Chewett

As mentioned in the announcement I have been monitoring the various mood panel, profile, and PL mentions people have left during our little story. This forum post is so that people can learn what the Realm likes and dislikes, so possibly we can do even better stuff in the future. My general comments are that it seems there was a significant proportion of people that didn’t really like it. Given the considerable amount of time it took to document/write up I’m probably not going to run another similar event. Sorry I couldn’t do better and best of luck to the next author. I would note that, since the comments are anonymous, it’s hard to see if it’s a very determined hater, or the wider community feels the same. If anyone has any feedback they want to share I’m keen to hear how I could do better. Negative Comments cunt sad fat littleman authoriteh big whoop somuchai georgerrmartinwowlol aislop whocares whatadumbpost you mad bro big sad chew hypocrite terribleai cringe x2 snooze button zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz fart bucket spam x2 My comments: Some people don’t seem to like the AI imagery Some personal remarks Seemingly people didn’t like the fact I had to rewrite some of the story and took a pause Some people felt it was boring/cringe Positive comments: nice x8 finally topkek releax anenjoy sweet like this exciting amazing art sherlock holmes agatha christie love it I love these based My Comments Some people seemed to like the artwork I was writing it while attempting to have a similar writing/speaking style as the original “Sherlock Holmes Radio mystery” in the UK, people seemed to enjoy this Story related comments: gwi is safe he scared yo manz duckin dray is adepleter dr is a depleter is too is not kill depleters delete depleters x2 beatdepleters x2 strikerharder My comments: It was great to see people engaging with the story through the replies

Chewett wandered the land, his work accomplished, CARD no longer needed him. What would become of the mysterious figure depleting the Gateway Island? Would Ledah be dissuaded? Could Fang and Nep rally CARD to stop the depleters? Would the depleters keep crying for bark to make armour? That… is another story.

