>>23241626
"Can we bring the ship any closer to the coast and then wear them down from afar?"

>>23241626
"I'm looking for one person in particular, all we need to do is get inside."

"Can we bring the ship any closer to the coast, and then wear them down from afar?"
"We won't be able to get close enough." Sardriel said. "Jormungandr has a shallow keel, but the fortress is too far."

"I'm looking for one person in particular." You say. "All we need to do is get inside."
"... So you mean... just abandoning everyone else?" Lyra asked.

"I can fly in." Ariana said. "But... I hope they don't shoot at me."

>>23241626
"Lyra? Is there any underground tunnels we can use to get in?"

>>23241811
"Is there any way to remove the Ballista and set them up at a good holdable location, like on top of a hill or something like that?"

>>23241811
"I mean I think Sky will stop attacking once she knows Crios isn't here. Or at least change her focus to us."

>>23241811
"I don't like the idea either, Lyra, but I have to get to Crios as soon as possible."

>>23241811
"Not abandoning everyone, but Sky's goal is to kill Crios. If we can get to him first...:

"Not abandoning everyone, but sky's goal is to kill Crios. If we can get to him first... I think Sky will stop attacking once she knows Crios isn't here. Or at least change her focus to us."

You turn to one of the Skiitaran soldiers- a man in a thick red robe overlaying his chainmail. "Is there any way to remove the ballist and set them up at a good holdable location, like on top of a hill or something like that?"
He looked over the land, and other than the fortress, there was nothing of note- it was simply a long, sloping field of grass, sparse trees here and there.
"I don't see any good fortifiable locations other than this one." He said.

"That's a good point." Lyra said. "But they might see us as an enemy as well. Unless I come with you."

Some of the Forged seem to notice you for a moment, before whirling back to the fortress. The main gates were where most of the Forged were piled up, clawing and trying to tear through the steel portcullis, but the knights were pooled on the other side, arbalests in hand, barely holding off the Forged as they pile up there.
That's when you notice- for each Forged killed, another appeared, from... Nowhere. Somewhere else.

Sky was cheating again, resupplying her forces.

>>23241952
"Sky's bringing reinforcements every time one's killed. Any fighting we do is just going to be a delaying action."

>>23241952
"There's no way we can break through them. There's too many."

>>23241952
"It wouldn't matter if we took some out, they're respawning because Sky is a cheating bastard.

Ariana, could you carry both Lyra and Crios at the same time?"

>>23241952
"This is bad. They won't be able to hold out against those odds.

Maybe we can evacuate the entire Bastion..."

"This is bad." You say. "They won't be able to hold out against those odds. It wouldn't matter if we took some out. They're respawning, because Sky is a cheating bastard."
You turn to Ariana. "Ariana, could you carry both Lyra and Crios at the same time?"
"The armor might get a bit tiring, but I could." She responded.
"Maybe we can evacuate the entire Bastion..." You say.

That's when one of the dead Forged exploded, blowing the portcullis open. The brass scorpions started piling into the main gate, pouring into the fortress.
"No!" Lyra called and slung her sword onto her back. "We need to go, and *now*."

>>23242129
"Let's get going then!"

Break out the carbine, it's time to storm the beach.

>>23241626
>hey exabyte. Sorry to make a somewhat off topic post but what software did you use to make the maps for vale quest? I want to make a map for a game im running but anything I do in paint looks like horse shit.

>>23242129
"Okay, that's our only option at the moment it seems."

>>23242129
"Ariana, take Lyra, get Crios, NOW!

Everyone else, we're going to harry the Forged from behind, see if we can slow them down and lure them into Ballista range for the people still on the ship.

Let's move people."

>>23242129
do we know what the range on the teleport sword is? we could get Lyra to use it to jump over and tell everyone we're coming.

>>23242272
The teleport sword will kill us if we try to use it again.

>>23242284
But maybe not her.

>>23242300
'Maybe' doesn't sound like gambling odds.

>It was a pretty long and complicated process, but essentially, I used paint.net, and had different colors for different environments (yellow for Desert, orange for shrubland, teal for marsh, etc), and then used color selection, and a pre-made brush for the environment textures. I think I added too many marshes, though.

"Ariana, take Lyra, Get Crios. Now!"

Ariana nodded, and Lyra climbed up onto her back. The gryphon and Lyra shot off into the sky, toward the fortress.
"Everyone else, we're going to harry the Forged from behind. See if we can slow them down and lure them into Ballista range for the people still on the ship." You say.
Andalus nodded, and took his own crossbow off of his back. "What he said. Veritas, you and your men stay here on the ballista. Wait for us. If we fall, Sardriel, leave without us."
"Yessir." One of the red-robed soldiers said. The captain just shrugged.

"Now... Let's move, people." You say.

More crossbows and warpicks appeared from underneath the soldiers' robes, and Astora was looking down at herself, her claw on her belly. When you caught her eye, she shook it off, and then clenched her fist, focusing fire out of the claw. The soldiers tossed down the gangplank and started running off, organizing on the beach.

>What tactics for combat do you intend on using, and make sure to roll for personal combat.

>>23242284
It might have "cooled down"
Let's hold it and see if it's still hanging over our shoulder or if it's moved back.

Rolled 32

>>23242327
Multiple people to a single Forged is always preferred, but ultimately cut a swathe through to the gates and reinforce from within. By the time we actually get there, Lyra should have told them that we're the cavalry and not the enemy.

Rolled 1

>>23242327
The forged are an unorganized horde, and you said there were about fifty of them? What's our shield situation look like? We could use an old Roman tactic that defeated the Gaulic tribes. Form up into a shield wall, and slowly have your center retreat while the flanks stay put. Thus you lure the enemy into the V shaped gap between each flank, and once the flanks start to press in it becomes a slaughter.

>>23242327
Charge up the middle, try to get to bastion, sacrifice minions to get forwards, keep tori in the middle so 'she can focus' but really so she is safe.

>>23242338
It only moves up if we teleport, right? But it was placated when we cut someone.
So we'll probably have to do some damage with it before it can be used to teleport safely again.

>>23242327
Okay, we advance carefully, harry any straggling Forged, keep the ranged weapons behind the main group and firing, the melee fighters tarpit and gang up on Forged.

Astora sets things on fire and acts like mobile artillery more or less.

If we get a pile of them attacking us make a tactical retreat to lure them into range of the Ballista.

Rolled 32

>>23242327
Hit them hard and fast I guess.

Rolled 60

>>23242327
dice because we need three.

stick our spear in forged faces.

Rolled 94

>>23242393
>>23242412
Did you guys completely forget the plan of "draw them towards the ship and its balistae range"?

Harry the edges of the swarm, drag them off and destroy them in single units till multiple ones turn to fight, then draw back and lure them towards the ship, don't get caught, and don't hold ground.

rollan for Abel

>>23242459
Yeah. We have artillery support here. Let's not waste it.

