recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
The Holder of Shame

In any city, in any country, go to the city hall or place of local government. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit the one who calls herself "The Holder of Shame". The worker will stiffen and put on an obvious facade of confusion. Quietly apologize for the misunderstanding while discreetly handing the worker a cash bribe. If the bribe is sufficient, you will be directed through a door behind the desk.

The door will lead to a hallway that is bright at the entrance, yet grows dimmer further down, such that the very end is completely dark. Walk slowly down the hallway. Should a figure emerge from the darkness, stop immediately. If the figure disappears once you have stopped, then the sleep into which you will fall will be eternal.

If the figure remains, however, then wait for it to coalesce into a clear image. It will reveal itself to be a beautiful, youthful girl, perhaps in her early teenage years. The blood spattered across her clothes will make it apparent she is bullet-riddled, and tears will flow slowly from her eyes. When she smiles sadly at you, ask, "What was their mistake?"

The girl will cast her eyes to the ground. For the briefest heartbeat of a moment, your vision will be lost. When it returns, the girl will be immediately in front of you, her body trembling as she appears to hold back her tears. Move to embrace her. If she turns away from you, then you deserve no sympathy for the fate you will soon suffer.

If the girl preempts you by embracing you first, simply let her. Her blood will smear across your clothes. She will bring her face to yours, such that her tears will soak your own cheek. Hold her close to you and submit to the drowsy feeling that will overcome you.

You will awaken in the place you call home. There will no longer be any trace of the girl's blood on your clothes, but your cheek will still be damp with her tears.

Her tears are Object 182 of 538. Turn away from the path you have chosen, lest you repeat their mistake.
The Holder of Choice

Before you attempt this object, there are two things to make sure of. It is heavily suggested that you be younger than thirty when you attempt this, or the holder may very well react violently. Secondly, make absolutely certain that no one follows you there, or knows that you're going.

In any city, in any country, visit a location where gangs, drug dealers, and hoodlums hang out. Seek a girl with equal parts black and red hair, and ask her to take you to the "Holder of Choice." If there is no such girl, do not worry; you'll be granted another chance by this particular holder. If she is there, she'll reply with nothing but a smug grin and walk away. Follow her.

She will take you to a nearby building. It will be old and run-down, and there will only be a few other people there. They will appear to be teenagers sampling different drugs, and I suggest that you make no effort to see through that illusion. She will ask you, almost in passing, about what brought you to this place. Your answers here will play a part in what is to come. Speak informally -- you do not wish to appear uptight in front of her.

You will be taken to a makeshift table in the back, and she will lay out a pill and a syringe. The pill will be a deep black, and feel cold to the touch. The syringe will be perfectly normal, except that the liquid inside seems to almost glow with a bright, clear light. You can choose either one, but the experiences will be entirely different.

If you choose the pill, you will be filled with an unearthly contentment. For the next few hours, you will know nothing but the greatest peace and happiness of your life. However, just as drugs can dull the senses, this one will leave its mark. For the rest of your life, your every happiness will be lessened.

If you choose the syringe, you will be left in paralyzing agony for the next few hours. Do not show pain in front of the holder, however, as she will not take kindly to you insulting her wares. If you can survive this ordeal, you will find that most of your pain receptors have burned out. You will never again know physical pain as you did before.

Whichever one you take, you will find it almost impossible to concentrate once the drug wears off. You must, however, as the holder is about to ask you something. Cut her off and ask, "But what does it mean?" Her grin will disappear, and she will tell you exactly what it means to your quest.

If you took the pill, then from this point forward every object will be all the more difficult to take. The pain will be multiplied for every one, with the only difference being that it will not, in and of itself, drive you insane. If you took the syringe, then they will find new ways to test you, and you will beg for the mercy that was simple pain.

At this point, you may ask her whether or not you really had a choice. She will answer with a simple yes or no, and it will leave you relatively unharmed. The one thing that will truly cause you anguish will be the realization that, whatever choice you've made, you'll only be worse off for it.

After all, that choice was Object 339 of 538. In this quest you will never find the "right" choice.
The Holder of Innocent Laughter

It is me you are looking for. Finding me is not the hard part; many have. It's keeping me and escaping unscathed that will be your life's work. That is, if you can escape at all. Believe me; my warning is not for dramatic effect. Many foolish people have come looking for me to fulfil their silly mission only to be wiped away from history one cell at a time. Their screams and fruitless cries of help will forever ring in my being. But if you still wish to find me, then I will tell you how.

