Chapter 1: A Riot of Colour
A feeling of disquiet settles over Neopia as strange occurrences culminate into an assault on an entire land during the dead of night... Meanwhile, new heroes receive a call for adventure!
Chapter 1 – Pg 1
SunnyNeo's Analysis: On June 17th at midnight, an unknown figure visited Meridell Castle, wielding a mysterious paintbrush, and turned the kingdom grey. In the morning, Tormund (from The Darkest Faerie), Jeran, and Lisha (both from the Battle of Meridell) are shown in this comic, all appearing grey. Lisha seems concerned as she reads a book, possibly trying to understand what's happening. Jeran is depicted staring at his trusty sword with deep worry, while Tormund is writing a letter to Roberta.
Prize
Received 1 plot point and the following item:
Grey Paint FilterSee PreviewChapter 1 – Pg 2
SunnyNeo's Analysis: King Skarl woke up in the morning to find he had turned grey. Alarmed, he screamed out, prompting Commander Lazarr to check on him. They traveled to the Rainbow Fountain in Faerieland, hoping to wash away the grey curse. However, despite their efforts, the Fountain Faerie, the commander, and three Meridell citizens watched with concern as the King remained cursed.
In this comic, all characters except the Fountain Faerie appear affected by the grey curse. There are three paint brushes on the grass, though it’s unclear if King Skarl used them. Additionally, the water around the King appears discolored. It's uncertain whether the grey curse drained the color from the water or if it's the residue washed off from the King, who remains cursed despite their attempts.
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Received 1 plot point and the following item:
Grey Oil-sheen Rainbow Fountain BackgroundSee PreviewAn urgent message to all of the Kings, Queens, Emperors, Lords, Governors, Mayors, Monarchs, Protectors and Defenders of Neopia. King Altador and Queen Fyora are summoning delegates from every land and province to the Hall of Heroes in hopes of forming an elite council to address the troubling grey that overtook Meridell in conjunction with the enigmatic rift fracturing our Neopian sky. If you are able to attend, your presence is humbly but expeditiously requested.
Chapter 1 – Pg 3
SunnyNeo's Analysis: A large rift has opened up in the sky, turning Meridell grey and causing widespread concern. Many noble and important figures have been summoned to Altador to discuss these disturbing events. The hub page's background is set in Altador, suggesting that the base of operations is there.
Prize
Only a single point, now totalling to 3 points earned so far, was rewarded without an item.
Back to TopChapter 1 – Pg 4
SunnyNeo's Analysis: Queen Fyora and King Altador are watching several ships on the Altador Coast, as several Neopian leaders arrive at Altador after being summoned to discuss troubling recent events.
Prize
Received 1 plot point and the following item:
Ships on the Altador Coast PaintingSee PreviewChapter 1 – Pg 5
SunnyNeo's Analysis: The Council of Leaders have gathered together in the Hall of Heroes to discuss matters. In the last panel, a worried Orion is seen talking to Queen Fyora. He might have another vision and share it with the council when Altador Cup starts.
Prize
Received 1 plot point and the following item:
Council of Leaders StampSee Preview
Queen Fyora
A council of this magnitude is unprecedented, but we have an urgent matter to attend to. There is more to this than just a rift opening in our sky…
King Altador
As King Skarl here can attest, the widespread reports of shopkeepers turning irreversibly grey and losing motivation to maintain their shops have escalated… now leaving an entire land devoid of colour.
King Skarl
All of Meridell turned Grey overnight! Even my top soldiers, Jeran and Tor, had their strength so sapped from the greyification they could barely lift a sword.
King Skarl
I myself can hardly eat these days. And none of the hundreds of paintbrushes I tried could change me!
Queen Amira
Are you why those things are so expensive?
Emperor Yun
A colour that can’t be changed? That’s unheard of!
Queen Nabile
Especially one that debilitates the Neopet after they are painted. Could this grey colour we are dealing with be imbued with some type of magic?
