[X] STITCH - This whole feat of Weaving astounded you. To be able to have essentially multiple bodies even if their minds are dumb. Learn under your sibling. (Very basic weaving, you won't get anywhere near that level of proficiency now.)
[x] STITCH - This whole feat of Weaving astounded you. To be able to have essentially multiple bodies even if their minds are dumb. Learn under your sibling. (Very basic weaving, you won't get anywhere near that level of proficiency now.)
[x] STITCH - This whole feat of Weaving astounded you. To be able to have essentially multiple bodies even if their minds are dumb. Learn under your sibling. (Very basic weaving, you won't get anywhere near that level of proficiency now.)
[x] STITCH - This whole feat of Weaving astounded you. To be able to have essentially multiple bodies even if their minds are dumb. Learn under your sibling. (Very basic weaving, you won't get anywhere near that level of proficiency now.)
This is good for now, but crafting seems cool too. I kinda like the idea of weaving mounting points for armor and mechanical jaws n such.
[X] GEARS - The interlocking circular teeth interested you. Perhaps you could make it without Fleshweaving. You requested some tutelage under Crafter.
Our bodies natural adaptability means we don't need to rush into the art of flesh crafting but crafting with inorganic materials could open up interesting possibilities that naturally includes traps. Said materials may be rarer but we do have a predisposition towards digging already. Later on we could try to merge the skill with flesh crafting as well if that is even possible.
[x] STITCH - This whole feat of Weaving astounded you. To be able to have essentially multiple bodies even if their minds are dumb. Learn under your sibling. (Very basic weaving, you won't get anywhere near that level of proficiency now.)
You can merge skills, don't think of them as separate skill trees in a game. This is a more narrative quest. There is no reason you can't apply what you know from, say, carpentry, to fleshcrafting.
You can merge skills, don't think of them as separate skill trees in a game. This is a more narrative quest. There is no reason you can't apply what you know from, say, carpentry, to fleshcrafting.
That raises the question of how advance can we theoretically get in terms of material science without metagaming. There's no hint currently that it is possible but our creature somehow going the biomechanical route would certainly be a shift in the local ecology. It'll depend on how that meeting with Crafter goes and their potential tutelage. Without the right inspiration it's useless to fantasize and we may not even get that tutelage but instead the more reliable (from Triggers perspective) Flesh crafting intro course.
[X] STITCH - This whole feat of Weaving astounded you. To be able to have essentially multiple bodies even if their minds are dumb. Learn under your sibling. (Very basic weaving, you won't get anywhere near that level of proficiency now.)
[X] GEARS - The interlocking circular teeth interested you. Perhaps you could make it without Fleshweaving. You requested some tutelage under Crafter.
I changed my mind. Feeling this a bit more now.
[x] STITCH - This whole feat of Weaving astounded you. To be able to have essentially multiple bodies even if their minds are dumb. Learn under your sibling. (Very basic weaving, you won't get anywhere near that level of proficiency now.)
GEARS - The interlocking circular teeth interested you. Perhaps you could make it without Fleshweaving. You requested some tutelage under Crafter.
You looked up at your intimidating leader. A thousand tongues led to a gaping maw surrounded by dozens of sharp teeth. You timidly asked for a boon.
"May I have tutelage under Crafter?" you asked. The unique teeth in your prey were attractive yet you weren't interested in flesh weaving at the moment--no, mundane materials called to you instead. The things you could make with them were innumerable. She hummed in thought for a moment, a terrifying gesture given her mouth before giving her permission.
"Done, show up tomorrow when the Blue and Red suns are closest in the sky," she told you. After, she flicked her tail with a scraping sound from the metal spikes to dismiss. You quickly got yourself out of the way.
Walking out of her chambers, you emerged to a world in bloom. The rainstorm had long tapered off. Now, a light drizzle barely distinguishable from mist covered the canopy. From the Spires, tri-petaled flowers bloomed. Their vivid white and blue coloration stood out against the dreary black and brown of the leaves and bark. It was like the stars at night in the shade cast by the canopy. Speaking of the night though, the Blue Sun had already set and the Red Sun was quickly following transforming the usually purple skies into a deep red tint. In the clouds, you occasionally saw swooping specks zipping by at speeds unknown to you. It was a whole separate world to you, the skies. It was always touching you but didn't allow you entry.
You gazed at the scenery for a while and relaxed. Your muscles untensed after what you just realized was a hectic day, to say the least. On the same day, you had joined the pack, gone on a hunt, and gotten a boon. The tension fell off you as you lazed there watching a setting sun like water off a leaf. There wasn't much to do at the moment. The appointment with Crafter was tomorrow and your belly was still full of your prey. Over time, you felt yourself drifting to sleep. As it finally turned night, with some last dregs of energy, you dragged your tired body into your hollow and fell into a deep sleep as your heavy eyelids finally closed.
