In the basement of a cabin in the woods is a Princess. Your objective is to Slay the Princess. If you don't, it will be the end of the world.
Description[]
Main Article: The Hero and the Princess
The Narrator simply describes the Princess as someone capable of ending the entire world if she leaves the cabin, and that she will lie, cheat, and do anything else in her power to stop the Player from slaying her. To prevent the end of the world, the Player must slay her with the pristine blade. If the Player wants a clearer idea of who the Princess is, he'll have to see her for himself.
The Player first encounters her in "The Hero and the Princess." It is up to the Player if the Princess is slain, freed from her captivity, or something else someone else entirely.
Physical Appearance[]
The Princess looks like a beautiful young woman, well-kept for someone trapped in a basement for who knows how long. Her long, fair hair is parted to the side, held together by a jeweled tiara. Her eyes are large and fit disproportionally on her head. Her long regal dress hangs off her shoulders and reaches down to her ankles, her puffy sleeves bunched up at her upper arms, and she wears low-heeled shoes. Finally, her right arm is chained to the far wall of the basement, preventing her escape.
Personality[]
Who the Princess is, where she came from, or how she ended up in the basement of a random cabin in the woods is unknown even to her (or so she claims).
What can be gathered about the Princess, however, is that she is desperate to leave the cabin.
The Princess is relieved for a chance to be free from her prison.
The Princess is not impressed by her would-be murderer.
A Player armed with the Pristine Blade is met with a Princess who is sarcastic, aloof, and aggressive.
This harsher Princess wears her contempt and annoyance on her face, and has a tendency to primp her nails when the Player's questions fail to interest her. She reacts to the Player's assertion that she is supposed to end the world with a mix of amusement and disbelief, and responds his threats with threats of her own. ( She is, however, much more collected than Soft Princess. While still agressive, she does not become feral when attacked. )
- If the Player asks what her name is, she hesitates before addressing the Player like a peasant, telling him to call her "Your Royal Highness" or "Her Majesty".
Powers and Abilities[]
Whatever you do, the Princess is not to be underestimated.
The Princess seems to be just a princess, feared more for her political power than her physical power. Her slender frame cannot possibly support the strength needed to break through the large and heavy chains that bind her, let alone bring ruin to the entire world. The Narrator insists otherwise, though he will never tell the Player how or why.
It will take only a stab to the heart from the Pristine Blade for the Player to slay the Princess.
A Captive Heart[]
This is only one of the many ways the Princess can transform.
The truth is the Princess is a creature of perception. Depending on the player's choices during Chapter I, the Princess may change into several different forms, all with unique appearances and personalities. Unlike the Narrator, the Princess will remember the events of the previous chapter and respond to the Player accordingly.
Through the Player's perception, the Princess is able to change her form. This doesn't seem to be a conscious decision on her part, as the only time she changes is in-between chapters.
No matter how the Player chooses to deal with the Princess, Chapter I will end with his death. He will return to the start again, remembering the previous events, and the Princess, the Cabin, and even the woods around him will change significantly.
Sharp Princess[]
Main Article: The Princess/Adversary
The Player, seeing a Princess far more powerful than he anticipated, pushes through adversity and fights her to a mutual end.
You at least make sure that she won't make it out of here, either.
Should the Player choose to converse with the Princess first, taking the Pristine Blade with him, just in case, he can ultimately still decide to try to slay her. However, the time they spent talking gave the Princess enough time to prepare for the attack and she fights back against the Player, mortally wounding him. However, he was still determined to finish his goal, and was able to stab her in the heart with the blade. As they lie next to one another, dying, the Princess praises him for a good fight, before they both perish. (Chapter I: The Hero and the Princess)
The previous battle with the Player has molded the Princess into a being of demonic strength who only lives for the thrill of combat. (Chapter II: The Adversary)
Main Article: The Princess/Prisoner
The Player is skeptic of this whole "slay the Princess" business and decides to use the Pristine Blade to cut her out.
Maybe she'll see you in another life.
