@RoboBlue:

We've had major problems with bots and IP bans ended up being a necessary part of the solution.

@Foolio:

Yeah, almost all of our banned IPs are either known malicious ranges or were necessary to counteract massive bot onslaughts. I don’t know why you’re using a VPN to connect to AP but clearly the particular service you picked is using IPs that were abused at some point. We’d be able to at least look into the specifics if you could provide some of the IPs in question.

Thanks for the info.

Just to clarify, I am not criticizing arlong parks practice of banning ip's specifically, but the practice in general. I am ignorant of the problems you face and the specifics of the system; and therefore cannot weigh in on any potential solutions. However, generally speaking IP banning is not a good solution, as it requires active moderation, is not scalable, is inconvenient to the service provider and the user etc. There are better solutions out there that I am sure you guys have considered and rejected based on the specifics of your use case.

When you connect via a vpn, arlong park sees not your ip, but the vpn's ip. That's a pretty big reason for using a vpn in the first place. The vpn has a limited number of ip's that can be used to send your data to arlong park. If someone else using the vpn was ip banned from arlong park, and you happened to be assigned the same ip that the person was using while they were banned, you will see that message.

IMO ip banning is stupid and shouldn't be done, unless it becomes a global practice to assign static ips to ALL internet users, which itself would be very bad for a number of reasons, and also wouldn't completely solve the problem with ip banning. Frankly, there is little it offers to stop someone using the service, while it inconveniences others needlessly.

Those are some very solid critiques Xasy! You are absolutely right. To be honest I was NOT expecting that you will all play good guys, and I think the setup was not ready for that either.

Live and learn though, maybe if there is a next time, these issues can be ironed out.

Alright, guys, the results are in. Let's see how this tale ends…

--- Update From New Post Merge ---

Bon Clay reached the final room. One scary climb left between them and their freedom. As they looked around the cave, they almost felt sad in leaving it, it was a dangerous place, yes, but it is in the depth of fire and brimstone that true friendships are forged.

But could they leave their newfound friends deep in this hell?

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Their heart just wasn't in it… they looked at the steep climb, and sure it may have been nothing to them athletically, but without their heart, they just couldn't find it in them to even attempt it.

Bon Clay does not attempt the climb, and loses.

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–- Update From New Post Merge ---

Monet watched as her companions successfully avoid the dragon and reach the last room. She couldn't help but feel relieved, even if she probably would never reach them. It was her plan that lead them to success after all.

Without loosing heart, she decided to give it another go. Odds were against her, but maybe, just maybe she will be able to reach them and with them, escape.

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It was a good plan, and she came very close to crossing the peril, but unfortunately, at the last moment, the dragon spotted her, and she was forced back in the earlier room. She was all out of equipment now, and she wouldn't be able to try again. But, she was happy, that at least her friends made it across.

Monet couldn't sneak past the dragon, and loses.
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–- Update From New Post Merge ---

Hannyabal wasn't sure how to proceed. On one hand, he had an ambition, and he would happily face any adversity to achieve it. But on the other hand… he now had people he cared for. He couldn't just leave by himself and turn his back on everyone else?

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In the end, his ambition was too important to him to lose now. With a great roar, he leaped in the air and skipping over stones after stones, reached the top. He turned around to look one last time, and noticed each and everyone of his new friends, happily giving him a thumbs up on his success. He left without shedding a single tear.

Hannyabal successfully escapes the dreaded caverns.

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–- Update From New Post Merge ---

Batman was on unchartered lands here. What was happening? Is this what friendship felt like? He was so used to living alone… that this felt wrong. His heart ached, his eyes were dripping, his legs were somehow weaker. What rubbish was this? Can he just go out now??

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Before attempting another bout against the dragon, he took a moment to lean in to these new feelings. Even though his heart ached, it made him smile rather than curse; even though his eyes dripped, it gave him clarity that he never knew before; and even though his legs felt weaker, it also gave him courage to move forward. Okay, maybe he needed to get out of his head, this was getting creepy now…

With thoughts of love and peace, he attempted the crossing, but alas, it was not meant to be.

The dragon had already noticed Monet, and his "maidenly" heart could only think of one thing, to save her. He may have failed to leave the cave, but he succeeded in saving his friend. And at that moment, that was all that matters.

Batman failed to cross the dragon, and was doomed to die along with Monet.

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–- Update From New Post Merge ---

Buggy died.
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Yep, he did. My story, my ending.
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–- Update From New Post Merge ---

Thank you for being my playthings playing everyone.

I hope you had fun. Your honest thoughts on the setup, and how can it be improved will be greatly appreciated!

Got it!!

Unfortunately, I will need a little time off :D. My brother is having an appendectomy, and I am with him. It's nothing to worry about, thankfully, but I won't have access to my PC for a day or so. We will continue this then. In the meantime, feel free to update the plan if necessary, I have not yet committed anything!

Sorry for the delay and wish us luck! :D

@Xasy:

**In preparation, I attempt to craft the moss shoe pads to silence our footsteps. I also attempt to make two sheets of moss large enough to hide under, two small moss knapsack, and I place our remaining smokebombs in the coal room.

For our attempt, I will fill the small knapsack with coal (or take as much as I can carry), sneak onto the ridge, and continue the coal fuse as far as it can go. At that point I will lay down on my stomach and partly cover myself with the moss sheet before lighting the fuse. Afterwards I'll cover myself fully and slowly crawl my way down the rest of the path as quietly as possible. If the coal room explosion works, gas from the smoke bombs will hopefully sedate the dragon as it investigates. Either way, I'll continue my way down the path as slowly and quietly as possible.** Batman is free to join me in this attempt if he would like. Although if he doesn't make it in time, I will attempt it alone.

As far as I can tell, all of the activities are being carried out by you?

If Batman does indeed join you, I will need them to describe what it is they do, even if it is something as simple as "I want to tag along" in which case I will just put that one activity to an RNG check. Of course it can be more complex than that.

Do you want to maybe put a time limit to when you want to carry out the plan either way?

@Xasy:

In 24 hours or within 24 hours?

I'm assuming it's the latter

Yep, within 24 hours.

or ~2 hours from this post.

Hannyabal and Bon Clay… you should probably... live and let die
Oooh title drop! Always wanted to do that!

–- Update From New Post Merge ---

@SkullJoke:

Question: Has the terrain or equipment changed at all due to our previous actions?

Nope. Also, for your earlier question, your stats are the same as they were yesterday. (Morning, not night, meaning the stealth +1 and perception -1 adjustment you received at night no longer applies).

Your willpower is unaffected as well. Your failure got you down, but seeing others succeed has given you a willpower boost, canceling the adverse effect.

@Kirbycide:

Try: Kick at the small opening to break it wider

Nope, not happening.

–- Update From New Post Merge ---

Also, you guys can't distract the dragon, you are too far away. Going back will mean facing the dragon again, which is not happening either.

In short, all you guys can do is proceed onwards. It's unfortunate, but Monet and Batman must either overcome this by themselves, or become casualties.

It's a large room, but nothing in it is of particular interest. There is a very small hole leading to the area where Batman and Monet are. You remember this as the small window you used to watch this room, but it's too small to pass any item through though.

There is also the exit from the dungeon. It's high up, and the rocks leading up to it seem extremely dangerous to climb. You will need very high willpower to even attempt to climb to the top.

Other than these, there is nothing else of note.