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Inactive [LP CYOA] Overlord
- Thread starter treave
- Start date
Not the only thing we'll bend him to, to unlock the sweet gayngel powers that will enable our escape. Unless you go by the solid logic that that doesn't count when in prison.
Baltika9
Arcane
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2012
- Messages
- 9,611
Hey man, if that's your thing, then I'm not judging. Just saying, though, this may be the perfect spot to influence the future ruler of Yuiria, make him empathize with the monsters and set up the perfect refugee crisis. We're a manipulative man, I'm sure we can figure something out.
It's thursday. Any bets on us getting an update today? 
Esquilax
Arcane
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2010
- Messages
- 4,833
It's thursday. Any bets on us getting an update today?
In a bizarre case of life imitating art, treave has actually ended up in prison in the time since he wrote the previous update.
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2008
- Messages
- 11,370
Cool! That means added reality to the coming update? 
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2008
- Messages
- 11,370
Reformation, Rehabilitation
“Aces!”
“Again?”
“That’s bullshit!”
“How do you do such a thing? It can’t be magic, we’d know!”
You keep your carefully enigmatic smile as you thumb the carefully and almost imperceptibly shaved corner of the numbered cube, done in such a manner that when the dice are thrown a certain way, you could exert a certain amount of influence over the results that you are going to get.
Prisoner and guard alike groan in frustration. In the short course of the introduction of the little game of – obviously – your own devising to them, you have managed to win: some clothes for you, some rags for the catatonic prince, who has actually turned out to be a girl for some reason yet unbeknownst to you which you will have to investigate in the future, two pieces of leaves that are said to have an hallucinogenic effect when ground into powder and inhaled, a string tied to a stick, and most recently, a tame pet rat belonging to Big Owl, a gigantic beastman with the eyes of an owl, the ears of an owl and also the unnerving ability of an owl to twist his head in a nearly full circle.
The prisoners are not very rich, as their status would indicate, and the guards have politely refrained from participating. To your surprise, everyone here had been rather nice and understanding of your situation once you greeted them cordially in their own tongue. For some reason, they courteously avoided talking about your wings or even looking at them. The guards had not gone for the maces or attempted to fry you with the massive magical security network you now know blankets the entire island; it had been weaved insidiously into the suppression wards so that you initially overlooked its presence. Instead, all they had to offer were their condolences and the firm insistence that only the Worthy Reformed may leave the island. The guards themselves were former prisoners, elevated to their position by the prison system as part of the pathway to becoming a Worthy Reformed.
“What is a Worthy Reformed?” you had asked.
“It is when you have accrued enough Karma for the Reformatory to designate you as such,” came the infuriatingly obscure reply.
The Reformatory – that is what they call this place. From what you could figure out, it is an institution located in the Sea of Von Braun, in the midst of the most dangerous waters in the world. You have no idea where the exact location is, and all that you know is that you are a long, long way from Grahferde, though thankfully still in the same world.
According to the island’s inhabitants, this has long been a place for various non-human kingdoms to exile their undesirables. Most don’t survive the entrance procedure – a really long fall from the sky – and those powerful enough to do so find themselves powerless to escape. Once here, they find themselves under the rule of the prison itself. The guards are drawn from the ranks of the prisoners, from those who have followed the rules and the teachings well enough to distinguish themselves. Within the tower, each of the seven floors offered different levels of comfort and quality of life for its inmates. The bottom floor was, as usual, the worst of the lot, while the higher floors boasted of better facilities, such as a real bed. Floor five was reserved for guards, floor six for more distinguished personnel amongst those guards – though from the way you hear it, they rarely leave their luxurious quarters to mingle with the rabble – and no one in the courtyard has any idea who resides on floor seven.
The assignment of rooms itself was a strange process; a disembodied voice would call out their number – everyone was given a number here – and they would find themselves being granted a room. This changed from time to time according to the mysterious Karma they accrued for practicing a lifestyle in accordance with the Reformatory’s rules. Guards were selected via the same procedure; their number would be called out along with a congratulatory message and they would be assigned a room on the fifth floor. The magical security within the tower is said to be even more extensive and there are horror stories told of the fate of former residents attempting to force their way to the upper floors.
