The Tarantula
rating: +13+x

A scream resounds through the streets of Level 11's theater district, but nobody seems to be there to catch it. Only a few hear it in the distance. "It must just be the wind," they think. After all, how could anything that might create such a sound happen in Level 11. Level 11 is safe. They are safe.

And yet, the blood that drips from our poor victim's neck is all too real.

Morning comes, and our man is gone. The people of 11 assume the disappearance to simply be a freak no-clip and continue with their lives.

The man is soon forgotten.




Name: Manda Gullers
Aliases: "The Tarantula", "The Flamingo"
Affiliations: Dr. Mesmer's Traveling Performance Troupe
Locations: Level 11 and other levels with large communities and outposts.

the-tarantula.jpg

An image of Manda Gullers taken in Level 11 before a show.

Manda Gullers, also known by her stage name, "The Tarantula", is a acrobat and contortionist who performs with the enigmatic travelling circus, Dr. Mesmer's Travelling Performance Troupe. Gullers is especially known for her trapeze and high-wire acts, which she performs with exceptional skill around Level 11, in the company of the performance troupe.

Gullers is a relatively short, blonde woman with hazel eyes who appears to be in her late 20s to early 30s. She's believed to be of Swedish descent due to her strong accent. Attempts to get an interview from her have been without response, so her exact history is unknown.

Gullers first came to the attention of the M.E.G. in October 2020 when Dr. Mesmer's Travelling Performance Troupe began increasing its activity in Level 11. Although there have not yet been any notable incidents involving her, she has been declared a person of interest due to her association with other POIs within the performance troupe and due to unparalleled acrobatic ability, which some members of the M.E.G. believe could make her a useful asset. She has, however, refused almost all contact with the M.E.G. and remains outside of the public eye much more than other members of the performance troupe. The reasons for this are unknown.




A woman stands on the street, fresh blood dripping from her fangs.

A man comes up from behind her. She jumps, startled when he puts his hand on her shoulder.

"Laz! You scared me!"

"Sorry."

They're silent for a moment.

"Manda, did you kill another one."

"I— I can't help myself. It's getting hungry."

"If you keep doing this you're going to get caught, and we'll have to move levels again."

"I know— I—"

"Wasn't this level supposed to stop that shit from happening. The Eleven Effect or whatever they call it."

"It is helping but— The hunger is getting stronger, and I'm not fully in control. Watch this."

She lifts her shirt a few inches and squeezes a drop of blood from a cut on her hand.

A fanged mouth emerges from the flesh of her abdomen, which recedes when she pulls her bleeding hand away.

"Something is very wrong, Laz."

Laz says nothing.

"You can't really understand because you can't taste it like I do, but it's… euphoric when I drink blood. It's like taking a warm bath in the middle of winter— times 100 and then some. Like every muscle in my body is telling me to stay in the warmth. To leave the cold world behind and feel the blood drip down my throat. And in that moment, it seems worth it."

Laz is silent for a long time before speaking.

"We need to find a way to stop this, Manda. It's taking control of you. It's changing you."

"I know, but I don't know how."

"It's scaring me, Manda. You're scaring me."

"I know."


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