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it very much just comes off like a skill test where there's no shortcut around it. either you go through clawbug canyon or get your legs blown off by mines.
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Apr 11, 2018 01:32
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Synthbuttrange posted:Spore batons dont work on them?
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Apr 11, 2018 01:46
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I am so, so sorry you had to do this. I rammed myself through half of this stupid place before realizing it wasn't taking me anywhere I hadn't gone...and then I found another route in, which...still didn't take me anywhere I hadn't gone, as it turns out. Clawbug Canyon is murderous if you go looking for trouble. The ghost valley is terrifying. But this place can gently caress right off.
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Apr 11, 2018 02:16
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I'm consoling myself with a purple haze and the weirdly good Dragon Quest Builders game. Sadly, there's no spore baton for the sprayer mines. The batons only work on the little turnip lookin suckers -- and those can't be targeted for disarming via mechanics.
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Apr 11, 2018 05:53
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Sorry for the hiatus again! Bee season has begun and I'm working to establish a new colony in a top bar hive, which is a style I'm unfamiliar with and takes more work to establish from zero.
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Apr 27, 2018 22:45
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a hiatus is already fine by me but the news that you're beekeeping makes it even better since i used to do a bit of hobbyist beekeeping a couple years ago
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Apr 27, 2018 23:06
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Johnny Joestar posted:a hiatus is already fine by me but the news that you're beekeeping makes it even better since i used to do a bit of hobbyist beekeeping a couple years ago very cool! why'd you get out of the hobby if you don't mind my asking? my partner developed a severe allergy to stings last year so we were unsure of how things would go until it looked like his allergy therapy was working. there are quite a lot of current and former beekeepers on sa. I didn't know how widespread this odd fellowship was until I got into it myself.
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Apr 27, 2018 23:12
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:very cool! why'd you get out of the hobby if you don't mind my asking? my partner developed a severe allergy to stings last year so we were unsure of how things would go until it looked like his allergy therapy was working. a big factor is that my dad discovered he had a late-developing allergy to bees in one of the most direct ways possible, to make it short, and since he was the one who enjoyed helping me out with it combined with a mixture of small hive beetles and a lovely winter causing a hive collapse i decided to put it off for a bit if i'm going to continue it further also i still need to get around to checking if maybe i have a developing allergy since i assume genetics would have a part in that. beekeeping was fun, though.
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Apr 27, 2018 23:18
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ahh that's awful! my partner had a severe but not anaphylactic response (but once you hit severe, the risk of anaphylaxis next time just explodes). it's not a bad idea to get tested though it seems an allergy can develop spontaneously. shb is a pain in the rear end! I've had good luck avoiding the worst of it by putting hives on two inch thick pavers and on stands I built from treated lumber. Shapers of course don't have to worry about pests and parasites, only rogues. A Shaped apis insect would probably be horrific and literally born from the corpses of ornks.
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Apr 27, 2018 23:24
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But the honey would be amazing.
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Apr 28, 2018 05:02
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yaay, I finally caught up, i wonder where precipitate's at now- oh. that area looked like hell but i legitimately appreciated the mine facts 
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May 18, 2018 00:24
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Thanks! I figured we might as well do something a little different for the worst map in the game... and probably in the whole series. I'm extremely behind schedule now, haha. The sprayers stacked acid on my motivation.
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May 18, 2018 01:29
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Yeah they tend to do that. Kind of killed my desire to play through the Avernum 4. And gently caress pylons too.
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May 18, 2018 01:38
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Well, mines are designed to sap your
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May 18, 2018 04:02
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Since it's been over six weeks since the last update, I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing, M(r)s. POOL. I didn't know if you had had some difficulties or were just burned out and taking a hiatus. I'm probably oversensitive to such things as I have seen an LP end when the author literally died, but I was worried about you. Assuming that you can charitably be described, like me, as "not dead", I hope that you overcome your problems and/or refind your creative spark. I certainly don't expect you to finish the Geneforge Quintet, but it would be grand if you were able to finish this second instalment.
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May 24, 2018 22:22
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Just got a bit burned out, but definitely not dead! Thank you for checking in. I'll be finishing Geneforge 2 come hell or high water, and I'm working out some ideas (in the world's slowest brainstorm) for handling 3. Part of the issue has been ramming through almost every area in one playthrough, which is something I'll avoid in future games. It hurts the pacing and also wears me down! The land mine zone really hammered that home for me. Chalk it up to a learning experience.
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May 25, 2018 01:17
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I definitely would not feel obligated to cover every zone in detail. Having 100%'d many of Vogel's games, he does tend to throw in zones that are basically "here, have a plotless dungeon" or "this is an alternate path if you hate having fun for some reason." If nothing interesting happens in a zone, feel free to gloss over it with a couple of sentences of text instead of showing us all the grueling details.
