FORTUNE decided to take a break from making the bottles perform burpees whilst going down every single word in the English dictionary (they were still on the 'A's in case anyone was wondering) to take a moment to speak to Glam. Or the air. Or whatever the fuck.
"Cool? Uhm..." FORTUNE had admittedly not spent much time in game as of late. Working on her next album had begun to take up a lot of her time. Not to mention that Dayeon had a whole thing going on about finding her brother, and one of her close friends was having a quarter life crisis about finding out he had twins with an old flame of his who he may or may not have started boning again, both of which left Almira to put out the fires they left in their wake.
And it wasn't exactly like FORTUNE could tell Glam any of that...
"We expanded the parlor recently, if you wanted to stop by," FORTUNE decided was a safe enough topic. "We added a new stage for the band, and there are so many people in the game rooms now, we might have to start limiting the number of players." All in all good progress. "What about you though? What have you been up to, other than shirking your duties to me?"
"Oh yeah, before I forget, if we move the base around, maybe we should tack the signs onto the walls instead of in the ground. Maybe those singing boulders will help?"
Round Starting SP: 40
+370 SP
-130 SP for training Power Sports
-130 SP for training Linguistics
-100 SP for Proposal
Round Ending SP: 50
*****
Current San-Delusions:
None
Current Specialized Expertises:
Acrobatics II
*****
Training Roll Results:
Roll Result
13d10 (10 + 10 + 8 + 3 + 6 + 7 + 2 + 5 + 2 + 4 + 6 + 2 + 3) = 68 FORTUNE | Power Training | 2059C4
WE NEED TO EXPAND THE MENU. I'M TIRED OF PUMPKINS. -Glamdark
"We had pumpkins for A SINGLE DAY." She threw the card into the horizon, baffled. "How are you already tired of it?"
Turning toward the bottles, the woman gave an order. "Alright, go plant something else. I'm sure we have some other seeds in the box. In the meantime, I'll go off and read some books."
Lune was so absorbed in her work reading the manuals to learn about things so she could then in turn teach it to the bottles that she didn't notice nights and days passed by. Definitely not because the writer forgot to hit the post button and left the entire post in Grammarly. So let us just cue the music, you know which one.
She woke up from the deep learning process as a tiny bottle nudged her from behind, urging her to follow it somewhere. In the distance, she could see Luthien and a bottle.... wait is that Hanno?
"What the hell happened?" Lune looked back and forth at the pair, unsure what to make of this situation.
Round Starting SP: 250
+120 SP regen +370 SP regen -50 SP on Training (Cultivation) -50 SP on Training (Politics) -100 SP on Specialization (Architecture) -50 SP on Specialization (Cultivation)
------------------------------------------------------------------- -50 SP on Politics Ability (Negate the Blacksmithing: 2d100 Card) -100 SP on Specialization (Architecture) -100 SP on Specialization (Society) -100 SP on Specialization (Cultism) -100 SP on Specialization (Fine Art)
Round Ending SP: 140
Current San-Delusions:
N/A
Current Specialized Expertises:
Cultivation: 7 dice (5 for this round)
Politics: 7 dice
Architecture: 7 dice (0 for this round)
Cultism: 7 dice (0 for this round)
Society: 6 dice (0 for this round)
Fine Art: 5 dice (0 for this round)
Training Roll Results:
Roll Result
10d10 (5 + 9 + 7 + 1 + 3 + 10 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 9) = 49 Lune | Cultivation Training
***Incoming Encrypted Bottlecom***
[Believe it or not it wasn't me this time.]
[We can fix this.]
[If we can't fix this maybe it's not so bad.]
[He seems happy, right?]
[But, I'm pretty sure we can fix this. Keep an eye on him and you'll see why in the meeting.]
~~~~~~~~ Okay everyone, listen carefully. We're in the endgame now.
Get a Dark Coffee from my snack stash, or you can even have a Dark Donut.
I need everyone sharp.
Let's begin the briefing...
First, our debriefing reports:
Cleared:
[Weird Giant Boulders:] We were able to tame a pack of them. They've been very useful in transporting our resources. Did you know they sing in harmony? I haven't figured out how to make use of this yet, but give me time.
[WE NEED SOME DAMN SIGNS:] I didn't get lost today. Good work.
[We're gonna need to pivot the base:] Finally, some relief. Now we can adjust for the season as needed. I don't think we'll need to do this again though. Why? Reasons.
[Politics 1: Build the GlamCube:] You're right, why waste materials on a containment device? We could have two cool items instead if we spend the materials to make something more fun. It'll save us some funds as well. We can just throw a blanket over the item we need to retrieve. Easy.
As for the Giant Shadow...
This is what I actually want to talk about. The expedition force has finally hit a bingo. We've found it.
...
It looks like we have time.
I'd better start from the beginning.
The point of The Bottle Excursion has been to prepare the bottles for the retrieval of a curio called The Random Adversial Generator. It's a mysterious artifact that I don't know very much about. I do know that it can be dangerous, however, so we're not going to risk any of you getting near it.
The Random Adversial Generator or "R.A.G." for short is a fabrication device.
Said plainly it makes stuff. Like a 3d printer.
I never mentioned this because I was never sure if we would find it. However, the strange occurrences we've been encountering did give me hope, and so I continued the project as we continued to prepare for the possibility.
So here's the good news: We've found it, and it's even headed our way.
As we know, dragons do not exist. As we also know, crocoflyers do not exist. Flying Gators do, but that's besides the point. That should help you understand the potential of The R.A.G., it's something that can make stuff the defies the rules of reality, or, The World as I've seen some put it for whatever reason. It could be very helpful if it was in our possession. It could also be very dangerous if left to its own devices. So, we're going to retrieve it. And by we, I mean the bottles you've prepared for this very moment.
