The Mysterious Origins of the Deepwoken Curse: NO Ofe King's Tale

Deepwoken is an upcoming game that offers players a vast open world to explore and conquer. One of the most intriguing aspects of this game is the Curse of the No Ofe King. The Curse of the No Ofe King is a central part of the Deepwoken lore and storyline. According to the game's lore, the No Ofe King was a ruler who obtained unparalleled power and became corrupted by it. As a result, he cursed the entire world of Deepwoken, causing chaos and destruction everywhere he went. The curse manifests in various ways throughout the game.

It’s something Hart admits she didn’t treasure enough when making the series herself. didn’t appreciate them until later on in life when I learned who they really were, what their whole body of work was,” she said.

Kids won t know the significance of seeing Joanne Worley, Ruth Buzzi, and Gary Owens playing inmates at a mental institution on their screen, but for fans of Laugh-In the nostalgia rules. This paper articulates a productive recent line of approach, I initially proposed in The Invention of Religion in Japan, 2012, which was to introduce a third term superstition into the model.

The curse manifests in various ways throughout the game. One of the most notable effects of the curse is the cursed deep, a dangerous and treacherous area that players must navigate. This area is inhabited by terrifying creatures and is filled with traps and obstacles that will test the strength and cunning of any adventurer.

‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’ Halloween Episodes Are Perfect ’90s Spooky Nostalgia Hit

"They knew they wanted Molly Dolly to sound like a young girl, but dangerous, which is something I'm kind of famous for," voiceover artist Tara Strong tells IW.

Kristen Lopez

Where most shows of the pre-streaming era poured time and resources into year-end episodes and Christmas specials, for “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” everything went into Halloween. As producer and star Melissa Joan Hart told IndieWire via Zoom, “Of the 26 [episodes] we would do that year, Halloween was always the biggie. That’s when the budget would open up and we’d spend a lot of money on it.”

The proof is in the petrifying pudding, with “Sabrina” creating some of the most unique, inventive, and memorable Halloween episodes of the 1990s. Whether it was alt-rock band 10,000 Maniacs performing during Season 2’s “A River of Candy Corn Runs Through It” or Sabrina giving Frankenstein’s monster and the Bride of Frankenstein couple’s counseling in Season 5’s “The Halloween Scene,” these episodes showcased not only a blend of spooky fun for the whole family, but also an uptick in star power and IP recognition.

Take Season 3’s “Good Will Haunting”: the witchy sitcom’s (arguably best) All Hallow’s Eve special from 1998, which follows Sabrina on Halloween night after she invites some friends over to watch movies. Suddenly, Sabrina’s up against not only a dearth of horror titles at the video store, but also a magical doll named Molly Dolly who is threatening to “get her” and her pals. The episode wears its inspirations on its sleeve. Writers Carrie Honigblum and Renee Phillips told IndieWire they intentionally opened the episode with Sabrina’s cat, Salem, introducing the night’s events in the style of famed sci-fi host Rod Serling because the “Twilight Zone” episode “Living Doll” inspired Molly Dolly herself.

The episode sees Sabrina (Hart) receiving a present from her unknown Aunt Beulah. The doll, as Beulah says in her note, is meant to be a fun Halloween treat. It also forces Sabrina’s aunts Hilda (Caroline Rhea) and Zelda (Beth Broderick) to realize they’ve avoided Beulah’s Halloween parties for centuries and that they should probably make an appearance.

With Sabrina alone in the house, the typical teen hijinks of Halloween parties gone awry goes to extremes. Molly Dolly isn’t just threatening to harm Sabrina throughout the evening, she’s bringing all manner of monsters and ghouls to ruin the night. To look at Molly Dolly herself, the juxtaposition of the sweet and innocent doll with the evil that comes out of her mouth is what brings the terror, and that’s courtesy of voice actress Tara Strong.

Today, Strong is the voice behind Miss Minutes from Marvel’s “Loki,” but her roots in the Sabrina universe run deep, starting with her appearance in the 1998 TV movie “Sabrina Goes to Rome.”

“[The producers] knew about my voiceover career,” Strong told IndieWire. “They knew they wanted Molly Dolly to sound like a young girl, but dangerous, which is something I’m kind of famous for.” To get into character Strong analyzed the character description and collaborated with the production to tweak things. “The voice has to be cute, and the deviant side comes from the dialogue. What’s the action? What’s happening around you?” Strong said.

Unlike most voiceover performances that generally take place in a sound booth and are added in post, Strong said she was present on set, hiding under tables alongside the puppeteers who brought Salem and, in this case, Molly to life. Strong didn’t have a ton of puppeteering experience but was able to work with Mauri Bernstein to help pull the strings on Molly. In scenes where Molly had to be physical, such as in a wrestling match with Sabrina, Strong recorded off-stage with a boom mic as her lines were piped in.

“Sabrina the Teenage Witch” ©Viacom/Courtesy Everett Collection

As Hart and the writers note, it wasn’t unusual to have a set filled with people hiding under tables or in sofas. Hart said she’d often talk to the puppeteers under the table or “remember that when you sit down on the couch, don’t smash the couch because Mauri’s under there.”

The show boasted writers from all walks of the comedy and television world, such as “Mystery Science Theater” star Frank Conniff. Part of what makes “Good Will Haunting” such an amazing episode is how funny it is. Hart acknowledged that, while she was a producer on the series, the writers were given free rein to do what they wanted with the episodes, albeit so long as it made sense within Sabrina’s world. “

There was one time I could think of when we had an issue where I was like, ‘I can’t do this episode. It doesn’t make sense to me,’ and it was not this episode,” said Hart. But with that freedom came an ability to tell stories aimed at adults as often those aimed at kids.

