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[Sappho]

I want to do a Starbound Let's Play, with your suggestions. The challenge: I am a hermit. I may carry only what I can fit in my inventory (and possibly the space on my ship... Haven't decided about that).

**EDIT: I quickly decided to change this from a mechanics-based challenge to a role-playing story. So the rules I've laid out here are what my Hylotl started with, but as she experienced more of the universe, her character has evolved. The only rule I'm currently still enforcing is that I may not store items in any containers except for my ship's locker. Anything else must be used or placed somewhere, with the exception of accidental weapon and armor/clothing drops, which must be destroyed, and any items which have no use whatsoever, which may also be destroyed.**

I am a deeply spiritual Hylotl. It's against my religion to hoard items, so I may not use any containers. If I can't carry it, I can't take it. It's also against my religion to harm others except in self-defense. Therefore, I cannot go into areas that I know will contain hostile creatures unless absolutely necessary, and whenever possible I must run away rather than fight. Finally, nothing can be wasted. Anything I pick up, I must find a use for. No trashing items. Every seed must be planted somewhere if I can't carry it. Including all the tree saplings. All those block I mine out? I have to build something with them. Probably a temple or something.

Naturally, I can't hunt. How will I keep warm if I can't use leather? That will probably be the first challenge.

I have already gotten the character started and am currently just pushing through the initial stages. I have dug out a small home and gone through all the beginning quests other than creating the distress beacon. I need a grand goal to aspire to, and I'll take suggestions about immediate goals.

Spoiler: Here we see Sandkeeper the Hylotl, safe in her home with her pet fish who flew down the mountain to join her while she was digging it out. (click to show/hide)

[JackOSpades]

sure your grand goal is to figure out a way to move on to the next sector without the Item which drops from the boss, which you obviously can not defeat as you are on a pacifist run...

[Neonivek]

I am a deeply spiritual Hylotl. It's against my religion to hoard items, so I may not use any containers

Ahh the Space Nomad. Another sci-fi "How did you ever get to space?" Trope.

Finally, nothing can be wasted. Anything I pick up, I must find a use for.

Ohhh gooooood luck!

---

Also I am with JackOSpades.

You're clearly a Space Nomad. So Yes, traveling as far as you possibly can should be your grand goal.

[Sappho]

I'm not representative of my entire race. I'm like one of those Tibetan monks, very strict rules but that doesn't mean all Tibetans are like that. I'm not the one who got us into space. Maybe the reason I'm on my own is because I was banished from our world for my extremist viewpoints. Or maybe I was part of an elite religious upper class who was chosen to take our ways into space, using a ship designed and built by the secular masses. I'll have to consider that.

Also, the rule is that I can only fight in self-defense. So I can't go out looking for a fight, but if it's fight or die, fighting is okay. I can have a weapon, but I only practice martial arts for self-defense, and I can't use any guns. I suppose I'll have to do some kind of purification ritual afterwards or something. Perhaps I must build a shrine to commemorate any creatures I am forced to kill. I'm sure I'll find an in-character way to deal with any sudden unexpected UFO attacks.

I've decided that it is permissible to destroy any and all non-sacred weapons that I happen to pick up by accident.

I think my first goal will be to find a suitable planet to be the home of a new temple. It's a shame it's not possible to find a planet with only friendly creatures. I hope they plan to make the "one friendly, two aggressive" animals rule a little more random in the future.

Right now I need to find enough fuel to get me off this planet, as well as the warmest armor I can make. I've been doing a lot of digging around, avoiding creatures and caves, and found some ore, but in the process I've already collected well over 1000 dirt. I've started building a corridor on the surface of the planet, relocating all trees to the roof, to use up the material. I'll post screen shots soon.

[Orange Wizard]

Ooh, this sounds like difficult. Good luck with building ten thousand shrines to the unfortunate wacky space demons.

[Neonivek]

Also, the rule is that I can only fight in self-defense. So I can't go out looking for a fight, but if it's fight or die, fighting is okay.

From a roleplay perspective the first boss is technically the aggressor with him popping up at your emergency beacon. As well who could predict the second boss would be evil?

[Sappho]

Hm... It's looking like the real challenge will be pixels. I can't even make a copper pickaxe because I don't have enough pixels. How to get enough without killing lots of animals? Maybe I'll have to spend hours and hours grinding enough coal to travel from planet to planet and just scavenge any I can get from chests and such... I can't think of any other reliable way... And even that will likely involve a lot of killing...

I suppose I could install a mod that lets me break down items for pixels, since we can't sell items yet... But there would have to be restrictions. Or maybe the mod that lets you grow pixels on plants?

EDIT: Okay, to make the game playable, I am allowed to kill in self-defense, which means aggressive animals can be killed with my sword. No fighting passive/friendly animals, and no looking for fights. Every time I kill an animal, I must build a small shrine to them to honor their spirit. I can build it out of whatever materials I have on hand. Should help use up some of my dirt...

EDIT2: Sandkeeper is busy exploring the surface of this planet. Sadly, several of the indigenous creatures refused her offer of peace and tried to kill her. In defense of her life, she was forced to take theirs. These small shrines dot the landscape, with one prong for each life lost. This one is for two creatures.



