>>5907607

===
>Archives:
>https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=false+world
>>5894665
===

As you break your fast, your mind is drawn back to the Observatory. You remember its structure and some details clearly enough. The towering spire, with smaller spires sprouting from the swamp a distance away, forming a transport network like spokes emerging from an axle. The strange seer NPC, tucked away in the rim of the tower beyond the guild halls, player housing, tavern, and general store.

Other details are more fuzzy. As you recall it also had…

Choose [2]
>A market square, for players and NPC shops both. A new player could find all they needed.
>An industrial area, with player crafting stations and warehouses. You’ll finally be able to try out the crafting tree, and if trade between settlements is a thing these will give you an edge.
>An abundance of NPC guards and defenses for them to man. You pity anyone who tries to make trouble or earns the ire of your party.
>Some sort of monitoring suite and display that kept track of important things in a wide area, and extended the range of messaging.
>An entire district for entertainment and amusement. You’re almost scared of how much you’ll make off of taxes.
>Some underground facilities dedicated to cultivating and refining resources.

>>5907610
>A market square, for players and NPC shops both. A new player could find all they needed.
>An abundance of NPC guards and defenses for them to man. You pity anyone who tries to make trouble or earns the ire of your party.
Alternstively swap out the marketplace for the Industrial area. Most importantly in a safe harbor this early in the game is protection from gankers and enemy NPCs (Guards) and the ability to vendor your shit loot and restock after an expedition.

>>5907607
>Eggs, bacon, and black coffee [Habitual]
>>5907610
>A market square, for players and NPC shops both. A new player could find all they needed.
>An industrial area, with player crafting stations and warehouses. You’ll finally be able to try out the crafting tree, and if trade between settlements is a thing these will give you an edge.
The industrial area is non-negotiable for me, it's necessary for a huge chunk of players for their builds to even function (including our own). We can use players as guards as short contract work as tax money starts rolling in from the market.

>>5907610

>Cold Pizza and an Energy Drink (Avant Garde)

>Some sort of monitoring suite and display that kept track of important things in a wide area, and extended the range of messaging.
>An entire district for entertainment and amusement. You’re almost scared of how much you’ll make off of taxes.

The eccentric and mysterious pit boss of a massive digital casino/arcade.

Guys we literally need an industrial area for our class to progress

>>5907631
It's a cool idea but people are probably gonna be more focused on progressing through the game in this early stage. Late game this idea would get a lot more popular.

>>5907641
I'll concede then.

>Industrial zone
>Some sort of monitoring suite and display that kept track of important things in a wide area, and extended the range of messaging.

we keep our spy networks tho?

>>5907607
>Eggs, bacon, and black coffee [Habitual]
The dinner of a champion
>>5907610
>An industrial area, with player crafting stations and warehouses. You’ll finally be able to try out the crafting tree, and if trade between settlements is a thing these will give you an edge.
>A market square, for players and NPC shops both. A new player could find all they needed.

Hang on a second. Both security and trade could be run through an enhanced messaging and surveillance system. Let me cook.

If players can craft items here in the industrial area they can sell them by advertising on the message board. Buyers will just respond to their posts and find a place to meet. We make our money by charging a small sales tax, especially easy to do if credits can be shared via the message system. If not we can charge a small fee for access to the message board for advertising purposes.

We could set up an emergency dispatch style system where players report crimes or hazards to a designated player or NPC who then sends out player guards who are compensated for their time and get the spoils of battle.

We can start a guard guild and possibly outfit them with augmetics that make their job easier and is also useful for their own endeavors, like a robotic arm. This would require us to spend our 2 EXP on

>Augmetics, 20CC, Passive, Permanent] - Utilize [Akashic Forges] to design and craft replacement, additional, or enhanced body parts. Augmetics are uniquely capable of hosting Psybercircuits. Grants the following permanent engrams: [Augmetic: Arms-Shoulders, Legs-Hips, Torso, Head, Back, Tail]

>[Basic Psybercircuits, 10CC, Passive, Permanent] Reqs: [Augmetics] - You develop expertise in one of the following psybercircuits, and receive a permanent engram of it. Psybercircuits are only useable in tandem with the Augmetic permanent engram.
[Annihilation], [Guardian], [Virtual Capacity], [Channeling], [Amplification], [Weaponization], [Fleeting], [Dexterous], [Bloating]

These skills would also be useful for us for obvious reasons. What do you guys think of my long winded plan?

>>5907660
I would much rather the security of our new home run automatically through a strong NPC pressence rather then having to deal with and wrangle a player guild for security.

>>5907685
Fair but if there's a large enough threat we're gonna need to mobilize players for defense in an organized way anyway

>>5907620
>>5907628
>>5907631 / >>5907647
>>5907659

>Eggs, bacon, and black coffee - 2
>Cold pizza and an energy drink - 1
Damn, you didn't go for the trap option. I joke, I joke.
Or do I?

>Markets - 3
>Crafting - 3
>Defenses - 1
>Entertainment - 1
This is just your starting point, everything is possible with enough Celestial Gems

>>5907693

>>5907647
>>5907631
Forgot
>Comms and Sensors - 1
Not Entertainment, my mistake.

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>>5907610

A rumbling growl echoes through your apartment. You stand no chance against any beast capable of such noise in the real world, and opt to prepare an offering of eggs and bacon. This ritual necessitates coffee as well, despite the late hour of the day.

The scent of freshly ground beans is intoxicating, and you savor it while looking into your cup. The bacon sizzles in the pan, while the black liquid sits quiescent and still in the ring of ceramic, like a portal into the dark. Like a gap in a ceiling, behind which lurks nothingness so complete it Observes back.

“Maybe a little creamer wouldn’t kill me.” you frown.

The caffeine clears your headache and the gossamer sheet that had been restraining your thoughts. The Observatory had come with the amenities for player crafting, something you’d been quite excited about, and a market area suited for selling those crafts. The market area occupied the ground floor: a terraced bowl with shops molded into the stone of the tower, stalls along the inner rim of each level. All sloping downward and inward to the lifts and broad spiral staircase in the center. The warehouses that supply the shops sitting below that and extending into the underground, a labyrinthine set of corridors and stairs and storage rooms of all sizes. Fortunately there are NPCs for fetching items or guiding you to your unit, and allegedly areas for large constructions that can exit to the wilderness as well.

The crafting facilities had exceeded your expectations as well. The Akashic Forge was an entire floor to itself. An area with immaterial gridlines ran in three dimensions and myriad drones, tools, and holographic equipment to design and craft anything your imagination could think of. All while either maintaining your privacy or broadcasting your work across the whole floor. You’re not sure that they all come in that size, you’d wager this one is so large because it’s supposed to service an entire population of players by itself.

The Asherah Womb, apparently the Organitech equivalent, was similar but…made of meat, wood, coral, and other things. You didn’t stay long, noping out when a spider thing the size of a huntress asked you what you’d like to birth.

Your breakfast is ready, and disappearing at a good rate. The bacon glistens, nothing like the shine of a Celestial Gem. Still, you’ve got time before the meal is complete.

>Choose what you’d like to do
>Browse forums and try to find out more about some subject in [FWO] (Crafting, Augmetics, Other Class Skill Trees, etc. write-in)
>Check your email, maybe there’s been progress on those docs you submitted for review.
>Go out for a stroll after you finish your meal
>Call one of your friends, convince them to play with you
>Just log onto [FWO] as soon as you can

>>5907607
>>5907610
>Eggs, bacon, and black coffee [Habitual]
>An abundance of NPC guards and defenses for them to man. You pity anyone who tries to make trouble or earns the ire of your party.
>An industrial area, with player crafting stations and warehouses. You’ll finally be able to try out the crafting tree, and if trade between settlements is a thing these will give you an edge.

>>5907738
>Browse forums and try to find out more about some subject in [FWO] (Crafting, Augmetics, Other Class Skill Trees, etc. write-in)
Crafting and augmetics, any other player settlements, what people are saying about the Observatory

I've got a few things I'm curious about.

Would any of the informatic construct specializations apply to whatever item we enhance with virtual reinforcement? Can we control enhanced items like we can the informatic construct crystal? Can we select more than one specialization for the informatic construct and swap between them? That could be a way to get way more uses out of our gear.

Can augmetics be applied to other non-technocrat players?

If our crystal is reinforcing a weapon or item, can we still use a deconstruction beam without separating it? Would the properties of the weapon modify the beam somehow?

>>5907738
>Just log onto [FWO] as soon as you can
We're on the Technocrat Grindset. Reject forum guides and build tierlists, embrace experimentation and exploration.

>>5907738
>Go out for a stroll after you finish your meal
Get some fresh air and ponder what exactly we want to get out of [FWO]. Become king of the new civilization we're starting? Leader of our very own techno-guard corps? Adventurer, bounty hunter, etc.? Do we act in the open, front and center or operate in the shadows and the margins? It's the beginning of a new society in this game and there will be others that will be friends or foes. We can leverage our early success and advantageous position with the Observatory but only if we have a plan and the means to carry it out.

>>5907741
You check the game’s website for any forums first, no luck. Then you descend through the tiers of various forum and discussion sites, searching even for a mention of FWO. You thought there was plenty of advertising for this game, so it’s strange not to see a single post about it. Maybe it was all targeted stuff? You habitually scrub your tracers though, so that doesn’t make sense.

You finally find some threads on a rather unscrupulous and positively ancient website. After endlessly trawling through incredible numbers of shitposts and waifu arguments, you catch a thread about the world’s first full dive MMO. You quickly post your questions, and get answers.

>Crafting
All crafting seems to share the same basic interface. When you’re at a place where crafting can be performed, you gain access to the crafting menu. You can then combine a number of ‘engrams’ together with a freeform declaration of intent. These engrams are apparently an abstraction of patterns/traits from their source, and come in two flavors: Permanent and Acquired. Acquired Engrams are gained by consuming slain enemies, special items in the environment, or certain pieces of loot. Acquired Engrams may require multiple enemies of a given type to complete, and are always expended in the crafting process. Permanent Engrams, meanwhile, generally represent the traits required to craft certain types of equipment. They’re generally acquired via skills, and are not expended in the crafting process. You don’t necessarily need a Permanent Engram to get what you’re after, but just relying on the Freeform Intent can be unreliable.

At this point, crafting departs based on your class or if you’re doing the rudimentary crafting afforded through the Personal Path tree.

Technocrats combine their Engrams and Freeform Intent to create Blueprints. These Blueprints are templates for constructing pieces of equipment that tend towards having certain traits, for example physical resistance or enhanced speed. They’ll have generalized material requirements, and you actually create your equipment by bringing together materials of the appropriate types to construct the blueprints. Certain materials are more compatible with certain blueprints than others, and apparently you’re just able to sense when something is a good match for a blueprint in your library. Blueprints aren’t consumed in the crafting process, unlike Engrams, but creating them in rapid succession becomes increasingly expensive. Technocrat equipment tends to feature passive benefits.

Organitech crafting is apparently similar, but every creation is unique. They almost always have some sort of active abilities, powered by consuming fallen enemies or other resources, but can die. There are conflicting reports that Organitech crafts can grow and evolve on their own? You’re not sure about that.

>>5907754
>>5907741

>Augmetics/Augmentoids
Augmetics and Augmentoids both refer to what’s generally known in the real world as ‘cyberware’, with the former originating from technological sources and augmentoids originating from biological ones. They’re immensely powerful replacement or supplementary portions of the body, but each one will cost CC to equip. It’s never refunded, so no casual swapping between models without workarounds. They can be upgraded, either by “Biomechaneer” NPCs (also generally required for installation of the augments) or through other means, but this increases CC cost. As if that wasn’t enough, they can break without regular maintenance (or allowing them to consume resources, for augmentoids). This can either be resisted by permanently burning more CC or allowed to happen, losing that augment permanently.

Despite this, they’re so powerful that many players swear by them. They offer increased HP, active abilities, huge combat potential, and more. Any class can use them too, though Organitechs and Technocrats gain the most benefit out of their respective kinds of augmetics. Cyberators can apparently double-dip and use either sort equally well.

>Psybernetics
There’s not much detail on psybernetics and psybercircuits. A bunch of memery about machine spirits and whatnot. You’re pretty sure they run on the Class Resource of whoever they’re installed on, and that without using one the structure of Technocrat augmetics is more or less restricted to mimicking the human form. One comment sticks out to you:

“Imagine you could create a computer chip that can pray. Now imagine you had that computer chip pray to the Outer Gods, and they allowed it to feel the Cold Between Dimensions in return for its supplication. Then you used that chip to replace the radiator in your car. They’re the building blocks that put the ‘Eldritch’ into ‘Eldritch Machines’.”

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>>5907738

You finish your forum trawling right as the last of the eggs disappear. A walk in the afternoon sun might be nice, an opportunity to organize and settle your thoughts. Decide on what you’re after in the game, plan out how to achieve it, how to leverage your advantages to accomplish your goal.

But honestly real life has jack shit on the views in [FWO], and you’d rather let your actions when opportunities arise dictate your path through the game. It doesn’t help that there are still so many mysteries to the game, any number of which might help or hinder anything you plan here and now.

You put your vu-glasses on, and feel your stomach drop through the floor as your vision goes black.

> [[ ??? Sphere : Arcadian Coastal Swamp : Observatory Central Spire : Spire Pinnacle // Neutral Territory // PVP Disabled ]]

You inhale the fresh air from the top of the spire that’s partially yours, and look around. It’s evening here, and patchy stormclouds float above with the promise of rain.

>Choose [1]
>Look North. Towards the ocean, the tower that pierces it, and the source of light for this region.
>Look West. Towards the upthrust of rock that spans from ground to the next Sphere, and walls you off in that direction and south.
>Look East. Towards the city on stilts where the skyscrapers reach far above your tower and the megatrees of the swamp.
>Look East and South. Towards the depression filled with fog, from which several ornate arches emerge to frame the turrets of a…church?
>Look South and East. Towards the red boil that crawls with things and extends tendrils into the swamp and towards the city.

