#star stable main story

[bellassoblr]

i don't want to be a buzzkill. but that would do so much more damage than just picking up the drakonium and dc stuff. hollow woods would be GONE. there would NOT be a ruin of the oil rig left. matter of fact, the entire planet would be screwed

[feliciawolfpaw]

[gladewood]

its odd how mr sands and darko have character profiles in the player journal, and even more minor characters like anwir and ms drake do, but not the darkriders for whatever reason

[natduskfall]

The Beginning of the End

Contains negative "critique", or more precisely, my thoughts and observations, of the newest story quest. Might be interesting, might not be.

Fripp says that the spymaster’s squirrels have reported three Drakonium shipments being simultaneously abandoned. And that’s it? Couldn’t they also tell us who abandoned the shipments, and if any Dark Riders were spotted? And how did they not notice that the abandoned shipments were empty?They must know what a full shipment looks like, what types of containers Dark Core uses. They must have noticed the goons taking the shipments to unusual places, maybe they even spy on G.E.D.‘s mining operations, and see Dark Core loading the shipments. They must know the usual routes. They also could have checked to see if there actually was any Drakonium nearby.

It bewildered hen Alex yelled at everyone to stop. Like chill Alex, we’re just having a discussion, we’re not about to attack each other.

Linda’s comment about there being six of us confused me a lot initially, because there’s only 5 of us soul riders, eight of us if counting Fripp, Avalon, and Evergray.

Alex discourages Anne from creating portals, but is okay with her performing an allegedly hard and elusive spell nobody has mastered or performed in a very long time?

“I won’t bother you anymore with my jumbled thoughts.” …… brother in Aideen you just told me you had some thoughts to share with me. I really wish I could spend more time with Fripp, talk more with him. He might be such an amazing character if there was more to him.

“The future of Jorvik rests on your shoulders.” Gee, thanks.

The “Fripp teleporting away” cutscene was very weak.

I honestly was under the impression that the Drakonium shipment trap was set up to allow Dark Core access to the Library, so they could get to the Brambletween. I had not realised that there is now an army of druids there. So now I wonder why Fripp walked out on us when he didn’t need to go back to protecting the Library.

When the runestone appeared from the ground I thought it was the island itself trying to talk to me. I was a little disappointed to find out that it was a message from the druids.

Also, why did Alex and Anne waste time going to the Singing Yew to talk to me rather then just texting me and going straight to Valedale.

The Drakonium is already all unloaded from the trucks, even tho the Dark Riders want to take it further towards Valedale. And how are Lisa’s healing and Linda’s visions supposed to do anything to stop the Dark Riders?

How big is the Drakonium blast radius?

I’m so glad the writer had Alex ask such an interesting and valid question.

I honestly am conflicted about about the Oil Rig. Android or human, I still feel sorry for the goons. And what about other workers, like Lisa’s dad, or maintanance divers? But also, shouldn’t the Drakonium have been teleported to wherever G.E.D. mines it?

I think that Dark Core can already sue the pants off the druids for destroying and stealing their property.

I actually felt worried that Mr Sands might have died or been hurt. Then I thought that maybe he had been suffering for some years under Garnok’s influence, and this way he could be free, and Darko could take over. And then I was relieved that nothing happened to Mr Sands.

Mr Sands must have other oil rigs, he is an oil tycoon. I still wonder if he had the foresight to stop any drilling that might have been going on on the DC rig (If there was any), so that he wouldn’t lose the oil.

It was cool to see the hostility between the Dark Riders. I always had a feeling like they might actually hate working with each other, and that their working relationship might be strained.

Cool, so the Gate/portal is actually called the Hadal Gate. I wonder if Darko was working on it. It’s a shame it got destroyed.

I really thought the ending cutscene was happening in Wildwoods, but I suppose it’s not. The animation of Sabine swinging the hammer was kind of whack, but the animation Erissa had when she jumped out of the portal???? And her idle???? CHEF’S KISS. But the difference in quality of the cutscenes in one quest that takes a few minutes to finish is jarring.

Now I wonder where Erissa’s Dark Horse is, and what happened to the one Darko made.

I don't like how the writers introduce these new concepts, such as spells, rune warning messages. New rules. Things that are useful for only that one quest, and are never mentioned again. It's nice to have more material for fic writers, but it also would be nice if those spells and concepts would reappear. They either change their mind and abandon that concept or direction, or they forget, or it takes them so long that they're now going in a completely different direction and that thing they introduced is no longer needed or canon.

