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[Kadzar]

You know what I just realized? We had these things in our inventory for actual reasons. As players, we chose this stuff because we wanted it. But, in game, we really did allready have them in the bag. That means we MAY have wanted the extra bag for carrying something specific we forgot, and the plush cat is not arbitrary. Plush cats are NEVER arbitrary. Plus, it could serve as a pillow when we sleep.

Either way, make sure our hair isn't actually on fire.

If it is on fire we might not need the flashlight.

[Parsely]

Give bag. That way when we adopt him he can carry stuff!

+1

[Sir Knight]

I figured that trading away the awkward secondary duffle bag was thinking outside the box, since it meant turning a space-takey-uppy thing into an object-tradey thing and then into robo-friendship.  And since it held the only criterion I knew interested the robot.  Well, apparently it likes cats, too, which is proof of higher intelligence, but I still say go plan duffle bag.  Then for crying out loud use the flashlight to check for anything else that's changed in the room while you were out.

[Tiruin]

I kinda missed Sir Knight's awesome post back there :O

I'ma vote BAG.
Because it seems to be a scavenger/mine pickup roboot, and we can haggle with it later on since it seems like a compassionate and kind fellow--it's like a first-trade deal thing, where it tests out our charisma and negotiation (and honesty) abilities because miners have at times tried to steal gold nuggets and stuff.

And we get to keep the plushie cat because of both sentimental value, and we've a pillow. We can always ask the stuff back later on when we meet this nice character once more!

[spümpkin]

Wear duffel bag on head to hide embarrassment.

[Puppyguard]

Think about how you got in this mine to forget embarrassment.

[ShadowHammer]

Trade away the duffel bag. The plush kitty is far too adorable to consider giving it away.

[Kadzar]

Yeah, if our burning hair is not illuminating enough, I vote we trade the bag.

[DolosusDoleus]

Trade away the bag. Ponder the ineffable mysteries of duffels and trade.

[TankKit]

Trade away bag and hug Plush cat.

[Tiruin]

Trade away bag and hug Plush cat.

+1 to this imagery.
We need a bit of self-love, and our mood needs a nice boost given our mindset!

[Solifuge]

make sure our hair isn't actually on fire. If it is on fire we might not need the flashlight.

Unfortunately, as hot as your face felt like it was glowing, that's not how Humans work.
Still, it'd be nice. If your body was it's own light source you wouldn't be having this problem.
Instead, you'd have different problems. Fiery, Magical, and/or Radioactive problems.

Think about how you got in this mine to forget embarrassment.

You try. You try really hard, to remember anything from the day before today.

Why you came here and decided to take a nap... even what it looked like outside.
You may as well be trying to remember things from before you were born.

This memory thing is still pretty stressful to think about.

On the plus side, the distraction worked! You're feeling less embarrassed now.
Just, you know, more full of existential dread.

Trade away the duffel bag. The plush kitty is far too adorable to consider giving it away.

Honestly, you feel strangely attached to the Plush Cat. You don't want to part with it.
It may be useless except in the Small and Soft department, but it's darn good at what it does.
Besides, an Unused Bag that's eating up space is kinda doing the opposite of it's job.



You pull the empty, crumpled-up Duffel Bag out of your Equipped Bag, and hold it out.
Sensing that you've made your decision, the Robot's digital eye turns to meet yours.

	Alright, I've decided. I'll offer up this bag. It was just taking up space, but maybe you can use it. In exchange, you'll help me out and return my stuff. Right?
	Good. Let's take care of it, so I can get back to being lost. Oh, and please be careful with the Flashlight. It's fragile. Frankly, I'm surprised it still works after I dropped it.
	What, something funny about that? Anyway, how do you want to do this? Do I just strap the bag to you, or...
	Does a knife and fork mean what I think it means? I'd ask why you want to eat this bag, but that's probably beyond Emoji's ability to explain. Still, you don't have a mouth. ...do you?
	Then I've still got no idea how you plan to eat anything. Just show me where you want the bag.

With one foot, the Robot indicates a small port on their rear side.
The opening doesn't seem deep enough to fit anything; it's already full of exposed components.
You wonder if maybe there's some kind of advanced technology involved?



As if to confirm your suspicion, the port starts to flicker with a field of pastel light.
It's accompanied by a high-pitched whirring sound, as well.
Hearing it makes your nose sting, and your teeth itch.

Eventually, the sound and light stops, as the Robot turns to face you again.

	... Ah, I see. You eat things with your... glowing butt-port. In that case, let's forget the How question too, for now. I'm just going to get this thing in there. Assuming you won't eat my hands at the same time?