>>23242327
Oh god, Astora is pregnant...
As for tactics, let the ranged fighters take fire first before the melee move in, then try and free fire after that while watching the melee members backs. the melee will take charge of moving in while the rangers use def.if tannis is around can we have her try and find the source of the ever coming forged? i'm betting she can be the best at sneaking and doing this.

>>23242459
I didn't forget it, I just didn't agree with it.

Rolled 97

>>23242484
so you decided a pan of sit inside and face an endless horde of forged while trapped with no heavy weapons support was a better plan? are you stupid?

Rolled 15

>>23242483
that was known at the end of last thread

>>23242484
That's kind of stupid.
Ballistae are a few orders of magnitude more powerful than any weapon we have with us (except for our rifle, maybe)

>>23242516
That's what scion meant...I feel like a dumbass.

>>23242502
No, I decided that ensuring more people survive was more important than racking up a bigger kill count on a potentially infinite army of robots. At best, we'll be able to spawn camp them.

Once we're inside we can start to work on a way to evacuate people to the ship. But we can't do that from outside.

Rolled 72

>>23242459
The forged won't follow us, they're after Ciros. We need to get to Ciros, then get him back to the ship, to do that we need to get to Bastion.

Not hard, twinkletits.

>>23242605
That's not ensuring more people survive, that's ensuring as many of our men die as possible.

Good job!

>>23242605
Stopping the robots from killing anyone by spawn camping saves more lives than trying to evacuate through an army of infinite robots.

>>23242621
Which is why I suggested several men to a single forged, better odds of not dying.

You do realize we're very likely to lose men either way? Both on our side and the Order's side?

>>23242616
Lyra and Ariana are already on their way to save Crios, we just need to prevent the forged from overwhelming the defense long enough for them to escape.

Learn to read cocksleeve.

>>23242406
>You have no shields at all, save Lyra's. It seems that the skiitaran soldiers don't use shields.

"Alright." You say, taking Wyvern in hand, the crystal blade materializing above your knuckles. You instantly Feel it at your shoulder, just as close as it was before.

"Multiple people to a single Forged is preferred." You say. "We advance carefully, harry and straggling edges of the Forged, and keep the ranged weapons behind the main group and firing. Astora, you set things on fire. If we get a pile of them attacking us, make a tactical retreat to lure them into ballista range."

"Yessir." Kelaris said, and with that, the battle was on.

The marching Skiitaran soldiers charged into a small group of straggling forged, pinning them down and sending their picks through the bronze plate, peeling the armor off easily as they ganged up on them. There was a gurgle as one of the soldiers were skewered by a tail and killed, but nobody else ended up dead. Astora's flame came quickly and often, slamming into the Forged and softening up their armor, but she couldn't quite push enough flame out to melt them. Kelaris, as always, was as quick as the wind, shearing through brass plate with his sword. Things were looking good.

At least, until a dozen Forged appeared surrounding the group, out of Nowhere, as they closed in.
>Field too long!

>>23242680
There was little time to scream before the Forged were upon you, surrounding your group and cutting down most of the skiitaran soldiers. Kelaris leapt bodily over you, landing on one of the Forged in the rear of the group, and Andalus was able to call out a retreat, as people started filing back.

Until you stumbled over a dead body, of course. You brought up your blade, parrying a stabbing tail, but the Forged were all around you, and closing in, and you were seperated from the group. You fired your carbine, but the shot went wide.

And that's when your arm was in the greatest, worst pain you've ever felt in your life. You were screaming, back arching-

And there was a loud bang, and a bright blue light tore through one of the Forged.

Astora was standing there, as the rest of the group retreated.
Her claw was entirely gone, a pure white core of flame in it's place. There was another bang, and more of her non-claw arm vanished, as a second Forged flash-evaporated.
She fell to her knees, as more pain flashed through your arm. The blue flame was past her elbow, almost up to her shoulder, by now, and it was swiftly moving upward as she burned more Forged surrounding you.
"Run. Leave me." She snarled, holding her shoulder as more of her arm started burning away.

You and Astora were still surrounded, but you had some breathing room. The rest of the group- the still living, at least- had lead most of the Forged back to the ballista, where they were being skewered.

File: 1361217365965.png-(69 KB, 265x241, The horror.png)

69 KB PNG

>>23242680
>No shields
>Shields
>No
>No shields

>>23242697
Fuck.

Pick that girl up, sling her over our shoulder, and get back to the ship.

Rolled 65

>>23242697
FUCK.
Pick her up and RUN to the group.

>>23242697
Get the hell out of there, carrying her if need be.

>>23242697
Cheat, make them all vanish.
Use fate point if necessary.

Rolled 89

>>23242760
Forgot my dice. But seriously, cheaters have the edge. Don't trick yourselves. We might as well cheat at this point too.

>>23242744
>>23242747
>>23242752
Guys, we're still surrounded. Even if we pick her up, we have nowhere to go.

>>23242760
I don't think we're actually CAPABLE of doing that.

Rolled 68

>>23242760
That's Tannis' fate point. Nobody but her gets it.

>>23242697
Grab Tori and run.

>>23242777
She can burn a hole to make room, or we can jump/dodge/duck/weave through.

Rolled 53

>>23242697
pick her up and run

>>23242777
It's been implied that we're capable. Remember when we threatened to cheat if Gabriel didn't return what's-her-face? He capitulated almost instantly.

>>23242697
Pick her up, order gearworks to fight off the forged.

Rolled 72

>>23242697
"Is that permanent?"

If it isn't, we can leave her while she Melts everything around her, if it is, fuck that, we get her out.

>>23242769
we can't cheat. This has been said many times.
Fate point us out of there, this is crazy.

>>23242844
We're not leaving Astora

>>23242697
>>23242855
Can we, in fact, use a fate and/or tenacity point to get both ourselves and Tori out of this clusterfuck? Or failing that, just Tori?

>>23242844
We aren't leaving without her.
We're immune to her fire, so she can inferno it up, and we'll be fine.
Our gear won't be, but whatever.

Do we have any tenacity points? I'd much rather use those then our most likely only to ever get fate point.

If not, have Ariana if she came with us pull us into a shadow.

>>23242906
She took Lyra into the fortress

>>23242887
>http://pastebin.com/WAF7dq90
Lets us succeed at any physical skill.
So grab her and use the spear a a pole vault the heck out of there.

Rolled 64

>>23242887
>>23242855
We're not using Tannis' Fucking Fate Point on Tor.

>>23242959
We're not losing Tori either.

>>23242959
The fuck are you even talking about man?

>>23242906
tenacity yes, we use that instead smh

>>23242855
>>23242959
>You can't use Tannis's fate point.
>Specifically because Rogue already spent it.

You run to Astora, and sling her over your shoulder, her arm so bright it was almost blinding you. Squinting through the light coming from her arm, you see- her bones were the source of the white flame, ephemeral, flame-hand clenched. You bellow out to Gearworks to attack, and it peels away from the soldiers, tackling one of the Forged. Astora, half-conscious from the pain, whimpered as she tried bringing up her fire again. You ran past Gearworks as it started slinging Forged about, as you charge toward the ship.

