-
(http://i.imgur.com/PNpF9Dx.png)
It's hard to start off with nothing, you know? People tend to assume the [worst]. They just take one look and leave. Hell, I would, too, if I didn't know what was [coming]. It's still a ways away, so why start now?
-
GO!
-
GO!
"GO!" is not [bold].
-
GO!
"GO!" is not [bold].
GO!
-
GO!
You're clever. From my perspective, it looks like you might even be funny. But, from your perspective, you might just be confused what [bold] means. Why don't you try it now? Type [bold].
-
[bold]
?
Hmm....
Perhaps you might not be literal in this.
-
[bold]
[bold]
There. That's close enough.
Maybe we get so caught up in what we're doing these days that we forget what it means to be [bold]. It's definitely not something I've been lately, so don't take my word on this. Where do I start?
Basically, it means you're assertive. A go-getter. But that's not the most important part. The important part is that you take a leap of faith. Even if the [worst] is [coming], you don't let it hold you back. Like, the rules aren't complicated at this point. You can tell which of those options is the "best" one, right? That's right: the one that's not the [worst]. But if you're bold, you might go ahead and choose the [worst] anyway. Just to see what happens.
-
I am unable to focus because I am perpetually confounded by this predicament.
[Take the third option]
-
Be [better]
-
[Coming]
-
The [boldest] option is to go with one that hasn't been presented: The [strange] one. You know, that absurd premise that you thought we wouldn't even figure out existed. You wanted to keep it a [secret]? Too bad, we've blown your cover. I'm picking that one.
-
((posting to watch))
-
[Coming]
See, that's my real problem. No matter how bold you are, you can't stop what's coming. You can't truly throw a wrench in the cogs of fate. Oh, you can change its direction here or there. But who decides what "direction" is valid? See, I can't tell you what's "worst" any more, and it's all because you chose to skip ahead to the interesting bit. There'll be more choices, but you still can't make your own. Feeling less bold all of a sudden, huh? Now you understand.
(http://i.imgur.com/wuj6pac.png)
You wanted to see what was coming, so here you go. Pretty rough visuals, huh? Still, before we get straight to the interesting bit - you know, where we focus less on you and more on me - you need to know who I am. It's pretty standard stuff. I'm sure you recognize it by now.
Maybe I'm a [priest]. I go to this place every week and worship. That purple thing in the middle? Actually a little purple shrine. You wouldn't be able to tell by the image, though. That's the point.
I don't have to be all goody-goody. Maybe I'm an [adventurer], and this is some sort of magical dungeon. There's loot waiting for me at the end. I don't know what that purple thing is, but with my luck, it's a trap.
Okay, let's stay on the "dungeon" line of thought for a minute. What if it's MY dungeon? What if I'm an [overlord]? That would be pretty cool, but it sounds like it could get tedious really fast.
Or maybe you don't like that kind of established characterization. Maybe the purple thing is a portal, and I'm just going to [pop] out of it. That would be a lot of responsibility, shaping me from a little blob into the thing I was destined to be. I'm sure you could handle it.
-
Ah, it appears to be a pseudo-option menu thing with choices hidden in the narrative. Unique, and intriguing.
Test:
[Captive]
Real suggestion:
[Overlord]
-
Maybe, we're a [priest] who is an [adventurer] [overlord] that is going to [pop] out of the portal.
-
[pop]
-
[Priest]
-
Ah, it appears to be a pseudo-option menu thing with choices hidden in the narrative. Unique, and intriguing.
Test:
[Captive]
Real suggestion:
[Overlord]
[+1]
-
[Overlord]
-
[pop]
-
Nah, we are a [dragon] who is going to [pop] out of the portal.
-
[Overlord]
I like the concept.
-
[Overlord]
This
-
[Overlord]
I like the concept.
[Overlord]
This
[Overlord]
(http://i.imgur.com/Pq2yqeq.png)
Yes. That is more like it. I am - *AHEM* - HEEEAHAHAH! I am Underheart, overlord extraordinaire. Or, you know, I would be if I had a villainous lair. Or had committed any villainous deeds. Really, it's a startup sort of thing. Speaking of which!