The Robot turns around and waits. Their rear-facing port looks inactive now.
You squish the empty Duffel Bag as far you can into the port, before the whirring sound returns.
With it, the resistance you were hitting dissolves away.

The Bag is gently pulled inward, revealing the flickering light from before.
Soon, it vanishes completely. When it does, the Robot turns around to face you.

Instead of an eye, their display looks suspiciously like an old-fashioned Computer Terminal.
You lean in closer, to read the words as they appear.

LOCAL:\> launch clax.prg -auto

Spoiler: Terminal Output Log: (click to show/hide) LOCAL:\> launch clax.prg -auto       8                                                                  8      d8b         .d8888b.  888      8888b             Y88b   d88P       d8b     dP Yb       d88P  Y88b 888      88888b             Y88b d88P       dP Yb Y888P   Y888P   888    888 888      888Y88b             Y88o88P    Y888P   Y888P  "o.     .o"    888        888      888 Y88b    d8888b   Y888P      "o.     .o"  .o"     "o.    888        888      888  Y88b   Y8888P   d888b      .o"     "o. d888b   d888b   888    888 888      888   Y88b          d88888b    d888b   d888b     Yb dP       Y88b  d88P 888      8888888888b        d88P Y88b       Yb dP      Y8P         "Y8888P"  88888888 888     Y88b      d88P   Y88b       Y8P       8                                                                  8 @==============================================================================@ | COMPUTERIZED LUCID ARTIFICER - X-TYPE (CIVILIAN CONTRACT, UNRESTRICTED)      | |                                                                              | | (C) AD ASTRAL SOFTWORKS, 1627 VERNA 13TH                      VERSION: 1.3.0 | @==============================================================================@ WELCOME TO CLA! -- YOUR PORTABLE, MULTI-PURPOSE, USER-FRIENDLY MANATECH FABRICATION SOLUTION! -- POWERED BY ARTIFICE GATE HARDWARE. QUICK-START GUIDE: +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ -- COMBINE:    SYNTHESIZE MANY STORED OBJECTS INTO ONE USING MANA. -- DIVIDE:     SPLIT ONE STORED OBJECT INTO MANY USING MANA. -- DUPLICATE:  CLONE A STORED OBJECT USING MANA. -- EXTRACT:    CONVERT A STORED OBJECT INTO MANA. -- MANIFEST:   CONVERT MANA INTO SIMPLE MATERIALS OR ENERGIES. -- REPAIR:     USE MANA TO MEND DAMAGED OR BROKEN STORED OBJECTS. -- SCAN:       ANALYZE AND RETRIEVE DATA ON STORED OBJECTS. -- TRANSMIT:   STREAM STORED MANA TO NEARBY OBJECTS OR BEINGS. TYPE "HELP" FOR MORE INSTRUCTIONS. > extract -all EXTRACTING ALL LOCAL INVENTORY INTO MANA. @==============================================================================@ | ITEM 01: DUFFEL_BAG                                                          | @==============================================================================@ | MANA YIELD:                                                                  | | -- 1 Grass Mana                                                              | | -- 1 <ERROR_BAD_MANA_TYPE:"Willpower">                                       | |                                                                              | | MANA EXTRACTION COMPLETED, WITH ERRORS...                                    | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ERROR LOG: +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ 0xDE:0000000000000057:696c6c706f776572 <ERROR_BAD_MANA_TYPE:"Willpower"> 0x20:0000000000000000:0000000000000000 <ERROR_ACCESS_VIOLATION> 0x37:0000000000000000:0000000000000000 <ERROR_LINK_FROM_INVALID_LEYNODE> 0xFF:DEADDEADDEADDEAD:DEADDEADDEADDEAD <ERROR_MANUALLY_INITIATED_EXCEPTION> 0x48:414e414b492c2044:494420594f552043 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x52:4f5353204f4b4159:3f20424144204e45 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x57:533a20594f555220:4741544527532042 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x55:535445442e204927:4d20535455434b20 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> <...> +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ LOG TRUNCATED. TYPE "MORE" TO SEE 27 ADDITIONAL ERROR(S). > more ERROR LOG CONTINUED... +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ <...> 0x48:4552452e20474f4f:44204e4557533a20 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x42:41434b2046524f4d:2054484520465249 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x4e:4745532057495448:204d494e494d554d <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x20:465241592c20504c:5553204120474154 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x45:2050494543452e20:4c55434954592753 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x20:4e4f4e4520544845:2057495345522e20 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x52:4947474544204120:434f564552542057 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x41:5920544f20504947:47594241434b2044 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x41:5441204f56455220:4741544520545241 