BEHIND MY EYES!

>>14452507

What? What does that even mean?

Also: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/14422640/

Previous thread could be helpful.

>>14452498
Collect our thoughts:

What have we learned thus far?
Do we feel Algers would have done anything else?

>>14452566

You have learned quite a few things.

Alkenin is definitely not typical for his time. You would not call him a generous man, but he is hardly as bad as you though. It seems your grandfather respected him a great deal. He provides for his servants and keeps them as happy as they can be, being slaves. He is quiet, the kind you would hardly think of as a powerful leader, but by the way they speak of him, he is a great man.

Kresis is someone, who at present, has lost everything. He has a disdain for authority that you can identify with, and is unusually resourceful. He does not press his problems on others, and he has difficulty being sympathetic. If he were to gain a great deal, he would probably be a harsh ruler, as he was raised in the military and was the lieutenant of a portion of the army for some time.

Algers might do a lot of things. He enjoys reading, and is debating whether to disobey Alkenin's wishes and make another quick round or simply turn in.

>>14452670
Let's make one last round.

>>14452690

You make one last round, feeling the small amount of organic muscle in your left leg start to strain from the exertion. All those stairs must've done a number on you. Algers feels disconcerted about disobeying Alkenin, but like he's still fulfilling his duties.

A few of the gnolls question you about your health, and you tell them you're fine, but you have to be in bed for a few days to let the bone heal. You pick up some extra pain medicine from the apothecary, who gives you Kresis' dose as well. The tower still seems to be running well enough down here. A visit to the Kitchen or to see anyone specific in the tower wouldn't be out of the question, but seeing Alkenin isn't an option. He'd be quite cross at you for braving all the stairs unless there was a really good reason.

>>14452757
Then let's either go back to our room and rest or go visit Kresis to make sure he's resting as well.

>>14452826

Kresis' room is right across from yours, so you drop in on him with a knock.

"Huh? C'mon in." He answers.

You open the door, to see him with a long piece of wood, about three feet in length, clutched in his hand. He straightens up his footing and looks over at you.

>>14452857
"Just making rounds..."

Put on our serious face.

"I talked it over with the ones who attacked you; should they grow bold despite my anger, let me know..."

>>14452926

"Just making rounds..." You say.

"Ah, I was just seeing how well I could use the sword before I retired." Kresis says, glancing at the piece of wood in his hand. "I guess I'm not as bad off as anyone else would have been."

"I talked it over with the ones who attacked you; should they grow bold despite my anger, let me know..." You tell him, placing the pain medicine on a nearby crate of wheat.

Kresis takes the poultice and hastily downs it. "Oh, thank you. Mine stopped working a bit ago. I was just going to tough it out, but this makes things easier."

"Just kids, huh?" Kresis says, after he finishes devouring the mass of bitter herbs. "I heard from across the hall." He tosses the stick end over end, catching it. "I thought they were adults."

"Technically, they are. Both 15 years old." You say.

"Well, don't be too hard on them. I did some stupid things too when I was their age." Kresis says, swinging the stick down through the air in a fluid motion.

>>14452993
"I see..."

"Well, I'll be on my way; if you need me, just ask any of the servants."

Then, let's go and get some rest.

Also, Gargoyle quest? :3c

>>14453101

"I see..." You say, as Kresis tosses the stick over into a bag of flour.

"Well, I'll be on my way; if you need me, just ask any of the servants." You say, and he nods.

"Alright, just be sure you get some rest as well." He says walking back over towards his elevated bed, now stocked with pillows.

"I'm, ah, I'm sorry I had to do that to you." Kresis says, obviously with some difficulty.

You pause for a moment. "Apology accepted." You find Algers saying. "Rest well."

"You too." The lizardman says as you close his door.

You are soon on your own bed, flopping down onto it and curling a light sheet over yourself. With little effort, you fall asleep, knowing you are safe.

HERITAGE CODE BEING NULLIFIED...

You wake up in a dark, cozy wagon. You gasp, feeling your body to make sure it's all there. You are Paima again, back in the present. You cast the blankets off of you, and you are suddenly very awake.

