#Team-Everflame

[lovesick-and-inadequate]

A Child Abandoned by the World Itself

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Summary: Bennett sat in front of you, behind the Cathedral, yet you weren’t with him.

TW; Angst, reader is dead, 

  A child abandoned by the world itself.

  Bennett sat in front of you, behind the Cathedral, rummaging through his bag. He was ranting about the new situation his luck brought onto him, how he and one of his friends, Razor, had gotten caught in a fierce battle between them and a Cryo Regisvine. 

  “We won, though! Don’t worry.” He chuckles, finally pulling something out of his bag. “Look! I even got a Hoarfrost Core!” 

  “Can I see?” You ask, holding your hand out for the Core. He nods, passing it over to you before he continues looking through the bag in his lap. 

  The feeling of the cold Hoarfrost Core in your hands was oddly soothing. A faint glow coming from the item, almost like a heartbeat of the creature it was taken from. You held it to your chest, watching the glow seem to sync with your own beating. 

  Bennett, catching this from the corner of his eye and smiles at you. “You can keep it if you want!” He offers, gesturing to the Core. 

  “Are you sure? I mean, you’re the one that earned it.” You point out, looking at the cuts and bruises on his arms. 

  “Of course!” Bennett’s smile somehow gets wider as he nods, his emerald eyes closing. “Besides, it’s not like I have a use for it. I have a Pyro Vision after all.” 

  “That’s true but how do you know that I would have a use for it?” You laugh softly, glancing back up at him. 

  A child abandoned by the world itself.

   Bennett sat in front of you- no, your grave. Bennett sat in front of your grave, the smile you liked so much still on his face. Yet it didn’t reach his eyes, not fully. 

  His Vision’s light was dull but still glowing, a mimic of his mental state. Broken but still there, missing it’s normal stride with only a small fraction still in the present. 

  He sat in front of your grave yet it felt wrong. There were no clouds in the sky, no rain to trail down his shoulders and to mix with the tears that were nearly cascading down his face. 

  Your vision was resting in front of your headstone, the color having long faded and forgotten. He never even got you to tell him which Archon had shown their blessing upon you, claiming you as one of their own. The Hoarfrost Core he had given you sat next to it, the glow having somehow faded only a few hours after you were brought back. 

  Bennett reached into his bag. It was nearly empty, and had been for the past month. Moving his hand around a little bit, it made contact with something warm and disgustingly comforting. Grabbing onto the Everflame Seed, he pulls it out of his satchel. Holding it in both of his hands as if it would break into pieces, he places it down next to the Core he had given you. 

  “Why?” He always asked himself, “Why would you travel all the way to the edge of Liuye just to get me an Everflame seed?” 

  At this point, he didn’t know if he was really looking for an answer. Bennett just wanted you back. He wanted to hug you, cling to you and have you hug him back and tell him everything is okay, like you always did when someone left his adventure team. He wanted you to laugh with him at the stupid thing that happened to him after his latest adventure. 

  Bennett let out a loud cry, head tilted up to the ever so clear skies of Mondstadt. He let his tears flow freely, stinging his eyes as he let out loud sobs and hiccups. He didn’t like crying in front of you, always claiming that he prefers to put on a brave face when those times arise. 

  As he cried, he remembered something the Honorary Knight had told him after their venture to Liuye. 

  “A young girl, Qiqi, has been revived by the Adepti and walks along the earth once again.”

  Maybe, just maybe, luck would be on his side as he clasped his hands together, still crying and sobbing.

  “Lo- Lord Barbatos-'' He stutters out between shaky breaths. “Please, they did not-nothing wrong…” 

  “Please give them back- they're the only thing I have.” His voice cracks as he lets out loud sobs. 

  Bennett hadn’t cried like this in years; He always refused to, but knowing his cries would go unanswered, he gave up, sobbing loudly as he let himself curl up into a ball. 

He truly was a child abandoned by not only the world, but everything in it.

[dreadfutures]

my pathfinder group (playing since 2019!) is almost done with Stolen Fate and I think we decided we'll play Season of Ghosts next. Which is exciting! But I am starting to run out of character/class ideas.

Sorcerer/Oracle/Mystic Theurge (1e) - Undead Bloodline, Pharasmin | Crypt of the Everflame

Glaive Magus (1e), Duskwalker, Pharasmin | Tyrant's Grasp

Oracle/Paladin (1e), Ragathielite | Serpent's Skull

Investigator/Sorcerer (2e) | Skulls & Shackles

Swashbuckler (2e) - Caydenite | Reign of Winter remaster

Cleric (2e) - Lantern King | Fists of the Ruby Phoenix

Rogue (2e) | Night of the Grey Death

Thaumaturge/Marshall Dedication (2e) - Shelynite | Extinction Curse

Ranger (2e) - Half elf, Shyka | Stolen Fate

I'm not sure that the remastered Oracle or Sorcerer are really my thing, I didn't really jive with Investigator, and Kineticist and Magus seem like just a LOT to keep track of, and I do not like alchemist personally, and I'm playing with a Psychic team mate and I don't like that class much. Which leaves the remastered barbarian, bard, paladin, druid, fighter, gunslinger, kineticist, monk, summoner, witch or wizard. Buuuuuut I don't super want to keep track of spell slots......... hm.

[shinoyaann]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE MOST PRECIOUS BOY IN TEYVAT!!!!!

[lucielerror]

It's adventure time!

CW (s): SAGAU

Summary: You really want Bennett to come home >.<

A/N: Hihi! I've just been pulled into the SAGAU circle a few days ago and I am ADDICTED. So I wanted to try writing some self-indulgent fics on my own (some being based on my experiences with genshin) heh~

Bennett sighed wistfully at the blank night sky, the stars having been erased for maintenance, a sign that there would be a change in the "special" wishes that you always loved to... what was the word... ah yes, pull. He's heard from others about how they always feel this certain... well... pull, right before they're sent zooming through the skies as a shooting star. That must be where the term came from...

He lets out another heavy sigh. He wants to be one of those people too. He wants you to choose him to run around doing daily commissions and quests! He has seen the acolytes you've chosen running around helping you get those precious gems you always get so happy about and he badly wants to be one of them even if his luck won't let him! Against all odds, to every archons above, please, just let him streak across the sky, even if it means getting struck by lightning every hour every day!

There have been others (mainly the acolytes) telling him that they've heard you say how much you've been talking about wanting him. To him, it sounded absolutely crazy because you? Wanting him? Wanting the unluckiest adventurer? Haven't you heard his story? You surely know by now that nothing good ever happens with him around. He didn't want to believe it at first, but then the acolytes added on about how they had fought the pyro regisvine several times just to get the everflame seeds for him. For him! Now that's unbelievable. Even the acolytes didn't have that privilege. You were preparing for him! Hearing that became his motivation everyday, and today was the fated day. He really would get struck by a thousand lightnings if it meant he could become one of your acolytes. After all, he has to repay you with all that work you put getting his materials, even when you didn't know if you would actually really pull him.

