Adventure Search

Counter-Productive


May 01 2017
"Begin"
You are a new shopkeeper about to enter your store. Solicitations for your service do not exist yet because you have not even opened yet. Compensation, to be determined. It is a pleasantly temperate morning. Before you decide what to do, you should decide who you are.





May 01 2017
"->"


Taken from suggestions on Omegaupdate and Eagle Time.



May 01 2017
"Enter"


Boy, this place is a mess. You remember coming here to visit your grandma when you were little. Back then the store was full of wares crafted by Grandma herself, and it seemed like the place itself was magic. Guess it's yours now.

You can't blame Grandma for leaving, though. This area has been getting more and more dangerous lately. You have her letter on you; you should take another look at it while you get reacquainted with the store.



May 01 2017
"Examine shelf"


Let's see...

Three HP potions, two JP potions, and whatever was in that bottle down there must have leaked out through the crack. Also there's a cobweb. You're pretty sure Grandma didn't sell those.

If there's a broom anywhere in the building, it's probably in the back room. But first...



May 01 2017
"->"


You open your inventory. Currently, it is holding your favorite jacket, your key ring, and your letter from Grandma.

You put the cracked bottle in your inventory and remove the key ring and letter. You want to refresh your memory of what it says.

Dearest Granddaughter Pip,

I'm afraid I can no longer run my shop. Some sort of mechanical monsters have moved into the area and I'm not as young and energetic as I used to be. They've been attacking homes nearby and I'm afraid if they attack my store I won't be able to defend it. Please take over for me. I know it's a lot to ask of you, but I know you can handle it! I don't want my pride and joy to fall into the hands of those robotic ruffians!

I've left some PACs and a potion-making kit in the back room. Feel free to do what you like with them. You can even use them for yourself! In the lockbox under the register you'll find some Jewels, my ring, and the combination to the safe. I can't tell you what it is or what's in the safe in this letter, but I'm sure you'll see why for yourself. I've ordered some things for you to get started. They should be waiting for you on the balcony. Also, there's a surprise for you upstairs. I'm sure you'll love it!

One final thing: There are some stray cats in the area that I've been feeding. Could you leave some food for them on the balcony? They always seem to find their way up there.

Love you always,
Grandma



May 01 2017
"->"


So what'll it be first? Lockbox? Back room? Balcony? Or upstairs?



May 02 2017
"Go Feed those cats!"


First, you head into the backroom and grab a broom. This entire building could use a good sweep.



May 02 2017
"->"


Next, you fill up the little dish with some cat food.



May 02 2017
"->"


Then you take the dish up to the balcony. Holy heck that's a lot of boxes.

You don't see any cats here, but you guess they'll show up eventually. You decide to just leave the food here.



May 02 2017
"Go upstairs"


There's only one room you haven't seen yet. Time to go see what this "surprise" is.



May 02 2017
"->"


Was your "surprise" a pitch-black room? Thanks Grandma, you're the best.



May 02 2017
"Find a light switch"


OW. SHIT. FUCK. OUCH. DAMNIT. OW.



May 02 2017
"->"


You're pretty sure you bumped into every single thing in the room.

At least you know where you'll be sleeping now.



May 05 2017
"Check the toilet"


The toilet is clean, thankfully.



May 05 2017
"Check the kitchen"


In the cupboards you find the standard kitchenware. Plates, bowls, utensils, a box of crackers, a can of beans, and a can of corn.

You nab a fork just because.



May 05 2017
"->"


The fridge is practically empty. There's a bottle of ketchup and a jar of pickles. You guess you can live off what Grandma left behind for a while, but you'll need to get more food at some point.



May 05 2017
"Look in the freezer for good measure"


You open the freezer. Inside is--

Oh.



May 05 2017
"->"


MY.



May 05 2017
"->"


GOD.



May 05 2017
"->"


It's the delicious, the divine, the oxymoronic, JUMBO SHRIMP!

There are few delicacies in this world so tantalizing (to you) and so sought after (by you) as jumbo shrimp, and yet here they are, six beautiful crustaceans, all lined up in your freezer, all for you. It's almost more than you can bear.

This is the best gift ever.



May 05 2017
"->"


And yet, it is with a heavy heart that you wrench yourself away from them and close the freezer door.

A bountiful haul such as this is a gift, to be sure, but one to be saved for an emergency.



May 05 2017
"->"


All right, enough of that. You've got a store to run.

Today's Sunday and the store is open Monday through Saturday, so you've got the rest of the day to get everything cleaned up and put some merchandise on the shelves. Can't run a shop without anything to sell.



May 05 2017
"What's that brown tub?"


