Black White Ground

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* GL
* TW

## **Main Background**

Winter Area

> *(No quest info is available at the moment).*
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**Black White Ground** is a Spectre quest released for the GL Christmas 2020 event for the Global version of Crash Fever.

At some point after the events of Cataclysm, Ptolemaeus wakes up in a completely pitch-black area. She asks what happened and where is she. She then remembers Scorpio going crazy and trying to destroy Black Ground, and that the others had tried to escape on Orion's Saiph Vessel while she desperately tried to find Almagest in order to save him. Ptolemaeus says that, while she isn't sure why she feels this way, she is sure that Orion is behind all of it.

Ptolemaeus then realizes that she is somehow still alive, despite how everything should have been destroyed. She notes that the environment that she is in is a safe, yet unreadable environment. After some brief analysis, she says that the area seems like an unstructured proprietary data management system, though she isn't sure. She looks at the encryption methods, and says that they were based on last generation algorithms that haven't been in use since the creation of Black Ground, due to the new algorithms that she had created. She concludes that this must means that this area must have been developed in the server's early years.

Suddenly, she hears a voice saying that they are going to kill someone, followed by the person asking if their mother is there. Startled, Ptolemaeus asks who is there, and demands that they show themselves. She quickly realizes that it was Almagest, talking to himself in his inactive state. Despite how dangerous and uncertain her situation is, Ptolemaeus argues with herself about how stupid the idea of an AI sleeping, before starting to wonder why he is still in a data recovery state. She mentions that he was equipped with the ultimate protection protocols that should have put him into an alert mode whenever he detected something dangerous.

Thinking about it, Ptolemaeus notes that the area seems heavily shielded, and she is unable to know if there is any data processing going on outside. She remarks that the place could even be regarded as a "safe" area. Upon hearing Almagest snooze some more, Ptolemaeus expresses her annoyance that she came there to save him and he's sleeping like nothing is happening. She says that he never disappoints in being a young and spiteful AI. Ptolemaeus wonders if Ophiuchus and Gemini are OK, and what Cassiopeia and Libra were discussing. While thinking on what happened recently, Ptolemaeus starts to feel a bit of protective warmth from the area, and falls asleep near Almagest.

Inside her dream, the residents of Terranova start to get concerned as they are faced with an unbearable cold and diminishing resources. Virgo mentions that they won't last more than 3 weeks at the current rate, and laments how they can't seem to stop the winter. As someone had long ago stopped spring from coming to Black Ground, the dark server had become enveloped in heavy snow from an eternal winter. One of the inhabitants mentions that their houses are buried under the snow up to their roofs, and another one mentions that they will need to start digging tunnels between them.

Virgo says that they will need to gather together and decide if they should go see "him". One of the inhabitants agrees that it is the best thing they can do, and the other states that they will have to send someone to the highest mountain peak where Orion's Ice Palace is so they can ask him for help. However, all of the villagers were hesitant to go on such a dangerous trip.

Suddenly, Almagest declares that he would be ready to go, but as he doesn't like boring trips he would need to have someone go with him if he is to reach the peak. Ptolemaeus tells him not to worry, as she will go with him as she likes talking with him rather than all the old and boring people here. Virgo says that they can't go, as they are too young for something so dangerous. He points out that they don't even have a warm coat, or a hat and scarf, or even sweets to eat along the way.

Almagest states that he isn't afraid, and that his feet are strong and that he is faster than anyone else there. One of the inhabitants points out that they will freeze from the cold without a shelter, but Ptolemaeus reminds them that her coding abilities are second to none, and she will be able to save them from the frost. Libra gives them permission to go, and wishes them good luck. The children of the village give Almagest warm clothes and treats to help him, and he sets out with Ptolemaeus after they wave goodbye to the villagers.