Playing with the windwheel aster, he couldn't help but sigh again. He hoped that by coming to Windrise it would somehow raise his chances of being pulled. Before he knew it, the stars slowly faded back into the night sky again. This was it. Ten streaks across the sky, one purple streak amongst the blue ones.

No pulling sensation yet.

Another ten.

No pull again.

He crosses his fingers.

He takes a deep breath, neck strained and eyes trained on the sky, waiting to count another ten before-

A pull!

His body was encased with warmth and a golden glow before... he's soaring! Oh heavens, he's soaring without his glider! It's happening!

He's placed in a void filled with stars, his constellation faintly glowing above him. Then, he felt his body strike a pose.

Was that... was that a squeal? And was that the sound and flash of a Kamera? He blinked to get the spots out of his vision before his lips moved to an ear-splitting grin!

He/You did it!

He felt himself getting immediately stronger, his chipped sword being swapped out with a much stronger and newer sword! He definitely wasn't as strong as the other acolytes yet but his adventure is just starting! There's time to improve and you'll definitely help him get even stronger.

"Y-you want me on your team?"

Why did he ask that? What if you decided to change your mind? Argh, stupid, stupid!

Yet, he still felt the strong presence of the other acolytes beside him. He wasn't transported back to Windrise. The warmth that covered him from head to toe since he was pulled never left. More importantly, he could feel you much closer than he ever has. Not even when he met the traveller. This felt ... dare he say... a more personal connection?

This was the luckiest day of his life. He's so happy he could die!

Bonus (You POV)

You were absolutely ecstatic the moment you saw Bennett's silhouette pop up. Of course, you had to share the good news with your friends too! Just in time, you see a join request from your usual co-op friend.

Friend: Heya! Need help with anything?

You: Yes please! I'm about to do an Inazuma quest with Bennett for tests

Friend: Lead the way!

So you went running around, getting a feel on how to use Bennett with your team and so far it was going well! You opened up the chatbox again to inform your friend and because of that, you were too busy to notice the telltale signs of a lightning strike until it was too late.

"Couldn't break... the curse..."

You: DID I JUST GET STRUCK BY LIGHTNING ToT

Friend: Yeah...

[zhonglimain]

for those interested in new units!

as the next character banner draws near, i compiled a list of some things to consider if you’d like to get zhongli (or other characters in general) and add them to your team! note that this is subject to change, and is mainly as a reminder of sorts for others:

mora. memes aside, it takes roughly one point three million mora to level up a character level eighty. depending on your world level, it may be less, but with weapon enhancements, talent ascensions, and the like, it adds up quickly. be mindful of how much mora you will need for your new unit.

prioritize which unit you want to ascend. if you choose multiple characters at once, you may spread yourself too thin in terms of resources.

ascension materials. some characters have overlap when it comes to sharing materials to ascend (for instance, fischl and diluc both use small lamp grass for ascension, while klee and childe both need freedom talent books for their skills). similarly, units of a specific element typically require farming elite or weekly bosses, so be sure to manage your resin and time wisely for the drops. the higher the level of the unit, the higher the amount of materials!

examples of elite ascension materials for units are: basalt pillar (geo / hypostasis), cleansed heart (hydro / oceanid), lightning prisms (electro / hypostasis), everflame seeds (pyro / regisvine) etc.

resin. it enables you the ability collect rewards from domains, bosses, and certain events. you will need to manage your resin for specific ascension material drops. it costs sixty for weekly bosses (dvalin “stormterror”, andrius “wolf”, tartaglia “childe”), forty for elite bosses (hypostases, regisvines) and events (crucible, unreconciled stars) and twenty for domains and leylines. 

using fragile resin is a case by case basis. it allows you to add sixty resin to your current original resin (the resin you naturally obtain that works as “stamina” for some gacha games) and allows you to collect more rewards, but is incredibly rare to obtain outside of the shop and specific events. it is highly recommended to save your fragile resin until you reach adventure rank forty-five for domain farming, though again, it is ultimately your decision.

condensed resin focuses as a way to double rewards in domains and ley lines (but not events) and are limited up to three per player. useful for when you won’t have time to play genshin, so you can use your resin another time.

talent books. collecting rewards from specific domains will allow you to get talent materials needed to enhance a character’s ability. you want to make sure your unit is able to survive on their own and able to provide for your team, so be sure to upgrade them!

level up materials. to level a character up to a certain level, you’ll need adventurer’s handbooks or hero’s wit, the latter being rarer and more expensive to use. they are only obtainable via events, certain quests, blue ley lines, or the shop. you want to make sure your unit can fight alongside your party at a decent level!

weapon upgrades. while it’s great to increase their talents, if they don’t have a proper weapon to capitalize their damage, they’ll be lacking. explore with your characters to see which characters can use which weapon effectively and to your liking. some weapons are only obtainable by gacha, but the craftable weapons are not to be dismissed, either! be sure to enhance them when you’re able and to swap for better weapons as you receive better ones.

examples of weapons that could work on certain characters: bennett with lion’s roar, xiangling with crescent pike, fischl with compound bow, tartaglia with rust, razor with prototype animus, xinqiu with sacrifical sword, noelle with whiteblind, diluc with wolf’s gravestone, etc.

artifacts. obtained from domains, chests, and various areas of the land, artifacts greatly determine how much or little your unit is fairing in certain areas. farming good artifacts can be a lengthy process considering the rolls are entirely rng, but the end result will be satisfying if you have the pieces you need for a particular unit.

four star artifacts are just as valuable as five star artifacts, so don’t get rid of them immediately just because they aren’t a five star! rng is not friendly in domains, and it’s likely you may be farming for awhile to get that specific five piece artifact you’d like. guaranteed five star artifact drops aren’t until adventure rank forty-five (the level ninety domains), but this does not mean you will receive the specific piece you want.

certain units excel in physical damage, whereas others elemental. it all depends on how you build a certain character, your team synergy (elemental resonance / mastery damage) and if you want them as a main dps, support dps, or healer. 

examples of artifacts that could work on certain units: two or four piece crimson witch (klee / xiangling / diluc), two or four piece archaic petra (ningguang / zhongli), two or four piece noblesse oblige (mona, bennett / tartaglia), two piece thundering fury (fischl / keqing / beidou), two or four piece viridiscent venerer (sucrose / venti), two or four piece gladiator’s finale (razor / mc.)

constellations. unless you are a dolphin, whale, leviathan, or just incredibly lucky, it is unlikely that you will have a max constellation of a character, especially of a five star character. regardless, units have constellations (dupe pulls) that can enhance their abilities. the more constellations a character has, the stronger they tend to be.

that being said, a c6 (constellation six) four star unit will do more than a c0 five star given the circumstances. constellations are easiest to obtain on rate up banners, but aren’t the be all end all.

team synergy. how well do you think your new unit will be on a team? will there be elemental resonance? do you plan on having them help with elemental reaction procs? damage? how exactly would they contribute? these are some questions that are dependent on your playstyle and what you want in a particular team.

time management. it will take awhile to invest in a character. never feel as though you need to rush. play the game at your own pace!

i am by no means an expert and never want to appear as though i’m the source of all genshin information. there are so many different ways to play this game, so have fun of your own accord! 

these are just some pointers based on my personal experience / seeing others, and i want to share some to my fellow genshin fans!