That's a planter box. The plants inside are so shriveled and dead you can't tell what kind of plant they are. It's a shame it took so long to get here from your old house. You could've been here in less than a day if it weren't for the monsters blocking all the passes.



May 05 2017
"Open the boxes"


This must be the stuff Grandma ordered to get you started. It's an intimidating tower of magic cardboard, but it won't get any smaller if you just stand around and gawk at it all day. Best get to it.



May 05 2017
"->"


The boxes dissolve into thin air and their contents spill all over the balcony.

You are suddenly even more intimidated than you were when it was all in the boxes. You're not sure the back room is big enough for all this.



May 05 2017
"Tidy up the place to make some room"


You go through every room clearing cobwebs and organizing shelves, even clearing the dead plants out of the planter box. This place has to look presentable by tomorrow!



May 05 2017
"Go read those books in the back room"


These? Nah.

The black one is a catalog. You order things for the store with it. You don't need anything right now.

The green one is The Power of the Mind by those monks in the Rose Temple. You've heard that some monks take a vow of silence. Not these ones. The Rose Temple monks never shut up, and it's reflected in the book. It's a painfully long and somewhat smug-sounding textbook on MP, or Mind Points, and how they're used in crafting.

It's probably useful for someone who doesn't know anything about the subject, or someone who's going to be doing a lot of crafting in the future. You, however, already know all about MP and crafting. Your Grandma taught you everything you know.



May 05 2017
"Get the merch inside!"


As expected, you have to make several trips to get everything downstairs. There isn't enough room on the shelf to hold everything, also as expected, so you end up having to leave stuff on the floor or in your inventory. You probably won't need to order anything for a week or so.

You quickly take stock of what you have now:
5 short swords
8 daggers
24 runes
5 Point Allocation Coupons
16 scrolls
6 blank books
6 rings
4 seed packets



May 06 2017
"Get the safe combo from the lockbox"


Oh right! You almost forgot.

You grab your keys again and open the lockbox. Inside is 50 Jewels, a coral ring, and a scrap of paper with the safe combination written on it.



May 06 2017
"Take stock of what sweet loot your gram-gram left you"


You unlock the safe. Inside is...

Oh.

Oh no.



May 06 2017
"->"


It's a Luck Pastry.



May 06 2017
"->"


Luck Points, or LP, is a powerful stat. Most people only have two or three LP, but at high levels you can use your LP to make actual miracles happen. Luck Pastries are the quickest way to level up LP.

It's said that the Luckiest being in existence is the King of your beloved land. Unfortunately for everyone living in it, he's a tyrant. He's outlawed anything that could be a threat to his rule, including traveling through the passes without a permit, all forms of electronic communication, and of course, Luck Pastries.

Having pretty much anything to do with a Luck Pastry is illegal. Owning one will land you in jail. Selling one will get you executed. And you're not sure what happens to the people who eat one, but you don't want to find out.

Why the hell does Grandma have something like this?!



May 06 2017
"Practice your secret weapon techniques"


Thinking about it is starting to give you a headache so you lock the pastry back in the safe.

If you're going to keep contraband in the store, you'd better be ready to protect it. You head up to the balcony and equip your Grandma's ring. Coral is a mid-level material for rings that channels magic well. It looks like this one has already been crafted into a Magic Projectile ring, which is exactly what it sounds like.

You place the cracked bottle on the lip of the planter box.



May 06 2017
"->"



May 06 2017
"->"


Nailed it.



May 06 2017
"What can you do with the runes and coupons?"


You scoop the glass shards up into your inventory so you don't step on them later.

The Point Allocation Coupons are like the Luck Pastry; they raise the level of one of your stats. However, they can be used on any of your stats rather than just LP. The only reason they're not illegal is because they only level them one point at a time. They're also very rare.

Selling these would make you a small fortune. However, Grandma did say you could use them for yourself...

The runes, on the other hand, are made specifically for crafting. Each type of rune has a different effect. A "Reverse" rune, for instance, reverses the properties of any item you combine it with. If you were to combine a Reverse rune with an HP potion, you'd get a potion that damages you when you drink it.



May 06 2017
"Craft fancier seeds by using a seed packet and rune as ingredients, then plant your rad magic beans in the planter upstairs"


Now just hold your horses! You may have an unusually high MP stat, but it's not infinite. You'd better stop and think about what you're crafting before you go spending MP willy-nilly.

Combining a seed with a rune would be easy enough, but you've got to consider the effects that would have on the plant it grows into. Take the pumpkin seeds, for example. If you were to craft them with a Reverse rune, instead of a tasty, nutritious pumpkin, you'd likely get a poisonous one. If you crafted them with a Break rune, you'd just break the seeds and render them useless. And if you crafted them with a Grow rune, the pumpkin might grow so big it damages the planter box.