Nabur stirs. "Oh, you finally done? It's the middle of the night!"

>>14453298
Rub our head and feel our leg.

"I didn't know when that would end..."

>>14453362

"I didn't know when that would end..." You rub your head and feel your left leg. It is gloriously intact and functional.

"Well, your dinner's over in a metal pot there near the front." Nabur yawns. "How was it? Is it warm in the past?"

Looks like time spent in the memory is a 1:1 ratio with realtime.

Ask if he knows if Melane is still up.

>>14453440
"When you're my grandfather, yeah, it is. I saw some things that gave me a lot to think about."

>>14453456

"You think Melane is still up?" You ask him, as you re-cook the stew with a low heat flame.

"Maybe. I didn't really check. I was, uh, busy." Nabur says, groggily.

"Watching me to make sure I was OK?" You say, expectantly.

"Erm, not exactly." Nabur says. "Apparently you're cute when you're in a meditative state pretending to be your grandfather."

"Says who?"

"If you drew something on my face while I was in there, I'm going to have to hurt you."

>>14453547

"Says who?" You ask, munching on the now steaming potatoes and beef.

"If you drew something on my face while I was in there, I'm going to have to hurt you." You point your spoon at him mockingly.

"I didn't do nothing like that." Nabur rolls over away from you. "Jamila said you looked cute."

>>14453101

By the way:

>>14453459

"So that's why you threw the blanket over me. Guess this is what I get for sharing a wagon with you."

finish our dinner, then go to return Dominion's Memory to Melane.

>>14453723

"So that's why you threw the blanket over me. Guess this is what I get for sharing a wagon with you." You say, somewhat irritated.

"Relax, we went for a short walk. Try not to get so jealous of my ways with they ladies." He says, turning over in his bed.

You creep out of your wagon quietly, finding Melane's towards the center of the camp, past the great array of defensible ripouse wagons your fellows had made. You quietly deposit the orb outside of her wagon, the pale moonlight barely reflecting off of it.

"I see you've returned it." You hear her say from inside.

>>14453798
"Yes; that past was...exhausting..."

Silence.

"I've learned a lot about my grandfather and Kresis...and Alkenin..."

"Yeah. I learned a lot, actually. It was so.. weird. For the most part, Alkenin's servants had no complaints being slaves. I expected them to all be absolutely miserable. Your ancestor was one hell of a man."

>>14453837

"Yes; that past was...exhausting..."

Silence hangs in the air for a moment like an unwelcome visitor.

"I've learned a lot about my grandfather and Kresis...and Alkenin..."

"Oh?" Melane says, some sarcasm dripping into that single syllable.

"Yeah. I learned a lot, actually. It was so.. weird. For the most part, Alkenin's servants had no complaints being slaves. I expected them to all be absolutely miserable. Your ancestor was one hell of a man." You say, scratching the back of your head.

Melane moves quietly out of the curtain at the side of her wagon, scooping up the orb. She looks at you, her eyebrows just slightly slanted inwards and her lips thin. You feel her staring right through you.

"It was something I could have only learned by being there."

"I want to apologize for earlier. I'll never feel good about slavery, and it's my sincerest hope that never changes, but I had no right taking it out on you."

"It was something I could have only learned by being there." You add, before clearing your throat.

"I want to apologize for earlier. I'll never feel good about slavery, and it's my sincerest hope that never changes, but I had no right taking it out on you." You say.

Melane looks over the black orb carefully. "My grandfather wrote a great many things towards the end of his life. After slavery was re-abolished, he wrote that he'd realized it was wrong. He was really just a product of the times." She looks at you intensely. "I'll forgive you this time, but if you insult him again without good reason I will find some other relative of yours to get me my information. Is that understood?"

"It won't happen again. You have my word."

>>14454189

"It won't happen again. You have my word." You say, nodding slowly to her.

Melane pauses for a moment. "Very well then. So, what did you find out about Kresis?"