Fang sat just before the Prison Door. It was fitting, he thought. A place of endings, as well as beginnings. He lowered his right wing towards the cold stone and, with little more than a thought, a small campfire sprang to life. The Embers of Mt. Kelle’Tha burned brightly even in the most unlikely of places, casting long shadows across walls that had witnessed more than their fair share of unfortunate souls. For a time, Fang simply watched the flames. Then his shape began to change. The small Phoenix twisted and stretched, feathers giving way to flesh and fur until the creature beside the fire had become something considerably larger. Six feet of Lycan and man, wild mane and all. The Man behind the Mask had finally shown his face. Footsteps disturbed the silence. Fang turned. Nep had answered his summons. His oldest and most trusted ally. A soul who, after everything they had endured together, Fang had long since stopped considering merely a friend. Family was probably closer. Nep surveyed their surroundings before looking towards Fang. “...Heh. Why here of all places? It’s not exactly modern living. I know you’re a hermit, but even that has a limit.” One eyebrow slowly rose. Fang’s own rose to meet it. “...Then isn’t it poetic that the forgotten find solace in the darkness? Besides. This place feels more like home than my own mind most days.” The familiar Cheshire smirk followed. Nep sighed. “...The Wood will not defend itself. Speak, Wolf.” For several moments, Fang said nothing. The fire crackled between them. Eventually he reached inside his coat and withdrew a small green card. “...You asked what Chewett has been doing.” Nep remained silent. “Why CARD has spent so much time watching. Why there have been speeches, accusations, lists, traps... yet so little direction from the man who supposedly created the thing.” Fang turned the card between his fingers. “...You’ve known me long enough. I wouldn’t waste your dying will flame on something that didn’t deserve your attention.” He tossed it across the fire. Nep caught it. “Before you read that... let me tell you a story.” Fang leaned back. “I tried peace first.” The smirk disappeared. “I've seen war. Only fools... only the undamaged... choose war before every other path has been exhausted.” His eyes remained fixed upon the fire. “When the depletion began, I made a deal with one of them. A depleter.” Nep's expression tightened slightly. “I asked for one thing. Leave Golemus alone.” Fang gave a quiet laugh, although there was little humour in it. “Others warned me. Told me it was folly. Told me a depleter could not be trusted.” He shrugged. “...But I wanted to give them a chance. I am a fair Wolf.” A log shifted in the fire. “Less than a week later, they depleted my homeland.” Nep said nothing. “They broke their word. When confronted, they claimed ignorance. Then came excuses. Then lies. And finally, when there was nothing left to hide behind, they simply refused to apologise.” Fang stared into the flames. “That was when I learned something useful.” The Cheshire smirk slowly returned. “A depleter possesses less brains than they have empathy for the people of the Realm.” Nep snorted. Fang's eyes moved towards the green card in Nep's hands. “But Chewett already knew that.” A pause. “He knew exactly what they were.” Nep looked down at the card. “...And instead of trying to change them?” Fang smiled. “...He used them.” Silence. “The Fool believes he acts freely because nobody holds the strings tightly enough for him to feel them.” Fang gestured towards the card. “The point of CARD was never simply to stop those who would rot our Realm.” Nep slowly turned it over. “The point was to make their Entropy useful.” “Entropy is a tricky Mistress. But She can be Used.” Fang leaned forward. “The mind. The heart. Pride. Greed. Spite. All can be manipulated for the greater good.” His voice dropped. “What good is a Fool... if not, occasionally, as a Tool?” Nep finally opened the green CARD. Inside, written plainly, was the secret Chewett had entrusted to Fang weeks before. Nep read it once. Then again. His eyebrows slowly rose. “...Is this really true?” Fang chuckled at the disbelief in the voice of his oldest ally. “...Hard a pill as it may be to swallow.” Nep looked from the card to Fang. “So all of it? The outrage?” Fang nodded. “The tracking?” Another nod. “The naming and shaming?” Fang's smile widened. “The traps?” “Useful regardless.” Nep stared at him. “And all those nights you were plotting? All those schemes?” He shook the CARD gently between two fingers. “...It was this?” Fang leaned back. “The past and the future have reconciled, Nep.” “The man came to me with a request about Illusions.” “What sort of man would I be if I did not return his respect in kind?” Nep looked again at the words. Fang continued. “We cast an Illusion upon the Villains.” “CARD stood before them shouting stop, knowing precisely which direction their stubbornness would send them.” They were accused. So they depleted. They were chastised. So they depleted. They were named. So they depleted harder. Fang laughed quietly. “Every act of defiance brought them one step closer to exactly where Chewett wanted them.” Nep stared into the fire. “And now?” Fang’s expression changed. Something close to satisfaction. “Now comes the lesson.” He gestured vaguely towards the Realm beyond the prison walls. “The resources are gone.” “The land has been stripped.” “The depleters got precisely what they insisted they wanted.” He paused. “And now they beg others not to deplete the bark.” Nep looked up. Fang's grin widened. “They need it.” “For armour.” For several seconds Nep simply stared at him. Then understanding arrived. Fang nodded slowly. “...Exactly.” “The fools did precisely what Chewett wanted.” “They were so consumed with proving nobody could tell them what to do that they never stopped to consider what would happen when there was nothing left.” “They wanted the freedom to deplete.” Fang spread his hands. “Now they have it.” “An empty Realm in which everyone possesses exactly the same amount.” “Nothing.” Nep looked down at the CARD once more. “Their own depletion finally affects them.” “...And suddenly restraint has become rather fashionable.” Fang's Cheshire smirk returned in full. “The Menkyo Kaiden cast an Illusion upon the Realm.” “A Dreamer sees what they want to see.” Nep remained silent for a long while. Then, without ceremony, he tossed the green CARD into the dying campfire. The corner caught first. Then the words. Within moments, Chewett’s secret curled into blackened ash amongst the Embers of Mt. Kelle’Tha. Nep watched it burn. “...So what happens now?” Fang looked towards the Prison Door. “Now?” He smiled. “Now we see whether they learned anything.” The fire crackled. “And if they didn't?” Fang’s half-smile slowly became the same Cheshire grin that had once watched Gates and Walls crumble. “...Then we Dream a better Dream.” He rose. “And the Lycanos Famiglia stands at his side.” The Rain Guardian, Nep of the Wood, looked into the eyes of the Sky. Even after all these years, he had never quite decided whether the man he had chosen to follow was absolutely, raving mad... ...or revolutionary. Behind them, the last fragment of the green CARD disappeared into the flames. Thanks to @Fang Archbane for helping get his tone and speaking cadence right for this :)