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May 25, 2018 01:53
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:I definitely would not feel obligated to cover every zone in detail. Having 100%'d many of Vogel's games, he does tend to throw in zones that are basically "here, have a plotless dungeon" or "this is an alternate path if you hate having fun for some reason." If nothing interesting happens in a zone, feel free to gloss over it with a couple of sentences of text instead of showing us all the grueling details. Seconding this. While I haven't caught up with reading the LP yet, I can confirm that if it's not interesting to you, then don't go out of your way to make it interesting to us unless it's plot-critical.
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May 25, 2018 01:56
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:Just got a bit burned out, but definitely not dead! Thank you for checking in. I'll be finishing Geneforge 2 come hell or high water, and I'm working out some ideas (in the world's slowest brainstorm) for handling 3. I've never done an LP, because it would be shite, but as a slavering completionist with confirmed clinical OCD, you have my sympathy or empathy or whatever -pathy applies here. I will say that not all LPs are about story; some are more about showing off everything that there is or just making up some cheeky characters and acting like smartarses. Given your style, POOL, I think that a more linear approach makes sense; do what the character would do or what the thread votes for. If you want to show out-takes, so to speak, you can always toss those in at the end of the narrative.
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May 25, 2018 02:29
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I needed everyone to suffer through landmines with me. How could I rest, knowing that I'd deprived you all of such an essential experience? But in all seriousness, thanks for the kind words and advice! Most of the next few days here are projected to be rainy, so I'll be able to take some time from home improvement and beekeeping and work on updates instead. Hopefully.
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May 25, 2018 03:21
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No rush. Doing 100% completion for games that nobody else is every likely to play is one thing, but Geneforge is definitely a series that people should still pick up! It's not too tough for casual RPG entrants, and there's an awful lot of stuff to explore and side areas for people that enjoy that sort of thing. Leaving them a mystery, save perhaps a VERY brief dive into the zone to get the area's name and some flavor text (before turning back) could be more than enough in future, perhaps?
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May 25, 2018 03:35
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i'll definitely echo everyone else in saying that there's no need to show off stuff if it's really not even all that important or has nothing of value really. or if you just don't feel like it, frankly. what's important is that you're showing off what you want to.
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May 25, 2018 03:39
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There's no shame in saying anecdotally "This zone here is nothing but bad news and spiders with no plot. Bugger it." Not in those exact words, necessarily.
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May 25, 2018 03:58
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If there were GIFTS in this game...
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May 25, 2018 04:05
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:If there were GIFTS in this game... Then you would be able to learn to make your own. Drown the world in chirping friendly spiders!
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May 25, 2018 04:13
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:If there were GIFTS in this game... BURN EVERYTHING!
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May 25, 2018 04:46
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:Then you would be able to learn to make your own. Drown the world in chirping friendly spiders! A creation somehow even less useful in combat than the ornk. Then again, apparently there've been LPs of the Ornk-master run, which hacked themselves a level of Create Ornk and then beat the game with it, so hell, what do I know.
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May 25, 2018 12:46
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I really super enjoy these lps and I'm bumping this to give some encouragement if you're in a place and time where you would derive enjoyment from my enjoyment of your content, and hopefully the enjoyment of others as well. have a blessed day
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Jul 26, 2018 23:20
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Thanks for checking in and for letting me know you've enjoyed the LP so far. I think I got burned out without realizing it, or maybe not really wanting to admit it. I intend to finish this (and Dream Daddy!) but I have some projects that need completed soon and a little travel too. I won't give any dates at this point because I haven't done a great job of keeping the last ones. 
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Jul 27, 2018 02:40
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oystertoadfish posted:I really super enjoy these lps and I'm bumping this to give some encouragement if you're in a place and time where you would derive enjoyment from my enjoyment of your content, and hopefully the enjoyment of others as well. have a blessed day I miss this LP as well, but I didn't want to post anything because I'm afraid that my attempts to encourage or express fondness for the LP would upset POOL.
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Jul 27, 2018 02:40
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Nah, I'm not upset. No worries! 🤔 I'd only get mad if the plot twist of July was that some thread rogue is responsible for me falling down my own front steps the week before the union picket line started in an effort to get me updating again. That would be pretty drat diabolical, really.
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Jul 27, 2018 02:44
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This LP is worth waiting for, take the time you need!
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Jul 27, 2018 08:38
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If I could wait through all the Planescape: Torment LP, this one should be no problem.
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Jul 27, 2018 15:55
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I was gonna say something yesterday, but I felt the same as JustJeff. I will say that I've really enjoyed this LP (and the previous Geneforge). I've got all 5 games but I've never really played too far into any of them. Seeing these are very therapeutic.
