#oh my gosh new npc

[aloevienna]

I could sense that I'll need to befriend him sooner or later 😮‍💨

Edit: you can find him at the deserted area, near the bus at the left

[superbug06]

Blackrock's finest

Subspace T. Mine and Lord Pwnatious "Moneybags" the III..!

The sketch ^

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

book 7 part 11 thoughts! (nov 29th update)

***THIS POST CONTAINS MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR BOOK 7 PART 11 OF THE MAIN STORY!!*** This spans part 212 to part 226, focusing on Leona. Jack and Ruggie's parts can be seen here.

Please note: this is NOT meant to be a summary or a translation; these are only my initial thoughts on the events that roughly unfold. There may be details overlooked or misunderstood in this post, so PLEASE do not use this as a translation.

The gang lands in… Sunrise City again? Importantly, there is a new effect that plays which differentiates it from the Sunrise City of Ruggie’s dream. There are now dust and tumbleweeds.

Ruggie and Jack are totally fine with the turbulent flight over, since they’re used to bumpy rides on brooms while playing magift/spelldrive. Azul, however, is not doing so hot (because of the flight + weather). Ruggie takes pity on the poor octoboi and looks for a stall to buy him a cheap drink like tea or something. That’s when Ruggie notices something weird… the city is way more desolate than usual, and many of the stalls that are normally selling are no longer there or are closed up.

He tries to talk to some NPCs, but they notice he’s a hyena and hide out of fear. Well, that’s just… odd. So the group decides to scope out the palace (the most likely place Leona would be) to get to the bottom of things!

We arrive at the outskirts of the palace and the uh… coloring… is ominous.

Silver comments that they didn’t see any royal guards so the Sunset Savanna must be a very peaceful country :DD (… Oh, you poor, sweet, summer child…)

Ruggie tells him that no, this is definitely strange! Normally there would be many female guards around, in what world would it be easy to sneak into a palace undetected?! The current head of the royal guard is a female lion beastwoman, and most of the guards are females who are proud of their skill and strength. Many girls apparently do martial arts as children and then volunteer to be guards.

They come across some hyena beastmen who are laughing loudly. Their garb is that of Sunset Warriors, who, if you recall from Tamashina Mina/Cloudcalling on the Savanna, is a title that is highly coveted + honorable and earned through winning a Cat the Tail/Bead Brawl tournament (that people often train hard for). But these NPCs aren’t honorable or even that skilled to begin with, so Ruggie senses something is WAY wrong.

The NPCs become darkness (it seems the dreams are becoming a lot more actively aggressive in the Savanaclaw segments) and we beat them up.

The guards chase us but Idia uses his Mad Gamer Skills to hack open a door and then lock it so they cannot pursue us. We overhear some shouting and…!

OH MY GOSH… Kifaji finally gets s voice?!!?!?! He’s pleading with someone to take action because the country is starving.

We sneak over to the throne room (which looks frighteningly similar to that one scene where Scar is lounging on rocks which poor Zazu is caged)… AnD YUP TheRE GE iS 😭 LEONA THE pRINcE (KINg) OF sUNSET SaqvCANNA)

AD BfsvkugvukevuylFI GOYQELGQEGIOYOG7QEOfwp9FFG9Fw HORYKAM AFDK DFHBLAGIOEYEQOGAGENNAGOUIAG OOTL THAT KLSOoKKS NICE AFN HADBLADBIHLDBIADGBIADGIOYGOVUEGYAIOAGABHIG KFDGSBHJDGBHLAGBIAGEIBGE PLEA DSN SE DREES LIEK THOA T LMORE PODFTNETN DFSBKLAFJAFBHLGBIUPAGIVYAAPIDMK OT AS;OBUGDAIYOADGYIADGOVIYAGOIEGPBIQEG

[Brain buffering...]

SORRY WHERE WAS I

Kifaji mentions that Leona’s father has passed from illness, and tragedy befell his older brother, Falena, and his family (I assume Cheka and the wife are also out of the picture??) so Leona has now succeeded him. In this dream, Leona claims to have “cleaned up” the slums, pushed development, and mined the hell out of the country. They made a lot of money, but… at the cost of ignoring the advice of his advisors + the public’s opposition and destroying their environment. His style of ruling is just not sustainable.

Leona says he won’t listen to those who cling to old customs. Kifaji admits that Leona’s plans to improve the country were innovative but still…! This is too much. He tries to get Leona to see reason by reminding Leona that people AREN’T like chess pieces. People are so different and can work in ways you may not want them to. As king, Leona HAS to understand that and work with them regardless. Unfortunately, Leona refuses to acknowledge anyone but himself as competent.

Apparently those guards from earlier were the result of Leona giving jobs to people because they needed it. Leona being Leona, however, never gave them proper training and demands that Kifaji handle that.

OH MAn 💀 They hear shouting and it seems like there is a protest outside??

Dream!Ruggie is leading a crowd. He says stuff like how Falena was a better ruler than Leona ever was. They want food, they want nature back; they don’t want a king.

LMAOv???!!?!!?,) NOT LEONA GOING “damn, if they hate it here so much then they should just leave”????? 😭 THIS IS EXACTLY WhaT OUT OF tOUCH RICH poLITICIANs SAy WHEN PEopLE XOMPLaaiN AbOUT THEiR POLICiES

Leona orders Kifaji to shut up the protestors, he can’t nap like this 💀 Some things never change, I guess…

Ruggie takes them to the same luxury hotel we stayed at for the Tamashina Mina event (he expects Idia to pay for them lmao). It looks like not even this fancy place has any ingredients left though…

Idia retreads what he said in book 6; isn’t Leona the type to realize he’s in a dream? Yet he is deeply immersed in it. Silver wonders why Leona dreams of terrible things happening (like tragedy upon his family and the people hating him) if this dream is meant to be happy. Idia suggests that this is because Leona’s dream is like a sandbox game; ie Leona is “playing around” with the possibility it provides and clearly seems to be aware of the consequences that come with it (hence the terrible things Silver mentioned earlier). So maybe he’s catastrophizing…?

cbjsvsjwkw They talk about midnight snacking for a bit??

Idia talks about procedural generation and how the dream has to accommodate + load new maps as the player shifts around. But Leona doesn’t do that??? So it’s impressive or something cbsbbskskw I could be misunderstanding this part, I don’t know how tech stuff works 💦

They brainstorm some way to take away the king’s authority… and decide to use Cheka!! Ortho downloads a 3D model from Styx and Ruggie uses his UM to puppet it!

They try to break through the protestors and things get violent 😔 ashbfbiadiab LIKE ONE FO THE GUARDS HIT A MOM AND WAS ABOUT TO HIT YUU TOO BUT GOOD BOY SILVER PROTECTS US

Sebek, Silver, and Azul fight off the hyena guards while Ortho, Ruggie, Yuu, and Grim ride on Jack’s (wolf form) back to charge in. We finally get the incantation for Unleash Beast!! “Faster, sharper, stronger! Unleash Beast!”

Inside the palace, Leona demands meat and such from Kifaji. When Kifaji tells him there is none, Leona says go outside and get it 😭 THEN HE tHRETEnS TO FRY AnD EWT KIFAJI?????? AnD tHEN HE GRIPS KIFAjI BY THE cOLLAR WhEN HE SAYS FaLEnAmS nAmR… GIRL… YOU DiD NOT… NADSKILUASLBIADIBLD NOW HE'S ATTEMPTING TO SAND GRANMPS????

Ruggie barges in, TACKLING LEONA???? And pretending to be Cheka (with a really dumb voice LOL). But Leona clocks him right away and dispels the hologram. He accuses Ruggie of pretending to be Cheka to start a revolution and declares that this is punishable by death.

Kifaji protects us!! He uses fire to stop Leona’s attack, confirming him as a mage too. (That’s the first time the “darkness” in the dream has gone out of its way to help us rather than hinder us. Ortho suggests it is because the dreamer’s interpretation of the characters is important; the is could lead them to prioritizing their own behaviors rather than focusing on eliminating threats to the dream.) W AH 😭 Dream!Kifaji says he wishes for Leona to wake up from this bad dream…

Leona ran away in the brawl and is now outside the palace. He stews around and mutters that it isn’t his fault, so why did things turn out like this?

The hyena guards show up and pull Leona deeper into the dream. We of course leap in after him!!

Aaaaaand HERE WE ARE, a reality in which Leona and co. were successful in trampling Malleus or something... CRINGE CRINGE CRINGE how he gloats about his stupid ass plan that would NOT actually work irl. THANKS FOR REMINDNING ME ABOUT HOW CRAP BOOK 2 WAS, OJITAN... Azul has a moment where he laments that he had nooooo idea Leona would abuse the potion they made a deal over like this. He worries that Leona would have been too cocky and started taking out top performing students as well as athletes in order to pad out Savanaclaw's future in various fields.

AW JACKKKKK 😭 He says he can't stand aside and just watch this; the Leona-senpai he knows wouldn't be satisfied winning some fake game. Even when he has accomplished everything he wanted to, Leona isn't satisfied--so they've gotta snap him out of it!! aehjfaboboafevwtvaegp PUPPY... HE CARES SO MUCH ABOUT HIS DORM LEADER, AAAAAH

We confront Leona, with Azul claiming to have saved the Diasomnia team from his machinations. Leona notices there are two Ruggies and he starts to have that splitting 'I'm noticing things are off here" headache.

