Night at the Curiosity Collective

It seems to be a normal evening for the great city of Nodd. Screams of pain, moans of pleasure, and manic laughter perforate the atmosphere as a fetid stench hangs in the humid air. Normal to everyone, except for you. You have just been informed that you have lost your job, and are now bitterly wandering the streets, feeling sorry for yourself. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Unfortunately for you, whilst trudging through the streets looking down at your feet, a thousand thoughts racing through your mind, you took a wrong turn and now have no idea where you are. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. You have a vague idea where you are. You know you’re in the (text-colour:#868e96)[Umbrasia district], and judging by the relative quiet and the lack of anyone nearby you can tell this is a road less traveled by, but you can’t tell how you ended up here, or how to get out. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Aha! Your (text-colour:#12b886)[ego bracer] should show you a map of the city, right? But it’s no help, the paths here are so small and winding and confusing. There’s no-one around to ask for directions. Oh, you knew you shouldn’t have made that left turn by Black Ditch Couture! Perhaps there’s some kind of establishment nearby that can help you out?... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Thankfully, you spot a rather unusual building. Well, it really would have been hard not to spot it! An incredibly tall and thin building compared to the surrounding architecture, with two pillars flanking the entrance that are shaped like giant femur bones. Stone creatures look down upon you from the sides of the building, though they appear very unlike any petrid you’ve ever seen. They’re small, winged creatures, perching on all fours, with rounded beaks filled with sharp little teeth, and long, stiff tails ending in a spade. They are merely ornaments, all identical and posed with their mouthes agape as if fending off some larger foe. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=A brown, almost skull shaped (text-colour:#12b886)[arcanogram] hovers just to the right of the entrance. Scanning it reveals the name of the place, though you needn’t have even done so as it seems the same words are etched above the doorway: #(click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")+(text-style:"buoy")+(text-colour:#fa5252)+(text-style:"smear")[THE CURIOSITY COLLECTIVE] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=But something else catches your eye. In the window, next to the floating anacrogram, is a single piece of paper with the words (text-colour:#12b886)[“POSITION AVAILABLE! APPLY WITHIN!”] scrawled hastily across it’s surface in dark red ink. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Well, lucky you! Just after losing your job, it didn’t even take you long to find a new one! Sure it’s in a creepy old building, but it wouldn’t hurt to try, right?... ''(text-colour:#12b886)[(click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=[[>Enter the building]]]''

You approach the cafe. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The chairs and tables are all stacked on top of each other and pushed to the side. The (text-colour:#12b886)[janitor] is using a long mop that appears to be made out of some poor (text-colour:#12b886)[lehlt's skull], with the mane still intact, to clean up some (text-colour:#c92a2a)[dark red substance] off of the floor. (text-colour:(hsl:210,0.1667,0.9765,0.35))[Wait, is that blood?...] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=He looks over at you with contempt in his beady eyes. "Cafe's closed." he grunts. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You decide it's best to leave him to it. ''(text-colour:#12b886)[(click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=[[>Return to the lobby]]]''

You approach the gift shop. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=As you inspect the items avaliable for sale, you notice that they are mostly themed after (text-colour:#c92a2a)[skeletal remains]. There's pens in the shape of femurs, notebooks in the shape of ribcages, erasers in the shape of skulls, it's all very morbid. (align:"=><=")[<img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/bone%20pen.png" width="150"><img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/spine%20book.png" width="150"><img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/skull%20eraser.png" width="150">] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The (text-colour:#12b886)[petrid] at the desk seems to be scrolling through the arcanet rather than paying attention to his customers. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The (text-colour:#12b886)[mother slyne] is watching as her child rifles through a box of colourful stones. ''(text-colour:#12b886)[(click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=[[>Speak to the cashieer]] [[>Speak to the mother]] [[>Return to the lobby]]]''

With bated breath, you enter the building. You can't tell if you're feeling nervous or excited. The eyes of the stone creatures appear to follow you as you step inside... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The inside of the building is very... (text-colour:(hsl:33,1,0.8294,0.6))[brown]. Brown wallpaper flakes off the walls, brown tiles coat the floor, the front desk is brown, it all feels very drab. The one thing in the room that wasn't brown was the (text-colour:#12b886)[taxidermied nurk] in the right hand corner of the room, an orange nurk with a purple mane, posed with one hand on his hips and the other outstretched to welcome visitors inside. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=To the left, you can see the entrance to a cafe area, currently closed off with a rope barrier and being cleaned by a (text-colour:#12b886)[chimeric] janitor. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=To the right, you can see the entrance to a gift shop, selling postcards and keychains and all sorts of other trinkets you'd expect to get at a place like this. It's staffed by a very bored looking (text-colour:#12b886)[petrid], and the only customers seem to be a (text-colour:#12b886)[slyne] and her child. Unusual to see a family dynamic in Nodd, but a welcome change for sure. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=And up ahead, is the entrance to the rest of the museum. It's fairly dark and hard to see inside. Just to the left is the front desk, staffed by a small, fuzzy, black (text-colour:#12b886)[nurk], her rubbery grey nose twitching eagerly as she looks at you with her large, green eyes. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=There doesn't appear to be many others here, you figure it's almost closing time. (text-colour:#12b886)[(click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[= [[>Approach the cafe]] [[>Approach the gift shop]] [[>Approach the front desk]]]

You approach the front desk, unsure of what to expect. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The (text-colour:#12b886)[nurk] with the fuzzy black fur smiles at you. A small nametag attatched to her chest reveals her name to be (text-colour:#12b886)[Lucky]. Fleas can be seen hopping about upon her head. It might be best to keep your distance. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[="What can I do for you?" She squeaks. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You explain to her your situation: that you lost your job, saw the sign in the window, and were looking to get a job. You wondered what exactly this job would entail. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[="Ah yes! Of course! Of course! Stay right there!" She lifts her long, grey tail up onto the table. An (text-colour:#12b886)[ego bracer] is attatched near the tip of the tail, which she uses to call up someone. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[="Winston- I mean, (text-colour:#12b886)[Proffessor Bonesnatcher?] Yes, there's someone here about the job!" Upon closer inspection, you notice that the tail with the (text-colour:#12b886)[ego bracer], despite being the same size and colour as (text-colour:#12b886)[Lucky's] tail, has been severed from her body... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=A few minutes later, another (text-colour:#12b886)[nurk] approaches from the entrance to the museum. He looks identical to the taxidermied nurk, only wearing clothes. A red waistcoat adorns his puffed out chest, brown trousers cover his stubby legs, and a pair of round spectacles are ballanced upon his whiskered snout. He smells somewhat of chemicals and dissinfectant. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[="You're the one here for the job, I presume?" He asks. His accent seems posh, but his tone seems a tad... //(text-style:"fidget")[unhinged]//. You nod in reply. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#12b886)[Winston] gets to work 'examining' you, his little nurk hands lifting up your arms and grasping your tail and picking at your skin. He spends an uncomfortably long time feeling about your skull. Once he's satisfied, he leaps off of you and declares that you've successfully passed his examination and have got the job. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Still confused, and now a little concerned, you ask (text-colour:#12b886)[Winston] what exactly this job is. (text-colour:#12b886)[Winston] claps his hands together. "Ah, yes, well-" (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=He is interrupted by the (text-colour:#12b886)[mother slyne] wishing him well. He thanks her for her time. "Right- were they the last guests? I suppose we're closed now. Perfect!" He says, looking around frantically and readjusting his glasses. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=''(text-style:"shudder")["PERCY!!!"]'' Screams (text-colour:#12b886)[Winston] at the top of his little lungs. A rather strange creature peers around the corner. You're unsure exactly what he is, if he's some kind of (text-colour:#12b886)[chimera], an (text-colour:#12b886)[outsider] species, or (text-colour:#12b886)[something else entirely]. His head was somewhat crocidilian, with the horns and ears of a goat. His long arms end in slothlike paws, and his thin legs end in trotters. His scaly skin is purple with green stripes, with his face being flecked by yellow freckles. A raucuss mane of neon yellow hair hangs over the right side of his face, framing his yellow reptilian eyes. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[="'Ello 'ello? You called?" (text-colour:purple)[Percy] asks. "Yes, can you show your new co-worker about?" (text-colour:#12b886)[Winston] says, gesturing towards you. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:purple)[Percy] grins and licks his lips with a pale green forked tongue. "Aw, swag! A new friend? That's awesome! Welcome to your new job as a security guard here at (text-colour:#fa5252)[the Curiosity Collective!] Here, lemme help you get settled in..." (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Follow Percy]]'']

