Run #1
The Hero opened his bleary eyes and blinked away the haze. It felt like waking from a hangover, except without the throbbing in his head. The lack of pain was disorienting, and he braced himself against the floor as he sat up to a room that slowly swirled back to its upright position. As his world righted itself, a thought came to mind.
This is not my bed…
Rather than a soft, warm featherdown mattress, he felt cool, hard stone underneath him. Perplexed and suddenly aware his surroundings were in error, the Hero jumped to his feet and scanned the room.
The room felt a degree above cold. Firelight softly danced off the tightly seamed cobblestone floor. Walls of stone masonry were stacked upwards, creating the four walls that extended up into a ceiling of blackness. The blackness hung low enough to make the room feel less than spacious but just beyond the Hero’s reach. Torches hung on the walls and burned away the darkness that lurked above. Besides three of the four walls having doors, the room lacked any significant details—except the three chests sitting nearby.
As he turned about examining the room, the Hero noticed one other detail of significance. A blue circle lined with strange inscriptions glowed softly on the floor behind him. As he put his hands on his hips to ponder the odd predicament, another revelation was made aware. Looking down, he could confirm that he was naked, except for some cloth covering his vitals. A quick check brought a smile of assurance; his vitals were looking good and appeared to be in working order.
>Defining trait added: Vain
“Vain?” It was quite the ego-wounding message that suddenly scrolled across his vision. “I’m not vain—you are… wherever you are.”
The text disappeared from his vision, but the invisible wound had not mended. “Vain my ass. Just cause I look good in a loin cloth doesn’t mean I’m vain.”
Unable to elicit another text response, the Hero whistled and flexed away the wound in his ego. He watched the movement of tightly defined muscles carved under his smooth, glistening skin—he gave another flex of self-admiration and regretted not having a mirror nearby.
Okay, maybe I have a little vanity—but who wouldn’t love this impressive physique?
Returning his attention to the room, he noticed both the chests and the doors appeared to be made of iron and wood. Curious, he padded over to the chests, giving two of them a quick thump—they sounded like wood. Next, he wandered to the closest door—it sounded like wood, too. A cursory shove indicated the door was locked. The Hero moved back to the chests and was surprised to find the first chest easily opened. He was further surprised when the chest’s contents sprung out and hovered over the opening, slowly rotating in their respective places. The items displayed before him were slightly translucent, and each had its own description. There was also one message over all the contents, notifying the Hero that he needed to make a choice.
>Choose one.
>[B] Rogue Armor set – Level 1 to 5
Armor designed for the dexterous and nibble. Ideal for the conniving and those who thrive in the shadows. Can upgrade to provide enchantments for Rogue-based skills.
>[B] Warrior Armor set – Level 1 to 5
Armor designed to buffer the blows and soak the damage. Ideal for those who love to be in the fight and are ready to take and deliver a punch. Can upgrade to provide enchantments for Warrior-based skills.
>[B] Ranger Armor set – Level 1 to 5
Armor designed for the distant fight and precision shot. Ideal for those who track their prey and deliver the killing blow from a distance. Can upgrade to provide enchantments for Ranger-based skills.
>[B] Healer Armor set – Level 1 to 5
Armor designed to improve mending and succeed in healing. Ideal for those who strive to support and sustain their life and the lives of those around them. Can upgrade to provide enchantments for Healer-based skills.
A chest of armor?
Curiosity piqued, he closed the chest and watched all the contents disappear into the chest as it shut. He then opened the chest halfway and saw the contents begin to jump halfway out; he closed it a quarter of the and observed the contents travel back in. He continued to amuse himself by rapidly opening and closing the chest a few more times, watching the semi-translucent items leap in and out of the chest. Chuckling, the Hore closed the chest and moved to the next one. Opening this second chest revealed a new set of items in the same way the first chest displayed its contents.
>Choose one.
>[B] Daggers (x2)
Made of sturdy metal. No special attributes are associated with this weapon. Requires [Weapons] skill for optimal use.