CARD’s celebration proved premature. The traps worked, unfortunately, they worked equally well when pointed in the other direction. Ledah had learned from his encounter with the Bindroot traps. Worse, Eggdar had been more than happy to supply him with traps of his own. Soon reports began arriving from across the Realm. Travellers collecting Memory Stones found themselves rooted to the ground. Others attempting to gather Fenths suffered the same fate. Before long, several unfortunate souls were standing after fairly collecting the resources they wanted, stuck for many hours. At first CARD wondered whether one of their own members had simply forgotten where they had placed a trap. Then it became obvious. Ledah had deliberately surrounded valuable resources with them. The irony was difficult to ignore. Only days earlier CARD had hoped to make Ledah question every step he took through the Realm. Now everyone was watching their feet. Eventually Nep’s experience with the devices helped locate enough of the traps to free those caught and reopen the gathering points. Yet Ledah had made his point. CARD no longer held a monopoly on fear. Their greatest weapon had become everybody’s weapon. And somewhere in the Tribunal, Eggdar was probably very pleased with himself.

This is 6 PM server time

The first traps smuggled back by Chewett were distributed to the most loyal of CARD members to test. However, initially, they couldn’t work out how to use them. In typical Eggdar fashion, there was no instruction manual, no warning, and not even a helpful label. Nep eventually came to the rescue. Until then he had watched CARD’s efforts from the outside, but the sight of something that might actually stop a depleter was enough to draw him in. It took several hours, a few failed attempts, one trap placed upside down, and a fair amount of increasingly frustrated muttering before Nep discovered the trick. By placing down the trap and speaking the incantation “Let the roots remember” the device began to change. Its edges softened first, then its colour began to match the soil beneath it. Within moments, the trap seemed to sink into the land itself until nothing remained visible. If Nep kept his eyes fixed upon it from the moment it was placed, he could just about follow its outlines. Blink, however, and the illusion was complete. Word spread quickly, for the first time in a while, CARD has something tangible to offer beyond warnings, lists, and angry speeches. Members began carrying the traps into threatened lands, hiding them along paths, near gathering points, and anywhere a depleter might be expected to pass. Then came an unexpected discovery. One trap could hold someone briefly. Two worked longer. Three longer still. Whatever magic Eggdar had built into them seemed to reinforce itself when several were placed together. Inevitably, the first true test came with Ledah. Of all the depleters to stumble into CARD’s newest defence, it seemed fitting that their chief tormentor should be first. For a brief moment, CARD had him. Then Ledah smiled. He had come prepared. A dispel was already waiting, and with a few hurried words the trap’s hold broke. The first victory had lasted only moments, but it had proven something important. The traps worked. More importantly, Ledah knew the traps worked. From that point on, every step through the Realm would carry a new question. Was the ground beneath him really empty?

There appears to be some confusion. In MagicDuel items can only have one use. Any "dual use" items are actually just a special "single use" item that has two options. The forge can't currently make items with two uses, however because it's "dumb AI" it doesn't understand that so it creates items claiming two uses. My suggestion would be to petition Mur to allow multiple-use items or similar The second "use" is actually a chat command, which is different. Fang is talking about a truly "dual use", aka two ways to use the same item, item

AH, I must be mistaken, having read the code for his jar. Don't spout nonsense

I'm just telling you how the forge works, items can only have "one" usage, and that one looks to be a heat jar. Regardless of what the words say, it's just a heat jar. Should items have multiple effects? Maybe, but that would be a new feature.