You decide to return to the lobby. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=To the left, you can see the entrance to a cafe area, currently closed off with a rope barrier and being cleaned by a (text-colour:#12b886)[chimeric] janitor. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=To the right, you can see the entrance to a gift shop, selling postcards and keychains and all sorts of other trinkets you'd expect to get at a place like this. It's staffed by a very bored looking (text-colour:#12b886)[petrid], and the only customers seem to be a (text-colour:#12b886)[slyne] and her child. Unusual to see a family dynamic in Nodd, but a welcome change for sure. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=And up ahead, is the entrance to the rest of the museum. It's fairly dark and hard to see inside. Just to the left is the front desk, staffed by a small, fuzzy, black (text-colour:#12b886)[nurk], her rubbery grey nose twitching eagerly as she looks at you with her large, green eyes. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=There doesn't appear to be many others here, you figure it's almost closing time. (text-colour:#12b886)[(click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[= [[>Approach the cafe]] [[>Approach the gift shop]] [[>Approach the front desk]]]

The cashieer (text-style:"smear")[glares] at you with his, quite literally, stony eyes. He looks you up and down, and notices you aren't holding anything. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[="If you ain't bying anything, leave me alone." He snorts. Rude. ''(text-colour:#12b886)[(click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=[[>Return to the gift shop]]]''

As you approach the (text-colour:#12b886)[mother slyne], her child stops playing with the stones and hides behind her bony legs. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[="Don't mind him, he's a little shy." She explains in a soft, hissing voice. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You tell her this is your first time here, and ask her what to expect from the museum. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[="Oh, it's fascinating! There's so many dead things, it makes me hungry just thinking of the ways in which they suffered! It's educational for the kids, too!" She replies with a smile. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The comment about creatures suffering is a little offputting at first, until you recall how slynes need to eat suffering to survive. ''(text-colour:#12b886)[(click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=[[>Return to the gift shop]]]''

As you inspect the items avaliable for sale, you notice that they are mostly themed after (text-colour:#c92a2a)[skeletal remains]. There's pens in the shape of femurs, notebooks in the shape of ribcages, erasers in the shape of skulls, it's all very morbid. (align:"=><=")[<img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/bone%20pen.png" width="150"><img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/spine%20book.png" width="150"><img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/skull%20eraser.png" width="150">] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The (text-colour:#12b886)[petrid] at the desk seems to be scrolling through the arcanet rather than paying attention to his customers. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The (text-colour:#12b886)[mother slyne] is watching as her child rifles through a box of colourful stones. ''(text-colour:#12b886)[(click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=[[>Speak to the cashieer]] [[>Speak to the mother]] [[>Return to the lobby]]]''

You follow (text-colour:purple)[Percy] into the dark, gloomy museum, as he explains the job to you. It's a little hard to focus, however, as it's so incredibly dark in here with the only light coming from a (text-style:"smear")[dim flashlight] (text-colour:purple)[Percy] is holding, and you can't shake the feeling that you're being watched... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[="Oh yeah! You'll need these." [Percy] remarks as he pulls a few items out of... somewhere... and hands them to you. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The first is a (text-colour:#12b886)[security guard's hat], almost identical to the one Percy is wearing, except the badge appears to just be a plain metal badge with nothing engraved onto it. You can't quite make out what (text-colour:purple)[Percy's] badge says, but it seems he came across his uniform from somewhere other than the museum... (align:"=><=")[<img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/security%20hat.png" height="150">] (align:"=><=")[(text-style:"superscript")[Security guard's hat //Because you've got to look professional!//]] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The second is a sort of (text-colour:#12b886)[flashlight]. Unlike Percy's one, your one seems to be alive. Flicking the switch on and off causes the flashlight's one eye to blink open and shut, a (text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"smear")[greenish beam of light]] eminating from its large iris. (align:"=><=")[<img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/torch.png" width="150">] (align:"=><=")[(text-style:"superscript")[Vivirian flashlight //It eats sunbeams//]] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The last is a (text-colour:#12b886)[radio], evidently originating from outside of the city. There doesn't seem to be anything too unusual about it, aside from the smell. (align:"=><=")[<img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/radio.png" height="150">] (align:"=><=")[(text-style:"superscript")[Strange radio //Where was Percy keeping this thing?...//]] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Turning on the flashlight, you can now see your surroundings much clearer, though that may not be for the better. There's skeletons, skeletons everywhere. Some are recognisable as insider species; there's a (text-colour:#12b886)[migwitch] posed to be rearing up as if startled by the (text-colour:#12b886)[squall] with its jaws agape and claws outstretched. Others are truly bizarre: a horse with clawed wings and way too many teeth, a bird with three heads and spines running down its back, an asymetrical creature with innumerable eyes on one side of its head, you shudder at the thought of what these beings looked like alive... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:purple)[Percy] continues to casually explain the duties of a security guard to you as you browse the skeletons. "Yeah, and sometimes in the fossil room (text-colour:(hsl:0,0,1,0.6))[(text-style:"blur")[the robot dinosaurs come out of their displays and start moving around.]](text-colour:(hsl:0,0,1,0.2))[(text-style:"blurrier")[ We don't really know why they do it but if you see that happening...]] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Uh oh. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=It seems that you were distracted by the grotesque skeletons and (text-colour:purple)[Percy] has wandered off without you! (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You scan the room with your (text-colour:#12b886)[flashlight], but (text-colour:purple)[Percy] is nowhere to be found. He must've gone into one of the other rooms. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=But, which room?... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Look for Percy in the 'jar' room]] [[>Look for Percy in the taxidermy room]] [[>Look for Percy in the fossil room]] [[>Stay in the skeleton room and hope Percy comes back to look for you]]'']