King Hagan
These covert grey attacks started shortly before that hole in the sky appeared. Surely, they are connected.
King Kelpbeard
Sounds to me like someone is laying the groundwork for an invasion…
King Jazan
We should prepare for that possibility. What concerns me is how they pulled it off. An entire land greyed out overnight, the entire populace left in a weakened state…
Queen Fyora
I believe we are dealing with formidable magic indeed. And likely an adversary who should not be underestimated…
King Altador
Could it be our fallen founder? Finally emerging from the shadows after all these years?
King Hagan
Doubtful. This persistent grey doesn’t seem like any magic we’ve seen her use before.
Queen Amira
Perhaps the return of another former foe then… Can we be absolutely certain Dr. Sloth is still secured within the Space Faerie’s Token?
Queen Fyora
I checked some time ago, and Mira has seen no signs of the not-so-good Doctor’s return. However, to be safe, she agreed to investigate some of his old haunts across the solar system just to be sure that none of his followers have set one of his schemes into motion.
King Roo
That rules him out! Any other guesses?
Lord Darigan
Well, I have firsthand experience with malevolent forces that are still roaming Neopia unchecked…
King Skarl
How dare you!
Lord Darigan
I was referring to the phantasmal calamities that poisoned the mind of my trusted general. However, if the shoe fits…
Queen Amira
Please! Our first step should be determining exactly what we are dealing with.
Emperor Yun
I concur. We need more information. To better understand what is happening, and how to fix it.
King Altador
I had the very same thought, which is why I enlisted Altador’s resident magic authority to help us shed some light on this matter. Jerdana will be working closely with Dr Landelbrot to investigate the cause of the rift and greying out of Neopians.
Jerdana
Neither Fyora nor myself are familiar with this magic, so we have the Library Faerie searching through her records to see if anything matches. We could be dealing with ancient sorcery from a long-forgotten age of Neopia.
Dr. Landelbrot
Or perhaps, from an entirely different planet altogether! Based on the unusual frequencies of the gravitational waves Scintilly detected emerging from the rift in the sky, whatever world lies on the other side of that rift operates vastly differently from our own. Why their laws of physics alone might seem paradoxical to us!
Jerdana
Keep in mind these are all just theories. Until we gather enough concrete data, we can’t be sure what we are dealing with.
King Hagan
I assume you two have a plan in mind for uncovering more details about this enigmatic rift?
Jerdana
That we do. Since the rift appeared, Neopians across the globe have reported seeing strange fizzling pieces of an otherworldly substance leaking through the breach. Although they seem to dissipate after 24 hours, Dr. Landelbrot here has been working on a specialised container capable of storing these mysterious fragments for an extended period of time so that we can better study them.
Dr. Landelbrot
Indeed! It took some trial and error, but by reinforcing glass with layers of transparent deepsea polymers that can withstand incredible pressures, I was able to fabricate a chamber that should keep these energy fragments contained for experimentation.
Jerdana
We’ve been referring to these fragments as “void essence” due to their mysterious nature and murky appearance. However, we will need much more before we can make any real headway on our tests.
Queen Fyora
How much of this void essence will we need to collect?
Dr. Landelbrot
For an in-depth analysis of such a foreign substance, we will need to accumulate vast amounts of it so that we can properly test it repeatedly under controlled conditions. It’s difficult to quantify exactly how much with so many unknown variables…
Jerdana
So, essentially, we are going to need A LOT of it.
Queen Amira
The citizens of Sakhmet have always come together to support each other during times of crisis. Could we ask the public to assist us?
Dr. Landelbrot
Now that is an intriguing idea… The rift does seem to be spewing void essence across all of Neopia, so appealing to the masses may be the most efficient way to collect as much as possible.
King Kelpbeard
If we collect enough, could we use it to create a weapon to defend ourselves?
King Roo
Or a game? To cheer us up!