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Jul 27, 2018 20:33
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LPs are always worth waiting for, that's part of the greatness of this format. I'm in no hurry whatsoever, just wanted to awkwardly bump it in case it made people feel good idk
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Jul 27, 2018 23:04
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The Mountain Base Last time, we disarmed every single landmine in the Experimental Valley. I hope you never make the same decision. Did you know that I haven't actually played an area of this game since January? Neither did I. This is the last area I finished before all the write-ups and the long hiatus.   Game Text posted:This pathway has been trapped. There is a thick cluster of mines ahead. A single crystal trigger has been placed in the center, ready to launch a cascade of explosions if you get close. Someone -- perhaps the Barzites -- didn't want anyone leaving the road here. Knowing that the sects have so much to hide only makes you more determined. Little else seems to have changed here since you found and eliminated Krogst just north of the Barzites’ main settlement, so you relax and let yourself focus on the traps. You're lucky that these single-trigger mines aren't as difficult to deal with as those in the valley you left behind. A single crystal tied to Shaped mines isn't anywhere on the order of difficulty of proximity acid sprayers all placed within range of each other.  You disable the first one handily. As you can see, Precipitate is all geared up in Mechanics-enhancing equipment. Don't leave home without your Tinker gloves!   PharohMan777 is first to spot the menace, but you'd anticipated it as soon as you realized this mine was guarding a blind turn. Your enemies love staging ambushes along such twisted paths...  At least 3 nasty creations guard this path. They're stationary shrubs, but you've already had a taste of the scalding poisons they spew and you're taking no chances. Tehan and inflatablefish double-team the nearest spraying shrub, positioning themselves cautiously so that another stand of trees shields them from the view of a second. Their flicking tails stun the creature, so you order PharohMan777 and Obscil forward to deal with the second...   You don't get away with this aggression that easily, though. Your glaahks finish off the first sprayer and push forward while you and your ranged creations take on the second.  That may be a tactical mistake.   The sprayers take a heavy toll on your creations, but you emerge victorious...  Only to deal with their mechanized cousins.  Your reward is what looks like a stockroom and... a back door? You rummage around the room first and find an interesting shield. The Airy Fibrous Shield is 12 lbs and provides 10 armor and +2 to the Quick Action skill, making it reasonably useful for Agents and Guardians.  Oh dear. You have been sighted by a guard servile. He is a short, solid brick of muscle, with a loaded baton in his hand. The Barzites must have bred it specifically for battle. It points its baton at you and shouts, "No! You! Stop! This Barzite place! You die!" Lying is easy, especially when someone is pointing a thorn baton at you. "But I am a Barzite." The creature nods emotionlessly. "Then show me badge. I told to look for badge." "I'm afraid I left it at home. Dare you question me, Servile?" The servile is clearly confused. It doesn't want to take the chance of attacking a Barzite, but you are clearly meant to have a badge. Your confidence tips the balance in your favor. "All right. You bring badge next time though." You brush past the Barzite servile without paying it further attention.  Just down the hall is what appears to be a barracks with a few more servile guards milling around and... a spore box control. Huh. No one questions you when you twist the knob.   Game Text posted:You are at the base of a narrow pass, leading up into the mountains. The Barzites have blocked it with a massive gate. In addition, it is well-defended. Fortunately, the pylons are quiescent, or you would already be dead.    You have to unlock and pull two separate levers. No one has been stationed to guard or use them, so the Barzites must really have no intentions of opening this gate any time soon.  The Mountain Base is now safe for us to cross on the map. Now that you've opened the road, at least for a little while, you head south. Your deception will probably be discovered eventually, but the serviles stationed at that little fort don't seem likely to venture out on their own. You've got more to see here.  The sign reads: "Zhass-Uss, Taker Lands - North. Old Rising Bridge - East. Rising - South." If this is the first bulwark against the Takers, the Barzites must be very sure of their defenses to have so few serviles and no other loyal forces up here. Arrogance... especially since you, a mere apprentice, without any of the alternations the rebels here enjoy, have managed to penetrate so deeply into these contested territories.   Somehow you doubt any traders have come through here in a long time.   A drayk patrols a stretch of road to apparently nowhere. It's not friendly, but neither are you.  You can't discern if it's a Barzite creation, independent, or something sent in by the Takers before you destroy it. Nearby you find the desiccated remains of... someone. Human, probably, judging by the size, but all that survived was mere Shaper gold.  The obelisk here reads "Experiment Holding Grounds. Volatile Creation Cells. Currently: ..." and then the word FULL is written in chalk. The Barzites have done enough horrific research. You'll add their crimes here to the catalogue, then destroy the fruits before they can be carelessly thrown out elsewhere in Drypeak.    