In Progress [LP CYOA] Tower

[Baltika9]

'Ruh roh,' as Azira would say.

Armenia Man no like fire no more

of Armenia Man. Zoroastrianism is p. cool.

 

[baud]

There's the Codex I know, always willing to come to the rescue of smoking hot damsels in the woods.

it's likely she will be at least smoking once we're done rescuing her.

 

[treave]

A Day in the Forest (III)

You strike the flint. Sparks fly and within moments a small fire has started burning on the bed of hastily gathered twigs and leaves. As white smoke rises into the air, the beast turns in your direction. A low, guttural burbling floats out from its open mouth. If you wanted a distraction, this has worked wonders – the beast has shifted its attention away from the woman even before the fire has grown to any appreciable size. Was it sensitive to the smoke or the fire? You have no idea, just as you have no idea why you are suddenly flying through the air.

Your flight is brought to a sudden stop by a tree, sending waves of pain rippling up and down your spine. Scrambling to your feet unsteadily, you look up to see the beast padding towards you, stopping short of the fire which lies between you and it. Glistening saliva drips off the yellow fangs in its maw. Its many, many eyes are all focused upon a single target. Namely, you.

The beast’s tail waves about in the air threateningly, and then, with little warning, it appears to extend and swing towards you. You have never seen any animal capable of making its tail longer on demand in such a manner, but this is no time to be impressed. You barely manage to roll under the swing, your reflexes bailing you out. The elongated tail slams into the tree behind you. The tree makes a loud crack as the wood splinters on impact. Had you taken that attack head on, it would probably have hurt a lot. A lot more than your master’s blows, that is for sure.

The tail retracts, and then whips towards you yet again, with the beast itself seeming to have no intention of stepping beyond the fire. You barely avoid that attack too, stumbling around desperately in your attempt. Embers are sent flying by the force of the tail’s swing, landing and sparking small fires wherever they land.

The pulsating red streaks across its body glow brightly. It howls. Raising its head up to the skies, it lets out a high-pitched howl. As if in answer, the small fires roar to life, forming a ring of flames around you and the monstrous beast. You have heard from your master, in passing, of the soul instruments which people named Astras. Your master happens to be the owner of a simple bow Astra, which enhanced the flight of arrows with the power of the wind. He would use it to hunt on his own, and guarded it jealously even from you, his apprentice. You find yourself briefly wondering if this beast is using an Astra, although you dismiss the notion just as quickly. It’s an animal. How would it be using a tool?

But there is no more time to think about such things. The tail comes about once more, aiming for your head. You duck this one with more composure. The tail attacks are very fast, but also rather monotonous, and always come from the same angle. If that is all it is going to do, you might be able to survive this.

You consider your options. Your bow is ruined, having been slung from your back – smashing into a tree back-first didn’t do it any favours. You have a dagger, and… nothing else. Turning your back to the beast now that you have its attention, in such close proximity, would be dangerous. And so, you suppose that you don’t really have any options. You draw your dagger and glare at it, trying to muster up enough courage and bravado to fight for your survival.

Just for an instant, the snout of the beast wrinkles, the maw widening almost imperceptibly, as if in a grin. The tail comes for the fourth time. You dodge… and are promptly blindsided by another blow, sending you tumbling across the ground like a ragdoll. You feel a sharp, biting pain, and clutch your sides. It feels like you have been cut up by something sharp. Blood seeps from between your fingers. Gritting your teeth and enduring the agony, you glance up at the beast. You see that it now has two tails. If you were not convinced before, you are now. This thing is far beyond your comprehension, beyond any of your expectations.

But then, the beast does something that surprises you. As if it had suddenly lost all interest in you, it turns away from you, back towards the woman that it attacked.

***

Your plan hadn’t worked as you expected. Now, with no idea at all of what might happen next, against an overwhelmingly powerful foe, you find a singular emotion rising to the fore, driving your next action.

A. Regretting your decision to get involved, you take this chance to crawl away. This was never your fight, and you have no real reason to stick around. In the end, self-preservation wins out; your life is worth much more to you than saving some stranger.

B. Perhaps it is just childish stubbornness, but you can still endure the pain. You get back on your feet and decide to make it regret turning its back. You have lived life with little thought of what it meant to you so far, and though you might be too young to truly understand at the moment, you might be able to find some meaning in saving others.

C. You succumb to the fear, and stop thinking. Your mind goes blank, and you leave to your body to handle whatever comes next.

D. You pray. Curled up on the ground, you are plunged into despair, causing you to seek aid from some higher power, whatever there is, hoping it will resolve everything.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

B

 

[Baltika9]

Us: "No way this thing isn't afraid of fire."
It: "Actually, I'm a fire mage."