You barely make it past and up the gangplank, panting and bruised somewhere from your roll on the ground, arm burning with pain.
Astora was writhing, now, the iron of Jormungandr turning red-hot and slagging where ever she inadvertently touched it with her skeletal, white-hot hand. Every now and then, there was a strange bang that came from it, as if the heat was causing them somehow.

Behind you, being ganged up on by Forged, Gearworks tore another Forged off of it's back, slamming it into the ground and tearing it's belly open with a claw.

Then it inadvertently cut a copper cable on the inside of the Forged's belly, and the forged exploded. Which, of course, set off a chain reaction.

The last thing you saw of Gearworks, and the dozen Forged surrounding it, was a humongous explosion, shooting brass into the sky.

>>23242959
Tannis' fate point? What?

>>23242959
If you're referring to a few threads ago, when that fate point was referenced, that was one of Ishelda's left over points that was used by Rogue.

>>23243002
Salute Gearworks.

He didn't get the chance to do much, but now that he has, it was glorious.

>>23243002
Hold Tori's arm up off the deck.

>>23243002
Salute Gearworks' noble sacrifice, then try holding Tori's arm still in the air so she doesn't slag more of the ship.

I miss Gearworks already.

>>23243002
Hold her tight, stroke her hair, help her calm down, it's likely the only way to get her to turn her flame down.

>>23243002
Maybe we can stick her arm in the water.

Grab her flame hand with our own, we're immune to it. Hold her close and tell her it's alright.

>>23243002
Hold her up by the claw, rifle in the other hand.

>>23243097
We're immune to her flames, not super-heated steam created from her flames. Sticking it in water is the worst idea right now.

Just try to get her to calm down.

You wrap your fingers around Tori's, holding it off of the deck and clasping her hand tightly. It was strange, so strange, to be holding levitating bones in the way that you were, but the sensation seemed to calm Astora, as you stroke her hair.
"It's alright, Astora." You say, holding her close and stroking her hair. "It's alright."

She took a deep breath, and calmed by degrees- literally and metaphorically, as the white flame deepened into a yellow, and then a low red, still flickering and hot, but not to the degree it was before.
Then you look to the crater where gearworks was, and give it a salute.

There was suddenly a black hole in the castle wall, as Ariana's Void opened up, and Ariana and several other Order Knights charged out, Lyra coming out in the rear. A Forged pounced on her, but she was able to shear off it's tail, and then slam Kristoph's blade into it's head. She, and the other Order Knights- only a handful of them, all counted, ran toward the ship.

Rolled 25

>>23243146
Covering fire with whatever ammo we've got left.

Rolled 99

>>23243146
Shoot any forged that block their path. If it looks like a difficult shot and we might hit any of them, don't take it.

Rolled 93

>>23243146
We won't be able to fire while comforting Astora. Yell to the remaining men to give any kind of support fire they can.

Rolled 68

>>23243146
keep holding Tori with one arm, and take some shots with the sanctis rifle, slug shots.

>>23243146
>take more MCs than Lyra with us on our fight
>come back with screaming Tori, dead Gearworks, and all the soldiers dead
>she comes back with no casualties and her objective completed

Lyra pls, stop showing how shit we are at anything but carving.

>>23243146
"Astora, I need to go help our sisters." Charge towards them and help fend off the forged.

>>23243203
Don't forget massages.

>>23243146
Let's give 'em some ranged support with that Carbine of ours, shall we?

>>23243228
And pistol!

"Give them support!" You cry, and that's what the soldiers do, firing upon the forged following the retreating knights. You raise your Carbine, and with two lucky blasts, you blow away as many Forged, not missing a single shot. Soon enough, the knights were all aboard the ship.
"Sarda!" Andalus cried.
"Right, right." The captain said and focused on the steam engine, as Jormungandr shot away from the coast, puttering out into the ocean.
"How many did we lose?" Andalus asked one of the few skiitaran soldiers left.
"Three and a half out of five squads." The soldier responded, head hung.

The knights- all five of them, were panting, some of them removing their helmets.
One of them were Crios. He gave you a deep bow, falling to one knee.
"Thank you." He said. "We were in a tight spot. Us five were the only ones who made it out. Templar Celadin, Paladins Percy, Celadin, and... I don't recognize you, I'm afraid. But we all thank you- and Skiitaris, deeply."

"Gotta.. gotta.." The fifth knight said. "Gotta do what she said."

"What?"

The fifth knight then drove his blade into Crios's chestplate , wheezing. "Gareth told me to! She told me! I have to listen to her! I have to!"
He pulled out the sword, and before anyone could react, shoved it through Crios's armor again.
"She said to kill him! Kill him! She said! Said said!"
Lyra knocked the sword out of the crazed paladin's hand, and Kelaris knocked the knight back, pinning him down.
Crios collapsed, his blade falling from his hands.

Rolled 12

>>23243342
"This was meant to be more pompous."

Give Ciros the hammer.

>>23243342
hand that man the hammer

>>23243342
Put the hammer in his hands, now.

>>23243342
Shit.
See what we can do for Crios. Put pressure on the wound.

>>23243342
The chief anti-magical order doesn't carry even a small bit of cold iron? Really? Bullshit.

Might as well give him the hammer whilst he's clinging to life.

>>23243385
Note that Crios said that he didn't recognize the man. He probably wasn't even actually part of the Order.

>>23243385
The stuff is pretty rare, and just because they have it, doesn't mean every knight gets some.

>>23243342
Fucking hell, man. We should've at LEAST gotten a roll.

Rolled 63

>>23243385
At least Kelaris has a cold iron dagger he can use to get the guy out of it.

>>23243342
Well, fuck.

He's been stabbed twice through the chest, unless there's a healing-type witch on hand, pretty much the only thing we can do is make him comfortable.

We should probably give him the hammer now. Who knows, maybe it'll even heal him.

>>23243398
We can't react to everything around us in time to do anything about it, man.

"I was really hoping to have this be all fancy, with reunions and kneeling." Give Crios the D- I mean hammer.

Too much BFQ

"This was meant to be more pompous." You say, kneeling down to Crios. He took a deep, shuddering breath.
"I know." He said, breathing deeply.

You put the hammer in his hands, and his eyes twinkling, he looked at it.

And everything, save you and Crios, vanished. Behind him was a grand steel dome, weapons and plating covering it from every side. The unassailable structure, the undestroyable fortress.

Crios coughed, the hammer fusing to his hand, as his plate armor sprouted more steel, more machinery, the smell of oil and the sound of running engines coming from nowhere, as the steel fused with him, his legs twisting into treads.
"... Here... here it is." Crios said, the hammer in his hand. "I've been... I've been looking for it. I've... dreamt... of it."
As he looked at the hammer, the Sentry became the Guardian, and the light in his eyes brightened.
"I don't... have much time left... do I?" He asked you.