View aside, you see that Trish is up here as well. Slumped casually over the railing and fiddling with her UI. She’s whistling a somber tune and hasn’t noticed you yet.

You’re about to walk her way when your UI pings. You note that it’s silent to others, Trish still hasn’t noticed you.

>>5907843

You browse past your friends list on the way to the messages.

> [[ Contacts List ]]
> [[ Adamas, Offline ]]
> [[ Crispen ]]
> [[ Trish ]]
> [[ Shrike, Offline ]]

> [[ Adamas, Offline ]] : (( Cian. My guild’s starting out strong, we’re awash in players and I could really use a capable officer. Just accept anytime and either I or one of the others will bring you up to speed. ))
> [[ Adamas, Offline ]] : (( Don’t be surprised if they ask you to lead a foray into the wilderness straight away. We’re looking for other settlements and mapping out the area. ))
> [[ Guild Invite : Observatory Army ]] [ Accept / Decline ]]


The message is accompanied by a guild invite. Right, you remember he said he’d be starting one. Clearly he found enough players and the proper NPC to do so. You’ve only just started thinking about it when you get another message.

> [[ Crispen ]] : (( Hey old buddy old pal, what’s shakin’. ))
> [[ Crispen ]] : (( Started a shop “Crispen’s Brilliant Emporium”. Like the name? ))
> [[ Crispen ]] : (( If you got a minute, swing on by. I’ve got something you can get in on, should fetch some nice stuff. ))

That’s quite a bit different from how he speaks. You recall how he argued that the Observatory should be by the rich and for the rich before you logged off, before getting shouted down into setting reasonable rates on facilities and taxes by the rest of you. He even ‘bribed’ you with several of the UIs he grabbed, like that would help.

>Choose [1]
>Go see what’s up with Trish.
>Accept Adamas’ guild invite, and check in with one of his officers.
>Head down to Crispen’s Brilliant Emporium.
>These will have to wait while you go shopping.
>These will have to wait while you go crafting.
>These will have to wait while you go to the [Tavern, Seer, Guildhalls, Materialization Altar Ground Floor to Leave]
>Other?

>>5907843
>Look North. Towards the ocean, the tower that pierces it, and the source of light for this region.
>Decline
>Go see what’s up with Trish.

>>5907845
>Look South and East. Towards the red boil that crawls with things and extends tendrils into the swamp and towards the city.
>These will have to wait while you go crafting.

>>5907845
>Look North. Towards the ocean, the tower that pierces it, and the source of light for this region.
>Head down to Crispen’s Brilliant Emporium.
Crispen sounds kinda based

>>5907845
>Look East and South. Towards the depression filled with fog, from which several ornate arches emerge to frame the turrets of a…church?
>Head down to Crispen’s Brilliant Emporium.
Maybe we can craft stuff to sell in the Emporium. Maybe start a merchant guild and do trading with Crispen.

>>5907845
Aww shit, I forgot I needed to be running the EXP votes too.

> [[ Unique Identifier Cian ]]
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQa7uLw0R-M3zUDOKGCr7pIhXn2hTwxCZf5TP5PXoa0gU_vhqMWDjH--6VHuS7zXTUhwEVakOQMc6HZ/pub
> [[ You have 2 EXP Available ]]

>How will you spend the first? Select [1]
>Select [1] Option from below

>[ Virtual Crystal ; Lvl 2 -> Lvl 3 ] - Increases Charge Capacity and Generation
>[ Artifice ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - For every 3 levels, the items you use have more or improved effects
>[ Transcendent Machinery ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - Increases CC
>[ Psybertech ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - Increases HP
>[ Personal Path ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - No Passive Effects
>Increase HP 15 -> 28

>>5908035
>[ Psybertech ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - Increases HP
I'm looking at augmetics, it seems too fun to pass up. Let our buddy be the drone guy

>>5908006
>>5907953
>>5907925
>>5907850

>Look North - 2
>Look South and East - 1
>Look East and South - 1

>Head down to Crispen's Brilliant Emporium - 2
>Go see what's up with Trish - 1
>These will have to wait while you go crafting - 1

>>5908047
Not sure I'll actually get this out tonight, so feel free to continue voting. Next update tomorrow evening, most likely.

>>5908035
I will continue to run the EXP vote, but we'll be giving at least 4 hours between rounds.

>>5908035
>[ Psybertech ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - Increases HP

>>5907843
>Look North. Towards the ocean, the tower that pierces it, and the source of light for this region.
>>5907845
>Head down to Crispen’s Brilliant Emporium.
>>5908035
>[ Psybertech ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - Increases HP
>>5908040
We will have to get into some Transcendent Machinery tho, we're running out of CC.

>>5908035
>[ Personal Path ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - No Passive Effects

>>5907843
>Look North. Towards the ocean, the tower that pierces it, and the source of light for this region.
Expedition at sea!
>Go see what’s up with Trish.
>>5907845
>These will have to wait while you go crafting.
>>5908035
>[ Psybertech ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - Increases HP
If we do augmetics and universal principles we can make mechanical versions of those eel arms and become knockoff Doc Ock

Are you guys sticking with greatsword or should we try to buy a different weapon? Wouldn't hurt to have a ranged option if you ask me. Cian seems like the sniper type to me.
>>5908035
Not to nitpick your system here but it seems like lumping CC in with transcendent machinery sort of sucks. Unless I'm totally missing something that tree seems to have the least room for synergy with other trees yet increasing CC seems almost required for every technocrat build

>>5908035

>[ Psybertech ] Mastery increased to Level 1
>HP 15 -> 18
>Select [1] Available Skill to acquire

=====

>How will you spend your second EXP?
>Select [1]

>Increase HP 18 -> 33
>[ Virtual Crystal ; Lvl 2 -> Lvl 3 ] - Increases Charge Capacity and Generation
>[ Artifice ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - For every 3 levels, the items you use have more or improved effects
>[ Transcendent Machinery ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - Increases CC
>[ Psybertech ; Lvl 1 -> Lvl 2 ] - Increases HP
>[ Personal Path ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - No Passive Effects

>>5908324
>>5908144
>>5908120
>>5908097
>>5908081
>>5908040
Here go
>>5908324

>>5908166
I don't railroad my players into any build choices, that's all I'll say.

>>5908324
>Select [1] Available Skill to acquire
Augmetics
>How will you spend your second EXP?
>[ Personal Path ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - No Passive Effects
Angling for acrobatics. Evasiveness is important while we're this squishy. I like the idea of looking as nonthreatening as possible until it's too late. I wonder if we can use living adaptoleather to cover and conceal any augmetic limb replacements.
>>5908097
>>5908166
We can get more CC from Mental Expansion in the Psybertech tree ya dinguses.

Would unarmed/augmetics count as a weapon proficiency?

>>5908324
>[ Psybertech ; Lvl 1 -> Lvl 2 ] - Increases HP
Either psybercircuits or mental expansion

>>5908324
>[ Artifice ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - For every 3 levels, the items you use have more or improved effects

[Psybersynthesis, 45CC, 100+ Charge, Permanent]

>>5908324
Woops. Forgot the first EXP point option.
Voting for augmetics for the first EXP point. For the second point I still want >>5908453

Why did you make this? Your last thread is only on Page 3.

>>5908357
>>5908453
>>5908524

>First EXP
>Augmetics - 2 (Augmetics is required for Psybercircuits)
>Psybersynthesis - 1
Augmetics it is!

>Second EXP
>Personal Path - 1
>Psybertech - 1
>Artifice - 1
A three way tie! If it's still this way by 0900 Eastern Time I'll roll dice for each option and the highest will win.
>>5908363
Unarmed is a weapon proficiency, yeah.

>>5908565
It was a good story beat to break on and the quest I bumped off the board hadn't had a reply in...45 days, I think?

>>5908144
>>5908097
>>5908047
+2 to Look North and Crispen's Brilliant Emporium.

>>5908324
>[ Psybertech ; Lvl 1 -> Lvl 2 ] - Increases HP

>>5908324
>Select [1] Available Skill to acquire
Augmetics
>How will you spend your second EXP?
>[ Artifice ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - For every 3 levels, the items you use have more or improved effects

>>5908524
>>5908698
I'll change mine to
>[ Transcendent Machinery ; Lvl 0 -> Lvl 1 ] - Increases CC
to break the tie.

>>5908833
>>5908804
>>5908750
>>5908531
>>5908524
>>5908453
>>5908357

>>5908324

>[ Psybertech ] Mastery increased to Level 2
>HP 18 -> 20
>Select [1] Available Skill to acquire
>Or vote to increase HP 20 -> 37

>>5908889

Should be "Or vote to increase HP 18 -> 33"
Since that would cancel the Psybertech Mastery. My bad.

>>5907845

You cast your gaze to the north. A sparkling sea glimmers in the last of the evening light and, you’re sure, from the luminescent creatures that live among the waves. An air-filled jellyfish the size of a building floats peacefully among the waves, its trails of stingers floating into unfathomable depths. A patch of deeper shadow eclipses the jellyfish, causing it to spray iridescent foam into the air while deflating. A squid even larger than the jellyfish, covered in bony quills, dives into the opaque cloud from above attempting to catch a meal.

You’re unsure whether it seizes its prey, but a tidal wave washes out from the area. The wave batters the vast coral lagoons that migrate through the waters as well. These sometimes catch and log jam against the broken remnants of what must have once been a majestic bridge. Its shattered spans stretch from a distance off the coast towards the reason why you decided this direction was ‘North’.

A lonely tower of megastructure proportions, composed entirely of cerulean crystal and unique crimson coral. The same coral grows wild on the remains of the bridge, but on none of the lagoons. The pillar stretches from the depths of the ocean to the ceiling far above, and you have to crane your neck uncomfortably to see where the evening light comes from.

Ringing the pillar in the upper distance is a disc of holographic illumination. When lower it seems large enough to cover the entire ocean, but now it’s far enough away you have to squint to make it out.

You know that once it reaches the ceiling, a new ring will form under the waves and move skywards. Or ceilingwards, to be more precise.

By the time you’ve soaked in enough of the view, Trish has already left. Your UI pings again.

> [[ Cont ]]

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>>5908911

> [[ Cian ]] (( That depends on if you’ve got any gear to tempt me in. ))
> [[ Crispen ]] (( Gear? Bro, you’ve got the game all wrong. ))
> [[ Crispen ]] (( Have you seen the hauls people are dragging in? Now’s the time to buy MATERIALS, before crafters gain enough levels and the demand goes up. ))
> [[ Crispen ]] (( We could turn a fortune. I’ve got a lead on a resource hub too…and maybe more GEMS. ))
> [[ Cian ]] (( You make a damn compelling argument. ))
> [[ Cian ]] (( Throw in a set of starter gear and count me in. Founders can’t be going around without DRIP. ))
> [[ Cian ]] (( :D ))
> [[ Crispen ]] (( Bruh, please…I’m looking for investors not leeches ))
> [[ Cian ]] (( D: ))

The pinnacle and the rooms directly below it are reserved for the founding party at the moment, though none of you have collected enough stuff to outfit any of them. One is occupied by a mass of cables and techy equipment that Adamas’ guild assembled to run the in-game player forums. You ride the elevator down from the tower pinnacle, seeing more players the closer to ground you go.

The players are indeed loaded down with materials of all descriptions. The surrounding area must be lush enough that even their UIs are getting filled. Or maybe they just enjoy the full dive feel of being strong enough to carry ridiculously oversized sacks of stuff?

As you descend, you notice a girl standing amongst the crowd. She sticks out among the riot of player avatars for her simplicity, and for affixing you with an intense gaze. You look around you at the other transparent elevator shafts, seeing if there are any other players descending nearby.

There aren’t, but by the time you look back she’s lost among the crowd.

> [[ Cont ]]

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>>5908912

> [[ ??? Sphere : Arcadian Coastal Swamp : Observatory Central : Crispen’s Brilliant Emporium // Neutral Territory // PVP Enabled ]]

Crispen’s shop is prime real estate. The first few tiers out from the central elevators are kept clear for general gathering, and his store sits just beyond these. Adjacent to one of the cardinal thoroughfares leading into and out of the tower by foot. As you walk in he’s talking to the management NPC of the Observatory. A tall and lithe humanoid robot, body composed of exquisitely shaped porcelain plates and modesty preserved by strategically draped sashes of indigo cloth.

The displays feature a variety of what you take to be crafting resources. Logs of strange wood, mesmerizing crystals, ingots of various metals, all stacked up haphazardly/ Tags hang off many of the items with prices in bullet points recording several different prices, constantly descending. You’re continuing to step carefully through the mess and peruse when the bell for the door rings again. The girl from before steps in, glances at you, then shuffles off towards a corner while looking at the materials. She quickly disappears from sight between shelves, but you can still vaguely tell where she is by the noise of overturned piles of junk and half spoken curses.

>Write-In

>>5908889
[Basic Psybercircuits, 10CC, Passive, Permanent] Reqs: [Augmetics]
I'm hoping our remaining 30 CC is enough for a good augmetic

>>5908914
Approach the mystery girl and politely introduce ourselves

>>5908889
>[Basic Psybercircuits, 10CC, Passive, Permanent]
In for a penny, in for a pound.
>>5908914
"Yes, you're very subtle and all that but let's get right to it. Is there some business you have with me? You have my undivided attention."
She very intentionally made eye contact with us and then followed us into the store. She wants something.

>>5908889
[Radical Modification, 15CC, Passive]

>>5908914
Kabedon
"How you doin'?"

>>5908889
>[Basic Psybercircuits, 10CC, Passive, Permanent]
>>5908963
What this anon said, let us be direct.

>>5908985
>>5908968
>>5908963
>>5908924

>[ Basic Psybercircuits ] [LOCKED]
>Select [1] Available Psybercircuit to acquire expertise in.
>[Annihilation]
>[Guardian]
>[Virtual Capacity]
>[Channeling]
>[Amplification]
>[Weaponization]
>[Fleeting]
>[Dexterous]
>[Bloating]

>>5909051
>[Weaponization]
We need some way to consistently deal solid damage, kind of a middle ground between a normal weapon attack and the deconstruction beam in terms of how frequently it can be used. Does this option provide that? I have no clue.

