Hat Quest: an OOTS-shaped adventure

[kd7sov]

Our story begins long, long ago and far, far away. Before the oldest histories, beyond the farthest seas, there was a land. And in that land, there was a hero. But even before that, that hero was a simple young man.



A young man who has just today graduated from an academy of magic. As a new graduate, he may now cast off his old, mundane name, and select in its place a more dignified, wizardly name.

What should that new name be?

[Mr. Pickle]

Stanley Longlegs

[Neopie]

Cleariby Johnson

[Irockz]

Magic Johnson.

[idioticRanter]

Heinrich VISTADERDAKULMPFENNOODELBROTEN

Henry Mallelum

[Hazel]

> Hieronymus von Truffle.

[kd7sov]

Stanley Longlegs

Funny, you could have sworn there was something about "dignified" and "wizardly" in your specifications...

Also, it would probably be best to pick something that doesn't refer to a potentially variable attribute.

Maybe the spirits have a better suggestion?

Henry Mallelum

> Hieronymus von Truffle.

Hieronymus Mallelum. Yes, that's much bette... oops.

Looks like that's a little too long. Hopefully it'll still work.

In any case, you are probably Hieronymus Mallelum. As was previously mentioned, you have only just graduated from the prestigious magical academy known as Isaakiah's. Since you are no longer a student, and haven't been hired as a teacher, you aren't allowed to live here any more. Thus you have packed your things and are ready to go.

With your belongings packed, you cannot show anyone your interests, but they can be mentioned. You have a fascination with the THEORETICAL BASIS OF MAGIC. You enjoy HISTORICAL FICTION, and also the NAIADIAN OPERAS. In your spare time, you often tinker with small THAUMECHANICAL TOYS, although you aren't skilled enough to make them from scratch yet. You are good at ARCHERY, though certainly not legendary, and have made a few CONTACTS who can sometimes provide you with SPECIAL ARROWS.

What will you do?

[kd7sov]

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Help me out here, guys. I don't really have any idea where this is going, so I can't get much of anywhere without commands.

> Hang on. If you're all packed up, why are there still books in the bookcase?

Ah, thanks! You'd almost forgotten.



Those aren't yours. Isaakiah's has a tradition that when someone graduates, they donate a book to their room's bookcase. This is one of the newer rooms, which is why the bookcase is so small.



And there's the gap just the right size for the copy of Loaves of Steel: Elementary Culinary Combat you picked.

Well. No one said they had to be textbooks or high literature.

[kd7sov]

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Okay, people, what am I doing wrong? What specific thing do I need to change, either retconnily or in any subsequent attempt, to get people to show up and say something???

[Xander]

Why that book?

(Answer why your art style matches OOTS perfectly.)

[Rebecca Black]

> Read the book before you leave.

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It's just not all that exciting at the beginning. And not many people read the cradle.

[kd7sov]

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(Answer why your art style matches OOTS perfectly.)

Because that's where I trained. In a manner of speaking.

About two and a half years ago, I encountered Trazoi's "Learning Inkscape: An Order of the Stick Avatar Guide". I downloaded Inkscape and started doing OOTS-shaped stuff. At this point, it's about the only way I can draw without taking an awfully excessive amount of time about it. For comparison... a simple character in OOTS style can take me as little as half an hour, longer if they're more complex or based on reference pictures. If I were to try the same character in Hussie's "more symbolic manner" style, it'd take me at least a couple of hours, perhaps longer. I realize speed can come with practice, but for the time being I prefer to go with what I'm comfortable with.

It's just not all that exciting at the beginning. And not many people read the cradle.

Fair enough, but I notice your two most recent adventures have been pretty quick to get suggestions. Is your avatar just that much more charismatic than mine or something?

Why that book?

Why not? One of your cousins contributed to it, and it's no odder than some of the other things that have been placed here. The scintilleather-bound Bestiary of the Non-Draconic, which makes a point of reminding the reader several times that it's not about dragons, for instance, or the set of encyclopedias in what appears to be one of the avian languages of the North. Or, for that matter, that green book longer than it is tall, which consists of several fairy tales separated by sections from a rather disturbingly-detailed anatomy treatise.