>>23243458
You're right, we can't. We should be able to roll to see if we're capable though.

>>23243465
"Probably not."

Rolled 28

>>23243465
Probably not, I'm sorry Ciros. You were a good man. I will avenge you.

>>23243465
Maybe if we stop the bleeding and make him chug some aqua fortis, he'll not die.

Rolled 29

>>23243465
Try to save his ass with my awesome roll.

>>23243465
"I wish that you did. I was half hoping giving you the hammer might do it."

>>23243465
I am sorry no

Rolled 44

>>23243465
"I'm afraid not."

Might as well roll for medical, at least try.

>>23243465
It doesn't look like it, sorry I didn't make it here sooner, and thank you for everything you've done for me and my family.

Rest easy, I will end this fight, Sky will not have everything.

>>23243465
"Probably not, I'm sorry. We can try, but you did get stabbed through the gut, twice. Not much I can do about that."

>>23243465
How about Ariana goes around Sanctuary really quick in case she find a healer of sorts, then Shadows them here? I reckon we can keep Crios alive long enough for that, if Voiding things didn't take too much power.

>>23243552
Healing inflicts the wounds onto the witch, can't do that. We have to try to save him.

>>23243525
Roll some damn dice then.

>>23243573
Only if they use tapping
There's another gift that heals without inflicting wounds on the user. I'd guess that it's less effective, but it's better than nothing.

Rolled 11

>>23243465
Someone must have an elixer on hand..

"Probably not." You say, and peel off his armor- but below was moving gears and machinery, stuttering and twitching, and there was nothing you could do hot machine oil covering your hands. "I'm sorry, Crios. You were a good man."
"That's... all I ever tried to be." He said, and with his one human hand, he took your shoulder.
"Tell... Tell my... daughter... tell Sansa... that I tried to make the Order something..."
He coughed.
"Something... good again."

And then the light in his eyes died, and next thing you knew, you were kneeling in front of the dead knight.
The hammer was gone, and you didn't even have to look back to know that Stirge was standing directly behind you.

>>23243603
"Hello Stirge. What is it that you want?"

>>23243603
"Okay, Stirge, what now?"

>>23243603
Strige what do we do now?

>>23243603
"This better be good news, Stirge."

Rolled 59

>>23243603
Just stand here a moment, use the fact that we're not in a real place to get our bearings and settle our emotions.

Then greet her.

"Okay, Stirge, what now? This better be good news."
"It is. But later." She said, and knelt down near Crios, putting her palm on his forehead. Her face was emotionless, but there was something in her eyes...
"He is the most like me." She said. "But you can speak to me later, after the aftermath. Deal with your injured, before we speak."

Around you, the knights were pinning down the crazed one- who was apparently not a knight- and the skiitaran soldiers were bandaging their wounds.

"Abel." Astora said, holding her shoulder- which was all now made of thin stone, instead of what was just below her elbow. Apparently her claw had grown all the way to her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

>>23243603
Fuck, Crios is goat girls dad? She's never going to forgive us for not saving him.

>>23243720
Behead crazed knight.

>>23243720
"I'm fine, but I'm more worried about you."

>>23243729
What? He's being controlled by Gareth. It's not his fault.

>>23243720
"I'll be okay, but I failed you and I failed Crios.

On the bright side I have more arm space to carve."

>>23243720
"Dunno. Too busy worrying about literally everyone else in the world. Especially you, how are you doing?"

>>23243720
Physically, yes.

Sansa is going to be devastated... and it's at least partially my fault.

Rolled 99

>>23243720
Are you alright? You were in such pain.

We'll have to do all the carving again.

>Did we feel the same pain when she was overcharging her gift, exa?

>>23243750
Well then his death will end Gareth's control, won't it?

>>23243750
He's mindfucked into oblivion bro

>>23243756
Not really. She didn't like him because he was one of the zealots when she ran away. He would have burned her at the stake.

>>23243720
Restrain cuckoo knight, get him a trial and such. He's just some poor fuck that got mindraped by Gareth, it's not fair to kill him if we can help it.

>>23243776
At the time that is. Obviously he's gotten better, but that isn't going to make her like him just because he wouldn't burn her now.

>>23243757
>You only felt a *fraction* of the pain.

"Are you alright? You were in such pain..."
"I'm fine, now." She said, holding her shoulder, where obsidian spikes suddenly shot upwards, out of her shoulder, as more and more 'stone' started sprouting around her arm. She winced as it did so. "It was worse than the time my Gift awakened, but I'm fine now."

You draw Wyvern, and the creature just behind you was close, very close. With a swipe, you behead the crazed knight, and the creature behind you, perfectly mollified, returned back to where it came from.

Lyra looked to the knight, then to you, and shrugged.
"Strip the traitor's armor, dump him off the ship." She said. "But give Templar Crios the respect he deserves."
"Yes, Templar." One of the knights say, and they get to work.

"This was a waste of time and men." Kelaris said, his voice uncharacteristically cold. "The target is dead."

>>23243932
"No, we're closer to killing her now. I was able to reach Crios in time."

>>23243932
"Dead, yes. But he managed to do what needed to be done and awaken the Sentry in his last moments. This trip was no waste."

>>23243932
Turn the sword into the hammer.
"We got what we came for, Kelaris. The Hammer met the Sentry. It would be better if he was still alive, but..."

Rolled 62

>>23243932
And yet successful. It's time to take the fight to Sky.

>>23243932
"Actually, he finished his task before his death. We need to find Sky and end this. I want to make it slow, and painful."

>>23243932
No, we succeeded at the actual goal, grisly as the outcome may have been.

we can't afford another fight like that however, we're going to need to find another way to get to Sky.

>>23243932
Turn the sword into the hammer.

"He did what he needed to. I should be able to put down Sky permanently now."

Rolled 11

>>23243932
"Astora don't... don't do that again."

Then make a bad joke: "It'll take me too long to carve that down."

>>23243932
"But his duty fulfilled Kelaris, how's the crew fairing?

>>23244001
Let's not poke the sore spot, please.

>>23243932
"Crios managed to awaken the Sentry before he died. It wasn't a complete waste."

You draw your other sword, the Avatar, and turn it into a hammer. With it came knowledge on how to use the hammer.
"He did what he needed to. We need to find Sky and end this. I want to make it slow, and painful. It wasn't a complete waste."
"I see." He said, and nodded. "That's good to hear."

You turn to Astora.
"Astora, don't... don't do that again."
"No." She said. "If I need to do it again, I will. I won't hesitate, and you won't make me."

>>23244080
"I know, it just makes me feel better to tell you not to, makes me think that we'll be able to avoid situations where you have to just because I say so.

Any thoughts on the design? I have a lot more space to work with now."

Rolled 41

>>23244080
Let's go see Stirge then.

>>23244080
"Well I'll just have to make sure you don't need to do it again."

Rolled 46

>>23244080
Shake our head at her. "Your life is more valuable then mine, especially now."

