DD-DDD04 (Nov 26, 1988)
Puzzle
"The Friendly Face of 2020."
Knowledge | Come Back to L8R | 3 Words
Clue
Hover over the clues if you require!
Clue 1: ??
Clue 2: ??
Clue 3: ??
Answer and Explanation
Answer: The Fated Frenzy
Explanation: The puzzle is a reference to the phrase (and title of the subarchive) 'The Friendly Face of Fate'. A 'Fate' in 2020 would be the Fated Frenzy, the name of the sub-archive of Otherworldly Adventures that details the CaD's encounters with Alfheim. Note that, though this subarchive was not released or its name made known at the time of writing, it had previously been named in the Archives v1.0.
Summary of Receipt
Summary
Transcript
AND RECEIPT
RECEIPT NUMBER: DDD04
RECEIPT DATE: 11 26 1988
MANAGER TITLE: Other
RECEIPT NOTES:
How interesting… So that’s how it happened.
For the longest time, I thought—we all thought—that Belphegor was to blame for the creation of the Otherworld. And I suppose she still is, in a way. It was her dreams, shaped while wielding the Pocketwatch, that gave birth to the essences of the Otherworld—mythological figures and legends drawn from her memory of human lore and myth. But it was Lucifer who gave them form. Who let them be. I—obviously—share her sentiment that it’s only fair they should get to live. It’s not like they asked to be dreamt up in the first place.
Though, now I see why the Otherworld emerged when it did. I always thought it had something to do with Julia Wandsun—but it goes back a generation further. Lucifer’s death was the catalyst. When she died, the Otherworld—or at least the four planes she personally anchored—were released, made accessible to the wider Universe. Of course, her control over those planes didn’t vanish entirely. Her mark transferred to her… well, I was going to say youngest daughter, but I suppose she’s more in the middle now, isn’t she? It depends on when Sunshine was really… “born.” Maybe “youngest at the time” is close enough.
But oh, how it changed her. Julia, that is. Being a Cambion alone is enough to shatter a person’s worldview. Raised by Angels, no less. That’s got to mess someone up, even if, on the surface, things seemed fine. Normal. Underneath? God—what a storm was brewing. Angels make terrible parents, you know. Borderline abusive by virtue of their inability to feel the same way mortals do. Julia survived that, only to be hunted down by an agent of the Wicked. The Lord in Yellow. The King of Xanthic Flames. The Archon with far too many names for his own good.
And what did he do when he found her?
He killed her mother. Right in front of her.
Of course, she didn’t know Lucifer was her mother at the time, but still… to witness that. To see a Prince—someone as kind and loving as Lucifer—shredded into reality-melting flames. To see her star burn out. All because of Jean-Marc’s need to feel special. It sticks with you.
Then, without even understanding why, Lucifer’s powers—the authority over the Otherworld she had created—passed to Julia. Naturally, that infuriated Wicked and Fate. So close. So close to sealing the one little twist they couldn’t control. They tried to get rid of her. Julia. But she came back. The Otherworld came back. And it grew.
The Eighth Plane of the Otherworld took root, anchored to its own cosmic ruins. And with that, the Cold was undone. Killed by the woman they tried to use to take the Universe the first time. Serves them right, don’t you think?
And on the bright side, I still love the Otherworld, even if it’s been dragged into Princely politics. I’m glad Abraxas decided to keep it. Maybe he didn’t have a choice in the matter, but if he wanted to, he could have hidden it all away. I’m happy he didn’t. I love Avalon. I love Nightmarch, Olympus, and the Nine Realms.
They remind me of better times.
They still remind me of her—