All three of these would cost 3 MP, and then you'd need to spend another 3 MP to craft the result with a Clear rune in order to fix it. You've only got 30 MP.

You're not opposed to doing some crafting, though. Crafted goods sell for more than standard scrolls and daggers, after all.



May 08 2017
"Exposit on what you know about runes. Presumably there are other types of runes, either in your stock or in the world at large?"


Of course. There are seven types of runes, including the three you just explained.

An Accelerate rune exaggerates an item's characteristics. Continuing to use the pumpkin seeds as an example, combining them with an Accelerate rune would make a super-pumpkin. It would taste like heaven and be extremely nutritious.

A Fuse rune fuses two items together without combining them as you would if you just crafted them. Fusing two pumpkin seeds together would grow some sort of mutant pumpkin which, while still edible, would not be very attractive.

A Shrink rune makes items smaller. Shrinking the pumpkin seeds would make tiny pumpkins.

There is also the Clear rune. Unlike other items, runes cannot be "uncrafted" from the items they're combined with. If you combined two items together, crafted that item with a rune, then uncrafted that item, rather than getting the rune back, you'd have the two original items which both have the rune's effects. That's why the Clear runes exist. They remove all rune effects from an item, essentially "clearing" the runes from within them.

The reason for this is that runes, as you said before, are made specifically for crafting. They don't work so well in reverse.

Runes also can't be combined with other runes directly. If you wanted to make an incredibly strong broken sword, you'd need at least a Break rune and an Accelerate rune. This is possible, but you can only combine them each with the sword one at a time.

There is a legend that tells of an eighth rune. However, this has never been confirmed. As far as you know, it's just a legend.



May 08 2017
"Can you combine a Point Allocation Coupon with a grow rune to grow your stats by an amount more than 1?"


Nope. There are certain things that just can't be combined. Anything that can't fit in your inventory, living creatures, and Point Allocation Coupons are all off limits.

That's probably the other reason PACs aren't illegal. There's no way to cheat the system.



May 08 2017
"What are your other stats?"


The pink bar is your HP, or Hit Points. Or Health Points, depending on your region. If you've ever played a video game in your life, you know what these are. You have 20 HP.

The blue bar is your JP, or Joy Points. It's something about your mood, you guess. Honestly, you're not so good with this stuff. All you know is that it has something to do with that little smiley face in the corner, and hitting zero makes your other stats stop regenerating. You have 10 max JP and your current JP is a comfortable 6. Your current mood is Feelin' Alright, a neutral mood.

The green bar is your MP, or Mind Points. Now this is your area of expertise. MP is the stat used in crafting. You know the rules, you're good at figuring out what combinations are the strongest/most efficient. You have 30 MP, an unusually high number.

The yellow bar is your LP, or Luck Points. The exact mechanics of LP are hard to describe, but it can basically be summarized as this: If there's something that can happen, LP can make it happen. You have 2 LP, a fairly average amount. That's enough to knock a precariously-balanced lamp off a rickety shelf.

The last bar is your IP, or Illness Points. This is the one bar you never want to have any points in. You kind of doubt it'll come up though. You have a max IP of 7, and thankfully, it's empty.



May 11 2017
"Make friends with the cat!"


You hear little paws on the balcony. Could it be...?



May 11 2017
"->"


No wait, come back!



May 11 2017
"->"


You scared it off.

Maybe next time.



May 11 2017
"Feed the Luck Pastry to the cat, make living maneki-neko"


While that would get rid of the Luck Pastry for you, you're not sure it would do anything for the cat. For one thing, you don't even know if animals have LP. Plus, it's a cat. Even if it did have LP, would it be smart enough to use it? And if it was, what would it use it for?

Seems like a waste.



May 11 2017
"Craft Accelerate runes and daggers and make giant super pumpkins"


You only have three of each rune (aside from Clear, of which you have 6), so you can only craft two daggers in addition to the pumpkins.

You grab everything you need from the shelf.



May 11 2017
"->"


The crafting process takes a chunk out of your MP. You now have two sharp daggers and one packet of giant accelerated pumpkin seeds.



May 11 2017
"->"


You go ahead and plant the seeds. The planter can only hold 6 normal seeds, so you plant 3 of the giant ones. You have 3 pumpkin seeds left.



May 13 2017
"Explain scrolls and potions
"


Scrolls contain one single-use spell each. If you have the money and inventory space, you could carry a bunch of scrolls around to cast at any moment. However, scrolls are written on a magic paper similar to the boxes your store's deliveries come in; once it's fulfilled its purpose, it vanishes.

