The Princess

> *You're on a path in the woods. And at the end of that path is a cabin. And in the basement of that cabin is **a princess**. You're here to slay her. If you don't, it will be the end of the world.*
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## Description

> So... did they tell you why I'm supposed to be so dangerous?
>
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The woman known only as **the princess** is all parts your foil, love interest, and the antagonist of *Slay The Princess*. She is the one you are instructed to slay in order to save the world.

### Name?

"The Princess" does not have a name, or at least, she doesn't *remember* her name. She is usually referred to as "Your Royal Highness", or "Your Majesty", or any honorific fit for a princess. Just "Princess" is also fine.

### Physical Appearance

When you find her in the Cabin in the woods, the Princess appears to be a slender, pale woman with long, fair hair parted to the sides. Her dress hangs off her shoulders, her arms in short, puffy sleeves. She wears low-heeled shoes and a jeweled tiara. Her right arm is chained to the wall of the basement. Her most noticeable feature is her notably large, anime-like eyes. For someone who has been trapped in a basement for as long as she can remember, she is remarkably well-groomed.

### Personality

The Narrator warns you that the Princess will lie, will cheat, and will do everything in her power to stop you from slaying her. In truth, what she says and what she does will depend on where your own intent lies. If you approach her as her savior, she will be soft-spoken and polite. If you take the blade with you perceiving her as a threat, she will be cold, condescending, even downright menacing. She will change between the two depending on how well your conversation goes (or possibly *doesn't* go).

### Powers & Abilities

Don't underestimate the Princess because of her slight stature. She is able to shatter someone's jaw with one hit. Still, she is still (at least partially) mortal, and it is very possible to kill her either through use of the Blade or somehow by supernatural means.

The Princess also does not appear to feel pain, and has no reaction to you cutting her arm free from her chains or gnawing on it to the bone herself. Her abilities can evolve in response to your actions.

### A Creature of Perception

But her most important characteristic is that how she appears in the following chapters is dependent on the choices made by the Player in the previous chapter. Unlike the Narrator, she remembers the events of the first chapter and the consequent time loops.

It all depends on the choices you make.

## Chapter Variations

During the game, The Princess will develop a personality and even undergo physical changes based on the Player’s choices in Chapter 1. Additionally, the appearance of the Cabin and the basement will change accordingly as well.

In Chapter 2, based on the conversation had with The Princess, the Narrator will finally believe the Player's insistence that they have faced The Princess before.

At the end of the series of Chapters, The Princess will comment about feeling "cold," before being engulfed by a multitude of disembodied hands; these hands will also appear if the Player attempts to abandon their quest and restart the Player on the first chapter. After the hands take her away, the Player will be left in a swirling abyss known as The Long Quiet, and the Cabin's wall mirror will suddenly appear in place of The Princess. Depending on the Player's choices, the Chapters can stretch into a third or fourth chapter, though it is not necessary to reach the furthermost chapter for the hands to take The Princess; this can occur as early as Chapter 2.

### **The Adversary**

> *"This one yearns to grow and struggle. Even now I feel a will pushing against mine, not realizing that we are one. She will make for a fierce heart. Do not mourn her. We will provide her with the growth she fought for."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Take the Blade from the table. Let The Princess know you intend to slay her before speaking to her, and do not let go of the Blade. Fight The Princess. Alternatively you can still chat with her, before fighting, so long as you don't tell her she's meant to end the world or think that she can kill you.*

If the Player decides to attack The Princess, she will retaliate by attacking the Player in turn, resulting in both being mortally wounded. She will state that it was "fun," before speculating if she is really going to die.

In Chapter 2, The Princess will appear as a giant, demonic being, with long horns, a barbed tail and cloven hooves. She will refer to the Player as a new "challenger," and express a desire to fight the Player again. She is strong enough to rip her chains out the wall if the Player tries to leave the basement. Regardless, she will fight the Player again, if she kills you again she expresses frustration at defeating you too quickly (resulting in the Eye of The Needle or Fury route), alternatively you can both end up locked into combat indefinitely (much to the Voice of the Stubborn's glee and the Narrator's frustration).