>[B] Short Sword
Made of sturdy metal. No special attributes are associated with this weapon. Requires [Weapons] skill for optimal use.
>[B] Bow & Quiver (x12 arrows)
Made of sturdy wood. No special attributes are associated with this weapon. Requires [Archery] skill for optimal use.
>[B] Staff
Made of sturdy wood. No special attributes are associated with this weapon. Requires [Weapons] skill for optimal use.
The contents here did not appear to match their actual size. For one, the item labeled staff was more like a short stick. Also, the bow seemed to be made for a child, and even at that size appeared as if it would not fit well in the chest. Still, He made a mental note that the second chest contained weapons. Considering the less-than-friendly appearance of the room, the Hero felt something to defend himself would likely come in handy here. He closed the chest and moved to open the third.
>Choose one.
>Lock Picking kit
Ideal for opening doors and chests without calling unwanted attention or destruction. Requires [Locks] skill for optimal use.
>[B] Buckler
Made of sturdy wood and metal. No special attributes are associated with this item. Requires [Shields] skill for optimal use.
>Fire in a Bottle
Ideal for the pyromaniac. This will apply fire to anything it touches. Recommend [Potions] skill for optimal use.
>[P] Healing kit
Ideal for mending wounds from physical Moxie strikes. Requires [Healing] skill for optimal use.
The Hero closed the last chest and took a step back so he could see all three.
A chest of armor, a chest of weapons, and a chest of other things. What the hell was I doing last night to end up here?
>Defining trait added: Curious
Curious, indeed…
The Hero looked about the room for clues regarding why text would appear in his vision. No cameras were present, and he did not wear glasses. The only hint ascertained from his surroundings was the enigmatic blackness that hovered overhead. He jumped, stretching out to touch the darkness, but it remained beyond his grasp. It was unsettling.
“Hello? Is anyone up there?”
Unsurprisingly, there was no response—the darkness remained unchanged, and no text appeared in his vision. As he slowly turned about, looking across the mostly empty room, the Hero’s eyes were drawn back to the glowing blue circle on the floor. Strange, foreign inscriptions lined the circumference of the circle, and small bits of glowing dust emanated from the border. The circle itself was wide enough for him to stand in, and the softness of its glow held an inviting warmth. Still, he was hesitant.
An idea came to mind. Turning around, the Hero opened the first chest. What he was about to do would likely require a bit of dexterity and nimbleness, and there was an armor set that fit perfectly with his intent. He grabbed the Rogue Armor set, and as he did, a strange occurrence began. The other armor sets immediately disintegrated, and simultaneously, the Rogue armor materialized over his body. The rogue armor fit him perfectly, conforming to the curves and angles of his perfect frame. The leather and cloth felt smooth and comforting, and the boots that cushioned his feet from the stone were an extra slice of Heaven he hadn’t realized he was missing. The rogue armor was perfect.
The second chest held the weapons, and he knew just the weapon to pick. The Hero grabbed the staff, which materialized in his hand, elongating to match his height. He frowned slightly, looking at the empty chest.
It would have been nice to have a backup weapon.
With armor on his body and his long stick in hand, the Hero returned to the blue circle—he felt the third chest of random things could wait. He positioned himself carefully, standing as far back as the staff would allow, and ready to jump away in case the circle was a trap. He held the staff at one end and stretched to place the other end just inside the circle, not touching the floor.
He waited, not knowing what he was waiting for, but held the tip of the staff in the circle a moment longer. When the Hero began to experience muscle fatigue, he allowed the staff’s tip to touch the floor and then attempted to scratch one of the inscriptions on the circle’s perimeter. The inscription remained undisturbed, despite his efforts to rub it off the stone floor.
>Defining trait added: Suspicious
“Are you going to tell me something that’s not obvious?”
The text faded without response.
Somewhat deflated, the Hero stepped closer and stretched a toe into the circle before quickly recoiling. Nothing happened. He extended his hand over the circle, wincing in anticipation of potential pain—still, nothing happened. He looked at his hand, front and back, wiggled his gloved fingers, and could not detect any change. Curious, the Player shrugged and stepped both feet into the circle. A blue-white column of light suddenly shot up from the circle’s inscriptions. In the wall light surrounding the Hero, a message could be seen.