[genshin-impact-guide]

Bennett Guide

Bennett has been raised by adventurers ever sense he was a baby. It was only natural that he would want to also become and adventurer. Currently without a team due to his bad luck, Bennett still wants to prove that he to can be a great adventurer.

Care for some eggs?

"Bennett's specialty. For some reason, every single fried egg is a little burnt around the edges. That said, the burnt crisp does lend a whole new flavor to the dish."

Bennett is a four star Pyro sword character. On game8 he is listed as a SS rated character for his supportive abilities. He is listed that high because of his burst ability which allows him do to a good amount of healing.

Pyro Burst Support

If you want to main for Pyro Burst Support for Bennett your weapon of choice should be Skyward Blade though a Aquila Favonia or Festering Desire would also be good. Your artifacts should be at least four pieces of Noblesse Oblige. You can get these from the Clear Pool and Mountain Cavern domain. Make sure your talents are at least at an eight and when you want to go higher you should focus of the talent Fantastic Voyage first.

What is Bennett good at?

Bennett is a great healer and attack booster. Though if you want to get the most out of him it would be best to make sure you get his Hp or Healing Bonus up.

Strengths/Weaknesses

Bennett's strengths are his ability to heal and attack boosts. With his Elemental Burst Bennett will set up a field that will heal and boost attack greatly depending on his base attack. Though for a big weakness of Bennett would be that if you hold his skill outside of his Bursts field then his skill will cause Bennett to be knocked back.

What do you need for Grinding?

For Bennett your looking at:

36x Treasure Hoarder Insignia

96x Silver Raven Insignia

66x Golden Raven Insignia

168x Windwheel Aster

46x Everflame Seed

1x Agnidus Agate Sliver

9x Agnidus Agate Fragment

9x Agnidus Agate Chunk

6x Agnidus Agate Gemstone

9x Teaching of Resistance

63x Guide to Resistance

30x Philosophies of Resistance

6x Dvalin's Plume

Check out this like for more Guides! Don't forget your good luck charm and keep adventuring!

[sirspud]

The Daring Ducks: Crypt of the Everflame

Part 1: The Ceremony

Our adventure begins in the sleepy coastal town of Silas, a hamlet notable for only for its fish. The town is named after its founder - Silas McDuck, who bravely defended the burgeoning town from a clan of enemy mercenaries almost two hundred years ago. Every year, when the bitter winter winds whirl into town, the elders of the town delve into Silas's crypt to retrieve a mystical artefact known as the Everflame - an everburning lantern said to bring protection to the town during times of strife.

Every few years, however, the town send a small team of youngsters to retrieve the Everflame, as a sort of coming-of-age tradition. The youngsters delve in, retrieve the flame while braving the crypt's perils, then come back to a splendid feast. It's a taste of adventure for the young men and women, a feeling of freedom and triumph before settling down for a life of fishing like everyone else.

It's early in the morning, three days before the retrieval is to take place, in the modest abode of Donald Duck. Bringing his three troublesome nephews inside, he tells him that they have selected for the trial (against Donald's better judgement), alongside a girl from the outskirts of town.

The reactions are mixed. Dewey is excited. He'd heard tales of people who'd survived the crypt, speaking of its incredible dangers, and he cannot wait to get going. Hell, he's jumping up and down demanding to know why he can't go now.

Huey has heard the same tales, and though he's also excited to do something with his life other than fishing, he's also reasonably concerned. He asks Donald more about the crypt, mentioning that it surely can't be as dangerous as everyone says it is (Diplomacy Check = natural 1). Oblivious to his worry, Donald reassures him that between the four of them - including the girl they've yet to meet - they'll be able to take the crypt easily. As long as they're prepared, of course.

Louie is also initially excited - but then he thinks about it. If the crypt was as dangerous as all the children of the town say it is, then surely there'd be at least one reported death, right? Yet, although there have certainly been injuries, there's never been anyone who's died on the expedition. Suspicious, Louie heads out and tries to gather some more information about the crypt, listening in on conversations and trying to get the information out of people (Perception Check = 9. Diplomacy Check = 14). Infuriatingly, the adults are tight-lipped, and he can't learn anything useful. Nevertheless, he remains sceptical.

The triplets prepare themselves, told to pack light and take only the things they need, since most of their supplies will be given to them by (discretely rolls a random name) Cole Gresham, the town's mayor. The triplets leave most of their things at home, with the exception of their weapons, armour, and a few miscellaneous supplies.

A few days pass, and the boys are standing in the town square, surrounded by a crowd of townsfolk in black attire, as if they were attending a funeral. Their eyes are downcast and mournful, which causes a bit of confusion for the boys. The crowd parts a bit, allowing the mayor to make his way to the front of the crowd, the obese old duck looking uncharacteristically sombre.

“Once again the winter winds blow through the Fangwood, marking the end of another harvest." He calls to the crowd. "There are wolves in the woods, howling at our walls, and serpents in our shadows, waiting to strike. Just as it was one hundred and seventy-four years ago, when Silas himself left these walls to protect us, so it is today. Where are the heroes? Where are the brave folk that will venture out to Silas’s tomb and retrieve the flame to keep this community safe for another winter?”

At this point, Louie is all but convinced that this whole "quest for the Everflame" business is an act (Sense Motive Check = 9). With a confident smirk, he and his brothers walk out in front of the crowd. He plays up the whole sombre mood, saying with some dramatic flair that it is his brothers who shall take up this accursed burden (Perform [Act] Check, taking 10 = 13). The crowd seem to eat it up, and he walks confidently over to the mayor... and right into Webby.

Now, remember that this takes place during the fantasy Middle Ages. When the boys were told that a girl would be accompanying them on their quest, they were imagining a fair farmer's daughter, coming along with them to cook campfire meals and perhaps develop a burgeoning romance with.