So why expertises and not bottle combat? If we challenged The R.A.G. to combat, it would undoubtedly just spit out something that's probably way too big of a pain to defeat, if not impossible. As you may have noticed, no matter how strange, we've been able to meet and exceed the challenges its provided us by breaking down the problems into my neat little cards. Our thriving out here in the middle of nowhere has been the exact sort of preparation we needed, and it gave us the time to track down the damn thing in the first place.
So that's it. We're just picking up one very angry package.
Reality, I've found, is rather elastic, it can be bent but if we're not careful it can also snap back and leave a nasty mark. Be careful.
See to your preparations and go get The R.A.G.
The Situation Room is waiting, head over when you're ready:
Crocoflyer:
Shadow:
Shadow (Image Enhanced):
Base:
Terrain:
TACTICAL TRAINING ACTION
Bottle Team Energy (hp): 1469/10000 Stocks = 3
Round Table Bottle Report:
Running tallies:
Update!Cards Cleared:
Update! <New> Cards have been added! The boss is here! Update! <Old> Cards have been converted! The boss is here!
****** Sp Regen + 100(base) + 40 (culinary lvl 4) +100 Emergency Bonus
****** Total Training:
Cultivation + 54 +53 = 107
Politics + 66
Power Sports + 68 +48 = 116
Linguistics + 93 +50 +34 = 177
Culinary+ 34 +60 = 94
Carpentry + 37
Naturalism + 28
Cultism + 49
****** Card Tests:
-Weird Giant Boulders:
-WE NEED SOME DAMN SIGNS:
-We're gonna need to pivot the base:
*** Card 1:
<Cleared> Weird Giant Boulders: Cultism, Power Sports: 2d75 each
Cultism 30 -49 = +19
Power Sports 5 -285 = +280
Total Bottle Energy: +299
*** Card 2:
<Cleared> WE NEED SOME DAMN SIGNS: Linguistics, Carpentry: 1d125 ea.
Linguistics 20 -243 = +223
Carpentry 130 -115 = -15
Total Bottle Energy: +208
*** Card 3:
<Cleared> We're gonna need to pivot the base: Power Sports: 2d100
Power Sports 105 -285 = +180
Total Bottle Energy: +180
****** Final Total Energy Report: +687 !
****** Bottles Created:
N/A
****** Errata: N/A @Lune -50 additional SP to cover the Politics Ability (100 cost total).
****** San Delusions?
* Hanno's a bottle.
******
The Situation Room:
Glam Says:
Look sharp everyone, this is for all the marbles. The marbles being all our precious time.
[The sounds of roars, explosions, and chaos can be heard all over the base as an air raid siren goes off.]
As you're well aware, we're currently engaged with The Crocoflyer. It's an imaginary existence but that's not going to stop it from kicking our asses. I've gone ahead and updated the situation board with cards on how to deal with it. Remember, this isn't a battle, this is a project.
We're going to handle it piece by piece!
Build! Train! Counter!
The Random Adversial Generator is in the Crocoflyer's tail. For all this to be over, we'll need to retrieve it. Of course, The Crocoflyer is guarding it, so that'll be the last card we deal with to close out shop. It's going to continue to run as we work to try and trip us up, so work fast and work sharp. You're used to this. Show it what you can do.
1 card will test us each round. Don't forget we have 3 stocks. We can take a hit. Plan if you need to.
That should cover it.
Bring us home with that damn Random Adversial Generator in tow.
1d100 per level
Current Checks and Level:
-Cultism
-Society
-Beastiology
-Fine Sports
-Theatrics 2
-Power Sports
-Cultivation
-Tailoring
-Blacksmithing
Wings of the Crocoflyer
It has massive wings How can we deal with it?
1d100 per level
Current Checks and Level:
-Fine Sports, 2
-Tailoring, 2
-Linguistics, 2
-Power Sports
-Cultivation
-Archaeology
Claws of the Crocoflyer:
Crocoflyer got claws. How can we deal with it?
1d100 per level
Current Checks and Level:
-Society 2
-Naturalism
-Power Sports
-Fine Sports
-Acrobatics
-Cultivation 2
-Blacksmithing 2
Random Adversial Generator (Tail)
This is the final card. It will appear last.
Passive: Learning Engine: Absorb challenges and levels of other cleared cards. Passive: Fabricate: Adds 3 category rolls per round to all cards. Passive: Refine: Adds +1 level to all expertises on this card per round.
1d25 per level
Current Checks and Level:
-Power Sports
-Carpentry
-Archaeology
Glam Support <Positive>
Mid-Dark Crisis:
Passive:
Glam is raising all bottle training by 10, each round.
Special:
Permanently sacrifice 1d3 expertise dice to apply all remaining expertise dice to any category for this round. Your specialization has double the effect while this is active.
Current Training Score:
Challenge Categories & Bottle Expertise Rating:
*Labors:
Acrobatics: 46
Fine Sports: 10
Power Sports: 295
Fine Art: 10
Theatrics: 102
*Crafts:
Artificing: 10
Blacksmithing: 10
Carpentry: 125
Cultivation: 175
Tailoring: 50
*Knowledges:
Archaeology: 10
Beastiology: 41
Cultism: 59
Engineering: 10
Linguistics: 253
Naturalism: 71
Society: 10
***Special Support Types:
*Impact-types: (Upgrades at 50 points)
Physique: +1d3 to training all Labor Models per level. <Lvl 0 = 10/50>
Architecture: +1d3 to training all Craft Models per level. <Lvl 0 = 10/50>
Academia: +1d3 to training all Knowledge Models per level. <Lvl 0 = 10/50>
Mentalism: +1d3 to training all Support Models per level. <Lvl 0 = 10/50>
Esthetics: -20 SP cost to Glamdark Proposals per upgrade level. <Lvl 0 = 10/50>
Culinary: +10 Player SP regen per upgrade level. <Lvl 4 = 226/50>
Commerce: +50 Team Energy regen per upgrade level. <Lvl 0 = 10/50>
Seeking: Improves the Scouting Report. +1 challenge pre-rolled per upgrade level. <Lvl 1 = 76/50>
*Ability-types: (Upgrades at 50 points) (If an ability reaches negative, gain SP when used)
Music: for 30SP, Roll 1d3. On a 3 each Player may choose to lose one San-Delusion. <Lvl 0 = 10/50>
Medicine: for 50SP, you can remove a San-Delusion from yourself or an ally. <Lvl 0 = 10/50>
Politics: for 100SP you may negate one upcoming challenge card. <Lvl 1 = 76/50>
Voyaging: for 50SP you may create a card with 1d3 expertise(s) of your choice. <Lvl 0 = 10/50>
Crime: for 50 SP one upcoming bottle challenge of your choice will be halved. <Lvl 0 = 10/50>
Games: for 100SP, exchange one San-Delusion for another of your choice. <Lvl 0 = 10/50>
Bottle Suit: You believe you are a bottle. (Requires Goose egg)
You may roll Advantage when training bottles with your Specialty. Training all Specialties is now double the SP cost.