The Savanaclaw mobs start shouting and demanding to know what we did to "our king". DBHLFVLFEVIYOEAIAFE JACKGETS MAD AND SAYS LEOAN ISN'T "YOUR KING" HE'S "OUR DORM LEADER"!!!!! AAAAAAAHHAHAHHHHHAHHHHH H HHAHAHAHSH H HA HAHAHAHHHH H HHHHHHH H OTL

Leona wakes up and is a little prima donna about ita sdhlbaidbafa HE TELLS THEM TO WAKE HIM UP MORE DLEICATELY NEXT TIME... BITCH YLIKE YOU AHVE ANY RIGHT TO BE MAKING DEMANDS RIGHT NOW

Darkness, enter~ The group escapes it adgkhfihblffia BUT SEBEK SAYS DLEONA DESERVES THIS AND SILVER HAS TO STOP AND SCOLD HIM FOR SAYING THAT

Ruggie got caught and is now being sucked into the darkness. Leona runs back to grab him despite Ruggie's pleas to just run LH FABYOAFAEGAEG raARE WE GETITNGF TRI GELLA S ARE WE GETITNG GOOD LEADER BIG BRO L*ONA SAN WHO WON'T ABANDON HIS MINIONS EVER?a?? ? ?? ? ?????????? ?? ??? ? OTL The others warn Jack not to run over too, but he shouts that Leona and Ruggie-senpai are back there...

Leona throws Ruggie at Jack (who catches him) but falls into the darkness as a result. Welp, time to dive in after him!

ADFHBASBIYSAASD OKAY EHRE'S THE CRINGE I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR... Leona sees his OB self moping about how he'll never be king. aiubafpdasbas OB LEONA TALKS ABOUT HOW HE WANTS TO THROW FALENA AND CHEKA OFF A CLIFF A LA SCAR STYLE...

Leona says it's pathetic seeing himself like this, doesn't he have any pride? If he keeps complaining that no one understands him, keeps looking down on others, keeps desiring approval... That's just so miserable.

He does what the other OB boys have done and proceeds to punch his Phantom into the dirt. Leona tells himself that he'll get his "own throne and country someday". (As has been alluded to many times before, this doesn't refer to a literal kingdom but a metaphorical one; ie he will try to find satisfaction through routes other than the crown.) AND HE ACCEPTS THAT HE WILL ALWAYS HAVE THAT BITTERNESS INSIDE OF HIM WISHING TO BE KING... HE ACCPETS IIITTTTTTT T T T TTTTTtTttttttTt OTL

Leona returns back to his original dream, where it has started to rain and the sun has come out. Kifaji runs up to him with the morning report and reminds his prince that everything the light touches is his domain.

Leona says it’s unnecessary and someone like him doesn’t have a claim to the throne. To this, Kifaji smiles and praises Leona for being so clever OTL HE DOESn’T GET MAd anD TRY TO gET LEOnA TO SlEEP AgAiN… "So you've finally noticed [...] that this is a dream. As expected of you. my king." WHAT SO DREAM!kIFAJI KNEW ALL ALONG????? WAS THSI A PEICE OF LEONA'S CONSCIOUSNESS THAT WAS AWARE AND DECIDED TO MANIFEST AS KIFAJI TO SAVE HIS OWN ASS?????? ? ? ?? ?? ????

LMAOOOO Leona says if he ever becomes king irl he is firing Kifaji ASAP (but we all know he won’t 😭). Using King’s Roar, Leona renders his fake kingdom to sand… and Kifaji looks on so proudly 😭 telling Leona to go to “the place where he should be”… 😭 YOu’RW KIDDIng ME EiGHTvvvvv’nnnnn’nnnM!!!????

Leona reunites with the group and… asdbaislda sort of makes up with Ruggie? He asks for forgiveness but doesn't specify for what (I'm guessing for the sanding?). Ruggie jokes about adding "interest" to Leona's tab but ultimately forgives him.

WHOA, new Jack crying sprite?!?!?! (Like a tsun, he insists he is not crying.)

He thinks about the noble Leona in his own dream… and how terrible his senpai are irl… but Jack says he prefers the real Ruggie and Leona any day. He’s so happy they woke up him.

NUUUUUUuUyyUuUUUUUU 😭 RUGGIe - AnD LEOn a COMFORT CryING JACKKkKKKKKKKKKKK

After that, Ortho explains everything to Leona and Leona gloats a little about how he always thought Malleus would go and do something dumb like this. When Ortho invites Leona to join their party, Leona says he passes and would rather nap. He claims he’s exhausted cuz he saw sooo many unpleasant nightmares, so he’ll wait here ‘til everyone is ready to punch Malleus. Azul can handle things for him.

But then Ortho points out that Ruggie, Jack, and especially Azul took a lot of damage in his dream. Azul is battered quite a bit because he was busy dispatching royal guards! This guilts Leona enough for him to change his mind and join us.

Aaaand that’s if for this update!

Mmm... Part of me feels validated because many of the ideas I proposed in this analysis of Leona vs Falena's ruling styles were showcased in Leona's dream. For example, Leona disregarded public opinion, prioritized development without considering the input of advisors, and everyone grew to resent him because of that. When Tamashina Mina first came out, a common sentiment was siding with Leona and declaring that his plans would better the country + he would make a much better king that Falena when, clearly, development is a very delicate and not-so-easy thing to achieve... I'm glad that Twst took a realistic approach to this. That’s not to say I think Leona would really be a shit ruler or that things would get as bad as they do in his dream. I just don’t think he’s prepared to handle that presently. It’s good that he’s now focusing on graduating and he applied for that internship that will bo doubt help him gather the knowledge and skills he needs to help his country. If he keeps working hard, I’m sure he can be the sort of person that brings the rain to the savanna.

I thought the idea to pretend to be Cheka and return to claim the throne was interesting, but ultimately it went nowhere since Leona immediately knew it was a fake. This felt more like an excuse to have Ruggie and Jack use their mouse mandated UMs for the dream segments... I wish they had actually done more with this. Maybe I'm biased because I think Ruggie's fake Cheka voice was hilarious www

There were TONS of Lion King references in this dream, HOLY CRAP. AND LEMME TELL YOU, IW AS SLURPING IT ALL UP. Not because I like the movie (I think it's alright), BUT BECAUSE I'M AN AVID ZAZU X SCAR SHIPPER... (They're peak enemies to lovers, don't @ me) OTL (TO BE CLEAR THOUGH, I DO NOT SHIP LEONA AND KIFAJI. Please don't mix them up!!)

Speaking of Zazu and Scar!! It was cool to see Kifaji in the dream...! His role was so refreshing too. I loved that he wasn't actually hostile, protected us, and actively wanted Leona to "wake up" from this bad dream. I think that's so reflective of the real Kifaji too... He's stern on Leona but it's only because he cares for Leona's wellbeing and wants to see him at his best, not constantly brooding over what he cannot have. And the fact that dream!Kifaji knew all along it was a dream and wished so hard for Leona to wake from it... it implies to me that, for all the shit Leona slings at Kifaji, he actually relies on the old guy as a source of comfort. Kifaji was probably his one and only friend in the palace and one of the few people who continued to believe in him... BEST BIRD GRANDPA, HANDS DOWN.

I'm sliiiightly disappointed that Leona wasn't awake the entire time; this definitely felt like a missed opportunity but at least Idia addressed what he said back in book 6 and provided a reason for it (even if I think the reason is flimsy). This might be cope on my part, but I think... part of Leona's self-awareness came through in how dream!Kifaji manifested. Maybe, just maybe... that Kifaji is the one shred of hope Leona has left for himself... Not just the part of him that knows this is a dream, but also the part of him that believes he can change and be a truly "good" ruler... AGAIN, PROBABLY COPE BUT LET ME DREAM.

Another character I felt really shone this update (besides Kifaji) was JACK. This shocks me because I don't really like him as a character but MAN, did he shine... He was the one who noticed Leona is unhappy even within his own dream where he has everything he could ever want. He's the one who shouts at the dream!mobs that Leona isn't THEIR king, he's HIS dorm leader. ANKDBHLADBILAIBA ASND THEN HE CRIED AND GOT ALL TSUNDERE ABOUT IT... THE SENPAI RUSHED TO COMFOR T HIM AJKDHAKHAFVAFVOEFUQEFTLFIHAFLEFWTUEOFIYPAFOB THAT WAS ADORABLE!!!! 😭😭😭 This update and the last really showed me Jack's true appeal...

asbkhlabiylfailyveioyqegi I LOVE HOW HTHSJ UPADATE JUST ENDS WITH ELONA SAYING HE'S GOING TO FUCKING TAKE A NAP... but then he gets off his ass and joins us after everyone reminds him how tired the others are and how hard his underclassmen worked to get through to him. HE'S REALLY NOT BEAITN GHT E "I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE KIDS BUT I SECRETLY DO CARE ABOUT THE KIDS" ALLEGATIONS . CVL;,SKJ'NGD;OBGDBIEGIFQWVGUEQVQE UQEO YFy vao ygFWOI Vf OTL

Not sure if I 100% get why this part had to be update separate of Ruggie and Jack’s part…? I mean, Kifaji helping us out and Leona having some amount of self-awareness was nice but I don’t think it was major enough to warrant waiting another week to see.

Next up is Heartslabyul which is in early December. It’s coming up quickly!

