If you have been following Splinterlore on Twitter for any amount of time, you have probably by now noticed our ongoing MicroStory. I don't bother explaining it in every tweet anymore; you all should know the drill by now.
I present a tweet-sized situational story, then over 24 hours, followers vote on which action will be taken by the hero. Our nameless, genderless, ageless hero has been through a lot already since the beginning, and I have no idea where this story will lead.
I try to remain as objective as possible (like a good Dungeon Master) and keep the future of the story entirely undecided. The story is written each day depending entirely on the course of action chosen by our followers.
Watch out! Some options are traps that will deter you from your quest (which is ever-changing), and other options are merely there for comic relief. Still, I will always commit completely to what you, our followers, decide. Have fun!
-@ChrisRoberts, Splinterlore
The Story Begins (almost 3 months ago)
The Goblin Chariots are bearing down on you as you approach the Sheer Cliffs of Norbold. They are nearly within stinkbomb-throwing range. Below, there are raging waters... with crocodiles.
You leap from the cliff, narrowly avoiding the Goblin stink attacks. A flock of 𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘴 are flying by... They are huge. With a little luck, you may be able to land on one to soften your fall...
With precise free-falling calibration, you plummet toward the nearest taitan gull. You land on the bird, and with a flash of feathers and a squawk, it climbs higher into the sky. The air is getting thin and cold...
Your giant bird mount flies up into a cloud, but not just any cloud... a portal cloud. Portals are everywhere! Time portals? Space portals? Oh no! The gull bucks you off and you're falling again. You must act quickly.
You skillfully dodge the green, brown and blue portals. With a sucking sound you are drawn into the red one. Everything turns red, but you're still falling. A flaming skeleton appears (also falling) and says "help."
You take the flaming skeleton's hand and it rolls its eye sockets. "Thanks, I feel much safer now," it says dryly. "Help me pull the ripcord!" The skeleton is wearing a parachute! The ground is getting bigger, and it looks like lava. Uh-oh...
You hold onto the skeleton's back securely and yank the ripcord. It's not a parachute that emerges, but a small mechanical flyer which now sputters along carrying the two of you. The skeleton hands you the remote control, saying "she's all yours."
You fly for hours getting to know Gus (the flaming skeleton) quite well during the ride. He and his wife recently had 𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘴. You finally land in a soft field of red grass and wave so-long to Gus... You have no idea where you are.
A ruby red city looms on the horizon. You're dying for a latte. As you make your way there, you pass by a duplex... It's on fire! One one side, a man cries "Betty is inside!" On the other, an elf frets that "her world-saving potion will be lost!"
You rush into the burning duplex while the Elf screams something about her potion. You find a bucket-headed broom marked "Betty." Is it too late to retrieve the world-saving potion? The roof collapses, blocking you in, but in the corner you see a dusty catapult.
The burning cottage collapses all around as you spot the Elf's world-saving potion. Hoping it's not damaged from the heat, you grab the flask and crash through the front window just in time. The Elf has a crazed look; you think twice about returning the potion to her.
With narrowed, suspicious eyes you take a step back from the Elf, deciding not to give her the potion. The potion glows with gratitude, and the Elf becomes maniacally irate, revealing her true form as a terrifying Harpy. "Give me the potion, mortal!"
The crazed Harpy lunges for the potion, reaching with a bony claw. With a stunningly graceful backflip you evade her, but she'll try again. "You don't get it!" she shrieks. No one is around to help you and you couldn't outrun the Harpy. The potion is your only hope.
You immediately feel strange power swelling in your throat as you drink the potion. It tastes blue. The Harpy watches in horror, then she gets smaller. No... You're getting bigger. Just like that, your head is in the clouds and you can barely see your feet below.
You make a move to step on the Harpy with your now-giant boot, discovering with horror that it is untied, and the lace is trapped beneath your other giant boot. A passing bird laughs rudely at you as you start to fall.
You put out your arms and land hands-first with an earth-shaking thud. Now you are a Giant, planking across the countryside. Suddenly out of nowhere, a Giant Drill Sergeant appears. "Give me twenty!" he shouts with a deafening roar. He looks serious.
