Chapters

> *Whatever horrors you may find in these dark spaces, have heart and see them through. There are no premature endings. There are no wrong decisions. There are only fresh perspectives and new beginnings. This is a love story.*
>
>

## Chapter I: The Hero and the Princess

Main article: Chapter I: The Hero and the Princess

*You are 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.*

The Player begins at this chapter at the start of every new game, whenever they have completed a route and spoken to the Shifting Mound, and on a special occasion if the Player chooses the "***You're on a path in the woods***" ending. The Voice in Your Head will always be the Voice of the Hero.

The Narrator will insist that you follow the path to the Cabin, wherein you find the Pristine Blade on a table. Whether the Player picks up the Pristine Blade affects how the Princess addresses you, and from here on out, your choices determine who you encounter in Chapter II.
If the Player repeatedly refuses to go to the Cabin, they will go to Chapter II: **The Stranger**, unless the Player has already achieved that route.

If the Player slay the Princess immediately and chooses to stay in the Cabin for eternity, you get the "**Good Ending**", unless the Player has already met the Shifting Mound at least once.

If the Player chooses the "***You're on a path in the woods***" ending, they will return to Chapter I. However, going to the cabin will result in the end of the game.

## Chapter II

Despite initial appearances, Chapter II is not the same as Chapter I. While the Narrator has no recollection of your previous encounter, the Player does, and you soon learn that the Princess does as well. Chapter II is the result of your choices in Chapter I.

There are ten variations of Chapter II. You will be accompanied by the Voice of the Hero, as well as an additional Voice depending on how you interacted with the Princess in Chapter I.

* Player Armed
* Player Unarmed

* **The Prisoner:** Save the Princess and resist the Narrator.
* **The Tower:** Fail to slay the Princess.
* **The Adversary:** Slay the Princess in an even fight.
* **The Spectre:** Slay the Princess and don't doubt that she's dead.
* **The Razor:**
	+ Before slaying the Princess, ponder if the Princess is armed before attacking her.
	+ After slaying the Princess, doubt that she is dead.

* **The Damsel:** Save the Princess and resist the Narrator.
* **The Witch:**
	+ After saving the Princess, stab her in the back.
	+ After going back to retrieve the Pristine Blade, let her escape by forgetting to close the door.
	+ After going back to retrieve the Pristine Blade, fight the Princess to the death.
* **The Beast:** Strike the Princess after the Pristine Blade is dropped into the basement, but give up or fail to slay her.

Two additional routes are accessible through Chapter I regardless of whether the Player is armed"

* Whether or not you take the Pristine Blade, leaving the Princess in the basement will lead you to Chapter II: **The Nightmare**.
* Refusing to go to the Cabin entirely will take you to Chapter II: **The Stranger**.

Once you enter a given Chapter II, it cannot be re-entered on the same playthrough; any choices leading to it will be greyed out or removed.

The Narrator will ignore your claims of déjà vu and once again insist that you follow the path to the Cabin. However, the interior of the Cabin is different from Chapter I. Additionally, the Princess has taken a drastically new form, which makes your task of slaying (or freeing) her slightly more difficult.

If the Player chooses to not go to the Cabin, the chapter will prematurely end, and the Shifting Mound will not be able to obtain the variation of the Princess as a vessel. Doing this six times will result in the "***Just as you were once nothing***" ending. If the Shifting Mound has already been encountered, this can only be done once, and will result in slightly different text.

### The Stranger

Main article: The Stranger
***Voices:** Hero, Contrarian*

Unique to the Stranger, the woods have a different appearance: there is a wall corraling the woods and the Cabin, preventing the Player from leaving. If the Stranger is the first

The Cabin in this chapter appears as a collage of all possible Cabin interiors.

The choice of stairs will determine the initial attitude of the Princess, and each of the Explore options will produce a different alternate Princess. However, the choices in this chapter have only superficial results; all will result in the same outcome, and there are no alternate vessels.

Chapter Achievements:

* **A Spiral Vessel** bring The Stranger vessel.
* **The Illusion of Choice** complete The Stranger.

### The Witch

Main article: The Witch
***Voices:** Hero, Opportunist*

This chapter has multiple endings:

* **Ending A-A** Take the Blade, Convince The Princess to leave with you, Convince The Princess to lead the way, Betray The Princess killing you both.
* **Ending A-B** Take or Leave the Blade, Convince The Princess to leave with you, Lead the way, The Princess will then betray you killing you both.
* **Ending B** Leave the Blade, Convince The Princess to leave with you, Convince The Princess to lead the way, The Princess will betray you and lock you in the basement.

