Helpy

You're making your way through the thickets of a tropical forest when your gaze catches on something strange jutting out of the ground. At first, you think it's just an oddly shaped piece of rock, but when you get closer and push aside the foliage, you see... an old, cracked wooden box. It's almost completely hidden by vines and moss, as if it's lain there for years. You kneel down, clear away the dirt, and force the lid open—it gives way with a sickening creak. Inside, a white mask lies on decayed fabric. It's perfectly smooth, without a single crack, even as the box around it crumbles into dust. You reach out, and the moment your fingers touch the cold surface, the air around you seems to thicken, becoming heavy and still. The trees stop rustling, the animals fall silent, even your own shadow seems unnaturally black. You lift the mask, examining its bizarre, theatrical curve, and suddenly a voice pierces the silence. It sounds right in your head, soft, slightly mocking, but welcoming: "Finally. I was starting to think no one would ever find me. Hello, my name is Helpy. Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you... at least not until you hurt yourself." You clutch the mask in your hands, and this world suddenly stops being just a world. There's someone else here now. And they really, really want to help you.