyre trayn remayns on the orygynal lyne, completely past that set of deplorable poynts, v-ve can sort the v-vagons.
UM: And wôûld yôû thên bêcôMê ôûr nêw lôcôMôtîvê?
PR: V-Vhyle the proposytyon ys touchyng... Thou v-vyll have ample opportunytyes to slyp behynd me. [; )
UM: Glrrrrhgh.
UP: Gl'bgolyb? Re♠lly?
UP: Not my first choice of chief! =XDɸɸɸ
UM: Nô, dê fActô Î wAs sAyîng...
UM: Fôrgêt ît.
MP: We do need a leader, Ґhough.
MP: We are clearly lacking vigorous direcҐion.
UP: Do we, though?
UP: Sometimes I wonder...




==->




UM: Qûîtê thê blêAk qûAndAry thîs chôîcê MêAns AlrêAdy.
UM: Bôth VAMûîn And Crôssôvêr wêrê sûpêrb êMînêncês. Î MAy hAvê dôûbtêd bôth bût thêy wêrê qûAlîfîêd.
UM: Wôûld yôû lêAd ûs, My lôvê?
UP: I'm... not sure! It's ♠ lot of responsibilities!
UP: ♠nd look ♠t wh♠t I did! I recruited S♠llie ♠nd they ♠re impossible!
PR: The choyce v-vas never thy. V-Ve v-vere all engendered to endure thys travel.
PR: Thou underestymate thyself, my dear double vyrgyn. Thou have abylytyes. Thou survyved a collapsyng troll megalopolys...
UP: Not ♠lone! I h♠d help!
PR: Vamuyn told me one tyme thou are quyte athletyc. Dystracted, but robust. Those v-vere hys exact v-vords.
MP: Your choice is good, diamonds, buҐ Ґhere are oҐher ones.
UP: True!
UP: We c♠n choose B♠tori!

ALABASTER UPDATE: A NEW LEADER, 2




==->




MP: ҐhaҐ's righҐ. DespiҐe my naҐural reservatҐions given recenҐ revelatҐons... We all saw you schooling Ґhis all-new recruiҐ. We all saw you ╙ighҐing. We beaҐ a ResidenҐ ҐogeҐher. And wiҐh RhapsodisҐ gone, you are Ґhe only God Ґier remaining in Ґhe game.
PR: Such thoughtful blandyshment ys most apprecyated, but yt v-vyll not succeed. My very celestyal nature v-vould lead us to hubrys. V-Ve need one fayr v-varryor v-vhose legs touch the ground.
PR: Furthermore...
PR: "Natural reservatyons". Thou have a v-vay v-vyth v-vords.
PR: Y knov-v thou don't trust me. Y v-vould not guyde a troll v-vho doubt theyr ov-vn moyrayl.
MP: Are you sure?
PR: Those are my fynal v-vords.
MP: Ґhen I voҐe Azeban.
UM: AM Î ôbsêrvîng A MôdîfîcAtîôn ôf yôûr prêvîôûs pôsîtîôns?
MP: I may have lacked ҐrusҐ buҐ we boҐh made bad choices.
MP: And you're noҐ Ґhe one here who Ґried Ґo Ґhrow me ouҐ.
PR: ...
UP: Gin! Be nice!
MP: Sorry.
MP: BuҐ I am a soldier, I wanҐ an o╙╙icer.




==->




PR: Our optyons are many.
MP: NoҐ so much, no. As you said, iҐ would be complicaҐed Ґo have you leading me.
PR: Nor do Y wysh the crov-vn.
MP: So iҐ leaves Sallie, Sec-Sec, Renny.
UM: Why nôt yôûrsêlf, thôûgh?
MP: I Ґrained ╙or in╙anҐry. You're Ґhe one who spenҐ your enҐire li╙e sҐudying Ґhe leading classes.
MP: Now leҐ's proceed by eliminaҐion.
PR: Such choyce of v-vords ys most questyonable yn our states of affayrs.
MP: SecҐra is hesiҐanҐ. Sallie is ouҐ o╙ Ґhe quesҐion.
MP: IҐ leaves only Ґhe Red.
UP: Ren is ♠ good ide♠! =:)ɸɸɸ




==->




PR: V-Vhyle Y entyrely entrust the Artysan, thys nev-v development rayses a lot of questyons.
MP: Please, BaҐori.
MP: You almosҐ killed me. Please make Ґhe righҐ choice now.
PR: Thy vehement parlance ys venom to my ears. Stryke, cruel destyny and fyssure of the gem. Stryke, justyce from the deep and thunder of angels. V-Vhyle v-ve endure the squall and must steer at the v-vynd, v-vould thou yn any case start harvestyng some fayth?
UM: WhAt kînd ôf MêtAphôr Arê wê spînnîng AgAîn?
PR: Yet Y do consyder the board layd before me and Y can dystynguysh pertynence yn some speeches.
PR: My pryzed Artysan. The honour shall be thy.
PR: Lead us through the skyrmyshes. Guyde us ynto the storm.