[hugsandchaos]

Okay, first off, I just watched the new Amazing Digital Circus episode with a relative, and OMG, KINGER LORE?!?

Absolute “Hell yeah!”!!!

I loved him and Pomni having their adventure together!! I was actually reminded of that reblog I posted with the joke “The startled jester returns to the king for comfort” during that!!

And Pomni letting someone touch her was a small big thing in my opinion!! And by “small big thing”, I mean the little details that mean more than people who don’t know what’s going on realize, because she doesn’t like being touched, but she held Kinger’s hand the whole walk! She made an exception! Probably to comfort herself and him, but regardless of the reason, I felt a little proud of her!!

And Kinger glowing was pretty cool!!

And Jax not letting anyone know what happens when he holds his breath is probably something people are going to note when they talk about the “Jax Is An NPC” theory, which I’m starting to thing might actually be true.

Also, the part where Caine started talking about his adventures, OH MY GOSH! The existential dread of not being good at the one thing you’re good at, and probably the one thing you were made for!!! Dude, are you okay?!

Poor Zooble, too, who knows how many parts they tried before they eventually gave up? I bet half of the adventures they skipped were actually skipped because they were looking for parts they liked.

And Pomni thanking Ragatha was so sweet, and you could tell Ragatha felt really appreciated in that moment!!

Final note; I started laughing when we saw the scene where Ragatha and Gangle were having tea with the dead wife. Like Pomni and Kinger are in Hell, Zooble and Caine are very poorly talking about their issues, and they’re having a TEA PARTY? Jax being tied up and duct taped so he can’t get up to any shenanigans or make bad jokes was the cherry on top!

[changingplumbob]

Delphine Hubert - SFS

For @ethicaltreatmentofcowplants Simply Lilac BC. Her entry is below but since she is cc free (you will need the below packs for everything) I'm putting her up for everyone because I like sharing.

EDIT: Omg I forgot to mention she has a dolphin tattoo on her ankle because that's one of the meanings of her name Delphine!

Shay: Okay Delphine, finishing touches in CAS and you're all set! We just have to do the intro questions. Normally the watcher asks them but since I gained the paranoid trait I get to help her out

Delphine: Alright, fire away!

Shay: Tell me all the boring stuff I'd need to steal your identity. Name, birthplace, job and so on

Delphine: *laughs* I'm Delphine Hubert (the t is silent). You've probably picked up on my accent. I was born in France, stayed there through high school. I live in Chestnut Ridge now though, trying to start up a nectar business, being an Expert Nectar Maker is my aspiration, but I don't seem to be able to gain skills in anything.

Shay: Oh I had that! Don't worry, it passes

Delphine: I'm bisexual and biromantic. I'm a... forgive me English is my second language... cisgender woman? I use she/her pronouns

Shay: Oh my gosh me to! Are you human? Wait, what is this question? Of course she's human

Delphine: I am human but trust me, vampires are out there. Several nice ones live in France you know

Shay: I did not know that, weird. Moving on *checks notes* tell me some more about you. How would others describe you? How would you describe you?

Delphine: I'm doing my best to be a Rancher, really get in to the life of Chestnut Ridge. I ah, I am quite... what is the word... Clumsy? Oui, clumsy. I am also Creative, I enjoy making things you know?

Shay: So why are you applying? To you know get sent to the middle of nowhere

Delphine: *laughs* You are asking this? That is irony, no?

Shay: I know, I know, I'm still finding sand everywhere!

Delphine: *chuckles* Well Lilac seems like a- an impressive woman. She has done a lot for her short number of years, no? And très jolie.

Shay: Gossip time! Tell me some things you like, in others, to do, that kind of thing

Delphine: My favourite colours are green, brown, blue and purple. For fashion I like the country and rocker styles. I enjoy flirting and gossiping, and find I like others who are idealist or spirited. I really enjoy nectar making, and gardening which you need for that. I have always wanted to try horse riding to, and I enjoy cooking.

Shay: And what about things you dislike?

Delphine: I do not enjoy dressing in polished clothes. I find it hard to get along with others who are egotistical or emotional decision makers. I do not enjoy when other complain, or when they... deceive? Deception? Lie! I don't like to fish. I also haven't enjoyed bowling or snow-boarding. I also do not enjoy playing video games.

Shay: Oh girl you got some cute outfits! Alright, what's on your gift shortlist?

Delphine: For me or Lilac?

Shay: *checks* To give Lilac

Delphine: Oui. Ah... I am a classic, will go with some flowers. Likely rose. She is a music lover? Maybe guitar, cannot fit a piano in my inventory. Then... oh she likes photography, oui? A nice camera

Shay: *sighs* time for the awkward questions... will you be comfortable flirting with other contestants?

Delphine: I plan on flirting with Lilac

Shay: Oh I am with you, go for the goal right! But say there are some other cute ones around...

Delphine: I may flirt with other contestants but I cannot see myself woohooing with them, or any NPC's. My goal is Lilac, no?

Shay: How are you with changes? Gaining new traits or- becoming an occult? Seriously?

Delphine: *laughs* I am open to changing my personality but I do like being a human so I will choose to stay human

Shay: Final question! Are you comfortable- oh come on! Seriously?

Delphine: There is problem?

Shay: It asks if you're comfortable flirting with the host, Araminta. She's got a guy! The one I was going for, don't tell me she's forgotten Dodo already. Anyway, this is about you, not me

Delphine: I would flirt back but not initiate flirting

Shay: Good answer. Now make sure you don't tell her we're friends or she's bound to penalise you for it. Good luck Delphine!

Delphine: Merci

[thescarletnargacuga]

Maybe something spooky for September?

Like... Genuine fear.

Caine makes a new adventure for the gang, but it ends up taking in things that are... Just too real...

P.s: Showtime?

-that one paper bird

A/N: spooky season is upon us! Special thanks to @13piecebucket for helping me brainstorm this!!