This lever releases a gate that leaves you in front of the Barzite fortress. Makes sense... rogue creations could be funneled through this passage and most lured into the pylons for destruction, if need be. The Barzites probably haven't thought that far ahead.  Someone locked a canister of heal into this little room. The next door you can't quite manage to charm open. It contains something... special. We probably won't come back for it in this playthrough. You return to the fort, where an obelisk reads, "PASS TO RISING LANDS." Written below in chalk is a warning. "Pylons set to kill all travelers!"  Game Text posted:You find a group of dead serviles. They were executed, killed by thorn batons at close range. Is this the inevitable result of the Shapers losing control? Are massacres, madness, monsters and starvation inevitable? You've seen all you came to find. You know you need to investigate the holding cells more closely, but before you burn your bridges with the Barzites, you decide to return to the Radiant College to pursue a little more business there...  Fenen doesn't remark on the travel stains your robes bear. It's not like researchers' hygiene is much better. "Greetings, Shaper," you say, nodding your head respectfully. "Could you tell me about how you have improved drayks?" You didn't get into it with him last time you were here, but now that you're encountering the damned things, you may as well... "We have made drayks into drakons, of course." Your head spins at the bald statement. Drakons. Fenen continues on, oblivious to your stark and silent disgust. "Soon, with the use of the incubation vats, we will make many drakons, and they will defend us from the Shaper Council." "And battle alphas?" you ask faintly. "We have developed a variety called the rotghroth. Stronger, larger, and with a corrupting touch." He shakes his head. "We have not had much luck with the design. The Takers are ahead of us in this regard. More testing is required." He gives you a disturbing once over. "Alas, I have had a shortage of testing volunteers." You clear your throat to force out the words, "I can help you test the rotghroth." You might as well see what you're up against in a more controlled environment... "Good! Good! I had hoped you would. It is in a vat in the Isolation Room. It's west of here." He points. "Let it out of its vat. It will probably be annoyed. Deal with it a bit, and tell me how it functioned." This isn't exactly the usual testing protocol, but Fenen and everyone here are clearly insane. You use the power of the essence pool to enhance all of your creations with long-lasting blessings, then make your way to the Isolation Room. The vat trembles at your touch...  The thing that emerges looks like a gigantic, reeking battle beta. This must be the ultimate result of the experiments with the thahds... It hits like an avalanche, and worse, its viscid flesh leaves an acid smear on whatever it touches. Including poor ulmont.  Tehan and inflatablefish take turns lashing the awful thing while your artila and ulmont try to stay at a safe range. Nearby, a Barzite battle beta looks on impassively, neither moving towards you nor the rotghroth.  Unfortunately, neither Obscil nor PharohMan777 can seem to hit the creature, so your glaahks must do most of the work of wearing the rotghroth down.  Finally...  Fenen hardly seems surprised when you return, which is... reassuring, maybe. "I let out the rotghroth. It attacked me." You describe the battle, but you downplay its weakness to being stunned as much as you can. He sighs. "Of course. Control issues. As always. The Takers are so much ahead of us with that creation. Thank you, Shaper. Most helpful." He nods. "I will make sure you sample some more Barzite power. Go to Storage Bay A. It's right by the Isolation Chamber. I will have the door unlocked for you. Enjoy what you find inside." You suspect you already know what's in there, but you'll check in case it's actually a pleasant surprise for once. "Tell me about how you improved the vlish," you say. "That was Barzahl's work. He developed the gazer and the eyebeast from the basic vlish template. We haven't made many yet. But soon." Given the one you've already encountered... ugh. Now more than ever you can feel the swiftness of the sands pouring through the hourglass. "How have you improved control of creations?" "Well, you have seen in these mountains how creations can develop delusions of independence. The serviles especially. We are trying to make ways to totally crush the will of creations. Total obedience!" Fenen clenches his fist and his eyes glitter. Control is important, but... You look around. The ways the Barzites want to control Shapers and humans has nothing to do with how your society should ideally work. This is nothing but the rule of the strong over the weak. It has nothing to do with responsibility.   It's always good to manage your expectations.
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Oct 7, 2018 19:40
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Wow, what a blast from the past. Good to see this updating again! I'd missed the dry, matter-of-fact attitude Precipitate has towards what she's experiencing.
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Oct 7, 2018 19:58
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Awesome, glad to see this LP's still alive. What's the special thing behind that door? Will we learn the surprise later even if you're not opening it during the LP?
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Oct 7, 2018 20:12
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Thanks, friendos! We will see that door again eventually...
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Oct 7, 2018 20:14
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It's back! It's back! 
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Oct 7, 2018 20:29
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