You decide to look for (text-colour:purple)[Percy] in the (text-colour:#12b886)['jar room'], whatever that means. You find out soon enough, though part of you wishes you hadn't. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Rows upon rows of jars of various sizes, some containing the internal organs of some poor soul, others containing hideous foetuses, all pickled in (text-colour:#fab005)[yellowish goop]. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You try to hold in the contents of your stomach as pickled eyeballs stare at you and you're greeted with the smiles of the unborn. Percy is still nowhere to be seen, and to be honest you can't blame him. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")[//"PSST!"//]] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=What was that? You scan the room with your flashlight, but there's no sign of movement. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")[//"PSSSST!"//]] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=There it was again! it seems to be coming from... One of the jars?... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Approach the jar]]'']

You decide to look for (text-colour:purple)[Percy] in the taxidermy room. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The room is filled with taxidermies of... varying quality. Some are recogniseable animals, and rather morbidly there's a section displaying (text-colour:#12b886)[regular citizens]. You're unsure of how these bodies could have possibly been obtained through ethical means, and sure enough upon closer inspection some of them appear to have prominent bruises around their necks, poorly covered by scarves and necklaces. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=But most of the creatures on display are just... Bizarre. There's the dessicated corpse of (text-colour:#12b886)[some kind of bird], tip-toeing on four spindly legs. There's a (text-colour:#12b886)[winged dinosaur] with the head of a long-necked herbivore on one end and the head of a monstrous carnivore on the rear. There's a (text-colour:#12b886)[canine] with a mouth that extends the entire length of its body. You've never seen anything quite like it! (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Two exhibits in particular catch your eye. One is a herd of small, (text-colour:#12b886)[goatlike creatures] with human faces. The other is a (text-colour:#12b886)[bull-like beast] with monstrous teeth and a muscular, crocodilian build. Neither of them seem to be any help in finding (text-colour:purple)[Percy], but they both fill you with curiosity. Surely it wouldn't hurt to at least read a little about them. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Which do you go take a closer look at? (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Take a look at the goat-men]] [[>Take a look at the crocodilian bull]]'']

You decide to look for (text-colour:purple)[Percy] in the fossil room, it's by far the grandest room in the whole museum. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Fossil mounts of all sorts of dinosaurs decorate the room. Great, hulking (text-colour:#12b886)[sauropods], their skulls nearly scraping the ceiling; tiny, cunning (text-colour:#12b886)[dromaeosaurs], their signature killing claws held high; and of course the apex (text-colour:#12b886)[theropods], jaws lined with bone crushing teeth. The remains of all kinds of dinosaurs are on display! (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=And it's not just the fossils that are part of the exhibit. There are several large dioramas showing how the dinosaurs may have looked in life, populated with animatronics. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You shine your light around the dioramas. In the dark, and without the animatronics roaring and moving about, they seem eerily dead. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=That is, until you notice one of the dioramas is empty. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The diorama that //should// have contained a (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor] instead just contains fake plants and sand. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=And as if on que, from across the room, you hear the sound of robotic joints turning... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Go find the Utahraptor]]'']

You decide it would be best to wait here for a little while and hope that (text-colour:purple)[Percy] comes back once he notices his partner is missing. It seems like the most sensible thing to do, after all. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Unfortionately for you, (text-colour:purple)[Percy] is not a very sensible creature. He's the kind who will continue to ramble on and not even notice there's no-one listening until his musings are complete, and even then, he will most likely just shrug it off. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Still, you sit and wait, as the teeth and claws cast (text-colour:#c92a2a)[monstrous shadows] in the light of your flashlight. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:purple)[Percy] isn't coming back, is he. (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Continue to sit and wait in the skeleton room]] [[>Look for Percy in the 'jar' room]] [[>Look for Percy in the taxidermy room]] [[>Look for Percy in the fossil room]] '']

You're a stubborn little thing, or maybe you just feel confident that (text-colour:purple)[Percy] will remember that he's supposed to be training someone today. Confidence in (text-colour:purple)[Percy] is not something most people have. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=All this sitting is making your legs feel sore, so you decide to stretch your legs a bit and walk around the exhibit. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=After hours of walking around and reading the little plaques next to each skeleton, you feel you have become an expert on (text-colour:#12b886)[//Mammuthus primigenius//], (text-colour:#12b886)[//Equus exulan//s], (text-colour:#12b886)[//Sphyrna moloch//], and all the other skeletal friends who reside in the museum. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-style:"shudder")[''(text-colour:#12b886)[CLANG!]''] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=What was that?!... You whip around, shining your flashlight in the direction of the noise. The plaque for (text-colour:#c92a2a)[//smilodon fatalis//] has fallen on the floor, but what could have knocked it over? (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=There's something up with the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon] skeleton, you seem to remember it was posed to be climbing on a log, but now it seems to be stepping down from the log and (text-colour:#c92a2a)[staring directly at you...] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You blink. You don't think anything of this action, it's a very normal action that happens naturally and automatically, people blink every day without consequence. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=But for you, right now, today, in this moment, that was a huge mistake to make. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=For in that split second where you weren't looking, the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon] has now left its mount and prowled closer, its jaws agape and enormous fangs held high. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You need to think of something, and fast! You can't just stay holding your eyes open forever, you'll need to close them eventually! (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Whatever choice you have to make, (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#c92a2a)[Do] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#c92a2a)[Not] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#c92a2a)[Blink] (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Grab a bone from another skeleton]] [[>Try to call someone on the radio]] [[>Run from the smilodon]] [[>...blink]]'']

In haste, you reach behind you and grab the (text-colour:#12b886)[humorous] from some other poor creature. You have more of a use for the bone than it does right now. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You're careful not to take your eyes off of the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon] as you do so, and luckily it hasn't moved an inch. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=But you're gonna need to do something about it soon! (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Throw the bone as a distraction]] [[>Swap the bone with the smilodon's bones]] [[>Use the bone to prop open the smilodon's mouth]]'']

Eyes still firmly locked on the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon], you grab your (text-colour:#12b886)[radio] and press the button. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=It's broken. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=A (text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"smear")[ghostly static]] sound pours from the speaker, a horrible cacophany of indecipherable noise, though you can swear you can almost hear the noise of some kind of big cat howling and spitting. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Then, the strangest thing happens. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon's] bones begin to (text-style:"rumble")[shake]. First, it's nothing more than a (text-style:"sway")[small vibration], but before long, its entire body is (text-style:"shudder")[rattling] itself appart like an earthquake! (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=One by one, its bones drop to the floor. The sound on the raido fades, and the threat is no more. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=What do you do now? (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Look for Percy in the 'jar' room]] [[>Look for Percy in the taxidermy room]] [[>Look for Percy in the fossil room]] [[>Quit your job]]'']

...Whoops (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon] has pounced upon you, its enormous fangs tearing into your (text-colour:#c92a2a)[soft flesh], your (text-colour:#c92a2a)[intestines] spilling out onto the floor. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=As your (text-colour:#c92a2a)[blood] begins to pool at the bottom of your feet, you feel your heartbeat slow as you close your eyes for the final time. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[= #(text-colour:red)[(text-style:"smear","expand","buoy")+(align:"=><=")[''YOU DIED'']] (text-style:"superscript")+(align:"=><=")[Have fun being kitty kibble!] (align:"=><=")[''YOU WERE KILLED BY:'' <img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/smilodon.png" width="500"> //Smilodon skeleton//] Want to try again? Click to return to the moment where you... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Return to the lobby]] [[>Follow Percy]] [[>Stay in the skeleton room and hope Percy comes back to look for you]] [[>Continue to sit and wait in the skeleton room]] '']