NIGHTMARE'S END

A DIGITAL CIRCUS ONESHOT

WARNING: body horror, swearing,

~~~

"Welcome back, adventurers!" Caine hovered over the Circus cast. "Hope you had fun today!"

The group looked amongst themselves with collective disinterest. Pomni spoke up. "Actually, Caine, this one was a bit...meh."

Caine was visibly taken aback.

"Yeah, we got bored more than half way through." Jax agreed. "The cartoon physics and faceless NPCs are a bit old hat at this point."

"What he means is we think more realism would suit the adventures better." Pomni corrected. "The immersion still isn't that immersive."

"Doesn't help that we all look like cartoon characters." Gangle quietly added.

Caine rapped his fingers against the shaft of his cane. "Very well. If realism is what you want, then realism is what you'll get. At least, to the best of my ability. Rest up! Tomorrow will be a big one!" He blips away.

"You three should be ashamed of yourselves." Ragatha scolded. "I'm sure he's already doing all he can."

"I don't really care, I was just going along with Pomni." Jax put his hands in his pockets and walked away.

"Hey!" Pomni stomped her foot. "It was ZOOBLE'S idea we say something!"

"Don't drag me into this. I just said the adventure was stupid. All of them are." Zooble said as they walked away.

Pomni groaned. "Whatever. Guess we'll have a real adventure tomorrow. See how that turns out." She went to bed almost immediately, sleep called to her like never before. Her one escape from this digital nightmare.

~

Pomni woke to the smell of smoke. She winced as she sat up on a hard, uncomfortable surface. She blinked, finding herself in a small, dark room that has no familiar shapes. "Huh...? Why am I not in my-!!" She gaped at the sight of a smoldering computer atop a desk next to her.

Pomni stood to get a closer look. The electronic remains glowed faintly in the only light source in the room, a street lamp coming through a half shaded window. She jumped when she heard shuffling behind her.

Five figures of varying size stand up from the floor, the voices familiar. "Ugh, my head." "Where are we?" "Why is it so dark?"

"Guys?" Pomni asked. "What's happening? OH MY GOSH!" She pointed at a tall man with blond hair, staring right at her. The man turned to see what Pomni was pointing at.

"What? What is it?"

"Kinger?" Pomni couldn't believe it. She looked at the other people in the room. Humans. All of them. She looked at her own hands. Human hands with five fingers splayed out in front of her. "We're...we- no, this isn't possible. I'm dreaming! I have to be. I fell asleep and woke up here! I-"

Pomni froze when an androgenous person with pink hair slapped her across the face. "Did that feel real?"

Pomni felt her face. "OW! That was uncalled for! I really felt that. Oh my god." She looked back at the destroyed computer. "Caine...he must of blown all the hardware trying to make the game more real. I didn't think he'd... oh no."

"WHO CARES! WE'RE OUT!!" Celebrate a young man with a huge grin.

"Are we really sure? Really really?" A woman with red curls asked.

"Fuck if I know." The person with pink hair stopped and seemed stunned by they're own ability to curse. "Holy shit." They gasped, a huge smile growing on their face. "ASS! TITS! DICK! CUNT! SHIT! MOTHERFUCKER!"

"Do you really need to shout?" A timid woman asked, covering her ears.

"YES, I DO! WE'RE OUT!!"

~

The six made their way out of the empty office building. Cool night air grazed their faces as they took in their surroundings. They were in a town. A real town with streetlights and parked cars and a distant blinking traffic light. The street was lined with closed businesses. Not another soul in sight.

"What time do you think it is?" The timid woman asked.

"There!" The woman with red curls pointed at a scrolling LED sign in front of a bank. "3:00 am. No wonder things are so quiet. What do we do now? It's been so long... I don't even remember where we are."

"I guess we walk until we find somebody." Pomni shrugged. "There's gotta be at least a cop or something out at this hour."

"Oh yeah, and what do we tell them? Help, police! We've been kidnapped by a sentient AI and we just got away! Yeah, I bet that'll go over real well." The young man with the wide grin snarked.

"They could at least help us get out bearings." Pomni said.

They walked past quiet buildings, feeling a bit out of place on the empty street. Eventually, finding a sign that said Welcome to Brook Haven, the loveliest place in Maine.

"Well, that's a start." Said the woman with the curls. "Do you remember much about Maine, Pomni?"

"I don't think so, but I'm sure if we keep looking, we'll find someone who does. And, you don't have to keep calling me Pomni. My name is...my name..."

Everyone stopped.

Pomni's eyes widened as she searched her head. "I don't remember...I should remember. Right? Do any of you remember??"

"Oh no! You don't think the mind wipe was permanent, do you??" Panicked the timid woman.

"I don't know!" Pomni clutched her head and started to pace. She faced a store window and her blood went cold. Before her wasn't the reflection of a human woman, but of a cartoonish jester staring wide eyed at her. Pomni could feel the air in her lungs cease. "We're still in the game."

The shrill scream of a siren tore through the night. Everyone covered their ears, but they could still feel the siren vibrating their very beings. A billowing thick grey fog rolled into the streets. It cloaked everything from sight, the town being swallowed whole.

The group backed up against one another, being surrounded by the intense fog. Pomni was back to back with the tall blonde man, but she nearly fell backwards when he was violently pulled into the mist. "Kinger!"

Next was Ragatha. Something in the mist grabbed her leg and she was dragged off screaming. Then Gangle. Then Zooble.

"Screw this!" Jax ran off in a random direction, but didn't get far before he too screamed bloody murder.

Pomni was left alone in the quickly shrinking pocket of visibility. Her heart pounded. The only place left to go was the store behind her. She tried the door. Locked. She banged on the window. It held firm.

Clicking and skittering came from the fog. Creatures beyond her sight and comprehension were moving about, taunting her. A thorned tentacle whipped out at Pomni, but she ducked and it smashed through the store window.

Thinking quickly, Pomni vaulted through the broken window and made a run for it. Creatures screeching and crashing through the building behind her as fog poured in.

As she ran through a back door and down an alley, she saw a leas pipe sticking out of a dumpster. She grabbed it and kept running.

A clawed hand dug into the ground next to her and a black creature with colorful eyes lunged at Pomni. She batted at the creature as hard as she could, bursting it's bright pink eye. It screamed and backed away.

Pomni kept running, zig zagging down semi clear streets. Something with wings swooped down at her and she tuck and rolled. The flying abstraction crash landed where she had been. She didn't give it a chance to strike again, she beat it over the head with her pipe until it stopped thrashing.

"What the FUCK is all of this!?" Pomni growled and kept moving as more moving shadows in the mist closed in on her. She needed to get indoors. She ran until a large brick building was in sight. The sign out front read: Town Hall.

Pomni threw herself through the double front doors and slammed them shut behind her. She leaned back against the doors, panting and gasping for air. She was sweating, her legs shook with fatigue. She still felt real, even if she knew the truth.

"You're still alive. Good." Caine's voice echoed through the building.

"CAINE!? CAINE, YOU BASTARD! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THE OTHERS!!"

"Such language. And you all wonder why the censor is so necessary. You can't control your tongues."

"WHERE ARE THE OTHERS??" Pomni screamed as she marched down the hall, following the source of Caine's voice down one hall and then the next.

"Let's not worry about them. You're the only one who made it this far. The rest have failed."

"Failed? YOU DON'T FAIL AN ADVENTURE!"

"In a realistic one, you do. In real life, there are clear cut winners and losers. Tell me, which one are you?"

Pomni could hear the grin in his condescending tone. "Whichever gets this over with." She gripped her pipe harder.

Caine's laughter filled the halls. "A winner, then? That remains to be seen."

Pomni followed the voice to a set of grand wood doors. A Mayor's Office plague on the wall. She kicked open the doors, ready to swing. There were no monsters, no mist. Caine was at the end of the large room by the desk. His back was to her, looking out the large windows. "Beautiful, isn't it? Dare I say, this town has been my greatest creation."

"You lied! You made us believe we were out! I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!" Pomni shouted as she marched forward.

"Lied?" Caine turned towards Pomni. "I gave you exactly what you wanted. Realism. I made it so real, I even found a purpose for the old exit." He chuckled. "It was amusing seeing all of you celebrate. Shame the fun had to be spoiled." His body jerked as he stepped forward.

Pomni stopped, holding her pipe in front of her. She watched in horror as Caine's chest started to split apart, black teeth folding out at her. His arms lengthened and bent at unnatural angles. "What- what's happening?"

"The most realistic part..." His voice deepened and garbled. "Fear." His eyes split apart and changed colors. His suit tore and his spin jutted out with spikes. Her grew and grew in height, his teeth growing sharp and his jaw extended to the ceiling. Multiple arms broke the floor apart as he approached. "Are...you...afraid?"

Pomni brought the pipe back like a bat. "Terrified. But I'm still going to kick your ass." She charged without hesitation, war in her eyes. Caine's monstrous form bared down on her. She struck out at the eye in the center of his gaping jaw.

The pipe's collision creates a spark bright enough to blind Pomni. The whole room goes white. She feels weightless, like she was in the void again. Then, in a near instant, she fell on her back. When the light fades, she's back in the Circus. The obnoxiously saturated bright colors sting her eyes.

Around are the cast members, all in varying states of shock. Zooble stays on the ground, staring at the vaulted ceiling and trembling. Gangle is in hysterics, muttering and whimpering to herself while crying uncontrollably. Kinger is pale and sitting in the fetal position, his eyes wider and more bloodshot than normal. Ragatha is stone cold silent and unmoving, holding her head in her hands.

Jax Is the only one other than Pomni to get to his feet. "That wasn't so- bleeeeegh!" He doubles over and vomits.

Pomni stares at her gloved hands, already missing her realistic skin. A slow clap gets her attention. She turns to see Caine hovering, lowering himself to her level.

"Well done, Pomni. Well done, indeed. You are today's winner. Being the only one to successfully find and defeat me. You faced fear and conquered it. How's that for realism?"

"Wait... If at least one of us had to find and defeat you... What if none of us did?" Pomni asked.

Caine smiled and shrugged. "Guess we'll never know. So, 1-10?"

The cast stayed where they were, unresponsive. Pomni smiled at Caine. "Ten. Solid ten. That was the biggest thrill I've had yet."

"Yet." Caine's grin widened.

~~~

HAPPY SPOOKY SEASON, EVERYONE! 🎃💀🔮🕷️🦇

[dozyrogue]

TBH im begging that there isnt another qtubbo romance plot like please no

there are so many far more interesting aspects to qtubbo than romance with npcs

having fun convos and hanging out with a friendly npc that also likes create would be so much better

OR my dream scenario is they continue with romance but its kinda awkward and qtubbo realises that the feelings arent actually romantic and he just assumed they were becasue he was told by others so we get cannonical aro qtubbo

Dude You're So based and so fucking true,

if anything I find it more aggravating that tubbo interacted with an npc, simply flirted, and everyone's first conclusion was sunny has a new stepdad or it would never be frubbo.

Like what bro can't flirt??? if anything I find that as a new obsession, like oh this Bunny's whole thing is my favorite mod or he's like all about engineering and that is my favorite thing and I need to know more about you

And I too want canonical aro Tubbo. I think it would heal so much and also force people to see tubbo as his own character, f he has this like oh shit I don't actually like you not in that way at least I just feel like it'd be really cool to see. Because half of frubbo was people telling turbo "oh my gosh you have a boyfriend!!! Ooooo" but then again maybe I just can't tell what evolves into just a platonic relationship or a romantic relationship, maybe it's just the autism. But seriously aromantic tubbo is also my dream scenario. I think about it all.

then again with persuasion it takes a bit for me to even consider that Fred and Tubbo had like a romantic thing going on, I always saw it as platonic, like oh I want to get to know you, I want to be friends with you. and then it became romantic it didn't sit well with me because it felt too rushed. but that's just like a me thing lol.

[a-gilded-imprisonment]

Oh! Hello. You’re a friend of Dr. Ratio’s, right? I don’t think I’ve ever met him, but Screwy certainly has a lot to say about him, and any friend of rubber ducks is a friend of mine.

Uh… sorry if I’m bothering you. I’m just told I have to reach out to people more.

-🍉

//if you can identify which technically-canon character this is i love you.

A friend?

*Aventurine laughs at the stranger's statement.* Oh, we are but business partners... that seems to be all Veritas desires when it comes to associating himself with me~

It isn't a bother, friend~! I am quite fond of meeting new people.

*The gambler extends a gloved hand towards the other.* Aventurine of Stratagems, one of the Interastral Peace Corporation's beloved Stonehearts, at your service! It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance~

(Ooc: "Screwy?" So Screwllum. Genius Society member... Oh my gosh. OH MY GOD... Wait is it Stephen Lloyd?!?!?! Best npc omg I'm probably wrong dgkskagkgasdgak ~ Mod Minie)

[tinyinvadr]

Everyone, I have returned from the Void with a new chapter! I really hope I’m able to keep consistently working on this, I feel like I almost never finish a fic anymore!