“To become a Worthy Reformed and leave the island, one must transcend floor seven,” said one of the older guards, a withered, aged demon with the texture and smell of a rotting prune. Considering how the demon race is more long-lived than humans, you wonder how long he has been here. The guard himself doesn’t remember; now, the only thing he remembers is his number and the rules.
So far your number has not been called yet. The prisoners tell you that the Reformatory acts quickly and efficiently, and it should be soon. Before you are assigned a number, you will be unauthorized to even enter the tower itself.
A short while later, something happens. Your name is called, but it is not by a disembodied voice. In fact, it is just the opposite; the voice belonged to an excellent body.
Rinnefiela pops out of thin air right in front of you. “Erdrick! There you are! Hah, did you think you could get away from me? We swore an oath and you aren’t getting out of it that easily. Here, I’m going to teleport us back, and… wait, why do I feel weaker all of a sudden? My teleportation magic… it isn’t working! What’s going on, Erdrick?”
Looking at the panicking demon princess, you can only sigh.
***
Now that Rin has cleverly landed herself in prison alongside you, perhaps your options have increased. Or decreased, you are not entirely sure yourself.
A. You will play by the rules for now and try to work your way up the tower. There is no hurry to take any risks. Surely it cannot be that hard to do whatever it is the Reformatory asks of you – if hardened criminals and scum of the earth can do well enough to climb up the floors, so can you.
B. With Rin’s assistance, you might be able to succeed where others have failed: to force your way through to the upper floors. If the defenses are magical in nature you are certain you can handle it somehow. Getting a taste of it firsthand might be all you need to unravel the security system of this Reformatory.
C. According to some of the older residents, there is a particular clause allowing you to challenge denizens of higher floors for their place in various competitions. The risk of activating such a clause is that the residents of the upper floors have less restrictions placed upon them by the Reformatory’s wards, and you might well find yourself on the losing end.
“Aces!”
“Again?”
“That’s bullshit!”
“How do you do such a thing? It can’t be magic, we’d know!”
You keep your carefully enigmatic smile as you thumb the carefully and almost imperceptibly shaved corner of the numbered cube, done in such a manner that when the dice are thrown a certain way, you could exert a certain amount of influence over the results that you are going to get.
Prisoner and guard alike groan in frustration. In the short course of the introduction of the little game of – obviously – your own devising to them, you have managed to win: some clothes for you, some rags for the catatonic prince, who has actually turned out to be a girl for some reason yet unbeknownst to you which you will have to investigate in the future, two pieces of leaves that are said to have an hallucinogenic effect when ground into powder and inhaled, a string tied to a stick, and most recently, a tame pet rat belonging to Big Owl, a gigantic beastman with the eyes of an owl, the ears of an owl and also the unnerving ability of an owl to twist his head in a nearly full circle.
The prisoners are not very rich, as their status would indicate, and the guards have politely refrained from participating. To your surprise, everyone here had been rather nice and understanding of your situation once you greeted them cordially in their own tongue. For some reason, they courteously avoided talking about your wings or even looking at them. The guards had not gone for the maces or attempted to fry you with the massive magical security network you now know blankets the entire island; it had been weaved insidiously into the suppression wards so that you initially overlooked its presence. Instead, all they had to offer were their condolences and the firm insistence that only the Worthy Reformed may leave the island. The guards themselves were former prisoners, elevated to their position by the prison system as part of the pathway to becoming a Worthy Reformed.
“What is a Worthy Reformed?” you had asked.
“It is when you have accrued enough Karma for the Reformatory to designate you as such,” came the infuriatingly obscure reply.
The Reformatory – that is what they call this place. From what you could figure out, it is an institution located in the Sea of Von Braun, in the midst of the most dangerous waters in the world. You have no idea where the exact location is, and all that you know is that you are a long, long way from Grahferde, though thankfully still in the same world.