Some of the best jokes of “Good Will Haunting” are a combination of great writing and Hart’s delivery (including gems such as “We’ll never live to see ‘Enchanted April'” and ”Clint Eastwood just took off his shirt” — which are funny in and out of context.)

“Sabrina the Teenage Witch” Courtesy Viacom/Everett Collection

Phillips points out that the reference to Eastwood’s 1995 feature “The Bridges of Madison County” came from Honigblum as both were flummoxed by the adoration of the intensely sentimental romance, also starring Meryl Streep. “It made me kind of gag,” said Honigblum.

And what other show could boast a Halloween episode with a killer doll and a subplot involving Sabrina’s aunts trapped in an insane asylum with the cast of the ’60s sketch comedy “Laugh-In?” Kids won’t know the significance of seeing Joanne Worley, Ruth Buzzi, and Gary Owens — playing inmates at a mental institution — on their screen, but for fans of “Laugh-In” the nostalgia rules. The inmates of that frenetic ’60s delight are now running the asylum and trapping Hilda and Zelda within.

“I kept saying ‘children don’t just watch children,'” said Honigblum, and while the children may not know who the various classic era stars are, they will as they age.

It’s something Hart admits she didn’t treasure enough when making the series herself. didn’t appreciate them until later on in life when I learned who they really were, what their whole body of work was,” she said.

As for the Molly Dolly prop itself? Where she ended up remains a mystery. Hart said when the series ended members of the production generally took what they wanted from the set.

“On the last day we all walked around the set and just kind of stole stuff. It’d been there so long it didn’t really count as an asset anymore,” she said. But neither her, nor Honigblum or Phillips know where Molly ended up. The original Salem puppet is in the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, Georgia, but it’s unclear if Molly is there as well. (Emails sent to the Center for Puppetry Arts were unanswered at press time.) But to everyone asked it brings a smile to their faces that Molly might still be wreaking havoc somewhere.

“Sabrina the Teenage Witch” is available to stream on Paramount+.

Unlike most voiceover performances that generally take place in a sound booth and are added in post, Strong said she was present on set, hiding under tables alongside the puppeteers who brought Salem and, in this case, Molly to life. Strong didn’t have a ton of puppeteering experience but was able to work with Mauri Bernstein to help pull the strings on Molly. In scenes where Molly had to be physical, such as in a wrestling match with Sabrina, Strong recorded off-stage with a boom mic as her lines were piped in.

Furthermore, the curse influences the behavior and abilities of certain NPCs (non-player characters) in the game. These cursed NPCs may be hostile towards players or exhibit strange behaviors that add an element of unpredictability to the game. To break the curse, players must embark on a challenging quest that will take them to different parts of Deepwoken. Along the way, they will encounter powerful enemies, solve intricate puzzles, and unravel the mysteries of the Curse of the No Ofe King. Successfully breaking the curse will not only lift the darkness that has engulfed Deepwoken but also reward players with unique and powerful items. These items will undoubtedly give them an edge in their future adventures and exploration of the game's world. The Curse of the No Ofe King adds an exciting and immersive element to the Deepwoken gameplay. It provides an overarching goal for players to strive for and a compelling storyline to follow. Moreover, the curse introduces new challenges and obstacles that will test the players' skills and strategies. As players delve deeper into the world of Deepwoken and uncover the secrets behind the Curse of the No Ofe King, they will experience a captivating and immersive gameplay experience that promises endless adventure and excitement..

Reviews for "The Eternal Torment: The Curse of the NO Ofe King in Deepwoken"

1. Jane Doe - ★☆☆☆☆

I was extremely disappointed with "Deepwoken curse of the no ofe king". The game had so much hype surrounding it, but it failed to deliver on almost every level. The graphics were subpar, the gameplay was repetitive, and the storyline was confusing and lackluster. I found myself bored and frustrated within the first hour of playing. Save your money and skip this one.

2. John Smith - ★★☆☆☆

I had high hopes for "Deepwoken curse of the no ofe king", but sadly, it fell short of my expectations. The overall concept of the game was interesting, but the execution was lacking. The controls felt clunky and unresponsive, making it difficult to navigate and engage in combat. Additionally, the world design felt empty and uninspired. I couldn't help but feel bored and disconnected from the game. It had potential, but it ultimately failed to deliver a satisfying experience.

3. Emily Johnson - ★★☆☆☆

I found "Deepwoken curse of the no ofe king" to be a disappointment. The game advertised an immersive world with intriguing quests and a captivating storyline, but I found myself uninterested and disengaged. The writing was lackluster and the characters felt one-dimensional. I also encountered several technical issues, such as glitches and freezes, which further hindered my enjoyment. Overall, I would not recommend this game to others who are seeking a truly immersive and enjoyable gaming experience.

4. Michael Thompson - ★☆☆☆☆

"Deepwoken curse of the no ofe king" was a complete letdown for me. The game had so much potential, but it was marred by countless bugs and glitches. I encountered numerous crashes and had to restart the game multiple times. The gameplay itself was repetitive and lacked innovation. The developers should have spent more time addressing these issues before releasing the game. I would strongly advise against purchasing this game until these problems are fixed.

The Legend Unveiled: The Deepwoken Curse of the NO Ofe King