I think this is an all-or-nothing choice. Either the heroine takes penalties for wearing clothes (vote B1), or she takes penalties for not wearing clothes (vote B2). We can't get both.
I am voting for A, since there is probably an item down the side passage that we need. if the vote swings to B go with wearing the clothes, This should give us some protection.
*chuckles* An overwhelming vote to get the breast milk ability and then you guys are so far pretty much evenly divided on your first chance to use it.
As far as the underwear goes, I typically go with old-fashioned underwear when I'm writing fantasy, which usually means a shift, or in this woman's case, none. Any underwear she might be wearing would hamper her just as much as regular clothes would.
Since the votes are so close right now (3:4) I'm going to wait until tomorrow to update unless one choice surges to the lead before I go to bed tonight.
The tangle of roots provided easy enough purchase for her grappling hook, and she quickly hoisted herself up to the smallish opening, crouching down so she wouldn't bump her head on the low ceiling. She was immediately confronted by a small lump with several tentacles growing out of it, waving around as if searching for her. This was the same creature that had littered the floor of the previous ruin, but there was only one here. She drew the little blade she had belted around her waist and set it aside, just in case the people at the facility had lied to her. Then, keeping an eye on the immobile but quite active creature, she slowly undid the stays to her blouse, baring her milk-laden breasts. She began moving her hands over them, stimulating her nipples with her fingers to start the flow of milk. Once she had enticed several drops to the surface, she crawled forward, allowing the tentacles to embrace her torso. The creature seemed to slow as it touched her - it seemed as if it preferred consenting victims, content to play with her a bit first instead of eagerly ripping her clothes off like the previous ones had.
Still, even though it seemed content to take its time, she knew she had to act fast if she wanted to avoid being raped by the thing. Guiding its appendages toward her breasts, she couldn't help letting out a small sigh as the flexible arms wrapped around them, squeezing them and toying with her nipples. She helped it along with her hands, rubbing and squeezing them, milking herself for the creature. In no time at all, her nipples were leaking freely, and she made sure to let the pearly liquid fall on the creature's core body. It seemed content with this, for the moment, its tentacles getting more energetic as if it wanted more of the sweet, life-giving substance that she was giving it. She could feel the pressure in her breasts being alleviated as she was worked with her own hands and the thick tubular appendages, and she started to worry that she would run out before it was satisfied.
After several tense moments passed, she breathed a small sigh of relief as the creature began to slow, its movements becoming lethargic and almost sleepy. She smiled - it was almost cute, like a child being sated after a meal. After she had squeezed out the last drops from her breasts just to ensure it was truly asleep, she crawled past it and further down the tunnel, grabbing her sword and fixing her blouse as she went.
[Stress +1. I didn't let you guys choose whether or not to kill or placate it because I wanted to explain how the mechanic worked (and there are no more monsters that we can use this method to get past in this dungeon) - you can either placate it for a very small amount of stress, or you can fight it. In these cramped quarters, and with just a short melee weapon, we probably would have lost and gotten raped, which of course adds a hefty stress penalty, if we even did manage to get free and avoid a game over.]
A few yards down, the cave seemed to end, getting far too narrow for her body to fit through, but her sharp eyes noticed a tiny chest, somewhat hidden behind a pile of stone. Reaching for it, she pulled it out of the recess, noticing that even though it was no larger than her fist, it was heavier than she'd expected. When she opened it, she found a tiny gemstone nestled in the center of a soft wave of sky-blue cloth. Even though it was very small, she should be able to sell it for at least something. Smiling at her success, she latched the little box and tucked it safely in her pack.
When she was standing once more in front of the pool of water, she peered down into it, testing it with her toe and finding it chilly, but not unreasonably so. She was relieved to find some sort of bioluminous material growing on the sides of the tunnel downward - she'd be able to see even though she wasn't able to use her torches. Opting to keep her clothes on for whatever protection they might offer but taking her boots off for the added mobility, she fit the breathing mask into her mouth and stepped into the water, shivering as it reached past her calves.
Thankfully, the mask worked, and she took a deep, somewhat bubbly breath when she was completely submerged. Diving down, she opened her eyes, and even though the water was somewhat murky, she could tell where she was going due to the greenish glow of the algae lighting the way, or whatever it was. Moving downward for several yards, she found that the tunnel gradually began to slope, and soon she was swimming more horizontally instead of vertically, though the tunnel still seemed to be moving downward.
