Lake Monsters

[Quakerlol]

==> Lament.

Okay, you really think you will. She really had no reason to go off on you like that, after all. You have been nothing but helpful to her this entire time! You have given her everything that she could possibly need. You found everything out beforehand, and told her exactly what she needed to do! And yet she, as ALWAYS, just decided to flip out at you for no reason, even though you gave her EVERY REASON not to! Besides, she has no justification for her claims that you are being unhelpful. You guided her every step of the way!You told her time and again why you couldn't tell her everything! You always told her exactly what she needed to do, and she stubbornly refused to listen like an infuriating, arrogant, pigheaded lowblo-

Wow. You sound like an absolute bitch. Aruale was right. You have been arrogant.. You have been controlling and manipulative. Since when has she ever liked being ordered around? That's one of the qualities that drew you to her in the first place: most other trolls were intimidated by your blood, while she could care less. You have deliberately kept her in the dark about things that quite frankly you should have told her. There's really no reason why you didn't tell her about some things. Looking back, you didn't tell her things because you enjoyed being in a position of power over her. You liked the feeling of knowing more than anyone, even your best friend. You were enjoying being mysterious, and being the only one in the loop. It made you feel special and powerful. It was a really dumb idea.

Sweet mother grub, you are the dumbest troll on all of Alternia.

==> Proceed with the next phase of the plan (you have a plan, right?).

Of course you do, but that plan hinges entirely on Aruale's cooperation. You suppose that you could send the program to the others, but right now you don't want to anything but wallow in sadness and listen to sad lady-music because you are such a jerk and you just ruined your best friendship. Ugh. Stupid stupid stupid. Stupid stupid dumb dumb.

[Radiodragon]

==> Gee that's really sad. You wanna know what else is really sad? Getting crushed by a Meteor! Get on with the plan.

[Quakerlol]

==> Gee that's really sad. You wanna know what else is really sad? Getting crushed by a Meteor! Get on with the plan.

Okay command console, you know what? You have had it up to HERE with people pushing you around, and you quite frankly do not have time to listen to oh hey someone's trolling you.

herobound.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=pester&thread=38

That actually went much better than expected. For a minute there, you were reminded of the good old days. It was like everything was normal between the two of you again, falling back on dumb jokes like 'times infinity.' The best thing is, now you can actually get on with the plan.

You prepare the PRE-PUNCHED CARD that you deployed, and hover your cursor over the CRUXTRUDER. Now it's in Aruale's hands.

[Shipfish]

==> Think through the plan. I never hurts to review your strategy!

[Quakerlol]

==> Think through the plan. It never hurts to review your strategy!

Okay, strategy is good. Trouble is, you don't have much of one. So far the dream oracles have only revealed so much to you, and most of that has been for the facilitation of everyone's entrance into the Medium. There's been some other things, but you have no idea what they mean. Beds of stone? A checkered planet? They make no sense to you, and you are pretty sure they never will, nor will they ever be very important. No, all the planning that you have been doing for the past few perigees culminates in this day, and everything after that will be winging it. After all, even you don't really know what the deal is with the Medium. You've seen yourself climbing the echeladder and fighting monsters there, but you have no idea what else it's for. Thus, the plan completely revolves around orchestrating the player/client chain. Nothing else. You suppose that it will be refreshing to do something that you don't know is predestined for a while.

Hey look, Aruale's on the porch. Great, now you can get all this started.

((then some stuff happens and Aruale enters the Medium, go read the other darned thread, I'm lazy.))

Excellent. Now the rest of the plan can commence.

[Shipfish]

==> Oh you unplanned plan planless planner. (< sentence that is grammatically correct)
Perhaps you should get that pesterlog that you have already done completed? Or perhaps just run around. Idk at this point.

[Quakerlol]

==> Perhaps you should get that pesterlog that you have already done completed?

What pesterlog? That doesn't make any sense. If you had already done it, why would you need to complete it? That's ridiculous. As you are thinking about how ridiculous that command was your computer beeps at you, telling you that Kyanas is online and you can begin. Lovely.

