beta testing 0.2: quest update

[gamedevs]

beta testing 0.2

BETA NOTE: This log is being used for Duocaeli’s Tutorial & Dungeon Beta Testing. Please note that some game features are limited and will be noted in this format on pages, and an invitation is still required to play. Thank you and have fun!

Patch Update

Maybe you’ve been getting settled in for a little while now, maybe you just arrived yesterday. Hopefully you’ve been able to adjust to your surroundings, since it seems like some big changes are coming. All Dodo residents will receive a Duocaeli notification on their phones:

> 0.2 Expansion has arrived! Server capacity has increased. New locations await you, worldwalkers.
> New quests can be accepted in Windhaven Woods, Aria's Grove, Dandelion Fields!

At the exact same time, completely coincidentally, a city-wide broadcast is sent directly to characters inboxes:

> Thank you for your patience with our construction, city-goers! As our Pride Parade goes underway, we are proud to share the grand re-opening of many venues throughout the city. Love is love!

Those who wander to the Divination Tower in Domus Hosus, whether on purpose or because the stairs guide you there, will see that both of these broadcasts are proudly displayed amidst the glimmering gems. If you try to read your fate in the stars, they will delightedly provide you with a prophecy. However each prophecy comes in images, beckoning you to a new location with… a certain someone! Immediately after receiving this prophecy, you will feel naturally compelled to find that individual, stranger or friend, and affirm your fate. Maybe you'll end up going somewhere out of your depth? At least you won't be alone!

> 1. Questboard

The quest board at the guild hub has been updated with the latest patch! Excited players are gathered around to collect new bounties, which are open to all. The guild hub also provides a useful bestiary, which is readily accessible by guild members via crystals.

A. SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THESE
Avisle University has requested assistance in collecting Blue Chamomile from the northern part of Windhaven Woodlands for study. These flowers are known to aid sleep and have some rejuvenating properties as well, if taken as a tea. They are best harvested in pairs as they feed off positive energy—once their petals start glowing, the plant is ready to be plucked. You’ll have to make your quest partner laugh, or pay them a genuine compliment that makes them smile. You can also share your dreams for the future, or a good memory. The plants also enjoy music! Even the most tone-deaf of vocalists are appreciated by these chamomiles.

Additionally, these flowers are HUGE fans of PDA. If your characters hold hands, or hug, or k-kiss... it may seem like they are slowly turning their petals towards you...

As noted on the Locations page, it would be wise to remember that Windhaven Woodlands can be quite confusing to navigate. The trees like to stretch their roots multiple times a day, often altering paths that characters have taken. At times branches will weave themselves together so tightly, it blocks out most sunlight. It’s very possible to get lost here, but those with keen navigation skills will notice that the wind always seems to flow in the direction of Avisle at the beginning and middle of the hour, like clockwork.

REWARD: A sachet of Blue Chamomile tea, made with some of the petals you helped harvest. If you take it before you sleep, you will find yourself waking up fully refreshed the next morning whether in the ON or OFF world. You may even find yourself briefly dreaming of the good memory that your quest partner shared with you!

FAILURE: You will grow flowers on your body that cannot be removed, purely cosmetic. Lasts until you log off the server.

B. 'TIL DEATH DO US PART
Rumor has it that there's a malevolent spirit haunting Aria's Grove, one with particularly sticky fingers, that's been stealing items from sleeping travelers–as well as dreams. Those with their dreams stolen will feel an almost unshakable malaise and melancholy. The Wanderer's Guild is looking for adventurers to locate and dispel this spirit for good, as it's the only way to retrieve lost items (and dreams).

Whoever manages to navigate the woods to Aria's Grove will find not a spirit, but a small, crystalline golem made from broken shards. It speaks in a soft, tinkering voice, saying, "My love, my love." It's unable to do much damage, but it's fast and evokes a sensation of grief and despair in whoever draws close to it. Adventurers may recognize this as a gemwalker, and know that the only way to free the ghost trapped inside is to break the crystal form.