Go to any daycare center. I don't care which city or country; if your heart really is set on finding me, you'll find me. Go to the person in charge of the daycare center and ask for "The Holder of Innocent Laughter." If her eyes glaze over in a dreamlike trance, then you are one step closer to finding me. But if her mouth drops open, then run and keep running until you reach your house and lock yourself in your bedroom. Come morning, you'll see if you've been spared. If you pass this test, the daycare lady will lead you to a door that no one else there seems to notice. It will look out of place in the room; it should be made from the bark of a tree. The daycare lady will leave you there. You must then press yourself against the door and hum a lullaby, any will do. The door will should open by itself, making you fall through the threshold. If it does not, then whatever is on the other side will consume you.

You've made it this far, I commend you. But don't think it's over yet. You are now in the room of my keeper, The Holder of Innocent Laughter. He is a young little boy, adorable too. But don't let his looks fool you. He is a Holder after all. The room you are in is decorated like the perfect nursery. There is light that comes from nowhere and all different kinds of toys scatter the floor. The walls are painted colourfully and the carpet is soft and plush. You should feel calm but don't let that underlying feeling of fear leave you.

Approach him slowly and begin to play with him using me. I am a stuffed red dinosaur doll with button eyes. If you cannot find me then I am afraid you've failed. Prepare for the worse, but I doubt it can help you cope with what you're about to feel.

If you find me then play with the little boy until he gets bored. Then ask him "Why don't you laugh anymore?" He will show you all the suffering that children have been through, are going through, and will go through all at once. Don't turn away; you've made it so far. He will then start to laugh. His laughs should echo in the room, getting louder and louder while the light in the room consumes everything. The sound will become unbearable and the light will blind you but do not flinch or show any pain; he will not like that. If you are still there by the time the sound dies down and the light goes away, the boy will be gone and you will be back at the daycare center. You should have your reward. Me. And with me you will forever hear the faint echo of a laughing child.

I am a stuffed dinosaur and I am Object 437 of 538. Pray the laughter never stops.
The Holder of Commitment

Beware, Seeker, for I am the Holder of Commitment. Quest for me if your desire is to reunite all 538 Objects and then only if you are willing to dedicate everything you are to your quest.

If you insist on seeking me, find the graveyard of your ancestors. In it, you will find a single open grave. Climb into it and wait. After a time, a gravedigger will come. His coal-black eyes will burn with longing as he glares down at you. Then, you should crawl out of the grave.

The moment you have both feet on the ground again, seize the shovel the gravedigger carries with him. The ground will begin shaking and from the other graves people will rise. They will lay upon the upturned earth as though asleep; their faces all frozen with the same small smile, as of fond remembrance. If you examine the bodies, you will realize that they are the people you hold most dear.

At this point, steel your resolve and raise the shovel. Use it to mutilate the living bodies of those whom you love. Watch as their smiling faces turn white in surprised horror. As you go this, your memories of them will fade; all the feelings they roused, every joy, every laugh, every curse, every sorrow will fade away like smoke on the wind. Soon, save a few, only your memories of the quest will occupy your mind. After what seems like eternity you will come upon two funeral biers. On one bier, you will find yourself, an expression of pure joy upon your face. On the, other you will find an identical expression on the face of your true love, whomever they may be.

Here, Seeker is where I failed in my quest and became the Holder of Commitment. I raised my shovel to strike down my beloved and hesitated. Summoning all of my strength I raised the shovel, but could not bring myself to harm her. The gravedigger immediately wrenched the shovel from my grasp and laughed. The earth opened up and hellfire consumed the bodies of both my beloved and me. When it was all done, the gravekeeper handed me back the shovel and left the graveyard, whistling merrily.

If you succeed where I failed, Seeker, you must do one final thing before you claim the Object I hold. Take the shovel, drenched in the blood and gore of everyone who ever meant anything to you and ram it into my chest. I beg of you, do it! Do it and end my suffering!

The Shovel will remain stained with the blood of the slain. A constant, bitter reminder of all you have lost to come this far.

The Shovel is Object 414 of 538. Only through single-minded dedication will you ever succeed.
The Holder of Numbness

In any city, in any country, go to any military base you can get yourself to. Tell one of the officers that you wish to see the "Holder of Numbness". The officer will respond with a salute, and lead you to a short hallway, whose sole door is covered in inscriptions.

As you approach the door, you will feel a natural urge to flee. If you succumb to it, you will spend the rest of your life tormented by the thought of what might lie behind the door. However, if you stand your ground, you will be left to decipher the runes covering the door; they are a password. If you are meant to take this Holder's object, the password will come to mind after examining the runes; say it aloud.