As they make their way up the mountain, they both laugh with each other. Ptolemaeus remarks that, if you can't defeat someone with force, they just need to turn things around so that they think you're the hero. Almagest says that they just need to be good until they figure out the truth. Ptolemaeus suggests that they act kind to Orion so that he doesn't suspect their true motives. Together, they say that they will never bring back spring to Black Ground, and the others will have to recognize their power and genius. Far behind them, however, Libra follows them, as he had his suspicions.

The two arrive at Orion's Ice Palace, and Almagest mentions that he had heard that Orion sleeps while waiting for the snow to melt. He remarks that Orion will remain sleeping forever. However, a voice suddenly calls out from the palace, asking who they are and why they are trying to enter the palace. Orion steps out, and asks if they were the ones behind the never ending winter. He asks if he has been sleeping there while they stopped spring from coming, in order to outsmart him and become the next winter routine admins. Orion says that he won't let them get away with this. Ptolemaeus and Almagest get ready to fight him.

Meanwhile, outside the dream, Almagest wakes up, and tries to figure out where he is. He remarks that the place seems quite boring. He realizes that Ptolemaeus is there but no one else is, and he tries to wake her up so that they can figure out where the others are. However, Ptolemaeus keeps on sleeping.

Inside the dream, Ptolemaeus and Almagest keep fighting against Orion, until he tells them they've done enough. He states that, while he doesn't want to hurt kids like them, if they will continue he will freeze them so they sleep forever in his palace. He asks them if this is really what they want, but Ptolemaeus declares that he hasn't seen anything yet. Suddenly, a huge bomb made of holiday sweets appears above Orion's Ice Palace, ready to blow them up. Watching from afar, Libra wonders if he should try to stop them, or if it is already too late.

Almagest asks Ptolemaeus if she is ready, and she says that she can't wait to destroy the place. As Almagest counts down, however, Ptolemaeus tells him to wait, and points out one of the sweets in their bomb. She mentions that it is an old kylobyte holiday candy, one that she had always dreamed of having. Almagest notices that there is a Ping Cookie Package, and says he doesn't want to throw it away. The two of them begin to eat their own bomb made out of sweets, much to Libra's shock. Dumbfounded, Orion asks to himself if they are seriously doing this.

After they had eaten half of their bomb, Ptolemaeus and Almagest state that they're not interested in him anymore, at least for now. They mention that they just want to go back to their friends, so they can share all of these sweets and mention how much they missed them. Orion thinks to himself that it would be best for him to just play along, and not mention how he did find the idea of them beating him with a bunch of sweets to be pretty funny. Orion declares that he will restore the normal weather routines, and that the firewalls are now working properly. He says that the snow should start to melt. Back in Terranova, they all cheer for Ptolemaeus and Almagest, all unaware that this was part of their plan to begin with.

Outside the dream, Almagest keeps trying to wake up Ptolemaeus. He notices that she hasn't had any water in days, and mentions that he can transfer basic necessities from his main memory to any coordinates due to his side functionality of being a protection AI. Ptolemaeus suddenly wakes up, and realizes that she had been asleep for several days. Almagest ask where they are, and that it is about time they talked.

Somewhere else, Aries wakes up, his heart beating fast. He mentions that the place seems to be quite dark, and asks what the hell was that huge explosion. He notes that the place seems to be somewhat familiar. He wonders if he's starting to go crazy, but comes across something familiar. Upon recognizing what it is, he starts to realize what it must mean if that is there. He calls out to someone - his mother.

## Counter Units

The Regional Festival event counter unit to this quest is the Christmas version of Ptolemaeus & Almagest.

## Trivia

* The dream featuring an area stuck in an eternal winter needing help from a person who can control snow isolated from everyone else in a palace of ice is likely a reference to the movie *Frozen*.

 **Hatcher Units** | Azathoth (Christmas ver.)

 **Hatcher Units** | Gemini Sisters (Christmas ver.)

 **Hatcher Units** | Lucia • Nicholas • Lovecraft (Christmas ver.)