.:First Party Run, Recreational Runs & More:. [closed]

[ganymed]

Who ⬤ Ganymede and Co.
What ⬤ Dungeon-crawlin', exploring, talking with people. What can go wrong?
Now featuring some potentially cw-worthy memshares, or content involving that.
When ⬤ Following first meetings, and anything related to the below subjects.
Where ⬤ Coiling Friend's Tiny Beast, ΔHidden Forbidden Holy Ground, Root Towns
Content Warnings ⬤ Mentions of drunken behavior.
Further mentions and displays of captivity, kidnapping, stalking, and subjects relating to suicide.


[ Following some enlightening discussions that have more or less blossomed into actual plans, an unlikely band of four adventurers assemble!

Names added to friends' lists, details hashed out, which means one thing and one thing only, that the next point some adventuring is happening. Though, given that it is everyone's (probable?) first time, it seems that there is no way for anybody to choose specific places or areas they might like!

Thankfully, that's what the random Area Exploration mechanic is for.

Ganymede steps forward, and just decides to select a perfect set of coordinates for everyone...



...Not! As if even he can be decisive at this point. He lets everyone know that these are the keywords they'll be working with. "Coiling Friend's Tiny Beast", that is.

So once the Chaos Gate is utilized for them to all cross over...

Welcome to the wonderful location of Coiling Friend's Tiny Beast! Apparently it's an area that has a rocky desert-like appearance that stretches out for miles on end. Not to mention, there is a wonderful-looking flesh wall that is the proper beginning of the dungeon crawling, and entry point into the actual dungeon that is bound to be teeming with treasure and creatures.

But, they're not inside that wall as of yet. ]

RESULTS: Can be viewed here, for our reference!

Comments

[ganymed]

[ ...Oh. That sure is a comment about Hani wearing an avocado. ]

Does the avocado not work as armor either?

[ Ganymede knows jack about equipment, so even if he might have seen it somewhere, how is he supposed to know better?

Ganba, Michel.

But just in case he will wait before even thinking of going forward. ]

[tinged]

Ahaha, I arrived here - [ the dungeon ] - with it on, remember?

[ remember?? they strike a pose with their splintering rod. ]

A gaming pro told me teams defend each other no matter what - parenthesis - they're wearing - end parenthesis. [ the stuff in parentheses is them helpfully filling in the context for everyone. yw. ] So here I am defending you all as you defend me.

All is as it should be!

[userunfriendly]

[ If Winter looks like his system has frozen again, it's because he's running incredibly complex calculations about whether or not this is worth detangling. It's fine. He's fine.

The conclusion... is that he retrieves the bottle of whiskey from his inventory and takes one more drink, pulling a face. Cheers to his Happiness Points, then.

It's fine. ]

...Don't do any defending. I'll go in front. Keep doing what you're doing with the spells.

[ He has zero expectations about any of these being followed, but He Tried. But he'll double check Ganymede's equipment just to make sure this isn't a trend, god almighty. In case Ganymede was actually curious: ]

The cosmetic items go on top of your other armor.

[ And he's speedwalking away now! This is plan C now, just speedrun through so fast that death can't catch them. ]

[tylorific]

[ Tylor is all smiles and casual whiskey sips as Hani goes on. ]

That's right. I'll defend you no matter what you wear. That's my job after all. Maybe we'll even get better armor after all of this, I can't wait.

[ He means it, even with half health. At least that is regenerating slowly. Tylor nods in agreement with the advice over cosmetics, at least until Winter starts walking away.

Glancing to the remaining members, he adds more quietly (not nearly quietly enough unless Winter makes it far enough ahead). ]

Huh, he must be in a hurry. Do you think the dungeon is too much for him?

[ But he'll start to follow Winter anyway after a beat. ]

[ganymed]

[ Ganymede watches Michel have probably another headache in light of everything here. But he accepts the explanation?

He hums to himself a bit, and then looks at Hani. Then, over at Justy with his declaration of protection. He'll pause, before looking back at Hani again, only to add: ]

...Maybe putting on some more armor can't hurt, though.

[ But then he will raise a brow at the rest of Justy's words. ]

Not really. Definitely not that. He's probably been worrying about some of the actions taken here.

[ Or maybe he'll implode due to how eccentric this team is. Ganymede won't blame him for it.

Either way, they're coming around the bend! Making good progress. Up ahead there's probably a seemingly nice path forward that leads right to the half-way point in the dungeon.

And guess what's standing in front of it? Two Brown Wyrms, blocking the way, classically and annoyingly monster style. But they have some time to like talk before the encounter this time...then again, with this group, can one say that there will be a pre-strategy before the battle??? ]

[tinged]

[ that's right, said justy! hani sparkles at him, pleased by their team chemistry. those same bright, sparkling eyes turn ganymede's way. ]

Sure, I'll take that into consideration, Gani-kun.