Combining a scroll with something more solid like, say, a ring makes the ring able to cast the spell multiple times--with a cooldown. Your Grandmother's ring is a coral band crafted with a Magic Projectile scroll. This works for other objects as well. You can also craft spellbooks that can cast one spell per page by combining a scroll with a blank book. The blank books on your shelf have 30 pages each.

Your current scrolls are:

2 Fireball
2 Ice Spike
2 Shock Lance
2 Magic Projectile
2 Poison
2 Parasitic Plant
2 Blind
2 HP Steal



May 13 2017
"->"


Potions can have a number of different effects. Theoretically, you can make a potion for any of your stats, though for most people an LP potion would be useless and no one would want an IP potion. There are other potions whose effects range from the mundane to the bizarre to the oddly specific.

Next to the potion-making set on the wall is a list of recipes for potions. HP, JP...no MP sadly, but there are two potions you've never heard of. You're not sure what they do.



May 13 2017
"Does your shop have any competitors? Are you on a busy street? What's nearby in town?"


The town you're in is small but it gets a fair amount of through traffic. You don't really have any competitors here. There's a grocery store, a post office, a hospital, and a large building that you think is hosting some sort of event. You're probably the only weapons and magic shop for miles.



May 18 2017
"What are those mystery potions?"


Only one way to find out!



May 18 2017
"->"


You make two potions, a bright yellow one and a sky-blue one.

Which should you drink?



May 18 2017
"Drink the blue one"


You drink the blue potion.



May 18 2017
"->"


You don't feel any different...



May 18 2017
"->"


Huh?



May 18 2017
"->"


Whoa!



May 18 2017
"->"


Congratulations! You've discovered the POTION OF LEVITATION.

...It doesn't look like you can get down from here.



Jun 13 2017
"->"


The potion of levitation moves you upwards constantly for a certain amount of time, and when that time is up, you crash down to Earth. It's a good thing you weren't outside when you drank it. You don't feel like recreating the story of Icarus.

On the bright side, the lift isn't so strong that you can't move, so for now you can stand on the ceiling. Your hat remains on your head somehow.



Jun 13 2017
"Surely the other potion will help you get down. Maybe."


You're not sure if there's a Potion of Cancel Potion, but it couldn't hurt to try.

You drink the yellow potion.



Jun 13 2017
"->"


Oh god dammit.

You've discovered the POTION OF DARK VISION.

And since it isn't dark, you are now being blinded by your own retinas.



Jun 13 2017
"Right yourself using the ladder, then take a break"


You fumble your way over to the ladder, managing not to impale yourself on any sharp objects.



Jun 13 2017
"->"


You sort of awkwardly lower yourself to the ground. Though since you're going against your personal gravity, maybe you're raising yourself? What is "up" and "down" to you? Are they relative to the ground or are they defined by the direction of gravity? Do such concepts even exist in a zero-gravity environment?

You think all your fluff is going to your head.



Jun 13 2017
"->"


Finally, the potions wear off. You can see again! And also walk like a normal person!



Jun 13 2017
"Go put your existing useful inventory out in the shop front and see how much more stuff you'll need to craft to have a proper selection of wares"


You put one (1) SHARP DAGGER on the shelf out front, keeping one for yourself.

...

Well that really made a dent.



Jun 14 2017
"Have you ever fought monsters yourself?"


Er...well, no. Most people try to avoid physical confrontations with the monsters. Not necessarily because they're strong, but there are a lot of them. If you kill one, the rest will make you a target. Not to mention, if you kill too many of them the Boss of the area shows up, and they tend to be ridiculously strong.

You're not the type to go looking for fights. When you came here from the city, rather than try to force your way through the monsters that kept the passes closed, you went the long way and kept your head down like a good little mannequin. You'd like to avoid attracting the monsters' attention to this shop as well.

However, if it comes down to it, you will defend this shop with your life.



Jun 14 2017
"->"


All right, enough standing around. You're burning daylight!

You grab a bunch of stuff off the shelves. It's been long enough that your MP has regenerated. Time to do some crafting.



Jun 14 2017
"Craft Fireball, Shock Lance, and Ice Spike spellbooks"


You do that.

Each book costs 5 MP to craft. This is because of the difference in size between the books and the scrolls. Runes don't follow this rule, but for future reference, you should think carefully before combining something huge with something small.



Jun 14 2017
"Combine your Sharp Dagger with a Poison Scroll, to make a poison'D blade."


You make a SHARP DAGGER OF POISON. You almost feel bad for any monsters that end up on the business end of this.

Almost.



Jun 14 2017
"Also, can you Combine the potion bottle shards in your inventory into one new potion bottle? Or would you need a rune for that?"