According to the island’s inhabitants, this has long been a place for various non-human kingdoms to exile their undesirables. Most don’t survive the entrance procedure – a really long fall from the sky – and those powerful enough to do so find themselves powerless to escape. Once here, they find themselves under the rule of the prison itself. The guards are drawn from the ranks of the prisoners, from those who have followed the rules and the teachings well enough to distinguish themselves. Within the tower, each of the seven floors offered different levels of comfort and quality of life for its inmates. The bottom floor was, as usual, the worst of the lot, while the higher floors boasted of better facilities, such as a real bed. Floor five was reserved for guards, floor six for more distinguished personnel amongst those guards – though from the way you hear it, they rarely leave their luxurious quarters to mingle with the rabble – and no one in the courtyard has any idea who resides on floor seven.
The assignment of rooms itself was a strange process; a disembodied voice would call out their number – everyone was given a number here – and they would find themselves being granted a room. This changed from time to time according to the mysterious Karma they accrued for practicing a lifestyle in accordance with the Reformatory’s rules. Guards were selected via the same procedure; their number would be called out along with a congratulatory message and they would be assigned a room on the fifth floor. The magical security within the tower is said to be even more extensive and there are horror stories told of the fate of former residents attempting to force their way to the upper floors.
“To become a Worthy Reformed and leave the island, one must transcend floor seven,” said one of the older guards, a withered, aged demon with the texture and smell of a rotting prune. Considering how the demon race is more long-lived than humans, you wonder how long he has been here. The guard himself doesn’t remember; now, the only thing he remembers is his number and the rules.
So far your number has not been called yet. The prisoners tell you that the Reformatory acts quickly and efficiently, and it should be soon. Before you are assigned a number, you will be unauthorized to even enter the tower itself.
A short while later, something happens. Your name is called, but it is not by a disembodied voice. In fact, it is just the opposite; the voice belonged to an excellent body.
Rinnefiela pops out of thin air right in front of you. “Erdrick! There you are! Hah, did you think you could get away from me? We swore an oath and you aren’t getting out of it that easily. Here, I’m going to teleport us back, and… wait, why do I feel weaker all of a sudden? My teleportation magic… it isn’t working! What’s going on, Erdrick?”
Looking at the panicking demon princess, you can only sigh.
***
Now that Rin has cleverly landed herself in prison alongside you, perhaps your options have increased. Or decreased, you are not entirely sure yourself.
A. You will play by the rules for now and try to work your way up the tower. There is no hurry to take any risks. Surely it cannot be that hard to do whatever it is the Reformatory asks of you – if hardened criminals and scum of the earth can do well enough to climb up the floors, so can you.
B. With Rin’s assistance, you might be able to succeed where others have failed: to force your way through to the upper floors. If the defenses are magical in nature you are certain you can handle it somehow. Getting a taste of it firsthand might be all you need to unravel the security system of this Reformatory.
C. According to some of the older residents, there is a particular clause allowing you to challenge denizens of higher floors for their place in various competitions. The risk of activating such a clause is that the residents of the upper floors have less restrictions placed upon them by the Reformatory’s wards, and you might well find yourself on the losing end.
Nevill
Arcane
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2009
- Messages
- 11,211
Dammit, R-
Actually, nevermind.
Can she at least tell us what the hell happened back there? Also, where is Aria? What happened to Arlin and Tenya? I am getting worried. Hope they haven't sexchanged like our prince, that'd be awkward. The change probably affects only the ones in the In-Between, but we could have easily ended up in a parallel bizarro-world.
Also, Lambchop! Can't believe you've voted to execute a girl like that, you cold-blooded bastard!
There is only one outcome. It is always the same one, too. Erdrick will cheat the system.
C. Let us challenge them! It's Alcatraz Gauntlet time, only with 7 floors.
Actually, nevermind.
Can she at least tell us what the hell happened back there? Also, where is Aria? What happened to Arlin and Tenya? I am getting worried. Hope they haven't sexchanged like our prince, that'd be awkward. The change probably affects only the ones in the In-Between, but we could have easily ended up in a parallel bizarro-world.