>>14454237
Let's tell here everything we know:
-about how he was responsible for Algers' leg
-how he and Algers, from what we gathered, made peace
-how their legs are "connected" in some fashion
-also, don't forget to explain his background as a soldier, his first master, his punishment by Alkenin, and his eventual acceptance into his house

"Very interesting guy. Surprisingly intelligent. Apparently, He and Grandfather share sensations in their legs. Actually, that explains something about him I had always wondered about. Sometimes, Grandfather would suddenly jump a bit and curse at his leg saying things like 'What's he doing NOW?"

"It was suggested that it could be used as a form of communication, but I don't know if that was my own take on the memory or not."

>>14454314
Also, the part where a pair of kids poked at his stump like a pair of rednecks.

>>14454314

You give her a no-holds barred report of your experiences. She invites you inside to sit down in one of her comfier chairs.

>>14454334

"Very interesting guy. Surprisingly intelligent. Apparently, He and Grandfather share sensations in their legs. Actually, that explains something about him I had always wondered about. Sometimes, Grandfather would suddenly jump a bit and curse at his leg saying things like 'What's he doing NOW?'"

Melane nods. "Yes, and it explain that short episode he had back at the camp."


You nod. "That happens much more rarely, form what I understand. It was suggested that it could be used as a form of communication, but I don't know if that was my own take on the memory or not."

Melane ponders this.

>>14454315

"Apparently, the house didn't take Alkenin's punishing him well. They threw his leg in the fireplace and burned it up, and two of them pinned him down and jabbed him in the stump." The description of the scene reminded you of when you stumbled upon a pair of gnolls jabbing a spear into the exposed guts of a wounded ripouse, just outside of a razed village.

"That's awful." Melane says, looking away. "To be honest, when I- When Alkenin did that to him, I just felt a pure hatred. I don't know, it was strange." She looks over at you. "Did he seem alright, though? Considering the injury and all, a lot of soldiers end up going through a period of depression when they're severely wounded."

>>14454519
"To be honest, he looked like hell. The first morning after, Kresis fell out of bed and snapped his leg off. He was pretty sure a bad dream had made him lose his leg a second time, but he managed to piece it back together. Control over water and ice is a pretty handy thing when your leg is made of the stuff."

"I think Algers talking to him, and on top of that, FORGIVING him for only doing what he was ordered took a lot of the edge off his depression from the event. The two of them were even joking a little between themselves."

>>14454603

"To be honest, he looked like hell." You answer. "The first morning after, Kresis fell out of bed and snapped his leg off. He was pretty sure a bad dream had made him lose his leg a second time, but he managed to piece it back together. Control over water and ice is a pretty handy thing when your leg is made of the stuff."

"Must've been a high fall." Melane says. "Ice is pretty durable stuff when it's that thick."

"Well, he's a big guy. He probably fell right on it." You elucidate. "And yeah, they had him up on what used to be a loft."

"I think Algers talking to him, and on top of that, FORGIVING him for only doing what he was ordered took a lot of the edge off his depression from the event. The two of them were even joking a little between themselves." You say.

"Hm. But if they were off to such a great start, why would they not talk to each other for such a long time?" Melane says.

"Well, it has been three centuries. A lot has happened. Maybe they've been too busy?" You shrug.

"We can hope it's only that." Melane says, something on her mind.

"I just hope I found the right topics to use on him."

>>14454802
"Well, I've had enough of living in my grandfather's skin for one night...I'm hitting the sack."

>>14454944

"I just hope I found the right topics to use on him." You say after a bit of silence.

"I think we'll do fine with this. Thank you." Melane says, inclining her head a bit to you.

"Well, I've had enough of living in my grandfather's skin for one night...I'm hitting the sack." You yawn.

"Yes, one's sleeping patterns can be quite irregular after using the Memory." She says. "Not to worry, sleep all you need."

"I'm sure I will." You say, walking out of the wagon and quickly back to yours.

You slouch into bed for the second time tonight. Sometimes, you hate how confusing magic can be. That's what you think as you drift off to the soft sounds of crickets chirping in the otherwise silent night.

You can now play as Paima.

You are Melane Kiried.

You awaken to quiet, the sounds of those preparing food and packing up muffled by your curtains.

To be honest, you're a bit worried about what Fereed said a while ago, about the two going against one another. But you suppose even if they do, it's nothing major. Algers wouldn't have deliberately put you in a bad position for negotiations.

