If one NPC was a traitor or enemy spy, who would it be and why (be descriptive)?

[Toxophilite [East]]

But how else do you gain the player's trust? Plus isn't it weird the rescuable NPCs seem to be able to re-appear if ignored in one location, or else respawn endlessly if killed?

True, but I've always felt it was necessary to draw a line of where the game is just "videogaming" and where Terraria is actually trying to tell a story to the Player's Character; where that line is drawn will almost always be left up to interpretation, so finding a definitive answer to things usually requires a standard community agreeance.

A small example is the Dryad dying and respawning with a newer name, even though she's supposed to be "the last of her kind". That's Terraria "videogaming", not the game telling you a cohesive story.

Just because an NPC is a possible enemy doesn't mean they invariably want to see you fail. At least, in the short term...

Perhaps, but I suspect that for any player to even start assuming any NPC is a spy, at least from a story perspective, they'd first have to start off with some form of suspicion, or even a reason to start asking that question in the first place. If there isn't anything to base your suspicions off of, then practically any NPC could be a spy and that's just plain paranoia, LoL.

Diplomacy is likely, so it's likely no NPC is fully "trustworthy". I think what you're getting at is asking what the concept of an enemy is. I'd take it to mean anyone who wants to usurp power in the end, which could be done by simply accruing lots of wealth (Nurse or Goblin), by introducing radical technologies to the mix that strategically shift power balance or produce possible hidden side effects (Steampunker, Cyborg), or else anyone looking for a way to empower or give opportunity to known dangerous powers; intentionally or otherwise (Guide as WoF, Clothier as Skeletron, etc.)

Exactly!

She's clearly the Queen Slime's human avatar.

Edit: Bubble blocks are useful for Moon Lord arenas, though.

I haven't quite come to a conclusive decision as to what the relationship is between Party girl and Queen Slime but... I do know that the Crystal Assassins' armor set is one of the few sets that reinforce the concept of espionage and stealth, the others of course being Ninja Set (Gi), Shinobi Infiltrator, Shroomite Sets etc.

 

[hamstar]

True, but I've always felt it was necessary to draw a line of where the game is just "videogaming" and where Terraria is actually trying to tell a story to the Player's Character; where that line is drawn will almost always be left up to interpretation, so finding a definitive answer to things usually requires a standard community agreeance.

A small example is the Dryad dying and respawning with a newer name, even though she's supposed to be "the last of her kind". That's Terraria "videogaming", not the game telling you a cohesive story.

Fair enough, but it's usually not that hard to add simple lore connective tissues to "videogaming" stuff, so I figure why not. Though maybe for the Dryad (or NPCs in general), and due to the nature of beings reincarnating, resurrecting, reanimating, etc. in Terraria, maybe it's become an established convention to take a new name between each incarnation.

Perhaps, but I suspect that for any player to even start assuming any NPC is a spy, at least from a story perspective, they'd first have to start off with some form of suspicion, or even a reason to start asking that question in the first place. If there isn't anything to base your suspicions off of, then practically any NPC could be a spy and that's just plain paranoia, LoL.

The whole point of this thread is finding reasons. If the player and their character are meant to be "on the same page", story-wise, then a "traitor" NPC likely won't get a mustache twirling cutscene or whatever to all but spell it out. YOU have to be the one to read the signs, or else risk a hypothetical bad outcome.

I haven't quite come to a conclusive decision as to what the relationship is between Party girl and Queen Slime but... I do know that the Crystal Assassins' armor set is one of the few sets that reinforce the concept of espionage and stealth, the others of course being Ninja Set (Gi), Shinobi Infiltrator, Shroomite Sets etc.

Shroomite is more questionable, since that could just be a feature of the shroomite material itself...

It could be that some bosses have human avatars, but aren't really strictly enemies. If you consider that everything in Terraria takes death as just kinda a temporary setback, maybe some bosses just exist to test player meddle, or simply have no concern with suddenly triggering into mortal combat versus being chill day job NPCs from one moment to the next.

Especially one as aloof as the party girl.

