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Post by Neo on Sept 17, 2014 16:37:11 GMT -6
I'm going to leave this open for a few more hours. Just to let you all know, there is a definite right and wrong choice here, as well as a middle ground. Both the wrong choice and the middle ground option have a chance to get Idoun killed. However, the good news is, Idoun is essential. Losing her means a Game Over. Still, there are severe consequences for getting this wrong. So I will give a hint.
The answer lies hidden in my post. Specifically, in one of the Core Program's lines. And... It lies hidden in Trail himself. How well do you know Trail? His personality? His skills? His... Armor?
That's all I can say without being too biased, unfortunately. I wish you all luck.
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luminescence
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Post by luminescence on Sept 17, 2014 18:49:24 GMT -6
Okay, I'm putting my analysis hat on.
-puts on analysis hat with a flourish-
We have two, possibly three clues.
The first is in the Core Program's speech. Looking back through it, unless you are hiding something incredibly subtle, there's only two lines that stand out- the ones where it orders the War Dragons. I don't have the exact quotes (typing on phone), but it was something like "Commence program [alpha/omega/something-or- other and a number] Are you telling us to follow its example?
The second clue is in Trail's armor, the Marik set. From what I remember, it was once worn by his father, correct? I don't know what to make of that.
Three, Trail in general. I'm going to guess that this means doing whatever Trail would normally do, in-character? Not sure.
I don't know, just my probably incorrect two cents.
Abstaining for right now, I'd like to see what others think about your hints.
Lumi out~
-removes analysis hat with a flourish-
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Post by The Big Cheese on Sept 17, 2014 19:35:05 GMT -6
Okay, I'm putting my analysis hat on. -puts on analysis hat with a flourish- We have two, possibly three clues. The first is in the Core Program's speech. Looking back through it, unless you are hiding something incredibly subtle, there's only two lines that stand out- the ones where it orders the War Dragons. I don't have the exact quotes (typing on phone), but it was something like "Commence program [alpha/omega/something-or- other and a number] Are you telling us to follow its example? The second clue is in Trail's armor, the Marik set. From what I remember, it was once worn by his father, correct? I don't know what to make of that. Three, Trail in general. I'm going to guess that this means doing whatever Trail would normally do, in-character? Not sure. I don't know, just my probably incorrect two cents. Abstaining for right now, I'd like to see what others think about your hints. Lumi out~ -removes analysis hat with a flourish- The core program says " Alpha-3, 01" or something to that effect. Those numbers. (I'm also on mobile.) The Alpha might imply A being the right option (if that's indeed what Neo is going for,) but that would make the 3 useless unless "Alpha" in this case is used as short hand for Alphabet. Combined with the 1, that could be taken as a strong push to C1. Or it could be a coincidence. I'm voting C1, because <3 Idoun but that may be subject to change in the next hour or two if possible. I don't want anything bad to happen to Trail, if it can be safely avoided. |
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Post by Neo on Sept 17, 2014 19:53:55 GMT -6
Because I'm nice, and I love Idoun so much, I'll give you guys one last hint. Pay attention to the numbers, not the alphabet. And pay attention to the skills, not the history. Oh, and Cheese, you have inadvertently found the correct answer. That's all I can say.
*Prays to Origin you understand the hints*
I'll leave the poll open until tomorrow.
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Post by Golurkcanfly on Sept 17, 2014 19:56:08 GMT -6
C1 because Cheese is a bro.
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Post by grayjack on Sept 17, 2014 22:18:33 GMT -6
C1 because I trust Cheese more than myself.
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Post by The Big Cheese on Sept 17, 2014 22:24:37 GMT -6
Don't trust me too much. Neo said I "accidentally" stumbled on the right answer. I think there's something we're missing... Maybe...
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luminescence
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Post by luminescence on Sept 17, 2014 22:57:53 GMT -6
Okay guys.
Had a big post halfway done before phone decided to be stupid.
tl;dr
I think Neo is referring to the armor's stats/skills rather than its history. The stats and skills for the armor are a bunch of stat bonuses, as well as a 40% less chance of getting status effects, 50% chance of activating what is basically Galeforce, a I-Forget chance of completely negating an attack, full fire immunity, and a couple other things.
What this means, I don't know. I can't go back and check- do the blasts deal fire damage? Is Neo referring to the attack-negating thing, implying that that may kick in and we can save both Idoun and Trail?