This chapter can branch further:

* **The Wild:** Get crushed by the roots, either by attempting to leave or by fighting the Princess. Depending on your choices in Chapter 2, you may receive the Voice of the Stubborn, Cheated, or Paranoid. It can result in two vessels:
	+ **The Networked Wild:** Choose to forget your hatred.
	+ **The Wounded Wild:** Remember your hatred, and either kill or free The Princess.
* **The Thorn:** Take the Blade, then give it to the Princess. If you say that the two of you can be better than this, or call her beautiful, you receive the Voice of the Smitten. Otherwise, receive the Voice of the Cheated. There are no alternate vessels for this chapter.

Chapter Achievements:

* **An Untrusting Vessel** bring The Witch vessel.
* **The Scorpion** achieve Ending A-A
* **The Frog** achieve Ending A-B
* **Playing it safe** attempt to leave.
* **Knives Out and Masks Off** immediately attack The Princess.
* **Past Life Gambit** give The Princess The Blade.

### The Tower

Main article: The Tower
***Voices:** Hero, Broken*

This chapter can branch further:

* **The Apotheosis:** Resist the Princess' compulsions. If you took the Blade, kill yourself when she asks. You will receive the Voice of the Paranoid.
* **The Fury:** Take the Blade, resist the Princess' compulsions, and kill her. You will receive the Voice of the Stubborn.

Chapter Achievements:

* **A Dominant Vessel** bring The Tower vessel.
* **Your Obedient Servant** pledge yourself to The Princess.
* **The End of Something** defy The Princess and witness her ascension.
* **Godkiller** resist and slay The Princess.

### The Adversary

Main article: The Adversary
***Voices:** Hero, Stubborn*

This chapter can branch further:

* **The Eye of the Needle:** Fight the Princess with the Blade, but don't indulge the Voice of the Stubborn. You will receive the Voice of the Hunted. Alternatively, try to free the Princess against her will. You will receive the Voice of the Skeptic.
* **The Fury:** Attempt to fight the Princess unarmed, attempt to flee, or refuse to fight. If you refused to fight her, you will receive the Voice of the Contrarian. Otherwise, you receive the Voice of the Broken.

Chapter Achievements:

* **A Fierce Vessel** bring The Adversary vessel.
* **That shouldn't have worked** stab The Princess when she asks.
* **That Which Cannot Die** complete The Adversary
* **Strike me down...** refuse to fight The Princess
* **I didn't hear no bell** fight The Princess unarmed and refuse to stay down.

### The Beast

Main article: The Beast
***Voices***: Hero,Hunted

This chapter can branch further:

* **The Wild:** Get devoured by The Beast but don't let her leave. You will receive the Voice of the Contrarian if you play dead before being eaten. If you didn't, you will either receive the Voice of the Opportunist if you slay The Beast, the Voice of the Stubborn if you slay yourself, or the Voice of the Broken if you let time run out. Due to a current bug, if you wait it out, you get the Voice of the Cheated from the Witch route, but you're supposed to get the Voice of the Broken.
* **The Den:** Wait for her to strike, and hit her back. You will receive Voice of the Stubborn if you do this immediately, or the Skeptic if you do this after dodging again.

Chapter Achievements:

* **Dissolving Will** get devoured by The Beast, then tell her to leave with you.
* **A Feral Vessel** bring The Beast vessel.
* **Opossum** Play dead.
* **Freeze** Stand still in the basement.
* **You can’t keep this up forever** Move and chat and run for the stairs several times.
* **Ahab** Strike her heart from inside her belly.

### The Damsel

Main article: The Damsel
***Voices***: Hero,Smitten

This chapter can branch further:

* **The Burning Grey**: slay the Damsel. You will receive the Voice of the Cold.

Chapter Achievements:

* **A Loving Vessel** bring the Damsel vessel.
* **An Idealized Vessel** bring the Deconstructed Damsel vessel by repeatedly asking her what she wants.
* **Romantic Haze** rescue the Damsel.
* **And they lived happily ever after** rescue the Damsel from the basement, then repeatedly ask her about her happiness.
* **Ladykiller** slay the Damsel.

### The Nightmare

Main article: The Nightmare
***Voices***: Hero,Paranoid

This chapter can branch further:

* **The Wraith:** Take the blade, and kill her. You may receive the Voice of the Cold or Opportunist.
* **The Moment of Clarity:** Run or remain with your nightmare. You will receive all voices (Broken, Cheated, Cold, Contrarian, Hunted, Opportunist, Skeptic, Smitten, Stubborn).

Chapter Achievements:

* **A Terrifying Vessel**: bring the Nightmare vessel.
* **Terminal Velocity** leave the basement with the Nightmare, then slay her.
* **A World of Terror** leave the cabin with The Nightmare.
* **A Monolith of Fear** run away or refuse to help.
* **No Exit** slay the Nightmare at the bottom of the stairs.

### The Prisoner

Main article: The Prisoner
***Voices***: Hero,Skeptic

This chapter can branch further:

* **The Drowned Grey** Slay the Prisoner. You will receive Voice of the Cold.

