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Ficnapped! Hazardous Recovery - Playing Dungeons and Dragons with Space Sheep
2024.06.01 16:29 Mini_Tonk Ficnapped! Hazardous Recovery - Playing Dungeons and Dragons with Space Sheep
(Cong Rats u/Xerxes250! You've been FICNAPPED, EKEKEKEK! Thanks to u/Espazilious, u/CaptainMatthew1, and u/T00Dense for supporting me in Group 3 of the Ficnapping!
That's right, I've Ficnapped Hazardous Recovery, a very well-written fic. I'd recommend it to those looking for a more... tech-inspired fic.
So, enjoy the dumb stuff.)
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Memory Transcription Subject: Kimmich, currently dying inside
Date [standardized human time]: October 25, 2136
If I had been made aware that one of the first days we were on Earth was going to be spent sitting in a predator's house, looking at sheets of paper, and listening to said predator prattle on about silly plastic shapes with numbers on them I'd have refused the trip as a whole. The whole concept seemed like a massive waste of time, not only for us but for him too. Unfortunately, I was trapped here by the whims of Vemnka and Sevkan, and they never let up a chance to see new human past times.
Andre, for his part, had been slow with us, letting us ease into the new living situation with relative laxity on where we were allowed to go. We'd already watched a few movies, played a few "video games", and even listened to some of his music. It was... enjoyable. Even with the obvious attempts to cover up a whole heap of predatory behaviors, Andre had managed to get us feeling somewhat welcome.
Until he had us sit at his kitchen table and write out the Venlilian numerical system, to which he responded with a chuckle, "Looks like Skaven Scratch." He did not elaborate. At first, I thought the exercise was going to be a simple lesson on how to read human numbers. But no, it was far worse. Instead, Andre went to his workshop, scanned all the numbers, and began printing a bunch of geometric prisms with the numbers on them. Vemnka was the first to ask about their purpose as she picked up a dodecahedron, each side holding a numeral.
"Well, I figured we'd play a game, and these," he held up a worn version of the same shape Vemnka was holding, this one with human numbers on it, "are how we play."
Not even a minute later we were watching as he 'rolled' the 'dice' across a little pad on the table. "So, basically, these dice, the 'd6's will help us make our characters. I use the '4d6 minus the lowest rolled' method for stats, but there are other ways to do it."
Sevkan picked up a triangular prism and poked his paw pad with it. "And what about the rest of them," he asked as he tossed the plastic shape onto the pad.
"The one you just rolled is a 'd4', it's a damage dice. Same with the d6, 'd8', 'd10', and 'd12'. This," he held up a dice with ten sides, but with two separate numbers on each face, "is a percentile dice. Helps when I need to see what outcome happens when a random encounter starts, though we'll not be using it because we're doing a oneshot." He flicked it up with a click and caught it. Next, he picked up the same dodecahedron as before and rolled it. "Ouph, nat 1, less than ideal when starting a game."
"What does that mean," I asked, looking down at the twenty-sided dice; the side displaying '1' was facing up.
"A nat 1 is the worst roll on a 'd20'. It's a critical failure, which means if you roll a nat 1, something bad happens." He rolled it again as he talked, "The d20 is the most used dice because it's the 'check dice', you use it to figure out how well you did on an action. For instance," he reached across the table for a sheet of paper. Looking it over, I could see it was a 'character sheet', as Andre called them. "This is the strength stat," He pointed at a block on the left side of the paper, "It shows how strong your character is. If I were to roll this d20 and get a 13, but your strength stat is a 14, plus whatever save modifier you have, then I'd fail the check and either nothing would happen, or you'd get a reaction to my failure." He shifted his weight as he reached for the ground. With a plap, Andre brought up a hardbacked book. My translator had a bit of difficulty translating the text due to the font, but in the end, it spat out 'D&D Player's Handbook'. A small script of subtext under the cover art, which I ignored due to its content, read 'Everything a player needs to create heroic characters for the world's greatest roleplaying game.'
"A roleplaying game," Vamnka asked before Sevkan or I could formulate the words.
"Yep! A TTRPG, Dungeons and Dragons, D&D. I played this once or twice before my accident with the reactor room, but I think I still remember enough to DM for it."
This time Sevkan asked the question, "TTRPG and DM?"
"Tabletop roleplaying game, and Dungeon Master. I run the game, so I'm the dungeon master." He laid out three sets of three pieces of paper at each seat. It had the same words and markings as the one before him. "So, as I said, we're doing a one-shot because I can't be bothered with doing a whole ass campaign. Plus you won't be here forever and we have work to do at some point."
"I'll be making your characters with input from each of you. We're doing basic fifth edition rules because the newer editions, sixth up to ninth, all suck." He grabbed four of the d6 and held them aloft, looking at Sevkan, then Vemnka, and finally landing his gaze on me. I felt my fur rise but paid it no mind as he looked down at the dice before him. "Vemnka, you're going first." He picked up and tossed the dice to Vemnka who scrambled to grab all four before they had a chance to fall off the table.
"So, I just... toss them?" The quizzical flap of her left ear was met by a curt nod from Andre. "Alright," she said as her paw flicked the dice across the table. One landed on 1, another on 2, another on 3, and the final one on 6. "Twelve in total," she announced.
"Good, now remove the lowest number rolled and mark it down somewhere on the back of your sheet."
After five more rolls, Vemnka's stats totaled 11 in strength, 15 in intelligence, another 15 in constitution, 16 in wisdom, 16 in charisma, and 13 in dexterity.
Next was my turn. I rolled a 13, which I put into dexterity, a 14 in constitution, a 15 in charisma, a 16 in strength, another 16 in wisdom, and a 12 in intelligence.
Finally, Sevkan rolled a 12, which was placed in dexterity, a 13 in charisma, a 16 in constitution, a 10 in both wisdom and intelligence and, as Andre put it, the ever elusive 18 was put in strength.
With all that tedious, boring, unimportant, and downright torturous work out of the way, now was the time to get into character creation. Andre gave us the book to look over and told us to ask any questions we wanted if we needed to. I pulled up my pad's visual translator and began skimming the text.
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Memory Transcription Subject: Vemnka, having the time of her life!
The book wasn't big, not by a long shot. I'd read books three to four times as long in [a day] or two. What the book contained, however, was an entirely different story. It wasn't just a rulebook, or handbook, as the cover suggested, it was a way to shape the wild imagination, to tame the itch to create.
And by the stars am I creating!
Andre told us we'd start by choosing class, race, and background. Of course, we had no idea what that meant, so he took us through it one at a time at a leisurely pace. He flipped through the book's pages before landing near the beginning, showcasing a stout-looking human with the undertext 'Dwarf' printed to the left.
After running through all of the vaguely human-like races to pick and a few classes that would shape our table-side adventure, I'd chosen to be a gnome cleric, which was a humorous choice. Andre said I'd primarily be healing, helping my team by keeping them in battle. I didn't mind the idea of being a sideliner, as long as I could help.
Dad had chosen to be a human 'paladin'. Andre explained that the term equated pretty easily to a form of holy guardian, in the form of a mortal, who the god of their faith gifted to defend those around them. Dad thought is was a pretty cool idea, especially the idea of "burning heretics away with holy fire," as Andre put it. It took him a bit longer to choose his race because he kept returning to the page with the almost-Arxur-looking Dragonborn. Still, after some coaxing, he finally let up on whatever was going on in his head and chose the easiest option, and the one Andre had recommended.
Finally, Sevkan had looked a bit farther into the game itself, finding a non-classified databook called "Player's Companion". Andre described it as a supplemental read, adding a bit more variety to the already large amount of options presented in the Player's Handbook. Sevkan took one look at it and immediately chose the Aarakocra, causing Andre to flinch. He said it'd be fine because the Aarakocra looked nothing like Krakotl, but Sevkan still apologized as best he could. He chose the fighter class, which was about as self-explanatory as possible.
Next was backgrounds, I chose to be an acolyte. It made sense in my head that a religious healer would have a background in religion. Dad leaned toward Folk Hero as his background, an option that both he and Andrew agreed would suit his character. Sev chose to be a hermit, which caught me and dad off guard after Andre gave us a rough rundown of what it was. An isolationist fighter, the sort of stuff that got you locked away.
"Alright," Andre said, leaning forward, looking between each of us again. I noticed Dad's fur rise a bit less than last time. Progress is progress. "We've got a Gnome Cleric, a Human Paladin, and an Aarakocra Fighter. Pretty good party dynamics for your first time even hearing about DnD. Now, for the most part, we've done everything we need to do together. From here you would have normally gone through stats and equipment, but I don't want to, and this is a oneshot so those aren't that important. Vem, on that last sheet, please mark down 'Spare the Dying', 'Sacred Flame', and 'Guidance'. Kimmich, on your last sheet, mark down 'Lay on Hands', 'Divine Smite', and 'Divine Sense'. Sev... you can just throw that sheet away. You won't be moving past where you are now."
Sevkan looked down at the sheet with a hint of sadness. To be fair to him, 'Spare the Dying' and 'Divine Smite' sounded cool, but before I could ask what they meant, Dad beat me to it. "What are these for? What do you mean?"
Andre rolled a D20 absent-mindedly, "Spare the Dying is a Cleric Cantrip that stabilizes a person who's taken fatal damage and is rolling death saves. Divine Smite is that whole 'BURN IN HOLY FIRE' thing I was talking about. Depending on how you flavor it, it's you wrapping your weapon in divine fire and burning away at your enemy's soul."
Despite his previous misgivings, ones which were practically plastered over his fur, Dad seemed honestly interested in the concept behind the Divine Smite. "And I just get to use it? Any time I want?"
"Well, not really." Andre pointed a finger toward me. "She has three cantrips which can be used at any time, you only have two. Divine Smite is an actual spell, as in its magic that requires you to utilize a spell slot. Lay on Hands is a contrip that can heal and Divine Sense allows you to detect certain types of creatures based on their alignment. Good and Evil in particular."
Sev spoke up, displaying confusion with his ears. "So why don't I get any spells or cantrips?" There was a degree of disappointment in his voice.
Andre leaned back with a chuckle, flexing his dexterous prosthetics as he clutched the d20 he'd been rolling. "Because, as a fighter, you probably have the most useful ability of them all. It's called 'Second Wind' and its essentially Lay on Hands but only you gain from it. It's an ability you can only use once per short rest, which we won't be needing to get into, which heals you for 1d10 plus your level, which all of you will be set at level 2.
"Again, we won't need much of the stuff in the books because this is A. Your first time and I want it to be fun, and B. A oneshot where nothing matters and we're here to have a good time. So, real quick," Andre grabbed a d8s and a d10 and began rolling them. "Vem," the d8 clacked across the table, landing on a 4, "you've got 15 health total. Because you're a light class, always expect to be on the lower side of health. Kimmich, you've got," he rolled the d10, it landed on an 8, "20 health, not a bad roll. And finally Sevkan," the d10 rolled across the table once more, the 5 side facing up. "18 health. Not too bad either, given your ability to heal yourself."
"How did you get those numbers," I asked, looking across the table at each of our sheets.
"While you all were reading, I put your modifiers where they belong, and changed what needed to be changed with your stats." Andre leaned over and pointed at Dad's sheet, "I increased each of your scores by one because you're human." He moved to mine, "I increased your intelligence by two." Then he moved to Sevkan's "And I increased your dexterity by 2 and wisdom by one. I made a slight mistake when asking you guys to roll, as usually, you'd choose race and class before putting your stat rolls anywhere, but you all seem to have put them in pretty good spots."
The three of us gave Andre amused looks, to which he raised an eyebrow. "Humans get an additional point in everything?" Sev asked with a small whistling laugh.
"Oh, uh. Yeah, now that there are actual other intelligent races in the galaxy that doesn't look too good does it?"
"It's fine," I said. It was plenty understandable, thinking you're the best at everything you do when there's no one to compare to. "So are we going to start?"
"Yep! Just one more thing. Weapons and armor are important to this, even if you don't have to use them all the time." Andre flipped to a page with a list of item names which I couldn't make ears or tails of. I recognized 'sword', 'bow', and 'spear' as ancient primitive weapons, but other than that everything else escaped me.
"I'm noting a lot of confusion. Anything you need to know?" Andre looked at us expectantly.
"What's a 'maul'," came Sevkan's response.
"Oh, that's a term for a large, two-handed warhammer. Usually, it's depicted as spiked on both ends. Imagine a very large, very crude sledgehammer with spikey bits."
"And a 'glaive'?" Dad asked next.
"I assume you know what a sword is?" We flicked our ears in affirmation. "Well, it's essentially a curved sword attached to a pole. It's made to look a specific way, if it wasn't then it'd probably just be called a Dao. Or maybe the Dao would be called a glaive. Maybe Glaive is just a type of polearm. I have no idea. Anyway, to speed this up, I'll be choosing the weapons and armor you can have for you, and don't worry, I'll use your attitudes as a reference for what you get. For you, Vemnka, I think the mace and shield combo will do nicely with the scale mail. Kimmich, you'd work well with two long swords to accompany your chainmail armor. And finally, Sevkan, a halberd with your chainmail will work fine. Sound good to everyone?"
I was a little disappointed at the stolen opportunity to continue building my character, I'd yet to come up with a name or backstory, as I was sure was the norm, but with the idea of starting taking center stage, I couldn't help but wag my tail.
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Memory Transcription Subject: Sevkan, going down the rabbit hole
Andre put a thin plastic sheet over most of the table, took out a bundle of markers, and began drawing, much to our collective surprise.
The sheet was was smooth and cool to the touch, though not through any internal system, probably just from the back of the garage where Andre had found it. It had a grid printed over it, which Andre seemed to be using as a guide as he drew a boxy shape, marking certain areas with certain colors. There must have been a system he was following, one that none of us Venlil in the room had managed to pick up on, and we didn't want to interrupt Andre as we worked in case we caused him to mess up.
I looked over my character sheet, made mostly by Andre with small additions I felt like I needed to add. I still felt a little bad for not realizing how raw the image of a Krakotl must have been to Andre as I chose the Aarakocra, but he'd brushed it off swiftly and curtly, clearly not wanting to continue the line of thought. Still, I should've chosen a different race. The goliath looked cool and probably would have been a better fighter than a bird with hollow bones, but I also didn't want to drag the others much longer, so I kept silent.
At long last Andre stood at his full height and analyzed his work. "There we go. The battle map is set up, now for the tokens." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out three little white objects. I immediately recognized them as chess pieces. A rook, a knight, and a bishop were placed on the table, along with a dozen white pawns, some of which came from a different chess set, and four black pawns as well as a black king. The black pawns were marked with the colors, yellow, beige, green, and white. We quietly agreed which pieces we would be. Dad would be the knight, I would be the rook, and Vemnka would be the bishop.
Andre sat down and we began. "Alright, I've decided to pull the classic 'wake up in a tavern' DnD start because it's funny and I also didn't exactly plan this. So here we go. Please leave your questions for after I'm done talking."
"You wake up, each of you, around a wooden table in a comfortable tavern with candles above you and empty tankards before you. You look at each other and recognize if only barely, the friends you made last night through a bout of drinking and dancing. You feel the roaring of a hangover in your head as you each groan and attempt to lift your heads."
Andre pointed at the chess pieces, which must have represented our characters. "Please roll constitution to see if the hangover affects you in any major way. It's a d20 plus the number below the stat itself."
We looked at each other with slight confusion. Not at the command to roll, nor for its circumstance, but for the setting. Is this a human board game? I mean, I guess I expected something more akin to chess. but this is nothing like it. It's so... alien.
Dad rolled his d20 first; it landed on a 16, "An 18?"
"Yep, Kimmich, your character brushes off the hangover with ease. You still feel a buzzing in your head, but other than that, you're fit as a fiddle." Oh, I get it now. How interesting. I could see Dad and Vemnka twitch their ears in understanding as I rolled my d20.
It landed on 8. "Plus two, so an 11."
"Sevkan, your head hurts like hell but you're still able to function to a normal degree. If it weren't for your fellow drunkards you're sure you'd have to stumble around by your lonesome for a while."
Vemnka let out a laugh as she rolled her dice. While she had been aiming for the center of the table, the dice had other plans and shot off to the right, flying off the table and rolling under a stool in the kitchen. "Oops! I'll get it," she said, jumping out of her seat and lifting the stool. "It landed on 19," she beeped excitedly.
"Nope," Andre said, much to our surprise. "Rule two of dice: if it goes off the table, its results are null. I didn't make that rule, but I still follow it. Roll again."
Vemnka's ears drooped a bit, but she set herself and climbed back into her seat to roll again. This time the dice did as it was meant to and rolled across the table without falling off. It landed on... "A nat 20!"
"No shit?" Andre lept out of his chair to peer across the table toward the dice. "Well, I'll be damned, a 19 and a 20 in succession. Well, I guess you're just better than those other two. Your character's hangover is completely gone, you felt it for all but a second as you raise your head to see your Aarakocra companion still struggling with his."
"Is there anything I can do to help him?" She asked. Andre's lip curled upward slightly.
"Now you're getting it. It's a role-playing game. You have your roles, the ones you set up for yourself, and now you get to play them. And yes, there is something you can do to help. Roll me a medicine check. I'll add your modifier myself." The sound of a die rattling across the table ended with... "Another Nat 20?!"
We jumped at Andre's incredulous shout as he glared at the die before him. He seemed more angry at the dice than at Vemnka so I assumed we were probably not in trouble. How can we be? We didn't do anything that would make him angry. Why's he yelling?
"Sorry, but the chance of rolling two nat 20s in a row, while not astronomical, is pretty fucking low. Something like a one in four hundred chance, maybe more," Andre said, sitting back down and sighing deeply. "It's fine, just funny is all. Usually, RNJesus is on the DM's side, not the party's. Kinda nice to see a change of pace."
"RNJesus," we asked collectively.
"Don't worry about it, let's continue. Vemnka, you put your hand on Sevkan's shoulder and do some voodoo magic bullshit and pray to your god to heal his aching body. Miraculously, it works and Sevkan sits upright feeling light as a feather. The Aarakocra's headache is now on par with Kimmich's."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that, now let's get on with it. As Sevkan gets up and shakes off the remaining ebbing in his head, you all notice five less-than-reputable figures sitting in a booth at the far end of the tavern. Each wears a hood or cowl accompanied by a cloak, which hides their race and weapons from you, however, you can tell that one of them is considerably larger than the others. If you had to, you'd place it at about 226 cm (7'5") while those around it are around the average human height of 180 cm (6'0"). Roll me perception too."
We looked at each other at the description but shrugged it off as we rolled. I rolled a 7, Dad rolled a 19, and Vemnka rolled a 17.
"Both of you," he said, pointing at Vemnka and Dad with one hand, "See that they are pointing in your direction while the big one holds a piece of paper in his hand. It shows artistic renditions of the three of you, along with a long string of words you can't make out from your current distance. Kimmich, you hear them talking about a bounty and that you are the specified targets. Now it's time for you to react, how do you want to move forward?"
"Well," Vemnka said nervously. I could see her tail flick in my direction, looking for guidance, but I had none. "I suppose I'll confront them? I'm not sure what a bounty is exactly..."
"Really?"
We looked at Andre and the obviousness of the situation. If we didn't know what a word was, we knew it must have been predatory. "Right, sorry. Bounties are orders given to hired people to hunt people. For one reason or another, if someone wants someone dead then they'll place a bounty on their head. I'm not sure if it was ever actually a thing, but bounty hunters were popular during the Wild West days of the US. They usually brought criminals in for trial though, and usually didn't kill them."
"Okay, but why do they want us dead," Dad asked, his ears falling back slightly.
"That's the neat part, you have no idea," Andre said as he leaned forward and moved the green-tipped black pawn a space on the map. "Vemnka, as you get up, you notice that one of the figures is moving towards the door with slight urgency. Before you can make a move, however, the large figure stands up and doffs his cloak, revealing the tattooed grey skin of a Goliath wielding a greatsword in the executioner's style. He shouts over the tavern for everyone other than your group to leave immediately as things are about to get bloody. His three other goons, the one moving toward the door exempt, move in unison towards you. Roll initiative. It's a d20, same as all the others."
I looked toward my sister to see her tail freaking out, her bishop is the closest to the enemy party, meaning she was more likely to be targeted first. I had to protect her, not only because of our sibling relationship but also because she could heal us if we got hurt. The three of us rolled as one, I got a 10, Dad a 14, and Vemnka got a 4. Andre himself rolled a few dice before moving the chess pieces into place and writing down something on a sheet of paper. "Alright, perfect. Initiative rolled, time to start combat. First up, yellow pawn."
He moved the pawn toward Vemnka's bishop, immediately putting her in danger. "One of the vagabonds rushes you, Vemnka, and you see the flash of Tabaxi claws as they raise their hand to strike at you." Andre's dice rolled, clattering to a halt inside the pad on his end, obscuring the results. "Does a 14 hit?"
"How do I check that," she asked, her tail going even crazier. Though, I couldn't tell if it was excitement or panic.
"AC," Andre responded flatly, "Armor Class."
"Right, yep." She looked down at her paper and flicked he ears 'no' then shook her head.
"The Tabaxi's claws swipe right above your head and miss by a hair. You can even feel the air move past you as you flinch backward. Next, the Goliath moves toward you, hefting his greatsword. Kimmich, if looks could kill, you'd be halfway to Valhalla by now. He glares at you with a mighty fire in his eyes. It's hard to tell, but you think he might have it out for you. He takes a swing with his sword and..." Andre rolled and looked back up at the table, his eyes focusing rather intensely on the black king representing the Goliath. "Meh, Nat 1. He swings and you dodge, causing his swing to miss wildly and land on the Tabaxi nearby. She takes," he rolls, "A sizable chunk of damage as blood flows from her lower abdomen."
"Wouldn't she be writhing in pain right now," Dad asked, pointing to the yellow-topped pawn.
"In real life? Yes. Here? I control the game, and while she is certainly hurt, she still has enough will to fight. Money is a powerful incentive for some people, especially bandits and vagabonds. Next, Sevkan, you notice the flash of steel as a dehooded human rushes you with a shortsword in hand. He has a keen eye and sharp nose, but your reflexes are faster as you dodge his swipe. He stumbles a bit, but recovers before you have a chance to harm him." Andre looks at Dad, who doesn't even seem to register the human's gaze as he looks over his sheet. "Kimmich, it's your turn. You can attack, retreat, use a spell-"
"Divine smite the Goliath, I'll use Divine Smite on the Goliath."
Andre lets out a chuckling laugh, "Now we're talkin'. Let's do this. Roll for attack."
Dad rolled, and I watched as the dice skipped across the table and finally landed on 11. "Plus five, so 16."
"Very good, that is a successful hit. Please roll both damage and the Divine Smite's 2d8."
Dad rolled his d8 three separate times, coalescing in a massive 18 damage, a 7, an 8, and a 3. "18 damage total against the Goliath."
Andre did a weird whistle as he marked down the information on what I could only assume was the stat sheet for the enemies. "18 against big guy. Sevkan, your turn. D-"
"Actually," Dad interrupted, "it says here that I have an extra action and a bonus action."
"Oh."
"So I'm going to attack him again."
"Okay."
Dad rolled another d8 which landed 6 side up. "Another six damage and I end my turn."
"Thank you, finally. Sevkan, go, please. Attack or... Well, all you can do is attack." Andre leaned back in his chair, stare planted squarely on me. I looked down at my sheet for any actions I had. I had a normal and bonus action, and that was it. I looked at the section marked features and traits and noticed that I could do three actions with action surge. "Alright, I'll attack three times. Twice with my halberd using action surge and once with that dagger, you forgot to give everyone that we all had the option to take." I glared right back at him.
"Yes, I didn't give you all the tools you could have had because it would have just wasted more time. But fine, if you want to use it, fine. It's a d6 slashing damage."
I rolled the 2d10 for damage. One landed on 8 while the other landed on 9. My d6 lands true on a 4. "21 damage to the beige-tipped pawn. That's the human, right?"
"Yep," Andre nodded as he wrote down the damage. "You take two swipes at the human with your halberd, both connect with both his arms and torso, slowing him considerably. It's only when he remains standing that you pull your dagger from its sheath and plunge it into his chest. You miss his heart by millimeters, but it does the job as he collapses in a pool of blood. Congrats, first knockout of the game."
I shudder at Andre's description of my character, who might as well be interchangeable with a Krakotl, killing a man. A human, for that matter. I look over to see Dad glaring daggers at Andre and Vemnka staring at me worriedly. I wave her off with my tail and focus back on Andre.
"Retribution is in store for you, though, as an Elf leaps over a table with two daggers drawn, ready to avenge her slain comrade. She..." Andre rolls and whoops as he punches a fist into the air. "She comes down with blinding speed and rakes her metal blades across your chest," He rolls again and lets out a slightly disappointed 'oh' before continuing. "You take a total of 8 damage from the Elf's daggers."
Andre, once again, leans forward, this time to remove the beige-tipped pawn from the table and replace it with a red cross, as well as move the green tipped toward where all the white pawns were. I assumed the gap in the markings must have been a door, as Andre had moved all the white pawns out of it when combat started. The green pawn must be escaping or blocking ours. Either way, we have to deal with the three remaining in front of us before we can handle that one.
"I see gears turning, always a good sign, but let's continue. Vemnka your combat turn. Make it count. You can use your bonus action to heal or attack with your mace, it doesn't matter as long as you do a different action when using it."
Vemnka looks over at me, then to the board with a contemplative look. "I'd like to use my first action to bless the two of them, then I'd like to use my bonus action to bonk the -what did you call it?"
"A Tabaxi."
"Yeah, that, I want to bonk that." Her tail swayed with contentment as she rolled her damage dice. It rolled into the batch of white pawns before landing on 6.
"Ouph, 'fraid that's not gonna be enough to hit anyone, but, Kimmich, Sevkan, both of you can now roll a d4 to accompany your attack roll." He flicked his d4 into the air but somehow missed it as it fell. It clattered onto the table and got flung into the living room as Andre tried to grab it. "Fuck, alright, hold on. Damned carpet's gonna be the death of me."
He went looking for the die, leaving us Venlil staring at the table before us.
"So what do you think," I asked abruptly.
"I don't know," Dad responded, his tone careful but gruff. "It's very clearly predatory. I mean, we wake up in a tavern after a night of drinking so hard our heads feel like they're about to explode and once the hangover clears we've got a band of roughnecks out for blood from the get-go." He squinted at the chess pieces representing our characters, they were all next to each other. "And I can't even really argue that we should stop because I'm fine with what's being depicted. Even if his description of you... knocking out that human was a bit over the top, I think that's the point."
"I agree," Vemnka spoke up, "The whole game is very fantastical, not meant to be compared to real life. I mean, sure, the concept of bounty hunters is a real thing, but I don't think there are humans as tall as that Goliath walking around. Or whatever a Tabaxi is."
"Fantastical and weird. If those don't describe humanity, I don't know what does," I said with a bemused flick of my tail.
"How about tired of hearing you talk about me behind my back," Andre's voice shouted from behind the couch, where he was scrounging for the lost die. Finally, he seemed to have found it, poking his head out from the backrest and looking over at us. "I'm joking of course, I don't mind at all. Unless you're insulting my taste in music, then we'll have a problem."
"I-I mean it's just-"
"Not for everyone, yadda yadda yadda. Anyway," Andre stood up, holding the d4 in his hand. "Lets continue. Tabaxi time." He took his seat and leaned forward to adjust the white pawns before rolling the hit dice. "Bruh. Another Nat 1. And here I was imagining the Goliath and Tabaxi to be the leaders of the group. Whatever. The Tabaxi attempts another swipe at you, or so it appears because she ends up cat-scratching the arm of the Goliath next to her. That's five damage, and it moves to the Goliath who is slightly pissed at everyone except for the Elf, who's, y'know, actually put in some work. The Goliath makes a wide swing, hoping to cut you all down in one fell swoop." He rolls the d20 three more times, once with a 'whoop' of success, another with a 'aww' of failure, and a final with a 'oh come the fuck on.' I could only assume it was a horrible failure. Andre's sigh fills the room. "Alright, Kimmich, you take 18 damage, he crit succeeded. Sevkan, you take no damage, and instead duck low as the swipe passes over you. Vemnka, you feel the blade move over you, but it does not connect due to your short stature. No, instead, he once again hits the fucking Tabaxi with his swing because he crit failed. Again. And because the human is no longer available to fight, it's now your turn Kimmich."
"I would like to smite again."
"Oh fuck, right you get two 1st level spell slots." Andre almost sounded annoyed when it was brought up, but relented nonetheless. "Take the hit dice."
Dad rolled, and it landed on 14. He rolled the d4 for the blessing Vemnka gave us. It landed on a 3. "Plus the five-"
"Yeah, yeah, it hits. Roll me damage."
"I'm sensing some hostilities from you," Dad said smugly.
"I'm starting to understand why my DMs hated being DMs, that's all. Please, fuck up that Goliath." And so he did, rolling a 15 in total. "You swing one of your longswords upward and cleave the Goliath's jaw in two, but he does not die. A mere flesh wound such as that would do little to dampen the giant-kin's will. No, what killed him was the bright light that engulfed his head after the strike landed. His face was the first to go as he tried to breathe through the holy flames surrounding him. His screams ended abruptly as his larynx melted away, leaving only writhing agony. He died a pitiable death in all fairness, as any sinner does. The second knockout of the game goes to Kimmich. Yay."
Again, the feeling of discomfort appeared as Andre described in unnecessary detail the visual of... someone burning alive. Oh stars, he planned that out, didn't he?
"Let's move on. Sev, your turn. First, lemme see you all roll perception again."
I rolled a 10 while both Dad and Vemnka rolled 16s. Adding modifiers made their 16s into 19s. "Alright. Again, Vemnka and Kimmich only, you see the figure who'd been moving toward the door at the beginning of the fight, now make a break for it as the Goliath collapses into a burnt-out husk. His hood is removed by the movement revealing it to be a green-scaled Dragonborn." Andre moves the Dragonborn's piece next to the door and through it, stopping it just within our sightlines. "He has a chance to escape, will you let him?" He looked at us expectantly.
I turned to Dad to see him eyeing the piece like a fresh firefruit. "Dad, no. If he leaves then that leaves the Elf and the Tub- Taba- Tabasi, whatever it's called. We can end this soon." Vemnka put her tail on his shoulder in an attempt to get his attention. He flinches at the touch and lowers his raised fur.
"Yes, yeah. Let him go," he says hoarsely.
"Alright, letting the Dragonborn go. Now it's Sev's turn. Go ahead and do something about his pesky elf." Andre moves the Elf's pawn a bit to put it back on the right square.
I shrug, attempting to fight off the conflicting feelings. On one paw, it's a game and no one is going to get hurt by me doing these things. But on the other, if I do this willingly does that make me any better than someone who would kill in real life?
Andre's voice snapped me out of my stupor. "Don't overthink it. It's a game, and this situation is self-defence. Kimmich is the only person here who's killed someone so far. The human will probably live in prison and the Dragonborn might find new meaning in life. It's not like any of this properly reflects the real world anyway. Just focus on the game, nothing more, nothing less."
I shook my body to rid myself of those thoughts and rolled my d20 and d4 from the blessing. "18 to hit."
"And hit it does. Halberd is a go!"
With another roll, it lands on a zero. "Got a 0?"
"Oh, yeah, the model I imposed the numbers on only uses one character for each side, but that's a 10. Good roll. Elf takes 10 damage and doesn't like you right now. I'm super tired of talking, so I'll just roll the hit dice. She attacks you for 19. Your AC is 19. Meets it beats it, that's a hit. Rolling damage, she lands a solid blow of 9 damage for her twin daggers. Now both you and Kimmich should have 3 health. Vem, your turn."
"Hit the tab?"
"Hit the tab."
"Hitting tab." Vemnka rolled her d20 and it landed on a 19. "19 plus whatever, I already know it hits."
"That it does," Andre responded. With a flick of his wrist, he knocks over the Tabaxi's pawn and places a cross where it was, he does the same with the Goliath's king. "Wait, why did you do that? I hadn't rolled damage."
"The Tabaxi had one health, there's no feasible way you do zero damage when rolling a dice with no zero on it. Anyway, let's wrap this up, it feels like we've been at this forever. Kimmich, your turn."
Dad sighed a deep whistling sigh. "I'll just roll to attack the Elf." He rolled his two dice, one landed on a 12 and the other landed on a 7, plus the 5 to his hits. "17 and 12. Rolling damage for that 17."
"Roll for both, the Elf's AC isn't that high."
"Really," I asked, bewildered.
"Really. The Goliath had the most AC at 16, but meets it beats it and Kimmich met it in the first round." The clack of dice interrupted him as Dad rolled his two damage die. Andre leaned forward to announce the numbers. "A total of 13. Congratulations, the three of you have just won a skewed encounter of DnD."
"Skewed encounter?"
"The Goliath had 40 health while everyone other than the Tabaxi had 20. The Tabaxi had 17. The Goliath had an AC of 16 while the rest had between 12 and 14. At least one of you should have died. I was betting on Kimmich because I had the Goliath go after him, but the nat 1s kinda stopped that from happening." Andre shook his prosthetic hands and brought them up to his chin. "Anyway, I'm dead tired. Never want to do that again, ever."
"I can't say I'm in the same cruiser as you, I found it quite fun, even with the gruesome descriptions," I said, probably unconvincingly. I did have fun, but it was a lot to take in all at once.
"I had fun too. Just, if we do do this again, try to tone back the predatory stuff. The fighting was fine, but the description was a bit... spot on I think." Vemnka's tail curled a bit as she probably imagined the images Andre described in her head.
Dad only gave a small 'hmph' as he scooted off his chair and went toward our rooms.
"Well," Andre started, "that's about what I expected from a bunch of scared space sheep."
I let out a whistle as Vemnka gently lowered herself to the ground, marched up to Andre, and bopped him on the thigh with all her might.
===================END=TRANSCRIPTION===================
submitted by Mini_Tonk to NatureofPredators [link] [comments]
That's right, I've Ficnapped Hazardous Recovery, a very well-written fic. I'd recommend it to those looking for a more... tech-inspired fic.
So, enjoy the dumb stuff.)
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Memory Transcription Subject: Kimmich, currently dying inside
Date [standardized human time]: October 25, 2136
If I had been made aware that one of the first days we were on Earth was going to be spent sitting in a predator's house, looking at sheets of paper, and listening to said predator prattle on about silly plastic shapes with numbers on them I'd have refused the trip as a whole. The whole concept seemed like a massive waste of time, not only for us but for him too. Unfortunately, I was trapped here by the whims of Vemnka and Sevkan, and they never let up a chance to see new human past times.
Andre, for his part, had been slow with us, letting us ease into the new living situation with relative laxity on where we were allowed to go. We'd already watched a few movies, played a few "video games", and even listened to some of his music. It was... enjoyable. Even with the obvious attempts to cover up a whole heap of predatory behaviors, Andre had managed to get us feeling somewhat welcome.
Until he had us sit at his kitchen table and write out the Venlilian numerical system, to which he responded with a chuckle, "Looks like Skaven Scratch." He did not elaborate. At first, I thought the exercise was going to be a simple lesson on how to read human numbers. But no, it was far worse. Instead, Andre went to his workshop, scanned all the numbers, and began printing a bunch of geometric prisms with the numbers on them. Vemnka was the first to ask about their purpose as she picked up a dodecahedron, each side holding a numeral.
"Well, I figured we'd play a game, and these," he held up a worn version of the same shape Vemnka was holding, this one with human numbers on it, "are how we play."
Not even a minute later we were watching as he 'rolled' the 'dice' across a little pad on the table. "So, basically, these dice, the 'd6's will help us make our characters. I use the '4d6 minus the lowest rolled' method for stats, but there are other ways to do it."
Sevkan picked up a triangular prism and poked his paw pad with it. "And what about the rest of them," he asked as he tossed the plastic shape onto the pad.
"The one you just rolled is a 'd4', it's a damage dice. Same with the d6, 'd8', 'd10', and 'd12'. This," he held up a dice with ten sides, but with two separate numbers on each face, "is a percentile dice. Helps when I need to see what outcome happens when a random encounter starts, though we'll not be using it because we're doing a oneshot." He flicked it up with a click and caught it. Next, he picked up the same dodecahedron as before and rolled it. "Ouph, nat 1, less than ideal when starting a game."
"What does that mean," I asked, looking down at the twenty-sided dice; the side displaying '1' was facing up.
"A nat 1 is the worst roll on a 'd20'. It's a critical failure, which means if you roll a nat 1, something bad happens." He rolled it again as he talked, "The d20 is the most used dice because it's the 'check dice', you use it to figure out how well you did on an action. For instance," he reached across the table for a sheet of paper. Looking it over, I could see it was a 'character sheet', as Andre called them. "This is the strength stat," He pointed at a block on the left side of the paper, "It shows how strong your character is. If I were to roll this d20 and get a 13, but your strength stat is a 14, plus whatever save modifier you have, then I'd fail the check and either nothing would happen, or you'd get a reaction to my failure." He shifted his weight as he reached for the ground. With a plap, Andre brought up a hardbacked book. My translator had a bit of difficulty translating the text due to the font, but in the end, it spat out 'D&D Player's Handbook'. A small script of subtext under the cover art, which I ignored due to its content, read 'Everything a player needs to create heroic characters for the world's greatest roleplaying game.'
"A roleplaying game," Vamnka asked before Sevkan or I could formulate the words.
"Yep! A TTRPG, Dungeons and Dragons, D&D. I played this once or twice before my accident with the reactor room, but I think I still remember enough to DM for it."
This time Sevkan asked the question, "TTRPG and DM?"
"Tabletop roleplaying game, and Dungeon Master. I run the game, so I'm the dungeon master." He laid out three sets of three pieces of paper at each seat. It had the same words and markings as the one before him. "So, as I said, we're doing a one-shot because I can't be bothered with doing a whole ass campaign. Plus you won't be here forever and we have work to do at some point."
"I'll be making your characters with input from each of you. We're doing basic fifth edition rules because the newer editions, sixth up to ninth, all suck." He grabbed four of the d6 and held them aloft, looking at Sevkan, then Vemnka, and finally landing his gaze on me. I felt my fur rise but paid it no mind as he looked down at the dice before him. "Vemnka, you're going first." He picked up and tossed the dice to Vemnka who scrambled to grab all four before they had a chance to fall off the table.
"So, I just... toss them?" The quizzical flap of her left ear was met by a curt nod from Andre. "Alright," she said as her paw flicked the dice across the table. One landed on 1, another on 2, another on 3, and the final one on 6. "Twelve in total," she announced.
"Good, now remove the lowest number rolled and mark it down somewhere on the back of your sheet."
After five more rolls, Vemnka's stats totaled 11 in strength, 15 in intelligence, another 15 in constitution, 16 in wisdom, 16 in charisma, and 13 in dexterity.
