"Every time? Does that mean you've seen them or something like them around before?"

Granny nods. "Three times, the last one was your father. I only saw the aftermath. Earlier was an attempt at a bell...that might have worked on Citadel...but the Humors had a counter for that. Before that was a spear...my spear. It didn't work."

"What would you recommend for a metal?"

"Right now? Steel. Your father's sword is quicksilver, but that's not easy to get. Even more so here, with goods at a premium, and you can't get the stuff that's mined for Citadel, steel for now, and look at quicksilver when you reach Bronze Peak."

"Mage was talking about developing a translation spell. His original idea was based on ghoul magic, but he might be able to modify it into a personal communication spell, or with enough luck something for mass communication. Any ideas that might help there?"

She goes to a cabinet and gets a book. "This is something he should read. It's something I got from some people from the Phoenix Empire. It's how they subjugated their own tribes. They reduce their language to babble, and then replace it with their own tongue. Maybe your little reverse-magic-engineer-man can alter it."

>>23903772
"What was the 'counter' the dramatae used for the bell? How did that work?

Also, now that you mention it, I have a phoenix empire princess in my wagon train. I've been learning the language, so as to be able to use their records to fill the dark spots in our own. If you wanted, I could tell her about you. But only if you wanted."

>>23903772
>Granny nods. "Three times, the last one was your father. I only saw the aftermath. Earlier was an attempt at a bell...that might have worked on Citadel...but the Humors had a counter for that. Before that was a spear...my spear. It didn't work."

"What did the Humors do against the bell?"

> "Right now? Steel. Your father's sword is quicksilver, but that's not easy to get. Even more so here, with goods at a premium, and you can't get the stuff that's mined for Citadel, steel for now, and look at quicksilver when you reach Bronze Peak."

I wonder if we could mount the sword and turn it into something like a glaive? Probably not a good idea, though; steel should be fine for now.

> She goes to a cabinet and gets a book. "This is something he should read. It's something I got from some people from the Phoenix Empire. It's how they subjugated their own tribes. They reduce their language to babble, and then replace it with their own tongue. Maybe your little reverse-magic-engineer-man can alter it."

"Babble? Do you mean they lost the ability to speak their original tongue?"

(Suddenly laughing at having First Stone Hall full of people who can only speak lizard. That'd give them a new perspective right quick.)

>>23903769
Lets have whatshisface improve the gun.

then

the for cereal here

we melt the coins down into bullets.

>>23903806
>Also, now that you mention it, I have a phoenix empire princess in my wagon train. I've been learning the language, so as to be able to use their records to fill the dark spots in our own. If you wanted, I could tell her about you. But only if you wanted."

Not the last bit of this, but we should definitely talk to her about what Mumei told us, about the one who cages with fear and its daughter who cages with pleasure, and what happened to the Phoenix Empire.

>>23903811
I really don't see us shooting Citadel into submission. As awesome as Alucard-Ssen is, sanctified bullets from an oversized handgun won't solve our problems.

>>23903836
No but filling those masked dickholes with holy slugs sounds like a good plan to me.

>>23903836
No, but if we got a few handguns, we would have an alternative for mid ranged combat to our bow that ALSO allows us to use a sword or spear at the same time.

Pistol+melee weapon is top tier for skirmishing.

>>23903772
"What 'counter' did the humors use on the bell? Musicians and plays or something?"

"No," She shakes her head as she puts the weapons away. "They've got an assortment of artifacts and weapons, not to mention an assortment of spells...I'm amazed that you managed to kill one...sort of." She smiled. "I hope it hurt when Rage died at Peace's hand. The Fifth told me."

She clears herself off and hugs you. "Thank you for coming back out of Citadel the same. I've seen others fail that test."

>>23903848

For all we know they can dodge bullets. Jackasses seem that OP.

>>23903772

What do you think a lantern forged from these coins would do? I think the legends of the first Lightbringers mentioned such a lantern.

Are all the Dramatae just really individually powerful, or is it more of a side-effect of having Citadel's full and undivided support?

>>23903808
>(Suddenly laughing at having First Stone Hall full of people who can only speak lizard. That'd give them a new perspective right quick.)

OK, crazier idea. How insane would it be to find a spell to turn a person *into* a Lamia, either for a long duration or permanently? Fitting punishment for the prisoner topside, no?

>>23903854
Hug her back.
"Citadel was harder than I thought. Easily the most dangerous place I've been in."

>>23903868
>punishment
>being made into our race
>and also immortal
>a punishment
Please don't do this.

>>23903868
no.

>>23903883
Yeah, poor choice of words on my part. But I'm talking more the "slither a mile in their skin" kind of life lesson. Let them deal with what it's like being the one that gets discriminated against; see what it feels like. Worst case they end up with a karmic death at the hands of one of their fellows; best case they end up reformed.

>>23903854
hug her back
"My friends wouldn't have without a helping hand."

>>23903868

That would just be playing into the image that the Purists have painted for Ssen. Not to mention that subjecting a prisoner to transformative magics really isn't good conduct.

It would probably be better to focus on having Mage develop a spell that allows Lizardmen to be understood verbally by humans.

>>23903806

"Also, now that you mention it, I have a phoenix empire princess in my wagon train. I've been learning the language, so as to be able to use their records to fill the dark spots in our own."

"Really? And she didn't run in terror at the sight of you?" She laughs. "I've met a few lost birds from the Empire...they never take well to me for some reason." She winks.

"They say that the Dragon Who Was Of Shadow ruled their land too, once."

Granny pauses and sighs. "Huh, well...are they free now?"

"No, their 'Citadel' is run by their rules as a place of pure Order."

Granny winces. "It never really changes does it? We break our cages to find that we've already built another."

>>23903913
> That would just be playing into the image that the Purists have painted for Ssen. Not to mention that subjecting a prisoner to transformative magics really isn't good conduct.

