The Darkness Pt. 1 (Archive of a community CYOA told through a Blaseball Discord)
[This is the archive of a Choose Your Own Adventure game I ran through the Yellowstone Magic Blaseball side discord server.
It is a complete story told in and of itself over a series of posts made through Carl bot (https://carl.gg/) in which community members would react with different emojis to direct Carl on his adventure through The Darkness.
The posts were made over several weeks, written at any time between breakfast and 3am the following night when my dog woke me up and I had an idea.
There are things I would change about this story if I did it again or if I did it as its own all-the-way-through written experience, but one thing I wouldn’t change is the response I’ve gotten from my fellow Yellowstone Magic fans.
I love each and every one of you, even when you made me take hours pulling my hair out trying to figure out where to take it next in response to the community’s guidance.
This will be split into several posts. This one will lead up to after a certain event in the game where Carl uses a special item.
In the final post, I’ll include all the options for a bonus cameo I wrote on a special hike we went on with the fans of the Seattle Garages after a particularly hellish Season 15.
Anything in [brackets] is to indicate out of character direct conversation to players. Messages also used varying levels of bold and/or italics to indicate certain things about the characters that were speaking. Most often, this is used to indicate why an option is available.
After each post, I will include the emoji option(s) that won. If there is not a Unicode equivalent, I am just leaving the Discord name of the emoji in its place.
Following this disclaimer was the first post in the channel. There was a secret mechanic that was never discovered by the players involving this first post. I’ll explain it in detail in the third archive posting.
There is some language (in accordance with PG-13 rules). There are some spooks. I tried to CW where I could.
I hope you enjoy.]
[photo credit Bryony Richards https://matadornetwork.com/trips/393977/]
⚫🌌
I hear the crackling and sizzling of my fire as I make sure it is properly doused.
The night surrounds me. I feel a chill.
I look to the stars above me and think of my mission.
I secure my pack and move on.
🧭 I know the way. I can do this.
👁️ It wouldn’t hurt to look around, would it?
Or react with any other emoji.
The most reacted emoji determines my fate.
👁️
It wouldn’t hurt to look around, would it?
I take a moment to take in the splendor of Yellowstone National Parkpark. It’s beautiful this time of night.
I lose something to the magnificence of it all.
Why am I here?
The winds shift. I spot a cavern nearby. Its darkness calls to me.
Do I answer?
📥 Yes. What I seek is inside.
🐭 No. Something feels wrong.
Or react with any other emoji.
The most reacted emoji determines my fate.
📥
I answer. What I seek is inside. I can feel it compel me.
I was sent here, but why?
As I approach the cave, I hear something move behind me. I turn to look but I trip.
A howl echoes through the cave and I feel myself lose control, but as I fall, I rise.
:rock: I land among the stalactites.
⚫️ I land nowhere.
Or something else.
[What won was a tie of two custom emoji of hands reaching for grass]
The winds shift. I fall- no, I rise- no.
I am placed in the grass.
I look around for clues to where I am, to what force brought me here, but the darkness only seems to grow thicker.
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
🔦 I guess it’s good I came prepared!
Or something else.
🔦
It’s good I came prepared!
I set my pack among the grass and sift through until I find my flashlight. I shine it around me.
The blades dance in the wind, but beyond them, nothing.
The light shows nothing above me and nothing around me beyond its reach.
I can’t hear anything besides the wind and grass. I take a moment to try to recollect myself.
🥪 I sit down for a moment and have a snack. [This option is available because I am prepared.]
🎎 I focus inward. Maybe I can recall why I’m here. [This option is available because I lost something to the darkness.]
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
Or something else.
🥪
No sense in exploring on an empty stomach.
I take a load off in the grass and reach into my pack. Everything seems still for a moment.
https://tenor.com/view/turtle-lettuce-eating-eating-lettuce-healthy-gif-19100299
I am energized, but there’s no time to waste.
I came here for a reason (whatever that was), and I need to move on, but how do I know where to go?
🎒 Maybe I have something in my pack that can help? *[I am prepared.]*
🌾 What was that noise? Is there something here?
🏃 I keep going for a bit. *[I ate recently.]*
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
Or something else.
🛁
I shine my light, but I only see darkness.
The grass rustles behind me, and I turn to see a clawfoot bathtub waiting in the void.
I look around for a clue as to how it got here. Nothing.
I slowly approach. I hear movement inside. What is it?
🛁 Nothing. It’s just a tub.
⚫️ Me.
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
Or something else.
:drop_of_blood:
*[Cw we’re gonna get spooky!]*
Blood. Overwhelmingly blood.
I step back as it seeps down the sides, onto the grass.
The wind is still and I hear the tub hum. The grass around the tub darkens.
A hand rises out and grabs the side of the tub.
I step backwards and I fall down a hill.
