A User's Guide to the Apocalypse [a tale of survival, identity, and personal growth] [powered by Chuubo's Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine] [Elaine “OJ” Wang] This is a preview version dating from March 28, 2017. The newest version of this document is always available from http://orngjce223.net/chuubo/A%20User%27s%20Guide %20to%20the%20Apocalypse%20unfinished.pdf. Follow https://eternity-braid.tumblr.com/ for update notices and related content. Credits/Copyright: Written by: Elaine “OJ” Wang, with some additions and excerpts from: • Ops: the original version of Chat Conventions (page ???). • mellonbread: Welcome to the Future (page ???), The Life of the Mind (page ???), and Corpseparty (page ???), as well as quotes from wagglanGimmicks, publicFunctionary, corbinaOpaleye, and orangutanFingernails. • godsgifttogrinds: The Game Must Go On (page ???). • eternalfarnham: The Azurites (page ???). Editing and layout: I dream of making someone else do it. Based on Replay Value AU of Homestuck, which was contributed to by many people, the ones whom I remember best being Alana, Bobbin, Cobb, Dove, Impern, Ishtadaal, Keleviel, Mnem, Muss, Ops, Oven, Rave, The Black Watch, Viridian, Whilim, and Zuki. Any omissions here are my own damn fault. In turn, Replay Value AU itself was based upon Sburb Glitch FAQ written by godsgifttogrinds, which in turn was based upon Homestuck by Andrew Hussie. This is a supplement for the Chuubo's Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine system, which was written by Jenna Katerin Moran. The game mechanics belong to her and are used with permission. Previous versions of this content have appeared on eternity-braid.tumblr.com, rvdrabbles.tumblr.com, and archiveofourown.org. For clarity, Elizabeth and Samantha are fictional characters. This is a noncommercial fanwork of Homestuck and should not be sold for money. This being said, permission is explicitly granted to make any number of copies of this book, for any reason. (This provision is here so copy shops will know that I'm fine with you getting this printed and bound for yourself and/or friends. It's not like I can sell print copies of this, after all.) This book uses fantastical and supernatural elements in its setting, for its characters, their abilities, and themes. All such elements are fiction and intended for entertainment purposes only. This book contains mature content and reader discretion is advised. I am not a trained therapist and this is not therapy. In case that wasn't clear enough, here is the content warning: This setting is very dark and includes horror, trauma, and the consequences thereof. Please understand what you are getting into, and evaluate whether you can handle it, before you start reading. A User's Guide to the Apocalypse 1 Dedications: Elizabeth: My first-session coplayers and childhood friends – Michelle (balefulEntry), Cyril (bicuspidBookkeper), and Mason (errantEntropy). May they rest in peace. Samantha: PrototypeTowers (Pits) and its community, warts and all. Sure, none of us liked the drama, but indifferentBem taught me how to write, enlighteningFont trusted me with the mod tools, and eternityBraid has remained a friend of my heart. OJ: Myra Henderson, who showed me the strength of anger; Kim Su-Cheol, who showed me the strength of speaking; and the Internet, which showed me the strength of reaching out. Also thanks to: • Casey Johnson (geostatonary) and the rest of the Jenna Katerin Moran Fanclub chat for being very patient with me. • Jenna Katerin Moran herself, for putting up with my 'senpai noticed me' jokes and letting me ask miscellaneous other canon-related questions. • Replay Value AU. I know you all hate each other these days but I still love you all. 2 A User's Guide to the Apocalypse Table of Contents Credits/Copyright: ............ 1 Campaign Conventions and Genre Dedications: .................. 2 ............................. 58 INTRODUCTION ................. 9 Campaign Conventions.............................58 Three Letters ................ 10 You cannot ever completely leave the Elizabeth...................................................10 clutches of Sburb..................................58 Samantha...................................................11 There are loopholes out of Death, if you OJ..............................................................12 are lucky...............................................59 The Game (Terry Weaver's Story).....17 Your mind will break before your body Basic Principles ............. 19 does......................................................60 Glossary of Chuubo's Terms.............20 Gothic/Fairy Tales.....................................63 About Chuubo's.........................................27 Earning XP........................................63 About Replay Value AU............................27 Gothic...................................................64 About This Book.......................................28 Replay Value in the pure-Gothic genre A Warning.................................................29 ...........................................................65 An Opposite Warning................................30 Fairy Tales............................................65 This Book Is Not An Authority.................31 How Elizabeth Puts It........................67 Chat Conventions ............. 32 In the Game..........................................68 Indirect Communication...........................32 Issues....................................................68 Direct Communication..............................33 Techno.......................................................70 Logs from #denizenlair......................35 Pacing...................................................70 Power Level.......................................38 Epic or Adventure Fantasy........................72 Notes on the Social Contract....................40 Great Risk and Great Reward..............72 On comfort/discomfort.........................40 Epic Fantasy.........................................73 On the autonomy of characters............41 Adventure Fantasy...............................74 Public Censure.....................................41 Welcome to the Future.......................75 Sex........................................................41 PLACES IN THE GAME ........... 80 Violence................................................42 Prelude......................................................81 Religion................................................42 Skill: Sburban Survival.....................81 Tone......................................................43 Presession ................... 83 Roleplaying With Trauma ...... 44 Your Coplayers.........................................83 Projection and Bleed............................44 Your Replayee’s Life................................84 Opening the Conversation........................45 Waiting For Meteors.................................85 The ACEs Study...................................45 The Incipisphere ............. 87 Toxic Stress..........................................47 Playing the Game......................................87 The Relevance (and the survey)...........47 Ritual: [S]..........................................90 And Then?............................................50 Your Land.................................................91 Looking Inside Yourself............................51 Exploration...........................................91 Emotional Safety..................................51 Consorts and Quests.............................94 Some Disclaimers.................................52 Dungeons...........................................96 Do Your Research.................................53 Psychoruins..........................................98 Talk To Each Other...............................53 The Underworld......................................100 Riding The Wave..................................54 In An Angel-Infested Hive.................100 Talk To Yourself...................................55 Afterwards..........................................101 Camera Obscura...................................55 Transition: [S] ==>........................103 Roleplaying... Without Trauma?...............56 The Magicant..........................................104 A User's Guide to the Apocalypse 3 Inside the Magicant............................104 Seven Gates (20/35)................................146 Prospit.....................................................106 What You’ll Do..................................146 The Streets of Prospit.........................106 Quest Cards........................................150 Ritual: The Skaian Clouds..............107 Poetry: Lands..................................151 The People of Prospit.........................109 The Beast in the Lair (25/25/35).............152 The Apocryphal Antithesis...............110 What You’ll Do..................................152 Derse.......................................................111 Quest Cards........................................155 The Buildings of Derse.......................111 Ritual: The Berserk Trigger............157 The People of Derse...........................112 Challenging the Throne (25/35)..............160 The Ancient Law..............................114 What You’ll Do..................................160 The Battlefield.........................................115 Note....................................................161 On The Battlefield..............................115 Quest Cards........................................163