...as opposed to killing them? Almost any alternative is kinder.

> It would probably be better to focus on having Mage develop a spell that allows Lizardmen to be understood verbally by humans.

Yeah, fair enough; that's definitely the real problem here. It just felt too karmically interesting not to mention. Consider the suggestion withdrawn.

>>23903854
return the hug and give her a lamia toothed grin "Of course I came back the same, It's the duty and honor of the Caligo Clarius to shine the light within the darkest of the Darkness. Besides, I still have a promise to you to make good on. That whelpling of yours won't watch out for themselves."

>>23903854
> She clears herself off and hugs you. "Thank you for coming back out of Citadel the same. I've seen others fail that test."

Hug back. "I thought I knew what darkness would be like. I never thought darkness could be blinding."

>>23903914
"I think we'll be dealing with the remains of the citadel long, long after it's defeated. Heck, we're still dealing with the aftershock of the dragon, some seven ages later.

>>23903937
You hug her back. "I thought I knew what darkness would be like. I never thought darkness could be blinding."

"It's always worse than we think."

"But of course I came back the same! It's the duty and honor of the Caligo Clarius to shine the light within the darkest of the Darkness. Besides, I still have a promise to you to make good on. That whelpling of yours won't watch out for themselves."

Granny laughs. "One day little worm, one day."

>>23903990
There's only one other thing I think we have left to ask her. We never did ask her her name.

>>23903990
>>23904014
I'll give it some dialogue

"Well, I've been asking you a big pile of questions today. I hope it's not too taxing, but I have another, pretty big one.

What's your name?"

Only say this if she didn't give us her name already. Because if she did, fuck.

>>23903990
"Well, until that day it hardly feels right calling you Granny; I look forward to seeing your grandchildren someday, but until then, you never did tell us your name."

>>23903990
"Granny...what's your name?" You ask.

Granny pauses with her back to you. "I've had a lot over the ages, I change them when they get too heavy with memories and loves." She sighs. "But I was the elder sister when we were found in the sands, and I learned to read first and tell my sisters stories...so the members of the Caligo Clarus gave me my first name. Scheherazade." She says. "You may call me that."

She hands you a sealed letter. "If you need the royal buffoon to behave himself, give him this. Save it as a trump."

>>23904042
> Only say this if she didn't give us her name already. Because if she did, fuck.
She didn't, no. We're the one who originally started calling her Granny:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/23725498/#p23730134
> "You talk a lot, Granny." You say.
>
> "Worm, I'm old enough to be your great-great-great-great-Grandmother's ancestor." She says.

And after that point we, and Echo, always referred to her as Granny.

>>23904070
"Do I want to know what it is?"

Also: Scheherazade. It came from the clarigo. Did Ssen come from the clarigo? Or are real lamia names just a lot easier?

>>23904070
> She hands you a sealed letter. "If you need the royal buffoon to behave himself, give him this. Save it as a trump."
"How did you happen to learn that Isen was more than just a *common* buffoon? And dare I ask what could possibly quell his audacity?"

And:
"Thank you for the lessons. All of them."

>>23904131
Seconding all this.

>>23904131
this, I am kind of curious what is in that letter

>>23904070
To be fair, if this place really is Citadel influence free and to succeed, we really ought to have Avery and Scheherazade meet before we leave. We need EVERYONE on the same page before we head out. If we can trust anyone with discretion in this town, he's the one.

Did she ever ask us how we GOT this poison wound?

Did we tell her what happened in citadel?

Does she even want to know?

>>23904157
She probably correctly assumed it involved the buffoon.
Probably to some extent.
I doubt it, she's passed the torch for all that nonsense to the next generation: us.

>>23904156
I'm a little concerned about Avery at this point; he's showing some tendencies towards the iron fist that led to the downfall of the Phoenix Empire. I think we trust him more than most, but not with something this big for now. Let's get that translation spell going, and see if we can get Avery and *any* Lamia talking.

>>23904157
The whole continent seems to have heard of the Paladin Serpent at this point; she probably heard the news.

>>23904070
"Before I go, I think that the Lantern was used against the Dragon in the form of the coins. When I gave my amulet to someone, they were freed from the Citadel's influence a little. If all the coins had this trait..."

>>23904195
Avery's a trustworthy guy but we have to remember that he's a redstone. At the end of the day, his solutions to problems will involve sharp blades and tight ropes. Without us guiding him, anyway.

>>23904201
It was turned into the coins around the creation of Citadel, some time after the Dragon. Probably in that suspicious gap in the historical record.

And I think if she knew anything more about that period of history she'd have told us.

>>23904070
>>23904131
"How did you happen to learn that Isen was more than just a *common* buffoon? And dare I ask what could possibly quell his audacity?"

"I know enough of family history and patterns to recognize the face of a Newgate when I see one. Also, I saw how he managed those people he rescued during the attack. The boy's a crap ruler, but he's a fine example of a king. As for what I'm offering...well...a woman should have a few secrets, shouldn't she?" She winks. "I figure that if you need him to stay put, the same way I gained his silence should suffice. He's pathetically predictable...but he has good taste."

"I should get you and Paladin Avery to speak once." You say.

Scheherazade shakes her head. "I can't risk it, he's too close to Citadel and the Humors, and he's not one of us, or one of your people, or the buffoon and his ego, or the girl devoted to him. All he needs is one slip, or to step into Citadel, and I am found. I'm sorry. I agree that it's a good idea, but I cannot at the moment. They would burn this place to the ground again, if they could be rid of me."

You nod. "Thank you for the lessons. All of them."

She hugs you again and kisses you on the head. "Be safe, little worm."

Getting a polearm and a spear made of steel isn't too hard. Avery is authorized to grant you your stipend as a Paladin, but the less you take the more grateful he is. Still some steel work isn't overly costly.