What the heck was that?! And was the terrain of this place shifting around me?
Obviously I wasn’t thinking this in the moment on account of tumbling into oblivion.
🐢 I land safely on my back in the grass.
⚫️ I land nowhere.
🧗 I catch myself and climb back up. [I have my strength.]
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
Or something else.
🧗
[Cw light body horror]
“No!” I throw my limbs out. The wind swirls. I catch myself. I breathe deep and I begin my steady ascension.
I know that I have been sent here for an important mission! I know that this cavern will be scary, but I am here to explore it, and I will do my best!
The grass dances as I crest the hill and I shine my light. The tub seems… dry?
I move closer, peeking side to side, as if there was somewhere for something to hide.
I peer over the edge of the tub.
No blood.
I hear creaking from behind me like stressed wood.
I spin and see a hand with long fingers reaching toward me, its elbows extending far into the darkness.
🗣 ️“H-hi?”
🛸 Where does it take me? [I have been picked up before.]
🦷 Bite! [I am full of fighting spirit.]
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
Or something else.
🗣️
Facing down the monstrous, creaking hand, I swallow and then croak out.¹
“H-hi?”
Just before they were about to grab me, the fingers recoil and pause. Then the hand retreats, floating back into the darkness.
“W-wait!” I start after it through the bloody grass.
But do I even want to follow it? Is this even a good idea?
🏃 Yes! I’m the greatest! I’m gonna go catch up and talk to it! [I am growing in confidence and strength.]
🚦 Maybe I can follow it and see if it gives me any clues about my mission? [I am still uncertain of my purpose.]
🙅 No way! Did you see that thing?! I’m going anywhere except wherever that thing went!
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
Or something else.
¹I am not a frog.
🏃
Yes! Of course I follow it! I am the greatest!
It’s fast, but I can catch up! I am going to talk to it!
It’s faster than me, but it can’t get away forever! Shining my flashlight ahead to keep sight of it as it slowly fades into the darkness.
I didn’t even realize, but I ended up on rock. I look back. More rock.
I move a little further in the direction the hand went. Cavern walls and ceiling come into view. And then form into three paths ahead of me.
My flashlight flickers. Ugh. I have been looking around a lot. It’ll be alright in a pinch, but I’ll need some new batteries eventually. *[This happened because there are no stars.]*
But where to now?
⚫️ I’m going to just stay here and fix my flashlight!
⬆️ I take the path up, obviously.
🔼 Maybe instead, I take the other path up.
👆 No, I should go this way. It goes up.
:bed: Siesta. Go to sleep. [I am getting tired.]
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
Or something else.
👆 👇
No, I should go this way.
I make my decision and follow the cavern trail. The wind whistles through the tunnels as I climb.
The wind seems to collect itself and then echo through the cave.
Balance must be maintained. what
The cavern walls shift around me. The ground tilts and I start to slip.
As above, so below.
I fall into the darkness.
But I feel myself rise. Gravity shifts again and again and again.
Until I land in a small pool of water.
Something about the air here seems free. I’m no longer in the cavern, but.
The sky seems larger here. But it’s empty. [Darkness still overpowers the stars.]
I take a moment to survey the landscape and plot my next move. I hear a distant howl.
🐺 Go towards the howl. Maybe something of interest in that valley.
⛺️ There’s some flat ground here. Probably a decent time to set up camp. [I am getting tired.]
👁️ It wouldn’t hurt to take another moment to look around here, would it?
🌄 Maybe I should move to the top of that ridge and get a better lay of the land. [I still have some of my vigor.]
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
Or something else.
⛺️
There’s some flat ground here. Probably a decent time to set up camp.
I pull my tent from my pack and start staking the poles into the ground. And the wind blows. I feel a presence.
I look back. Just rolling hills, bubbling geothermal formations, snow.
I see a distant light, a star. One has fought its way through the darkness.
I smile and finish setting up my tent. I secure it against the wind and settle down.
I hear another distant howl but push the fear and uncertainty from my mind as I drift to sleep.
🔦 I better leave my flashlight outside to recharge in the starlight. [I am prepared; A star has appeared.]
As long as this receives at least 10 votes, Carl will leave his flashlight outside the tent overnight, regardless of what option receives the majority.
⏰ The night passes without event. I awaken refreshed sometime later. [My fighting spirit allows me some degree of protection, even in my sleep.]
🐺 I can sleep, but I can’t shake the howling. My dreams are infected.
:wood: A creaking startles me awake.
🔥 Maybe I’ll sit by a fire for a bit instead.
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
Or something else.
🔦 🐺
[Cw intrusive thoughts, emotional spiraling]
I drift to sleep. The howls echo in my mind.
You are hopelessly lost. A voice hisses.
Wasn’t I already here?
No way out. I see a flash of teeth, smiling, laughing at me. A long grin.