>>5909051
Pulling some guesses out of my ass here on what these do
>>[Annihilation]
Pure destructive force. Maybe an augmetic with this can shoot out a deconstruction style ray. Maybe it lets us punch shit harder.
>>[Guardian]
Makes a force shield, increase defence
>>[Virtual Capacity]
Easy one, probably increases our charge cap
>>[Channeling]
Possibly copies the magic user abilities
>>[Amplification]
Increases energy output
>>[Weaponization]
Turns the limb into a weapon? Arms turning into claws, blades, ranged weapon maybe?
>>[Fleeting]
No clue. Speed? Fleeting literally means that something doesn't last long but surely not in this case.
>>[Dexterous]
Increases fine motor control. Maybe good for light weaponry. Might also be good for intricate crafting.
>>[Bloating]
No fucking clue. Maybe it causes swelling.

>>5909051
>[Bloating]

>>5909051
>[Annihilation]
Lets see what the hell this is all about

>>5908914

You track the mysterious woman via the noise and mumbled words, working your way to the end of the aisle she’s making her way down silently and unseen. As you do, the soft words become more coherent.

“‘Hey there, do you have my-’ No it’s too quick, shouldn’t just launch into it.

‘Pleased to meet you, lovely weather we’re having isn’t it?’ Then fake laugh at his response and ‘By the way, you don’t happen to have picked up any-’ Dammit, too unnatural.

‘What’s up hot stuff? I think you’ve got something I’m desperate for-’ What the fuck, Eld.”

“Ahem.” You step around the corner, interrupting her rehearsals. The girl flinches and freezes in a hunched position, hands raised between you and her. “I noticed you outside. You’re very subtle and all but let’s get right to it. Is there some business you have with me? You have my undivided attention.”

She stands there just blinking for a moment. “Oh, he’s direct. We’ll go as normal then.” She mumbles one last line, and transforms in front of your eyes. The fearful body posture disappears, replaced by the spitting image of confidence. Knocking over a few piles of crafting materials in the process.

“Hey there, as it happens I do think I might have some business with you. Weird question, but do you happen to have a UI for ‘Eldriss’ on you, or know where it is? If so, c-can I have it?” she fumbles a bit at the end there.

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>>5909132

You’re about to respond when the Managerbot steps between you and the girl.

“Milord, your share of the revenue.” it touches the temple where your UI is embedded for a moment while it speaks. An intimate gesture you’re not sure you’re comfortable with or not.

>Received 600#
>Credits Total 1037#

Then turns on its heel, giving an exceedingly mild bow that gives the impression of insolence while being technically apologetic. “Begging your pardon, Misguided.” Then it walks out of the shop, nearly bumping into the heavily deflated girl on the way.

“Huh, what was that all about?” Crispen says, watching the robot walk out. You note that he’s bedecked in some sort of light armor. “Oh, and who’s your friend Cian? I was trying to keep the group minimized, less splitting the loot that way. A third should be fine though. Sending the details to you now.”

Your UI pings. You glance it over briefly while considering your response to the girl.

Long story short, past the transport waypylons there’ve been reports of groups of robots harvesting the wealth of the land. They have to come from somewhere, and that somewhere will have all those collected resources for the taking. Crispen wants to raid a few of the collection groups and find or possibly infiltrate where they come from.

>How do you respond to Crispen?
>”Not a bad idea at all. I’ll accompany you.” [Head out.]
>”Not a bad idea at all, but I need a moment for some shopping and maybe crafting first.” [ Go visit NPC vendors. Choose one to linger at: General Store, Forgemaster, Genetwist (Organitech Crafts), Biomechaneer (Augments and Healing), Seer (Identification and Consultations) ]
>”Not a bad idea at all, but did you happen to pick up any other starter gear I could buy off you?” [ Purchase a set of player made light/med/heavy armor and/or a melee/ranged weapon, requiring a roll for quality and price. Won’t be inferior to vendor options. ]
>”That sounds like biting off more than we can chew, I’ll pass for now.”
>One of the above, but you’re accompanied by the girl too.

>How do you respond to the girl?
>”Yeah I do, here you go.” [Matter of Fact]
>”Yeah I do, but you’re going to have to explain what’s going on here first.” [Inquisitive]
>”Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. What’s it to you?” [Suspicious]
>”Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. What’s it worth to you?” [True Capitalist]
>”Sorry, I don’t. Why? Did you know her?” [Lie]
>”I don’t. Was that all?” [Lie and Dismissive]
>Write-In

>>5909139
>”Not a bad idea at all, but did you happen to pick up any other starter gear I could buy off you?” [ Purchase a set of player made light/med/heavy armor and/or a melee/ranged weapon, requiring a roll for quality and price. Won’t be inferior to vendor options. ]
>Sure, how'd you manage to lose it? What was it like playing without it? And how did you know I have it?

>>5909139
>”Not a bad idea at all, but I need a moment for some shopping and maybe crafting first.” [ Go visit NPC vendors. Choose one to linger at: Biomechaneer (Augments and Healing)
Might as well see the fruits of our levelups
>Yes, here you go. Don't tell me - you lost your unique identifier somehow, without dying, playing without it sucks, and everyone's been calling you Misguided ever since. Were you playing with a Muhnhoss or a Varna as well? They're both dead.

>>5909139
>”Not a bad idea at all. I’ll accompany you.” [Head out.]
>Write-In
>”Yeah I do, but you’re going to have to earn it first." Proceed to cyber. [Quid Pro Quo]
>One of the above, but you’re accompanied by the girl too.

>>5909232
Oh also invite her to join us on this raid
>>5909239
No. Bad anon. Not here for horny.

>>5909051
>[Weaponization]
Almost didn't notice this vote

>>5909139
>”Not a bad idea at all, but did you happen to pick up any other starter gear I could buy off you?” [ Purchase a set of player made light/med/heavy armor and/or a melee/ranged weapon, requiring a roll for quality and price. Won’t be inferior to vendor options. ]
Changing my vote >>5909232, we don't have the materials we need for an augmetic right now anyway. We'll get some scrap when we're killing robots

>>5909139
>”Not a bad idea at all, but I need a moment for some shopping and maybe crafting first.” General Store

We still need to equip our symbiotic brood eel pair to see how they work.

I always expected shopping and crafting to drag down the pace, but I didn't expect it quite this much. I'll have to think of a better way of handling this next time.

Anyway, next update some time today!

this another Broken Sky-alike?

>>5910165

Yep but I've got the background much more thoroughly figured out this time, and I'm somewhat less rusty.

>>5910148
Maybe you could just have a vote right at the start of each "mission" with several pre-baked or write in options for whatever we retroactively crafted or bought in preparation instead of going step by step like this.

>>5910185
Noted, we'll see when I get up to speed on this

>>5910188
I've thought about doing that. Am thinking about doing it.

On the other hand, despite the slowness in the moment having forthright store inventories has an appeal too.

I think part of what's going on here is just that we're still at square one, so I have to set the scene and describe the characters in more detail than I will in the future. Shouldn't be an issue in the future.

Besides, slowing down isn't always a bad thing. We're currently still in the slow and relaxed story beat, recovering from the action and tension of Thread 1.

There's plenty to consider. I'll think on the problem.

>>5909232
This sounds good.

>>5910200
As long as there's character interactions and world building going on during "downtime" like you've been doing so far I think everyone still enjoys it. I think more of a narrative acknowledgement of our level up choices in would be cool though, was Cian suddenly flooded with knowledge of augmetics? Having the votes and the effects of levelups totally separate from the actual updates has felt a bit unrewarding.

>>5910317
Hey, excellent point. There is some stuff like that going on, with all the skills. I've been so occupied dropping other information I've forgotten about that.

>>5910333
It's also a factor for this vote, if Cian now knows augmetics does he know that we'd need particular materials that we don't have to make a good augmetic?

>>5909139

“In fact, I do have your UI.” you respond, drawing out the disc eerily reminiscent of a spinal disc from your inventory. “Crispen, this is Eldriss. Eldriss, Crispen.” You move to hand the UI over to her but pause just before she takes it from you, prompting a suspicious glare. “This is all yours, but would you tell us what happened? How did you lose your unique identifier without dying?” You let her take the device as you speak. “And how did you know I had it? What was playing without it like?”

“I didn’t lose my identifier without dying, I got got in that ambush along with all the other players.” she says, re-equipping the UI and then clearly getting distracted in something that pops up. You note that the sword she had laid against a bookshelf dissolves in a soft shower of sparks. “I’ll answer your questions. Just give me a minute, gotta check something…”

Even behind the mask, you can sense Crispen’s curiosity piquing as he your questions mount.

“Eldriss as in that UI I used to brib- that UI I handed off to you for no particular reason?” he says, thumbing through his own menus. “Huh, strange…”

“Strange?” you ask.

“Yeah, uh, the other misconnected one: Osyki. It’s listed as broken now like all the others.” he looks up at you, then freezes. His hand goes to his head, and actual despair creeps into his voice. “I don’t know when it happened. If loot decays while in your inventory then, everything I bought…!”

“-No, my Gem!” Eldriss interrupts Crispen’s panic with her own outburt. The word cuts through you and Crispen both. You recall the Celestial Gem you had and lost. Like losing a loved one. It’s a void in your soul. How could you give something so precious away for this tawdry tower? “Ewww, CC is at 67? Such an uneven number. Health’s down too? ‘Misconnected’?” her face grows more irritated the more things she rattles off. “I’ve strayed from the path the gods laid for me? Gah, dammit! And where’s my sword??”

“It disappeared when you put your UI back in.” Your words prompt her to stomp her foot and turn to head for the door.

“Can you ask your questions while we head for the Seer? I need a consultation on how to fix this.”

You and Crispen’s mask exchange a look, then you shrug. After asking Crispen to grab you some starter gear from the contacts he’s made while buying materials off of players you head to follow Eldriss. You receive a ping on your UI as you leave, and automatically accept, figuring it’s probably a party invite from Crispen.

> [[ Group Chat: Cian, Crispen, Trish formed ]]
> [[ Trish ]] (( Hey, either of you guys got a view right now? Or maybe you’re outside the tower? ))
> [[ Crispen ]] (( Nope. And not yet, me and Cian were about to hit up a place beyond the spokes though. Towards that city in the distance. ))

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>>5910900

> [[ Cian ]] (( I was up at the pinnacle not long ago. Why, what’s up? ))
> [[ Trish ]] (( Oh, I must’ve just missed you. Sorry. ))
> [[ Trish ]] (( Well you know that big patch of fog with the arches? ))

Catching up to her is relatively easy. She apologizes for walking out suddenly, you both agree to briefly stop by the NPC vendors on the way back from the Seer.

“After I died, there was a certain period of time where I wasn’t allowed to respawn. Probably about an hour in real life, who knows how long for game time.” her face is set hard in concentration while she speaks, not a shred of that initial awkwardness.

“When I spawned back in I was somewhere random in the swamp, and I had nothing. Well, almost nothing. I had a metal seed in my hand that turned into my sword, and a sort of urge to head in a certain direction. That urge cut out after a while, but the last direction it pointed led me to one of the worm spikes. It only came back a bit before you came down the elevator. When you logged in, I’m guessing.”

“Worm spikes?” you ask. She gives you a quizzical look, but the remnants of her concentration scowl make it rather intimidating. You must’ve given a reaction because she gives a grimace of regret and sighs to loosen up before answering your question.

“Yeah, that’s what the satellite towers are being called. The transport network is a bunch of giant worm things that you ride in like subway trams or buses between the central tower and the outer hubs.”

“Oh no…I was hoping it would be teleporters or at least something mechanical, given the robots. Damn, I didn’t sign up for the body horror archetype.” Guess the influence from the flesh silo had to come out at some point. Still, riding inside giant worms…Not even the Fremen did that…

“No, no” she says, “they’re mechanical giant worms. Rather nice inside too. Back to your questions, playing without a UI is exactly what it sounds like. No user interface at all, except to log out. I didn’t even know what my HP was or if my skills were still slotted. You have to physically carry your loot, and the less pleasant sensory experiences seem to be amped up too. I got in with a group and did some grinding to get this gear, and to test and see if my skills were still slotted -they were, by the way, but I don’t know how it’d go if I had been using more than 67CC-. Let me tell you, it’s no fun actually smelling and feeling the guts of the things you’re butchering, or the swamp ambience around here.”

>>5910914

> [[ Trish ]] (( Big flash just went off in it, and now the fog’s…leaking. ))
> [[ Cian ]] (( Anything big or dangerous you can see? ))
> [[ Trish ]] (( Nah. Not from up here anyway. Don’t think it’ll affect you if you’re shootin for the city. ))
> [[ Crispen ]] (( We’d better get a move on anyway, who knows how far it’ll spread. Hey Cian, what sort of gear did you want anyway? ))

Just before reaching the Seer you finally decide to slot your EXP points into Psybertech, and grab [Augmetics] and [Psybercircuit] out of it, opting for the ‘Weaponization’ psybercircuit. You feel your body become slightly but noticeably more sturdy. You mentally brace yourself, waiting for the vast array of knowledge required to design cybernetic augmentations and build computer circuits that grant eldritch powers to flood your mind!

The epiphany fails to come. You check to make sure you confirmed the EXP investment, and happen to brush over the crafting materials in your inventory.


It’s just a faint hum in the back of your mind, but enough to notice.


> [[ Trish ]] (( Just wanted to give you guys a heads up. Loggin now, l8rs ))
> [[ Trish is Offline ]]

“Would you happen to have any of the Organitech crafting skills, Eldriss? Notice anything strange when you picked them up?” You say, pulling out one of the large bones and a sheet of adaptoleather from your inventory.