What they were not expecting was a 5-foot-10 mountain of a woman dressed in hides and furs, wielding a giant two-handed sword and introducing herself with a obliviously excited scream of, "Hi, I'm Webby!"

Louie leaps backwards with a panicked yelp, falling to the ground gracelessly. The boys are shocked to learn that she isn't a murderous barbarian here to slaughter them, and even more so when they learn that she's the one who'll be accompanying them. She helps Louie up, exclaiming that she's looking forward to retrieving the Everflame with them, and keeping the McDuck legacy alive.

The mayor hands each member of the newly formed party a backpack, within which contains five days of trail rations, a small, folded-up tent, a winter blanket, a full waterskin, and a piece of trail map, leading right to Silas's tomb.

To Dewey, he hands over a 50-foot coil of hemp rope, a tinderbox, and three alchemical tindertwigs.

To Huey, the mayor gives a vial of red liquid labelled as "Healing" and three torches.

Louie gets a bottle of local brandy, much to his delight.

And Webby is offered a grappling hook. She politely refuses, brightly explaining that she already has one.

The final object to be given is one of great importance - a tarnished silver lantern, within which the Everflame shall be contained to be brought back to Silas. He asks the party, "Which of you brave youngsters shall have the honour of carrying the esteemed lantern?"

"I will!" The triplets say in unison.

"...Are we really going to do this?" Louie asks as the brothers stare at each other in annoyance.

Huey immediately puts forward his case - as the eldest triplet, and therefore the most responsible, it should be his responsibility to hold the lantern, since he can be trusted not to pawn it off, glaring at Louie as he says it.

Louie objects, saying that he can be trusted to hold the lantern just as well as Huey can. After all, where could he possibly "pawn it off"? It's not as if he's in contact with a shady rogue from out of town who'll buy anything for any price! He's certainly a better option than Dewey, at any rate.

Dewey defends himself, saying that the 80-gold climber's pack was a "one-time mistake" and that he should carry the lantern because the prestige would instantly make him the coolest guy in town! That kind of fame would be wasted on someone like Huey.

After a good thirty seconds of bickering, the mayor takes initiative and just gives it to Webby, who holds the artefact with awe and to the undisguised anxiety, disappointment and resentment from Huey, Dewey and Louie.

And with that out the way, the mayor speaks to the crowd again, "I present to you the brave heroes who will follow in Silas’s footsteps to retrieve the Everflame! Some of them may not return, but I say to you that their sacrifice shall not be forgotten. Go, brave heroes, and do not return until you have the eternal fire.” He points to the north, where the crypt dwells, and the party are sent on their way, the towns folk waving goodbye with cold, solemn looks...

...With the exception of Uncle Donald, who sends the boys off with cries of "Be safe!", and "Good luck!", and "You can do it!", bringing down the whole mood and earning several dark looks from the nearby townsfolk.

And with that, the first adventure of the Daring Ducks begins!

Part 2

[genshinconfessions]

I just got done with the damn Electro Cube for Beidou, I already have the Oceanid thru for my Xingqui and now I'm missing the overgrown cryo and pyro weeds... I need like 36 Hoarfrost Cores and 13 Everflame Seeds... and approximately 123491623 Treasure Hoarders for their damn insignias because 3 out of 4 of my main Team need them... I'm gonna cry... and lets not even talk about Artifacts

-The Anon that was crying about ascension materials :)

dw anon the one resource i'm always missing no matter what is insignias :")) i assure you i too hate them treasure hoarders.

aLSO for some reason i don't hate the ice/fire trees as much as i should? idk they're not as annoying as other bosses (ESPECIALLY not as annoying as domains lol)

and yeah i had to run vindagnyr SO many times for childe and kaeya (keith and i were just talking about this last night) and i hate that domain SO much. i haven't been back but unfortunately for me, i'm planning to build chongyun and xingqiu next......... if i wasn't so hellbent getting on my permafreeze team, i'd literally never use them ever because i just hate that domain so much.

- katheryne from liyue

[nanamisflowerfield]

I used to use Barbara and Bennett then I realized how good qiqi is. Not only can she heal you with her e. When you get her to 60+ she can occasionally mark targets to heal you when you attack them. That's what her q does. Her e also somewhat similar to kaeya's burst where it surrounds you with a cryo damage thing. Also if you build her right she becomes tanky so she is not as squishy as other healers.

Oh, I see! She is just so weak, I sometimes used her, when I fought against the Pyro Regisvine for the Everflame Seed (I still hope to get Diluc one day so I can farm more for him…)

So, should I use Qiqi instead of Bennett?

I usually have Kazuha and Razor in my team, so I don‘t really know who else I should put into my team xD

[ichigokage]

Bennie sent us mail today! Gave us his special egg and a FREE FIRE EVERFLAME SEED! He’s the best boy ever! ;w; happy birthday, Head of our beloved Bennie’s Adventure Team!

[xenobladehistorian]

“Defend Colony 6--Demon” Quest Advice & Overall Advice for a Complete Playthrough

This is not a theory. This isn’t even really a XenoFact of the Day. This is just a word of advice from a nutcase who tried to complete all 480-something quests in one playthrough.

The information for this quest is roughly this:

Battle and defeat Demon King Dragonia, one of only three Dragon mobs within Xenoblade.

Demon King Dragonia is level 99, and it is located at Hope Farm in Colony 6.

A surefire way to defeat the Dragon when underleveled is to use Melia’s Reflection Art when Dragonia uses Fatal Crunch on her.

BUT THIS IS WRONG, and I’ll tell you why.

YES, you can do this, and YES, it even works. But if you do this, Demon King Dragonia WILL NOT DROP ANYTHING. Sure, you’ll complete this quest--but what about “Replica Monado 4″?

To complete the “Replica Monado 4″ quest, you need an item called the Demonic Everflame, dropped only by Demon King Dragonia and the LV 120 Avalanche Abaasy.

Now, I for one am not good with strategy. I’ve played a good 300 hours of this game; I have my core team setups, and I’ve figured out how to do some great chain attacks--but building the chain meter up enough to topple lock, the main technique against Superbosses? I’m miserable at it. And I didn’t have the patience to practice and level grind enough to even try to face one of those Superbosses, let alone the Avalanche Abaasy.

What you should do on Demon King Dragonia? Have Riki use Yoink! or save right before battling him until you get the item you need.

In the end, I gave up. I completed ALMOST EVERY QUEST in the game, I was that close--until I really blew it on “Defend Colony 6--Demon.”

Okay, so you want to complete every quest possible?

Write down every single quest, even if it’s just the title and giver. EVERY ONE. Do your research.

You’re obviously going to run across Mutually Exclusive (EXCL) quests. Pick out in advance the quest you’ll take.

If a quest has multiple routes depending on the objective completed, pick the route in advance.