That's gonna drain your MP, but sure. You use a Fuse rune to turn the glass shards back into a bottle.

You imagine if you'd tried to craft all the shards together without the rune, you'd get some kind of glass ball of spiky death. Or a really big glass shard. Hard to say.



Jun 14 2017
"->"


You put the bottle on the shelf where it belongs.



Jun 14 2017
"Craft an Accelerate Rune into a HP potion"


You used all your Accelerate runes on the daggers and pumpkin seeds. Fortunately, with potions, there's a workaround.

You make two HP Potions and put them in your inventory.



Jun 14 2017
"->"


Ta da! You've made a CONCENTRATED HP POTION.

For potions, at least, crafting two of the same thing together has the same effect as an Accelerate rune. Concentrated potions are twice as powerful as normal ones, and HP potions have the added bonus of also draining the IP bar. Which would be useful if you had any IP, but like you said, you don't think it'll come up.



Jun 18 2017
"->"


You put everything out in the store. You add some uncrafted stuff and make some potions as well to fill the shelves out. Looks like you're ready for business!



Jun 18 2017
"->"


A mysterious stranger appears!

"Uh, I was told this shop was empty but uh, I saw a light upstairs... so..."
"Sorry, we're not open 'till tomorrow."
"Oh. Okay. I just... you sell weapons and potions and stuff?"
"...Yeah."



Jun 18 2017
"->"


"Great. Perfect. I'll just, uh, go tell the others."



Jun 18 2017
"->"


That was odd. He sounded pretty young.

And what "others" was he talking about?

In any case, it's getting late. You should probably go to bed soon.



Jan 12 2018
"Check one last time for cats"


You lock the front door to prevent any more early customers and head up to the balcony. No more cats. You decide to leave the food out for it in case it comes back during the night.



Jan 12 2018
"->"


Time for bed. Tomorrow's gonna be a long day.




Jan 12 2018
"->"



Jan 12 2018
"->"



Aug 31 2018
"Wake up."



Aug 31 2018
"->"


It's the start of a new day! Time to get to work!



Aug 31 2018
"Cat Status?"


It looks like you were visited during the night. The food dish is empty. Sadly, there's no cat in sight.

Your pumpkins are starting to sprout, though!



Aug 31 2018
"->"


You unlock the front door and get ready for your first customers.



Sep 02 2018
"->"



Sep 02 2018
"->"


Your first customer enters. Looks like a local farmer.



Sep 02 2018
"->"



"Hello there. You must be Pip."
"Oh! Yes...how do you know me?"
"Your Grandma is an old friend of mine. She told me you were comin'. Said to welcome you to the neighborhood."
"Thanks."
"Shame she had to leave. Those robots were really givin' her trouble."
"Wait, the robots came to the store?"
"'Fraid so. Don't worry, it'll be a bit before they realize it's reopened. Though on the bright side, it looks like you're going to have some good business in the meantime."
"There was some teenager in what looked like cultist robes that came to the store yesterday. He mentioned 'others'. There isn't some weird cult in the area, is there?"
"Ha! Not that I know of, but I did see the young man you were talkin' about loitering outside. Maybe he can tell you what's goin' on in that building. Buncha weirdos in costumes as far as I can tell."
"Could you send him in for me?"
"Sure thing. Oh, and I'd also like to buy one of those HP potions before I go."



Sep 02 2018
"->"


He buys the potion and leaves. You now have J60.00.



Sep 02 2018
"->"


Your first sale! You gain 1 JP.



Sep 02 2018
"->"


That cultist guy from yesterday enters.



Sep 02 2018
"->"


"Uh, hi. I was told you wanted to see me...?"
"Yeah, I have some questions for you."
"Oh. Um. Ask away, then, I guess."



Oct 03 2018
"Ask him about the cult"


"All right, what's with the creepy robes? Are you hiding something?"
"What? N-no, I..."
"Are you part of a cult?!"
"Ah-!"
"I don't want any trouble with cults. You better not try to sacrifice or scam me!"
"No it's-it- It isn't a cult!"
"Well, what is it then?! You don't see a lot of people walking around dressed like that!"



Oct 03 2018
"->"


"I-it's just a cosplay convention!"
"...A what?"
"People dress up in costumes of their favorite characters and...uh...meet...people? Buy stuff? I just...it's just a costume."
"So the big event in that building is...?"
"The convention. There's uh...a lot of people there, and they let us through to go there...but...then they wouldn't let us go back. The monsters I mean. They...they won't let anyone go home through the passageways."
"Oh, uh...gosh, that's awful."
"Yeah, so a lot of people are gonna have to go home the long way...and they'll need, like...potions and weapons probably. So I thought I'd...tell them about the store."