Also, Lambchop! Can't believe you've voted to execute a girl like that, you cold-blooded bastard!
There is only one outcome. It is always the same one, too. Erdrick will cheat the system.
C. Let us challenge them! It's Alcatraz Gauntlet time, only with 7 floors.
I'll be voting A here.
The way I see it is that we already managed to achieve enlightenment with Xu Jing once... how hard can it be to get there a second time? It's only rightful for angels to ascend. That, and I don't like the sound of "attempted to fry you with the massive magical security network".
The way I see it is that we already managed to achieve enlightenment with Xu Jing once... how hard can it be to get there a second time? It's only rightful for angels to ascend. That, and I don't like the sound of "attempted to fry you with the massive magical security network".
lightbane
Arcane
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2008
- Messages
- 10,560
Finally, an update! 
So, this is like that island from that British show whose name I cannot remember right now. Thankfully it seems even Angels are allowed to "participate", to say. That, and looking at an Angel's wings is probably considered a social faux pax (funny that no-one seems to mind about our glowing halo).
And the bastard prince is actually a girl? It's like Legend all over again.
Indeed. It is Shaolin Temple 2.0.
Clearly, there's only one way to do this:
C.
This time, once we fight the dreaded furniture-wielding monks, we shall learn how they can summon wooden instruments from thin air, then take over the world with this new-found power!
So, this is like that island from that British show whose name I cannot remember right now. Thankfully it seems even Angels are allowed to "participate", to say. That, and looking at an Angel's wings is probably considered a social faux pax (funny that no-one seems to mind about our glowing halo).
And the bastard prince is actually a girl? It's like Legend all over again.
Indeed. It is Shaolin Temple 2.0.
Clearly, there's only one way to do this:
C.
This time, once we fight the dreaded furniture-wielding monks, we shall learn how they can summon wooden instruments from thin air, then take over the world with this new-found power!
Myeah, I think I'll go for a B>A vote here. Someone clearly needs to challenge the system, not work the system. Erdricks cunning magical knowhow coupled with Rin's demonic perception should be perfect for this.
wjw
Augur
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2007
- Messages
- 287
This prison seems to be a great place. It gathers evil beings, and turns them into nice docile guards. This is a perfect recruitement station. I am kinda curious about the 'voice' that governs this place. So A ofcourse. Lets blend in for the time being.
lightbane
Arcane
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2008
- Messages
- 10,560
You know, that makes me wonder several things: Why wasn't Erd given clothes immediately in the first place instead of having to play for them (for not to mention he had nothing to bet)? Or at least for the little princess he carried around. Why didn't they ask about her as well? And where was Erdrick hiding said dice? Unless he took a regular one and subtly modified it, he had had to store said dice in some place which even the teleportation failure couldn't find. Perhaps he knows smuggling tricks that he was taught before starting his heroic career, if you know what I mean.
This also means that the human kingdoms aren't as powerful as they believe. There's probably many, many non-human kingdoms somewhere in this world.
B
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2014
- Messages
- 635
I like C over B as it has us not facing the entire facility at it's full power when we are at our weakest. We can go full throttle breaking out once we have a closer look at the tower and maybe have unlocked some more spells and defenses. The Erd I know would never settle for A. Hopefully one of the contests is to not get aroused while Beastwomen dimes give you a lapdance.
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2008
- Messages
- 11,370
Next update.
Something like this, for starters.
You know, that makes me wonder several things: Why wasn't Erd given clothes immediately in the first place instead of having to play for them (for not to mention he had nothing to bet)? Or at least for the little princess he carried around. Why didn't they ask about her as well? And where was Erdrick hiding said dice? Unless he took a regular one and subtly modified it, he had had to store said dice in some place which even the teleportation failure couldn't find. Perhaps he knows smuggling tricks that he was taught before starting his heroic career, if you know what I mean.
He bet the prince and made some dice from some scrap lying around.
The type of contests will be chosen by the challenged, so it's only going to be combat if they think it advantages them. Wits are probably a lot more important overall. As for forming a gang, one will naturally coalesce around you once you demonstrate your competence (hopefully).
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