Mark quests that expire and when they expire. Mark surprise quests.

Write down when certain quests unlock and at what area level they unlock.

Talk to every NPC.

And finally...

Mark the quests you’ve accepted/completed!!

This is my set-up. Since I use a program called Scrivener to write, I used it to keep track of my quests. I was able to organize everything into folders and color-mark everything. Now, currently, as I’m restarting my attempt to complete all quests, the Collectopaedia, the Affinity Chart, and Colony 6 in a new save file, nothing is actually color-coded, but if anyone is interested, I’ll mark them all to show how it looks.

This is just one way of going about this. There are a ton of other programs and text edit documents that can gather all the quest data in one place--this is just one way! :)

In the end, my playthrough was about 150-something hours before I finally threw in the towel and fought the (impatiently waiting *cackles*) Zanza.

Feel free to throw me an ask if you want any quest/gameplay assistance or if something is incorrect. ^-^ And, er, don’t be afraid to tell me how to better fight Superbosses, I’m really at a loss with those.

[sepiadice]

DiceJar Campaign 0.1: A Slippery Slope (2020/01/03)

So I return to the mighty throne of the GM Screen! To pull the strings, interpret the weavings of fate, mold the world to my whims and desires!

However, I’m going from a module, namely Crypt of the Everflame, made famous by Trix’s adventures. So I’m treading old ground, though with fewer players, and only one returning from that adventure. The better part of a decade has passed since I played it, so plenty of details should’ve left the veterans.

The reason I’m playing out of the module is as a sort of learning experience: Viewing box text and published adventure design so that it may help develop my original adventures. As for why I chose this one: I really like the opening premise. New young adventures thrown together deliberately for their origin story. Often players get focused on making an exciting backstory that they forget to make what happens at the table be the most interesting part of their life. I think it’s charming.

It’s an element/theme I want to incorporate in future campaigns.

Anyways, how will the tomb dive go without Team Pesto?

Cast

Mogui (IndigoDie): A Hedge Mage for a Lord Grey. Essentially a living lawn ornament. He helps take care of the Lord’s menagerie. Sole repeat player of the Module.

Bernard ‘Bean’ Dipp (NavyDie): Still just a child, but his father is (supposedly) suffering polio, so young Bean needs to become the man of the house. GM of the campaign I just finished. Revenge time?

Yot (LimeDie): A traveling mercenary slash adventurer nevertheless being pulled into things because some players struggle with direction. Player is a vetran of an Improv club Navy and I were also members of.

Delilah Dunford (VermilionDie): The unruly daughter of the local snobby nobles. Roguish interests and talents. Player is also from my high school days, but not the High School game group.

Game Master (SepiaDie/Me): Everyone and thing else. Nervous wreck caught in his own head. Attended a High School once and participated in a college Improv Club.

Session One

I failed to change any proper nouns like I wanted, but I also avoided needing to say anyone’s names, so there’s still time.

There’s an immense backstory I summarized, because it was too long for me to read out and I can’t trust players to read.[1] Kassen is a town that evolved out of a hold built by a guy named Kassen, a soldier turned adventurer. One day, he went to fight an evil band of… bad people. Kassen succeeded, but succumbed to injuries taken. He was entombed in a crypt, where an eternal flame was lit. Every year, the mayor rides out to bring back a lantern lit by the flame to bless the town to survive the winter. Every couple of years, town youths are sent instead as a rite of passage.

This is one of the rite of passage years.

The mayor first meets with Mogui, a lonely mage working for one of the town’s two noble families. The mayor awkwardly stumbles through his invitation, which Mogui gladly accepts.

Next, the Mayor finds Bean waiting in the market square. The mayor, again, stumbles through his invitation, which Bean seems rather confused by the semantics of, needing to be specifically told not to just wait in the town center for two days but to come back on the actual day of departure.

Yot is found in a tavern, and attempts to talk a big game as the Mayor asks him to join the adventuring party. I still need to force a firmer connection between Yot and the town of Kassen, as my original plan of Yot belonging to what once was Kassen’s band of mercenaries was sunk before I could work it in.

Delilah pops up from behind the Mayor as he’s on his way to her family’s manor, and she eagerly joins the quest.[2]

Thus is our party arranged!

Two days later, at the predetermined time, they walk into the market square and I gently prompt them to give physical descriptions of their characters. Delilah is described as having slightly asymmetrical dark hair, while the rest focused more on height and relative ages.[4]

Mogui arrives with some sort of bipedal creature. Indigo didn’t actually know what he intended the creature to be, so I’m going to assume it’s a chocobo until gently corrected.[5] Everyone promptly forgot about it, even though it supposedly was following them.

The four mingle for a bit as I lost focus trying to recenter myself and review the next step. I tend to let my players just fill time until they get bored of their scene. I probably should work on keeping a good pace with the plot, but I also don’t want to step on their fun. It’s a difficult balance, especially if there’s no NPC handy to gently snark at them to move forward.

The bells of the Church of Polyhymnia[6] ring in the noontime.

The townspeople, dressed in blacks and other dark clothing, start to form a crowd around our adventurers. The mayor emerges with an old pony pulling a cart of supplies. He distributes backpacks to the adventurers, gives a prepared speech,[8] and sends our young heroes on their way.

Mixed into their supplies is a fourth of a map that, at an actual table, is supposed to be a real piece of paper torn and distributed to the players. Since we’re not in the same room and split between two states, I instead alluded to the paper in their bag for them to ask about, while also prepared to gently drop the detail if the players don’t engage. Pivot and roll!

Initially the torn map pieces are overlooked, and the party walks south, into the Fangwoods, following a trail that starts well-worn, but progressively fades.

A few hours into their hike, they come upon a fallen tree. Three orcs emerge from behind it, and initiative is rolled.

I overlooked a mechanic I was supposed to employ, a problem I had throughout the session. The module imbedded vital instructions mid-paragraph in the description, which means I overlooked having the players roll to disbelieve when they land hits or are hit. I did read the module in advance, though, but it’s easy to forget the details, especially details hidden away like that.

I’m a terrible note taker. In school, if I was taking notes, then I wasn’t paying attention to the lesson because I was focused on writing. This also made me a terrible stage manager. Half the reason behind these write-ups is to get the information down and in circulation in my memory because I’m not able to mid-session.

What I should be doing is reading (or writing) the module, and making a bullet point list of the bare mechanics. I sometimes do similar when trying to learn new systems.[9]

Delilah climbs into a tree to shoot arrows at one of the three Orcs, the other three taking the ground battle.

The orcs are quickly defeated, their corpses fading away. What a curious event that I’m sure has no explanation to be uncovered in the future. An utter curiosity.

At this point, the party finally pauses to ask if they know where they’re going.