You try running from the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon]. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=As you turn your back and start running, you can hear its paws thumping on the floor and its bones clacking together as it chases you. Whenever you turn around to see how close it is, it freezes in place, but seems to have gotten slightly closer each time. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=But alas, even if you could theoretically outrun a living smilodon, this skeletal beast has no lungs and never gets out of breath. Eventually, exhaustion slows you down and you hear the rattling of your pursuer draw closer. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon] pounces upon your back and pins you down, its claws (text-colour:#c92a2a)[sinking deep] into your shoulders. It bites down onto your head, sinking its sabre fangs into your eyes, causing them to (text-colour:#c92a2a)[burst] and leak a (text-colour:#c92a2a)[viscous fluid] that trickles down your cheeks. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Now blinded, you are defencless against the smilodon as it proceeds to (text-colour:#c92a2a)[ruthelessly maul] you. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[= #(text-colour:red)[(text-style:"smear","expand","buoy")+(align:"=><=")[''YOU DIED'']] (text-style:"superscript")+(align:"=><=")[You can run but you can't- wait, looks like you can't run either!] (align:"=><=")[''YOU WERE KILLED BY:'' <img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/smilodon.png" width="500"> //Smilodon skeleton//] Want to try again? Click to return to the moment where you... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Return to the lobby]] [[>Follow Percy]] [[>Stay in the skeleton room and hope Percy comes back to look for you]] [[>Continue to sit and wait in the skeleton room]] '']

You throw the bone to the left of the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon], yelling: "hey kitty! Go fetch!" (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The bone hits the floor with a clacking sound. You blink, hoping that the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon] would have followed the noise and started to chew on the tasty bone. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=But no, in life this (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon] was a wild beast, not a house cat trained to play games. And in death it was the same. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon] has pounced upon you and is pinning you to the floor. You try to push it off of you, but despite being made of bones, it has the strength of a living smilodon. You can't help but blink once again, and the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon] sinks its enormous fangs into your neck, (text-colour:#c92a2a)[puncturing your jugular]. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You helplessly watch the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[blood] pour from your neck in a warm puddle around you as your vision fades and you close your eyes for the final time. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[= #(text-colour:red)[(text-style:"smear","expand","buoy")+(align:"=><=")[''YOU DIED'']] (text-style:"superscript")+(align:"=><=")[Bad kitty!] (align:"=><=")[''YOU WERE KILLED BY:'' <img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/smilodon.png" width="500"> //Smilodon skeleton//] Want to try again? Click to return to the moment where you... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Return to the lobby]] [[>Follow Percy]] [[>Stay in the skeleton room and hope Percy comes back to look for you]] [[>Continue to sit and wait in the skeleton room]] [[>Grab a bone from another skeleton]] '']

You pull the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon's] humerous from its arm and replace it with the (text-colour:#12b886)[humerous] you snatched from the other animal, resulting in one of its legs being much longer than the others. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You blink (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon] has pounced upon you and is pinning you to the floor. The longer arm may have made it a tad more clumsy, but this thing is undead, it couldn't care less if the bones making up one of its arms came from a different animal. It didn't even have to be an animal, you could've replaced its bones with your (text-colour:#12b886)[flashlight] and (text-colour:#12b886)[radio] and this thing would have still been prowling around. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You try to push it off of you, but despite being made of bones, it has the strength of a living smilodon. You can't help but blink once again, and the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon] sinks its enormous fangs into your neck, (text-colour:#c92a2a)[puncturing your jugular]. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You helplessly watch the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[blood] pour from your neck in a warm puddle around you as your vision fades and you close your eyes for the final time. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[= #(text-colour:red)[(text-style:"smear","expand","buoy")+(align:"=><=")[''YOU DIED'']] (text-style:"superscript")+(align:"=><=")[Why did you even think that would do anything?] (align:"=><=")[''YOU WERE KILLED BY:'' <img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/smilodon.png" width="500"> //Smilodon skeleton//] Want to try again? Click to return to the moment where you... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Return to the lobby]] [[>Follow Percy]] [[>Stay in the skeleton room and hope Percy comes back to look for you]] [[>Continue to sit and wait in the skeleton room]] [[>Grab a bone from another skeleton]] '']

You take the bone and jam it vertically between the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon's] open jaws. You blink. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon] has pounced at you, and attempted to (text-colour:#c92a2a)[disembowel] you with its huge fangs, but alas, the bone has prevented it from biting down. As you continue to blink, the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon] returns to its mount, tail between its legs. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=What do you do now? (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Look for Percy in the 'jar' room]] [[>Look for Percy in the taxidermy room]] [[>Look for Percy in the fossil room]] [[>Quit your job]]'']

You decide you've had quite enough of that. You've experienced a lifetime of paranormal happenings in just one day. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=As you storm out, you explain everything that happened to (text-colour:#12b886)[Lucky], who seems very concerned at first, but then breathes a sigh of relief once you're finished. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[="Oh, there's no need to worry about all that! This is all very normal for us here at (text-colour:#fa5252)[the Curiosity Collective]!..." (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[= #(text-colour:#ffd43b)[(text-style:"smear","expand","buoy")[''THE END'']] (text-style:"superscript")[Against all odds, you managed to survive!] Want to play again from the beginning? (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[start]]'']

Your curiosity overpowers your disgust, and you decide to look in the jar that seemed to whisper to you. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Unsurprisingly, there's a (text-colour:#c92a2a)[foetus] inside. A tiny, humanoid creature, with large, catlike ears and a long forked tail. Its barely formed limbs were caped with cloven hooves, and little horns sprouted from its bulbous head. The label on the jar tells you that this is (text-colour:#c92a2a)[//Diabolus atrocis//]. Surely this couldn't have been what was whispering at you? (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Your worst fears are realised as the creature's eyes flicker open to reveal black, soulless eyes. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["You there!"]] it whispers in a soft, high pitched voice. It doesn't seem to be able to move its mouth, just grin with its sharklike teeth. (text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["Please help me! I'm so terribly lonely in this jar, watching all the other children run and play! I never got to meet my mummy! Please get me down off of this shelf!"]] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Perhaps it's the desperation in its voice, or a tiny shred of a parental instinct, but you seem to want to help this... thing... as disgusting as it may be. (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Take the jar down off of the shelf]]'']

As you take the jar down from the shelf, the (text-colour:#12b886)[foetus] squeals in fear. (text-style:"buoy")[(text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["Jently! Jently! If this jar breaks, I will die!"]]] As delicately as you can, you lower the jar down and hold it to your chest. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=A million questions are swimming through your mind, but what do you ask the (text-colour:#12b886)[foetus]? (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>"What are you?"]] [[>"Do you have a name?"]]'']