Hide & Shrink

Chapter 5

We returned to the main stage where the rest of the circus members were waiting for us. They all seemed happy and relieved to see me. I still couldn’t really tell with Zooble, though. They’re hard to read.

“Welcome back, Pomni!” Gangle greeted, a smile plastered on her newly restored comedy mask.

I waved to her, still feeling kind of awkward around everyone. It had only been two days, they were all still strangers. Giant strangers.

“Okay, so Pomni’s back, but we still don’t know where the %$!# Jax went. I don’t like when that creep goes missing.”

“Language, Zooble, language! And… Jax said he won’t be participating today. Neither will Pomni. As for the rest of you, today’s adventure will be…”

With his free hand, Caine snapped his fingers, making bubble letters appear above us as he spoke.

“Wrangle the Wroinks!”

Zooble glared at him. “Didn’t we JUST do that?”

Caine started laughing hysterically. He was so loud I felt the need to cover my ears, even though I’m pretty sure my character model doesn’t have them.

“No, those were the Gloinks that you were gathering last time! The Wroinks are completely different!”

The Wroinks in question suddenly appeared and started bouncing all over the place. They looked exactly like the Gloinks only this time they were wearing hats.

“Right. Of course they are.”

It wasn’t long before a Wroink bounced off of Gangle, knocking her comedy mask off and breaking it.

“Not again…”

Ragatha picked up the pieces for her, looking over at me apologetically.

“We’ll catch up with you later, Pomni. Caine, you remember what we talked about, right?”

Caine gave her a thumbs up. “Sure do! Don’t worry, I’ll make sure our new little friend is safe and at ease!”

After everyone left, he just floated in place, not moving. I sat in his open palm, staring off into space as I waited for whatever was delaying him to pass. This seemed to be a common occurrence. He would just… stop.

“Well then, Pomni, have you decided what you’d like to do today? The possibilities are limitless! *Notethatthepossibilitiesarelimitedtowhatisallowedbyourtermsofservicepleaseaskforadditionaldetails.”

I didn’t have a real plan in mind. If I had the option, I’d just do nothing for the rest of the day, but I had a feeling Caine wouldn’t understand that. Even if he was considering my feelings, it was clear he required some sort of constant entertainment.

“Well… what do you normally do during the adventures?”

He paused, as if he wasn’t sure whether or not to tell me.

“There’s a restaurant Bubble and I go to, but that’s an NPC-only zone! Then again… this is kind of a unique case… Ah, no, no, I’m not picking favorites! Oh… but you’re so gosh-darn adorable! Alright, you make a convincing argument. Let’s go!”

Before I could even attempt to process anything he said, he snapped his fingers and we teleported to a new location.

It was a small, casual restaurant, with wooden mannequins seated at every table. It was strange how it didn’t match the aesthetic of the rest of the circus at all. I guess that’s why it was considered an off-limits area, since it would ruin the immersion. Not that I cared. If anything, I liked that it looked more grounded in reality.

Caine floated over to a table where Bubble was already waiting for us, and sat in the available seat. He then carefully set me down on the table, and leaned on his elbows, resting his lower jaw in his hands.

“Well, this is the place, Pomni! Want anything? Food? A drink? Just an appetizer?”

“Oh, that’s okay, I don’t need any-”

“Nonsense, it’s my treat! Excuse me, waiter? Could you bring out today’s special for the little lady?”

A mannequin in a tuxedo suddenly appeared beside the table with a tray of food and placed it in front of me. Across the table, Bubble eyed the food in anticipation. Caine let out a sigh.

“And a second order for my gluttonous friend?”

The waiter mannequin disappeared and reappeared with more food, putting it down in front of Bubble. He ate the whole thing, plate included, in one bite. Caine stared at him for what felt like a solid minute before clearing his nonexistent throat and addressing me again.

“Now then, I get the sense there’s something on your mind. But rest assured, I am ready and willing to hear you out! So tell me, what seems to be the trouble?”

It should have been obvious what the problem was, but I tried not to let myself get too frustrated with him. There was no point.

“Okay, so… I was talking to Jax earlier, and he thinks I might have a glitch of some sort, which is why you can’t change me back. Do you… know anything about this? Has this happened before?”

“No… but it doesn’t appear to be a major concern! You can still live your digital life to the fullest just like everyone else! I’m sure with a few accommodations here and there we can-”

“CAINE!!!”

We both froze after I suddenly shouted at him. I didn’t know what I was thinking in doing that. He didn’t appear angry, at least. Just confused.

“I-I’m sorry, but… I don’t want this life. I want my old one back. The lack of an exit is already bad enough, but now I’m scared. Being stuck like this, people grabbing me and dropping me and being held against my will… I don’t think I can take much more of it, Caine. I-If this keeps up, I think I might…”

I couldn’t bring myself to say it. Even though I didn’t fully understand what happened to Kaufmo, I knew it was horrible. The idea of losing everything, becoming an out-of-control monster, never being myself again…

Caine sighed, looking down at me sympathetically.

“I hate to see you so down, Pomni. I wish there was more I could do to help, but I just don’t know. Nothing like this has ever happened before. Is there anything you can think of that might make you feel better?”

There were so many things that could have helped me, but they were all outside of what Caine was capable of. He couldn’t make an exit, he couldn’t change my size back, and there was no way he’d be able to protect me from Jax or my own impending abstraction forever. There really wasn’t anything he could do for me.

But Caine is persistent, and I knew he wouldn’t stop until he could find some way to help me.

“Maybe… a new room? Something private, and scaled down so only I can go in there. You know, a place where I can take a break from everything and not have to worry about being abducted in my sleep?”

“An excellent idea! I’ll get right on that as soon as the adventure’s over. Speaking of which, I should check and see how the others are doing.”

He sat in silence for a few seconds, his eyes wide and locked in place. I could only assume that he did this every time he needed to see out of any of the additional eyes he had planted everywhere. Creepy.

“Hmm, it looks like they’re almost finished up with the Wroinks, so we should probably go meet back up with them. Ready to go?”

He offered his hand again, and I climbed on. As strange as it was, I was starting to get used to the feeling of being carried. At the very least, I was comfortable with Caine and Ragatha doing it. It wasn’t something that I necessarily liked, but it was important for me to adjust to it.

“You seem to be a lot calmer. Good for you! I’m sure we’ll get this all sorted out in no time!”

I had to admit his optimism was endearing. I really didn’t feel much better, but maybe if I just played along I could convince myself that everything was fine.

But at the same time, I couldn’t stop thinking about the glitch. If there was a chance that it could somehow get us all out, maybe it was worth looking into. I’d have to figure it out on my own, though. I wasn’t sure how the others would react, and I couldn’t fully trust any of them yet. And there was no way I would let Jax “help”.

The future was so uncertain and it terrified me, but I didn’t need the others to know that. So, I lied through my teeth.

“Yeah. Everything will be fine.”

[theresattrpgforthat]

Hello, back again! I was wondering if you could recommend games that are available for free or on a pay-what-you-want basis. I’m currently on a tight budget (#collegelife) and I know many people in the same boat. I’m aware of Stars Without Number/Worlds Without Number and a couple of OSR games available in a free no-art edition like Mutant Future. Any others?

THEME: Free TTRPGS (1/2)

Oh my gosh I love this ask. Fear not dear student, I too understand the budget-decimating black hole that is academia, and I come to you with a number of recommendations, as well as helpful hints as to what to look for when you are browsing your favourite ttrpg site! (This is only 1/2) of what I've got in store for you!

1. The Free tag on Itch.io. 

When it comes to finding a free game that works for you, you might have to search a little bit to find exactly what works for you, but there is *oodles* of free, quality games that you can find on this website. I cannot stress how much I love what I find on Itch. Sometimes the core rules are free while additional supplements are what costs money, while others are just games that people wanted to design because they feel passionate about it. 

Kids & Spirits, by Marc Strocks.

I can’t sleep in the new house... Late at night I feel like somebody’s watching. Once I woke up to find a toad on my windowsill so I scared it off. Last night I went on the roof to look out onto the valley. I called out: “I know you’re out there! If somebody’s here, you better say something!” Nobody did.

But then I saw her! I swear a real-live witch flew by on her broom! Dad said witch families used to live in this countryside. They all used to cast magic and stuff together. Well, I don’t think they like each other anymore. I think the covens are at war! And they won’t stop until one destroys the other!

KIDS & SPIRITS is a Studio Ghibli-hack of Kids on Bikes! The system and setting mesh perfectly because: they're about young, impulsive people facing powers beyond their control. In a one-shot or ongoing story, create your own Hayao Miyazaki-inspired tale!

This is a pay-what-you-want game that lets you tell the Studio Ghibli movie that you desire, with tropes to inspire your characters, various kinds of dice to represent the gamut of your abilities, and the beloved Kids on Bikes character connections questions. You’ll begin play with characters who are all connected, if even just because they’ve heard rumours about each-other, and explore a city that you build together in session 0. This is an absolutely charming game, with a spiritual successor in Spiritbound, which resides in the same world but uses the system of Ironsworn. 

If you’re interested in this game, you should also check out my Google Sheets character sheets!

Crypto > exploring // dystopia :: by aseigo.

