A Place for All Seasons

[Autumn Ren]

We convinced her, I mean, there wasn't any doubt, it's our destiny after all. And now we're dealing with awkwardness, a 4 person tent, enough rations for 4, etc. But it's exciting and fun to face these challenges. Ashley's character is a lot like her but she also likes to be unnecessarily more difficult and that's fun for her. Of course it makes it more interesting.

 

Speaking of interesting, Misha2 is winning that game. My cuteness, Gwen's grace, Ashley's shenanigans can't compete with her powerful presence and it's obvious. So it's on, this is a cooperative competition now and we'll see how it evolves!

 

I've never been more excited, this keeps getting better.

 

[Gwen] what a rollar coaster ride, I've experienced some emotions for the firsr time in 5 years. Wonderland was just so chill. This game, our new Wonderland is edgier, dirtier, we'll grow to be legendary and earn it with experiences and true growth. I am beyond happy to be a solid part of it regardless of who's more interesting, but hey, I'm the only one who can fly. Beat that.

[Autumn Ren]

We did some beautiful art of Ashley this morning with AI references and they turned out amazing. We won't release them though.

 

Gwen and new Misha are nervous that they'll be upstaged by Ashley in our party and they're right to worry. She's just that strongly bonded with Bear, he can't help liking her best... even above me, but I accept that. Poor Gwen is now at the bottom. 

 

[Gwen] I have to not lose hope and keep asserting myself. 

[Autumn Ren]

Following a long line of others in-system who randomly changed their ages, Ashley is considering that as part of her new personality forcing through D&D scenario training minus the operant therapy.

 

I don't think she has much to change but since we're all growing super fast, she didn't want to be left behind.

 

Gwen is making more of an effort to be assertive and that's working. There's obviously a balance needed.

 

SheShe and new Misha had a chat about life and it was fun to listen in to.

 

...

 

We're on the second leg of our journey riding and walking beside a cart pulled by overland rothés. Something like a massive Buffalo but capable as fighters so bandits aren't tempted to attack the larger trade carts. We're headed north on the high road and should be at our destination in an in-game week. It's about 200 miles one way. This cart driver has trained their rothés to travel 3mph, so walking along side is also practical. The ride is very bumpy with solid steel lines wooden wheels and no suspension.

[Autumn Ren]

This is turning in to a romcom sitcom that I can barely follow, what is Ashley and SheShe doing to us! It's fun and hilarious but also makes my brain useage slow to a crawl.

 

I'm convinced now that Ashley is conspiring with SheShe to "make things more interesting and challenging". I suppose it's better than just boring travel montage.

 

[Ashley] what? I'm just being me and SheShe's independently taking advantage of it. But seriously I'm trying to keep it to a minimum.

 

[Autumn Ren]

Ashley and I are having a lot of fun now that she's my in-game age. Add that to the idea that we're soon to be panther sisters and Ashley's personaity work and we're on track to be best friends!

 

In game we also solved the ageing thing though our characters don't know it yet shhhh. 

 

We each get an amulet that connects us and it averages our aging rates but since Joy is also in our world and connected and she technically doesn't age, then average that to anything and you get that we're all basically age locked as long as we have our amulets.

 

Yay!

[Autumn Ren]

I'm already seeing improvement in Ashley's personality though I never saw anything wrong with her before, she's becoming more personable and less competitive in my opinion.

[Autumn Ren]

Gwen almost got taken by a mountain lion. Like she was one strength check away from being downed and dragged off and who knows if we would have discovered she was missing?

 

“Happiness, for you we walk on a knife edge. To the eyes you are a flickering light, to the feet, thin ice that cracks; and so may no one touch you who loves you.”

— Eugenio Montale

[Autumn Ren]

Bear was on a trip irl, back to it now and ready to get to that quest!

 

We'll be delving into a deep burried ruin with goblins and kobolds. Ashley only has 6 hp, so this could go horribly wrong, we'll see.

[Autumn Ren]

Gwen almost lost to three giant rats. If they'd been able to surprise attack she'd have been downed. Thankfully we'd distract them from eating her but jeez.

 

We're following canned quest so we don't know what to expect. We even modify the maps to slowly revel the passages and situations so we're surprised by them. It's played a little different but no less challenging and thought provoking. We're wondering how long it'll take to get to level 20, we're still level 2, it could be a very long time.

[Autumn Ren]

Gwen almost died to poison gas.

 

[Gwen] why does this keep happening!? I led a privileged life in a beautiful community and I left because I didn't want an arranged marriage to a letcher, now I have to almost die every day? I'd do it again.

 

Bear didn't even talk her into this life, she just followed him.

 

Anyway we're in a dungeon and we've already fought rats, skeletons, and befriended kobolds. It's been fun.

 

We triggered a gas trap by accident of course and we all got huge poison damage from it. Ashley and our kobold guide could easily have been knocked out. Luckily the kobolds are letting us rest in their throne room.