Holding the materials in your hand and looking at them the hum is much stronger. You’ve heard that expert tradesmen can develop a sort of ‘6th sense’ for their crafts. Electricians, knowing what can shock them based on a thousand different details invisible to the layman. Furniture makers that can see the tiniest imperfections in joinery, stuff like that.

What you’re experiencing is probably something like that. You can envision a hundred ways to carve these materials into the core elements for a synthetic limb. Nothing sufficiently detailed for you to execute on, but the general shape of how you’d do it if you had an Akashic Forge is there. You also know exactly how you’d lever the Akashic Forge to do it. When you stopped by before its interfaces seemed terribly obtuse and mysterious to you.

You then ponder the psybercircuit you got…and the imagined designs twist. No specific weapons come to mind, but the concept of weaponry seems to assert itself into every facet of design. You feel as though if you intended to craft an augmetic with any sort of built in weapon, or with the intent to enhance the use of a specific weapon, you’d be nudged by divine inspiration both in its design and application.

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>>5910920

“Yes. I’m a fleshcrafter. Minion spec. My adorable Woggy has been following us this whole time to make sure you don’t try anything funny.” She says, and points up to a rooftop of one of the nearby stalls.

You see nothing, until some of the planks in the woodwork roof start to move, then gain a greenish gray color, then resolve themselves into a squid head the size of your torso. It stares at you with hourglass shaped pupils, then disappears into the roof pattern again. A faint outline of an apelike creature with a squid head flits between two stall roofs, and you lose track of it again.

“Why? Did you just pick up a crafting skill? I don’t know what it’s like for Technocrats, but let me tell you: looking at a piece of meat and being able to know a thousand different ways it could be made to bloom is weird and cool at once.”

“Glad to have your trust. Speaking of, want to go out into a dark and dangerous swamp with my friend and I?”

“Hah. Well I guess I owe you at least that much, since you haven’t tried any funny business despite my entrancing beauty~.”

You approach the Seer’s domain. A small shop situated in what must be the outer wall of the Observatory, a sign hangs from the wall nearby with a triangular design on it. The corners of the triangle are painted with circles of red, blue, and green. A fresh purple smear on the interior of the triangle, and all of it contained within a twisted sunburst of unadorned wood surrounded by black. The entrance has rich drapes rather than a door. Sound seems to dampen around you, a faint and pleasant smell drifts in the air from the tendrils of smoke emerging under the cloth.

>Choose [1]
>”You’ll probably get a discount if I go in with you.”
>”I’ll wait outside.”

>What equipment do you want Crispen to look for? Roll 3d100, 1 for price, 1 for quality, 1 to determine whose choice of equipment is bought if there’s no consensus

>Armor [Choose 1]
>Light
>Medium
>Heavy
>Other?

>Weapons [Choose 1]
>Ranged
>Melee (Specify)

Rolled 60, 11, 90 = 161 (3d100)

>>5910927
>”You’ll probably get a discount if I go in with you.”
>Heavy
>Melee (Specify)
Greatsword

Rolled 74, 32, 71 = 177 (3d100)

>>5910927
>”You’ll probably get a discount if I go in with you.”
>Light
>Ranged

>>5910951
Can we really play a tank? We've got no real hand to hand combat ability or HP

Rolled 46, 53, 76 = 175 (3d100)

>>5910927
>”You’ll probably get a discount if I go in with you.”
>Light
>Ranged

How would you guys feel about a ranged weapon and a weaponized limb for melee?

>>5911098
Okay, skimmed up to date.

The acid shards seem like a good basis for a close or midrange debuffer. Not quite a good damage type pair with the beam, but encourages enemies to stay back and get beamed.

But the other materials don't seem good for spraying goop. This might be closer to a weapon or grappling arm that has contact acid.

>>5910927
We can also look for a pistol that we combine with the acid crystal instead.

Right now I'm leaning on a grappling arm that can be weaponized with different effects.

>>5910927
>”You’ll probably get a discount if I go in with you.”

>Light Armor
Might be a bit early to look for reflective materials, but we've got plenty of stuff for a simple shield.

>Ranged

Got some stuff I have to attend to today. Next update either late this evening or (more likely) tomorrow.

>>5910927
>”I’ll wait outside.”
>Light
>Melee (Specify)
A long dagger

What if we made a grapple arm that can do contact acid damage or imbue whatever weapon we hold in it with acid damage? Mobility and reliable damage for multiple weapons.

My question is should we use the biological materials we have or get more durable robotic parts? There may be some synergy from using parts from the acid aligned enemy but they may degrade or break more easily

>>5911552
We probably need more adaptive leather and something else for the grapple arm.

After that, it's a question of how many crystals are needed for a ranged weapon vs. melee with large surface area.

Weaponization is either a perfect fit for acid, or better suited for more complex warping midcombat.

I'm picturing a big chunky revolver. And acid is a great status effect for hitting eyes and damaging armor.

Are we updating tonight or can I stop checking?

>>5910927

You and Eldriss look at the fine silk blocking the entrance, then exchange glances.

“I’ll stay outside if that’s what you want. You may get a discount if I go in with you, though.” you say.

“Are you offering to pay for the consultation if you get to listen in on it? Because bribery isn’t going to work on me when it comes to information” Eldriss fixes you with that stare again, hands on hips.

You stare back, somewhat nonplussed.

“My name’s on the altar…? Crispen and I are both from the Observatory’s founding party. Did you not pick up on that when Madame Managerbot interrupted you to give me ‘my share of the revenue’?”

Sometimes with some people you can see their emotional process in real time. Fed a direct feed from their face. Evidently, Eldriss is one of these people and this is one of those times. Over the course of a few seconds of silence, she passes through suspicion, to surprise, realization, before ending with embarrassment.

“O-oh. Guideless can’t interact with the altar, so I never bothered going close enough to see…I thought that was income from the shop or something…”

You’re not sure if she’s easy to throw off, or if you’d react similarly to having an NPC butt into your conversation or discovering some rando you met in a shop was actually the closest thing to an oligarch the game has so far. Either way, you feel an impulse to dampen the awkwardness.

“Aah, understandable of course. In any case, I’m sort of like the NPCs’ landlord. They don’t exactly bend over for us but they are usually more accommodating. So then, shall we?”

The inside of the Seer’s shop is dark, hazy with more of the fragrant smoke, and rendered mildly claustrophobic by inverted arches of sheer fabrics hanging from the ceiling. The Seer themself sits in the center of the room, a single eye glowing under the hood of their variegated robe. Haze and strange shadows prevent a clear view of its features.

The creature nods to you and Eldriss as you take seats on the pillows near it. Its voice has a strange tenor to it, like multiple throats are operating in chorus, but it’s not unpleasant.

“Strange, that you would stir the eddies again so soon. What troubles you Milord?” it turns towards Eldriss, its eye flashing briefly when it falls on her. “Or perhaps you, Misguided?”

A notice appears in the corner of your eye.

> [[ Identify an item or artifact - 5# ]]
> [[ Ask for a consultation - 15# ]]
> [[ Ask for a prophecy - 1500# ]]

> [[ Cont ]]

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>>5913482

Eldriss transfers you the credits, and you select the consultation option. A few default suggestions pop up. You think you’ll only get one answer per consultation, and you’re sure you’ll need to be the one asking since you’re the one that paid.

>Ask about threats in the local area
>Ask about nearby points of interest
>Ask about the Ocean Tower
>Ask about the Shrouded Church
>Ask about a skill, archetype, or item by name
>Ask about something else

“My friend has become Misguided, and she seeks to remedy this condition. Can you provide her guidance?” you question. Eldriss leans forward, unwilling to miss a single word.

The Seer sits still for a few seconds, before spreading its arms before it in an apologetic gesture.


“Guidance is a boon from the divine. This is something that this one can not provide to the likes of you.”

“But the gods are not unwilling to forgive, simply because one of their followers is imperfect.”

A pipe appeared in its hand at some point. One of its fingers glows to light the contents of the pipe, and it puffs some of the fragrant smoke out before it continues.

“A sacrifice must be made as penance, and demonstration of your worthiness. If you wish to continue on the path they laid, that is.”

“The gods will always receive their gifts from your hands.”

“But Gems are not the only sacrifices that show your worthiness, Misguided. One more than the others, but all the gods reward those that overcome opposition. Tokens of triumph may serve as well, if your conscience can bear the price.”

“Grant them access to yourself at their altar, with your offering. You will know if you have brought something adequate.”

> [[ Cont ]]

>>5913484

You walk out of the Seer’s shop with Eldriss, unsure of what to think. Your UI pings.

> [[ Crispen ]] (( Hey, got your gear and some health stims and such. You guys ready to head out yet? It’ll be damn dark if we dally much longer. ))
> [[ Crispen ]] (( Couldn’t get anything spectacular, but managed a steal on some light armor and a long dagger from this trio I got in touch with earlier. ))
> [[ Crispen ]] (( Said it was just test run stuff for what they were really after, but I ran it by the Forgemaster and it’s all good. ))
> [[ Crispen ]] (( Oh, would you rather a handheld shotgun or big fat revolver or a…uhh something that shoots bolos but its kinda slow? .))

“Say, so” Eldriss interrupts your messaging with a tap on the shoulder. Her face has a pensive expression. “My bet’s that ‘access to yourself’ means your UI. You didn’t happen to try that already, did you?”

> [[ Crispen ]] (( Hate to put the crunch on, but I want to hit this place before other people seize the chance first. ))

—--

>Last call in town, Cian. You’ll pick up the vendor lists before heading out no matter what.

>Respond to Eldriss, she’s going to stop by the Materialization Altar before leaving
>Write-In

>Any other last minute business?
>Go craft a psybernetic
>Write-In

Only update tonight, probably. I'll see if I can get another one tomorrow or Sunday, but I'm planning another through the day multi-update run on Monday.

>>5913496
>Respond to Eldriss, she’s going to stop by the Materialization Altar before leaving
Do you have anything to offer them? Sounds like you'll have to make some kind of personal sacrifice if you don't give them something they want.

>Go craft a psybernetic

>>5913484
>Ask if they can identify the symbiotic brood eel pair
>Ask what local materials are compatible with the brood materials we have
>Ask what can be done with broken Identifiers
>Ask about the unknown effect on you
>Ask about where the brood went after you claimed this land
How much CC are we at now?

>Tell Eldriss that the altar is generally where you spend gems and talk to god. Beyond that, it's up to them on how being "Misguided" changes how it works. You gonna argue with them to take the gem that you already had or something?
>Go craft a psybernetic

>>5913496
>>5913518
I'd go for a shotgun or revolver, either encourages the enemy to hunker down long enough to get beamed, and there's an angle for acid on all of them.

>>5913518
Don't forget we're on a time crunch here. Identifying the brood eel pair might be worth doing now but everything else can wait until after the time sensitive mission.

I think we should be at 70/100 CC

>>5913992
That's fair.

.....you gonna vote or what?

>>5914324
I already did but my ID keeps changing. Such is life as a filthy mobile poster

>>5913496
>>5913518
If time is sensitive for this stuff, stick to identifying.

What if we made an augmetic that could "weaponize" our virtual crystal on demand? Like a special weapon to use when we're not using its other functions

Skills I'm looking at:

>[Weapon Proficiency, 10CC, Passive] - Offense and defense with a selected weapon type or while unarmed is greatly improved.

>[Perception, 5CC, Passive] - Become far more attuned to your environment, less likely to fall into ambushes, more likely to notice hidden things.

>[Acrobatics, 5CC, Passive] - Evasiveness and the ability to perform advanced physical feats are greatly improved.

We shouldn't overlook the personal path. Weapon proficiency is a no-brainer once we decide what weapon we want to stick with. As for perception, knowledge is power and it seems every fight has some aspects of the environment to take into account. Perception would be hugely useful. Acrobatics I like for dodging and maneuvering as we can't take a hit at all. We probably ought to level up HP at least once too, depending on how much of a bump we get from an augmetic.

If we don't care about making reasonable level up choices we can go all in on the virtual crystal as weapon build. As I see it we'd need an augmetic designed to weaponize the virtual crystal and these skills

>Wrecking, +10 Charge: Your crystal becomes much more robust, your manipulation of its form much more refined, and its top speed is greatly increased.

>[Matter Dependence, 30CC, Passive] - Your Virtual Crystal becomes able to gain Charge while analyzing the inanimate, and a great amount of charge if you opt to consume rather than analyze. It loses the inherent propensity to passively generate Charge, but all Virtual Crystal abilities are enhanced.

Keep in mind that this build may not even be possible but I love the thought of taking this class in a totally unique direction that bends the intended rules of the game

Okay last unprompted post, sorry I'm really bored on a long drive and this quest needs more discussion. How would you guys feel about starting a small elite Technocrat-only guild that shares their findings to help increase our understanding of our class and works together to gain the technological edge over any other burgeoning communities? We can call it the Braintrust.

it can also serve as a power grab if we're inclined to start leading our little chunk of the game

>>5913518
>>5913509
Alrighty, should be able to get this out tonight at some point.

>>5915699
>>5915601
>>5915593
Luv me some players engaged enough to discuss builds.

>>5915593
My biggest issue with Personal Path is the lack of HP. I think it should at least be paired with

>[Artifical Recovery, 10CC, 25+ Charge]
Since we're going to get more Charge Generation either way we slice it. Overdrive will have to wait until we have enough max hp to take it, Mental Expansion is also a free resistance we're gonna want sooner or later.

>>5915601
If I had to choose, I'd also pick Wrecking for the durability. I'd rather get
>[Virtual Reinforcement, 10CC, 10 Charge]
over Matter Dependence though, since we have little control over the durability of materials we use for gear.

My personal order would be
>Artificial Recovery
>Virtual Reinforcement, Acrobatics, or Weapon Proficiency
>Mental Expansion
Where we would just barely be able to afford CC for an artifact. Turning the crystal into a waifu may also serve as a countermeasure for any gem weirdness.