If the password is correct, the door will slowly open. Beyond it is a small room, with human flesh covering every surface. Carved into that flesh are more runes. A man with filthy, floor-length hair, covered in what appears to be fleshy camouflage, will be sitting in the middle of the room, carving into the floor with what appears to be a military utility knife. As soon as you step into the room, he will turn his attention to you, revealing a pair of orange eyes and a hideously scarred face. You will feel an intense sorrow, followed by dread. Ask him one question: "How did it happen?"

The Holder of Numbness will grin maniacally and hand you his knife. With an otherworldly voice, he shall then utter a single word from an unknown language. That word conveys a image, a message of horrors beyond human understanding. It shatters all mental barriers, driving most who hear it into madness and suicide. If you manage to withstand it, return the Holder's knife. He will then proceed to hand you a holster before resuming his work.

Said holster contains a handgun covered in intricate runic designs. Its stopping power is unmatched. If you choose to fire that gun, you will feel a numbness spread from your hand to your entire body. This sensation will never leave you, and will eventually cover your mind and soul.

That object is 150 of 538. Perhaps it will stop them. Perhaps it is all a fool's gambit.
The Holder of Immortality

In any City, in any Country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. At the front desk, ask to see "The Holder of Immortality." If the worker looks at you, shrugs, and returns to what they were doing, you are at the wrong place - try elsewhere. If the worker looks directly into your eyes, you are at the wrong place - turn and run, before he plucks your eyes out of your head. Only if the worker focuses somewhere *behind*your eyes, will you know you are in the right place. If this is the case, ask again to shake the worker out of their daze.

You will be lead to the back of the institution and shown a short staircase. Follow it up to a round study with windows covering half its spread looking out onto an orchard. It is autumn, and the leaves are brilliantly colored and falling, their vibrance standing in stark contrast to the frail old man who sits behind a desk facing the windows, slowly writing in a book.

Upon closer inspection of the man, his dark glasses will inform you of his blindness, his withered, crippled legs of his lameness, and his continued unawareness of your presence of his deafness.

His deafness is not complete, however, and he will respond to at least one thing - the question "What have you seen?"

If he answers with anything other than "Not, yet, I am almost finished," you will spend the rest of your natural life in that room, as the door vanishes into the stone of the walls around it.

If you are fortunate, however, sit patiently and wait for the man to tell you he is finished - the only way to leave this room with the Object you seek is to play by the Holder's rules, and interrupting him before he's ready may get you the Object, but won't get you out of the Holder's study.

Eventually, the man will stop writing, close the book, and seal it with blood-red wax and an ornate, gilded seal. He will then pick the book up, and extend it towards you in offering. You must take it from him, but be quick - he is nearly finished, and if the old man expires before you take the book, you won't be able to escape this room. You will, however, have plenty of time to think, read, and write while waiting for someone to come along and spice up your imprisonment.

As your hand touches the book, the man, once a mortal, once a Seeker, now a Holder, will breathe his last breath, and the events of his life will flood through your mind, firmly imprinting themselves in their new home.

As the door creaks open, you are free to go.

The Holder's life story is now in you and in that book, laid out on two canvasses that will withstand the ages, so that all may know his story.

The Autobiography is Object 421 of 538. Only in death can you truly live forever.
The Holder of Diligence

In any forest, in any country, make your way to the thickest, darkest part of the woods. One there, you will find yourself facing a large white stone, imbedded in the earth. In order to proceed, you must offer a sacrifice of blood. Once you have drawn the blood, you must run it across the face of the stone, from top-right to top-left. After your sacrifice of blood, nothing with seemingly happen. At this point, you must sit down upon the earth, cross legged, and wait. After twenty-five minutes, you will hear shuffling from somewhere behind you; you mustn't avert your gaze from the stone before your eyes.

After another five minutes, the earth will begin to shudder. As the shaking grows more violent, you must rise to your feet and bear witness to the stone as it slides away from you, revealing a large square hole in the ground. When the quakes end, you may proceed into the dark hole. As you descend into the bowels of the earth, you will notice the air become cooler, damper.

Eventually, after several long minutes of descent, you will come to a passage in the earth, covered by a thin blue sheet. This is your last chance to flee. If you choose to move forward, you must say the following before continuing "I wish to prove my worth. Please accept my word that I proceed, seeking only truth"

When you enter the passage, you will find yourself just a few paces away from a large, dark, round cavern. Entering, you will be greeted by the reflective eyes of a vaguely humanoid creature, crouching in the center of the room, his hands folded atop something on the floor. Once again, you must wait, this time for sixty minutes before moving or speaking, lest the creature lung and attack you. After the sixty minutes are up, the creature will bow its head and you must ask "How long has it been?"

