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1.0 game launch log
1.0: Game Launch
Patch Update
Maybe you’ve been getting settled in for a little while now, maybe you just arrived yesterday. Either way, a big change is coming! All Dodo residents will receive a city-wide broadcast on their phones:
> Thank you for your patience with our construction, city-goers! As our month of pride celebration has wrapped, all our streets are once again open. Hope it sets your hearts aflutter for 🤍 White Day! 🤍
The streets of Crane City have opened, and what glorious streets they are! Decorated with gently blooming white flowers, ivory streamers hung from building to building, and floating snowy balloons, everything seems to be elevated with a touch of elegance. What’s that? It’s looking a little bridal? Now you’re getting in the spirit! The city is abuzz about an upcoming celebration...
Meanwhile, Duocaeli has also become the loveliest storm. It’s a tornado of silks, a cyclone of chiffon, ribbons as far as the eye can see - that’s right, it’s time for a parade of princesses. Avis Isle is tittering with gossip, airship after airship coming to land as royalty gets to enjoy the fresh air and roguish sights of a guild town. There’s princesses from faraway lands, kingdoms large and small, excited to rest before they depart soon to their next destination—some kind of royal slumber party? rich people—and they’re so excited to be here! Some are children, others as mature as their late 300's—once a princess, always a princess.
Avisle is excited for their business too! ♥ Looks like everything’s a little more expensive around these parts (know your audience) but there’s also better service and rumors of special treatment for those of blue blood pedigree, or their staff. Why don’t you slide on in? If anything, you might want to teach your friends how to pass for royalty, lest they get mistaken for a worker!
Speaking of roleplay, it seems like there’s an abandoned chest in one of the roadways, likely fallen off a carriage in the chaos… Inside, characters will find gorgeous adornments, including lovely gowns, crowns, etc. The criers looking for royal customers ring in the back of your mind – “Princess business welcome!!” – do you do the proper thing and look for the owner of the chest, and see if you can get a reward? Or is it time for royal cosplay? (Though should you return it, and the shopkeep may ask you to wear some garments as advertisement anyway...)
Alternatively, in your plain clothes, or... most clothes, it’s easy to be mistaken for a page. Well, they’re all awfully young ladies–have a sense of humor! Don’t let it rankle you too bad... or do?
Guild business is in high demand now especially, with most specialties being sought after by a monarch-to-be for one reason or another.
♔ Crafters are highly sought after, especially those who specialize in adornments. Won’t you make them some hair ornaments that bloom just like true roses?
♔ Warriors are being asked to fulfill more bodyguard roles. You know! Just like in their romance novels…
♔ Scholars are being asked to fulfill divinations—how good are you at fortune tellings? The future of their kingdoms are prosperous, aren’t they? Aren’t they?
♔ Wanderers are being requested as tour guides and escorts. They have a higher chance of being mistaken for pages. Sorry.
♔ Menders must clean up after everyone’s messes, as usual. Stained gowns, broken hairpins, the occasional sprain of a princess fallen out of a tree (we told her not to!)—you name it.
♔ Warriors are being asked to fulfill more bodyguard roles. You know! Just like in their romance novels…
♔ Scholars are being asked to fulfill divinations—how good are you at fortune tellings? The future of their kingdoms are prosperous, aren’t they? Aren’t they?
♔ Wanderers are being requested as tour guides and escorts. They have a higher chance of being mistaken for pages. Sorry.
♔ Menders must clean up after everyone’s messes, as usual. Stained gowns, broken hairpins, the occasional sprain of a princess fallen out of a tree (we told her not to!)—you name it.
1. Questboard
The quest board at the guild hub has been updated with the latest patch! Excited players are gathered around to collect new bounties, which are open to all. The guild hub also provides a useful bestiary, which is readily accessible by guild members via crystals.
2. Dungeon Crawl - Guild Hub Catacombs
Welcome to your first limited time domain! Princess Andalina is the belle of the ball, and the one organizing the royal slumber party... when she's suddenly attacked by robed figures in the Guild Hub! It's your job to escort her safely through some secret underground catacombs so that she might be smuggled aboard an airship and escape–though naturally, there's a catch.
Task: Escort Princess Andalina Quartzrosen Pili Majesteria the Third
Reward: Daiya, diamond jewelry of choice.
Chamber 1: Once Upon a Time...
Right in front of your eyes, the exhausted Princess suddenly transforms… into a beautiful diamond? Housed in a necklace, it seems that this icy stone is her dormant form, and is entrusted to players for safekeeping. Dungeon party members will be given roles in the first chamber: knight or princess. Knights will be in charge of defeating foes; princesses will have to wear the enchanted stone and keep it intact. If princesses are hurt, the stone will be damaged. If they're grievously injured or killed, the stone will be destroyed outright.