The lack of CC expansion here makes me think that the idea is to unslot entire skills just to stay under limit. Which means the meta will end up being how much stacking you can get away with.

>>5915699
I don't care too much for it. MC here is not as Jolly Cooperation as BSO MC, and everyone is "sharing information to gain an edge".

Best we can do with our current privilege is to establish an expanding intranet for communication, coordination, wikis, and UI bounties. But that would actively push people to take altars and gems beyond our range to get in on some.

>>5915911
I'm sure there's other CC increasing skills behind the mental expansion one. But yeah there's gonna have to be some kind of strategy for which ones are slotted.

Do we only need to have augmetics and psybercircuits slotted while we're crafting augmetics? Could we remove them from our CC and still use any augmetics we've made?

>>5915919
Crafting skills have the [Permanent] tag to avoid you doing exactly that.

Of course, you guys don't even know how to unslot skills.

It's so hard to restrain myself from dumping PLOT hints while watching you guys talk, I swear.

File: Brood Eel Pair.jpg (285 KB, 755x513)

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>>5913496

“I don’t think any of us tried it. I didn’t, at least. If the others did then they didn’t mention it to me, so it likely didn’t do anything interesting.” you say to Eldriss while telling Crispen you’ll just be making one last stop. “When I first approached the Altar, I had an impulse to pray to the gods for what I wanted. Once we tried a few different things and the gods named their price in gems, we got this.” You gesture at the structure around you.

“Sure, okay…but” your words don’t seem to have dulled the inquisitive glint in her eye. “Let me put it this way: have you tried to change up what skills you have slotted?”

“Aah, well, no. Can’t say I’ve tried that yet.” you shrug. “I haven’t bumped up against the limit yet, though I am getting close.”

“That’s another thing. Doesn’t the amount of CC we’re given seem low for how many skills there are and their CC costs?” The intense look she had earlier comes back as her words speed up. “Sure, there’s a skill or two to up it but still not nearly enough if the level cap isn’t super low. It’s odd, right? There’s got to be a way to up it. If the Altar is where you talk to the gods, and our UIs are clearly given or derived from them if my guesses are right...” She trails off.

“In any case,” she says “I’m going to check it out.”

You part ways with Eldriss after that, as you remember you have boss loot you need identified.

“Aah, yes.” The Seer says, as you pull out the limp but rather disturbing forms of the eels from your inventory. “Augmentoids from a mother-commander of the Seeder Brood. You were lucky the one you found was young, these should possess the ability to restore or enhance your body if given the chance to feed on the minds of live prey. You, unfortunately, will never be able to cultivate them beyond that.”

>[mender mind-eels, augmentoid, 10CC, hips or shoulders] (grants: +mobility, +melee attack, +12HP, minor regeneration and physical fortification if used for killing blow)

>>5915988

As you walk into the Akashic Forge, intent on making use of your newly acquired skills. A message board placed dead center in the short hallway between elevator and the Forge chamber catches your attention.

“Hello there, fellow Technocrats!
I, Volkov, have placed this message board here so that people can share their findings with regards the crafting system.

We’re all in this together, so please share whatever knowledge you’re comfortable with. The Arcadian wilderness is dangerous, and we’ll need every edge we can get to make it ours.”

Below the introductory post are…rather a lot of random scribbles and shitpost graffiti. Aah, you love it when you see a physical manifestation of the internet in all its chaotic glory. There are a few gems tucked in there though. You mentally gather a few that are pertinent to what you’re planning to do:

>Be warned, applying Augmetics and Augmentoids entails a permanent commitment of CC. Generally around 10-15 per aug. Augmentoids are the Organitech equivalent of Augmetics.
>This CC cost will be retained even if the aug is destroyed or changed out. The former is a rare but possible occurrence, the latter might be avoided by upgrading your base model.
>Despite this, they’re powerful enough that many consider them worth it.
>Leg/Hip augs always come in pairs. Arm/Shoulder augs can come singly or in pairs. Paired augs cost the same amount of CC as single augs, but provide twice the benefit in exchange for less versatility.
>If augs replace a limb their effects are dramatically more powerful than when they do not replace a limb, in the arms/shoulders or hips/legs slots. Unless otherwise stated, an aug that replaces a limb will not remove the normal function of that limb in normal use.
>Psybercircuits appear to essentially grant the ability to perform ‘minor miracles’ with regards to their subject matter. This can apply either to the design or the effect, just don’t be excessive or be clever and you can get what you want.
>Anything that’s not passive will cost a class resource to use, and the cost is generally proportional to the power of what you’re doing.
>Blueprints are very broadly accepting of materials, but the materials used will ‘tinge’ the details of the result.
>Non-Permanent Engrams used in developing Blueprints will be consumed to develop the blueprint. Blueprints will NOT be consumed when you craft an item using them.

“What a helpful fellow.” you mutter, and proceed forward.

>>5915992

When you stopped by the Akashic Froge before you didn’t have any crafting skills. Now, it is an entirely different experience. You see a couple of other players scattered over the floor, and a few opaque grey domes or boxes disrupting the three dimensional grid of light blue lines that run through the whole space. Rooms created by technocrats that don’t care to let other people see what they’re making or experimenting on.

You create one of these rooms yourself. An interface appears, and you experimentally make a few selections from the menus.

>Engrams: [Augmetic: Arm/Shoulders] , [Psybercircuit: Weaponization]
(>Intent: When proposing designs you should also include a brief description of your goal or intent here. Keep in mind that you are creating a material-agnostic blueprint in this stage of crafting, though you can certainly attempt to leverage the special properties of materials in your description and I will reward cleverness.

A generic looking cybernetic arm appears in front of you, hovering and rotating to display details. You wonder how to provide the “intent” portion of the crafting that was mentioned when you cruised the forums earlier. You consider some of the ideas you thought of on the way up, and the arm changes in response.

>Intent: “Grapple Arm”
>Intent: “Weaponry, I suppose?”

As it does, you sense a strange interaction with the weave of circuitry interleaved invisibly into the arm before you. The design splits into four separate displays, and you intuitively understand some of their aspects.

>Equip the aug that you create?
>Y/N

>Equip the [mender mind-eels]
>Y/N

>Select [1] of the blueprints below to acquire and create using the materials you have on hand

>[tetherdart aug, arms/shoulders or hips]
>Grants the ability to transform the articulated end into a hardened harpoon head which remains tethered to a fiber spool and winch mechanism. It is not exactly a grappling hook, but you can easily imagine using it as such. Can fire with High/Med/Low power to penetrate targets of varying resiliency.

>[whiplash aug, arms/shoulders or legs]
>A segmented aug with a wickedly hooked tip. The segments are loosely connected together, allowing them to significantly warp and extend. It could easily be used to entangle an enemy, melee attack them from an unexpected distance, or to pull yourself or your targets around.

>[natural wielder aug, arms]
>You can intensely feel the psybercircuit weave in this augmetic arm. You sense that it intuitively understands the true nature of combat, and would be willing to guide your hand no matter the weapon you wield while using it.

>[echo aug, arms]
>The truest strikes etch their mark not just on the target, but on time and space as well. This aug allows the user to freeze echoes of their attacks in place and time, then release them from that stasis at will.

>Decline to make a blueprint and craft an aug for now

>>5915992
>There are a few gems tucked in
o-oh, gems of wisdom, not...

>>5915995
Can augmentoids take psybercircuits? I think I want to wait until we get a level that lets us do that before going through with it.

That +12HP is pretty sweet tho...

>Check what psybercircuits we can make and what it takes to add acid to something
>Can the mind-eels be applied to equipment, rather than augs? Regenerate the gear rather than the self. Or maybe even the virtual crystal.

Right now the tetherdart looks a little fragile. I'd go for whiplash, which we can amp with virtual reinforcement if we need more pull.

>>5915995
>Engrams: [Augmetic: Arm/Shoulders] , [Psybercircuit: Weaponization]
>Intent
To turn my virtual crystal from a tool to an adaptable paragon of weaponry. The purest essence of weaponization.

>>5916001
>Can augmentoids take psybercircuits
Nah, Augmentoids are living creatures that have been custom built by Organitechs or using techniques similar to what they employ. They are the biological analog to cybernetic augmentations, and fulfill the same purposes using a different technological pathway.

As for what psybercircuits you can make, only [Weaponization] for now. You, Cian the players, will have to figure out the extent of what you can craft using it.

The crafting system is meant to be rather freeform, but without most of the mechanical clutter from BVO. If you're trying to incorporate acid into something, think of some way to incorporate acid into something, then format it in terms of the engrams you have available and an intent/description. I'm happy to stat a few of these, but not too many as we should be getting back into the action soon.

>>5916027
>Applying Acid to Whiplash, an optional mode to dissolve whatever we grapple at will.
>Applying Acid to a gun, swapping the payload for an acidic head or straight up liquid spray
>Our weapon is a sword, right? Can we slam to ground to spray acid in an aoe? That, or modify echo aug so that the echo has acid instead of the main hit.

>>5915995
>Engrams: [Augmetic: Arm/Shoulders] , [Psybercircuit: Weaponization]
To house the virtual crystal and channel its deconstruction beam for use in any weapon wielded in that hand

>Tail
>Weaponization
Natural wielder aug but for a tail. Mostly autonomous extra weapon equipped at all times.

Just throwing out ideas to see what's feasible

To me weaponization isn't a great fit for a grapple arm. Grappling isn't directly suited to weaponry as making an actual weapon strictly for combat.

>>5916050
Weaponization to me sounds like the best way to RESTRAIN the grapple so you can swap between lethal and nonlethal easily.

For example, targeting joints and pressure points with needles hidden in the segments to cripple. Completely lethal, and a better fit for Weapon than the other tags

>>5915995
Also definitely down to equip the eels. We need

>[Universal Principles, 10CC, Passive, Permanent] - You may acquire engrams from biological sources in addition to synthetic ones.

To make a better version of these

>>5916071
Getting engrams will not let you modify existing ones

That just lets you get more crafting variants.

>>5916024

>[formless aug, any slot except head, special material requirements]
>The arm that is displayed before you has a half-real quality to it, and is constantly shifting in appearance. At a thought, a spear extrudes from the palm. At another, it's a pistol. You feel as though you'll need something akin to the nature of your crystal as a core to realize this design.

>>5916034
>>5916043
You make several attempts to incorporate acid into the blueprints you've already developed, to no avail. Perhaps you don't meet the requirements to integrate elemental affinity directly into the blueprint? Or maybe you're missing something else. After several attempts you think of producing an acid spray, or simply a weaponized tail, and this bears fruit.

>[weaponized aug, any slot, can accept elemental foci]
>A riotous series of augs parades before you, all different in shape and function. From sprayers and pistols that consume crystals to lob their essence out, to bladed tails that weep acid or freeze the things they slice into. You know they are all possible, but would have to narrow down what you're after specifically. You can make any weapon you can think of, but applying effects to wielded weapons is distinct in its absence.

>>5916043
You try to come up with some design that allows you to channel your virtual crystal's deconstruction beam, but run into a block. As soon as the thought of the beam comes into play, any nascent design returns to the default state.

>>5916058

>[flechette whip aug, arms/shoulders or tail]
>This series of augs resembles long, flexible whips made of flexibly attached sections. These sections hide a multitude of barbed spikes, ready to be driven into the least protected points of unsuspecting targets.

Alright, that's it for tonight. Please restrain the urge to call up tremendously more designs for now, this isn't the only crafting section we'll ever engage in.

Keep in mind that any design will be able to be modified or upgraded rather extensively. Augs require a permanent commitment of an intentionally scarce mechanical resource, and I'll never screw you guys over ex post facto on something like that.

>>5916071
>>5916073
Although I suppose if the idea is to harvest the engrams off the eels in order to make an augmetic version of the same thing, it works.

>>5916086
>Reserve the eels for trade on the market
I'm not yet sold on our melee combat

My vote will go to
>Whiplash Aug
Adding in fletchette or elements at a later date. The immediate durability and pulling force are more important.

>>5916086
I assume that Nerve Dive would refund the CC invested into an existing aug slot

>>5915995
>Equip the aug that you create?
>Y
>[natural wielder aug, arms]

This value of this one is insane. It's weapon proficiency for any weapon, which would cost countless EXP otherwise. It's a great one to build off of as well. We need to defeat an enemy technocrat and loot the crystal for

>[formless aug, any slot except head, special material requirements]
>The arm that is displayed before you has a half-real quality to it, and is constantly shifting in appearance. At a thought, a spear extrudes from the palm. At another, it's a pistol. You feel as though you'll need something akin to the nature of your crystal as a core to realize this design.

The synergy is insane. As we get other psybercircuits the formless aug could be a Swiss army knife.

>Equip the [mender mind-eels]
>Y
These do pretty much exactly what a grapple arm does without taking our CC.

The vote might be cleaner next time if you have a brainstorm period followed by a vote on ideas that we've come up with

>>5916136
>These do pretty much exactly what a grapple arm does without taking our CC.
It takes 10CC

>>5916162
Damn. Yeah you're right. For me they still occupy essentially the same role as any of the grapple aug options. So I'm still liking the natural wielder aug better as a solid base to build off of. I admit it is a bit of a boring option for now though.

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If you want to see how awesome shoulder mounted brooder eels would be play The Darkness video game. Absolute classic.

>>5916168
I don't uh, think they can actually grapple and support our weight. We can't upgrade them.

>>5916231
They grant added mobility and a melee attack.

>>5916161
Yeahhhhhh.

I'm all about continual improvement, I'll try to streamline things in the future.

>>5916071
>>5916099
>>5916136
This looks like
>Equip the [mender mind-eels] - 2Y, 1N
>Equip the aug you create - 2Y, 1 Unstated

>Which aug do you create?
>[natural wielder] - 1
>[whiplash] - 1

>>5916180
Hey, someone picked up on that.

>>5916234
>>5916231
They'll generally be able to bite into surfaces and help stabilize you or tug you along. They don't have nearly the reach of the whiplash though.