Beings didn't need sleep per se. In fact, you weren't really sleeping, you were still conscious but thought much slower in this state. Hours seemed to pass by in seconds as you slumbered. The dark, musty wood of your hollow started to swirl as you sunk deeper into your torpor. Particularly dark portions became mystical figures dancing in your delusional visions. Cracks of wood became cracks of black thunder while notches became Beings fleeing from the storm. In time though, even those faded and you woke to a new day.
As your sensor tendrils uncurled, you could hear and sense the soft rustling of gathering pack members. Your body was filled with the feeling of refreshing water flowing into your limbs. You were excited and ready to go, it had been a good rest but now was the time for action once again. You crawled out of your cramped burrow, legs scraping the wood. You made your way to the Nest, even though it had only been two days, it had already grown. Bullet seemed to be on an aggressive recruiting drive. You were merely the first of that. Not nearly the last which meant far more competition.
There was still some time before noon and your meeting with Crafter that you decided to fill with conversation. As you entered the nest, you checked out those who might be open to talking with you. Perhaps one of the new arrivals like you?
Yes, you spotted an interesting one over there by a branch basket. Their many, tiny eyes darted about observing every move anyone made. Their form was impressively compact. Based on a fleshy sphere in the center with many branches coming off it. Real branches too, they seemed of the clade of the Spires or at least took an impressive amount of inspiration from them.
As you walked over, their branches shifted in your direction. They were slow but powerful, each thick and armored. Filled with sensors that detected things you didn't know existed. They called out in Primal which was even more distorted than Bullet's.
[GREET]
It was a tad garbled. Still, they were a Being and all Beings understood each other. They seemed to face you as much as that was possible with their body plan. Branches wrapped around each other to form stilt-like legs with the eyes facing frontward to you.
[EXCHANGE - DESIGNATION = TRIGGER] [ORIGIN?]
You asked for their name and birthplace. Although, the latter seemed fairly obvious.
[DESIGNATION - BOUGH] [LOCATION - CURRENT]
His name was Bough, like the boughs of the Spires that they were born in. Bough was a true native of the forest, through Primal, he had communicated that he knew every crack and hollow around these parts.
[PACK - REASON?] [LEARN]
Primal was a beautiful language even if it was garbled as it was now. It came much more naturally to you than the Pack-lang. You asked why he was in the pack and why you were here. To learn and grow.
[PROTECTION] [DANGER - RISING]
They replied with disturbing words. They were seeking protection from new dangers which...honestly made sense. You had arrived at a volatile time for the forest. You weren't able to recognize it at first but all the Beings here were too underdeveloped for the age of the forest judging by the size of the spires. Beings were immortal, there should've been Titans around, if not, at least Beings far stronger than Bullet. No, something had happened that had wiped them out leaving only the very weak and the very strong. Something terrifying. Now, the jungle was beginning to become dangerous again as Beings grew in power.
[AGREEMENT] [CONCERN]
You thought the very same. A rising tide drowns the weak and lifts the strong. Most Beings when you arrived had long settled into ruts. As you walked into the jungle, you saw small skittering Beings in hollows living together. They were content. Not chomping for power. Now, however, many Beings were starting to get stronger as they ate. Bullet was one native example but migrants and children of Titans like yourself were starting to trickle in disrupting the delicate balance even more.
Bough didn't reply. All had been said. You two simply sat in silence for a while, contemplating as the Nest filled with more pack members. Every day, the Pack grew as Bullet continued to recruit. You eventually moved away to talk to Crafter as he arrived.
You heard Crafter far before you actually saw him. His bangle piercings clinked against each other producing, what you were very sure was an intentional song. A chiming melody that shifted and seesawed in pitch but never once changed in beat. A showing of skill to all around him....what an ego.
Nevertheless, he was powerful so as he emerged out of Bullet's chambers, you walked to him. You were sure that you would find what he taught useful if only you could last through the instruction. His body hadn't changed at all but some of his gear was slightly different. Subtle but noticeable. They were more centered to conflict to your inexperienced eyes. Before it was all show and trophies, now they actually served a purpose. Instead of colorful bones, sharp bones. He greeted you first.
"Ah, the young Trigger, is it?" he asked looking down at you as he turned his head. You merely bobbed your body in agreement.
You hadn't quite realized how intimidating he was close up. Crafter's body exerted a presence. Not merely in terms of size but sound and power. His entire being sought to dominate any environment he was in.
"Well, come along," he said while turning and waving an arm. "First Lesson - Make a good workshop." He led you down and down as you two exited the nest and descended the Spire. His long strides carried him far, he didn't bother slowing down. You simply moved at your normal pace trusting your senses to track Crafter. Not that hard given the Being had his own song.
Eventually, you arrived at the workshop. It was unexpectedly nondescript from the outside. Given Crafter's flamboyance, you were expecting lights and sounds to be blaring but it was just a simply hollow with a couple of entrances that obscured the inside. He lifted a veil and entered, body barely fitting into his own workshop. You followed and found out that the lights and sounds were just hidden.