### **The Apotheosis**

> *"This one is dominance. A figure capable of bending everything to her will. She will make for a terrifying and divine heart. Do not mourn her, for she would not be able to mourn you."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *In the Tower's chapter take the blade with you to meet her. Do not pledge yourself to her, slay yourself when the time comes.*

Once the Player has slain themselves, they wake up back in the forest. The various voices squabble for a minute, before the earth where the cabin is supposed to be erupts. The Apotheosis emerges, towering even taller than the Tower, wearing nothing but robes of eyes, and a crown that glows with divine light. She emits light, rather than being outlined by it, and there is nothing for the Player to do but be drawn into her orbit.

### **The Beast**

> *"This one is consumed by instinct. A predator pushing those around her to adapt. She will make for a bold heart. She wishes me to devour you. To make you a part of myself. But she is only a voice. Do not mourn her, for she is part of something greater."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Do not take the Blade from the table. Lie to The Princess about coming to save her before speaking with her. Talk to The Princess and decide to free her. After speaking with her, go back upstairs for the Blade. Give up while fighting The Princess. OR go back and retrieve the blade mid-conversation without telling her why/warning her you will kill her; lock the door behind you; before giving up when she attacks.*

After the Player talks to The Princess and tries to return upstairs to take the blade, The Princess will gnaw through her own arm, not completely severing it. After witnessing this, the Player will literally stab The Princess in the back (the Blade will be thrown down the stairs to the Player). Realizing she has been lied to, the enraged Princess will attack like a wild animal. The pair of them fight, before the Player gives up as The Princess watches you die from a dark corner, angry that the Player betrayed her.

In Chapter 2, The Princess seems to have turned into a "feral," elongated and feline-like creature, with a heightened sense of smell, claws, reflective eyes and sharp teeth. She stalks the Player through the basement jungle, seeing them as her prey and intent on killing them again. She will circle the Player, and she will get between them and the stairs out of the basement. If she catches the Player, she will eat them alive. The Beast then snaps her chains and ascends out of the basement, theorizing that the Player's still-living body, having been a part of the outside world, will act as a means of allowing her to escape without penalty. However, she finds that she can still only escape if you agree, so she keeps you in her stomach to coerce you. If the Beast manages to exit she vomits the (still living) player out, before the hands take her away.

If the Player brought the knife into the basement, once swallowed you have the option to "Dig with the steel claw." Doing so repeatedly reveals the princesses heart, and gives the player the option to slay her resulting in a mutual kill. If the player dies after being consumed, they will enter the Wild Route next.

If the Player dies to The Beast without being swallowed, the Player will end up in The Den.

### **The Damsel**

> *"This one is soft and delicate. You molded her to love you and she'll make for a gentle heart. Do not mourn her. She has served her purpose."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Do not take the Blade. Side with The Princess after speaking with her and help free her. Keep resisting when the Narrator compels you to slay her.*

If the Player chooses not to bring the blade into the basement and insists on not harming The Princess (except for cutting off her arm to help her escape; the Blade will be thrown down the stairs to the Player), realizing the Player is being forced to try to kill her
, The Princess will take the blade and tearfully stab the Player to death, all the while crying out that she is sorry.

In Chapter 2, The Princess will become notably more caring and cheerful, and take on an exaggeratedly sweet, helpless appearance, with a more flouncy gown. She will also mention being worried about the Player and ask if they remember her, calling them a "dashing hero." Her arm can easily be slipped from the cuff, after which she then embraces the Player. Should the Player ask the Damsel repeatedly about her will, she'll becomes more cartoon-y, two-dimensional and robotic, after which the multitude of hands will engulf The Princess.