Next was my turn. I rolled a 13, which I put into dexterity, a 14 in constitution, a 15 in charisma, a 16 in strength, another 16 in wisdom, and a 12 in intelligence.
Finally, Sevkan rolled a 12, which was placed in dexterity, a 13 in charisma, a 16 in constitution, a 10 in both wisdom and intelligence and, as Andre put it, the ever elusive 18 was put in strength.
With all that tedious, boring, unimportant, and downright torturous work out of the way, now was the time to get into character creation. Andre gave us the book to look over and told us to ask any questions we wanted if we needed to. I pulled up my pad's visual translator and began skimming the text.
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Memory Transcription Subject: Vemnka, having the time of her life!
The book wasn't big, not by a long shot. I'd read books three to four times as long in [a day] or two. What the book contained, however, was an entirely different story. It wasn't just a rulebook, or handbook, as the cover suggested, it was a way to shape the wild imagination, to tame the itch to create.
And by the stars am I creating!
Andre told us we'd start by choosing class, race, and background. Of course, we had no idea what that meant, so he took us through it one at a time at a leisurely pace. He flipped through the book's pages before landing near the beginning, showcasing a stout-looking human with the undertext 'Dwarf' printed to the left.
After running through all of the vaguely human-like races to pick and a few classes that would shape our table-side adventure, I'd chosen to be a gnome cleric, which was a humorous choice. Andre said I'd primarily be healing, helping my team by keeping them in battle. I didn't mind the idea of being a sideliner, as long as I could help.
Dad had chosen to be a human 'paladin'. Andre explained that the term equated pretty easily to a form of holy guardian, in the form of a mortal, who the god of their faith gifted to defend those around them. Dad thought is was a pretty cool idea, especially the idea of "burning heretics away with holy fire," as Andre put it. It took him a bit longer to choose his race because he kept returning to the page with the almost-Arxur-looking Dragonborn. Still, after some coaxing, he finally let up on whatever was going on in his head and chose the easiest option, and the one Andre had recommended.
Finally, Sevkan had looked a bit farther into the game itself, finding a non-classified databook called "Player's Companion". Andre described it as a supplemental read, adding a bit more variety to the already large amount of options presented in the Player's Handbook. Sevkan took one look at it and immediately chose the Aarakocra, causing Andre to flinch. He said it'd be fine because the Aarakocra looked nothing like Krakotl, but Sevkan still apologized as best he could. He chose the fighter class, which was about as self-explanatory as possible.
Next was backgrounds, I chose to be an acolyte. It made sense in my head that a religious healer would have a background in religion. Dad leaned toward Folk Hero as his background, an option that both he and Andrew agreed would suit his character. Sev chose to be a hermit, which caught me and dad off guard after Andre gave us a rough rundown of what it was. An isolationist fighter, the sort of stuff that got you locked away.
"Alright," Andre said, leaning forward, looking between each of us again. I noticed Dad's fur rise a bit less than last time. Progress is progress. "We've got a Gnome Cleric, a Human Paladin, and an Aarakocra Fighter. Pretty good party dynamics for your first time even hearing about DnD. Now, for the most part, we've done everything we need to do together. From here you would have normally gone through stats and equipment, but I don't want to, and this is a oneshot so those aren't that important. Vem, on that last sheet, please mark down 'Spare the Dying', 'Sacred Flame', and 'Guidance'. Kimmich, on your last sheet, mark down 'Lay on Hands', 'Divine Smite', and 'Divine Sense'. Sev... you can just throw that sheet away. You won't be moving past where you are now."
Sevkan looked down at the sheet with a hint of sadness. To be fair to him, 'Spare the Dying' and 'Divine Smite' sounded cool, but before I could ask what they meant, Dad beat me to it. "What are these for? What do you mean?"
Andre rolled a D20 absent-mindedly, "Spare the Dying is a Cleric Cantrip that stabilizes a person who's taken fatal damage and is rolling death saves. Divine Smite is that whole 'BURN IN HOLY FIRE' thing I was talking about. Depending on how you flavor it, it's you wrapping your weapon in divine fire and burning away at your enemy's soul."
Despite his previous misgivings, ones which were practically plastered over his fur, Dad seemed honestly interested in the concept behind the Divine Smite. "And I just get to use it? Any time I want?"
"Well, not really." Andre pointed a finger toward me. "She has three cantrips which can be used at any time, you only have two. Divine Smite is an actual spell, as in its magic that requires you to utilize a spell slot. Lay on Hands is a contrip that can heal and Divine Sense allows you to detect certain types of creatures based on their alignment. Good and Evil in particular."
Sev spoke up, displaying confusion with his ears. "So why don't I get any spells or cantrips?" There was a degree of disappointment in his voice.
Andre leaned back with a chuckle, flexing his dexterous prosthetics as he clutched the d20 he'd been rolling. "Because, as a fighter, you probably have the most useful ability of them all. It's called 'Second Wind' and its essentially Lay on Hands but only you gain from it. It's an ability you can only use once per short rest, which we won't be needing to get into, which heals you for 1d10 plus your level, which all of you will be set at level 2.
"Again, we won't need much of the stuff in the books because this is A. Your first time and I want it to be fun, and B. A oneshot where nothing matters and we're here to have a good time. So, real quick," Andre grabbed a d8s and a d10 and began rolling them. "Vem," the d8 clacked across the table, landing on a 4, "you've got 15 health total. Because you're a light class, always expect to be on the lower side of health. Kimmich, you've got," he rolled the d10, it landed on an 8, "20 health, not a bad roll. And finally Sevkan," the d10 rolled across the table once more, the 5 side facing up. "18 health. Not too bad either, given your ability to heal yourself."
"How did you get those numbers," I asked, looking across the table at each of our sheets.
"While you all were reading, I put your modifiers where they belong, and changed what needed to be changed with your stats." Andre leaned over and pointed at Dad's sheet, "I increased each of your scores by one because you're human." He moved to mine, "I increased your intelligence by two." Then he moved to Sevkan's "And I increased your dexterity by 2 and wisdom by one. I made a slight mistake when asking you guys to roll, as usually, you'd choose race and class before putting your stat rolls anywhere, but you all seem to have put them in pretty good spots."
The three of us gave Andre amused looks, to which he raised an eyebrow. "Humans get an additional point in everything?" Sev asked with a small whistling laugh.
"Oh, uh. Yeah, now that there are actual other intelligent races in the galaxy that doesn't look too good does it?"
"It's fine," I said. It was plenty understandable, thinking you're the best at everything you do when there's no one to compare to. "So are we going to start?"
"Yep! Just one more thing. Weapons and armor are important to this, even if you don't have to use them all the time." Andre flipped to a page with a list of item names which I couldn't make ears or tails of. I recognized 'sword', 'bow', and 'spear' as ancient primitive weapons, but other than that everything else escaped me.
"I'm noting a lot of confusion. Anything you need to know?" Andre looked at us expectantly.
"What's a 'maul'," came Sevkan's response.
"Oh, that's a term for a large, two-handed warhammer. Usually, it's depicted as spiked on both ends. Imagine a very large, very crude sledgehammer with spikey bits."
"And a 'glaive'?" Dad asked next.
"I assume you know what a sword is?" We flicked our ears in affirmation. "Well, it's essentially a curved sword attached to a pole. It's made to look a specific way, if it wasn't then it'd probably just be called a Dao. Or maybe the Dao would be called a glaive. Maybe Glaive is just a type of polearm. I have no idea. Anyway, to speed this up, I'll be choosing the weapons and armor you can have for you, and don't worry, I'll use your attitudes as a reference for what you get. For you, Vemnka, I think the mace and shield combo will do nicely with the scale mail. Kimmich, you'd work well with two long swords to accompany your chainmail armor. And finally, Sevkan, a halberd with your chainmail will work fine. Sound good to everyone?"
I was a little disappointed at the stolen opportunity to continue building my character, I'd yet to come up with a name or backstory, as I was sure was the norm, but with the idea of starting taking center stage, I couldn't help but wag my tail.
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Memory Transcription Subject: Sevkan, going down the rabbit hole
Andre put a thin plastic sheet over most of the table, took out a bundle of markers, and began drawing, much to our collective surprise.
The sheet was was smooth and cool to the touch, though not through any internal system, probably just from the back of the garage where Andre had found it. It had a grid printed over it, which Andre seemed to be using as a guide as he drew a boxy shape, marking certain areas with certain colors. There must have been a system he was following, one that none of us Venlil in the room had managed to pick up on, and we didn't want to interrupt Andre as we worked in case we caused him to mess up.
I looked over my character sheet, made mostly by Andre with small additions I felt like I needed to add. I still felt a little bad for not realizing how raw the image of a Krakotl must have been to Andre as I chose the Aarakocra, but he'd brushed it off swiftly and curtly, clearly not wanting to continue the line of thought. Still, I should've chosen a different race. The goliath looked cool and probably would have been a better fighter than a bird with hollow bones, but I also didn't want to drag the others much longer, so I kept silent.
At long last Andre stood at his full height and analyzed his work. "There we go. The battle map is set up, now for the tokens." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out three little white objects. I immediately recognized them as chess pieces. A rook, a knight, and a bishop were placed on the table, along with a dozen white pawns, some of which came from a different chess set, and four black pawns as well as a black king. The black pawns were marked with the colors, yellow, beige, green, and white. We quietly agreed which pieces we would be. Dad would be the knight, I would be the rook, and Vemnka would be the bishop.
Andre sat down and we began. "Alright, I've decided to pull the classic 'wake up in a tavern' DnD start because it's funny and I also didn't exactly plan this. So here we go. Please leave your questions for after I'm done talking."
"You wake up, each of you, around a wooden table in a comfortable tavern with candles above you and empty tankards before you. You look at each other and recognize if only barely, the friends you made last night through a bout of drinking and dancing. You feel the roaring of a hangover in your head as you each groan and attempt to lift your heads."
Andre pointed at the chess pieces, which must have represented our characters. "Please roll constitution to see if the hangover affects you in any major way. It's a d20 plus the number below the stat itself."
We looked at each other with slight confusion. Not at the command to roll, nor for its circumstance, but for the setting. Is this a human board game? I mean, I guess I expected something more akin to chess. but this is nothing like it. It's so... alien.
Dad rolled his d20 first; it landed on a 16, "An 18?"
"Yep, Kimmich, your character brushes off the hangover with ease. You still feel a buzzing in your head, but other than that, you're fit as a fiddle." Oh, I get it now. How interesting. I could see Dad and Vemnka twitch their ears in understanding as I rolled my d20.
It landed on 8. "Plus two, so an 11."
"Sevkan, your head hurts like hell but you're still able to function to a normal degree. If it weren't for your fellow drunkards you're sure you'd have to stumble around by your lonesome for a while."
Vemnka let out a laugh as she rolled her dice. While she had been aiming for the center of the table, the dice had other plans and shot off to the right, flying off the table and rolling under a stool in the kitchen. "Oops! I'll get it," she said, jumping out of her seat and lifting the stool. "It landed on 19," she beeped excitedly.
"Nope," Andre said, much to our surprise. "Rule two of dice: if it goes off the table, its results are null. I didn't make that rule, but I still follow it. Roll again."
Vemnka's ears drooped a bit, but she set herself and climbed back into her seat to roll again. This time the dice did as it was meant to and rolled across the table without falling off. It landed on... "A nat 20!"
"No shit?" Andre lept out of his chair to peer across the table toward the dice. "Well, I'll be damned, a 19 and a 20 in succession. Well, I guess you're just better than those other two. Your character's hangover is completely gone, you felt it for all but a second as you raise your head to see your Aarakocra companion still struggling with his."
"Is there anything I can do to help him?" She asked. Andre's lip curled upward slightly.
"Now you're getting it. It's a role-playing game. You have your roles, the ones you set up for yourself, and now you get to play them. And yes, there is something you can do to help. Roll me a medicine check. I'll add your modifier myself." The sound of a die rattling across the table ended with... "Another Nat 20?!"
We jumped at Andre's incredulous shout as he glared at the die before him. He seemed more angry at the dice than at Vemnka so I assumed we were probably not in trouble. How can we be? We didn't do anything that would make him angry. Why's he yelling?
"Sorry, but the chance of rolling two nat 20s in a row, while not astronomical, is pretty fucking low. Something like a one in four hundred chance, maybe more," Andre said, sitting back down and sighing deeply. "It's fine, just funny is all. Usually, RNJesus is on the DM's side, not the party's. Kinda nice to see a change of pace."
"RNJesus," we asked collectively.
"Don't worry about it, let's continue. Vemnka, you put your hand on Sevkan's shoulder and do some voodoo magic bullshit and pray to your god to heal his aching body. Miraculously, it works and Sevkan sits upright feeling light as a feather. The Aarakocra's headache is now on par with Kimmich's."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that, now let's get on with it. As Sevkan gets up and shakes off the remaining ebbing in his head, you all notice five less-than-reputable figures sitting in a booth at the far end of the tavern. Each wears a hood or cowl accompanied by a cloak, which hides their race and weapons from you, however, you can tell that one of them is considerably larger than the others. If you had to, you'd place it at about 226 cm (7'5") while those around it are around the average human height of 180 cm (6'0"). Roll me perception too."
We looked at each other at the description but shrugged it off as we rolled. I rolled a 7, Dad rolled a 19, and Vemnka rolled a 17.
"Both of you," he said, pointing at Vemnka and Dad with one hand, "See that they are pointing in your direction while the big one holds a piece of paper in his hand. It shows artistic renditions of the three of you, along with a long string of words you can't make out from your current distance. Kimmich, you hear them talking about a bounty and that you are the specified targets. Now it's time for you to react, how do you want to move forward?"
"Well," Vemnka said nervously. I could see her tail flick in my direction, looking for guidance, but I had none. "I suppose I'll confront them? I'm not sure what a bounty is exactly..."
"Really?"
We looked at Andre and the obviousness of the situation. If we didn't know what a word was, we knew it must have been predatory. "Right, sorry. Bounties are orders given to hired people to hunt people. For one reason or another, if someone wants someone dead then they'll place a bounty on their head. I'm not sure if it was ever actually a thing, but bounty hunters were popular during the Wild West days of the US. They usually brought criminals in for trial though, and usually didn't kill them."
"Okay, but why do they want us dead," Dad asked, his ears falling back slightly.
"That's the neat part, you have no idea," Andre said as he leaned forward and moved the green-tipped black pawn a space on the map. "Vemnka, as you get up, you notice that one of the figures is moving towards the door with slight urgency. Before you can make a move, however, the large figure stands up and doffs his cloak, revealing the tattooed grey skin of a Goliath wielding a greatsword in the executioner's style. He shouts over the tavern for everyone other than your group to leave immediately as things are about to get bloody. His three other goons, the one moving toward the door exempt, move in unison towards you. Roll initiative. It's a d20, same as all the others."
I looked toward my sister to see her tail freaking out, her bishop is the closest to the enemy party, meaning she was more likely to be targeted first. I had to protect her, not only because of our sibling relationship but also because she could heal us if we got hurt. The three of us rolled as one, I got a 10, Dad a 14, and Vemnka got a 4. Andre himself rolled a few dice before moving the chess pieces into place and writing down something on a sheet of paper. "Alright, perfect. Initiative rolled, time to start combat. First up, yellow pawn."
He moved the pawn toward Vemnka's bishop, immediately putting her in danger. "One of the vagabonds rushes you, Vemnka, and you see the flash of Tabaxi claws as they raise their hand to strike at you." Andre's dice rolled, clattering to a halt inside the pad on his end, obscuring the results. "Does a 14 hit?"
"How do I check that," she asked, her tail going even crazier. Though, I couldn't tell if it was excitement or panic.
"AC," Andre responded flatly, "Armor Class."
"Right, yep." She looked down at her paper and flicked he ears 'no' then shook her head.
"The Tabaxi's claws swipe right above your head and miss by a hair. You can even feel the air move past you as you flinch backward. Next, the Goliath moves toward you, hefting his greatsword. Kimmich, if looks could kill, you'd be halfway to Valhalla by now. He glares at you with a mighty fire in his eyes. It's hard to tell, but you think he might have it out for you. He takes a swing with his sword and..." Andre rolled and looked back up at the table, his eyes focusing rather intensely on the black king representing the Goliath. "Meh, Nat 1. He swings and you dodge, causing his swing to miss wildly and land on the Tabaxi nearby. She takes," he rolls, "A sizable chunk of damage as blood flows from her lower abdomen."
"Wouldn't she be writhing in pain right now," Dad asked, pointing to the yellow-topped pawn.
"In real life? Yes. Here? I control the game, and while she is certainly hurt, she still has enough will to fight. Money is a powerful incentive for some people, especially bandits and vagabonds. Next, Sevkan, you notice the flash of steel as a dehooded human rushes you with a shortsword in hand. He has a keen eye and sharp nose, but your reflexes are faster as you dodge his swipe. He stumbles a bit, but recovers before you have a chance to harm him." Andre looks at Dad, who doesn't even seem to register the human's gaze as he looks over his sheet. "Kimmich, it's your turn. You can attack, retreat, use a spell-"
"Divine smite the Goliath, I'll use Divine Smite on the Goliath."
Andre lets out a chuckling laugh, "Now we're talkin'. Let's do this. Roll for attack."
Dad rolled, and I watched as the dice skipped across the table and finally landed on 11. "Plus five, so 16."
"Very good, that is a successful hit. Please roll both damage and the Divine Smite's 2d8."
Dad rolled his d8 three separate times, coalescing in a massive 18 damage, a 7, an 8, and a 3. "18 damage total against the Goliath."
Andre did a weird whistle as he marked down the information on what I could only assume was the stat sheet for the enemies. "18 against big guy. Sevkan, your turn. D-"
"Actually," Dad interrupted, "it says here that I have an extra action and a bonus action."
"Oh."
"So I'm going to attack him again."
"Okay."
Dad rolled another d8 which landed 6 side up. "Another six damage and I end my turn."
"Thank you, finally. Sevkan, go, please. Attack or... Well, all you can do is attack." Andre leaned back in his chair, stare planted squarely on me. I looked down at my sheet for any actions I had. I had a normal and bonus action, and that was it. I looked at the section marked features and traits and noticed that I could do three actions with action surge. "Alright, I'll attack three times. Twice with my halberd using action surge and once with that dagger, you forgot to give everyone that we all had the option to take." I glared right back at him.
"Yes, I didn't give you all the tools you could have had because it would have just wasted more time. But fine, if you want to use it, fine. It's a d6 slashing damage."
I rolled the 2d10 for damage. One landed on 8 while the other landed on 9. My d6 lands true on a 4. "21 damage to the beige-tipped pawn. That's the human, right?"
"Yep," Andre nodded as he wrote down the damage. "You take two swipes at the human with your halberd, both connect with both his arms and torso, slowing him considerably. It's only when he remains standing that you pull your dagger from its sheath and plunge it into his chest. You miss his heart by millimeters, but it does the job as he collapses in a pool of blood. Congrats, first knockout of the game."
I shudder at Andre's description of my character, who might as well be interchangeable with a Krakotl, killing a man. A human, for that matter. I look over to see Dad glaring daggers at Andre and Vemnka staring at me worriedly. I wave her off with my tail and focus back on Andre.
"Retribution is in store for you, though, as an Elf leaps over a table with two daggers drawn, ready to avenge her slain comrade. She..." Andre rolls and whoops as he punches a fist into the air. "She comes down with blinding speed and rakes her metal blades across your chest," He rolls again and lets out a slightly disappointed 'oh' before continuing. "You take a total of 8 damage from the Elf's daggers."
Andre, once again, leans forward, this time to remove the beige-tipped pawn from the table and replace it with a red cross, as well as move the green tipped toward where all the white pawns were. I assumed the gap in the markings must have been a door, as Andre had moved all the white pawns out of it when combat started. The green pawn must be escaping or blocking ours. Either way, we have to deal with the three remaining in front of us before we can handle that one.
"I see gears turning, always a good sign, but let's continue. Vemnka your combat turn. Make it count. You can use your bonus action to heal or attack with your mace, it doesn't matter as long as you do a different action when using it."
Vemnka looks over at me, then to the board with a contemplative look. "I'd like to use my first action to bless the two of them, then I'd like to use my bonus action to bonk the -what did you call it?"
"A Tabaxi."
"Yeah, that, I want to bonk that." Her tail swayed with contentment as she rolled her damage dice. It rolled into the batch of white pawns before landing on 6.
"Ouph, 'fraid that's not gonna be enough to hit anyone, but, Kimmich, Sevkan, both of you can now roll a d4 to accompany your attack roll." He flicked his d4 into the air but somehow missed it as it fell. It clattered onto the table and got flung into the living room as Andre tried to grab it. "Fuck, alright, hold on. Damned carpet's gonna be the death of me."
He went looking for the die, leaving us Venlil staring at the table before us.
"So what do you think," I asked abruptly.
"I don't know," Dad responded, his tone careful but gruff. "It's very clearly predatory. I mean, we wake up in a tavern after a night of drinking so hard our heads feel like they're about to explode and once the hangover clears we've got a band of roughnecks out for blood from the get-go." He squinted at the chess pieces representing our characters, they were all next to each other. "And I can't even really argue that we should stop because I'm fine with what's being depicted. Even if his description of you... knocking out that human was a bit over the top, I think that's the point."
"I agree," Vemnka spoke up, "The whole game is very fantastical, not meant to be compared to real life. I mean, sure, the concept of bounty hunters is a real thing, but I don't think there are humans as tall as that Goliath walking around. Or whatever a Tabaxi is."
"Fantastical and weird. If those don't describe humanity, I don't know what does," I said with a bemused flick of my tail.
"How about tired of hearing you talk about me behind my back," Andre's voice shouted from behind the couch, where he was scrounging for the lost die. Finally, he seemed to have found it, poking his head out from the backrest and looking over at us. "I'm joking of course, I don't mind at all. Unless you're insulting my taste in music, then we'll have a problem."
"I-I mean it's just-"
"Not for everyone, yadda yadda yadda. Anyway," Andre stood up, holding the d4 in his hand. "Lets continue. Tabaxi time." He took his seat and leaned forward to adjust the white pawns before rolling the hit dice. "Bruh. Another Nat 1. And here I was imagining the Goliath and Tabaxi to be the leaders of the group. Whatever. The Tabaxi attempts another swipe at you, or so it appears because she ends up cat-scratching the arm of the Goliath next to her. That's five damage, and it moves to the Goliath who is slightly pissed at everyone except for the Elf, who's, y'know, actually put in some work. The Goliath makes a wide swing, hoping to cut you all down in one fell swoop." He rolls the d20 three more times, once with a 'whoop' of success, another with a 'aww' of failure, and a final with a 'oh come the fuck on.' I could only assume it was a horrible failure. Andre's sigh fills the room. "Alright, Kimmich, you take 18 damage, he crit succeeded. Sevkan, you take no damage, and instead duck low as the swipe passes over you. Vemnka, you feel the blade move over you, but it does not connect due to your short stature. No, instead, he once again hits the fucking Tabaxi with his swing because he crit failed. Again. And because the human is no longer available to fight, it's now your turn Kimmich."
"I would like to smite again."
"Oh fuck, right you get two 1st level spell slots." Andre almost sounded annoyed when it was brought up, but relented nonetheless. "Take the hit dice."
Dad rolled, and it landed on 14. He rolled the d4 for the blessing Vemnka gave us. It landed on a 3. "Plus the five-"
"Yeah, yeah, it hits. Roll me damage."
"I'm sensing some hostilities from you," Dad said smugly.
"I'm starting to understand why my DMs hated being DMs, that's all. Please, fuck up that Goliath." And so he did, rolling a 15 in total. "You swing one of your longswords upward and cleave the Goliath's jaw in two, but he does not die. A mere flesh wound such as that would do little to dampen the giant-kin's will. No, what killed him was the bright light that engulfed his head after the strike landed. His face was the first to go as he tried to breathe through the holy flames surrounding him. His screams ended abruptly as his larynx melted away, leaving only writhing agony. He died a pitiable death in all fairness, as any sinner does. The second knockout of the game goes to Kimmich. Yay."
Again, the feeling of discomfort appeared as Andre described in unnecessary detail the visual of... someone burning alive. Oh stars, he planned that out, didn't he?
"Let's move on. Sev, your turn. First, lemme see you all roll perception again."
I rolled a 10 while both Dad and Vemnka rolled 16s. Adding modifiers made their 16s into 19s. "Alright. Again, Vemnka and Kimmich only, you see the figure who'd been moving toward the door at the beginning of the fight, now make a break for it as the Goliath collapses into a burnt-out husk. His hood is removed by the movement revealing it to be a green-scaled Dragonborn." Andre moves the Dragonborn's piece next to the door and through it, stopping it just within our sightlines. "He has a chance to escape, will you let him?" He looked at us expectantly.
I turned to Dad to see him eyeing the piece like a fresh firefruit. "Dad, no. If he leaves then that leaves the Elf and the Tub- Taba- Tabasi, whatever it's called. We can end this soon." Vemnka put her tail on his shoulder in an attempt to get his attention. He flinches at the touch and lowers his raised fur.
"Yes, yeah. Let him go," he says hoarsely.
"Alright, letting the Dragonborn go. Now it's Sev's turn. Go ahead and do something about his pesky elf." Andre moves the Elf's pawn a bit to put it back on the right square.
I shrug, attempting to fight off the conflicting feelings. On one paw, it's a game and no one is going to get hurt by me doing these things. But on the other, if I do this willingly does that make me any better than someone who would kill in real life?
Andre's voice snapped me out of my stupor. "Don't overthink it. It's a game, and this situation is self-defence. Kimmich is the only person here who's killed someone so far. The human will probably live in prison and the Dragonborn might find new meaning in life. It's not like any of this properly reflects the real world anyway. Just focus on the game, nothing more, nothing less."
I shook my body to rid myself of those thoughts and rolled my d20 and d4 from the blessing. "18 to hit."
"And hit it does. Halberd is a go!"
With another roll, it lands on a zero. "Got a 0?"
"Oh, yeah, the model I imposed the numbers on only uses one character for each side, but that's a 10. Good roll. Elf takes 10 damage and doesn't like you right now. I'm super tired of talking, so I'll just roll the hit dice. She attacks you for 19. Your AC is 19. Meets it beats it, that's a hit. Rolling damage, she lands a solid blow of 9 damage for her twin daggers. Now both you and Kimmich should have 3 health. Vem, your turn."
"Hit the tab?"
"Hit the tab."
"Hitting tab." Vemnka rolled her d20 and it landed on a 19. "19 plus whatever, I already know it hits."
"That it does," Andre responded. With a flick of his wrist, he knocks over the Tabaxi's pawn and places a cross where it was, he does the same with the Goliath's king. "Wait, why did you do that? I hadn't rolled damage."
"The Tabaxi had one health, there's no feasible way you do zero damage when rolling a dice with no zero on it. Anyway, let's wrap this up, it feels like we've been at this forever. Kimmich, your turn."
Dad sighed a deep whistling sigh. "I'll just roll to attack the Elf." He rolled his two dice, one landed on a 12 and the other landed on a 7, plus the 5 to his hits. "17 and 12. Rolling damage for that 17."
"Roll for both, the Elf's AC isn't that high."
"Really," I asked, bewildered.
"Really. The Goliath had the most AC at 16, but meets it beats it and Kimmich met it in the first round." The clack of dice interrupted him as Dad rolled his two damage die. Andre leaned forward to announce the numbers. "A total of 13. Congratulations, the three of you have just won a skewed encounter of DnD."
"Skewed encounter?"
"The Goliath had 40 health while everyone other than the Tabaxi had 20. The Tabaxi had 17. The Goliath had an AC of 16 while the rest had between 12 and 14. At least one of you should have died. I was betting on Kimmich because I had the Goliath go after him, but the nat 1s kinda stopped that from happening." Andre shook his prosthetic hands and brought them up to his chin. "Anyway, I'm dead tired. Never want to do that again, ever."
"I can't say I'm in the same cruiser as you, I found it quite fun, even with the gruesome descriptions," I said, probably unconvincingly. I did have fun, but it was a lot to take in all at once.
"I had fun too. Just, if we do do this again, try to tone back the predatory stuff. The fighting was fine, but the description was a bit... spot on I think." Vemnka's tail curled a bit as she probably imagined the images Andre described in her head.
Dad only gave a small 'hmph' as he scooted off his chair and went toward our rooms.
"Well," Andre started, "that's about what I expected from a bunch of scared space sheep."
I let out a whistle as Vemnka gently lowered herself to the ground, marched up to Andre, and bopped him on the thigh with all her might.
===================END=TRANSCRIPTION===================
2024.06.01 11:42 Valuable_Bend3444 Al Pacino movies he was rumored to be considered, originally cast or turned down.
1973 Bang the drum slowly. Pacino was casted but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.
Lenny 1974. Pacino turned down the role but later said he regretted it.
Platoon. Sidney lumet came close to making this film with Al Pacino in the mid 70s, but the project got stuck in development hell.
Born on the Fourth of July. Al Pacino was attached to the role when the script was written in 1978 but dropped out, project got stuck in development hell afterwards.
1976 taxi driver. Pacino turned down the role of Travis Bickel.
1977 Star Wars. Pacino infamously or famously turned down the role of Han Solo.
1979 Kramer Vs Kramer. Pacino turned down the lead role because he felt it didn’t fit him.
Rambo 1982. Pacino was considered to play Rambo at one point.
Lethal weapon 1987. Al Pacino was considered to play Riggs.
Die hard 1988. Al Pacino was rumored to have turned down the lead role.
Goodfellas 1990. Pacino was considered to play Jimmy Conway.
Lethal weapon 3. 1992 Pacino turned down the role of the main villain Travis.
Se7en 1995. Pacino was an early candidate to play somerset.
Crimson tide 1995. Pacino was casted in the Gene Hackman role along with Brad Pitt who was supposed to play Ron hunter. Pacino dropped out and Pitt followed afterwards.
submitted by Valuable_Bend3444 to Movie_Trivia [link] [comments]
Lenny 1974. Pacino turned down the role but later said he regretted it.
Platoon. Sidney lumet came close to making this film with Al Pacino in the mid 70s, but the project got stuck in development hell.
Born on the Fourth of July. Al Pacino was attached to the role when the script was written in 1978 but dropped out, project got stuck in development hell afterwards.
- All the presidents men. Al Pacino was considered for Dustin Hoffman’s role.
1976 taxi driver. Pacino turned down the role of Travis Bickel.
1977 Star Wars. Pacino infamously or famously turned down the role of Han Solo.
1979 Kramer Vs Kramer. Pacino turned down the lead role because he felt it didn’t fit him.
- Apocalypse now, Pacino turned down the role because he did not want to be away from America for so long fearing illness..
Rambo 1982. Pacino was considered to play Rambo at one point.
Lethal weapon 1987. Al Pacino was considered to play Riggs.
Die hard 1988. Al Pacino was rumored to have turned down the lead role.
Goodfellas 1990. Pacino was considered to play Jimmy Conway.
Lethal weapon 3. 1992 Pacino turned down the role of the main villain Travis.
Se7en 1995. Pacino was an early candidate to play somerset.
Crimson tide 1995. Pacino was casted in the Gene Hackman role along with Brad Pitt who was supposed to play Ron hunter. Pacino dropped out and Pitt followed afterwards.
2024.06.01 05:07 volknert Happy JuneFly for everyone!
 | Remember for what we're fighting for. Stay strong. Don't let the cool space cowboy catch you(at least not for now). we are almost there. submitted by volknert to FireflyMains [link] [comments] |
2024.06.01 03:47 zecrom189 Sophia:Blood of a hunter(action,horror -51 pages- )
Logline: A young vampire girl has to forge an unlikely alliance with a formidable wolfman to rescue her best friend from a sinister hunter threatening both their worlds.
Script link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i59WdoRDHuSxpXn4Pf6Z1limDoEAz7g1/view?usp=drivesdk
Script has been written in spanish since thats my native tongue and i have made many adjustments
If you guys do know how to read spanish ,i am open to any feedback you guys may have
submitted by zecrom189 to ReadMyScript [link] [comments]
Script link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i59WdoRDHuSxpXn4Pf6Z1limDoEAz7g1/view?usp=drivesdk
Script has been written in spanish since thats my native tongue and i have made many adjustments
If you guys do know how to read spanish ,i am open to any feedback you guys may have
2024.06.01 02:31 StraightOutOfWit [F4A] Finding out your girlfriend is a werewolf?? [Injured Speaker] [Werewolf Speaker x Human Listener] [A Little Goofy] [Supernatural] [Worried Listener] [GFE] [TW: Mentions of blood and injury]
Narration Key
[...] - Pause for Listener’s response, about 5 or 6 seconds
[.] - Pause for Listener’s response, about 2 or 3 seconds
*insert sound effect* - Sound effects and narration cues (coughs, sighs, etc.)
“Insert text” - Character dialogue
(Insert text) - Descriptive actions or context, not to be narrated, sound effects are optional
Usage: I don’t mind if this script is used, monetized, or edited, as long as I’m given credit where credit is due.
And as always, all of my scripts are free to be gender-bent!
Thank you, Tyco, for proofreading! <3 You're a real one
Tags: [F4A] [Injured Speaker] [Werewolf Speaker x Human Listener] [A Little Goofy] [Poisoned] [Supernatural] [Worried Listener] [A Little Bit of Serious Talk] [Finding Out The Truth] [GFE] [TW: Mentions of blood and injury]
Characters:
Ashley: A big hunk of a woman with a heart of gold. Thoughtful, lovable, and compassionate, this ultimate girlfriend has a hard time not showing how much she loves you.
Context: After finally having a day off from construction, Ashley has a day off. Unfortunately, her day off isn’t exactly restful. When you get home from work, you find an alarming amount of carnage inside and try to figure out what’s wrong. Little did you know that was only one of your problems.
Setting: Inside your home.
Script:
(The listener walks out of the bedroom to find Ashley humming a tune and making breakfast at the stove.)
[.]
(The listener stands at the bar counter.)
Ashley: “Oh, hey baby! How’d you sleep?”
[.]
Ashley: “That’s good to hear. If you sit down, I’ll have your plate ready in a sec.”
[.]
(The listener grabs a chair and sits.)
Ashley: “Waffles, bacon, and an omelet. Just the way you like it!”
(Ashley sets a plate down.)
[.]
Ashley: “Of course! I know the office has been stressful lately, so I figured something that wasn’t out of a microwavable box would be good for you. Plus, who wouldn’t want a special breakfast made by their girlfriend?... Coffee?”
[.]
(Coffee is poured into a cup.)
[.]
Ashley: “I’m usually gone for work by the time you wake up, but I have today off! Construction at the site has gone a little ahead of schedule, so Cisco said I could take today to rest.”
[.]
Ashley: “Well, yeah, I woke up at 7. Beats waking up at 4, right?”
[.]
Ashley: “Stop fussing and eat your breakfast. You complain about me overworking, but you’ve been coming home late for the past week.”
[.]
Ashley: “Ah-ah-ah- I don’t want to hear anything about some project due. It’s not your fault that your coworkers don’t do their part and it shouldn’t be up to you to make sure it all gets done. If they can’t pull their weight, how are they even keeping their jobs, anyway?”
[.]
Ashley: “... Fair point.”
[.]
Ashley: “Well, in any case, it shouldn’t be up to you to carry the whole project. It’s unfair and it’s not worth it. If it were up to me, I’d have them fired on the spot.”
[.]
Ashley: *Defeated tone* “Yeah, I know…”
[.]
Ashley: “Do I have any plans?”
[.]
Ashley: “Mmmh, not really. I was thinking about going grocery shopping this afternoon. You want anything while I’m there?”
[.]
Ashley: “Cool! I’ll put it on the list!”
[.]
Ashley: “Oh, before I forget, I’m getting some steaks to take to the boys’ place this weekend; Cisco’s kid graduated and we’re throwing him a little party and grilling out. You’re welcome to come with me if you’d like!”
[.]
Ashley: “Sounds good! I’ll let Cisco know later today, I’m sure he’d love to hang out with you again. He’s met you, what, three times so far?”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah, but he says he likes you so I’d take the win. He’s a person who’s hard to please. I don’t hold it against him.”
[.]
Ashley: “Are you finished eating?”
[.]
Ashley: “I’ll take your plate, then.”
(Ashley takes the listener's plate and washes it in the sink.)
Ashley: “I put your bag by the couch, by the way.”
[.]
Ashley: “Yes, yes, I put the portfolios in there, too. They were sitting next to your laptop.”
[.]
Ashley: “Mhm. I love you, too, baby.”
[.]
(Ashley gives the listener a kiss and the listener walks to the door. Grabbing their bag.)
Ashley: “Bye, have a good day at work!”
[Time skip]
(The listener walks out of their car and to the front door. The door creaks open slightly.)
[.]
(The listener takes a few steps into the house.)
[.]
(Ashley groans painfully in the distance and something clangs onto the bathroom floor.)
Ashley: “Damnit! Hng-”
[.]
(The listener knocks on the bathroom door.)
Ashley: *Pained voice* “Baby?”
[.]
Ashley: “Uh- no,” *wince* “I’m okay.”
[.]
Ashley: “Really, I am!” *pained grunt*
[.]
Ashley: “Blood? There’s blood on the floor?”
[.]
Ashley: “Uh-” *wince* “Uhm. Period… stuff? I don’t-”
[.]
Ashley: “No!- no, don’t come in here. I’m fine!” *groan* “You know how bad my cramps can get. Haha-”
[.]
Ashley: *Wince* “No, baby. I’m warning you, you don’t want to come in here!”
[.]
(The listener pushes on the door until it finally opens.)
[.]
Ashley: “Look- Baby, I can explain-”
[.]
Ashley: “It’s a long story, but-” *wince* “I don’t think I can last much longer sitting like this.”
[.]
Ashley: “Th-the knife. It was- it was laced with something and I need you to understand that whatever you see, it’s still me, okay?”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah- I know about the claws.” *wince* “They’re kinda on me, haha-” *grunt*
[.]
Ashley: “Okay- listen to me. I need you to listen to me carefully, okay?”
[.]
Ashley: “Go into my car and open the glove box.” *wince* “Inside the glove box is a little purple bag. Don’t open it. Just grab it and bring it to me. Can you do that?”
[.]
Ashley: *Grunt* “Thanks.”
(The listener runs outside and opens a car door, opening the glove box and rummaging through some things.)
[.]
(When the listener finds what they need, they close the car door and run back inside.)
[.]
Ashley: “No, no, it’s okay. You got the bag?”
[.]
Ashley: “Good, good. Now,” *wince* “open the bag and you’ll see some bottles and syringes. Fill one up and-”
[.]
Ashley: “No- I know you don’t like needles, but you have to listen to me. You have to do this, okay?”
[.]
Ashley: “I can’t because I’m contaminated. You have to do it.”
[.]
Ashley: “Listen!”
[.]
Ashley: “If you don’t do this, I bleed out and you’ll have a much bigger problem on your hands. Do you understand?”