Player Options:
Each round or intermission, players may…
Note: purchases are resolved in the numbered order.
1)
Train the Bottles in a Expertise: (10SP per 1d10)
-Players can spend 10SP to roll one 1d10 for the expertise(s) of their choice.
-Players can buy as many dice as their SP allows.
-On a 10-roll, the dice explodes.
2)
Specialize in an expertise: (50SP per 1d5)
-Choose an expertise and Roll 1d5.
-Permanently gain the result's amount of bonus rolls when training bottles in this expertise.
-Players can buy as many dice as their SP allows.
-This can stack infinitely.
-Takes effect the round after purchase.
+Bottle Design! The first time you specialize in an expertise you'll receive a new personal bottle model for it. (Roleplay)
-You may name the bottle model and decide its personality-type if you wish. Glam can also decide. (Roleplay)
-New specializations can give you new bottle variants, or you can contribute it to expand the capabilities of your first model. Your choice. (Roleplay)
3)
Submit a Proposal to Glamdark: (100SP)
Management Request:
Glamdark naturally and randomly comes up with management decisions each cycle and most of them are not very good. You may guide Glamdark towards certain challenges by managing projects yourself. Pick an option:
A: Choose an expertise. That expertise may be applied to all available cards next round.
B: Choose up to 3 cards on the board. They will be selected next round.
4)
Special Bottle Actions: (Various SP costs)
-Some bottles will create new abilities to be utilized.
-This will be updated as the story proceeds.
<new!> Politics: for 100SP you may negate one upcoming challenge card.
<altered!> If the card is a Crocoflyer Card, You may remove 3 expertises from its list.
Mid-Dark Crisis: Permanently sacrifice 1d3 expertise dice to apply all remaining expertise dice to any category for this round. Your specialization has double the effect while this is active.
San-Delusions: (Can occur at 35 or less SP) (1d14)
Phobia of X = Disadvantage when Training X.
Obsession of X = Advantage when Training X. Only obsessions may be selected.
Ability Fan = You must use at least one ability per round if you can afford it.
Shock Therapy = If you have a Phobia, you must roll it.
Super Team Player = Advantage on what others rolled on, Disadvantage on what they didn't.
Nerd = Training Knowledge-Types is half-cost per die. Labor is doubled.
Jock = Training Labor-types is half-cost per die. Knowledge is doubled.
Glamenomics 1= After training bottles, roll 1d2. 1= half the result. 2= double the result.
Glamenomics 2 = After training bottles, roll 1d2. 1= half the result. 2= double the result.
Goose egg 1 = You’re okay, unless you hit zero or negative. If you did, you’re a bottle.
Goose egg 2 = You’re okay, unless you hit zero or negative. If you did, you’re a bottle.
Goose egg 3 = You’re okay, unless you hit zero or negative. If you did, you’re a bottle.
Goose egg 4 = You’re okay, unless you hit zero or negative. If you did, you’re a bottle.
Goose egg 5 = You’re okay, unless you hit zero or negative. If you did, you’re a bottle.
The Hanno situation wasn't still resolved, but the Mother Base alarm was already blaring and roaring, and her attention turned to Glam's message."What do you mean? What's coming?" Somehow Lune was still trying to make sense of anything, even though everything in this minigame stopped making sense since the first post anyway.
Quickly rushing to prepare, she muttered. "Crocoflyer, more like, Airfryer." Despite not looking anywhere close to it. Clearly, she doesn't own an airfryer.
At least being imaginary prevented us from getting a copyright strike from Capcom.
Quickly ordering the bottles to train and build with all their might and strength, she switched to the All-Out mode. The room was chaotic, with bottles running everywhere and tripping on themselves. Suddenly, The Global Elites tugged on her pants, trying to get her attention with an idea.
"... What do you mean that we could just straight up ignore the requirement?" Baffled with this concept of deceit and corruption, Lune raised her brows. "This doesn't make sense, but I guess this is the power of politics and lobbying..."
Since this is an emergency, she could just write this off as 'for the greater good'. Ah, how good it is to stand on the right side of history.
"Alright, go do that."
Round Starting SP: 140
+240 SP regen -100 SP to remove Fine Sports, Blacksmithing, Society from Eyebeams of the Crocoflyer
-100 SP to remove Fine Sports, Blacksmithing 2, Society 2 from Claws of the Crocoflyer
Reflexively, FORTUNE ducked down as the air sirens began to go off inside the base. The blaring of the klaxons were like nails on a chalkboard, forcing the woman to cover her ears until they finally dropped in volume enough for FORTUNE to actually be able to hear Glamdark.
"...A croc-a-what?"
As much as FORTUNE loved Glamdark, quite dearly, she couldn't help but wonder...What in the unholy fuck attracted all the weird in the universe to the girl?
"Ohhhhkay, well I don't know what a croc-o-whatever is, but you three need to be in tip top shape!" FORTUNE pointed at a series of bottle, who jumped and stood at attention. "Get ready, I'm sending you out to do some recon. Train up and report back to me at 2200 hours! Dismissed!"