"What are you?" you ask the (text-colour:#12b886)[foetus]. (text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["That's none of your concern!"]] It hisses. It seems this is a sore subject. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=What do you ask now? (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>"Do you have a name?" ]]'']

"Do you have a name?" you ask the (text-colour:#12b886)[foetus]. (text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["I was never named... I was never born..."]] it muses, (text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["I suppose I will just have to name myself! I think i'll call myself...]] (text-colour:#ff8787)[(text-style:"blur","fidget")[Lilith]](text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")[!"]] (text-colour:#ff8787)[Lilith] giggles to herself creepily. (text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["Such a pretty name!"]] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=What do you ask now? (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>"What are you?" ]]'']

"How exactly can I help you?" You ask (text-colour:#ff8787)[Lilith]. She giggles, her laugh seeming to echo all around the room. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["That's the fun part! I just need one tiny thing from you in order to get out of this jar,"]] (text-colour:#ff8787)[Lilith] explains, (text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["Your ]](text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"smear")[soul!]](text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["]] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Woah, now that's a big ask. On one hand, you're not really sure if you can trust (text-colour:#ff8787)[Lilith], I mean she is a creepy talking foetus in a jar. But on the other hand, she is after all just a baby, the very symbol of innocence. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["You aren't doing anything with your ]](text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"smear")[soul]](text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")[ right now, are you?..."]] (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Smash the jar]] [[>Let Lilith have your soul]]'']

"Do you have a name?" you ask the (text-colour:#12b886)[foetus]. (text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["I was never named... I was never born..."]] it muses, (text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["I suppose I will just have to name myself! I think i'll call myself...]] (text-colour:#ff8787)[(text-style:"blur","fidget")[Lilith]](text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")[!"]] (text-colour:#ff8787)[Lilith] giggles to herself creepily. (text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["Such a pretty name!"]] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=There's only one thing left to ask now... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>"How exactly can I help you?"]]'']

"What are you?" you ask (text-colour:#ff8787)[Lilith]. (text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["That's none of your concern!"]] She hisses. It seems this is a sore subject. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=There's only one thing left to ask now... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>"How exactly can I help you?"]]'']

You let go of the jar. It shatters on the floor immediately. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=#(text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur","expand","rumble")["AAAAIIIIEEEEEEE!!!!!!"]] (text-colour:#ff8787)[Lilith] screams in agony as the preservative liquid seeps into the floorboards and the shards of glass (text-colour:#c92a2a)[pierce] her delicate skin. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"blur")["YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!]] (text-colour:(hsl:162,0.8218,0.3961,0.65))[(text-style:"blurrier")[YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!]] (text-colour:(hsl:162,0.8218,0.3961,0.35))[(text-style:"blurrier","expand")[I'LL SEE YOU IN HELL!"]] Exposed to the elements for only a few minutes, (text-colour:#ff8787)[Lilith] is reduced to nothing but a pile of disolved, (text-colour:#c92a2a)[red mush]. Yuck. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=What do you do now? (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Go back to the skeleton room and wait for Percy there]] [[>Look for Percy in the taxidermy room]] [[>Look for Percy in the fossil room]] [[>Quit your job]]'']

You tell (text-colour:#ff8787)[Lilith] that it's okay, she can have your soul. You were a sinner anyway. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=She begins to chant (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#a61e4d)[//(text-style:"blur","condense","mirror")[Anima tua pertinet ad me](text-style:"blur")[...] (text-style:"blur","condense","mirror")[Animam Meam pertinet ad vos](text-style:"blur")[...]//] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=As she continues to repeat her spell, you can't help but feel sleepy. Her soothing voice and rhythmic chanting are like a lullaby. You begin to drift off... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#a61e4d)[//(text-style:"blur","mirror")[Anima tua pertinet ad me](text-style:"blur")[...] (text-style:"blur","mirror")[Animam Meam pertinet ad vos](text-style:"blur")[...]//] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You fall asleep, (text-colour:#ff8787)[Lilith's] voice still echoing in your mind... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#a61e4d)[//(text-style:"blurrier","expand","mirror")[Anima tua pertinet ad me](text-style:"blurrier")[...] (text-style:"blurrier","expand","mirror")[Animam Meam pertinet ad vos](text-style:"blurrier")[...]//] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You wake up. How long had you been asleep for? Your vision is blurry... Everything seems strangely... (text-colour:#fab005)[Yellowish...] As your eyes ajust, you recognise a familiar figure in front of you. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=It's yourself. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Your own body. Though it seems you're no longer the one occupying it. It suddenly dawns on you what has happened. You and (text-colour:#ff8787)[Lilith] have swapped bodies! (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[="Thank you so much! I'm finally free!" (text-colour:#ff8787)[Lilith] exclaims gleefully, giving her new body a whirl. You try to reach out to her, try to scream, try to do anything, but you can't. You can't move or do anything. Just sit there, a pickled devil foetus in a jar. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#ff8787)[Lilith] cackles maniacly as she runs off with your body, ready to cause all sorts of mischief. All you can do is watch, alone with your thoughts, bobbing about for all eternity... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[= #(text-colour:red)[(text-style:"smear","expand","buoy")+(align:"=><=")[''YOU DIED'']] (text-style:"superscript")+(align:"=><=")[What a devilish fate!] (align:"=><=")[''YOU WERE KILLED BY:'' <img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/lilith.png" width="500"> //Lilith the devil foetus//] Want to try again? Click to return to the moment where you... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Return to the lobby]] [[>Follow Percy]] [[>Look for Percy in the 'jar' room]] [[>Approach the jar]] Said [[>"How exactly can I help you?"]]'']

You return to the skeleton room, feeling confident that (text-colour:purple)[Percy] will remember that he left his new co-worker in there. Confidence in (text-colour:purple)[Percy] is not something most people have. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=All this sitting is making your legs feel sore, so you decide to stretch your legs a bit and walk around the exhibit. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=After hours of walking around and reading the little plaques next to each skeleton, you feel you have become an expert on (text-colour:#12b886)[//Mammuthus primigenius//], (text-colour:#12b886)[//Equus exulan//s], (text-colour:#12b886)[//Sphyrna moloch//], and all the other skeletal friends who reside in the museum. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-style:"shudder")[''(text-colour:#12b886)[CLANG!]''] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=What was that?!... You whip around, shining your flashlight in the direction of the noise. The plaque for (text-colour:#c92a2a)[//smilodon fatalis//] has fallen on the floor, but what could have knocked it over? (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=There's something up with the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon] skeleton, you seem to remember it was posed to be climbing on a log, but now it seems to be stepping down from the log and (text-colour:#c92a2a)[staring directly at you...] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You blink. You don't think anything of this action, it's a very normal action that happens naturally and automatically, people blink every day without consequence. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=But for you, right now, today, in this moment, that was a huge mistake to make. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=For in that split second where you weren't looking, the (text-colour:#c92a2a)[smilodon] has now left its mount and prowled closer, its jaws agape and enormous fangs held high. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You need to think of something, and fast! You can't just stay holding your eyes open forever, you'll need to close them eventually! (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Whatever choice you have to make, (text-colour:#c92a2a)[(click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Do (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Not (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Blink] (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Grab a bone from another skeleton]] [[>Try to call someone on the radio]] [[>Run from the smilodon]] [[>...blink]]'']