The creature will look at you again and begin whispering its past, the means of its coming into possession of the Object, its time waiting for a Seeker. Its story will pierce you to the soul, making you feel as if you have aged along with the crouching creature, ancient feelings overwhelming you. If you submit to the strong desire to remain still, you will become a living statue, unable to move, unable to speak. If you take a step forward, the spell will be broken and the creature will reveal the Object to you, muttering something incomprehensible, before fading into darkness. You may move forward now and take the Object, a small grey stone, cold to the touch.

The stone is Object 252 of 538. They have endured the test of time, but shall you?
The Holder of Humanity

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. Go to the front desk, and ask the worker to see the "Holder of Humanity". They will either laugh or cry. If laughter, the worker is a false one and thy doom is at hand. If tears, repeat the question. The lights will go out and you will be enshrouded in darkness. Pray they return.

If they do, you will find yourself in front of a large mirror. Observe yourself in front of the mirror. At first it will seem normal, but as you look closer the mirror will show eyes glowing from the darkness peering at you from behind. Do not look away from the mirror or they will surely devour your soul. The mirror will continue to show you scenes; of terror, of joy, of sorrow, happening behind you. Remain steadfast and continue looking at the mirror. Finally, the image of you will begin to distort, your face will melt and reform. Your eyes will burst and hordes of cockroaches and spiders will erupt forth from your sockets. Rats will claw out of your chest, and blood will spew from your ears. These horrors will continue to occur to your mirror image, but you must remain strong, for to grow fearful now, will make these terrible things only the beginning.

When your image mouths "let me die" shatter the glass and walk through the door behind. Inside the room will be a man in a hooded robe behind a table. Ask "Why have they forsaken us?" If he decides to acknowledge your presence he will lay some gloves on the table and describe the story of a man. Of his purest love, of a terrible betrayal, of the corruption of his soul, and of the unspeakable acts of which he has committed. This story will stir up too many emotions inside of you and cause you to lose consciousness. When you come to, you will be home. Next to you will be the person closest to your heart, strangled to death, with a look of shock and confusion on their face. On your hands are the gloves.

Those gloves are object 503 of 538. There is no chance at redemption.
The Holder of Insistence

In any city in any country go to the nearest race track and approach one of the jockeys. Tell the man that you would like to see the horse with no name. A sly look will cross his face, and he will lead you to the stables.

As you enter the light from the door frame will die, and the only sounds that will resonate are the sounds of horses stomping their hooves. The jockey will have disappeared, and you will be left to continue on alone. At the end of the stable a ladder will lead up to the loft, you should take it.

As you proceed up the ladder, be careful to count your steps. At the thirteenth step call out that you are going as fast as you can. If you fail to do this then the ladder will turn to dust, and you along with it. At this point the ladder's lower rungs will be over swept with darkness. The darkness will begin to rise up, one rung at a time. You must make all haste to the top of the ladder, for if the darkness touches you it will drag you down into suffering for all eternity.

If you can scramble up the ladder before the darkness manages to touch you, then you will find yourself in a cramped loft. The jockey from before will be holding a stop-watch that flashes the number of seconds it took for you to ascend the ladder. He will grin at you with blackened teeth. You may ask only one question, "How long will this go on for?".

He will snort, and snap back "Too long". He will then toss the stop-watch to you and jump from the loft window. A rope will hang from the loft to the ground, slide down it and continue on your way.

The stop-watch, perpetually flashing your finishing time, is Object 242 of 538. Your time is the only one that matters.
The Holder of Delirium

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get to. When you reach the front desk ask to see one who calls himself the "Holder of Delirium." The receptionist will immediately spew forth an intoxicating laughter. Resist joining in the uproarious rejoicing, uttering even a single chortle will spell your end here.

Everyone in the building will soon join in this ballad of merriment, their faces twisting with a sick glee. You should see a hallway behind the desk that simply was not there before. Head down this corridor, eyes closed and ears open to the aberrant cackling that permeates every inch of this place. Continue moving forward, not opening your eyes, until you feel a warmth surround you. It will feel like the warmth of the hot summer's sun baking your skin in its cosmic rays.

Open your eyes.

You will find yourself outside, facing an old cathedral. Looking behind you you will only see a dark woods, where you can still hear the laughter of the receptionist and so many others. Head to large wooden doors of the cathedral and step inside. It is here that you will encounter the Holder.