Also, the others have been putting the Watchtower/Beacon/Lumin Point (Everyone's bickering on the name) together and it actually is starting to look kind of nice. Sophie even swung by, and helped pain the emblem right above the door.

Options

---See the purist Kid

---Find Isen, Tara, and Mumei (NOTE: Do this and the kid get's his head chopped off. No muss, no fuss.)

>>23904223
Was it really? Or is that just a theory?

They FOUND the Lantern like this, remember. After the Fifth guided them to it. How does anyone know its history if its been covered up?

>>23904237
That's the history as we have heard it and seen it written. We don't know anything for certain, we just have more confidence in some bits than others. And yeah, the Lantern is definitely one of the fuzzy bits.

>>23904236
I don't see much choice here. Let's see the purist kid before he gets the red queen treatment; he might still, but let's learn what we can, and perhaps see if any other options seem reasonable.

>>23904236
Let's see the kid. I'd like to get his take before the axeman does.

What do the rest of the group think about our new weapons? also, OUR VEINS AND HAIR ARE BOTH SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER. Let's tell everyone soon as we are done talking to the kid.

>>23904236
You also give Mage the book from the Empire, and he agrees to get to work on bodging a spell that could work like the Ghoul Spell and the Empire Spell without all the evil.

"It may take a few days." Mage says. You hear the sound of Ambrose cursing as a bookshelf spills its contents onto the ground. "Better give it a week."

>>23904236

>See the Purist kid

He might just be an impressionable and/or fearful person who was swayed by an exceptionally charismatic asshole. Or not. Either way, it's a good way to get some insight into what the Purists are truly aiming for.

We can also confide with Avery that the Purist movement might just be a distraction for something else.

>>23904278
>distraction
...Do we kknow where Mages sister is?

sister is in a Asylum.

>>23904276
>>23904272
Everyone likes your new ensemble.

There's a catch though.

The pike and shield, the bow, or Father's sword. You can't carry all three at once.

Also everyone's very glad to see you nearly back to normal. Tricia especially gives you a tight hug and kiss and promises to go thank 'Granny' in person herself when she has a moment.

>>23904289
That was more than three months ago.

>>23904291
Ditch the shield.

TWO WEAPON FIGHTAN

>>23904289
An asylum in White Tree. Mage visited her when you were there. They didn't say anything to each other. It was a little after that that Mage asked if he could use Patrick as his last name.

>>23904301
sword on the back, shield on the arm. pike on the other arm. problem solved

Sowrd as a backup weapon.

>>23904301

Sword and shield. Classic.

sword and bow on the back*

>>23904291
Can we do Pike/Shield/Bow?

>>23904236
>Getting a polearm and a spear made of steel isn't too hard. Avery is authorized to grant you your stipend as a Paladin, but the less you take the more grateful he is. Still some steel work isn't overly costly.

Polearm and shield?

>>23904282
...oh, hell, that's a scary thought. Entirely too simple, though; somehow I don't think our lives are so simple that we can just kill some figurehead to solve most of the problems.

>>23904291
Could we get a quick ability rundown, as in
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/23768347/#p23776469
?

Also, does the pike really work best with a shield, or could we use it more effectively without one?

>>23904308
>bow
Problem not solved.

>>23904291
Do the pike and sword really make any sense to carry together? Does how well the pike fits us naturally make it as effective or more so as the sword? Even up close, or is the sword better for that? Barring some amazing revelation from hearing our current skills, I don't think carrying both pike and sword makes sense, in which case I think we want the pike/shield and bow (melee and ranged).

>>23904320
if its a short spear then it works with shield, but if its something like a halberd or longspear, thats a 2h weapon

personally perfer sword/shield/bow, at least until we can get a more compact ranged weapon(like a brace of pistols, one shot then drop em till the fight is over)

>>23904276
>"It may take a few days." Mage says. You hear the sound of Ambrose cursing as a bookshelf spills its contents onto the ground. "Better give it a week."

Make sure he works with Granny to practice, since she's the only one other than us that speaks both languages fluently.

>>23904325
Have we ever actually hit anything with that bow?

Also if it comes down to it we can give the sword to another member of our party. Maybe. Or use it as the head of the spear somehow as some sort of longsword naginata thing?

>>23904320
>>23904320
>Does the pike really work best with a shield, or could we use it more effectively without one?

You do get a bonus if you use it without a shield, but you lose your armor boost.

New Skills:
Shield Bonus
Pike +1
2h Pike +2
Pike/Constrict
Pierce (Damage & Armor)
Double sweep (Need Pike, Damage & Turn loss)

>>23904360
tons of stuff, hell our first fight we stuck two arrows in a bossghoul's throat, and one in his knee.

>>23904360
>Have we ever actually hit anything with that bow?
Mage's Uncle

>>23904372
>>23904377
Anything after that? Maybe its just selective memory but I recall a lot of missed shots...

>>23904369
So, if we *don't* use a shield, for now the pike is exactly as effective as Father's sword. How effectively can we use the sword with a shield? Presumably not as much, since we didn't practice that with Granny (though perhaps we should). So, it sounds like a wash right now, and it's just a question of what we want to focus on long-term (presumably pike is easier to get better with since it's "natural" for us)?

I'd argue for sword/shield if it's more effective than pike/shield, or pike/shield if it's equally effective. Bow either way.

Alright if we are down to three I want the pike, shield and bow. I like our bow, it gives us range.

>>23904388
thats because the dice hate us. We hit on 12 with our bow.

>>23904369
>Shield Bonus
I take it that bonus lowers chance to be hit? By how much?

>>23904392
>I'd argue for sword/shield if it's more effective than pike/shield, or pike/shield if it's equally effective. Bow either way.
Scratch that, I just re-read pierce. Pike/shield/bow, definitely. See if one of our other party members who uses a sword would be more effective with a quicksilver sword.