Upon doing so, they'll find a watch that was encased in the crystal, with a name etched into the back. Regardless of how much they ask around, they'll be unable to find anyone by that name.

REWARD: A special compass from the Wanderer's Guild. It can be set to always point toward a location of the owner's choosing.

C. A HARE-OWING CAT-ASTROPHE
In the Avisle town square, festivities are abound; red and gilded gold streamers stretch across the plaza, rabbits hop along, eager to be held, cats preen on unlikely perches, and the guilds have plenty of free food and drink out to be enjoyed—as well as a limited-time bounty being offered for the new year! Help out and earn yourself a reward.

• Bake goods for guests, who are notoriously harsh. Sometimes recipes here will lead you astray.
  
• Mix or taste-test some drinks... which only seem to exacerbate your elemental symptoms (see prompt 3. ELEMENTAL ECCENTRICITY below for details).
  
• Deal with jealous tiger monsters that set fire to various stands and attack festival-goers. They can be fought (NPC rabbits will help), but also seem intelligent, and can be bribed to depart with treats, brushing their (sometimes flaming hot) fur, or other offerings. These creatures don't seem to be native to Avisle; if you follow one outside of the city, they'll fly right off the edge of the island...
  
• Like above, attacking the rabbits in any way or causing problems will get you mobbed by knife-wielding bunnies with 9999HP.

REWARD: Free food, daiya, and a good time!

Though from there... it looks like there's a few additions that must be completed in the OFF world?

D. H҉A҉P҉P҉Y҉ HOPPIN’ NEW YEAR
Red envelopes need to be distributed to the students of Gruidae University in celebration of the Lunar New Year! (Our usual guy, Jimmy, is out sick…) In the spirit of the Year of the Rabbit, volunteers will be asked to wear a tasteful (or ridiculous) set of bunny ears and a soft, poofy bunny tail while on the job. Just make sure to avoid the BPL (Bunny Protection League) activists lurking among the student body, they take their duties seriously and will attempt to divest you of your bunny appendages if caught.

REWARD: A red envelope (the amount can be anywhere between $20 to 23 cents) and coupon to the newly opened bunny cafe located at the mall. You will also receive a cute bunny ear accessory in your ON World inbox.

FAILURE: A forced viewing of the documentary, Bunnies Are Human Too, while surrounded by passionate BPL members.

E: BIRD M҉E҉A҉S҉U҉R҉I҉N҉G҉ CONTEST
As an icebreaker, Dodo is hosting competitions in the Training Hall! Get to know your new housemates by having an impromptu battle. This doesn’t have to be combat-related or any sort of traditional duel: you can challenge your partner to lifting weights, a dance-off, even Twister and other board games. There will also be gaming consoles and seating in various corners—FATALITY!

REWARDS: Bragging rights! Dodo will also send a little spa set/gift package to the winner’s room, which includes bird-themed face masks. Also, the winner will be able to stay in the OFF world for up to 5 days (one time), rather than 3.

FAILURE: Public humiliation.

Conveniently, non-PC players can't seem to see these last two bounties at all. Oh well—get to questing!

> 2. Okay get a job?

Sometime while you’re minding your business, you’ll be interrupted by a neat little beep beep! On the screen of your phone:

☑️ Go to Your Internship in Crane City

Tapping the prompt will bring up the Maps app and directions to what is apparently your internship! And it looks like it’s in the same format as other checklist quests–aka, it won’t stop beeping until you complete it.

If you don’t want to go crazy from notifications, you'll simply have to go out and explore the big city. Maybe you have to go and work the concessions stand at the movie theater, which appears to be showing Shrek and Cats if you want to sneak into a showing, or you get the ever coveted position of cat cafe barista. Perhaps you’re suddenly a neurosurgeon! Wow! Don’t fuck it up, guy! While you do get compensated for your work, it seems like an amount gets automatically deducted for your Duocaeli subscription. Uhhh, is that legal? Apparently.

With Pride currently underway in Crane City, the jobs are also just a little bit more vibrant. You can help manage the parade if you want to, or have a job as a sexy, sexy flag bearer. Everything in the city glistens with festivities, whether it be raucous parties or other joyful celebrations.