That's not a thing, it's a heat jar. Only one option for all items

Comparison is the thief of joy

I will set up a public meeting to last for the entire event

User ID also works to log in

Can you set your DNS resolver to another one? Something like googles or cloudflares? Let me know if you need more information

In a shady corner of The Drunken Corpse, two figures sat. Neither face could be clearly seen beneath their cloaks, yet it was immediately obvious that you would struggle to find a more mismatched pair. The first chair was well loved. Some might have called it creaky, old, and long overdue for replacement, but its occupant remembered the times sat in that chair with fondness. Memories of time spent with long-lost friends returned, being served by Xcerceses, drinking a little too much of the famous “Phantasm Dark Rum”. Where the chair slouched tiredly within its wooden frame, the person sitting within it was perfectly straight. While there were fond memories there was also an unmistakable air of irritation that such an undignified piece of furniture was somehow interfering with an otherwise precise appearance. The second chair, however, was much worse. Old, worn, and apparently designed without any consideration for the shape of a human spine, it inspired no fond memories in its occupant. The second cloaked figure had somehow contorted themselves to fit it, their back forming undulations rarely observed in nature. Anyone watching might reasonably have assumed some terrible deformity. The figure, however, seemed entirely unbothered. The pair had corresponded in secret, messages passed back and forth through third parties who knew nothing of what they carried. They had met before, certainly, but never like this. The reason for the meeting was precisely why secrecy mattered. The first man represented a small group of artisans who had been attempting to create a magical means of trapping someone. Their requirements had seemed simple enough. Something small. Something discreet. Something capable of holding a particularly troublesome depleter in place long enough for CARD to do something useful about them. The problem was that every attempt so far had failed. Sticky candy had been magically bonded to spellstones, boxes, pieces of metal, and several objects which everyone had quietly agreed never to discuss again. The results had been disappointing. At best, the intended victim had been left none the wiser. At worst they had become slightly sticky. It was hardly the devastating magical deterrent CARD had hoped for. Eventually it had been decided that outside expertise was required. And so Chewett found himself sitting opposite Eggdar. Chewett explained the problem as carefully as he could. Given the basic idea of what CARD wanted, could Eggdar produce something capable of trapping even a determined depleter? Eggdar stared back at him. Silence stretched across the table. However just as Chewett went to speak again, fearing Eggdar had not understood, the strange figure finally answered, “Maybe”. What followed was less a negotiation and more an interrogation from Eggdar. How strong must the trap be? How long should it hold someone? Could it be escaped? Could it be reused? Could the person trapped inside destroy it? Could it distinguish between the intended target and some unfortunate passer-by? Chewett had answers to some of these questions. Ideally, this new weapon would target only depleters but he wasn’t sure if Eggdar would be able to accomplish this. After a similarly long pause, Eggdar leaned forward and spoke quietly “Can make”. This relaxed Chewett slightly, though the price would prove steep. Gold and silver held little value to Eggdar. With depletion continuing across the Realm, aromatic herbs had become increasingly difficult to obtain and Eggdar demanded some of these. Why Eggdar wanted them was never explained, but Chewett passed him the last of the herbs CARD had collected before the depletion had become severe. Some time later, the finished traps were delivered. They were compact, unusual, and radiated just enough magical energy to suggest touching one without knowing what it did would be an extremely poor decision. CARD finally had what it needed. Or so Chewett believed. He would later learn an important lesson about clandestine meetings. A quiet pub was not necessarily a private pub. In fact, the quieter the room, the easier it was to hear every word spoken within it. Rumours spread. Others began approaching Eggdar, asking for traps of their own. Some wanted to protect their lands. Others wanted leverage over their enemies. A few, Chewett suspected, simply liked the idea of owning something dangerous. Eggdar obliged. For a price. Before long, the strange craftsman who had armed CARD was happily supplying those who might one day find themselves standing against it. Chewett was considerably less pleased when he discovered this. Eggdar, predictably, did not appear concerned. A war was good for business. A war where you supplied every side was considerably better. That day Eggdar had once again earned his reputation as a loyal servant of the Demon of the Tribunal. Creating chaos. Encouraging conflict. And ensuring that, whatever happened next, someone, somewhere would owe him.

I'm back but I caught something on vacation. I have a lot of messages to reply to so if I miss any and don't reply in the next week feel free to bump them

If you go into "Papers" on the bottom, then select "Notebook" nothing happens. @Syrian noticed this It's somewhat important because people store important stuff there.