You take a look at the (text-colour:#12b886)[goat-men]. They're small, only about 2 feet high, with goatlike bodies and gazelle-like horns. Their fur comes in a range of colours, from white, to tan, to brown, and all the shades inbetween. Their human faces are all very generic looking and identical, as if cloned by some computer program. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=From somewhere outside the building, a clock chimes loudly, and just like clockwork, the (text-colour:#12b886)[goat-men] immediately begin prancing about! (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=They begin to sing in perfect harmony: (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-style:"blur")[//"We are the goatmen! The goatmen! The goatmen! We prance about around the glen! And back again! From now and then!"//] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Their voices are high pitched and very annoying. (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Try talking to the goatmen]] [[>Take a look at the crocodilian bull]] '']

You take a look at the crocidilian-looking bull. It's covered in shaggy black fur, that appears to have an iridescent sheen to it. A row of white spikes can be seen running the length of its back, all the way to the very tip of its crocodile-like tail. Its face is rather squat, but distinctly oxlike, with a large pair of bovine horns and two floppy ears poking out the sides. It has long tusks like a walrus, and has its mouth held in a snarl (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=As you approach it, your radio begins to buzz with static. Anticipaiting the voice of Percy, you pick it up and listen, but instead a ferocious growl emits from the speaker. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=At the exact same time, the eyes of the creature begin to glow a (text-colour:#fd7e14)[(text-style:"smear")[burning orange]]. In shock, you drop the radio. Both the growling sound and the glowing stop. As you pick up your radio, the noise and the (text-colour:#fd7e14)[(text-style:"smear")[glowing]] continues. It seems that the closer the radio is to the creature's horns, the clearer the sound becomes... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Hold the radio right up to the creature's horns]] [[>Take a look at the goat-men]] '']

You hold the radio right up to the creature's horns. The closer you get, the louder and more clear the growling becomes, and the brighter the creature's eyes (text-colour:#fd7e14)[(text-style:"smear")[glow]], right up until the antenae of the radio touches the horns, when... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#12b886)[(text-style:"smear","shudder")[//''ZAP!''//]] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=A spark of green electricity jumps between the radio and the horn, the energy of the burst throwing you back. After regaining your balance, you look up to see... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#12b886)[IT'S ALIVE!] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Somehow, the burst from the radio has brought the creature back to life. It stares at you with its firey eyes, panting and snorting heavily. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=''"YOU..."'' the beast snarls in a deep, booming voice. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=''"YOU..."'' It begins to prowl towards you. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=''"YOU... HURT ME! DON'T YOU KNOW HOW SENSITIVE A HODAG'S HORNS ARE TO RADIO FREQUENCIES?"'' He whines, rubbing the base of the injured horn with his enormous paw. Though he is trying to hide it, tears are welling up in his orange eyes. (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Apologise to the hodag]] [[>Tell him to suck it up]]'']

You tell the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag] that you're very sorry for hurting his horn, but that he should look on the bright side, you brought him back to life! (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=This seems to cheer him up, and he wipes his eyes with his fluffy tail. ''"YOU DID?"'' he says, cocking his head to the side like a puppy, ''"WELL, THAT'S WONDERFUL!"'' Rearing up on his hind legs, the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag] claps his huge paws together and grins widely. As he does so, his stomach begins to growl. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=''"OH DEAR, I AM SO TERRIBLY HUNGRY! I HAVEN'T EATEN A SINGLE THING SINCE I DIED!"'' Well, duh. (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>"What exactly does a hodag eat?"]]'']

You call the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag] a pussy and tell him to suck it up. After all, there are people out here living with much more painful injuries than an achy horn and you don't hear them complaining about it. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Enraged, the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag] rears up on his hind legs and roars. With one fell swoop of his muscular paw, he (text-colour:#c92a2a)[rips] your head clean off. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[= #(text-colour:red)[(text-style:"smear","expand","buoy")+(align:"=><=")[''YOU DIED'']] (text-style:"superscript")+(align:"=><=")[How rude of you. I really don't blame him.] (align:"=><=")[''YOU WERE KILLED BY:'' <img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/hodag.png" width="500"> //Taxidermy hodag//] Want to try again? Click to return to the moment where you... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Return to the lobby]] [[>Follow Percy]] [[>Look for Percy in the taxidermy room]] [[>Take a look at the crocodilian bull]] [[>Hold the radio right up to the creature's horns]] '']

"What exactly does a hodag eat?" You ask. The (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag] scratches his chin with his mighty claws. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=''"MEAT, MOSTLY. LOTS OF MEAT. SOMETIMES FISH AND BERRIES, BUT MOSTLY MEAT."'' he replies. At least this narrows it down. (text-colour:#12b886)['' [[>Offer yourself up as food]] [[>Offer him one of the mounts in the exhibition]] [[>Offer him something from the cafe]]'']

You tell the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag] that, if he's really that hungry, he might as well just eat you. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=''"ARE YOU SURE?"'' he asks, ears drooping in concern, ''"BUT YOU'VE BEEN SO NICE TO ME!"'' (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=''"WELL, IF THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT..."'' (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag] (text-colour:#c92a2a)[bites] your head off, (text-colour:#c92a2a)[crunching] your skull with his powerful, bone crushing teeth. You're lucky he ate you head first, as he's a very messy eater and would've caused you a great deal of pain. It only takes the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag] a couple of bites to eat you, (text-colour:#c92a2a)[bones and all], and once he's done he curls up on the floor to nap, sad that he lost his new friend, but happy that after all these years his hunger was finally satiated. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[= #(text-colour:red)[(text-style:"smear","expand","buoy")+(align:"=><=")[''YOU DIED'']] (text-style:"superscript")+(align:"=><=")[You died doing what you loved, which was being fed to a hodag apparently] (align:"=><=")[''YOU WERE KILLED BY:'' <img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/hodag.png" width="500"> //Taxidermy hodag//] Want to try again? Click to return to the moment where you... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Return to the lobby]] [[>Follow Percy]] [[>Look for Percy in the taxidermy room]] [[>Take a look at the crocodilian bull]] Ask [[>"What exactly does a hodag eat?"]] '']

You offer up one of the mounts to the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag], specifically a mount of a rather bug-eyed looking quagga. Clearly not (text-colour:#12b886)[Winston's] finest work. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Hungrily, the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag] bites down into the taxidermied quagga, only to spit out a mouthfull of yellowed stuffing. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=''"BLEUGH! THIS HORSE HAS NO MEAT IN IT!"'' roars the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag], reeling in disgust. You probably should've known that the process of taxidermy includes removing all the flesh and bones from the animal so it's just the skin. (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Offer yourself up as food]] [[>Offer him something from the cafe]] '']

You tell the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag] there's food in the cafe. He wags his tail excitedly. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=''"SHOW ME THE WAY! SHOW ME THE WAY!"'' he yells, grinning from ear to ear. You lead the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag] through the taxidermy room, through the skeleton room, and through the lobby (it seems that (text-colour:#12b886)[Lucky] had fallen asleep at her desk and so didn't notice an enormous hairy beast stomping past her), and into the cafe. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Just as you're about to grab a plate of what looks to be ham from behind the counter, you hear a scream and turn around. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=In two whole bites, the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag] devours the janitor, turning to smile at you with (text-colour:#c92a2a)[blood] dripping from his teeth. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Well, I suppose you maybe should've been more specific about what food was in the cafe for him... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Bring the hodag back to the taxidermy room]] [[>Quit your job]]'']

