recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
The Holder of the Pact

In any city, in any country, go to any large forest you can get yourself to. When you enter, walk until darkness falls, getting as deep into the forest as you can. When the sun vanishes on the horizon, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of the Pact". A chilling wind will rise up behind you, biting into your skin. Walk further into the forest. As dusk settles into night, you will come upon a rustic stone well and a hooded man standing near it. Walk to the well and stand on the opposite side of him. Sounds, faint and far away, will emit from the well. Do not look into the well, for even a glance will erupt horrors unto your mind and drive you to lunacy.

In a dark, crooning voice, he will ask you your name. Tell him the truth -- a dismal fate is all that awaits a liar. Your name will echo in the well. The sounds will grow excited and louder with your name. Hushed voices below whisper your name, barely audible above the growls. Hold out your hand over the well, and the hooded man will chant in a tongue that makes your knees weak, and your body shake with chills. He will slice your hand with a dagger, and your blood will drip down into the well. The sounds will grow louder, almost unbearably so. The whispers of your name will become moans of want, calling you to the well. The hooded man will respond to only one question "Who else has made this Pact?"

The noises in the well will quiet down as he answers. He will answer you in times dating back before books, explaining the life of each person who has ever made this pact, hundreds of people. Many had different reasons for doing it, and some had the same reasons as you. No matter the reason however, they all shared the same fate. The hooded man will tell you their cruel death and their pitiful existence thereafter. All of them were thrown into damnation, their afterlife filled with torturous hells that make your skin ache and your stomach sick. He tells you of one person, the only person who successfully gathered them all together. Once his story is finished, dawn will be nearly broken. An onyx black velvet hand will emerge from the pitch black well. Telling where the well ends and the arm begins is impossible. The hand will be clutching a black heart. Take it with your uninjured hand.

The Dark Heart is Object 103 of 538. You have the Object, but the denizens of the well have your name and your blood. Do not break the pact.
The Holder of Magnetism

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution of halfway house you can get yourself to. Be sure to bring one bar magnet in each pocket, and DO NOT LET THEIR OPPOSITE ENDS TOUCH THE ONES OF THE OTHER.

Ask the clerk in a voice no louder than a whisper: "Bring me to the Holder of Magnetism". The clerk will nod and take you down one of the hallways. If she doesn't nod, and asks you to leave, take the magnets and ease them together, the north pole of the one in your left hand to the south pole of the one in your right hand. Do not let them touch, or you will be hounded from the building. Feeling threatened, the clerk will take you down the left hallway to Room 983. If you had to use the magnets now, put them back in your pockets. When the clerk reaches for the door, tell her it is fine, that you can take it from here. She will tell you that it is your funeral (which it usually is, for only the most prepared Seekers can get any further).

Open the door, but take care, as the door is made of metal and hooked up to a dormant shock generator. If a magnet touches that door, the generator will start up, and you shall be electrocuted. When you go inside, turn on the lights and close the door, in that order. A dark figure will ask you to play a little game with you. If you have The Ball, you're safe from this point on. Give the figure The Ball. Take out the magnets. If you have ever experienced static cling in your life, the magnets will bind themselves to you, and your entire being will become magnetised. If you did not give the figure The Ball, the figure will take an ordinary playground ball, and coat it in searing metal, hotter than all of the stars and cosmos put together. Every time the figure throws The Ball to you, you must be able to bounce it back to him. If you don't, it will do one two things. The throw could be so hard that you get slammed into the door, or The Ball will stick to your magnetic body; its searing metal welded to you forever, and you will live as an outcast. Your only hope for passing this trial is The Shield. The number of throws that you must return is different for every Seeker.

If you pass, he will free you of your magnetic form, and take off the metal on The Ball, and give it back to you. He will then take out another ball, and you will feel that your other objects are being pulled out of your hands or pockets. Clench them tightly. Fail to do so and lose them forever.

Finally, ask the being; "How can they bring the objects together?" He will answer with Object 389 of 538.
The Holder of the Chthonic

If you are reading my instructions, then I have failed, but with you hope still remains. Follow my instructions and learn from my mistakes.

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution, take a spare set of dull, boring clothes, a hat and a gag of some sorts, they will come in handy. Sneak past the guards and attendants and look for the brightest lit cell, there you will see a crouched, naked man happily scratching a fleshy picture of a descending stair case into his scalp, tell him, in a comforting, motherly voice "I am the one who seeks The Holder of the Chthonic;" but be careful how you pronounce the words, any deviation in your voice will send him into a blind rage, which no barrier can withstand.