>>23904393
This.

I still think we should try to use Fathers sword in some way in the making of our spear. Both for sentimental reasons and because the steel is apparently really good.

>>23904388
yea, we shot other stuff, the Insect things from Purple Sands, and other ghouls.

we even specifically trained to shoot our bow and tail attack in the same turn

>>23904398
Right now, 1

>>23904438
thats pretty damn good.

Can we pull off serpent strikes? Is that an ability of ours?

>>23904438
Not bad at all.

Does that bonus work with the sword?

>>23904438
Yeah pike/shield/bow all the way.

Hang the old sword in our new base. Let it watch over it.

>>23904428
That's possible, actually. You CAN make a quicksilver pike, and use the remaining metal to reinforce a shield with it. Give a +1 bonus to defense and weapon attacks with it if you do this.

But that means melting down Father's sword.

>>23904461
>>23904369
>Pike/Constrict

Seems to be.

>>23904475
>melting down father's sword
Can we just... use it as a glaivehead? Or is it straight up the wrong shape?

>>23904475
Even if its form is different, it is still ultimately the same blade.

>>23904475
We'll find some other source of the metal. Father's sword may not be on our hip, but we won't o that.

>>23904475
Yeah I really don't want to do that. If Bronze peak has the metal we can wait.

>>23904480
pierce is also a serpent aided skill I imagine. snake strike with pike attached.

>>23904475
... at first I was like no... but then... it would allow us to confinue carrying his sword around. Do it.

>>23904428
We can get a quicksilver pike in Bronze Peak. And the ability to pierce armor should prove quite useful. Sentiment is not a good reason to be less effective; Granny made a point of it:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/23894372/#p23903146
> She pulls out an old shield and a simple spear. "Here...time you learned a weapon of your own. Your Father's shoulders aren't for you to curl around forever."

>>23904475
Huh, I wouldn't have expected enough metal there. Carrying around his sword in pike form seems too perfect not to do. Sentiment satisfied. Assuming that there's no chance of the blacksmith screwing this up.

I know it's late, but whoa, since when did

>I hope it hurt when Rage died at Peace's hand. The Fifth told me.

happen? Did I miss something here?

>>23904488
Wrong shape. It needs to be melted down and recast. Thankfully Quicksilver can do that without complications.

But again, it's destroying Father's sword and making it into Your Glaive. (Or pike or whatever you decide on)

>>23904507
When we saved Stone Hall. Off screen death.

>>23904512
We'll wait. But when the time comes to make our polearm, I vote Lucerne Hammer

>>23904512
>But again, it's destroying Father's sword and making it into Your Glaive. (Or pike or whatever you decide on)
Granny specifically recommended a halberd or pike. We should go with one of those.

>>23904526
I say we use a spear. Something for stabbing. We should start using the spear/shield now. And replace the bow with a bandolier of pistols if at all possible later on.

Serpent strike: the dragooning.

>>23904512
small correction

pikes are huge, ie 3-7 meters long, not something used for individual combat

if anything it would be a standard spear if its small enough to be handled with 1 hand.

>>23904543
A lucerne hammer can stab perfectly well. it's got the spike atop and the hook on the back, just like a halberd, but with the axeblade replaced by a warhammer

>>23904512
Okay, so bow/shield/polearm. (Honestly I'm not going to make a giant difference between the different ones for the sake of my own sanity. So let's just go with Pike because that's easy to type.)

Now for the next important question.

What's the design on the shield?

I like the halberd idea. As far as sentimentality father has left plenty of things to remember him by. His words, his medallion, the stone in our paladin circlet and his love. His sword is a weapon.

>>23904561
we aren't the strength type though. We're all about speed.

>>23904557
Okay then never mind what I said about the pikes because I know nothing about those weapons.

>>23904561
I specified a spear. As in, something with no shit sticking off the side, so we can impale folks. If impalement isn't super cool to you, then sure, we can add a hammer to it.

>>23904568
father's family crest.

>>23904568
Gregory's Caligo Clarus motif, to match the armor we'll have him make for us as soon as possible. (Still liking the idea of incorporating some part of Father's armor into that as well rather than carrying around two sets just because of nostalgia.)

>>23904568
Caligo Clarus emblem. No question.

Unless we know our own coat of arms?

>>23904590
We're going to have him re-work our armor with a caligo clarus symbology and more metal. Right?

>>23904585
Assuming we use anything more elaborate than a pointy stick, there should be space on the polearm for the Patrick family crest, and then we could use the Caligo Clarus emblem on the shield.

>>23904592
Caligo Clarus emblem on the shield? Tabard with coat of arms?

>>23904608
Or should that be the other way around.

>>23904608
"The light is my shield" and keeping our family close to heart.

I like it.

>>23904600
Okay, so a spear and the Caligo Clarus symbol. Gregory is working on them and spiffing up your new armor as well.

Mage is working with Granny on the Babel spell.

Do you want to take someone else with you to see the Purist Kid, and if so, who?

>>23904568
Family crest. we are already having armor done in the Caligo Clarus theme.

>>23904618
>the light is my shield
Goddamnit, you sold me.

Lea, shes not our lover. She can spot any fallacies in the scripture. She knows it better then us.

>>23904620
>new armor
You mean old armor that is being upgraded, right?
>Take someone with you
Not for this, not for a confession, no. I don't think so.

>>23904236
>As for what I'm offering...well...a woman should have a few secrets, shouldn't she?" She winks. "I figure that if you need him to stay put, the same way I gained his silence should suffice. He's pathetically predictable...but he has good taste.
She just gave us a 'sex with Granny' coupon, didn't she?

>>23904618
Good call.