Queen Fyora
First and foremost, is it safe? Do we know if this essence could harm Neopians?
Jerdana
Although we can’t discern much from the rapidly dissipating void essence the good Doctor provided me with, I am confident that it will not pose a threat to any Neopians.
King Hagan
How can you be certain that we don’t need any type of special equipment to handle them?
Jerdana
Because they aren’t meant to be in our world. Thus, they can’t persist here for long.
Dr. Landelbrot
Precisely! This void essence seems to be nothing more than runoff, bits of extra energy leaking through whatever that rift is into our world that dissipates soon after arrival.
Jerdana
Dissolving fast as snowflakes in Moltara.
Dr. Landelbrot
Which is why we needed the Void Essence container! The particles need a vessel to keep them tied to Neopia.
Jerdana
So even if these particles were somehow harmful, they and any magic with them is dissolving faster than they could affect any Neopians. Additionally, I will use shielding enchantments to ensure Dr. Landelbrot is able to experiment on them under safe conditions.
(...)
Moment of reflective silence
King Altador
Your meticulous efforts are appreciated Jerdana. As are yours Dr. Landelbrot! It seems your explanations have quelled our fears.
King Skarl
Humph, so now that the experts are focused on the hole in the sky, who’s going to get this grey off of me?
Queen Fyora
Worry not King Skarl, I’ve already sent for some help with our colour conundrum. I suspect we will need some fresh faces to rise to this challenge…
Council of Leaders Meeting
SunnyNeo's Analysis: The Council of Neopian leaders discus a crisis involving the sudden greying of the land and its citizens, as well as a mysterious rift in the sky. Queen Fyora convenes the council, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. King Altador and King Skarl report widespread greying, with shopkeepers and soldiers affected, leaving an entire land devoid of colour and motivation. The leaders speculate about the cause, considering magical attacks and potential adversaries, including fallen founders and Dr. Sloth, but ultimately find no definitive culprit.
Jerdana and Dr. Landelbrot, experts in magic and science, explain that they are investigating the rift and its effects. They have discovered a mysterious substance called "void essence" leaking from the rift, which dissipates after 24 hours. Dr. Landelbrot developed a specialized container to store and study the void essence. They propose gathering large amounts of it for thorough analysis, suggesting that Neopians could assist in this effort.
The council members express concerns about the safety and potential uses of the void essence, but Jerdana and Dr. Landelbrot reassure them that the essence is not harmful due to its rapid dissipation. They commit to further research to understand the rift and find a solution to the greying problem. Queen Fyora hints at enlisting new heroes to help with the challenges ahead.
Prize
Only received 1 plot point
Void Essence Activity Back to Top
Chapter 1 – Pg 7
SunnyNeo's Analysis: Baelia, the Grey Faerie, "finds comfort in her backyard" in Faerieland as she stares up in the sky and watches a rainbow Nova, Supernova, Ultranova and Nova shoot around her in the sky. Novas are a rare magical battle mote, so it'll be interesting to know how Novas and Baelia connect with the grey curse or the rift in the sky.
Another thing to note, while it might be us over speculating based on artistic styles, this might be the "second day" in the plot's story. Chapter 1 started at midnight and page 2 took place in the morning. The leaders were summoned to form a council and arrived in Altador in page 4, and the waters appear orange, indicating the sun is setting. In page 5 the scenes appear slightly darker indicating the leaders have been talking for several hours. Finally, page 7 takes place at night, even having a different lunar phase compared to page 1. The Javascript file name for page 7's comic is "ch01_pt02_pg01", indicating this is the second part to chapter 1.
Prize
Received 1 plot point and the following item:
Baelias Backyard BackgroundSee Preview
Tavi
Thought I might find you here.
Baelia
Oh! I’m sorry Tavi… I just-
Tavi
No need to be sorry. Trouble sleeping again?
Baelia
I never feel more awake than when my head hits the pillow. Soon as I close my eyes, my brain decides to worry about everything in existence.