You get dressed, putting on the hair ornament you got from Jethar. Three more days until you reach Kresis. How will you occupy yourself?

Let's fill out our notes on Alkenin's mind destroyer spell. We already have what we know, to let's put our theories on how we could get it to work on paper.

Obviously, we'd need to figure out some way to contact extradimensional beings without getting mindfucked ourselves.

>>14455453
I support this, Melane has lots of free time now so lets do that.

>>14455453

You compile your notes from memory. You have a good head for facts and language, so you remember most of it. It uses the energy from the bond with Dominion to evacuate a target's memories from his brain by displaying Liv'neerthghal, a creature from beyond normal time and space, to him. The image only appears to the target. This would be much harder now that Dominion is dead, since it uses his constellation as a focus.

You wrack your brain. Is there a way to duplicate this effect now that Dominion is dead?

>>14455505
We'd need some form of alternate energy source to power it. Preferably something with a similar enough magical signature.

>>14455505
An item of some sort connected to Dominion?

>>14455524

You could still try tapping into the constellation, but surely it can't be that simple. You'd need something to amplify or focus the energies of the constellation. Maybe a spell, maybe a sword or an orb...

Wait.

Let's get some facts:

1>What was Dominion?
2a>How did he die?
2b>If killed, who did it?

>>14455569
Well, since that's settled.. Lets think of how to practice without killing ourselves.

>>14455645

God's blood, you are a genius.

The orb, natch. You could focus power through it to emulate some aspects of Dominion's existence for a short period of time. You don't know how safe it'd be, but you could give it a shot.

>>14455584

Dominion was an Auspice, a powerful being from a far off plane who was brought here to protect humans. His form varied, often large golems made form stone or a castle, but his true body was like this sphere, a small, perfect black orb.

He was killed by part of the army that ripped through his defenses on the southern mountain pass of the Aldini country proper. His death likely resulted from his true body being dealt damage via dragon's breath. Dominion's Grave was the site of his death.

>>14455726
Such a noble being. He must have fought off hundreds of dragons before he finally fell.

We must remember to compose a poem or some such to his memory at some point.

For now, though, let's walk around, get a good feel of everyone's mood.

>>14455812

You're not much of a poet, but you've written some before.

You head out and observe your host. They appear to be a bit apprehensive, but otherwise in good spirits.

Roster:
Tukon Reid, human duellist
Cagrazod, Marteau technologist/warrior
Marred Khess, Human Priest of Thunlin
Orpheus, Kapoacynth Spy/Shadowdancer
Ritter, Mandragon Dragonblooded Warrior
Jethar, Ripouse Artisan (And Family)
Rejek, Gnoll/Ripouse halfbreed (unknown skills)
Yumea, Ripouse Fighting Woman
Paima, Ripouse Fire Elementalist/Thief

Riposue Honor Guard: 5 
Nabur
(other names unknown)

Ripouse: 65

28 humans (3 injured)
11 gargoyles (1 injured)

Total: 119 (4 injured)

Important Possessions: Dominion's Memory
Aldinian Leather Talent

Let's have a chat with Cagrazod. I seem to remember we were wondering what happened to the fourth kind of gargoyle.

>>14455986
This. And maybe meet the honor guard later.

>>14455993
>>14455986

You head over to where Cagrazod is resting. You can tell he's resting because he's frozen in place, balancing a small bird wrought from metal on the tip of an outstretched finger while lying on his back, clad in simple white cotton pants and a shirt that have taken on a metallic sheen.

"Cagrazod." You say quietly.

The marteau blinks, then leaps up to his feet, gasping. "Oh, my graces what time is it?" He sets the bird off to one side, his clothing losing its odd coloration. "I am so sorry, madam, that I overslept. I was just so absorbed in my new alchemical accelerants that I lost all track of time. Inexcusable!" He bows down deeply. "I will not even think about them to prevent my gross misconduct from occurring once again. Not one word from me about their ability to cause flames to burn twice as hot, to allow antivenom to be preserved for a much longer time, or their magnificent electrical conductive variants!"