[.]
Ashley: *Wince* “Alright. Now take a syringe and fill it. Once you have it, stick it in my leg, okay?”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah, kinda like an Epi-Pen.”
(The listener fills the syringe and sticks it into Ashley’s leg.)
Ashley: *Wince* “It’s gonna take a second.”
[...]
Ashley: *Sigh of relief* “Thank you.”
[.]
Ashley: “No, no, don’t call an ambulance. I’ll be okay.”
[.]
Ashley: “No- I know it looks bad, but I’m okay, really!” *small wince* “It wasn’t silver, so I should be healed in a few minutes.”
[.]
Ashley: “Can you hand me that towel, please?”
[.]
Ashley: “Thanks.”
[.]
Ashley: “‘What happened?’ Uh… how do I put this?...”
[.]
Ashley: “Er- you know how there’s these… things? Supernatural things.”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah, like ghosts and stuff.”
[.]
Ashley: “Well, some of them- not all-, but some of them… are… real.”
[.]
Ashley: “Yes, some of them are real. But my point is…” *sigh* “I’m gonna sound like I’m on something-”
[.]
Ashley: “Well, ‘werewolf’ is one term for it. How’d you know?”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah, I suppose that kinda gave it away.”
[.]
Ashley: “You’re not… scared of me, are you?”
[.]
Ashley: “Well, I don’t know. Normally when someone sees their girlfriend half wolfed-out and bleeding in the bathroom, they’d be a bit… freaked out?”
[.]
Ashley: “You’re not mad at me, are you? I’m sorry I yelled at you.”
[.]
Ashley: “Worried?”
[.]
Ashley: “I’m sorry…”
[.]
Ashley: “I don’t know. For making you worry?”
[.]
Ashley: “At least the cat’s out of the bag, right?”
[.]
Ashley: “Too soon?”
[.]
Ashley: “Uh, yeah you can just-... Put that in the sink for now. It’s not a good idea for me to touch it.”
[.]
Ashley: “Wolfsbane, I’m guessing. Thankfully, the jackass that stabbed me used a steel knife, not a silver one. The stuff you stuck me with was an antidote. It counteracts the poison when we can’t flush it out ourselves.”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah, thanks to Cisco, it’s in a convenient little bottle. He gets it from some vampire herbalist, Charlie.”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah… Cisco is one, too. He’s kinda the reason I’m here, actually. He showed me the ropes and how to deal with this stuff.”
[.]
Ashley: “What? No! It’s not a normal thing, trust me. Some dude from animal control tried talking to me when I got out of the car. Must have been one of those damn hunters.”
[.]
Ashley: “Hunters? Did I say hunters? I don’t think that I-”
[.]
Ashley: “Right. Sorry. Your questions.”
[.]
Ashley: “It’s… a long story.”
[.]
Ashley: “No, I wasn’t bitten. That’s a vampire’s thing. Lupines, or werewolves, are born, not turned into.”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah, I got it from my dad’s side of the family. That’s kind of why he gives you a hard time.”
[.]
Ashley: “Well, he doesn’t think you’d be able to exactly… handle… it. The wolf thing.”
[.]
Ashley: “I know, I know, but deep down he actually does like you. Especially Mom. She thinks you’re great! I guess what I’m trying to say is: most of the time when someone like you finds out about someone like me, they freak out and run away.”
[.]
Ashley: “What? No, of course not! I didn’t tell you because of the things that might follow you finding out. I wasn’t afraid of you running away, I was afraid that someone might try to go after you to get to me.”
[.]
Ashley: “I don’t know… I’ll see if I can pull some strings and get Charlie or one of Cisco’s buddies to keep an eye on the house. Usually, when there's one hunter there’s bound to be a few more. They almost never hunt alone.”
[.]
Ashley: “I know you can fend for yourself, sweetheart, but you can’t keep me from worrying. Trust me, it’s for both your safety and mine.”
[.]
Ashley: “I’d give you a hug, but I’m pretty sure you don’t want my blood on your work clothes.”
[.]
Ashley: “Ah, shit. Did I get any of it on the rug?”
[.]
Ashley: “Oh, okay, good. Thank god for hardwood floors.”
[.]
Ashley: “Speaking of which, I should be good to go now.”
[.]
Ashley: “I’m fineee, see?”
[.]
Ashley: “It’s gone, so there’s nothing to worry about!”
[.]
Ashley: “One of the perks to being supernatural, I suppose. Fast healing, enhanced senses, yadda yadda.”
[.]
Ashley: “Hey. I’m fine, okay? I’m standing, aren’t I? So stop worrying your pretty head about it.”
[.]
Ashley: “Thank you… Now. I gotta get this mess cleaned up. Can you bring in the groceries from the car while I clean the floor?”
[.]
(Ashley kisses the listener.)
Ashley: “You’re an absolute doll.”
[.]
Ashley: “Yes, yes. After I change and clean up, I will answer all of your burning questions over a hefty glass of Italian Vermouth.”
[.]
Ashley: “I promise.”
[.]
(Ashley gives the listener one more kiss.)
Ashley: “Thanks, sweetheart.”
(The listener walks away.)
[End.]
submitted by StraightOutOfWit to ASMRScriptHaven [link] [comments]
[...] - Pause for Listener’s response, about 5 or 6 seconds
[.] - Pause for Listener’s response, about 2 or 3 seconds
*insert sound effect* - Sound effects and narration cues (coughs, sighs, etc.)
“Insert text” - Character dialogue
(Insert text) - Descriptive actions or context, not to be narrated, sound effects are optional
Usage: I don’t mind if this script is used, monetized, or edited, as long as I’m given credit where credit is due.
And as always, all of my scripts are free to be gender-bent!
Thank you, Tyco, for proofreading! <3 You're a real one
Tags: [F4A] [Injured Speaker] [Werewolf Speaker x Human Listener] [A Little Goofy] [Poisoned] [Supernatural] [Worried Listener] [A Little Bit of Serious Talk] [Finding Out The Truth] [GFE] [TW: Mentions of blood and injury]
Characters:
Ashley: A big hunk of a woman with a heart of gold. Thoughtful, lovable, and compassionate, this ultimate girlfriend has a hard time not showing how much she loves you.
Context: After finally having a day off from construction, Ashley has a day off. Unfortunately, her day off isn’t exactly restful. When you get home from work, you find an alarming amount of carnage inside and try to figure out what’s wrong. Little did you know that was only one of your problems.
Setting: Inside your home.
Script:
(The listener walks out of the bedroom to find Ashley humming a tune and making breakfast at the stove.)
[.]
(The listener stands at the bar counter.)
Ashley: “Oh, hey baby! How’d you sleep?”
[.]
Ashley: “That’s good to hear. If you sit down, I’ll have your plate ready in a sec.”
[.]
(The listener grabs a chair and sits.)
Ashley: “Waffles, bacon, and an omelet. Just the way you like it!”
(Ashley sets a plate down.)
[.]
Ashley: “Of course! I know the office has been stressful lately, so I figured something that wasn’t out of a microwavable box would be good for you. Plus, who wouldn’t want a special breakfast made by their girlfriend?... Coffee?”
[.]
(Coffee is poured into a cup.)
[.]
Ashley: “I’m usually gone for work by the time you wake up, but I have today off! Construction at the site has gone a little ahead of schedule, so Cisco said I could take today to rest.”
[.]
Ashley: “Well, yeah, I woke up at 7. Beats waking up at 4, right?”
[.]
Ashley: “Stop fussing and eat your breakfast. You complain about me overworking, but you’ve been coming home late for the past week.”
[.]
Ashley: “Ah-ah-ah- I don’t want to hear anything about some project due. It’s not your fault that your coworkers don’t do their part and it shouldn’t be up to you to make sure it all gets done. If they can’t pull their weight, how are they even keeping their jobs, anyway?”
[.]
Ashley: “... Fair point.”
[.]
Ashley: “Well, in any case, it shouldn’t be up to you to carry the whole project. It’s unfair and it’s not worth it. If it were up to me, I’d have them fired on the spot.”
[.]
Ashley: *Defeated tone* “Yeah, I know…”
[.]
Ashley: “Do I have any plans?”
[.]
Ashley: “Mmmh, not really. I was thinking about going grocery shopping this afternoon. You want anything while I’m there?”
[.]
Ashley: “Cool! I’ll put it on the list!”
[.]
Ashley: “Oh, before I forget, I’m getting some steaks to take to the boys’ place this weekend; Cisco’s kid graduated and we’re throwing him a little party and grilling out. You’re welcome to come with me if you’d like!”
[.]
Ashley: “Sounds good! I’ll let Cisco know later today, I’m sure he’d love to hang out with you again. He’s met you, what, three times so far?”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah, but he says he likes you so I’d take the win. He’s a person who’s hard to please. I don’t hold it against him.”
[.]
Ashley: “Are you finished eating?”
[.]
Ashley: “I’ll take your plate, then.”
(Ashley takes the listener's plate and washes it in the sink.)
Ashley: “I put your bag by the couch, by the way.”
[.]
Ashley: “Yes, yes, I put the portfolios in there, too. They were sitting next to your laptop.”
[.]
Ashley: “Mhm. I love you, too, baby.”
[.]
(Ashley gives the listener a kiss and the listener walks to the door. Grabbing their bag.)
Ashley: “Bye, have a good day at work!”
[Time skip]
(The listener walks out of their car and to the front door. The door creaks open slightly.)
[.]
(The listener takes a few steps into the house.)
[.]
(Ashley groans painfully in the distance and something clangs onto the bathroom floor.)
Ashley: “Damnit! Hng-”
[.]
(The listener knocks on the bathroom door.)
Ashley: *Pained voice* “Baby?”
[.]
Ashley: “Uh- no,” *wince* “I’m okay.”
[.]
Ashley: “Really, I am!” *pained grunt*
[.]
Ashley: “Blood? There’s blood on the floor?”
[.]
Ashley: “Uh-” *wince* “Uhm. Period… stuff? I don’t-”
[.]
Ashley: “No!- no, don’t come in here. I’m fine!” *groan* “You know how bad my cramps can get. Haha-”
[.]
Ashley: *Wince* “No, baby. I’m warning you, you don’t want to come in here!”
[.]
(The listener pushes on the door until it finally opens.)
[.]
Ashley: “Look- Baby, I can explain-”
[.]
Ashley: “It’s a long story, but-” *wince* “I don’t think I can last much longer sitting like this.”
[.]
Ashley: “Th-the knife. It was- it was laced with something and I need you to understand that whatever you see, it’s still me, okay?”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah- I know about the claws.” *wince* “They’re kinda on me, haha-” *grunt*
[.]
Ashley: “Okay- listen to me. I need you to listen to me carefully, okay?”
[.]
Ashley: “Go into my car and open the glove box.” *wince* “Inside the glove box is a little purple bag. Don’t open it. Just grab it and bring it to me. Can you do that?”
[.]
Ashley: *Grunt* “Thanks.”
(The listener runs outside and opens a car door, opening the glove box and rummaging through some things.)
[.]
(When the listener finds what they need, they close the car door and run back inside.)
[.]
Ashley: “No, no, it’s okay. You got the bag?”
[.]
Ashley: “Good, good. Now,” *wince* “open the bag and you’ll see some bottles and syringes. Fill one up and-”
[.]
Ashley: “No- I know you don’t like needles, but you have to listen to me. You have to do this, okay?”
[.]
Ashley: “I can’t because I’m contaminated. You have to do it.”
[.]
Ashley: “Listen!”
[.]
Ashley: “If you don’t do this, I bleed out and you’ll have a much bigger problem on your hands. Do you understand?”
[.]
Ashley: *Wince* “Alright. Now take a syringe and fill it. Once you have it, stick it in my leg, okay?”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah, kinda like an Epi-Pen.”
(The listener fills the syringe and sticks it into Ashley’s leg.)
Ashley: *Wince* “It’s gonna take a second.”
[...]
Ashley: *Sigh of relief* “Thank you.”
[.]
Ashley: “No, no, don’t call an ambulance. I’ll be okay.”
[.]
Ashley: “No- I know it looks bad, but I’m okay, really!” *small wince* “It wasn’t silver, so I should be healed in a few minutes.”
[.]
Ashley: “Can you hand me that towel, please?”
[.]
Ashley: “Thanks.”
[.]
Ashley: “‘What happened?’ Uh… how do I put this?...”
[.]
Ashley: “Er- you know how there’s these… things? Supernatural things.”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah, like ghosts and stuff.”
[.]
Ashley: “Well, some of them- not all-, but some of them… are… real.”
[.]
Ashley: “Yes, some of them are real. But my point is…” *sigh* “I’m gonna sound like I’m on something-”
[.]
Ashley: “Well, ‘werewolf’ is one term for it. How’d you know?”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah, I suppose that kinda gave it away.”
[.]
Ashley: “You’re not… scared of me, are you?”
[.]
Ashley: “Well, I don’t know. Normally when someone sees their girlfriend half wolfed-out and bleeding in the bathroom, they’d be a bit… freaked out?”
[.]
Ashley: “You’re not mad at me, are you? I’m sorry I yelled at you.”
[.]
Ashley: “Worried?”
[.]
Ashley: “I’m sorry…”
[.]
Ashley: “I don’t know. For making you worry?”
[.]
Ashley: “At least the cat’s out of the bag, right?”
[.]
Ashley: “Too soon?”
[.]
Ashley: “Uh, yeah you can just-... Put that in the sink for now. It’s not a good idea for me to touch it.”
[.]
Ashley: “Wolfsbane, I’m guessing. Thankfully, the jackass that stabbed me used a steel knife, not a silver one. The stuff you stuck me with was an antidote. It counteracts the poison when we can’t flush it out ourselves.”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah, thanks to Cisco, it’s in a convenient little bottle. He gets it from some vampire herbalist, Charlie.”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah… Cisco is one, too. He’s kinda the reason I’m here, actually. He showed me the ropes and how to deal with this stuff.”
[.]
Ashley: “What? No! It’s not a normal thing, trust me. Some dude from animal control tried talking to me when I got out of the car. Must have been one of those damn hunters.”
[.]
Ashley: “Hunters? Did I say hunters? I don’t think that I-”
[.]
Ashley: “Right. Sorry. Your questions.”
[.]
Ashley: “It’s… a long story.”
[.]
Ashley: “No, I wasn’t bitten. That’s a vampire’s thing. Lupines, or werewolves, are born, not turned into.”
[.]
Ashley: “Yeah, I got it from my dad’s side of the family. That’s kind of why he gives you a hard time.”
[.]
Ashley: “Well, he doesn’t think you’d be able to exactly… handle… it. The wolf thing.”
[.]
Ashley: “I know, I know, but deep down he actually does like you. Especially Mom. She thinks you’re great! I guess what I’m trying to say is: most of the time when someone like you finds out about someone like me, they freak out and run away.”
[.]
Ashley: “What? No, of course not! I didn’t tell you because of the things that might follow you finding out. I wasn’t afraid of you running away, I was afraid that someone might try to go after you to get to me.”
[.]
Ashley: “I don’t know… I’ll see if I can pull some strings and get Charlie or one of Cisco’s buddies to keep an eye on the house. Usually, when there's one hunter there’s bound to be a few more. They almost never hunt alone.”
[.]
Ashley: “I know you can fend for yourself, sweetheart, but you can’t keep me from worrying. Trust me, it’s for both your safety and mine.”
[.]
Ashley: “I’d give you a hug, but I’m pretty sure you don’t want my blood on your work clothes.”
[.]
Ashley: “Ah, shit. Did I get any of it on the rug?”
[.]
Ashley: “Oh, okay, good. Thank god for hardwood floors.”
[.]
Ashley: “Speaking of which, I should be good to go now.”
[.]
Ashley: “I’m fineee, see?”
[.]
Ashley: “It’s gone, so there’s nothing to worry about!”
[.]
Ashley: “One of the perks to being supernatural, I suppose. Fast healing, enhanced senses, yadda yadda.”
[.]
Ashley: “Hey. I’m fine, okay? I’m standing, aren’t I? So stop worrying your pretty head about it.”
[.]
Ashley: “Thank you… Now. I gotta get this mess cleaned up. Can you bring in the groceries from the car while I clean the floor?”
[.]
(Ashley kisses the listener.)
Ashley: “You’re an absolute doll.”
[.]
Ashley: “Yes, yes. After I change and clean up, I will answer all of your burning questions over a hefty glass of Italian Vermouth.”
[.]
Ashley: “I promise.”
[.]
(Ashley gives the listener one more kiss.)
Ashley: “Thanks, sweetheart.”
(The listener walks away.)
[End.]
2024.05.31 19:58 pilkyton ChromieCraft: Come for the Community, Leave for the Fundamentally Broken Server
ChromieCraft is an interesting server, with the goal of creating a completely free, non-profit server without any pay2win. It's a progressive server, which is currently at Mount Hyjal in TBC, but will progress to WotLK in early 2025.
The community is very good and friendly and casual, and about half of the players are good at the game (that's a pretty good ratio for any server).
You've probably seen all the people speaking highly of the server. It's true that it's a special place. I've been there for about 50 days now, leveled all the way to 70, and made about fifty friends and met a great guild.
It's a very low population server, and people say that it gets better at 70. It certainly does, but the queues are still long for dungeons, even as a tank or healer. Using world chat to tell others to queue is often required even at 70.
While you level, you'll start seeing some of the cracks in the server's programming, but the real issues will only become fully visible at 70, and especially if you are the tank. If you have ever played on official or any other private server, you'll soon be disgusted by the deep, fundamental bugs with all of the NPC mechanics on this server.
There are 3500 open bug reports (here and here), lots of which are about fundamentally incorrect mechanics, and most of which are 2-3 years old and totally ignored. In case of very serious bugs, the most activity you might see is some 2-3 year old admin reply saying how hard it is for them to fix that bug, and no other replies after that.
They spend all their time releasing new raids. And yes, it's commendable that they are scripting raids and doing all of this for the good of the private server community, but they should honestly just stop all raid development right now and go back to square 1 to fix core NPC gameplay mechanics.
Without further ado, let's look at some of the issues, just a few things that I can remember right now:
It might sound minor at first, but when you know how the game is supposed to be, and you see these totally unfixed bugs that were all reported 2-3 YEARS AGO, it really shatters the illusion that this is such a "great, bug-free server". Hell no. It's an okay server, with a nice community, and tons of painful bugs with EVERY core gameplay mechanic.
I'd say that tanks are the ones that will notice these bugs the most. Followed by healers. And finally, DPS probably don't notice anything since they just stand and push a button over and over while the tank and healer deals with all these bugs.
So yeah, do I recommend this server? Actually not... at all... unless they stop adding raids and go back to actually fix core NPC behaviors and game mechanics.
I see so many positive posts about this server, and nobody discussing these deep, fundamental bugs with every gameplay aspect. Probably because most people are DPS and are completely unaware of the bugs since they're too busy standing in fire (heh). I really hope their admins finally take these bugs seriously, because it's ruining what could be a very good server.
Thank you for listening to my TED talk.
submitted by pilkyton to wowservers [link] [comments]
The community is very good and friendly and casual, and about half of the players are good at the game (that's a pretty good ratio for any server).
You've probably seen all the people speaking highly of the server. It's true that it's a special place. I've been there for about 50 days now, leveled all the way to 70, and made about fifty friends and met a great guild.
It's a very low population server, and people say that it gets better at 70. It certainly does, but the queues are still long for dungeons, even as a tank or healer. Using world chat to tell others to queue is often required even at 70.
While you level, you'll start seeing some of the cracks in the server's programming, but the real issues will only become fully visible at 70, and especially if you are the tank. If you have ever played on official or any other private server, you'll soon be disgusted by the deep, fundamental bugs with all of the NPC mechanics on this server.
There are 3500 open bug reports (here and here), lots of which are about fundamentally incorrect mechanics, and most of which are 2-3 years old and totally ignored. In case of very serious bugs, the most activity you might see is some 2-3 year old admin reply saying how hard it is for them to fix that bug, and no other replies after that.
They spend all their time releasing new raids. And yes, it's commendable that they are scripting raids and doing all of this for the good of the private server community, but they should honestly just stop all raid development right now and go back to square 1 to fix core NPC gameplay mechanics.
Without further ado, let's look at some of the issues, just a few things that I can remember right now:
- Mobs are pathing underground, totally disappearing into the terrain. This can happen to any NPC but is especially common for underwater mobs, since underwater pathing is completely effed up. So you'll attack a mob, and see it walk into the ground, disappearing.
- The mob underground pathing happens to bosses too. You'll see things like Vazruden in Hellfire Ramparts walking towards you and then sinking into the ground.
- Many, many mobs, especially casters, will suddenly path away from you during combat (even though they are at full health), running faaaaaar away from you, and then they stop attacking you but they stay in combat with you. So they're 3000 meters away, still aggroed onto you, keeping you in permanent combat so that you can't use your mount. This aggro lasts for around 5 minutes and has a huge range.
- The weird pathing also happens during combat, where many mobs will slowly and gradually walk away from you while you fight them. Which totally breaks the feeling of the game, seeing these stupid pathing bugs everywhere.
- Now onto an absolutely effing gigantically effing huge issue: There are NO DIMINISHING RETURNS on spells, so you will be chain-stunned/stunlocked/silenced forever in any dungeon where there's lots of stun mobs, especially Shattered Halls. When a tank is stunned, their evasion goes to 0% and every hit is taken directly. This is effing idiotic. And their only reply? They just said that this is "very hard to fix" (even though other private servers don't have this issue), and they said that they made NPCs cast spells less often which should alleviate the fact that each stun/silence lasts the full duration on this broken server. Well, it doesn't alleviate anything. It's absolute torture as a tank (and healer).
- Frequent mob evasion bugs, where mobs will become completely unhittable by anything except AoE spells. This is especially painful for melee, where they will evade every hit. So for example, a warrior has to use Whirlwind or Thunderclap to kill those bugged mobs, even though they are literally standing in front of you. You can't hit them.
- The server has extremely long mob aggro timers. They'll follow you for minutes, meaning that you can forget about outrunning huge packs.
- Ground NPCs aggro you when you're in the air and continue chasing you even when you're flying, which makes farming annoying, since you might grab a node, then mount up, get seen by an enemy, and as you fly to the next node, the enemy will continue chasing you across the world below you, until it finally reaches you at the next node. Ridiculous.
- Terrible mob pathing, they can't follow you down mountain slopes, which breaks kiting mobs down hills. If you run down any slope, they just stand at the top, looking at you, stutter in the air a bit, and then teleport back to their original spawn location.
- Broken mob packs/logic: You can sometimes pull single mobs out of large packs, which is especially weird in dungeons.
- Pet pathing is a totally broken mess. Hunters, warlocks and mage pets will just randomly attack random enemies far away from the party, running across the room, pulling everything, and wiping the party. This is not because of idiotic hunters. It's just idiotic pet pathing/AI which picks random targets anywhere in the room, totally ignoring all logic and sanity.
- Pets and enemy NPCs often end up spinning in circles as they chase each other, each one chasing the other, making them do a "ballet dance" of circle-spinning as they slowly drift away into the horizon like two lovers eloping together. Yes, really...
- The aggro range of mobs is completely wrong and is waaaaay wider than it should be, making it likely that you will chain-pull several packs for no reason other than that ChromieCraft is broken. This is especially painful in Hellfire Ramparts, where you can end up pulling 30 enemies when you simply attack 1 pack. It wipes most parties. I've seen every single mob in the first boss room attacking the party; meaning the boss, all side packs on both sides, and even the guards at the stairs at the back of the room, all coming at the same time. It's braindead. The issue is also very noticeable in the Shattered Halls, where you can end up with huge pulls, or the final corridor in the Shadow Labs which is supposed to pull one "line" of mobs at a time but instead often pulls 2-3 lines.
- Mob placement in dungeons is wrong, this is mostly noticeable in Hellfire Ramparts, where there are wandering mobs incorrectly placed directly between multiple packs. There are 3 spots in the first boss room and 1 spot in the main plateau above, where you have about 90% risk of pulling the entire room when just pulling one pack, due to the idiotic mob placements on ChromieCraft. This makes the tank look like an idiot even though it's the broken server core's fault. Basically, imagine that every dash - is an NPC: --- - --- - ---, so since Chromie has placed wandering NPCs BETWEEN packs, the packs all end up chain-pulling each other. It makes Hellfire Ramparts heroic much harder than RAIDS!
- Spell damage is completely wrong for most caster NPCs. For example, the Mana Tombs final boss has 4 orbs which do 1800 dmg per hit (even on Normal mode). The correct value is 180 damage per hit. This incorrect value means that they nuke the tank with 4x1800 = 7200 damage per second with their channeled arcane spell. In just two seconds, most tanks are dead from taking 14400 damage. On this idiotic server, every tank now knows that you have to shield wall when you pull that simple boss. I used to tank like 10-15 of those orbs on official, we totally ignored them and just attacked the boss. Here, the 4 initial orbs easily wipe the tank in TWO SECONDS.
- Spell casting NPCs are completely incorrectly programmed. They spam the spells over and over and over again, without any cooldown or any group-logic. This means that things like the final dragon boss in Ramparts spams the party with 3-4x more fireballs than it should, constantly targeting the healer and other ranged users, over and over and over again, making the entire fight into absolute torture, and making it impossible for melee DPS due to fire everywhere. The spell-spamming also means that the Summoners in Shadow Labs will rapidly spam out endless summoned adds, which really messes with the tank and risks healer or DPS death (since those adds have zero threat when they spawn_. It also means very silly NPC behaviors, like the healer NPCs in OHF (Old Hillsbrad) spamming their heals endlessly over and over again even when all enemies are at full health.
- Healer threat is way, waaaaay higher than it should be, making the healer a huge target in dungeons. A single heal easily causes way more threat than a warrior's AoE thunderclap. Tanks have to CONSTANTLY taunt on this server.
- Threat in general is totally wrong on this server, with everyone doing way more threat than they should be doing relative to the tank.
- The threat range of heals is also stupidly high on this server, which can wipe parties, because it's possible for a healer to "buttpull" packs that are faaar away from the healer, just by casting heals at the tank who is also faaar away from the extra pack. It's completely idiotic.
- Hunters have an insanely annoying bug where they often become stuck in "attack mode" with their gun in their hand even after combat has ended. And as soon as you target ANYTHING, you will INSTANTLY shoot them. This can cause accidental pulls in dungeons if you're used to pre-targeting the next pack. It's yet another idiotic bug.
- Even basic bugs aren't fixed, such as the teleporter from Booty Bay to Gadgetzan for Horde. It's a simple fix, and someone even posted the solution years ago (the server core is missing a single, hidden teleporter floor object), but nothing is being done. Another simple fix is the fact that Outlands vendors are missing high level vanilla ammo, which would be so easy to add to their shop tables, but things like this just remains ignored for years.
It might sound minor at first, but when you know how the game is supposed to be, and you see these totally unfixed bugs that were all reported 2-3 YEARS AGO, it really shatters the illusion that this is such a "great, bug-free server". Hell no. It's an okay server, with a nice community, and tons of painful bugs with EVERY core gameplay mechanic.
I'd say that tanks are the ones that will notice these bugs the most. Followed by healers. And finally, DPS probably don't notice anything since they just stand and push a button over and over while the tank and healer deals with all these bugs.
So yeah, do I recommend this server? Actually not... at all... unless they stop adding raids and go back to actually fix core NPC behaviors and game mechanics.
I see so many positive posts about this server, and nobody discussing these deep, fundamental bugs with every gameplay aspect. Probably because most people are DPS and are completely unaware of the bugs since they're too busy standing in fire (heh). I really hope their admins finally take these bugs seriously, because it's ruining what could be a very good server.
Thank you for listening to my TED talk.
2024.05.31 15:21 CISO_Series_Producer Top cybersecurity stories for the week of 05-27-24 to 05-31-24
Below are some of the stories we’ve been reporting this week on Cyber Security Headlines.
If you’d like to watch and participate in a discussion about them, the CISO Series does a live 20-minute show every Friday at 12:30pm PT/3:30pm ET. Each week we welcome a different cyber practitioner to offer some color to the week's stories. Our guest this week is Dimitri Van Zantvliet, CISO, Dutch Railways.
To get involved you can watch live and participate in the discussion on YouTube Live https://youtube.com/live/ASlvum9lqZA or you can subscribe to the Cyber Security Headlines podcast and get it into your feed.
Here are the stories we plan to cover, time permitting:
Arc browser’s Windows launch sabotaged by malvertising The much-anticipated launch of the Arc browser for Windows, a new browser that has already received positive reviews after last year’s release for iOS, was marred by a Google Ads malvertising campaign that lured people into downloading trojanized installers to receive malware payloads. A report from MalwareBytes describes how the threat actors set up malicious advertisements on Google Search to attract users looking to download the new web browser. Since these installed the Arc browser as expected, it is unlikely that victims will realize they have become infected with malware. (ThreatDown blog by MalwareBytes)
Cencora breach exposed patient info from 11 drug companies Following up on a story we covered in March 1, some of the world’s largest drug companies have disclosed data breaches following a cyberattack at Cencora, formerly known as AmerisourceBergen, a pharmaceutical services provider specializing in drug distribution, specialty pharmacy, consulting, and clinical trial support. The data stolen includes full name, address, health diagnosis, medications, and prescriptions, although no numbers of patients appears available. This is because the 11 companies affected, including Novartis, Bayer, and GlaxoSmithKline are processing the impact individually. (BleepingComputer)
Black Basta claims hack on fuel distributor Atlas According to researcher Dominic Alvieri, Black Basta has added the company to its online victim list. “Atlas is one of the largest national fuel distributors in the U.S., moving 1 billion gallons of fuel per year to the 49 continental states. Amid the 730GB of data claimed to have been stolen from Atlas is corporate data belonging to departments such as Accounts, HR, Finance, and Executive, as well as user and employee data. The gang has published some documents as proof, but Atlas has yet to disclose the alleged incident. (Security Affairs)
Funding cuts expands backlog of unanalyzed vulnerabilities New research from VulnCheck shows that over 90% of submissions to the U.S. government’s National Vulnerabilities Database have not been analyzed or enriched since the agency announced cutbacks in February. CVE enrichment involves the inclusion of public feedback following the creation of a vulnerability number. This has been adversely affected by the cutbacks. Out of 12,720 new vulnerabilities added since February, 11,885 remain not analyzed. In addition, 82% of bugs that have a public proof-of-concept exploit have not been examined. (The Record)
Ascension’s recovery highlights the less visible effects of a healthcare cyberattack The healthcare network’s 140 member hospitals and senior care centers are coming back online following a major cyberattack earlier this month, but certain scars remain. The sudden loss of technology left nurses and physicians exasperated. The need to use fax machines to order prescriptions, lab work and imaging was something they described as dangerous, as one nurse described a case where they had to wait four hours for head CT (scan) results on somebody having a brain bleed. They “struggled to know what blood tests or medications correspond to which patients, and resorted to their own text messaging threads, along with asking patients to bring in their own documentation. Some health workers have “criticized Ascension ordering them not to explain the situation to patients who become angry when they are told that tests cannot be done or the wrong medication was delivered.” Ascension is also facing a class action lawsuit as a result of the theft of confidential patient information. (The Record)
BreachForums returns just weeks after FBI-led takedown Just two weeks after we brought you the news of the FBI’s takedown of the notorious dark-web marketplace, BreachForums is back open for registration as of Tuesday. Back on May 15, BreachForums website and Telegram channel displayed warnings that they were now “under the control of the FBI.” Additionally, profile pics of the BreachForum admins Baphomet and ShinyHunters depicted them behind bars and Baphomet was reportedly arrested. However the ShinyHunters crew claimed to escape unscathed and the marketplace now appears to be under their control. (The Register and HackRead)
New report looks at the security dangers of inadequate offboarding Wing Security says that 63% of businesses may have former employees who still have access to organizational data. Inadequate or insufficient offboarding practices, the company says, often happen during periods of mass layoffs, citing the 80,000 tech employees who were made redundant in the first half of 2024 alone, “especially considering that the average employee uses 29 different SaaS applications.” The report cites four distinct risks, being data breaches, compliance violations, insider threats, and intellectual property theft. Their recommendation is to use automation in SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM). A link to the report is available in the show notes to this episode. (The Hacker News and Wing Security)
Malware bricked over 600,000 routers Researchers from Lumen Technologies’ Black Lotus Labs reported new details about an incident that occurred last October, where hundreds of thousands of customers from a single ISP reported bricked SOHO routers. The report didn’t name the ISP, but the timeline matches a large-scale outage by Windstream. On October 25th, 2023, an unknown threat actor deployed the commodity Chalubo malware on over 600,000 routers connected to a single autonomous system number, using custom scripts to overwrite the router firmware. Notably, the attack targeted the ASN, not a particular router model, with routers from two different manufacturers impacted. The researchers don’t know the exact attack chain or if a nation-state actor perpetrated the attack. (Ars Technica)
Dutch bank ABN Amro discloses data breach This breach has been announced as being a result of a ransomware attack suffered by a third-party vendor, AddComm, a company that distributes documents and tokens physically and digitally to clients and employees. AddComm has contained the incident and is investigating what data may have been accessed, and ABM Amro has stopped using this vendor’s services. The bank also states that there are currently no indications that attackers have used the data of its customers. (Security Affairs)
submitted by CISO_Series_Producer to cybersecurity [link] [comments]
If you’d like to watch and participate in a discussion about them, the CISO Series does a live 20-minute show every Friday at 12:30pm PT/3:30pm ET. Each week we welcome a different cyber practitioner to offer some color to the week's stories. Our guest this week is Dimitri Van Zantvliet, CISO, Dutch Railways.
To get involved you can watch live and participate in the discussion on YouTube Live https://youtube.com/live/ASlvum9lqZA or you can subscribe to the Cyber Security Headlines podcast and get it into your feed.
Here are the stories we plan to cover, time permitting:
Arc browser’s Windows launch sabotaged by malvertising The much-anticipated launch of the Arc browser for Windows, a new browser that has already received positive reviews after last year’s release for iOS, was marred by a Google Ads malvertising campaign that lured people into downloading trojanized installers to receive malware payloads. A report from MalwareBytes describes how the threat actors set up malicious advertisements on Google Search to attract users looking to download the new web browser. Since these installed the Arc browser as expected, it is unlikely that victims will realize they have become infected with malware. (ThreatDown blog by MalwareBytes)
Cencora breach exposed patient info from 11 drug companies Following up on a story we covered in March 1, some of the world’s largest drug companies have disclosed data breaches following a cyberattack at Cencora, formerly known as AmerisourceBergen, a pharmaceutical services provider specializing in drug distribution, specialty pharmacy, consulting, and clinical trial support. The data stolen includes full name, address, health diagnosis, medications, and prescriptions, although no numbers of patients appears available. This is because the 11 companies affected, including Novartis, Bayer, and GlaxoSmithKline are processing the impact individually. (BleepingComputer)
Black Basta claims hack on fuel distributor Atlas According to researcher Dominic Alvieri, Black Basta has added the company to its online victim list. “Atlas is one of the largest national fuel distributors in the U.S., moving 1 billion gallons of fuel per year to the 49 continental states. Amid the 730GB of data claimed to have been stolen from Atlas is corporate data belonging to departments such as Accounts, HR, Finance, and Executive, as well as user and employee data. The gang has published some documents as proof, but Atlas has yet to disclose the alleged incident. (Security Affairs)
Funding cuts expands backlog of unanalyzed vulnerabilities New research from VulnCheck shows that over 90% of submissions to the U.S. government’s National Vulnerabilities Database have not been analyzed or enriched since the agency announced cutbacks in February. CVE enrichment involves the inclusion of public feedback following the creation of a vulnerability number. This has been adversely affected by the cutbacks. Out of 12,720 new vulnerabilities added since February, 11,885 remain not analyzed. In addition, 82% of bugs that have a public proof-of-concept exploit have not been examined. (The Record)
Ascension’s recovery highlights the less visible effects of a healthcare cyberattack The healthcare network’s 140 member hospitals and senior care centers are coming back online following a major cyberattack earlier this month, but certain scars remain. The sudden loss of technology left nurses and physicians exasperated. The need to use fax machines to order prescriptions, lab work and imaging was something they described as dangerous, as one nurse described a case where they had to wait four hours for head CT (scan) results on somebody having a brain bleed. They “struggled to know what blood tests or medications correspond to which patients, and resorted to their own text messaging threads, along with asking patients to bring in their own documentation. Some health workers have “criticized Ascension ordering them not to explain the situation to patients who become angry when they are told that tests cannot be done or the wrong medication was delivered.” Ascension is also facing a class action lawsuit as a result of the theft of confidential patient information. (The Record)
BreachForums returns just weeks after FBI-led takedown Just two weeks after we brought you the news of the FBI’s takedown of the notorious dark-web marketplace, BreachForums is back open for registration as of Tuesday. Back on May 15, BreachForums website and Telegram channel displayed warnings that they were now “under the control of the FBI.” Additionally, profile pics of the BreachForum admins Baphomet and ShinyHunters depicted them behind bars and Baphomet was reportedly arrested. However the ShinyHunters crew claimed to escape unscathed and the marketplace now appears to be under their control. (The Register and HackRead)
New report looks at the security dangers of inadequate offboarding Wing Security says that 63% of businesses may have former employees who still have access to organizational data. Inadequate or insufficient offboarding practices, the company says, often happen during periods of mass layoffs, citing the 80,000 tech employees who were made redundant in the first half of 2024 alone, “especially considering that the average employee uses 29 different SaaS applications.” The report cites four distinct risks, being data breaches, compliance violations, insider threats, and intellectual property theft. Their recommendation is to use automation in SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM). A link to the report is available in the show notes to this episode. (The Hacker News and Wing Security)
Malware bricked over 600,000 routers Researchers from Lumen Technologies’ Black Lotus Labs reported new details about an incident that occurred last October, where hundreds of thousands of customers from a single ISP reported bricked SOHO routers. The report didn’t name the ISP, but the timeline matches a large-scale outage by Windstream. On October 25th, 2023, an unknown threat actor deployed the commodity Chalubo malware on over 600,000 routers connected to a single autonomous system number, using custom scripts to overwrite the router firmware. Notably, the attack targeted the ASN, not a particular router model, with routers from two different manufacturers impacted. The researchers don’t know the exact attack chain or if a nation-state actor perpetrated the attack. (Ars Technica)
Dutch bank ABN Amro discloses data breach This breach has been announced as being a result of a ransomware attack suffered by a third-party vendor, AddComm, a company that distributes documents and tokens physically and digitally to clients and employees. AddComm has contained the incident and is investigating what data may have been accessed, and ABM Amro has stopped using this vendor’s services. The bank also states that there are currently no indications that attackers have used the data of its customers. (Security Affairs)
2024.05.31 14:27 CuzStoneColdSezSo My 50 Favorite Films of the 80s! (#30-21)
 | Click my username for previous entries! These are only films in my collection so blind spots are inevitable. Also I know which of these blu-rays have 4K upgrades available you don’t have to tell me to get them lol. Feel free to post your own favorites! 30) Midnight Run: Robert DeNiro shows a lighter side perfectly playing a professional bounty hunter who has to wrangle Charles Grodin’s high strung mob accountant across the U.S. in this buddy action-comedy. Like Planes, Trains, and Automobiles with guns. 29) The Last Temptation of Christ: Martin Scorsese’s highly controversial passion project starring Willem Dafoe as a more humanized Jesus Christ remains a deeply moving examination of faith and spirituality. 28) After Hours: Martin Scorsese’s darkly comic masterpiece runs Griffin Dunne’s lonely office drone through a Kafka’esque wringer in the definitive “Up All Night” New York movie. 27) The Killer: John Woo’s singular blend of kinetic action and melodrama was perfectly engineered in this masterpiece of heroic bloodshed starring Chow Yun Fat as an assassin with a code of honor. 26) Die Hard: The most influential action film of the decade, John McTiernan’s perfectly directed thriller features a great script and two amazing performances from Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman. Also a Christmas classic. 25) This Is Spinal Tap: Rob Reiner’s fake rockumentary about the titular British metal band is quite simply one of the funniest movies ever made. 24) Amadeus: Milo’s Forman’s Best Picture winner about the professional-turned-deeply personal rivalry between court composer Salieri and the young genius Mozart is a world class drama. Triumphant, enthralling, a masterpiece. 23) The Road Warrior: George Miller’s post apocalyptic action opus is a film of pure, unrelenting violence and brutality, realized with astonishing craft and a mythic grandeur. 22) Aliens: James Cameron’s more action oriented sequel to Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror classic brilliantly expands on its predecessor strengths while cementing Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley as an all time great cinematic heroine. 21) The Terminator: Two years before Aliens James Cameron proved himself with another perfectly engineered sci-fi thriller on an even tighter budget, elevating a glorified B-movie premise about a killer robot from the future into a work of incredible pop art. To be continued! submitted by CuzStoneColdSezSo to 4kbluray [link] [comments] |
2024.05.31 07:47 ComfortOneStop [A4M] Comforting a BeePerson Through the Winter [Comfort] [Comedy] [BearPerson Speaker X BeePerson Listener] [Strangers to More] [Protective] [Tsundere]
Monetization is okay, but do not lock behind a paywall, if you make an audio using this script please post the link or comment as I would love to hear it! Tweaking is fine on all my scripts!