>>23904620
Hmmm. I almost wonder if we should send someone other than Ssen, just because a non-lizardfolk might have better luck actually talking to him without provoking a reaction. But meh.

>>23904633
This.

>>23904637
is it wrong of me to want to cash that in ourselves

>>23904620
My gut says Lea but i fear she may be too preachy.
Peri, i suspect, could work the sympathy angle, what with being a reformed terrorist, herself.

>>23904647
Tanglebuddies!

>>23904648
I think Lea can manage discretion, if we talk to her in advance and make sure she doesn't react to anything with "Blasphemy!". We want to learn, *then* react.

You have a point with the "mercenary/freedom fighter" angle, though. But taking three people along might be a bit much; we don't want to intimidate him.

Would it be crazy to send Lea and Peri, and *not* Ssen?

>>23904647
If you and Tricia catch her in a good mood...or drunk...who knows what the light will show, eh?

>>23904674
Stop that.

>>23904667
Not at all. We're one of the primary objects of hate. He might clam up with us there.

>>23904684
So you just want to send Peri/Mari and Lea, and you don't go?

Just so you know, this leaves in in their hands, and they're okay with this ending with the headsman after their chat.

Do you have any specific orders to give them?

>>23904698
Do it.

>>23904684
Well, if his hate is *that* blinding, we probably won't get much out of him anyway. And if he's redeemable, having us around could help put a face to it.

>>23904698
Hmmm. If they're not as inclined as us to try to see if there's some human left in him, I think we need to go.

>>23904698
I want ssen to go. But don't have her be face to face with the prisoner.

She should listen in beyond visual range. This isn't a confession if it's lea and perimeri.

>>23904708
>>23904698
To add. See if they can get any info out of him.

>>23904712
Actually, fuck what I just said.

Go. Yourself. Maybe bring lea so she can factcheck light facts.

>>23904712
That's not a bad idea. We can always join the conversation if it seems prudent.

I'm still digging through lists of polearms trying to figure out the correct name for the weapon depicted in https:images/1364362537478.jpg .

>>23904755
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranseur

>>23904723
"So, we talk to her and you hang back?" Mari asks.

"Sounds like a plan." Peri says.

"Poor boy, so lost, and his head filled with heretical confusion and darkness." Lea sighs. "Shame it's not something that I can just punch out of him."

"Did Lea just make a joke?" Mari asks.

"Our brain must be finally melting." Peri says.

Lea does a quite un-holy hand gesture.

"So, how are we going to open this, good watch/ bad watch, or crazy dual minded Caligo Clarus and zealous bandaged Caligo Clarus?" Mari asks.

"A little labored." Peri says.

"Spare me." Mari says.

"ANYWAY...what do you want us to say Ssen?" Lea asks.

>>23904755
Ranseur or Partisan

>>23904698
Well, if you insist on orders for them:

Get information first. Find out if he has any reasonable complaints, or if it's all just propaganda.

>>23904755
Winged spear

>>23904778
"We're trying to find out two things. We want to know as much about First Stone Hall as possible, though you'll probably get more by getting him to talk than by interrogating him. Do they have any real substance beyond blind hate? Any real grievances, real or imagined? Lea, you need to figure out what they've perverted in the Teachings. But don't react too much to it, or he'll clam up. Peri, I was hoping you could understand him a bit because of your experience as a...freedom fighter.

And second, I want to know if there's any humanity left in him. Is he really irredeemably evil, or is he a kid that got caught up in a movement that sounded appealing, or somewhere inbetween?"

>>23904778
"Just try to find out who's leading this lot. Where' they're based out of. What this 'new teachings' really is. Stuff of that matter if you could. Also, find out if they actually have some type of grievances, real or not."

>>23904778
>>23904782
"Find out why he did it. What things does he think the lizards are responsible for? Find out his side of the story, before we run out of time to ask.

>>23904837
Yeah, "what does he think the lizards are responsible for" is a good way of putting it. Do they think the lizards are going to eat their children, like Princess Mumei did? Do they have some economic or social reason to not want them around? Is the language thing a core problem and fixing it would make a massive difference? Or do they just hate for no good reason at all other than inertia or the agenda of whatever charismatic leader they have?

>>23904782
>>23904812
"We're trying to find out two things. We want to know as much about First Stone Hall as possible, though you'll probably get more by getting him to talk than by interrogating him. Do they have any real substance beyond blind hate? Any real grievances, real or imagined? Lea, you need to figure out what they've perverted in the Teachings. But don't react too much to it, or he'll clam up. Peri, I was hoping you could understand him a bit because of your experience as a...freedom fighter."

"And second, I want to know if there's any humanity left in him. Is he really irredeemably evil, or is he a kid that got caught up in a movement that sounded appealing, or somewhere inbetween?

Finally, we need names of the people leading the purists, First Stone Hall, and this new church."

The pair nod. You all head into the cells and you hang back around the corner. It's easy to spot the Purist kid from the other regular purse takers, drunks, and other cell regulars.

He's the one crying.

"Hello." Lea says.

"Please...please...I don't want to die!" He sobs. "I don't want to die!"

Peri/Mari frown. "Oh now I just feel bad." She mutters.

"Do you know who we are?" Lea asks softly.

"Y-y-yes."

"We're not here to kill you." Lea says. "We just want to know what happened. Where were you when the ghouls attacked?"

"We lived outside the city. A town called Lamsbreath. We worked there. Dad was a field hand."

One of the little farming towns that supplies Stone Hall.

"We went to the refugee camps, because it was safer there. Then it was over, and we come back, and then...then Dad lost his job to one of those fucking lizards!" He banged on the cage door. "He...look, okay so...so he liked a bottle now and again. Is that a crime? Is that grounds enough for someone to give your life over to a monster?!"

Lea and Peri look at each other. "No." Peri says. "No I think it's reason to be mad."