The year 2100 came and went … adoption of an untraceable digital currency freed Corporations from the State, bankrupted governments and ushered in a new era where the democratic rule of law was replaced by unchecked economic powers. Global conglomerates, self-organizing arcologies, old-money empires, and the pioneers of new frontiers are all locked in a struggle to achieve their ambitions in this world.

Welcome to the cryptoanarchy. We hope you enjoy survive your stay.

Crypto is a tabletop role playing game about exploring a possible future dystopia as citizens of the cryptoanarchy. Suitable for running games featuring cyberpunk, dark future, and/or dystopian political themes.

I check out the newest games on Itch.io pretty regularly, and this one was published not too long ago. It comes with a 68-page rulebook, Fate Cards to generate your character’s backstory, NPC templates for the GM, Character Sheets, Reference Tables, Gear, and more. There’s advice on how to make your character feel real, how to determine the unifying goal of your team, interacting with NPCs, etc. To top it all off, there’s lore that explains how the world works, how it ended up this way, what the Edgenet is, and more. If you want gritty cyberpunk with a lot tools to get you set up, you should check out Crypto. 

The Electrum Archive, by Emiel Boven.

The Electrum Archive is a science-fantasy tabletop RPG, inspired by games like The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Ultraviolet Grasslands, Suldokar's Wake, and Cairn. It is being developed through zines that detail parts of the world of Orn and add new rules and procedures for you to use at the table.

The game is set on the world of Orn, a place long ago abandoned by an alien race now known as the Elders. The magical ink left behind in the shipwrecks of these ancient aliens is now used as currency and inhaled by warlocks as fuel for their spell casting. Adventurers called inkseekers venture out into the decaying world beyond the cities ruled over by scheming Merchant Houses to look for Elder artefacts and ink.

This is a fascinating setting with simple character creation that resonates with lovers of the OSR style of play.Your characters will have backgrounds and archetypes that set them apart, but your inventory is absolutely integral to being able to survive, as you’ll have 8 hit points or less and plenty of the monsters you go up against are likely to wipe the floor with you if you go head-to-head. With special rules for travel and exploration, this is a game for a group that wants to explore new and strange places, no matter the danger.

2. Free games on DriveThruRPG. 

This is harder to search through than Itch.io in my opinion, but sometimes the slog of looking through countless pdfs is worth it in finding a game that you’ll get some fun out of. Here’s a few that I’ve looked at in the past, to help you get past that initial hurdle.

Wicked Ones, by Bandit Camp Games. 

WICKED ONES is a Forged in the Dark tabletop RPG about a group of fantasy monsters building a dungeon, launching raids on the surface to gather a hoard, and pursuing your nefarious master plan. Along the way, there's pillaging, rituals, concoctions, contraptions, discoveries deep in the ground, dungeon rooms, traps, creatures, minions, and so much more! You build your dungeon over time throughout the campaign and no two dungeons will ever be alike. You bask in choosing the greater of two evils as your group strives to accomplish its master plan and terrorize the region around your dungeon. However, your vile deeds lure increasingly greedy and powerful adventurers into your dungeon. Can you stave off the inevitable onslaught of heroism that your notoriety brings?

Forged in the Dark games fucking slap and the fact that you can play this one for free? I had to pinch myself. There’s a lot of moving pieces in FitD games that work together, but the one I want to really shout out here is the clocks. Forget keeping track of hit points for enemies - just slap on a clock to represent how close they are to dying, running away, or calling for reinforcements. Players also get abstracted resources, like Gold, which represents wealth, and Dark Hearts, meta points that can be spent to add extra dice to a roll. Do you wanna revel in monstrosity? Do your characters want to play murder hobos? Do you like heavy improv? Check out this game.

44: A Game of Automatic Fear, by Stories You Play.

"Someone you know was just replaced by a machine. No one else knows. You are next."

44: A Game of Automatic Fear is a suspense RPG. You portray people who know a robot conspiracy called Section 44 is replacing humanity. Can you survive before the conspiracy replaces you with a machine?

Set in the backdrop of the early 1950s, a time of high paranoia, 44 works like an Alfred Hitchcock movie with sci-fi elements. The players will create characters by contemplating their personalities and abilities, while the GM will brainstorm the qualities and agents that work for Section 44. The game is part survival-horror, part investigative-mystery, as the players will have to do their best to keep themselves out of the clutches of the mysterious agency by figuring out how to differentiate the replacements from real people.

This game was one of the first games I found when I was dipping my toes into the ttrpg scene and wasn’t sure if I wanted to spend money on this hobby or not, and therefore I hold it near and dear to my heart.

Pandora London and Pandora Paris, by Cascade Studios.

The story of Pandora is one of the most famous and well known of the Greek myths, a tale told to children to encourage them to behave. It is also a lie. One of the most carefully crafted pieces of fiction ever produced in order to hide a greater truth.

Become a participant in a supernatural war that rages in secret throughout the city of London. Battle forces both magical and spiritual as you and those like you uphold the peace and hold back the night.

PANDORA uses the Cascade Roleplaying System, a streamlined version of the role playing system first seem in the Golden Age RPG. Carefully designed to allow for quick and easy character creation and simple to remember in-game systems without losing the depth and freedom of choice that make role playing games so fantastic. Pandora London is the main rulebook, while Pandora Paris provides new factions, more lore, and a new setting to send your players to.

Pandora uses small dice pools of d10s. Characters have shared Traits and unique Skill Trees according to their class, and will keep track of both Health Points and Grace Points, which are player currency to fuel re-rolls and provide bonuses. Meanwhile, in terms of theme, it’s an urban fantasy game that’s more hopeful than Urban Shadows or World of Darkness, and slightly less mythic than Scion. If you like magic mixed with the mundane, Greek Mythology, or a game about going up against supernatural monsters, you should check this game out. 

3. Small games designed from Lasers & Feelings, 24XX and Honey Heist.

One and two-page games may be rules-light and niche, but they’re also a lot of fun! As a student I especially like them because they take up way less space in a backpack than a conventional rulebook, printing them off is relatively cheap, and they’re so low-prep that I can pick them up and run them with little-to-no planning beforehand - perfect for when the GM had to study for three tests that week but still wants to run something.

Luv and Mutants, by Frames.

What will win in a fight for survival against mutated insects, harsh surroundings and other survivors - LUV or MUTANTS?

This one-page game is based on the Lasers & Feelings TTRPG. It is set in a movie inspired world, where a chemical havoc caused all cold-blooded animals to mutate and destroy most of human civilization.You play a group of survivors in this harsh world, testing your skills and teamwork. 

This game follows the standard rules of Lasers & Feelings. You choose one number between 2 and 5, and your character has 2 stats. One stat will favour rolls below your chosen number, while another will favour rolls that are higher. Hitting your chosen number means that something special happens. In Luv and Mutants, this something special is your Super Survival Instinct - you ask the GM a question and they must answer honestly, giving you a chance to change what you are doing or re-roll according to your insight.

If you like survival games or post-apocalyptic games and you don’t want a lot of prep, check out this game!

24XX PREDATORS, by Dice Ghosts.

DINOSAURS ROAM THE EARTH! A terrible earthquake has struck the biggest city in the world, releasing prehistoric creatures that were trapped beneath the earth. After quarantining the area, a team of experts has been assembled to enter the city and meet this ancient threat.

Play as a team of uniquely skilled individuals venturing into a ruined city that has become overrun by dinosaurs. Using your unique skills and training, you will need to work together to survive this metropolis of prehistoric predators and complete your mission.

24XX PREDATORS is an excellent example of the 24XX style of play. Characters are made quickly and die quickly, missions and encounters are randomly generated, and there’s even a list of dinosaurs to throw at your players! This game also has special mechanics for dinosaur and team-based mechanics - you’ll roll to determine what happens when more than one kind of dino shows up on the scene, and scattering in the moment has the ability to help or hinder you depending on what your teammates choose. If you like suspense, adventure and dinosaurs, you should absolutely check out this game.

Cephalopod Squad, by The Mirage Company.

A game about heroic squid children trying to stop evil schemes and be the coolest fish in school. 

Cephalopod Squad is a goofy hack of Honey Heist by Grant Howitt. Honey Heist games give you two stats, and start you out with 3 points in each stat. Failure in one sense moves increases one stat and decreases the other, while success moves in reverse. You will always have a way to voluntarily move your points around as well, as long as you role-play scenes that match one aspect of your character.

This particular hack is pretty much Splatoon: the roleplaying game, so finding art to represent your characters might be pretty easy! If you want a game that’s a bit goofy and light-hearted, Cephalopod Squad is a great place to start!

Finally…

Games I’ve recommended in the past.

ICON Playtest, by Massif Press.

Cairn, by Yochai Gal. 

Reclaim the Wild, by Eldritch Knight.

[muzzlemouths]

Oh my GOSH I haven’t played Flight Rising in years but your reblogs are making me feel like I should log back in again. I remember I used to run a hatchery and the dragon pairs were mostly gemstone themed. Ahhh I wonder how much has changed. Do you actively play FR? O:

I'd consider myself an active player, yea!

I'm not sure when you last logged in so I can't say for sure what would be new to you, but there's been at least 4 new breeds in the last two years alone, a plethora of updates to the mechanics, a handful of new NPCs, sooooo many new genes and companions and apparel... etc!

The 11th year anniversary event is going on right now and has to do with the newest breed looking for the missing Tidelord. I'm not a huge fan of how the breed looks (think they could have gotten way more creative with it) but the event's been fun regardless. I'm mostly just there to scry and dress my dragons in fun little outfits lol.