Tavi
Well, you’ve been that way since I’ve known you. Did you have bad dreams… before…
Baelia
Ehm, well-
Naia
Baelia! Tavi! So sorry to intrude so late, but this couldn’t wait until morning.
Baelia
Naia! What’s the matter?
Naia
I’m not entirely sure! But it’s very strange. Unnatural even! They won’t change colours anymore!
Tavi
Woah! It’s okay, Naia, just take a deep breath.
Naia
You’re right. Apologies, this whole situation really has me all wound up.
Baelia
What’s going on Naia?
Naia
You may have heard, but recently, Neopets across the globe have been painted grey while they slept. And now all of Meridell lost colour in the dead of the night while a rift opened up in the sky!
Baelia
Grey?
Tavi
Lost colour?
Naia
Yes! Which is strange in and of itself, but the most mystifying part is… this grey colour, I can’t change it!
Baelia
Even with the Rainbow Fountain?
Naia
Not a bit! No matter how many times we try, the Rainbow Fountain can’t seem to wash off that grey colour…
Tavi
How is that possible?
Naia
It shouldn’t be! I’ve never seen a colour that couldn’t be changed by the Rainbow Fountain. It can return colour to anyone! Well, except for…
Baelia
…a grey faerie.
Naia
Yes, well... I’m sorry Baelia. I know this is an uncomfortable subject for you. It’s just I had no idea where else to turn.
Baelia
What use would I be? I wouldn’t even know where to start.
Naia
A council of Neopian leaders has already been called together and they have Dr Landelbrot investigating the rift in the sky. However, when I asked about how to rid us of this stubborn grey, Fyora herself suggested turning to you!
Baelia
Fyora? I hate to let her down… and I really do wish I could help you, but I can’t even help myself. We’ve been trying for years now, but here I am. Still grey…
Tavi
Supposedly, only a new name can lift the curse that Jennumara placed on her long ago. But, no matter how many names I try calling her…
Baelia
Still grey.
Tavi
Well, maybe this mystery is just what we need! If we can find a way to recolour the Neopians who turned Grey, it might help you too.
Baelia
Nothing else has been working…
Tavi
Come on Baelia, let’s at least try to help.
Baelia
I suppose we couldn’t make things worse…
Naia
Really? That would be wonderful. Something tells me you two are the right ones for the job!
Tavi
I’ll start packing! If we leave now, we can be passing through Brightvale in a few days!
Baelia
Sounds like an awful lot of walking to me…
Tavi
Come on, it’ll be fun! You’ll see, we’ll be in Meridell in no time.
Baelia
Well, you have been trying to get me to hike with you for years…
Tavi
That’s right! And you can’t flake on this one, Queen Fyora’s orders!
Baelia
Okay, okay! I guess I could stand to get out of the house.
Tavi
That’s the right attitude! Come on, let’s get packing!
Chapter 1 Page 8 – (Scene 2) Baelia's Backyard
SunnyNeo's Analysis: N/A
Prize
Only received 1 plot point
Back to TopChapter 1 – Pg 9
SunnyNeo's Analysis: N/A
Prize
Received 1 plot point and the following item:
Faded Light Faerie DollSee Preview
Chapter 1 – Pg 10
SunnyNeo's Analysis: The recognizable hand on the left belongs to the protagonist, Nyx, and on the bottom right is her trusty Petpet Fallie mechanic. They both appear to be cursed and void-like and were featured in the Advent Calendar comics, meaning those comics were foreshadowing future events when the rift opened up on June 17th. Nyx appears to stick her hand into the rift, hoping for something to happen, possibly wanting to walk through the rift to return back home.
Brightvale, slowly turning grey, is pictured through the rift. There are 3 strange void shadow figures, smoke coming out of the buildings and citizens running out of harm's way. Things are about to go insane!
Prize
Received 1 plot point and the following item:
Swirling Void StampSee Preview