The Story So Far of.....

Tendrils in the Dark

Theme- Fear not this Night

Act One

The Invasion

Theme- Binding of Isaac Soundtrack: End Times

This is my second attempt at running my Tendrils in the Dark rpg. It is more than just a game to me, and telling its story is a work years in the making. The themes that are explored in Tendrils, beyond just the fun kinky stuff, are deeply meaningful to me, and it is my pleasure to share them with you as the story unfolds. Different players have come and go over the course of this game, but sometimes their character lives on as an NPC. This is both my journey and these characters' journeys, and I hope you enjoy reading about them.

The story begins at Longview Academy, a prestigious private school for young men and women, nestled in the foothills somewhere in the northeastern region of the United States. Tragedy has struck the school as Jesse Heward, son of the Headmaster, disappeared one night under suspicious circumstances. In the midst of police investigating on the premises, a peculiar transfer student named Eren arrives, and soon begins to ask strange questions in between his friendly ice-breaking and charming glances. One student, Marshall, immediately distrusts this new arrival, but can't quite pinpoint what seems off. He keeps an eye on him, but returns to his studies.

In the following couple days, more strange things happen, and an ominous anxiety takes hold over the school. Kurt Bohn, a former student of the school, had been arrested in a possible connection with the disappearance of the Headmaster's son. The two were known to have had somewhat of a rivalry a few years back, though given Kurt's rather sudden and bizarre appearance, a day after Jesse vanished, that doesn't seem to explain away the mystery. Even more curious are the witness reports of Kurt's arrest, with many saying that he looked dazed and delirious, as if he were searching for something. Marshall, and now even another student, Elijah, are likewise getting more distrustful vibes about Eren, who seems to be asking as many questions as the police in their investigation. Marshall decides to confront Eren that night. A decision which will rock his world.

Marshall, ever the occult conspiracy theorist, bluntly accused Eren of being a demon in disguise, based on his observations of the transfer student the past few days. Eren reacted differently than expected. Taking on a conspiratorial tone and bringing Marshall to the side, he turned the tables, asking if he had seen anything that would make him think of demonic phenomena. Then, Eren did something that he thought he would never do....but he was desperate.....

Eren revealed his true identity. Or at least, hinted at it. Eren, or Raphiel, to use the name he claimed was true for him, told Marshall that he was a being not of humanity, and that his mission was to watch over Earth and maintain its isolation from corruption. Marshall asked Raphiel if he was an angel, and though the strange being didn't confirm this suspicion, he did say that it was a fitting description. Raphiel, it seemed, was here to investigate a particularly volatile demonic threat; One that put all of Earth in danger. He explained that he revealed himself because his need was urgent, and he could use assistance on his mission. Marshall agreed and Raphiel told of their first objective: Retrieve Kurth Bohn.

Late in the night, Raphiel and Marshall stalked the jail where Kurt was being held. Retrieving the former student turned out to be easy for the "angel", who, out of thin air, created some kind of portal directly into Kurt's cell, which he was then liberated from, and dragged back out of the portal. Kurt was stunned to say the least, but there was no time for questions as the group was ambushed! Several demonic creatures, all with red skin, horns, and very promiscuous clothing, attacked with wicked grins on their faces. Raphiel brandished a sword of fire and light and engaged the demons. Marshall, who had brought a more earthly weapon, did his best to assist. But demons never fight fair, and Marshall soon discovered that first hand as his mind was assaulted with lewd, erotic imagery. Even in the heat of battle, he found himself getting aroused. Raphiel soon managed to defeat the demons, but it seemed that in the chaos, Kurt had fled and was nowhere to be seen. Raphiel and Marshall returned to the dorms of the school, shaken, and preparing for more trouble the next day.

Raphiel was convinced now that this demon threat was even worse than he had feared. They would strike soon, on a scale never before seen on this planet. But without any idea of what exactly they were after, and how Kurt was involved, Raphiel felt the best move was to remain calm and go to class the next morning as normal, hoping that through the course of the day they would be able to investigate more and uncover some new leads. Marshall joined him in class and struggled to hide his anxiety. A few other students, Elijah,a photographer and journalist for the school paper, Peter, a quiet, sheltered, and devoutly religious young man, and Brandon, a pessimistic "black sheep" of the school, all sensed something was wrong and questioned Marshall. Unable to contain himself, Marshall quietly explained to them that the world as they knew it would soon be turned upside down and that they should prepare themselves for the apocalypse. A moment later, Marshall's words rang true....