-- sadisticSylph [SS] began pestering salientStrategist [SS] at 20:27 --
[08:27] SS: Kyanaz
[08:28] SS: Lerena
[08:28] SS: Are you prepared?
[08:28] SS: I suuppose so.
[08:28] SS: Good.
[08:28] SS: I have already run the client program.
[08:28] SS: Now I need you to run the zerver program.
[08:28] SS: I shall.
[08:29] SS: What do I do after that? It seems to be taking a while.
[08:29] SS: After that, you will need to open the Phernalia
[08:29] SS: And deploy certain itemz
[08:30] SS: Ah
[08:30] SS: You will know which onez they are becauze they require no grizt to deploy
[08:30] SS: I'll do that.
[08:30] SS: So what's grist then?
[08:31] SS: It iz the raw material for building thingz in the game
[08:31] SS: Interesting.
[08:31] SS: Az I underztand it, we will all be doing a fair amount of building
[08:31] SS: Can yyou trade it or does it stayy with one playyer the entire time?
[08:32] SS: I'm not entirely zure
[08:32] SS: I am not omnizcient, after all
[08:32] SS: Alzo I am not very good with the technical azpectz of gamez
[08:32] SS: That'z more Aruale'z department
[08:32] SS: Ha, if onlyy. I will look it up. There mayy be more information on the matter.
[08:32] SS: I doubt that
[08:33] SS: One never knows.
[08:33] SS: To my knowledge, I have the only copy of the game
[08:33] SS: True
[08:33] SS: If you find any other playerz, pleaze do let me know
[08:33] SS: They may know zomething that we do not.
[08:33] SS: I will.
[08:34] SS: The program has about two minutes left, let me look up this grist item before we playy.
[08:34] SS: Very well
[08:34] SS: I need to go check on my luzuz, one moment pleaze.

You can't start the game until you know the fate of your lusus at the moment. Of course you know what will happen to him, you just don't know when.

You swim out of the hive to check on him. He should be somewhere on the surface by now, either flying around looking for food or swimming around looking for food. He's probably flying, though. He does like doing that. Sure enough, you see a trail of purple drifting down from the surface. Great.

You follow the trail, making sure none of it gets on your clothes. It's really quite beautiful, a feathery thread gently falling down from the sky. Too bad you know what it is. He's on the surface, looking like a serene white cloud from far away. A cloud that rains purple, apparently. As you get closer the cloud resolves into a tangled mishmash of creatures, with claws and paws and wings and a tail. It also has a hole through the middle. You do not know what caused it, but as your head breaks the lake's surface you smell ozone. You look up and see atmospheric discharges, likely caused by the meteor shower. Ah.

You grab one of his limp paws and drag his lifeless body down to your hive, pinning one of his wings under a rock so he doesn't float away. You're going to be needing him in a bit.

[08:36] SS: I am back.
[08:36] SS: Alright, the loading is nearlyy done.
[08:36] SS: Lovely.
[08:36] SS: Iz there anything that you wizh to know about the game before we ztart?
[08:36] SS: Also, I found something called "Gristtorrent."
[08:37] SS: Hmm
[08:37] SS: What iz that?
[08:37] SS: I think it is a wayy for people to share grist reserves, siimilar to anyy torrent program.
[08:37] SS: I think it is a hack for yyour game.
[08:37] SS: I admit that I am not very familiar with programz and the like
[08:37] SS: Zo I will take your word for it.
[08:39] SS: Well, I will download it once the siillyy thing finishes spinning.
[08:39] SS: I am intrigued az to how the game could be hacked
[08:39] SS: Ah yez, the zpirograph
[08:39] SS: Entrancing, isn't it?
[08:39] SS: I find it a calming image, to be zure.
[08:39] SS: Ah! Done.
[08:39] SS: Excellent.
[08:40] SS: So I should deployy... er.
[08:40] SS: The Cruxtruder? And totem lathe and suuch?
[08:40] SS: Can you zee me?
[08:40] SS: Yyes.
[08:40] SS: Oddlyy.
[08:40] SS: Lovely!
[08:40] SS: And yez.
[08:40] SS: That iz a necezzary thing for the game.
[08:41] SS: I will need the cruxtruder, totem lathe, alchemiter, and pre-punched card.
[08:41] SS: Does it matter if yyou can't reach them? I have a mind to put them all in the corner over there.
[08:41] SS: I would prefer to be able to reach them
[08:41] SS: I will need to manipulate them, after all
[08:45] SS: Pleaze put them cloze to each other and zomewhere where I can reach them
[08:46] SS: I will just put the big squuare one over here in this corner, and the other ones against the wall.
[08:46] SS: Oh, another squuare one.
[08:46] SS: Jegus.
[08:46] SS: Oh dear
[08:46] SS: Not enough room.
[08:46] SS: Pleaze don't obztruct any entrancez.
[08:46] SS: You could alwayz put them outzide on the zeafloor, you know
[08:46] SS: Er, I'll tryy.
[08:47] SS: Heyy, there's a plan.
[08:47] SS: There yyou go.
[08:47] SS: Lovely.
[08:48] SS: So what next?
[08:48] SS: Can you be zo kind az to break the top off of the cruxtruder?
[08:48] SS: With what?
[08:48] SS: It zhould require zome zort of heavy object.
[08:48] SS: I uzed a log for Aruale.
[08:49] SS: Plentyy of rocks around here, I'll just use one of those
[08:49] SS: And, there yyou have it.
[08:49] SS: Shinyy.
[08:49] SS: Excellent.
[08:49] SS: Yez, the kernelzprite.
[08:49] SS: Allow me to get zomething to prototype it with
[08:49] SS: Wait for juzt a moment.
[08:49] SS: Alright.