Remembering fondly your time in the Lyverian Guard under the Orc Sergeants, you begin doing push-ups to appease the Giant Drill Sergeant. Once you have completed the 20, the Sergeant offers you one of two rewards: A Medal of Bravery or a Reshrinkification Potion.
By accepting the Medal of Bravery from the Giant Drill Sergeant, you've implicitly enlisted in the Giant Army. For your first mission, he loudly orders you to "pick up his kids from school." Then he stomps away. There's only time to shout one question after him.
"My son's name is Thaluptorius and my daughter's name is Gert! They'll be hungry! Don't get them confused or you'll be sorry!"
You find the school and the 2 Giant kids are annoyed. The larger one (no idea which) wants magic ice cream, the smaller wants magic donuts.
The donuts are even more magical than expected. They remind you of a simpler time, before Goblin chases, skeleton freefalls and giant Drill Sergeants. You suddenly find yourself in the village square near your home. Your kids are probably wondering where you are.
On your way home, a Goblin Chariot squeals to a stop next to you. "We never finished the last roll," the lead Goblin henchman growls through his teeth. They abduct you and take you to the Gamehouse, where the Gorpoly table has been waiting all along. Your turn.
If you can "triple the Glurbin," you may have a chance to win this thing after all. Hurlok (Goblin boss) is glaring through his foggy goggles, smoking a huge cigar. Ready to defend the Gorp, he watches you cast your dice... 3 Stars! It works! 3x Glurbin! Go again?
Stay and play more, or get home quick? You've got seed coins in your pocket, but you're so indecisive. Suddenly the band plays one of your favorite songs, the Beluroc Rock, and in a rush of generosity you decide to bury the hatchet with the Goblins once and for all.
You buy a round of the finest Orc bracers available for your new Goblin friends. As you make merry, countless more Goblins come in off the street, also claiming to be your friend. When finally the pub closes, they look to you for the location of the after-party.
You devise a plan to divert the rowdy Goblins to a local glowing mana geyser with which you are familiar. That should distract them and allow you to slip away. It erupts in 5 minutes. Should you take time to outfit yourselves with safety gear from the mana shed?
Followed by 14 Goblins, you reach the mana shed not a moment too soon, with only a minute before the eruption of the mana geyser. Oh no! All the safety suits have already been taken! The ground starts rumbling with mana flow as the Goblins look to you for help.
Your strange entourage follows as you lead the way to the mana geyser. You arrive just as the pink and purple swirls begin to rise from the schism. The Goblins are "ooing" and "awwing" but you know something is amiss. Then you see it: a huge Mana Troll sneaking up from behind!
You shout "Mana Troll!", obviously hoping to alert the Goblins of the approaching Mana Troll. Mana Trolls are dumb, and they scare easily, so maybe shouting was a mistake. The hideous thing completely flips out and starts one of its most powerful attacks: The Rainbow Stomp.
You climb a tree as the Goblins burrow into the ground, but remember that the Troll's Rainbow Stomp attack comes from above! Your tree is rendered instantly into a shimmering, colorful puddle and you're flung several hundred feet from the scene, where you land with a thud.
You limp quietly away from the commotion of the Mana Troll and whatever it's doing to the Goblins. You better get home. Suddenly 3 Lyverian Patrollers shine a bright light on you. "There are reports that a townie riled the Mana Troll. Identify yourself."
You quickly tell the Patrollers your name. They fall silent, and one of them removes his helmet. "So sorry, but your cottage and everything in it was lifted up and carried away by a huge Dragon twenty minutes ago. Dreadful scene it made, lotsa screamin."
Asking for more info, you're relieved to hear no one was hurt. Luckily your children were shaken out of a window just as the house left the ground. They are at this moment parading your way and whimsically chanting: "A Dragon took our house!" You've got to find the cottage!
Normally you would leave the kids at home, but since this time your house is missing, you may be gone for several days, so you take them along. Several townies report that the Lightning Dragon flew off to the north. Before leaving town, you pick up snacks for the children.