Outside, the sky darkened. A tremendous rumbling in the ground shook the school's foundations like an earthquake. Lightning crackled, and, throughout the school grounds, a number of glowing portals opened, out of which poured hundreds upon hundreds of demons of all shapes and sizes. Imps, harpies, nightmares, tentacle beasts, cum-mancers, and all other sorts of demons that Marshall and his friends would soon learn more about, invaded the school, enslaving students and faculty alike, quickly corrupting their minds and bodies with their tainted potions and spells. A small horde of imps crashed into the classroom just then, and combat ensued! Though Elijah and Peter were still in shock, Marshall was at least a little more ready to deal with these twisted foes. Raphiel drew his futuristic sword again and made quick work of those who got in his way. Still the imps kept coming, and soon they had overtaken the teacher, forcing a number of red, demonic potions down his throat. Marshall looked to Raphiel for help....

Raphiel, cutting his way to the door, turned to Marshall and the other students. They would slow him down now, he realized. If he had any chance of finding what it was the demons were after, he would have to do it alone, he reasoned. He then turned his back on his former allies and abandoned them to their fate. Marshall cursed Raphiel's name and vowed revenge for this betrayal. He knew in his heart that this would not be the last time they would meet, and when they do, Raphiel would have some explaining to do.

Marshall, Elijah, and Peter eventually defeated the demons in their classroom, even managing to subdue their teacher, who had transformed in front of their eyes. But without Raphiel, Marshall had little to go on in terms of a plan. He decided to follow what Raphiel had mentioned previously.....the fact that the Headmaster's son was taken at the beginning of all this....it was a long shot, but maybe the Headmaster's office could yield some clues? It was as good a plan as any.

Fighting their way to the building where the office was located, Marshall and his friends soon were confronted by an imp alpha who seemed to be somewhat higher ranking than most other demons they've encountered. The demons had the same idea apparently, searching for something at the Headmaster's office, and they weren't going to let these pesky humans get in their way! Though outnumbered and desperate, Marshall looked to Peter's religious expertise for any possible advantage. Peter, armed with his faith, recited an old family prayer, staring at the demons with conviction. Suddenly a brilliant light shone through the sky, honing in on the demons before Peter, smiting them on the spot! Marshall was awed at Peter's miracle....and so was Peter! Searching the demons' bodies before they turned to ash, Marshall discovered a note on the imp alpha, which provided a clue as to what was going on here. It described an order, given by the demons' Master, to locate a special key. The demon master, according to the note, had found "The Door", but still needed the key to open that door. This revelation left Marshall and the others with more questions than answers, perhaps, but it was something to go on at least. The demons needed a special key to open some door. Perhaps if this key were to be found, they could use it to their advantage against the demons somehow.

If there was an important key on the school grounds, then it seemed fitting that it might be with the Headmaster or in his office. Entering the office, they were met with a gruesome sight: The Headmaster's corpse, slumped against his desk, a gun in his hand, a bullet hole in his head, and, in his other hand, a blood-stained paper....his suicide note? Opening it and reading its contents uncovered more pieces of the puzzle...

The Headmaster's note described his sorrow and guilt for the loss of his son, something that he felt responsible for. This school harbored many dark secrets over the years. Secrets which were safeguarded and advanced by various Headmasters and school figures in the past. There was a power in the grounds here, the current Headmaster had learned, upon accepting what he thought was an ordinary and respectable position. This power was hidden deep underneath the school, in passages that were ancient and defied any conventional, historical knowledge. At the end of these passages was a large, ornate door, beyond which lies the heart of the mystical power. The old cult of school leaders were driven mad by their desire to unlock this power, but were unable to open the door. In the darkness of their occult studies, they had made contact with a powerful demon lord, who promised to aid them in opening the door, in return for regular sacrifices of their own kin. The cult had made many such sacrifices over the past century, it seemed. But even as their power over the occult grew over time, with the demons' aid, they still were unable to open the door. Some members of the cult began to hesitate. They could not bear to sacrifice their kin any longer for an empty promise. A schism formed and the cultists turned on one another, with many dying in the process. Only a few of the most powerful members survived, but weakened as they were, they could not continue the sacrifices. They needed new blood. That's where the current Headmaster came in, it seemed. Once all of this information was revealed to him, he was left with little choice but to obey the whims of the cultists. He learned it would cost him his only son, but if he refused, an even worse fate for his son, himself, and others he cared for would be brought upon them. And so the demons took his son as a slave. But more than that....in his brief dealings with the demons, he learned that soon things would come to a head. The demons had been planning something all along, using the cult to further their own agenda. He discovered that the demon lord, too, wanted what was behind the door. The Headmaster had never seen the door himself, but, now he knew that it held great importance. And in a twist of fate, he also recently learned what might unlock the door. They key wasn't an actual, physical key. It was a person. A young man, who was drawn back here by the pull of destiny. Kurt Bohn. The Headmaster was hopeful that a solution to this problem of doors and demons could be reached with Kurt's help, but soon the demon lord has sent his horde to invade the school, and Kurt was nowhere to be seen. Watching through the security cameras as his school plunged into corrupt chaos, the Headmaster lost all hope that he would ever save this and see his son again. His last wish was to let the record be known by whoever found his note. Marshall and the others stood in stunned silence, taking it all in.