Submit to the darkness, haha. It’s your only hope.
When was the last time I saw light?
You will fail.
They’re right. I don’t even remember why I came. Where am I even?
Stay.
I’m not supposed to be here. I’m not supposed to be here. I’m not supposed to be here.
I roll in bed and wake up in a sweat. I slept through the night but… ugh. I try to shake off the bad dreams. I can’t get rid of those visions, their voice, their teeth.
[I am now Shaken. One random emoji option will be transformed into ⚫️ until I can recover emotionally.]
At least I had the foresight and ability to recharge my flashlight, and at least the star is still here.
I take a breath and grab a quick bite to eat before packing up and getting ready to hit the trail.
What now?
🐺 I can’t hear it any more, but maybe seeking out the source of that howling will help me shake whatever is hanging over my head.
🌄 I should move to the top of that ridge and get a better lay of the land. *[I am rested and fed.]*
~~star~~ [this indicates that an option was struck through and thus, unavailable] ⚫️ Maybe if I just head towards the star, I can find something interesting.
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
Or something else.
🌄
I should move to the top of that ridge and get a better lay of the land.
I throw on my pack and trudge up the mountain.
I take down notes of my surroundings.
I see a flat area with geothermal formations that I left. To the northeast, across the howling valley I see another mountain.
On the other side of this ridge to my west is a rolling lake.
The wind is strong up here.
Okay, where to?
🐺 I head to the Howling Valley. I think I see some… nests?
🔥 I head back across the field. I think I see a cave over there.
~~mountain~~ ⚫️ I head to the other ridge.
🌊 I head to the lake. Maybe I can take a moment to grab a drink.
:wind_blowing_face: Stay a little while and listen longer. [It is windy.]
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
Or something else.
:wind_blowing_face:
I stay a little while longer to listen.
The wind blows. I close my eyes a moment.
I think on my decisions.
I have forgotten something important every time I stopped to look around or wait for something to happen.
I have forgotten my mission, who sent me, and how I got here.
I am Prepared, Shaken, Confident, and Rested. I am no longer Well Fed, but I am not Hungry. I have no water but I’m not yet Thirsty.
I encountered a hand creature with an extremely long, bendy arm that made sounds like creaking wood and tried to take me somewhere, and after talking to it, I seemed to scare it. Biting it was a terrible idea. I’m glad I didn’t do that.
I have been plagued by howls that gave me some kind of… stress dreams. Still not sure what that was about.
Okay, what now?
:wind_blowing_face: Maybe just a little while longer…
🎒 I wonder what’s in my pack.
🐺 I head to the Howling Valley. Something lives over there.
~~fire~~ ⚫️ I head back across the field. There’s a cave on the other side of the GTF’s.
🌄 I head to the other ridge. I see trees over there.
🌊 I head to the lake. I can take a moment to grab a drink and fill my canteen.
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
Or something else.
🎒
Alright, good time as any to take inventory.
Looks like… I have plenty of food 🍃 so I won’t have to worry about going hungry unless something happens to my reserves or unless I get stuck here for a while. Regardless, still a good idea to ration just in case.
I have a, uhhh whatever this thing is. 🔮
Some writing and notation supplies 📔 , my empty canteen 🍼, my flashlight 🔦, my tent and other camping supplies ⛺️, binoculars :nerd: and some climbing gear :knot:
[I can now use any item in my pack in addition to following a path by getting more than 10 votes. If the item receives more votes than anything else, I will only use that item and not advance.]
As I start to close my pack, the wind blows and I hear rustling from my pack. I search around and find a secret compartment! [It is windy AND I am observant.]
I pull out a sealed envelope.
“My love :ball_esbian:” [a custom emoji of the lesbian flag over a baseball]
Huh. Is this… my mission? A letter for me to deliver?! How exciting!
Okay what now?
:wind_blowing_face: Maybe I can listen a little while longer…
🐺 I head to the Howling Valley. I’m starting to see movement. Something lives over there.
🔥 I head back across the field. There’s a cave on the other side of the GTF’s. Is that where the wind is blowing from?
~~mountain~~ ⚫️ I head to the other ridge. I see trees over there and is that light coming from the other side?
🌊 I head to the lake. I can take a moment to grab a drink and fill my canteen. Surely nothing lives in the water, too?
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
Or something else.
🐺
I head to the Howling Valley. There’s something moving over there.
[I decide not to use my binoculars because the option only received 9 votes. Dino’s reactions do not count. Also it’s way too dark for me to even see anything anyway.]
I follow the ridge down to the valley. A geyser shoots off in the field to my right.
Neat.
It takes me some time, but I manage to make it safely to the valley.
Ahead I see several low plants and a small stream, only a few inches deep. Dotted along the hillsides are several burrows, visibly dug up. Milling about the valley and several small silhouettes, maybe a half dozen, larger than wolves but thinner and more ragged.