>>23904900
Ah, the terrible sound of economic weight causing people to turn to crime.

>>23904900
I don't believe the kid could be this good an actor; this *seems* genuine, though I could go for a Sense Motive if that's an option.

And yeah, sounds like we're talking non-trivial problems here, though that doesn't rule out a figurehead pulling them together and whipping them into a frenzy.

>>23904900
"You see your loved ones get bossed around or suffer, and those at the top say that's how it is, so you have to eat that shit and smile while you do it." Peri shakes her head. "Plenty of reason to be mad."

"Yeah, so now we're homeless...and we go looking for work but...Dad...he...it's the lizard's fault you know! He'd be out there working and sober, if it weren't for them!" He sobs. "I don't want to die! Please, I just want to go home!"

"You tried to kill us." Lea says. "Murder innocent travelers."

"It's not a sin to purge the world of Monsters. That's what Father Billings says. He says that...that if I kill a monster, then my place by His Side in His Light is guaranteed!"

You hear the irritation in Lea's voice. "Straight to his side? No journey in His Light, but right to him?!"

"Yes! He says there are special ways to gain his favor above others and one way is to ki-"

BANG!

You then see Peri/Mari drag Lea back around the corner. "Okay...someone needs to calm down."

"That...that...there's so many...the sheer heresy and violation of EVERY Teaching!" Lea fumes.

You've never seen her this mad before.

Ah the good old they are taking our jobs bit.

>>23904940
(The bang was Lea punching the jail bars...she probably made a dent)

>>23904900
www.youtube.com/watch?v=768h3Tz4Qik

First_stone_hall.mp4

>>23904900
For now, lets just let the kid talk. He sounds like he wants to vent. We may get more out of him that we want without asking.

>>23904940
Okay. We learned something.

One: That they have legitimate economic concerns involving the scarcity of work forcing poor quality workers out of employment.

Two: Some asshole is spreading bullshit that is SUPER HERETICAL.

>>23904940
Lea confirmed for Fuklaw

Let's make sure she didn't wreck her hand. Don't say anything though, a 3rd voice would just tip the kid off.

>>23904940
Father Billings, huh? And this is classic cultspeak; it's hard to fight misinformation when the misinformation sounds so much better and more appealing than the truth.

>>23904951
This, for the moment. Let Peri/Mari work with this for a bit. But when we've got a bit more information, I think he needs a chat with one of his "Monsters".

>>23904940
What a joke. As far as I'm concern we got what we needed. A name and their so called reason.

Let Paladin Avery deal with him from here on out.

>>23904980
Yes, let's deal with cults by killing all the cultists to the last man; they can't possibly be human, and fallible, and convinced by a silver tongue and promises of making their lives better.

>>23904980
>so called reason
There are enough workers in the environment now that they are competing for the same employment, along with the lack of citadel's magical employment field. Some people are going to be starving and homeless by now.

It's a legitimate economic concern, and a known symptom of it is outbreaks of violent crime.

>>23904980
Avery would just off the kid. A bit more than some farmboy swept up in a movement by some fucker that brought out honor, glory, and a place at His Side, and all the other nice words that put a gloss on genocide.

>>23904996
A bit more than the kid deserves that is

>>23904940
Will this end in a Pheonix Wright style theological debate between Lead and Billings?

"Objection! Lightbringer 1:28 CLEARLY states that..."

"Ah, but Archpriest Canterbury's translation of the text has a quite different context..."

"Irrelevant. The meaning of the passage is clearly..."

>>23904980
>>23904995
Anyway, my plan is bring the bossman to trial for super heresy. Convince someone to offer amnesty to the rest of the people. Find employment and labor for them.

Anyone still remaining who is violent, well, we did our best.

>>23905006
Well, we could always use that teacher idea from a while ago...

>>23904993
>>23904995
>>23904996
And the kid screwed up and broke the law.

Yes the ligament reason the economic field. But I referring to the bullshit one of killing 'monsters' to go to his side one or lights side.

End of the day. He fucked up. He'll have to pay the price.

>>23905026
Yes, sadly we live in a setting where things like highwaymen exist, and they get strong, strong penalties.

I feel just terrible about it though.

Possible speech if we ever decide to talk to him

"My father spent his life battling Monsters both those that wore human skin and otherwise. But that was merely part of his journey as a Paladin. He preached. He heard confessions, he did his best to bring the Light to all he could. And when he thought he failed he left the Paladins. He was at his darkest but he did not abandon the Light. He took a job to kill some feral Lamia. They were my mothers. After killing them he found me and saw not a monster but a child. And brought himself back into the Light and me along with him. To walk in His Light is to struggle against life itself. For life can be dark and cold. But his Light will always warm you. By listening to Father Billings that there is an easier way is to walk in the darkness and never leave."

>>23905026
>>23905040
Just to assuage your current anger? We are better than that. There is another way.

>>23904995
>There are enough workers in the environment now that they are competing for the same employment, along with the lack of citadel's magical employment field. Some people are going to be starving and homeless by now.

In theory, there aren't just twice as many people, there should be nearly twice as many jobs too. The lizardfolk had a society to begin with, and so did the humans.

>>23905026
We tried desperately to find some humanity left in *Odette*, and she tried to engineer the execution of innocent people.

This guy didn't kill anyone, and as far as we know he might not even have attacked anyone other than us. And we have the power to forgive that. Do it personally; show him that his "Monsters" have the capacity for forgiveness. See if that makes him open to hearing more about the true Teachings. If we can't save this guy, who *can* we save?

>>23905026
He's still just a kid who got in over his head.

I say we make an example out of him.

Show the rest of them that we're willing to be forgiving and most of all helpful with those who turn themselves. Train them with useful skills that will help them get jobs.

More flies with honey than vinegar, after all.