You pray.

We already know where this will take us...

As for our choice, well, B is what we end up doing literally all of the time, no matter our intentions. Might as well embrace it.

B.

 

[Esquilax]

As for our choice, well, B is what we end up doing literally all of the time, no matter our intentions. Might as well embrace it.

B.

Which is exactly why I'd like to pick C. This kid is ten years old and in a life-threatening situation for fuck's sake - no shame in being absolutely scared to death.

 

[Baltika9]

As for our choice, well, B is what we end up doing literally all of the time, no matter our intentions. Might as well embrace it.

B.

Which is exactly why I'd like to pick BitCh.

Fix'd.

 

[Life of the Party]

I knew this was going to turn into Naruto.

Oh well. B.

 

[Tigranes]

So, guys, first you want a fucking ten year old who learnt to shoot rabbits to charge in there against a totally unknown but surely fuckdangerous superpower magic beast to try and save some strangers

And now we probably have a shitload of broken bones, no bow, an intelligent beast who can attack with multiple tails and extend them and anticipate our dodging

And you want us to go back in there and fight some more because???? What the fuck is this, Naruto? What are we going to do next, yell out FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE!!! as we stab him with our 10 year old penis?

The entire update was dedicated to treave telling us how unbeatable this thing is and how we have no recourse and how damaged our body is.

We tried to help those people. Now we're basically just as cripplefucked as the woman. And if you want to be a 'Good Person', well dying here means nobody's alive to warn master & villagers & the wider world of this crazy ass thing.

A.

 

[Baltika9]

We tried to help those people. Now we're basically just as cripplefucked as the woman.

I'd argue that we're already dead. This thing can come for us at its own leisure, now that we are getting our blood and scent all over the place.

I think that the key line in this update is this:

Your plan hadn’t worked as you expected. Now, with no idea at all of what might happen next, against an overwhelmingly powerful foe, you find a singular emotion rising to the fore, driving your next action.

Again, this is one choice in a series of character-defining choices. From a character perspective, I guess what I'm going for is this: if I'm to die, then I'll die like a man.

 

[Esquilax]

The pulsating red streaks across its body glow brightly. It howls. Raising its head up to the skies, it lets out a high-pitched howl. As if in answer, the small fires roar to life, forming a ring of flames around you and the monstrous beast. You have heard from your master, in passing, of the soul instruments which people named Astras. Your master happens to be the owner of a simple bow Astra, which enhanced the flight of arrows with the power of the wind. He would use it to hunt on his own, and guarded it jealously even from you, his apprentice. You find yourself briefly wondering if this beast is using an Astra, although you dismiss the notion just as quickly. It’s an animal. How would it be using a tool?
...
A. Regretting your decision to get involved, you take this chance to crawl away. This was never your fight, and you have no real reason to stick around. In the end, self-preservation wins out; your life is worth much more to you than saving some stranger.

B. Perhaps it is just childish stubbornness, but you can still endure the pain. You get back on your feet and decide to make it regret turning its back. You have lived life with little thought of what it meant to you so far, and though you might be too young to truly understand at the moment, you might be able to find some meaning in saving others.

C. You succumb to the fear, and stop thinking. Your mind goes blank, and you leave to your body to handle whatever comes next.

D. You pray. Curled up on the ground, you are plunged into despair, causing you to seek aid from some higher power, whatever there is, hoping it will resolve everything.

Astra of Mina (The Fish)
Affinity: Water, mutability

Mutability: the Astra's power is based in transformation and conjuration. A cloak that can change to act as active camouflage, bracelets which enable the user to transform into a wolf, or the conjuration of objects out of thin air.

For some funtime bullshit speculation: our character knows nothing about Astras, but I have a feeling that our reaction to an event at a time of great stress/danger might lead to the unconscious manifestation of these powers. Maybe if we pick A, we'll develop hardened, bark-like skin for a short time (not that it'll help against this beast), or if we are frightened, we hone our prey instincts by becoming invisible temporarily.

The PRAY option remains the PRAY option, and I'm guessing that much like in Legend, it involves getting raped by Nagas.

 

[baud]

D.

 

[Baltika9]

And if you want to be a 'Good Person', well dying here means nobody's alive to warn master & villagers & the wider world of this crazy ass thing.

Now, I'm not a gambling man, so I won't put down money, but I'm pretty sure that no one's gonna believe us. And not just because of our low CHA score.

The PRAY option remains the PRAY option, and I'm guessing that much like in Legend, it involves getting raped by Nagas.

It may be the best option after all.