If you have spoken correctly, the man will look you in the eye and slowly peel back his scalp, revealing an intricate map engraved into his skull. Without drawing attention to yourself try to force open the cell door: if you can get in, comfort the man, cradle him in your arms, soothe him; you must remove this piece of skull, but keep him alive, only he knows the direct route to what you seek. The only way is to gently crack his skull on the floor while gagging him to muffle the screams. Be careful, but quick; the knocking will attract attention and a situation like this would be very difficult to explain.

If you have successfully removed the segment of skull, you must now dress him with the clothes you brought; for your sake I hope the clothes fit. Keep him gagged, nobody is going to want to here the garbled sounds of a man bleeding to death. Show the man the map, he will take you down to the basement, there he will pull a letter out of his mouth, as he hands the letter to you he will attack you; finish him any way you can. If you have killed him, find the stairs, and descend, hoards of demonic abominations will try and grab you, run, run, do not stop yourself from falling.

You will gain consciousness in a brightly lit cell, you will be naked, something in your mouth will make you choke, spit it out, and you will discover it is a letter, on which is written.

"You are the Seeker of the Chthonic,

To reveal what you are looking for, carve the stairs to the Chthonic on your head,

He will come,

Show him the map,

Keep all others away,

Do not resist his beating, however painful,

Lead him to the stairs,

Only then should you reveal this letter to him,

Take his life, you will receive what you seek."

I don't know what Object 303 of 538 is, but if I get it, will the cycle end?
The Holder of Thrill

In any city, in any country, go to any amusement park you can get yourself to. When you get to the entrance, ask the person behind the ticket counter to see the "Holder of Thrill." The person will look at you with great respect, and let you through into the park. As soon as you enter, run and find the roller coaster. If there isn't one, then you're a fool. You entered without thinking, and everything around you will go black as you slowly descend into hell.

If you manage to reach it, get in and ignore the ride operator who will surely question your actions. Tell him what you came for, and he'll start the ride, and you will be thrown at what seems like impossible speeds. As long as you hang on to anything tightly, you'll be safe. As you go on, everything around you will mix and transform, and it will seem like you've traveled into another reality. The things you will see may drive you mad, aliens and creatures will appear around you. You can scream, you can cry, anything you want an long as you hang on tight to the cart you're riding in. Finally, a blue and black monster with twenty eyes will approach you. Now is the time to be silent. It will appear to be floating as you continue to ride the hellish machine you're on. It will blink, with every eye. It may seem scary, but as you continue to gaze at it, you'll begin to feel sympathetic toward it. Your instincts will tell you not to insult it. Simply stare.

Ask it, "Does He long for thrill?" Suddenly, your mind will be blasted with thousands of messages, they will make you hear voices, and maybe even make you go insane. After about an hour, things will slow down.

Get off the ride, and you will realize you have been gone for much longer than you thought. You have been gone thousands of years, the amusement park is gone, everything is destroyed, there seems to be no civilization anywhere, and the sky is covered with dust. Careful where you step; there are likely mines surrounding you. Take three steps to the left. You will suddenly feel as though the ride you just got off of was the ride of your life, and you will likely try to get in the roller coaster car you were in and try to go again. But as you turn to board the ride anew, you will see a letter. It will have a picture of you, as people considered you missing. It also says you could've stopped a war that was coming. Don't wonder - just think about it.

You will feel as though you were to blame for everything, for the end of the human race as you know it. Take the letter, and you will be back in your own time.

The letter is Object 199 out of 538. You had your thrill, and you long for it again. But it comes at a huge cost. Can you stop what is to come?
The Holder of the Sparrow

*I've always enjoyed the birds.*

In the Northern United States, on a dark December night around eleven o'clock, walk down a residential street. The only lights you may see are those of the coming holiday, Christmas. They shine brightly and are gorgeously placed all over the homes that celebrate this wondrous holiday.

*Their curiosity, knowledge, and strength inspires me.*

Some of the lights may be colorful, others, plainly white, and some may stick with a theme, possibly semi-animatronic reindeer or inflatable Santa Clauses or wooden elves or freshly made snowmen. Choose a house of which to knock on. Hopefully only few people live there.

*I've always envied the birds.*

You must murder the inhabitants of the house at the given time you enter, save one. Do not harm the animals in the home. It matters not who is spared. Do nothing with the dead, but take the spared one outside into the cold. Embrace the feeling of warm blood mixed with the chilling breeze.

*Their flight, agility, and protectiveness angers me.*

Ask the survivor of your massacre, "Where are the birds?" He or she may be too shaken to answer. Kneel this person down in the snow. Walk away. Don't heed to the cries behind you. This person may also try to hurt you. Take the abuse; you deserve it.

*The birds, I'm sure, can outlive us all.*

Walk to the end of the street and call out, "Holder, show yourself!". The dark of the night will not even match the darkness you are now engulfed in. The cold is replaced with humid air. The noise you hear now is of the birds. Every single diverse type. Hopefully, you know quite a bit about them.

