Read the Chapter Before You Look here (with Multiple Votes Allowed) (Patreon)

Change of plans. There is only one chapter today because I decided to give you a poll.

Choose Ramona Mercer's Archetype!

Your choices are all of the classics but with a twist.

I have included all applicable Archetypes (based on her personality).

I have also included Advanced Archetype options. I reserve the right to decide when these will be awarded. It could be immediately, but probably won't. I just need to know now so I can design her progression.

After this, she will function as an ordinary player and her specialness will not be a big part of the story unless relevant. She will be part of an available pool of players for the main characters to bring along. I haven't decided yet if she will be a main character.

For a while, we're going to have a much more storyline- and character-focused story. The Throughline will be a backdrop.

The highest voted Archetype and AA will become hers.

Time Looper: Trapped in a time loop, the Time Looper has experienced the same events repeatedly. This has given them foresight into specific events, allowing them to anticipate and counter threats. However, the weight of repeated experiences, especially traumatic ones, can take a toll on their mental well-being. Can they use their curse to help stop evil, or will they be doomed to watch terror win again and again?

Eldritch Conduit: Having made contact with an ancient, eldritch deity, the Eldritch Conduit serves as a vessel for otherworldly powers. Their mind is a battleground between their own will and the incomprehensible desires of the deity. They can tap into forbidden knowledge and perform rituals but at the risk of losing themselves to the entity's influence. Sometimes the only way to defeat a monster is to become the greater evil.

The Doomed: The Doomed is marked by a powerful curse inflicted by magic, a deity, or perhaps by fate itself. This character is in a constant battle with their own doom, be it a relentless, unkillable entity or a more abstract, ominous fate. Their story is one of resilience and struggle against overwhelming odds. Their horror follows a pattern and rarely escalates. The Doomed have only one advantage: all curses can be removed. Their journey is fraught with danger and desperation, but also hope – the hope of overcoming what seems an insurmountable affliction.

The Artist: There is a wide variety of tropes centered on artistic pursuits, a common vocation in horror and film. Abilities can be practical or meta. I will lean toward giving her the practical ones.