He looks up at you for a moment, then bows once again. "My appologies madam, I am afraid they are difficult to keep far from my mind."

>>14456083
I'm very confused about this.
>"My appologies madam, I am afraid they are difficult to keep far from my mind."
What is this about? The alchemical accelerants?

Laugh

"It's alright. Progress demands powernaps sometimes."
let him respond
"I had a question on my mind, ever since I met your race's creator in my ancestor's memory. I only know about three kinds of gargoyles, but Fereed was working on a fourth kind, whose element was air. Did something happen to them?"

>>14456229

He is indeed talking about the accelerants. You think.

>>14456212

You giggle. "It's alright. Progress demands powernaps sometimes."

He exhales sharply. "Oh, my lady, your generosity knows no bounds!" He smiles. "Although I must say I really needed that. Excuse me for a moment, I shall attire myself in something more suitable for extended conversation."

He disappears into his wagon for a moment, and returns attired in a more casual black linen tunic, with soft brown leather pants covered in pouches, with a set of suspenders going across his chest, a slender hammer with an odd, segmented head at his side.

"There, my lady. I believe this has a sort of rugged appeal to it." Cagrazod digs into one of the pouches, pulling out a small philter. "A self-healing tincture, my lady. It will work quite well on someone not constructed of metals as well, I assure you."

"Thank you." You pocket the tincture.

"Certainly. With this new capability for extended storage, I can make such things indefinitely! Although, I am afraid it is hardly as potent as one freshly mixed." He shrugs. "It does give me a good reason to keep making them I suppose."

"I had a question on my mind, ever since I met your race's creator in my ancestor's memory. I only know about three kinds of gargoyles, but Fereed was working on a fourth kind, whose element was air. Did something happen to them?"

Cagrazod gestures up into the air, sighing. "Ah yes, the elusive Ornithopters. Do not feel disconcerted, my lady. Few outside of our kind know them. They are fairly secretive. Though most times, if a human were to see one, they would be able to tell in an instant." He bows, gesturing off to the cooks. "I am quite knowledgable about such matters. I shall be taking my breakfast, if you would care to-" He pauses. "No, I am sorry, how did that go?" He thinks for a moment. "Dear me, I believe I've forgotten some of my manners, madam." He looks off to the distance awkwardly, and you can feel the air around him get hotter.

"If it's not a question you'd like to answer, I won't force the issue."

>>14456421

"If it's not a question you'd like to answer, I won't force the issue." You say.

"Oh no! No, no, no, I would love to answer it, I- oh dear." Cagrazod strokes over the top of his head, looking off at the gorund. "I am afraid I don't know how to politely ask you to join me for a meal."

Laugh
"Cagrazod, you are a strange one. I can't recall ever having met someone who so insists on politeness. I'd be happy to join you."

>>14456560

You giggle again. Cagrazod gets a bit warmer.

"Cagrazod, you are a strange one. I can't recall ever having met someone who so insists on politeness. I'd be happy to join you."

The marteau smiles at you. "Ahah, yes, yes my lady." Cagrazod laughs awkwardly. He strides in front of you to the small mess area, populated by large wooden tables and a great number of ripouse who are simply sitting on blankets and eating while talking with one another. He secures a few things to eat, bread, fried rice and a piece of sausage. You get some fried rice as well, with a light rice soup and a slice of the flat bread they bake over the fire each morning, as well as a couple of the small dumplings filled with pork that the chef is famous for.

Cagrazod smiles a bit uncomfortably. "Ah, ha ha, forgive me, my lady. This is your first occasion dining with someone of my kind, yes?"

"Yes, it is. I haven't met many marteaux besides yourself, Cagrazod." You tell him.

Cagrazod laughs again, "Ahah, oh, erm, how to put this." He thinks for a moment.

"Well, I'm afraid my internal processes are, a bit different than those of a human. Or a gargoyle, even." He says, smiling awkwardly. "You see, marteaux, we do not normally gain sustenance by simple conversion of food to caloric intake. the food we ingest is ignited by our internal heat, and the heat generated is preserved within us for normal use. It's rather like throwing something into a furnace. We do still extract nutrition and whatnot, but..." He laughs a bit to himself, looking up at the sky as though trying to find help.