[ ... when hani moves onto a different fruit.

they obediently wait for winter to move to the front, which takes no time at all because winter had already speed-walked past them before the waiting even started. wow! we stan physical activity here! anyway, might as well initiate the strategy meeting in front of these new mobs. ]

What do you think this fleshy dungeon was before it swallowed all those bees and wyrms?

[userunfriendly]

[ Winter is absolutely turning to give Justy an "I heard that" look back over his shoulder. And just barely managing not to bounce into a flesh wall (gross) in the process.

Still fine. His dignity is unassailable. To Hani's very pertinent and strategic question: ]

Likely much less irritable.

[ Like Michel, before bees and wyrms... in a more innocent time... Hopefully the speedwalking pace was still slow enough to let people recover some SP first. He gives Justy a nod, apparently already willing to let the earlier comment slide. ]

Better if we focus on one to kill it quickly.

[ For the sake of Justy's HP, which he's not expounding on. He'll just try to hold aggro himself, like the ball of natural aggro that he is. ]

[tylorific]

[ Tylor smiles back at Winter with all the innocence and friendliness of a man that does not care that he was overheard. The worry only returns when he almost smacks that flesh.

Ganymede pulls his attention again soon enough. ]

Really? What actions?

[ But they're moving and there are new monsters ahead. Not that it stops Tylor from answering Hani's question earnestly while he stares at those big wyrms. ]

I'd say it was a skinned giant.

[ Poof go his whiskey and gauntlets to mark the return of his stop sign. He uses it like a giant pointer to gesture at the one closest to them. ]

That one? Think I can pull it to us first? Hope they aren't friends.

[ He jokes, already stepping up in front unless someone stops him. ]

[ganymed]

[ "I'll take it into consideration," Hani says, and Ganymede frowns. But, he isn't the type of person to argue right in front of a lot of people, and just decides to talk to them about it later. It's one thing to have it unconfirmed for something to have protection or not, but another to have it done so...and besides, he is looking out for his cousin in his own way, so there is actual genuine worry as well.

Right, well! People are talking reasonably about the Wyrms now. He doesn't consider himself as a strategist or the type to plot out things far in advance, so he starts paying more attention to the commentary. ]

Right! Ambushing it first is a good idea.

[ He thinks? He never played war games. Anyway he's already calling out with a conservative usage of Ap Corv directed towards Justy since he's the first making actual movement to engage. Take your temporary increase of physical strength, mate! ]

Kill it before it kills us!

[ ...After all, isn't that the best way to take care of most problems? Strike first. ]

[tinged]

If they aren't friends, maybe they're related? [ like gani and hani! ] Maybe this dungeon has been their ancestral home for ages. Hey, that's a thought! We came here as adventurers for loot but the reality is we are intruders, disturbing their lair, intent on having our way. We leave naught but bodies in our wake.

Perhaps those bees earlier were the last of their kind.

[ but peace was never an option here when there maid outfits to be had. ]

It makes you wonder who the real monsters are. Haha!

[ hani delicately sips their drink. ]

[userunfriendly]

[ Michel wouldn't actually glance back in the middle of fighting. But his expression brightens imperceptibly. Exactly the kind of theme he'd toyed with when he considered making something like an RPG... ]

Consider that the bees and the wyrms will be recreated the next time anyone enters this instance. Does that absolve our sin in killing them? Or does it condemn them to a hopeless cycle of repeating the same tragedy?

[ Unless they murder the next player party. Maybe it's the boost to Winter's Happiness Points, but he doesn't think that will be their fate. He heads for the same wyrm as Tyler, spamming Cross Slash only slightly less aggressively than Hani had their spell earlier. They're going for full DPS strategy now, it's fine.

Also Tyler shouldn't even be tanking anymore, but either the whiskey or the cat-herding experience is dulling Winter's willingness to micromanage. Godspeed, Ganymede. ]

[tylorific]

Thank-you!

[ Tossed cheerily back towards Ganymede with a wave of his free hand, Tylor tries to beat Winter to the battle ahead. On the way past Hani, with a flash of consideration. ]

Maybe! Now I almost feel bad killing them, you know?

[ Tylor says it as he takes a hit from the Wyrm that actually has him wincing and dropping the pitch at the end of his sentence despite not being a direct hit. But his smile returns anyway, using Brandish followed by that strike again. It starts a tug of war with keeping aggro vs Winter's damage.

Actually, these things are supposed to cause cave ins, but they're surrounded by flesh so that's sort of lucky, right?? Loud enough for all of them, words pressed out with every attack -- ]

Shame they have to die for us to get stronger, huh?

[ Despite his dwindling health, he pulls it back with a smack of his stop sign until they're able to (hopefully) finish it off before his dwindling health falls off a cliff, or he runs out of SP. Which is probably right about now, now that his burst is exhausted. Really he just figure's Winter should have as much happiness as he can for the final one. ]

[ganymed]

[ Of all subjects to engage in some form of philosophical debate, Ganymede isn't exactly anticipating it being regarding enemies.