Oct 03 2018
"->"


"Gosh, I'm so sorry for overreacting. I just saw the robes and-"
"It's okay...I guess it is a little weird for people who aren't part of the...uh...culture, I guess."
"Well, I still have a few more questions, if you don't mind answering them?"
"Oh, uh...sure. Ask away, haha..."



Oct 03 2018
"Ask if there's anything you should stock up on"


"Is there anything I don't have in stock that might be useful?"
"Well, uh...you have a lot of daggers and a short sword...but people might want other weapons that do more damage. Some decent rings might be good too..."
"I see...anything else?"
"Armor would be good...um...you probably want a lot of higher-tier crafted stuff and less uh...raw materials. A lot of people don't have the MP to craft anything fancy."
"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for your input!"
"No problem... Was there anything else you wanted to ask me...?"



Oct 04 2018
"Ask about his costume"



"So what are you dressed as?"
"Oh, uh...I'm a cultist. I mean...I'm dressed as one...uh...so I guess you weren't wrong? Haha..."
"Is that a character from something or...?"
"It's just...there's this old book, about a monster from space and a cult that worshiped it..."
"..."
"Though I uh...guess that's not really...appropriate anymore..."
"...So what do you do at the convention?"
"I just like to dress up...walk around...look at other people's costumes...It's fun, you know?"



Oct 04 2018
"Ask if he wants his costume to be enhanced and enchanted to *become* armor?"


"Hey, thanks for the advice, you've been a big help."
"I have?"
"Yeah, and telling everyone at the convention about my store was really nice of you. How about I enhance your costume for you for free?"
"Wow, uh, really? That would be awesome!"
"Just give me your robe and I'll see what I can do."



Oct 04 2018
"->"


He hands you his costume. You have to shuffle your inventory around a bit to make it fit.



Oct 04 2018
"->"


Now, time to make this robe into something amazing!



Oct 06 2018
"Dagger + Reverse Rune + Costume = Armor?"


Good puzzle logic, but you're worried that a Reverse rune might just make the dagger rusty and blunt. You wouldn't want to combine that with anything wearable.



Oct 06 2018
"Using an accelerate rune would probably make the armor just good right out - but we'll run out of Accelerate runes if we just use them for everything."


That might work, but you're already out of Accelerate runes, remember?



Oct 06 2018
"Could we just shrink rune some metal (to make it lightweight) and fuse it or craft it into the armor?"


Now you're on the right track!

Although shrinking the components doesn't affect the weight of the final product, and there's also the bigger size difference = more MP cost to consider, you could probably combine any article of clothing with a ring or some other smooth metal to craft makeshift armor.

You're going to need a Grow rune for this.



Oct 06 2018
"->"


You combine the Grow rune with one of the rings. This should reduce the MP cost significantly, although it will still probably take all your MP to combine with the robe.

You wait for your MP to regenerate to full.



Oct 06 2018
"->"


It took your entire MP bar, but you managed to craft the CULTIST BATTLEMAGE COSTUME. This should provide more defense than a flimsy robe, in addition to looking just a bit cooler. You hope your customer likes it!



Oct 07 2018
"Does food or drink help your MP refill faster?"


If you had an MP potion, you could drink it to recover MP faster, but aside from that the only way is to wait for it to slowly refill on its own.

S . l . o . w . l . y . . . . . .



Oct 07 2018
"How do you find / buy more runes?"


The store comes with a handy little catalog that you can order new ingredients and merchandise out of. All orders arrive the next day, so this is a good way to make sure you always have a good amount of stock to sell. Assuming, of course, you have the money to buy it.

You put the catalog in your inventory to flip through later.



Oct 07 2018
"Show the customer his new threads!"


Of course! You just know he's going to love it!



Oct 07 2018
"Do you need to tailor it to their shape, or do they auto size?"


Shape? Size? What?

You don't understand.



Oct 07 2018
"->"


"Here you go! Your new, upgraded costume!"
"OHMYGOD OHMYGOD OHMYGOD"
"Haha, I'm glad you like it! Uh, be careful though, it's still a costume. It's not as protective as actual armor, so try not to get into any fights."
"Ohmygodthankyousomuchyou'rethebest"
"I'm sorry, what? I didn't catch that."
"AAAAA I'm going to go show off to everyone in the convention!"
"Um, okay? Did you hear me about the--"



Oct 07 2018
"->"


--And he's gone.

He'll probably be fine.



Oct 07 2018
"Cook some shrimp to celebrate!"


No! You must resist temptation!

That shrimp is for EMERGENCIES ONLY!



Oct 07 2018
"->"


Your MP's still a bit low, but you can probably do a bit of low-cost crafting before your next customer comes in.