Unsure.
But I do think that C1 is a good shot, and while the "accidentally" worries me, it's still "the right answer".
Probably.
Oh dear.
td;lr to the td;lr:
Trail's armor has a chance of completely negating attacks, if I read it right.
I'm cautiously voting C1.
EDIT:
Part of the description for the War Dragons' breath is "scorching". This could imply fire, thus letting the gauntlets (I think?) negate the damage.
Could be totally off-base right now.
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Post by The Big Cheese on Sept 17, 2014 23:17:02 GMT -6
At the very least, I think C1 is a "middle ground" option that will be most likely to save Idoun's life. Of course, that's not necessarily a victory. What we could be missing out on... worries me... but what could be lost if I change the vote to the absolute wrong choice is of some greater importance.
My biggest reservation about C1, anyway, has been put to rest by Luminescence. Hesitantly, I'll stay.
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Post by Neo on Sept 18, 2014 6:43:48 GMT -6
So C1 wins with an overwhelming 4-2 victory! Yay!
Luminescence hit the nail on the head. Trail's current armor negates all fire damage. I was hoping you guys would notice the 'River of Flame' hints in the post, and remember that. B was the middle ground, and A was the pseudo death flag. The numbers you should have paid attention to were the percentages in the Core Program's line. 40%, 50%, 60%, and 100%. This hinted at the strength of the four attacks, and which attack took priority.
40% was for the ceiling, because it didn't need that strong of an attack to crumble.
50% and 60% were the attacks aimed at Trail.
And 100% was the blast aimed at Idoun, which was full power. If you had chosen A, your attempt to deflect the blast wouldn't have done squat. If you had chosen B, it would have taken you too long to transform. You would still have deflected the blast, but the explosion would have been too close to Idoun, and she would have been blown right out of the ballroom. You would have still saved her, but bad things would happen later.
Anyway, I digress. I will update a bit later. Congratulations! You've cleared the first hurdle!
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luminescence
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Post by luminescence on Sept 18, 2014 7:30:11 GMT -6
Awesome.
I got something right (for once)!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 18, 2014 7:32:14 GMT -6
I feel useless at this stuff.
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Post by Neo on Sept 18, 2014 19:16:32 GMT -6
Idoun... Idoun... I will not fail you... I refuse to fail anyone again!!!
"IDOUN!!!"
You charge straight through the fire without a moment's hesitation. The crimson vortex swirls around you, licking your wings and scorching your flesh, and yet, you feel nothing. No pain. No heat. It was as if the flames simply rolled off you. Time speeds up again, and you explode out from the flames, completely unharmed. In the blink of an eye, you land at Idoun's side and focus all of your power into a single almighty blast.
"You will not touch her!!!"
A massive blade of energy bursts from your scythe, slicing clean through the incoming stream of fire, and obliterating the dragon responsible, just as a resounding explosion shakes the entire room to its foundations. You immediately drop your scythe and shift into your true form. The hail of debris bounces off your scales as you shield Idoun, leaving no more than a few scratches. You then stand up to your full height, a massive horned dragon taller than a five story building, and you unleash all your rage and emotion in a single, deafening roar.
In the end, the War Dragons are still dragons. Unlike the Core Program, which has only taken the shape of one, these dragons are real. Even without a soul or mind, even without free will, the War Dragons bow to your show of dominance. They still have instinct, even if only a small portion of it, and that instinct forces them to bend, if only for a moment. Suddenly, you remember something an old Earth Dragon told you, not so long ago.
You are the rightful heir to our clan... They will rally under your banner, they will fight for you...
And suddenly you have an idea. "Hear me, you pitiful excuses for Dragonkin! You stand before the lord of flame, Emperor of Dragons, and heir to the Earth Dragon clan! Obey ME! Fight for me, and I shall spare your meager existence!"
You have no clue if the damn things can even hear you. Heck, you could be talking to machines for all you know. But then, something wondrous happens. For one split moment, one brief second, your voice reaches them. Confused and erratic, the War Dragons break formation without orders. They don't exactly look eager to fight for you, but the accidental opening is more than enough.
"This ends now!!! Perish in the fires of the darkest night!!!"