"We, erm, have a habit of disgorging a bit of ash when we eat. The image can be disconcerting to those who do not know about it." He pauses, as though recalling a past incident. "I did not want to put you off of your meal through a common process of my people. But I assure you, it is no different in composition from any other sort of ash, oh, that didn't sound comforting." He pauses. "I'm sorry, my lady, I'm dreadful at making this sound less disturbing. I can go eat elsewhere if you wish."

"No, no, this is fine. We're all strange in our own ways."

>>14456812
Add a sincere smile to this

"No, no, this is fine. We're all strange in our own ways." You smile, dissolving Cagrazod's disgust in himself.

"Ah, well, I didn't want to surprise you, my lady." He says, digging in hungrily. You can hear his metal teeth connect with his fork, quietly.

You tuck in as well. The food is very filling, like a proper breakfast. "So, about these Ornithopters." You say.

Cagrazod looks over in a moment of dumbfoundedness with his fork and knife dissecting the bread, a bit of ash drifting from his mouth. "Oh, oh yes, the er-hrm," He covers his mouth with a kerchief, wiping away some of the ashes. "Excuse me. The ornithopters. Very interesting people. Aren't nearly as many as the other kinds of gargoyles. They live in secluded forts and the like, high up on mountain tops. Their bodies are constructed from delicately treated wood, lightweight metals and fibrous spreads for the wings and tail. Unlike most other gargoyles, marteaux especially, their bodies are very, erm, 'open'. They can control specific parts of their body by inflating bladders made from leather or treated fibers to move their skeleton about like a muscle. Very few fluids exist in their system, save for their hydraulic components. They're usually about four peda tall, very lightweight and acrobatic. Their Great Machine is really something, from what I hear, but that's neither here nor there." He clears his throat once again. "Is there anything in particular you'd like to ask me about them, my lady?

"Oh, no, I was just curious to know if they still existed or not. It has been three hundred years since Fereed showed Alkenin his collection of replacement limbs. One of those was for an Ornithopter, internal workings and all, just like you described.

You may have noticed while we were there, but Algers' leg is actually based off of the same principles that give your own kind life, though it was kind of an earlier model."

>>14457299

"Oh, no, I was just curious to know if they still existed or not. It has been three hundred years since Fereed showed Alkenin his collection of replacement limbs. One of those was for an Ornithopter, internal workings and all, just like you described." Cagrazod looks a bit proud at this recognition.

"You may have noticed while we were there, but Algers' leg is actually based off of the same principles that give your own kind life, though it was kind of an earlier model."

"Indeed. I felt it would be imposing to ask such a thing of him, though." Cagrazod says. "Obviously it was created specifically for him. The same general principles for replacing the limb of a gargoyle would apply in that case." He thinks for a bit. "Though how he moves it is still a bit of a mystery to me."

>>14457380
"I know it works by using a metal with a very low melting point as muscle. Lead, I believe. Naturally, though, the damn thing weighs a ton."

>>14457457

"I know it works by using a metal with a very low melting point as muscle. Lead, I believe. Naturally, though, the damn thing weighs a ton." You say.

"Ah, so it is the same. I thought that perhaps there was some other kind of force at work." Cagrazod nods. "Still, very impressive for someone not born doing it."

"Wait, did you say he's using lead?" Cagrazod looks over at you in surprise. "Oh my, that would be quite heavy. Pure lead? Certainly nothing to worry about if you have to replace it, but I think I'd be far less graceful if I had a great deal of lead in me."

"Well, your finalized design must have come much later. When Algers and Kresis got their new legs, Fereed was only just then working on new low-melt alloys. He hadn't gotten past the concept phase, or else I'm sure Algers would have a slightly less heavy leg."

>>14457695

"Well, your finalized design must have come much later. When Algers and Kresis got their new legs, Fereed was only just then working on new low-melt alloys. He hadn't gotten past the concept phase, or else I'm sure Algers would have a slightly less heavy leg." You explain.