*The birds are the only friends I have.*

The lights will slowly turn on and you will see all in this massive room. You will see me in all my glory, a simple scarecrow. The fear I once struck in all birds alike, is now replaced with everlasting love for them. Approach me slowly; just don't frighten the birds.

On one of my arms hangs the only caged bird throughout the whole room: a sparrow. That is the object you now seek. And believe me, many have succeeded in taking him from me. From the birds, though, that's another story. They'd hate for their comrade to leave their eternal home.

If you do succeed in leaving with my sparrow, stay gone from the street where you committed the murder(s). The police are looking for you.

*Good luck, Seeker; you've just made new enemies: the birds.*

The caged sparrow is Object 463 of 538. The birds are angry and vow their revenge.
The Holder of the Law

In any city, in any country, go to any prison you can get yourself to. Go directly to the warden and ask to visit the one who calls himself "The Holder of the Law." The warden will give you a sad smile, as if to say, "You poor soul," Then he will get up and lead you through a narrow hallway with prison cells on either side. Do not get too close to the cells, or the prisoners will devour your soul.

At first the prisoners will look like normal humans, but the further down the hallway you go, the more monstrous they look, until they no longer resemble anything close to a human being.

Eventually, you will see an open cell door. Inside the cell, a prison guard will be mercilessly beating a handcuffed prisoner. As soon as you step into it, the guard will attack you in a murderous rage.

You must kill the guard before you may ask the prisoner one question, "What have you done to deserve this?" The prisoner will answer with a long, sad tale of murder and deceit. As he finishes his tale, it will become clear that he has learned his lesson. He will then ask to be set free. You may do as he asks; this man will not harm you.

Dig through the prison guard's pockets until you find a key. Use this key to unlock the prisoner's handcuffs. He will give you a heartfelt thanks and then leave.

As soon as you step back outside the cell, all of the cell doors that you have passed will open, releasing the monstrous prisoners inside them. Run as fast as you can towards the end of the hallway, and pray that they do not catch you. If you manage to escape, you will find yourself in the place that you call home.

The Handcuffs are Object 320 of 538. The law is now in your hands.
The Holder of Sound

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. Upon arrival, walk straight to the front desk and request an audience with the "Holder of Sound." When you speak, you may realize that you cannot hear yourself, or any noises around you, and that the receptionist will neither look up nor respond to your request. If this isn't the case, leave the building and don't return, for your selection of institution was a poor one.

If indeed all is silent around you, look to the left of the desk to find a hallway that wasn't present prior to your arrival. Head steadily down the hallway, eyes focused straight ahead and locked on the door at the far end. As you progress, your sense of hearing will gradually return and screams of agony, as well as one-sided conversations that only the clinically insane could think up, will fill your ears. If at any time the endless babble ceases, cover your ears and shout with all your might, "What has been granted mustn't be lost!"

If the voices come back, consider yourself lucky that you'll be allowed to see another day outside of a room padded with the innards of past Seekers. Continue on down the hall until you arrive at the door. Knock once and push the door open before receiving an answer.

Inside will be a completely empty room, save for a small cot in the back. Sitting on the cot will be a young man of perhaps nineteen, bloody bandages where his ears were. He will be sitting there, rocking back and forth, mumbling to himself. Approach him and pull the bandages away from either side of his head, leaning in close to the bloody pulp to ask a single question. Ask anything other than "Will we understand?" and you will suffer the same fate as this man.

Once the question has been asked, a rush of future events surrounding each of the Objects will flood your mind. Horrific detail of every unjust death and injury at the Seekers hands will play through your mind over, pummeling your fragile psyche with countless waves of despair. If you keep your sanity throughout the visions, you will find the young man dead and bleeding on the cot, an ear clutched in his hand. Take it from him, leave the asylum, and never return.

The Ear is Object 210 of 538. May the truth of the Objects never reach your ears.
The Holder of Technology

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of Technology" The worker will smirk and ask you what you really want. You will have to ask him again; he will roll his eyes before leading you into a small office. He will shut the lights off and close you inside.

The only form of light should be of a computer in the back corner of the room. Should the lights turn on for any reason, turn your back to the computer, shut your eyes and say as quickly as you can, â€œI am here to learn. Nothing more.â€ Keep your eyes shut until the lights turn back off. If they stay on keep your eyes shut and grope your way along the wall until you find the door. Once you're safely outside, run. Do not stop, and do not go home that night. Stay at a friend's house; should you make it through the night, consider yourself lucky.

If the lights turn back off, turn around and face the computer in the corner of the room. Sit down and never remove your eyes from the screen and do not speak. Should you do so, you will be faced with monstrosities that will haunt you for the rest of your life and most likely drive you mad.

