The Half-Forgotten Ones

I've mentioned several other places in this blog how much I enjoyed the "Notice the Unnoticeable" Quest which revolved around finding seven Phantom Glitchen throughout Ur. The goal was simple to understand, but difficult to accomplish and the purpose was extremely open to interpretation. It was near Halloween in real-life and Zilloween in-game when I decided to make this quest my top priority and I devised a story to go along with it. As I found my Phantom Glitchen I made a note of exactly where I found them, and wrote these short journal entries as Notes in the game. I plotted a course through those locations and on Zilloween I retraced my steps leaving these Notes on the spots where I found my Phantom Glitchen. I doubt if anyone ever read all of the entries or even looked for them, but creating games like this to amuse yourself was half the fun of Glitch.

Without further ado, here in its entirety, is my Glitch horror story "The Half-Forgotten Ones."

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Entry 1 – Northwest Passage

I’m starting this journal because I don’t know what else I can do.

I’ve been having these dreams, I suppose you could call them bad dreams, but I wouldn’t call them nightmares, they’re just… sad, I guess.

In my dreams they call to me, these long forgotten ones. Something happened—I don’t know what, but something—and now they need me, they need my help. They won’t leave me alone!

I’m starting out immediately. I’ve got to find them. It’s the only way I can think to make the dreams stop and get some peace.

I’ll keep a record of my travels and what I find, just in case someone else might need this someday.

*****

Entry 2 – Simpele Slip

I found one! One of the forgotten ones—what you might call a ghost, though they’ve never called themselves that—was here, right here on this spot.

I was beginning to wonder if my search was nothing more than a fool’s errand; thinking I had gone crazy and all those dreams were just in my head. Now I know I’m not crazy because I saw one and it saw me.

As I approached slowly it turned its sad eyes and looked at me without feeling or emotion of any kind. I could feel it pull me closer, but as I reached out a hand to touch the floating figure it closed its eyes and vanished.

Now I know my quest is not in vain. Now my resolve is strengthened.

I must find the others.

*****

Entry 3 – Follybottom Stritt

It feels like it’s been ages, but I finally found another one.

This time I happened upon him unexpectedly. My searching had been fruitless for a long while and I was beginning to settle in for the night when a flicker on the edge of my vision caught my eye. When I turned to investigate I was confronted with another of the forgotten ones, shining silver and thin as mist. He was similar, but not exactly the same as the one I had seen before. In this way I knew they were two separate entities. Determined not to do anything to drive this second one away I stood stock still and waited for a sign.

The Forgotten One stared through me with those black, emotionless eyes and uttered one syllable before evaporating into the night air.

Please…

*****

Entry 4 – Thicket

When I said before that it spoke to me that was a misrepresentation of what actually happened. I say only that it spoke because I can’t really convey the truth. It’s more like the words reverberated in my bones and moved up through my spine to rest in my skull, where they were translated in the back of my mind. It is an altogether unsettling feeling to say the least.

This time I was prepared for my encounter, though it was no less disquieting for that. As I walked through the grove I felt a chill suddenly engulf me like a great wave and quickly fill the surrounding area. Immediately I knew what this meant, but I was still brought up short when the ghostly pale figure appeared before me. It seemed to float on the currents of cold, otherworldly air.

I stood still as I had last time hoping this Forgotten One would speak to me as well. I was not disappointed. Before fading away it left me with a single message.

Please, help me…

*****

Entry 5 – Firdaus Finds

I am determined now. My path is clear and my decision to pursue this quest was the right one.

After my last encounter the dreams became more insistent. They call to me more urgently, but for what purpose I’m still not sure. All I know for certain is that I must find them.

I was following a feeling—an urging really—it led me into the dark and that’s where I found the next one. Hidden in the shadows, it watched me with those unblinking eyes as I approached. Slowly I walked up to it and felt the cold envelope me. Floating before me it sent another message before dematerializing.

I… I’m fading…

*****

Entry 6 – Amerran Huddles

The pull is becoming stronger. Even while I’m awake I feel the Forgotten Ones calling to me. It’s like a breath on the back of my neck constantly. I am still not quite sure what they want from me, but I know I’m getting closer. Each encounter seems to bring me just to the brink of understanding.

It was dark when I found it this time, but the Forgotten One seemed brighter. It shimmered around the edges while everything else around me dimmed. I began to touch on the hint of something at the corners of my mind, but before I could grasp it it was gone and replaced with a new message.

Please… Keep searching.

*****

Entry 7 – Dobak Fathom

I haven’t slept since my last encounter; the dreams won’t let me. Whatever is happening, it’s getting close. I’m no longer searching, I’m being lead. There’s an invisible force guiding me and it’s becoming almost unbearable. It’s like there are voices in the wind telling me where to go, but no one else hears it.

They brought me into the deep places of the world, down away from the sun and breeze. It was here that I found the next Forgotten One waiting, lurking in the shadows. They don’t sneak up on me anymore. I could see the glow around this one like it was a lantern left for me in the dark.

This time in my fervor I couldn’t hold back. I rushed at it. If patience had only gotten me more questions then I would force a confrontation, but even in my crazed state I should have realized a ghost cannot be forced or threatened. It vanished as I ran through it leaving me chilled to the bone. One last message burned in my mind.

Search for me...

*****

Entry 8  – Megna Burrow

This is it. This is the end. I can feel it. I have been brought to the depths of the world, but for what purpose I still can’t say. The only thing I know for sure is I won’t leave this place again. I was a fool for trusting so blindly in these things, but how do you deny something when it is already inside your mind, inside your soul?! Oh well, it doesn’t matter now.

I leave this last entry in hopes that whoever comes after me might heed my tale as a warning. Do not make the same mistakes I did. Don’t let them in.

The end is coming swiftly now. I can see them in the distance, seven Forgotten Ones with the same dead eyes and blank expressions. They speak no message, but simply wait for me to join them as I know I must.

With this last writing I will head towards their pale glow and the blackness surrounding them to find my end at last, but no rest. Before I go I leave you with a message of my own.

I’m fading… Please, don’t search for me…