 

[Toxophilite [East]]

Fair enough, but it's usually not that hard to add simple lore connective tissues to "videogaming" stuff, so I figure why not. Though maybe for the Dryad (or NPCs in general), and due to the nature of beings reincarnating, resurrecting, reanimating, etc. in Terraria, maybe it's become an established convention to take a new name between each incarnation.

Though I agree, hundreds of hours of having these kinds of discussions [especially in the Souls Community] has taught me that everyone draws the line at radically different places, so you can't assume anything. The best you can do, at least I think, is provide at least some substantial evidence to support your ideas, or else it's just that... an idea.

As far as most of the NPCs that you'll discover in bondage, namely the Mechanic, Wizard, Golfer and Goblin Tinkerer, those story explanations are pretty much established and reasonably plausible (though I'm still not entirely sold on the Wizard NPC). I personally don't see any reason to start poking holes, but again, that's just how my brain works.

The whole point of this thread is finding reasons. If the player and their character are meant to be "on the same page", story-wise, then a "traitor" NPC likely won't get a mustache twirling cutscene or whatever to all but spell it out. YOU have to be the one to read the signs, or else risk a hypothetical bad outcome.

I agree, but to what extent? If the overall result is inconsequential to gameplay, the ending, or how they "story" plays out, why bother with it [is my thinking]? In the Souls games, NOT asking these questions will typically affect your game or story in some significant way, which makes solving the mystery all-that-much-more desirable. As far as I can tell, the only NPC that has a recorded history of treachery is the Guide NPC, but I'm fairly certain no one suspects him of being a spy.

Shroomite is more questionable, since that could just be a feature of the shroomite material itself...

Perhaps, but I also find the Mushroom NPC to be an interesting candidate; to what, I'm still not sure.

It could be that some bosses have human avatars, but aren't really strictly enemies. If you consider that everything in Terraria takes death as just kinda a temporary setback, maybe some bosses just exist to test player meddle, or simply have no concern with suddenly triggering into mortal combat versus being chill day job NPCs from one moment to the next.

Especially one as aloof as the party girl.

You're certainly on to something there, as we have actual examples of this with current NPCs, for example:

• Zoologist is some form of Lycanthrope who has her "infection" under some kind of control, though we've seen the opposite in-game.
• The Old Man can be freed from his curse, but seems to retain some forms of "Dark Magic", which begs the question if he's totally innocent, or got what was coming to him, considering that "Dark Magic" and the Overworld Dungeon have close ties (though there are some stark differences in Magic Type).
• King Slime is still a mystery to me, but I've heard that his story is mostly figured out, and he isn't totally evil either [Slime Pets].
• Goblin Tinkerer was simply a product of what going against the grain looks like, though his clan is likely an "evil" faction.
• etc.

There's hundreds, if not thousands of questions you could ask, but I strongly feel like it's important to pick your battles. There's still so many unsolved mysteries with this game that persist in 2022 [from 2011]. I always appreciate some good lore, but I try to be somewhat reasonable and critical when it comes to creating newer questions on-top of the 6,000+ already-existing ones, LoL.

 

[hamstar]

If the overall result is inconsequential to gameplay, the ending, or how they "story" plays out, why bother with it [is my thinking]?

Well one possible consideration in my case is the game mode I've been working on (Adventure Mode). In theory, Terraria could try to recontextualize itself officially, which would be a formalized case of what I'm creating.

As far as I can tell, the only NPC that has a recorded history of treachery is the Guide NPC, but I'm fairly certain no one suspects him of being a spy.

Or he's just teaching you about building securely, since blood moons will negate any door-only fortifications.

• The Old Man can be freed from his curse, but seems to retain some forms of "Dark Magic", which begs the question if he's totally innocent, or got what was coming to him, considering that "Dark Magic" and the Overworld Dungeon have close ties (though there are some stark differences in Magic Type).

If I had to guess, the Old Man chose of his own will to be the dungeon's guardian. Maybe he had a contract with the cultists? Maybe he wanted to seal the dungeon against intrusion to keep its secrets from falling into the wrong hands? Maybe the dungeon was once a dungeon for a reason, and was meant to keep whatever was inside from getting out? There's plenty of reason to think he did that to himself.