A Chapter 3 is possible by choosing to kill the Damsel with the knife in Chapter 2, entering The Burning Grey route.

### **The Den**

> *"This one is consumed by instinct. A predator pushing those around her to adapt. She will make for a bold heart. She wishes me to devour you. To make you a part of myself. But she is only a voice. Do not mourn her – for she is part of something greater."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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>

***Requirement(s)***: *Allow the Beast to kill you without letting her swallow you (continue dodging her attacks).*

While the Beast was animalistic in nature, she was still capable of speech, and would indulge the Player in brief conversation. The Den, in contrast, does not speak at all. She is entirely feral, taking on the appearance of a full animal, with features from various different predators. She is incredibly large, and resides underground beneath the cabin in an empty, shadowy cavern. The Player can attempt to speak with her, but she will not respond, and the Player only has two choices: fight or flee. Besting her in combat or trapping her in the exit tunnel of the basement will result in her being taken by the hands.

### **The Eye of the Needle**

> *"This one yearns to grow and struggle. Even now I feel a will pushing against mine, not realizing that we are one. She will make for a fierce heart. Do not mourn her. We will provide her with the growth she fought for."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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>

In Chapter 3, the Adversary becomes The Eye in the Needle, a much fiercer and bigger form than the Adversary, with larger, curved horns (a tiara of smaller protrusions coming out of her head), clawed hands, draconic feet and a thicker, barbed tail. She is far more muscular, and her voice has a more menacing undertone. She appears more dragon than demon in comparison to the Adversary. She demands the Player fight her again and is especially thrilled if the Player has brought the Blade with them. She once again breaks through her chains, as the Player runs for their life. She follows them up from the basement and out of the Cabin. If the Player tells her that she is outside of the Cabin, a multitude of hands immediately abducts the Eye of the Needle as she mysteriously grows faint. If the Player chooses to fight her instead, it will end with a Mutual Kill: Player stabbing her heart and the Eye of the Needle giving a killer bear hug to the Player.

### **The Fury**

> *"This one is desecration. She placed the weight of her agony on you, yet it is she who unwound herself. But there is passion and empathy in her misery. She will make for a burning heart. Do not mourn her – she has finally found peace."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s):** In the Tower's chapter, take the Blade and kill her. OR disappoint or reject the Adversary.*

Upon arriving in this Chapter, the Player's surroundings have taken on a grotesque, fleshy turn. The Player, upon arriving at the cabin, finds it to be a wrecked temple, covered in viscera. Descending to the basement reveals the Fury, wearing a dress made of her own flesh, her muscles and bones exposed at certain points of her body, her rib cage torn open to expose her still-beating heart. No matter what the Player does, the Fury will turn them inside out on contact, threatening to keep them alive like that indefinitely, before being taken away by the hands.

### **The Grey (Burned)**

> *"This one is passion betrayed. But even in the end, her love never faded. She will make for a bright heart. Do not mourn her - she has served her purpose."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Choosing to kill the Damsel with the knife in Chapter 2.*

In this Chapter, the Damsel becomes the Burned Grey, a ghostly apparition in what appears to be a wedding dress and veil. Upon arrival, the Player will find that the blade is nowhere to be found in the cabin, and will descend into the basement to discover the Princess standing at the bottom, still ghostly, before disappearing beyond the doorway. Upon entering the basement, the Player finds the Princess's corpse, nothing but dry bones laying on the ground. The surroundings are notably made of dry, old wood. The Grey appears at the top of the stairs to the basement, shutting and locking the door while holding a burning torch.

She then throws the torch down the stairs, setting the basement on fire, burning the Player and herself to death. Her ghostly figure, still containing a skeleton and the pristine blade, burns, blackening the bones, until finally the corpse is taken away by the hands.