> 3. ELEMENTAL ECCENTRICITY

As expected, learning new things comes with a few unexpected speed bumps. For those who attempt to practice with their new elemental magic, whether it be in the world of Duocaeli or within the confines of Dodo’s walls, they might feel a sudden surge of power course through them. Is it more refined control? Improved strength? Hm, it feels a little bit more like…

—Oh. No.

For characters aligned with Fire or Earth: Your emotions are just a little bit stronger now–but also a little bit out of your control. While everything feels inherent to you, it also feels like everything is turned up to 11. Oversensitive? How dare you! Say that to my face! …. Well, hopefully it passes quickly.

For characters aligned with Water or Light: Nothing’s amiss here–it’s just unbelievable that you are currently existing as you are, and no one is holding your hand or giving you a hug right now. Some might call it being a little bit touch starved, but physical contact should be normalized, you know? A punch can be a touch, too, if that’s more your style.

For characters aligned with Wind or Darkness: Well, thank god you’re not dealing with anything quite as bad as the others–no, you just find that your words are flowing a little bit more freely. A little more honestly, even. Hopefully you don’t have all that much to hide, but you know, some vulnerability can be good for the soul.

These effects can suddenly surge and hit you at any point during your day! They're temporary, but always sneaky :)

OOC Notes

Our Reserves open tonight at 11:55 PM EST —drop in and let us get excited for you!

Also, everything from BETA TESTING 0.1 is still available to play with. Feel free to use old prompts and dungeons! Also, during Beta Testing, we'd like to remind players that we're accepting any and all feedback that could help us improve the game before official start.

---

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Comments

[hasteful]

[what is he? an idiot sandwich.

even still, he lets matsui sandwich his face because it doesn't really occur to him to move away. instead he just laughs a little bit at that - ] I don't think I'm too hard to understand.

[JUST. SIMPLY. HE'S A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD GUY AND HE KNOWS THAT. unlike matsui who does contain multitudes. even still, buzen feels like there's more to say....]

.... but even if you know me best, and I know you best, there's still stuff that we're not gonna say out loud. Or we'll end up in weird situations like this, and do a bunch of new things that we've never done before.

So I think I can still say I'll always want to know you better - every part, and as much as you'll let me.

[sanguinary]

[He is, yeah. But he's an idiot sandwich who is constantly saying peak boyfriend things like that so is it really any surprise that Matsui is so constantly infatuated?? It's such a delightfully endearing thing to hear that not even the eternal tides of depression can snatch him away (though they're trying, since the first thing he thinks about is how someone like Buzen shouldn't have to know the parts of him that aren't great.)

ANYWAY!!]

I suppose that's true... There is always more to learn. I would gladly share anything with you, and would accept anything in turn. [HE LOVES BUZEN!!!] —But that might be better saved for when we're finished with this mission.

[He glances down, only to notice that a good swath of flowers are already glowing...]

Ah. Well, that certainly makes things easier.

[hasteful]

[HE SAID EVERY PART, MATSUI!!! EVERY SINGLE PART!!!!

but well, buzen seems pleased with that, because he believes matsui entirely. they'll always be able to share things with each other, and that's a fortunate thing that buzen has to look forward to. when his attention is directed to the flowers, he looks a little surprised]

Oh, nice! We did it! Haha, wow, that really was easy.

[THIS QUEST IS SO SIMPLE FOR BUZEN AND ISN'T IT NICE THAT MATSUI'S SUCH A GOOD BOY THAT'S EASY TO TALK TO :)]

Let's pick 'em, then. Ah, we'll have to be careful though or Kuwa will find out somehow and scold us...

[sanguinary]

[LISTEN. Not those parts though.

This is so fucking funny THEY REALLY ARE BLASTING THROUGH BECAUSE BUZEN IS SO NATURALLY LIKE THIS and Matsui is just naturally a better version of himself around Buzen... Hilarious. Terrible. He is so enamored with how happy Buzen looks about these silly little flowers.]

What did he say was the best way to pick flowers...