After spending way too much time shopping for nuts, you and your 8 children begin hiking to the north toward the mountains. You can only go as fast as Squirt, the one with the shortest legs. You reach a stream, not too wide but moving fast. It's getting dark.
You head west along the stream followed by your 8 tired children who have grown weary of nuts, looking for a bridge to cross. Just before dark you meet a Centaur with two broken legs, who says he will take you to his camp if you have your children carry him.
Your 8 children have a surprisingly easy time hoisting the injured Centaur over their head. Taking verbal cues from the Centaur (whose name is Ron), your group is led into the forest. After a few, the kids are slacking. Ron suggests that a song may lift their spirits.
You begin a heartfelt rendition of "Kron's Glory," a ballad you remember from your Lyverian army days, thinking it will boost the children's spirits. To your surprise, the injured Centaur becomes overly excited and starts dancing while still being carried by your children.
The dancing Centaur is nearly crushing the kids who carry him, but you raise your voice, proudly finishing "Kron's Glory". On the last note, the heavens open and light rains from the twilight stars, healing the Centaur with Kron's mysterious magic. He offers 1 of 2 gifts.
The grateful Centaur, now springing about on his hooves removes from a golden pouch the Kronshine Amulet, which is yours now. As soon as the Amulet touches your hand, you and your party are instantly endowed with the strength, energy and speed of Centaurs!
Your Centaur friend (Dan) is so excited to have his legs healed that he rips into a full gallop, shouting "follow me!" You all take off after him with magic speed and quickly arrive at Hirlok, the Centaur camp. The Centaurs offer to babysit the kids while you quest.
The Centaurs are grateful to you for magically healing Dan's legs; they'll care for your weaker and smaller children while you're off, and you'll take 3: Bertrarius (the bravest), Brainetta (the smartest), and... which child shall be your third companion?
After a great deal of arguing over whether your 3rd companion would be Bullsyrus or Pat, you decide to flip a seed coin. The coin lands on its edge, and assuming it's a sign from the Spirit of the Forest, you take both! There are only 4 ponies... Which kid won't get one?
Pat gives you mean stinkeye as you explain that Pat must walk alongside the rest of you on your ponies. Pat has unusually long legs, so Pat should be able to keep up. Just to make sure, maybe you ought to give Pat the Kronshine Amulet to balance the scales a bit.
You reluctantly give the Amulet to Pat, whose eyes become wide with power. In the cold reaches of space, the 7 dark stars align and a beam of pure energy shoots down from above. In a blinding flash, Pat is transformed before your eyes into an evil and otherworldly wizard.
Hoping that something remains of the young Pat, you ask the terrifying wizard to join you on your quest. "Silence!" the wizard screams at you. Then using magic, he transforms your 4 ponies into bullfrogs (on which you cannot ride). "What is your quest", the wizard asks.
Trembling with fear, you describe your quest to the evil wizard. Your cottage was lifted away by a wild Lightning Dragon and you're hunting it down. The wizard happens to need the incisor of a Lightning Dragon for his Ultimate Cosmic Brew, and he wants to join you.
You allow the evil wizard to join you as long as 𝙖) he doesn't destroy you all, and 𝙗) he does his best to return your beloved Pat unharmed when this is all over. The wizard agrees, and as a show of good faith he casts a spell that causes your party to sprout wings.
It seems like ages since you last felt the wind in your face. Your party (plus the wizard) soars through the air as the skies darken around the foothills. You head north. To the east a bright fire burns in the distance. To the west you see a glowing meteor land in a forest.
As your flying party approaches the site of the meteor's landing, a blue light shines from the clearing. You land at a safe distance, while the wizard hovers ominously in the dark above. Moving in closer, you see not a meteor but a spaceship with a small alien climbing out.
The tiny alien looks suspiciously around before scurrying off into the dark woods. Bertrarius does not wait for a plan; he goes airborn to chase the alien. The rest of you follow. Brainetta (the smart one) urges you to keep quiet so the alien won't know it's being followed.