### **The Grey (Drowned)**

> *"This one is Guarded Sorrow. She saw herself as alone but in the end had the courage to share with another. She will make for a deep heart. Do not mourn her - she has finally been heard."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Choosing to kill the Prisoner with the knife in Chapter 2, or by trying to leave without her head and choosing death over eternity when the world outside is gone.*

In this Chapter, the Prisoner becomes the Drowned Grey, a ghostly apparition in what could be a funeral gown. Upon arrival, the Player will find the cabin to be rotting with the weight of water damage, and the blade is nowhere to be found. Upon descending into the basement, the Player will see the apparition standing shin-deep in water, and once the Player gets to the bottom of the stairs, sees the bloated corpse of the Prisoner floating face down in the water.

Similarly to the Burned Grey, the Drowned Grey then appears at the top of the stairs, shutting and locking the door. The Player can attempt to escape, but will barely make it up the steps before the door explodes with water, and something grabs their ankle. Upon looking down, the Player will see that the Prisoner's corpse has grabbed their ankle, and is pulling them underwater to drown. Notably, the Drowned Grey won't say much to the player except to express her bitterness at either being killed or left behind.

When the Player looks back up at the Drowned Grey, she is taken away by the hands.

### **The Moment of Clarity**

> *"This one is filled with sadness. A doll abandoned to the company of her darkest impulses. She desires only companionship, but the only thing she knows is how to hurt. She will make for a tender heart. Do not mourn her - she has finally found her way home."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Run or remain with The Nightmare.*

The cabin is all but gone, and each Voice is with the Player. The Player climbs the hill to the cabin, an outline of a building, walls and rooftop floating in the air, barely even there. In the center of the hill, where the cabin should have been, the dagger is embedded in the earth. When the Player reaches for it, a pit opens up beneath it, swallowing the pristine blade, and revealing the Moment of Clarity in the depths of the darkness below. She begins to crawl out of the pit, revealing a bone-white face - the Nightmare's mask, this time cracked even further, perched on the end of an elongated neck. Her hair flies away from her face in wispy strands, her black, tattered dress clinging to her. Her arms are detached from her body, white gloves clinging to the skin in a way that almost makes her hands look skeletal.

She holds out a hand to the Player, and the Player can help pull her free. The hands then pull her away.

### **The Nightmare**

> *"This one is filled with sadness. A doll abandoned to the company of her darkest impulses. She desires only companionship, but the only thing she knows is how to hurt. She will make for a tender heart. Do not mourn her - she has finally found her way home."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Lock the Princess in the basement in Chapter 1.*

Upon entering Chapter 2 'The Nightmare' the Player finds the cabin to be dark and haunted in appearance, with eyes in the windows. The stairs are wooden planks floating over a void, and when the Player descends, they find what appears to be more of an outline of a basement, suspended in the void. There are two alternate pathways to take, left or right. Regardless of what the Player does, the Nightmare finds them.

The Nightmare is similar in appearance to the Princess, but this time wears what appears to be a cracked white porcelain mask and a long, black, tattered gown that fades into wisps of shadow. She frightens the Player so much that their body stops working, requiring the Voice of the Paranoid to manually run their organs for them.

Leaving with the Nightmare will have her taken away by the hands. Running from her or remaining with her will lead to the Moment of Clarity. Slaying her and then slaying Yourself will lead to the Wraith.

### **The Prisoner**

> *"This one is cold and cynical. She has protected herself when others could not. She will make for a clever heart."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Bring the knife down into the basement in Chapter 1, but free the princess and resist slaying her.*

Upon reaching Chapter 2, the Player approaches a cabin that feels more like a proper dungeon than a cabin. Upon descending into the basement, the Player finds that the Princess is essentially the same as before, only this time she is shackled by both wrists and a shackle around her neck. An additional chain hangs from the wall beside her.

The Player can either join her in captivity by inspecting the shackle, or they can hand her the knife. If handed the knife, the Prisoner will proceed to saw her own head off. Either route can result in her being taken away by the hands, though if the Player is adamant about killing the Prisoner or if the player leaves her head behind, they will proceed to The Drowned Grey.

