>>23685882
Let's do it to it.

Evening, everyone.

>>23685882
I am ready.

>WHEN LAST WE LEFT OUR HEROES
Trym thinks long and hard about his options. He wishes heartily that he could ask the advice of the White Wolf, Hrunti; as a native of the Deep Forest, the god may well have some insight that Trym could use. He gets the feeling however, that this is not the time to walk away and ask, even if he had a means to contact the Wolf God, or if Hrunti does indeed know much about the fox-folk's situation.
The more he thinks however, the more Trym comes back to his conclusion. Anger swells within him as he realises how close he came to being ensnared by Ilfa's deceptions and he reaches his decision. "I will not be a slave to be bound by Ilfa's ropes of words," he growls, "Your cause is good and in bringing this war to a close, I aid my own people. My sword and spear are yours, Yotaha. What would you have me do?"

Yotaha smiles. "This evening, my sister's followers will come and clash at the gates, as they do every night. You must break the stalemate between us. This will lure my sister out. I will offer her one final chance to stand down. When she refuses, you will strike, with my support. With her death, this war will end and I will claim ascendancy as the Fox God."

>>23685882
Ready to go, milord!

>>23686784
>AND NOW, ON CIVILIZATION QUEST
Trym agrees to the plan and now has time before evening, to use to prepare for the battle to come.

How will he prepare himself?
A) Look to his weapons
B) Talk with Derrik
C) Request help from Yotaha
D) Scout around the village
E) Talk with the fox-folk
F) Other

Our tribe has the same name as veteran space wolves?

I approve.

>>23686977
Okay guys, I have a plan.

C) Ask Yotaha about the Bear's tail. See if she can restore it to the bear in exchange for his assistance. If not, then go prepare with Derrik.

Also, it might be a good idea to have Derrik speak with the fox-folk who can into magic, might learn something.

>>23687005
Sounds like the smart thing to do. Sceonded.

>>23687005
Second this.

>>23687005
Yotaha blinks at the request and laughs slightly, hiding her mouth behind her hand "Oh, he's still angry about that? My sister and I fooled him years ago now! He cannot get his tail back, I'm afraid. It froze right off in that hole in the ice! Why do you think all bears have short tails these days? My sister and I didn't like the way bear was waving that bushy tail around, as though it was better than ours! Now no animal in the forest comes close."
"Except Wolf..." coughs Lentay.
"Well yes," nods Yotaha, "But Wolf has never boasted about it. Regardless," she smirks, turning back to Trym, "I am afraid Bear cannot simply have his tail back like that. I have no power to restore it and it's been so long now, I doubt anyone has."

Lentay escorts Trym back through the village, to where Derrik is waiting outside, seemingly locked in a staring contest with the young fox-folk left with him, as a hostage.
"Hmm? It went well then?" the old priest looks up and enquires, eliciting a cry of triumph from his opponent.
"Hah! I win, old man! Now you owe me a jug of that drink when I visit your shrine!"
"Joke's on you," smirks Derrik, "I'm blind. I never started." While the fox-folk girl splutters in indignation and Lentay laughs, Derrik stands up and shuffles a short distance away, with Trym, "So what happened?" Trym explains the situation and Derrik frowns, scratching his beard. "You sure this is the right idea? Ah, who am I to judge? Will this Yotaha really be able to control the fox-folk though? She doesn't seem to have the clout of the other, much as she thinks otherwise. Look at her; trapped in this village, rather than taking the fight to her enemy. Doesn't say much for her strength or authority. Ehhh, well, you're the leader here. I'm just an old man."

>>23687928

Derrik offers to support Trym in the fight, even calling upon the power of Hrunti to try and aid the hero, but it will take the rest of the day to enact the required rituals and Trym will not be able to do anything else, as his presence would be required and central to the ritual.

Are you sure this is what you want to do?
A) Yes. On with the ritual!
B) Ready Trym's weapons instead and ensure he is physically ready
C) Scout around the village instead
D) Talk with the fox-folk instead
E) Other

>>23687966
Do we at least vaguely know what kind of effects the ritual will have?
Also, does Derrik believe the benefits of the ritual will be worth the wait?

>>23687928
Britfag, quick question, eh. How are the numbers split between the two factions. Did they seem about equal or did Ilfa still control the majority of the fox spirits based on what Derrik and Trym saw?

>>23688082
Just an addition, as the number of tails could possibly be a power ranking within fox society (just an assumption on my part) if we defeat Ilfa then Yotaha would be the only 9 tailed fox that has been specifically mentioned.

So assuming I'm right (probably not) but with Ilfa gone, Yotaha should be able to assert authority over the rest of the foxes purely based on power.

That sounds so bad typing that out, really.

>>23688200
But conversation is good! These threads have been deading at 40 posts
We need more posts and posters!

Also, any speculations on what the thing about Hrunti's tail was about?

