Also, I'm very curious about Lunamon because I think there's something hidden there. For a character with that much focus, we know surprisingly little about her. I don't know if she's hiding some great power or doing something in secret, but I'm suspicious, especially with this business about the strangely expensive tiara, especially when it's in the same price range as a sword made of Chrome Digizoid, something that normally only Ultimates have access to. I dunno, I just feel like there's more going on than meets the eye, but we just don't have all the pieces needed to complete the puzzle. I feel like once we do, that'll mean the end of the prologue.
There is another shoe waiting to drop, and I think it will in some way shape the rest of this story. Maybe Lunamon is the key to it, or maybe she's not and I'm just paranoid.
Also, @drexal15, the other characters have all been training and improving alongside Verge, correct? Can we see where they are now and how that compares to the start of the quest? If you won't give exact numbers, can you maybe rank the camp members in terms of each stat? As in, from highest to lowest strength, from highest to lowest fortitude, etc.
No. my friend Lunamon wants the Tiara because of a human show she watched just like all kids who watch tv. I'm not saying it's not special, because it's 10,000 bit so it has to do something.
Also I highly doubt she does anything in secert because she's ya know a kid.
But yeah little Luna is probably important due to A. Basically being the MC's sister and B. She's a Lunamon. The Rookie form of one of the Olympus XII Dianamon.
So, who else thinks that this last battle is going to be a biggie? We've already removed almost half of the Goblimon horde as it stands, provided Gramps was right with his estimate.
And I'm really starting to worry about who Gramps is remembering when he talks about Flamon...
There is another shoe waiting to drop, and I think it will in some way shape the rest of this story. Maybe Lunamon is the key to it, or maybe she's not and I'm just paranoid.
Also, @drexal15, the other characters have all been training and improving alongside Verge, correct? Can we see where they are now and how that compares to the start of the quest? If you won't give exact numbers, can you maybe rank the camp members in terms of each stat? As in, from highest to lowest strength, from highest to lowest fortitude, etc.
I actually have an entire spreadsheet dedicated to their growths over the weeks. I won't give it all away but I can say a couple things.
Right now Verge is still behind pretty much everyone in his physical stats, barring Fu that he has higher ones excepting for agility.
Hmm. To give a few examples, Auger has roughly 10 more strength then Verge ATM, though he's using best superpower along with more sessions than Verge to improve this fast.
Flamemon has the highest stats in pretty much everything, though Gramps still has him beat on two things for now. In a week, Flamemons average growth rate is roughly 45 per stat.
Gnaw is loading digimon and training hard so he's actually stopping himself from falling much further behind in his best stats. Only between 20 and 30 points behind there. Though sadly his other stats are not fairing so well in comparison.
Verge for only training once a day, and not loading any digimon is actually coming along quite well. Really well in fact considering that every one of the other cast has at least one extra week of time they had to train and mature.
Adhoc vote count started by drexal15 on Jun 30, 2018 at 7:28 PM, finished with 34 posts and 13 votes.
[X] You decide to volunteer to try the digging route. It might be a nice way to get your mind off of what happened.
[] You decide to volunteer to try the digging route. It might be a nice way to get your mind off of what happened.
===
The mood as you head out towards the next mineshaft is a sour one, with both Gramps and Auger quietly simmering, though over different things. Ever since exploring the SnowGoblimons' mineshaft, your Armadillomon companion had been incensed by all of *his* treasure being stolen. On the other paw, Gramps is still upset about what happened with Flamemon, not that he's said anything about it; rather the old caretaker has just been more grouchy than normal. Flamemon himself has been trying to put up a strong front, encouraging everyone to be ready and "Kick butt" in the next fight. However you've noticed him frowning down at the ground now and then when he doesn't think anyone is listening. Personally, you try to copy his enthusiasm by forcing a grin onto your face, but it's difficult to keep it up when dealing with the others.
Gnaw and Fu are the only true exceptions to the unhappiness. The BlackGabumon is still giddy from Flamemon's defeat and you catch him snickering in your best friends direction a few times. Fu meanwhile... Well, she seems to just naturally be happy, bouncing back and forth between her fellow group members with a smile on her face.
When you arrive at the next target of interest some time later, the first thing you notice is the large wooden structure covering the area. It stems right from the mountainside, and curls around in a half circle to completely keep the mineshaft out of sight. By the look of things, however it's not nearly as thick or sturdy as the wall surrounding your village. Fifteen Goblimon are peeking up over the wall in various spots, but you don't think any of them manage to notice your group from their position within the nearby woods. A single set of large doors is set in the center. It's currently closed but you tentatively estimate that it might be possible to pierce through them in about a minute or two.
You're a bit nervous about the fact that Flamemon won't be helping in the coming fight, but almost as if reading your thoughts, the tall rookie he tells you not to worry. After the shaking finally stops, you rev up and start boring through the ground. Meanwhile, Gramps starts the diversion, blasting at the wall and the Goblimon on guard duty, though you're not able to see the direct results. Dozens of minutes pass as you focus solely on digging, the trance only ending once you finally break the surface and come up just past the Goblimons wall.
Or rather what used to be the wall. A portion of the wooden structure, (more specifically the area which had been directly in front of Gramps) has been completely blasted apart. Pieces of burnt and sundered wood litter around the area, occasionally interposed by the blackened form of an unfortunate rookie. The ten or so rookies that remain are cowering behind the still intact portions of the wall and as such are caught completely off guard as your party attacks.