Round Starting SP: 50
+240 SP
-80 SP for training Power Sports
-80 SP for training Fine Sports
-80 SP for Acrobatics
+140 SP from Base & Lvl.2 +100 SP from Emergency Bonus
-50 SP on Specialization -100 SP on Politics -100 SP on Politics -80 SP on Training
+339 on Expertise +297 on Expertise +44 on Expertise
"What the hell happened?" "That’s what I’m trying to figure out."
Another encrypted message popped into view, Lúthien’s eyes shifting away from Hanno’s predicament and her unnie to read its context, before a slender eyebrow rose high in the air as she gave Glamora a pointed look. Did he look happy? I guess…? A heavy sigh rolled from her lips as the ranger looked over Hanno once more, she’d always had a hard time figuring out what the faerin-now-turned-bottle was thinking or feeling… but knowing what she did of him, he was probably alright with this?
***Incoming Encrypted Bottlecom***
[Fine.]
[This better not have lasting effects on him, though.]
[... we should prob fix it sooner rather than later, too.]
The meeting itself had drastically changed from the pace Lúthien had become accustomed to, with the explanation of the R. A. G. being quickly overshadowed by the location it was currently embedded into.
"Okay, but why is it in a dragon’s—" The look that Glamora gave her made Lúthien sigh, she’d never understand the game’s aversion to calling a certain creature exactly what it was, but she was mindful enough to correct herself before continuing. "—in a massive crocoflyer’s tail? Who even made that thing in the first place?"
There was little time to discuss the finer details of things as a series of roars and explosions echoed from outside of the Situation Room, the problem had already found them and the bottalion would have to deal with it. She could only hope the little glass guys were ready, and that Hanno didn’t pull off something extremely reckless.
"Listen up my little Cloud Gazers, you’re gonna be divided into three groups today!" The higher tones of her voice quickly caught the attention of her personal bottalion, snapping the panicking bottles to attention as they quickly gathered around the ranger. "First group is in charge of keeping the hearth going and tasty dishes rolling out from that kitchen."
It’s not like any of them could fight on an empty stomach, and with the increased variety that Lune’s own bottles had managed in the garden… Lúthien was curious to see what new recipes the little bottles could come up with now. "Second group is in charge of fixing whatever that crocoflyer just blew up a moment ago, and fortifying as much of our base as possible."
She could only hope the bottles could fix things faster than the not!dragon broke them. Her attention turned to the last group, a small cluster of only six bottles that she’d signaled to stay behind as the rest got to work. "Lastly I’ll be counting on you guys to help us figure out what happened to Hanno… and maybe fix him, if possible?" It’s not that she didn’t trust Glamora to deal with the problem… but the witch could be forgetful, and her methods questionable at times.
+ 240 SP
-10 SP on Training (Power Sports) -10 SP on Training (Cultivation) -10 SP on Training (Culinary) -70 SP on Training (Fine Sports) -60 SP on Training (Archeology) -70 SP on Training (Society) +34 on Power Sports Expertise +34 on Cultivation Expertise +29 on Culinary Expertise +37 on Fine Sports Expertise +39 on Archeology Expertise +46 on Society Expertise
"It is me, buddy! Oh, you grew up huh! You are so tall right now!"
He sounded surprised, and then, he turned to @Glamora Dark, and for whatever reason he never noticed (or acknowledged) she looked a bit taller compared to him now.
"Of course you can work with that, Dark Master Darkest Glamora Darqueen of the Darkestest. You are the most competent one, you can totally work with anything, even if you didn't have me, these brave knottles and the other buddies that are training their own bottles!"
Hanno then turned to see the brand new problem, that came with a giant arse flying crocodile.
Crossing his arms, he huffed.
"That may look like a tough buddy, but we can handle that— FELLOW BOTTLES!"
!!!
They looked at Hanno.
"Time to expand our STRENGTH even more! Expand your horizons, train different stuff! We need more variety and know-how IMMEDIATELY! Lady Darkest of Dark Glamora Magica is lending her assistance to us, so we can't afford to disappoint her with a shameful display! GO GO GO!"
Round Starting SP: 240
-230 SP on Training
Round Ending SP: 10
Current San-Delusions:
Goose egg 1 = You're okay, unless you hit zero or negative. If you did, you're a bottle.
Current Specialized Expertises:
Power Sports: 4 dice
Cultivation: 5 dice
Culinary: 3 dice
Training Roll Results:
Roll Result
5d10 (1 + 8 + 10 + 7 + 8) = 34 Training Bottles: Power Sports| Hanno Futaba | 2059C5 (Advantage)
Roll Result
6d10 (1 + 3 + 7 + 8 + 6 + 9) = 34 Training Bottles: Cultivation | Hanno Futaba | 2059C5 (Advantage)
Roll Result
4d10 (7 + 7 + 9 + 6) = 29 Training Bottles: Culinary | Hanno Futaba | 2059C5 (Advantage)
Roll Result
7d10 (6 + 6 + 3 + 6 + 10 + 2 + 4) = 37 Training Bottles: Fine Sports | Hanno Futaba | 2059C5
Roll Result
6d10 (2 + 9 + 9 + 5 + 3 + 8) = 36 Training Bottles: Archeology | Hanno Futaba | 2059C5
Roll Result
7d10 (4 + 9 + 1 + 9 + 3 + 10 + 10) = 46 Training Bottles: Society | Hanno Futaba | 2059C5
*Many Explosions and Roars* *Clattering Bottles*
*Sirens* *The sound of glorious industry*
~~~~~~~~
You know, I'm a little surprised you guys didn't abandon me.
Anyway,
Let's begin the briefing...
First, for our debriefing report:
Cleared:
[Wings of the Crocoflyer:] We applied a lot of political sanctions on the Eyebeams and Claws which successfully baited the Crocoflyer into challenging us with its wings, but we were ready for it, and our production wasn't effected at all. It's actually tiring itself out and running out of energy.