Is Hrunti even the Wolf they were talking about?

>>23688257
Only spirit wolf we know about but I suppose it could be another.

>>23687966
Quick question though. Yes, another one. Didnt Hrunti tell us not to go hunting in the deep woods in his name? Technically this isnt hunting but its still more or less killing something in the DW and Derrik is about to call upon his power to help so... even though Britfag made the suggestion wouldn't that technically go against his wishes and therefore refuse us his aide?

>>23688257
>Also, any speculations on what the thing about Hrunti's tail was about?
I could speculate, but this is a blue board.

I'd imagine "Wolf" being like a general term like "Man". I think tails are just their favourite accessory.

>>23688068
The ritual is sure to have some beneficial effect to help Trym in the battle that evening.
>>23688082
It's impossible to get an accurate estimate, unfortunately. Trym didn't see much of the village that he passed through. Yotaha's village could hold as few as forty, or as many as seven or eight score; it's impossible to tell. Likewise, Derrik and Trym both have no clue how many fox-folk answer to Ilfa, though it is likely to be at least as many as Yotaha's followers.
>>23688257
Why not ask, if you want to know?

>>23688257
We should probably ask that, it may be a good question.
>>23688200
And if Hrunti can make Trym look scary enough in battle, then as Yotaha's champion, she could profit off that fear to assert power. Maybe.
I think we should do the ritual, these guys seem to look up to us, and even if it is a trick, I don't think the other one was being completely honest either, perhaps they're both lying. If that's so, then defeating Ilfa would be just one down, one to go.

>>23688342
He did, yes. It's not exactly the same though, as rather than hunting in his name, you're simply calling on the magic he has taught Derrik how to use. Your cause here is not to hunt in his name, but rather to ask for his help in another cause, undertaken for your own reasons.

>>23687966
"What's your obsession with tails, anyway?" Trym asks Lentay.
Afterwards he does
A) And takes part in the ritual.

Scouting doesn't seem necessary, because the fox battles seemed rather up-front and lacking in tactical finesse.

>>23688342
Good question. I wonder why he doesn't want attention drawn to him like that.

>>23688358
Yeah, let's ask.
We don't need Hrunti's blessing really. Besides, he did say before that if we muck about in the Deepwood, we shouldn't do so in his name. Probably best not to associate Hrunti with this little squabble if it can be helped.

>>23688358
>>23688428

A

Between Derriks use of Hruntis magic and Yotaha stating that she would help us as well we should be able to defeat Ilfa, I hope.

And if nothing else, if we defeat Ilfa then Yotaha might be a bit less inclined to decide to go back on her word since we'll have defeated her sister and shown that we are powerful enough in our own right to defend ourselves in the future against any less than friendly advances.

>>23688476
We've got the Godslayer and Hrunti on our side, I think this is the first time I've ever been so confident about one of our decisions since the war.

>>23688538
>Since the war
And that ended well, right?

>>23688538
Does godslayer even apply to the fox spirits?

>>23688577
Ilfa is the fox god, iirc. Could be wrong, but I believe Yotaha said with Ilfa gone she would become the new fox god.

>>23688568
Hey we're still alive aren't we?

>>23688652
Same can't be said for the Lion tribe.

>>23688669
We really need to remember to build that monument.

>>23688681
And then we name the monument, and then we worship the monument, and then the monument am become god.

>>23688681
>We really need to remember to build that monument in our new village
ftfy

>>23688681
Yeeeeaaaah. We probably should build that monument. If one of them ever comes back because he forgot his keys then he'll see the monument, tell the rest of the village and maybe come back. Wouldn't that be grand?

>>23689068
But what about the time we *REDACTED*

>>23689110
S-ssshhuut the fuck up. WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT!

>>23688433
"Obsession?" Lentay smirks, "A fox's tail is his pride! Bear was forever showing off his bushy tail, before Yotaha and Ilfa taught him a lesson in humility. Between us though... It's somewhat complicated. Ilfa and Yotaha are the most respected and powerful and also the eldest... Somewhere along the line, those three things show themselves by their number of tails." He preens slightly, his own seven fanning out behind him, as though showing off a little.

>>23688476
Derrik sits Trym beneath the trees and draws a small bone knife from a pouch. The aged priest begins to chant, scratching symbols in the earth, gradually sketching out an ever-widening ring of pictures, with Trym sat at the centre. In the woods around, yellow eyes of wolves appear, their hulking figures barely visible in the gloom. Derrik calls on the spirit of the wolf to enter into Trym and empower him, granting him strength for the battle to come.

>>23689769
>Archiving as a stub
>Sorry this ended so poorly
>Personal issues
>Next thread is on Tuesday, 1600EST

I really am sorry. It's a long and complicated story. I felt you deserved at least to know though.

No worries, brit. It happens. Got to say I'm enjoying this arc so far, it's great.

>>23689841
Fully agree on this. Great, if short, thread as always.