[SFX]
("Spoken" noises)
*Tone Changes / Suggestions*
~~~~~~~~ Listener "speaks", longer pause in spoken audio
[Crashing through trees, growling]
Bear: What are you doing here? This is my territory!
~~~~~~~
Bear: I could hear your buzzing in my cave, I'm trying to sleep, keep it down!
~~~~~~
Bear: You aren't doing it on purpose? I don't believe you, I know bees can somewhat control their shaking, stop it, the noise woke me up and I had to get up out of my warm cave to tell you to hush. I get upset when I am cold and even more upset when I'm woken up.
~~~~~~~
Bear: If you don't want me to do anything to you then fly back to your hive already! I'm going back to sleep.
~~~~~~~
Bear: What do you mean you don't have anywhere to go? Bees are social creatures, even I know that.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: Oh, you're a drone...and drones get thrown out of the hive for winter so there is more food for the remaining bees... Well, uh, you have made it this long, I'm sure you will survive another year. But you must leave this area, this is my section of the woods and bears are solidary.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: You do not need my help, like I said you have grown up with this being a yearly tradition, you should have prepared better. The only problem I have with you is the amount of noise you are making.
~~~~~~~~~
Bear: The workers and Queen prevent you from stocking food for the coming winter since it's not good for the colony.... they just throw you out with no supplies and no way to defend yourself? You have no stinger. What do they expect you to do?
~~~~~~~~~~
Bear: They... expect most males not to make it at all... they care for you until you are grown and then use you for mating during summer. And once winter comes around, they just abandon you to the elements... [growling] How cruel. And that's coming from a bear.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: I can't help you...I am truly sorry for that but I need all the food I have to make it through winter and I know drones don't make honey so I wouldn't even get anything out of the trade.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: Excuse me? [Growling] I do not agree to that, how dare you even suggest... what kind of bear do you take me for?
~~~~~~~~
Bear: Oh... that is what drones are used for. Ah, I see. [Rumbling] No. I do not want that. Why would I allow you into my home and let you take my food? You basically just admitted that you have no life skills. Drones truly aren't meant to survive outside the hive.
~~~~~~~~~
Bear: Company? Like a friend? Hmmm... What? I never said you were dumb, you just were never taught things, that is hardly your fault, I'm sure if someone took the time to show you how to survive you would... [growling] I know what you're trying to do. I feel bad for you but....
~~~~~~~~
Bear: Stop begging. (sighs) Fine, there is actually something you can do for me, and I might let you stay with me. Well, like I explained, I had to get out of my warm cave to see what was making noise and even with my fur I still get a bit cold... so... if you come back to my cave and keep me warm through the winter, I will let you stay.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: It is not like that! Do not make it weird. After winter, you will leave. Find a new hive, live on your own, I do not care. Is that understood?
~~~~~~~~~
Bear: Don't thank me. Let's go.
[Time skip, in a cave with fire]
Bear: Make yourself comfortable. I'll make something for us to eat but I want you to watch whenever I do something so you know how to survive once you leave.
~~~~~~~~~
Bear: You only eat plants? Understood. I will cook the meat for myself on a different item. [Gathering food] This is a good area, plenty of fruits and good fish around. What would you like? Okay, give me a second. See how I'm mixing the fruits and flipping the fish once it is crispy on one side? Do me a favor and keep doing that. I'll grab you some warmer clothes.
~~~~~~~~~~
Bear: Here, it's made from moss and grass. Oh you think the food is ready? Don't panic, use that stick to move them both off the fire, careful, don't hurt yourself. Good! [Eating]
Bear: Good, good. You took it off at just the right time. Hmm? You have a question? Go ahead.
~~~~~~~
Bear: Oh (laughs) that's a myth. Bears don't sleep continuously for the whole winter. We wake up briefly to eat and care for ourselves. I don't know any creature that can stay asleep for that long. Anyway, tell me about yourself. I can understand that this situation is a bit strange but it doesn't have to unpleasant.
~~~~~~~
Bear: I see, well that's actually pretty interesting. You want to know about me? Oh, there isn't much to tell. I do what I need to survive. I do enjoy the challenge of finding food though. Snatching fish from the river is probably my favorite thing to do. It's more fun than it sounds I promise.
~~~~~~~
Bear: Oh you're done. You ate that fast, do you want more? No? Alright, well I should get back to sleep, I wasn't planning on waking up for the next few days at least... Okay, I know that look. If you don't want to do this it is fine, you don't have to.
~~~~~~~
Bear: No, I won't kick you out if you don't. I'm sorry for saying that. As long as you use what you learn and keep quiet, I will not force you to do anything, I swear.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: You want to? Alright, as long as you are being truthful with me. [Gets in bed] Are you okay with me touching you? Yes? Good. You are very warm. Thank you for doing this. It has been a while since I have spent time with another.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: I'll admit the idea of a friend does sound nice, like I said bears are usually lone hunters but it does get too quiet sometimes... the only time others have come here is in an attempt to take over my territory. [growling] Oh sorry, didn't mean to scare you. Don't worry, I know that's not why you came here and I will protect you if another challenger appears.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: Hm? Oh yes, I am fine with you eating when you are hungry or anything else you might need to do. However, please don't hesitate to wake me up if you need something. Just try to stay quiet if everything is going okay.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: You do not have to thank me, your situation is...unfair. Even I am not as cruel as the world you experienced, and hopefully I can show you that it is not all bad, especially if you know how to survive.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: You're tired? Okay, let's both rest. Try not to buzz or shake a lot, if you are cold just let me know and I will grab us another blanket and pull you closer. Sleep well.
(Fading out as Listener is falling asleep)
Bear: Thank you so much for showing up...
submitted by ComfortOneStop to ASMRScriptHaven [link] [comments]
[SFX]
("Spoken" noises)
*Tone Changes / Suggestions*
~~~~~~~~ Listener "speaks", longer pause in spoken audio
[Crashing through trees, growling]
Bear: What are you doing here? This is my territory!
~~~~~~~
Bear: I could hear your buzzing in my cave, I'm trying to sleep, keep it down!
~~~~~~
Bear: You aren't doing it on purpose? I don't believe you, I know bees can somewhat control their shaking, stop it, the noise woke me up and I had to get up out of my warm cave to tell you to hush. I get upset when I am cold and even more upset when I'm woken up.
~~~~~~~
Bear: If you don't want me to do anything to you then fly back to your hive already! I'm going back to sleep.
~~~~~~~
Bear: What do you mean you don't have anywhere to go? Bees are social creatures, even I know that.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: Oh, you're a drone...and drones get thrown out of the hive for winter so there is more food for the remaining bees... Well, uh, you have made it this long, I'm sure you will survive another year. But you must leave this area, this is my section of the woods and bears are solidary.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: You do not need my help, like I said you have grown up with this being a yearly tradition, you should have prepared better. The only problem I have with you is the amount of noise you are making.
~~~~~~~~~
Bear: The workers and Queen prevent you from stocking food for the coming winter since it's not good for the colony.... they just throw you out with no supplies and no way to defend yourself? You have no stinger. What do they expect you to do?
~~~~~~~~~~
Bear: They... expect most males not to make it at all... they care for you until you are grown and then use you for mating during summer. And once winter comes around, they just abandon you to the elements... [growling] How cruel. And that's coming from a bear.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: I can't help you...I am truly sorry for that but I need all the food I have to make it through winter and I know drones don't make honey so I wouldn't even get anything out of the trade.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: Excuse me? [Growling] I do not agree to that, how dare you even suggest... what kind of bear do you take me for?
~~~~~~~~
Bear: Oh... that is what drones are used for. Ah, I see. [Rumbling] No. I do not want that. Why would I allow you into my home and let you take my food? You basically just admitted that you have no life skills. Drones truly aren't meant to survive outside the hive.
~~~~~~~~~
Bear: Company? Like a friend? Hmmm... What? I never said you were dumb, you just were never taught things, that is hardly your fault, I'm sure if someone took the time to show you how to survive you would... [growling] I know what you're trying to do. I feel bad for you but....
~~~~~~~~
Bear: Stop begging. (sighs) Fine, there is actually something you can do for me, and I might let you stay with me. Well, like I explained, I had to get out of my warm cave to see what was making noise and even with my fur I still get a bit cold... so... if you come back to my cave and keep me warm through the winter, I will let you stay.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: It is not like that! Do not make it weird. After winter, you will leave. Find a new hive, live on your own, I do not care. Is that understood?
~~~~~~~~~
Bear: Don't thank me. Let's go.
[Time skip, in a cave with fire]
Bear: Make yourself comfortable. I'll make something for us to eat but I want you to watch whenever I do something so you know how to survive once you leave.
~~~~~~~~~
Bear: You only eat plants? Understood. I will cook the meat for myself on a different item. [Gathering food] This is a good area, plenty of fruits and good fish around. What would you like? Okay, give me a second. See how I'm mixing the fruits and flipping the fish once it is crispy on one side? Do me a favor and keep doing that. I'll grab you some warmer clothes.
~~~~~~~~~~
Bear: Here, it's made from moss and grass. Oh you think the food is ready? Don't panic, use that stick to move them both off the fire, careful, don't hurt yourself. Good! [Eating]
Bear: Good, good. You took it off at just the right time. Hmm? You have a question? Go ahead.
~~~~~~~
Bear: Oh (laughs) that's a myth. Bears don't sleep continuously for the whole winter. We wake up briefly to eat and care for ourselves. I don't know any creature that can stay asleep for that long. Anyway, tell me about yourself. I can understand that this situation is a bit strange but it doesn't have to unpleasant.
~~~~~~~
Bear: I see, well that's actually pretty interesting. You want to know about me? Oh, there isn't much to tell. I do what I need to survive. I do enjoy the challenge of finding food though. Snatching fish from the river is probably my favorite thing to do. It's more fun than it sounds I promise.
~~~~~~~
Bear: Oh you're done. You ate that fast, do you want more? No? Alright, well I should get back to sleep, I wasn't planning on waking up for the next few days at least... Okay, I know that look. If you don't want to do this it is fine, you don't have to.
~~~~~~~
Bear: No, I won't kick you out if you don't. I'm sorry for saying that. As long as you use what you learn and keep quiet, I will not force you to do anything, I swear.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: You want to? Alright, as long as you are being truthful with me. [Gets in bed] Are you okay with me touching you? Yes? Good. You are very warm. Thank you for doing this. It has been a while since I have spent time with another.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: I'll admit the idea of a friend does sound nice, like I said bears are usually lone hunters but it does get too quiet sometimes... the only time others have come here is in an attempt to take over my territory. [growling] Oh sorry, didn't mean to scare you. Don't worry, I know that's not why you came here and I will protect you if another challenger appears.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: Hm? Oh yes, I am fine with you eating when you are hungry or anything else you might need to do. However, please don't hesitate to wake me up if you need something. Just try to stay quiet if everything is going okay.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: You do not have to thank me, your situation is...unfair. Even I am not as cruel as the world you experienced, and hopefully I can show you that it is not all bad, especially if you know how to survive.
~~~~~~~~
Bear: You're tired? Okay, let's both rest. Try not to buzz or shake a lot, if you are cold just let me know and I will grab us another blanket and pull you closer. Sleep well.
(Fading out as Listener is falling asleep)
Bear: Thank you so much for showing up...
2024.05.31 06:26 xXOutlierXx [F4A] A Poem for your Playwright [Friends] [Poetry] [Writing Think Tank] [Mature Topics] [Philosophy]
Hello all. The youtube channel, Kiyoko&Kanade are currently hosting a 3 part ASMR competition, with one of the divisions being for script writers (deadline June 21 [see their youtube channel community tab for more details]).
Because of this, I plan to write a lot more. And as a consequence of that, I plan to share my script entries here, because why not? I hope you enjoy it!
Side note - this script is okay for monetization.
Synopsis Your friend needs help coming up with a poem for a narrator to read before the start of their play. You have dabbled in the literary arts in the past, so maybe you could help?
[Sound of footsteps]
[Sound of someone speaking can be heard in the distaned; and said speaking becomes clearer the longer the foosteps sound, as the listener is walking towards the speaker]
Juliet: (Stoic) "What is left for the man who has lost it all...? What comfort is there to offer the hero, when those he loves are dead...? Who can tell me..." (Exasperated sigh, now speaking casually) How in the world I'm going to salvage this script?
[Sound of knocking]
Juliet: Huh, did someone just... knock? The only thing to knock on would be a set piece on the stage...
[Sound of heeled footsteps] [Brief pause] [Sudden Gasp and Excited Squeal]
Juliet: Oh my gosh!
[Sound of rushed footsteps and collison as the speaker runs to, and then hugs, the listener]
Juliet: I'm so happy to see you! What are you doing here?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Your meeting ended early than you expected, so you decided to stop by? Ooh, you are a gem!
[Rustling sounds as speaker hugs listener tighter]
Juliet: (Giggling) Okay, okay, I get it. I'll release you, for now. But seriously, it is so great to see you here. I know that the team and I are still technically in rehersals, but even so, having you here for moral support means a lot.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Hm? Oh, the rest of the crew isn't here yet. I always show up early to go over the script and edit lines. So I'm afraid there won't be much to see until a little later on. (Sarcastically mumbling to herself) Unless of course you want to see me slowly lose my mind.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Huh? Oh, I didn't say anthing.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Ugh, fine! What I said was, "there won't be much to see, unless you like the idea of watching me slowly loose my mind!"
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: What's up? (Scoffs) This script is what's up! No wait, this script isn't up, it's down! In fact, this script is so far down, it's basically in purgatory.
[Slumps/thumps to the floor]
Juliet: (Sigh) I need a break.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Yeah, I'm okay... It's just... I want this play to go well... It's my first time writing and producing a play, after all... But this script is being a nusance and a half.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: No, the story isn't the problem. I actually have a reasonable amount of faith in this one. The problem is the intro. Or rather, the poem that's supposed to go in place of the intro, and is meant to give the audience a glimpse into the mind of the protagonist. It's also supposed to give a summary of the plot of the play itself, without giving too much of anything away. It's also meant to ask deeply philosophical questions, without giving anyone a concrete answer.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You're right. It is a lot. Which is why it needs to be perfect, and why I'm currently lying on the floor in defeat.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You say I can do it, but as far as I can tell, the scoreboard reads Juliet: 1, Script: 1 hundred million.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Yeah, those are pretty bleak scores. And if I had any sense at all, I'd give up and stop playing.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Who says I can't give up on art and become a corporate stooge? I think I'd be a great normie (sarcastically)
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Giggling) Okay, you're right; I wouldn't last a week. (Wistful sigh) That still doesn't mean I shouldn't quit, though.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You croon the idea "I will Survive," but this horrible poem in my hands, says your off key!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Huh? You... want to, read it? (Gasping) That's it! You can help me!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Help me with what? Uh, with this play piece (waving script in the air)-- Duh! I can't believe I didn't think of this before. You were always into the same things as me in school. You even managed to write a few pieces that made me cry. Which is not too shabby, if I may say so myself.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (In a playfully mocking tone) "Eh, that was a long time ago." Give me a break. I know that beneath that suit and tie, beats the heart of a bonafide theatre kid, and no amount of time or money can change that.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Oh, you're still not sure? Well in that case-- here! (Slamming of papers into the listener) Read this and tell me what you think (she says while jogging away).
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Nu-uh, no give backsies! You have been burdened with genius, and I shall be your muse!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Groan all you want, I see you smiling over there, troublemaker. Now hurry up and make words, our audience awaits!
[Brief Pause] [Note - all of Juliet's dialogue will be from a distance from here on]
Juliet: Hm? It would help if you know what the play's about? Well... it's about a medieval knight who gives his life defending his country, only to be revived 100 years later as a Dullahan.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Yeah, it is pretty gruesome. But life doesn't pull any punches, so neither will I! Anyway, the knight goes around the kingdom trying to get his bearings, he has been dead for the last century after all. But as the Knight goes around town, his heart gets broken, as the Loving Queen he knew gave birth to horribly selfish descendants. These royal brats, and those after them, changed the kingdom from the peaceful utopia that it was, into the oppresive and tyrannical regime it now is. And so our knight is left in a really tough spot. He gave his life for a kingdom that no longer exists. He sacrificed it all so that a group of bad people could horde it all. And thus our hero is left thinking... was any of it even worth it...?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You think that's deep... (Nervous and bashful giggles) Uh... Thank you. I've been working really hard on the actual script. Now all I need is for this poem to make sense.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You, have an idea?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: A disconnected, third person narration of images, with pieces of the protagonists thoughts thrown in?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: I'm not sure that I follow, but at this point, I'd kiss a donkey's rear end if it meant moving forward.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Giggling) Sorry, sorry, I promise you're better than a donkey. (Clearing throat) please, most beatiful and wonderful friend of mine, continue.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Stoic) "A soul denied his destined death. The warrior is once again called to stand. Touch not the golden rays of heaven, nor seek solace in the gentle blanket of silver; yours, is the twighlight. Outside it, your foot will find no purchase."
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: I see, "a soul denied death" shows that the subject of the poem is undead. And the "golden rays of heaven," and the "gentle blanket of silver?"
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Allusions to sunlight and moonlight. That's so coo-- wait, didn't you get that from some videogame you played? You know the one... It's about a treasure hunter, and an alchemy pirate, and a thief who was said to be lost at sea?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Yeah, I thought so. But hey, nobody said that borrowing someone else's genuis for playwrighting is illegal. So I'm all for it. But what was that bit you wrote about twighlight?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You put that in because it sounds cool? Well, I mean, it does-- but it also makes it seem like our protagonist can only move during twighlight.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: No, no, no-- don't change it. I actually really like it! The idea of a ghost that only moves about during twighlight is eerily fitting. Especially when you consider that our protagonist is hero drawn from the shadows of the kingdom's history. Of course, twighlight in reality only lasts for like-- what, an hour? So if our play was more realistic, our hero wouldn't have enough time to do anything. But thankfully, none of that matters for a work of fiction, where the name of the game is "suspension of disbelief!"
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Well, don't just stand there, keep going! I'm finally starting to get invested.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Stoic) "The wind howls and groans as it races through the empty streets. The echoes of smiling children cast judgement on broken young men. 'Why do you kneel beneath earth and stone? Why do you spend your strength hunched over moldy bread, and the shavings of copper coins? Is not our kingdom glorious?' The Solider is left to wander."
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: I see, so the wind is meant to convey emotion via the sound it's known to make as it moves. And the "echoes of children" bit is meant to compare and contrast the glory of the past with the bleakness of the present. That's... really dark. And strangely timely...
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Yeah, yeah-- I'll try not to think about it too much. Just keep going.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Stoic) "Tears of crimson wll not flow from a body beyond the styx; but strands of ruby still linger, sweetly, in the gallery of my heart. That grand tapestry, blessed by emerald halos, and adorned from above by a circlet of gold... Dearest Luciea... The seas I would brave to hear your siren song... one final time... May your sweetness grant succor to our sovereign in his rest."
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Huh...? Oh, sorry... I was just... I was wondering how it might feel, to have someone describe me like that...
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Flustered) I'm fine, I'm fine! Just walk me through what you wrote down this time!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: So the Hero's wandering is making him reflect on his time on the battlefield. And the lack of blood, or "crimson tears" leaving his wounds, makes him think of his beloved; who just so happened to have red hair, and who just so happened to be the Queen, who was also very much-- married.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: No, I'm not condeming the trope. The tragic irony is, the heart wants what it wants, and we don't always get a say in it.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: I'm smiling because, despite the overuse of the cliche, I still find it beautiful. And I especially like how the hero thinks of his Queen as he wanders. It makes me think that she is the reason he lept into battle in the first place.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Okay, Okay... I'll focus... But you should know better than to bother an artsy girl when she's having a moment!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Well when you put it like that, I guess I'll have to choose work over wanderlust, but you better make it up to me, later!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Giggling) Good. Now then... (deep breathe) I'm ready...
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Stoic) "A Swan that fleas into eternity, leaving no feathers behind for her young, chains both child and children to the mud; where they are left to adopt the nature of frogs. 'Off with his head. Bring me what is owed. Sell the widow's daughter for a barrel of wine.' The poets of the past prove themselves liars, as toads become tyrants that turn kingdoms into swamps."
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: So the Queen is the Swan in this analogy, and her kids-- and their kids, being nothing like her, are the evil frogs?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Okay, I get it now. I'm not gonna lie, I was seriously lost there. Thanks for explaining it to me, but, I'm beginning to worry if this is okay.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: What I mean is, is it really okay for us to use flowery language and lofty imagery like this? What if it goes over everyone's head?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Quoting the speaker) If they don't get it the first time, they'll just have to come back and watch the play again. (Giggling) Aren't you the optimist?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Oh, so now you're an artist? (Giggling) Get back to reading, you dork, before I lob an artistic shoe at you.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Stoic) "My sword was freed from its sheath, but my countrymen are slain with negligence. I stood watch on the kingdoms walls, only for the threat to emerge from within. I cannot find my enemy. Fiends conceals themselves with my kingdom's colors. Damn this bitter masquerade! And a thousand plagues on this child's farce! Show yourselves, cowards! Take up arms against me, my nemeses. I will see that you get your fill, in steel, ere the sun rises!"
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You know, this sounds a lot like a war cry.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: It's a mournful cry? The hero lamenting the fact that he let his people down, because he left them in such a sorry state, and because he doesn't know who their enemies are anymore?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Please tell me you have a way to end all of this on a good note. Or at least, a less somber one. I know that I'm technically the one who wrote the play, which means I'm technically responsible for the tone of the intro; but-- if we give this to our viewers, as is, I'm worried they'll spend the entire show crying.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Okay, I'm trusting you.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Stoic) "I would have words with the world, but my voice is lost in the tempest. A budding appletree on a snow capped peak. A lone snow blossom in a field during harvest. So am I to the souls set forth at this time. An oddity to be criticized. I traded my life for a dream, and woke up to a nightmare. All my endeavors are sand-- they have slipped through the peoples' fingers. A soldier stands his ground. A king loves all men. And a pauper lives long enough to see both of them fall. In this light cast by death, the darkness of life has been lifted, and so hate finds ample kindling to burn inside me. My thoughts are heavy, they weigh on me like bars of iron, so I bow the head and stagger about in the dark, despising my every breath."
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Deep breath - recovering from her lines) Wait... that's it? I thought you said you would make things better!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Set up for the climax, later? I... You... (Scoffs)-- I asked you to write for me so we could save this script from purgatory, not so you could write me the soliloquy of a guy who's already been there!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Life is a portait of suffering, and our hero is Fate's muse. (Scoff/incredulous laughter) You... you're something, you know that?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Oh no, I'm keeping it. In fact, I'm keeping all of it! I may make a tweak here or there, for the sake of adding my own artistic flare in a few places, but tweaks aside-- the piece you gave me today will be very much intact when our play debuts. And I really hope you'll be there to see it.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You will? Promise?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Okay, you said it. Don't be surprised if you have to quit your job to keep your promise to me!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You don't think it'll be that serious? Well, a girl can hope. After all, if you quit that hum-drum job, you can work full time with me-- as my lovely assistant.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Sarcastically) Eh, I don't know, boring labels like "Co-Author" and "Fellow Playwright" just don't have the same ring as "Lovely Assitant."
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (With nervous excitement in her voice) Wait, what are you doing...? Oh, no-- Bestie, put the shoe down... Bestie...? Bestie...? (Giggling shriek as Juliet dodges a shoe)
Juliet: Oh now you've done it, take this!
[Vid ends to a fadeout of Juliet's voice, as she calls out to, and playfully mocks, the speaker; as they take turns chasing and fleeing from each other across the stage]
[END]
submitted by xXOutlierXx to ASMRScriptHaven [link] [comments]
Because of this, I plan to write a lot more. And as a consequence of that, I plan to share my script entries here, because why not? I hope you enjoy it!
Side note - this script is okay for monetization.
Synopsis Your friend needs help coming up with a poem for a narrator to read before the start of their play. You have dabbled in the literary arts in the past, so maybe you could help?
[Sound of footsteps]
[Sound of someone speaking can be heard in the distaned; and said speaking becomes clearer the longer the foosteps sound, as the listener is walking towards the speaker]
Juliet: (Stoic) "What is left for the man who has lost it all...? What comfort is there to offer the hero, when those he loves are dead...? Who can tell me..." (Exasperated sigh, now speaking casually) How in the world I'm going to salvage this script?
[Sound of knocking]
Juliet: Huh, did someone just... knock? The only thing to knock on would be a set piece on the stage...
[Sound of heeled footsteps] [Brief pause] [Sudden Gasp and Excited Squeal]
Juliet: Oh my gosh!
[Sound of rushed footsteps and collison as the speaker runs to, and then hugs, the listener]
Juliet: I'm so happy to see you! What are you doing here?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Your meeting ended early than you expected, so you decided to stop by? Ooh, you are a gem!
[Rustling sounds as speaker hugs listener tighter]
Juliet: (Giggling) Okay, okay, I get it. I'll release you, for now. But seriously, it is so great to see you here. I know that the team and I are still technically in rehersals, but even so, having you here for moral support means a lot.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Hm? Oh, the rest of the crew isn't here yet. I always show up early to go over the script and edit lines. So I'm afraid there won't be much to see until a little later on. (Sarcastically mumbling to herself) Unless of course you want to see me slowly lose my mind.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Huh? Oh, I didn't say anthing.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Ugh, fine! What I said was, "there won't be much to see, unless you like the idea of watching me slowly loose my mind!"
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: What's up? (Scoffs) This script is what's up! No wait, this script isn't up, it's down! In fact, this script is so far down, it's basically in purgatory.
[Slumps/thumps to the floor]
Juliet: (Sigh) I need a break.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Yeah, I'm okay... It's just... I want this play to go well... It's my first time writing and producing a play, after all... But this script is being a nusance and a half.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: No, the story isn't the problem. I actually have a reasonable amount of faith in this one. The problem is the intro. Or rather, the poem that's supposed to go in place of the intro, and is meant to give the audience a glimpse into the mind of the protagonist. It's also supposed to give a summary of the plot of the play itself, without giving too much of anything away. It's also meant to ask deeply philosophical questions, without giving anyone a concrete answer.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You're right. It is a lot. Which is why it needs to be perfect, and why I'm currently lying on the floor in defeat.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You say I can do it, but as far as I can tell, the scoreboard reads Juliet: 1, Script: 1 hundred million.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Yeah, those are pretty bleak scores. And if I had any sense at all, I'd give up and stop playing.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Who says I can't give up on art and become a corporate stooge? I think I'd be a great normie (sarcastically)
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Giggling) Okay, you're right; I wouldn't last a week. (Wistful sigh) That still doesn't mean I shouldn't quit, though.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You croon the idea "I will Survive," but this horrible poem in my hands, says your off key!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Huh? You... want to, read it? (Gasping) That's it! You can help me!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Help me with what? Uh, with this play piece (waving script in the air)-- Duh! I can't believe I didn't think of this before. You were always into the same things as me in school. You even managed to write a few pieces that made me cry. Which is not too shabby, if I may say so myself.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (In a playfully mocking tone) "Eh, that was a long time ago." Give me a break. I know that beneath that suit and tie, beats the heart of a bonafide theatre kid, and no amount of time or money can change that.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Oh, you're still not sure? Well in that case-- here! (Slamming of papers into the listener) Read this and tell me what you think (she says while jogging away).
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Nu-uh, no give backsies! You have been burdened with genius, and I shall be your muse!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Groan all you want, I see you smiling over there, troublemaker. Now hurry up and make words, our audience awaits!
[Brief Pause] [Note - all of Juliet's dialogue will be from a distance from here on]
Juliet: Hm? It would help if you know what the play's about? Well... it's about a medieval knight who gives his life defending his country, only to be revived 100 years later as a Dullahan.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Yeah, it is pretty gruesome. But life doesn't pull any punches, so neither will I! Anyway, the knight goes around the kingdom trying to get his bearings, he has been dead for the last century after all. But as the Knight goes around town, his heart gets broken, as the Loving Queen he knew gave birth to horribly selfish descendants. These royal brats, and those after them, changed the kingdom from the peaceful utopia that it was, into the oppresive and tyrannical regime it now is. And so our knight is left in a really tough spot. He gave his life for a kingdom that no longer exists. He sacrificed it all so that a group of bad people could horde it all. And thus our hero is left thinking... was any of it even worth it...?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You think that's deep... (Nervous and bashful giggles) Uh... Thank you. I've been working really hard on the actual script. Now all I need is for this poem to make sense.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You, have an idea?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: A disconnected, third person narration of images, with pieces of the protagonists thoughts thrown in?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: I'm not sure that I follow, but at this point, I'd kiss a donkey's rear end if it meant moving forward.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Giggling) Sorry, sorry, I promise you're better than a donkey. (Clearing throat) please, most beatiful and wonderful friend of mine, continue.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Stoic) "A soul denied his destined death. The warrior is once again called to stand. Touch not the golden rays of heaven, nor seek solace in the gentle blanket of silver; yours, is the twighlight. Outside it, your foot will find no purchase."
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: I see, "a soul denied death" shows that the subject of the poem is undead. And the "golden rays of heaven," and the "gentle blanket of silver?"
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Allusions to sunlight and moonlight. That's so coo-- wait, didn't you get that from some videogame you played? You know the one... It's about a treasure hunter, and an alchemy pirate, and a thief who was said to be lost at sea?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Yeah, I thought so. But hey, nobody said that borrowing someone else's genuis for playwrighting is illegal. So I'm all for it. But what was that bit you wrote about twighlight?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You put that in because it sounds cool? Well, I mean, it does-- but it also makes it seem like our protagonist can only move during twighlight.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: No, no, no-- don't change it. I actually really like it! The idea of a ghost that only moves about during twighlight is eerily fitting. Especially when you consider that our protagonist is hero drawn from the shadows of the kingdom's history. Of course, twighlight in reality only lasts for like-- what, an hour? So if our play was more realistic, our hero wouldn't have enough time to do anything. But thankfully, none of that matters for a work of fiction, where the name of the game is "suspension of disbelief!"
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Well, don't just stand there, keep going! I'm finally starting to get invested.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Stoic) "The wind howls and groans as it races through the empty streets. The echoes of smiling children cast judgement on broken young men. 'Why do you kneel beneath earth and stone? Why do you spend your strength hunched over moldy bread, and the shavings of copper coins? Is not our kingdom glorious?' The Solider is left to wander."
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: I see, so the wind is meant to convey emotion via the sound it's known to make as it moves. And the "echoes of children" bit is meant to compare and contrast the glory of the past with the bleakness of the present. That's... really dark. And strangely timely...
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Yeah, yeah-- I'll try not to think about it too much. Just keep going.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Stoic) "Tears of crimson wll not flow from a body beyond the styx; but strands of ruby still linger, sweetly, in the gallery of my heart. That grand tapestry, blessed by emerald halos, and adorned from above by a circlet of gold... Dearest Luciea... The seas I would brave to hear your siren song... one final time... May your sweetness grant succor to our sovereign in his rest."
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Huh...? Oh, sorry... I was just... I was wondering how it might feel, to have someone describe me like that...
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Flustered) I'm fine, I'm fine! Just walk me through what you wrote down this time!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: So the Hero's wandering is making him reflect on his time on the battlefield. And the lack of blood, or "crimson tears" leaving his wounds, makes him think of his beloved; who just so happened to have red hair, and who just so happened to be the Queen, who was also very much-- married.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: No, I'm not condeming the trope. The tragic irony is, the heart wants what it wants, and we don't always get a say in it.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: I'm smiling because, despite the overuse of the cliche, I still find it beautiful. And I especially like how the hero thinks of his Queen as he wanders. It makes me think that she is the reason he lept into battle in the first place.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Okay, Okay... I'll focus... But you should know better than to bother an artsy girl when she's having a moment!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Well when you put it like that, I guess I'll have to choose work over wanderlust, but you better make it up to me, later!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Giggling) Good. Now then... (deep breathe) I'm ready...
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Stoic) "A Swan that fleas into eternity, leaving no feathers behind for her young, chains both child and children to the mud; where they are left to adopt the nature of frogs. 'Off with his head. Bring me what is owed. Sell the widow's daughter for a barrel of wine.' The poets of the past prove themselves liars, as toads become tyrants that turn kingdoms into swamps."
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: So the Queen is the Swan in this analogy, and her kids-- and their kids, being nothing like her, are the evil frogs?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Okay, I get it now. I'm not gonna lie, I was seriously lost there. Thanks for explaining it to me, but, I'm beginning to worry if this is okay.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: What I mean is, is it really okay for us to use flowery language and lofty imagery like this? What if it goes over everyone's head?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Quoting the speaker) If they don't get it the first time, they'll just have to come back and watch the play again. (Giggling) Aren't you the optimist?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Oh, so now you're an artist? (Giggling) Get back to reading, you dork, before I lob an artistic shoe at you.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Stoic) "My sword was freed from its sheath, but my countrymen are slain with negligence. I stood watch on the kingdoms walls, only for the threat to emerge from within. I cannot find my enemy. Fiends conceals themselves with my kingdom's colors. Damn this bitter masquerade! And a thousand plagues on this child's farce! Show yourselves, cowards! Take up arms against me, my nemeses. I will see that you get your fill, in steel, ere the sun rises!"
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You know, this sounds a lot like a war cry.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: It's a mournful cry? The hero lamenting the fact that he let his people down, because he left them in such a sorry state, and because he doesn't know who their enemies are anymore?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Please tell me you have a way to end all of this on a good note. Or at least, a less somber one. I know that I'm technically the one who wrote the play, which means I'm technically responsible for the tone of the intro; but-- if we give this to our viewers, as is, I'm worried they'll spend the entire show crying.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Okay, I'm trusting you.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Stoic) "I would have words with the world, but my voice is lost in the tempest. A budding appletree on a snow capped peak. A lone snow blossom in a field during harvest. So am I to the souls set forth at this time. An oddity to be criticized. I traded my life for a dream, and woke up to a nightmare. All my endeavors are sand-- they have slipped through the peoples' fingers. A soldier stands his ground. A king loves all men. And a pauper lives long enough to see both of them fall. In this light cast by death, the darkness of life has been lifted, and so hate finds ample kindling to burn inside me. My thoughts are heavy, they weigh on me like bars of iron, so I bow the head and stagger about in the dark, despising my every breath."
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Deep breath - recovering from her lines) Wait... that's it? I thought you said you would make things better!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Set up for the climax, later? I... You... (Scoffs)-- I asked you to write for me so we could save this script from purgatory, not so you could write me the soliloquy of a guy who's already been there!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Life is a portait of suffering, and our hero is Fate's muse. (Scoff/incredulous laughter) You... you're something, you know that?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Oh no, I'm keeping it. In fact, I'm keeping all of it! I may make a tweak here or there, for the sake of adding my own artistic flare in a few places, but tweaks aside-- the piece you gave me today will be very much intact when our play debuts. And I really hope you'll be there to see it.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You will? Promise?
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: Okay, you said it. Don't be surprised if you have to quit your job to keep your promise to me!
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: You don't think it'll be that serious? Well, a girl can hope. After all, if you quit that hum-drum job, you can work full time with me-- as my lovely assistant.
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (Sarcastically) Eh, I don't know, boring labels like "Co-Author" and "Fellow Playwright" just don't have the same ring as "Lovely Assitant."
[Brief Pause]
Juliet: (With nervous excitement in her voice) Wait, what are you doing...? Oh, no-- Bestie, put the shoe down... Bestie...? Bestie...? (Giggling shriek as Juliet dodges a shoe)
Juliet: Oh now you've done it, take this!
[Vid ends to a fadeout of Juliet's voice, as she calls out to, and playfully mocks, the speaker; as they take turns chasing and fleeing from each other across the stage]
[END]
2024.05.31 05:17 BattyAddi Looking for a Voice Actress for my Mascot! (Long term/Multiple gigs)
Hi there! My name is Yawnadon on most socials and I am looking for a female VA to lend her voice to my Mascot, Abia!
She is a rowdy, no-holds-barred bounty hunter that specializes in hunting and trapping monsters and cryptids! She might not really qualify for the job, but what she doesn't have in experience she makes up for in charisma a lot of misplaced comedy...haha She is 28 years old and of Indian decent. (Also bonus info, she is one of those OC's who has a lot of Alt universes so I hope you'll have fun with those!)
As for the gig(s) at hand; I am a NSFW artist and am looking to bring a voice to her for a multitude of projects including but not limited to: social media intros, comm opening announcement videos, long and short form comic dubs, animations both sfw and NSFW, and really anything else I can use your voice for! (If you have any concerns about NSFW content or themes feel free to message me about them!)