We're doing so well it's a little scary.
World domination at last? No Glam, think of all the extra work that'd take.
Let's just keep doing what we're doing. Be careful.
He actually is, maybe... maybe he's better this way... no... just listen to his dialogue, he'd never give me peace.
*Glam sighs and adjusts the bottlecom frequency*
***Incoming Encrypted Bottlecom*** @Luthien@Lune@FORTUNE
[Okay everyone, we all know that we can't actually go home until we fix Hanno right?]
[...]
[Personally, I think he's been doing excellent work but I don't think society will agree with me.]
[We're going to need to figure something out.]
[The answer is simple, we just need to retrieve The R.A.G. it'll fix everything. Probably.]
[That or we could opt for world domination. We could always create a world he can exist in. The Republic of Bottletoria.]
[I'm kidding, get the damn curio.]
[As we all know, I am incredibly sharp, my methods are perfection personified, and I am as trustworthy as they come.]
[That's why all my graces have determined that I can count on you.]
[That's right, my faith has been in all of you from the very beginning.]
[Don't make me wrong.]
Right then,
The Situation Room is waiting, head over when you're ready:
****** Total Training:
Tailoring +419
Archaeology +389 +36 = 425
Power Sports +48 +34 = 82
Fine Sports +49 +37 = 86
Acrobatics +45
Culinary +339 +29 = 368
Carpentry +297
Medicine +44
Cultivation +34
Society +46
****** Politics Tracker: (set to negative level 1) Eyebeams of the Crocoflyer:
-Fine Sports
-Blacksmithing
-Society
-Beastiology
-Cultism
-Theatrics Claws of the Crocoflyer:
-Fine Sports
-Blacksmithing
-Society
-Acrobatics
-Cultivation
-Naturalism
****** Card Tests:
Wings of the Crocoflyer: <Cleared>
1d100 per level
Current Checks and Level:
-Fine Sports, 2 = 26 -106 = +80
-Tailoring, 2 = 162 -479 = +317
-Linguistics, 2 = 119 -263 = +144
-Power Sports = 82 -387 = +305
-Cultivation = 56 -219 = +163
-Archaeology = 44 -445 = +401
Total Bottle Energy: +1410
****** Final Total Energy Report: +1410 !
****** Bottles Created:
N/A
****** Errata:
Politics buffed: Plu thought: wiping something that someone else trained to face would feel bad.
So, the wipe will set the challenge expertise to a negative level so the team's training total can still benefit against the challenge.
****** San Delusions?
* Hanno's a bottle.
Glam's planning an exit strategy.
******
The Situation Room:
Glam Says:
Right then, welcome to the situation room, or as I like to call it these days, looking out the window.
[The sounds of roars, explosions, and chaos continue be heard all over the base as an air raid siren goes off.]
As you're well aware, we're still currently engaged with The Crocoflyer.
And, The Eyebeams and The Claws still need a strategy.
Though I said engaged, the word almost doesn't seem the right for this, overall the bottles have been handling it like an ordinary rainy day.
Still, we shouldn't get complacent.
Let's wrap this up, I need that R.A.G. for reasons.
Remember:
The Random Adversial Generator is in the Crocoflyer's tail. For all this to be over, we'll need to retrieve it. Of course, The Crocoflyer is guarding it, so that'll be the last card we deal with to close out shop. It's going to continue to run as we work to try and trip us up, so work fast and work sharp. You're used to this. Show it what you can do.
1 card will test us each round. Don't forget we have 3 stocks. We can take a hit. Plan if you need to.
The forecast calls for more Crocoflyer for the foreseeable future.
That should cover it.
Over.
THE CROCOFLYER
BOTTLE SEEKING SCOUTING REPORT
Level 1
Revealed:
Claws of the Crocoflyer:
-Society (lost then regained this round) =44
-Naturalism = 71
-Power Sports = 50
-Fine Sports -1
-Acrobatics (lost then regained this round) =63
-Cultivation (lost then regained this round) = 7
-Blacksmithing -1
Eyebeams of the Crocoflyer:
It has eyebeams. How can we deal with it?
1d100 per level
Current Checks and Level:
-Cultism -1
-Society -1
-Beastiology -1
-Fine Sports -1
-Theatrics -1
-Power Sports
-Cultivation
-Tailoring
-Blacksmithing -1
-Acrobatics
-Artificing
-Engineering
Wings of the Crocoflyer
It has massive wings How can we deal with it?
<WE DEALT WITH IT SOMEHOW>
Claws of the Crocoflyer:
Crocoflyer got claws. How can we deal with it?
1d100 per level
Current Checks and Level:
-Society (lost then regained this round)
-Naturalism
-Power Sports
-Fine Sports -1
-Acrobatics (lost then regained this round)
-Cultivation (lost then regained this round)
-Blacksmithing -1
Random Adversial Generator (Tail)
This is the final card. It will appear last.
Passive: Learning Engine: Absorb challenges and levels of other cleared cards. Passive: Fabricate: Adds 3 category rolls per round to all cards. Passive: Refine: Adds +1 level to all expertises on this card per round.
1d25 per level
Current Checks and Level:
-Power Sports, 3
-Carpentry 2
-Archaeology, 3
-Fine Sports, 3
-Tailoring, 3
-Linguistics, 3
-Cultivation 2
Glam Support <Positive>
Mid-Dark Crisis:
Grants players the Mid-Dark Crisis ability.
Passive Training:
Glam is personally raising all bottle training by 10, each round.
