[Jean] Chapter 8.5: Jean's Big Book of Wild and Crazy Things

[pringerbeam]

《 Chapter 8: The Wind Temple Priest's Decision

《 Chapter 9: Martial Prowess

《Chapter 8.5: Jean's Big Book of Wild and Crazy Things》

     I'm writing here because I think that's what the big boss down deep wants me to do.  He was a bit vague but I guess I have to start somewhere...  So here I am, writing my ramblings down.

Captain's Log
Stardate: Working on it
     The book is rather peculiar.  I remember back home it was written in what appears to be Latin but since getting to take a better look at it when there is a distinct absence of demon trying to turn me into paste I have noticed that there appear to be multiple sections of other writing as well.  Further, it almost seems as if the number and location of pages is not consistent as I look through the book.  I got a chance to look at it before I died again and I don't believe the sections are on the same pages now that they were before.  Further, there seems to always be a single blank page at the end.  Even as I turn this one over, a new one sits fresh behind it, ready for more writing.  Possible infinite page count?  The book's dimensions seem constant from the outside no matter how many times I turn the page.
     Moving on...  There appear to be sections written in all kinds of languages including Egyptian hieroglyphs, oracle-bone script Chinese, Arabic, and several that I don't recognize but are nonetheless able to read.  Probably that translation power on the "Status" screen.  Even then, the script appears to differ among the same languages, Indicating multiple possible authors for each or possibly the same author after long gaps in time.  Were these predecessors of mine also subject to the game?  Had they also been tasked with the same quest as me?  If so they clearly failed since bossman still had that big god stick up his ass.  Further study is required.

Let me know if any of this oversteps what you had in mind for the book.

[pringerbeam]

Experimental Log

Since I seem to have an endless, if peculiar, source of paper, I have decided to endeavor to get a better grasp of the working of my abilities.  Seems like fair game since the other sections appear to be exploring magic as well.  First, the tentacles that I summon seem to have a myriad number of applications and uses.  The exact rules which govern their use have yet to be understood.  That is, of course, before I made it back to the realm of the living and they seem to have changed in form and function.

Experiment 1: Duration
     How long do these things even last for?  Let one sit around and see if it lasts forever or goes away eventually.

Experiment 2: Mobility
     The tentacle appears to be limited in its range by the initial location of its summoning.  But what happens if the portal( ?? ) that it seems to come from is itself a mobile object.  Find a piece of pottery and summon a tentacle inside it.  Pick pottery up to try and move tentacle.  Smash pottery to see what happens to summon point.

Experiment 3: Mobility deux electric boogaloo
     Can the summon points be anchored to living flesh?  Summon tentacle from own skin.  Damaging?  Check 'Status.'

Experiment 4: Mobility three's company
     Can the tentacles be summoned on any willing being?  Rem won't mind an additional tentacle or two right?

Experiment 5: Operation octochicken
     Can the tentacles be summoned onto unwilling beings?  Must find chicken or local chicken equivalent and see effect of trying to summon tentacle onto it.

Experiment 6: Whipping incoming problems
     Previous attempt at summoning a tentacle only long enough for a single attack seems to have worked out pretty well, I did 'survive' I guess.  Actual effect was unobserved though need to see the actual effectiveness of this use.  Use own body as target and determine effectiveness with 'Status.'

Experiment 7: Invasive testing
     Possible to summon tentacle anchor point inside of objects?  living things?  Will need to brutalize someone's livestock to test.  Burgers for dinner?
Note: Teach locals how to make burgers

Let me know if there are any rolls that need to be made.

[Throndir]

Experiment 1: Duration
You found out that the tentacles last for 30 minutes. Even larger ones you summoned only lasted for 30 minutes. After that time, they suddenly start to dissipate.

Experiment 2: Mobility
Summoning a tentacle inside a pot, then moving the pot made the tentacle go along with it. The moment you smashed the pot, the 'portal' continued to 'stick' on the circular base of the pot, even when the rest was shattered. It was rather difficult trying to shatter the base of the pot itself. You were able to scratch through it eventually, chipping away at it for a good amount of time, and when you were finally able to uncover the 'portal' by removing a bit of the base, the section where the portal was exposed suddenly found itself unmoving. You were still able to slightly move the parts of the tentacle's base which was still covered with the base of the pot.