### **The Razor**

> *"This one is sharp and single-minded. She is cruelty. But she is also joy. She will make for an indominable heart. Do not mourn her - she is exactly where she needs to be."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Take the Blade. Without speaking with her, attack The Princess. Check if The Princess is actually dead.*

If the Player enters the basement and stabs The Princess, but has any doubts or tries to retrieve the blade, The Princess will indeed be alive and will kill the Player with a hidden knife of her own, before finally dying herself.

In Chapter 2, The Princess will try to repeat the captured Princess act, but her acting is very wooden, and she repeatedly insists that she won't kill the Player again. Due to the wall angles, she appears taller, and she stands with her hands behind her back. The edge of her gown is ragged and tattered. Once either she drops her Princess act or the Player drop their guard like she wants you to, she reveals that her arms are blades and happily kills you with them.

The Razor is, like the Stranger, one of the only chapters where your choices are (mostly) irrelevant.

Entering the basement in chapter 2 with the blade will give you Water and Steel, and a sharp vessel. Entering the basement without the blade will give you Be formless, shapeless. and a beating vessel.

### **The Spectre**

> *"This one is vaporous. She is a dream for life she could never have, but that longing has given her so much capacity for kindness. She will make for an understanding heart. Do not mourn her - she will finally be able to hold what she never knew."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Take the Blade. Use it to kill The Princess immediately, without speaking to her. After being trapped in the Cabin, the Player must return to the basement to get the Blade and take their own life.*

If the Player successfully kills The Princess and survives, they will discover a state of nothingness outside of the Cabin. The Player will then have the choice of remaining in the Cabin, in this nothingness, forever, or try to get away, against the orders of the Narrator. With help from the Voice of the Hero, they will deny the Narrator, remove the Blade from The Princess's skeleton and die to escape the void.

In Chapter 2, The Princess's form is that of a ghost with somewhat cute features. She does put on a nightmarish visage when upset or to make a point. While she bears a lot of resentment towards you for killing her, she’s willing to let bygones be bygones if you help her leave the basement by letting her possess you. If you do agree, she is grateful and leaves you on good terms before being taken by the hands. However if you choose to leave her in the basement or insist on trying to kill her, she respectively becomes distraught and then gives into anger, or is furious from her attempts to make peace being met with more violence. Both outcomes lead to her reaching into your chest, ripping out and crushing your still-beating heart. She then swears to take your body by force next time, sending you on the Wraith path.

Entering the Wraith path via the Spectre route gives the Player the option to "Throw your body into the abyss." doing this gets the Player the "The Exorcist III" achievement.

### **The Stranger**

> *"These ones are a contradiction. A winding kaleidoscope of paths unwalked. They are stretched into a shape not unlike me, but it is a shape they cannot hold. They will make for a rich and vibrant heart. Do not mourn them – for they will finally get to know themselves."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Refuse to go to the Cabin.*

If the Player insists on not going the Cabin until the world is destroyed, in Chapter 2, he eventually approaches The Princess as she fragments into five possible versions of herself that are then collapsed into single five-headed being, a misshapen abomination whose heads simultaneously threaten the Player and beg for his help. This superposition extends to the Player when he is in the Stranger's presence, and attempting to take any action will result in him taking all possible actions simultaneously.

Unlike most of The Princess' forms, the Stranger cannot branch further. No matter what options the Player takes, the world will end in Chapter 2 and the Stranger is dragged off by the hands. But if the Player takes the Stranger's Route first, when entering the heart of The Shifting Mound, they appear to him in a more stable form similar to the Shifting Mound in place of the regular Princess. Meeting this form of the Stranger will get the Player the "Strange Beginnings" achievement.