This is the Temple of Torment. I don't know what its true name is, but once I [conquer] it and make it into my lair, it will definitely be called the Temple of Torment. I would, of course, rid it of any useless assets - see that helpful [sign]? Helpful signs are definitely not my style. I prefer spike traps and giant [monsters], that sort of thing.
-
Sign
-
Sign
(http://i.imgur.com/ZM03ldT.png): "Welcome to the Water Temple! Watch out for [monsters] while solving the puzzles!"
See, now what kind of evil villain has a lair called the Water Temple? That's boring. When I [conquer] it, I'll take that sign down and give it a better name.
-
[Monsters]
((Are we going to give commands like this the whole ISG?))
-
((I would assume. I'm guessing FFS wanted to split the difference between an open suggestion game (a la TWoOtA) and something that gets railroaded (Problem Sleuth at the end). He opined on this sort of thing somewhere in the TWoOtA thread.))
[Conquer]
-
[Monsters]
((Are we going to give commands like this the whole ISG?))
(http://i.imgur.com/bjQgGGo.png)
But of course. What lair would be complete without monsters? It is not yet my lair, though, so this fell Water Drake does not yet obey me. Regrettably, the situation is even more dire: it looks like it might want to eat me.
At the sight of its eyes, I am paralyzed by fear. There are many courses this fight could run, but I can only imagine two:
My [staff] looks fancy but is not so useful as it seems. The tip of it is an ice-imbued gem. This sounds frightening and impresses the villagers, but the truth is it is harmless unless I touch it to my assailant's skull. When I'm that close, the battle is already lost.
These [flames] are deeply woven throughout my genetic code. As a young child, I burned down my own residence. No one would take me in. Bloodthirst strengthens them further, but I have doubts about their effect on a Water Drake. The Elemental Dodecagon is not in my favor here.
I feel there are other things I can do, but I cannot think of them as the drake is approaching even as I speak to you. Oh, if only I had someone who could think for me! If only I could leave ingenuity to them and be bold as I need. This restrictive system of binary, tertiary, and quaternary decisions will not serve me well as an overlord.
-
[Lure and Boil]
-
I think bracketed things are actions while unbracketed are informational. As such, Elemental Dodecagon
-
I think bracketed things are actions while unbracketed are informational. As such, Elemental Dodecagon
+1
Er, +1
[+1]?
Elemental Dodecagon, how about that
-
I think bracketed things are actions while unbracketed are informational. As such, Elemental Dodecagon
+1
Er, +1
[+1]?
Elemental Dodecagon, how about that
Mmm, not quite. Don't worry, I've thought this all out. If I just handed you that opportunity, you would be pulling out the encyclopedia at every chance. At that point, we'd be wasting each others' time, and it would be more effective to just give every little detail of every little thing! I'm a man/woman of action, you know. Can't be reading up when there are dragons to slay. Really, I almost wish there was someone more patient to do that for me...
-
Let's see... water drake. Flaming the pond to make steam would probably be horribly ineffective, so...
[Staff]... can we freeze the pond with it?
-
It's less 'Make steam' and more 'boil the drake alive, serves fifteen.'
-
[Staff]... can we freeze the pond with it?
(http://i.imgur.com/QJx8XvR.png)
Ah! But I had not thought of that when I told you of the wonders of the [staff]. A genius idea, but in my rush of adrenaline, I could only think of smacking the wyrm upside the head. Now, as you see, I have the Elemental Dodecahedron at an advantage, but my blind charge came with a cost: vulnerability.
(http://i.imgur.com/IJzo2QL.png)
As the beast opens its mouth, a torrent of high-speed dewdrops washes over me. The material on its own is harmless; the speed imbues it with strength. My gut reaction is to unleash my [flames], and in the end, gut reactions are all I have.
In my daze, I hear a voice [calling] to me from the center of the pond. Whispers slip out and echo back from all four walls. Such a soothing sound. I even consider abandoning my fight for the moment and reaching toward this voice.
-
itsatrap.net
Kill it with [FLAMES]
-
Hmm, we froze the dragon? Then [Flames]
EDIT:
[staff]
It's in the post, I'm assuming it's still an option!
Yep, we have an advantage. Silly me to not notice that
-
[staff]
It's in the post, I'm assuming it's still an option!