Additionally, knights will find themselves buffed overall and invulnerable to damage. But it's not that convenient–princesses will sustain any injuries meant for their knights. In RPG terms, princesses serve as the HP for all members of their parties.
It's imperative to keep moving to avoid the incoming assassins, though that's easier said than done: some of the hallways are incredibly narrow, there's constant forks and uneven terrain, and the darkness is thick and suffocating. It'll be easier to stay close–or maybe even get a piggyback ride? A princess carry, if you will? It's easy mana!
Chamber 2: A Sticky Situation
The catacombs are damp and stale–and of course, in their neglect, they're teeming with danger. The pitch black corridors make it easy to stumble into giant spiderwebs, which are nearly impossible to escape alone, though they can be burned or otherwise destroyed with some help. The webbing itself is weaved with magic, and will quickly drain the mana of anyone trapped within.
But where there's spiderwebs, there's bound to be… spiders! Careless knights and princesses may find themselves kidnapped and carried away by these hunters, which can attack with sharp barbs and acid that lingers on every surface. Knights are invulnerable, but can still be incapacitated by webbing–be careful!
Chamber 3: Sins of our Daughters
The light is at the end of the literal tunnel, but one obstacle remains: the young leader of the assassins who introduces herself as Nina.
Nina doesn't attack outright, instead first explaining Andalina's crimes against her kingdom, and her desire for justice. Proudful and grieving, Nina will only accept Andalina's death, but nevertheless offers the players a choice:
Destroy Andalina: By deliberately injuring a party's princess, Andalina's crystal will be destroyed, and she'll be killed. Nina will thank the party and slip away without another word, looking wearied.
Save Andalina: Protecting Andalina will cause Nina to attack, leading to a boss battle.
BOSS: Nina the Emerald
HP: 10000
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆
Weakness: Water, despots
Resistance: Earth
Attacks
Defeating her can be as "simple" as beating her in a fight before the party sustains too much damage, but there's also a large, deep lagoon in this chamber. If you can make Nina sink like a stone, the water might be enough to dispatch her permanently…
HP: 10000
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆
Weakness: Water, despots
Resistance: Earth
Attacks
- Crystal Cage: Summons giant, emerald shards to create walls, isolating party members.
- Shatter: Anything her knives touch turns temporarily into crystal, including limbs and portions of flesh. Nina will often throw these knives, though she can also be turned to stone using them. Payback's a bitch!
Defeating her can be as "simple" as beating her in a fight before the party sustains too much damage, but there's also a large, deep lagoon in this chamber. If you can make Nina sink like a stone, the water might be enough to dispatch her permanently…
G̴̮͇̽ĺ̶̻͉̓͝i̷̜͓̙̊t̵̤̄́̏c̶̝̘̃̉̀h̶̯͓͘i̶̖͙̭͆ń̷̻̦̘g̶͐͒͜ͅ: Occasionally throughout the dungeon, including during this boss fight, the role between princesses and knights can switch without warning! Don't get too comfortable.
In the end, only one of the two girls can survive. While others may view this as just a cutscene in a game, to PCs, something about both these women feels quite real. Claim your reward, and step into the glowing portal that will teleport you back to the dungeon entrance. Players may thread any number of outcomes, but can only report one of their threads here for rewards!
OOC Notes
March's OOC Event Plotting Post is also here for your reference!
Please look forward to our next gamewide mingle for Dodo's Doki Doki White Day Auction on Friday, March 17th.
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duocaeli duologs duolingosTaken / Applications / Hiatus & Drops
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1!
AACK—
[Cue a terrible shattering sound and a flailing of spindly arms. The victim is bruised but not battered. It was a rather delicate thing, fret not, no accidental dingdong bingbongs here. She cringes as she clutches her head in agony, then hurriedly swipes at the ceramic shards in her hair.]
Wh-what the hell! Who did that?! Are you trying to k-k-kill me?! Knock me unconscious and have your way with me?
no subject
The shattering and squawking immediately gets his attention, and the rest of the finely wrapped boxes and bags of designer clothes gets unceremoniously dumped on the ground. Somewhere, a princess gasps. ]
My apologies! Are you— [ hurt? or so he would finish if, now that a mountain of boxes is cleared out of the way, he wasn't left looking directly at a familiar face.
Instead, he gapes. ] Fukawa?
no subject
Anyway his gasp is matched by an equal horror from the girl. She knows that voice. Of course she does, because where one Frua...Furhg...where one Fargo goes the others soon follow.]
D-Dim...
[She doesn't even finish. She just stares.
Then spins on her heel and jets into the crowd.]
no subject
Dimitri, King of Fargo, watches dumbfounded as Fukawa bolts like a deer. ]
Wait!