Anyway, I'll give it an hour or two and if we've still got a tie I'll roll 1d100 for each option and take the higher.

>>5916541
If we can't do the formless aug yet I'll vote for natural wielder. We need to start researching virtual crystals more. Maybe we can start a topic on the message board. Worst case scenario we would have to sacrifice our own crystal which might not even be worth it.

>>5916564
You can make the blueprint any time, but you won't be able to craft it with what you've got on you and what you can afford to synthesize from the Forge.

We'll conclude this with the Natural Wielder aug then.

>>5916573
Natural Wielder then, hmm. I hope we can pull off some things with the greatsword/ranged weapon. It's a good base for whatever we pick up as an artifact, anyway.

If we're not getting grappling, what do you all think of turning the virtual crystal into a talking hoverboard?

>>5916580
That's a sick idea actually, I'd love a hoverboard

Sheesh, I failed to account for exactly how much I need to cover in this update. It'll likely take til evening to get this to a point I'm satisfied with, and it'll likely be a long one as well.

Things should get back to adventure after this, and I've got tomorrow off to hammer out more bite sized updates throughout the day.

By the way, did you guys tell Crispen to get you (none of these take ammo, btw)
>The handheld shotgun
>The big fat revolver
>The rifle-thing that shoots bolos that also deal damage, but its kinda slow

>>5916902
>The big fat revolver

>>5916902
>The rifle-thing that shoots bolos that also deal damage, but its kinda slow
Sounds neat

Gonna break down some less than obvious info from this thread to pass the time.

>>5908912
>The players are indeed loaded down with materials of all descriptions. The surrounding area must be lush enough that even their UIs are getting filled. Or maybe they just enjoy the full dive feel of being strong enough to carry ridiculously oversized sacks of stuff?
It's possible a large portion of our new players have lost their UIs. Maybe everyone got ambushed upon spawning like us. I wonder if that's the case for every player or just this area.

>>5908914
>As you walk in he’s talking to the management NPC of the Observatory. A tall and lithe humanoid robot, body composed of exquisitely shaped porcelain plates and modesty preserved by strategically draped sashes of indigo cloth.
Someone we should interact with in the future. May have some valuable info for the area or for the game in general.


>>5910914
>“When I spawned back in I was somewhere random in the swamp, and I had nothing. Well, almost nothing. I had a metal seed in my hand that turned into my sword, and a sort of urge to head in a certain direction. That urge cut out after a while, but the last direction it pointed led me to one of the worm spikes. It only came back a bit before you came down the elevator. When you logged in, I’m guessing.”
Sounds like when you die you're separated from your UI but you get a metal seed. Indicates there may be another path/deity to follow that stands in opposition to the celestials. I expect to see enemy players from this faction soon.

>>5907843
>Look East and South. Towards the depression filled with fog, from which several ornate arches emerge to frame the turrets of a…church?
>>5910914
>> [[ Trish ]] (( Well you know that big patch of fog with the arches? ))
>>5910920
>> [[ Trish ]] (( Big flash just went off in it, and now the fog’s…leaking. ))
Someone likely used the altar for something big at the church.

>>5915988
>“That’s another thing. Doesn’t the amount of CC we’re given seem low for how many skills there are and their CC costs?” The intense look she had earlier comes back as her words speed up. “Sure, there’s a skill or two to up it but still not nearly enough if the level cap isn’t super low. It’s odd, right? There’s got to be a way to up it. If the Altar is where you talk to the gods, and our UIs are clearly given or derived from them if my guesses are right...” She trails off.
To me this seems like a pretty big hint that our UIs can be upgraded at altars to increase our CC.

>>5916902
Changing
>>5916986
To
>The big fat revolver
To keep things moving

>>5916902
>The big fat revolver
Natural Wielder makes this a more tempting option

>>5917103
>Someone likely used the altar for something big at the church.
We'll have to get info on the brood first. If the brood similarly started leaving, then making these homebases drives out monster populations to migrate elsewhere, possibly triggering sieges on nearby bases.

>>5917393
I don't think we should assume someone made it into a home base. It could have been anything. I'm only assuming it was altar related because of the flash of light

>>5917399
The other possibility is that the altar was looted, allowing the fog to spread without being held back, yes.

The confirmation with the seer is more about verifying if a monster stampede is possible in both cases of something happening at the altar.

>>5915995

While all of the designs appeal to you, the benefits of natural wielder are simply too lucrative to give up. Weapon Proficiency has caught your eye every time you spend EXP, but you’ve barely played the game and are loathe to dedicate yourself to a particular weapon before trying out more options.

That aside, you’re curious of what this might branch into if these more…conceptual effects can be upgraded.

>Blueprint Acquired: [natural wielder aug, arms]
>[natural wielder arm(s), augmetic, 15CC, arms] (Crafting Reqs, Pair: 6x Hardened Material, 8x Flexible Material, 4x Motile Source, 0-4 Armoring Material)


The next step is to craft the aug. A circular table appears before you with several half-rings floating every half meter or so above its perimeter. Each ring is adorned with an assortment of articulating robotic arms, each arm possessing a variety of advanced looking tools at its connection point. You scroll through your UI, and lay materials down on the table to satisfy the blueprint’s requirements.

The small bones from the Seeder Brood alongside chitin shards handle the hardened material requirement. Your ample supply of leather makes for the flexible ones. You worry, momentarily, for the motile source material. You’re confident that the sinew sheets would do, but you lack a sufficient quantity of them. It turns out to be a non-issue, as the living adaptoleather you have gets highlighted as an acceptable material after you lay down the sheets in a pile. You opt to use the larger bones harvested from Seeder Huntresses to provide armor for the augs.

With all the materials assembled you see a ghostly hologram, a mirage really, of a pair of bone-white and nearly skeletal arms. After you place down the two large bones, the exposed forearm bones and phalanges of the arms become covered by gauntlets, and then segmented sleeves that run to just past the elbow. Along with the mirage comes a tugging sensation in your hands, in your thoughts.

With a burst of excited and nervous laughter, you discover that you know how to achieve this goal using what you have before you.

Dozens upon dozens of robotic arms, and two human ones, begin their work.

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>>5917534

You’re the last one to arrive at the Observatory’s transport hub, a large dome-shaped room of white marble that either composes or is just underneath the base of the tower. Possibly both. Elegantly soaring walkways crisscross the space in patterns so complex they seem random at first glance, connecting a variety of wide platforms that serve the gated tunnel entrances where the transport worms enter and exit. You spot Crispen and Eldriss before they see you, mainly because Woggy is uncloaked and it’s difficult to be more obvious than a horse sized semi-quadrupedal squid.

“Apologies for being late!” you yell, waving. A flash or irritation passes through Crispen’s body language as he stops idly chatting with Eldriss.

Before he gets any words out though, he sees you running forward. Your stride is fluid and graceful, buoyed by the efforts of two eels every bit as thick as your legs. Their teeth make audible clacking sounds as they strike and push against the stone tiles. The hand you wave at him is covered in a gauntlet of white bone, inlaid with a complex fractal pattern of dark grey. You had created that using filaments spun from the chitin shards and some of the leather, and it was actually a vital structural component to grant flexibility to the brittle bone, not just an aesthetic embellishment.

>Lost: lesser seeder brood leather x8, lesser seeder brood bone (large) x 2, lesser seeder brood bone x4, broodmother sinew sheet x2, living adaptoleather x2, seeder brood chitin shard x2
>Gained: [natural wielder aug-arms, augmetic 15CC, arms] (tinted: bio-compatible +3HP/ea, reinforced ++dmg resist) (grants: ++melee attack, ++dmg resist, +10HP, grants one point of proficiency with wielded weapon)

It takes your companions a few seconds to recover their tongues in the face of your literal transformation.

“Well, I guess I don’t need to ask what took you so long.” Crispen recovers first. “Damn, though. Going full on transhumanist on us, are you?”

“‘If the flesh is found wanting’ and all. It was in the Technocrat description, didn’t you read?” you say, chuckling and making an exaggerated apologetic bow. “Although I never expected I’d be replacing my flesh with processed monster flesh. The devs must be big fans of Monster Hunter Uniglobeverse IV or whatever it’s on.” As you rise from your bow, you’re confronted with a frantic and irritated Eldriss.

“W-where’d you get those augmentoids? Oh my god, I would’ve paid so much for those. You can’t even use them to their potential! Do you know how valuable those would’ve been to an Organi-”

>>5917537

“Transport is arriving.” A rumbling synthetic basso spreads across the platform and interrupts her tirade. You cast a grateful glance at the looming black ceramic guard robot that made the announcement. Using the brief moment of distraction, you slip away from Eldriss, using the offending augmentoids to anchor yourself to a column and above her reach. It’s amazing how natural these things felt as soon as you had the Biomechaneer install them, you’d been using them like you’d always had four legs by the time you walked out of the six-armed robot’s shop.

Your ploy did not last for long, as you had a worm to board. It was your first time seeing one, and the behemoth of white and gold metal reminded you in scale of the ancient sequoia logs you’d seen in a museum once. Looks more like a centipede than a worm though, in your opinion. The cabins you ride in are sunk into its carapace. Easily large enough to accommodate dozens of players at once, although it appears your group is the only one brave enough to take this particular ride out into the wilds of the swamp at night.

During transit you cool Eldriss’ off with an explanation of how you got the Mender Eels. When you explain why you equipped them (they’re super cool), something in her snaps and she sulks for the rest of the ride.

You also receive the kit that Crispen bought on your behalf. A duster made from metallic leaves that’ve been sewn into sheets that stiffens when struck to distribute the force of any impacts. The pair of pants had hands you are made of beast hide, they’re unremarkable aside from their sturdiness and the absurd number of pockets. The boots serve to lighten your step even more, seeming to alternatively grip or slide exactly as you want them to during your brief tests in the aisles between seats. You also receive a long dagger carved from wood similar to the leaves of the duster, and holding a wickedly sharp edge.

“This is the crown jewel. I asked the guy to put my own crystal shards from the broodmother into it. Just for you, buddy.” He hands you a revolver of considerable size but less weight than you were expecting. Where the chambers should be, there are plugs of greyish green crystal instead, contrasting against the red embellishments.

You admire it for a moment, until you feel an increasingly predatory gaze start to burrow into you from Crispen’s direction.

“Now, after factoring in your partner discount the price of all this gear comes out to…well, how much you got? I’d feel bad making you carry such a heavy gun, so I’ll lighten your wallet in exchange.”

>Acquired: Rubi (fine revolving handcaster), ironbark baselard, ironleaf duster, conthawn leather pants, slickskin boots, lesser health stimjector x3, bag of lightdrones, bag of marker beacons
>Current Credits Total: 57#

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>>5917547

“Alright, we’re here.” Eldriss says, stepping out of one of the portals near the worm’s head and onto the top of the spoke transit tower. The worm itself coils around the tall building (though not nearly as tall as the Observatory proper), like a constricting snake. “If we come up with a plan, I can send Woggy to scout ahead.”

“Our targets are reported to be somewhere in…that direction.” Crispen says, pointing off in one direction. The night is not absolute, true darkness kept at bay by innumerable luminescent insects and mosses, but you still can’t see anything other than patches of glowing moss where he’s pointing.

Just as you make your way down to the base of the tower, Eldriss speaks up again.

“I’m seeing lights off and hearing noises off in the direction you were pointing. Seem to be moving perpendicular to us and making a huge ruckus as they go.” She pauses a moment, then continues. “Lights as in something like flashlight beams, to be clear. Not like all the glowing critters that are around.”

“Wonderful, we’ve already got our quarry.” you say, flexing one of your new arms and enjoying the feeling of solidity and strength it feeds back to you.

“Slight complication. Seems to be a small group of tallbirds hunting between us and the commotion.” Eldriss eyes are still unfocused, evidently sharing senses with her minion. “Maybe five? Those things are big but they’re not usually too tough…when there’s enough light to see. Shouldn’t be a problem for Woggy to pick the trail up again after those things pass by.”

“Hmm, seems like now I get to reveal another part of why I wanted to rope you into this.” Crispen says and turns to you. “I can do the team command thing, but I’d prefer not to. So…what’s the call, fearless leader?”

>What’s the call, Cian?
>Confront the tallbirds, you need to test out your new gear and the team’s chemistry before anything serious.
>Circle around the tallbirds and study whatever’s making the commotion. If it’s really the bots you’re after then look for a good spot to ambush along their path. You can always tail a survivor back to their source.
>Circle around the tallbirds and study whatever’s making the commotion. If it’s really the bots you’re after then tail them and see where they go and what they’re doing exactly
>Other?

>>5917551

That's it for tonight. We'll resume tomorrow morning! Thanks for sticking around, I appreciate all of you readers! And it brings me warm and fuzzy feelings to know that some of you find this compelling enough to generate discussion between posts.

>>5917551
Dagger and Revolver, hmm. With the beam for anything that thinks they can tank it.

>Confront the tallbirds, you need to test out your new gear and the team’s chemistry before anything serious.
We can potentially lure the bots to hitch a ride, or any players escorting them to separate from the bots for negotiations.

>>5917551
Send out the informatic construct. Use it to lure the tall birds over to the flashlights to get them to fight. Watch them fight with our construct to learn their abilities while they're weakened before we enter combat.

>>5917800
I was angling more about having drops for the bots to harvest, but this can work too.

It'll be hard to explain if other players are around tho, are we all-in on pvp?

>>5917893
If they're friendly players we can swoop in and "rescue" them from the birds as long as we're sneaky with our informatic construct. From far away it'll look like any other luminescent bug floating around. We can have it phase through the ground back to us after leading the birds in range. If they're hostile players or robots or whatever then we just proceed with the kill them all plan.

>>5917551
>Circle around the tallbirds and study whatever’s making the commotion. If it’s really the bots you’re after then look for a good spot to ambush along their path. You can always tail a survivor back to their source.

>>5918019
>>5917893
>>5917800
>>5917568
Hmm, I'm not really seeing consensus here.