>>23904940
At this rate, he's going to go to the Light a bigot and a killer and I really can't think of a way to stop it.

We have a name now though. I believe it's time for a pleasant chat with this Father Billings.

>>23904972
Lea's hand is fine, if very very sore. Peri/Mari go back in.

"So, are your parents in First Stone Hall?"

"Yeah." He says, sniffing. "It's lousy though."

"Oh?" Peri asks.

"There's never enough food, and the outhouses stink, and everyone has to sleep in these big tents." He says. "I hate it, and Mom hates it. Dad says we have to stay there, because that's where the good people belong, and our suffering makes us more holy in His Eyes."

Lea makes a choking sound. You order her out of the room. "Billings is MINE!" She whispers to you.

"Did your Dad find work there?"

"Kinda...well...it's hard you know. He's...he's sick a lot. So he has to rest, and Mom does what she can but...but she's Mom. That's why I signed up to be a rider. You go out on three good raids and you can get your own private tent."

"Noble." Peri says. You hear the sound of her sitting down and one of her armor clasps coming undone. "Sorry, long day. So, you fought amazingly well, almost killed that lamia."

"Yeah, well. Sally trains us really really hard. She's really nice." He says. "I'd...i'd do anything for her?"

"Really?"

"Yeah...she finds the best boys and she...I mean if we're good and we impress her she..."

There's a pause, you think the kid might be whispering to Peri.

"One moment..." Peri gets up from her position and walks to you.

"I need a bucket to vomit in. Now." Mari looks sick. "Stupid kids, they think...oh may the Darkness take all of these people." She shudders. "The older riders must have been in the minority. The younger ones are trained by these...people...that reward skill and savagery with...fuck it, we're killing all of them. I'm with Avery on this."

>>23905053
No, highwaymen aren't killed to assuage anger. Not at all.

It's because highwaymen are not acceptable whatsoever. The policy for them, in the majority of historical settings as far as I am aware, was death, since they were all murderers at the least.

Like pirates.

It's unfortunate I said.

>>23905056
>if we can't save this guy, who can we save?

I think we might, MIGHT be able to save his soul.

Legally? I don't think there's much we can do to save him. Does this legal system have dropped charges? Can you drop charges when they are a thing like highwaymanship? I do not know.

>>23905064
...aaaand there we have it. A totally fucked up cult talking advantage of people in need.

>>23905026
You can say that if you like, but ultimately you're turning around all of the work that we've done. This is about making things better, not just putting down rebellion. This will fail if we don't do the right thing.

If we can fix the economics, most of their reason to fight will be gone.

>>23905064
"And if we do that, the Darkness will take more than just them. Damn it all."

sounds like the leaders deserve to die. The good father, this Sally. But first we need to make them the villians they in the eyes of those that follow them.

>>23905064
Is it time to go in yet? I mean, both perimeri AND lea left the room because they couldn't take it any more.

If neither of them can talk to him any more, then that leaves only us. And seeing how he reacts to us.

>>23905064
So, First Stone Hall is horrible compared to Stone Hall; those kinds of conditions breed this kind of thing. It's not like there's a lack of space in Stone Hall for reasonable people. Forget going on raids to get your own tent; help rebuild a place to live and it's yours.

>>23905081
We're a Paladin, and we wield a lot of authority; we were told as much by Her Illuminated Self when we became a Paladin.

>>23905093
>>23905104
These.

>>23905107
Yes, he needs to meet one of his monsters.

>>23905093
This.

Stop thinking with your brains and start thinking with your heart.

>>23905133
I'm just saying we may not be able to get this guy cleared of charges without significant collateral damage, depending on our levels of legal clout and the highwaymanship laws and precidents.

>>23905115
>So, First Stone Hall is horrible compared to Stone Hall; those kinds of conditions breed this kind of thing. It's not like there's a lack of space in Stone Hall for reasonable people. Forget going on raids to get your own tent; help rebuild a place to live and it's yours.
And to elaborate on this a bit: it's not like there isn't enough food for everyone; if there wasn't, then they clearly need more working farmhands and others to fix that. Conditions might be a bit austere for a while, but they'll be a hell of a lot better than First Stone Hall.

>>23905144
Paladins have a lot of clout. If he is repentant then we could probably commute his sentence in exchange for the information he gave us on the cult.

>>23905144
Avery seemed more than willing to listen to us before. Let's assume for the moment that we have enough power here; if not, we'll deal with that when the time comes. Assuming we do, this guy is terribly misled, not irredeemably evil.

Look: if we were raised by our birth parents, rather than our father, how would we have turned out? Evil?

>>23905115
Can we go in and request the boy be taken into our Custody?

Part of this resentment seems to be based on blaming them for how they live..I wonder how he'd react to seeing how the other half was forced to live.

>>23905068
So, you're saying we should bow to the way things are? We have 17 threads showing that awesome works.

What is awesome is removing the monsters training kids like this and giving them a life to live.

Being a paladin means dispensing justice. Is it just for the boy to die for being scared?

>>23905160
>evil?
Super DUPER evil. I don't mind saving this guy and repenting him, if logistics and legality and morality permit.

First, though, we have to see if he's even willing to repent.

>>23905103
"And if we do that, the Darkness will take more than just them. Damn it all."

"Donovan had more decency in him than these people." Peri mutters. "Alright, alright...so mindless heresy, leading an army of kids with drugs and sex, might as well go for the hat trick before we find these people and flay them alive."

She takes a deep breath and goes back to the kid.

"So, was that your first raid?"

"No." He says. "I did another. It was amazing."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, we liberated some feed and flour from these traitors and two lizards." He sighed. "Mom was really proud of me and Sally, she had one of her helpers...well...she had her give me a-"

"I can guess." Peri says. "So, I'm assuming you got to eat that night then, right?"