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x46:46494320544f4f2e:2049205448494e4b <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x2e:2048414420544f20:55534520594f5552 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x20:4845414453504143:452054484f554748 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x2e:205245414c4c5920:534f5252592e2053 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x50:45414b494e47204f:462057484943482c <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x20:4754472e2048454d:4f5252484147494e <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x47:20575020544f2053:454e44204f4e2041 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x20:4d414e4120434841:4e4e454c2c20414e <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x44:205354494c4c204b:494e444120465241 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x59:45442e20414c534f:2c2049274d204f55 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x54:2041465445522043:55524645572e2045 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x59:45524f4c4c2e2057:52495445204d4520 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x42:41434b20544f4e49:4748543f2054454c <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x4c:204d452057484154:2049542753204c49 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x4b:4520574845524520:594f55204152452e <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x20:4f52204a55535420:4c4554204d45204b <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x4e:4f5720594f552752:45205354494c4c20 <ERROR_UNKNOWN> 0x4f:4b41592e2049204d:49535320594f552e <ERROR_UNKNOWN> +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ > inventory -all CHECKING INVENTORY AND MANA STORAGE... @==============================================================================@ | INVENTORY:                                                                   | @==============================================================================@ | LOCAL INVENTORY (0/4 Slots):                                                 | | -- Empty                                                                     | | -- Empty                                                                     | | -- Empty                                                                     | | -- Empty                                                                     | |                                                                              | | INVENTORY CHECKED!                                                           | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ @==============================================================================@ | MANA                                                                         | @==============================================================================@ | MANA BATTERY (?/5 Slots):                                                    | | -- Fire Mana                                                                 | | -- Fire Mana                                                                 | | -- Grass Mana                                                                | | -- <ERROR_BAD_MANA_TYPE:"Willpower">                                         | | -- Empty                                                                     | |                                                                              | | MANA INVENTORY CHECKED, WITH ERRORS...                                       | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ERROR LOG: +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ 0xDE:0000000000000057:696c6c706f776572 <ERROR_BAD_MANA_TYPE:"Willpower"> +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ > Human, the nature of your Offering was altered; saturated by a Foreign Will. -- INVALID COMMAND: "Human" > If this represents an attempt to harm One, the effort was foolish and futile. -- SYNTAX ERROR: "If this". BAD PARAMETER. TYPE "HELP IF" FOR INSTRUCTIONS. > Know that One is not subject to the same limitations as One's Physical Frame. -- INVALID COMMAND: "Know" > Albeit, in verity One senses not malice in you, but curiosity and confusion. -- INVALID COMMAND: "Albeit". FLOOD WARNING (1/5). > Your Soul feels fragmented. Similarly altered? One does not truly understand. -- INVALID COMMAND: "Your". FLOOD WARNING (2/5). > Nevertheless, One's control of this Frame is restricted. Time grows short. -- INVALID COMMAND: "Nevertheless". FLOOD WARNING (3/5). > You seek to form a Contract; to return a repaired, improved Galvanic Torch. -- INVALID COMMAND: "You". FLOOD WARNING (4/5). > So too, you wish for Aid and Guidance. In exchange you offer Matter and Mana. -- INVALID COMMAND: "So". FLOOD WARNING (5/5). AUTO-TERMINATION IMMINENT! > One agrees to these terms. The Contract is struck. Farewell for now, Human. -- INVALID COMMAND: "One". FLOOD DETECTED. SOFTWARE AUTO-TERMINATING... CREATING OUTPUT LOG. THANK YOU FOR USING CLA!