There's hundreds, if not thousands of questions you could ask, but I strongly feel like it's important to pick your battles. There's still so many unsolved mysteries with this game that persist in 2022 [from 2011]. I always appreciate some good lore, but I try to be somewhat reasonable and critical when it comes to creating newer questions on-top of the 6,000+ already-existing ones, LoL.

Sure, but some things can be gauged as more significant than other things, even to the point of implying radically different (even genre-affecting) context for the game. That's what I'm trying to touch on, here.

 

[Toxophilite [East]]

Well one possible consideration in my case is the game mode I've been working on (Adventure Mode). In theory, Terraria could try to recontextualize itself officially, which would be a formalized case of what I'm creating.

One thing I can give you credit for is even bothering to look, I didn't realize myself just how much lore Terraria had until I started working on something similar [a sort of adventure mode that doubled as a tutorial for the base-game]. Most of my revelations came from areas like the Overworld Dungeon, Faction Banners, Unobtainable Items and "Dev Names" for certain things you'd typically never know existed unless you deconstructed the game.

I'm sure you have an overwhelming wealth of obscure knowledge about the game, much like myself, which is why this thread interested me. This is my first time hearing about any Spy Lore [outside of myself], and I know you're onto something...

Or he's just teaching you about building securely, since blood moons will negate any door-only fortifications.

It's certainly possible, but as an NPC with so much information to share [especially crafting knowledge], I'd assume he'd just warn you about invasions rather than purposely screw you over.

If I had to guess, the Old Man chose of his own will to be the dungeon's guardian. Maybe he had a contract with the cultists? Maybe he wanted to seal the dungeon against intrusion to keep its secrets from falling into the wrong hands? Maybe the dungeon was once a dungeonfor a reason, and was meant to keep whatever was inside from getting out? There's plenty of reason to think he did that to himself.

Because this is one of the few areas I have some expertise, I'd have to argue that it's very unlikely.

1. Because the Old Man has a Master who's controlling him [suggested to be Skeletron or even Dungeon Guardian].
2. IIRC, the Clothier thanks you for freeing him of "The Curse", which suggests he wasn't happy or willingly participating in his circumstance.
3. Bestiary: "In life, these sorcerers bore the Necromantic Sign of their order, and they shall continue to do so forever . . . even in death. [which suggests most beings there are cursed]" -Necromancer NPC
4. In addition, the Overworld Dungeon doubles as a massive library [Waterbolt Tome], and Alchemist Laboratory [Alchemy Table/ Water Pits] and some kind of living quarters. Evidence supports that it was likely some kind of Magic University/ Guild before it turned into a Dungeon or vice versa.
5. The Lunatic Cultists and a few other detail seal the deal for me, though this list could be much longer, I think I've made a point.

Sure, but some things can be gauged as more significant than other things, even to the point of implying radically different (even genre-affecting) context for the game. That's what I'm trying to touch on, here.

I'm with you on that, but just keep in mind that it's good to collect strong evidence first. The more evidence you have, the stronger you case will be, and more elements of the game will begin to align with your ideas. You're certainly onto something with this Spy theory, but I'm still working on sorting out Overworld Dungeon lore almost 3+ years in so... I wish you luck! I'll help where I can, if you need anyone to bounce ideas off-of!

 

[hamstar]

Because this is one of the few areas I have some expertise, I'd have to argue that it's very unlikely.

1. Because the Old Man has a Master who's controlling him [suggested to be Skeletron or even Dungeon Guardian].
2. IIRC, the Clothier thanks you for freeing him of "The Curse", which suggests he wasn't happy or willingly participating in his circumstance.
3. Bestiary: "In life, these sorcerers bore the Necromantic Sign of their order, and they shall continue to do so forever . . . even in death. [which suggests most beings there are cursed]" -Necromancer NPC
4. In addition, the Overworld Dungeon doubles as a massive library [Waterbolt Tome], and Alchemist Laboratory [Alchemy Table/ Water Pits] and some kind of living quarters. Evidence supports that it was likely some kind of Magic University/ Guild before it turned into a Dungeon or vice versa.