[Kuwana has probably told him this like fifty thousand times but does it ever sink in? Of course not. He'll lean over and gently prod one of the brightest.]

Excuse us, but we'll be gathering you now.

[hasteful]

[LITERALLY EVEN THOSE PARTS, MATSU!!!

but Buzen will just laugh a little bit at that - ]

Yeah, that's probably a good start! Hmm, we'll just have to be nice to them... Pardon us, flowers! Thanks for listening to us. I'm sure you'll help a lot of people.

[after dealing with all their sword bumbling... he'll move to carefully collect the flowers from the stems though, plucking them gently! he'll collect all the ones that are aglow, leaving others for different quest goers to get...

and then offer the little gathered bouquet out to matsui!]

Here, Matsu - I think they look better with you.

[still not a line!]

[sanguinary]

[NO NOT THOSE ONES!!!!!

Buzen is so cute though, Matsui honestly ends up picking like two fucking flowers because he's too busy watching him flowerpick instead. Absolute idiot. He'll reach out to take the little bouquet when it's offered, too, though he can't help but add:]

I think that such bright things suit you much better.

[But he'll never turn down a Buzen gift... Or a Buzen anything... That said, with this incredibly easy task out of the way, he'll move to stand again, holding his free hand out toward Buzen out of semi-reflex.]

Shall we return, then?

[They're going to get lost in the woods because Kuwana isn't here to save them.]

[hasteful]

[they absolutely are going to get so fucking lost. but! given that it's now semi-reflex for matsui to hold his hand out, it's now semi-reflex for buzen to take it. he'll hold onto matsui's hand as he also stands, laughing a little.]

You think? I dunno, blue flowers suit your whole elegance and grace thing....

[buzen knows he's a bit more rough and tumble. this is how he's calling matsui pretty without directly saying he's pretty because buzen's sense of aesthetics barely exists.

he'll start moving though! gently tugging on matsui's hand to guide him along as they're now attached....]

Let's head back! Like Mikazuki-san says, we've worked to earn our pay!

[sanguinary]

[AWAY THEY GO back toward the forest and away from this cute lil patch of glowing flowers that are now bzmt stans.]

Blue goes together well with red, too. [GAZING GENTLY AND FONDLY at Buzen's eyes as he says this... Truly just that puppy-dog look from that one poster. Terrible.

He also huffs out the tiniest little laugh at Buzen stealing Mikazuki's quote, where even is that old man he's fucking dead. Has Matsui even met him. Things no one knows.]

Did you hear what these flowers are supposedly good for? They sound like they would be useful.

[For humans and also for swords who may struggle with nighttime for various reasons.]

[hasteful]

[ah - buzen just laughs at the statement and says so carelessly but sincerely:] Of course it does. You and I go well together too, so that just makes sense.

[i'm goNNA SNAP BUZEN IN HALFFFFF

is it better or worse when he picks up on matsui being fond but truly just assigns it Platonic and Nice as opposed to being so terribly lovesick. well, anyway.

as they walk along, he'll just swing their hands between them in a little motion.... it's unconscious, but he really is so prone to constantly moving in all ways]

Sleep or something, right? Yeah! I think it'd be good to gather for people... Should we get some for you, Matsu? How're you sleeping?

[since they're all tucked away in their futon lately....]

[sanguinary]

[BUZENNNNNNNN HOW CAN MATSUI NOT LOVE HIM. HOW!!! His heart is so full constantly... He's even more or less gotten used to Buzen swinging their hands around like the Someone Who Can't Stay Still that he is, carrying on without missing a beat.]

Sleep, yes. Supposedly it helps with an easier, better sleep... Many humans would find use in such a thing, especially with the stress of being here.

[Matsui would too, usually, for other reasons, except - as he thinks about that, he comes to a pretty surprising realization.]

My sleep has not been poor, lately. [His dreams are often dark and gloomy, but that's nothing new to him. He accepts it in the same way that he accepts his VISION JUST BEING PLAGUED BY BLOOD SOMETIMES.]