Inside, a simple melody chimed along. Clearly made of bone, when Crafter hit one, they all sang in a pattern. Little charms of clinking bone and glass shards. Crafter's workshop was filled to the brim with color. Bioluminescent plants covered the walls forming mosaics of vivid images and blurry shapes. As you walked deeper inside, you imagined it was like a story, the shapes on the wall. Of himself of course. From a young Crafter with just two limbs struggling to walk to him as he was now. In between, some others appeared. Ephemeral and in the background compared to Crafter but they did appear. In the last image, before you reached the central room, it depicted a snarling Crafter full of bangles towering over an immobilized Being.
As you came into the central room, you were amazed by the sheer variety of tools that Crafter had. Screws, hammers, gears, rope, and more lined the walls. Crafter sat on his throne, a long block of carved wood which fit each of limbs perfectly. It wasn't high, just enough to give some distance from the floor where he crafted. You sat opposite him.
"Second Lesson - Knowledge," he said.
So it began, Crafter showed you around the tools. Luckily, your legs weren't bad as graspers though you would have to do more work before reaching the same level of dexterity and control that Crafter had with his limbs. You were shown how to craft them, primarily working from a primitive base like a sharp rock to more and more elaborate tools. Primarily made of wood in the jungle but Crafter had access to metal from somewhere. Not that he told you. Whatever that place was where Bullet had gotten her spikes.
He taught you the basics of crafting simple things but the most important thing Crafter taught you was mindset. You could discover everything on your own later but mindset was the most important. To be constantly looking for materials. Hardness, flexibility, and weight. Even more importantly, ego. It was...a foreign thought to your cautious nature. Crafter had it in spades and he taught you why. Crafting, at least his style of it, relied on seeing the world as shapable. Where you could carve and polish and scrape whatever you wanted out of it. Therefore, you being above it.
Of course, he didn't tell you this directly but you got the message. The trophies, the art, the music, they were all tools for him to further his ego. You didn't think he actually thought about it but it was fairly obvious to you.
As the suns set, he dismissed you and you went home with heavy thoughts. About yourself as a Being, what you wanted from crafting and what you would do next....
CHANGE (Personality) - Cautious and Patient FUSE to Planner. You are a being of deliberation and explosive action at the same time. Wait and plan until that moment of climax where everything coalesces. Your tutelage under Crafter instilled within you a sort of ego. Different to his, rooted in older thoughts. You view that 'moment of climax' where your plans flower, your traps trigger, and you win in combat as you being worthy of crafting the world. Fail in succession and your will weakens. Win in succession and the adrenaline high takes you even higher.
[] UPGRADE - Your hollow is, frankly, terrible. A cramped, bland hole with nothing in it. You need to expand it, make a workshop, and add some things.
[] TRAP - Your new knowledge will serve you well in hunting. You weren't advanced but you knew how to make simple things now. Though you will have to move away from near the Pack's territory a bit to avoid trapping members by accident.
[] WRITE IN
I'm so sorry for the long absence. Nearly a week. Work crashed down on me this week for some reason and I got a heavy case of writer's block. Hopefully, I'm pass that and we can get back to a regular two-day schedule. I did tell you the personality changes would come and this isn't a big change. Thank you. [/SPOILER
[X] UPGRADE - Your hollow is, frankly, terrible. A cramped, bland hole with nothing in it. You need to expand it, make a workshop, and add some things.
A solid course of action that will open new options later with that workshop. Plus the increased comfort could have effects but that's yet to be seen besides influencing our developing ego.
[X] UPGRADE - Your hollow is, frankly, terrible. A cramped, bland hole with nothing in it. You need to expand it, make a workshop, and add some things.
[X] TRAP - Your new knowledge will serve you well in hunting. You weren't advanced but you knew how to make simple things now. Though you will have to move away from near the Pack's territory a bit to avoid trapping members by accident.
[X] UPGRADE - Your hollow is, frankly, terrible. A cramped, bland hole with nothing in it. You need to expand it, make a workshop, and add some things.
[X] TRAP - Your new knowledge will serve you well in hunting. You weren't advanced but you knew how to make simple things now. Though you will have to move away from near the Pack's territory a bit to avoid trapping members by accident.
[X] UPGRADE - Your hollow is, frankly, terrible. A cramped, bland hole with nothing in it. You need to expand it, make a workshop, and add some things.
[X] UPGRADE - Your hollow is, frankly, terrible. A cramped, bland hole with nothing in it. You need to expand it, make a workshop, and add some things.
[X] UPGRADE - Your hollow is, frankly, terrible. A cramped, bland hole with nothing in it. You need to expand it, make a workshop, and add some things.
[X] TRAP - Your new knowledge will serve you well in hunting. You weren't advanced but you knew how to make simple things now. Though you will have to move away from near the Pack's territory a bit to avoid trapping members by accident.
