In Progress [LP CYOA] Tower

[Kz3r0]

E

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Not B or A for

How's this gonna get counted though?

 

[Baltika9]

It feels like it'll signify MC having feelings for Sophie.

Sophie. You wouldn’t call her fragile, but she doesn’t seem to have taken to the adventure particularly well. Besides, she is the girl you have spent the most time with this past six months, even if it wasn’t particularly amiable.

I don't see it. It's ambiguous enough that I think we'll be able to define what we mean by it later.

I'm pretty sure this is more a vote on who we care about the most, and you guys are trying to game it.

No, it's a vote on whom we feel concern for right now, and Sophie makes sense as Lambchop, Nevill and I described above.

 

[Absinthe]

I don't see it. It's ambiguous enough that I think we'll be able to define what we mean by it later.

No, it's a vote on whom we feel concern for right now, and Sophie makes sense as Lambchop, Nevill and I described above.

It's a vote on who we think of and worry about as we enter the maw of danger. I think it's a vote on who we care about the most.

Not B or A for

How's this gonna get counted though?

It means that failing E, you mark my vote for whichever option is highest among C and D (or even write-ins).

Speaking of write-ins, I will add one just for kicks: E No one > F Tlalli > Not B or A

 

[Baltika9]

It's a vote on who we think of and worry about as we enter the maw of danger. I think it's a vote on who we care about the most.

As you prepare to step inside, you feel concern for:

I read more as: 'as you get ready to enter this dangerous ruin, you feel concern for...'

And Sophie makes sense, because:

I am worried about Sophie, since this is affecting her, though she seems to have more fight in her lately.

Me too. She didn't even want to be here, and that may affect her chances of succeeding and surviving. I think we ought to care for our adoptive sister, if only because we dragged her into this.

B>C>A - Sophie. Especially since both Liz and us just now may have screwed with her head.

 

[Nevill]

I think that joint hallucinations and soul trips are cool. Prove me wrong.

More seriously... no, I don't have "feelings" for Sophie (we are 10, yo!), but I do treat her like a sister, and I do feel concern for her. It is as if it is a circumstantial thing! When someone gets in trouble, how can you not?

Yeah, we roped Sophie into this against her will, but she could have chosen to not go along with peer pressure, being a teenager with the (hypothetical) ability to reason.

No, I don't think this is how it works. You can resist peer pressure from the safety of your everyday life. When your lot is tied together with that of others, there is no place for maneuver. If she didn't go along, and we failed, where would that leave her? Strapped in a desert, alone among an unfriendly group, with two unconscious bodies she wouldn't know how to help. What would she say back home?

No, when you are in it together, you go along with the group regardless of what you think. And she still fancies herself the "adult" of the lot.

“Sure,” you say. “I’ll lead.”

“Are you sure? I would be in for quite the lecture with Father if anything happens to you,” remarks Sophie with all the gravitas of an older sister.

I think this is adorable, and that if we can't keep away from trouble, we should at least not let it affect her too much.

 

[CappenVarra]

to celebrate page 100, i'll flop to

E > C

 

[Kalarion]

C. For the same reason I told you lunatics not to take the trial

 

[Baltika9]

C. For the same reason I told you lunatics not to take the trial

Well, we did it anyway, so let's win this thing.

While I voted for Rain at first, she's not exactly relevant in this situation since she didn't take the challenge with us. Sophie did abbr she might be in trouble, so it makes more sense to worry about her. Even if you discount mine and Lambchop's theory about it raising the chances of her survival.

 

[Kipeci]

Flop to B > not E

We voted to have some personal feelings when we first met Rain, don’t want to change to some beep-booping robot midstream

 

[Esquilax]

B

Gotta keep an eye on Sophie. Rain is important, and part of our overall goal, but not really part of the immediate problem. Going full autistic-robot doesn't seem enjoyable to me.

 

[treave]

Will look to close votes in around 12 hours from now.

 

[Orbit]

The only reason D is my backup is because it sounds cool, but if we think about this seriously, our lack of attachments may be our greatest weakness.

Voting E doesn't mean that we lack attachment. It means that we are able to push back concerns for our friends to focus on our immediate predicament.

