BOMB. THE GRAVITY.
ALL HAIL LORD SINGULOTH!

>>986596

Then just make everything else, silly.

You have plenty of other bombs but you don't have a gravity bomb so try the gravity bomb again.

But...
If your that much afraid of failure over making a bomb with the outcome is just it being a dud, then... how are you going to make it as an adventurer where failure is much worse like if you lett down your teammates over a dumb decision and have them abandon you, or if failure could get you killed by a dangerous monster in one of your adventures because you made a mistake or weren't good enough??? OH NO!

hug Dotti to feel better

>>986596
Ok fine. Make some other bomb until you can research things.

Definitely hug Dotti to feel better

It's a gravity bomb so... weight it? Hang the bomb calorimeter from one side of a set of scales, and balance it to equilibrium. If it starts getting noticeably heavier (or lighter?) then you know you're approaching the correct mix.

>>986596
Honestly, you have two routes. You can push through it and maybe fail, which is probably a good choice if you want to work on your character, or you can give up for now and just learn more about the different subjects until you are comfortable working with them (if you pick this one, turn the heat off, run out of the room, and scream that there is a bomb and for everyone to get out. You don't want casualties).
Honestly, you lack confidence and you really need to work on that. Learning will definitely help you feel confident in your knowledge.

--

Mutagens may be tuned on an individual basis, however there will still be generalized rules for how what will work with who and why.

Lady Kensington 2021/02/03(Wed)20:52 No. 986895 ID: 8483cf
File 161241436074.png - (360.75KB , 938x1203 , Emergencyhug.png )

I knew I wasn't good enough for a gravity bomb. I'll just make a sticky bomb! I don't care which kind!

I hurriedly dump the earth and shadow essences out of the bomb calorimeter and into a neutralizing bath of solvent. Phew! Crisis averted!

I immediately regret my decision. I've just completely wasted two gold pieces' worth of reagents.

Oh, why did I do that?!?! I need all the money I can get! I can't waste anything! I'm such an idiot! I didn't learn anything from that! I can't even fail properly!

I'm such a screw-up. I can't get anything right! I'm going to fail at adventuring, too! I'm going to freeze up and fail right in the middle of tomorrow's adventure, and Raelynn and Dotti and my fairy are all going to leave my party, or worse!

I can't handle this kind of pressure! I want to go home! I want to drown myself in my big soft bed and stuffed animals!

Wait. I have something better right here!

I burst out of the lab and, as luck would have it, spy Dotti down the hall, carrying Raelynn's dirty breakfast bowls from her room to the mess hall.

"DottiIneedhugspleasebeforemypotionsblowup!"

The wooden bowls clatter to the floor as I sweep her off her feet and hug her tight. She lets out an high-pitched noise somewhere between a squeal and a shriek.

I sigh contentedly and squeeze her tight. She's so fluffy I forget she just got done eating trash.

Do you remember what you said about the carrot and the stick?

Me neither, more hugs.

Keep hugging Dotti until people start looking at you weird

Also realize that you may have used up another favor by asking Dotti to let you hug her. Get anxious over that as well and hope that Dotti isn't smart enough to count this as a favor.

Keep hugging until Dotti reciprocates or gets angry

Get Dotti some perfume to cover up the smell of garbage.

Lady Kensington 2021/02/06(Sat)13:37 No. 987106 ID: 8483cf
File 161264747773.png - (253.42KB , 989x1131 , DottiHug2.png )

I keep hugging my soft, slightly stinky stress solution.

Then I realize I’m tall, and Dotti is short. Her feet are dangling off the floor as I keep hugging her. This can’t be fun for her. She’s going to be so mad at me for ambushing her like this!

“I’m sorry!” I set her down quickly. “I’m so sorry! I just needed a hug so badly, and-“

Dotti turns around and nuzzles against me.

I sigh in relief and return the hug.

“I suppose we’ve both had trouble these last few days, haven’t we?”

Dotti nods, though her face is still pressed into my corset. I’ve probably got trash slime on me. I don’t care.

“I suppose this counts as my second favor for the day,” I sigh.

Dotti leans back a little and looks at me, confused.

“I ambushed you and demanded hugs. You probably didn’t like that.”

Dotti looks at me like I’ve gone crazy.

“All right, then. Forget I said anything.”

Dotti nuzzles me again.

Maybe I should reassess my opinion of her.

I should also probably get back and check on my potions, but they can wait a few more minutes. If I want, I can spend more time with Dotti, or I can check on Raelynn. I probably don’t have enough time to track down my fairy yet, unless she’s causing some kind of highly-visible havoc.

Eh, the potions can wait. check up on Rae, and see if she appreciates Dotti cleanup work.

spend more time with dotti, get that attention you so rightfully deserve, oh and hugs, maybe come to some understanding with a hugs based currency system

Really shouldn't leave those potions alone, with how much you worry over them... Take Dotti with you to see them!