You grab the SHARP DAGGER, the FIREBALL SCROLL, and the BLIND SCROLL from the shelves.



Oct 07 2018
"->"


You also grab a bunch of scrolls from the back room.



Oct 07 2018
"Try combining an HP potion with an MP potion"


You don't know how to make MP potions, but you can try combining an HP potion with a JP potion. You make one of each at the chemistry set.



Oct 07 2018
"->"


You've discovered how to make a SMILE POTION.

...You have no idea what a SMILE POTION is.



Oct 07 2018
"Combine a Blind scroll with a Sharp Dagger"


You've crafted the SHARP DAGGER OF BLINDING. Not only will it do more damage to your foes than a regular dagger, it also has a chance to blind them, making them more likely to miss their target or even attack their allies.

You'd like to use the rest of the scrolls to craft magic rings, but which rings should go with which scrolls? You have five rings remaining. Three are copper, the cheapest and most basic type of ring. One is iron, which is more expensive but channels magic better than copper. The last is brass, which is more expensive yet, but an even better conduit for magic than iron. You're pretty sure most of the scrolls cost the same amount, except for one.

You can combine the rings with the scrolls as-is, keep them affordable or try to maximize profit, or try combining scrolls together to make new ones.

What will you do?



Oct 19 2018
"->"


You grab up the rest of the scrolls in the back room. Any you don't use, you can just sell normally.



Oct 19 2018
"->"


You combine the HP STEAL SCROLL and the PARASITIC PLANT SCROLL to create the LEECHVINE SCROLL. On their own, these scrolls steal HP from an enemy and put them into your own HP bar, and summon strong but easily destructible roots from the ground to prevent the enemy from moving. The LEECHVINE SCROLL summons a vine which wraps around the target to hinder its movement, while also slowly draining its HP. Not only that, but the vine is harder to destroy than the roots, and as it drains more HP it gets even harder to destroy. You may have just created something horrifying.

You also combine the SHOCK LANCE SCROLL and the BLIND SCROLL to create the BLINDING BOLT SCROLL. While SHOCK LANCE and BLIND create a damaging bolt of electricity and blind the target, respectively, BLINDING BOLT creates an electric blast that does less damage but leaves the target blinded and CONFUSED. You're not an expert on MOOD EFFECTS, but you're pretty sure there's a way to use that to your advantage.



Oct 19 2018
"->"


The HP STEAL scroll is the most expensive base scroll, so you combine the LEECHVINE scroll with the brass ring.

You combine the BLINDING BOLT scroll with the iron ring.

Finally, you combine the FIREBALL, ICE SPIKE, and MAGIC PROJECTILE rings with the copper rings.

And that's all the MP you have. You should probably rest for a bit before doing any more crafting today.



Oct 21 2018
"->"


You head into the shop to put your wares on display, only to find that a customer has come in while you were distracted!



Oct 21 2018
"->"


"Er, hi there!"
"Oh? So there is someone working here. I thought that cultist guy just walked in here and took stuff."
"No no, sorry. I was just working on something in the back."
"Mmkay. I was hoping you could help me with something.
"Of course! What do you need?"



Oct 21 2018
"->"


"Well, I'm headed west, and I'll need one of these levitation potions to get home. But I don't want to be attacked while I'm floating around, so I need some kind of weapon to deal with flying monsters. What do you recommend?"



Jun 23 2019
"Show off your selection of rings"


"Well, coincidentally, I just made some magic rings. I've got a few different ones to choose from, have a look."
"Hmm...I don't think the Leechvine would do any good against flying monsters, and I want something kinda strong. I'll take the iron one."



Jun 23 2019
"->"


The Levitation potion sells for J10, and the ring costs a whopping J102! That's a good sale!



Jun 23 2019
"->"


"Before you go, is there anything you'd like to see added to the stock?"
"Mm, well I guess more rings and stuff? Different potions and scrolls? I dunno."
"So more magic then?"
"I guess. I'm not much of a fighter. It's better to stay away from the things that're trying to kill you and magic's good for distance."
"I'll keep that in mind."



Jun 23 2019
"->"


The customer leaves. You put the items in your inventory on the shelf to prepare for the next one.



Jun 23 2019
"->"


You just finish putting everything away and stand behind the counter when the next customer arrives! It's...the cultist guy from before?

"...I was so excited...I forgot to buy anything..."



Jun 23 2019
"Thank him for the advertisement and offer some weapons"


"How about something to defend yourself with? We've got daggers, short swords, magic..."
"Uh, I think...I'll take this dagger of blinding. It looks...kind of culty? Goes with my costume...heh heh..."
"Sure thing. Oh, and thanks for advertising the store"
"...Did, uh, did someone come in already...?"
"Yeah. She said you told her about this place."
"Oh, uh, haha, no problem..."