### **The Thorn**

> *"This one yearns for connections she feels she doesn't deserve. Even when shown compassion, she hid herself away. She will make for a cautious heart. Do not mourn her – she isn't alone anymore."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Give the Witch the Pristine Blade.*

The Witch, true to her nature, will stab the Player only to realize he isn't fighting back and becomes horrified and guilty. This causes her next incarnation to be filled with self-loathing, not believing she can trust him or is trustworthy herself. She resembles an elf-like, frail woman trapped in a group of rose vines.

The Thorn's influence extends beyond the Cabin, turning the woods into a briar patch of thorny vines. The Cabin itself is a burned ruin, with only the remnants of walls. Descending into the basement reveals a mass of vines, but the thorns are all pointed downwards, allowing the Player to descend without difficulty. The Thorn holds the Pristine Blade and is wrapped in her own vines, which tear her skin whenever she tries to move. She is less hostile than the Witch, but remains mistrustful.

If the Player talks to her and offers to help, she will allow him to take the Blade. If the Player uses it to free her, she is happy and the two leave the Cabin together, whereupon she is taken by the hands. (If the Player has the Voice of the Smitten, it is also possible to kiss her and enter a romance; this is the only form of The Princess where she can be kissed.) If the Player betrays her, she laughs despairingly and affirms her mistrust for you.

If the you try to leave her, the vines block the exit and The Princess attempts to swallow the Blade to remove your only means of escape. If you then intervene and stop her from doing so, she'll use a briar to bind your forearm with hers, laughing that you're now trapped in the same prison.

### **The Tower**

> *"This one is dominance. A figure capable of bending everything to her will. She will make for a terrifying and divine heart. Do not mourn her, for she would not be able to mourn you."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Take the Blade. Talk to The Princess and decide to slay her. Give up while fighting The Princess.*

In Chapter 2, The Princess will become a tall, goddess-like entity with luminous eyes, floating above the floor as her voice becomes more powerful and commanding. A stained-glass window behind her adds to the effect, giving her a glow of light. She will demand that the Player drop the Blade, if they have brought it, and kneel before her (the Player will obey her commands regardless of choice). If they haven't brought the Blade, she expresses disappointment before telling them to kneel. She becomes so powerful that she takes control of the Narrator himself.

If the player has brought the blade, and defies the Princess's orders, they will be given the option to slay the Princess, or slay Yourself. Slaying the Princess will get the Player to The Fury. slaying Yourself will get the Player to The Apotheosis. Note they you will not have the option to Slay the Tower if you showed any sign of submission earlier.

### **The Witch**

> *"This one is hope marred by bitterness. She could see the end of the tunnel, and the door was closed on her. She will make for a righteous and weathered heart. Do not mourn her – she is finally on the other side."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Do not take the Blade. After speaking with her, go back upstairs for the Blade. Examine her severed arm upon returning to the basement.* OR *Do not take the Blade. Attack The Princess when the Blade appears, and fight her to the end.*

This Princess resembles a creature that is part cat, part human, with feline-like feet, a long tail with a bushy tuft at the end and ears with a slight, elfish point. She also bears a catlike smile. She calls the Player "nasty" and "wretched," enticing but furious with what the Player has done to her. She is able to slip her chains with ease, and displays an ability to command the roots that make up her Cabin, using it to crush the Player to death if he attempts to fight or flee her.

The theme of this Princess is trust and betrayal. If spoken to, she proclaims it is impossible for either of you to trust one another, as both of you have hurt each other. She then claims she wants her freedom and will bury some bad blood in exchange, but is secretly more interested in revenge. She will always betray the Player if given the opportunity, even if it means hurting/trapping herself to, and always assumes the Player will betray her in turn.

If the Player tries to allow her to escape, she will eventually be taken by the hands, regardless of whether the Player betrays her or she betrays them. If she and the Player end up being crushed by the roots, it will lead to The Wild. If the Player gives her the pristine blade, it will lead to The Thorn.

