#initiatefreeman

[initiatefreeman]

>. . .

>LOADING: HL2.EXE

>ENTER CODE: DAHLIA

>INITIATING...

[solareclipseeyes]

hey everybody! remember @initiatefreeman? because i do. and i think you should as well.

(spoilers for acts 1 & 2 of initiatefreeman!! special thanks to the hlvrlp discord for supporting my efforts, and to @stygiuscantus herself for writing the askblog!!!)

[thevalleyoftriumph]

a collection of stranger doodles [the other two are older but thats ok] because they seem to be all i can draw right about now

anyway go read @initiatefreeman right now its really good trust me

[stygiuscantus]

“You know... you shouldn’t take things from strangers.”

a quick sketch of a y2kvr au for Stranger from @initiatefreeman. why? i don’t know

my brain wouldn’t shut up about it so it’s everyone else’s problem now

current idea is that they were a part of the program that handled messages and file transportation/storage/deletion, but benrey’s arrival into the program corrupted them and forced them out of their position. over two years their corruption got worse, and they lost their memories of everything, including their own name. They put together their own appearance bc they lost theirs. the only thing they remember is a burning desire for revenge against benrey for reasons unknown. the others call them ‘stranger.’ they don’t seem to mind.

their letters corrupt an individual and drastically changes their appearance, as well as disables some of their primary functions--but while in this state, they are immune to the effects of benrey’s letters.

the y2kvr au is from year2000electronics!

[dividedskies]

the letter includes the following: ' two hearts on the floor , one mine , both yours ! there's something in the air , oh , pink to pur p blue ! i can hardly breath around you , we need to run away , away , away ! take flight like cupid , show our lovexe ! be my arrow , would you , dedontde ? '

{ ✩ }

The further she reads, the more enraptured by the words she becomes. Joy flows through veins, feeling as natural and welcome as air, spreading all throughout her body and soul. You can see the hearts in her eyes as she takes in each word, each letter. Lips quirk into a smile, then break into a wide grin, as pure l͘o̕v̷e fills her heart and clouds over her mind.

She squeals in delight, hugging the note tight to her chest. “Oh, ¡estoy tan feliz! Esta carta, oh it is so very sweet!” How does it feel to be loved, Deana? To be loved like this, for who you are. “¡Me encanta! ¡Creo que estoy enamorado~!” Giggling she hugs herself--and the letter--and twirls around in joy.

Over her shoulder floats her guardian spirit, her stalwart companion, with translucent brow drawn low with suspicion. She knew Deana’s spirit, her habits and her reactions, and this... this was not it. This was not the Deana she knew.

Her voice is soft, but holds the weight of age in its tone. “Deana.”

Deana stops spinning and looks to Viria in confusion, eyes quickly flicking to green. “What is wrong, ¿mi mejor amiga? Oh - are you sad that you were not given a love letter? Oh do not worry! Benrey said that they have one for you, as well!”

“No!”

Deana steps back and blinks. Even in her altered state of mind, she was shocked; she had never, ever heard Viria raise her voice.

“Do not show me that letter, Deana.” Something was wrong with it. That letter. She was fine before she read it and now she wasn’t fine. So it had to be the letter. “It is cursed.” That was the best word she could find for it.

Deana laughed (too bubbly, Viria thought, just a touch too much like a cackle). “No, no, it is not cursed! Love is not a curse, es una bendición~!” She twirls in place again, her swishing as she turns.

“Deana, no, you are not understanding!”

As Deana sings and spins, Viria turns her attention to t̸hem̨.̢  They were the one who gave her that letter, and who looked so smug as she fell under whatever curse they had placed upon her.

Ghosts could not be seen, or heard. Not in the way that Viria wanted--needed--them to see her. Deana would have been speaking to no one to them.

But perhaps she could make them listen.

Wrinkled hands reach out and hold Benrey’s face between them. Benrey would feel cold, sheer cold, press against his cheeks and seep through his face into his skull.

“WHAT... DID... YOU... DO?”

The voice sounds as if it were tearing itself out of the underworld, a raspy, inhuman voice. Viria grit her teeth as she focused her power. Ghosts could not be heard traditionally, but perhaps by making such close contact, by trying to reach the depths of his spirit... They would have no choice but to hear her.

“BRING... HER... BACK.”

{ ★ }

[asterid-ascendant]

{ yall i am feeling sad and low energy..... would anyone be willing to send me some weird out of context asks that i could answer abt the teenagers 🥺 }

{ like they can be funny or stupid i donte care just. flip some quastions my way? }

[toonbly]

hello!! i was wondering if you had any advice for running plot centric ask blogs? i've been thinking of making my own, but i don't really know where to start.