He speaks with her, though he takes the Pristine Blade with him, just in case. While the Princess is more distrustful of him, he ultimately decides to free her, and the blade is used to cut her hand off to escape the chains. However, the desperate Narrator tries taking control of the Player, trying to force him to kill her. She realizes what is going on, and that the Player is trying to hold back from killing her, so she tactfully decides to take the blade from him, and cut his throat so he could at least have a quick death. (Chapter I: The Hero and the Princess)
The Princess' restraints now bind both of her wrists as well as her neck, making it seem impossible for her to get out. (Chapter II: The Prisoner)
Main Article: The Princess/Razor
The Player resolves to slay the Princess, but doubt sets in and things don't go as planned.
The Princess reveals a Pristine Blade of her own.
Without hesitation, the Player drives the Pristine Blade into the Princess' heart. With her last breath, she asks the Player if that was really enough to kill her. What if she really isn't dead? Maybe he should check her pulse, or take the knife from her heart. As he does so, he feels a sharp pain in his side.
Alternatively, an inquisitive Player doubts the Narrator's assertion that she is unarmed. With doubt in his heart, the Player tries to drive the Pristine Blade into the Princess' heart, but she counterattacks with a Pristine Blade of her own.
The Princess, revealing her menacingly sharp teeth and sadistic glee on her face, stabs the Player to death. At the very least, he takes her down with him. Everything goes dark, and he dies. (Chapter I: The Hero and the Princess)
When they meet again, the Princess has become something much worse. Although she throws up an (unconvincing) innocent façade, she is now a sadistic being obsessed with hurting the player. (Chapter II: The Razor)
Main Article: The Princess/Spectre
A Player completely undeterred from slaying a hapless princess takes the pristine blade and drives it into her heart. The Princess falls without a fight. It really was that simple.
The Princess is convinced she can't die.
The Princess was too shocked that the Player would just up and stab her to defend herself. Before she expires, she asks the Player if he really thinks that was enough to kill her. Confident of his success, the Player leaves the basement to receive his reward. Over an eternity of bliss, the Princess' corpse decays into bones and cloth, though the blade in her chest remains pristine as ever. Eventually, the Player returns to the basement to use the pristine blade and take his own life. (Chapter I: The Hero and the Princess)
The Princess also finds herself... not alive, but conscious again in the basement. But despite exploring every single inch of the cabin, even the spaces between the walls, she is unable to find an exit. (Chapter II: The Spectre)
Main Article: The Princess/Tower
The Player's resolve to slay the Princess breaks and he falls to her godly, world-ending might.
You shouldn't have hesitated...
He decides to speak with the Princess first, though he takes the Pristine Blade with him. After speaking, he chooses to try to slay her, but she's ready for him, striking him with a powerful blow that breaks his bones. Feeling powerless to such a foe, he surrenders to her. As she stand before his broken form, she berates him and breaks his neck, killing him.
Alternatively, the Player decides to help the Princess escape, but fails to resist the Narrator taking over his body. The Princess then fights back, resulting in the same outcome; the Player gets crushed under the Princess' knee, and dies. (Chapter I: The Hero and the Princess)
Soft Princess[]
Main Article: The Princess/Beast
The Player sees the Princess as a cornered animal, but her vicious counter assault makes him the prey.
A feral Princess watches over her prey.
When the Player encounters the Princess, unarmed, he chooses to speak with her, but after their conversation, chooses to go back upstairs and retrieve the Pristine Blade. The Princess, aware of his plans, threatens him, and when he returns he finds she has bitten through her arm, releasing her from the chain. Determined to at least prevent her from escaping, he closes the basement door behind him, trapping them both downstairs, she jumps at him, viciously tearing through him, and he dies.
Alternatively, the Player could have chosen not to slay her, but the Narrator forces the Player to do so, and when he stabs her, she feels betrayed and attacks back viciously, and instead of fighting, he ultimately gives up and dies. (Chapter I: The Hero and the Princess)
After the Player's death, the Princess consumes his heart and dons his skin in an attempt to escape, but doesn't get far and is instead brought back to the beginning.
The Princess has become a beastly creature, a strong and agile predator lurking in the shadows. Understanding that the cabin won't let her out unless the Player is still alive, her desire is now to swallow him whole in an attempt to escape her enclosure. (Chapter II: The Beast)
Main Article: The Princess/Damsel
The Player, smitten by the helpless damsel, fully commits to saving the Princess.
The Princess mourns the loss of her beloved.