The demons were after Kurt, Marshall knew now. Finding Kurt before the demons was now the top priority. But, whether it was fate or pure luck, it turned out finding Kurt would be unnecessary, because Kurt found them! The former student had overheard their conversation just now and wanted to help. Having spoken with the Headmaster before he was arrested, he knew something had drawn him here for a reason. The same something that had been giving him strange powers in the past week. Magic similar to what the demons used, without all the eroticism. After getting side-tracked by fending off demons, he made his way back here and arrived shortly after Marshall and the others did. Exchanging what information they knew, they were able to pinpoint the likely location of this mysterious door: Underneath the graveyard of the school's founders. They didn't know what would be in store for them once they got there, but they knew they needed to go there, nonetheless.

Finding the secret passageway in the graveyard was an easy task, because the demons had already found it and left it wide open. Entering the passage, Marshall, Kurt, Elijah, and Peter began their descent down into the mysterious, ancient, halls. The air was cold and tense as they delved deeper. Strange runes were written on the walls, in a language that nobody recognized. Up ahead, they saw a light around a corner....and heard the deep, rumbling, voice of what they expected was the demon lord itself. If the demon lord was there, then the door must be there too. And so they marched on.

Peeking around the corner, their hearts were filled with fear (and perhaps a strange sense of erotic excitement). The hallway opened into a large room, which was filled with demons. One demon towered above the rest....his muscular body and wicked wings hinting at incredible physical power, while his glowing red eyes and an almost tangible aura of lust and dominance spoke of a more mystical acumen. He wore black leather armor in some places, accentuating his sexual features and prowess even more. This was the demon lord, no doubt about it.

Though it was hard to focus on much else, Marshall and the others did notice two other important details: Beyond the demon lord was a beautiful, glowing, stone door. That, and, to the side of the room, a naked human cowered as he was teased by a group of imps. A human they recognized as Jesse Heward, son of the Headmaster.

Kurt knew he was meant to open the door somehow. The door, or perhaps whatever was beyond it, had brought him here for that reason. Demon lord or no, he had to go to it. Kurt stepped out into the room....

Marshall, Elijah, and Peter were paralyzed in the moment as Kurt caught the attention of various demons. They swooped in on him, but, in a demonstration of his newfound powers, he waved his hand as if brushing them aside, which sent a shockwave of air towards the demons, sending them flying. The demon lord and the rest of his minions were alerted to Kurt now, but the destiny-driven young man didn't seem to be in the mood for diplomacy. He engaged the demons, and Marshall and the others joined him in battle!

The fight with the demon lord was brutal. He ordered wave after wave of his minions to attack, all of whom were felled by the courageous students. It came down to a fight against the demon lord himself.....a fight which the humans eventually won, but at the cost of the life of Peter. The demon lord had shown just how cruel he could be, slaying Peter with a spear instead of taking him alive as a slave. The shock had finally set in after the battle, as Marshall held the lifeless body of Peter in his arms. He had seen the rest of the school enslaved or transformed, but it had all seemed like some strange dream......Peter's death was all too real.

With the demon lord dead and Marshall getting a hold of himself, the other students went to Jesse to help him up. The Headmaster's son was still in a state of shock, trying to come to terms with what had happened to him over the course of the last few days. Elijah tried to comfort him, but when Jesse had asked where his father was, the Headmaster's fate soon was revealed. Jesse broke down in tears, woefully commenting that the last conversation he had with his father ended in some stupid argument, as was usually the case with Jesse. The Headmaster had wanted to take his son on a fishing trip.....