### **The Wild**

> *"This one is like a shadow of me, twisting vines in search of answers. She will make for a curious heart. Do not mourn her – she has found what she yearned for."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Get crushed to death in the Witch's chapter. / Be devoured by the Beast, but don't free her afterwards.*

When the roots crush the Player and The Princess together in the Witch's scenario, or the Beast dies with the Player, they are crushed together metaphysically as well. This Princess has become the entire forest surrounding the Cabin, and her consciousness is merged with the Player's. She can hear the Voices as well as the Narrator. Despite her previous hostilities as the Witch/Beast, she is calm and apologetic, enjoying the peace gained by merging your consciousnesses. However, a part of her still remembers her hatred for the Player, which threatens to destabilize your union. The Narrator pushes you to focus on this hatred, while The Princess tells you to forget it and work together to defeat the Narrator.

If you agree to forget your fear/hatred and completely trust her, the Wild helps you break out of the Narrator's world, revealing a strange light on the other side. The light's identity is not explicitly revealed, but the Voice of the Hero considers it "beautiful". After this, the world ends. In this outcome, the vessel takes the form of **The Networked Wild**.

If you remember your past grievances or ask to separate, the Player breaks free of the union and regains his form, allowing him to enter the cabin, where he finds the Wild's heart: the body of The Princess, fused with a massive tree, with an open rib cage that exposes her heart. She also has an elfish appearance, with pointed ears and a wan figure. She is resigned to her fate, telling you to kill her if you truly hate her so much. You can choose to free The Princess or kill her by stabbing her through the heart, but in either case she is immediately taken by the hands. In this outcome, the vessel takes the form of **The Wounded Wild**.

There are slight differences depending on if this chapter was reached via the Witch or the Beast route; "Gaze at the hatred in your heart." is replaced with "Gaze in your heart." And you are joined by the Hunted instead of the Paranoid.

The Shifting Mound will express the same opinion on this vessel no matter which form you deliver.

### **The Wraith**

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> *"This one is loneliness turned to seething. She could not find her strength in others, so she found it in herself. She will make for a driven heart. Do not mourn her – she isn't alone anymore."*
> **—The Shifting Mound**
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***Requirement(s)***: *Either kill The Nightmare or provoke The Spectre into killing The Player.*

Upon arriving at the cabin, the Player finds the basement... missing. In place of the stairs is an abyss. From behind them, the Wraith grabs and breaks the Player's ankle, revealing herself as a skeletal figure draped in finery, a hood over her skull and her dress and skirt clinging to her skeleton, revealing every dip and curve of her bones. She will proceed to take possession of the Player by force, and will attempt to leave the cabin. She will argue with the voices in your head and the Narrator according to your previous choices. The Player has one final chance to try and stop her, and can throw her (still in their body) into the abyss, dooming both of them to indefinite falling.

Regardless of the path the Player chooses, the two are separated and the Wraith is taken away by the hands.

## **Forms of The Princess**

#### Chapter 1

"The Damsel""The Adversary""The Beast""The Nightmare""The Prisoner""The Razor"
#### Chapter 2

The AdversaryThe BeastThe DamselThe RazorThe TowerThe WitchThe NightmareThe PrisonerThe SpectreThe Stranger
#### Chapter 3

The ApotheosisThe DenThe Eye of the NeedleThe FuryThe Burned GreyThe Drowned GreyMoment of ClarityThe RazorThe ThornThe Wild
## The Truth

  **Warning!** This section contains spoilers.

### Solitary lights in an empty city

It is revealed that The Princess's form is essentially crafted by the Player's choices and ideas regarding The Princess, whether they see her as a helpless damsel, a monster, a goddess, or something else. After the Player is forced to confront their own reflection in the mirror, they are returned to the Cabin; whatever form The Princess took in the Chapters following Chapter 1, she is now surrounded and embraced by a multitude of hands, which use The Princess as a mouthpiece to communicate.