He chooses to speak to the Princess, before deciding anything, and chooses to do so, unarmed. After speaking to her, he decides to instead rescue her, but soon finds him and the Princess now trapped in the basement. However, the Narrator causes the Pristine Blade to appear for the Player to use. But instead of slaying the Princess, the Player uses it to free her, removing her hand to slip the cuff. The Narrator, now desperate, tries taking control of the Player to slay her, but the Player warns her and tries resisting the control. Seeing him try hard to resist killing her, the Princess takes the blade and remorsefully stabs the Player multiple times in the chest, repeatedly missing the heart. The Princess cries over the fatally wounded Player as he dies. (Chapter I: The Hero and the Princess)
TBA
Main Article: The Princess/Witch
The Player takes the opportunity to slay the Princess when she is at her most vulnerable.
The Princess crouches after almost being attacked.
Before deciding what to do, the Player chooses to approach the Princess without the Pristine Blade, and the two have a conversation. After talking with her, the Player decides she is not to be trusted and goes back upstairs for the knife, though the Princess is aware of what he's planning. When the Player returns, he finds the Princess is no longer shackled to the wall, having removed her hand from her wrist. When the Player goes to investigate the missing appendage, the Princess sneaks from behind him and runs up the stairs, locking him in the basement. After she brags about getting one up on him, he remains locked in the basement and eventually dies.
Alternatively, the Player may decide, after their conversation, to free her. Once it is clear they are both trapped in the basement, the Narrator provides the Pristine Blade to use on the Princess. The Player, whether by choice or compelled by the Narrator, eventually uses it on the Princess, who, feeling the sting of betrayal, mortally wounds the Player with her claws and teeth, and he dies. (Chapter I: The Hero and the Princess)
TBA
Something Else[]
Main Article: The Princess/Nightmare
The Player is paranoid of what the Princess can do. Instead of slaying or saving her, he leaves her to languish in the basement.
You look a little green around the gills...
After going to the basement and meeting the Princess, at some point, he decides it is better to just leave her locked down there, rather than either risk freeing her, or risk a confrontation trying to slay her. The Princess' voice changes as she threatens him, and the Player closes the door behind him, putting the table in front of it to try to keep her down there. She bangs on the door, as her voice becomes more threatening as she asks to be let out. He does not and goes to sleep. When he awakens, the table is overturned and the basement door is open, and suddenly, the Princess appears, floating and more a spectral being, with her face being more terrifying. As she gets close to him, her presence causes his organs to fail, and he dies. (Chapter I: The Hero and the Princess)
The Princess has now assumed a nightmarish, doll-like appearance. She is ready to use the Player as a toy, aware that her mere existence is enough to scare him to death. (Chapter II: The Nightmare)
Main Article: The Princess/Stranger
Contrary to the Narrator's instructions, the Player refuses to go to the Cabin, breaking the narrative (and the world) entirely. (Chapter I: The Hero and the Princess)
You don't need to meet the Princess to know what she could do.
TBA
TBA
Further Transformation[]
Unique Transformations[]
Main Article: The Princess/Eye of the Needle
Main Article: The Princess/Apotheosis
Main Article: The Princess/Moment of Clarity
Main Article: The Princess/Thorn
The Pristine Cut additions[]
Main Article: The Princess/Princess and the Dragon
Main Article: The Princess/Happily Ever After
Main Article: The Princess/Cage
Joint Transformations[]
Main Article: The Princess/Wraith
Main Article: The Princess/Wild
The Princess and the Player have become one with the woods and find a serenity neither have experienced before. But old habits die hard.
Trivia[]
Notes[]
- The Director's Cut demo included several changes to The Princess from the first demo:
- The Fury was renamed The Adversary.
- Many of the original six princess's designs were slightly changed or redesigned.
Real-World References[]
- Of the original six Princesses, The Adversary/Fury is the most liked by Tony Howard-Arias and Nichole Goodnight. Abby Howard's favorite is the Nightmare.[2]
- One of the instructions given for the voicing of The Tower was "Dommy Mommy."[2]
- According to Black Tabby Games' Reddit AMA, if the Princess and Reese from Scarlet Hollow met, they would quickly make each other worse.[3]
Gallery[]
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