Looking for someone who can do a Brittish-Indian accent close to this one here to match her heritage: https://youtu.be/j2MWrwswHyk?si=G_xOxkpCrDAAnbij&t=147
As for the price I understand this will probably vary by the project details and/or length so I am not firm on a price point, my base idea for a rate is $30-$70 a script depending on length and content.
I also want to say that I will be using this character COMMERCIALLY to promote my brand and artist endeavors, so we will need to discuss usage fees and whatever else you may need on that end!
Feel free to message me here or on TwitteDiscord at Yawnadon if you are interested and I will get back to you ASAP! Thanks!
submitted by BattyAddi to VoiceActing [link] [comments]
She is a rowdy, no-holds-barred bounty hunter that specializes in hunting and trapping monsters and cryptids! She might not really qualify for the job, but what she doesn't have in experience she makes up for in charisma a lot of misplaced comedy...haha She is 28 years old and of Indian decent. (Also bonus info, she is one of those OC's who has a lot of Alt universes so I hope you'll have fun with those!)
As for the gig(s) at hand; I am a NSFW artist and am looking to bring a voice to her for a multitude of projects including but not limited to: social media intros, comm opening announcement videos, long and short form comic dubs, animations both sfw and NSFW, and really anything else I can use your voice for! (If you have any concerns about NSFW content or themes feel free to message me about them!)
Looking for someone who can do a Brittish-Indian accent close to this one here to match her heritage: https://youtu.be/j2MWrwswHyk?si=G_xOxkpCrDAAnbij&t=147
As for the price I understand this will probably vary by the project details and/or length so I am not firm on a price point, my base idea for a rate is $30-$70 a script depending on length and content.
I also want to say that I will be using this character COMMERCIALLY to promote my brand and artist endeavors, so we will need to discuss usage fees and whatever else you may need on that end!
Feel free to message me here or on TwitteDiscord at Yawnadon if you are interested and I will get back to you ASAP! Thanks!
2024.05.30 23:34 xChar17 Eilo's Script required a interesting addition to the Stellaron Hunters
 | submitted by xChar17 to okbuddytrailblazer [link] [comments] |
2024.05.30 19:57 skyeky_ [A4A] [M4A] Skyeky Script Masterlist
This is the page for all of my scripts, I'll update it every so often or as I go! Some are things I plan to do going forward! If any of my ideas catch your eye, please let me know! I'll try to prioritize the ones with the most interest!
Soldier Prince (Slow burn enemies to lover, evil tsundere prince) - [PT1] [PT2] [PT3] - ongoing -
The Mansion (Mystery, potentially romantic, medieval fantasy) - [PT1&2] - ongoing -
Friendly Spirit (Helping a spirit who lives in your apartment pass on, sad?) [PT1] - ongoing -
The Gods (You are a seer who begins to get close to different gods, uncovering secrets) - To be Released -
Undercover Monster Hunter (Enemies to lovers with an angry vampire you betrayed) - To Be Released -
submitted by skyeky_ to ASMRScriptHaven [link] [comments]
Soldier Prince (Slow burn enemies to lover, evil tsundere prince) - [PT1] [PT2] [PT3] - ongoing -
The Mansion (Mystery, potentially romantic, medieval fantasy) - [PT1&2] - ongoing -
Friendly Spirit (Helping a spirit who lives in your apartment pass on, sad?) [PT1] - ongoing -
The Gods (You are a seer who begins to get close to different gods, uncovering secrets) - To be Released -
Undercover Monster Hunter (Enemies to lovers with an angry vampire you betrayed) - To Be Released -
2024.05.30 07:55 No_Luck8403 Crucial script
 | submitted by No_Luck8403 to u/No_Luck8403 [link] [comments] |
2024.05.30 07:10 Celunni Phantom - A Heavy Gear Short Story
Didn't make the cut and was more of a fan thing anyway. This is the short story I wrote a while back when I found out 4e was being released.
I coaxed my Hunter Gear’s Secondary Movement wheel system and followed alongside a caravan of articulated Longrunners, Five-Tons, and surplus Camel flatbeds. I and several others had been hired as guards of a badlands trading caravan between settlements just south of the Western Frontier Protectorate’s border Between Fort Henry and the Serpentine Range. The terrain slowly turned from savanna to rocky desert and sported several tiny homestead towns. They lacked basic goods but had their freedom from the stifling Clan structure to the north. The homesteads were sometimes attacked by ner do wells known as Rovers, who also decided to attack the Caravans bringing replacement parts for their farm machinery.
There was a screech from my Gear’s leg as the transmission complained. An Antelope 4x4 swerved as my Gear twisted to the right suddenly. I did a pirouette as the wheel froze in place, and the left leg’s wheels continued moving forward. I regained control and thankfully didn’t fall down, facing towards the rear of the caravan.
“What the hell are you doing, Babineau?” was screamed at me from the Antelope. The old man in the passenger seat was flipping me the bird and screaming into his radio.
“Sorry, my SMS locked up!” I apologized. My Gear’s humanoid shape mirrored my feelings, its hand rubbing the back of its sensor pod that was the head and where my head was currently housed.
“I told you to get that fixed, asshole!” chimed in one of the other Gear pilots, Jexica. She was an older veteran from the North that had moved to the badlands for some reason and the current self-appointed captain of the Gear pilots. Her Gear, a Paxton Warrior, was always in great shape, and she usually reminded everyone she ran into about it.
“Soon as I get paid and we get a decent mechanic, Jex,” I grumbled as I turned my Hunter around and started walking. The vibrations from the shocks in the legs were vibrating through to the cockpit. “Looks like I need some shocks too.
“That’s not gonna happen at Limmesville,” Jexica warned. “Their caravanserai is a basic one. See what you can do to jury rig it when we arrive.”
I fell behind as the hours wound on. Eventually, I ended up escorting a lone Springer Jeep in the rearguard. I even had to buy some diesel as my legs used more fuel than the SMS wheels. So much for repairs, I thought in annoyance. We passed the fields of wateroots, barns, water condensators, pens of springers and hoppers, and small houses that made up the settlement of Limmesville. Finally, we made it to the “town center” itself, my kidneys in my throat from all the vibrations from walking the Gear did to me.
Limmesville’s caravanserai was as basic as promised. Made out of beige manufactured stone, the collection of buildings was on the now-paved road that led into the town off the caravan route. Low and squat, I could tell that most of it was underground. The town might become an oasis tower given a few more decades if it continued to grow as it had. There was a bit of a hassle when I walked my Gear up to the opening of the caravanserai out of the heat of the late afternoon when most badlanders were asleep for the first time of the day. When they learned I was with the caravan, things calmed down. I had missed the first Sleep cycle at eighteen hundred hours of the thirty-six hour Terra Novan Day and would probably have to try to sleep when most people were active until Midnight.
I got one of the small Gear bays on the top floor near the open courtyard where most smaller caravan vehicles were parked. Usually, I would have preferred to get one of the underground spaces to protect my Gear better from the elements than an open garage with a roof would provide. Parking my Hunter Gear, I popped the hatch and unhooked my seatbelts, which were the only thing keeping me in place as I had walked the last fifty kilometers. I climbed painfully down the chest and leg of my Gear to the ground, where the full price of all that running came due.
“Gentle Prophet, that’s gonna leave a mark,” I complained as I rubbed my sore shoulders and stretched my cramped legs. Newer Gears were supposed to be a bit bigger inside, but mine was positively ancient and, accordingly, cramped inside.
Kneeling behind the right leg of my Gear, I popped the access panel and looked inside at the SMS’s wheel transmission linkage. The wheel had a huge rock wedged between it and the housing, and the linkage had sheared in half.
A sudden pain hit me between the eyes as the reality of how much it would cost to fix this issue. This wasn’t even a maintenance issue. It could have happened to anyone. I pulled a hammer and a chisel out of the toolkit strapped to my Gear’s fuel tank. A few hits knocked the rock out of its wedged spot, revealing more damage.
I sat in a daze and cradled my head in my hands, “Oh man, this is worse than I thought.”
“What is, newb?” I heard Jexica’s voice in the garage and saw the Riverian woman silhouetted by the slowly setting sun. Plain-faced with a stocky build, she had changed from her pilot’s outfit to typical civvie clothes. She came over and tilted her head at me, her shoulder-length blonde hair contrasting her café au lait skin.
“Ah, the linkage is trashed, and the mounting is twisted,” I said with a shake of my head. “And from how my kidneys feel, the hydraulic fluid is low, and my shocks are on their last legs.”
She blinked and looked at it. “We’re stuck here for three days while the caravan sells stuff and trades. You can fix your Gear yourself and get some of the parts from Regino, but he might charge a bit for it,” she offered. “You can probably do some odd jobs for his crew and get some of it in barter.”
I sighed loudly and nodded. Regino Ypsilanti had two of the Longrunners in this caravan and usually had good stuff, but he was a bit of a slimy fellow. You often did twice as much work for him as things were worth, but he wouldn’t cheat you on the goods. I’d have to work double shifts guarding for the general Caravan manager, Simon Stirbei, and for Regino.
“Well, there goes my sleep,” I muttered.
Jexica smirked at me, “And thus, why almost all the money I make goes back into my Gear maintenance. I like my sleep.” She backed away. “Shower, change clothes, and sleep before you talk to Regino,” she suggested. “Don’t make a deal with that snake when you’re drunk or sleepy.”
I nodded and grabbed a handhold on the leg of my Gear. “Might get a drink to help me sleep,” I said.
“Eh, not too much. I hear they ferment cactus for beer at this place,” Jexica quipped.
An hour later, I had eaten a questionable hopper stew and drunk four of the cactus beers. I was in my small room, which was just large enough to hold a bed, a closet, and a Unit bathroom that combined toilet/sink and shower. The shower water you used would be recycled through a filter unit that removed impurities and used to shower again. Cautious, I checked the filter and saw that it had been changed recently enough that my shower wouldn’t make my skin crawl. I couldn’t shower between here and the next town, so I made the most of it.
I turned on a small flatscreen broadcasting the free channels from the Hermes 72 Satellites. Avoiding the depressing news, I switched to a Republic TV comedy sitcom and flopped on the somewhat hard bed. At least it was clean. I’d get a few hours of sleep and then go check on my Hunter with fresh eyes to make a list of what I needed.
[BEEEE BEEE BEEEEEE]
I woke with a start and blearily looked around the darkened room. My personal assistant was squealing with alarms.
Wait, I didn’t set an alarm.
I painfully stumbled over to the PDA on the dresser as the spots where I had been strapped into my Gear complained. I picked it up and saw [INTRUSION] blinking red on the OLED display.
Intrusion? What ‘Intrusion’? I thought blearily as I checked the time. It was just after Midnight. Wait, I slept that long? I shook myself awake, but sleep still clouded my brain as I hit the buttons on the PDA to see what it was on about.
[Hunter HDG-567XK9 (Vengence) has had its cockpit opened by an unauthorized user] The display read. I turned off the alarm and sat on the bed to let my brain process the message.
I ran my hand through my red hair and rubbed my face. Shaking my head, I woke up a little.
That’s my Gear’s serial number. What the hell? I didn’t know it did that. Vengeance? I’d seen the designation a few times on the paperwork from various mechanics and the salvage yard where I had bought it. But it had never messaged me or my PDA. It’s gotta be malfunctioning. Also why the name Vengeance?
Pulling on clothes, I stretched and yawned before opening the door to my room and heading down the hallway. It was dead quiet. No one was around as I walked down the hallway and opened the door to the courtyard. I stumbled out into the night air with a sense of unreality. A few people were around, but they didn’t seem real.
Why am I still tired? Why do I feel so weird?
Walking toward the garages containing the Gears, I saw some light coming from under the door. It was orange, like one of the old sodium bulbs my Gramps used to use at his shop.
Someone’s messing with my Gear!
I threw the door open and balled up my fists, expecting to see several people stripping parts out of my machine. Instead, absurdity greeted me.
Access panels were open on every part of my Hunter. Wires and hoses were sticking out of it like it had been pulled apart. Four-wheeled drones with cylindrical bodies and long, thin manipulator arms rolled and beeped at one another as they opened hatches, checking parts and wiring. One was near my Gear’s right leg, arc-welding a new mount for the wheel, which sat off to the side.
Most absurd of all was a pair of small legs sticking out of the top of the right leg of my Gear. They were covered in the red fabric of a mechanic’s jumpsuit and had tiny white shoes that kicked as the owner wriggled about with something in the leg.
What the absolute hell? A go-ki wearing clothes? A chibi? The person was too small to be a normal intruder.
I stomped over, and the drones rolled away, beeping softly. Reaching across the open hatch of the Gear’s leg at my waist level, I grabbed the belt of the intruder and pulled.
“Hey!” I heard a high-pitched indignant squawk, and the legs kicked me.
Pulling harder, I yanked the intruder in red out of my Gear’s leg and saw a dirty-faced kid covered with grease and hydraulic fluid. The kid had pure white hair, large red eyes, and the palest skin I had ever seen.
“What’s the big idea!” the kid squawked, flailing about with tools in each hand. “Lemme go!” The drones started beeping and rolling around in a panic.
Furious, I growled, “What the HELL are you doing in MY GEAR!”
Blinking, the kid just stared at me.
I shook the kid. “Eh! Ehhhh! What are you doing to MY GEAR?”
The kid squawked again and said something. I brought them up to eye height and asked, “What was that?”
Sheepishly she replied, “He said he was sick, so I’m helping him.” It was a little girl’s voice
“My Gear told you he was sick?” I asked incredulously. “Gears can’t talk,” I stated flatly.
“Er, that’s kinda true, but they give off vibes,” the kid looked away in embarrassment. “But kinda not,” she doubled down. “You can figure out things from data and how badly they are hurt.” The drones had backed away from my Hunter and were organizing parts.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve, tearing apart my Hunter like this!” I yelled at her. “Do you realize how much money it’s gonna cost to fix all this?”
She tilted her head and looked at me like I was stupid, “Six hours, and except for my food, I’ve already been paid, you moron.”
“What? What did you call me? You wreck my property and ... Wait, who paid you?” My arm was getting tired, so I dropped the kid on the garage floor.
She landed a little badly and squeaked. “Rude!” she yelled and pointed a tool at me. “I ought to leave it all like this, but I don’t leave my customers in a lurch!” She crossed her arms and nodded, looking resigned. “You’re an asshole, but Vengence has been nothing but sweet to me.”
Vengeance? There was that name again.
I held up a hand. “Wait, who is Vengeance?”
She scoffed, “Moron, that’s my client.” She patted the leg of my Gear. “Who’s a good Gear? You are! Yes, you are!” Her attitude changed when she talked to the machine. Looking back at me, she said flatly, “He’s an old vet, and you have been treating him terribly. No regular maintenance! No natural oil, and worse, you give him crappy gas!”
Those were all true. I hadn’t been able to keep my Gear in top shape like Jexica had said many times. Wait, why am I feeling bad? She’s the Intruder! I turned on her and opened my mouth to tell her to get out.
“Feed me!”
I blinked, my mouth open. “Excuse me. What?”
“Feed me!” she yelled again. “Vengeance promised me his pilot would get me a meal.”
“I... what?”
She stomped her tiny foot. “Feed me!” she repeated.
I blinked. The kid reminded me of a spoiled pet hopper my sister owned that would squeak until it was fed or petted. I threw my hands up and said, “If I feed you will you leave?”
She nodded, “Yep, right after my job is done. After all, I can’t let Vengeance stay like this.”
This had gotta be a dream, I thought. I drank too much. This isn’t happening. I’ll go through the motions, the bad cactus liquor will work out of my system, and tomorrow I’ll talk to Regino and get the needed repairs done.
I sighed and shrugged. “Fine, whatever.” I left the garage and went back towards the caravanserai’s restaurant/bar. Again there was a sense of unreality, cementing that this was a dream in my mind. I got a bowl of the stew I had earlier and another cactus liquor for me. I brought them back and handed her the bowl.
“Yay, hopper stew,” she said with a shrug as she sat down on the garage floor to eat it with a spoon she folded out of a combitool. “Big spender, eh?” She eyed the liquor. “That stuff’ll make you go blind.” She blew on the hot stew and looked at me, “Gonna let me finish my job?”
I raised an eyebrow at that and laughed, “Better than me kicking your ass and throwing you out and ending up with a broken Gear.” It was probably just all my anxieties bubbling up as one horrible dream.
“I read your piloting data,” she said between spoonfuls. “You wouldn’t beat up a kid. Or a girl. Well, maybe a girl if she was in a Gear.”
That’s true too. Kid’s got me dead to rights.
The drones were running around like mad, replacing seals and resoldering electronics. Wires were replaced and rerouted. A small device was off to the side, slowly making replacement parts too. A Utopian Fabber? It looked like one of those videos they used to show in school how they made gears or cars. She stood up and cracked her neck before climbing up to the cockpit and crawling in there. It was actually calming watching them work.
I sat there in companionable silence, drinking the cactus liquor until my eyes closed on their own.
BAM BAM BAM
My eyes popped open, and I looked around. No kid, no garage. I was in my room under the sheets of my bed. My clothes were folded on the dresser, and my head hurt like no one’s business. My tongue felt rough and dry. Too much cactus liquor. The door was hit again, and I walked over to it, opening it a crack, and saw Jexica looking at me expectantly.
“What?” I said quietly.
“DID YOU GET THE LIST FOR REGINO!” she yelled. Wait, no, she didn’t yell. She was talking normally.
“Hangover,” I muttered.
I heard her smirk, which I shouldn’t have been able to do. Ah, the magic of dehydration.
“DRINK WATER!” she said in her normal voice, shouting volume to me. “I’LL GET YOU IN TWO HOURS.” I nodded weakly and shut the door.
An hour later, water in me and a quick shower later, I made my way to my Gear hanger with my personal digital assistant. The noise of the people made the caravanserai seem lively, and there were at least three competing sets of music, plus the murmur of people and growls of engines.
I opened the door to the garage and looked in. An almost new Hunter was in there with the name “Vengeance” printed neatly across the side of the cockpit. In addition, the names of seven different pilots were written down in smaller script with coffin kill markers next to them on the cockpit with my name “Babineau” across the top hatch.
That was a dream, right?
I looked over the Hunter, which had scars in the armor where they always had been. The toolbox was still on the fuel tank but had been stocked with oil and grease. I climbed into the cockpit, and it smelled exactly the same, except there was an underlying scent of fresh repairs.
“Whoah, what you got there!” I heard Jexica exclaim from the door.
I looked over at her in a panic.
“You stole someone else’s machine?” she asked quietly.
I shook my head vehemently, “NO! I swear! There was this mechanic...” I stopped. She wasn’t gonna believe me. I could barely pay to keep going on the trail to earn money, let alone this.
She shook her head, “Yeah, your Gear should have been in the depot for a week at least. Don’t tell me some shade tree mechanic did all this.”
I shrugged helplessly and pointed to the cockpit. “Just look. The serial number and everything is all the same.” I got out of it and let her inspect it. She’d helped me work on it several times before, so she knew some of the ins and outs of it.
After Jexica sat in the cockpit, she checked readouts and shook her head incredulously. “It does look like it’s yours. Even the stains are in the right spots.” She looked in the head of the Hunter then back to me.
“Who’s Deseun?” Jexica asked accusingly.
“Deseun? I don’t know a Deseun?” I said at a complete loss.
She waved a yellow sticky note at me. “A list of supplies and work still needing to be done, written in a girl’s hand, signed, Deseun.”
I snatched it and tilted my head, looking it over. Yep, it was, as she said. Nah, that ... I mean...
“Who’s Deseun?” Jexica snapped.
“A kid,” I said in a bit of shell shock.
She looked at me with disgust.
“No! She’s the mechanic! She and her drones fixed up my Hunter! I guess its name is Vengeance! I bought her stew!” I babbled.
“A kid, with drones fixed your broken down Gear?”
I tried to explain how I remembered things from last night, but she just shook her head.
“Yeah, and go-kis use the stoneheads as giant Gears,” Jexica said, shaking her head. “Yeah, we’re gonna lie and say you and I fixed it up.”
I blinked at her. “What?”
“I’m not traveling with someone who has a rep of sprouting urban legends,” Jexica stated. “You wanna be known as a crackpot like that ancient guy they have on all the late-night shows saying stuff about aliens?”
I shook my head. That guy was always laughed at by my friends in school. Yeah, nope, not gonna be that.
“Then we’re gonna hang out and see if we can fix the rest of the things on this list,” Jexica stated, waving the note from ‘Deseun’ around. “Because if anyone thinks you stole a Gear, the Sheriff’ll be here, and it’ll be a big deal and mess with the caravan.”
In the end, we hung out for the next few days, and I learned a lot about Jexica and the Caravan. We got most of the repairs done. They were mostly cosmetic or minor things that took time.
We left Limmesville without me having to sell my soul to Regino and my Gear, I mean ‘Vengeance,’ moved fantastically. There had been a printout of the names of the people who had piloted it in the past, along with their regiments and how they had passed away. It kind of made me feel better knowing that my Gear had a storied history, and I was now part of it. Our one fight with Rovers and their souped-up Prarie Dog Gears was decidedly one-sided. Vengeance seemed to encourage me as I fought, and though no one was killed in the fight, I took down one Gear by blowing its leg off.
When we arrived in one of the Oasis Towers just out of NuCoal Territory, we started hearing rumors of a ‘Phantom Mechanic’ who would show up and fix Gears. People said it was a gnome or a go-ki that would show up with an army of robots to fix your machine. Others said it was a Utopian or CEF deserter. These were laughed off by the group of pilots over drinks, but I was sweating bullets, and Jexica gave me a weird smile.
“Yep, we fixed Vengeance up all on our own, didn’t we,” Jexica stated.
I nodded vigorously. “Yep!”
submitted by Celunni to heavygearrpg [link] [comments]
There was a screech from my Gear’s leg as the transmission complained. An Antelope 4x4 swerved as my Gear twisted to the right suddenly. I did a pirouette as the wheel froze in place, and the left leg’s wheels continued moving forward. I regained control and thankfully didn’t fall down, facing towards the rear of the caravan.
“What the hell are you doing, Babineau?” was screamed at me from the Antelope. The old man in the passenger seat was flipping me the bird and screaming into his radio.
“Sorry, my SMS locked up!” I apologized. My Gear’s humanoid shape mirrored my feelings, its hand rubbing the back of its sensor pod that was the head and where my head was currently housed.
“I told you to get that fixed, asshole!” chimed in one of the other Gear pilots, Jexica. She was an older veteran from the North that had moved to the badlands for some reason and the current self-appointed captain of the Gear pilots. Her Gear, a Paxton Warrior, was always in great shape, and she usually reminded everyone she ran into about it.
“Soon as I get paid and we get a decent mechanic, Jex,” I grumbled as I turned my Hunter around and started walking. The vibrations from the shocks in the legs were vibrating through to the cockpit. “Looks like I need some shocks too.
“That’s not gonna happen at Limmesville,” Jexica warned. “Their caravanserai is a basic one. See what you can do to jury rig it when we arrive.”
I fell behind as the hours wound on. Eventually, I ended up escorting a lone Springer Jeep in the rearguard. I even had to buy some diesel as my legs used more fuel than the SMS wheels. So much for repairs, I thought in annoyance. We passed the fields of wateroots, barns, water condensators, pens of springers and hoppers, and small houses that made up the settlement of Limmesville. Finally, we made it to the “town center” itself, my kidneys in my throat from all the vibrations from walking the Gear did to me.
Limmesville’s caravanserai was as basic as promised. Made out of beige manufactured stone, the collection of buildings was on the now-paved road that led into the town off the caravan route. Low and squat, I could tell that most of it was underground. The town might become an oasis tower given a few more decades if it continued to grow as it had. There was a bit of a hassle when I walked my Gear up to the opening of the caravanserai out of the heat of the late afternoon when most badlanders were asleep for the first time of the day. When they learned I was with the caravan, things calmed down. I had missed the first Sleep cycle at eighteen hundred hours of the thirty-six hour Terra Novan Day and would probably have to try to sleep when most people were active until Midnight.
I got one of the small Gear bays on the top floor near the open courtyard where most smaller caravan vehicles were parked. Usually, I would have preferred to get one of the underground spaces to protect my Gear better from the elements than an open garage with a roof would provide. Parking my Hunter Gear, I popped the hatch and unhooked my seatbelts, which were the only thing keeping me in place as I had walked the last fifty kilometers. I climbed painfully down the chest and leg of my Gear to the ground, where the full price of all that running came due.
“Gentle Prophet, that’s gonna leave a mark,” I complained as I rubbed my sore shoulders and stretched my cramped legs. Newer Gears were supposed to be a bit bigger inside, but mine was positively ancient and, accordingly, cramped inside.
Kneeling behind the right leg of my Gear, I popped the access panel and looked inside at the SMS’s wheel transmission linkage. The wheel had a huge rock wedged between it and the housing, and the linkage had sheared in half.
A sudden pain hit me between the eyes as the reality of how much it would cost to fix this issue. This wasn’t even a maintenance issue. It could have happened to anyone. I pulled a hammer and a chisel out of the toolkit strapped to my Gear’s fuel tank. A few hits knocked the rock out of its wedged spot, revealing more damage.
I sat in a daze and cradled my head in my hands, “Oh man, this is worse than I thought.”
“What is, newb?” I heard Jexica’s voice in the garage and saw the Riverian woman silhouetted by the slowly setting sun. Plain-faced with a stocky build, she had changed from her pilot’s outfit to typical civvie clothes. She came over and tilted her head at me, her shoulder-length blonde hair contrasting her café au lait skin.
“Ah, the linkage is trashed, and the mounting is twisted,” I said with a shake of my head. “And from how my kidneys feel, the hydraulic fluid is low, and my shocks are on their last legs.”
She blinked and looked at it. “We’re stuck here for three days while the caravan sells stuff and trades. You can fix your Gear yourself and get some of the parts from Regino, but he might charge a bit for it,” she offered. “You can probably do some odd jobs for his crew and get some of it in barter.”
I sighed loudly and nodded. Regino Ypsilanti had two of the Longrunners in this caravan and usually had good stuff, but he was a bit of a slimy fellow. You often did twice as much work for him as things were worth, but he wouldn’t cheat you on the goods. I’d have to work double shifts guarding for the general Caravan manager, Simon Stirbei, and for Regino.
“Well, there goes my sleep,” I muttered.
Jexica smirked at me, “And thus, why almost all the money I make goes back into my Gear maintenance. I like my sleep.” She backed away. “Shower, change clothes, and sleep before you talk to Regino,” she suggested. “Don’t make a deal with that snake when you’re drunk or sleepy.”
I nodded and grabbed a handhold on the leg of my Gear. “Might get a drink to help me sleep,” I said.
“Eh, not too much. I hear they ferment cactus for beer at this place,” Jexica quipped.
An hour later, I had eaten a questionable hopper stew and drunk four of the cactus beers. I was in my small room, which was just large enough to hold a bed, a closet, and a Unit bathroom that combined toilet/sink and shower. The shower water you used would be recycled through a filter unit that removed impurities and used to shower again. Cautious, I checked the filter and saw that it had been changed recently enough that my shower wouldn’t make my skin crawl. I couldn’t shower between here and the next town, so I made the most of it.
I turned on a small flatscreen broadcasting the free channels from the Hermes 72 Satellites. Avoiding the depressing news, I switched to a Republic TV comedy sitcom and flopped on the somewhat hard bed. At least it was clean. I’d get a few hours of sleep and then go check on my Hunter with fresh eyes to make a list of what I needed.
[BEEEE BEEE BEEEEEE]
I woke with a start and blearily looked around the darkened room. My personal assistant was squealing with alarms.
Wait, I didn’t set an alarm.
I painfully stumbled over to the PDA on the dresser as the spots where I had been strapped into my Gear complained. I picked it up and saw [INTRUSION] blinking red on the OLED display.
Intrusion? What ‘Intrusion’? I thought blearily as I checked the time. It was just after Midnight. Wait, I slept that long? I shook myself awake, but sleep still clouded my brain as I hit the buttons on the PDA to see what it was on about.
[Hunter HDG-567XK9 (Vengence) has had its cockpit opened by an unauthorized user] The display read. I turned off the alarm and sat on the bed to let my brain process the message.
I ran my hand through my red hair and rubbed my face. Shaking my head, I woke up a little.
That’s my Gear’s serial number. What the hell? I didn’t know it did that. Vengeance? I’d seen the designation a few times on the paperwork from various mechanics and the salvage yard where I had bought it. But it had never messaged me or my PDA. It’s gotta be malfunctioning. Also why the name Vengeance?
Pulling on clothes, I stretched and yawned before opening the door to my room and heading down the hallway. It was dead quiet. No one was around as I walked down the hallway and opened the door to the courtyard. I stumbled out into the night air with a sense of unreality. A few people were around, but they didn’t seem real.
Why am I still tired? Why do I feel so weird?
Walking toward the garages containing the Gears, I saw some light coming from under the door. It was orange, like one of the old sodium bulbs my Gramps used to use at his shop.
Someone’s messing with my Gear!
I threw the door open and balled up my fists, expecting to see several people stripping parts out of my machine. Instead, absurdity greeted me.
Access panels were open on every part of my Hunter. Wires and hoses were sticking out of it like it had been pulled apart. Four-wheeled drones with cylindrical bodies and long, thin manipulator arms rolled and beeped at one another as they opened hatches, checking parts and wiring. One was near my Gear’s right leg, arc-welding a new mount for the wheel, which sat off to the side.
Most absurd of all was a pair of small legs sticking out of the top of the right leg of my Gear. They were covered in the red fabric of a mechanic’s jumpsuit and had tiny white shoes that kicked as the owner wriggled about with something in the leg.
What the absolute hell? A go-ki wearing clothes? A chibi? The person was too small to be a normal intruder.
I stomped over, and the drones rolled away, beeping softly. Reaching across the open hatch of the Gear’s leg at my waist level, I grabbed the belt of the intruder and pulled.
“Hey!” I heard a high-pitched indignant squawk, and the legs kicked me.
Pulling harder, I yanked the intruder in red out of my Gear’s leg and saw a dirty-faced kid covered with grease and hydraulic fluid. The kid had pure white hair, large red eyes, and the palest skin I had ever seen.
“What’s the big idea!” the kid squawked, flailing about with tools in each hand. “Lemme go!” The drones started beeping and rolling around in a panic.
Furious, I growled, “What the HELL are you doing in MY GEAR!”
Blinking, the kid just stared at me.
I shook the kid. “Eh! Ehhhh! What are you doing to MY GEAR?”
The kid squawked again and said something. I brought them up to eye height and asked, “What was that?”
Sheepishly she replied, “He said he was sick, so I’m helping him.” It was a little girl’s voice
“My Gear told you he was sick?” I asked incredulously. “Gears can’t talk,” I stated flatly.
“Er, that’s kinda true, but they give off vibes,” the kid looked away in embarrassment. “But kinda not,” she doubled down. “You can figure out things from data and how badly they are hurt.” The drones had backed away from my Hunter and were organizing parts.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve, tearing apart my Hunter like this!” I yelled at her. “Do you realize how much money it’s gonna cost to fix all this?”
She tilted her head and looked at me like I was stupid, “Six hours, and except for my food, I’ve already been paid, you moron.”
“What? What did you call me? You wreck my property and ... Wait, who paid you?” My arm was getting tired, so I dropped the kid on the garage floor.
She landed a little badly and squeaked. “Rude!” she yelled and pointed a tool at me. “I ought to leave it all like this, but I don’t leave my customers in a lurch!” She crossed her arms and nodded, looking resigned. “You’re an asshole, but Vengence has been nothing but sweet to me.”
Vengeance? There was that name again.
I held up a hand. “Wait, who is Vengeance?”
She scoffed, “Moron, that’s my client.” She patted the leg of my Gear. “Who’s a good Gear? You are! Yes, you are!” Her attitude changed when she talked to the machine. Looking back at me, she said flatly, “He’s an old vet, and you have been treating him terribly. No regular maintenance! No natural oil, and worse, you give him crappy gas!”
Those were all true. I hadn’t been able to keep my Gear in top shape like Jexica had said many times. Wait, why am I feeling bad? She’s the Intruder! I turned on her and opened my mouth to tell her to get out.
“Feed me!”
I blinked, my mouth open. “Excuse me. What?”
“Feed me!” she yelled again. “Vengeance promised me his pilot would get me a meal.”
“I... what?”
She stomped her tiny foot. “Feed me!” she repeated.
I blinked. The kid reminded me of a spoiled pet hopper my sister owned that would squeak until it was fed or petted. I threw my hands up and said, “If I feed you will you leave?”
She nodded, “Yep, right after my job is done. After all, I can’t let Vengeance stay like this.”
This had gotta be a dream, I thought. I drank too much. This isn’t happening. I’ll go through the motions, the bad cactus liquor will work out of my system, and tomorrow I’ll talk to Regino and get the needed repairs done.
I sighed and shrugged. “Fine, whatever.” I left the garage and went back towards the caravanserai’s restaurant/bar. Again there was a sense of unreality, cementing that this was a dream in my mind. I got a bowl of the stew I had earlier and another cactus liquor for me. I brought them back and handed her the bowl.
“Yay, hopper stew,” she said with a shrug as she sat down on the garage floor to eat it with a spoon she folded out of a combitool. “Big spender, eh?” She eyed the liquor. “That stuff’ll make you go blind.” She blew on the hot stew and looked at me, “Gonna let me finish my job?”
I raised an eyebrow at that and laughed, “Better than me kicking your ass and throwing you out and ending up with a broken Gear.” It was probably just all my anxieties bubbling up as one horrible dream.
“I read your piloting data,” she said between spoonfuls. “You wouldn’t beat up a kid. Or a girl. Well, maybe a girl if she was in a Gear.”
That’s true too. Kid’s got me dead to rights.
The drones were running around like mad, replacing seals and resoldering electronics. Wires were replaced and rerouted. A small device was off to the side, slowly making replacement parts too. A Utopian Fabber? It looked like one of those videos they used to show in school how they made gears or cars. She stood up and cracked her neck before climbing up to the cockpit and crawling in there. It was actually calming watching them work.
I sat there in companionable silence, drinking the cactus liquor until my eyes closed on their own.
BAM BAM BAM
My eyes popped open, and I looked around. No kid, no garage. I was in my room under the sheets of my bed. My clothes were folded on the dresser, and my head hurt like no one’s business. My tongue felt rough and dry. Too much cactus liquor. The door was hit again, and I walked over to it, opening it a crack, and saw Jexica looking at me expectantly.
“What?” I said quietly.
“DID YOU GET THE LIST FOR REGINO!” she yelled. Wait, no, she didn’t yell. She was talking normally.
“Hangover,” I muttered.
I heard her smirk, which I shouldn’t have been able to do. Ah, the magic of dehydration.
“DRINK WATER!” she said in her normal voice, shouting volume to me. “I’LL GET YOU IN TWO HOURS.” I nodded weakly and shut the door.
An hour later, water in me and a quick shower later, I made my way to my Gear hanger with my personal digital assistant. The noise of the people made the caravanserai seem lively, and there were at least three competing sets of music, plus the murmur of people and growls of engines.
I opened the door to the garage and looked in. An almost new Hunter was in there with the name “Vengeance” printed neatly across the side of the cockpit. In addition, the names of seven different pilots were written down in smaller script with coffin kill markers next to them on the cockpit with my name “Babineau” across the top hatch.
That was a dream, right?
I looked over the Hunter, which had scars in the armor where they always had been. The toolbox was still on the fuel tank but had been stocked with oil and grease. I climbed into the cockpit, and it smelled exactly the same, except there was an underlying scent of fresh repairs.
“Whoah, what you got there!” I heard Jexica exclaim from the door.
I looked over at her in a panic.
“You stole someone else’s machine?” she asked quietly.
I shook my head vehemently, “NO! I swear! There was this mechanic...” I stopped. She wasn’t gonna believe me. I could barely pay to keep going on the trail to earn money, let alone this.
She shook her head, “Yeah, your Gear should have been in the depot for a week at least. Don’t tell me some shade tree mechanic did all this.”
I shrugged helplessly and pointed to the cockpit. “Just look. The serial number and everything is all the same.” I got out of it and let her inspect it. She’d helped me work on it several times before, so she knew some of the ins and outs of it.
After Jexica sat in the cockpit, she checked readouts and shook her head incredulously. “It does look like it’s yours. Even the stains are in the right spots.” She looked in the head of the Hunter then back to me.
“Who’s Deseun?” Jexica asked accusingly.
“Deseun? I don’t know a Deseun?” I said at a complete loss.
She waved a yellow sticky note at me. “A list of supplies and work still needing to be done, written in a girl’s hand, signed, Deseun.”
I snatched it and tilted my head, looking it over. Yep, it was, as she said. Nah, that ... I mean...
“Who’s Deseun?” Jexica snapped.
“A kid,” I said in a bit of shell shock.
She looked at me with disgust.
“No! She’s the mechanic! She and her drones fixed up my Hunter! I guess its name is Vengeance! I bought her stew!” I babbled.
“A kid, with drones fixed your broken down Gear?”
I tried to explain how I remembered things from last night, but she just shook her head.
“Yeah, and go-kis use the stoneheads as giant Gears,” Jexica said, shaking her head. “Yeah, we’re gonna lie and say you and I fixed it up.”
I blinked at her. “What?”
“I’m not traveling with someone who has a rep of sprouting urban legends,” Jexica stated. “You wanna be known as a crackpot like that ancient guy they have on all the late-night shows saying stuff about aliens?”
I shook my head. That guy was always laughed at by my friends in school. Yeah, nope, not gonna be that.
“Then we’re gonna hang out and see if we can fix the rest of the things on this list,” Jexica stated, waving the note from ‘Deseun’ around. “Because if anyone thinks you stole a Gear, the Sheriff’ll be here, and it’ll be a big deal and mess with the caravan.”
In the end, we hung out for the next few days, and I learned a lot about Jexica and the Caravan. We got most of the repairs done. They were mostly cosmetic or minor things that took time.
We left Limmesville without me having to sell my soul to Regino and my Gear, I mean ‘Vengeance,’ moved fantastically. There had been a printout of the names of the people who had piloted it in the past, along with their regiments and how they had passed away. It kind of made me feel better knowing that my Gear had a storied history, and I was now part of it. Our one fight with Rovers and their souped-up Prarie Dog Gears was decidedly one-sided. Vengeance seemed to encourage me as I fought, and though no one was killed in the fight, I took down one Gear by blowing its leg off.
When we arrived in one of the Oasis Towers just out of NuCoal Territory, we started hearing rumors of a ‘Phantom Mechanic’ who would show up and fix Gears. People said it was a gnome or a go-ki that would show up with an army of robots to fix your machine. Others said it was a Utopian or CEF deserter. These were laughed off by the group of pilots over drinks, but I was sweating bullets, and Jexica gave me a weird smile.