 

[Grimgravy]

Ugh. White Knighting a starting a useless fire. Totally wasted any advantage we might have had.

C>D>A basically anything other than trying to stick it with a knife.

 

[Tigranes]

We tried to help those people. Now we're basically just as cripplefucked as the woman.

I'd argue that we're already dead. This thing can come for us at its own leisure, now that we are getting our blood and scent all over the place.

I think that the key line in this update is this:

Your plan hadn’t worked as you expected. Now, with no idea at all of what might happen next, against an overwhelmingly powerful foe, you find a singular emotion rising to the fore, driving your next action.

Again, this is one choice in a series of character-defining choices. From a character perspective, I guess what I'm going for is this: if I'm to die, then I'll die like a man.

OK, so this is a choice of our defining personality trait, and you're picking "So thick in the head that declining to fight anything at any time for no greater cause is a failure of manliness". I didn't know being manly equated to being a total moron who tries to fight a fighter jet by smashing his own skull into it.

No, no, no. Our defining personality could be that while we try to help where we can, we are cold-blooded & rational enough to think of self-preservation (A), or that we turn to some higher power in times of great need (D), or even that our proximity to our primal senses is great and it takes over in times of struggle (C). The singular worst choice is a personality that says "I will fight anytime against anything and fuck myself over because running away for any reason whatsoever kills my hormones".

Specifying to A>C>D // Never B. As Esquilax says, C might be interesting in prompting our inner Astra shit to take over.

 

[Baltika9]

Our defining personality could be that while we try to help where we can, we are cold-blooded & rational enough to think of self-preservation (A), or that we turn to some higher power in times of great need (D), or even that our proximity to our primal senses is great and it takes over in times of struggle (C).

I respect that and I'm starting to get a feel for what character you want to play.

he singular worst choice is a personality that says "I will fight anytime against anything and fuck myself over because running away for any reason whatsoever kills my hormones".

This is not how I'm interpreting B, though. Given the situation, I'm pretty sure the Thing will indeed come for us if it wants to and when it wants to. The choice our character has to make now is this: 'how do I face death?'
I interpret B like this: "This thing will kill me no matter what I do after it's done with them. Yipee Ki Ay, motherfucker." And there's also the 'I may find a reason for living in helping people.' Which isn't a bad reason to live, especially for an orphan with p. bad charisma.

Although, I'm not sure if B is a better choice than that Naga D.

 

[Absinthe]

A>B for now.

 

[Tigranes]

Our defining personality could be that while we try to help where we can, we are cold-blooded & rational enough to think of self-preservation (A), or that we turn to some higher power in times of great need (D), or even that our proximity to our primal senses is great and it takes over in times of struggle (C).

I respect that and I'm starting to get a feel for what character you want to play.

he singular worst choice is a personality that says "I will fight anytime against anything and fuck myself over because running away for any reason whatsoever kills my hormones".

This is not how I'm interpreting B, though. Given the situation, I'm pretty sure the Thing will indeed come for us if it wants to and when it wants to. The choice our character has to make now is this: 'how do I face death?'
I interpret B like this: "This thing will kill me no matter what I do after it's done with them. Yipee Ki Ay, motherfucker." And there's also the 'I may find a reason for living in helping people.' Which isn't a bead reason to live, especially for an orphan with p. bad charisma. :lol

Although, I'm not sure if B is a better choice than that Naga D.

OK, that's more understandable. I think the key for me is that "As if it had suddenly lost all interest in you, it turns away from you, back towards the woman that it attacked."

The beast may return for us at a future date, but I don't think it will do so immediately. Otherwise it would just kill us now. I don't think it's going to chase us down 30 minutes later if we leave. Hence, I don't think B is facing up to inevitable immediate death with dignity. I think it is needlessly seeking death when death has told us to run along for now.

I'll further clarify that I am not pushing for a typical sociopath don't care about life use everyone fuck everyone chaotic evil character. I find that unrealistic and boring. Rather, I am thinking of a character who has his own sense of a greater ecosystem of strength and weakness, life and death, in which he has a role to play without being a hero that always saves everyone. He is not a modern individual who values any and every human life above everything; his worldview accepts that death happens, the strong dominate the weak. He doesn't romanticise that into some stronk power fantasy, he just... isn't going to run headlong into certain death just to save a life.

 

[hello friend]

C>D>B

 

[Baltika9]

OK, that's more understandable. I think the key for me is that "As if it had suddenly lost all interest in you, it turns away from you, back towards the woman that it attacked."

The beast may return for us at a future date, but I don't think it will do so immediately. Otherwise it would just kill us now. I don't think it's going to chase us down 30 minutes later if we leave. Hence, I don't think B is facing up to inevitable immediate death with dignity. I think it is needlessly seeking death when death has told us to run along for now.