Ah, time for pay off.

At this point, I describe how they’d been following a shrinking trail, but soon they won’t have it to rely on.

I’m asked to post the list of supplies to the text chat for them to pour over. A careful edit of the description of the map is needed, and I do so.

The party discusses the supplies shortly, and someone looks at their part of the map. I tell them it appears to be a fourth of a map.

NavyDie shrewdly asks if they’re all the same fourth of a map. He likely learned from the time I gave my players descriptions of dreams then later threw some wood blocks at them not to take paper for granted.[10]

I confirm that they each have a different fourth of the same map. So they jigsaw puzzle it, and Mending is cast. Now they have a single map, and a burned spell slot![12]

They follow their map for the remainder of the day. The sun began to set, and the party needed to make camp.

When the opportunity arises, players will want to roll dice, because rolling dice feels good,. So everyone rolled for the survival check meant for one.

Bean, our ranger, was the only one who failed. I punished him by having him punch a hole in his tent. Everyone goes to bed, though Yot elects to take watch for a few hours, with no intention of waking anyone to take a shift after him. He chose enough time, and made the proper check, to spot a wolf investigating the border of the campsite before slinking off.

Yot decides to increase the length of his watch a little longer. So he was still awake when the wolf returned with three friends.

New combat! Yot shouts to rouse his allies, succeeding in waking Bean and Mogui, who come out of their tents to assist. No one thinks to go wake up Delilah, so she gets to sit out of this combat.

A few rounds occur, with the lead wolf eventually knocking Yot down and mauling him a tad. Mogui uses magic to scare off the other two, but lead wolf stays intent on his objective:[13] food.

The wolf makes his way into the camp, takes a mouthful of food, and skedaddles. I declare the end of combat. Bean buries the remainder of the food,[14] and everyone goes back to sleep.

With the morning arrival, and the completion of a long rest, the journey to Kassen’s Crypt continues.

The map leads them to the shore of a large lake on a misty morning, the grey skies and fog obscuring the horizon. A bandit lays dead on the beach. Our protagonists investigate the body, and find signs of an attack by a massive serpent. The body also has a sword and a wallet of gold on him, but they are left as the body is entombed into a shallow, sandy grave.

Travel continues, and they crest a small hill overlooking a serpentine valley, within which rests Kassen’s Tomb.

This then proceeds into my second big mistake: I overlooked the acrobatics check hidden with the descriptions and had my players roll directly on the failure table. Again, the table carefully set apart drew my eye. I’m learning! Poorly!

Still, someone ran into three different trees on the way down, so at least it was amusing, if unnecessarily punishing. I’ll quietly retcon away any damage taken in apology at start of next session.

Down the overly slippery hill, a small stable’s worth of dead mounts await: two horses and three ponies, the horses long dead, the ponies a little more recent. None the same day our party arrived, however.

A description of a fancy rune in the doorway’s keystone is given, and the session ends, exploration of the dungeon saved for the next session a fortnight later.

As usual, the session was characterized with me being stressed over keeping it running and attempting to follow the script of the module. The few times I’ve managed successive sessions has hinted that I’m able to settle in as things go on and the players figure out the table dynamic. I’m mostly confident I’ll figure it out.

While I am learning the value of boxtexts,[15] modules still invoke a sense of containment on me. A fear that if I, as a GM, stray too far, I’ll accidentally break something. I don’t enjoy scripts, that’s why I did improv. Scripts means you can make mistakes that need course correction.

But I’m playing with friends, we’re learning to be a cohesive performance troupe, and hopefully this will turn into a podcast. For the future.

Until next time, may your dice make things interesting.

-

[1] I’ll grant them the benefit of the doubt that they’re literate. [2] I’m seeing a combined Trix and the Sorceress[3] from her party. I’m going to have fun with that. [3] Indigo says her name was Makenna. [4] Which will make the process of creating sprite pawns for them slightly more difficult. I’ll ask them on the discord for physical appearances when I’m done writing this. [5] Were it not bipedal, I might’ve steered him into making it into a riding jackalope. They’re… kinda my pet fantastic beast. Usually ridden by mail carriers. [6] Originally the Church of a Pathfinder Deity, but I’m transplanting the module into D&D Fifth Edition anyways, so might as well sneak the details of my setting[7] into the margins. Helps everyone’s already just human. [7] Is this canon with the abandoned Genesys campaign? You decide! [8] When I have something to read, the mayor loses the stammering and uncertainty he has when I’m doing it off the cuff. This is because I’m not awkwardly trying to do things off the cuff. [9] I should have a file that’s basically Maid RPG Lite floating around due this same habit. [10] The one time I planned for my players to ‘cheat’ and show each other the notes I gave them, and the clowns kept the notes to themselves. You literally cannot rely on anyone to do anything like they should.[11] [11] I’d say you can trust players to make things harder for themselves, but return to footnote 10. [12] When I played through this module, I arrived after the mayor distributed the backpacks, and the party already had investigated their maps. So I don’t know how this puzzle was solved then. I also don’t remember the Orc encounter. [13] Behind the screen fun: while I rolled three times fairly, I applied the single success to who I wanted. For narrative reasons. I often play favorites in this manner. [14] Sure. [15] Along with listening to Dice Friends streams/podcast.

[hermanwatts]

Fantasy New Releases: 22 June, 2019

Finales and debuts, steampunk and litRPG gamerpunk, dungeon lords and adventurous raiders, and the return of the Destroyermen feature in this week’s fantasy new releases.

Bloodwood Forest – Jeremy Fabiano and Cadeen Fabiano

A deadly curse. A life hanging in the balance. One girl holds the key.

Catherine knows one thing: She needs to get stronger. Much stronger.

But is the adventurer’s guild training enough?

When a deadly curse leaves her mother’s life hanging in the balance, Catherine makes a vow to save her.

To keep her promise, she must journey through a mysterious and deadly forest full of hostile spirits and many other dangers.

She has her father’s former adventuring party by her side. But can they teach her to defeat the evil sorcerer sapping her mother’s life force away?

Chainworld (Quantum Assassin #1) – Matt Langley and Paul Ebbs

How do you escape an enemy who can follow you everywhere and everywhen?

Shryke knows you can’t, yet still he runs for his life. There are horrors buried deep in his memory that have been locked away from him by some secret magic. All he knows is that he is the Quantum Assassin, and he stands alone against the end of everything – the lone warrior in a war he can’t hope to win.

The God-Queen’s hunger for destruction will only be sated by the end of Chainworld, a series of impossible constructs held together by science so advanced the inhabitants mistake it for magic. Shryke and those he meets along the way must complete his memory so he can stand against her; otherwise, the Chainworld will be shattered and life as they know it will cease to be.