A message will pop up on the screen that reads "What is it you want?" You will only get a response to typing the questions "How do I make them work?" A video will begin and in horrifying detail show you the worst torture imaginable at the hands of hideously twisted machines. You may feel the need to gouge your eyes out and tear your ears away to end the horror. It is advisable that you do not.

When the video is complete (if you could watch it without going mad), you will see a flash drive inserted in the computer. Despite the unbelievable dread you will feel, take the flash drive and exit the room.

That flash drive is Object 452 of 538. Dare you insert it into another computer?
The Holder of Pareidolia

Find an abandoned building as large and as isolated from other people as possible. Memorize the poem "Antigonish" by Hughes Mearns. Walk in calmly and head to the darkest section. Do not use any light to guide your way.

Once there position yourself in the middle of the darkness and do not move. Gradually all noises will fade, and you will only hear your breath with an echo. After a minute or so, recite the poem as if to a large crowd; clearly and loudly. If done correctly you'll meet a man who isn't there.

He will stand there staring at you. Ask this and only this: "Can you hide when they come together?" He will then proceed to answer you by narratating all the stories of those who have hidden and been caught. If you've come to understand the truths he has spoken, smile at him and he should smile back slightly. Do not smile falsely, he will know, and you will become a man who isn't there.

If all is well, he will approach you and take out his hand, shake his hand warmly and honestly as if greeting an old friend. If you do not shake his hand, or hesitate, or shake it impatiently he will seemingly walk away. However, the man will never, ever go away and you will find yourself seeing him everywhere.

If everything is all right, he will give his overcoat and disappear. Whoever wears that coat will be able to see things that aren't there. The coat is insight into the hidden world. The hidden doors and hallways intially guarding the Holders are able to be seen, thereby giving you a slight warning of what lies ahead.

Bear in mind that you still need to take the usual steps to enter them. Beyond these passageways however, the coat is ineffective,because the things you will experience are really there. The weaker horrors you may face may be slightly confused and hesitant to fall upon you, though they can see you perfectly well. While wearing the coat, you will disappear from the detection of normal people. Only the insane will claim to sense you.

The Overcoat is Object 464 out of 538. You can never hide from them.
The Holder of Triumph

In any city, in any country, enter any library you find. Ask the librarian at the front desk to see the Holder of Triumph. She will raise an eyebrow as if judging you but nonetheless will take you deeper into the library.

You will see a door in the southeast wing of the building that you could swear would lead you outside. The librarian will stop at said door and knock three times. A voice that sounds similar to two sheets of sandpaper rubbing together will ask, "Confident are thee, that triumph awaits at the end?" You must answer "Indeed, for I do not fail." Say this before the librarian answers that you are a failure. If she does this, your very soul will be crushed under the weight of your own failure and she will feast on your flesh while you weep in your loss.

If you answer in time (and confidently enough), the librarian will hiss and produce a dagger. DO NOT ATTACK HER, for her strength and speed are beyond legend. She will hand the blade off to you and open the door, whispering curses as you pass.

The path is well lit, with no end in sight. Mirrors line the path reflecting every victory, good and evil, since before time began. To look into any of these mirrors is to fail in the scenario it reflects.

The path stretches beyond time, and you must follow. After what seems like an eternity of walking, a large steel door will appear. A voice will beckon you closer. Keep your mind free of doubt. You must be sure of your triumph, lest you have your soul rent from you and tortured for eternity.

Step up to the door and knock seven times. If the voice brands you a failure, the horror you will see will force you to slice your own throat open with the dagger. If there is no answer, then enter.

The room will be dark. The inky darkness will be almost tangible. Ask your question: "What will happen when he triumphs?" The room will light up, revealing a naked figure of great height, with the physique of Adonis, every feature gleaming in perfection save for the fact that he has no face. He will rise and turn toward you.

Ask again, "What will happen when He triumphs?"

The figure will cock his head sharply to the right and immediately lunge at you. DO NOT FLINCH, or he will beat you to death and feed off of your sanity. Instead, charge. But I warn you to attack with berserk ferocity or you will surely lose.

You must not kill him, only incapacitate him. He will speak directly into your mind: "Your perseverance serves." Do not thank him, instead yell, "THRICE I SAY AND DONE! WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN HE TRIUMPHS?" The figure will scream now, the sound threatening to implode your mind, and he will describe in gruesome detail the end of time, when He arrives. Stab the figure in the throat and remove his head. His head will serve as your trophy, a symbol of your triumph.