Lady Kensington 2021/02/13(Sat)11:48 No. 987929 ID: 8483cf
File 161324573086.png - (225.98KB , 808x1121 , Jumpscare.png )

I decide to spend more time with Dotti. The potions and bombs are fine on their own for a few minutes, but I need hugs now.

Suddenly there's an angry, shocked shout.

"Lady Kensington! What's that heart-eater doing here?! Kill it! Quickly!"

I let out a yelp. Dotti jumps into my arms.

Who's threatening my emotional support Dotti?

It is your strict butler/servant back from home. He was sent looking for you after you left to take care of you. He's a bit over protective, not all that smart, but will serve Serah.

Also, he is a kobold.

It's the ghost of a skeleton that is bound to the Kensington family and is used to deliver important messages and otherwise be a general dogsbody.

I forget his name

It’s your personal butler/knight. He’s a dwarf with a wicked beard

>>987933
This. And he’s been worried sick about you ever since you left home!

Your sporty fighter rival from a fellow noble house, who until yesterday was the taller one and loved to lord it over you. Well, who's looking down their nose now, lady Angelica?

Lady Kensington 2021/02/13(Sat)14:15 No. 987942 ID: 8483cf
File 161325452746.png - (80.39KB , 500x500 , Butlerface.png )

It's a floating, disembodied phantom skull with glowing green eyes.

Oh no.

"Quickly, Lady Kensington! Dispose of this foul spirit! Before she consumes you!"

"I'm not murdering Dotti! She's soft and nice and-"

"My fears have been realized! She has already stolen my Lady's heart!" The skull bobs and weaves in midair.

"No! You're wrong! She's out of magic, she's harmless!" I squeeze Dotti tighter, and she whines nervously. "T-this isn't what it looks like! She's bound to serve me, just like you are!"

"She has bewitched you!" the skull rattles. "A fox spirit could never serve so faithfully as I! I, who have waited on your family for generations! Generations who have never left home in such a state! Your departure has worried me so for your safety, and now that I have found you at last, I see my fears were well founded! Lady Kensington, if you can hear me from your mind's prison, never fear! I will inform your father at once and save you from this terrible fate!"

"No! Don't tell Daddy!" I try and fail to fight back my panic. He can't drag me back! Not now!

I have to do something to keep my dogsbody from leaving!

Uhhh he’s just a skull right? Grab him and stuff him into a bag

>>987942
If he's bound to serve you, then order him to stay.

Alternatively, you could prove Dotti is serving you by getting her to do something ridiculous as a Favor. Like do a silly dance or something.

Stuff him in your bag! Don't let him escape.

He's a servant with a contract and supernatural biomechanics, use a trigger phrase to shut him down.

Lady Kensington 2021/02/26(Fri)18:40 No. 989253 ID: 8483cf
File 161439363961.png - (170.20KB , 821x889 , Tagitnbagit.png )

Oh no! Daddy never gave me the special command words for the skull servant- he must have been planning for this moment where my family's long-serving servant flies straight back to Kensington Keep and tells Daddy exactly where I am and locks me up and makes me marry whatever ugly old man is politically convenient but isn't offended by a Lady with a very strong background in alchemy!

"No!" I cry out. I grab him with my Jotund-enhanced strength and jam him into my most secure portable alchemical bag. "Getinthebag! Nownownow!"

"I say!" my servant says as he is bagged. "Why, this is violence!"

I seal him inside the bag. Crisis averted!

Dotti looks at me like I've gone crazy.

"I'm not crazy!" I say. "I just needed to solve a problem. This is a perfectly normal method of solving problems, Dotti. Shove it deep down and hope it never comes up again."

Dotti frowns.

Well, what does she know? She's a fox spirit who doesn't know anything! She hasn't had to deal with the threat of impending marriage! Foxes can't get married! That's illegal!

I should really get back to my potions. That and order Dotti to do something so she stops looking at me with that judging expression.

Ask Dotti to help check your potions and notify you if one of them starts doing something strange.

Decide to talk to Dotti and tell her about marriage and love and conveniently leave out the fact that foxes can’t get married.

>>989253
Talk to the skull while he's in the bag. No reason to wait. You're all potioned out for now anyway!

order dotti to marry you

foxes CAN get married, marry Dotti!

Lady Kensington 2021/02/26(Fri)20:25 No. 989275 ID: 8483cf
File 161439995613.png - (80.48KB , 475x507 , Whatislove.png )

“Okay, Dotti,” I say, pretending that everything is normal, like a good leader should. “You haven’t had breakfast except for that trash chicken, so good nutrition is important.” I pick up the discarded bowls and give them to her. “There’s food waiting for you in the mess now that you’ve helped Raelynn with hers, just like I promised. It’s good to keep your promises. It shows honor and virtu-“

“HONOR AND VIRTUE! QUITE RIGHT!” roars a voice from my bag.