Everflame: Mystic Wind – Dylan Lee Peters

My name is ARTHUR KAGE and I have a secret: I spent a month in the forbidden forest the other survivors call the NULLWOOD.

ANNA says the Nullwood appeared the night the skies fell, the night we call the Demise. Anna uses a wheelchair, but she’s the strongest person I’ve ever met. She has a secret, too; a friend who is a fox but… is so much more. I help her keep her secret, and she helps me keep mine. The other survivors would kill me if they knew I had been in the Nullwood. Monsters come out of there. Everyone is afraid of that black forest, and fear makes people dangerous

I don’t have many memories of the Demise, except it’s the last I saw my mother. I can’t remember being in the Nullwood either, except for what I see when I dream. In dreams, I see a shadow bear amid the gnarled black trees, and I see a mysterious flame. I don’t know what any of it means but…

I have to find my mother.

I have to go back into the Nullwood.

Evolution (Djinn-Tamer: Bronze League #3) – Derek Alan Siddoway and A. J. Cerna

It’s time to crown a champion. It’s time to evolve.

Jackson Hunt has spent countless hours training his team of monsters and battling rivals as an up and coming Djinn Tamer. All his hard work, the stunning wins, and heartbreaking losses lead to one place: the league playoffs.

But what got Jackson where he is won’t be enough to take him to the top.

As the season draws to a close, Jackson and his friends find themselves far away from the stadiums and crowds, searching for a means to take his Djinn to the next level. The strength he seeks lies in a remote, untamed corner of the world, where myth and legend walk hand in hand.

Competition for the championship will be fierce and the dangers of the wild are only the beginning. Is Jackson ready for the biggest battle of his young career?

Skills will be tested, new powers unleashed. Victory won’t come without a cost.

Forger of Worlds – Simon Archer

Craft your own World. Trade with neighboring Empires. Become a God.

Garrett thought Terra Forma was just a game, but in reality, it was a test created by a devastatingly beautiful ancient goddess to find the most creative man in the universe.

Now, in order to help her defeat an ancient primordial deity, Garrett will have to take a dirt rock and transform it into the heart of the most powerful empire the universe has ever seen.

And to do that, he’ll have to unlock portals to other worlds, harvest their resources, and bring back settlers to his world.

Sure, it’s a nearly impossible task, but at the same time, how often do you get the chance to play god?

The King’s Regret (The Falconbone Chronicles #1) – Philip Ligon

Jason is not a child anymore.

He hasn’t been a child since the King betrayed his family, killing his mother and all his friends in a terrible surprise attack against his home.

He is not a child anymore, but everyone still treats him like he is. His father, his uncle, his sister. And especially Nanny Grace. Jason knows he can help. But he’s stuck washing dishes, tucked away and protected as the heir to the Falconbone family. All he can do is dream of the day when he finishes his ship, The King’s Regret, and flies it to the capital to avenge his family.

When Father flies away to search for allies, a saboteur wrecks havoc on their refuge. Jason is determined to find the traitor, to prove that he can be useful. The last thing he expects is to find his family’s oldest enemy lurking in the shadows of their mountain hideaway.

And for that man to be his only hope for bringing his Father home alive.

Pass of Fire (Destroyermen #14) – Taylor Anderson

After being transported to a strange alternate Earth, Matt Reddy and the crew of the USS Walker have learned desperate times call for desperate measures, in the return to the New York Times bestselling Destroyermen series.

Time is running out for the Grand Human and Lemurian Alliance. The longer they take to prepare for their confrontations with the reptilian Grik, the Holy Dominion, and the League of Tripoli, the stronger their enemies become. Ready or not, they have to move–or the price in blood will break them.

Matt Reddy and his battered old destroyer USS Walker lead the greatest army the humans and their Lemurian allies have ever assembled up the Zambezi toward the ancient Grik capital city. Standing against them is the largest, most dangerous force of Grik yet gathered.

On the far side of the world, General Shinya and his Army of the Sisters are finally prepared for their long-expected assault on the mysterious El Paso del Fuego. Not only is the dreaded Dominion ready and waiting for them; they’ve formed closer, more sinister ties with the fascist League of Tripoli.

Everything is on the line in both complex, grueling campaigns, and the Grand Alliance is stretched to its breaking point. Victory is the only option, whatever the cost, because there can be no second chances.

A Sellsword’s Hope (Seven Virtues #7) – Jacob Peppers

Grinner and his conspiracy to overthrow Perennia have been defeated, but victory came at a high cost. The alliance suffered losses it could ill afford, for the true enemy still lies in Baresh, growing stronger with each day that passes.

Leading the combined armies of three kingdoms, Aaron and his companions march to the city, but even with such a force, even with the power of the Virtues, victory is anything but assured.

For when blades are drawn, when battle begins, the only certainty is blood.

Aaron knows this, just as he knows the terrible odds he faces. Yet, he is not alone. His allies march with him—creatures out of myth and legend, cut-throats and thieves, sailors and smugglers, and the mysterious Akalians who have finally chosen to step out of the shadows and into the light.

But the ancient mage has allies of his own, creatures endowed with speed and strength greater than any man, bereft of any human feeling, including pain. But there is strength in emotion, a power that even the thousand-year-old mage, even creatures out of legend, cannot stand against.

For with emotion comes valor and courage, honor and duty.

With emotion comes hope.

Troll Nation (Rogue Dungeon #3) – James Hunter and eden Hudson

Build. Evolve. Conquer. The dawn of the Troll Nation has begun …

Roark von Graf—former noble and hedge-mage, current mid-level mob in a MMORPG—has taken down the Dungeon Lord of the Cruel Citadel, but the battle has only started.

Lowen, right hand to the Tyrant King, has come to Hearthworld, and he is building an army of his own. Worse, Lowen and company have taken over one of the most powerful dungeons in the game, The Vault of the Radiant Shield. Even as a Jotnar and a newly minted Dungeon Lord, Roark is supremely outclassed and he bloody well knows it. If he’s going to weather what’s to come and topple the Tyrant King, he’ll have to unlock the secrets of the stolen World Stone Pendant, master his new Hexorcist class, form some very unlikely allies, and most important … Grief some heroes. Let the games begin!

Seven Fold Sword: Sovereign (Seven Fold Sword #12) – Jonathan Moeller

The quest of the Seven Swords has been a trap all along.

For the dark elven tyrant known as the Sovereign will use the power of the Swords to ascend to godhood and enslave the world for all time.

And only Ridmark Arban stands in his way…

Fantasy New Releases: 22 June, 2019 published first on https://sixchexus.weebly.com/

[sirspud]

The Daring Ducks: Questions and Vague Answers

Previous, Next

The party advance cautiously through the hallway, the mournful wailing growing louder with each stop towards the door at its end. A branching corridor leads westward, but the party move past it, inching towards the door.

