The Distortionist

## Song Plot Synopsis

The Distortionist song is based off of a dream that GHOST had during their young teen years, as well as a concept they came up with for a RPGmaker game.

The plot begins when a group of friends find and explore an abandoned mansion, before the protagonist Lilia, is distracted and separated from the group. The further that Lilia strays from the group, the less dilapidated the mansion appears, until it appears as it would when occupied. During tense moments, the mansion is said to appear as a labyrinth, with doors leading to places that they shouldn’t, including smaller abandoned houses and fields.

The reason for this is that Lilia is reliving the memories of one of the previous tenants of the mansion. While no memories are directly shown, events are said to be able to be pieced together through clues shown in to Lilia in a surrealist manner as she explores.

The reason that Lilia is reliving these memories is due to the Distortionist himself, Christopher Pierre, who is haunting the mansion after a suicide pact they pressured the previous resident, his supposed friend, into making. He is said to have been extremely manipulative to this friend, who didn’t have the bravery to stand up for themself, but who faked their part of the suicide pact while the Distortionist went through with his.

After his death, Christopher explored and observed the mansion in much the same way as Lilia, believing his friend to have ended up in a different place after death. Eventually, he realised they most likely did not partake in their half of the pact and intentionally faked their suicide to get rid of him. While there is no full confirmation of this, he truly believes it and is hurt by it. During his time in Limbo, he learns to control the way it presents itself.

Due to loneliness of being the only person within the mansion, and them reminding him of his friend, the Distortionist attempts to trap Lilia in the realm. Unbeknownst to either of them, Lilia is a reincarnation of the dead friend, hence the relived memories despite Christopher’s interference with the realm.

Throughout the story, Christopher attempts to convince the viewer that he was the victim of manipulation, not the perpetrator, through manipulation of the evidence and outright dishonestly. The truth is vaguely stated, all that is made obvious is that Pierre is being dishonest, and everything else requires work to uncover.

## Characters

Lilia

Christopher Pierre

Tea Time

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Better Late Than Never

## Link

The Distortionist can be found here on the official GHOST YouTube channel

## Lyrics

Tears laced with cyanide flow

Through the cracks of a

Mirror shattered long ago

And, sure, I'm the one who swung the metal bat

But, hey, I can't control the urge!

Nobody's gonna blame me for that

Impossible, impossible

Twist 'n turn it, right around

The details never safe or sound

The truth projected through a lens

With nothing proving otherwise

Now, take the time to realize

Despite what you believe

The victim of a massacre

Was none other than poor me

Surely you can see the problem

I don't wanna lose my own reflection

A deplorable perception of me

Was none other than an image of you

(One, two, three, break)

You're making a wreck of broken glass

And leaving me a fuckin' mess

Bending light in a way that shows

Exactly how the story goes

Whimsical, dear, your lies are clear

Now, who the hell would've ever guessed?

Play my games, and abide my ways

There's no way you can compensate

A monster, monster, monster, monster

Now, run away, run away, run away

I'm a monster, monster, monster, monster

Now, run away, run away, run away

Now, you're the monster

A glimmer of betrayal

Changes my mind

The odds against your favor

Forever

Ignorant atrocities and

Colorless apologies

This isn't what it looks to be

I'm not as cruel as you see me

Take the time to realize

Despite what you may see

The mirrors cracked themselves

And I was (cut on the broken shards)

(And how I bled)

Stuck in a spotlight brighter than

The smile no one ever saw

Bending light in a way that shows

The truth that left our friends in awe

Whimsical, dear, your lies are clear

Now, who the hell would've ever guessed?

Play my games and abide my ways

There's no way you can compensate

Madness, it's madness

Oh, it's sickening, it's sickening

You know it's unfair, it's unfair

How you distorted my reflection

In all this madness, it's madness

Oh, it's sickening, it's sickening

You know it's unfair, it's unfair

How you distorted my reflection

You know it's too late

(Reversed Lyrics)

You're lost in a world of funhouse mirrors

Twisted for eternity

Bending light in a way that shows

Refraction of hypocrisy

Whimsical, dear, your lies are clear

Now, who the hell would've ever guessed?

Play my games and abide my ways

There's no way you can compensate

(One, two, three, break)

Tears laced with cyanide flow

Through the cracks of a

Mirror shattered long ago

And, sure, I'm the one who swung the metal bat

But, hey, I can't control the urge!

Nobody's gonna blame me for that