SOFTWARE AUTO-TERMINATING... CREATING OUTPUT LOG. THANK YOU FOR USING CLA-X!

With that, the terminal disappears, and the Robot's display goes back to the normal Eye.
You don't know what to make of all that. There was a lot to take in... and a lot of it seemed like garbage?

Still, what was that about Mana and Contracts and Souls and whatever? What the hell kind of Robot is this?!

Before you can formulate a question to ask, the Robot takes a few clicking steps toward you.


They gesture first toward the Flashlight, and then away toward the darkness, as if to say "Lead the way!"

Spoiler: GM NOTES: (click to show/hide)

Sweet butts, I may need to take a day or two off to recouperate. Even if it doesn't look like much, that was a hell of an update to update.

Between fleshing out a new character sheet with new mechanics, doing a new bunch of necessary behind the scenes lore and structuring, ASCII art and command line formatting, tweaking existing art assets (ex. the old Emoji looked weird outside of the Darkling Theme), plus over 30,000 letters written, 80 frames of animation drawn, and all the other little bits and tweaks and stuff. I'm kind of beat.

That said, it was still a very fun update to make. Hope you enjoyed it too! Despite the kinda slow start, I feel like we're finally getting close to getting somewhere! I'm hoping some things at least kind of make sense (feel free to poke me about it if not). Also, please pardon if that was dense or wordy; I probably could've trimmed the writing down, but that takes more work, and I'm bad at it. ><;

I figured that trading away the awkward secondary duffle bag was thinking outside the box, since it meant turning a space-takey-uppy thing into an object-tradey thing and then into robo-friendship.

The "think outside the box" comment wasn't to say that was a bad idea. I liked the Duffel Plan for several reasons, silly and practical! I was just worried people were going to butt heads or grind things to a hault, and I wanted to remind them that they have the freedom to stumble off into the darkness, etc., if they so choose (NOTE: though I'd do my best to make it fun and interesting, it'd still be a TERRIBLE IDEA). Anyway, I think your impassioned speech won folks over, so crisis averted!

Spoiler: CHARACTER STATUS: HANA (click to show/hide) SATED: ≫ HANA HAS EATEN RECENTLY. ≫ SHE WILL BECOME HUNGRY AFTER A DAY WITHOUT FOOD. AWAKE: ≫ HANA HAS SLEPT RECENTLY. ≫ SHE WILL BECOME TIRED AFTER A DAY WITHOUT SLEEP. ENERVATED: ≫ SOME OF HANA'S WILLPOWER IS BURNED. ≫ IT WILL NOT RECOVER BY NATURAL HEALING. ITEM SUMMARY: (Capacity: 21kg / 30kg) Boots (1 kg): Rugged leather. Travel-Worn. Clothes (N/A): Warm-Weather. Beet Pun. Duffel (1 kg): Brown Canvas. Zip-Top. 12 Slots. DUFFEL CONTENTS:  ≫ Cat Plush (N/A): Handcrafted. Cute and useless.  ≫ Rope (8 kg): Natural Fiber, 20 meters.  ≫ Toolkit (10 kg): Assorted Crafting and Repair.  ≫ Ukulele (1 kg): "Memento Mori". Sturdy and Travel-Worn.

Spoiler: CHARACTER STATUS: ROBOT? (click to show/hide) ARMOR II (PHYSICAL): ≫ ROBOT? IS ARMORED. ≫ INCOMING PHYSICAL DAMAGE IS REDUCED BY 2. ARTIFICIAL: ≫ ROBOT? DOES NOT EAT, SLEEP, OR BREATHE. ≫ THEY ARE IMMUNE TO ORGANIC MALADIES. GATE FATIGUE (EXTRACT): ≫ ROBOT? EXTRACTED MANA FROM MATTER RECENTLY. ≫ THEY CANNOT EXTRACT MANA AGAIN FOR AN HOUR. ITEM SUMMARY: (Capacity: 0/20 kg) None MANA SUMMARY: (Capacity: 4/5)  ≫ Fire (Primary): Might, Passion, Courage, or Malice.  ≫ Fire (Primary): Might, Passion, Courage, or Malice.  ≫ Grass (Primary): Composure, Harmony, Mercy, or Apathy.  ≫ Willpower (N/A): Can act as Any Mana.  ≫ Empty

[Dermonster]

Friend get! Hug robot.

Then... was there anything to the south-left? i don't remember looking that way. Check that direction.

[Egan_BW]

Willpower is a type of mana! Apparently!

Can we just go... look at the outside? Please? Anyone? I'm feeling a little claustrophobic! D:

[Tiruin]

| (C) AD ASTRAL SOFTWORKS, 1627 VERNA 13TH                      VERSION: 1.3.0

Of course :I Even this place has awesomeness waaaay back in the day!

-- EXTRACT:    CONVERT BASIC MATERIALS OR OBJECTS INTO MANA.

And now the gamer in me says 'what can we put in there for added benefits, there's a lot of material here but what is interactable'. Hmph!

...
Try to EXTRACT by putting your free time into gathering stones into the friendly robot


+1 to hug the robot (mention it's a gesture of compassion so there's no misunderstandings about another being wrapping their appendages around oneself)

Ask directions for the nearby vicinity. Also! If anyone remembers this, we can take the robot into this room and inquire where that hole leads, or what's out 'there'.

It'll probably say just an opening but my curiosity has been piqued!