[stellar-haikyuu]

hii new moot :3 got ur request !!! it was the last slot, so you made it just in time !!! <- gosh this feels like something an npc would say but HII

HIIIII!! oh my gosh, i've been meaning to request for a while but i had so many papers to catch up on. when i saw the 14/15 slots i ZOOMED HAHAHA

i'll definitely be going through more of your works soon! :D (also yayyy fellow pisces + stray kids fan)

[peach-the-owl]

First post of NPC month! Woooooo!!! Let’s hope I can keep the ball rolling 😅

Hunger

Avantica & Child!Reader

For anyone familiar with the Little Nightmares games, reader is somewhat similar to Six from the first game

Ability gained: +1 to Strength

Fire spread fast across the village, you paid little mind to the distant screams while you stare down the parasite that thought it a good idea to cross you… well more like former parasite, as the man’s corpse still stares at you with terror in its dulled eyes while you wiped the blood off your mouth. You weren’t the cause of the fire, as much as you would’ve liked to, no, someone else decided to cause havoc to the village and you were sure you’d take advantage of the opportunity. A shadow looms behind you, slowly you turn to face its owner, not a shred of fear present on your face.

“My my, well aren’t you just the savage little monster.” The woman smirks at you.

“I’m not a monster,” you state blankly, “I’m a kid.”

“No child I’ve ever seen can rip a mans throat out with their teeth so easily.” She points out before adding. “Nor has anyone ever been so calm in my presents. Do I not scare you?” You raise an eyebrow at this.

“Should I be?” You answer her question with your own. Her smirk only grows at this.

“I think you and I are going to get along real nicely…”

~~~~~~~~~~

You did what you do best below deck, pest control, chasing down any pests and reaching into the smaller nooks and crannies to get at them. It was easy work for you by now, having been stuck with Avantica for about a year and half now, going along with her delusions of power. You didn’t care much for the patron she worshiped, this Uk’otoa creature not really striking your interest despite her obsessive ramblings over it, sure you’ve been play along, but that doesn’t mean you had to like it. The cellar door opens and several sets of footsteps are heard making their way down, you hear Avantica’s voice amongst them and you knew what this meant, she wanted to make an example to whoever these, possibly newcomers were. You’re theory that they were newcomers was proven correct, you’ve never seen a group so colourful and odd before, but curious of them as you were you sat back and waited for your cue, perfect timing too as that familiar gnawing in your gut makes itself known.

“If I may be so kind to ask, why bring us down here?” The half-orc questions

“Some have come to me with… ill intent. I wish to show that I myself, as well as my crew are not people to be trifled with.” Avantica explains, giving you the small signal to make yourself known. You step forward, close enough so this group could see you but keep enough distance away from them to stay out of their reach. You stare them all down, taking in the shocked expressions, sizing each of them up. The blue one steps towards you, her first mistake.

“Oh my gosh, hi! Are you okay? Are you hurt?” She asks, looking at you concerned, she misjudges and underestimates you, her second mistake.

“I’m hungry…” You say blankly, noticing the goblin stepping closer as well.

“Here! It’s a bit crumbly, but I have this pastry you can eat.” She says cheerily reaching towards you, her third and biggest mistake.

“That won’t be good enough.” You say, tone never shifting away from being emotionless. “You’ll do just fine.” She barely processes what you said before you bite into her shoulder, she screams in shock and pain the others with her prying you off of her, but not before you rip off a decent piece of her flesh. The tiefling stumbles back, clutching at where you bit her, a look of horror on her face as you stare back at her while swallowing the fresh meat, wiping some blood away with your wrist. There’s a surge of energy that courses through you then out of you, you look yourself over for a second before looking beside you at the darkened and slightly unstable silhouette of yourself, guess with a lack of a deity this new ability couldn’t reach its fullest potential, not that you cared so long as it still does it’s job.

“What did I tell you,” Avantica laughs, “not to be trifled with.”

Ability gained: Invoke Duplicity

~~~~~~~~~~

Evening approached which meant you were free to roam the ship without the crew getting in the way, though with the gnawing coming back, this being the fastest it’s ever re-emerged, you wished at least one forgetful soul stuck around. But then again you had some new treats, and a new skill, to play with…

The ship creaked as it swayed with the waves, the eerie silence otherwise didn’t sit well with Beau as she sits up from her sleeping area and surveys the room. Something about the atmosphere felt off as she gets up, the floor boards creaking under her as she shifts and moves around. She carefully steps as quietly as possible to the door, poking her head out into the hall, where upon sensing no immediate danger she fully steps out of the room. The boat sways subtly against the waves almost like it’s trying to lull her back to sleep, the harsh creak of the floorboards pulling out of such a mindset. To her left the hall was dark and empty, to her right what little moonlight shone down the hall was partially blocked by a figure standing as still as a statue.

“Damn kid…” Beau mutters under her breath, wanting nothing to do with whatever they were doing. She stares at the silhouette feeling them stare back at her. “What do you want, you little freak.” She hisses through clenched teeth, that’s when you let your little illusion drop, the duplicate’s silhouette shattering into pieces as you approach.

“I’m not a freak,” you say, as monotonous as ever, “I’m worse.” You manage to step back and avoid the strike Beau throws, using the moment to grab her arm and bite into it. She shouts in pain, reeling her arm away from you and quickly clutching tightly to the wound, but you already got what you needed, feeling a surge of energy rush through you, jabbing it out at her sending her to her knees. You disappear into the darkness down the hall as the others from her group stir to investigate.

