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She Who Wears The Crown Of Hell

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For the past I'm mostly leaning towards talking to Yomi or Yuu. Saya might have answers, but can Mato really trust any of them?
Yomi might not have answers but Mato does need/want reassurance that she is not crazy (anymore than she already is).

As for the present, I honestly can't say. Mato needs shelter and water but there is the whole rock giant issue.
 
jwolfe_beta said:
Saya might have answers, but can Mato really trust any of them?
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I'm curious as to your reasoning for this actually. You trust Yuu but not Saya?

And do you mean you don't trust her or that you think Mato doesn't trust her (specifically any answers she might have in this case)?

I can provide clarification for what Mato herself knows and/or feels if you want, though I might need to check with Baughn first on some things.

On another note, I think a lot of people are intimidated by the large, double update, which isn't what we wanted. The prologue was always going to be a bit packed so it could close up in a reasonable amount of time...
 
ShadowAngelBeta said:
I can provide clarification for what Mato herself knows and/or feels if you want,
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It's been a long time since I watched the anime but Saya did manipulate every one of them and to quote Matos train of thought 'She's hurt everyone you care for, and she's a murderer'.
Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

In comparison while Yuu isn't Strength, Mato doesn't seem to have any strong for or against biases in regards to her.
ShadowAngelBeta said:
though I might need to check with Baughn first on some things.
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Speaking of, it's said that Mato is 300 meters behind the monster. Where is comparison are the dunes that can be hidden behind and the hill that apparently has trees on it?
 
So...

There were a lot of words, but I don't think what happened here is necessarily super complicated. Although I do enjoy putting hints and foreshadowing in the text, I also try to be maximally blatant before I do anything permanent. You do not run the risk of sudden permadeath if you make a mistake.

I'm unsure to what degree I want to outright tell you what is going on, as it's usually more fun to work it out yourself. As a compromise, I'll answer questions.

Anyway.

jwolfe_beta said:
It's been a long time since I watched the anime but Saya did manipulate every one of them and to quote Matos train of thought 'She's hurt everyone you care for, and she's a murderer'.
Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

In comparison while Yuu isn't Strength, Mato doesn't seem to have any strong for or against biases in regards to her.
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Mato knows the entire story behind Saya's actions, and believes she's trying to make amends. This does not mean she likes her. It's unlikely to ever mean she'll like her. But she's not worried that she'll hurt her, not especially; that isn't how the story went.

If there is a problem, it's that she's still not sure what Rock would do if faced with Black☆Gold Saw's counterpart.

Or what she might do herself.

In contrast, she has a definite bias in favor of Yuu. The problem there is different.

jwolfe_beta said:
Speaking of, it's said that Mato is 300 meters behind the monster. Where is comparison are the dunes that can be hidden behind and the hill that apparently has trees on it?
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To a degree, it's immaterial. The dunes are "Close enough that Mato can get there as a single action"; the hills are "Far enough that it's a bit of a trek".

But to put a number on it, the nearest dune – as opposed to bubble of broken glass, which is what she's been hiding in – is around one hundred meters away. The hills are several kilometers. Which is not to say that going for the hills means you'd be exposed; the landscape is mixed. It's something you can do after escaping this giant... thing.

The AI is good at making up bespoke monsters, but I think I recognize this thing from Norse mythology.

The landscape of the Vortex World is, in general, sand dunes occasionally broken by other things.
jwolfe_beta said:
So Rock somehow manifested and there's a soft reality rewrite so Mom doesn't know any different.......OK?
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And Mato has no idea what the heck is going on, but you'll note she doesn't seem completely taken by surprise.

Something similar happened with Yuu, in canon. There are references in the text, but I'm not sure if they were clear enough.
 
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Baughn said:
To a degree, it's immaterial. The dunes are "Close enough that Mato can get there as a single action"; the hills are "Far enough that it's a bit of a trek".

But to put a number on it, the nearest dune – as opposed to bubble of broken glass, which is what she's been hiding in – is around one hundred meters away. The hills are several kilometers. Which is not to say that going for the hills means you'd be exposed; it's something you can do after escaping this giant... thing.
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Ah, because my thought was shift to the dunes and if the giant didn't respond, head for the hills.
 
Baughn said:
That's a perfectly fine plan.