Meanwhile, Kurt gazed upon the Door which had drawn him here in the first place, unlocking his powers. He fell into a trance-like state, as strange, incoherent knowledge flooded his mind. He approached the Door and, somehow, he knew he was going to open it

Suddenly, the ground began to shake violently....a terrible, eldritch, roar resounded throughout the room....a sound that would forever haunt their memories. They looked to the corpse of the demon lord, which twitched, pulsing with an unnatural, purple glow. To their horror, the demon lord husk rose, sprouting tentacles from its back, a distant, alien look in its empty eyes. As it lumbered towards them, they came to two disturbing realizations: Something about the husk, or rather, the alien presence controlling it, filled their bodies and minds with a sickening, but deeply erotic lust....a sensation of euphoric wonder and awe that fueled an arousal so intense it nearly doomed them to submission then and there. Second, they knew, deep down, that this....thing had been controlling the demon lord all along. It wanted what was behind the Door. It NEEDED it. And if they didn't stop it, it would surely devour them and everything else in its path.

The students fought valiantly against the husk, despite the wicked assault on their minds and bodies. But the eldritch thing was nothing like they've encountered thus far....Elijah's mind was broken, and he was swallowed whole by the monster, which began to corrupt and milk the student from within its impossible gullet. Brandon, who had resisted the arousal-inducing spells of the demons almost out of sheer spite, found his mental walls being shattered by the overwhelming ecstasy forced upon him. He, too, was about to be devoured, when finally, a lethal blow was struck to the husk, and both he and Elijah were rescued, but just barely.

The husk was, once more, slain, this time burning up in a crackling burst of corruption. The students looked around in shock, trying to understand what had just happened. Elijah and Brandon looked at each other, knowing that, if the battle had not ended when it did, they would both have been lost to the otherworldly bliss.....a feeling which would stay with them and haunt their dreams. Just then, Kurt, who had remained in trance throughout the battle, collapsed in exhaustion, just as a loud creaking could be heard.....the Door was opening.

The students, beaten, bruised, and almost completely lacking clothing at this point, walked forward towards the Door and the beautiful light that shone from within. Inside was a large, cavernous room filled with bizarre technology that was certainly not of an Earthly origin. In its center was a deep well, from which radiated a light so serene and awesome that it brought the boys to tears. It thrummed with the energy of life itself, and Kurt recognized that it was this energy he harnessed with his powers. He tried to describe this experience to the others, but his words were lost to him, other than one: Source. "Kinda like the Force!", Marshall had commented, but even that did not fully capture the immensity of the energy.

Further back into this bunker-like room was a large, rune-covered circle, embedded into the wall. It was undeniably some kind of gateway or portal, but it appeared to be inactive. They didn't have time to marvel at these wonders, however, as they heard a familiar voice behind them. Raphiel.

Marshall erupted into a rage, demanding to know what Raphiel was and why he had abandoned them. Peter might have been saved, he accused, had Raphiel helped them fight the demon lord. Raphiel was, furiatingly, uninterested in explaining himself. He acted like a man on death row, patiently awaiting the inevitable. He cooly, calmly, shared just a few pieces of information.....

He was a being from an ancient organization that spanned all of reality. Agents like himself were stationed on countless worlds, with a singular purpose at the core of their being: fight corruption at all costs. This "corruption" was what controlled the demon lord husk. Left unchecked, it would regain its power, corrupt Earth, and use its thralls to spread itself to other realms....other universes. Raphiel explained, upon learning of the demon lord's true Master, he had set into motion an ancient fail-safe designed to prevent the corruption from gaining any sort of foothold, and especially to deny it any working Gate to another universe. A doomsday bomb would, in a matter of minutes, destroy the Earth. A necessary sacrifice, Raphiel argued. A single world, destroyed so that countless other worlds would remain free of corruption. The students would hear no more of this.....Earth, destroyed on a whim....at the hands of one person not even of the world in question. It wasn't right. They wouldn't let him get away with this. Raphiel readied his sword of light and fire.....

Exhausted from their previous battles, the students suffered terrible scars from their fight with Raphiel. Brandon had even lost his left arm, as Raphiel cut it clean off in one attack. But they were filled with a determination that Raphiel underestimated. They would not sit back and accept that Earth would be sacrificed like some pawn. They cornered Raphiel, and killed him.

An alarm shrieked through the bunker, and the ground shook suddenly, knocking everyone off their feet. Something was happening.....was it the fail-safe Raphiel said he had started? There wasn't time to think. Kurt, going on intuition, and perhaps desperation, shouted that they had to go through the portal-thing in the wall, somehow. He looked at the energy in the well.....Source....and back at the others. He reached out, telling everyone to link hands and focus on the runed-circle. Their wills combined, they focused on escaping through the portal....on powering it up.....on hope that they would live for another day.....

The portal activated. The boys jumped through. Behind them, a tremendous explosion could be heard before the connection was severed. Earth....their world.....their home....was no more.