The entity represented by the hands recognizes the Player, and states that it and The Princess are part of one another; this entity is intelligent, fairly neutral in its expression, and ultimately longs for freedom and to discover what it truly is through the Player. The time loops and alternative "perspectives" of The Princess (the routes) are needed by the entity in order to become "whole" and to finally free itself. As such, the time loops make the Player forget everything, in order for more perspectives of The Princess to be explored. With each route, the entity appears to grow more powerful and aware, and is not resentful of the Player's actions, as they add to the entity's identity and existence. It further speculates that this process will also help the Player to identify and fully understand who they are as well.

The entity does not concur with the idea that The Princess will end the world, as it views destruction as a simple "reshaping" of reality. Accepting the entity's offer to forget everything and return to the beginning of the game will result in the Player's death and revival at Chapter 1.

### The Shifting Mound

After the final route is completed, the entity finally "awakens" as a massive multitude of female forms and arms, with six heads each bearing a crystalline crown: **The Shifting Mound**. Like The Long Quiet, the Shifting Mound is a god created by the same being who crafted the Narrator/the Echo. She is a deity of Death and Destruction, though she is not death itself, and implies that she and the Long Quiet were once one being, split "into two." If questioned about the point of all of these endeavors if it only led to this moment, she shows you The Princesses of every route completed, explaining their meanings and the Player's possible motivations, insisting that there was a point to everything and trying to get the Player to understand. She asks the Player to make the final decision of destroying her (which would create "a world devoid of death and the possibility of meaning") or let her live (leading to possible freedom for both the Shifting Mound and the Long Quiet from this constant cycle).

### Endings

Surrendering to the Shifting Mound will result in the Player finally becoming their true self as the Long Quiet. The Shifting Mound will tell the Player that she loves them, and then reach out to them, allowing the abyss to crack open to infinity. The Shifting Mound and the Long Quiet slip into this infinite plane, finally free and together forever.

If the Player resists the Shifting Mound's explanations, the Voice of the Hero returns to help the Player. They enter the Shifting Mound's heart, which is in truth the Cabin. The Princess, in her form from Chapter 1 (or the form of The Stranger, if she was the first princess the player met), is once again in the basement and frustratedly asks the Player what they've decided; she is notably unchained. If the Player did not take the Blade, they can leave the Cabin with The Princess; the Voice of the Hero opts to remain behind. The Princess reacts optimistically about leaving and admits that she loves the Player before the two open the Cabin door.

If the Player did take the Blade, they can finally kill The Princess. She reacts with grace as she disappears, wishing the Player the best and telling them she always loved them. The Player is left feeling saddened, as though they had also destroyed a part of themselves. The Player and the Voice of the Hero leave the Cabin, finding themselves back in the abyss, confirming that they are now entering a world free from death. The Player then takes their true form as the Long Quiet, reshaping the world into a new reality by their will, and all of the Voices return, some celebratory, some sorrowful.

## Trivia

* The Demo Director's Cut included several changes to The Princess from the first demo:
	+ The Fury was renamed The Adversary.
	+ Many of the original 6 princess's designs were slightly changed or redesigned, like The Stranger.
* Of the original six Princesses, the Adversary/Fury is the most liked by Tony and Nichole. Abby's favorite is the Nightmare.
* One of the instructions given for the voicing of the Adversary/Fury was "Dommy Mommy."
* If The Princess and Reese from *Scarlet Hollow* met, they would quickly make each other worse.

## Gallery

### Concept Art

The Fury Concept Art (twitter)The Stranger Concept Art (twitter)The Razor Concept Art (twitter)The Princess chibis (twitter)The Witch Sketch (twitter)(twitter)Concept Art by Tony (twitter)
## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Youtube: Scarlet Hollow + Slay the Princess Q&A Stream with the Devs (w/ phas)
2. ↑ Reddit AMA 12/09/2022