Once inside, you will see something your mind will deny is real. The shadows will cling to every surface, writhing about and squirming constantly. The only light comes from a shattered stained-glass window at the back of the building. Bathing in this light is a figure cloaked in unnatural shadows. Approach at a steady pace and remain silent; any sudden movements or loud noises will enrage the Holder and your journey will come to an abrupt and violent end here in this cathedral that does not exist, at the hands of something that should not exist.

As you reach the end of the pews, the figure will stand erect, fully 12 feet tall and lithe as a long-forgotten corpse. It will open its seven mouths and begin shrieking a terrible melody that fills your mind with images of the void, the end of days, and myriad abstract thoughts so rich and so vile the psyche of any normal man would shatter utterly.

The shades of the dead will dance on the walls and join this vile chorus in singing the song of the void. Regardless of your will, the song will become a part of you. You will always remember every note, every nuance; your mind and soul will have peered into the void. You will live the rest of your life in a brutal haze of emotion, no offense will be slight and no pleasure will be short of euphoria; you will be as twisted as the Holder. You will know the end and will be a part of its coming; the ultimate suffering and the final euphoria.

This song is Object 423 of 538. Utter a single verse in our world and you will set in motion the end.
The Holder of Identity

In any city, in any country go to any college dormitory you can get yourself into. Ask the guard at the front desk if the "Holder of Identity" is in his room. The worker will tremble slightly and inform you that he just left the building, and that you must have missed him outside.

Thank the guard and proceed outside. The scenery will have changed, and it will be a bright spring day, no matter what time you left the dormitory. You will be standing on a concrete pathway surrounded by grass, with a large fountain placed in the center. Students will be lying on the grass, laughing loudly and playing games. They will invite you to join them, but you must politely decline. If you accept they will attack, killing you in the slowest manner possible.

Your task is to find the Holder, and it will not be a difficult one. He will be wearing long black robes and his head will be covered in a hood. If you approach him and tap on his shoulder, you will get his attention. You must ask, in a calm and polite voice, "Who are the victims?" Saying anything else will cause him to remove his hood. If you are driven insane by the sight, consider yourself lucky, for it may give you some small relief from the eternity of torture facing you.

If you have done everything correctly, the Holder will begin to speak. His voice will be low and soft, but it will fill your soul with intense coldness. He will tell you of every person that has died and will die because of the Objects. He will tell you of their lives, their loved ones, and the impact their death had on the world. The calm scene around you will fade as he tells his story. The students will grow older until they die and their bodies rot, and the fountain will start flowing blood.

You will feel personally responsible for everything the Holder tells you, but you must remain impassive through all of this. This seems to be a demanding task, but after all you have been through, it may be quite easy. If you listen to the Holder without so much as a twitch, he will ask you what you intend to do with this knowledge. Smile at the Holder, and ask him, "Why ask what you already know?" The Holder will nod somberly and hand you his ID card. He will crumple into dust, and the dead bodies around you will awaken. They will be quite mad at you, as the Holder was the only thing keeping them at peace. The only way to escape this is to put on the robe the Holder was wearing. No matter what your size, it will fit you, so don't worry about that. If you manage to put it on in time, you will wake up on the grounds of the school you last attended, holding the ID card.

The ID card is Object 201 of 538. It will get you into anywhere you need to go, but beware what you find inside.
The Holder of Progress

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution of halfway house you can get yourself to. When you speak to a worker, ask to see the one who calls him or herself "The Holder of Progress." The worker should let out a sigh of exasperation and begin berating you for your tardiness. Once they have finished, they will lead to a darkened corridor ending in a concrete stairway. The worker will then say, "They have been waiting for you" and turn and walk away. Follow the stairway.

As you descend into what should be the basement, a slow metallic grinding will start up. This sound will soon be accompanied by the whistle of steam and a great heat. Eventually, the stairway will end in a landing with a set of double doors. Here, the sounds and heat are at their greatest, almost driving you to the point of madness. Upon entering the doors, you will find yourself in a factory with no workers and no raw materials or finished product, just ever-grinding machinery.

In your walk through the factory, you will find a blind man struggling to repair a broken machine. You will be overwhelmed by the desire to help him. Do not stop and render aid, for the moment you turn your back he will surely dash your brains out with his tools. Soon after, you will encounter a second man caught in a machine, slowly and inexorably being dragged to his death. Again, the urge to assist him will come, and you must resist. Let nothing deter you from going forward. Do not help him if you do not wish to take his place. Finally you will come to a giant furnace where a man struggles to open the hatch and shovel coal. Three times he will ask for aid, and three times you must not acknowledge him. The second you do, the hatch will burst open and envelop you in flames.

After the third man leaves in disgust, gently try to open the hatch. If it does not open, flee the factory, taking the exact route you used to arrive. If it opens, turn away from the furnace and ask aloud, "Who impedes them?"

