.:August Runs:.

[ganymed]

Who ⬤ Ganymede and Co.
What ⬤ Dungeon-crawlin' with four people pt. redux. What can go wrong?
When ⬤ Following this, and other times at misc. moments (accounting for the future.)
Where ⬤ Concealed Mourning Bulwark, Closed Failing Pilgrim, & Pulsating Black Old World
Content Warnings ⬤ None and not anticipating any!




[ Ganymede has spoken to at least...two of these people, once.

That's what probably makes it reasonable for him to come along on the party raid.

Following conversation on the network and elsewhere, all three responsible receive new emails bidding them to come to the Chaos Gate. Ganymede is already awaiting their appearances.

Fortunately, so is information regarding their keywords, which are "Concealed Mourning Bulwark".

Once the Chaos Gate warps them over, they'll find...

...That they are all in an area that's more or less a stormstruck plain stretching from end to end. Right in the middle of this field is a flesh wall dungeon, the beginning point of the actual dungeon itself. ]

RESULTS #1: For Concealed Mourning Bulwark!

RESULTS #2: For Pulsating Black Old World!

RESULTS #3: For Closed Failing Pilgrim!

Comments

[ganymed]

[ What will they indeedy? The combination of fire-branded, well-timed hard-hitting strikes, intermingled with spectacular critical attacks make for perhaps a spontaneous well-cooked meal instead of any manner of proper enemy counterattack. Though, there definitely were attempted fish attacks, and sprays of water, but hm. For two of the enemies fields of fire probably are good at not making those forms of retaliation very effective, especially on the back of Uta and Anaido's close quarters combat.

At least, this time around.

They never stood a chance. Just like that, the main targets consisting of one Sky Fish and one Acanthaster companion flops over in defeat, leaving just one Acanthaster remaining. ]

Good job, we're almost through the first wave!

[ Hani probably (definitely) initially drew its aggro, though Uta is also closer, and really does anyone think a starfish enemy has great mobility...? So, it tries to send some spray of water at her, even as Ganymede tosses a slowing debuff spell of Dek Do its way. ]

[tinged]

[ mmmm, hani can almost smell it: grilled fish and, uh, starfish or whatever. ]

By the way, what did everyone eat for lunch today?

[ making small talk while battling sky-sea creatures, no big. hani flicks their staff casually to cast a megan rom that doesn’t crit, but at least slows down the last enemy aiming for uta. just a mini landslide of rocks to hinder it.

and one more hit should finish it off! ]

[tot]

[ absolutely get rekt'd!

and honestly, isn't that what people who wholly confident in the abilities of themselves and the people around them do? it's not considered bad manners, at least. uta will be able to dodge out of the way of the water spray after the debuff and then finish off the acanthaster with a thorn dance. ]

Stegt flæsk med persillesovs which translates to roast pork with parsley sauce. [ she'll stand (pose) with her lance at her side now that the monsters of the first wave have been defeated. ] It's very good and you should try it if you ever get the chance—unless you're a vegetarian or someone who can't have pork.

[ though— ]

I could go for some actual cake.

[wowcool]

[Looks like that's that for the first wave at least - Anaido nods along with it all, step by step. It's good to have a team. He might be an Adept Rogue and all, but having things like those debuffs helps in the long run.]

[He claps as Uta poses, beaming wide.]

I'll be sure to try that! And! Um.

[Hm.]

I think I forgot to eat! That's fine though! I'll eat later.

[ganymed]

[ Another one bites the dust! But he does have a comment for Anaido, adding in: ]

I should hope so.

...As for me, I just had something light. Fruit, and bread. I'm already kind of thinking about what I'm going to have for dinner, actually.

[ Maybe something like a simple pasta meal with some potatoes, hmm...

Though, as they're all moving, it should be easy to find another group of enemies awaiting them around the corner.

This time, it's a trio of lumbering Watersauruses, trying to see if they can catch the party off-guard with some heavy foot chargin', though the blond's going ahead with a dance to spam slowing down debuffs for all three of them. How does everyone else fare? ]

[tinged]

[ clapping at uta's pose because battle flourishes are great and everyone should do them. also uta's just great. ]

Oh - isn't that good? [ to anaido: ] That gives you stomach room to make "Steak Flakes Persimmons" since Uta-kun recommends it.

Why don't you try it for dinner, too, Gani-kun? [ oh - and more rocks or something at the charging mobs. it seems like hani is only here to act as support for this dungeon run. ]

[tot]

[ okay there's a monster lumbering towards them and uta should probably consider doing her job about being the tankiest one here but there is one little thing that she must correct. politely of course. so to hani: ]

It's Stegt flæsk med persillesovs! [ and back to anaido because apparently food talk is currently at a higher priority than the monster that is surely going to be coming up to them. looks into the mirror. it's fine. ] Just call it pork roast with parsley sauce, but Tabibito is right. You should definitely try it!

[ ...and it's actually fine because the dice have not cursed me and uta will be ready to intercept the watersauruses and grab its attention for someone else to make an attack. ]

[ganymed]

[ Well then. Ganymede can't say he has ever really heard of anything like that, but all the same, he has nothing against trying something at least once!

Since we're doing a little skipperoo as requested, we can presume that Anaido is landing hits at least or something? It's fine. But either way, monsters are definitely sustaining some damage here, being stunlocked by falling locks, as well as due to the fact that their movement speed is halted.

Whenever Uta decides to attack, she will find herself with boosted physical strength, as are Anaido and Hani thanks to another dance from Ganymede! The three monsters don't immediately go down, but at least two monsters are already at half-HP? Definitely. They're all competent here.