[ He's fast, but also suddenly intercepted by princesses? Princesses who have had their belongings rudely dumped on the ground? That vase was a timeless heirloom that she'd formed a bond with in the five minutes she's had it???
So he's still carrying some of this stupid luggage as he cuts through the crowd, shopping bags bouncing off of bystanders. ]
Fukawa! Slow down! [ WHY U RUNNIN, he's not above cutting her off ]
no subject
She runs now, as fast as the hustle and bustle will let her. Unfortunately there are too many princesses and too many floofy dresses, and just as Dimitri gathers the luggage and resumes chase?
She trips on a skirt ruffle and face plants into a pastry stand.]
GAAAAH!
[She flops over the display table and topples to the cobblestone. At least the croissants broke her fall.]
no subject
At least he doesn't have to sprint to catch up to her anymore, slowing to a trot and wincing as he watches her send up a flurry of pastries. Despite being an NPC, the pastry stand owner is shouting in surprise, and then anger, which gives Toko a second to collect herself and get any sugar off her face while he pays for the damaged goods.
Though once that's settled, he's offering her a hand up, exasperated and short some daiya. ]
Why did you run...?
no subject
She flinches as Dimitri pays for it (though she makes no moves to stop him), and tries fruitlessly to clear the spackling of pastry flakes away. She can't look him in the eye. Not even when she takes that hand and hoists to her feet. She quickly withdraws it and sets to worrying a lock of hair, milking the awkward silence for all it's worth.]
...Well, wh-why did you chase me? Are you following me? You and all your friends? [Does he not remember what they last talked about? Even if he kept insisting it would be all right, she was certain Sylvain would disagree.] Wh-why is it we're all b-being shuffled around the cosmos together, anyway? I should have n-never been able to meet you in the first place. It's n-not like we're important to each other, or we became b-b-best buddies, or got married or...Come on. This is your chance to get rid of me, so just take it already!
no subject
But more importantly, he's the most stubborn mule of a man in the universe, so he just frowns. ]
You are important to me.
[ He says that first and foremost, without embarrassment or ornament. It's important to clarify. Even if maybe it's unrequited, and maybe he's a nuisance. ]
And yes, it's strange that others are here. But it's better than wondering if I had somehow left you all behind in hell. [ He doesn't want to be rid of anyone, least of all her. Seeing a familiar face from Stygia... isn't it a relief? ]
no subject
[Excuse her sudden step back just now, it's the boldness. The absolute bald-faced simplicity with which he looks her in the eye and declares her "important". Such impudence could be expected from idiot teenage girls like Komaru, but a literal prince?
Look, it was one thing to prod her about her awkward avoidance, or do the courtesy of making sure she didn't die. The latter is minimum human decency, and the former could be cause for worry no matter who it concerned. Fukawa hadn't believed she was anything special to him. What reason would she have? The most she's ever done for Dimitri was giving him that stupid book. Did he read too much into the gesture?
Could it be? Did Dimitri have feelings for her?
Her eyes widen, the butterflies flutter in her chest, the shoujo bubbles gleam in crystalline shimmers—
And then she's buffeted by the sight of him getting sick on ice cream cake at a family reunion. Nine-years old with scabs on his knees, her own podgy hand patting his back, helping him heave the queasiness out behind the dumpster. They had to look presentable in five minutes, lest their mom figured out who dug into Auntie Gloria's cake an hour before supper.
She shakes her head. Clutches it. Blinks up at him, and finds the same awkward dork who'd helped her shuffle a metric ton of books into her new room once they'd folded her into their house for good.]
Uh... [UH. She blinks again and still the illusion won't dissipate. Also she's feeling queasy herself. The butterflies are dead. The shoujo bubbles have popped. Now that she thinks about it, he doesn't look like Byakuya-sama at all.]
Is this...D-Dimitri? Have you b-been thinking weird things about me?
no subject
Mercifully, he's too stupid to catch any of the signs of her delusion. The truth is as simple as his delivery: he cares quickly, and she had endeared herself to him quickly.
But it's not helped along by this place, where his artificial history taints his perceptions of people. Where Toko was someone he knew long before he "died," when his father had sat him down somberly and explained her troubled home, the reason why their study was being converted into another bedroom, and he had resolved to shield her from her past, a buffer between her and the world.
That's what family does. ]
"Weird?" [ A hand floats to his chin in thought. Any implication she's making goes over his head, but it's clear there's still something stirring in his mind anyway. ] Actually, yes. I'd wanted to speak to you about it—do you... recall a childhood here?