Immediately, the factory will stop and utter silence will reign. The flames in the furnace will burst forth and your mind will be wracked with visions of every man, woman, or child who has ever sought or will seek to prevent the Objects from coming together. Remember and beware them, for they will stop at nothing to prevent the Reunion, nor will they hesitate to relieve you of any Objects you possess. Once the visions have subsided and the flames died, face the furnace and take the silver cog that should be lying in the blackened coals. Leave the factory as quickly as possible.

No mechanical object shall ever fail the bearer of the Silver Cog, so that their journey never be slowed or impeded.

The Silver Cog is Object 410 out of 538. May no other stand against you in your quest.
The Holder of Respite

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. Ask the worker behind the front desk to see "The Holder of Respite" If you're lucky, you'll be led to the back of the building and shown a rotting wooden trapdoor. The worker will open it for you. Once you descend, there's no going back.

The trapdoor leads to a stony labyrinth -- one devoid of windows, and filled with the kind of golden-brown dusty light one might see in an attic in the afternoon. Don't dwell too long on the light; stay alert, and search for the Holder, as he is already searching for you.

He is a hulking, twelve-foot-or-taller beast with the body and legs of a man, but the head and feet of a bull. You won't be able to see him until he wants you to, and he doesn't like his prey to see him until it's too late. Keep your wits about you; if you do not defeat this Holder, you shall become his next meal.

No matter how skilled or unskilled you are at combat, if you manage to fend off the beast's initial blow, the two of you will be evenly matched thereafter. Continue your battle, and when you are ready for it to end, ask the beast, "Where is it safe?" Upon hearing this, he will pause for the briefest of moments, giving you an opportunity to strike before he responds. Attack; if you let him give his answer, you will find yourself horribly outmatched when the fight resumes.

You cannot kill this beast -- not permanently, anyway. Time will eventually heal all wounds that you inflict, but you can strike him down for long enough to take what you have come for. Assuming you manage to render the Holder inert, approach his body and check the hand that wasn't carrying the axe. It ought to be tightly clenching a Thumbtack. If not, you'll have to search the ground around where you fought.

Stick the Thumbtack into something, and the stuck item will be hidden from all you wish to hide it from.

The Thumbtack is Object 158 of 538. Use it sparingly, lest what it hides fade from view forever.
The Holder of Discernment

Only a Seeker mean, crazy, or otherwise evil enough to be wearing the Sealer's Sash is in any shape to even think of attempting to obtain the Torch of Truth.

This is one of the few Objects known to light the dark, inner corridors of the mind; it will never go out, no matter what it is doused or smothered with, for its flame was never meant to be used except by those who would use it well.

They weren't kidding when They told us we were made in Their image. The first speck of light gave birth to all of us. They used this Torch to learn how to do good and evil. Not a single one of Them ever endured an ordeal worthy of Their existence without having to use this Torch.

The Torch's flame continues to grow brighter at the rate it was growing when it was first imagined. This was done on purpose. Imagine the sun, and now make it a trillion times brighter. It continues to brighten at that speed, every instant, and it is lost to time how long ago that was. If you tried to look at it with your eyes, the flame would be so bright that it is invisible, but your mind would see it from within as such a bright flame that you would go blind if you weren't psychically prepared for it.

Check behind you to make sure you're not on fire. Now.

If you haven't burned yourself to a crisp from within, head out to the desert. You will not have to go far; if you are wearing the Sealer's Sash, it will begin to glow brightly.

Allow the Sash's light to extend into infinity and rejoin with the light. Once this is done you will see a ripple in the space-time fabric in front of you; proceed through it.

The sky around you will be red, with fierce, black and grey clouds. Before you have a chance to take a look around, you will be face to face with a woman with glowing eyes surrounded by many creatures; some you will recognize and some you will not. If you look too long at any of these creatures, you will become one of them. You must maintain eye contact with the woman while you ask her, the instant you see her: "How could They tell?"

Her eyes will widen and she will be unable to stop herself as she uses her razor-sharp tongue to cleave a deep, thin cut right at the line between good and evil. If your ears do not catch fire and burn away while she speaks her tale, she will be impressed against her will and hand you a black crystal box. Everything will flash white for several seconds. Keep calm while this is happening; everything will reappear shortly.

You won't know where you are when you appear. It may or may not be a safe area. The only common occurrence is that it will be dark.