Auger hits first, rolling into the center of a small group and squishing one unfortunate mon against the wall. Fu follows up, jumping up into the air and haphazardly spraying everyone in view with seeds. Those few that hit Auger just clatter harmlessly against his carapace. Gnaw chases after a group of 4 others, herding them into into the mineshaft before darting after the rookies in pursuit. This leaves just a couple of the Goblimon remaining whom upon spotting the tunnel you'd dug rush over to try and escape.
Oh no.
Shakily, you rear up and close your paws up into a defensive stance. You at least take solace in the fact that these two are wielding clubs instead of pickaxes.
The-there's two of them! C-c-can I do this? M-maybe I should go back in the tunnel a-and-No! Stay-stay strong Verge! Flamemon believes in you!
So as the two green rookies come closer you step forward and frantically throw out a Mach Jab. When the fight ends a couple minutes later and both opponents are laid out on the ground un-moving you're more than a little confused. They'd been significantly weaker than you'd expected, only taking a half dozen hits each to take out. What's more, their attacks hadn't actually hurt too much; well, not compared to the previous beatings you'd taken anyways.
A slightly less irate Gramps comes through the destroyed portion of the wall with Flamemon a little while later and congratulates everyone on a job well done. After the red rookie is finished looting the area, he puts a very large sum of green crystals in your bag (mostly because his was full) and tells you to keep it. When the Goblimon are sent off in a half hour, you can't help but notice that the total count is twenty-six. Something about that number just seems.... Off, though you don't know why.
By this point you're more than a little curious as to what Gramps is saying to the Goblimon to get them so frightened, though just trying to imagine what it might possibly be is enough to send chills down your spine. After recovering from the imagined threats, you scamper over to Flamemon's side and begin explaining how you'd defeated the two rookies in combat.
"Heh, that's awesome!" Flamemon shouts patting you on the back. "That's one more step on the road to heroism Verge!"
"Ah-it... It wasn't that-uh that great" you reply, bashfully turning away.
On the journey home, Flamemon spends most of the time talking with you, just like old times. Unfortunately, that only lasts until you get back, as Gramps drags him away to Sorcerymon for healing, then gets started on supper. Once everyone has finished eating, the old Elecmon announces that it's time to get started on training.
=== Choose One: Note, changing this up a little to be a bit more rewarding since Verge and the others can Train for longer now. Make single stat training more effective.
While everyone gets started on training, Gramps drags Flamemon outside the village for a "Special Lesson". While you don't actually get to see it in action because of the village's walls, the many blasts of lightning and fire going up into the darkening sky gives you a pretty good idea of what's going on, not that it actually lasts all that long. Before even five minutes have passed Gramps drags a stunned, blackened Flamemon back inside the village and tosses him in front of Sorcerymon. You try to rush over in order to check up on your best friend's condition, a painful zap from the caretaker lets you know that's a bad idea.
The champion level digimon is clearly uncomfortable with the whole affair, but after a quick utterance of "Dear Lord" under his breath, heals your best friend. However Flamemon doesn't actually wake up, leading to the merchant recommending that he sleeps in a good bed so he can fully recover. Gramps doesn't stop you, merely giving an approving nod before heading over to scour out the food Cauldron. You don't hesitate to offer the bed in your own hut for Flamemon's use. As a result, the next couple minutes sees you carrying the tall rookie over your back and then tucking him in right beside Lunamon.
Surprisingly, when you walk back outside Sorcerymon turns out to be standing nearby. The wizard digimon mentions that he's impressed by how much you care for your friend, and offers to tell you a story free of charge.
=== Choose One:
[] The Gloaming's Downfall & Holy Trio's Fate.
[] The Flux Mountains & Volcano.
[] SlashAngemon & Astamon.
[] Don't listen to a story, just head to bed.
===
Skills Increases:
Digging: 9/100->10/100
General Fighting: 12/100->13/100
=== Verge has 5150 bits.
Training Weights: Increase relevant talent by 1+: 3000 bits
-Strength
-Agility
-Endurance
Weight Set: Gives additional strength points (5K)
Runic Circle Gravity: Trains every physical stat at once (10K)
Zapper: Gives additional Fortitude points (5K)
===
Low Grade Recovery Disk: Will heal a standard rookie completely and provide good care to (10K)
===Author's Note:
Wow, Verge got max critical on his loot rolls. Technically 1500 bits but I'm bumping it up to 2000 because just.... Damn.
Edit: Stories BTW are a way to get some worldbuilding, though whether or not they're entirely accurate is... well. No comment.
[X] Sparring Focus: (1 Endurance 1 Fighting Skill)
-[X] With Gnaw: Balanced (1 point each)
This hits three birds with one stone. the maximum amount of points, gets us closer to Gnaw do we can both support him and maybe chill him out a bit and of all of them Gnaw is the most likely to get Verge's confidence up as if he gets used to fighting the scary Gnaw Goblimon will be both easy and not frightening at all.
Well, I mean there's plenty of time to raise money for that. It's only the 11nth Day of the month after all. I'm not going to go to day 15 then pull a huge timeskip or anything like that.
Much as I dislike edging further towards generalism, I'm also compelled to get over the Talent hump in order to raise the efficiency of future training, and this will likely raise the Agility talent up to 1.5. Believe me, after this I will never vote for Agility ever again.
I'd also be willing to vote for sparring with Gnaw if that's more likely to win.
Edit: I have been informed that we are not actually one session away from a stat-up. In that case:
[X] Sparring Focus: (1 Endurance 1 Fighting Skill)
-[X] With Gnaw: Balanced (1 point each)