Your gaping maw opens, and your mouth glows a sinister purple. You unleash a single beam of dark fire, and the force of the blast is so great it pushes even you back. The almighty beam of energy impacts the Core Program with colossal force, and the resulting explosion incinerates the remaining War Dragons. You huddle over Idoun's tiny frame, folding your wings around her in an effort to shield her from the explosion.
When the blinding light clears, and you lift your head, you expect to see nothing but charred remains. Unfortunately, you couldn't have been more wrong. What the hell is this thing?! How the bloody hell is it still standing?
"SCANNING FOR DAMAGE. SCAN COMPLETE. DAMAGE 0. SCANNING ATTACK.... ATTACK CLASSIFIED AS UNKNOWN THREAT LEVEL. PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS NOW 40%. INITIATING PROGRAM OMEGA 6, TITLE LAST RESORT."
A great wave of dark purple light bursts from the Core, forcing you to shield your eyes.
"WARNING!!! WARNING!!! REMOVING LIMITERS!!! REMOVING LIMITERS!!!"
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Post by yellowclover on Sept 18, 2014 19:34:39 GMT -6
By any chance is the core program's voice and speech pattern supposed to be like a Darleck from Dr. Who?
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Post by Neo on Sept 18, 2014 20:06:26 GMT -6
Trail Lv 18 Emperor (Nemesis Form)
HP:87
Str:55+37 (Capped)
Mag:28
Skill:50+22 (Capped)
Spd:45+28 (Capped)
Luck:39+7
Def:60+41 (Capped)
Res:47+19
Hit 244 Avoid 140 ATK 131
Skills: Rightful God, Renewal, Nemesis Shift, Dragonskin, Shadow Devastation(Upgraded version of Shadow Roar. Automatically reduces the enemy's HP by 50%. If the enemy has less than 30% HP, this attack kills them outright. Trigger%= Skill÷4), Pavise, Lethality, Vengeance+, Brave Story(All attacks have the Brave effect)
Special Skills: Unchained Rage
Weapon Level: Dragonstone -/- Lance S Sword C Staff E
Items: Cronus' Scythe(-/-), Tyrant Talons(-/- Mt 20 Hit 90 Crit 10 Rng 1), Marik's Blade(-/-), Dragonstone+(35/35), Elixir(5/6)
Special Armor: Marik's Helm, Marik's Armor, Marik's Leggings, Marik's Gauntlets, Marik's Boots, Ring of Might
Idoun Lv 30 Dark Dragon
HP:120
Str:65+13
Mag:95+20
Skill:63+10
Spd:65+10
Luck:58+10
Def:81+18
Res:113+20
Avoid 144 ATK 145
Skills: Limiter Removal(Removes all Stat caps), Dragonskin, Shadow Shift, Aegis+, Pavise+, Planet's Will(Survives lethal blow and restores up to 50% of Max HP. Trigger%= Luck÷2), Cosmic Force(Upgraded version of Terra Force. Hit/Avoid -40, Skill/Spd -10, and Str/Mag -10 for all enemies within 5 spaces of this unit)
Special Skills: Dark Colossus(???)
Weapon Level: Dragonstone -/-, Sword S, Tome S
Items: Apocalyptic Blaze(-/- Mt 30 Hit 100 Crit 0 Rng 1-5 Des- Only usable by Idoun. +13 Str, +20 Mag, +10 Skill, +10 Spd, +10 Luck, +13 Def, +15 Res), Grimoir Waltz(Mt 25 Hit 80 Crit 10 Rng 1-2 Rank PRF Des- An unholy tome of the darkest arts. It is believed to possess the power to grant wishes, but at a terrible price. +10 Mag, Skill, and Luck. Only usable by Idoun)
Special Armor: Crown of Chaos(An ethereal crown supposedly made to be worn by Yormungand, the Chaos Dragon. According to myth, he didn't care for such trivial things, and gave it to His chief lieutenant instead. Def/Res +5. Once per turn, the wearer may choose to negate any attack to any allied unit within range. Range- Map)
The Core Program Lv 30 ???