Go see stirge.

>>23244138
This

>>23244080
get closer to her "your "Lives" are worth more than mine is" give her belly a pointed look "I cannot have that on my conscience"

then go see stirge

You shake your head. "Your life is more valuable than mine, especially now." You say. "I cannot have that on my conscience."
"My life isn't at risk." She said. "Just don't make me have to use my Gift, and I won't."
She gave you a kiss, wincing some as more and more stone piled out of her arm, until it was roughly the same size as her human one.

You make your way to Stirge, who was still kneeling near Crios, and then got to her feet.
"What you need to do now is simple." She said, hair lank and grey, her eyes tired and bloodshot. "Kill me, Dirae, and finally Sky, with the Avatar."

She raised hear head, showing you her neck.
"Do it. The Avatar is now Charon."

>>23244226
"Do you realize how impossible that will be? Sky can be anywhere she wants to, and if she knows I can kill her permanently, then she won't appear anywhere near me."

>>23244226
Dirae isn't dead after the whole wyvern thing?

>>23244226
"goodbye then Stirge your help was greatly appreciated; you will be missed"

take her head

>>23244226
"Thank you Stirge.

Is there anything you would like to tell me first? Any last words or pieces of advice? Any good methods of catching Sky?"

Rolled 1

>>23244226
Why not you last?

>>23244226
"I already forced Dirae to decompile and stay decompiled with the Avatar. Is that going to present a problem?"

>>23244226
"You can cheat, can't you? Can you bring Crios back to life?"

>>23244226
I thought you said you'd be able to help us more if we didn't use your power on Hannah.

"Do you realize how impossible that will be?" You say. "Sky can be anywhere she wants to, and if she knows I can kill her permenantly, then she won't appear anywhere near me."
"The moment you take a single shard, she and Dirae will be unable to cheat as completely. They will hole up, not run." Stirge said. "And I shall be the first to die."
"Why not you last?" You ask.

She opened her eyes.
"Because. I was the first who was made part of... her. The One. The Angel. The being who is looking through you. Dirae *must* be next, and Sky, third."

"You can cheat, can't you? Can you bring Crios back to life?"
"... I am tired. I have been pushed to my limit." She said, finally. "Having a name is one thing, but... sleeping will be a relief, after all this time."

>>23244403
"Then sleep. Maybe your sleep be peaceful."

Snickersnack went the blade.

>>23244403
"So no then? Goodbye, Stirge."

>>23244403
"Is there anything else you'd like to pass on before you rest then? It will be your last opportunity."

>>23244403
Then sleep.

Thankyou, West.

Rolled 50

>>23244403
Exabyte......we are Azure in the black hole passing time aren't we......

>>23244472
That's one of the leading theories on the IRC, yes. He has thus far declined to comment on the veracity of such.

File: 1361223386116.png-(575 KB, 1028x1028, West's Map of Region Ten.png)

575 KB PNG

"Then sleep. May your sleep be peaceful." You say, and slam your blade into her chest.

What happened next was strange. You went... somewhere else.

The hall was great, and wide, some strange nanocarbon white plating on the walls, and lining the walls were strange, three-legged robotic machines, with a simple blue iris, watching you. The hall was long, and at the very end, you saw light.

<Welcome to Tartarus.> West said, as the three-legged machines all turned to look at you, the sound of whirring noises. They all looked at you with varying emotions- most with love, some with kindness, others with mild regret, and very few with anger.

You walk through the hallway, and go up the set of nanocarbon stairs, and into the next room.

Computer banks covered the walls, a great power core in front of you, next to a computer. You heard a soft, feminine voice.
<One last thing before you go.> West said, and the computer flickered on.
On it, was a map. One telling you exactly where to go. <And now... kill me truly, not just my shell.>
<Thank you, West.> You say, and slam your sword into the computer. It sparked- and then all of the supercomputers sparked, and you were back on the Jormungandr.
Stirge was gone.

>>23244472
>we are Azure in the black hole passing time

I don't play this quest. I don't monitor this quest. I only play NFCQ. That sentence, and the sudden turgidity of my manhood summoned me here.

>>23244542
"Well, that was something.

Weird. So, 1 down, two to go, and then Sky is taken care of.

>>23244617
You should be aware that all of Exa's quests have hideously warped interconnecting cosmology.

>>23244542
Headcount, see if all of our buddies are around. I didn't see Tannis in that fight.

>>23244542
I'd like to wait for a day, on board the ship, then go north and collect the scroll from the vale and the ruins of bastion.

>>23244617
>>23244673
I'm just waiting to meet ishelda...

because I'm relatively certain that that meeting will be a brain twistingly amusing one...

>>23244617
Did you know that Singularity!Azure was also in Sorc Quest at the end?

>>23244705
There was an Ishelda, she was a Maenad, Tannis ganked her.

"Well, that was something." You say, with the map burned into your mind. You look this way and that, rubbing at your eyes, and give a quick headcount. Kelaris, Ariana, Astora, Cass, Tori, and Tannis were all on one end of the ship, Tannis hiding behind the elf, while on the other end of the ship was Andalus, Lyra, and the knights, apparently overseeing some sort of funeral for Crios.
Lyra, you see, is crying as she talked, trying and failing to keep her composure.

>>23244740
That was Anakata.

>>23244750
Sorry, got it mixed up, Anakata got her position by taking out a Maenad named Ishelda.

>>23244748
Go to our sister, give her a hug, let her cry it out.

>>23244748
Go over to tannis, tell her that she needs to talk to Astora, and do it soon since there's a chance that some of us are going to die doing this.

So we could grab some of the scrolls before heading onwards. If the forged stopped respawning, we could pick them off from the water and clear Bastion.

Maybe we can boat upriver to the Vale and get another as well.

>>23244740
there was?
damn, must have missed it...

>>23244748
"Ariana, I trust you can find a way to tell sansa that her father is dead?"

You make your way to Tannis.
"You need to talk to Astora." You say, in a low voice, and her eyes met you, as her ears flattened and as she backed up. "And do it soon. There's a chance that some of us are going to die doing this."
Without waiting for a response, you make your way to the gryphon, and tap her on the shoulder.
"Ariana, I trust you can find a way to tell Sansa that her father is dead?"
"Her... father?" Ariana asked. "You mean..."
She looked between the body of Crios and then you.
"She has her familiar here, but..."
Finally, you make your way to Lyra, where she was saying something in a low, musical voice- in a language you very vaguely understood, about returning to the earth, and returning to the spirits.
It sounded exactly like the language in the scrolls.

You pull her into a hug, and as she hugged you back, tightly, she continued reciting, the other knights saying the same thing as she was.
That's when you saw that one of the knights- the bulkiest, strongest one- was weeping openly as well, reciting.

>>23244881
watch the funeral, don't interfere.

See if we can get some sort of meaning from the words.

>>23244881
Don't interrupt them or try to sing along, but keep on hugging Lyra and listening closely.