-
Hmm, we froze the dragon? Then [Flames]
EDIT:
[staff]
It's in the post, I'm assuming it's still an option!
Yep, we have an advantage. Silly me to not notice that
(http://i.imgur.com/sml7Tph.png)
As we trade blow upon blow, I realize: today is the day that I die. An advantage means little when there is no control, no strategy. This entire time, you have been deceived. I had no choice but to die regardless of your choices. My [staff] served me well, and I doubt a burst of [flames] would have changed the tide of battle.
Please know that I do not blame [you]. It was my fault to aggress a large Water Drake. Maybe another soul will hear this voice, and listen a bit more closely...
-
[Ragequit]?
-
[Ragequit]?
[Savescum]?
-
[you]
Underheart seems pessimistic about this DPS race, so we need to take the option that doesn't involve further combat.
Also he seems to suggest that random voices appearing in your head is a common occurrence in this 'verse, and he expects us to move on to some other schmuck if he snuffs it.
-
[Ragequit]?
[Savescum]?
[I like the idea]
-
[you]
-
We will die anyways, I think, so why not dying with a
[Flames] explosion? Probably by this time we would have frozen the dragon, so we can melt it.
EDIT:
Changed vote to [Staff] (I say this in another post)
-
Melting Ice would just turn it back to water, which is what it started as! I mean, fire is cool and all, but maybe the you option lets us not-die.
-
[PTW]
-
The you option will just provide exposition, wasting a battle turn. That means we die.
Change my vote to[Staff]then
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[you]
(http://i.imgur.com/4Nm00eg.png)
Only seconds from my doom
I turned and looked to my right
where I saw you as foretold
angel light spread through the room
shadows vanquished by wings bright
beating softly through locks gold
You spoke softly "don't assume"
"you're alone against your plight"
"try again, this time be bold"
(http://i.imgur.com/WdqrV34.png)
I do not know who you are, but in your everlasting mercy, you have granted me a second chance. You have granted me the gift of (http://i.imgur.com/pHahstV.png) BOLDNESS. I stand once again at the entrance to the Temple, but something is... different.
Is this a gift? Or a new manner of communication? I feel you have become my strategist, directing my actions more carefully, freeing my mind for more effective use of my powers. Still, key components in our relationship are missing.
Let me test the limits of this communication now. As a start, what do wish for me to call you?
-
We are known as Voidgate.
-
The Boss.
-
wut
Zuul
-
WE ARE THE LORD OF BOLDNESS
AND WE SPEAK LIKE THIS BECAUSE OF THE SHEER AMOUNT BOLDNESS WE HAVE
-
The Boss.
See, I like that one. The Boss. Or maybe just Boss. It has a nice ring to it. Rather simple.
(http://i.imgur.com/pdn8BSo.png)
The horrible cycle of events starts anew, but I am emboldened by your light. As you now strategize for me, you no longer are limited to a staff or my magical flames. I will do as you command, in the way you command as best as I can. If you want me to freeze the water in front of me, I will do so. If you want me to escape the room entirely, I will do so. Truly, anything is, in theory, possible so long as we work together like this. I trust you, Boss. Bold your commands, and I will follow.
-
No one suggested Oric? I am surprised.
-
Lure the drake into the water, and then boil it alive.
-
Wait, no; we're taking this dungeon for our own, and good guard beasts can be hard to come by.
Lure drake into water, then trap it in ice
I figure worst case scenario, it dies due to cold weakness. Best case, we get a pet!
-
Wait, no; we're taking this dungeon for our own, and good guard beasts can be hard to come by.
Lure drake into water, then trap it in ice
I figure worst case scenario, it dies due to cold weakness. Best case, we get a pet!
Yeah!
-
+1
-
Wait, no; we're taking this dungeon for our own, and good guard beasts can be hard to come by.
Lure drake into water, then trap it in ice
I figure worst case scenario, it dies due to cold weakness. Best case, we get a pet!
Yeah!
+1
-
Wait, no; we're taking this dungeon for our own, and good guard beasts can be hard to come by.
Lure drake into water, then trap it in ice
I figure worst case scenario, it dies due to cold weakness. Best case, we get a pet!
Yeah!
+1
[+1]
-
Wait, no; we're taking this dungeon for our own, and good guard beasts can be hard to come by.