Not much time had passed before she reached a side tunnel. After exploring both options somewhat, she determined that she could see a gently glowing light at the end of the side tunnel, a comforting blueish hue. It was an orb, just hanging in the water; she couldn't tell much else from it without approaching it. The other tunnel seemed to be the main route; it opened up into a rather large cavern, and she could see several oddly glowing shapes drifting around. These ones weren't stationary, unlike the orb, and she could guess that they were monsters of some sort. She could also see that this room narrowed down into another tunnel - she was sure her eventual goal was that way.
Choice: A: Let's go toward the room with the monsters. We've already gotten something of value; we don't really need any more side objects. B: Let's explore that strange orb. It might give us something else of value, and more money is never a bad thing, right...? C: Let's leave. We've gotten something we can sell.
Stress: 1
Breasts: 0%
Equipment:
Grappling Hook, Breath Mask (equipped), Short Sword, Spare Clothes x1
Treasure:
Small Gem
Totally worth it being fucked senseless and drugged with a highly addictive substance. We've managed to defeat: A level 1 noob monster that most games would treat as XP-fodder!
Since we're already in this dungeon, no sense in going back yet. It'd be a waste of the time and effort having gotten here. Although neither option seems like a particularly good choice, especially while our milk, which would've been nice to save for an emergency instead of using it all up at the first chance we got, is quite gone.
So. B, I guess. Better to take these side paths on as they come.
B, our clothes are wet so if we go up to fight the group of monsters we also have the negative for wet clothing. B seems to be the safest option and you never know what we might get out of it.
B, our clothes are wet so if we go up to fight the group of monsters we also have the negative for wet clothing. B seems to be the safest option and you never know what we might get out of it.
[Yeah I felt I was pretty clear about the fact that we are still underwater... either way, option B was voted for, so we'll be exploring the side passage.]
Opting to explore down the side passage, she swam down into the slightly darker cave entrance. As she moved downward, she realized the reason it was getting darker was because the algae had stopped growing on the walls of the rock tunnel. Yet she could still see - clearly the orb was providing its own light through the small cavern. Quickly coming to the source of the orb, which radiated a gentle calming aura, she approached it cautiously, ready to bolt if need be. Well, as much as she could flee underwater being hampered by her clothes like she was. As she approached the orb, it slowly began to morph, swirling around in the water and growing several levels brighter before coalescing into the shape of a proud, broad-shouldered man.
Hello, little one, it spoke, and its voice was clear as a bell, even to her water-muffled ears. Her brow knit in concern, but her expression didn't show any fear, not yet. The figure floated closer, moving without any obvious method of propulsion, and its lips moved again. Welcome to my prison, it said, smiling benevolently, its "voice" not sounding bitter as she might have expected when speaking of confinement. She swam backward somewhat as it approached her, somewhat nervous of its intentions. Do not fear, it murmured in her ears. I merely wish to look upon you. It is very rare that I am visited in this deep place by creatures capable of higher reasoning. Comforted somewhat, she ceased retreating and approached the figure somewhat. It approached her, smiling, then tilted its head as if catching wind of something of interest. Moving closer, it seemed to sniff at her, then its expression twisted into a delighted grin. Why... you have my gem! it cried happily.
She shook her head, confused, but of course she couldn't respond with the breathing mask in her mouth. Nonsense, my dear, the figure intoned. You found a small sapphire not far from here. I can sense its presence, you know - one of the stranger things I've experienced since dying, it mused, its gaze growing distant before snapping back to her. Oh, I would very much like to have it back! Would you relinquish it to me? I would be in your debt... and perhaps I could find something with which to repay you, it said with an excited smile.
It was such a strange experience for her. She had met a spirit before, tethered to a specific physical location, as this one seemed to be tethered to the water. But that spirit had been dark and gloomy and depressed, saddened by its confinement, and resenting any life form. She had been hard-pressed to get anything useful out of that one, but this one was completely different. Not only did it seem unbothered by its confinement, it seemed content with its lot in life, even happy. And aside from that, it had even offered its assistance, albeit for a price. She hadn't had to threaten it or even speak to it - not that she could at this point. She tilted her head questioningly, then extended two fingers and rubbed them together - the universal symbol for money. The figure chuckled.
Oh, no, I have no earthly possessions that would be worth anything to you, not like that, it said, shaking its head. But.... It bowed its head, reaching behind its shoulders and undoing a clasp to a cord that a small amulet shaped like a cross was attached to. It extended the pendant forward, and she could see that the pendant was glowing with very much the same light that the spirit was. Perhaps this might be of use to you?
Her mind raced. A pendant with a simple dweomer of light enspelled onto it was surely not worth nearly as much as the little gem, small though it was. But she could imagine if this underwater cavern hadn't had that phosphorescent algae growing all around, she would have been completely stuck, unable to proceed without a light source - and it would eliminate the need for her to carry torches.