1. Doesn't mean it was an involuntary arrangement. Though having a separate entity does undermine the 'boss avatar' idea a bit. Maybe he just thinks of his skeletron curse as a feared dominant alter ego? He does seem to be able to control when it's active, at least...
2. Duty isn't always about willingness or pleasantness.
3. Interesting thing to note. Though that could also just mean strong loyalty, even after (many?) death(s).
4. Another reason to guard it, or else just be loyal to whatever manner of organization it was.

 

[Toxophilite [East]]

1. Doesn't mean it was an involuntary arrangement. Though having a separate entity does undermine the 'boss avatar' idea a bit. Maybe he just thinks of his skeletron curse as a feared dominant alter ego? He does seem to be able to control when it's active, at least...

Good point, but in my experience, most curses in games/ media are involuntary burdens, though there are some exceptions to this. For example, Siegmeyer of Caterina, Orbeck of Vinheim and Big Hat Logan are some examples of people willingly taking on a curse to prolong their lives to adventure longer, and/ or study their disciplines past normal human life.

The only reason I suspect this doesn't apply to the Clothier is because of him thanking you for freeing him, but as you are suggesting, that doesn't necessarily mean that he wasn't always Skeletron [or other creature], or some kind of Avatar, which there's evidence for actually, but other evidence of him being a willing candidate wasn't something I've come across, this pretty much goes for most the Dungeons NPCs.

2. Duty isn't always about willingness or pleasantness.

True, and the Lunatic Cultists are the only contradiction for this possibility, as they seem to serve the Moon Lord willingly.

3. Interesting thing to note. Though that could also just mean strong loyalty, even after (many?) death(s).

Very possible and worth looking into actually...

My only argument will be that "curse", at least in most games typically equates to "unwilling participation" and rarely the other way around.

4. Another reason to guard it, or else just be loyal to whatever manner of organization it was.

The "guarding" or defending part I just equated to being a part of so-and-so's undead army by simply losing - type-situation. It's not like you planned to join, but if the person you lost to controls the dead, and you died, you don't have much of a say in the matter, which is a pretty common trope in Dark Fantasy Media, games, etc.

 

[hamstar]

The "guarding" or defending part I just equated to being a part of so-and-so's undead army by simply losing - type-situation. It's not like you planned to join, but if the person you lost to controls the dead, and you died, you don't have much of a say in the matter, which is a pretty common trope in Dark Fantasy Media, games, etc.

Maybe, but the Old Man doesn't appear to be dead. Or at least, not in the capacity of long-dead things like skeletons and such. Dying in a reincarnation cycle against a necromancer might still be enough to lose free will (or at least free agency) upon rebirth, but that's purely speculation.

Anyway, the main reason I'm noting that the Clothier may have been a once-voluntary candidate for guarding the dungeon is that his Skeletron "curse" does not leave him even when you "free" him from his post. It may just be another "videogaming" thing to dismiss from relevance, but you can re-summon Skeletron by using a clothier voodoo doll and trying to killing him with it. I assume this summons Skeletron specifically, as even though there are numerous different ways for town NPCs to die, this way is only possible by direct action from the player, and is thus an unmistakable betrayal. That means that despite the Old Man calling Skeletron his "master", it's most likely the other way around, as his response to attempted murder via voodoo doll is almost definitely a voluntary one (or at least, a highly incentivized one).

 

[Toxophilite [East]]

Maybe, but the Old Man doesn't appear to be dead. Or at least, not in the capacity of long-dead things like skeletons and such. Dying in a reincarnation cycle against a necromancer might still be enough to lose free will (or at least free agency) upon rebirth, but that's purely speculation.

Well, Skeletron is certainly "undead", there's no doubt about that part, it's tough to say for sure what the Clothier is. However it happened, Skeletron did indeed lose to someone, though I'm not sure if it's ever explained who that person was/ is. The only thing we do know is that there was a major battle between the Dryads and most the Demons in the game, but I don't really [personally] see the Dryads using Dark Magic to curse anyone or anything, so there's obviously more to the story that we don't know about.

Anyway, the main reason I'm noting that the Clothier may have been a once-voluntary candidate for guarding the dungeon is that his Skeletron "curse" does not leave him even when you "free" him from his post. It may just be another "videogaming" thing to dismiss from relevance, but you can re-summon Skeletron by using a clothier voodoo doll and trying to killing him with it.