The giant is doing... something. Whatever it's doing, Mato doesn't believe it has anything to do with her. But it's still intimidating, yes.
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Though the star does seem to have a slightly better idea as to what is going on.

[] Plan Confusion, sticking and moving
-[] [Past] Talk to Yomi
--[] [Past] And go into full detail about the nuthouse that's been your day so far.
-[] [Present] Find a better hiding spot
--[] [Present] Behind the closest dunes
---[] [Present] While telling the Star we'll head for the hills in the distance.
----[] [Present] If Star objects, remaining hiding and study the star. There has got to be more to it.
----[] [Present] Otherwise run away towards the hills in the distance.

I know it might seem like trying to have our cake and eat it too but I felt that if the Star seems to be really against us getting out of cover, we should listen. Otherwise, beat feet towards a (marginally) more viable looking region.
 
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[X] Plan Confusion, sticking and moving
-[X] [Past] Talk to Yomi
--[X] [Past] And go into full detail about the nuthouse that's been your day so far.
-[X] [Present] Find a better hiding spot
--[X] [Present] Behind the closest dunes
---[X] [Present] While telling the Star we'll head for the hills in the distance.
----[X] [Present] If Star objects, remaining hiding and study the star. There has got to be more to it.
----[X] [Present] Otherwise run away towards the hills in the distance.
 
[X] [Past] Talk to Yomi
- [X] [Past] And go into full detail about the nuthouse that's been your day so far.

Full explanations are more helpful when you're utterly clueless as to what's going on and want a second opinion, imo.

[X] [Present] Find a better hiding spot
- [X] [Present] Behind the closest dunes
-- [X] [Present] By following behind it

Recklessness ho! It hasn't spotted us so far, and as long as we move slowly and hide it likely won't. Thing sounds big enough it probably doesn't eat humans anyway; would be like us munching on ants.
 
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[ ] [Past] Talk to Yomi
-[ ] [Past] And go into full detail about the nuthouse that's been your day so far.

[ ] [Present] Find a better hiding spot
-[ ] [Present] Behind the closest dunes
--[ ] [Present] Then study the star. There has got to be more to it.

(Unvoting because the moratorium hasn't passed yet)
 
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Please pay attention that there are still approximately four hours of moratorium remaining. You can vote after.
 
Yeah, we probably aren't interesting to the troll unless we hurt it or its really really hungry.

On that note it might be worth trying to observe what the heck it's doing. Digging for (horse sized) grubs? Making a nest? learning astronomy?

What's Mato's relationship with her Dad like?
 
jwolfe_beta said:
Though the star does seem to have a slightly better idea as to what is going on.

I know it might seem like trying to have our cake and eat it too but I felt that if the Star seems to be really against us getting out of cover, we should listen. Otherwise, beat feet towards a (marginally) more viable looking region.
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I'll generally stop and call a vote if it seems like the situation is moving outside what I've gotten a mandate for. Which means I appreciate conditional subvotes, as that means it's less likely to be after five hundred words in a fast-moving situation.

Using the star as a source of information is definitely an interesting idea. As a vote, it's perfectly valid.

Mizu said:
Full explanations are more helpful when you're utterly clueless as to what's going on and want a second opinion, imo.
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Yomi's day has been frightening thus far. She did spot you earlier, but Mato was too caught up in the situation to hear her aborted greeting.

It's not as though any of these girls really understand themselves, or what the deal with their dreams is, but at a minimum you can assume that a figure from her dreams has suddenly stepped into reality. Realistically, after what happened to Yuu they've compared notes. More on that later.

Mizu said:
Recklessness ho! It hasn't spotted us so far, and as long as we move slowly and hide it likely won't. Thing sounds big enough it probably doesn't eat humans anyway; would be like us munching on ants.
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Nolrai said:
Yeah, we probably aren't interesting to the troll unless we hurt it or its really really hungry.

On that note it might be worth trying to observe what the heck it's doing. Digging for (horse sized) grubs? Making a nest? learning astronomy?
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:)

What's Mato's relationship with her Dad like?
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Non-existent.

Her father does not appear, at all, in any of the Black Rock Shooter canons. Her mother is virtually a non-entity as well, but I can make some inferences. The characterization I gave her in the story is not borne out by canon, though nothing really is; she never was part of the story.