Overal, I think it was a somewhat okay quest. I think the writing was meh. So were the cutscenes. But I'm just glad that things are slowly moving somewhere. I'm elated that we finally have the fourth Dark Rider, and that they finally showed us some behind the scenes stuff going on with Dark Core. I'm glad they let Dark Core get the upper hand, or also progress with the story.

I wonder if SSE has their game documented. I don't know much about gamedev, but apparently developers use their own wikis to teep track of factions, items, characters, places, narratives... everything in the game. And It seems like SSE either doesn't have one that is up to date, or they just don't have one at all from the previous years, and are now working on a new one?

The name of the quest has me wondering if SSE is perhaps itching to wrap the main story up fast, so they can focus on the horses, outfits, and tack. That is a scary thought.

[regancastlelion]

i heavily believe if we got all 5 soul riders (including our MC) together, we could bring Elizabeth back from the dead.

we have an alien squirrel on our side as well. but also we're technically maybe an omnipotent god too????

[mysterysoulrider]

I'd literally do anything for her.

[sso-montana]

me after realizing I actually have to put together a timeline for the story and that it won't just figure itself out

[strawberrystreamfields]

Calx and Cataracta were created from an ancient Vala enchantment, intended to serve as guardians of the hidden portal beneath the Fort Maria library. If anyone they believed might have harmful intentions toward the chamber attempted to enter, it was their responsibility to turn them around.

Calx was carved from stone inlaid with the same gleaming gems used in the magical water lilies floating in the small pool surrounding the portal. Calx's enchantment served to make a false dead end before the tunnel would reach the portal room, and if that didn't work, then there's always the good old-fashioned intimidation. Aside from that, Calx is a gentler soul, loyal and unwavering, much like the stone he was carved from.

Cataracta, on the other hand, has rarely shown herself. Residing within the pool, she appears as a secondary defense and is much harder to evade, given that the portal is surrounded by water, a design choice made to strengthen her defenses. Held together by the same glowing stone used in both Calx and the water lilies, she can materialize in an instant if need be. Contrary to Calx, Cataracta is far more unpredictable, like the water she is made up of, but is, nevertheless, a calm ally and a furious opponent.

Next time one enters the chamber beneath Fort Maria, perhaps keep watch for an intricately carved stone horse, or an ominous pair of glowing eyes surveying you from the shallow water.

[starshinedragon]

SSO Rewritten- A Short Story: Jon Jarl - The Curse of Immortality

(A secret, truthful recounting of the story of the jarl’s downfall by his faithful chronicler)

Many think the downfall of the jarl was the siege of Jarlaheim. Some say it was when he chose the druids of this godsforsaken island instead of his old friend, Thrymson. Others think it was the moment he set foot on Jorvik guided by destiny. Time will tell, they say.

I say the fall of Jon Jarl was not a single event. It was his pride.

History is shaped and written by the victors. Which is a polite way of saying: lying. Leaders like him win their wars by mastering the art of deception. I, too, have written many lies about his conquers.

Leaders don’t like the truth. However, the truth does not care. It can be buried beneath a web of lies, mountains of deception, locked away in hidden, secret treasuries, but it will persist. Unlike Jon Jarl, the truth is eternal.

Maybe it is time I wrote something true about him.

The true downfall of the jarl, just like many other leaders’ was his pride.

He took on this cursed journey to the island of Jorvik, because he thought he could beat destiny. He conquered the island and ruled over its kingdoms because someone told him he couldn’t. He destroyed the runestones because he thought they were a challenge issued at him. He set something terrible in motion, the druids said. Maybe there is a dragon sleeping beneath the island.

He betrayed his lifelong friend, Thrymson, by choosing the druids over him, when he saw they had power. And when Thrymson was cursed with immortality, the jarl, in his pride called it a gift and he, too wanted it.

He sent Thrymson on a fool’s quest to find the secret of immortality for him. When he obviously could not find it, the jarl called him a traitor. The truth is, the real fool was the jarl for trusting a witch. This was the first and not the last time he made that mistake. He judged him guilty of witchcraft and had Thrymson executed thus creating his second greatest bane.

The first one was continuing his fool’s quest for immortality.

The end of his road led to a great forest in the northern part of the island, where one of the great trees of the island stood. We all knew better than to disturb the sacred trees of the witches and the druids, but the jarl was certain he would find what he was looking for here. A dream told him so I believe. In those days he saw many of those dark dreams leading him to more and more ruin.

At this point I have to point out another lie. The jarl’s famous words at our arrival to the were not “This land is now my land and I name it Jorvik and I shall defend it with my life as long as I live and with my soul after I am dead!”. He had me make this up after the events I am about to tell here. He did not say anything when we first landed on these shores, beside the sound one makes while their lunch unwelcomely comes back. This was also the sound many of us made after the ungodly storm we just got through. I believe his first words here were “Bloody island”.

