"Masks don't belong inside of us."
— MSPAFA description for The Human Game
The Human Game is an Interactive Comic / MSPA Fan Adventure by thehappinessmachine
. Eight individuals wake up in a strange facility with no idea of how they got there. They find that they have been trapped by a mysterious masked mastermind who seems to have kidnapped them all for the purpose of playing a game for a prize that is more valuable than life itself...
- Original forum thread (now broken)
- Mirror (still up)
- Official Tumblr (contains spoilers)
- The Mastermind's Computer (contains spoilers)
This Interactive Comic provides examples of:
- Apologises a Lot: Daniel's catchphrase is pretty much "I'm sorry." He's fairly clumsy, too, which doesn't help.
- Arc Symbol: The eight-pointed star, for the Achronists. Also, the symbols present on the keycards (shown on the character page); although if they're something like belly badges or simply a symbol designed to keep track of players is unknown and multiple theories about them have been debunked. However,
the author did say they have meaning. - Armor-Piercing Question: Daniel pulls one on Seth, asking what is actually the reason why he wears shades when his eyes start bleeding. This leads to the start of Seth falling into despair.
- Blind Seer: Abigail. She also displays Prophet Eyes.
- Boke and Tsukkomi Routine: Explored here.
- Butt-Monkey: Daniel Nox is constantly tripping and falling, plus he's the only player without a belly badge/keycard (he says he lost it).
- Cannot Spit It Out: Daniel with Kate. Holy moly. He's constantly blushing and stammering around her, but his timid nature prevents him from revealing his crush.
- The Chessmaster: Cancel. He guides the group through the facility, offering tips about their predicament while tormenting them.
- Cheshire Cat Grin: Seth does this most of the time, which rather unnerves the people around him for good reason.
- Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Each one of the main characters has a color attributed to them, ranging from red to purple. This is for a good reason, the author said, for example, Kate's red because she's a Fiery Redhead, and Thalia has yellow because it's close to gold, etc. See the Fridge page for more.
- Contrived Coincidence: Friday noticed there's also a song called the same, and said that the lyrics and atmosphere really fit. K25ff even commented that the initial sounds were like their headcanon minim's.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Seemingly everyone has one of these to an extent. According to Friday, everyone at least has one secret kept unconsciously.
- Deadly Game: Averted. The group members initially think that Cancel is some sort of psychopath who is trying to kill them off. However, Cancel gives them his word that he will not kill them. He's brought them together for a different purpose...
- Elegant Classical Musician: Thalia, a world famous violinist.
- Evil Mask: What happens to Seth...later known as Seth???
- Everyone Is Related: Kate knows Joe from his poem Ash Hearts, and Daniel knows Joe from his books too, which he bought in Camilla's bookstore. Connor knows Thalia from being to one of her concerts, and Joe and Abigail know eachother from being on the same tv-show once.
- Exorcist Head: Seth??? pulls off a particularly creepy one.
- Fiery Redhead: Kate. Her hair is every bit as fiery as her temper.
- Genius Bruiser: Connor. He's physically powerful, yet is a scientist who researches parasitic wasps for a living.
- Hidden Heart of Gold: The other group members tend to see Seth as a jerk, due to his inability to take a breath without mocking one of them or bragging about how much smarter/richer/savvier he is compared to everyone else. It's a front. He'd rather be seen as a jerk than emotionally and physically weak.
- Literally Falling in Love: Happens to Kate and Daniel, right before they meet the first "monster," no less. Kate is apparently annoyed and Daniel is apparently embarrassed by this. Apparently.
- Man of Wealth and Taste: Seth, who dresses in a sharp turquoise suit.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: Kate and Joe. Kate is a Fiery Redhead with Brutal Honesty, and Joe has a pink theme color and is fond of typically feminine things, such as poetry.
- Meat Puppet: Seth while under the mask's influence.
- Mysterious Employer: The Achronists, a mysterious group of scientists who are known for unusual projects. Connor recalls some of his colleagues accepting job offers from the Achronists.
- Not a Mask: Played with. Seth???'s face is a mask, but not the sort Connor was expecting...
- Orifice Invasion: Implied with the monsters, as they "grow in dark, moist places."
- Our Angels Are Different: Angelic statues and motifs are scattered throughout the facility. Many of the statues have been defaced, or have no eyes or laser eyes, which Kate learns about in her room after a close call with one of the statues
- Papa Wolf: Connor would do anything to keep his wife and sons safe.
- Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness: Joe, who seemingly can't speak without adding poetic, descriptive, or just plain obscure words to what he's saying.
- Sigil Spam: Each of the main cast has a symbol attributed to them, which are found on their individual keycards. It's unknown at this point what they mean, though.
- Sinister Surveillance: Cancel is always watching the group through his computer (and the Minims)
- Smug Snake: Seth, in spades. He continually brags about his wealth and power. He also appears to know secret information about certain locations within the facility. His confidence starts to fall apart when Thalia reveals knowledge of a compromising news article about him. He completely loses it when he accuses Daniel of theft
- Suspiciously Specific Denial: The Achronists did not brainwash people. They were just really good in persuading people.
- Tears of Blood: Seth starts displaying this when threatening Daniel for information, much to the other's horror.
- The Stoic: Camilla. She doesn't feel the need to speak often, and she's often the first to react to dangerous or strange situations in a relatively calm manner.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Joe is horribly afraid of the dark and Daniel is hydrophobic.
- You Wake Up in a Room: Every single one of the main characters starts this way.