I jump a foot in the air and drop the bowls. Dotti makes a high-pitched laugh like a particularly amused squeak toy.

“THE ACOUSTICS OF THIS BAG ARE AMPLE INDEED!”

“Oh, no…” I put a hand to my head. I should give my skull servant to my fairy, so she can keep him in her space-time inventory and shut him up. “Please be quiet…”

“I shall not cease my service!” my skull servant says. “My Lady, hear me out! Release me and I shall be free to free you from this heartless heart-eater’s spell, and you will be free to choose a suitor!”

“No! No suitors!” I slap my bag. “I told Daddy this a thousand times!”

“The decision is no longer yours!” the bag declares. “If I do not return, Count Kensington will surely give your many suitors permission to begin their own searches for your hand, free of his control at court! They will surely come calling at your door and present themselves with great aplomb! Ah, courtship! Such a fine tradition!”

“Released to… hunt me down?” I blink. “Like a common game pheasant?”

“Quite undignified! It is better you return and choose a husband in a more dignified manner. And free of this evil fox spirit’s influence! You must let love take its course naturally, and marry the best and finest man to carry on your house and care for your offspring, who I shall serve in turn!”

Dotti cocks her head.

“Love and marriage are society’s highest and noblest goals!” my bag pipes. “How could you flee from such a beautiful institution?”

“Bleh!” I stick out my tongue. “Spare me your lectures on love and marriage! Marriage is a way for old men to dole out estates and make alliances, not some glorious quest for love!”

“Just what one possessed by a fox spirit would say!” declares my servant. “The devils have no concept of such selfless acts and sacred institutions! Love is foreign to such beasts!”

“Stop saying Dotti is possessing me!!!” I groan. “You don’t know anything about fox spirits, or Dotti!”

Dotti tugs on my sleeve.

“What is it? Do you want your food now?”

Oh.

Hug Dotti. Again.

Better tell Dotti what the concept of love is.

Explain to Dotti what love is through hugs and kisses

Also, if she is interested in love after explaining what it is, tell her you'll give her lots of it if she behaves herself.

Dotti wants to know about love, use a food analogy, something about how she wants to be with these drumsticks for the rest of her life but instead a piece of celery won’t let go of you and you can’t get that drumstick you really want. That’s an arranged marriage.

>>989275
BABY DON'T HURT ME

Tell her there's two kinds of love, familial and romantic. Familial love is like, good feelings and loyalty towards your family members. Romantic love is when you want to be with someone all the time and are willing to overlook their flaws to do that. Finally, marriage is when two people undergo a ceremony and then are expected to stay together as if they were in romantic love, and have children. It's also an exclusive arrangement, you're not allowed to behave as if you're in romantic love with anyone else.
Courting is when someone tries to give you things and treat you nicely to see if they can get you to love and marry them.

Tell the skull you will accept being courted, as the better option. If it's not an arranged marriage you can just turn them down. MAYBE one of them will be likeable enough.

Lady Kensington 2021/02/26(Fri)23:13 No. 989291 ID: 8483cf
File 161441001647.png - (134.21KB , 727x658 , DottiHug3.png )

How do I explain love?

Do I really want to?

Dotti lets go of my sleeve. She doesn’t seem terribly interested. Maybe I should just let it go.

But what if she really doesn’t understand what it means to be loved? If that’s true, then… I don’t even want to think how horrible it would be to live like that.

I hug her. Tight. Dotti slips between my arms and sighs contentedly.

She likes hugs. No matter how good a liar she is, I know in my heart she’s not lying about that.

“Love is… well, it’s like hugging,” I say. “Love is hugs and chicken.

“Love is wanting to be close to someone for the rest of your life, and they want to be close to you too. And you share your hopes and dreams and help each other make them a reality, like if you wanted a trash chicken and I helped hunting all over the city to help you find it. But just being close to each other feels as good as having a thousand trash chickens.”

Dotti nuzzles me close.

“That’s not love,” my skull-servant says. “There is far more exchange of property involved.”

“…And then,” I say, “If you wanted a chicken, but got a celery instead, and that celery is old and mushy but you can’t get rid of it, that’s what’s called an arranged marriage and it’s an abomination.”

I let Dotti go. Dotti smiles, but she doesn’t seem to be at ease.

Is my skull-servant right? Does Dotti really not have any idea what selfless compassion is?

…And what’s his name, anyway?

In life, he was Malazar the Mad, scourge of the southern seaboard. In undeath, however, his name is Mr. Jeebs.

In life he was ARCHIBALD because he was balding at age 7 and the name stuck.

Now he's ARCHIBEARD because of his cool beard.

>>989293
>>989292
Archibeard Jeebs II

>>989291
I mean you can just ask her if she's ever wanted to do something nice for someone, without wanting anything in return.

Then ask the skull the same question.