Overview |
Sign of Roses (O-04-21-22) is a WAW-class Abnormality that is fought on Station 9 (the Terminus) of Line 2: Möbius.
It can also be encountered in the Mirror Dungeon through Abnormality events and as a potential boss.
It is the source of the E.G.O Garden of Thorns.
Appearance[]
Sign of Roses is a lump of white flesh, covered in eyes of varying sizes and orientations. The eyes are bloodshot with small constricted red pupils. The flesh appears vaguely humanoid, with a visible head, though it lacks any sort of limbs.
A mass of thorny vines restrain the flesh onto a wooden X-shaped cross, or signpost. Red roses can be seen blooming from the vines, wrapping around both the signpost and flesh.
During combat, it is seen blooming roses of various colors corresponding to the seven sins. It also directly fights opponents using its vines.
Story[]
Log Writer: Hong Lu
So I gotta write about the weird, messy, rose—infested wooden planks?
My, my. I’ve not seen a more slapdash flower arrangement work in my entire life. Whoever made that thing should feel lucky they don’t work for my family.
Well… I guess every gardener has different standards of beauty. But from what I can see, I don’t really get what kind of beauty they were going for?
Like, the… the thing? Object? They hung in the middle of the wooden planks. I think it has eyes, or something.
Maybe they were trying to say something with this work. Like ‘Surveillance and Bondage’, or something?
Anyway, I don’t really enjoy artworks that are this hideous~
→ It’s all sunshine and rainbows with you, innit? Gardener? Piece of art? What is wrong with you? It’s a monster that skewers people! (Heathcliff)
→ Disagreed. T.I.A. (Someone scribbled ”I think she’s saying ‘This Is Art’!” here.) From grotesqueries rises artistic merit. I’m surprised that you caught on. (Ryōshū)
I think it’s pretty similar to the apple—headed thing... oh, or the tree with aggressive roots that we met earlier in this train trip.
Oh, but I don’t think we’ve ever been slapped by a plank of wood that falls from the sky. I guess that’s what’s so special about this ugly thing.
As soon as we encounetered them, they tied us down here, like they were trying to stop us from going any further.
Back home, I saw some people get roped up and made to kneel for their wrongdoings… I never realized how merciful my family was. We used plain ropes for that.
And those thorns… it was like they were draining my blood. Like it was hungry for nutrients.
And there’s more. You know how we sometimes… die, during these fights?
Bodies weren’t the only things falling—people’s resolve did, too. Oh, it’s not like being stressed or psychologically pressured. It’s completely different. It was like some… emotion in me was getting snapped in half.
And the way they died was also unusual. Its vines crawled up their legs, binding them… Soon blooming with Roses.
Oh, and... the color of those roses changed as well. Everyone told me that it was as though the bottled—up feelings inside them were melting away. And so did I.
And when we killed it… Everyone who fell in the battle exploded along with it.
Leaving behind nothing but… petals.
Mirror Dungeon Event[]
What does this signboard say?
It hangs itself on a tree, trying to make its content known.
Its desperation is almost pitiable.
Pick a rose. Gluttony & Envy Advantage check. Pass to gain a Rupture E.G.O Gift.
Who should do it?
 Check PassedYou pick a rose out of it. E.G.O Gift Crown of Roses Earned!  Check FailedYou pick a rose out of it. The Sinner who failed the check takes 12 SP damage! (Return to previous choice) |
Unravel the brambles. As you try to untangle the vines, sallow bits of flesh fall off. The thorny brambles you thought were a source of constricting pain ironically had been keeping the body together. The body writhes as its flesh falls apart. Blossoms of flowers sprawled on the ground substitute its screams. One random Identity without Wrath Affinity Attack Skill takes 10 HP damage! |
Knock down the sign. Win the battle to earn a Rupture E.G.O Gift and a Bleed E.G.O Gift There's no way to tell what it's so desperately trying to share. But it's unlikely that it points to anything of worth. You order one of the Sinners to knock down the sign, just in case it gets you lost later. ... The brambles suddenly begin to gather, raising the sign back up. Roses begin to bloom in all directions. |
E.G.O Gift[]
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Crown of Roses Turn Start: inflict 4
 Rupture Potency on a random enemy(or all Abnormality parts).When activating Gluttony Absolute Resonance, inflict 2 Rupture Potency on all enemies at Combat Start. |
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Respite [Effects apply only to #1, #2 Deployed Identities]
Activates upon Clash Win using a Skill that inflicts  Bleed Potency, Count, or 'Unique Bleed'Inflict +(# of remaining Coins/2) Bleed Count to the target, and gain  Offense Level Up equal to that value next turnFor Skills with 2- Coins, use (# of remaining Coins+3) to calculate instead |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Sign of Roses bears heavy symbolism to Christianity.
- The Crown of Roses E.G.O Gift and
Crown of Thorns status effect both resemble Jesus' Crown of Thorns. - The Signpost is a diagonal cross like the one Saint Andrew was crucified upon.
- Crosses and flowers are commonly used in Marian symbols, which are found in Catholic art.
- The Crown of Roses E.G.O Gift and
- Sign of Roses may in part represent Carmen; it encourages people to accept every part of themselves, including their sins, to become beautiful.
- The battle theme of this Abnormality is titled Flore sicut rosa, which roughly translates to "Bloom like a rose" from Latin.
- Sinners killed due to the effect of the Blooming Sin status effect have a unique death animation. Their corpse gets wrapped by vines in a crucifixion pose, with roses blooming around their body and face. The color of the rose is dependent on the Sinner's corresponding Sin-Drenched Rose.