"Not just slightly, my lady. Lead is incredibly heavy when compared to some much softer, malleable metals. Lead is good enough to work with, but so very heavy. Cadmium, Bismuth, Tin, these are typical inclusions in a marteau's body. Usually, one has an internal mixture of several metals with low melting points. They provide less resistance, but are also much lighter. And one's pseudo-solid muscular systems develop much more evenly." He shakes his head. "Lead, my word."

"How much heavier are we talking?" You ask as Cagrazod eats another piece of bread.

"Well, assuming a five peda tall man, and I believe ripouse legs are slightly heavier than humans, I'd say around 200 hus for a lead filled leg and 100 hus for a leg with lighter materials, maybe less if you get a good mixture."

Huh. I thought it was only about 60 pounds when it was made? Maybe there's something we're forgetting.

>>14457857

Or something I'm forgetting. Lemme check that real quick.

Nope 60 pounds is a stone leg.

Damn! Algers is a pretty strong guy to be lugging that fucking heavy ass leg around.

Maybe Alkenin or Fereed modified it later to be less so?

His kicks must be deadly, 200lbs of molten metal flying at you.

>>14457917

Well, it does pull its own weight somewhat.

>>14457937

I considered having him kick one of the leg-pokey gnolls with it.

I then realized it would be like getting hit by an anvil. An anvil full of red hot metal muscles that someone just threw at you in the shape of a leg.

That would suck.

>>herman effect

Apparently it is now referred to as the "herman effect".

Anyway, finish up our breakfast, make conversation. etc.

>>14457979
Probably because he'll scream like someone just said today's secret word.

>>14458064

Pic fucking related.

"What could you do about an existing mixture? Just siphon it out and pour in some new metal?" You ask.

"Well, that would be rather like removing all the muscles in a human arm and then putting in new ones." Cagrazod says, eating large spoonfuls of fried rice. "Siphoning it out gradually as you introduce new metals is the best option. Otherwise muscular functions could be severely affected. The most common fraction is about 1/32nd of a body's total fluid metals to be replaced once every two weeks." Cagrazod strokes his chin. "Of course, if there are no vital organs in the area you could go up to 1/8th with no severe effects other than weakness, which would occur anyway. Lead mixtures would be useful in someone who wishes to become a soldier or go into wrestling. But pure lead? Dear me, our creator must have overestimated us a bit." He laughs. "If I had innards made of lead I'd be very sluggish. And my flight rockets wouldn't function! Oh that would be tragic."

"Indeed." You say.

"Well, no more questions about 'thopters, my lady? Or anything, really." The marteau stretches his arms and raps on his stomach. "That was quite fil- oop." He covers his mouth, stopping some ashes from escaping.

"Regardless, he was very proud of his creations. A little too much in some cases, perhaps. Alkenin had this dreadful memory of the time Fereed was showing off one of his newer, smarter gargoyles. It involved a unicycle, bad jokes, and a terrible orchestra. And also pain. Lots of pain."

"I'm all out of questions for now. Least, ones that I don't have to answer myself."

>>14458162

"Regardless, he was very proud of his creations. A little too much in some cases, perhaps. Alkenin had this dreadful memory of the time Fereed was showing off one of his newer, smarter gargoyles. It involved a unicycle, bad jokes, and a terrible orchestra. And also pain. Lots of pain." You say, quietly.

"Oh." Cagrazod says, his face going blank.

"I'm all out of questions for now. Least, ones that I don't have to answer myself." You say.

"I would not keep you waiting if you wished to go about your business, my lady." Cagrazod helps you up from the table, his metallic grip warm, but gentle. "I cannot think of any more questions myself."

"Well, if you have any, my door's always open, so to speak."

Now's probably a good time to stop. It's super late.

"Well, if you have any, my door's always open, so to speak." You say.

I shall not hesitate to call if I find the need." Cagrazod says, bowing slightly. "It was a pleasure dining with you."

"Likewise." You say, inclining your head towards him as you head off.

You can't help but notice that Cagrazod is whistling to himself as he walks off.

So yep, that'll be it. Join us next time for more Melane goodness.

And do try to be polite, should you decide to call.

>"And do try to be polite, should you decide to call."

wut?

>>14458302

Well, obviously, you have to have manners in this world, or you've got nothing!