You swim out back and pull the rock up from your lusus' wing, freeing his body. You grab him by a horn and pull him toward the kernelsprite.

[08:50] SS: Lerena is that a lusuus? YYour lusuus?
[08:50] SS: Yez, actually
[08:51] SS: How did you know it waz mine?
[08:51] SS: Interesting.
[08:51] SS: I guessed.
[08:51] SS: Remarkably aztute
[08:52] SS: Not reallyy, It matches yyour text color and trolls normallyy used a close relative to their blood color for their text.
[08:52] SS: Also yyou live underwater.
[08:52] SS: Also I have never seen or read about that tyype of creature before.
[08:52] SS: True
[08:52] SS: He iz a draconequuz
[08:52] SS: Very rare
[08:52] SS: Very annoying
[08:53] SS: I have my doubtz az to how uzeful he will be az a guide.
[08:53] SS: He looks fearsome.
[08:53] SS: Er, looked.
[08:54] SS: He waz moztly juzt a harmlezz prankzter

You toss his body into the sprite. It flashes, and a sprite resolves itself. It is a bright purple, somewhat distorted by the water. It looks just like him. You are looking forward to talking to him.

[08:54] SS: There we go.
[08:54] SS: He will be fine now.
[08:55] SS: An interesting development.
[08:55] SS: Thiz iz what'z known az prototyping
[08:55] SS: One muzt do it in order to advance
[08:55] SS: And for the battlefield to continue to be a challenge
[08:56] SS: It is rather more... visceral than the guide described.
[08:56] SS: Hmm?
[08:56] SS: And do tell me about this battlefield place.
[08:56] SS: Guide?
[08:56] SS: I don't know too much
[08:56] SS: I believe that it iz chezz-themed
[08:56] SS: Other than that, i know abzolutely nothing
[08:56] SS: Zadly, not omnipotent
[08:57] SS: I helped Aruale figure out what to do with her kernelsprite, and it mentioned prototyyping.
[08:57] SS: Ah yez
[08:57] SS: Zhe zuccezzfully prototyped her luzuz with her zprite
[08:58] SS: We all will, all but one
[08:58] SS: Eh? I was led to believe it was rather the point of the game to have yyour lusuus as a sprite.
[08:58] SS: Well
[08:58] SS: I do not know how
[08:58] SS: Or why
[08:59] SS: But one of uz will not have a zprite-luzuz
[08:59] SS: That iz all I know
[09:00] SS: Stebia saaid Kratus does not have a lusuus. have I mentioned that I got Stebia to tell me Myysteryy Troll's name?
[09:00] SS: Kratuz?
[09:00] SS: Iz that the name of the myztery troll?
[09:00] SS: YYes.
[09:00] SS: Well done then.
[09:00] SS: Thanks.
[09:00] SS: I zuppoze that could be why.
[09:01] SS: I will need to enter the Medium now.
[09:01] SS: Here iz the client program
[09:01] SS: Alright then.
[03:33] -- sadisticSylph [SS] sent file sgrub.exe to salientStrategist [SS] at 15:33 --
[09:01] SS: Perhapz you zhould contact Izaard and zend him the zerver program
[09:02] SS: I will do that as soon as possiible.
[09:02] SS: Wonderful.
[09:02] SS: Will yyou requuire anyy more assiistance?
[09:02] SS: I do not believe zo
[09:02] SS: I will enter the Medium now, thank you
[09:02] SS: I will troll you if anything comez up
[09:03] SS: It is rather fun manipulating yyour environment.
[09:03] SS: Don't hezitate to azk me any queztionz you might have
[09:03] SS: And pleaze don't wazte grizt on frivolouz thingz
[09:03] SS: But, goodbyye I suuppose.
[09:03] SS: I will replenizh it zoon enough
[09:03] SS: Goodbye
[09:03] SS: I will troll yyou soon, I think, to understand what the Medium is.
[09:03] SS: And I won't.
[09:03] SS: Goodbye.
-- sadisticSylph [SS] ceased pestering salientStrategist [SS] at 21:03 --

Well, everything is in place. Now what?