Jun 23 2019
"->"


And that brings your total cash up to J244.00. Not bad for the first day. You've got time for one more customer before it's time to close up shop.



Jun 23 2019
"->"


Someone enters the store just before closing time. It appears to be...a woman in rags?

"Hello!"



Jun 23 2019
"->"


"Hi there...are you one of the cosplayers from the convention?"
"Nnnnnope!"
"Oh. Er. Then...why are you wearing rags?"
"I think the better question is why are you wearing a hat? You're indoors, idiot! HAHAHA!"
"I--excuse me?!"
"You're excused! Would you like to hear your fortune?"
"My fortune? No, I--"
"Too bad! You're hearing it anyway!"



Jun 23 2019
"->"



Jun 23 2019
"->"


"That little secret in your safe won't be secret or safe for long. The king has eyes everywhere. Eyes that can see through walls, eyes that can read minds, even eyes that can tell the future. Keep selling your little trinkets, and eventually the monsters will take notice. Those eyes will be looking. They'll be looking for any reason to dispose of you, and they won't stop until they find it. You tell yourself that you can defend your little shop, but can you?"



Jun 23 2019
"->"


"Haha, look at your face! What, you've never seen a three-eyed mannequin before? Are you scared of a little old prophecy? Oh-or! Or you don't think you can defend the store anymore! Haha, is that it? Did I plant a little seed of doubt in your hat? Careful, haha, or that's going to grow into a great big failure tree! HAHAHAHA! FAILURE TREE!"



Jun 23 2019
"->"


"Ehehaa... Okay... Okay, I'm done now. Message delivered. Whoo."
"What...I...huh?"
"I think that hat might be squeezing your head too tight. Anyway, laters!"



Jun 23 2019
"->"


She exits the building, still giggling to herself.

More importantly, what the heck just happened?!

She said that was a prophecy...or a message? Message from who? Who was that? Was any of it true or was that woman just crazy? She certainly seemed a little...unhinged. If it is true, however, then you're in greater danger than you thought.



Jun 23 2019
"->"


It's getting late. You go into the back room and tidy up. If you do end up having to fight, you won't want to be watching out for sharp objects all over the floor.



Jun 23 2019
"->"


While you're at it, you fill up the food dish and water the pumpkins too.



Jun 23 2019
"->"


It's been a long day. You decide you'll figure out what to do in the morning.



Jun 23 2019
"->"



Jun 23 2019
"->"



Jun 23 2019
"->"


First things first, you need to address the luck pastry issue.

One option is to eat it yourself, but the monsters would definitely take notice of someone with a high Luck stat. It wouldn't be so bad if the pastry didn't add a whopping 10 points. That idea only leads to getting arrested, and you're not going to consider it any longer.

You could hide it, but it's already hidden in the safe. Taking it out to move it elsewhere runs the risk of getting caught with it. That would definitely get you arrested.

You could give it to someone else, but that might lead to whoever takes it getting caught, and then possibly leading the King's forces back to you. Plus, you're not certain there aren't mannequin spies reporting to the King. How can you know who to trust?

There is also the option of just keeping it. The monsters don't know about it yet, and it's not like you have a deficit of weapons and healing items in the store. You could probably hold the line.



Jun 23 2019
"It sounds like a nice "Wait and see" strategy will work best."


You resolve to deal with the problem at a later time. Until then, you've got work to do!

Looks like the kitty came back again last night. It's a shame it won't come near you, but at least it's eating something. Better fill up the food dish again.



Jun 23 2019
"->"



Jun 23 2019
"->"


You leave the cat food out on the balcony and grab the watering can. Looks like your pumpkins are growing nicely! You'll have to remember to move them out of the planter before they get too big.



Jun 23 2019
"->"


You head downstairs to unlock the front door. Just as you get there, someone knocks on it!

Who could be visiting this early?



Jun 23 2019
"->"


"Hello?"
"Hello there! I'm the owner of the convention center down the street. I heard you were selling weapons and potions to people trying to leave?"
"Yes, that's right."
"I can't thank you enough! If not for you, so many wouldn't be able to go home!"
"Oh, it's nothing... This has always been a magic and weapons shop. I just took over recently."
"Still. I'm sure you know how dangerous the monsters can be."
"So did you just come to thank me?"
"No, not just that. I was wondering, do you have any other staff?"
"No, it's just me at the moment. Though I have been considering hiring some help."
"Perfect! I'd like to introduce you to my nephew."
"Hey."
"He'd like to volunteer here until everyone at the convention hall is home safe. Would that be all right with you?"