You bring the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag] back to the taxidermy room. Finally satiated after all these years, he thanks you by shaking your hand vigorously and handing you a small vial labelled 'hodag tears'. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=''"GO ON! DRINK UP!"'' He urges. (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Drink the hodag tears]] [[>Very politely decline such a kind gift]]'']

(align:"=><=")[<img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/hodag%20tears.png" width="150">] (align:"=><=")[(text-style:"superscript")[Hodag tears //A gift from a friend//]] Not sure what to expect, and not wanting to upset the monster with huge fangs and claws, you purse your lips and gulp down the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag tears]. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Nothing happens. It just tastes like soda. Very nice soda at that. Not too sweet, not too bubbly, just a pleasant citrus fizz. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You wave goodbye to your new (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag] chum as he makes his way back to his mount. You'll never forget the time you shared. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=What to do now? (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Take a look at the goat-men]] [[>Go back to the skeleton room and wait for Percy there]] [[>Look for Percy in the 'jar' room]] [[>Look for Percy in the fossil room]] [[>Quit your job]]'']

You very politely decline the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag's] offer to drink his tears. After all, how many callories are there in (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag tears]? You wouldn't want it to clash with your diet. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Saddened, but understanding, the (text-colour:#12b886)[hodag] makes his way back to his mount. He looks back at you one last time and you see that he is crying. You feel like a horrible person for not drinking an unknown substance handed to you by a meat-eating monster bull. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=What to do now? (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Take a look at the goat-men]] [[>Go back to the skeleton room and wait for Percy there]] [[>Look for Percy in the 'jar' room]] [[>Look for Percy in the fossil room]] [[>Quit your job]]'']

"Hey goatmen!" You say, waving at the funny little creatures. They stop their prancing and turn to face you. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-style:"blur")[//"Greetings stranger! We grant wishes! Please do tell us what your wish is!"//] the (text-colour:#12b886)[goatmen] chant. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Interesting... What //will// your wish be? (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Wish for Percy back]] [[>Wish to be rich]] [[>Wish to be irresistably attractive]] [[>Wish for death]]'']

Feeling lonely, you tell the goatmen you wish for (text-colour:purple)[Percy] to come back. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Forming a perfect circle, the goatmen begin to chant and wave their horns in a rhythmic motion. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-style:"blur")[//"As our magic horns go swish, The goatmen will now grant your wish!"//] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Their horns begin to (text-style:"smear")[glow] a bright white, and a pentagram forms on the floor. From within the pentagram, a figure begins to take shape... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=A rather stout, brown (text-colour:#12b886)[nurk] appears in the middle of the pentagram, with a drink in his paws. He squeaks in shock. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[="Who's this?" You ask the goatmen, gesturing towards the nurk. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[="I'm Percy Skipsqueak, what's going on?" the nurk replies, looking about frantically. Yeah, you should've probably been more specific. (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Take a look at the crocodilian bull]] [[>Look for Percy in the 'jar' room]] [[>Look for Percy in the fossil room]] [[>Go back to the skeleton room and wait for Percy there]] [[>Quit your job]]'']

Feeling greedy, you tell the goatmen that you wish to be rich. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Forming a perfect circle, the goatmen begin to chant and wave their horns in a rhythmic motion. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-style:"blur")[//"As our magic horns go swish, The goatmen will now grant your wish!"//] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Their horns begin to (text-style:"smear")[glow] a bright white, and hundreds of gold coins begin to rain down from the ceiling. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=It's a shame that gold coins are worthless here in Nodd as everything is paid in gloam. You probably should've been more specific. (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Take a look at the crocodilian bull]] [[>Look for Percy in the 'jar' room]] [[>Look for Percy in the fossil room]] [[>Go back to the skeleton room and wait for Percy there]] [[>Quit your job]]'']

Feeling... some sort of way... you tell the goatmen you wish to be irresistably attractive. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Forming a perfect circle, the goatmen begin to chant and wave their horns in a rhythmic motion. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-style:"blur")[//"As our magic horns go swish, The goatmen will now grant your wish!"//] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Their horns begin to (text-style:"smear")[glow] a bright white, and you feel yourself shrinking, your bones rearanging, your whole body changing, and not for the better. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=It dawns on you that they have made you attractive to a goatman... which would be another goatman. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=As the bell tolls again, the goatmen get back into position on their mount and freeze up. You try to run to get someone, but you feel your own limbs stiffen. You're just another one of the exhibits now... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[= #(text-colour:red)[(text-style:"smear","expand","buoy")+(align:"=><=")[''YOU DIED'']] (text-style:"superscript")+(align:"=><=")[Be careful what you wish for!] (align:"=><=")[''YOU WERE KILLED BY:'' <img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/goatman.png" width="500"> //Taxidermy goatmen//] Want to try again? Click to return to the moment where you... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Return to the lobby]] [[>Follow Percy]] [[>Look for Percy in the taxidermy room]] [[>Take a look at the goat-men]] [[>Try talking to the goatmen]] '']

Feeling suicidal, you tell the goatmen you wish for death. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Forming a perfect circle, the goatmen begin to chant and wave their horns in a rhythmic motion. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-style:"blur")[//"As our magic horns go swish, The goatmen will now grant your wish!"//] (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Their horns begin to (text-style:"smear")[glow] a bright white, and you feel a tingling in your chest. Everything becomes blurry and you can't help but drift off to sleep. You pass away peacefully and painlessly. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[= #(text-colour:red)[(text-style:"smear","expand","buoy")+(align:"=><=")[''YOU DIED'']] (text-style:"superscript")+(align:"=><=")[At least you got your wish!] (align:"=><=")[''YOU WERE KILLED BY:'' <img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/goatman.png" width="500"> //Taxidermy goatmen//] Want to try again? Click to return to the moment where you... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Return to the lobby]] [[>Follow Percy]] [[>Look for Percy in the taxidermy room]] [[>Take a look at the goat-men]] [[>Try talking to the goatmen]] '']

Following the sound of servos and motors, you finally reach the (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor]. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=(text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor] isn't like its cousins, it's much, MUCH larger, about as tall as an adult human, and with a huge killing claw to match. Luckily, this one's just a robotic reconstruction. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=It repeats its programmed motions on a loop, blinking and hissing, spreading its wings and flexing its killing claw, every somewhat jerky, methodical movement making its shaggy grey feathers and rubbery brown skin bend and flex. As impressive of a machine it is, the way it moves is still rather uncanny. It's possibly even creepier than a real man sized, pack hunting, (text-colour:#c92a2a)[flesh eating] dinosaur. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=But how did it end up all the way over here?... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor's] movements begin to slow, and its hissing noises become low and stretched out, before it finally comes to a standstill. It's run out of juice. Oh well, looks like you're gonna have to try and haul this thing back to its diorama! (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Try to move the Utahraptor]]'']

You grab the (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor] by the tail and tug. It doesn't budge. This thing is heavy! (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=As you attempt to push, pull, and lift the (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor] in all directions, you hear the distinctive noise of running motors... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Sure enough, the (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor] has turned its head, and it's looking straight at you! With a jerky motion, its jaw drops open and it lets out a long //HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS...// (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Surely this isn't in its programming! (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Slowly, it begins to move its legs and turn itself around. You begin to back off, but the (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor] starts to pick up the pace... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Run]]'']

You run. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Luckily, this (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor] is a machine, and nowhere near as fast as a real Utahraptor would have been. You can easily outrun it, but the fossil room is so large, with so many twists and turns, it becomes like a maze! (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You come to a fork in the road, the (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor] right on your tail, which way do you go? (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>To the ancient fish]] [[>To the ancient forest]] [[>Hold on, I'm thinking!...]]'']