This trophy is Object 73 of 538. He knows who you are. Bask in His Triumph when the time comes.
The Holder of the Eastern Seas

The wise Seeker will bring the White King's sword, and perhaps other Objects as well, for this is a trying task. At any museum within view of the Atlantic Ocean, ask the curator if he can show you any remnants of the Holder of the Eastern Seas. He should take you into a previously-nonexistent room deep in the museum, which has a great display of Valhalla, the Viking's afterlife. He will ask about that sword of yours, for he has had his eye on it since you entered. Tell him anything, but make sure you mention that "The White King is ready to defend his honor," for if you do not, every stuffed man, woman and beast in the museum will come to tear you asunder.

If you do, he will shove you into the Valhalla display, and you will land on a wide field, standing with seven Viking comrades, facing a horde of thousands. Here, only the truest warrior will prevail. Fight alongside the Vikings as hard and as long as you can. You must outlive your companions, or everything was for naught. Once your allies are dead, keep fighting, no matter how hopeless the battle. Soon, invariably, you will be struck down. Ram your own blade through your heart before you die, and feel the slow, creeping blood of death crawl through your veins, and watch the Valkyries lift your soul. You have died.

When you awaken, you're still dead. However, by dying as mentioned, you have been sent to Valhalla, the Pantheon of Gods and Men. If you wish to escape the pain of the Objects, you need not worry; here, you are safe, should you choose to accept death. Upon seeing the Valkyries carry them off to this beautiful, peaceful bastion, many have decided that they've done enough. However, if you choose to go on, you must find Odin himself. Bow respectfully, and ask to see the Holder of the Eastern Seas, as reverently as you can.

Odin may deem you worthy, and take you down to see the Holder. That Holder is in the middle of the Earth, bound to a rock, with a serpent dripping venom eternally into his eye. That Holder is the god Loki. You may ask only one question of Loki, or the snake will give him respite long enough to devour you. Ask him "What part does Valhalla play in this? What do they have to do with Odin's kingdom?" He will describe to you Ragnarok, in all its detail. Then he will tell you why it will happen, and what He has to do with it. Finally, he will tell you the secondhand suffering the Earth will feel as Ragnarok rages on. However, somewhere, he will speak of a place where They were made. When he is done, take his lute; he needs it no more.

Loki's Lute is Object 209 out of 538. Getting here was the easy part. Can you drag yourself back from death?
The Holder of Wrath

In any city, in an country, go to any insane asylum you can get yourself to. Take care that it is NOT a rehabilitative mental institution or halfway house. Walk up to the front desk, declare your name, ask to see "The Holder of Wrath." The receptionist will pick up the phone, dial a number, and say "They're here." A few more seconds will pass and she will direct you to a flight of stairs leading down. You may descend as far as you like; every floor leads to the same place.

When you enter the doorway leading to the floor of your choice, you will see only a single light, at the very end of a long hallway. Walk towards the light, but whatever you do, do not walk to the end of the hallway. Feel along the walls until you reach the third door on the left. Do not enter any other room, as you will not leave should you do so. Once you reach the third door on the left, enter and hold both your arms outstretched, palms forwards. The one person who angers you the most will appear before you. You must embrace them in a loving hug and whisper into their ear "I feel nothing but peace." Or if you don't in five minutes the person will disappear and you will be trapped there forever. At this point, they will hand you a small vial of blood.

The blood in the vial is object 528 of 538. Use it when they find you.
The Holder of the Seven Masks

In any country where there are still untamed woods, go to them while clearly thinking "The Holder of the Seven Masks." As you enter the woods, you should feel a gentle force pulling you deeper into the center. If not, leave immediately and come back another day.

As you walk deeper into the woods pay close attention to your surroundings. They will grow unnaturally dark, and you will see shadows darting between the trees. Do not be afraid of them, unless they stop moving and head toward you. If you value your life, you must close your eyes, put your hands together in prayer, and as calmly as you can say "I just wish to see the elders." If they do not stop they will grab you, ensuring your end will be met in that wood; all your flesh will be torn from you and your still-living body will be fed to wolves.

If they recede, continue following the gentle pull. Eventually, when the forest has become so dark you can no longer determine if there is a canopy or simply night sky, you will see a campfire. Walk toward it, and around it will sit six men, wearing only loincloths and masks, each one identical but for color. Sit down in the empty space in the ring and look at each one in turn before asking, "When will it die?"

They will each turn toward you one at a time, and as you meet each one's gaze, you will see horrible visions of how the world could end. Each one will last an eternity, but will be condensed into a moment. Many go mad from these powerful visions, and some attempt to put out their eyes with sticks from the fire, but you must steel yourself. If you, by some miracle, survive and remain sane through all the visions, you will find a new mask in your hand. You will feel an incredible urge to put it on. You must do so, because if you disgrace these elders, you will be cursed to ritual sacrifice. Your soul will be split into seven parts and sent into seven separate hells of suffering.