My name is Seth, the spirit told her calmly. This pendant was very dear to me, once. I think, it added, as if it weren't sure of that. But if it were, I cannot remember what importance it may once have held for me. I'm sure you would find it more useful than I would. I do remember why that gem was important to me. Please, it implored.
Choice: A: Shake our head apologetically and continue to the other room. (polite) B: Turn our back on the strange creature and continue to the other room. (rude) C: Nod our head and offer the gem in trade for the amulet and continue to the other room. D: Shake our head apologetically and leave the dungeon. E: Turn our back on the spirit and leave the dungeon. F: Nod our head and offer the gem in trade for the amulet and leave the dungeon.
[As always you are welcome to vote for your own custom decision; if you figure out a way to ask the spirit a question with that breath mask in our teeth, and would like to know more information about it, feel free - I couldn't think of a way.]
Stress: 1
Breasts: 0%
Equipment:
Grappling Hook, Breath Mask (equipped), Short Sword, Spare Clothes x1
Treasure:
Small Gem
So... is Seth serene merely because he has passed beyond bodily worries, or is he trying to trick our heroine into being possessed by him via the pendant?
[As always you are welcome to vote for your own custom decision; if you figure out a way to ask the spirit a question with that breath mask in our teeth, and would like to know more information about it, feel free - I couldn't think of a way.]
Sign language. Scribble in the algae on the wall with her finger. He can read her mind if she subvocalizes (since he recognized that she was sapient). Ehhh... I can't really think of anything to ask, beyond "why's the gem so important?"
So I'll vote C - trade the gem after finding out why the gem's important to Seth.
So... is Seth serene merely because he has passed beyond bodily worries, or is he trying to trick our heroine into being possessed by him via the pendant?
Which assumes A: She knows sign language; B: He knows sign language; C: They both know the same dialect of sign language; and D: a form of sign language even exists in this universe. Pass.
Scribble in the algae on the wall with her finger.
This one is good, but I can't use it, and the only reason you didn't realize it was due to my failing to describe the cave well enough. I said it was "getting darker;" I failed to mention the fact that there is no algae in this cavern. Something to do with it being the spirit's permanent residence. I promise I'm not just making this up as I go along >.> Sorry about the confusion.
He can read her mind if she subvocalizes (since he recognized that she was sapient).
I don't even understand this. If she subvocalizes and he understands, that would mean he's either hearing her or reading her throat's movements, not reading her mind. The way you inferred that he could read her mind completely escapes me - he recognized she was human because she looks human. How does that translate to an ability to read her mind?
Eh, maybe her sister's deaf. It was just a suggestion - not necessarily a good one. Heck, she could make something up on the spot - tap/scratch her head, then wave the gem. What do you think that would mean if somebody made that gesture to you?
This one is good, but I can't use it, and the only reason you didn't realize it was due to my failing to describe the cave well enough. I said it was "getting darker;" I failed to mention the fact that there is no algae in this cavern. Something to do with it being the spirit's permanent residence. I promise I'm not just making this up as I go along >.> Sorry about the confusion.
I don't even understand this. If she subvocalizes and he understands, that would mean he's either hearing her or reading her throat's movements, not reading her mind. The way you inferred that he could read her mind completely escapes me - he recognized she was human because she looks human. How does that translate to an ability to read her mind?
Eh, you said he called her a "creature capable of higher reasoning". Since that doesn't exactly show on your face...
As to the requirement of subvocalization, well, that's just to distinguish between him reading random thoughts and him reading what she wants to say. But I think the attempt at writing is more likely, anyways.
Eh, maybe her sister's deaf. It was just a suggestion - not necessarily a good one. Heck, she could make something up on the spot - tap/scratch her head, then wave the gem. What do you think that would mean if somebody made that gesture to you?
Howzabout she goes back and grabs a handful of algae, then? Or (light) dirt on a (dark) wall, or (dark) dirt on a (light) shirt?
Basically, write "WHY" and wave the gem at him, so he knows what she's asking why about.
I was actually thinking of the word "Sentient" but then I realized I wanted to distinguish between her and, say, an eel. Thus higher reasoning.
As to the requirement of subvocalization, well, that's just to distinguish between him reading random thoughts and him reading what she wants to say. But I think the attempt at writing is more likely, anyways.
Oh I see. I guess that makes sense, but I'm leaning more towards attempting to write something out, since I hate the very idea of mind-reading and always have.
@Diag: Sign language is not necessarily for the deaf; I've read several stories where hearing folks use complex hand signs just in order for them not to be overheard, or as a sort of code when being observed. Still, I can't think of a way our hero would know either of these from her history of adventuring, more often alone than not.