Being worried about Liz, Sophie or Rain will neither help them nor us. Only if we get through the trial we have a real chance to aid them. So we should do just that and not run around like a brain-addled emo.

 

[Absinthe]

The only reason D is my backup is because it sounds cool, but if we think about this seriously, our lack of attachments may be our greatest weakness.

"Detachment is not that you should own nothing. But that nothing should own you." -Ali ibn abi Talib

Just so you know, if you're treating this as some kind of Arabic trial and think having attachments is the answer, you could be horribly wrong.

 

[Tigranes]

As I outlined before, I'm voting Sophie because I think that's what makes most sense in terms of larping Wrinkly's current situation and mindset. Others may differ in their interpretation, of course. I'm not picking this time based on whether empathy or stoicism helps us pass this trial, because I have no clue about that.

 

[ItsChon]

I'm flopping to E>C, sorry.

 

[Orbit]

I am worried about Sophie, since this is affecting her, though she seems to have more fight in her lately.

Me too. She didn't even want to be here, and that may affect her chances of succeeding and surviving. I think we ought to care for our adoptive sister, if only because we dragged her into this.

With the nomadic tribe this small they are probably doing this initiation rite to individuals instead of groups, usually. This "friendship is magic" is obviously moot with lone persons. And there is zero reason to believe that it would be somehow different for a group.

Or maybe the trial is so hard that most members of a group die even as they explore their *feels* for each other.

Anyway, I'm voting for Ambassador's Child for our next character.

 

[Nevill]

I am not keen on framing this as "stoicism" versus "fear". For one, I've never seen Wrinkly show fear, or panic, or do something ill-thought out. I've seen him show concern and care before though, in his usual, subdued way.

Since this is our imagination, there is a chance that our thoughts will be shaping the narrative of the experience*. I just want to have someone around in the dream. Solo mode sounds boring. Pretty sure that's one of the reasons people want our character to develop any kind of relationship with people around us.

Maybe B and C voters would want to unionize before we go the Forever Alone route.

* P.S. I mean, the narration straight up asks us "what are you thinking about?" before we descend any deeper.

 

[Orbit]

Since this is our imagination, there is a chance that our thought will be shaping the narrative of the experience.

Thoughts shaping reality? Hm.. let me think..

Spoiler

 

[Nevill]

Thoughts shaping reality?

Isn't it what the Tower seems to be about? It wouldn't be strange to see a similar effect on a lesser scale.

And Tentacle Nazguls are already a thing. Apparently someone is into that.

 

[Orbit]

But it seems to be mostly about fears or nightmares, no? Haven't seen candyland yet.

Also, tentacle nazgul critically failed to hit ass. What a disappointment.

 

[Nevill]

That's what the 30th floor and above are for. Paradise is off-limits in most religions.

But there are elves, and holy relics, and deities. It seems to have to do with belief in general. Maybe the monsters are prevalent because it is easier to believe in a boogieman than a saint.

 

[Baltika9]

The only reason D is my backup is because it sounds cool, but if we think about this seriously, our lack of attachments may be our greatest weakness.

"Detachment is not that you should own nothing. But that nothing should own you." -Ali ibn abi Talib

Just so you know, if you're treating this as some kind of Arabic trial and think having attachments is the answer, you could be horribly wrong.

Perhaps. Islam has so many Sufi traditions and interpretations that it's impossible to tell. I think your accusation of my trying to game a system I know very little about is fair, and that we should vote our consience on this one.

I'm flopping to E>C, sorry.

Pls don't. Onee-san needs our support. Are any C bros open to supporting Sophie? I get it, Rain is adorable AF, but she's not involved in this adventure. As far as we're aware, she's sleeping soundly at home, not dropping LSD by the gallon.

And Tentacle Nazguls are already a thing. Apparently someone is into that.

 

[Orbit]

That's what the 30th floor and above are for. Paradise is off-limits in most religions.

Imagine being wise and powerful Rasputin, spending your whole life finding a way to open the gates of heaven. And when you finally achieve your goal its all rainbows, dancing unicorns and happy little kobolds munching chocolate bars. And Jesus goes: "About this heaven thing... yeah, sorry."

Well, guess it's time to find the next underground river.

 

[Tigranes]

Clarifying my vote to B > C but what even is the current count?