Link your vote to this post and roll 1d100 with it so I can reference the numbers if nothing gets a plurality.

>Try to lure the tallbirds into conflict with the unknown forces, or lure them into an ambush if you can't do that
>Circle around the tallbirds and study/prepare to ambush the unknown forces
>Just crush the tallbirds with a full frontal assault to test your new gear and work out the party's tactics.

Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>5918255
>Try to lure the tallbirds into conflict with the unknown forces, or lure them into an ambush if you can't do that

>>5918255
I'll just change my vote >>5918019
to
>Try to lure the tallbirds into conflict with the unknown forces, or lure them into an ambush if you can't do that

Another reason why I like this plan is that if the animal attack goes well enough the robots may just end up retreating to their base. Where their gathered materials will be ripe for the taking without anyone being on to us as a threat until it's too late.

>>5918255
>Try to lure the tallbirds into conflict with the unknown forces, or lure them into an ambush if you can't do that
Let's see what happens I guess

>>5918566
>>5918276
>>5918262
Ran into some stuff to handle but I'll get this out in a few hours.

>>5917551

“Can we lure them to get into a fight with whatever’s making the ruckus? If that’s the group of bots we’re looking for all we need is one survivor to tail. If it’s a group of players then we can come to the rescue and look good.” you offer.

Crispen and Eldriss look at you, taken aback. Then at each other.

“Hah! No harm no foul, as long as we make sure to save them before anything major happens I guess. That’s devious though, Cian. I chose the right man as a business partner.” Crispen turns back to you, grin evident despite his mask.

“I don’t know, neither of you have ever been without your UIs. It really sucks…” Eldriss says. “But I don’t think you’d be able to lure them into the group anyway, it’s traveling away from us and tallbirds don’t usually mess with things that are making that much noise.”

“Aah, well.” you say. “In any case, I can use my crystal to pester them into somewhere suitable for an ambush.”

Soon after, your group is nestled up in the branches surrounding a small copse of dead trees infested by vines. Several waist-deep puddles occupy the spaces between long dead roots at ground level, making the footing treacherous. You’ve been trying to several minutes to get the damned group of tallbirds to come over to the ambush spot. Your darker-than-black crystal is not very eyecatching in the late evening gloom and even when you get it up in the birds’ bony faces they just snap at it for a bit and go back to fishing.

> [[ Party Chat: Cian, Crispen, Eldriss ]]
> [[ Eldriss ]] (( You good over there? Need help? ))
> [[ Cian ]] (( These damn things just aren’t taking the bait. ))
> [[ Cian ]] (( I’m getting my crystal right up in their faces but they just go back to fishing afterwards. ))

The thought makes an idea occur to you, and you navigate your crystal over to the largest tallbird. A male, you guess. Its plumage is far more colorful than the others, and a pair of long feathers trail from the tips of its fairly developed but still not flight capable wings.

> [[ Cian ]] (( Oh, wait, I have an idea. Get ready ))

Moments later your crystal flies into the clearing, shaped into a long and sharp spike and with a black and neon pink fish impaled on it. Close behind it are the squawks of five angry tallbirds. You brace your revolver with one hand and take aim just as the big one comes into the clearing.

>Gimme 3d10 at least 5 times

Rolled 3, 8, 3 = 14 (3d10)

>>5919180

Rolled 10, 7, 10 = 27 (3d10)

>>5919180

Rolled 5, 7, 4 = 16 (3d10)

>>5919180
>>5919234
>Cian proceeds to headshot every bird without missing

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Rolled 5, 6, 8 = 19 (3d10)

>>5919180
rolling again if that's cool

>>5919241
Sure, why don't'cha do it again

Rolled 1, 3, 2 = 6 (3d10)

>>5919180

>>5919260
Yikes.

>>5919180

You can feel your augmetic arms steadying your aim as you bring your revolver to bear on the male tallbird. The moment the sights line up with its center of mass you fire.

A crackling bolt of green-tinged energy streaks across the distance, striking the bird hard in its side. Its squawk of pain turns to alarm as the force from the casterbolt makes it nearly lose its footing and topple into one of the puddles littering the ground. It barely stops itself and recovers in time. Eyes nestled in bony sockets focus on you.

In the meantime the rest of the pack never stopped charging after their leader and the fish. Even when the leader stopped to regain its footing.

They slam into the now stationary alpha tallbird, toppling it over into the standing water it had just avoided and ending up in a pile of screeching, squawking legs and feathers. A grin spreads over your face. You propel yourself down using your aug-eels, loosing several more shots into the pileup. Where the bolts land, acidic green sparks flash in small sprays and start to eat away at the birds’ feathers and flesh.


Crispen, Eldriss, and her minion Woggy take the opportunity as well, leaping down to slash and pierce the birds before they have the chance to recover. You continue firing while walking closer, noting as you do so that where water touches or blood flows into the feathers they turn into hard interlinked mats that are much more resistant to damage.

Not resistant enough to endure the combined assault though.

>[[ Cian has slain female tallbird ]]
>[[ Cian has slain female tallbird ]]
>[[ Eldriss has slain female tallbird ]]
>[[ Crispen has slain female tallbird ]]

>>5919314

The last kill notification has barely flashed by when the pile of corpses erupts from underneath in a spray of fetid water and clotting blood. The male bird screaming angrily as it does a pirouette up and through the bodies of its pack. Something whistles through the dark and a gouge opens up on your chest and coat as you’re flung back several meters. Several of the corpses are dismembered by the unseen assault as well, though your teammates manage to dodge or block whatever it is.

>HP 40/42

The sole remaining bird stands in the center of the clearing, heaving breaths between screeches of rage towards you and your comrades. There’s a hole in its side where your first shot landed on it, no longer bleeding as the acid seems to have cauterized it. All its feathers have congealed into heavy metallic mats, but it seems injured from the fall and being rammed by the rest of its pack. The two long trailing feathers have wound themselves into tight spirals at the tips of its wings.

One of the wings twitches and a line of tree bark shatters as a deep gash is carved across several roots. Eldriss is pulled back by her pet monster while blocking the unseen whip with the haft of a spear, a shower of sparks springing from the impact site.

“Hey Cian, you think that beam of yours destroys loot? I’d rather not find out!” Crispen yells while holding up a sword and buckler.

You bring up your UI quickly to check your Charge.
>Charge 130/150

>Your enemy is on its last leg, but is all the more dangerous for it. What's your plan of attack?
>Write-In

>>5919316
Have the others hold its attention as we line up a headshot with our revolver

>>5919389
Scratch that, let's all take cover behind the trees and start unloading on him. If he tries to get into melee finish him with the eels.

>>5919316
>>5919410
This but tell everyone to target his wound where his feathers aren't hardened

>>5919410
So that's
>Retreat behind nearby cover
>So then I started blastin' (allies don't actually have ranged weapons)
>Engage in melee if necessary
>Generally target its existing wound

Gimme 3d10 4 times

Rolled 4, 9, 5 = 18 (3d10)

>>5919459

Rolled 4, 2, 4 = 10 (3d10)

>>5919459
check out these 3 10s

Rolled 6, 5, 2 = 13 (3d10)

>>5919459
Come on lurkers. I know you're there. Just put dice+3d10 in the options field.

Rolled 6, 2, 9 = 17 (3d10)

>>5919459
let's keep things moving

>>5919464
>>5919481
>>5919486
>>5919509
18, 10, 13, 17
Writan'

>>5919316

“Get out of its range and blast it!” you yell to the others.

You put your own words into practice at once, leaping above another slash as the tallbird responds to the noise you made. You hit the ground running, devouring distance across the dead glen despite the treacherous footing. Just as you’re catching a low hanging branch to swing yourself up onto and around the trunk of the closest dead tree, you hear a wet thud and angry hiss from behind you.

“Cian, watch out!” Crispen yells back.

The eels at your hips worm their way into the rotten wood and you lean against the anchor point to line up on the bird, but it’s far closer than you were expecting. There’s several hundred pounds of pissed off bird rapidly heading towards your face and you start pulling the trigger of your revolver on instinct. Despite moderate panic, your arms are steady.

The first bolt hits its bony skull, lowered to the ground in a furious charge, but all it does is dig a smoking divot. The next higher, from harsh recoil, hitting the beast near one of its shoulders causing it to stagger to the side but only burning through some of its feathery armor. The stagger reveals its wounded side though, and you realize Eldriss’ spear is embedded into it. You take the opportunity and hammer another bolt into its weakness, then withdraw behind the tree and brace for impact.

A hissing explosion sounds from the other side of the tree, immediately followed by a heavy THUMP and the sound of breaking bones. You hold desperately to the tree, hoping the force of the charge won’t cause it to topple.

After a few seconds the tree has failed to topple.

In fact, it failed to shake at all. You begin to ease around the trunk to see if you can find an explanation for this unexpected turn of events, but all you can see is hazy air and inky black fog. A pale, bone-covered hand reaches out from the darkness and haze and grabs you by the shoulder.

Every muscle in your body clenches and you reach for your dagger on instinct.

“Phew, close one. Barely got the wall up in time.” Before you can get to your weapon, Crispen’s mask and voice emerge from the black fog. Only now do you notice the death notification, and relax.

> male prime tallbird was defeated. [[ Party: Cian, Crispen, Eldriss ]]

“You scared the shit out of me just now,” you say. “I’ll have you know.” you add, realizing you dropped your posh affectation.

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>>5919581

“Hah, really? I’m not even using the creepy Psywarden skills, man!” Crispen chuckles while doing something to dismiss the hazy wall of air and the cloud of inky black.

You walk back to the pile of tallbird corpses, Woggy making faint crunching sounds while dragging the Prime’s corpse back to the pile alongside you.

“Let’s see what we’ve got!” Crispen says while rubbing his hands gleefully.

> [[ Inventory - prime male tallbird ]]
150#
Celestial Gem
prime tallbird whip feathers x2
tallbird metafeathers x5

> [[ Inventory - pile of female tallbirds ]]
130#
tallbird metafeather x8
beakbone skull fragments x9

You need more Celestial Gems. Even the entry in the list draws you in, you’d feel beloved and comforted if only it were yours. You contributed the most, you deserve it.

“Obviously we’re going to split gems evenly” Eldriss interrupts your thoughts. “But if you guys let me take this one first then I’ll tell you what you can do with your UI at the altar.”

Instinctive rejection, this should be yours.

“We can even start back up from the bottom and I won’t complain,” she continues, face not nearly so flushed as it should be for someone seeking a Gem, “so you two would be getting the next four.”

“Well…I suppose I can get behind that.” Crispen says, somehow. You don’t understand, he’s held one before as well.

“Hmm…” you consider the proposal, when you think you hear a faint mechanical whirring sound. Distracted, you look around. Off in the distance, is that glow unlike the usual bioluminescence?

“Some of this info is something you’d have to be Misguided to find out, so I’m not just telling you things you could find out back at the Observatory.”

>Let Eldriss have the first gem in exchange for information?
>Y/N

>What’s that noise? 135/150 Charge
>Activate your crystal again to look around [25 Charge] 4 rolls of 3d10
>Keep trying to find what’s up 2 rolls of 3d10

>What do you do after splitting up the loot?
>Pursue the source of the ruckus you were aiming for before, study it and tail it without being discovered (or reassess your plan of action after you know more)
>Pursue the source of the ruckus you were aiming for before, get ahead of whatever it is and find a good place to hide or perform an ambush
>Try to follow whatever you’ve just faintly noticed, if you can find and track it
>Try to eliminate whatever you’ve just faintly noticed, if you can find it
>I’ve suddenly got a bad feeling. Hole up here and prepare for something to arrive.
>I’ve suddenly got a bad feeling. Let’s head back to the spoke-tower.
>Write in?

>>5919585
>Let Eldriss have the first gem in exchange for information?
>Y

>Try to follow whatever you’ve just faintly noticed, if you can find and track it

It sounded mechanical, could be the robots?

>>5919585
>Y
>Activate your crystal again to look around [25 Charge] 4 rolls of 3d10

>I’ve suddenly got a bad feeling. Hole up here and prepare for something to arrive.
We've made a lot of noise, so get up somewhere for whatever investigates.

>>5919626
If it's the robots, we need to be concerned if they're going to loot the tallbirds, the trees, or what from the surroundings.

>>5919585
Shit I forgot
>Activate your crystal again to look around [25 Charge] 4 rolls of 3d10

Shouldn't we quickly relocate and then hole up so we can make some distance from the loud noise we just made? Hiding right where we just drew attention seems like a bad plan

>>5919585
Give Eldriss the gem
Activate the informatic construct
Hide but prepare to attack until we've identified the threat

Prolly won't get another update til tomorrow.

In the meantime, I'm polling for feedback. Anything I'm doing that you wish I wouldn't? Or am not doing that you wish I would?

>>5919626
>>5919638
>>5919653
And that's consensus for trying to sniff out whatever you picked up on. Give me 4 rolls of 3d10

Rolled 10, 6, 1 = 17 (3d10)

>>5919655
Loving the quest, thanks for running it! More complex quests like these tend to get lower player counts but as a player I honestly don't see that as a bad thing. You've got some dedicated and invested players with more discussion than the typical quest. My only critique would be to have less multivotes and to really boil down the number of options to the fundamental choices instead of splitting them between minute differences.

Rolled 7, 1, 3 = 11 (3d10)

>>5919655
My favorite quest right now. The action is fun. We need some more tools in our arsenal to get more creative but we just started. Interested to see how the characters are developed. There's already a lot going on but more character interactions and interpersonal conflict would show Cian's personality more. To me he's a mix between idealistic and pragmatic with mildly questionable ethics. Posh jerks can be fun characters.

Rolled 8, 5, 8 = 21 (3d10)

>>5919655
With this kind of flexibility, I'm really leaning for Acrobatics->Mental Expansion now

It'll also help out if we need to parkour on and off the hoverboard

>>5919665
Yeah, interpersonal conflict and character work generally is something I've not got a whole lot of practice with. To the point that in my last attempt I...literally just made it where I only had to worry about the main character.