The speck of light that you are, floating above the torch handle, is Object 456 of 538. It will shine on the darkness of falsehood.
The Holder of Ashes

In any city, in any country, wait for a night that is cold enough for you to see your breath in the air. Climb the tallest building you can find and make your way to the edge of the roof. Whisper into the darkness that you wish to visit the one who calls himself "The Holder of Ashes."

Ever so slowly the stars in the sky will wink out, one by one, until only the moon remains. Wait until even the moon fades into darkness and no other sounds can be heard except the soft blowing of the wind. You must then step forward off the ledge. If you turn back now, you will be forced wander in the cold, silent darkness forever.

You will fall slowly and land on the hard earth. You must rise from the ground quickly and make your way forward through the darkness. Black feathers will fall all around you. You must not make any sound or the infinite legion of ravens fluttering about silently above you will descend and feast upon your flesh for all eternity.

After an indeterminate amount of time, ranging from hours to weeks, you will see before you a man standing in the darkness. He is old and wrinkled, wearing nothing but a brown loincloth. As you near him, you will see he has black feathers stapled roughly into his skin over the entirety of his body. He will stand silently, with his head bowed.

As you approach, the feathered man will slowly raise his head. You must bow your own head at this, for to look into his black jewel eyes is to look into the depths of nothingness.

The man will slowly raise his arms to his sides. The black feathers will blow to and fro in the sudden heavy wind. He will throw his head back and let out an unearthly screech. You must cover your ears and shout, over the blowing wind and the unearthly wail, "Why were they silenced?"

The man will stop and cock his head to the side. Suddenly, he will begin to cry tears of burning pitch. His body will ignite in crimson fire, and you must quickly look away, else the flames leap hungrily and consume you as well.

Wait until the man is nothing more than ashes, then sweep through his remains. There you will find a small black statue of a raven with its wings spread wide, made from the compressed ash. When you pick it up, you will find yourself at the foot of the building from which you jumped.

The statue is Object 175 of 538. When the time comes, it will rise from its own ashes and sing the song that ends the earth.
The Holder of Obscurity

In any city, in any country, go to any martial arts class you can. It doesn't matter the art they study, nor the age of the students. You may hope for a children's class.

Watch the class from the doorway for a bit, acknowledging anyone who notices you, but saying nothing. Wait for a moment when all the students are seated, and approach the one who is furthest left, in the back of the group. Ask them if they have a rival who calls themself "The Holder of Obscurity." If the student covers their face with their hands, you've done it right. If not, hope that all you get is a confused look, apologize, and leave, for this battle was not yours to fight.

Look around the room now. All the students will be covering their faces the same as the one you asked, and the teacher will be absent. You may notice the walls have changed, any decorations they once held are gone, the walls a bland off-white, and the door you came in is gone.

The students will now rise, their arms falling to their sides, and you will see they all look exactly the same. You might not even be sure if they're male or female at this point. They will attack you, and you must defend yourself. If you can't hold your own against an entire martial arts class, they will tear you apart, and rebuild you as a training dummy, to spend eternity feeling the pain of blow upon blow as others hone their skills on you.

You only need to defeat ONE of the students, the true Holder of Obscurity, with as fierce a strike as you can muster. However, it is unlikely that you will be able to tell which they are before you are overwhelmed. If you are unexpectedly good, you may wind up defeating a good portion of the students before finding the holder. As unlikely as this is, it will give you no added benefits, as the Holder does not care how many of his puppets you beat down.

Upon defeating the holder, the other students will stop where they are. At this point you may ask one and only one question. "What is their true form?" Ask anything else, and the battle will resume, for all of eternity, until you fall, and become a training dummy.

Ask the question, though, and the Holder will reach up and tear off his face. As he approaches you, you will realize you cannot move an inch. The holder will smother you with his own face, and as you struggle for breath, images will flood your mind, of what once was, what will be again. Images beyond description. You'll pass out shortly thereafter from lack of oxygen. When you wake, you'll find yourself sitting outside the school of martial arts you had moments ago entered. You'll notice the feeling of his torn face against yours still persists. Upon reaching up, you'll realize you are masked in a strange cloth, which you may remove.

Wearing this mask will make you unrecognizable to any mortal and any Holder. What you do with this will be up to you.

This mask is object 465 of 538. Even it cannot hide you from what is to come if They are brought together.
The Holder of Cognition

In any city, in any country, in any hotel, there is a room that is never available. Ask the clerk at the front desk to give you the "best room on the ninth floor". It doesn't matter if the hotel is not nine stories tall. The clerk will be overcome with a look of fear, and they will rush to the back room. The manager of the hotel will come out and silently lead you to an elevator in the basement of the hotel. The elevator will have several buttons with unrecognizable symbols. Press any three buttons in quick succession, and the elevator will descend. When the elevator stops, you will be in a clean and well-lit hallway. Walk into the room at the end of the hallway.