“Yep, we fixed Vengeance up all on our own, didn’t we,” Jexica stated.
I nodded vigorously. “Yep!”
2024.05.30 05:46 Niceboisaredabest I have a question, spoilers for the latest trailblazer mission.
The script that Elio has laid out is the one path where Nanook fails to destroy the universe, and we know that the ascension of Nanook was done because of the swarm disaster and fall of Ena. So my question is shouldn't the stellaron hunters have helped Sunday to bring back Ena? She would have been able to resist Nanook and his advances.
submitted by Niceboisaredabest to HonkaiStarRail [link] [comments]
2024.05.30 05:14 AbnormalAsTheRest [ M4A ] Losing Your Bounty Hunter [ Hunter x Inventor ] [ Enemies to ??? ] [ Slow Burn ] [ Banter ] [ Fantasy / Steampunk ] [ Protective ] [ Action ] [ Tension ] [ TW: Guns ] [ PART 05 ]
[ PART 05 ]
NAVIGATE TO OTHER PARTS: [ 01 ] [ 02 ] [ 03 ] [ 04 ]
[ Credits are required, please comment if you fill my script ] [ Monetization is fine, contact if you use a paywall ] [ Small line edits are okay for a personal flair, larger edits require permission ] [ Gender swapping is fine ] [ Title change is okay ] [ No AI voice ]
The end approaches, but what will be left when all is lost. Here is part 5, the finale is coming soon ~
Word Count: 1900
Synopsis: On the run from nations hunting them down, an inventor and bounty hunter arrive at a port to find an escape.
--- This part has a secondary speaker. Their lines are in bold and italics. Approach these lines however you wish. ---
listener speaking = [...]
effect/action/description - [ italics ]
[ seagulls squeal, waves of water crash]
[ content sigh ]
Oh, I missed this. The wind of the ocean, the scent of the sea. The endless horizon. I haven’t been here since… well, since my family last came.
[ … ]
Once upon a time we did. My father worked on a ship, used to sail out for months and bring back souvenirs. Until he came back with a new wife. Mom wasn’t happy with that surprise.
You see that dock right there. That’s the last place I saw him. Mom practically chased him out of the continent.
[ laughs ]
That was 14 years ago.
I wonder if he ever thinks about me. Me and my family. If he’s still alive, that is.
[ … ]
Nah, I hope he’s suffered twice as much as my mom did. He gave up on us and never looked back. Never even tried to check how we were doing.
That’s the irony of it all. I remember him as a good man. A role model. Someone who built his way up from sticks and a shack.
But in the end, he was just a good for nothing prick that left his family the second something more convenient appeared.
[ waves crash ]
And that’s my lore drop of the day. What about you, Goldie? Any fond ocean memories? Family drama?
[ … ]
Right, you’ve never been.
What do you think? The pictures don’t do it justice, right?
[ … ]
Yeah, it’s all salt. Drink too much and your intestines will corrode. That’s what my mom used to tell me.
[ … ]
We’re here to see if any of my dad’s old buddies are still kicking around. Might be able to snag ourselves a spot on their ships.
I think I’d recognize a few of them. Sailors don’t really age; they look old and tired from the start. And drunk.
[ … ]
Not if we don’t tell them. We’re just a young couple looking for safe passage, a place to start anew. We’re certainly not the most wanted targets in all of the land. How many countries are after us now?
[ … ]
5? When did we get another?
[ … ]
Oh, I didn’t see that poster.
[ chuckles ]
I guess we’re celebrities now. Everyone’s looking for us.
We’ll be fine though. Nobody comes to this port. The, uh, business here isn’t really up to code. And the people will do anything for the right price.
[ … ]
Yes, that includes killing us. But again, you don’t need to worry. You’ve got me.
[ … ]
Okay, I’ve definitely saved our asses more by now. Pick up the slack.
[ … ]
Remind me who’s the one that collapsed an entire house just so you could get away?
[ … ]
Stealing a horse barely counts. I was getting out fine.
[ … ]
What? It’s a cool battle wound. Now we have matching scars. Couples pay for that, y’know.
[ … ]
C’mon, you know you like it.
You hungry? There’s a market down that street. Should be a couple of taverns around. We can scope out the crowd while we’re at it.
[ … ]
Look, this is the only way we’re getting out of here. If anybody takes note of us, we’ll try something else. But we won’t know until we try.
[ footsteps ]
Do you still have that dagger I gave you?
[ … ]
Makes me feel more comfortable when you have something. Not that you’ll need it.
[ … ]
Ha, nice try. The gun’s mine. As is this.
[ pause ]
Ahhh don’t act like you’re not swooning over me right now. Who else has taken your hand so smoothly?
[ … ]
[ laughs ]
Okay, well, I-I’m the best. So I automatically win in the charming department. And all of the others.
[ … ]
I’m with you. Therefore it’s true.
[ voices, bustling market ]
Let me know if you see anywhere you want to eat. We’ll see what’s open.
[ … ]
Strangely enough, I’m craving something fishy. Don’t know why.
[ later, tavern]
[ lively music ]
[ plates and mugs hit table ]
Here we are. I got you some rum. Imported from the East.
[ … ]
You’re right. It is illegal. The thrill really adds a good flavour.
[ … ]
I don’t recognize anyone yet. Though I did have one guy ask me how much for a night. Said it’d be one I’d never forget.
Hey. Told you I’m a nice glass of water.
[ … ]
I didn’t, but I did take this.
[ clink, places coin pouch on table ]
Figured we’d put the money to better use.
[ door opens, bell jingles ]
How’s your drink?
[ … ]
Good, good. Yeah, I like it too. There’s a nice spice to it.
[ pause ]
What is it?
[ … ]
Behind me?
[ … ]
Please, nobody looks like me.
[ … ]
Wha- I won’t make it obvious.
[ irritated exhale ]
Fine. I’ll… drop this and oh so casually look…
[ pause ]
Fuck.
[ … ]
[ shaky nervous breath ]
That’s my father.
No, I don’t think he’s noticed us yet. Here, wrap the food and put it in your bag. We’ll chug our drinks and go.
[ … ]
Don’t know. Don’t care. Keep drinking.
[ … ]
[ raises voice ]
Why would I want to talk to that scumbag? He’s-
[ clears throat, lowers voice ]
He’s a stranger to me now. And I don’t plan on changing that.
Finish your drink.
[ pause ]
[ chair scrapes on ground ]
Don’t even think about it.
[ … ]
[ scoffs ]
Regret? Don’t act like you know everything, Goldie. Sit down.
[ pause ]
I’m sorry. I uh… we should go. I don’t like this.
Please. Let it go. For me.
[ pause ]
[ clothes rustle, sits on chair ]
Thank you. Now are you going to finish that or do you want me to?
[ … ]
Okay okay, I won’t touch your drink. Just hurry up.
[ later, inn bedroom ]
You should sleep. We’ve got a long day tomorrow.
[ … ]
I tried. You remember those nightmares I told you about? Where I’m chasing something but I’m always too late when I reach it?
[ … ]
Yeah.
It was you this time.
[ pause ]
I have this heavy feeling that something’s about to go wrong. Something that’s going to tear you away from me.
[ … ]
[ heavy exhale ]
Maybe.
[ pause ]
This is so fucked. Has he been coming here all this time and never, not once, thought to even check up on us? On- on me?
I hate him. I really hate him.
[ pause ]
Can you promise me something?
[ … ]
If something goes wrong, promise me you’ll run. Run until you’re safe.
[ … ]
I’ll be there of course, but if something does happen, I need to know you’ll keep going.
[ … ]
You’re as stubborn as ever.
Go to sleep. Get enough for the both of us.
[ … ]
Sleep well.
[ later ]
[ distorted sound, sleeper’s asleep ]
[ light knock knock, door opens ]
The hell are you doing here?
[ man’s voice muffled ]
No. No. I’ve got nothing to say to you. Go.
[ man’s voice muffled ]
Don’t look at them. They’re not a part of this.
[ man’s voice muffled ]
Like I’d tell you.
[ man’s voice muffled ]
[ laughs dryly ]
Get out before I bust your skull open, old man.
Ha. Touch your pistol again. I dare you. I fucking dare you.
[ man’s voice muffled ]
[ pause ]
If they weren’t here right now, you’d already be dead.
Get out of my sight.
[ door shuts ]
[ later ]
[ light footsteps down stairs, speaker’s voice and a woman’s fade in ]
Ah, there you are. Come here, I have someone I want you to meet.
[ … ]
What? I don’t remember anyone coming to our door. Anyway, come come. Don’t be shy.
This here is Beatrice, First Mate of the Hanya Voyager. And she’s an old friend of mine. We used to play around the docks together, jump onto random people’s ships, terrorize the locals.
I can’t believe you’re a First Mate. How’s your brother doing?
[ woman’s voice muffled ]
That’s insane. So yeah, Beatrice here has offered us a spot on her ship. If the Captain agrees, of course.
[ … ]
Hun, you must’ve dreamt it. I was up all night. Nobody came by.
When do we leave?
[ woman’s voice muffled ]
Alright. We’ll get all of our stuff and meet you before you start loading up. Talk to the Captain, make sure there are no problems.
Is there anything you need before we go? It’s going to be a long voyage.
[ … ]
[ laughs ]
Books, books… gosh, I don’t think anybody around here can even read.
Know of any good libraries nearby?
[ woman’s voice muffled ]
It’s a little far but we can make it.
Oh yeah, the kitchen just opened. I’ll go grab you some breakfast. We’ll see you later, Bea. Thanks again.
[ later, ship deck ]
[ waves crash, windy ]
Careful now. Don’t want to fall over.
How are you doing? Still feeling sick?
[ … ]
You’ll get used to it eventually.
I just tried to meet with the Captain again, but he’s still locked away in his quarters. Last time I saw Beatrice, she was in the gun deck.
[ … ]
The lot’s pretty rough, but that’s not really surprising. Just stay where I can see you.
[ … ]
I don’t think they would appreciate you booby-trapping their ship.
[ … ]
Hm? Yeah I see it. We’re still not far from the port. We’ll pass a couple more ships.
Though, normally they shouldn’t be aimed toward us.
[ door slams open ]
[ exhale ]
Finally, the captain’s-
[ tense pause ]
My, what splendid weather we’re having.
How are you doing, Hunter? You’ve given us quite a bit of trouble.
What are doing here?
Ah. Your father invited me.
[ footsteps ]
He heard about a pretty little thing running around a few towns over. Sent out some scouts, and gave me a ring. Him coming across you at the inn was a happy and unfortunate surprise.
You see, your father here is an old buddy of mine. He used to help me with some… imports and trades. You know the type.
I had no idea you two were related. I am so glad to have brought you two together.
Goldie, I need you to run.
There’s no running on a ship, boy. And… after a long discussion with your father, I agreed to sway the hunt for your head. All I need is theirs.
Be a doll and come here. You wouldn’t want your lover boy to get caught in the crossfire, now would you?
Don’t listen to him. We can get out of this. That boat-
That boat is mine. Safe transit to preserve their body for display. Can’t show anything too grotesque, now can I?
[ lowers voice ]
Get to the lower deck, grab my gun, and hold up somewhere. I’ll take care of them and find you.
Causing me problems until the end. Do you remember what they called your father back in the day, boy?
He’s got the Holy Aim.
[ regular voice ]
Don’t you FUCKING aim that at them.
Dad, if you give a single shit about me, about our family, you'll aim that at him. Not us.
[ pause ]
DAD PLEASE.
Move aside.
[ lowers voice ]
I'll be right behind you. Go,
[ bang, ringing ]
Damn it! GO!
[ running footsteps ]
[ sound muffled from distance ]
[ gunshot bang ]
[ speaker falls to ground and screams in pain ]
We agreed to keep you alive, not unharmed. You deserve a little suffering.
You bastard.
Gents, bring me their head.
[ heavy footsteps march forward ]
[ sound fades ]
~ fade to black ~
Hello hello, we're back! Apologies for my absence last week. Life was lifing, as it does. So what do you think? I hope you enjoyed it. As this series is my first-ever entry in this format, it has a special place in my heart. I hope you love it just as much as I do. See you next Wednesday~
Have a lovely evening/day,
submitted by AbnormalAsTheRest to ASMRScriptHaven [link] [comments]
NAVIGATE TO OTHER PARTS: [ 01 ] [ 02 ] [ 03 ] [ 04 ]
[ Credits are required, please comment if you fill my script ] [ Monetization is fine, contact if you use a paywall ] [ Small line edits are okay for a personal flair, larger edits require permission ] [ Gender swapping is fine ] [ Title change is okay ] [ No AI voice ]
The end approaches, but what will be left when all is lost. Here is part 5, the finale is coming soon ~
Word Count: 1900
Synopsis: On the run from nations hunting them down, an inventor and bounty hunter arrive at a port to find an escape.
--- This part has a secondary speaker. Their lines are in bold and italics. Approach these lines however you wish. ---
listener speaking = [...]
effect/action/description - [ italics ]
[ content sigh ]
Oh, I missed this. The wind of the ocean, the scent of the sea. The endless horizon. I haven’t been here since… well, since my family last came.
[ … ]
Once upon a time we did. My father worked on a ship, used to sail out for months and bring back souvenirs. Until he came back with a new wife. Mom wasn’t happy with that surprise.
You see that dock right there. That’s the last place I saw him. Mom practically chased him out of the continent.
[ laughs ]
That was 14 years ago.
I wonder if he ever thinks about me. Me and my family. If he’s still alive, that is.
[ … ]
Nah, I hope he’s suffered twice as much as my mom did. He gave up on us and never looked back. Never even tried to check how we were doing.
That’s the irony of it all. I remember him as a good man. A role model. Someone who built his way up from sticks and a shack.
But in the end, he was just a good for nothing prick that left his family the second something more convenient appeared.
[ waves crash ]
And that’s my lore drop of the day. What about you, Goldie? Any fond ocean memories? Family drama?
[ … ]
Right, you’ve never been.
What do you think? The pictures don’t do it justice, right?
[ … ]
Yeah, it’s all salt. Drink too much and your intestines will corrode. That’s what my mom used to tell me.
[ … ]
We’re here to see if any of my dad’s old buddies are still kicking around. Might be able to snag ourselves a spot on their ships.
I think I’d recognize a few of them. Sailors don’t really age; they look old and tired from the start. And drunk.
[ … ]
Not if we don’t tell them. We’re just a young couple looking for safe passage, a place to start anew. We’re certainly not the most wanted targets in all of the land. How many countries are after us now?
[ … ]
5? When did we get another?
[ … ]
Oh, I didn’t see that poster.
[ chuckles ]
I guess we’re celebrities now. Everyone’s looking for us.
We’ll be fine though. Nobody comes to this port. The, uh, business here isn’t really up to code. And the people will do anything for the right price.
[ … ]
Yes, that includes killing us. But again, you don’t need to worry. You’ve got me.
[ … ]
Okay, I’ve definitely saved our asses more by now. Pick up the slack.
[ … ]
Remind me who’s the one that collapsed an entire house just so you could get away?
[ … ]
Stealing a horse barely counts. I was getting out fine.
[ … ]
What? It’s a cool battle wound. Now we have matching scars. Couples pay for that, y’know.
[ … ]
C’mon, you know you like it.
You hungry? There’s a market down that street. Should be a couple of taverns around. We can scope out the crowd while we’re at it.
[ … ]
Look, this is the only way we’re getting out of here. If anybody takes note of us, we’ll try something else. But we won’t know until we try.
[ footsteps ]
Do you still have that dagger I gave you?
[ … ]
Makes me feel more comfortable when you have something. Not that you’ll need it.
[ … ]
Ha, nice try. The gun’s mine. As is this.
[ pause ]
Ahhh don’t act like you’re not swooning over me right now. Who else has taken your hand so smoothly?
[ … ]
[ laughs ]
Okay, well, I-I’m the best. So I automatically win in the charming department. And all of the others.
[ … ]
I’m with you. Therefore it’s true.
[ voices, bustling market ]
Let me know if you see anywhere you want to eat. We’ll see what’s open.
[ … ]
Strangely enough, I’m craving something fishy. Don’t know why.
[ later, tavern]
[ lively music ]
[ plates and mugs hit table ]
Here we are. I got you some rum. Imported from the East.
[ … ]
You’re right. It is illegal. The thrill really adds a good flavour.
[ … ]
I don’t recognize anyone yet. Though I did have one guy ask me how much for a night. Said it’d be one I’d never forget.
Hey. Told you I’m a nice glass of water.
[ … ]
I didn’t, but I did take this.
[ clink, places coin pouch on table ]
Figured we’d put the money to better use.
[ door opens, bell jingles ]
How’s your drink?
[ … ]
Good, good. Yeah, I like it too. There’s a nice spice to it.
[ pause ]
What is it?
[ … ]
Behind me?
[ … ]
Please, nobody looks like me.
[ … ]
Wha- I won’t make it obvious.
[ irritated exhale ]
Fine. I’ll… drop this and oh so casually look…
[ pause ]
Fuck.
[ … ]
[ shaky nervous breath ]
That’s my father.
No, I don’t think he’s noticed us yet. Here, wrap the food and put it in your bag. We’ll chug our drinks and go.
[ … ]
Don’t know. Don’t care. Keep drinking.
[ … ]
[ raises voice ]
Why would I want to talk to that scumbag? He’s-
[ clears throat, lowers voice ]
He’s a stranger to me now. And I don’t plan on changing that.
Finish your drink.
[ pause ]
[ chair scrapes on ground ]
Don’t even think about it.
[ … ]
[ scoffs ]
Regret? Don’t act like you know everything, Goldie. Sit down.
[ pause ]
I’m sorry. I uh… we should go. I don’t like this.
Please. Let it go. For me.
[ pause ]
[ clothes rustle, sits on chair ]
Thank you. Now are you going to finish that or do you want me to?
[ … ]
Okay okay, I won’t touch your drink. Just hurry up.
[ later, inn bedroom ]
You should sleep. We’ve got a long day tomorrow.
[ … ]
I tried. You remember those nightmares I told you about? Where I’m chasing something but I’m always too late when I reach it?
[ … ]
Yeah.
It was you this time.
[ pause ]
I have this heavy feeling that something’s about to go wrong. Something that’s going to tear you away from me.
[ … ]
[ heavy exhale ]
Maybe.
[ pause ]
This is so fucked. Has he been coming here all this time and never, not once, thought to even check up on us? On- on me?
I hate him. I really hate him.
[ pause ]
Can you promise me something?
[ … ]
If something goes wrong, promise me you’ll run. Run until you’re safe.
[ … ]
I’ll be there of course, but if something does happen, I need to know you’ll keep going.
[ … ]
You’re as stubborn as ever.
Go to sleep. Get enough for the both of us.
[ … ]
Sleep well.
[ later ]
[ distorted sound, sleeper’s asleep ]
[ light knock knock, door opens ]
The hell are you doing here?
[ man’s voice muffled ]
No. No. I’ve got nothing to say to you. Go.
[ man’s voice muffled ]
Don’t look at them. They’re not a part of this.
[ man’s voice muffled ]
Like I’d tell you.
[ man’s voice muffled ]
[ laughs dryly ]
Get out before I bust your skull open, old man.
Ha. Touch your pistol again. I dare you. I fucking dare you.
[ man’s voice muffled ]
[ pause ]
If they weren’t here right now, you’d already be dead.
Get out of my sight.
[ door shuts ]
[ later ]
[ light footsteps down stairs, speaker’s voice and a woman’s fade in ]
Ah, there you are. Come here, I have someone I want you to meet.
[ … ]
What? I don’t remember anyone coming to our door. Anyway, come come. Don’t be shy.
This here is Beatrice, First Mate of the Hanya Voyager. And she’s an old friend of mine. We used to play around the docks together, jump onto random people’s ships, terrorize the locals.
I can’t believe you’re a First Mate. How’s your brother doing?
[ woman’s voice muffled ]
That’s insane. So yeah, Beatrice here has offered us a spot on her ship. If the Captain agrees, of course.
[ … ]
Hun, you must’ve dreamt it. I was up all night. Nobody came by.
When do we leave?
[ woman’s voice muffled ]
Alright. We’ll get all of our stuff and meet you before you start loading up. Talk to the Captain, make sure there are no problems.
Is there anything you need before we go? It’s going to be a long voyage.
[ … ]
[ laughs ]
Books, books… gosh, I don’t think anybody around here can even read.
Know of any good libraries nearby?
[ woman’s voice muffled ]
It’s a little far but we can make it.
Oh yeah, the kitchen just opened. I’ll go grab you some breakfast. We’ll see you later, Bea. Thanks again.
[ later, ship deck ]
[ waves crash, windy ]
Careful now. Don’t want to fall over.
How are you doing? Still feeling sick?
[ … ]
You’ll get used to it eventually.
I just tried to meet with the Captain again, but he’s still locked away in his quarters. Last time I saw Beatrice, she was in the gun deck.
[ … ]
The lot’s pretty rough, but that’s not really surprising. Just stay where I can see you.
[ … ]
I don’t think they would appreciate you booby-trapping their ship.
[ … ]
Hm? Yeah I see it. We’re still not far from the port. We’ll pass a couple more ships.
Though, normally they shouldn’t be aimed toward us.
[ door slams open ]
[ exhale ]
Finally, the captain’s-
[ tense pause ]
My, what splendid weather we’re having.
How are you doing, Hunter? You’ve given us quite a bit of trouble.
What are doing here?
Ah. Your father invited me.
[ footsteps ]
He heard about a pretty little thing running around a few towns over. Sent out some scouts, and gave me a ring. Him coming across you at the inn was a happy and unfortunate surprise.
You see, your father here is an old buddy of mine. He used to help me with some… imports and trades. You know the type.
I had no idea you two were related. I am so glad to have brought you two together.
Goldie, I need you to run.
There’s no running on a ship, boy. And… after a long discussion with your father, I agreed to sway the hunt for your head. All I need is theirs.
Be a doll and come here. You wouldn’t want your lover boy to get caught in the crossfire, now would you?
Don’t listen to him. We can get out of this. That boat-
That boat is mine. Safe transit to preserve their body for display. Can’t show anything too grotesque, now can I?
[ lowers voice ]
Get to the lower deck, grab my gun, and hold up somewhere. I’ll take care of them and find you.
Causing me problems until the end. Do you remember what they called your father back in the day, boy?
He’s got the Holy Aim.
[ regular voice ]
Don’t you FUCKING aim that at them.
Dad, if you give a single shit about me, about our family, you'll aim that at him. Not us.
[ pause ]
DAD PLEASE.
Move aside.
[ lowers voice ]
I'll be right behind you. Go,
[ bang, ringing ]
Damn it! GO!
[ running footsteps ]
[ sound muffled from distance ]
[ gunshot bang ]
[ speaker falls to ground and screams in pain ]
We agreed to keep you alive, not unharmed. You deserve a little suffering.
You bastard.
Gents, bring me their head.
[ heavy footsteps march forward ]
[ sound fades ]
Hello hello, we're back! Apologies for my absence last week. Life was lifing, as it does. So what do you think? I hope you enjoyed it. As this series is my first-ever entry in this format, it has a special place in my heart. I hope you love it just as much as I do. See you next Wednesday~
Have a lovely evening/day,
- Reb / AbnormalAsTheRest
2024.05.30 04:16 Basic-Language-8284 In the Prime of My Life – How Game Science Created 'Black Myth: Wukong'(An interview with Game Science 2020-08-21)(AI Translation)
Chapter One
On February 25, 2018, Feng Ji returned to Shenzhen from Shanghai by plane. It was late when he arrived, and as he took a taxi back to his company, he sensed that it was time to make a decision. He called his fellow partners to convene at the office to discuss the path forward. At 2 a.m., Feng Ji wrote three options on the whiteboard in the meeting room: "First, everyone dedicates themselves to creating a standalone action game; second, to develop a popular RPG+SLG mobile game of the time; third, to split into two teams, one for mobile games, with five or six people allocated to prepare for a standalone action game."
They all opted for the third option.
Before leaving for the meeting upon Feng Ji's call, Yang Qi posted on Weibo. Anticipating what Feng Ji would propose, he had been waiting for this call. His post read, "Starting the new year with a grand gamble, ten years in the industry feels like it has all been leading up to this day. Heading out for a midnight meeting, the trees in my entire neighborhood whisper my name..."
On August 16, 2020, sitting in Feng Ji's office, he recounted this story to me. Reflecting for a moment, Feng Ji shared that the meeting at 2 a.m. wasn't really a "turning point."
"It wasn't that dramatic," Feng Ji told me. "We had discussed this for a long time before. And I recently revisited our business plan from 2016 when we were fundraising—you know, you have to write these things for funding. I found that one-third of it was about our intention to create a standalone game—I had even forgotten about it until I checked our chat records...it was indeed the case."
Feng Ji is the founder of Game Science Studio. In 2014, Feng Ji and several colleagues who had collaborated on 'Fighter of the Destiny' left Tencent to establish Game Science.
Game Science's initial projects were trendy at the time. Yang Qi's artistic style was intense and prominent, and Feng Ji knew how to elevate the sophistication of games. Their strategy involved identifying the most popular game genres in the market and combining them with top-tier art, world-building, and storytelling. 'Hundred Generals March' was a card game, 'Art of War: Red Tides' a real-time competitive game, and 'Red Tide Auto Chess'...an auto-chess game. When launched, auto-chess was trending, and the game saw decent online numbers, but then, seemingly overnight, interest in auto-chess waned, and so did their player statistics.
In November 2017, two months after the public beta of 'Art of War: Red Tides', the company partners believed an RPG+SLG project could generate revenue quicker. Thus, they embarked on developing a game of this type, set in the same universe as 'Red Tides', with Feng Ji as lead planner and co-founder Yang Qi as lead artist.
By early 2018, Yang Qi had sketched numerous concept designs for the new game, and Feng Ji had done some preliminary planning. However, Feng Ji felt that the game lacked excitement. "I couldn't take it anymore—you understand what I mean?" Feng Ji explained. "By 'couldn't take it,' I mean that the game we were making wasn't something I particularly wanted to play."
"Although we all believed we'd eventually make a standalone game, we always felt the timing wasn't right, waiting for conditions like having a large sum of money or...just waiting for the right moment," Feng Ji elaborated.
But Yang Qi was not willing to wait any longer. "During a meal, Yang Qi firmly insisted we must proceed," Feng Ji recalled. "He said you can always find a reason not to start, whether it's insufficient funds, manpower, or other inadequacies...If we kept waiting, we might never begin. But he felt if we didn't start soon, the company might lose its appeal to him...So we began seriously discussing it."
That afternoon, in Feng Ji's office, I met Yang Qi. Compared to Feng Ji, he appeared calm and detached, as if accustomed to observing himself and the situation from a third-person perspective. With his mask pulled down to his chin, he smoked cigarettes with fruity flavor capsules. We chatted while smoking.
When I asked Yang Qi why he was so resolute about this, he casually replied, "We've waited for a while, made some other games, because we need to live, after all, survive first."
I posed the question again.
After a moment of thought, he earnestly told me, "Because I don't think I can keep making games like this for many more years...my health won't hold up. Before, I could work around the clock for days without issue, but now, one late night and I need rest. Moreover, a person's creative lifespan is limited; one's golden period of creativity might only span a few years, where you have experience, energy, and a sharp mind...This is your most precious time, and if you don't create something great during this period, you may never get another chance in life..."
After deciding to develop a standalone game, Yang Qi's spirits visibly lifted. At the time, Game Science didn't have a Hangzhou studio; all development staff worked on the second floor of their Shenzhen office. Post-meeting, they cleared a small corner on the first floor for the project, and Yang Qi moved there the next day. Feng Ji, as the founder of Game Science, felt responsible for the "people who came out with him." He also wanted to see his friends engaged in something enthusiastically—even just being enthusiastic was enough.
Chapter Two
Game Science's Hangzhou studio is nestled within a startup industrial park on the outskirts of the city. The park, newly built, boasts a scattering of Hui-style buildings with their characteristic white walls and black tiles. I arrived on a scorching summer afternoon, discovering that due to the lingering pandemic, nearly all the buildings stood empty. A few workers were seen maintaining the roads.
"Initially, we were told there would be things like Starbucks, but because of the pandemic, none of that has opened yet," Feng Ji pointed out to me, gesturing towards vacancies.
Game Science occupies a four-story building here. When I visited around 2 PM, their workday was just beginning. The rooms were dimly lit, with almost everyone slumped lazily in chairs, seemingly on the verge of dozing off. Screens displayed animations or game videos, or interfaces that looked intricate and impressive. All windows lacked curtains; some had cardboard pieces taped up with transparent tape to shield against direct sunlight.
"We haven't had the chance to install curtains yet," Feng Ji mentioned as we climbed upstairs. The second floor served as a common area, housing a few treadmills and exercise bikes in a corner and tables and chairs in the center. The third floor was vacant, save for a 70-inch display on one wall and several wooden swords and shields in another corner. Feng Ji explained they conducted initial inertial motion capture here, which served as a reference for more intricate optical motion capture later. The fourth floor housed Feng Ji's office, though he admitted he seldom stayed upstairs.
The single-player project team moved to Hangzhou in December 2018. Feng Ji appreciated Hangzhou's ambiance, its pace less hectic than Shenzhen's and with more affordable housing, fostering an environment where "everyone can patiently persevere." As a mature company with ample development experience, Game Science sidestepped many pitfalls common in game development. Their core team had collaborated for years, intimately aware of each other's strengths. Familiar with game development processes and backed by successful titles, they maintained a small but highly experienced and cohesive team, deliberately controlling project scope.
Initially, there was consensus on creating a game: a weakly online, strongly combat-focused, melee-centric action title. Debates arose over specific style, but the overarching direction remained. Conversations about the game's style, character traits, and details organically evolved over daily chats during meals and at workstations. Inspired by Feng Ji's fascination with Dark Souls and Yang Qi's preference for Monster Hunter, they agreed on a game featuring "intensely pressuring enemies," "intricately designed levels," and "a mysterious narrative conveyed through fragmented storytelling."
Up until then, Game Science primarily used Cocos and Unity engines, known for their simplicity and low learning curve. For the new project, Unreal Engine emerged as the optimal choice, prompting the entire team to start from scratch learning Unreal. Feng Ji learned camera manipulation, Yang Qi experimented with scene setup and lighting adjustment, and planner "Village Chief" began constructing whiteboxes, determining obstacle placement and setting up barriers.
In May 2018, the preliminary research group assembled their first basic scene to experiment with fundamental combat feel, AI behavior, and combo mechanics. Upon success, they ventured into crafting a demonstrative level showcasing the "final visual effect." They chose Flower Fruit Mountain. A scene in the video depicts the protagonist advancing amidst clouds, accompanied by a dragon, against a backdrop of lush peaks – this is Flower Fruit Mountain.
By late 2018, the Flower Fruit Mountain level was largely formed, implementing basic gameplay functions. The protagonist emerges from a cave to find heavenly soldiers besieging Flower Fruit Mountain, engages in battles, fights a celestial general, and eventually ascends to the clouds to confront armies under the watchful eyes of the Four Heavenly Kings. "Waves of 100,000 heavenly soldiers would come, with the staff transforming into an exaggerated state..." This level was showcased at the year-end meeting. Portions appear in the video's conclusion, with Feng Ji noting plans to revamp the less natural-looking aspects of the heavenly soldiers.
In 2019, the team grew to around 20 members, focusing on delivering "a complete level experience." Deciding it should mirror the final quality players would experience, they named the level Black Wind Mountain. In 'Journey to the West', Black Wind Mountain appears in the chapter "Monk of the Jade Spring Temple Plots for Treasure; Monster of Black Wind Mountain Steals the Robe." It marks the first demon encounter for Sun Wukong on his pilgrimage, which is prominently featured in the video's gameplay demonstration.
Chapter Three
The challenge of creating the Blackwind Mountain level surpassed the expectations of most people, despite prior preparations.
"When you actually start working on it, you realize how difficult it is to create a level that's narrative-driven and emotionally immersive for players," Feng Ji shared with me. "There are so many things you want to include – should monsters engage in dialogue with you? What are they doing when you're not around? Why do you have to fight them? Shouldn't there be some buildup before encountering them?"
All these "desired elements" are intertwined with technology and industrial workflow. In today's era, for a high-investment commercial game, creativity is no longer the sole determinant; realization matters more. In reality, "realization" entails multiple concurrent workflows, each needing to maintain controllable efficiency and quality.
To produce a short in-engine cutscene, the process typically unfolds like this: the narrative designer first scripts the scene, followed by the creation of 2D storyboards. Then, a simple level model is constructed using polygon models without textures (everything appearing white, hence developers call this a 'white box'). Once the white box is ready, dynamic storyboarding takes place within it. If character close-ups are required, motion capture comes into play, starting with a preliminary performance using inertial motion capture devices, tested in-game. If the mood isn't right, it's back to the drawing board. If satisfactory, optical motion capture is used to generate the final product.
Throughout game development, countless production pipelines run concurrently. The larger the game scale and the more advanced the technology, the greater the unpredictability. Any loss of control—be it in quality or efficiency—can spell disaster.
They treated Blackwind Mountain as a minimum viable product. The development team dared not embark on large-scale production until everything was proven feasible. Feng Ji meticulously explained, "Optical motion capture, for instance, involves a studio with 60 cameras and a team of dozens serving you. The daily cost is around 200,000 to 300,000 yuan. If you say, 'Sorry, we weren't prepared today, let's not proceed,' the bill still stands."
Feng Ji demonstrated a playable version of the Blackwind Mountain level, which I also tried out—it wasn't entirely stable, occasionally crashing. He seemed a bit anxious, constantly reminding me that "the handling is far from optimal," "some skills aren't finalized yet," "the stats need adjusting," and "it's not the final quality; many details are missing."
I was already sufficiently astonished. The demo video matched the actual gameplay visuals. I heard a streamer who saw this game's demonstration was thrilled, telling friends, "Triple-A gaming from China has arrived!"
But Feng Ji avoided mentioning the term "triple-A." On one hand, he feared it might invite criticism; on the other, he found the definition imprecise—"What do you mean by triple-A? We know what each 'A' stands for, but this specific definition... is very vague."
"At least one aspect is about spending a lot of money," I said. "Can you disclose the development cost of the game?"
"You can estimate it this way: for every hour of gameplay the player experiences—not including constant stuck points or deaths, but relatively smooth gameplay...," Feng Ji told me, "the development cost is 15 to 20 million yuan per hour."
Chapter Four
Navigating through Zhihu, China's equivalent of Quora, one would periodically encounter a string of questions intertwined with the terms "China," "3A," such as "Why doesn't China have any triple-A games?" or "When will China have its own triple-A titles?" and even "Does China necessarily need triple-A games?" These inquiries are steeped in both hopeful aspirations and a sense of frustration—given our country boasts the world's largest gaming company and a highly lucrative gaming industry, why haven't we produced a triple-A game yet?
For many, myself included, the term "3A" symbolizes an Olympic gold medal, embodying a myriad of aspirations and accomplishments. Anyone with over a year's experience in the gaming industry can easily enumerate the gaps between us and triple-A standards. However, sometimes, one cannot pinpoint precisely what's missing until the endeavor begins.
Watching the 13-minute promotional video attentively reveals that the protagonist, the monkey, remains largely silent, devoid of dialogue or facial expressions, just like all other characters. This led to a perceived lack of character development in the video, issues that Feng Ji attributes to classic "technical problems."
"There's an unconfirmed rumor that Naughty Dog's ratio of artists to technical artists is 1:1," Feng Ji shared. Technical artists can be thought of as individuals who are adept at both technology and artistry, a simplified yet not entirely inaccurate depiction. In essence, technical artists ensure that artistic visions are realized to their fullest potential by providing technical support and enhancing the quality and efficiency of art production. Where tasks require a seamless collaboration between technology and art, a technical artist becomes indispensable.
"One reason we seek technical artists is our determination to excel in storytelling," Feng Ji emphasized. "Motion capture introduces numerous challenges in connection, environmental interactions, and positioning. Remember the final battle with Ling Xuizi, the wolf, in the video?"
"I do."
"Initially, we designed a sequence where the protagonist transforms into a giant ape, leading to a spectacular execution. The wolf would leap down from a roof, only to be caught mid-air by the ape, who would then grip its teeth, pin it to the ground, and pounce. Sounds impressive, right? The problem was, the moment the hand gripped the teeth, clipping occurred. We couldn't stabilize the protagonist's position, causing the teeth to protrude through the fingers."
"This is where technical artists come in," Feng Ji continued. "They ensure proper alignment and can even determine the material properties of each model. Ideally, the wolf's tooth material could simulate piercing flesh... But we couldn't execute it well. After two months, we abandoned the idea and revised the ending. We lost several months due to this design issue, and ultimately, we couldn't resolve it."
Thus, this scene never made it to the final cut. Feng Ji assured me, however, that they're not giving up and will eventually create this climactic moment.
Feng Ji recounted a legend at Naughty Dog, where each artist's desk had a dedicated button. Pressing it summoned a technical artist to address any issues the artist encountered. "Is it a particle emitter problem? An issue with fluid dynamics? Scene interaction? I'm here to fix it on the spot."
Game Science understands the significance of technical artists but lacks a sufficient number. Not just Game Science, but domestically, there's a scarcity of seasoned technical artists, with most "working in giants like Tencent and NetEase."
Nonetheless, they've overcome some obstacles. In the trailer, when the monkey picks up a blade called "Chì Cháo," Feng Ji revealed that it wasn't pre-animated. The monkey could walk up to the blade anywhere, grasp it, and tuck it into his ear. The key was the natural movement of approaching and extracting the sword, a process that took the development team roughly two to three months to refine.
Feng Ji stood up to demonstrate, "You've played 'The Last of Us Part II,' right? After playing that, I felt quite despondent... Did you notice the characters' movements? Say I'm sitting here, and the game prompts me to pick something up—I could be facing it head-on or sideways, yet the action feels incredibly natural?"
I struggled to recall this seemingly insignificant detail in the game. Feng Ji went on, "Initially, we thought it involved capturing more actions, but we discovered the subtlety in character orientation, particularly the feet. If we only captured frontal actions, what about when the object is on the side? Do we rotate? Smooth turning wasn't in our assets, and programming it looked odd. To avoid awkwardness, we could brute force it, creating 32 actions just for picking up this knife, covering every angle. But in the game, you don't just pick up knives; you open doors, wield hammers. Multiplying all actions by 32 would be unfeasible in terms of production costs and resource consumption."
Feng Ji continued, "We researched solutions and studied presentations by major studios at GDC. That's when we discovered Ubisoft's proposed solution, Motion Matching. Its power lies in requiring only a set of base motion capture animations, which Motion Matching then uses, without manual tweaking by animators, to generate a complete, fluid character movement system."
I inquired, "Is this library open-source?"