Lure drake into water, then trap it in ice
I figure worst case scenario, it dies due to cold weakness. Best case, we get a pet!
Yeah!
+1
[+1]
(http://i.imgur.com/EhLX9gk.png)
An easy solution. I lure the watery beast into the central pool and hold my staff inside. The water freezes, taking the Drake's life.
You are indeed a clever tactician. I wish to see you again, but it seems that time is not now.
-
Go to the door
-
Get the keeeeey
-
And put the skull in a more intimidating position. It's never too early to make your evil lair more intimidating.
-
Put the skull over the ice gem to get icy necro powers.
-
And put the skull in a more intimidating position. It's never too early to make your evil lair more intimidating.
(http://i.imgur.com/qKSfprb.png)
Excellent planning. I place the skull in front of the unhelpful sign. I then use my staff to scratch some more helpful words onto the unhelpful sign. It now reads:
(http://i.imgur.com/ZM03ldT.png): "Here lies the last person who read this sign."
Get the keeeeey
Go to the door
(http://i.imgur.com/VtKZhH0.png)
Oh, goodness. A frustrating water puzzle. I see water flowing from the top of some structrure to the north all the way down to some outlets nearby. Four ground-switches lie in front of me, and one is lit up with a golden hue.
Two ice sculptures of what appear to be foes stare me down, but they don't move because they're just ice. Something's blocking water from flowing through the western tunnel. It looks like I could fit through the passage where it normally runs. How convenient! These passages could provide a quick emergency escape or a flood trap when I'm overlord.
-
Freeze the water and bypass the silly trap. We can figure it out when we have expendable minions to do it for us. Grab the loot bag on the way.
-
Freeze the water and bypass the silly trap. We can figure it out when we have expendable minions to do it for us. Grab the loot bag on the way.
[+1]
-
Might want to take care of the statues before you bypass it, they may become animate. Attempt to create footholds on the waterfall at the top there too, there may be something up there.
-
Might want to take care of the statues before you bypass it, they may become animate. Attempt to create footholds on the waterfall at the top there too, there may be something up there.
Well, if they do, we can freeze them even more!
-
Freeze the water and bypass the silly trap. We can figure it out when we have expendable minions to do it for us. Grab the loot bag on the way.
(http://i.imgur.com/NXGWtkn.png)
This water is not stagnant like the earlier pool. It resists my attempts to freeze it. I must go through this section the hard way. Oh, how glorious owning such a torturous temple will be!
-
Surely you can freeze enough of the water leading to the offshoot to block it's flow? Theres a lot less comparative flow there.
If not, well, attempt to push the ice sculpture to the golden button, though why there would be a solution at all to enter a fortress without it being completely nonsensical to anyone except the ones who inhabit the dungeon to thwart intruders is beyond me.
-
Um, deus ex machina and bypass it through plot?
-
Jump over the water right in front of us?
-
Jump over the water right in front of us?
Um, deus ex machina and bypass it through plot?
I do not have such powers!
Surely you can freeze enough of the water leading to the offshoot to block it's flow? Theres a lot less comparative flow there.
(http://i.imgur.com/dJCkbB1.png)
As I walk over to the smaller stream, a floor switch is triggered underfoot, and its flow is blocked without my icy intervention. The other canal experiences a rush of fluid. At least the east entrance is now available.
-
Are you able to climb back up if you descend? if yes, climb down. If no, push the ice statue onto that upper left switch.
-
Are you able to climb back up if you descend? if yes, climb down. If no, push the ice statue onto that upper left switch.
[+1]
-
Are you able to climb back up if you descend? if yes, climb down. If no, push the ice statue onto that upper left switch.
[+1]
[+1]
-
Are you able to climb back up if you descend? if yes, climb down. If no, push the ice statue onto that upper left switch.
[+1]
[+1]
+'d.
-
PTW
-
PTW too.
-
Are you able to climb back up if you descend? if yes, climb down. If no, push the ice statue onto that upper left switch.
[+1]
[+1]
+'d.
(http://i.imgur.com/cIQiiqS.png)
Indeed, I can see a little foothold in the canal's side once descended. Would you like me to venture to the east, Boss?
-
Venture to the east it is!
-
Sure.
-
East!