>>23244881
Keep hugging until it's finished.

It was a bit surprising we didn't detect any of Gareth's glamour on that knight.

>>23244881
I'd say we let this play through too, and why must we force this Tannis Astora thing? Can we just leave it as it is and stop starting shit..

>>23244950
because if we don't all three of us will end up being unhappy to some extent.

Still hugging Lyra, you simply listen to the words, most of them vague- and in fact, you don't know how you know the few words you do understand. As time passed.

You hear Astora gasp, suddenly, and turn over toward her- Tannis was bleeding from a large scratch in her face, as Astora did her best to try and bandage it up, laughing.
"You didn't need to do that!" Astora said, clumsily trying to bandage her. "It's fine, it's fine."

Lyra let go, and wiped at her face, the reciting apparently done.
"... Thank you, Abel." She said, as the knights dropped Crios- and his sword, and his armor- into the ocean below.

>>23245084
"You're welcome. What is that language called? It's very familiar to me."

>>23245084
Give her a shoulder rub. "He will be missed."

"Do you know these other knights?"

>>23245084
Shoulder rub time.

"I wish I could have done more Lyra.

What language was that, it's familiar to me."

>>23245084
"It's a shame, after he traveled with us I was looking forward to meeting him again."

>>23245084
We should take her aside and explain the spirit pact. Even if she can't use it, it was her ancestor too.

"You're welcome." You say. "He will be missed. What is that language called? It's very familiar to me."
"It doesn't have a name." She said. "It's been one of our oldest traditions, to recite that to a dead paladin. Nobody knows where it came from."
"I wish I could've done more, Lyra."
"... So do I." She said, and you start rubbing her shoulders.
"It's a shame. I was looking forward to meeting him again."
"He said he got my book." She said. "The one I sent to him."

>>23245275
"Did he say why he was researching angels?"

>>23245275
"Did it help him any?"

>>23245275
"That's good. Did he mention anything important about it?"

>>23245275
"What will your Order friends here do? Do they want to stay and help or be dropped off somewhere?"

"Did he say why he was researching angels?" You ask.
"... He said it was about his daughter. That after his daughter vanished, he'd started dreaming about angels, and a hammer." She said.
"Did it help him any?"
Lyra sniffled. "He didn't even have time to read it." She said, and gave you another hug.

>>23245373
Hold her close.

"It's alright. His daughter is safe in sanctuary. You can meet her after all this."

>>23245373
"Finding the hammer was the last thing he did, at least he had that. He came to understand a part of his purpose.

The sentry became the guardian."

>>23245373
"His daughter is safe, she's in Sanctuary, I didn't know they were related until just now, we're friends, though I don't think she appreciated me talking about Goat Tunnels.

He fulfilled his purpose, he held the hammer and awoke it. He was a brave man."

"His daughter is safe. She's in Sanctuary. I didn't know they were related until just now. We're friends." You say.
"Do you think I can meet her after all this?" Lyra asked, and you nodded.
"He fulfilled his purpose. Heh eld the hammer and awoke it. At least he had that. He was a brave man."
"He was." She responded, and pulled you close.

Finally, she let go, and took a seat on the deck of the ship, closing her eyes.
"I just need to... relax here a bit." She said, and her eyes shut as she lost consciousness. She didn't even take the time to remove her fingers before doing it.

On the port side of the ship, Astora and Tannis were talking in a low voice, both sitting crosslegged, and Ariana was simply lying perfectly still, doing something in her proper body. Cass, Thor, and Kelaris were talking about the battle on the back of the ship, while Sarda tinkered with the engine. Finally, Andalus was speaking with the remaining Skiitaran soldiers about how the soldiers' sacrifices weren't in vain.

>>23245514
Let Astora and Tannis talk for a bit.

Go hang out with Cass, Thor, and Kelaris. Check up on them.

>>23245514
Go join Andalus, and apologize to the soldiers for having lost so many of their comrades, then explain that we succeeded in our goal and now have the ability to win the war against Sky.

>>23245514
Andalus.

"Your men did a great thing here, Andalus. Thanks to them, the Forged won't be appearing wherever they want."

>>23245514
Head over to Andalus, we have to make sure everyone knows we won, and that this is how Sky plays.

Or give Tannis ear skritches.

You make your way over to Andalus.
"Your men did a great thing here, Andalus." you say. "Thanks to them, the Forged won't be appearing wherever they want. Despite everything, we have succeeded in our goal. We now have the ability to win the war against Sky."

"Did thou hear the Grand Huntsman?" Andalus asked, whirling about. "We have succeeded!"
He whirled to Sarda.
"Sarda! Take out the... Marsh Brew!"
"It's called Swamp brew." Sarda responded.
"Skiitara doesn't have any swamps in it." Andalus asked.
"Fine, fine, Marsh brew it is." Sardriel said, and went belowdeck. He came out with a large, oaken barrel. A very foreboding one, with the strong smell of mint.
<... Oh, oh my.> Ares said. <Goddamnit, Rogue.>
You swear you can hear rogue giggling.
<Do you have to pervert *everything* with that sludge? Abel, don't drink any.>

>>23245710
"You're just making me want to drink it more."

>>23245710
"Give me a good reason not to. If this follows the trend of Rogue being the helpful one, what could go wrong?"

>>23245710
Drink some.

>>23245710
"I think I'm going to drink some. Wish me luck."

Get three mugs, fill them all with swamp brew, sit down with Astora and Tannis, give them each a mug, all of us drink.

>>23245710
Grab a swig and pass some to Astora, maybe it'll put the pain at ease.

>>23245768
Tori's pregnant.
Alcohol is a nono.
Also, we shouldn't interrupt their talk.

>>23245792
The talk will go better with booze. And it's not that alcoholic, it's full of other more interesting healthy stuff.

"Give me a good reason not to. If this follows the trend of Rogue being the helpful one, what could go wrong?"
Some time later, your head was woozy, and something was burning in your stomach, like acid, and the floor refused to stay the floor.

<This is.> Ares said, as you sat in a circle next to Astora and Tannis, who were each taking turns to drink from their mugs.

"This is better than ale." Astora said, smiling crookedly. "Andalus, why did you have to kick me out of Skiitara?! I would've discovered this a loooot earlier!"
Andalus was asleep, his eyepatch on the wrong eye, but he grumbled something back despite that.
"So, what is the plan?" Tannis asked, her eyes glossy and halflidded. She'd drank more than both of you, but she didn't seem inebrated for long. "Where do we go now?"

>>23245843
"North. We head North. Through the Vale and then East, across the mountains. We find Sky and then we kill her."

>>23245843
Now I need to kill Dirae with this spwormmer so it'll actually stick, then we kill Sky, the question is if we go straight to Akys fortress and hope they're there, or go somewhere else hunting them?

>>23245843
With Bastion lost, our two best courses of action are either to get to the Vale for Cyan's scroll there, or to head straight for Sky.