Current Training Score:
Challenge Categories & Bottle Expertise Rating:
*Labors:
Acrobatics: 101
Fine Sports: 106
Power Sports: 387
Fine Art: 20
Theatrics: 112
*Crafts:
Artificing: 20
Blacksmithing: 20
Carpentry: 432
Cultivation: 219
Tailoring: 479
*Knowledges:
Archaeology: 445
Beastiology: 51
Cultism: 69
Engineering: 20
Linguistics: 263
Naturalism: 81
Society: 66
***Special Support Types:
*Impact-types: (Upgrades at 50 points)
Physique: +1d3 to training all Labor Models per level. <Lvl 0 = 20/50>
Architecture: +1d3 to training all Craft Models per level. <Lvl 0 = 20/50>
Academia: +1d3 to training all Knowledge Models per level. <Lvl 0 = 20/50>
Mentalism: +1d3 to training all Support Models per level. <Lvl 0 = 20/50>
Esthetics: -20 SP cost to Glamdark Proposals per upgrade level. <Lvl 0 = 20/50>
Culinary: +10 Player SP regen per upgrade level. <Lvl 12 = 604/50>
Commerce: +50 Team Energy regen per upgrade level. <Lvl 0 = 20/50>
Seeking: Improves the Scouting Report. +1 challenge pre-rolled per upgrade level. <Lvl 1 = 86/50>
*Ability-types: (Upgrades at 50 points) (If an ability reaches negative, gain SP when used)
Music: for 30SP, Roll 1d3. On a 3 each Player may choose to lose one San-Delusion. <Lvl 0 = 20/50>
Medicine: for 50SP, you can remove a San-Delusion from yourself or an ally. <Lvl 1 = 64/50>
Politics: for 100SP you may negate one upcoming challenge card. <Lvl 1 = 86/50>
Voyaging: for 50SP you may create a card with 1d3 expertise(s) of your choice. <Lvl 0 = 20/50>
Crime: for 50 SP one upcoming bottle challenge of your choice will be halved. <Lvl 0 = 20/50>
Games: for 100SP, exchange one San-Delusion for another of your choice. <Lvl 0 = 20/50>
Bottle Suit: You believe you are a bottle. (Requires Goose egg)
-You may roll Advantage when training bottles with your Specialty. Or, You may count 7 rolls as explosions, your choice.
-Training all Specialties is now double the SP cost.
Player Options:
Each round or intermission, players may…
Note: purchases are resolved in the numbered order.
1)
Train the Bottles in a Expertise: (10SP per 1d10)
-Players can spend 10SP to roll one 1d10 for the expertise(s) of their choice.
-Players can buy as many dice as their SP allows.
-On a 10-roll, the dice explodes.
2)
Specialize in an expertise: (50SP per 1d5)
-Choose an expertise and Roll 1d5.
-Permanently gain the result's amount of bonus rolls when training bottles in this expertise.
-Players can buy as many dice as their SP allows.
-This can stack infinitely.
-Takes effect the round after purchase.
+Bottle Design! The first time you specialize in an expertise you'll receive a new personal bottle model for it. (Roleplay)
-You may name the bottle model and decide its personality-type if you wish. Glam can also decide. (Roleplay)
-New specializations can give you new bottle variants, or you can contribute it to expand the capabilities of your first model. Your choice. (Roleplay)
3)
Submit a Proposal to Glamdark: (100SP)
Management Request:
Glamdark naturally and randomly comes up with management decisions each cycle and most of them are not very good. You may guide Glamdark towards certain challenges by managing projects yourself. Pick an option:
A: Choose an expertise. That expertise may be applied to all available cards next round.
B: Choose up to 3 cards on the board. They will be selected next round.
4)
Special Bottle Actions: (Various SP costs)
-Some bottles will create new abilities to be utilized.
-This will be updated as the story proceeds.
Politics 1: for 100SP you may negate one upcoming challenge card.
* If the card is a Crocoflyer Card, You may remove 3 expertises from its list. (Plu note: This turns them to level negative 1)
Medicine 1: for 50SP, you can remove a San-Delusion from yourself or an ally.
Mid-Dark Crisis:
-Permanently sacrifice 1d3 expertise dice.
-You may apply all remaining expertise dice from all categories to training any expertise of your choice for this round.
-Your total specialization dice count for double this round when you do this.
San-Delusions: (Can occur at 35 or less SP) (1d14)
Phobia of X = Disadvantage when Training X.
Obsession of X = Advantage when Training X. Only obsessions may be selected.
Ability Fan = You must use at least one ability per round if you can afford it.
Shock Therapy = If you have a Phobia, you must roll it.
Super Team Player = Advantage on what others rolled on, Disadvantage on what they didn't.
Nerd = Training Knowledge-Types is half-cost per die. Labor is doubled.
Jock = Training Labor-types is half-cost per die. Knowledge is doubled.
Glamenomics 1= After training bottles, roll 1d2. 1= half the result. 2= double the result.
Glamenomics 2 = After training bottles, roll 1d2. 1= half the result. 2= double the result.
Goose egg 1 = You’re okay, unless you hit zero or negative. If you did, you’re a bottle.
Goose egg 2 = You’re okay, unless you hit zero or negative. If you did, you’re a bottle.
Goose egg 3 = You’re okay, unless you hit zero or negative. If you did, you’re a bottle.
Goose egg 4 = You’re okay, unless you hit zero or negative. If you did, you’re a bottle.
Goose egg 5 = You’re okay, unless you hit zero or negative. If you did, you’re a bottle.
+320 SP
-10 SP on Training (Power Sports) -10 SP on Training (Cultivation) -10 SP on Training (Culinary) -80 SP on Training (Artificing) -80 SP on Training (Blacksmithing) -70 SP on Training (Bestiology) -60 SP on Training (Engineering) +30 on Power Sports Expertise +39 on Cultivation Expertise +32 on Culinary Expertise +47 on Artificing Expertise +44 on Blacksmithing Expertise +50 on Bestiology Expertise +23 on Engineering Expertise
@Glamora Dark's compliments only enhanced Hanno and the fellow Bottles, that pushed forward, spreading their knowledges, teamwork, and muscles...
And seeing that those eyebeams were going to be an issue for a while, the smartest of the bottles prepared the perfect eyebeam deflecting machination, that was essentially a large vehicle with the most polished shield anyone has ever seen. It almost looked like a mirror, shining and reflecting light... And hopefully it would be enough to counter attack the Flying Reptile!