...Anyway, when Ganymede levels up, he hopes to get a magic attack raising buff or something. ]

It sounds good, actually. Though, I think it should be absolutely unfair to make me hungry mid-battle. Just so you guys know.

[tinged]

Stegt... flæsk... med... persillesovs...!

[ effort is being made here. if they could cook in any capacity, they would try to make the dish. but they can't and it's way too early in the century for uber eats and doordash. ]

But doesn't the hunger help fuel the battle high? I think that's what it's called, isn't it? I feel like my spells are thirty percent more powerful now that I'm thinking about pork roast and parsley sauce - take that! GiVak Don!

[ a flurry of flames hits the mob for critical damage, unaided by ganymede's physical boost (c'mon cousin...). it's enough to take out all three of them. ]

See?

[tot]

They also call hunger the best motivator..!

[ well if we're being buffed up and depending on the kind of damage that hani is putting out, uta will sure enough finish off any that are left (or anadio will do that for all of them). let them clear out the rest of the dungeon so that can get that sweet, sweet treasure.

...whatever it may be. just as long as it isn't something bad. regardless she laughs at both hani and ganymede's comment about food. she can't help but agree with hani. ]

See?

[ echoing hani because give her a reason not to. ]

If any of you try it, you should definitely tell me. I want to hear your opinions.

[ganymed]

[ Hani and Uta are like peas in a pod...not that Ganymede thinks he can find anything worrying about this sort of thing. The food does admittedly sound delicious. He'll just have to try it out sometime. ]

I'll let you know. Maybe if they don't have it anywhere back home I can just look up the recipe and make it myself.

[ He is just independent like that. Speaking of which, it's time to move on! The last wave meets an unsightly death, let us say, at the hands of this jolly four-band group of intrepid dungeon runners. Ganymede also remembers that he has a magic strengthening spell and recalls to use it in this battle by the by.

Once that final bit of enemies was cleared through, there's only treasure that remains. ]

...After this, I'm definitely going to grab a snack, though.

[ Talking about food has definitely made Ganymede hungry. And speaking of talking, there's the strange Silvermane Kudan hanging around, so Ganymede is going to go ahead to kick it with his foot. In which he starts to hear some kind of forbidden knowledge or something?? Not that he understands it. His face looks completely befuddled. ]

[cccorp]

[The Silvermane Kudan does a lively little twirl before blessing the group with a taste of forbidden knowledge!]

"Man who runs in front of a car gets tired. Man who runs behind a car gets exhausted."

[And with that, the Silvermane Kudan disappears in a puff of colorful smoke.]

[tinged]

Oh!!

[ hani claps. they dunno what they're supposed to do with this info but wow, amazing! ]

[tot]

[ ???

uta also has no idea what to do with this information??? sorry she forgets everything that happened before this because?? ??? ????? ]

Was this a warning about not getting hit by a car?

[ganymed]

...It's completely nonsensical foolishness.

[ Heavy judgment on his end but a game is a game, right?

In this case as far as he's concerned, this doesn't mean anything that makes sense. ]

[tinged]

There’s cars in Fragment??

[ is that even lore appropriate… ]

Maybe it’s a metaphor for a really tough decision.

[tot]

I haven't seen any cars here.

[ poor ganymede for dealing with hani and uta momentarily sharing the same brain cell through all of this. but at least she won't let this drag on for too long...?? ]

If it was a metaphor then it was a very bad one. There are already perfectly good metaphors for things like that.

[ganymed]

There's definitely no cars anywhere.

[ It'd ruin the fantasy aspect of this all, he thinks. Though speaking of which... ]

I agree. It's a terrible metaphor, if it is one at all.

[ He doesn't even want to think too hard about it!! ]

[tinged]

What are the other metaphors?

[ just grinning at the look on ganymede's face. ]

[tot]

[ (naru voice) there are tears in my eyes. why is hani like this?? i am begging... unfortunately for me, uta is more willing to entertain him.

sorry ganymede...... ]

The one that a lot of people use is "a rock and a hard place", but I guess that's more of an idiom.

[ hmm. ]

"Every hallway has an open door, however, not every door takes you where you want to go."

[ganymed]

[ U g h ]

What's the point of saying one like that?

[tinged]

I get it. I think the idea of possibilities is nice, but the reality is more nuanced than one would think, right?

[ chinhands! ]

For example, if the choice before you and the choice behind you were similar. One door leads to Stegt flæsk med persillesovs and the other door leads to Steak Flakes Persimmons. [ similar???? ] You would have similar reasons for picking either, but the reality is you can only go through one door at a time.

[tot]

What's wrong with what I decided to go with?

[ ganymede is here to suffer all by his lonesome. may he drag them off to the chaos gate or something in due time....

meanwhile uta will laugh at hani's counter. ]

But you're right; that's the basics of it. Metaphors are just ways to better describe concepts. There are some that can bring up some fun though puzzles. I wouldn't call the one that I picked being one of those.

[ganymed]

[ Why are you two like this??

Ganymede just looks increasingly tired even as the two continue to speak. But, this is unfortunately his life now? It's totally fine.png ]

I know what metaphors are.

I just think it's a stupid one. I'm not going to think too hard about it either way since it doesn't help any single one of us. How about we get to moving, anyway?

[tinged]

I disagree! They might not apply to us now, but I think there was thought put into it by someone who had a need for such a metaphor. Thanks to them, many others were probably helped by these words.

[ already moving ahead, cuz. ]

Why don't you make up a new metaphor then, Gani-kun? What do you think, Uta-kun? That sounds fair, right?