"There are some open-source versions online, but they're very immature. We refined it to a product level... We reverse-engineered Ubisoft's methods, filling in the blanks where they didn't disclose specifics, like designing the entire action set, accommodating unconventional locomotion animations...," Feng Ji explained, "Yet, comparing to 'Odyssey,' or even more impressively, 'God of War' or 'The Last of Us,' you realize you're still not on par. Their foundational animation libraries and corresponding mathematical algorithms remain a black box to us. It's their moat, their defense."
I asked, "If you manage to develop all these, would it become your moat too?"
"Absolutely," he affirmed, then added, "But they have generations of product iterations under their belt; this isn't something that can be achieved overnight."
Chapter Five
They were constantly faced with choices. For instance, should the game emulate the style of 'Monster Hunter', or that of 'God of War', or adopt the 'Soulsborne' genre? They realized each style entailed different focuses and nuances. Emulating 'God of War' would necessitate a focus on cinematics and execution moves, while 'Monster Hunter' would require tackling the intricacies of large enemy animations. A 'Soulsborne'-style game would demand attention to character progression and dueling combat mechanics—each direction posed its own challenges. The team's primary concern was defining the overall feel they wanted players to associate with their game. They sought to pinpoint how players would describe it.
This quandary persisted until Feng Ji reached a realization: "When we aim to replicate a very specific product... we inherently risk becoming a second-rate game. Even if we pay homage well, it naturally positions us as a lesser alternative in players' minds."
They made a conscious effort to differentiate from the best in the industry. "I acknowledge they may represent the optimal solution for action games today," Feng Ji told me, "but we must distance ourselves from these titles." They avoided direct references, opting instead for innovations like "Bronze Head Iron Arm" and using "Golden Cicada" for stealth.
Level design posed another challenge. Feng Ji was once enamored with the 'box garden' design philosophy of Soulsborne games, characterized by meticulously designed pseudo-sandbox levels prevalent in Japanese games. However, by the end of 2019, the team recognized that 'Wukong' wasn't suited for this approach. They decided that to convey the grand epic feel of 'Journey to the West', multiple levels interconnected by teleportation would better represent a vast, authentic world, allowing for more creative freedom in map design.
Feng Ji still aimed for a "box garden feel" within individual maps, respecting the art team's pursuit of realism. He explained, "In 'Dark Souls', many scenes take place in cathedrals, which lend themselves to looping designs with verticality, but you can't force stairs or elevators into a forest setting. So, it's context-dependent; Black Wind Mountain is flatter, while Leiyin Temple can be more intricate... Yet, I insist on maintaining some openness for exploration within the maps."
Feng Ji was eager to share the game's lore and aesthetic, but I've chosen not to reveal much here. Prior to seeing the final product, any assessment would be premature. This game isn't a replication of 'Journey to the West', nor do they intend to perpetuate the radical, rebellious spirit of 'Asura'.
At times, they're hesitant to mention 'Asura', seemingly wary of player associations. Nonetheless, they do link the two, as evident in the promotional video's closing caption, "After the White Bones, Revisit the Journey."
"Why do you think we said that?" Feng Ji asked me. "'Asura' players have a joke: 'After White Bones, there is no more Journey.' We planned five chapters; Chapter Three, Farewell Lady, referred to Lady White Bones. Our story stopped abruptly there, with later parts reduced to text quests. Thus, players joked, 'After White Bones, no more Journey.'"
On August 20th, when the video was released, Yang Qi posted on Weibo: "This theme has been a burden for over a decade. Many colleagues don't speak of it, but we all know this heartache can't be ignored. It's an honor to Stage display our progress today, and we'll give it our all going forward, hoping not to disappoint again."
I messaged Feng Ji on WeChat, asking, "Can you ask Yang Qi why he used the word 'again'?"
Feng Ji replied, "He probably feels 'Asura' had regrets." He added, "So do I, but without resentment."
"When you say 'resentment', towards whom?" I queried.
"Mainly towards myself," Feng Ji said. "Back then, I wasn't brave enough."
Chapter Six
I shared a portion of my written article with a friend. I told them, "I don't want people to think this endeavor is arduous... as if it's some '80s reportage literature."
"It's alright," they said. "It still feels a bit tough, but not overly so."
"I'll revise it then," I replied. "I'm just afraid people might think they're struggling when, in truth, they're ecstatic."
In conversations with Feng Ji and Yang Qi, I asked what concerned them most after the video went public. Feng Ji worried that the video wouldn't gain the attention it deserved, fading into obscurity. Yang Qi, on the other hand, feared that their team would be poached by numerous companies post-release. As an observer, my greatest concern was the skepticism and attacks from public opinion –doubting the video as CG, animation, or a deception; accusing them of exploiting emotions, making empty promises, and playing up their hardships.
It's not the fault of gamers. Each query can be traced back to several actual cases where they were misled by inexplicable promotions, leading to anger and then cynicism, believing that trust and enthusiasm come with danger. Meanwhile, "sentimentality" has turned into a pejorative due to overuse. There seems to be a pattern: when we talk about people pursuing their ideals, we must emphasize their choices and sacrifices, including some lofty and melancholic keywords, typical moments—like a lone figure walking towards the sunset.
But Feng Ji and Yang Qi didn't exhibit gloom, resentment, conflict, or sacrifice. Feng Ji was radiant when discussing the game. He would start from one point and branch out like a Wikipedia entry, constantly associating and digressing further. This made me repeatedly examine whether my article truly captured their immersive joy. You see, when people engage in what they love, nearly everything appears joyful.
Towards the end of our conversation that day, for some reason—maybe a comment or a particular moment—we veered into an odd direction.
"Yang Qi once told me, if we crawl now, we could reach a mountain of gold and silver—a huge fortune. If crawling guarantees success, I'd kneel right away without needing persuasion. I desperately want to make money. The problem is, which path guarantees such success through this method?"
"I couldn't answer him," Feng Ji told me. "Many people point at a successful product and ask if emulating its strengths will guarantee success. But as you know, many have better execution and resources than us. What sets us apart? In the end, you rely on your intuition—you must first move yourself. Only when your intuition is strong can you more easily touch users. If you're insensitive to something yourself, leaving aside ego, if you're not sensitive, your pace of improvement will lag behind those who are passionate about it. How can you succeed then?"
Yet, even so, success is not guaranteed for them. Game development is a prolonged process, especially for a project of this scale. The promotional video still had issues; they quietly developed for two years, with the team growing from seven to thirty. They anticipate another two years of development, more work, more team members, and countless unknowns ahead.
After the video's release, Feng Ji started feeling anxious. He messaged me on WeChat, worried about being overpraised. "There's no real sense of security yet..." he said. "I'm the type who struggles to feel happy until things actually happen."
I told him he'd get used to it—not just as a hollow wish. In my view, perhaps unknowingly to him, it's already happening. All this praise and astonishment are part of it, the team's deserved reward.
I still choose to believe that good things come when one decides to pursue what they truly love.
Chapter Seven
In the days leading up to the trailer's release, Game Science consistently posted trailer posters on their official Weibo account. One poster each day was accompanied by a few lines of text or a short poem. On August 19th, the day before the trailer dropped, the caption Game Science provided for the poster read: "Once I was so old, now I am in my prime."
These words are derived from "My Back Pages," a song by American folk legend Bob Dylan. In this song, Dylan unhesitantly criticizes and ridicules his past actions and stances – poignantly, he was only 23 at the time. The song is composed of six verses, each beginning with reflections on the past and ending with the line mentioned. The final two verses go like this:
With the stance of a warrior,
I aimed my spear at those full of empty talk,
Uttered my manifestos,
Caring not if I contradicted myself.
My life was guided by a tumultuous vessel,
Where rebellion brewed aboard at every turn.
Once I was so old,
Now I am in my prime.
Indeed, the imaginary threats fueled my fighting spirit,
The sense of moral superiority made me reckless,
I deceived myself constantly,
Fantasizing about what I must protect.
For some reason, back then, I drew a clear line
Between good and evil.
Once I was so old,
Now I am in my prime.
Epilogue
At 7 PM on the 20th, I arrived at a cinema in Hangzhou. Feng Ji had previously informed me that all Game Science employees were to watch a movie together that evening, a team-building exercise and a celebration of a milestone achieved. He had invited me along and also mentioned a surprise he had prepared for his colleagues – before the film began, the cinema would screen the trailer for 'Black Myth: Wukong.'
As the hour drew near, developers from Game Science trickled into the cinema in twos and threes. They appeared no different from ordinary college students or overworked white-collar workers numbed by their jobs. One wouldn't guess they were the creators of this game. Glasses perched on their noses, clad in T-shirts and sandals, their faces devoid of overt emotion, they seized every opportunity to glance at their phones.
I approached one of them, asking, "Are you with Game Science?" He turned to me and confirmed, "Yeah."
Casually, I inquired, "The video you guys put out today did pretty well, right? How are you feeling about it?"
He eyed me suspiciously, pausing for a second before replying stiffly, "Ah... this... I have nothing to say on that..." Then, he walked away slowly but resolutely.
Feng Ji couldn't make it; he was tied up with other matters. After the video's release, his WeChat exploded with messages—congratulatory notes, inquiries, collaboration proposals. The admin staff at Game Science told me that several groups had visited their office that afternoon, including two groups of players. "They said they were nearby, got excited after watching the video, and decided to drop by—we gave them a tour of the office," the admin shared.
Game Science had reserved a small theater. About thirty people sat inside—the very team behind the game. In the morning, they had been stars in the eyes of gamers nationwide, yet now, their faces betrayed little.
But their excitement was palpable. Seated, they fiddled with their phones, surfing the web. Some discussed the video's view count on Bilibili, one voice wondering, "It's already hit 5 million views, do you think it'll reach 8 million tonight?" Another responded, "Are you kidding? Views don’t grow linearly."
Close by, I guessed a pair of planners, chatting while scrolling through their phones. One said to the other, "Some comments suggested making the death screen look better since players will die a lot." They chuckled, and after, the other commented, "We should definitely make it spectacular!" More laughter followed, then one suggested, "Why don't we write, 'Victory and defeat are common in war, hero, please try again!'" The other clapped, exclaiming, "Great! Retro!" They put down their phones, grinning at each other.
The lights dimmed abruptly, and Game Science's logo flashed on screen, causing a brief stir among the audience—only for silence to swiftly descend. The trailer they crafted, which had electrified the entire internet that morning, played out, yet everyone sat upright, the theater utterly quiet.
When the trailer ended, as expected, the cinema remained hushed. A smattering of applause started but quickly died when few joined in. An atmosphere of silence enveloped the room, devoid of cheers, applause, or whistles, none of the excitement one might expect at a movie screening. I guessed it wasn't due to being stunned or numbness, but shyness—the developers weren't accustomed to expressing their emotions. They just sat there until the lights came back on.
The admin entered the theater, informing everyone that the main feature would start in eight minutes.
The developers sighed collectively, and tranquility returned. After a moment, a voice asked, "Can we watch it again?"
submitted by Basic-Language-8284 to BlackMythWukong [link] [comments]
On February 25, 2018, Feng Ji returned to Shenzhen from Shanghai by plane. It was late when he arrived, and as he took a taxi back to his company, he sensed that it was time to make a decision. He called his fellow partners to convene at the office to discuss the path forward. At 2 a.m., Feng Ji wrote three options on the whiteboard in the meeting room: "First, everyone dedicates themselves to creating a standalone action game; second, to develop a popular RPG+SLG mobile game of the time; third, to split into two teams, one for mobile games, with five or six people allocated to prepare for a standalone action game."
They all opted for the third option.
Before leaving for the meeting upon Feng Ji's call, Yang Qi posted on Weibo. Anticipating what Feng Ji would propose, he had been waiting for this call. His post read, "Starting the new year with a grand gamble, ten years in the industry feels like it has all been leading up to this day. Heading out for a midnight meeting, the trees in my entire neighborhood whisper my name..."
On August 16, 2020, sitting in Feng Ji's office, he recounted this story to me. Reflecting for a moment, Feng Ji shared that the meeting at 2 a.m. wasn't really a "turning point."
"It wasn't that dramatic," Feng Ji told me. "We had discussed this for a long time before. And I recently revisited our business plan from 2016 when we were fundraising—you know, you have to write these things for funding. I found that one-third of it was about our intention to create a standalone game—I had even forgotten about it until I checked our chat records...it was indeed the case."
Feng Ji is the founder of Game Science Studio. In 2014, Feng Ji and several colleagues who had collaborated on 'Fighter of the Destiny' left Tencent to establish Game Science.
Game Science's initial projects were trendy at the time. Yang Qi's artistic style was intense and prominent, and Feng Ji knew how to elevate the sophistication of games. Their strategy involved identifying the most popular game genres in the market and combining them with top-tier art, world-building, and storytelling. 'Hundred Generals March' was a card game, 'Art of War: Red Tides' a real-time competitive game, and 'Red Tide Auto Chess'...an auto-chess game. When launched, auto-chess was trending, and the game saw decent online numbers, but then, seemingly overnight, interest in auto-chess waned, and so did their player statistics.
In November 2017, two months after the public beta of 'Art of War: Red Tides', the company partners believed an RPG+SLG project could generate revenue quicker. Thus, they embarked on developing a game of this type, set in the same universe as 'Red Tides', with Feng Ji as lead planner and co-founder Yang Qi as lead artist.
By early 2018, Yang Qi had sketched numerous concept designs for the new game, and Feng Ji had done some preliminary planning. However, Feng Ji felt that the game lacked excitement. "I couldn't take it anymore—you understand what I mean?" Feng Ji explained. "By 'couldn't take it,' I mean that the game we were making wasn't something I particularly wanted to play."
"Although we all believed we'd eventually make a standalone game, we always felt the timing wasn't right, waiting for conditions like having a large sum of money or...just waiting for the right moment," Feng Ji elaborated.
But Yang Qi was not willing to wait any longer. "During a meal, Yang Qi firmly insisted we must proceed," Feng Ji recalled. "He said you can always find a reason not to start, whether it's insufficient funds, manpower, or other inadequacies...If we kept waiting, we might never begin. But he felt if we didn't start soon, the company might lose its appeal to him...So we began seriously discussing it."
That afternoon, in Feng Ji's office, I met Yang Qi. Compared to Feng Ji, he appeared calm and detached, as if accustomed to observing himself and the situation from a third-person perspective. With his mask pulled down to his chin, he smoked cigarettes with fruity flavor capsules. We chatted while smoking.
When I asked Yang Qi why he was so resolute about this, he casually replied, "We've waited for a while, made some other games, because we need to live, after all, survive first."
I posed the question again.
After a moment of thought, he earnestly told me, "Because I don't think I can keep making games like this for many more years...my health won't hold up. Before, I could work around the clock for days without issue, but now, one late night and I need rest. Moreover, a person's creative lifespan is limited; one's golden period of creativity might only span a few years, where you have experience, energy, and a sharp mind...This is your most precious time, and if you don't create something great during this period, you may never get another chance in life..."
After deciding to develop a standalone game, Yang Qi's spirits visibly lifted. At the time, Game Science didn't have a Hangzhou studio; all development staff worked on the second floor of their Shenzhen office. Post-meeting, they cleared a small corner on the first floor for the project, and Yang Qi moved there the next day. Feng Ji, as the founder of Game Science, felt responsible for the "people who came out with him." He also wanted to see his friends engaged in something enthusiastically—even just being enthusiastic was enough.
Chapter Two
Game Science's Hangzhou studio is nestled within a startup industrial park on the outskirts of the city. The park, newly built, boasts a scattering of Hui-style buildings with their characteristic white walls and black tiles. I arrived on a scorching summer afternoon, discovering that due to the lingering pandemic, nearly all the buildings stood empty. A few workers were seen maintaining the roads.
"Initially, we were told there would be things like Starbucks, but because of the pandemic, none of that has opened yet," Feng Ji pointed out to me, gesturing towards vacancies.
Game Science occupies a four-story building here. When I visited around 2 PM, their workday was just beginning. The rooms were dimly lit, with almost everyone slumped lazily in chairs, seemingly on the verge of dozing off. Screens displayed animations or game videos, or interfaces that looked intricate and impressive. All windows lacked curtains; some had cardboard pieces taped up with transparent tape to shield against direct sunlight.
"We haven't had the chance to install curtains yet," Feng Ji mentioned as we climbed upstairs. The second floor served as a common area, housing a few treadmills and exercise bikes in a corner and tables and chairs in the center. The third floor was vacant, save for a 70-inch display on one wall and several wooden swords and shields in another corner. Feng Ji explained they conducted initial inertial motion capture here, which served as a reference for more intricate optical motion capture later. The fourth floor housed Feng Ji's office, though he admitted he seldom stayed upstairs.
The single-player project team moved to Hangzhou in December 2018. Feng Ji appreciated Hangzhou's ambiance, its pace less hectic than Shenzhen's and with more affordable housing, fostering an environment where "everyone can patiently persevere." As a mature company with ample development experience, Game Science sidestepped many pitfalls common in game development. Their core team had collaborated for years, intimately aware of each other's strengths. Familiar with game development processes and backed by successful titles, they maintained a small but highly experienced and cohesive team, deliberately controlling project scope.
Initially, there was consensus on creating a game: a weakly online, strongly combat-focused, melee-centric action title. Debates arose over specific style, but the overarching direction remained. Conversations about the game's style, character traits, and details organically evolved over daily chats during meals and at workstations. Inspired by Feng Ji's fascination with Dark Souls and Yang Qi's preference for Monster Hunter, they agreed on a game featuring "intensely pressuring enemies," "intricately designed levels," and "a mysterious narrative conveyed through fragmented storytelling."
Up until then, Game Science primarily used Cocos and Unity engines, known for their simplicity and low learning curve. For the new project, Unreal Engine emerged as the optimal choice, prompting the entire team to start from scratch learning Unreal. Feng Ji learned camera manipulation, Yang Qi experimented with scene setup and lighting adjustment, and planner "Village Chief" began constructing whiteboxes, determining obstacle placement and setting up barriers.
In May 2018, the preliminary research group assembled their first basic scene to experiment with fundamental combat feel, AI behavior, and combo mechanics. Upon success, they ventured into crafting a demonstrative level showcasing the "final visual effect." They chose Flower Fruit Mountain. A scene in the video depicts the protagonist advancing amidst clouds, accompanied by a dragon, against a backdrop of lush peaks – this is Flower Fruit Mountain.
By late 2018, the Flower Fruit Mountain level was largely formed, implementing basic gameplay functions. The protagonist emerges from a cave to find heavenly soldiers besieging Flower Fruit Mountain, engages in battles, fights a celestial general, and eventually ascends to the clouds to confront armies under the watchful eyes of the Four Heavenly Kings. "Waves of 100,000 heavenly soldiers would come, with the staff transforming into an exaggerated state..." This level was showcased at the year-end meeting. Portions appear in the video's conclusion, with Feng Ji noting plans to revamp the less natural-looking aspects of the heavenly soldiers.
In 2019, the team grew to around 20 members, focusing on delivering "a complete level experience." Deciding it should mirror the final quality players would experience, they named the level Black Wind Mountain. In 'Journey to the West', Black Wind Mountain appears in the chapter "Monk of the Jade Spring Temple Plots for Treasure; Monster of Black Wind Mountain Steals the Robe." It marks the first demon encounter for Sun Wukong on his pilgrimage, which is prominently featured in the video's gameplay demonstration.
Chapter Three
The challenge of creating the Blackwind Mountain level surpassed the expectations of most people, despite prior preparations.
"When you actually start working on it, you realize how difficult it is to create a level that's narrative-driven and emotionally immersive for players," Feng Ji shared with me. "There are so many things you want to include – should monsters engage in dialogue with you? What are they doing when you're not around? Why do you have to fight them? Shouldn't there be some buildup before encountering them?"
All these "desired elements" are intertwined with technology and industrial workflow. In today's era, for a high-investment commercial game, creativity is no longer the sole determinant; realization matters more. In reality, "realization" entails multiple concurrent workflows, each needing to maintain controllable efficiency and quality.
To produce a short in-engine cutscene, the process typically unfolds like this: the narrative designer first scripts the scene, followed by the creation of 2D storyboards. Then, a simple level model is constructed using polygon models without textures (everything appearing white, hence developers call this a 'white box'). Once the white box is ready, dynamic storyboarding takes place within it. If character close-ups are required, motion capture comes into play, starting with a preliminary performance using inertial motion capture devices, tested in-game. If the mood isn't right, it's back to the drawing board. If satisfactory, optical motion capture is used to generate the final product.
Throughout game development, countless production pipelines run concurrently. The larger the game scale and the more advanced the technology, the greater the unpredictability. Any loss of control—be it in quality or efficiency—can spell disaster.
They treated Blackwind Mountain as a minimum viable product. The development team dared not embark on large-scale production until everything was proven feasible. Feng Ji meticulously explained, "Optical motion capture, for instance, involves a studio with 60 cameras and a team of dozens serving you. The daily cost is around 200,000 to 300,000 yuan. If you say, 'Sorry, we weren't prepared today, let's not proceed,' the bill still stands."
Feng Ji demonstrated a playable version of the Blackwind Mountain level, which I also tried out—it wasn't entirely stable, occasionally crashing. He seemed a bit anxious, constantly reminding me that "the handling is far from optimal," "some skills aren't finalized yet," "the stats need adjusting," and "it's not the final quality; many details are missing."
I was already sufficiently astonished. The demo video matched the actual gameplay visuals. I heard a streamer who saw this game's demonstration was thrilled, telling friends, "Triple-A gaming from China has arrived!"
But Feng Ji avoided mentioning the term "triple-A." On one hand, he feared it might invite criticism; on the other, he found the definition imprecise—"What do you mean by triple-A? We know what each 'A' stands for, but this specific definition... is very vague."
"At least one aspect is about spending a lot of money," I said. "Can you disclose the development cost of the game?"
"You can estimate it this way: for every hour of gameplay the player experiences—not including constant stuck points or deaths, but relatively smooth gameplay...," Feng Ji told me, "the development cost is 15 to 20 million yuan per hour."
Chapter Four
Navigating through Zhihu, China's equivalent of Quora, one would periodically encounter a string of questions intertwined with the terms "China," "3A," such as "Why doesn't China have any triple-A games?" or "When will China have its own triple-A titles?" and even "Does China necessarily need triple-A games?" These inquiries are steeped in both hopeful aspirations and a sense of frustration—given our country boasts the world's largest gaming company and a highly lucrative gaming industry, why haven't we produced a triple-A game yet?
For many, myself included, the term "3A" symbolizes an Olympic gold medal, embodying a myriad of aspirations and accomplishments. Anyone with over a year's experience in the gaming industry can easily enumerate the gaps between us and triple-A standards. However, sometimes, one cannot pinpoint precisely what's missing until the endeavor begins.
Watching the 13-minute promotional video attentively reveals that the protagonist, the monkey, remains largely silent, devoid of dialogue or facial expressions, just like all other characters. This led to a perceived lack of character development in the video, issues that Feng Ji attributes to classic "technical problems."
"There's an unconfirmed rumor that Naughty Dog's ratio of artists to technical artists is 1:1," Feng Ji shared. Technical artists can be thought of as individuals who are adept at both technology and artistry, a simplified yet not entirely inaccurate depiction. In essence, technical artists ensure that artistic visions are realized to their fullest potential by providing technical support and enhancing the quality and efficiency of art production. Where tasks require a seamless collaboration between technology and art, a technical artist becomes indispensable.
"One reason we seek technical artists is our determination to excel in storytelling," Feng Ji emphasized. "Motion capture introduces numerous challenges in connection, environmental interactions, and positioning. Remember the final battle with Ling Xuizi, the wolf, in the video?"
"I do."
"Initially, we designed a sequence where the protagonist transforms into a giant ape, leading to a spectacular execution. The wolf would leap down from a roof, only to be caught mid-air by the ape, who would then grip its teeth, pin it to the ground, and pounce. Sounds impressive, right? The problem was, the moment the hand gripped the teeth, clipping occurred. We couldn't stabilize the protagonist's position, causing the teeth to protrude through the fingers."
"This is where technical artists come in," Feng Ji continued. "They ensure proper alignment and can even determine the material properties of each model. Ideally, the wolf's tooth material could simulate piercing flesh... But we couldn't execute it well. After two months, we abandoned the idea and revised the ending. We lost several months due to this design issue, and ultimately, we couldn't resolve it."
Thus, this scene never made it to the final cut. Feng Ji assured me, however, that they're not giving up and will eventually create this climactic moment.
Feng Ji recounted a legend at Naughty Dog, where each artist's desk had a dedicated button. Pressing it summoned a technical artist to address any issues the artist encountered. "Is it a particle emitter problem? An issue with fluid dynamics? Scene interaction? I'm here to fix it on the spot."
Game Science understands the significance of technical artists but lacks a sufficient number. Not just Game Science, but domestically, there's a scarcity of seasoned technical artists, with most "working in giants like Tencent and NetEase."
Nonetheless, they've overcome some obstacles. In the trailer, when the monkey picks up a blade called "Chì Cháo," Feng Ji revealed that it wasn't pre-animated. The monkey could walk up to the blade anywhere, grasp it, and tuck it into his ear. The key was the natural movement of approaching and extracting the sword, a process that took the development team roughly two to three months to refine.
Feng Ji stood up to demonstrate, "You've played 'The Last of Us Part II,' right? After playing that, I felt quite despondent... Did you notice the characters' movements? Say I'm sitting here, and the game prompts me to pick something up—I could be facing it head-on or sideways, yet the action feels incredibly natural?"
I struggled to recall this seemingly insignificant detail in the game. Feng Ji went on, "Initially, we thought it involved capturing more actions, but we discovered the subtlety in character orientation, particularly the feet. If we only captured frontal actions, what about when the object is on the side? Do we rotate? Smooth turning wasn't in our assets, and programming it looked odd. To avoid awkwardness, we could brute force it, creating 32 actions just for picking up this knife, covering every angle. But in the game, you don't just pick up knives; you open doors, wield hammers. Multiplying all actions by 32 would be unfeasible in terms of production costs and resource consumption."
Feng Ji continued, "We researched solutions and studied presentations by major studios at GDC. That's when we discovered Ubisoft's proposed solution, Motion Matching. Its power lies in requiring only a set of base motion capture animations, which Motion Matching then uses, without manual tweaking by animators, to generate a complete, fluid character movement system."
I inquired, "Is this library open-source?"
"There are some open-source versions online, but they're very immature. We refined it to a product level... We reverse-engineered Ubisoft's methods, filling in the blanks where they didn't disclose specifics, like designing the entire action set, accommodating unconventional locomotion animations...," Feng Ji explained, "Yet, comparing to 'Odyssey,' or even more impressively, 'God of War' or 'The Last of Us,' you realize you're still not on par. Their foundational animation libraries and corresponding mathematical algorithms remain a black box to us. It's their moat, their defense."
I asked, "If you manage to develop all these, would it become your moat too?"
"Absolutely," he affirmed, then added, "But they have generations of product iterations under their belt; this isn't something that can be achieved overnight."
Chapter Five
They were constantly faced with choices. For instance, should the game emulate the style of 'Monster Hunter', or that of 'God of War', or adopt the 'Soulsborne' genre? They realized each style entailed different focuses and nuances. Emulating 'God of War' would necessitate a focus on cinematics and execution moves, while 'Monster Hunter' would require tackling the intricacies of large enemy animations. A 'Soulsborne'-style game would demand attention to character progression and dueling combat mechanics—each direction posed its own challenges. The team's primary concern was defining the overall feel they wanted players to associate with their game. They sought to pinpoint how players would describe it.
This quandary persisted until Feng Ji reached a realization: "When we aim to replicate a very specific product... we inherently risk becoming a second-rate game. Even if we pay homage well, it naturally positions us as a lesser alternative in players' minds."
They made a conscious effort to differentiate from the best in the industry. "I acknowledge they may represent the optimal solution for action games today," Feng Ji told me, "but we must distance ourselves from these titles." They avoided direct references, opting instead for innovations like "Bronze Head Iron Arm" and using "Golden Cicada" for stealth.
Level design posed another challenge. Feng Ji was once enamored with the 'box garden' design philosophy of Soulsborne games, characterized by meticulously designed pseudo-sandbox levels prevalent in Japanese games. However, by the end of 2019, the team recognized that 'Wukong' wasn't suited for this approach. They decided that to convey the grand epic feel of 'Journey to the West', multiple levels interconnected by teleportation would better represent a vast, authentic world, allowing for more creative freedom in map design.
Feng Ji still aimed for a "box garden feel" within individual maps, respecting the art team's pursuit of realism. He explained, "In 'Dark Souls', many scenes take place in cathedrals, which lend themselves to looping designs with verticality, but you can't force stairs or elevators into a forest setting. So, it's context-dependent; Black Wind Mountain is flatter, while Leiyin Temple can be more intricate... Yet, I insist on maintaining some openness for exploration within the maps."
Feng Ji was eager to share the game's lore and aesthetic, but I've chosen not to reveal much here. Prior to seeing the final product, any assessment would be premature. This game isn't a replication of 'Journey to the West', nor do they intend to perpetuate the radical, rebellious spirit of 'Asura'.
At times, they're hesitant to mention 'Asura', seemingly wary of player associations. Nonetheless, they do link the two, as evident in the promotional video's closing caption, "After the White Bones, Revisit the Journey."
"Why do you think we said that?" Feng Ji asked me. "'Asura' players have a joke: 'After White Bones, there is no more Journey.' We planned five chapters; Chapter Three, Farewell Lady, referred to Lady White Bones. Our story stopped abruptly there, with later parts reduced to text quests. Thus, players joked, 'After White Bones, no more Journey.'"
On August 20th, when the video was released, Yang Qi posted on Weibo: "This theme has been a burden for over a decade. Many colleagues don't speak of it, but we all know this heartache can't be ignored. It's an honor to Stage display our progress today, and we'll give it our all going forward, hoping not to disappoint again."
I messaged Feng Ji on WeChat, asking, "Can you ask Yang Qi why he used the word 'again'?"
Feng Ji replied, "He probably feels 'Asura' had regrets." He added, "So do I, but without resentment."
"When you say 'resentment', towards whom?" I queried.
"Mainly towards myself," Feng Ji said. "Back then, I wasn't brave enough."
Chapter Six
I shared a portion of my written article with a friend. I told them, "I don't want people to think this endeavor is arduous... as if it's some '80s reportage literature."
"It's alright," they said. "It still feels a bit tough, but not overly so."
"I'll revise it then," I replied. "I'm just afraid people might think they're struggling when, in truth, they're ecstatic."
In conversations with Feng Ji and Yang Qi, I asked what concerned them most after the video went public. Feng Ji worried that the video wouldn't gain the attention it deserved, fading into obscurity. Yang Qi, on the other hand, feared that their team would be poached by numerous companies post-release. As an observer, my greatest concern was the skepticism and attacks from public opinion –doubting the video as CG, animation, or a deception; accusing them of exploiting emotions, making empty promises, and playing up their hardships.
It's not the fault of gamers. Each query can be traced back to several actual cases where they were misled by inexplicable promotions, leading to anger and then cynicism, believing that trust and enthusiasm come with danger. Meanwhile, "sentimentality" has turned into a pejorative due to overuse. There seems to be a pattern: when we talk about people pursuing their ideals, we must emphasize their choices and sacrifices, including some lofty and melancholic keywords, typical moments—like a lone figure walking towards the sunset.
But Feng Ji and Yang Qi didn't exhibit gloom, resentment, conflict, or sacrifice. Feng Ji was radiant when discussing the game. He would start from one point and branch out like a Wikipedia entry, constantly associating and digressing further. This made me repeatedly examine whether my article truly captured their immersive joy. You see, when people engage in what they love, nearly everything appears joyful.
Towards the end of our conversation that day, for some reason—maybe a comment or a particular moment—we veered into an odd direction.
"Yang Qi once told me, if we crawl now, we could reach a mountain of gold and silver—a huge fortune. If crawling guarantees success, I'd kneel right away without needing persuasion. I desperately want to make money. The problem is, which path guarantees such success through this method?"
"I couldn't answer him," Feng Ji told me. "Many people point at a successful product and ask if emulating its strengths will guarantee success. But as you know, many have better execution and resources than us. What sets us apart? In the end, you rely on your intuition—you must first move yourself. Only when your intuition is strong can you more easily touch users. If you're insensitive to something yourself, leaving aside ego, if you're not sensitive, your pace of improvement will lag behind those who are passionate about it. How can you succeed then?"
Yet, even so, success is not guaranteed for them. Game development is a prolonged process, especially for a project of this scale. The promotional video still had issues; they quietly developed for two years, with the team growing from seven to thirty. They anticipate another two years of development, more work, more team members, and countless unknowns ahead.
After the video's release, Feng Ji started feeling anxious. He messaged me on WeChat, worried about being overpraised. "There's no real sense of security yet..." he said. "I'm the type who struggles to feel happy until things actually happen."
I told him he'd get used to it—not just as a hollow wish. In my view, perhaps unknowingly to him, it's already happening. All this praise and astonishment are part of it, the team's deserved reward.
I still choose to believe that good things come when one decides to pursue what they truly love.
Chapter Seven
In the days leading up to the trailer's release, Game Science consistently posted trailer posters on their official Weibo account. One poster each day was accompanied by a few lines of text or a short poem. On August 19th, the day before the trailer dropped, the caption Game Science provided for the poster read: "Once I was so old, now I am in my prime."
These words are derived from "My Back Pages," a song by American folk legend Bob Dylan. In this song, Dylan unhesitantly criticizes and ridicules his past actions and stances – poignantly, he was only 23 at the time. The song is composed of six verses, each beginning with reflections on the past and ending with the line mentioned. The final two verses go like this:
With the stance of a warrior,
I aimed my spear at those full of empty talk,
Uttered my manifestos,
Caring not if I contradicted myself.
My life was guided by a tumultuous vessel,
Where rebellion brewed aboard at every turn.
Once I was so old,
Now I am in my prime.
Indeed, the imaginary threats fueled my fighting spirit,
The sense of moral superiority made me reckless,
I deceived myself constantly,
Fantasizing about what I must protect.
For some reason, back then, I drew a clear line
Between good and evil.
Once I was so old,
Now I am in my prime.
Epilogue
At 7 PM on the 20th, I arrived at a cinema in Hangzhou. Feng Ji had previously informed me that all Game Science employees were to watch a movie together that evening, a team-building exercise and a celebration of a milestone achieved. He had invited me along and also mentioned a surprise he had prepared for his colleagues – before the film began, the cinema would screen the trailer for 'Black Myth: Wukong.'
As the hour drew near, developers from Game Science trickled into the cinema in twos and threes. They appeared no different from ordinary college students or overworked white-collar workers numbed by their jobs. One wouldn't guess they were the creators of this game. Glasses perched on their noses, clad in T-shirts and sandals, their faces devoid of overt emotion, they seized every opportunity to glance at their phones.
I approached one of them, asking, "Are you with Game Science?" He turned to me and confirmed, "Yeah."
Casually, I inquired, "The video you guys put out today did pretty well, right? How are you feeling about it?"
He eyed me suspiciously, pausing for a second before replying stiffly, "Ah... this... I have nothing to say on that..." Then, he walked away slowly but resolutely.
Feng Ji couldn't make it; he was tied up with other matters. After the video's release, his WeChat exploded with messages—congratulatory notes, inquiries, collaboration proposals. The admin staff at Game Science told me that several groups had visited their office that afternoon, including two groups of players. "They said they were nearby, got excited after watching the video, and decided to drop by—we gave them a tour of the office," the admin shared.
Game Science had reserved a small theater. About thirty people sat inside—the very team behind the game. In the morning, they had been stars in the eyes of gamers nationwide, yet now, their faces betrayed little.
But their excitement was palpable. Seated, they fiddled with their phones, surfing the web. Some discussed the video's view count on Bilibili, one voice wondering, "It's already hit 5 million views, do you think it'll reach 8 million tonight?" Another responded, "Are you kidding? Views don’t grow linearly."
Close by, I guessed a pair of planners, chatting while scrolling through their phones. One said to the other, "Some comments suggested making the death screen look better since players will die a lot." They chuckled, and after, the other commented, "We should definitely make it spectacular!" More laughter followed, then one suggested, "Why don't we write, 'Victory and defeat are common in war, hero, please try again!'" The other clapped, exclaiming, "Great! Retro!" They put down their phones, grinning at each other.
The lights dimmed abruptly, and Game Science's logo flashed on screen, causing a brief stir among the audience—only for silence to swiftly descend. The trailer they crafted, which had electrified the entire internet that morning, played out, yet everyone sat upright, the theater utterly quiet.
When the trailer ended, as expected, the cinema remained hushed. A smattering of applause started but quickly died when few joined in. An atmosphere of silence enveloped the room, devoid of cheers, applause, or whistles, none of the excitement one might expect at a movie screening. I guessed it wasn't due to being stunned or numbness, but shyness—the developers weren't accustomed to expressing their emotions. They just sat there until the lights came back on.
The admin entered the theater, informing everyone that the main feature would start in eight minutes.
The developers sighed collectively, and tranquility returned. After a moment, a voice asked, "Can we watch it again?"
2024.05.29 23:29 mistckel Classified Roleplay • Community Driven • Serious Roleplay • Player Owned Business/Houses • Custom Heists/Drugs/Gangs
 | Welcome to Classified Roleplay submitted by mistckel to FiveMServers [link] [comments] A new and custom and immersive roleplay server made for role-players by role-players. We offer you top of the line roleplay to our unique and custom scripts to our new player friendly staff. We can promise you will never get board as we update CRP daily adding new and exciting content. If you like what you are reading so far you can join our discord server for more information.Information Classified is an community driven roleplay server that offers you immersive and realistic roleplay with a hint of fun into it. Our highly trained LEO and our friendly staff we make sure your roleplay experience is out top priority. Our owners have 2+ years of FiveM ownership experience and have ran servers with 2K+ members. We are a QBCore server.Whitelisted Departments • Los Santos Police Department Looking for LEO - Hiring SupervisorsNon-Whitelisted Jobs • Oil jobBusinesses • Benny'sCriminal Activities • Progressive bank heistHow to Join If you are ready to call CRP your new home join our Discord https://preview.redd.it/dxdpv3bcof3d1.png?width=1914&format=png&auto=webp&s=30bc2a77d6c4efe46740519c0da415d746154daa https://preview.redd.it/f482axgdof3d1.png?width=1914&format=png&auto=webp&s=4011f1a512b3d135bfb4a3f010fca089de3c0838 https://preview.redd.it/7cims07eof3d1.png?width=1897&format=png&auto=webp&s=51b01c51024ff9e1ac55902cca5ff3e726b538e6 https://preview.redd.it/2t4fnlteof3d1.png?width=1909&format=png&auto=webp&s=23780b6662ef873940914da47ef9728322639a0c https://preview.redd.it/kcn53dggof3d1.png?width=1897&format=png&auto=webp&s=9506b32114f2b65a3ef3aaf2740969af3ce8d2a8 https://preview.redd.it/t7ssakwgof3d1.png?width=1903&format=png&auto=webp&s=ef4954abf5f32fa3ce32e50774645b2d230b2170 https://preview.redd.it/agcxb4ahof3d1.png?width=1918&format=png&auto=webp&s=3858fab3a75ca2a70aa712f3dc596a7b854a84ff |
2024.05.29 21:30 LateCat_2703 Crucial script
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2024.05.29 08:25 offsugar Mamoru Oshii's review of 'Princess Mononoke'
Hayao Miyazaki's View of the Japanese People
Maki Watanabe: Let’s talk about Director Miyazaki's "Princess Mononoke." This work was a representative blockbuster film of that year. It was not only the first Ghibli work to exceed 10 billion yen at the box office, but it even reached 19.3 billion yen!Mamoru Oshii: That number is indeed impressive. Unlike the previous work, "Porco Rosso," which was whimsical and lacked a theme, this time he returned with a grand theme. This time the theme was "Hayao Miyazaki's view of the Japanese people."