But for that, they needed to carry it, and Hanno was there, pulling the giant machine by chains with the other bottles.
"OKAY BUDDIES... AGAIN!"
!!!
They continued to pull it!
"HEY HO!"
[glass chanting]
And it moved, and moved, and moved, until it was about to reach its destination!
"HEEEY HOO!"
[glass chanting]
With an overwhelming effort, the Bottles managed to get the machine at the right direction... Now... It was only a matter of time to wait for the beast to come, so they would put their plan into action!
Round Starting SP: 330
-320 SP on Training
Round Ending SP: 10
Current San-Delusions:
Goose egg 1 = You're okay, unless you hit zero or negative. If you did, you're a bottle.
Current Specialized Expertises:
Power Sports: 4 dice
Cultivation: 5 dice
Culinary: 3 dice
Training Roll Results:
Roll Result
5d10 (7 + 7 + 7 + 8 + 1) = 30 Training Bottles: Power Sports| Hanno Futaba | 2059C6 (Advantage)
Roll Result
6d10 (3 + 5 + 8 + 9 + 4 + 10) = 39 Training Bottles: Cultivation | Hanno Futaba | 2059C6 (Advantage)
Roll Result
4d10 (10 + 10 + 9 + 3) = 32 Training Bottles: Culinary | Hanno Futaba | 2059C6 (Advantage)
Roll Result
8d10 (7 + 8 + 4 + 5 + 4 + 7 + 9 + 3) = 47 Training Bottles: Artificing | Hanno Futaba | 2059C6
Roll Result
8d10 (5 + 5 + 6 + 2 + 9 + 5 + 6 + 6) = 44 Training Bottles: Blacksmithing | Hanno Futaba | 2059C6
Roll Result
7d10 (7 + 7 + 5 + 6 + 8 + 8 + 9) = 50 Training Bottles: Bestiology | Hanno Futaba | 2059C6
Roll Result
6d10 (1 + 3 + 3 + 10 + 2 + 4) = 23 Training Bottles: Engineering | Hanno Futaba | 2059C6
+320 SP regen +43 to Fine Sports +54 to Naturalism
"Uh, I mean, yeah sure."
The woman shrugged at the current situation, especially about the bit that the thing in the crocoflyer's tail could get rid of the bottlefication condition from Hanno.
"Next thing you're telling me is that the Random Macguffin Generator can solve world hunger." She walked off to find the bottle minions.
"Alright, listen up." After ushering all the bottles into the library, she stood near the door, before announcing. "I'm just gonna lock all of you in this small library, I'll open this up in an hour."
And then Lune left, deciding to power nap on the nearby couch.
Round Starting SP: 180
+320 SP regen -100 SP for Fine Sports Specialization -100 SP for Naturalism Specialization -10 SP for Fine Sports Training -10 SP for Naturalism Training
+100 SP from Base +120 SP from Culinary Lvl.12 +100 SP from Emergency Bonus
-80 SP on Training -80 SP on Training -80 SP on Training -80 SP on Training
+55 on Expertise +58 on Expertise +62 on Expertise +41 on Expertise
Part of her wondered if they should’ve been concerned about how seemingly normal the constant roars, explosions, and the never ending raid siren had become for their base. "It's a bit annoying that we can't just snipe the RAG from its tail." Why the crocoflyer was guarding it so vehemently eluded the elf, not to mention how the damn thing even got its claws on it in the first place.
Fingers parted the blinds of the Situation Room just enough to catch a glimpse of a teal-haired bottle outside, if Hanno was at all bothered about his current physical state it certainly didn’t show with the effortless way he was managing his bottalion out there. "... looks like he’s having fun, at least?" They still had to fix it of course, and one of her own bottles had found an interesting passage in a book that might help… but perhaps it could wait a little bit longer? Speaking of books…
"Wait up, unnie!" She certainly knew jackshit about engineering and stuff, but the blonde was confident in her bottle’s linguistic abilities to figure shit out on their own by now. "These guys also need some book time."
A small portion of her crew was kept in the kitchen though, cranking out food and beverages to keep energies high all around.
At this point, FORTUNE had started wearing ear plugs, due to all the air raid sirens going on at all hours of the day. And night. And honestly, non-stop and if she hadn't lost her hearing from work yet, she was almost certain she'd lost it thanks to all the commotion going on outside now.
"CAN YOU SPEAK UP!?" FORTUNE said in her 100% normal voice, and not at all super loud because she couldn't hear anything. Glam still sounded like she was being muffled and gagged by something...Oh, did she have a guest? A boyfriend? A girlfriend? Ah, best not to speculate.
"OKAY, WHATEVER BOTTLES ARE LEFT, COME WITH ME. ITS TRAINING TIME!"
At this point, victory was a foregone conclusion. But what was the price of victory? Glamora Dark would ruminate on such a thing in the future.
But the future was the future. And so, for now, this is what Glamora saw...
I AM SPEAKING UP. NOW I'M SHOUTING. ARE YOU HAPPY NOW. I HOPE YOU ARE VERY HAPPY THAT I AM SHOUTING.
Okay, everyone, it's time for our next scheduled meeting. Thing may be a little hard to hear on account of the giant monster blowing everything up, but I assure you we're all doing a-okay.
And yes, The R.A.G. could solve world hunger, but would you really want to eat anything from the oven that's made everything we've encountered so far? Be my guest.
---Anyway. So as for our progress... hmmmmm~?
The briefing was cut short by a question asked by none other than Glamora Dark herself. And that question, which she struggled to put into words above a whisper, was...
Where did the roof go?
The roof was gone. It was gone but it could not have gone anywhere of its own volition. So perhaps, it would be more accurate to say, the roof was lifted. The roof was lifted and it was also dangling.
Gazing at the detached roof above her, Glamora easily found the culprit. It was the massive Crocoflyer. It had torn off the roof like an afterschool treat and was now gazing down upon her from above as she sat in the briefing room.