Bestiary: "The disembodied bones of a former tyrant pulsed with a hatred so strong, it left behind a mighty curse which guards the Dungeon." -Skeletron

The only reason I still have to disagree, is because it doesn't align with the "Official Lore". Every avenue points to the fact that a battle occurred of some kind, resulting in a major loss. I for one can't be certain if the Old Man and Skeletron are one-in-the-same, or if they are two beings tied to a tragic fate; I don't believe that the Lore ever gets specific about either.

The only contingency I can cling onto, is that the Clothier is likely NOT aligned with "evil", or a spy of some sort, but Skeletron certainly is/ was evil.

I assume this summons Skeletron specifically, as even though there are numerous different ways for town NPCs to die, this way is only possible by direct action from the player, and is thus an unmistakable betrayal. That means that despite the Old Man calling Skeletron his "master", it's most likely the other way around, as his response to attempted murder via voodoo doll is almost definitely a voluntary one (or at least, a highly incentivized one).

That's entirely possible, but again, the Lore just doesn't support it. At best, the Old Man was some kind of practicing Dark Magician that go more than what he bargained for, which there's evidence for. It could go either way with evidence, but the "Official Lore" suggests Skeletron is/ was in control, and that's been pretty consist since his first appearance.

Bestiary: "This unfortunate Old Man carries the burden of a heavy curse. It's said at night he transforms into a horrific demon which guards the Dungeon." -Old Man

I do suspect there's more going on than what's described "officially", as when you break down the Overworld Dungeon, the consistant theme is that most the unfortunate souls there came for something, but were never able to leave afterward, so it's safe to assume he wasn't entirely innocent.

 

[CTNC]

I'm kind of surprised no one said this because it doesn't involve any speculation or theories, but then again, it's a loose definition of traitor. The Zoologist is the most likely to me.

There's no problems most of the time, but on nights when Deathweed blooms, run. If she really thinks lycanthrope means, "like, part animal or something" instead of werebeast then all it takes is for her to lose control for one night, but if she knows...
To make things worse, her curse is contagious and she will spread it if she doesn't stop herself.

 

[hamstar]

Bestiary: "The disembodied bones of a former tyrant pulsed with a hatred so strong, it left behind a mighty curse which guards the Dungeon." -Skeletron

The only reason I still have to disagree, is because it doesn't align with the "Official Lore". Every avenue points to the fact that a battle occurred of some kind, resulting in a major loss.

Clarify how this negates the idea of a "voluntary curse". I'm losing track a bit.

That's entirely possible, but again, the Lore just doesn't support it. At best, the Old Man was some kind of practicing Dark Magician that go more than what he bargained for, which there's evidence for. It could go either way with evidence, but the "Official Lore" suggests Skeletron is/ was in control, and that's been pretty consist since his first appearance.

Bestiary: "This unfortunate Old Man carries the burden of a heavy curse. It's said at night he transforms into a horrific demon which guards the Dungeon." -Old Man

If Skeletron is in control, why does he only appear at the Old Man's bidding? Why isn't he doing things other than puppy guarding the entrance of the dungeon? Why does he need to occupy the body of an Old Man (or whatever is going on there)?

I have another theory, now that I think about the whole "night encounter only" thing. There's one other (type of) creature in Terraria that you can only (reasonably) fight during the night time without it becoming a (nigh) unstoppable juggernaut: The Empress of Light. However, she does not appear to be undead, nor a product or associate of any "dark powers". Therefore, I surmise Skeletron (and the Dungeon Guardian) may in fact also be products of "not-dark" magic, or at least their behavior to be guardians and under control by a (ostensibly) life-bearing and free-willed being (rather than a being of evil, or else their own free will).

 

[hamstar]

I'm kind of surprised no one said this because it doesn't involve any speculation or theories, but then again, it's a loose definition of traitor. The Zoologist is the most likely to me.

There's no problems most of the time, but on nights when Deathweed blooms, run. If she really thinks lycanthrope means, "like, part animal or something" instead of werebeast then all it takes is for her to lose control for one night, but if she knows...
To make things worse, her curse is contagious and she will spread it if she doesn't stop herself.