When you put on the new mask, you will see the true end of the world. This vision will be the most powerful, and no matter how resilient your mind you will break and lose all consciousness. When you awake, the fire will be dying, and the elders will be gone. All that remain are the seven masks. Pick them up and close your eyes. You will appear outside the wood, and you will see yourself at the beginning of your journey into the woods. Do not stop your past self, however, for if you do you'll be trapped in a time paradox.

The seven masks are Object 127 of 538. If one is lost, the other six will also vanish, and with them all hope.
The Holder of the Mirror

In any city, in any country in the world, go to any mental institution or hospital, and ask the attendant for the "Holder of the Mirror". The attendant will look at you strangely, as if you had spoken in a different language. Ask again, until they finally understand, and they will lead you deep into the institution without a word.

They will lead you to a plain iron door, unlocking it and motioning for you to enter the dark hallway beyond. They will stay behind, never uttering a word, never making eye contact with you. Once the door closes behind you the hallway will be lit by an ethereal light, to reveal the walls of the hallway made of mirrors. The reflections stretch out to infinity on either side of you, but none of them show your reflection; they show the reflection of those who came before you. Each reflection shows another who sought the Holder, each shows how they died. Try not to look at their faces as the beasts devour them; try not to look at all, just walk in a straight line. If you look, if you watch, the beasts in the reflections will see you, too, and they will come for you.

If ever the light begins to dim, if you begin to lose your way in the darkness, close your eyes tight and say firmly, without fear, "The ones you seek have gone before". If the lights return, you are lucky, and the creatures that stalk you have let you alone. If it goes dark, do not run. There is no point in fleeing, nor in praying for a swift death. They will catch you, and your end will stretch out to eternity.

At the end of the impossibly long corridor, you will find another door, with hot white light shining around its edges. Knock on the door, and you will be allowed entry. Standing in the center of the octagonal room will be a figure, merely a silhouette in the half-light of the chamber.

He will pay you no heed, until you ask him the question, "What do they reflect?" Any other question, and he will fill your every pore with a thousand needles, flaying your hide and letting it fly in salt winds as he tortures your mind into insanity, ensuring you live eternally with him in the chamber, merely a shade of what you once were, every moment of existence a mad agony.

If you ask him the right question, however, he will answer you, in details that will chill you to your bones and turn your heart to stone. He will tell you what the Holders mean, why they exist, and what is to come.

After he tells you this, he will step into your vision, revealing who he is. You will see yourself, except instead of eyes your copy will have shining silver mirrors in its sockets. As you watch, unable to move in horror, your copy will dig one of the mirrors out, blood spilling thick and fast.

You will hand yourself the bloodied shard, and then you will find yourself back, outside the institution.

This bloodied mirror is Object 46 of 538.
Do not attempt to clean the Blood from its surface, or your end shall be a Nightmare beyond even the Horrors of Hell.

It will reflect what has been, and what is to come.
The Holder of the Five Rings

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit the one who calls himself "The Holder of the Five Rings". If the worker tells you how much he loves that book, ask again immediately.

If you are fortunate, the worker will assume a grim expression and lead you to a staircase. The staircase will run straight downward, deeper than any underground installation should be. As you and the worker go down the stairs, your guide will whistle a tune so enticing you may be tempted to ask what tune it is. Do not ask what the tune is; do not even turn to see the worker if he whistles the tune. If you do, pray for a swift and painless end to your life.

Once you reach the bottom of the staircase, the worker will open the door to a blank, gray room with Chinese characters written in blood on the wall. Do not try to read the Chinese characters, or you will be driven to a state of insanity so profound and horrifying that the experiences had in this insanity cannot be described.

The worker will leave the room. Fifteen seconds later, if you have not read the Chinese characters on the walls, a person identical to you will appear and challenge you. Should you decline the challenge your double will shake its head and disappear. You will hear a chorus of snarls and growls and moans growing louder and louder, and your body and soul will feel excruciating pain as you are eaten alive by the mad creatures around you.

Accept the challenge, despite your fears. If you lose, your double will eat your soul, and your soul will feel infinite pain. Most have a doppelganger too skilled to defeat.

If you win, ask your double, "Who else desires them?"

Your double will tell you, in horrific detail, the ones who desire the Objects. You must only look into its eyes. Do not look at what is in your double's right hand, or it will seize the opportunity and kill you.

When your doppelganger is done speaking, it will hand you several small, hard items. Thank it, then, without opening your hand, leave through the door from whence you came. You will be near the place you call home. At that point, you may look into your hand to see that you have five golden rings linked together.

These rings are Object 181 of 538. The horrors they have seen are surpassed only by those they have caused.
The Holder of the Blue

In any city, in any country go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of the Blue". The worker will take a step back and rustle through a drawer. Should they take their eyes off you, or you off them, run. They will alert the Holder, and the fate of all those in the room will be sealed. Should they hand you an old notebook, take it, turn, and look for a chair. It will be blue, and marked "Fresh Paint". The seat is dry. Sit in it and open the book. Look carefully. It will be filled with gibberish and pointless drivel. Look for writing on a page in an ink that matches the chair. This will tell you vital words, but they change each time this Holder is called upon.