>Welcome, Hero, to The Hero’s Die: Dungeon Loop edition, where you can be the narrator of your adventure. This is your first Respawn Point. Would you like an introduction to the adventure?
“Adventure?” He echoed in bewilderment. “Where am I?”
The message did not respond to his question.
“Do you think I am a Hero?” He paused, then tried a different question. “Am I a Hero?”
In the back of his mind, a torrent of emptiness could be felt where memories should have been. Instead of a sudden recollection rushing to the forefront of his mind, a storm of nothingness loomed threateningly inside. Despite his efforts to push back the anxiety, an essence of dread remained.
The text remained in the column of light, waiting for his answer. “Yes?”
>In this adventure, your goal is to escape the dungeon. You have an unlimited number of attempts to escape the dungeon. You will be rewarded with Upgrade points (UP) for your successful efforts of escape. These UP can be used to improve the skills and attributes necessary for your escape. >You must find 1/2 Respawn Points to progress.
>Would you like to save your progress at this Respawn Point?
(Note: Saving your progress will fully heal all Moxie strikes and cause all NPCs to respawn at their original locations with fully restored Moxie.)
“Why can’t I remember anything before waking up here?”
The words in the light waited for his response.
The Hero rubbed his temples in frustration. “Okay. So, just escape this dungeon. That’s it, right? Will I start remembering things after that?”
The text remained.
He twisted his face at the lack of answer to his questions and flatly responded to the light’s question, “Yes.”
>Respawn Point has been saved. >All Moxie strikes have been fully healed. NPCs have been restored. >You have found 1/2 Respawn Points. >Would you like to continue with the adventure’s introduction?
“No. I want to know why I am here.”
>Introduction has been discontinued. The introduction can be continued at any Respawn Spawn; simply say, “Introduction.” >You have unused Upgrade Points. Would you like to review your Hero Sheet?
“Uh, yeah?”
>The Hero Sheet >Name: Hero1 >Moxie: 0 0 0 >Hero Level: 0 >UP: 25 >Mod. Bank: 0 >HD: * Ready * >Defining Traits: Vain Curious Suspscious >Archetype [B]: Choose one [Rogue, Warrior, Ranger, Healer]; [Recommended: Rogue] >Core Attributes: Charisma (CHA): 0 Intelligence (INT): 0 Strength (STR): 0 >Chosen Attributes: None [Recommended: Dexterity]: 0 None [Recommended: Endurance]: 0 None [Recommended: Magic]: 0 >Skills: None [Recommended: Locks, [Weapon], and Dodge] 0 0 0 Gear: [B] Rogue Armor set [B] Wooden Staff
He looked inquisitively at the details that hovered in the blue-white light. "What is this?
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
>The Hero Sheet provides details of you, the Hero. This is where you can define your attributes, skills, and other aspects of yourself. You can also upgrade these various aspects using available Upgrade Points. You can learn more about the different attributes, skills, and other aspects by asking about specific ones.
“So my name is Hero1?”
In response to his question, the Hero sheet returned in full display, and the name Hero1 pulsed in brightness as if highlighting the answer to his question.
He shook his head while looking at the pulsing name. “Well, that’s not gonna do. I need a better name than that.”
Accepting that his lack of memories would not be able to help in his efforts to remember a better name, the Hero quickly looked around the column of light, futilely scanning for something to help him find a better name.
“What is my name?” He asked himself absentmindedly.
In response, a new line of text appeared.
>Would you like to review the Glossary?
“Well, this is new. Uh, sure, show me the Glossary.”
The wall of light suddenly burst with text as the Glossary scrolled around him.
>The Hero’s Die (THD) is an interactive role-playing adventure. The Dungeon Loop edition places the Hero in a dungeon they must escape from. The following are explanations of the game’s mechanics and their use in the Hero’s adventure. >Actions and Reactions – These determine how a Hero acts and responds to various situations. Actions are the initial interaction; reactions are the response to an action (either can be made by a Hero or the opposition). There are 4 types of actions and reactions—
“Oh, god! This is too much. Stop! Stop!”