>>23245895
*West

>>23245843
Slur out
"We're going to go smush Dirae, then smoosh Gaberiel...Sky, whatever."

>>23245843
"Well, I know where Sky's Base is. I have to kill Dirae next, then Sky, and I'd like to find the locations of the scrolls so I can be better prepared, thankfully the other Nobilis are after those making my life a lot easier.

And we need to prepare for attacking Sky's place, it's likely to be fortified to hell and back."

>>23245843
I have the location of Sky's base. We go there.

I'd like to grab one of the other Scrolls out of bastion, if it's safe though.

>>23245843
Drunken antics time.

See how fast we can get the avatar to switch between the three weapons.

>>23245843
lean on Tori. Peer deeply at her arm, and try to figure out how much carving is going to need to be done.

>>23245928
This, are the forged still in Bastion? if not we should totally find that scroll.

"Well... I know where Sky's base is. I have to kill Dirae next, and then Sky, and then I'd like to find the locations of the scrolls so I can be better prepared. I'd like to grab one of the other scrolls out of Bastion, if it's safe, though."

Tannis pointed.
"I think that's what those guys are doing." She said, pointing.

Far, far away, above Bastion, you see three people hovering in the sky. The silhouettes of a very tall man, a young girl, and another, older girl. The first kept waving his arms, and great boulders grew out and over the few remaining forged, pinning them in place. Previously dead knights started pulling themselves to their feet, entering the fortress.

Ariana looked over- and then stood.
"That's Cedric! and Kee. And Sansa. What's Sansa doing here?"
"I tooold you, Ari." Astora said. "The corns ast' them to come here. Crones. Whatever."

>>23246011
Oh, well maybe we need to go to sanctuary and look at the scrolls they've collected then hunt down Direa and Sky.

>>23246011
"Do you think you could fly up and ask what they're doing, Ari?"

>>23246011
"Well, they don't have any use for the scrolls. Ariana, let's go over there."

>>23246011
"Well. I guess that settles that. At the very least, I need to talk to Sansa."

>>23246011
"Sansa is here? Damn, she should have been here for the ceremony."

Get some mugs ready for our witch friends when they arrive.

Give Astora shoulder massages.

>>23246011
"That's nice, I think they have it under control, so I'm just going to stay here and let them get it for me. We can talk once they're done.

Tori, what designs do you want on your arm and what were you and Tannis talking about?"

>>23246071
Their talk is private.
Let one of them bring it up if they want.

"Do you think you could fly up and ask them what they're doing, Ari?"
"Okay." Ariana said, and shot off into the sky.
You make your way behind Astora, and start giving her a shoulder massage, adroit hands doing what had been drilled into you by your family. It was kind of hard to do so on her Gift of Flamed shoulder, with the spikes there, but it seemed like the base of her spikes were sensative- in a good way, so of course you kept massaging them, as she melted back into your lap.
"Tori, what designs do you want on your arm?" You ask.
"Scales." She said, and then shivered as you dug your fingers into the base of one of her longest spikes.

Soon enough, Ariana flew back down, Sansa on her back.
"They're here to help in the battle." Ariana said.
"We were also supposed to get to the scroll." Sansa said. "The crones told me that I'd find dad here, and I was supposed to talk him into letting us in. But we were too late getting here. Kee and Cedric can't find dad anywhere, though."

>>23246131
"...I'm sorry to tell you, Sansa, but he's dead."

>>23246131
"Sansa, please sit down."

After she sits down tell her what happened to Crios, and that he died a hero's dead and we could not save the world without what he did.

>>23246131
Apologise to Tori, stand up, and address her properly.

"I'm afraid Ciros didn't make it."

>>23246131
I'm sorry Sansa, but your father died.

He wanted me to tell you that he tried to make the order something good again, something you both could be proud of.

"... I'm sorry to tell you, Sansa, but he's dead." You say.

She nodded, as if she was simply noting it, and then took a seat.
"I thought so." She said. "Bastion is empty. Everyone in there is dead, Kee said."
She sighed. "That was my only use here. Come halfway across the world through the Gift of Force, for nothing."
"You don't... feel sad about it?" Tannis asked.
"He would've burned me at the stake if he saw me." Sansa said, frowning. "Of course I... Of course I don't. Not... not at all."

As if she was talking to herself, she continued, quietly.
"And I won't miss him, either."

Then she sniffled.

>>23246258
"Don't be like that Sansa. He was trying to change the Order for the better, so that people like you wouldn't be persecuted."

>>23246258
"He changed after you left him. He tried to make the order something good again. Something you could be proud of. He died a hero."

>>23246258
"Come here, family hug."

"Your father was the best Order knight that ever was. He spared Ariana from being burnt, and he was working tirelessly to make the order better."

His last words were to you: "I tried to make the Order something good again."

"He was doing everything he could for you."

>>23246258
It's quite the opposite actually, your father was working towards changing the Order for the better. Hell, he saved Ariana.
(sorry if i'm off on the fats here, i'm a bit fuzzy)

>>23246291
>>23246303
These, also give her a big hug, little girl needs comfort from the big brotherly one, and we've surely had plenty of practice at giving little sister hugs.

>>23246258
"Crios was a good man Sansa, he wanted me to tell you that he tried to make the order something good again."
"He would have never hurt you Sansa."

>>23246258
"He wouldn't have burned you, Sansa." Give her a hug. "When I met him, he was trying to talk a crowd down from burning Ariana. He asked me to tell you, as he was dying, that he tried to make the Order something good again."

>>23246258
Take her by the shoulders, "Your father was a good man. His last words were to you, saying that he tried to make the Order something good again.

He had the opportunity to burn more than a few witches. He never did. The world is a lesser place for Crios' passing."

>>23246258
"That's no way to talk about it. He was a good man, also the reason Ariana is standing here today. He was trying to change the Order to something good."

After all this good stuff, and probably letting Sansa have a good cry, we should say:
"There's someone else who'd like to meet you, if you're up for it. My sister, Lyra. She was Crios' protege."

>>23246423
Yeah flag Lyra down, she said she wanted to meet her anyway.

>>23246423
this

You pull her into a hug, hand on her hair.

"Your father was the best Order Knight there ever was. He wouldn't have burned you." You say, in a low voice. "When I met him... he was trying to talk a crowd down from burning Ariana. He asked me to tell you, as he was dying, that he tried to make the Order something good again. He had the opportunity to burn more than a few witches, and he never did."
She sniffled.
"The world is a lesser place for Crios' passing." You say.
Quietly, she started crying, and Ariana covered her with a wing.
"There's someone else who'd like to meet you." You say. "My sister, Lyra."
And then Lyra, still wearing order armor, knelt and pulled the girl into a proper hug.
"He talked about you often." Lyra said, in a quiet voice. She gave you and Ariana a Look that meant that they needed privacy, and the two of you made your way back to Astora and Tannis.