I catch a glimpse of familiar teeth in the starlight and immediately duck behind a strange… bush-like vegetation. It’s kind of spindly like Old Man’s Beard or a pine tree, but low to the ground and round. I don’t see any bugs or anything inside the bush.
Oh, right! The howlers. I carefully peer through the bush and… no more silhouettes?
I look side to side. Maybe they… moved on?
👁️ Hide, wait and look closer.
:detective: It might be safe. I’ll carefully walk out.
~~person_running~~ ⚫️ It’s definitely not safe but I can just run out and maybe get past them? [I am confident.]
🍃 Eat the bush. Maybe just a little bite? [I am inquisitive.]
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
Or something else.
🍃
[Cw description of overeating]
Eat the bush. Maybe just a little bite? I mean, what’s the worst that could happen, right? It’s not like I’m using the bush for anything right now or anything.
I glance around to make sure the coast is still clear and then I sniff. It smells pretty good. Kind of medicinal. And then I take a bite.
Oh, it’s good! But I guess not in a way where I’m thinking that it’s very very good. I take another bite.
It’s like I just want more. (chomp) And more. (chomp) And more! (chomp)
[I am now Well Fed and have gained the trait Tummy Ache.]
[CW description of spooky noises and toothy creatures, and bullying]
And just as it’s almost all gone, I hear a noise behind me.
“What have we got here?”
I freeze and look up. Standing around me are six creatures with long, open snouts bearing teeth. I can’t move but my eyes dart between them.
“A little adventurer?” They don’t move their mouths to speak. I just hear their voices as they stare into my eyes. They inhale sharply and rapidly. Mockingly.
“You lose your way little adventurer?” They laugh again.
“You all alone out here in the dark, huh? Why don’t you go ahead and get this over with and make the job easy for us! Give in little adventurer.” I feel myself shaking again.
“What’s the matter? Just gonna stand there, belly full of bush? Got nothing to say?”
[I am now Terrified. I will not know what the official emoji responses are until I am out of this situation. I am still Shaken, and one will still be randomly overtaken by darkness.]
~~ Fight the Meeanas!~~ [I am outnumbered and I have a Tummy Ache.]
~~Outrun them!~~ [I am surrounded and I have a Tummy Ache.]
🎒 Uhhh, maybe I uhhh. Maybe there’s something I have? I don’t know!
🗣️ Say something super cool and clever! You can probably do that, right?
⚫️ Submit to the darkness.
Or something else.
🔮
Ok
So
I’m clearly desperate here.
“Oh is the wittle adventuwew gonna cwy?” Raucous, terrible laughter.
I can’t fight them and I can’t run, but I am prepared. I reach into my pack and find the 🔮.
“Oh look! He got a special item from his adventurer pack! We better get running before he gets even more lost!!” More laughter. A couple even give up circling me and double over.
I grit with determination and raise the ball as high as I can. [There is one star.]
It catches the starlight and begins to glow.
Everything is still for a moment as we all look at the starlight orb.
And………. it glows.
They all look at each other and then burst into laughter.
“This was your ace in the hole?”
“Buddy you’re done for!”
“Yeah, a real goner! You better give up now!”
Ugh. I pull the ball closer and whisper in frustration.
@/oracle “Uhh…. Help? Do something?”
[At this point, I pinged one of the groundskeepers who had been assigned a special role that had permission to post in The Darkness, “Oracle.” I didn’t give them any direction.]
🔮 Castaras
sup
patpat the tortoise
A mysterious voice rings through the orb. Everyone is still once more.
“Um… Hi. I’m Carl. I um… I need help? Can you do something about these mean creatures?”
🔮 Castaras
“Hi Carl. Mean creatures? We can’t have that!! Point the orb at them and I’ll work my …magic.”
The oracle sneakily opens a search engine and searches for ‘how to get mean creatures to leave good tortoises alone using an orb’.
I lift the orb high and close my eyes.
🔮 Castaras
The ghostly form of a great feline beast rises forth from the orb.
“BEGONE.”
The Meeanas cower and scatter. They call back.
“You’re still hopelessly lost, little adventurer! We’ll be back once you’ve given up for good! You’ll see!”
I set the orb down and breathe.
“Wow! Uh… thanks, mysterious oracle!”
[The light begins to fade for now. We’re running out of time together.]
🔮 Castaras
“No problem! Now, through my powers I can see where you are. Take heed, Carl, for you are in great danger! These creatures were merely the start. Whatever you do, you must not-”
And the starlight orb fades.
I load it into my pack and consider my next move.
[I am still shaken.]
[Part 2 is here https://caseycrook92.medium.com/the-darkness-pt-2-9b6d62485380?source=your_stories_page------------------------------------- ]