> Read the book before you leave.

Well, you would, but since you don't live here any more, you can't take things out of the bookcase. Which means you'd have to dig your other copy out of your luggage, and then re-pack everything.

Speaking of not living here, it's getting close to sunset. You'd better set out soon if you want to get to an inn before dark.

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Yeah, okay, I don't know how to do sky-things gradually. Just pretend it's not all that abrupt.

[Xander]

Get ye bow.

[Doopliss]

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Okay, people, what am I doing wrong? What specific thing do I need to change, either retconnily or in any subsequent attempt, to get people to show up and say something???

I can't speak for everyone else, but I tend to avoid adventures with "Nounverbed" names. I certainly do not avoid adventures about hats with an OotS art style, though

I also have trouble suggesting for adventures with no clear impetus, but a lot of people are perfectly fine with that.

>Ride your luggage to the inn.

[dexexe1234]

>: Get inning i say!

[Rebecca Black]

>> SPRINT TO THE INN BEFORE YOU DIE.

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Well, this might just be me, but it's mostly the title of your adventure. It reminds me of Homestuck, and I honestly just can't stand homestuck adventures or anything to do with the trolls. It's just really irritating. So it might ward a lot of people away when they see your title. I'd say maybe if you shortened it or changed it, you might get some more readers. But that's just my opinion. I might be wrong. Just my two cents~

[aspiringHelpfulness]

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There's something about the title that bothers me... How is it relevant? But that's really my only complaint.

Double-check luggage. Then recall if you've learned any spells that could get you to the inn quicker.

[Gl1tch]

>Don thine hat, it's cold at night.

[kd7sov]

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I can't speak for everyone else, but I tend to avoid adventures with "Nounverbed" names. I certainly do not avoid adventures about hats with an OotS art style, though

I also have trouble suggesting for adventures with no clear impetus, but a lot of people are perfectly fine with that.

Well, this might just be me, but it's mostly the title of your adventure. It reminds me of Homestuck, and I honestly just can't stand homestuck adventures or anything to do with the trolls. It's just really irritating. So it might ward a lot of people away when they see your title. I'd say maybe if you shortened it or changed it, you might get some more readers. But that's just my opinion. I might be wrong. Just my two cents~

Fair enough. I'm terrible at names, though; might either/any of you have suggestions?

There's something about the title that bothers me... How is it relevant? But that's really my only complaint.

That is an excellent thing to be bothered about. I was hoping it would come up a bit sooner than this, but this update should prompt the contributory questions that will lead directly to the answer.

Get ye bow.

Got it.

You don't expect any trouble, but it's always best to be ready.

>Ride your luggage to the inn.

That would be pretty great, wouldn't it? Unfortunately, you don't know the Inanimate Motion Spell. And even if you did, you don't have a hat.

>> SPRINT TO THE INN BEFORE YOU DIE.

DIE? WHAT? What does this spirit know about what's going to... oh.

Is this about getting to the inn before dark? You just don't like walking when you can't see where you're going.

Double-check luggage. Then recall if you've learned any spells that could get you to the inn quicker.

Yes, it's still there. You would open it up to make sure everything is still inside, but you're not entirely sure your casting of the Packing Spell is quite stable. And you really don't want to stuff all your... well, your stuff back in there if it bursts out.

You don't know any quickening spells, but it wouldn't really matter if you did, because you don't have a hat. And there's not many places you'd get in trouble faster than here.

[Navigatorblack]

Make a hat out of some paper or a sheet.

[GoldenMB]

>> GET ALL OF YOUR HATS.

[Doopliss]

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Sticks and Sorcery? Hatless in the Academy?

>May as well wait around a while longer for old times' sake.

[aspiringHelpfulness]

Someone: Knock and ask if "you're ready to move yet."

That someone: Be an important staff (Haha, no pun intended) member and notice that "you're not wearing a hat."

HM: Quick, RUN!

[Doorhandle]

>Disragard packing spell. Aquire hat.

All the hat, all the time.

[MultiversalInk]

> Rip a page out of a book and fold yourself a paper hat.