In that sacred grove, he had his men fell the Great Guardian tree. He uncovered a strange artifact from the corpse of the ancient: a seed-like gemstone glowing with strange magic.

These were the last moments of his victory, as in that moment, with the setting of twilight, one of the witches appeared out of the darkness. The prideful jarl asked for immortality for one last time. The witch laughed.

“You trespass upon our hallowed grounds, destroy our runestones keeping the darkness at bay, fell our protector trees and you have the face to ask anything of us?”

“With the legacy I have created, I deserve it.”

“Oh, you will get what you deserve, prideful jarl. Do you want immortality? You shall be immortal. You shall never cease to exist. You and your stolen riches will forever remain in Jorvik, trapped by my curse. You shall never leave this place behind. Not until there is darkness during the day and light in the night. Not until the land ascends and stars fall again. Not until you learn humility and right the wrongs you committed against this place. Thus I have spoken and thus it shall be.”

With this the witch was gone and the jarl was immortal.

I called his a fool’s quest not because he could not get what he was after, but because of the price he was -obvious to anyone but him- going to pay.

It has been 10 years since the jarl’s death and, just like the witch said, he remains. Many have seen his ghostly form around his tomb, around his city, around the tree stump of his greatest achievement and greatest failure. We, his people, shall all fade, and leave the bloody island.

I know him enough to know he is already trying to find a way to break the curse. But he will never leave this place again. Until the land ascends the stars fall and he rights his wrongs, he and Thrymson will remain here in eternal damnation the jarl has created for the both of them.

But maybe he will succeed. He was -is- Jon Jarl after all.

Time will tell.

[toruq]

me hearing jack goldspur’s story 

[bellassoblr]

live Bella reaction after the last part of the quests

it's the way she tried to blast the sh!t outta jessica for me

[feliciawolfpaw]

[foggy-milk]

Level 16 is the max you can go without doing main story quests

mistfall, golden hills valley, dinosaur valley and repairing the baronesses race track cannot be unlocked without doing the main story. 

[mistfalldruid]

Y’all help the main story has been going on for like 2 hours with no breaks I’m suffering with intense moment after intense moment

[littlehenrikehd]

Typical horsegirl movie/show but the main characters are the four horsemen of the apocalypse

[ozzgin]

Santa baby are you really there?!

*hears a voice in my backyard*

FUCK SKIN WALKER

- you make Yan skinwalker i’ll do anything to get a skin walker to love me … yes I am 100% mentally stable

I'm not sure if you had something horror-esque in mind, because my immediate idea was Reader accidentally getting cursed and continuing her life completely unaware with a ""dog"" everyone is freaked out by, but she finds it cute. So more like dark comedy vibes. You be the judge. :D

Disclaimer: I have changed the name to Shapeshifter as to not delve into potentially offensive takes on native folklore. Thank you for informing my European ass.

Yandere!Monster x Reader [Shapeshifter]

On your last hiking trip, you've stumbled upon a helpless, lost dog. Or rather, it stalked you down to your cabin and spent the night in front of your window. You didn't have the heart to abandon the poor soul and so you brought it home with you. Strange things have been happening ever since and no one knows how to tell you that the monstrous coyote-like creature might be to blame. You're oblivious to everything.

Content: female reader, dark comedy, monster romance, reader is cursed and proud

It wasn't your intention to return home with a new pet. Some might say it was written in the stars, this fateful encounter of yours. You had finished packing your supplies for a day-long hike, vehemently refusing to join your group of friends that would be guided around by a native. They’d warned you many areas of the mountainous forest were supposedly cursed or haunted, so you just scribbled the limits on your makeshift map and promised to stay on the main trails. After all, this was your chance to commune with nature. As the sun begun to set, you wondered if going by yourself was indeed a smart idea, given your lack of spatial awareness and difficulty to navigate maps. You flipped the piece of paper several times, deep in contemplation. Could it be that you’ve reached the forbidden lands? You quickly surveyed the area: based on the stuffed rag dolls hanging from old branches, and the animal skulls arranged in patterns among patches of burnt grass, it was very much a possibility. Perhaps the improvised slab that said “Stay away” in dripping crimson letters should’ve been enough of a warning, but you assumed they’d just been creative with trail markers.