The text stopped.
He stared at the words for a moment, focusing on three of them, "they must escape." Something gnawed deep in his stomach as the words were ill-digested in his mind. “So, all I have to do is escape?”
>Floor 1 exit requirements: discover 2 Respawn Points. >Current exit progress: 1/2 Respawn Points discovered.
"I am in a respawn point now, correct?"
>Yes.
“Huh, so I’m already halfway out of here. Well, this shouldn’t be too bad.” The Hero pondered his predicament with a finger to his lip. “Bring up that stuff about me again.”
The Hero Sheet returned in the light column.
All he had to do was escape—and to do that, all he needed was to find one more of these light columns. The light column had provided recommendations next to different parts of his Hero Sheet, specifically, recommendations for being a rogue. His lip curled up in a half grin as he thought his roguish wit certainly fit the recommendations. If he remembered correctly, rogues were often handsome, smart, and cunning… He deflated slightly as he looked at his defining traits: vain, curious, suspicious.
“I guess vanity is the price for being handsome,” he muttered under his breath before addressing the light. “Okay, I’m following your recommendations. Make me a rogue.”
The Hero watched the upgrade points decrease as they were used to level up different stats. He noticed the HD, the Hero level, Defining traits, and his gear could not be leveled with the UP. Also, Moxie required a lot of UP to be increased, but this was not among the light’s recommendations. With the upgrades finished, the Hero pondered why this Rogue archetype was recommended.
Perhaps this is a clue to my past…
The light had used all his UP, so he was grateful updating his name did not involve a cost. The Hero changed his name to one that provided more personal inspiration and one (he hoped) strengthened his connection to the past he could not remember.
>The Hero Sheet >Name: Rogue1 >Moxie: 0 0 0 >Hero Level: 2 >UP: 0 >Mod. Bank: 0 >HD: * Ready * >Defining Traits: Vain Curious Suspscious >Archetype [B]: Rogue >Core Attributes: Charisma (CHA): 3 Intelligence (INT): 2 Strength (STR): 2 >Chosen Attributes: Dexterity: 3 Endurance: 2 Magic: 1 >Skills: Dodge: 1d2 Stick/Staff: 1d2 Locks: 1d2 Gear: [B] Rogue Armor set [B] Wooden Staff
The rogue gave a satisfied nod to his new stats. So maybe the name wasn't the most creative, but it certainly fit. Satisfied, he began to step out of the light column when a notification appeared.
>You have made changes to your Hero Sheet.
>Would you like to save your progress at this Respawn Point?
(Note: Saving your progress will fully heal all Moxie strikes and respawn all NPCs to their original starting location.)
“Yeah, save it.”
With his acknowledgment, the notification disappeared, and Rogue1 exited the respawn point.
He expected the room to look different, but everything remained the same as when he had entered the respawn point. The two chests were still open and empty, there were still three doors in the room, and the darkness still clung unnaturally to the ceiling. The rogue sauntered over to the third chest and opened it. The three translucent items rose up and floated in a slow spin over the open chest. The Fire in a Bottle looked like it had an actual flame inside, and the rogue grasped it to get a closer look. As the other contents disintegrated, Rogue1 frowned at the folly of his curious nature—he should have remembered that was going to happen.
Shaking his head, he decided to sate his curiosity and examine the solid, clear bottle in hand. Sure enough, a small, almost hypnotizing flame flickered and danced inside the glass bottle. It was impressive, especially since a cork kept the fire inside. Rogue1 rolled the bottle about to see it from different angles, smiling at the little fire that turned about with the bottle’s movements as if it was determined to continue burning upright. Despite its appearance, he was pretty sure the stopper was not made of natural cork. Looking at his person, he found a small loop on his belt that allowed the bottle to be secured by his side. With the bottle of fire snug at his side and staff grasped in hand, he strode to the closest door and pushed it open to begin his escape.