There are interpersonal conflicts that will occur, but the game is only a number of hours old at this point. No one has a firm enough grasp on how things work yet to be confident in their own survival against the environment, let alone drawing the ire of other players...yet.

>>5919657
I see, I see. I hadn't considered the issue of multivotes. I'm somewhat a purist for players driving the MC's actions (which partially dovetails into my issues characterizing the MC). In order to preserve this degree of player control while still driving the story forward a satisfying amount in every post, I've been doing the options the way I have been. I can see where multiple minor differences and having to decide on multiple things every round can feel excessive now that you mention it.

Another part of giving granular choices was to prepare the ground for later in the quest. When you have a better understanding of the world and I've had more time to drop hints. Where a small difference in how you act might make all the difference in how things turn out.

I'll consider whether the things I'm going for are sufficient ground to keep doing things this way or if I'll make choices have more broad effects. I may test doing things that way, and see which I like better. I can always just demand a Write-In on any choices where nuance will make all the difference.

>>5919677
I'm continually delighted that you guys find the Virtual Crystal tree so compelling. I worried its merits wouldn't be sufficiently obvious when I was developing the classes and their skill trees. I do wonder if it's so like just because it's listed first. Like Technocrat was with the class options. I doubt it though, since you've also gone for psybertech as well and it's last. That being said, easy access to personal flight is something you should consider asking the gods for. Though you maybe could also make an augmetic for it, if you invested in the right things and got the right materials. It'd be spensive though.

>>5919729
2 of the skilltrees involve permanent CC investment for crafting hell. That rather encourages exploring at least 1 of the other trees.

I wasn't here for the virtual crystal vote, but I really do appreciate an active summon that can't die, does not take up a hand, and can fire from obscure angles. I vastly prefer making flight through virtual crystal because of the ride chaser problem. Fast? Flexible? Forget enemies destroying it, 9 times out of 10 we'll be the ones crashing it.

It helps that the power level for class abilities seems to be higher than BSO.

Rolled 6, 7, 6 = 19 (3d10)

>>5919655
Almost forgot the last roll

>>5919737
Yeah, I really didn't expect you guys to go for Technocrat. I was hoping for Cyberator or Psywarden, so I could handwave crafting to NPCs.

>>5919655
Wasn't able to get around to writing today. Should get it tomorrow.

>>5920944
I like the crafting part personally but I can see how it would be a burden to write. Just asspull some drastic event that changes how our class works if you need to.

What exactly are you guys wanting for a celestial artifact? So far we've had suggestions for

>sentient virtual crystal
>hoverboard virtual crystal
>compass that points to civilization
>weapon made to destroy the tentacle monsters in our area

To save us from crafting hell maybe we could spend gems to modify our class. We could sacrifice our crafting skills to allow our current augmetics to evolve naturally instead. Our maybe our sentient AI can take our crafting skills into itself and free up our CC. Something like that.

>>5921482
The first thing we need to verify is whether artifacts also take up CC. We're just assuming from BSO, but we haven't actually seen one yet.

I would like both sentient and hoverboard together, but I also wouldn't be surprised if it's worth 2 artifacts.

I think evolving augmentics is just turning one into an artifact, and I have doubts about class modifications refunding CC.

I'm not too keen on network related stuff as a personal artifact, but investing in the Observatory itself is still fair game.

Eh. There's a number of combat effective artifacts we could pull out, like a revolving elemental gun that uses catalyst crystals as ammo, but nothing that's particularly striking for this MC. Maybe the ghostwalk cloak for a kind of phantom thief vibe?

>>5921545
It'd be pretty cool to turn our arms into artifacts. What effect would you go for? I think this would be a great way to give them the ability to evolve and grow like organitech augmentoids do.

>>5921602
The most obvious is for the arms to learn how to wield weapons separate from us. Grow that level 1 even further, but most likely very slowly.

A little bit spicier is an extra set of arms that prioritize understanding how to not get tangled up. Instant quadwield, just need the general athletics/conditioning passives to actually keep it up.

If we're getting abstract, then trace the natural wielder beyond conventional weapons. Become able to hold and control energy, or sculpt the land itself. Go all Avatar, only without the mobility.

>>5921613
>If we're getting abstract, then trace the natural wielder beyond conventional weapons. Become able to hold and control energy, or sculpt the land itself. Go all Avatar, only without the mobility.
This is now my goal, thanks based anon. The ability to manipulate/weaponize anything we touch

>>5921613
Maybe the dextrous or channeling psybercircuits would help us get there.

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>>5919585

“Hah…very well then. Tell us what you know.” you say. “But before you do that let’s find somewhere to take shelter for a while. I’m worried the noise will have drawn the attention of something dangerous.”

“If you’re worried about that, shouldn’t we get away from here?” Crispen doesn’t even look up from checking the bodies for unlisted pieces of loot.

“No. Better that we’re settled than run into something coming in on our way out.” you shake your head, and Eldriss nods her agreement with you. Crispen gives a shrug before distributing the materials out.

> [[ Added to Cian’s Inventory ]]
95#
prime tallbird whip feathers x2
tallbird metafeathers x3
tallbird skull fragments x3

You activate your skill, and can suddenly see your avatar through the all-directional viewpoint of the virtual crystal hovering nearby. It skitters off along the ground at a thought, its black and ephemeral form practically invisible against the soggy ground. On a whim you send it off vaguely in the direction of the glow you saw. The search helps distract you from the pang in your chest when Eldriss absorbs a Gem into her UI.

It’s not long before Woggy finds a suitable hollow in the root ball of a dead tree with an acceptable view of the clearing your battle had taken place in. It’s opposite of the direction your search went in, and as you move towards it you discover that there’s a soft range limit on controlling your crystal. After a few dozen meters it begins to respond more sluggishly to your thoughts. and your field of view begins to shrink. It doesn’t seem to be forced to stay within a certain range of you, but eventually it does not acknowledge thoughts that would send it further away.

It can be made to remain stationary though and you order it to do so, acting on a hunch.

>>5922044

You break out a lightdrone and set it to the lowest power as the three of you crawl into the small cavity beneath the tree, but extinguish it once you’re settled. The sounds of wood creaking under weight come from above as Woggy stands watch nigh-invisibly in the branches above. After he apparently finds a suitable place, the only thing in the pitch darkness of your shelter are the sounds of breathing and the chirps and buzzes of insects.


> [[ Party Chat: Cian, Crispen, Eldriss ]]
> [[ Eldriss ]] (( Alright, we’ll use this to stay quiet. So here’s the deal. ))
> [[ Eldriss ]] (( Putting your UI on the altar brings up additional options, different from what you normally get. ))
> [[ Eldriss ]] (( I called one of the girls I teamed up with that had an intact UI over to test things first. ))
> [[ Eldriss ]] (( Well, according to her, when she made to offer her UI at the Altar it popped up with a whole bunch of different options. ))

A noise begins to assert itself over the background insect chatter, it’s indistinct for now. You hear it from your crystal, but you also hear something else. A faint rustling like leaves brushing against each other in the wind.

> [[ Eldriss ]] (( A few of them were what I’d suspected. She gained the option to ‘select which steps she has taken’ which seems to be how you can slot/unslot skills. ))
> [[ Eldriss ]] (( But there was more. She could offer Celestial Gems to temper her UI, temper her soul, or to strengthen her connection to the gods. ))

The noise you were hearing earlier resolves itself into mechanical whirrs and faint clanging of metal on metal. From the direction of the noise in the distance an artificial light cuts through the night in an arc. As it does you see a trace of movement near where your crystal is posted as an improvised sentry.

> [[ Eldriss ]] (( My guess is that at least one of those options is a way to increase your CC. No clue what the other two are. ))
> [[ Crispen ]] (( Cool, cool, homegirl. ))
> [[ Cian ]] (( Hate to rush you, but I think we’ll have company fairly soon. What happened when you put yours on there? ))


As you type you try to focus your vision through the fuzziness of the distant link, to see what the movement was.

> [[ Eldriss ]] (( Oh, uhh well you see. It’s like the Seer said. The Celestials or Gods or whatever told me that I could offer a Celestial Gem. ))
> [[ Eldriss ]] (( … ))
> [[ Cian ]] (( And…? ))

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>>5922045

“And…I know what else the Seer meant now. About proof of triumph.” Eldriss whispers, voice carrying over the mechanical din that’s beginning to drown out the insect noise. “Remember before I tell you this that I’ve already got a Gem now though, okay? So don’t freak.”

“Alright, we won’t freak. Now tell us already, the suspense is killing me.” Crispen whispers back. You grunt in agreement, not wanting to be distracted as you strain to see through the crystal.

“So…” There’s a tinge of worry in her tone. “I was also given the option…to offer three broken UIs, or one other Misguided one, and they’d restore mine.”

Just as she finishes her sentence another arc of light cuts through the darkness near your crystal, accompanied by the noise of trees crashing down. Your eyes goes wide.

For a brief moment as the light flashes, you see a figure standing nearly on top of your crystal. It wears heavy armor, you can’t tell whether it’s metalwork or processed from organic materials like your augmetic arms. One of its forearms is worked into a bifurcated muzzle of some sort of ranged weapon. The other is raised and holds a long, elegant blade of scarlet.

You can’t react in time to evade the strike but you do turn the crystal immaterial. The blade flashes down and your view from the crystal is split in two.

>HP 36/42

A splitting headache manifests inside your skull, you let out an involuntary yelp from its intensity. You see your avatar and the darkened cavern from over your shoulder once more, and a wave of nausea washes over you. You’re not sure if it’s a result of your crystal being attacked or the sudden shift in viewpoint and sensory feedback coming from it.

“N-No, I’m not going to do anything! You two outnumber me anyway! Not that I would, I already have a gem!” Eldriss takes your discomfort the wrong way and panics a bit.

>>5922051
This game is like 2 days old right? Is it feasible to have a fully decked out player?

Maybe it's an NPC?

>>5922077
It's possible if he got enough gems to himself. Either by earning them solo or by being shady with a group.

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>>5922051

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7k3rEkXOvI&list=PL_-WiWbf9JOnhcdOCsqBzR0IDDS0oi5Nv&index=5
Don’t you judge my mood music.

Before you get the chance to respond the sound of crashing trees comes from much closer, paired with a purring growl from Woggy in the branches overhead. Gritting your teeth, you grunt out something about not worrying towards the girl while sending your crystal above to see what’s happening.

As your surrogate eye ascends you look towards where the armored figure was. There’s no trace of whoever snuck up on and sliced your crystal apart, instead from that direction you see several beams of light. In between them flashing past you make out an approaching group of…robots.

Ten are of an oblong, quadrupedal design. They scurry and trundle over obstacles towards the clearing, sometimes pausing to scavenge something from the ground or a fallen tree, sometimes diving into or making rocket-assisted hops across larger gaps or deeper bodies of water.

They’re dwarfed by two much larger, much less awkward, much more dangerous looking constructs. They’re about a third the size of the broodmother you fought in the proto-Observatory by height, but perhaps half its mass. They are radially symmetric in quarters, with four legs emerging from a square waist, topped by a dome of dark grey metal dotted in socketed glass lenses, and featuring four multijointed arms tipped with buzzing circular saws. Several of the lenses look like they’re for cameras, but several more are the sources of the spotlights.

Trailing behind the rest is another four legged bot, similar in design to the ones with buzzsaws but bearing many smaller arms that end in various tools. The dome on its leg platform has several oblong depressions on it, perfectly sized to fit the smaller robots.

They don’t seem to have noticed you yet, they’re apparently heading for the clearing where you fought the tallbirds. Eldriss had harvested the tallbird corpses for biomass, so the only traces of the battle earlier are a few areas with shattered wood.

>What will you do, Cian?
>It worked before, climb the trees around the clearing before the bots get there and perform another ambush. (Which do you target first?)
>We’re here to trace these things back and you’re worried about the thing that struck down your crystal. Stay put and hope they don’t find you, trail after them once they leave.
>That’s too many for just us to handle. Retreat while you have the chance.
>Write-In

>>5922077
Much less. You can't exactly correlate between irl and in-game time, but it's been about a day and a half since release in real time. Less than that in-game, based on the dilation you experienced in your first session.

>>5922094
This guy seems like a high level technocrat. If we want to fight him we'll have to get tricky. I don't love the idea of being up in a tree after seeing what that guy can do with his blade. We need a quick rundown of Crispen and Eldriss' skills if we're really going to make a plan.

Here's what I've got so far:

This guy definitely has resource scan. That's how he knows where to send his bots. Good chance he has entity scan as well if it was so easy for him to find our virtual crystal. If he just used entity scan then it could be on cool down. We could possibly lure him with resources placed strategically, get him in a specific spot long enough to hit him with a disintegration ray followed by an all out attack from all three of us.

Let's discuss this plan with the others and see what they can add to it.

>>5922094
>It worked before, climb the trees around the clearing before the bots get there and perform another ambush. (Which do you target first?)
The mysterious enemy. The robots are just gathering resources right now and that thing is probably now actively hunting us. If the robots are his our best shot is to take him out before they can reunite.

>>5922111
This is based on more assumptions than I'm comfortable with. I agree that we need to talk things over with the others and make a plan with them.

>>5922094
>Explain what happened with the armored figure and see what they think.
First we need to clarify if the armored guy is the owner or escort of these bots. If he is, there's no chance we can sneak into their depot alive.

To that end, I think tracing is off the table entirely. Too many variables when we're talking about a sapient faction. That said, we could still dogpile this one if he's alone.

>Unless Eldriss is willing to risk Woggy getting killed, set up an ambush with our Virtual Crystal as the starter.
>Take enough time to analyze the bots for any faction insignia or name, then beam the drone platform bot as it jumps over a flowing river
>Retreat to allow the bots to spread out searching for us and following the drone platform down the river, and wait if the armored guy hunts us down specifically.
>Unless the armored figure chooses for us, then we can decide which target we want.