QOL - Inventory "list" mode, as the images are not good on mobile when you have so many items

The player mute is bugged because you can still see any "RP" chat that they post. Here I muted Ledah using Mute chat: on his player avatar and it still showed me his emote chat. I think the mute feature maybe needs some improvements

Yes I think going back from that scene should require none.

Chewett welcomed Blackshade Rider into the Sages Keep private meeting room, a place which carried memories of less pleasant times. Before speaking of CARD, however, Chewett had something rather more important to address. His past. Chewett made no attempt to disguise the kind of ruler he had been. Vindictive, opportunistic, and cruel were hardly unfair descriptions. After his long slumber, he had returned to a realm where many old grievances remained. He offered his heartfelt apology for his part in those grievances, acknowledging that words alone could not undo what had already been done. To Chewett’s surprise, Blackshade Rider offered an apology of his own. His departure from the realm had followed difficult circumstances, and he admitted that he too might have handled matters differently. Old grievances were not erased, but for once they were allowed to remain where they belonged. In the past. With that settled, Chewett turned to the considerably less settled matter of the present. Chewett explained that the realm was in trouble. Resources were disappearing, depleters continued their work, and relatively few remained to oppose them. He outlined the purpose of CARD, and invited Blackshade Rider to think about where he stood. The problem immediately caught Blackshade Rider’s interest. Resource depletion had troubled him before his absence and he had begun considering solutions of his own. Perhaps the Forge could produce something capable of temporarily protecting or even replenishing depleted resources? Chewett explained that CARD had already begun experimenting with a rather more agricultural answer. Together with Death Ray, gardens had been established in the hope that resources could eventually be grown and redistributed to those places where depletion had left little behind. Much, Blackshade realised, had changed in his absence. Whether he would remain in the realm or lend his strength to CARD, he could not yet say. There were too many things to relearn and too much of the new world to understand before making such a decision. Chewett did not press him. For the first time, they parted not as enemies, nor quite as friends, but as people who might one day become friends. For now, that was enough.

Thanks to @Fang Archbane I have found a few ways I can get my 4 easily on mobile. I maxed out a few of the easier ones and that explains why I wasn't getting the points. However it doesn't actually change the point of the topic. Should MD become another one of those toxic "Log in every day otherwise you lose a lot" games, or should it offer ways to "pause" the game for you, while you go and enjoy life. I will leave that question for Mur. I think the answer is obvious personally.