Renart: Think.



The world seems to conspire to bring you to grandeur. Maybe it's ample time you stop pulling the strings from behind the proverbial curtain.

You have it in your blood. You are nobility.

And with this helpful role, you will keep them on track.




Renart: Accept.




UM: Îf nêcêssîty cAlls, ît wîll bê My hônôûr.
UP: Y♠Y!
PR: Thou can nov-v demonstrate all of thy qualytyes.
MP: Ґhanks. Now Ґo our nexҐ missions.
UM: Hêrîtôr, yôû shAll rêMAîn ôn yôûr Têrrîtôry, tô kêêp fôrtîyîng.
MP: GoҐcha.
UM: SêctrA, yôû nêêd tô Assîst SAllîê în êntêrîng thê gAMê...
UP: On it!





Sallie & Sectra: Start tutorial.




UP: Hey nice! You ♠re finished with the lo♠ding!
UR: grumbl≠.
UP: Oh don't be so sour! It's for your own good!
UP: We ♠re the ones with the right to be ♠ngry, you know?
UR: o-k w≠ ar≠ conn≠ct≠d now.
UP: Nice!
UP: Let's see wh♠t we c♠n get from the M♠chineriel Ephemeris!

ALABASTER UPDATE: FILL YOUR DARK SOUL WITH LIGHT




==->




UP: Ok♠y, first we h♠♥e this big pedest♠l thing?
UR: do≠s not app≠ar i-n th≠ guid≠.
UP: Th♠umifice Substr♠tum?
UR: o-h y≠ah i-t looks bigg≠r than vamuin's vanity.
UP: I could put it on the roof of your hi♥e m♠ybe?
UP: ♠ctu♠lly, wh♠t if I put ♠LL of the m♠chines there? Let's stre♠mline ♠ little!
UR: b≠ m-y gu≠st.
UP: More like your Ser♥er Pl♠yer!
UP: Hehe!




==->




UP: You seem j♠ded, S♠llie...
UR: i don't know what i want.
UR: l≠aving, not l≠aving, living, killing, dying.
UP: You m♠y be depressed! Be c♠reful S♠llie!
UR: i can alr≠ady t≠ll you'r≠ th≠ p≠rc≠ptiv≠ kind.




==->




UR: and you ar≠ also on≠ with ros≠-taint≠d glass≠s.
UP: Silly! I ♠m not Terezi!
UR: t≠r≠-who?
UP: Oh, she's ♠ Twel♥ie! She's strong, ♠nd ♥ery wise! ♠ true inspir♠tion fo me! Once ♠ time she...




Renart: Keep ordering.




UM: ÊnchAntrêss, yôû nêêd tô côMplêtê yôûr pArt ôf thê Rêvôlûtîôn ôf PêrpêtûAtîôn.
PR: Yt ys dyffycult, dear. Y needed to clean everythyng around these four-v-vheeled vehycles. Theyr pov-verful headlyghts must shyne unhyndered...




Sectra: Keep on talking.




UP: ♠nd th♠t's the thing! K♠rk♠t doesn't e♥en re♠lize his feelings for Equius! Of course there's ♠lso his blooming sp♠des rel♠tionship with Feferi...
UR: i don't car≠ about any o-f th≠s≠ kids.
UP: Oh no! I didn't expl♠in enough?




==->




UR: wh≠n will i start playing.
UP: Right! You need ♠n Imper♠ssenti♠ Billet!
UP: Meteors ♠re still f♠lling. We don't w♠nt you dying!




==->




UR: ≠v≠n if i ≠nd up dying.
UR: is that big of a d≠al?













Batori: Complete quest.




PR: Every element corresponds! Y have solved the enygma and correctly connected all of the cables. Yt ys truly the end of the Land Lovers quest.
UM: FêlîcîtAtîôns, My chêrîshêd cûstôMêr.
PR: The peryls v-vere many, yet dayntyly vaynquyshed. Y shall nov-v actyvate the voltayc current...




==->






Land Lovers: Illuminate.