Return the notebook to the clerk. They will wave you to a blue door with a paper sign on it. Lift that paper to reveal an arcane mark. Touch that mark with your hand and say the first vital word. Do not move your hand, even when ice covers it. Move your hand only when the door swings away. Blue halogen lights drown this hallway in light. There will be five doors ahead of you, Two on each side and one at the end. Go to each of the doors, first on the left, then the right, then the end. Say the second vital word at each door. If you think about it, this word will tell you which door is the right one.

Each door carries with it different trials. We Who Write have yet to test each door. Know this, regardless of what horrors await you, the third vital word will keep your mind from bleeding into madness. Meditate on it well. At the end, you will find a pedestal with a book and pen. It will detail your every step from the moment you realized the Objects were real. Read through this book to the end. At the first blank space, take up the pen and write the fourth vital word. That word will vanish into a plume of smoke. The smoke will coalesce into an imp with a face made from faces of all those you hate.

Ask the imp "What happens to those who fail to seek them?". It will tell you every horrid detail, down to every splintered toenail and every burned out eye socket. As it speaks, it will dissipate into the air. When it finishes its tale, it will be gone. The pedestal will slide away, revealing a small mask with hair, almost as if it was to be fitted over a doll's face. Take this up, and if you so choose, take up the book as well. Jump into the hole the mask was kept in. You will fall into a shower-room in the place you call home.

This mask is Object 107 out of 538, The Mask of the Blue Path. Its face always looks forward to when they are reunited.

The book is the first object of We Who Write, The Journal of the Writer. Hold it tight, for you may yet join us.
The Holder of Gluttony

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit something that calls itself, "The Holder of Gluttony." If the person's face become twisted by a look of utter nausea you will then be taken to a set of doors labelled "Mess Hall."

If you are foolish enough to pass through these doors, you will find yourself in an old corridor of pitted and broken stone. Tiny beams of light filtering through the many cracks in the mortar will be the only source of illumination available, leaving you nearly blind. The walls will be covered in frescos and paintings, but it is imperative that you not look upon them - for although they are masterfully rendered, they depict acts so depraved that they will almost certainly drive you mad. Continue down the path until you come to another door. Upon the door will be carved a face with a gaping maw.

Peer inside the door's mouth and you shall be assaulted by images of cannibalism and death. If you should view a scene of yourself being consumed, run. Run far away and do not stop until you collapse of exhaustion. If you wake in the morning and cannot hear then thank the powers above that deafness was your only punishment. If you retain your hearing then prepare yourself for you will be consumed by a never-ending hunger for all things forbidden, with no way to avoid acting on your desires.

If you see the laughing face of a man long dead, walk forward and push upon the door with all your might, opening it inward to reveal a small circular room lit by torches spaced evenly along the wall. In the center of the room there will be an impossibly obese man. His arms and legs will be submerged, invisible through the many layers of fat that hang from his frame and his body will be stained with the remains of his previous repast. From the top of his great stomach to the bottom of his navel is a tremendous gash, held shut by a row of poorly done stitches. He will eye you hungrily for a moment and this will be your only chance to save yourself by asking, "What keeps them inert?" If you do not ask quickly enough, he will devour you and you will spend the rest of eternity lost in agony as you travel through his endless digestive tract. If you are quick enough, he will answer your question with a tale of perversion and evil, and finally a resignation to eternal sleep.

At the end of the story he will begin to convulse as the stitching on his gut falls apart and his stomach opens up releasing a torrent of gore which will hurl you against the wall, knocking you unconscious. When you awaken you'll find yourself on the side walk outside of the institution you entered, clutching a small vial of thick red liquid.

That vial, and the blood within are Object 369 of 538. They must never come together, lest the world fall into slow decay.
The Holder of the Map

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of the Map". The man or woman will not look up from their reading materials; memorize the page number. Repeat yourself firmly. The man or woman will look up, annoyed. They will make a snide comment. If you hear, "Another moron", you will have found the right place. If there is any other comment, he will lie to you.

The man will then start by giving you directions. You will not be able to write them down, no matter how hard you try. If you don't follow the directions exactly, you will get lost. You will find yourself outside the institution; this will be the worst fate you could imagine. If you follow the directions, you should hear a sound as if an infinite number of hands are writing. This sound will increase as you near your goal. Should this ever stop, breathe deep and yell any information you have about where you started at, including your directions on how to get there. The writing should start up again. If it didn't, you will have to go back to where you began and start again. Don't get lost.