[Radiodragon]

==> Get trolled by Isaard.

[Quakerlol]

==> Get trolled by Isaard.

Your husktop beeps, signaling that you are being trolled. Whale, look who decided to participate.

herobound.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=pester&action=display&thread=45

Your computer exploded. Of course it did. That nookwhiffing bone-bulge-lacking GRUBFUCKER. You proceed to yell inside your head for a few minutes. The temperature of the air around you rises slightly.

You feel the touch of a claw on your shoulder, and look up to see your prototyped lusus smiling at you.

DISCORDSPRITE: Are you alright there?
LERENA: No.
LERENA: No I am not alright.
LERENA: That azzhole juzt blew up my computer, in caze you hadn't noticed.
DISCORDSPRITE: I did notice.
DISCORDSPRITE: Quite imprezzive, if you ask me!
DISCORDSPRITE: I detect a good bit of chaoz in the young man.
LERENA: You're really not helping.

You turn away from your lusus and take a deep breath. Now is not the time to get mad. Now is the time to get ready for the game and to advance as quickly as possible so that the others can get in as well. You briefly consider changing the chain of connections so that Isaard is last, and then never sending the server program to Aruale, but you abandon that plan quickly. It would only inspire mutiny among the others. Besides, if you're going to make him pay, you would rather do it yourself.

Well that was an unpleasant distraction. What should you do now?

[Radiodragon]

==> I don't think I have to remind you about the incoming meteors? You should really get into the medium now.

[Quakerlol]

==> I don't think I have to remind you about the incoming meteors? You should really get into the medium now.

Okay, yes. The command console is right. You need to take a deep breath and ignore the feelings of displeasure that threaten to distract you. Nope. No feelings now.

The first order of business is your computer. That imbecile destroyed the computer that you were using to connect to Aruale. Luckily, you backed up copies of the software onto one of your others. It sure is a good thing that you're rich and have the wherewithal to have several computers, otherwise this would have posed a major problem. You add lack of foresight to the growing list of Isaard's failings.

You boot up the server software on your spare husktop and connect to Aruale. She seems to be destroying imps now. Her GRIST CACHE is overflowing, running off into the GRIST GUTTER. Excellent. If only there was some way to share grist among players. If you knew anything about computers, you might have searched the Internet for some sort of torrenting program, but you did not think of this.

Trollian is beeping at you. Aruale seems to have left you a message while you were fuming over the destruction of your computer.

[09:15]-- anonymousWavelength [AW] began pestering sadisticSylph [SS] at 09:15 --

[09:02] AW: hey
[09:02] AW: uh
[09:02] AW: i'm in the medium
[09:02] AW: stuff seems to be on fire
[09:02] AW: a)so i''m in a giant f)ower
[09:03] AW: don't know if that's norma)
[09:03] AW: anyway, it a)) worked out, so don't worry about me and stuff.
[09:03] AW: okay, bye i guerss

[09:03] -- anonymousWavelength [AW] ceased pestering sadisticSylph [SS] at 09:03 --

Well, that was extremely considerate of her. You look at the screen again, zooming out. Stuff does indeed seem to be on fire. You suppose that this is a normal part of the game. It was sweet of her to think of you worrying about her. You sort of feel bad about not doing so. Any good friend would have not wasted time talking to despicable characters and would have guided her through the first steps of the Medium. You continue to be a terrible friend.

Well, enough self-pity, it's time to save your race. You get a cruxite dowel, use the totem lathe and pre-punched card on it, stick it in the alchemiter, and make a doohickey. Um. It's some sort of... cylindrical canister? Oh look, something seems to be inflating. A balloon blows itself up and floats off of the nozzle of the canister, beginning to fly upwards through the water. Well drat.

You get one of your knives out and take careful aim. Your squint one eye and track the balloon's progress, throwing the knife with as much force as you can muster while taking into account its rate of rise and water resistance. Your aim is flawless, as always. The balloon bursts.

BAM.