[ His memories have been a shambles since he's arrived, but his perceptions have always been a bit—warped. Hard to separate the truth from delusion. ]
CW: Child abuse mention
Fukawa herself is plenty stupid, but he ventures for words far less vague than she had. "Childhood" has her flinching. It only rustles up more fleeting recollections. Some are close to what she already knew. Harsh words and the sting of flat palms on her cheeks, darkness, hunger. The others entwine with an alien life. Her eyes trailing a tall blond on a football field, packing into the back of a car with her luggage barely contained, awkward glances on solemn church pews. No one on that side of the family looked like her, people kept assuming she was adopted (or worse, an exchange student), and it stung, but through it all?
Dimitri had stuck by her side. A big brother in a sense so fraught she feels dizzy tying the loose ends together.]
I...y-yes? [She clams up again. Starts anew.] Um. I. I r-remember stuff with you. Like, um, a mom, and your house and...but that's stupid. We're not — I mean, look at us. That's completely stupid, right? You'd have to be a mouth-breathing moron to believe that you and I...
[Is he actually referring to the same thing she is? Maybe he's got a separate fake childhood here and she's not in it at all.
Her hands fly up and flap fruitlessly at the air.]
Forget it! Forget I said anything!
no subject
It's not... real. But it's clear-yet-blurry in that way that genuine memories are, frayed with time. He ignores her literal arm-flapping, undeterred. ]
No, that's what I recall as well. It's not so ridiculous—I bear little resemblance to my birth mother anyway, or so I'm told. [ The Blaiddyd genes produce generational clones, apparently. ] Considering we're half-siblings...
[ He pauses, looking more pensive than distraught. ]
These double lives of ours are more complicated and entwined than I thought.
[ Why? ]
no subject
I d-don't know which of my mothers was really mine, but, maybe...oh, what the hell am I saying? As if there's any logic to this. [She sighs, scowls out on the bustling thoroughfare.] It's more magic meant to m-mess with us, isn't it? Just like in Stygia. We're being made to believe something that isn't true, and there's some crazy force pushing us around these phony universes. I just don't get what for.
[She'd wanted to get away from Dimitri. Now she has memories that ensure she never will. Just looking at him pulls at her chest in a way she's never felt before. Fondness, fealty, exasperation (his hair is out of place again). A love so simple it can go unchecked, just a fact laid beneath the trappings of the day to day.
Family, like friends, is uncharted territory for her. What does it mean to have someone like Dimitri at her side, expecting nothing in return? Is she taking the place of someone else he'd cared for?]
Look, isn't there a café or a tavern somewhere? This is all too much. I want to sit down. Get away from all these f-filthy pests.
[Princesses. Same thing.]
no subject
It's enough that he sounds distracted when she suggests a move, blinking away thoughts of crumbs before he responds. ]
"Pests," hm? [ He can't disagree. Probably because he's also royalty, he understands what a nuisance they can be. ] Here, let's step aside.
[ Like any good merchant city, there's plenty of little dives and dips they can sequester in, less plot-related centres where there aren't princesses and players crawling about. In this case, it's a small tavern attached to a bed and breakfast, with some free tables away from the bar. It's sunny and non-threatening. ]
All right. [ Once they're settled with some drinks and quietude, he gets right back to it, more curious than usual. Family is an odd subject to him, one that's harder to let go. ] Tell me a little more.
[ About her moms, her made-up life details here, or whatever else. Where does one even start? ]
CW: Child abuse mention
And yet the second she lets the hope spark, pragmatism pinches it out. Supposed boons can be well-dressed curses. The motivations behind this mix up have yet to be determined, and even if this place is less obviously malevolent than any previous reality doesn't mean it can be trusted.
She clutches at her tankard with a ponderous examination, staring into the thick foam, tracing the contours of the arching handle.]
Um. Okay. [He means her real family, right? Where this false connection may have been sewn in. Her teeth catch her bottom lip for a ripe old gnaw.] Some of it feels the same. Like, most of the situation b-before living with you. I guess you c-could say I had a sibling too. A sister, though. But, um. Sh-she's dead. She died after being born.
[Which leads into the next oddity of her situation. She scratches the tankard with a jagged fingernail, bending it back on unyielding pewter.]
That's why I have — we w-were born on the same day, to two different women, but she died. And we, uh, w-we had the same father. They didn't know he'd been unfaithful to them until then, I think. And neither wanted to claim me. They never bothered to f-find out who was my real mother, because they didn't w-want to be tied to...you know. So.
[She falls quiet. He has bits and pieces of it, she thinks. She only moved in with them to leave that festering hellhole of a home behind. No need to elaborate.]
Th-they were more willing to put up with me once my books started selling, but it still wasn't, like, wanting me. Or...and I did leave when I was fifteen. Just to go to school though. They had dorms at th-the academy. [Which came with an even greater set of horrors. No parallel to that here, none that she can recall. Thank god. Fukawa blows out a heavy breath.] And they're gone now anyway. I don't think about them much if I d-don't have to.
What about you? Did you have someone like me before?