Back on her ship, Sandkeeper analyzes her current situation. There is another planet close by, a very large desert. This might be a suitable home for the great shrine. After all, the elders did name her Sandkeeper. There must have been a reason. She has managed to find enough coarse fuel to power her ship for a short jump. She will gather her tools, bid this world goodbye, and start her journey towards enlightenment.



EDIT3: I'm torn over what to do with old weapons. I'm limiting myself to a single one-handed sword as a weapon, permanently. But I am allowed to get a new one. Should I have to keep the old ones, maybe in my ship's locker? Or should I create a tomb for each one of them and leave it in a chest somewhere? Or should all weapons not in use by me be destroyed to prevent their misuse by others? Thoughts?

[Sappho]

I have returned home after a long journey. But it no longer feels like home. And I am no longer the same hylotl.



I came to this planet optimistic. I believed it might be the sacred world I was sent to find, the one where we could build our grand temple and begin to spread our message of peace and love across the universe.

But the creatures here did not welcome me. I was attacked immediately, forced to defend my life. The first spirit shrine was built only a few steps from my new home.



The days here are short, and the nights too cold to work. I huddled by my fire that first night, listening to the beasts investigating my shack.



The next morning, I decided I must explore more of this world, to discover its secrets and find the best place for our temple.

I saw horrible things.

On the first day, I came across a black, sticky wasteland strewn with bones.



It was unholy, impure. Strange plants even grew from the bones themselves. I could not begin to estimate how many souls lie here, restless, angry. I passed through quickly, tormented by my own guilt. Should I not build a shrine for them? And yet, how could I possibly build a shrine for all of them, not even knowing how many there were? How could there ever be a shrine big enough for them all?

Before long, I realized there were many such wastelands here. And in between, I spotted frightening beasts with an aura of blood.



I passed beneath it, hearing its footsteps above as I pushed through the cold, sandy earth. And then, more bones, more tar. The pattern continued for days. One night, as I lie huddled in a pit in the ground by the fire, I realized there was no way to save this place. All the little shrines I built, they were as effective as trying to stop a flood with a handful of leaves. But perhaps a temple, a large one, would be the right thing to do. Maybe this was the sign I was looking for; this planet needed me.

And then I came across a temple which had already built. A terrifying hawk's head with eyes of fire.



And then another beyond that. I passed by them rather than violating these sacred places, but even as I did, I felt a coldness emanating from them. These temples were not to satisfy the dead spirits and honor the forces of life. They were temples of death alone. Nothing I could build could possibly fight the influence of such a structure.

And then, on the final day of my journey, I came upon a most terrifying place.



This planet did not want me. It was clear that I would not find my journey's end so soon. A galaxy awaits. I still have such a long way to go.

And now my soul has been sullied by the evils of this planet of death. I have been forced to take many lives. My blade is stained red with their blood.

The temple I build will have to be truly grand.

[Darkening Kaos]

   If you need bloodless pixels - dig deep.  In the bowels there are multitudes of those capsules with pixels in them - 6; 10; and 15(?).  There ar a lot of creatures down there though, so you will need to be very careful.

[Sappho]

The time has come for me to move on. There is another desert planet nearby on the scanner. I will try that one first.



I meditate on my ship, clear of all clutter as the spirits command.



This land is quiet and empty, but I quickly set up a small living space for myself and set off to explore.



Before long, I come across a strange sight. There is an anchor in the desert! I start to climb...



It is an Avian ship full of pirates. They are surprisingly friendly and offer to trade. I chat with their leader and she informs me that they are trapped here. They need repairs, but their communications equipment is down. In return for some of the pixels and other rough materials they have taking up space on the ship, I offer to build them a distress beacon, an offer they eagerly accept.

It is good to be able to help others after so much time spent alone.

[The Froggy Ninja]

ptw

[IcyTea31]

Why only give the pirates help on building a distress beacon, when you can also provide spiritual aid? These pirates need to be taught to respect life. How about you'll create them something to remind that a gun shouldn't be plan A when confronted by a hostile being, as it seems to be the case for them?

Of course, this would only be a creative subplot hook, while the distress beacon is required for advancing the game, so consider this an extra challenge you can deny if you feel it's too difficult or time-consuming.

[Orange Wizard]

I dunno. Pirates seem kinda nasty. My vote would be to slaughter them all and - wait, never mind.

[Sappho]

Why only give the pirates help on building a distress beacon, when you can also provide spiritual aid? These pirates need to be taught to respect life. How about you'll create them something to remind that a gun shouldn't be plan A when confronted by a hostile being, as it seems to be the case for them?

Of course, this would only be a creative subplot hook, while the distress beacon is required for advancing the game, so consider this an extra challenge you can deny if you feel it's too difficult or time-consuming.

I'm not sure what you mean here. I can't think of any in-game item that you might be referring to, or anything I could make that would fulfill that criteria. Maybe I missed something obvious?

In any case, I've decided to think of this not so much as a challenge as just a story. Which means the character will grow, evolve, react to what she encounters. There is already more story I haven't written/posted yet, coming soon.

[IcyTea31]

Honestly, I don't even remember what I was thinking of when I wrote that. Perhaps it would work best as simply done via storytelling instead of actually doing anything in-game.