Mato's mother isn't pretty. She could be, but she chooses to wear unflattering clothes and an uninteresting hairstyle. Her father never shows up at all, at any point.

I believe they've been divorced, and the divorce was acrimonious enough to put her off the entire idea of finding a partner. That is, at any rate, a story I can work with. To Mato, this means her father is someone she can safely throw under the bus; and if she tells people she has an identical twin sister, but they were split up and haven't seen each other for years... well, it's not as though anyone will be able to check. It will give them some sympathy, which is sorely needed right now. There is, of course, the risk that Rock's backstory has already been established and doesn't match her fantasy.
 
[X] [Past] Talk to Yomi
- [X] [Past] And go into full detail about the nuthouse that's been your day so far.

[X] Present - Examine the star again, something seems off about the number of colors vs. the number of points.
[X] Present - Try to get a good vantage point on the Troll and watch it.

Someone who knows the Black ★ Rock Shooter stuff care to explain what it's colors mean?
 
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[X] [Past] Talk to Yomi
- [X] [Past] And go into full detail about the nuthouse that's been your day so far.
[X] [Past] Find Saya
[X] [Present] Find a better hiding spot
- [X] [Present] Behind the closest dunes
-- [X] [Present] By following behind it
 
You know, the star like object reminds me a bit like a potential halo kind of thing, maybe it's better to carry it floating right above ones head. This looks more fashionable as well and would give anyone you'd run in to a mistaken impression on what it is and what Mato is in general, which seems much safer to me to both it and Mato I suspect. Especially as it breaking was suggested as a really bad idea.

Basically seems better to keep it nice and close as such, and one tends to protect ones head pretty well, so a floating accessory seems good to me.

[X] [Present] Try to have the Star like thing follow you as a floating halo like accessory over your head.
 
Quickshot0 said:
You know, the star like object reminds me a bit like a potential halo kind of thing, maybe it's better to carry it floating right above ones head. This looks more fashionable as well and would give anyone you'd run in to a mistaken impression on what it is and what Mato is in general, which seems much safer to me to both it and Mato I suspect. Especially as it breaking was suggested as a really bad idea.

Basically seems better to keep it nice and close as such, and one tends to protect ones head pretty well, so a floating accessory seems good to me.

[X] [Present] Try to have the Star like thing follow you as a floating halo like accessory over your head.
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I would generally agree, but it's glowing and she's trying to be stealthy right now. Sure, it isn't very bright, and the setting isn't physically dark at the moment, but it's still somewhat more visible than not having it do that.
 
beowolf said:
I would generally agree, but it's glowing and she's trying to be stealthy right now. Sure, it isn't very bright, and the setting isn't physically dark at the moment, but it's still somewhat more visible than not having it do that.
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So you're suggesting trying to find out if there is a dimming function possible? Or otherwise to occasionally keep it more hidden yet? Perhaps behind some hair or so?
 
Quickshot0 said:
So you're suggesting trying to find out if there is a dimming function possible? Or otherwise to occasionally keep it more hidden yet? Perhaps behind some hair or so?
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No, more "don't vote for this until after we've gotten away from the giant monster". Right now, it's better to even be carrying it, or otherwise have it float somewhere that Mato's own body or what she's hiding behind will block view of it and it's bright colors. We can then vote for this general idea going forward when not in imminent danger.
 
beowolf said:
No, more "don't vote for this until after we've gotten away from the giant monster". Right now, it's better to even be carrying it, or otherwise have it float somewhere that Mato's own body or what she's hiding behind will block view of it and it's bright colors. We can then vote for this general idea going forward when not in imminent danger.
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Ah I see, leave it slightly later, there's a more immediate priority right now.
 
[X] Plan Confusion, sticking and moving
-[X] [Past] Talk to Yomi
--[X] [Past] And go into full detail about the nuthouse that's been your day so far.
-[X] [Present] Find a better hiding spot
--[X] [Present] Behind the closest dunes
---[X] [Present] While telling the Star we'll head for the hills in the distance.
----[X] [Present] If Star objects, remaining hiding and study the star. There has got to be more to it.
----[X] [Present] Otherwise run away towards the hills in the distance.
 
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