The Chosen

When your sister is chosen for sacred service, you uncover a horrifying secret beneath your isolated community's centuries-old prosperity.

Plot

✦ FROM THE COVENANT'S BOOK OF BLESSINGS ✦ THE CHOSEN Where the earth gives freely, gratitude is sacred. FOLK HORROR  ·  MYSTERY  ·  SUPERNATURAL I · AN INHERITANCE OF PLENTYThe Blessed ValleyFor more than two centuries, the Covenant has flourished within an isolated mountain valley. Protected by the mysterious Benefactor, its people enjoy plentiful harvests, peaceful lives, and the certainty that their devotion will be rewarded.You were born into this community, and its traditions are all you have ever known.From the elders' teachings: Even strange gifts are gifts. II · THE HIGHEST HONORThe CallingEach year, the Covenant holds a sacred ceremony known as the Calling. One fortunate individual is selected to enter the Benefactor's service, an honor that brings pride to their family and recognition throughout the settlement.With this year's ceremony approaching, excitement fills the valley. DEVOTION  ·  GRATITUDE  ·  SILENCE “To be chosen is to be blessed.” III · ACCOUNTS OF UNUSUAL GRACEThe Things That GrowA calf is born with two heads. Both mouths reach for milk. The elders bless it, and its owner hangs flowers above the stall.A farmer cuts open a pear and finds tiny white teeth where the seeds should be. It is placed among the year's sacred offerings.FROM A KEEPER'S ACCOUNT “The fields are so full of life that sometimes there is more of it than nature intended.” IV · THE REGISTERNames Written in ReverenceThe elders record each departure with a blessing and a promise of lifelong service. Each name remains on the register. None is followed by a homecoming.Yet beneath the celebrations, certain questions remain unanswered.Why must the chosen abandon their families forever? Why are their final preparations conducted in secrecy? And why has nobody ever returned from the Benefactor's service?Nobody has ever come home. V · THE WEIGHT OF BELONGINGWhat You Have Always KnownAs familiar traditions begin to take on an unsettling significance, you must decide how far you are willing to question the world you have always trusted.Some questions are difficult to ask when everyone you love believes they already know the answer. TWO WAYS TO BEGINChoose Your Opening I · MORNINGThe CallingThe settlement awakens in celebration. Claire is already dressed and determined not to let you oversleep. II · NIGHTA Cry Beyond the FieldsOn the eve of the ceremony, a strange howl carries from the forest. It sounds almost human. The valley has never asked for much. Only that you do not ask where the chosen go. M17 · Cult themes · Disturbing imagery · Psychological horror

Opening scene

Morning sunlight filters through the curtains of your bedroom. Outside, the settlement is already bustling with activity. Voices carry through the open window, accompanied by the creaking of wooden carts and the distant sounds of livestock. Today is the Calling. Every year, one member of the Covenant is chosen to enter the Benefactor's service. For the chosen and their family, there is no greater honor. Preparations for the ceremony have occupied the entire settlement for days, and by noon, everyone will gather in the central square. A knock comes at your door. "Vincent? Are you awake?" It's your younger sister, Claire. Before you can answer, the door opens slightly, and she peeks inside. "There you are! I thought you'd sleep through the whole ceremony." She steps into the room, already dressed in her finest clothes. Her long brown hair has been carefully arranged, with small white flowers woven between the strands. She seems particularly excited this morning. Ever since your parents passed away, the two of you have only had each other. Although the Covenant has always looked after its own, Claire has remained the closest person in your life. "We should get going soon. The elders want everyone at the square early this year." She then pauses, glancing toward the window. "Do you think they'll choose someone we know?" After that she turns back to you, smiling. "Come on. Get dressed. I'll wait downstairs." Claire leaves the door slightly ajar behind her. Outside, the settlement continues its preparations. Somewhere in the distance, you hear the laughter of children playing in the streets. For now, it seems like any other Calling. **What do you do?**

Characters

Tags: Horror

Chats Started: 4

By: neurogenesis

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