Maki Watanabe: So the characters like the “People of the Mountains” appeared.
Mamoru Oshii: It can be said that it brings together an all-star lineup of images representing Japan in the Miyazaki's mind. From the Emishi to the people of Irontown, to the lepers, to the Forest Spirit, and so on, the theme of the “People of the Mountains” is the ethnic minorities and small groups of Japan.
Maki Watanabe: Mr. Miyazaki has done a lot of research in these areas.
Mamoru Oshii: Miyazaki is indeed a hardworking and studious person. He reads history books very seriously and wants to leave behind the fruits of his studies. Mr. Takahata also has this side, and so do I. In other words, this is a common desire shared by all creators. In this regard, Miyazaki's research interest fell on another kind of Japanese who are not well known, that is, the “People of the Mountains.”
Maki Watanabe: What about Ashitaka, one of the protagonists?
Mamoru Oshii: Although he is Emishi, he is also one of the People of the Mountains. He has a unique religious view and view of nature, which are consistent with the Miyazaki's orientation. Miyazaki has absolutely no interest in agricultural peoples, and the people of the mountains are both hunters and makers of things.
Maki Watanabe: Ah, the “making things” setting that the Miyazaki likes.
Mamoru Oshii: That's right. So this is the world where he can best transfer his feelings to these people.
Maki Watanabe: So, unlike Mr. Takahata, Mr. Miyazaki is not interested in farmers?
Mamoru Oshii: Not interested. It never appeared in his (original) works, right? Mr. Takahata is good at rural themes, but the Miyazaki is not at all.
Maki Watanabe: What is Mr. Oshii's impression of "Princess Mononoke"?
Mamoru Oshii: This work is too stiff. The theme is too grand to be concluded. It's like spreading out a whole piece of wrapping cloth and then not knowing how to put it back together, and in the end, you can only make a mess of it. In the end, the flowers bloom muddleheadedly, and then the music plays as usual, and it ends without anything being resolved. Did they ever think about how to end it? Filmmakers generally like to make a grand opening, but very few can put it back together perfectly. But this is where the director's skill is shown.
Maki Watanabe: Christopher Nolan once said that when making a film, you have to think about the ending from the beginning, and once you decide on it, you don't change it. The endings of his films are indeed impressive.
Mamoru Oshii: Actually, that's the usual way to do it. I also think about the ending from the beginning. Structure is the life of a film, it's a matter of course. On the contrary, Miyazaki, who doesn't write scripts properly, starts from scratch and doesn't want to think about the ending at all. I have said it many times, it is precisely because of this that he is not suitable to be a director.
Maki Watanabe: However, the more you say that about him, the more I find Miyazaki cute. After all, he has always been true to himself, that's great, isn't it?
Mamoru Oshii: What's so cute about it? In a sense, he's someone who makes movies solely on his own talent. Indeed, he is a genius in a way, he doesn't consider anything before or after his death. It is Toshio Suzuki's job to assist him from the sidelines. Speaking of which, Miss Maki, do you remember the last scene of "Princess Mononoke?"
Maki Watanabe: I remember. In the end, everyone went back to where they belonged and it ended. I didn't understand why Ashitaka stayed in Irontown instead of going back to his hometown, so I complained: "Hey, go home." But I didn't quite understand it when it was released. To be honest, there are a lot of things in the story that are hard to keep up with. At that time, many magazines made special features on "Princess Mononoke," and they all sold well. It should be that everyone didn't understand the story, so they wanted to hear what was going on.
Mamoru Oshii: How many people can remember the ending of Ghibli movies, especially Miyazaki's movies? The theme song or the main melody composed by Joe Hisaishi plays, and then it's "the end," forcibly ending. This is Suzuki's strategy.
Maki Watanabe: "Princess Mononoke" uses a song by Yoshikazu Mera at the end.
Mamoru Oshii: The song was also used repeatedly in the promotion, making people so familiar with the theme song that it lingered in their ears. So why use this song over and over again? Because the people in charge of publicity didn't understand the story either. What is the story of "Princess Mononoke" about? It should be the story of Ashitaka and San, but what happened to them in the end? Miss Maki, can you explain it clearly?
Maki Watanabe: The theme is the opposition between civilization and nature. San represents nature, Ashitaka is the middle ground, Lady Eboshi is civilization, and then the story is about the collision of these values. I just rewatched it, so I can probably explain it to this extent, but the part about Ashitaka and San feels very weak.
Mamoru Oshii: That's right, Ashitaka and San should have become like Pazu and Sheeta in "Castle in the Sky," but they didn't. Surprisingly, San is not charming in the slightest. The most surprising thing I saw at the screening was this. Miyazaki, who has always drawn beautiful girls, could it be that he didn't put his heart into San? At least it seems so. The appreciation of the characters is significantly less than before. It's almost impossible not to ask, "What's wrong with Miyazaki?"
The Magic of Hayao Miyazaki's Manga Films
Maki Watanabe: Indeed, although she is the heroine, her impression is very weak. She didn't even leave as deep an impression as Ashitaka.Mamoru Oshii: That's right, it must be Ashitaka who left a deeper impression. Followed by Lady Eboshi, she is Miyazaki's favorite type. The most interesting thing about Miyazaki is that he doesn't just stop at simply praising nature and denying civilization. I've said it countless times, Miyazaki himself has another side to him that loves fighter jets and mechanical civilization. He is a very contradictory person.
Maki Watanabe: Lady Eboshi is the character who speaks for Miyazaki, right?
Mamoru Oshii: The process of civilization is an inevitability of human development. Human beings cannot survive without destroying nature. This is human beings. Lady Eboshi of Irontown is probably the representative of this kind of human being, just like Nausicaä in "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind."
Maki Watanabe: Lady Eboshi loses an arm at the end, and Nausicaä also has a prosthetic arm.
Mamoru Oshii: So, that's the price. In Miyazaki's way of thinking, they must pay a certain price, and it is easy to see from the picture that it is manifested as the loss of an arm. Miyazaki has a unique sense of balance, and he will definitely look for that balance point. Take the villain character, Colonel Muska, in "Castle in the Sky" as an example. As he is escaping, he throws his underwear out of his open suitcase. From this scene, you can also see that Miyazaki did not completely portray him as a bad guy. Adding a bit of cuteness to the villains is what Miyazaki does. Lady Eboshi is a character with very clear values, and for Miyazaki, it is necessary to make her pay the price of losing her arm. In this sense, he is a genius in terms of balance. Although having said that, Miyazaki would not do such a thing as adding a scar to a cute girl. The same goes for children. Girls and children are Miyazaki's sacred realm, and he never lets these characters pay any price or suffer any trauma.
Maki Watanabe: But there's nothing entangled in Lady Eboshi, is there? For example, Ashitaka reported that the women in Irontown were in danger, but she said, "Women can take care of themselves", and then devoted herself to destroying the Forest Spirit. Generally speaking, wouldn't there be some hesitation and struggle? So I don't feel the charm from her strength.
Mamoru Oshii: That's the nature of Miyazaki. Putting viewpoints side by side, putting out all kinds of values without omission, forMiyazaki, there is no contradiction in liking characters who are not troubled and do not hesitate. Because Miyazaki hates indecisive characters the most. He would never affirm those who are hesitant, hesitant, and prone to distress. In short, he doesn't like entanglement.
Maki Watanabe: This value is very interesting.
Mamoru Oshii: Of course, he likes nature the most. However, if the Forest Spirit is affirmed, human beings have to be denied, so there must be an existence that speaks for the human position, and that is Lady Eboshi. Miyazaki is not such a simple person. He has studied why human beings have embarked on the road of industrialization, and he knows very well that this is an inevitable choice. But it wouldn't ease his mind if he simply affirmed it. But if he recognizes the Forest Spirit, he can only come to the conclusion that "human beings should be destroyed", so he has to add San, a character born in nature. Ashitaka is in a position between San and Lady Eboshi.
Maki Watanabe: But Ashitaka should go back to his village, right? Everyone is waiting for him. Why stay in Irontown? If you make such a choice, you have to go through some struggle, right?
Mamoru Oshii: That's why I said, Miyazaki just hates struggling and tangling. The story itself is difficult to justify, so it can only end in such a forceful way. There is basically no drama in this work, because there is no struggle of values at all. As a film, there are often confusions like "Which direction is this story going?" The reason why it turned out like this is because the problem has been concluded in some aspects. That is to say, civilization will never go backwards, and it is precisely because of the creation of civilization that human beings have become human beings. Those who can really live in nature don't even know that it is nature. If one had never stepped out of the Garden of Eden, one would not even know that one was human. Industrial society is a necessity for human beings, and human beings can only survive by conquering nature. But humans don't want to deny the part of themselves that resonates with nature.
Maki Watanabe: I see.
Mamoru Oshii: Miyazaki made "Princess Mononoke" on the basis of understanding all this, but even if he understands this rationally, he cannot let it go, so he will be divided. So how do you put an end to this split in a movie? He didn't think about it carefully, so "Princess Mononoke" became a film with an incomprehensible ending. Speaking of which, because the world in the movie is not a world of good and evil, children should not understand it. Miyazaki clearly said that he made animation for children, and said that no matter what the real world is like, at least in the work, the black and white of good and evil should be clearly distinguished. This is one of the main tasks of being a director. However, his own work lacks such consistency. Although the theme is grand, it cannot be concluded properly. Of course, it's not just Miyazaki, there are many movies like this.
Maki Watanabe: But the picture is very powerful. This time I re-watched it and felt very emotional.
Mamoru Oshii: Like this, in short, showing you some powerful things and making you accept it in a confused way is the unique magic of Miyazaki's manga films. Although the director and the critics can see through the flaws at a glance and will not be deceived, the animators will be amazed and exclaimed, "Amazing!" after watching it. Of course, he is really good. Whether it is the demon or the Forest Spirit, he has made very, very grand scenes. The movements of all the characters are very neat and beautiful, and the background is also very magnificent. But as for the animals, because I'm a bit of an authority when it comes to the representation of "dogs", the image of Moro doesn't look good at all. The film is full of places like this that (Miyazaki) made with his eyes closed.
Maki Watanabe: That's how it is. I was so shocked that I didn't pay much attention.
Mamoru Oshii: This work is extremely difficult to draw, and it's also very long, isn't it? It's impossible to be perfect. Apart from Moro, there are also some problems with the setting of Irontown. The animator who was in charge of drawing Moro also participated in the production of the movie "Jin-Roh." His performance in "Jin-Roh" was obviously better. Not to mention anything else, the running posture of beasts is a difficult problem for animators, more difficult than birds and horses. For example, the posture of a dog lowering its center of gravity and speeding up will make the animator cry.
Maki Watanabe: The Forest Spirit also looks very unique!
Mamoru Oshii: That's Miyazaki's forte. The little mushroom-like spirits are also his forte. Not only are they rich in movement, but children also especially like them.
Maki Watanabe: Very cute, and adults love it too! (laughs) Later, the scene where the Forest Spirit stepped on the ground and the flowers and plants suddenly grew made people couldn't help but exclaim "Wow," it was really beautiful.
Mamoru Oshii: That part is very sensual, as if you can smell it. It's really sensual, very enchanting. I only admire the part with the Forest Spirit, just like the scene in Totoro where the trees suddenly grow. That's the essence of the animation world. Even if it's done with CG, it can't make that kind of feeling. That is Miyazaki's unique sense of movement, a sense of sensuality, a kind of eroticism unique to plants. Miyazaki is really good at drawing plants. He's definitely better at plants than animals. From this point of view, there are indeed many remarkable scenes in "Princess Mononoke", maybe the character that Miyazaki put more effort into is not San, but the Forest Spirit, which is why everyone is glued to their eyes.
Maki Watanabe: The scene of the Forest Spirit walking on the water, being hit and sinking into the water for a while, and then floating up again… That scene is very touching.
Mamoru Oshii: Miyazaki is also very good at water, he is simply a genius. So, I'm not always picking on him, I'll praise him where it's due. I'm making a fair assessment. There will never be another animator like Miyazaki. It's just that, although I may have said it too many times, he's really not cut out to be a director (laughs).
Maki Watanabe: I re-watched it after a long time. Although there are many problems such as the ending not being closed and the story having loopholes, I am still shocked by the picture.
Mamoru Oshii: If you look at it again after a while, those grand themes will be put aside by everyone, and many parts can be enjoyed separately. Sure enough, the unique sexy charm of this film is irresistible.
Maki Watanabe: But the places made with digital technology are really not good, or because the hand-painted parts are so good, the digital production looks not so good.
Mamoru Oshii: This film used digital technology for the first time, which caused a lot of buzz when it was released. The scene of Ashitaka riding a deer was made using texture mapping, but that doesn't suit Miyazaki. Miyazaki's unique sense of movement and pleasure in the flowing scenery cannot be expressed by texture mapping. I am very sure of this. In fact, this place should be the same as the sea of clouds in "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" and the flowing scenery in "Castle in the Sky," all done by hand. But maybe the film wouldn't have been completed if they had done that.
Maki Watanabe: Another major feature of this film is the voice actors. This time the dubbing lineup is very luxurious.
Mamoru Oshii: Needless to say, this is Suzuki's strategy. Toshiro Mifune, Akira Emoto, Masahiko Nishimura, Yuko Tanaka, and even Mitsuko Mori were invited. Ghibli has also invited many actors to be voice actors before, but this is the first time that there have been so many. Almost all the main characters are well-known stars. Every Japanese can conjure up the faces of these stars in their minds.
Maki Watanabe: San is voiced by actress Yuriko Ishida, and Ashitaka is voiced by Yoji Matsuda. Mr. Matsuda voiced Asbel in "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind."
Mamoru Oshii: Speaking of San just now, speaking of the lack of presence of this character, she doesn't look like the beautiful girl depicted by Miyazaki at all. One of the reasons is that her voice didn't move people's hearts. Also, why Akira Emoto? Do you have this question?
Maki Watanabe: But didn't Mr. Oshii's "Sky Crawlers" also use actress Rinko Kikuchi? And Ryo Kase.
Mamoru Oshii: But not many Japanese knew Rinko Kikuchi at the time, right? As for why Ryo Kase was used, it's a long story... But the reason why I used Rinko was because I thought no one in Japan knew her, so it didn't matter.
Maki Watanabe: How come, I know her. After all, she was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for "Babel" and has attracted a lot of attention.
Mamoru Oshii: That's because Miss Maki, you are in the film industry, but ordinary Japanese people don't know. And it was also because I liked her very much after meeting her once. Looking back on it now, she was wearing a black dress very similar to the one worn by the young Motoko at the end of "Ghost in the Shell."
Maki Watanabe: Was that intentional?
Mamoru Oshii: It's very possible. She seemed very positive and motivated at the time, which is what an actor should be. It is very important to have the momentum of "must win this role." Mélanie St-Pierre in "Garzey's Wing" is also like this, with a kappa hairstyle and a gun in the audition video.
Maki Watanabe: I didn't expect it to be so easy to capture Mr. Oshii's heart. A kappa hairstyle with a gun is all it takes (laughs).
Mamoru Oshii: What are you talking about! It's important whether it fits or not. That's the key. Let's not mention this for the time being, why don't I like this voice actor lineup very much? Because I watched the whole film at the luxurious premiere, and they stood on the stage in a row. These faces were very powerful, and the number of people was extraordinary.
Maki Watanabe: I've always had a question about letting actors be voice actors. Does letting Yuriko Ishida dub really attract audiences? It won't be the driving force to make people want to watch a movie, right?
Mamoru Oshii: Suzuki's strategy is "to do everything that can be done." Having celebrities lined up can get media attention, and Toshiro Mifune was more famous than Hayao Miyazaki back then, wasn't he? He didn't want to attract audiences with Yuriko Ishida, it was just a strategy to get media attention. Before the release, it was Suzuki's job to raise awareness of the film. First of all, "Princess Mononoke" is a very important work in every sense, and it must sell well, otherwise its investment scale will bankrupt Ghibli.
Maki Watanabe: It's a work that has put all its efforts into it.
Mamoru Oshii: Yes. Miyazaki also made agrand structure in his mind, putting all his heart into it. Toshio Suzuki's efforts made this work a success in distribution. As I said just now, there are various sensitive issues in this work born from Miyazaki's whims and fantasies, so Suzuki is responsible for the aftermath. You may have forgotten that there has never been a scene in a previous animation where a head or an arm is chopped off like in this work. When it was first released, every animation studio was talking about "Princess Mononoke," saying, "That old Miyazaki actually drew so many scenes of beheadings and severed limbs!" What does this mean? It can only be said that Miyazaki has become unstoppable. What Suzuki said didn't work, it was completely out of control. In my opinion, the signs were already there during Porco Rosso. Miyazaki was really able to indulge in his own interests with that film. On the other hand, Suzuki Toshio had to run around even more to promote it.
Maki Watanabe: Having said that, it has created a big-selling record in film history, which is very remarkable.
Mamoru Oshii: Judging from the results, it was a big hit at the box office, so it became more and more unstoppable.
In this way, the two consecutive films were created as they pleased, but the two works are completely different. The arbitrariness of "Porco Rosso" is a personal thing. But "Princess Mononoke" talks about Japan, nature, human beings, and even the theory of civilization. Miyazaki put all the things he was interested in and studied into it, proposed a grand theme, and created it as an "author." That is to say, he officially debuted as an author.
Maki Watanabe: So, "Princess Mononoke" is a masterpiece of director Hayao Miyazaki, right?
Mamoru Oshii: Masterpiece? He hasn't even "mastered" it yet. Just put together interests and knowledge. No editing, no structure, just a list of content.
Maki Watanabe: Then how should it be evaluated?
Mamoru Oshii: Clearing inventory. No, it's more accurate to say picking up and shipping. Because he moved all the stock out.
____
The content is from a Japanese book 誰も語らなかったジブリを語ろう (Let's talk about Ghibli that no one has talked about).
2024.05.29 04:03 edgiscript [F4M] Play Time - Part 7 of the number of the final chapter [Kimchi Cat-Girl Speaker] [Hubby Human Listener] [Kimchi Gets Sick] [Reverse Comfort]
Edgiscript: Kimchi's a little under the weather, so I'll tell you that this is where you can find info on monetization An Introdu ction To The Book That Is Me : and here's my library Masterlist for edgiscript : . That's all.
Kimchi: HAAAAAAAA!!!!
Edgiscript: EEEAAAAAAGGGHHHHH!!!! Kimchi? What the hell?
Kimchi: It's not that easy to make that interesting and fun, is it?
Edgiscript: I... was... so concerned about your health, that I... couldn't... spend any time to... make this fun.
Kimchi: Awwwwww. That's so sweet. Utter BS, but still sweet.
Part 6: [F4M] Play Time - 6 out of Checkmate [Kimchi Cat-Girl Speaker] [Hubby Human Listener] [Playing Board/Bored Games] [Rickety-Ass Stairs] [Colonel/Kernel] [You Sank My Battleship] [Give Me Back My Piece] :
(Snickers and giggles.) Ooh, you are so good at this. I love playing hide and seek with you so much. The park has so many good hiding spots, but out here, you don’t have the advantage of having everything smell like you. So… I can follow… your scent… to… HERE!
Hah, haaaaaah. I see you. You can run, and you can laugh, I love your laugh, but you can’t hide anymore. I’m almost on you. I’m going to POUNCE…
(Kimchi crashes in some leaves.)
Hubby, what are you doing? You came back to get me. You should have used that opportunity to get away. Now the hunt is over. That’s no fun.
(Pause.)
Well, yeah, I missed. That’s what I meant. I missed, so why didn’t you keep running?
(Pause.)
Yeah, I suppose I’ve never missed before, but, you know, it happens. Why didn’t you run?
(Pause.)
Awwww, you were worried about me. Did you think I’d hurt myself? Well, thanks, hubby, but you don’t have to worry. Cats are invulnerable. I’ve got nine lives, remember? That means I can’t get hurt.
(Pause.)
Does too mean that.
(Pause.)
That’s right, there’s no point arguing with me. Why would you try to correct me when I’m right?
(Pause.)
What d’ya mean, I don’t look so good?
(Sounding hurt.) I thought you thought I was pretty.
(Pause.)
(Brightening up.) Oh, you do think I’m beautiful. You meant I look a little off.
In what way?
(Pause.)
Why would you think that, silly? And why are there two of you all of a suddenly? All of a suggen. Sudden. Whatever.
(Pause.)
No, I didn’t hit my head when I landed. What would I have hit my head on. There’s nothing but leaves here. I just… (Sneezes.)
Sorry, hubby. That came out of nowhere. I just… (Sneezes.)
No, I don’t know. Maybe allergies.
(Pause.)
Nope, never had allergies before, but I can’t think of another reason why I might… (A few coughs.)
(Pause.)
Whaaaaaaat? Sick? No way. Cats don’t get sick. That’s a silly human thing.
(Pause.)
Cats do not get sick. I told you, cats are invulnertable.
(Pause.)
Right, that’s what I said. Invulnerable. Geez, hubby. You’re thinking I’m sick, but you’re the one not hearing things properly.
Now, if you’ll stop being so silly and doing things like spinning in circles, we could get back to our game.
(Pause.)
Don’t tell me you’re not spinning. You and the whole forest is doing it. I’m actually impressed. How did you manage to get the whole park to… ohhhhhh.
(Kimchi faints. When she wakes up, she’s in bed. She sounds a little groggy.)
Hubby? What happened? Why am I in bed? Where did the forest go?
(Pause.)
Yes, the park. The grass, the trees, the leaves. Where did it go?
(Pause.)
I did not pass out. I can fall asleep very quickly, but only when I’m trying. And I wasn’t trying.
I wanted to catch you. That’s our Saturday game. I get to hunt you in the morning and then I have the rest of the day to make you happy after I catch you.
I love being the hunter and you love being the prey. I love our Saturdays. You don’t have to go to work. I get to play with you all day. Now what happened?
(Pause.)
No, no, hubby. I think you’re confused. I carry you when I catch you. You don’t carry me. You couldn’t have carried me all the way home.
(Pause.)
No, hubby, it’s not that I think you’re not strong enough, it’s just that it doesn’t happen that way. I catch you. I carry you. I make you happy. Do you see the relationship here? Me to you. You’re getting it backwards. Now let me get up and…
(Kimchi tries to get up but stops right away. Sore, painful moans. Kimchi starts to sound a little groggier and now sounds a little stuffed up as well. If you want to cough at times, go ahead when you think it works.)
Ohhhh. Ohhh, OOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHH. My body hurts. Why does my body hurt?
What did you do to me? What did I do to me? Wait, did the forest do this to me? I didn’t know it could do that. I thought it liked me. What’s going on?
(Pause.)
A fever? Pfft. Cats don’t get fevers.
(Pause.)
No, I’m not dizzy, and I don’t have body aches. I’m a cat. We’re invulnershuble. Invernatable. Invlurt… We can’t get sick.
(Pause.)
Of course I can say the word. I’ve said it before, many times. You’ve heard me say it.
(Pause.)
I… just… don’t want to say it right now. That’s all. It has nothing to do with the fact that I’m dizzy and achy all over.
(Pause.)
Oh, drat. You tricked me. Ok, fine, I’m a little dizzy, but that’s probably just because I crashed into those leaves.
(Pause.)
Yes, those leaves. There were a lot of them. And they were really big. They ganged up on me. Why does the park not like me all of a sudden?
(Pause.)
(Kimchi sounds even more stuffed up now.) No, my nose isn’t starting to run. Legs run. Noses sniff. Hubby, I think you’re the one who’s sick if you forgot that.
(Pause.)
Oh, you mean I’m leaking. Yeah, you’re right. What’s this coming out of my nose?
(Pause.)
Ewwww, that’s disgusting. How could that be?
(Pause.)
What’s that? A Kleenex? What do I do with it?
(Pause.)
Ok. (Blows nose.) WOW! Hubby, look at this. That came out of me. What’s going on?
And why am I naked with the air conditioner on? It’s freezing in here.
(Pause.)
What? I can’t be in my pajamas and under the covers. It’s so cold, I…
Huh. I guess you’re right. Wow. How did I not know that? And why am I so cold?
Wait. What’s that? (Distrustful.) Hubbyyyyy, what is that?
(Pause.)
Yes, that filthy, disgusting, vomit inducing, nasty goop that smells like you pulled it out of the garbage disposal. And why are you pouring some of it into a spoon?
(Pause.)
You can’t be serious. There is no way I’m swallowing that.
(Pause.)
You humans do it all the time? What, in the literal hell, is wrong with you? No wonder cats are superior in every way when you’re sabotaging yourself as a species by eating that filth.
(Pause.)
You can call it medicine and good for me if you want, but I know better. And it doesn’t matter. I’m not sick.
(Kimchi gets a little panicky.)
Hubby? Where are you going?
(Pause.)
(Quietly, afraid to admit the truth.) Well… yeah… I guess some chicken soup does sound kinda good right now. I suppose I’d like some. But only because I always like your chicken soup. It’s nummy.
If… if you wanted to make me some, I guess I’d eat it.
(Pause)
(Panicky.) Hubby? Wait. Don’t… don’t go.
(Pause.)
Yes, I know the ingredients and the stove aren’t in here, but… I don’t want you to go.
(Pause.)
I know you’re not leaving the apartment, but I don’t want you to go… anywhere. I… don’t want you to leave me.
(Pause.)
No, please. I’m…
(Sweetly, tenderly, frightened.) I’m scared. Hubby… I’m scared. I’ve never felt like this before. I’m… sick. That means I could… I could die, right? What if you left, even for a minute, and I needed you. I think that… if you go… even for a little bit… I might…
(Long pause. Hubby walks to the dresser and opens a drawer to get something.)
Hubby, what is that? Why are you counting to ten?
(Pause.)
You’re tying a bow on my wrist.
(Pause.)
Yes, it is pretty. I like the color very much. You make a nice bow. I like it.
(Pause.)
What? There was no hunt.
(Pause.)
Oh, so that’s what the counting meant. You started a game, didn’t you? You caught me. You tied me… with this bow. And now you have to make me happy.
(Pause.)
That’s right. Those are the rules.
(Pause. From now on, Kimchi sounds more and more tired, and gets quieter and quieter until she falls asleep.)
Yes, please. Climb into bed with me and hold me.
(Pause.)
Thank you, hubby. You feel so warm. And your arms around me makes me feel safe.
I don’t like being sick. It makes me scared. I don’t want to die, hubby. I don’t want you to go away.
(Pause.)
Ok. I guess you’re right. I can’t die with you here now because you have to make me happy, and being apart from you would make me sad.
(Pause.)
Yes, that’s right. You have to make me happy. Those are the rules. And you are, hubby. You are making me very happy right now.
(Pause.)
Oh, yes, hubby. Stroking my hair feels so good. I always like it when you pet me.
(Pause.)
And scritch my ears. Just like that.
(Pause.)
Yes, I like laying on your chest. Is it ok if I squeeze you?
(Pause.)
Yes, that would make me happy.
(Pause.)
That’s good. If I hold on tighter, you’re even warmer. How is that possible? Am I squeezing warmth out of you?
(Pause.)
Hubby, thank you. You make me not scared. I love you, hubby. I love you. I’m so glad you’re mine.
(Pause.)
No, I’m not yours. You’re mine.
(Pause.)
Ok. I’m yours too.
(Pause.)
Yes, that makes me happy.
(Pause.)
No, I’m not going to fall asleep. I just like laying here with you.
(Pause.)
So what if my eyes are closed. That means I’m comfortable.
(Pause.)
Yes, I am a good hunter. I love to catch you and make you happy, because I love you.
But… I always wondered why you liked being the prey so much. Now I know. This is nice. You’re nice.
I like you taking care of me. I love you, hubby. I… love…
(Kimchi falls asleep.)
Part 8: [F4M] Play Time - Part 8 out of hopefully not 8 [Kimchi Cat-Girl Speaker] [Hubby Human Listener] [Azmer Va] [Yandere Or Loving Wife?] [Stay Away From Hubby Ladies] [Really Really Meta] [Add Your Channel Name To The Script] : ASMRScriptHaven (reddit.com)
submitted by edgiscript to ASMRScriptHaven [link] [comments]
Kimchi: HAAAAAAAA!!!!
Edgiscript: EEEAAAAAAGGGHHHHH!!!! Kimchi? What the hell?
Kimchi: It's not that easy to make that interesting and fun, is it?
Edgiscript: I... was... so concerned about your health, that I... couldn't... spend any time to... make this fun.
Kimchi: Awwwwww. That's so sweet. Utter BS, but still sweet.
Part 7
Kimchi: (Singsong voice.) Hubbyyyyyyyy? Huuuuuubbyyyyyyyy? I’m coming to geeeeet youuuuuuuu.(Snickers and giggles.) Ooh, you are so good at this. I love playing hide and seek with you so much. The park has so many good hiding spots, but out here, you don’t have the advantage of having everything smell like you. So… I can follow… your scent… to… HERE!
Hah, haaaaaah. I see you. You can run, and you can laugh, I love your laugh, but you can’t hide anymore. I’m almost on you. I’m going to POUNCE…
(Kimchi crashes in some leaves.)
Hubby, what are you doing? You came back to get me. You should have used that opportunity to get away. Now the hunt is over. That’s no fun.
(Pause.)
Well, yeah, I missed. That’s what I meant. I missed, so why didn’t you keep running?
(Pause.)
Yeah, I suppose I’ve never missed before, but, you know, it happens. Why didn’t you run?
(Pause.)
Awwww, you were worried about me. Did you think I’d hurt myself? Well, thanks, hubby, but you don’t have to worry. Cats are invulnerable. I’ve got nine lives, remember? That means I can’t get hurt.
(Pause.)
Does too mean that.
(Pause.)
That’s right, there’s no point arguing with me. Why would you try to correct me when I’m right?
(Pause.)
What d’ya mean, I don’t look so good?
(Sounding hurt.) I thought you thought I was pretty.
(Pause.)
(Brightening up.) Oh, you do think I’m beautiful. You meant I look a little off.
In what way?
(Pause.)
Why would you think that, silly? And why are there two of you all of a suddenly? All of a suggen. Sudden. Whatever.
(Pause.)
No, I didn’t hit my head when I landed. What would I have hit my head on. There’s nothing but leaves here. I just… (Sneezes.)
Sorry, hubby. That came out of nowhere. I just… (Sneezes.)
No, I don’t know. Maybe allergies.
(Pause.)
Nope, never had allergies before, but I can’t think of another reason why I might… (A few coughs.)
(Pause.)
Whaaaaaaat? Sick? No way. Cats don’t get sick. That’s a silly human thing.
(Pause.)
Cats do not get sick. I told you, cats are invulnertable.
(Pause.)
Right, that’s what I said. Invulnerable. Geez, hubby. You’re thinking I’m sick, but you’re the one not hearing things properly.
Now, if you’ll stop being so silly and doing things like spinning in circles, we could get back to our game.
(Pause.)
Don’t tell me you’re not spinning. You and the whole forest is doing it. I’m actually impressed. How did you manage to get the whole park to… ohhhhhh.
(Kimchi faints. When she wakes up, she’s in bed. She sounds a little groggy.)
Hubby? What happened? Why am I in bed? Where did the forest go?
(Pause.)
Yes, the park. The grass, the trees, the leaves. Where did it go?
(Pause.)
I did not pass out. I can fall asleep very quickly, but only when I’m trying. And I wasn’t trying.
I wanted to catch you. That’s our Saturday game. I get to hunt you in the morning and then I have the rest of the day to make you happy after I catch you.
I love being the hunter and you love being the prey. I love our Saturdays. You don’t have to go to work. I get to play with you all day. Now what happened?
(Pause.)
No, no, hubby. I think you’re confused. I carry you when I catch you. You don’t carry me. You couldn’t have carried me all the way home.
(Pause.)
No, hubby, it’s not that I think you’re not strong enough, it’s just that it doesn’t happen that way. I catch you. I carry you. I make you happy. Do you see the relationship here? Me to you. You’re getting it backwards. Now let me get up and…
(Kimchi tries to get up but stops right away. Sore, painful moans. Kimchi starts to sound a little groggier and now sounds a little stuffed up as well. If you want to cough at times, go ahead when you think it works.)
Ohhhh. Ohhh, OOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHH. My body hurts. Why does my body hurt?
What did you do to me? What did I do to me? Wait, did the forest do this to me? I didn’t know it could do that. I thought it liked me. What’s going on?
(Pause.)
A fever? Pfft. Cats don’t get fevers.
(Pause.)
No, I’m not dizzy, and I don’t have body aches. I’m a cat. We’re invulnershuble. Invernatable. Invlurt… We can’t get sick.
(Pause.)
Of course I can say the word. I’ve said it before, many times. You’ve heard me say it.
(Pause.)
I… just… don’t want to say it right now. That’s all. It has nothing to do with the fact that I’m dizzy and achy all over.
(Pause.)
Oh, drat. You tricked me. Ok, fine, I’m a little dizzy, but that’s probably just because I crashed into those leaves.
(Pause.)
Yes, those leaves. There were a lot of them. And they were really big. They ganged up on me. Why does the park not like me all of a sudden?
(Pause.)
(Kimchi sounds even more stuffed up now.) No, my nose isn’t starting to run. Legs run. Noses sniff. Hubby, I think you’re the one who’s sick if you forgot that.
(Pause.)
Oh, you mean I’m leaking. Yeah, you’re right. What’s this coming out of my nose?
(Pause.)
Ewwww, that’s disgusting. How could that be?
(Pause.)
What’s that? A Kleenex? What do I do with it?
(Pause.)
Ok. (Blows nose.) WOW! Hubby, look at this. That came out of me. What’s going on?
And why am I naked with the air conditioner on? It’s freezing in here.
(Pause.)
What? I can’t be in my pajamas and under the covers. It’s so cold, I…
Huh. I guess you’re right. Wow. How did I not know that? And why am I so cold?
Wait. What’s that? (Distrustful.) Hubbyyyyy, what is that?
(Pause.)
Yes, that filthy, disgusting, vomit inducing, nasty goop that smells like you pulled it out of the garbage disposal. And why are you pouring some of it into a spoon?
(Pause.)
You can’t be serious. There is no way I’m swallowing that.
(Pause.)
You humans do it all the time? What, in the literal hell, is wrong with you? No wonder cats are superior in every way when you’re sabotaging yourself as a species by eating that filth.
(Pause.)
You can call it medicine and good for me if you want, but I know better. And it doesn’t matter. I’m not sick.
(Kimchi gets a little panicky.)
Hubby? Where are you going?
(Pause.)
(Quietly, afraid to admit the truth.) Well… yeah… I guess some chicken soup does sound kinda good right now. I suppose I’d like some. But only because I always like your chicken soup. It’s nummy.
If… if you wanted to make me some, I guess I’d eat it.
(Pause)
(Panicky.) Hubby? Wait. Don’t… don’t go.
(Pause.)
Yes, I know the ingredients and the stove aren’t in here, but… I don’t want you to go.
(Pause.)
I know you’re not leaving the apartment, but I don’t want you to go… anywhere. I… don’t want you to leave me.
(Pause.)
No, please. I’m…
(Sweetly, tenderly, frightened.) I’m scared. Hubby… I’m scared. I’ve never felt like this before. I’m… sick. That means I could… I could die, right? What if you left, even for a minute, and I needed you. I think that… if you go… even for a little bit… I might…
(Long pause. Hubby walks to the dresser and opens a drawer to get something.)
Hubby, what is that? Why are you counting to ten?
(Pause.)
You’re tying a bow on my wrist.
(Pause.)
Yes, it is pretty. I like the color very much. You make a nice bow. I like it.
(Pause.)
What? There was no hunt.
(Pause.)
Oh, so that’s what the counting meant. You started a game, didn’t you? You caught me. You tied me… with this bow. And now you have to make me happy.
(Pause.)
That’s right. Those are the rules.
(Pause. From now on, Kimchi sounds more and more tired, and gets quieter and quieter until she falls asleep.)
Yes, please. Climb into bed with me and hold me.
(Pause.)
Thank you, hubby. You feel so warm. And your arms around me makes me feel safe.
I don’t like being sick. It makes me scared. I don’t want to die, hubby. I don’t want you to go away.
(Pause.)
Ok. I guess you’re right. I can’t die with you here now because you have to make me happy, and being apart from you would make me sad.
(Pause.)
Yes, that’s right. You have to make me happy. Those are the rules. And you are, hubby. You are making me very happy right now.
(Pause.)
Oh, yes, hubby. Stroking my hair feels so good. I always like it when you pet me.
(Pause.)
And scritch my ears. Just like that.
(Pause.)
Yes, I like laying on your chest. Is it ok if I squeeze you?
(Pause.)
Yes, that would make me happy.
(Pause.)
That’s good. If I hold on tighter, you’re even warmer. How is that possible? Am I squeezing warmth out of you?
(Pause.)
Hubby, thank you. You make me not scared. I love you, hubby. I love you. I’m so glad you’re mine.
(Pause.)
No, I’m not yours. You’re mine.
(Pause.)
Ok. I’m yours too.
(Pause.)
Yes, that makes me happy.
(Pause.)
No, I’m not going to fall asleep. I just like laying here with you.
(Pause.)
So what if my eyes are closed. That means I’m comfortable.
(Pause.)
Yes, I am a good hunter. I love to catch you and make you happy, because I love you.
But… I always wondered why you liked being the prey so much. Now I know. This is nice. You’re nice.
I like you taking care of me. I love you, hubby. I… love…
(Kimchi falls asleep.)
Part 8: [F4M] Play Time - Part 8 out of hopefully not 8 [Kimchi Cat-Girl Speaker] [Hubby Human Listener] [Azmer Va] [Yandere Or Loving Wife?] [Stay Away From Hubby Ladies] [Really Really Meta] [Add Your Channel Name To The Script] : ASMRScriptHaven (reddit.com)