Well she seems sociable enough, even then. Certainly not above a little capitalism, despite everything.

 

[Toxophilite [East]]

Clarify how this negates the idea of a "voluntary curse". I'm losing track a bit.

Bestiary: "This unfortunate Old Man carries the burden of a heavy curse. It's said at night he transforms into a horrific demon which guards the Dungeon." -Old Man

This Lore entry insinuates that the cures is likely "unbearable", and to reiterate, I do believe that the Clothier thanks you for freeing him of the curse at some point in the game. Lastly, Skeletron itself is the product of a lost battle, not an entirely intentional being [or at least that's what the Lore suggests]. There's really nothing pointing to the Clothier volunteering to be slave guardian to Dark Forces, or at least none that I've found so far...

If Skeletron is in control, why does he only appear at the Old Man's bidding? Why isn't he doing things other than puppy guarding the entrance of the dungeon? Why does he need to occupy the body of an Old Man (or whatever is going on there)?

That's actually a good question that I don't entirely have the answer(s) to. All I can assume [with evidence] is that the Clothier has some mystical knowledge of the Dark Arts, to what extend, I don't know. Him gaining control over Skeletron after the curse was lifted is entirely possible.

I have another theory, now that I think about the whole "night encounter only" thing. There's one other (type of) creature in Terraria that you can only (reasonably) fight during the night time without it becoming a (nigh) unstoppable juggernaut: The Empress of Light. However, she does not appear to undead, nor a product or associate of any "dark powers".

That's a great observation, but keep in mind that she only appears after a Prismatic Lacewing critter is harmed/ killed, the time of day isn't necessarily tied to her appearance [just when the critter can be found], because doing so in the daytime results in the same thing happening, albeit under a much more dire circumstance.

Therefore, I surmise Skeletron (and the Dungeon Guardian) may in fact also be products of "not-dark" magic, or at least their behavior to be guardians and under control by a (ostensibly) life-bearing being (rather than a being of evil, or else their own free will).

That seems like a reach [and I'm talkin' Mr. Fantastic], especially considering that the Overworld Dungeon's themes are pretty consistent.

• coffins
• skeletons
• skulls
• necromancers
• bonemen
• curses

These are all the tropes of "dark magic", especially considering the fact that Skeletron is labeled a "demon" in the Lore. As I said, there's likely more to the story that what we're spoon fed, but "life-bearing" energies, or some other "non-dark" force being responsible for Skeletron's existence is highly unlikely in this case.

 

[hamstar]

That's actually a good question that I don't entirely have the answer(s) to. All I can assume [with evidence] is that the Clothier has some mystical knowledge of the Dark Arts, to what extend, I don't know. Him gaining control over Skeletron after the curse was lifted is entirely possible.

Possibly, but at least it shows the curse is controllable.

That's a great observation, but keep in mind that she only appears after a Prismatic Lacewing critter is harmed/ killed, the time of day isn't necessarily tied to her appearance [just when the critter can be found], because doing so in the daytime results in the same thing happening, albeit under a much more dire circumstance.

I didn't say the time of day mattered for her arrival. Only that it matters for when (and how?) she gets her power. Skeletron may work the same way.

That seems like a reach [and I'm talkin' Mr. Fantastic], especially considering that the Overworld Dungeon's themes are pretty consistent.

• coffins
• skeletons
• skulls
• necromancers
• bonemen
• curses

There is no overworld dungeon...

 

[Toxophilite [East]]

I didn't say the time of day mattered for her arrival. Only that it matters for when (and how?) she gets her power. Skeletron may work the same way.

Well, the time of day is inconsequential for Empress, aside from her being much more powerful during the day [which means she has an obvious affinity for sunlight]. There's nothing substantial to compare here, because daytime results in most the "demon" Bosses either retreating, despawning, or changing form in a last-ditch-effort to try and insta-kill the player, before doing any of the former. They all have an obvious weakness, hatred or aversion to sunlight.

There is no overworld dungeon...