Experiment 3: Mobility deux electric boogaloo
Summoning a tentacle on your body, you found out that it managed to stick. It wasn't heavy at all either, it didn't feel like there was any weight in fact, as if the portal itself supported the weight of the tentacle. Checking your status, you saw nothing detrimental, applying the tentacle didn't hurt either. You did notice, however, that the base of the portal felt like something extremely sticky, and was cumbersome if placed incorrectly.

Experiment 4: Mobility three's company
Suddenly Rem had another tentacle.

Experiment 5: Operation octochicken
You found one of the green-haired girl's chickens, and cast a tentacle on it. The chicken squaked and panicked as it flapped about. As you suspected, it was weightless to the chicken, so it looked off that a giant tentacle was bobbing every which way from the chicken's movements. The chicken itself saw you, and angrily it began charging.

Feel free to resolve this if you want, or we can actually roll if you prefer.

Experiment 6: Whipping incoming problems
Creating a tentacle for the purpose of a single attack seemed to work well, though after you checked status it was the same cost for a normal one.

Experiment 7: Invasive testing
Attempting to summon one inside a chicken, did not produce the desired result. The green-haired girl instead, like before, yelled at you to stop instead. The tentacle was still summoned, and seemed to have been summoned on the surface of the chicken's skin.

[pringerbeam]

Experimental Log

Need to better define the power of my "Weight Control" ability.  Applications at first glance seem less versatile than the summoned tentacles.  On the bright side, this ability will likely be easier to test than the tentacles given the less obvious external manifestations of the power.

Experiment 1: Duration
     Anticipating a similar duration to the tentacles.  Will cast on a rock, on a balance and check length of time to dissipation of the effect.

Experiment 2: Benefits of Increased Weight
     Have only used the increased weight on others so far.  Will use it on myself to gauge the exact effects it has on the body.  Perhaps has some benefit in exchange for the educe reduced mobility.

Experiment 3: Localization
     Is it possible to increase the weight of specific portions of an object or is it global?  Balance a stick and attempt to increase the weight of one end only.  If successful, try on different body parts.

Experiment 4: Interception
     If I time it right can I cause an incoming projectile to gain enough weight to cause it to fall out of the air?  Have Ren throw stuff at me to test.

Experiment 5: Multiple Objects
     Is it possible to cause multiple objects in a area to gain weight at the same time?  Pile up some stuff and check.  Also try on scattered objects to see if they need to be touching.

[Throndir]

Experiment 1: Duration
The duration of the weight ability seemed to be 6 hours. While you were going about your tasks for the day, you continued to keep watch on it. The change didn't seem gradual at all, once it was exactly 6 hours, the rock was back to its normal weight.

Experiment 2: Benefits of Increased Weight
You felt slower and heavier. You felt that your body was harder to move around from the sudden shift in weight. Testing your capabilities, you realized you weren't able to run as far with each step of the ability. It was slightly harder to balance, or jump, or climb. Moving out of the way from imaginary incoming enemies seemed a bit harder as well. However, when you attempted to punch something, you realized that you did a lot more damage than you would have expected. Your fists were bleeding as well from the attempt. You knew you were stronger because of the hero summoning, but increasing weight seemed to have further increased that.

Experiment 3: Localization
Once you focused on just a specific part, you were able to increase weight of that specific area. Casting it on specific body parts worked as well. You realized that if you didn't specifically specify a location, it would affect the entire object, but once you focused and had intent, the ability would do as you wished.

Experiment 4: Interception
You increased the weight of objects that Ren threw at you. But instead of suddenly dipping down, the projectiles seemed to hurt even more.

Experiment 5: Multiple Objects
Attempting to cast the ability on multiple objects that are nearby each other but were not touching each other did not work. Instead a green translucent window appeared, in the same style as the Status screen, like most of the previous notifications it said "Ability not yet unlocked". However, once you focused on using the ability on a set of objects that were touching each other, all of them increased in weight.