...I believe that it's because you are there. When I fall asleep knowing that you're close by, the things that I see don't feel as... vast. [Lonely. Empty. Horrifying. He gives Buzen's hand a very gentle squeeze.] It is easier to wake, as well.

[hasteful]

[huh...

buzen hums thoughtfully at that, barely even noticing that the way in which they arrived to this place no longer looks familiar. well, it's okay, as long as they keep walking, they'll leave eventually, right. but he feels matsui's little squeeze and looks over at him thoughtfully.]

Then I'll stay close.

[it's just that easy.]

Even when we go back home, so long as I'm not a mission or anything, I can stay with you until you fall asleep. And I'll wake you when I do if you want—though I guess Kuwa says you have low blood sugar.

But you deserve rest too, Matsu. Even I get bad dreams sometimes - but I want you to have good sleep almost all the time.

[sanguinary]

[The way they're not even going to notice they're lost because they're busy having Complicated Gou Conversations im fucking crying i hate them so much...]

I would like that. [TO MONOPOLIZE BUZEN'S TIME-- Well, yes, but more than that, just to have the guarantee that he'll be close. Though, at the same time:]

I don't mind the dreams. [It feels like a form of penance, and he's All About That Penance.] I would take yours, too, if I could.

[He may deserve that weight, but he doesn't want Buzen to have anything but the best of what being human can offer. It only seems fair. ...Though, with a light quirk of a smile:]

In any case, Kuwana only says that because he insists on waking me up before the sun.

[hasteful]

[there is an urge to just respond to the thing about kuwana but... well, for now, buzen is left only with his honesty]

I mind your dreams. [stubbornly.] And I'll always mind them.

[because he's pretty sure matsui is looking for something complicated here - something that the dreams are supposed to give him, but they won't. because matsui will never think there's enough suffering to atone for what he's done.

meanwhile, buzen thinks that he's suffered more than enough.

he's talking around it because he doesn't to make matsui name it - the source of his trauma - but he squeezes matsui's hand right back now, a little tight on purpose.]

So I'm gonna give you at many soft, easy nights as I can. 'cause I'm always gonna want to be here for you.

1/2

[sanguinary]

[The way their conversations really are just (Matsui starts teetering toward the edge and Buzen pulls him back by the arm).

Which is to say, there are definitely a lot of complex thoughts and feelings behind the relatively simple statement he made, and he wants to argue with what Buzen says, even though he knows it's a pointless endeavor. Buzen will always be stubborn when it comes to things like this.

So instead of focusing on that - the unnamed trauma, the dreams - he just focuses on the last part.]

Any night that I have with you is soft. Most are easy. That is all I could ask for.

[Truly he is a sword of so little needs and wants and almost all of them are Buzen-centric. Which, now that he's thinking about it-- he glances up and over.]

Buzen, I...

[sanguinary]

[AM GOING DOWN I'M JIMBER TIMBER

He's tripping over an errant tree root that rearranges itself before he can readjust his trajectory, gootbye. Unless he accidentally drags Buzen with him, in which case gootbye for only a second or two.]

[hasteful]

[ :0 ? what was matsui going to say?

well - unfortunately buzen just startles, entirely thrown off when the other stumbles.]

Matsu!!

[but - well, you know, they are attacched at the hand? and he doesn't want matsui to go crashing down and landing on all the poor flowers. so because you lost this coinflip, buzen doesn't just throw himself to tuck and roll to catch matsui. this is one thread where they're not landing in a gou heap.

instead he'll use where he's attached at the hand to hold on firmly enough that matsui doesn't face plant immediately, and instead he'll shift his weight to try to catch an arm around his waist instead, even if it probably ends up in a fairly low dip. this is stupid]

You okay?

[sanguinary]

[THIS IS SO FUCKING STUPID and it's about to get even more stupid because naturally, OF COURSE, there's like a whole three seconds where Matsui is just staring in a somewhat dazed and startled stupor up at Buzen before his nose starts dripping... HIS BLOODS.

With no free hand currently to stem the flow, he's quick to try turning his head down and to the side instead, simultaneously thrusting his flower-holding hand in Buzen's direction.]