I mean, "officially" no, but that's just me making the distinction about which Dungeon I'm discussing [the one that can be accessed via the overworld]. There's also the "Underground Dungeon" in Drunk World [accessible via "Dead" Living Tree], and also the Jungle Temple, that is practically a dungeon in any other capacity aside from it's official name.

Side Note: There's also several types of Dungeon Brick and Wall Tiles, with hidden file names, which I believe "overworld dungeon" is a tile set, along with the others being named by color, such as "Pink Player Brick Wall_01", or something similar...

 

[hamstar]

Well, the time of day is inconsequential for Empress, aside from her being much more powerful during the day [which means she has an obvious affinity for sunlight]. There's nothing substantial to compare here, because daytime results in most the "demon" Bosses either retreating, despawning, or changing form in a last-ditch-effort to try and insta-kill the player, before doing any of the former. They all have an obvious weakness, hatred or aversion to sunlight.

Trying to run away (presumably to somewhere dark) versus becoming insanely powerful and enraged are 2 very different reactions.

Side Note: There's also several types of Dungeon Brick and Wall Tiles, with hidden file names, which I believe "overworld dungeon" is a tile set, along with the others being named by color, such as "Pink Player Brick Wall_01", or something similar...

Do specialized (secret?) seeds count for the usual lore considerations? I doubt they spawn anything particularly distinct.

 

[Toxophilite [East]]

Trying to run away (presumably to somewhere dark) versus becoming insanely powerful and enraged are 2 very different reactions.

Well yeah, that's usually the distinction between most the "Demon Bosses" and the other guardians, they tend to not have an enraged state [save for Skeletron/ S.Prime, if you can even call it that (and probably EoW/ BoC??)]. There's typically some kind of Lore attached to how/ why they behave certain ways, but I don't know all the details, just a few things here and there.

I do however know enough about the Overworld Dungeon to know that Skeletron is undead, is associated with Dark Magic, the Clothier is/ was cursed and not in control of Skeletron, at least before being freed from the initial curse. The point is, time of day between Skeletron and any other non-Demon Guardians is inconsequential [and not really comparable].

Do specialized (secret?) seeds count for the usual lore considerations? I doubt they spawn anything particularly distinct.

They do actually, but likely only because "The Constant Seed" suggests that Don't Starve Together and Terraria are in the same "Universe/ Multiverse/ Omniverse". I would've argued that this was true since their conception, especially with the Drunk World Seed having "Otherworld Music Tracks", but it's like I said before, where some people draw the line when it comes to Lore stuff and videogaming can be radically different, so it's best to have evidence to support your claims, if you're gonna make them public, of course.

 

[hamstar]

The point is, time of day between Skeletron and any other non-Demon Guardians is inconsequential [and not really comparable].

You are aware Skeletron turns into a rampaging juggernaut (basically a Dungeon Guardian) when day hits, right?

Or did a recent patch change that when I wasn't looking...?

 

[Toxophilite [East]]

You are aware Skeletron turns into a rampaging juggernaut (basically a Dungeon Guardian) when day hits, right?

Or did a recent patch change that when I wasn't looking...?

Well, that feature seems to be specific to Skeletron, because the same can be said for when a Player tries to enter the Dungeon before Skeletron is defeated, the Dungeon Guardian(s) inside also have no issue coming out to hunt the Player during the day [but that's already established as the curse]. The only things that makes any of this significant is due to a.) The Old Man and what he says: "My master cannot be summoned under the light of day.", b.) When Skeletron actually appears [gameplay], and c.) the changes that occur after being defeated [no more Dungeon Guardian(s)].

Skeletron is basically a "gatekeeper Boss", Lore wise and gameplay wise. The Lore surrounding the Boss is pretty consistent with most other "demon Bosses", having some kind of aversion to sunlight [even if it's never fully explained why]. It's certainly not lost on me how "daytime Skeletron" can be be interpreted as "enraged" on a mechanically, gameplay level, but because we already see examples of this when trying to bypass the curse with Skeletron still being "alive" [Dungeon Guardians], I don't think it really counts, it's just a consequence of the curse. "Come back at night if you wish to enter." -Old Man

Side Note: Also, the Dungeon Guardian counts as being "defeated" as well, once Skeletron is bested, as showcased in the Bestiary.