You didn’t have the time to panic. Just as you were furrowing your eyebrows in a final attempt to decipher the map (at the time upside-down), your ears picked up a faint shuffle of leaves. Further away stood a dog, its glossy eyes fixated on your form. A lost puppy? It seemed to be on the larger side, but then again some breeds grow rather fast. You lowered yourself and patted your knees, whispering diminutives in an effort to call the animal over. It remained in place, staring quietly. Alright, then. You focused on finding your way back instead. Every now and then you'd turn back and see the dog, motionlessly eyeing you at a constant distance. Oh, dear. Was it lost? Frightening affair.

Back at the cabin you told the others about your discovery, with a hint of worry in your voice. You hoped the little pup had found proper shelter. You'd expected a similar reaction coming from your friends, but one of them suggested: "What if it was some shapeshifting monster? There's many legends and stories from the area." Everyone laughed and you joined hesitantly, mildly annoyed by the lack of empathy. That night you barely slept, twisting and turning under the heavy feeling of being watched. You woke up tired and nervous, dragging your feet towards the window for some fresh air. That's when you saw the same forest creature, fully awake and tall in its glory, positioned before your room. This was no coincidence. You had been plagued by the guilt of abandoning a vulnerable quadruped and you weren't about to continue as a passive observer. You strode out without a word and lifted the large dog with a huff, carrying it back in to figure out the transport logistics.

Thus started the unexpected companionship. To you, it's a lovely tale of two lost souls finding one another. Most people seem to disagree. Can you blame them? The rescued puppy you often speak of is, in the eyes of everyone else, a monstrous beast by all definitions. It resembles a coyote more than a dog, but even this description is too gentle. The fur is always raised threateningly and the protruding clusters of fangs remind one of the anatomical anomalies displayed in museums. The eyes, oh, the worst of all perhaps, bottomless depths that pull you in until you run out of air. The creature stares with the all-knowing gaze of a human. "Don't be rude", you snap at whoever dares to point these details out. "It must be a mixed breed or something."

Their persistence is truly ridiculous. You've even had guests run out in panic, claiming the dog stood on its back legs and whispered in a language unknown. Or that its shadow would morph into a grotesque man with claws and crooked antlers. Or that they've found it hunched over your sleeping form, its spine twisted outwards with jagged peaks breaking through the wild fur. Rubbish, all of it.

Strange things have been happening, no doubt, but your adopted fur-child has no blame to carry. You've been trying to distract yourself, going on dates and occasionally bringing potential suitors over. They all vanish overnight, nonchalantly leaving an empty, ruffled bed for you to wake up to. "Am I just unlucky?" You sigh, running your fingers through the coarse fur of your dog. It lowers itself under your touch, visibly enjoying the affection. For a split second, it glances out the window. By the time you come out of your depressed slump, the birds should've finished feeding on the remains. He made sure to tear and grind everything fine enough to not leave any marks behind.

That's how curses work, after all. He didn't expect, however, that you'd be utterly unaware of it. He has to give you the credit, not many people become stalked by an ancient curse and continue their life in blissful ignorance. Even more, for them to just casually pick up the haunting entity and bring it inside their home willingly...You're, uh, certainly a special one. Hence the change of plans. He was supposed to torment you into an early grave, but he's grown rather attached to your bizarre antics. And you do provide some damn good chin scratches. He's therefore satisfied with causing anguish and destruction to anything and anyone in your immediate vicinity instead. Since you've been complaining about the resulting isolation...

You wake up with a gasp, wiping your drenched forehead and checking the sheets. The dog is curled next to you, although its head is now tilted in your direction. "O-oh. It might be the loneliness talking...but I had the strangest dream." How troubling and embarrassing. Your beloved pet had turned into a deformed, monstrous man instead, pinning you down and hungrily grazing your skin with his sharp teeth. Your fearful protests eventually turned into shameless moans, your frail body at the mercy of the mysterious beast. It unfolded so vividly that your core feels sore. You stretch a sheepish hand towards your pet and abruptly stop halfway, noticing the marks diffused into your wrist, like violet smudges of watercolor. What the hell did you do last night?

The dog buries its head under the sheets and nuzzles its snout into your soft flesh. Heh. How many more disappearing guests will be needed for you to figure out your situation? He does find your obliviousness terribly amusing, as well as your willingness to clutch onto him despite his unsightly appearance. He was feeling particularly cheeky and thought of giving you a little scare, only to be once again taken aback by your neediness. He has to wonder who exactly is trapped in this situation, because your reactions to everything he does are frighteningly tempting. Maybe tonight he'll finally let you know, just as you're about to come undone beneath his heaving body. Something like, hmmm. "By the way, love, this isn't a dream." He could even add a little "woof" to tease you more.