I'm fine - please hold these, so I don't bleed on them.

[hasteful]

[help -

buzen's startled at the blood? what could've caused this!!]

Huh? Again? Did you hit your head, Matsu?

[but he'll take the offered flowers because they're the mission!! he'll release his hand in matsui's to just switch off and get the flowers, and then slowly adjust them so they're back to standing. he'll keep his arm around matsui just in case the blood rush is bad....]

[sanguinary]

[WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS, WONDERS BUZEN, WHO HAS HEARD MATSUI EXPLAIN THINGS (in his weird alien way to be fair) MANY TIMES.]

No, I didn't - I am fine. [He'll just let Buzen take the flowers and steady him, so he can focus on looking down and keeping his nose pinched for the time being.] My blood just enjoys being around you, too.

[So much that it insists on exiting his body...]

--It doesn't seem to be very heavy.

[hasteful]

[??????????????????

this really fails to penetrate his thick skull even a little bit, because he doesn't speak in blood, but okay. once matsui is righted, buzen will tuck the flowers into his stupid jacket chest pocket (why does buzen have so many pockets for). with his newly freed hand, he'll just take his arm scarf and move to gently guide it to matsui's face too.....]

Of course I like being with you too, Matsu, but... Ah, well, kinda weird but it's okay.

[just another day with blood spurts....]

[sanguinary]

[THEY REALLY SPEAK TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES SOMETIMES. That said, there isn't much to wipe this time, at least, since he managed to catch it fairly early on. But he's still grateful... He's always grateful for anything Buzen does for him!! THAT'S HIS FAVORITE PERSON IN THE WORLD. If he thinks too much about it right now, his nose is going to turn into a faucet, though.]

I don't mind it.

[WHAT?? Losing blood?? That it's weird?? That Buzen doesn't understand?! A mystery apparently since he just follows up with:] I am sorry about your scarf, though.

[Reaching out to gently touch it...]

But I should be fine in just a few more moments. Please lead the way.

[hasteful]

[matsui stop trying to touch your own blood

buzen will just let the scarf slip from his fingers unceremoniously, almost like it was an accident, and reach out to hold matsui's hand. is it the blood hand. i'm going to be honest it doesn't matter because buzen is wearing gloves and he would simply like to make matsui stop]

Okay, let's go—

[a pause.]

... hmmm...

Well, this way should be fine.

[PICKS A RANDOM DIRECTION AND WALKS they're fucking lost]

[sanguinary]

[HIS BLOOD...

Also yeah it's the blood hand and Matsui will react by pulling back a little, shockingly - though it's just because he doesn't want to get too much of his blood on Buzen, and he definitely doesn't want to walk with blood between their hands. He'll give Buzen the other one instead... Safer!!

They need all the safety that they can get considering they're now LOST.]

Ah... [HM.] --Is it just me, or does this look very different from the path we came through on? I'm almost certain that we re-entered at the same point, though...

[hasteful]

[more things on the list of matsui being confusing.... buzen will look a little confused but - sure he'll take the other hand.]

Yeah.... It's probably a weird thing - let's just be careful. It can't keep us in here forever, but if one of us goes scouting ahead we might lose each other.

[it's literally the only thing keeping buzen from suggesting that he could try to find the perimeter.... it would be very bad if he lost his matsui. overall though, he's not concerned....

before he forgets - ]

You know I don't care if you bleed on me, right?

[sanguinary]

Mm, alright... If we pick a path and stay with it, it should be fine enough.

[It probably can keep them in here forever if it wanted, but at least wandering around in a forest with Buzen forever is not the worst fate to have...

He'll keep hold of Buzen's hand regardless, even knowing there's no risk of him wandering away if they separate, partially because it's something he's already grown so used to. The statement seems to catch him off his guard though, and he glances over for a moment before glancing away.]

I know. [A beat.] I do. [Another pauses, this one somewhat discomforted.] ...I would rather not...

[Hm. Struggling for words... There are places for his blood to be, and "on Buzen" is something he can normally be Normal(ish) about, but not always.]