Inside the room will be three windows, one on each wall. One window will display a view as if you are a few dozen stories up in the middle of an ambiguous city. The second will display a view as if you were in the middle of a foggy forest. If you look through the third window... well, then the next fool to seek these objects will find nothing more of you than your blood on the walls and floor of this room.

Spend three days in the room with no food or water, never looking at the third window. You may leave the room and exit the hotel at any time, but you will be plagued by dreams of unimaginable suffering for the remainder of your life. Should you remain within the room for three days, you will be suddenly overcome with absolute knowledge of the human mind. Many go mad at this point. If you survive the rush of information, call aloud: "What was He thinking?" As soon as you finish speaking, you will be told.

You are now Holder of Cognition. Your thoughts are Object 101 of 538. Your only salvation is to bring them together.
The Holder of Carelessness

This man doesn't even know he is a Holder, and I see no reason for him to perceive it that way, especially since he'll just dismiss it as fantastical conjecture and mad raving. It's rather ironic considering the meth mark on his arm that he once showed me. It could be anyone; someone you know, someone you don't know, me, hell, it could even be you. He does have a name, but I would rather not reveal it here and now. Perhaps when it comes time for his reckoning will I reveal it, but knowing him, he's probably sold the Object for meth money, given his general lack of care.

The cassette player I let him borrow wasn't originally an Object; it was just a personal cassette player with auto-reverse. Whether he knows it or not (and indeed, whether he wants to accept it or not) through his stubborn carelessness, he has made a pact with the Object by refusing to return it. Seek it out if you wish, but since it represents carelessness, it will have those effects on you, and you'll only make it worse for yourself, since it now wants to be reunited with the others.

The cassette that was last in the player seems to be an innocent bystander; it's part of a taped training course that taught me how to protect myself from this kind of thing, since its effects on the spiritual realm within can be easily measured by those who can sense it.

I'll admit, this was inspired by something of a mutual grudge. He used to be a good friend of mine until he became the Holder, pushing me and several of his real friends away in favor of his sex life, which is an aspect that I won't get into, other than to say that it is most careless indeed, because he could have had a set of real friends and a wonderful boyfriend. He's done this before, too, and it has always resulted in similar loss for him, but he's too careless to see it that way.

It became clear to me that I was speaking to the meth and crack he sucked up instead of the person; they all end up like that, whether they believe it or not.

The cassette player is Object 470 of 538. Through its Holder's carelessness, they will be brought together, and not even the most careful actions will prevent it.
The Holder of Good and Evil

In any city in any country in the world, go to any murder trial you can enter and sit through the proceeding until the court is adjourned. Approach the bailiff and ask to speak to the Holder of Good and Evil. If you are not dressed in professional attire, he will not speak to you at all.

If clad appropriately, he will lead you to a chamber in the back and tell you to wait in a chair in front of the desk. The room will grow alternately so cold your breath will chill and so hot that your skin will nearly blister. Endure both in total silence. Even the chattering of your teeth will be enough to attract the attention of... terrible things.

If you have suffered quietly enough, the door behind you will open. Do not turn around. Never turn around, no matter what you hear. A voice will whisper, "Why?" If it is feminine, you may answer.

If it is masculine, you will never get the chance.

When the unseen lady asks, you must answer with a question of your own. "Which is greater?" You must speak without fear and as you do, you must hold up both hands, one to either side of you, palms toward the ceiling.

"You shall be the judge," the woman will say.

An item will be placed in each hand, two halves of a single thing. You must immediately close your eyes as the sight of either one separate will sunder your sanity and blacken your soul. The very knowledge that you are holding good and evil may do that anyway but you must persevere or be lost forever in this place.

The pieces must be fit back together, a gruelling task as one is bitter cold and the other burning hot. One is smooth and almost impossible to hold, the other is bladed and claims a price in pain and blood. If either is dropped, the other will slay you before its counterpart hits the ground.

If you manage to complete the puzzle before you bleed out or freeze, all pain will stop. All sound will end. It will be safe to open your eyes...

...and you will find yourself at the head of the jury of the trial you were watching, holding a small ballot with the wrong verdict on it. The defendant will be innocent and your ballot will condemn him. You must. If you try to interfere, you will take his place instead.

After the trial, you will find the ballot in your pocket again. If you look at someone and think about guilt or innocence in some matter, it will always tell you the opposite of what is true. The ballot is always right by always being wrong. Such is the way of things.

The ballot is Object 318 of 538. You are better off not knowing these things.