I'm pretty sure that's against the rules.
<*Chomp*>
And so Glamora Dark was eaten in a single gulp. If your coms were open, you surely heard a message shortly after.
Well this complicates matters.
And, I can't see a thing.
No, it's not dark or anything. In fact, it's bright. Too bright. It's like neon florescent rainbow rigatoni.
I'm feeling dizzy so I'll just shut my eyes for a bit and keep talking... nope still seeing it with my eyes closed.
Remember everything I taught you. Because if you don't, I'm dead.
What followed was a battle that none would believe ever happened.
Out in the middle of nowhere, on the border of fact and fiction, the bottles marched against an impossible beast.
And at the forefront were their brave commanders.
The beast, surely, never stood a chance.
Brawney Knight Bottles wrestled and flexed The Crocoflyer into place.
And as a claw came to dewrestle them, it was suddenly stopped by the litigation of a mysterious bottle law firm.
Foxbottles liberated snacks.
Fashinista bottles strutted.
And a certain contingent of bottles were already brewing up for the after party.
All moved in unity as the little cloud gazer bottles filled in the gaps.
And in time, The Crocoflyer ran out of energy leaving only the box in its tail remaining.
All thanks to the group’s final big effort manning a rather large machine of mysterious make.
***
The box sat in the middle of a base that was shaky but still somehow still standing.
Perhaps you were gathered here. If you were, you would likely see a crowd of bottles and your fellow commanders as well. Glamora Dark was here too with a complicated expression.
“It says number 35.” Glamdark said flatly. “That means there are either at least 34 more of these things out there, or that the maker of this thing really likes that number. After everything we’ve been through, I think both have an annoying amount of equal possibility.”
Glamora raised her hand in a quiet command as her own personal bottle retinue moved into action.
“Wait”
She hissed, as the bottle began to rumble more.
“It didn’t have enough energy, so now it’s just making more instead. It’s regenerating. We’re going to have to act fast—-”
Too late. A bright flash of light ensued to reveal the new Crocoflyer.
It was the size of a toaster. It kind of looked like one too.
Glamora’s bottles once again sprang into action forming a circle around the device, as she began a dark ritual to seal it.
It seemed to be working. Or, it would have, only right then The Crocoflyer Toaster fired a couple of slices of bread at a speed that would break the sound barrier. A portion of the ritual’s runes broke as the bread made its way skyward into the distance.
“It’s going to make more bread.”
Glamora growled as the runes began to fill in the gap.
There just wasn’t enough energy. She hadn’t been able to gather enough to contain it.
—That was when everyone’s bottles stepped in. Without a word. Without orders. But to fulfill the expectations of their great teachers.
They were bottlecalled now.
And the bottlecalled linked hands and a deep hum began from the bottles resonating their magic.
Countless experiences, equations, feelings, and raw knowledge filled in the rune diagram. More than Glamdark could ever dream of experiencing reinforced the ritual.
--And that was just the ticket.
The Crocoflyer Toaster fired again, but this time the bread broke into delicious croutons on impact and the ritual held.
Glamdark pretended not to notice what was happening. She silently honored their resolve as she finished the ritual.
“I, Glamora Dark, stand as witness to the expedition’s grand victory and thus declare it over.”
“...”
“Be sealed.”
There was a sound like crackling fireworks as the ritual field of dark runes collapsed inward and then ceased. The Crocoflyer Toaster sat still. The witch sighed in annoyed relief.
Looking around her, she saw no bottles remained.
Well, there was Hanno. But whether he counted was a matter for philosophy, not attendance.
The rest, were surely gone.
“...”
The Crocoflyer Toaster sat on its side.
Glamdark approached it and regarded it there.
She righted it upward with the heel of her boot.
This wasn’t what she’d come for. She’d lost her precious time, resources, and most of all her patience.
"..."
".."
"."
She picked up The Crocoflyer Toaster. And then, she pressed down on the toaster button.
*Ping!*
Two bagels emerged at normal speeds.
If you looked closely, they were engraved, like records with delicious toasty lines.
Glamora Dark conjured bottles with one hand alternating between doing so and making more record bagels out of The Crocoflyer Toaster.
There was one to match for each of the expedition members by the time she was finished.
Snapping her fingers, the bagels began to spin atop each of the bottle stoppers as the bottles hummed absorbing the magical information.
Then, each bottle stood at attention as its bagel record crumbled.
The one you recognized best walked towards you awaiting orders as if nothing had happened.
“...right.”
Glamora Dark spoke. Then, she sighed, as she adjusted her hair.
“I had planned to reward you with what we found, but as you can see—”
Glamdark held up the Crocoflyer Toaster as it flapped, then taking a rope, she fashioned a leash for it and tied it to her wrist.
“---We didn’t wind up with much. Certainly not an all powerful artifact that can make anything our hearts desire, unless your only desire is slightly overcooked toast.”
Glamdark looked down at the bottles.
“Thankfully, through my genius I was able to perform a little bit of a data recovery so I’ll just leave you with the bottle model you trained and we’ll call that settled. Take good care of them, or I can take care of it for you, I guess.”
Letting The Crocoflyer Toaster out of her hands, it flapped around her as the witch’s face made a rather complex expression.
“I’m tired, let's go home.”
She started to walk.
“Oh and Hanno, hurry up and turn back to normal.”
Snapping her fingers The Crocoflyer Toaster went *ding* and popped out a gingerbread Hanno cookie into the air.
Catching it, Glamora Dark got a feel for its weight, then turning, she gave the cookie an underhand pitch at Bottle-Hanno, to an accompanying flash of light.
As the group walked they reminisced and chatted as Glamdark held a couple fingers to her forehead to nurse a headache as she none-the-less had fun in spite of herself.
As their shadows grew long, in the distance, the base slowly began to fade away---becoming glittering mana free to explore the skies on liberated winds.