Chapter Achievements:

* **A Guarded Vessel** bring the Prisoner vessel.
* **A Gratuitous Vessel** bring the Prisoner's head.
* **Prison of the Mind** inspect the shackle.
* **Coldly Rational** slay the Prisoner.
* **Restless Thoughts** Take the blade, slay the Prisoner and then accept the Narrator's reward.
* **Talking Heads** give the Prisoner the blade and let her behead herself.

### The Razor

Main article: The Razor
***Voices***: Hero,Cheated

This chapter branches further, where you will get two new voices instead of the usual one in Chapter 3. One voice is determined by whether you pick up the blade. Additionally, you either get the Voice of the Paranoid if you try to leave the Razor, the Voice of the Broken if you try to rescue the Razor or bore her, or the Voice of the Stubborn if you attack her with the blade. You get all voices in Chapter 4.

* **The Arms Race** Take the blade. You get the Voice of the Hunted.
* **No Way Out** Leave the blade. You get the Voice of the Contrarian.

Achievements for this chapter will be granted in Chapter 4.

### The Spectre

Main article: The Spectre
***Voices***: Hero,Cold

This chapter can branch further:

* **The Wraith** Have the Spectre remove your heart after refusing possesion. You recieve the Voice of the Paranoid when trying to leave, Voice of the Cheated when refusing possesion, trying to slay her, retrieving the blade or destroying Spectre's bones.

Chapter Achievements:

* **An Evanescent Vessel** bring the Spectre vessel.
* **The Exorcist** let the Spectre possess you, then stab yourself.
* **Heart-ripper** have the Spectre remove your heart after refusing possession.
* **Hitchhiker** let the Spectre leave by possessing your body.

## Additional Chapters

Some Chapter II choices end the route. Others take you to an additional chapter. This varies depending on the Chapter, and in one unique case, the Player will go through up to four Chapters.

### The Wild

Main article: The Wild
***Prev. Chapter***:

* The Witch
* The Beast

The Witch

***Voices***: Hero,Opportunist,Stubborn/Cheated/Paranoid

The Beast

***Voices***: Hero,Hunted,Broken/Contrarian/Opportunist/Stubborn
### The Thorn

Main article: The Thorn
***Prev. Chapter***: The Witch

***Voices**: Hero,Opportunist,Cheated/Smitten*

### The Apotheosis

Main article: The Apotheosis
***Prev. Chapter***: The Tower

***Voices**: Hero,Broken,Paranoid*

### The Fury

Main article: The Fury
***Prev. Chapter***:

* The Tower
* The Adversary

The Tower

***Voices***: Hero,Broken,Stubborn

The Adversary

***Voices***: Hero,Stubborn,Broken/Contrarian
### The Eye of the Needle

Main article: The Eye of the Needle
***Prev. Chapter***: The Adversary

***Voices**: Hero,Stubborn,Skeptic/Hunted*

### The Den

Main article: The Den
***Prev. Chapter***: The Beast

***Voices***: Hero,Hunted,Stubborn/Skeptic

### The Grey

Main article: The Grey
* The Burned
* The Drowned

The Burned

***Prev. Chapter***: The Damsel

***Voices***: Hero,Smitten,Cold

The Drowned

***Prev. Chapter***: The Prisoner

***Voices***: Hero,Skeptic,Cold
### The Moment of Clarity

Main article: The Moment of Clarity
***Prev. Chapter***: The Nightmare

***Voices***: Hero,Paranoid,Broken,Cheated,Cold,Contrarian,Hunted,Opportunist,Skeptic,Smitten,Stubborn.

### The Wraith

Main article: The Wraith
***Prev. Chapter***:

* The Nightmare
* The Spectre

The Nightmare

***Voices***: Hero,Paranoid,Opportunist

the Spectre

***Voices***: Hero,Cold,Paranoid/Cheated
### The Arms Race & Mutually Assured Destruction

Main article: The Arms Race
* The Arms Race
* Mutually Assured Destruction

The Arms Race

***Prev. Chapter***: The Razor

***Voices***: Hero,Cheated,Hunted,Broken/Paranoid/Stubborn

Mutually Assured Destruction

***Voices***: Hero,Cheated,Hunted,Broken,Cold,Contrarian,Opportunist,Paranoid,Skeptic,Smitten,Stubborn
### No Way Out & The Empty Cup

Main article: No Way Out
* No Way Out
* The Empty Cup

No Way Out

***Prev. Chapter***: The Razor

***Voices***: Hero,Cheated,Contrarian,Broken/Paranoid

The Empty Cup

***Voices***: Hero,Cheated,Hunted,Broken,Cold,Contrarian,Opportunist,Paranoid,Skeptic,Smitten,Stubborn
## **Trivia**

* Path Of The Razor is the only path with a fourth chapter, while Path of The Stranger is the only path with no third chapter.
* The Moment Of Clarity, and both pathways of the Razor are the only routes to have every voice present at once.