I disagree. I think that we're at the beasts's mercy right now. It may let us go, it may play with us some more if we decide to flee. Point is that right now, it owns us. I don't think we're dying here no matter what option we pick, else A is the only correct option when compared to Bruce Willis, Catatonic with fear and Some Naga D. I think that this is purely a character choice that will determine the kind of person we will be. Then again, you never know with treave.


I really like B specifically because it sets up a very interesting, dramatic character (and it makes use of our END 8 stat ):

B. Perhaps it is just childish stubbornness, but you can still endure the pain. You get back on your feet and decide to make it regret turning its back. You have lived life with little thought of what it meant to you so far, and though you might be too young to truly understand at the moment, you might be able to find some meaning in saving others.

This might get a bit long-winded, so please bear with me.

Our hunter boy is an orphan who was raised by a batty old man in the woods. This old man beats the shit out of us for no good reason, doesn't give us any affection and denies us all opportunities to socialize. No matter his motivations, he is a piece of shit and our character would be better off living in the streets with other orphans, as I see it. Under these circumstances, it is not at all surprising that our character doesn't value his own life, since he was never shown why his life is worth living.

In this situation, he sees a mother protecting her own child, demonstrating the purest form of love there is, and the description of B makes me think that he's feeling this love for the first time. And this sense of empathy is driving him to take the most heroic action that a human being can take: sacrificing himself so that another child may have the chance to have a life that he never did. And maybe, by protecting these people, our protagonist will be able to find love and meaning for himself. At it's core, B sets up a story about an unloved and unlovable person finding his way to being a normal human being. Which sounds incredibly interesting and compelling to me.

By the way, when I say 'heroic,' I don't mean the heroism that Jing and Ean displayed in our earlier LPs. The former was a brainwashed fanatic who was literally ready to kill himself if Shun commanded it and the latter was an immortal, god-like cyborg. They were good men who did the right thing, yes, but in comparison to a ten year old boy fighting to save a child, even their achievements somehow seem lesser. Like Diogenes breaking his bowl because a child lived a poorer life than him.

If everyone else doesn't agree with me, I understand and respect that. Which is why I'll flop to B>D for some hot Hora-Hora Naga Action.


Once we reach a legal age, of course.

 

[Kz3r0]

B

 

[Kz3r0]

I think this beast is a transformed human or has human level of intelligence, hence stabbing it can scare it big time.

 

[Tigranes]

Human level intelligence = piddly ass flesh sack kid stab me, multi-tailed superpower being, with a little dick knife and I will become so scared I will flee...?

Look, our distraction already bought mommy and baby some time, so if they are capable of fleeing, they will have. If they are incapable of fleeing and need us to kill the beast / make it flee in order to save them - then that's just not going to happen. So B isn't actually going to move the needle on saving the baby that baltika has already decided is Cao'er

Consider that the B vote requires you to think, "I have no idea how this will end well, in fact, it probably won't, but treave probably won't kill us here, and I think that kind of recklessness is what I want in our character." There's no theory of how it is going to end up helping the situation.

 

[Kz3r0]

There's no theory of how it is going to end up helping the situation.

The fire will bring people here probably.
Besides is obvious by now that this wasn’t a random attack, probably there are people searching for the woman.
Basically we should buy time until the rescue team arrives.

 

[Esquilax]

I think this beast is a transformed human or has human level of intelligence, hence stabbing it can scare it big time.

Weren't you bitching a moment ago about not making choices that aren't congruent with the character? (i.e. being a ten year old boy and deciding to knife-fight a mutated wolf-bear that apparently has some kind of magic)

For the record - I don't actually think that we'll die if we pick B, as insane as that is. On a meta level, I truly think it's a character defining exercise more than anything. I think that goes for all the choices.

But holy shit, can we hold off on the YOLO for just one goddamn motherfucking second? Maybe the character will progress towards that (Codex CYOA Law: As the CYOA discussion grows longer, the probability of YOLO approaches 1), but can we not make that our go-to move right off the fucking bat? Just give me a little bit of foreplay, humor me into believing that we'll be cautious before we decide to conduct Sphere Diplomacy or do basically anything that Jing did. That way, my butthurt will be greater down the road.

I don't really want to play a chickenshit sort of character, but since when is a ten year old kid freezing like a deer in headlights in front of a terrifying monster - after admittedly doing his ill-advised best - a cowardly move? It's completely normal, relatable and compelling. Can't we play a scared kid that progressively gets more courageous over time rather than someone who is totally okay with going toe-to-toe with a bear on the second update?