"Can you give me more massage, Abel?" Astora asked, and tried to raise her arms- and the spike in her shoulder hit her head. She frowned, and twisted it so that the spike was behind her neck, before she stretched.
"And then me!" Tannis said.
"And then me." Ariana added.
You give the Gryphon a look. You have no idea where to massage the feathery birdlion.

Rolled 46

>>23246496
Stretch those fingers, we've got a workout to perform.

Rolling for melting women.

>>23246496
"We'll have to see if we can grind that spike away."

"So, why are the Crones looking for scrolls?"

>>23246496
I suppose, though I have no idea how to massage a gryphon.

But for you three ladies, I'll do my best.

>>23246496
When we get to Ariana, use fingernails and lightly scratch around the base of her neck. Works on real birds, probably works on gryphons.

Rolled 8

>>23246515
46? That isn't good enough.

>>23246496
"Sure, I can do that. But I only have so many hands.

Tannis, sit on Tori's lap for your massage, Ari, lay down in front of Tannis, she'll be better at massaging you than I will. We'll cycle through who is massaging who in a bit.

And I'll be sure to get one from all of you."

>>23246538
Given that it's a gryphon, we're probably going to need to do it rather firmly rather than lightly.

Rolled 61

>>23246549
one last try, because skilled!

>>23246496
"No offense Ari, but unless your human body decides to come here, I don't think I'm capable. I haven't the first clue what gryphon anatomy is like. I'm just as liable to hit a pressure point that hurts, or unknowingly grope something inappropriate."

>>23246549
>>23246515
>>23246562
We never needed to roll before.

Rolled 63

>>23246496
>You have no idea where to massage the feathery birdlion.

"I have no idea where to massage a feathery birdlion."

"that said I will try once everyone else has had a turn."

Rolled 29

>>23246570
But if we roll well, then amazing things happen, and if we roll poorly, then hilarious things happen.

>>23246557
relatively lightly. Don't want to accidentally scratch her skin

"We'll have to see if we can grind that spike away." You say, and start to massage Astora. A few minutes later, she was asleep, perfectly relaxed, and you moved to Tannis, and finally, Ariana. You start to itch the back of her neck, and a rather ungirlish moan later, she lay down, her lionish, feather tufted tail whipping this way and that.

Behind her, Tannis's half-closed eyes honed in on the feather tufted tail, as cat-like instincts started to take over.
You had a bad feeling about this.

>>23246585
or pull out a feather.
Pulling out feathers fucking hurts.

Rolled 69

>>23246602
watch, but do nothing. be ready to jump off the birdlion when the inevitably bad things happen....

>>23246602
So conflicted...
Pretend we didn't see anything and let the trainwreck roll on or stop her...

>>23246602
Whisper to her

"Careful where you're swishing your tail, Ari."

>>23246602
Clearly we didn't do a good enough job on Tannis.

Grab Tannis curl her up against Ariana.

"Careful where you're swishing your tail, Ari."
"What do you-" She asked, before suddenly screeching in surprise as the feline Tannis pounced, claws unsheathed.

The gryphon started frantically trying to get away from Tannis, who was perfectly in Hunt Mode, until Astora suddenly snatched the cat, pulling her close and hugging her, drunk off swamp brew, clinging to her tight enough that the poor feline couldn't get out- and her claws couldn't dig it's way out of the stone arm holding her.

Astora promptly lost consciousness again, and Tannis pouted.

Ari started giggling, and continued whipping her tail this way and that, just out of Tannis's reach.

>>23246765
"Oh yeah, Ari, there's something I've been meaning to ask you. Is your gryphon body male?"

>>23246765
"You wouldn't want that teasing to come round and bite you in the ass one done, would you?"

>>23246765
now now Ariana, don't tease or I might do more of this, then skritch that sensitive spot.

>>23246765
Stop being mean Ariana, or I shan't finish what I started.

Give Tannis ear skritches.

>>23246765
Pet the trapped kitty.

>>23246765
Grinning, "That's not very nice, Ari."

Try and get the attention of Kee and/or Cedric, see if they've found Magenta's scroll that's supposed to be here.

You grin. "That's not very nice, Ari."
"Aw, fine." She said, and tucked her tail underneath her haunches.

You give the trapped Tannis a few scritches, and eventually she was unconscious as well, as the swamp brew all hit her in the same moment.

You get to your feet, and wave down Kee, who starts calling to Cedric as he sends her down to the ship.

Kee huffed, and wiped her brow. "Oh, hey, Abel. I'm sorry we were too late to ... is that Astora? What happened to her arm?"

>>23246866
"It caught more on fire. There were a giant pile of Forged, she slagged them. I'm going to have a lot more canvas to carve now and I think it looks rather fetching on her."

>>23246866
"She overused her Gift of Flame. Did you find the scroll?"

>>23246866
She did this thing, with her gift. It burned her arm away, and probably would have continued if I didn't pull her out.

>>23246866
"She overcharged it when about five forged appeared out of thin air."

>>23246899
twelve.

>>23246866
"She called on her gift of flame, but it wasn't enough, so she kept pushing it. It started to consume more of her arm. The fire was blue-white, unlike anything I've ever seen before. It was beautiful, and terrifying. I sincerely hope that she never has to do it again.

On the bright side though, now there's more for me to carve."

"She called on her gift of flame, but it wasn't enough, so she kept pushing it. It started to consume more of her arm. The fire was blue-white, unlike anything I've ever seen before. It was beautiful, and terrifying. I sincerely hope that she never has to do it again."
Kee frowned. "I've never heard of any Gifts doing that before. But the Gift of Flame isn't like many."
"Did you find the scroll?"
"Oh, right. I'm still looking, as we speak. I told some of the dead to find a scroll, but only one or two of them know what I'm talking about. Oh! I just found one. It says Magenta in English. I think that's what we're looking for."

>>23246962
"Do you mind if I read it? It's related to my, uh, ancestors."

>>23246962
"I was hoping to get a look at that, myself."

>>23246962
That's the one. Did you find anything up in the vale?

>>23246962
"It is. Can you bring it here? I'm the only person who can use it. It's my birthright."

>>23246962
"Do you think I could get a quick look at that scroll? A similar scroll I found in Skitarra helped me a lot."

>>23246962
"That's it all right. I found a similar one the other day that said Vermilion. May I read it, please?"

"It is." You say. "Can you bring it here? I'm the only person who can use it. It's my birthright."
".. Well, Toad told us to bring it to you." She said. "So of course."
"Toad told you?" Ariana asked.
"She said that a little fairy told her that you needed the scrolls." Kee said, as an undead knight came out of the fortress. Cedric lifted the scroll out of it's hands, and flew to the ship."
"Hm. We were late, I'm afraid." Cedric said. "I apologize."

Then he handed you the scroll.

>>23247040
"Getting this should more than make up for it, thanks."

Stare deeply into the scroll, let's see what it is and what it does.

>>23247040
"Well, let's see what this one does."

>>23247040
"Our objective was completed. Victory is within reach."
Open it up.