Ability gained: Stunning Strike

~~~~~~~~~~

“How lucky you are.” Avantica chuckles ominously. “You finally get to relieve your sea legs for a bit.” She was, of course, referring to your mission on Urukayxl. You knew the only reason she even wanted you there was to gain power for her advantage, at least that’s how she worded it. She was never one to tiptoe around her true intentions with you, your purpose, the reason she decided to keep you alive was solely to benefit herself, and you fully knew about it. On the other hand, you yourself had secret intentions you kept quiet about, just waiting patiently for the perfect moment, and if you were being honest, since the arrival of this Mighty Nein group you’ve felt that perfect moment drawing closer and closer.

“Can’t wait to get started.” You say as blandly as ever.

“Good. Now why don’t you go inform our new recruits we’ll be arriving soon.” You nod and turn to make your leave. “One more thing,” she quickly adds, “while you’re at it, if you could tell their ‘captain’ I’d like word with him.” Again, you nod in acknowledgement and leave her quarters to find said group…

“How exactly do we plan on dealing with that psycho child around?” Beau paces the room, unconsciously touching the scar you’d left her.

“With Avantica watching us like a hawk, can’t say there’s much we can do.” Fjord sighs, glancing over at Jester who, while was doing better, still shivered at the thought of their first encounter with you. “We’ll just need to tread carefully.”

“Who’s treading carefully?” You ask suddenly appearing behind him, causing the half-orc to jump away from you with a yelp of surprise. You look at him unfazed. “You’re not planning against the captain, are you?” You give a slight tilt to your head in minor curiosity.

“W-what? No! We were just saying how it’s best to tread carefully… around the crew. You know, s-so we don’t get in anyone’s way. Right guys?” They mumble rather unconvincing responses but you could honestly care less what they were doing.

“Captain says we’ll be arriving soon, and for captain Tusktooth to see her.” You deliver the message and leave before any of them have a chance to respond. You make your way down the hall when you hear someone approach from behind making you pause to turn towards them. “Can I h help you?” You stare down the goblin woman.

“I got my eye on you, kid. So you best watch your back if you try hurting anymore of my friends.” She threatens, you simply give her a hollow stare.

“Okay.” You start, a familiar gnawing beginning to form, it has been a few day since your last… episode. She turns to leave, her mistake. “Maybe you should be more concerned watching your own back.” She whips around at this but you’ve already disappeared from your original position, watching as the goblin panics while looking every which way. You felt the gnawing grow ever so slightly but held off on the urge, you’d have your chance soon. Urukayxl was going to be quite the interesting trip…

Haha! Cliffhanger! I’m so evil 😈 In all seriousness I will, eventually, get to making a part 2. Anyways, hope you still enjoyed, let me know what you think 😁

[praazlwurm]

Magpie’s design is SO good oh my gosh! I’m curious, what would their Pokemon battle quotes be? Things like victory, defeat, their Pokemon landing a super effective hit, their Pokemon taking a super effective hit, Pokemon on low HP, Pokemon fainting, low HP victory, stuff like that?

Oh! Thank you so much for asking (❁´◡`❁) I haven't thought about this in a hot minute but wayyy back when I first developed her I actually did have some things in mind!

You would first encounter Magpie w/ just Irony the unown on some mid-level route and like I pitched in a post a while back she'd be an eldenring-style Vigor Test with a guaranteed super-effective hit (afaik Hidden Power doesn't work like it does in PLA but lets play in the space asdlkfjsdfl)

In that battle she has limited responses, but she's supposed to be an isekai/Aware™ kind of character she would have a jarring intro and hints toward her unown-ties and abilities: First challenged: "You look like protagonist material." (Lands Super Effective) "Let me spell this out for you!" (Hit w S.E.) "I knew that spelled trouble!" (Win) "Hold your goal in your minds eye and keep working towards it!" (Loss) "You'll be one to keep an eye on." *taps eye pin on lapel* After defeat she'd only say something along the lines of this before walking off: "There's no such thing as a perfect world, but by working together we can improve the one we have."

And while I haven't put much thought into plot, here are some of the specific phrases you would trigger in battle:

On second encounter: Greets with "I had a feeling I'd be seeing you again!" (Otto is her ace but her toughest mon so she doesn't send him out first, but when she does) "Do you like little Otto? I made him myself!" (Otto the golurk defeated) "I thought I had accounted for that when I built him…" (Last Pokemon low health) "I suppose I can see the writing on the wall. But let's see if I can carve a new fate!" (With any/each subsequent enemy KO) "Didn't see that coming?" / "Oof you hate to see it." / "That's rough, buddy." (sick tumblr references, magpie you weeaboo shit) (Win) "Don't take it too hard kid, I've had a lot of experience through the cen… let's just say over the years. Try again later and I'll give you something to help in your travels." (Loss) "I'll be happy to let someone as strong as you handle the hero-ing for a while - but I'll be around if you need any, let's say, unconventional help."

And this is the part I had thought up before; in the future she carves charms the way Lucille in jubilife village did in PLA, but for modern games they'd be tweeked. So after defeating her, she'd become a static npc who gave you these charms for rewards on the pokedex. She'd start with, "Understanding Pokemon is the key to helping this world thrive - if you've been working hard at that, I'll help you out with some handy items. Made them myself ;) "

(20% dex filled) "Take this - it will keep you safe for a while." (Charm that reduces the damage of SE hits, runs out after 10 battles, can be replaced 2x)

(50% dex) "You're doing great work! Here, this might help you." (Catching charm)

(100% dex) "Incredible! You know, I hate to steal the professor's thunder, but you've helped save me time here so I'll save you some time - your choice of charm, and I'll make it up right now." (Choice of Oval/exp./mark charm) (After choice) "Great! Now, watch the Carver work!"

Also I ran to picrew to do up a sprite using this creator. With this she looks so much like anabel tho rip i miiight try to do one of my own down the line 😅

Again tysm for asking! Magpie is silly and gamebreaking but she's fun to put in Situations and I really appreciate everyone who shows interest!

[desultory-novice]

what you think about a Kirby game resembling BOTW/TOTK?

A open world Kirby game with inventory (collecting copy ability’s to use later),sides quest,skins (like the masks or armors of the spin-offs) challenges (like the ones in the forgotten land or the shrines of BOTW) and lots of collectibles

I once had a idea for the story of a game like that, the villains are all new species so all the old enemies (waddle dees,Bonkers,chilly,sword knights,etc etc etc) are the npcs you have to help. It would give a chance for the old enemies to regain that status of relevance they have kinda lost through the years and it would also help with how all the games are about dreamland getting invaded but half of the enemies are classic enemies from dreamland so I usually don’t get the “they’re invading dreamland” feeling but more like “they’re invading dreamland but for some reason the habitants of dreamland are stepping in Kirby’s way”

BOTW/TOTK had thousands of NPC’s with fun personality’s, many villages,wandering travelers and many more places so It would help to make dreamland feel more alive (also imagine the fanfic possibilities giving about making villages and city’s for the characters to be in like cappy town but with more species than cappy’s and with more original designs like waddle dee town, because I always felt weird about how all the characters seem to not even have a house and how they are just hanging out in the middle of nowhere), and exploring dreamland in a 3D game sounds like fun

I'm so sorry! I thought I'd already answered this one?!?

...What would I think?

I would LOVE it!

Now, blah blah blah, I don't necessarily think it's healthy for the game industry if everyone just on continues to copy BotW's style, especially if a number of Nintendo franchises start doing that, but TotK was SUCH a great time with the new mechanics and gameplay options! (Well, outside of THOSE certain Korok videos...)

Maybe I'm missing something (I, err, don't play as many games as I used to... Adulting...) but the way building and exploration were threaded into BotW's open world was so imaginative!

Rather than this just being a TotK praise fest though, I want to highlight something in Kirby that doesn't get talked about too. At least, as much as it should, and that's how great the level design/aesthetics are, almost across the board!

I'm sure people have seen their fair share of asset-flip games and in some cases, even the "beautiful (generic) semi-medieval landscape" is starting to feel played out. Whether it's so realistic you can count the blades of grass or totally toon-shaded just like my shows. We've seen them ALL dozens and dozens of times.

But Kirby's art direction... Sometimes, yeah, it's simple checkboard grass and whatever those weird cookies in the ground are, but you can't tell me you haven't you ever wanted to break past the stage boundaries and explore the world beyond at some point! (Literally people did this with FL's hammer exploit before it was patched!) Everywhere from PR's innovative mechanized landscapes to RtDL's storybook locales to Super Star's dreamlike vistas!

The good thing too is that so many of these beautiful scapes are made of very simple building blocks, so the environment-heavy gameplay of TotK would be a great fit! (Not to mention having a few more subsystems worked in naturally the way BotW did it. Fishing in FL was fun, but to see it expanded? To be able to fish wherever?!)

And the colonies of different Popstarians you mentioned would be a great way to naturally expand on the groundwork of Waddle Dee Town and Merry Magoland.  Helping a group of Noddies get some sleep? Working with Bonkers to clear new paths? Settling a dispute between the Fire Leos and Chillies? These kinds of open world subquests would be great for what I was talking about in my un-loved character post. Fleshing out some of Kirby's oldest cast staples! Yes, you nailed it completely!

And oh my gosh, the "Popstar gets invaded by an alien force but for some reason, you're still fighting Popstarians?" So.much.this.

I mean, okay, I think they probably did try to have some implied logic behind that in games like PR (if everyone's been mechanized, who knows how much control they have over their actions. Plus, plenty enemies were just doing things like "going to work") and Star Allies (you can blame a bunch of that on the Jamba Heart making everyone who wasn't already taken in by the Jamba group crazy. I feel like the novel did the same thing?) Same with Elfilis brainwashing people in Forgotten Land. You can read that into a couple of characters, at least. (Wild Edge, Frosty, Bonkers...)

But it does stand out a little with the earlier games like Triple Deluxe and Return to Dream Land, especially when you go back to them.

(Although I get the strange feeling it may have been written (??) somewhere that everyone in Popstar is SO laid back and easy-going, if they see adventure they just sort of... join in on it?? Like they might start climbing the Dreamstalk just because "...it's there" or go after Sphere Parts because "Hey, everyone else is doing it I guess?" and that's how they end up getting in the way/being enemies?)

Dess is someone who sees the "adventure" part of the game as light-hearted enough (because it's not like Kirby hurts anyone) that I don't get too shaken up if Waddle Dees et al remain as stage fodder going forward, but I understand those that want their longtime friends to stay as friends, not baddies!

[sheischerrybomb]

I was just scrolling through Pinterest and I came across some Roger Rabbit art and it got me thinking about how funny it would be if Who Framed Roger Rabbit got some sort of easter egg or cameo in KH4. There's a lot that can be done there I think. It could be anything. Roger could be mentioned by name since he's a well known actor in the plot of the movie (down on his luck but well known) AND Roger knows Goofy so it would be hilarious if Goofy was the one who made some sort of comment- Oh my gosh what if Donald and Goofy were talking about a rabbit they know/knew back in Disney Town and that could easily be a two in one reference where most of the player base would think it's an Oswald mention when it could also be a Roger mention. I really do think if Disney Town ever came back in KH4 they could easily expand the world, make it larger with more districts. Like Roger Rabbit's CarToon Spin is a ride in Toon Town at Disneyland so I pretty sure a reference isn't beyond possibility. Very Unlikely but not Impossible. He doesn't even have to make a physical appearance, it would be cool if he was an NPC or a summon (I personally prefer NPC out of the two). But if he were to make an appearance I thought of a scenario where whomever we would be playing as (Riku, Kairi, Sora yadda yadda) would be in Disney Town with Donald, Goofy, and Mickey (Yeah Mickey be in the damn plot) and the way were reintroduced into the world or new district to the world is by Roger trying to barricade say a fireworks or gag factory saying he trapped some spooky monsters inside and of course something is going to go awry (fireworks exploding or gags breaking down the door) and that's when we see the Heartless (or whatever new enemies we might be getting) are VERY cartoon themed like they were in KH2. Very rubber hose, very silly, looking enemies. After that Roger could easily run and hide or try to help the party fight back the Heartless. It would just be a fun way to introduce not only a bigger Disney Town world, but expand on the character roster and give Roger a bit of love and attention he deserves since he's such a wonderful character. It could just be Roger himself but I personally would also love Jessica to be referenced or show up in some form and I can already hear people saying Jessica would be to sensual for the rating KH has with her dress but to that is silly to me. Like Pirates of the Caribbean is in the KH games Multiple times and it's got WAY more mature content in it than Roger Rabbit if anyone is worried about content in that sense, like Jack doesn't make any 'why is the rum always gone' jokes in game he's just being a pirate, being himself while engaging with his part in the KH plot, so it CAN be done with Jessica. Hell if Jessica was going to show up just put her in a different outfit (Even her detective trench coat if they really have to it's whatevs to me, I would prefer her red or pink dress but if Disney doesn't wanna do that for Kh fine fine whatever blah. A new dress altogether would be really pretty though...). Anyways I think Roger Rabbit being depicted in KH4 would be really really neat and cool and neat and please show this rabbit and his wife some love Disney Thank you for coming to my coffee-fueled Dis-Talk. Expect more in the future when I have more coffee. <3