HP:1000
Str:100
Mag:100
Skill:70
Spd:70
Luck:0
Def:100
Res:-/-
Avoid 56 ATK 130
Skills: Dimensional Call(Summons two War Dragons at a random place on the map), War Shield(Sacrifices 2 War Dragons to make this unit immune to the next 3 attacks), Limiter Removal, Eclipse, Aegis+, Eternal Shroud(This unit is immune to all Magic)
Weapon Level: N/A
Items: Erase(-/- Mt 30 Hit 80 Crit 0 Rng 1-5), Delete(5/5 Mt 100 Hit 30 Crit 0 Rng 3-10), Data Drain(Mt 20 Hit 100 Crit 0 Rng 1-2 Des- Heals for half the damage done)
Conditions
Victory: The Core Program is defeated.
Defeat: Trail or Idoun is slain.
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Post by Neo on Sept 18, 2014 20:10:37 GMT -6
By any chance is the core program's voice and speech pattern supposed to be like a Darleck from Dr. Who? Yup.  EXTERMINATE!!! EXTERMINATE!!! |
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luminescence
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Post by luminescence on Sept 18, 2014 20:35:28 GMT -6
By any chance is the core program's voice and speech pattern supposed to be like a Darleck from Dr. Who? Yup. EXTERMINATE!!! EXTERMINATE!!! *Dalek c; And hang on, how did I not catch that? That's awesome! ...And 1000 HP. Of course. |
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Post by Neo on Sept 20, 2014 20:13:58 GMT -6
The light fades, revealing not the clone of Idoun from before, but a massive being of magic, shaped like a gigantic eye. So that's the Core Program's true form...
"Trail... You can't fight it alone... Not even you."
You look down in shock and relief, as Idoun stirs beneath you. You immediately shift back into your new hybrid form, and kneel beside her. You gather Idoun into your arms and wrap your dark wings around her. "Hey... How are you feeling?"
She smiles up at you, a real genuine smile, and it melts your old heart. "Fine... Just fine. There's no reason to worry."
Idoun reluctantly leaves your embrace, and rises to her feet. "Without that... Thing inside me, there's nothing holding me back anymore. It... May take me some time to fully recover... But I can still fight by your side, Trail."
You incline your head, and slowly rise to your feet as well. You aren't eager to place her in danger so soon... But you need her help. "Alright, my Idoun. Just don't overexert yourself."
"Stop worrying so much... I'll be fine. Just tell me what you need me to do, Trail."
"I don't really think we have time to form a strategy," you say grimly. "Let's just surround it from both sides! I'll think of something!"
Idoun nods, and without another word, she transforms into her true form, a beautiful and terrible dragon of darkness.
"ERROR. PROBABILITY OF HOST MAINTAINING NORMAL FUNCTIONS.... 0%. REALITY SHIFT DETECTED. LOCATING... LOCATING... SHIFT CONFIRMED. PROCEEDING TO ELIMINATE."
You have absolutely no idea what the Core Program is talking about, but it matters little. With Idoun's help, you can finally end this blasted nightmare. But still... Fighting in this cramped space will prove problematic... Wait! That's it!
Idoun actually growls, which is a little... Scary. You wouldn't want to get on her bad side. "You... Have controlled me for long enough... No longer will I wallow in the shadows... What little pride I have left won't allow me to. I... Will end this with my own two hands!"
You contemplate reminding her she doesn't exactly have hands in her current form, but decide against it. The Core Program unleashes a sudden bolt of energy from above, and you and Idoun scatter to opposite directions.
You waste little time charging, using your superior speed and mobility to your advantage. You dance around it, effortlessly dodging its energy beams, your scythe spinning like a whirlwind of death. If you can just keep its attention away from Idoun...
----
What is your strategy?
A: Have Idoun change the dreamscape into a wide open plain, and continue to surround the Core. Trail and Idoun fight separately, and focus on offense.
B: Have Idoun change the dreamscape into a large forest, to minimize the Core's line of sight. Idoun stays back and supports Trail, while he focuses on offense, and staying out of sight.
C: Have Idoun change the dreamscape to the wide open sky, well above the clouds, to minimize the Core's movement. Idoun and Trail fight together, balancing offense and defense. Idoun leads.
D: Same as C, but Trail leads.
E: Keep the dreamscape the same. Your movement may be restricted, but so is the Core's.
Hint: There is no absolute right or wrong choice, but there are hints to the option with the best odds, in the story.
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Post by yellowclover on Sept 20, 2014 20:43:09 GMT -6
D and fight at point blank with the vengence claws or whatever trail's new form's claws are called. This is so they avoid delete.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2014 20:53:49 GMT -6
B
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