A host of bones, strewn across the floor, give the party pause. They wait for them to rise up and attack, but they don't seem to do so. They advance cautiously towards the door, giving the old bones as wide a berth as they can, before arriving at the door. Dewey tries the door handle, though the attempt reveals the door to be locked. He calls out to the door, asking who's in there.

The sounds go mysteriously quiet.

The party look at each other, uncertainty written across everyone's faces. Louie approaches the lock and gets to work (Disable Device Check, taking 20 = 27), picking the lock with little difficulty. He puts his head against the door, trying to figure out what's going on (Perception Check = 9). He briefly hears some kind of scuffle, but little else.

He tries to cautiously open the door, but something stops the door from moving - something heavy and solid on the other side. Dewey moves up to push the door open, shoving the door as hard as he can (Strength Check = 14). He manages to push the door open slightly, noticing that a number of piled crates and barrels are blocking the door. Curious, he peers through the crack between the door and the frame, trying to get a good look.

A crossbow bolt flies out from the crack, piercing through his cheek and causing him to stumble backwards, clutching the gash across his face in pain. The team immediately panic and Huey moves up to try to heal him.

"S-Stay back!" Cries a loud voice from behind the door. "Don't you monsters come any closer!"

The young ducks looked at each other. That was no skeleton - that was a survivor! In fact, both Webby and Louie recognise that voice (Knowledge [local] Check = Louie 18, Webby 11). Webby remembers him as a large, bulky duck who had repaired a shaky table back at home for her granny, though the specifics of the duck escaper her. Louie remembers some more specific information - the owner of that voice is Theodore Oakenduck, a carpenter from back in the village. He tells the party to get back - the guy may be a carpenter, but he enjoys archery, and Louie knows that he's crazy good with a crossbow.

Webby tentatively approaches the door, telling Oakenduck that they don't mean any harm - in fact, they're here to rescue him! (Diplomacy Check = 14).

"No!" Oakenduck cries again. "I know your tricks! Tricks of the dead one, the dead one who speaks!"

Louie approaches the doorway, motioning Webby aside. He tells Oakenduck that they're from the village, sent by the mayor to retrieve the Everflame. Whatever's got him in a twist, he assures him, they can sort it out (Diplomacy Check = 26, +4 circumstance bonus increases result to 30).

There's a pause. Then, they hear Oakenduck say nervously, "Th- The village? You're from Silas?"

Yes, Louie says, as Dewey stands up behind him, still clutching his cheek. He tells Oakenduck who they are, and mentions that they don't want to hurt him, they just want to know what happened to everyone.

There's another pause, then the sound of scraping boxes. They see a wide, terrified eye staring at them from the crack in the door. Then, there's a mad flurry of activity, with the sound of wooden boxes being hurriedly moved. He opens the door a crack, still pointing the crossbow at them, and he tells them to get inside, quick, before more 'angry bones' come to attack them.

The ducks quickly get inside, walking into what appears to be a storeroom of some kind. A number of bedrolls are kept in the room, and a quick investigation reveals a bunch of rations, a couple of bullseye lanterns with four full flasks of oil, and two glass vials filled with a red liquid, a label on each reading "healing". Webby pockets one of the potions, while Dewey downs the other, his shredded cheek knitting itself back together with a slight sting.

Once everyone gets in the room, Oakenduck slams the door shut, then collapses against it, muttering to himself in paralysed fear. He's a portly man, with a large face and gut, and a few scratch marks across his face betray a previous encounter with the undead menace. Huey kneels down, immediately asking what happened, why was he here, and where did the undead come from.

Oakenduck starts to stammer out an explanation, saying that the bones came from the second level of the crypt to feast on their souls, to drag him and the others down to the Abyss! When asked who these others were, Oakenduck takes a moment, then starts recounting names. Marcus Thinfeather. Adrian Gagglequack. Janus Whitewing. Robert Haverbeak. And his daughter, Jenny Oakenduck. The moment he mentions his daughter, the man crumbles and erupts into another round of distressed wailing.

The team look at each other uneasily. Once there's a gap in the wailing, Dewey tentatively asks what, exactly, the six of them were doing here. Oakenduck mutters that came here to prepare the crypt, make the traps safe, so that the four young ducks could navigate it safely. They'd started on the traps on the first floor, but then the angry bones came from below, and the voice. The deep, bellowing voice of hate and death who stalks the halls in ancient mail!

He begins wailing again, and the four ducks begin to understand the story a bit more clearly. First of all, Louie was right - this whole thing was supposed to just be an obstacle course. Secondly, none of this was meant to be happening, and something had gone horribly wrong. Webby quietly asks Oakenduck, "Who else... made it?"

Oakenduck shakes his head. None, he cries. All his friends, murdered by the angry bones, except... His eyes light up as he remembers. Yes, his daughter... she is still alive, he is sure. He says that the voice took her, took her down into the depths below...

Louie speaks up, asking about these traps he mentioned. They already knew about the pit traps, what else was there?

Oakenduck seems flummoxed. He doesn't know, he says, he can't remember. He remembers that he was brought here to check on the shields and the key. And he thinks that the party will have to go for a swim... but beyond that, he can't remember anything.

Huey gets up and looks at the other three. They can't very well bring him along, but it's not safe to stay here either. He tries to convince Oakenduck to leave, to go back to the village, but he adamantly refuses. "The voice knows all!" He shouts in panic. "He'll know if I run, he'll send more angry bones!" And then, he promptly bursts into more wailing.

Dewey sighs. He tells Oakenduck to stay here, then, put that barricade back up. They'll get his daughter back, he promises, even if they have fight whatever this 'voice' was (Louie starts to protest, but quickly shuts up).

Oakenduck shakes his head. "You'll fail," He tells them. "You'll fail, and then you'll join the angry bones, and haunt this crypt forever more!"

Unable to console him, the team awkwardly leave the room, leaving the poor man to his wailing misery.

+100 XP.

[teamfoxtrot]

Shimmer: thats a very unique, and beautiful hair style you have. Do you think about keeping it that way if you ever evolved??

"I mean, my mother even parts her hair on a different side, but I can't seem to feel like if I evolved I would turn into her... and I don't want that.

No one would want that."

[teamgrandiloquent]

Shimmer: is that a real eye may I ask?? It's very interesting.

Belial: What a sharp eye you have there~ Something peculiar about that boy is that gem on his head. You know, Absols are renown for their abilities to see foretell disasters and the likes. And that's what it sort of acts like, a mystic third eye, if you will. It works in tune with his horn though he doesn't have much control over it. So while not quite an eye, it does have some significance, isn't that right~?

Nameless: ...... /stares.