HEY HEY IM SO SORRY I FORGOT THIS WAS IN MY INBOX FJHSFJKHDFK

but!! hell yea anon! i dont rly do askblogs anymore (gamechanger is still going its just low on my priority list atm) but i can give advice on some stuff i learned while doing it:

1. Have an outline but don’t feel like you have to stick to it fast and hard! Keep it vague, you WILL need to make changes! Ask blogs are a collaborative effort between creator and your audience, think of it kind of like a D&D campaign! You’re here to lead your players in the right direction yknow? If a new story opportunity arises or the audience wants to investigate something and they can Reasonably do so, go for it! Even if it’s not in your original outline to have this happen, it’ll help the audience feel their actions really matter

2. Know your limits and use them to your advantage. As an example: Do you want to do an ask blog but you don’t do art? Do you feel like you HAVE to do art? Surprise: You don’t! Get creative with it! You can do just writing, modeling, coding- literally whatever you want to do! One of my favorite ask blogs, @/initiatefreeman , ran ENTIRELY off of code input screens and it really, REALLY stands out because of it! Limits are just creative tools you haven’t thought of using yet. See what you can do, there’s always more options than you’d think!

3. Pace yourself. Put simply, don’t overwork yourself. I ran GRTV from start to finish in about 6 months, and I’m gonna be honest? It wasn’t the healthiest for me, I was working on it day and night almost nonstop. Was it fun? Of course it was, I don’t regret it! But was it healthy? Absolutely not, and regardless of how much of a blast you’re having you need to mind your health. Put yourself on a schedule, run sessions whenever YOU feel ready to. People will be patient with you my man, and if they’re not? Fuck em! They’re not paying you to do anything so you don’t owe them shit.

4. Just have fun! Use the tropes YOU want to use! Incorporate the ships and headcanons (assuming this is fandom based) that YOU like the most! No matter how niche you think it is or how much you think “oh it’s been done before” or “nobody will want to see this.” I guarantee you someone WILL want to see it! Who cares if it’s been done before? You’re not gonna complain if someone bakes you two cakes, are you? Of course you’re not! That’s two fucking cakes right there my good bitch! Be as self indulgent as heavenly possible, make self inserts, have wild plot points, smash together a buncha aus- who cares! If you’re not having fun with it then it’s not worth making.

thats really the basic 4 things!! :] good luck anon and have fun w/ your ask blog stuffs! :D

[nenestansunsthings]

so @initiatefreeman ended yesterday and i am having Emotions still

miss sakra, you made a wonderful story. i'm so happy to have been a part of it. thank you.

got the non-moving version of the first image, too

[chonkadonk]

so @initiatefreeman is pretty cool

[EDIT: TUMBLR CRUNCHED THIS UP SO HERE FOR HIGHER QUALITY]

[gordonthefreedman]

fuckin- this took way too long. anyway this is for @initiatefreeman uhhhhh

App: IBISPaint

Time: like 2 hours

[vela--nova]

The big @initiatefreeman reveal lives rent free in my head

[initiatefreeman]

PLEASE LOG IN.

[solareclipseeyes]

so you feel entitled to a sense of control?

( @initiatefreeman )

[thevalleyoftriumph]

messed up a bit but thats ok

now go follow @initiatefreeman its very good and i love where its going so far and i love stranger very very much :>

[stygiuscantus]

SO PUT YOUR BEST FACE ON, EVERYBODY

PRETEND YOU KNOW THIS SONG, EVERYBODY

COME HANG, LET’S GO OUT WITH A BANG!

---

would you like to know what the fuck is happening in this picture. would you like to know who that bandaged-clad stranger is. would you like to participate in a text-based-adventure-game style ask blog where you take the control of Stranger as they attempt to recover their memories, when the only thing they remember is that the need to find “Gordon Freeman.”

hop over to my thing @initiatefreeman to find out, yes this is a shameless shill, however i also really like this image

[initiatefreeman]

You wake up in the dark. You don’t remember how you got here. You don’t know where ‘here’ is. You don’t know who you are. But you do know one thing.

You have one goal:

Find Gordon Freeman.

-------

INITIATE: FREEMAN is a text-based adventure game based on HLVRAI where the audience shapes the story. You take the control of the protagonist, who has forgotten all but one thing: they need to find “Gordon Freeman.” Whoever that is.

Please read this manual thoroughly before playing the game. This manual may change, and will be added to as the game progresses.

INSTRUCTION GUIDE:

(To read EVERYTHING from the beginning, click here. To only read story-important parts, click here.)

HOW TO PLAY:

Participants can control the actions of the protagonist by ENTERING COMMANDS such as >open door or >check [item]. Participants are encouraged to get creative with their commands.

When other characters are introduced, you may speak to them directly through the use of quotation marks, such as >”Who are you?” or >”We need to keep moving.” Note that this means participants are speaking through the protagonist, and not as themselves.

The System has the right to override or ignore certain commands that break its rules, such as:

-No NSFW commands. -No metagaming commands, such as revealing information to the protagonist or other characters that they would have no way of knowing, or introducing characters outside of the game.

The System also maintains the right to not adhere to every command, especially if there is an influx of commands all at once.

Questions directed at the System may be given in any kind of brackets. The System will answer to the best of its ability.

And above all, please remember: actions have consequences.

INDEX:

story.txt - Tracks the progression of the story.

system.txt - Notices from the System.

.txt - Miscellaneous commands that do not progress the story, but may contain humor.

fanart - The wonderful creations of the readers of INITIATE: FREEMAN.

-------

INITIATE: FREEMAN is brought to you by @stygiuscantus.