You make your choice and run into the ancient fish room. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=It's not a very large room, underwater creatures tend not to fossilize well, but the creatures preserved in this room are still truly bizarre. You dodge and weave amongst the likes of the sawblade mouthed (text-colour:#12b886)[Heliocorpion] and the enormous whale eating (text-colour:#12b886)[Megalodon], until you come to the very end of the room. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You're trapped between a rock and a hard place. Or more specifically, a murderous animatronic (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor] and the terrifying armoured jaws of a fossilized (text-colour:#12b886)[Dunkleosteus]... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=What do you choose? (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Lunge towards the Utahraptor]] [[>Jump inside the mouth of the Dunkleosteus]]'']

You make your choice and run into the ancient forest room. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The entire room is like a recreation of an ancient forest, with fake trees towering up to the ceiling. As you dodge and weave amongst them, you spy more weird dinosaurs up in the treetops. The batlike (text-colour:#12b886)[Yi qi], the four winged (text-colour:#12b886)[Microraptor], luckily they're all just models and not strangely sentient robots, unlike the thing currently pursuing you... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You are able to stay hidden from the (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor] in the tree cover for a relatively long time, like some twisted game of hide and seek... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Until eventually you become cornered with no possible route of escape. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Your only hope is your wits... and whatever items you have on you right now. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Act fast! (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Call someone on the radio]] [[>Use the flashlight to create a distraction]]'']

You can't decide in time, and the (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor] pounces upon you. It sinks its huge killing claw into your neck and (text-colour:#c92a2a)[punctures] your airway. Unable to breathe, you gasp and struggle for air, but eventually succumb. The last thing you see is the (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor's] feathered head and glassy eyes looming over you, a truly prehistoric fate. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[= #(text-colour:red)[(text-style:"smear","expand","buoy")+(align:"=><=")[''YOU DIED'']] (text-style:"superscript")+(align:"=><=")[This is just like that movie with the theme park full of dinosaurs. Oh, what was it called?...] (align:"=><=")[''YOU WERE KILLED BY:'' <img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/utahraptor.png" width="500"> //Animatronic utahraptor//] Want to try again? Click to return to the moment where you... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Return to the lobby]] [[>Follow Percy]] [[>Look for Percy in the fossil room]] [[>Try to move the Utahraptor]] [[>Run]] from the Utahraptor '']

You lunge towards the (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor], hoping to take it by surprise and push it over. In response it picks up the pace... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=But alas, you're nowhere near strong enough to take down this hunk of metal and rubber. You slam squarely into its chest, bouncing off and landing head-first in the Dunkleoseus's lower jaws. Its axe-like mouthparts (text-colour:#c92a2a)[slice] deep into your neck, almost (text-colour:#c92a2a)[decapitating] you. You swiftly (text-colour:#c92a2a)[bleed out] and die. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[= #(text-colour:red)[(text-style:"smear","expand","buoy")+(align:"=><=")[''YOU DIED'']] (text-style:"superscript")+(align:"=><=")[Talk about fish food!] (align:"=><=")[''YOU WERE KILLED BY:'' <img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/utahraptor.png" width="500"> //Animatronic utahraptor//] Want to try again? Click to return to the moment where you... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Return to the lobby]] [[>Follow Percy]] [[>Look for Percy in the fossil room]] [[>Try to move the Utahraptor]] [[>Run]] from the Utahraptor Go [[>To the ancient fish]] '']

You leap over the (text-colour:#12b886)[Dunkleosteus's] dangerous grin, careful not to slice yourself open in the process. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor] follows, leaning in with its maw open wide, ready to bite... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Before it can reach you, you slam the (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor's] head down onto the razor sharp jaws of the Dunkleosteus. The exposed electronics (text-style:"blink")[spark] and (text-style:"shudder")[buzz] as the body twitches like a dying fish, before it finally comes to a stop. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You may have just destroyed an expensive piece of machinery, but you're sure (text-colour:#12b886)[Winston] won't mind... (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=What do you do now? (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Go back to the skeleton room and wait for Percy there]] [[>Look for Percy in the taxidermy room]] [[>Look for Percy in the 'jar' room]] [[>Quit your job]]'']

You try calling for help on the radio. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=The radio is broken. The only answer is loud static. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Evidently, this sound is incredibly annoying to the (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor], which opens its jaws to let out a hiss before clamping down upon your skull. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=As the hydraulics squeeze its mouth shut, you feel the pressure building up in your skull, before your head finally (text-colour:#c92a2a)[ruptures], popping like a jelly-filled balloon and (text-colour:#c92a2a)[splattering] the walls with your (text-colour:#c92a2a)[blood] and (text-colour:#c92a2a)[brain matter]. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[= #(text-colour:red)[(text-style:"smear","expand","buoy")+(align:"=><=")[''YOU DIED'']] (text-style:"superscript")+(align:"=><=")[Perhaps a job at a pizza place would've been safer?...] (align:"=><=")[''YOU WERE KILLED BY:'' <img src="https://deathbyproxy.neocities.org/nodduleimages/curiositycollective/utahraptor.png" width="500"> //Animatronic utahraptor//] Want to try again? Click to return to the moment where you... (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Return to the lobby]] [[>Follow Percy]] [[>Look for Percy in the fossil room]] [[>Try to move the Utahraptor]] [[>Run]] from the Utahraptor Go [[>To the ancient forest]] '']

You decide to use the (text-colour:#12b886)[flashlight] to create a distraction. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=As you pull it out and turn it on, the (text-colour:#12b886)[flashlight's] gross eye flicks open and casts a (text-style:"smear")[beam] of green light right in the (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor's] face. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=This seems to work, as it holds its wings up to try and block the light, giving you enough time to start running, (text-colour:#12b886)[flashlight] in hand. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=But then, something strange happens. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=You notice the (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor] //run past you// and directly towards where the light is being cast. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=It's following the light like a cat with a lazer toy! (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Using this to your advantage, you guide the (text-colour:#12b886)[Utahraptor] back through the fossil room, careful not to knock over any of the priceless exhibits, and direct it back into its diorama home. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=Once it hops up onto the platform, it finally ceases to move. (click:?page)+(t8n:"blur")[=What do you do now? (text-colour:#12b886)[''[[>Go back to the skeleton room and wait for Percy there]] [[>Look for Percy in the taxidermy room]] [[>Look for Percy in the 'jar' room]] [[>Quit your job]]'']