At the end of the directions you should see a door with an electronic lock, the numbers stained with blood. Stop immediately and you will hear a giggle. Don't turn around. A voice will start speaking under the now deafening sound of quills on paper. Ignore it and whisper one question: "Where will I end up?" He will go into grotesque detail about an ancient battlefield. At the point when he stops talking, input the number of the page the receptionist was reading from. You will wake up in the nearest church to the institution. You will be lying on a map.

The Map is Object 70 of 538. It will guide you anywhere you need to go, but not to the location of the other pieces.
The Holder of You

You have journeyed far, Seeker. You have Sought in hospitals, schools, alternate dimensions. You have mastered and been mastered. You have mutilated and been mutilated. You have seen and been seen.

Now you must find the Holder of You.

Before seeking me it would be more than advisable to have the lens and the polishing cloth that comes with them. Without these, your quest for me will be most...perilous.

The only place you can find me is in the wintery wasteland of northern Russia. Once there, you must find any old structure dating from the Cold War period (concrete walls preferable). Once you find this structure, lean in close to it and whisper, "In Soviet Russia, the object seeks you."

As soon as the last words leave your mouth, you will hear a rustling in the snow behind you. Whatever you do, do not turn to look at what is rustling, as it is a thing that cannot be known. It is of infinite wisdom, and to look upon it would let you know all of its knowledge, which would destroy your human brain in an instant.

At this point, if you have the lens and the polishing cloth that comes with them, count yourself lucky, as your task will be made easier, though more testing to say the least. Regardless of whether or not you have the lens, ask out loud, "What am I?" If you get no answer, run and don't look back. To look back would be a more damnable fate than that of looking upon infinite wisdom.

However, if you hear the answer, "You," you may turn around (and put on the lens, if applicable) and see a reflection of you standing in the snow.

If you are not wearing the lens, then the reflection will speak of every regret in your life and you will leave unharmed, but empty handed until you can return with the lens and cloth. If you have the lens, polish them with the cloth.

Suddenly you will see every defining moment in you life, be it good or bad, terrifying or joyous, played out before your eyes. These will not be things you expect, but you must betray no emotion except confidence.

Then there will be a vision of you standing in the snow looking at yourself looking at you standing in the snow looking at yourself looking at you and so on into infinity.

When this happens you must say, "There is nothing I can change."

The vision will dissolve and you will see a small mirror sitting in the snow. Looking into this you will see the Holder of You.

You are object 507 of 538. Be careful, for now they will call you more than ever.
The Holder of the Note

In any town, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. Once at the front desk, do not say a thing. This Holder will know of your intentions. Soon, you will feel a blade at your throat. No one in the room, no matter who they are, will react to this.

As long as you do not turn your head, you will be safe from the bite of your captors blade. However, if you do, he will slit your throat, leaving you to slowly bleed out, drowning in your own blood until the Gathering. Here, you will encounter many a Seeker who have met the same fate.

He will softly pull you back to the front door and turn you around. This door is not the same one you entered, but an experienced Seeker will pay this no mind.

The door will open, and you will have to walk. You ought walk neither too fast nor too slow, just *walk*, at a casual pace. In this small hallway, you will see glass panels, somehow keeping back countless grotesque beasts the likes of which you will never see again. Note that it is now safe to put the blade at your throat out of your mind, for if you turn your head here, he will simply leave you as the glass panels vanish. Here, your assassin is your only defense.

Once you reach the end of this hallway, after perhaps a minute, or years, you will be prompted to open the door that will be in front of you. His voice will not leave his lips, never to fall upon your ears. His words will ring in your mind, echoing in your fragile imagination. If you can stand this without Him breaking your will, open the door.

The soothing sound of a wood flute will enter your ears, instantly causing you to fall to your knees. This will be the most beautiful song you will ever hear, and its sound will lift you into a state of euphoria. Be quick, however, for the flute's song is summoning the Holder's guardians, and you don't want to know what happens to those to tarry too long to enjoy the music.

Run to the ladder that leads to the flute player's platform. There will be six ladders, only one of which leads to the top. If you happen to make the wrong decision, the ladder you are on will grow to impossible proportions in a matter of seconds, then tip over. You will far for nearly an eternity, and when you land, it will be the most horrid, shattering pain that you will ever experience - and it will be yours to experience for the rest of time.

The flute player will appear to be a human girl, no more than ten years of age. Bow down to her, and tell her how wonderful her song was. She will laugh, and tap you on the head.

For the rest of your life, you will always hear the last note of that song. The Final Note is Object 349 of 538. The more emotion you feel, the louder it will be. If you ever feel an emotion that rivals that of the Final Song, the piercing scream of the note will bring an end to you.

Play the Final Note at the Gathering, and the world will sing no more.