>Realize that someone would have had to have stolen Jonathan/Mr.Shadow's clock too, so it's deeper than we thought. We're dealing with either The Chessmaster or The Mole here, maybe both. Se if there's anyone untrustworthy working for the queen, then figure out who she trusts most. Finally, ask if anything special happens when a nightmare creature dies, and if just maybe our nightmare creature might not have been as benevolent or dead as we thought.
My new plan is so secret that even I cannot understand its full scope!>Realize that someone would have had to have stolen Jonathan/Mr.Shadow's clock too, so it's deeper than we thought. We're dealing with either The Chessmaster or The Mole here, maybe both. See if there's anyone untrustworthy working for the queen, then figure out who she trusts most. Finally, ask if anything special happens when a nightmare creature dies, and if just maybe our nightmare creature might not have been as benevolent or dead as we thought.
Carl considers this very chilling possibility. Maybe he's just overreacting, but who knows? Maybe this isn't entirely wrong...
Carl asks the queen who she trusts the most in her castle. "It's just me and the knights. I keep close tabs on all of them."
Carl asks if dream creatures do anything special when they die. "Not particularly... they just fall over limp, just like creatures in your world."
Carl asks if, just maybe, Lepido is still alive. "Y-You really think so? But where did he go? Why would he run and hide from us?" Carl begins to suspect that Lepido is more sinister than he was told. "I don't think so. He was such a sweet guy..."
>If the Captain is still in the vicinity, ask if he wants to join us.
>If so, get his name while you're at it
The Captain is still enough to hear them, so Carl asks if he wants to join them. The Captain turns around. "Absolutely not."
"Hmm... maybe it would be good for you, Captain Rust."
Should Carl insist that Captain Rust come with him, or drop it?
Very good kitty>Hear me out. This is your chance to find out how bad nightmare creatures are. If they screw you, then you know never to rtrust them ever again. BUT! They just might change your mind. But, if you really wanna be a bigoted, unpopular tool, help yourself.
Long live the New Bev.>Hear me out. This is your chance to find out how bad nightmare creatures are. If they screw you, then you know never to rtrust them ever again. BUT! They just might change your mind. But, if you really wanna be a bigoted, unpopular tool, help yourself.
>Besides, you seemed to be upset about Lepido. If there's more than meets the eye there, wouldn't you like to find out? It might just confirm your suspicions, yeah, but you'll know.
Carl tells these things to Captain Rust. He is silent for a while, and then he sighs. "I will do it if her Majesty wishes." "Yes, I think it will be a good experience for you."
"...Very well then."
"Now, is there anything else you need before you go?"
edited 21st Nov '16 3:05:40 PM by DrNoPuma
Very good kitty>Some better clothing if possible and an actual bag for carrying things.
No, Carl is still in his pajamas. And I don't think I specified what Ophelia is wearing, but it's safe to say that she's been in her pajamas too. Good idea.
Carl asks for some better clothes for him and Ophelia. Queen Oneira has some knights find armor to fit both of them. Out of all the nightmare creatures, Matilda is the only one who could fit into a suit of armor, but she declines.
Oneira also gives Carl his own Bag of Holding. He can name it if he wants.
>Armory and clothes.
>Access to the armory?
>We definitely need good weapons.
Oneira takes Carl to the armory, where the walls are lined with all sorts of medieval weapons. Swords, spears, axes, maces, and more. They're all decorated and shiny. Which one will he choose, and what will he name it?
edited 21st Nov '16 6:01:37 PM by DrNoPuma
Very good kitty>Take both the axe and two rapiers. Carry the axe openly for intimidation, but use the rapiers in combat for precision strikes. Also be prepared to use the axe when brute force is best.
>Rapiers are named Loki and Set.
edited 21st Nov '16 6:34:41 PM by ZeroL
My new plan is so secret that even I cannot understand its full scope!>Also, grab the smallest, least noticeable weapon so the queen doesn't know, just in case she's a Mole in Charge.
You call it paranoid, I call it extreme Genre Savvy. And paranoia. Paranoia is healthy in fiction.
edited 21st Nov '16 7:14:09 PM by ZeroL
My new plan is so secret that even I cannot understand its full scope!>Name the bag Nan.
Carl names the bag after the main character of one of his favorite internet adventure games. ...which I've gotta keep reading. I've only read the first chapter. :P
>Axe, Stanley.
>Take both the axe and two rapiers. Carry the axe openly for intimidation, but use the rapiers in combat for precision strikes. Also be prepared to use the axe when brute force is best.
>Rapiers are named Loki and Set.
Charlie takes the biggest axe that he can easily carry and names it Stanley. He takes two rapiers, names them Loki and Set, and puts them in Nan.
>Also, grab the smallest, least noticeable weapon so the queen doesn't know, just in case she's a Mole in Charge.
In a combination of paranoia and Genre Savviness, Carl grabs a small dagger when the queen isn't looking.
>Well... do we even know how to use any of these weapons?
Good point. Fortunately, there is a training dummy in the room.
Very good kitty>Go at it with the rapiers, and then practice some axe swings. We'll also want to stop by to train every time we come back here.
>Use Stanley and slice the dummy up.
No Undertale reference? Looks like I'll have to do it myself.
Carl walks up to the dummy nervously, prodding it to make sure it's not haunted or anything. When he's convinced it's just a normal dummy, he uses Loki, Set, and Stanley and utterly destroys it.
For both your convenience and mine, I think I'll make a list of all the objects that Carl has named:
- Charlie: The stick.
- Steve: The sword from Matilda's house.
- Nan: The bag.
- Stanley: The axe.
- Loki and Set: The rapiers.
Other items he has include the torch, the pancakes, and the dagger.
"What else can I provide you with?"
Very good kitty>This is good, right? Should we head out?
> Head out.
Carl and the 6 others accompanying him are ready to leave.
"Thank you so much for doing this. I hope we get your clocks back soon, Carl and Ophelia, and I hope your journey to Sweet Land goes smoothly."
"Some Sweet Landers may be put off when they see nightmare creatures in their land. After all, dream creatures rarely leave their home lands. But I'm sure you'll be fine with Captain Rust at your side."
They say their goodbyes, and our heroes leave the castle and head north towards Sweet Land. Eventually, the rocky, crystalline landscape fades into a bright, grassy land, and the path that are heroes are walking on splits in two.
"Both of these paths will take us in the direction of Gingerbread Town. The left one is longer, and goes through a bunch of towns. The right one is shorter, and goes through a forest. Obviously it won't be dark and scary like the ones in Bad Land, but I don't know what's in there. Which path are we taking?"
Very good kitty

>If so, get his name while you're at it