They're mindless figments of someone's imaginations and pixels conveyed into illusionary being via a mechanic instrument that they so happen to be interacting with. Thinking too much about it doesn't suit them. Or so he presumes. ]

I'm not wondering.

There's no need to weep over creatures who don't exist and hold no real sentience. In terms of the fact that they're also blocking our way forward, we have no choice but to dispose of them.

[ All obstacles need to be destroyed. That's an irrefutable fact. But the irony is that Ganymede is one of the support classes here...not a heavy hitter!! Though he is also very decisive, even if prone to his own whimsical wanderings.

Ganymede hefts another Ap Corv towards Michel this time around.

One Brown Wyrm is defeated thanks to the focus of attention on it. But that leaves one and it looks like it has a target in mind, beelining straight for Justy. Is it mechanics or is it actually angy? Who knows. ]

Hey! Someone keep that thing from reaching Tylor!

[tinged]

[ hani tosses their drink back and smoothly switches it out for their weapon. withdrawing all these digital drinks has taught them the very handy skill of quick-swapping items. a dramatic flourish before they point their rod at the wyrm. ]

Gan Rom!

[ a flurry of rocks to stop the second wyrm in its tracks. ]

But the choice was ours to come here, was it not? [ hm, do they have enough SP to cast another one? sure do! gan rom, gan rom! maybe one more. bam bam! ] So in the end, both sides are doomed to these interlocked cycles. We take away hope even knowing they're trapped in a hopeless fate.

[ maybe hani is beginning to care about these creatures, a little. it won't stop them from throwing out more spells to defend justy and winter, however. ]

Where, then, does one find hope in this world? Are we supposed to choose to grant it? Is that our place?

[userunfriendly]

Let me—

[ Oh, now Hani chooses to go all-in with their burst damage. Well! Thanks to Tylor's efforts, Winter has no shortage of happiness points left. He might have to dodge around rocks to close on the remaining wyrm, but he jabs at it determinedly with his now-buffed attack. Time for an aggro tug-of-war with their avocado mage.

He's mostly focused on this, but not too focused for this very important discussion: ]

On a fundamental level we can't answer what that would mean for them. What was their motivation? Why did they attack instead of run? If neither they nor we have any choice but to kill the other to survive, then should either of us be blamed, or both?

[ Maybe Michel's gamewriting-slash-philosophical hypotheticals will give him an aggro boost too. Probably any more involved meanderings will have to wait for when a fast, angry wyrm isn't trying to chew on him or any of them, though. ]

[tylorific]

Of course, we always have a choice! But if we want to get stronger, then there's no other way. [ He backs up farther here, heaving a relieved sigh when aggro gets pulled back away from him to Winter. ]

What if they want us to fight them? Having a purpose in life matters, doesn't it?

[ Still, he plants his stop sign in front of Ganymede just in case. Watching the HP of the other two, he goes on-- ]

Actually, being created just to die is a little sad so I still feel bad for them.

[ganymed]

It's no one else's place to interfere with the hope we discover on our own. Things without sentience that get in the way can simply be taken out of the picture.

[ Ganymede says simply to Hani as the silly philosophical debate persists. ]

They attack because they were created to be an obstacle to be overrun. Without that, their existence is meaningless. Their defeat gives them purpose.

In that regard, we shouldn't feel bad for them, nor should we hold any doubts for being the reason of their destruction, or assign any blame to ourselves for it.

[ Just like that, a bit after Tylor holds up his stop sign, the remaining Brown Wyrm is decimated by both Hani and Michel.

The way ahead is clear!! ]

[tinged]

Interesting. So without us, they would be without purpose.

[ hani puts away their weapon, casting a glance at their cousin. their tone is light as they continue the discussion, coming up to each party member and brushing off the dusty residue from their rock spells. good as new, good as new! does everyone's hp and sp look ok? ]

And yet one day, when we're gone, these digital beings will outlive us. In fact, they may as well be all that remains of our legacy.

While we may feel pity, neither did we stay our hands. We're all truly human, aren't we? Despite how different we are from each other. Despite existing in this digital world.

[userunfriendly]

[ Well, if Winter ever does make an RPG, he knows where to source his character inspiration from now. What a range... from fundamentally soft-hearted to icy determination to whimsy.

He lets himself be dusted off with just a huff of amusement. His HP is slightly gnawed and his SP is gone, but his happiness points are now at new highs. ]

You're right. The monsters can be remade from their constituent data even once the servers are taken offline. They're permanent, but the players and the game makers are temporary. Using the monsters as the creators intended is an acknowledgment of that effort and intent.

[ So the whole tangent was just a thought exercise. RIP in rest to Ganymede's blood pressure. ]

But it could be interesting if later dungeons incorporate more story elements.