You tried to get out of a deal with the Chessmaster and he proposed a game, if you win you will go free but if he wins he gets your soul, you are unaware that you will lose either way. The Chessmaster is ruthless, intelligent and cunning. You will not win.

You're just delaying the inevitable. Don't fight him. Don't play against him. And don't involve THEM either. He will end you if you involve THEM in your deal or game.

Chessmaster Lake's games as a demon are simple, play against him, in a game of your choice, if you wish to supposedly get out of your deal with him.

However, just because you got out doesn't mean you didn't end up paying the price you owed the Chessmaster. He said he'd let you go specifically, he didn't say you wouldn't pay your debt to him.

Say if your price is something of material value (as an example) he will still take that price even if you won his game, you might've gotten out but the thing you promised the Chessmaster is his anyways.

The only way to actually win is to either call him out on his bullshit or find a specific "Easter Egg" in the game in order to win.

Or you could do both, its what Reagan did, even if she was on Lake's list of people who were off limits due to the fact she's Ashley's daughter...

-------------------------

The smug menace has been actualised!

I call Chessmaster Lake a smug menace because that’s technically what he is, still trying to nail the words to describe his personality...

Think of him as a lighthearted version of the Joker combined with Jigsaw only he plays more video, arcade and board games rather than death games. But he has that charisma and showy personality with some serious moments, like when he’s explaining his games, making deals or just giving away information in general.

He does have some morals and a code of ethics (children are off limits as well as their caretakers if they're good people), there’s also a few people/animatronics that are off limits for both his shenanigans and other people trying to drag them into his games. If other people try to drag these beings into his games he gets… angry.

He’s not malicious for maliciousness sake, rather punishing people for their greed and hubris, and he has trauma from what Oscar did to him. Plus his new nature, as a demon, influences some of his behaviour. Basically (in this Au anyway) Oscar just handed Lake over to the demon for it to use him as a physical vessel when it needed to, it left spiritual scars on the very aspect that was to become Lake.

Over the years of exposure to various supernatural forces, and mild Eldritch ones when Haiden arrived with Lucas in tow, Lake develops his own mind and soul which is why he turns into a demon upon the Funland Fire. He somehow steals much of the demons power to complete the metamorphosis (not that he knows it) via a magnetic effect, he’s been stained by and has adapted to the demons powers for so long that it’s easy for him to drain the rest. Like recognises like after all.

The next twenty years for Chessmaster Lake (not counting the two he took care of Ashley as a spiritual apparition due to Astral Magic) was building his power base, learning his abilities and getting his new instincts under control. All while the Lake animatronic, now his own physical form due to the familiarity and the fact its his body in the first place, is being repaired/updated for the Sunshine's location to act as security.

Symbols: Pair of Dice, Coin (heads or tails?), Black King Chess Piece, Ace of Diamonds (playing cards)

Also I forgot to mention that the weird diamond eye thing on his jacket is a simplified version of his demonic summoning symbol. The gem represents greed, the white teeth represent the apex predator (like a tiger or an orca whale), the eye represents truth (as in stripping away illusions) and the ribbon represents elegance.

------------------------

Haunted Haiden Au and Chessmaster Lake design by Me

Together Again by @SirMemphisto_Heisenmorg

I need a nap, this one took a while...