The door did not budge. He rattled the door a few times and pounded it with his fist.
It must be locked.
He cursed under his breath remembering there used to be a lockpicking kit in that last chest. Unsure how he could unlock the locked door with what he had on hand and not wanting to use his fire bottle on a door, the rogue moved to the next closest door.
Locked.
The escape was not off to a good start. Rogue1 walked to the final door and gave it a hard push. Surprisingly, it opened.
He smiled, “Third time’s the charm.”
Then, it all happened so fast. The excitement of finding an open door had suddenly turned to dread as the floor was gone from beneath his feet. He attempted to grab something to stop the fall but only lost hold of his staff. Rogue1 fell with flailing arms and legs and screamed as he saw what met him below.
His fall ended with the forceful sound of his flesh being pierced by long metal spikes, blinding pain, and terror. Rogue1 cried out in a gurgled, agonizing moan—ribs grating against one of the spikes. The long metal spikes covered the pit floor—he felt them through his legs, one of his arms, and his torso. He tried to move his head from its awkward angle, but a spike had penetrated through one cheek and exited out the other. He couldn’t close his mouth—he felt the cold hard metal between his teeth and tasted blood. Blood was everywhere. Breathing was becoming more difficult. He tried moving his legs, but the spikes were unrelenting.
>Rogue1: Exceptional FAIL – 1 Physical Moxie Strike >Defining trait added: Impaled by spikes
Pain exploded in his head, preventing his brain from recognizing the words, and panic began to overcome sense. He could not understand how he was still alive—how long would he stay alive? How could he escape now? He was alone, in the bottom of a spike-filled pit, with no way to get out.
>Rogue1: FAIL – 1 Emotional Moxie Strike
Tears began to leak from his eyes as he cried in muffled despair. A small red circle flashed in the upper corner of his vision while he tried to wipe the tears with his one free arm—
I have a free arm!
The realization that one arm could move brought a renewed sense of hope that blended terribly with the misery and pain wracking his body. With his non-skewered arm, Rogue1 struggled to extricate himself by lifting himself off one of the spikes. Slowly he rose, hearing the squelch of his body sucking into the hole where the spike once was and seeing the blood run more freely.
His grip slipped from the blood-covered spike, and he fell once more. Spikes once again assaulted his body from new angles and freshly impaled other organs and parts of his torso. He felt one spike graze across his side and miss his body, only to be stuck on a belt loop—the belt loop that snuggly held his Fire in a Bottle. Rogue1 held his breath in that moment, feeling his weight being suspended by the small leather belt loop. But the weight of his body was too much for the little loop, and it stretched under the tension. The bottle, no longer fitting snuggly in its loop, began to slide out. The rogue attempted to grab the bottle with his free hand but was met with a wave of pain, which caused a reflexive jerk, followed by the glass bottle falling from his belt.
In contrast to the moment that brought him here, this last event played out in slow motion. As the bottle fell toward the stone floor below, horror slowly carved itself into the lines of Rogue1’s face. He tried to yell at the falling bottle, a futile one-word command that it not break. Yet even as he yelled, the glass bottle crashed against the stone below. An explosion of glass accompanied by a great, swirling ball of fire erupted from the floor before he could finish yelling. The flames burst high, raging against the pit walls, quickly engulfing Rogue1.
The cloth covering his skin incinerated while the leather boiled and charred. Ash rose around him as he continued to yell, no longer commanding the broken bottle to not break but crying out for an end to it all. The fire seared deep, ripping away his flesh in a manner the spikes could not compare to. He screamed and jerked against the torturous flames, tearing open his face, legs, and torso—sinking further down the spikes and closer to the base of the fire. It was blinding, white, hot, and terrible. Amidst his torture, at the apex of his agony, a coin of light and dark was tossed within the vision of his mind’s eye, slowly flipping between sides in the air.
>Rogue1: Exceptional FAIL – 1 Physical Moxie Strike. >Defining trait added: Burned alive >Rogue1 – Death’s Coin Toss:
FAIL