While trudging through the realm, Chewett found himself sitting at the Meeting of the Road, pondering the past. Memories returned of friends long past, Rumi, Fyrd, and Menhir tending the community Garden alongside him. Good memories. Even when the realm was divided, a few had still come together to work the land. Regret accompanied nostalgia. Perhaps, had he worked harder to help Rumi, the garden would already be producing fruit, produce, and herbs which could be shared back into the world. However it was not to be, the land sat untilled, as barren as a depleter’s heart, uncaring for those who might come after. Chewett’s nostalgia was interrupted as Eggdar bounced into view, disturbing the peaceful environment. “Garden, Garden, Garden, Garden!” proclaimed Eggdar. Chewett, unaware of Eggdar’s work behind Sages Keep, assumed he was referring to the somewhat unimaginatively named “Community Garden” before him. In a similar manner to Death Ray, speaking to Eggdar as if he was a child, Chewett explained the past. He spoke of missing his friend Fyrd, those no longer around, and the work they tried to accomplish. Eggdar continued to look at Chewett in a way only Eggdar could, possessing a rare ability to keep his face entirely neutral, his eyes unfocussed, yet somehow giving the impression he was paying close attention. When Chewett finished speaking a long pause was held between them. Then in a manic fashion, Eggdar proclaimed “GARDEN!” Chewett sighed, “Yes Eggdar. Garden. That is what I have been talking about.” Eggdar, keen to show Chewett had misunderstood, shook his head violently and repeated “No. GARDEN!” Before Chewett could enquire the distinction the increased volume was intended to convey, Eggdar seized an abandoned tool from beside the old plots, and thrust it forward. For once, there was no flash of light. No sudden appearance of walls, sheds, or perfectly prepared beds of soil. Eggdar simply began to dig. Chewett watched him for several moments before the meaning finally became apparent. Whatever strange power Eggdar possessed, this was apparently not something he intended to simply conjure into existence. If the old Community Garden was to live again, someone would have to work for it. With a muttered complaint about the indignity of manual labour, Chewett joined in. The old beds were cleared. Weeds and debris which had accumulated during the long years of neglect were dragged away. The soil was turned for the first time in what felt like an age. Slowly something resembling the garden Chewett remembered began to emerge from beneath the years of abandonment. However Chewett was sure Eggdar was doing more than just digging. In the time it took him to dig one row of a single bed, Eggdar had somehow cleared two full beds, and was starting on a third. Chewett, who was far more attuned to the workings of the realm than most, could taste the iron in the air, the unmistakable trace of magic. Chewett was not averse to a little magical assistance, so continued his labours. He made a deliberate effort to ignore the small garden shed growing into a multi-roomed building. Even with the slowly growing shed, Eggdar was not finished. At the edge of the garden, he stopped, staring at the considerably larger shed and pointed, simply saying, “CARD” Chewett considered the space. CARD had grown significantly since those first few letters had been dispatched from the Archives. Its members needed somewhere to meet, organise their work, keep track of depletion, and most importantly, somewhere resources could be grown and eventually distributed to the Realm. A headquarters and a home. It had walls, a table, and somewhere to store CARD’s increasingly concerning collection of maps, lists, and pieces of paper. Most importantly, it had somehow gained a large CARD emblem displayed prominently enough so that no one could possibly mistake who had claimed it. The old Community Garden had found purpose once again. Where Rumi, Fyrd, Menhir, and others had once attempted to build something for the Realm, CARD would try again. The beds remained empty for now and there would be no miraculous harvest overnight. Chewett could not undo the opportunities that had been lost in the past, but he could make sure this one was not wasted.

Eggdar was a strange fellow. For the past few months he had been seen with growing regularity around the realm, always trailing his master the Demon. However, today he was seen without him. Death Ray, unlike many of the more cautious people around him, decided to try to befriend Eggdar. With some effort, he eventually tracked him down near Sages Keep. Initially, Eggdar spoke in riddles, mumbling about cosmic balance, tokens and credits, but after some senseless babbling, Death Ray got him to focus on the present, the magnificent Keep at the centre of Marind Bell. Death Ray decided to explain a little about the work he was doing with CARD, the misery inflicted by the depleters, and what he hoped to achieve. Although the bemused expression on Eggdar’s face suggested he hadn’t understood, Eggdar barked out “Let’s make a garden” shocking Death Ray somewhat. For a moment, Death Ray stood there looking at Eggdar, trying to work out what that meant, before Eggdar trudged off along the side of Sages Keep. While it was obvious that there was land behind the Keep, Death Ray had never felt the need to explore it, expecting to find little more than the back of the building. Suddenly, a flash of light appeared from where Eggdar had disappeared to. Fearing that he would be held responsible for damage done to the Keep, he quickly ran over towards the back of the Keep. While Death Ray has previously had no reason to look around the back of the Keep, he had the distinct impression this area had not existed before. A small walled area had appeared, with a pile of lumber lying within its confines. In the distance, the shores of Marind Bell’s lake met the edge of this seemingly new wall. The air tasted of iron, a typical sensation when magic had been used in great quantities. Something was definitely going on, Death Ray mused. In the moment it took to look back towards the Keep, another flash seared his eyes. Once his vision recovered, the pile of lumber had become a shed and the land hemmed in by the stone wall had become beds of soil ready for planting. Death Ray knew Eggdar had done this, but he wasn’t entirely sure why. He thanked him and said that CARD would work to improve this land and hopefully, one day, replenish the wider realm. Eggdar looked at Death Ray with his usual vacant expression and quietly said, “Something for you”. Turning back towards the lake, Death Ray saw that a small chair had appeared, complete with a fishing rod. Turning back to thank Eggdar, Death Ray saw he was already gone. Death Ray did not know why Eggdar had done what he had done, but he was thankful regardless. The work would help CARD and the wider realm. Now the hard work could begin.