"No, Lord Gammar took the food and divided it evenly upon everyone. He makes sure that everyone gets a fair share." The kid says. "He's good like that, much more fair than that short legs who makes everyone suffer."

"Sounds like a great man," Peri takes a breath. "During that raid, what did you do?"

"I killed one of the monsters!" The kid says. "Ran him right through his scales, that's how I knew how to make that lamia monster bleed so well. I also helped beat one of the traitors. It's what they deserve, they can go to the darkness and wade in the filth for their wicked ways."

"I...I see...thank you."

"Please...does this mean I don't have to die? I don't want to die. I want to see my mom!" He says.

Peri/Mari just walk away.

She exhales. "Ssen, I think I hate taking confessions."

>>23905175
Hey, if we have the clout, then we have the clout.

If we don't, there is no way we could reshape the legal system quickly enough to spare this boy, and we'd have to pull off an interruption of execution like we did before.

which I STILL feel bad about, since we were faking miracles of the light.

>>23905161
We should show him the sewers where the lizardmen lived.

>>23905192
OK, concrete proposal. I think it's time for us to talk to him. Yes?

We can defer the life and death decision until at least partway through that conversation. But given our own personal history...

>>23905183
i agree. time to confront him as one of his monsters.

>>23905052
my speech, probably needs something added on how he has a right to be mad but not to blame the lizards for his fathers misfortune. Hatred is never the answer. All it leads to is darkness.

>>23905192
"Confessions aren't something you generally enjoy taking, no."

Okay guys. He's a murderer. But he also gave us information on the chaplain.

Is he repentant?

>>23905195
Bingo.

First though, we put the Fear of Ssen into him. Enter and approach Avery.

>>23905195
Pretty much this. After taking confession. Kids young and stupid. We may just scare him straight. Pretty a victim of demonization stories.

>>23905224
Avery is the dwarf.

He is not here.

>>23905223
we need to talk to him first, and show him how the lizardmen lived under the city.

>>23905237
Then approach whoever can give the kid up to us for a bit of a walk.

>>23905192
>"I killed one of the monsters!" The kid says. "Ran him right through his scales, that's how I knew how to make that lamia monster bleed so well. I also helped beat one of the traitors. It's what they deserve, they can go to the darkness and wade in the filth for their wicked ways."

So you guys are just perfectly alright with just letting a murderer walk or do 'hard' time? No Justice for the dead at all?

>>23905221
This, yeah, but we need to emphasize the parallelism between our story and his. How we would have turned out if we'd been taught differently.

>>23905224
>>23905227
Yeah. Act as a translator. Introduce him to some kids. Maybe see if the lizardfolk he killed have a family he can see (from a distance).

>>23905256
Mage's sister is in an asylum. She isn't dead. She killed people.

>>23905256
That is another question we are trying to answer.

Do all murderers deserve death? The light is infinitely forgiving, but should we be?

>>23905256
Shit no, he'll be punished, we're gonna make sure he knows why he's being punished.

>>23905256
oh he still deserves the ax. He just should be absolved before his Light before he dies.

>>23905256
We aren't going to go off half cocked captain criminal scum.

>>23905266
She deserves the axe or the rope.

>>23905256
there are plenty of ways to punish him without having his head roll.

remember, he is being brainwashed by a cult.

>>23905272
Suppose Father found us only slightly older, and our parents had fed us people? This isn't a lovely little bright line with evil on one side and good on the other.

>>23905284
This.

Lets just try to get this kid alone and give him a real dose of reality and offer him some manner of redemption before the law does what it has to.

Right now he thinks he has only killed monsters. Because monsters and people are different things.

He doesn't think he is a murderer.

here is how I feel about it.

Repentant murderers go in the reform and repay their debt to society box.

Unrepentant murderers get shanked right up.

If at any time questioning whether they are repentant or unrepentant puts innocents at risk, specifically in combat or hostage situations, shank them anyway.

>>23905284
Also, if we kill him then we'd better be prepared to kill the cult to the last man, because they'll know what happens to them otherwise. And if we make a point of not doing so, and finding some suitable punishment other than death, how many of the cultists will suddenly find themselves questioning what they believe about monsters?

>>23905331
It would be a wise political move for the racism problem to let him live, I agree.

AND, we've not put a murderer to death yet. If we let this boy die while we actively covered for mage's sister, that would have been both nepotism and waifuing.

>>23905319
We should ask him to explain to us what a monster is.

Might get his brain ticking.

>>23905183
Logistics: He doesn't want to die. Do you need to be spoon-fed a way to do this?

Morality: We're a motherfucking paladin.

Legality: We are the law. Our choices will save them or damn them.

Go read the archives and lurk more.

>>23905064
Go into the cell. "I've heard your story, and Avery has a lot on his mind. You don't matter to him, and you attacked me. If I was a petty bureaucrat, you would be dead.

Paladins are better then that. You deserve better than that. If you can tell us any more about the camp, I will promise to have your sentence lightened, possibly commuted if I can. Confessing to me, if you feel you have something to confess will help.

My promise to you is to get help for those in the camp, and find jobs, if I can. They deserve better than this too.

Man. Discussions like these make me feel for quest thread characters, I wonder if this is what its like to have schizophrenia.

So we go in and make a beeline for the Warden.

"You're going in?" Peri/Mari ask.

You nod. "Go tell Avery about the names we got, see if he has anything."

She nods and goes to tell. She pauses. "The kid's a murderer, a bandit, and he assaulted a Paladin with deadly force. He's messed up, yeah...but you know that there's only two ways this can go, rope or ax." She heads up.

You slide up to the kid's cage.

The kid screams bloody murder and pushes himself against the back of the wall. "S-S-STAY AWAY!" He yells. "HELP! SOMEONE! HELP! PLEASE, IN YOUR INFINITE POWER AND WISDOM...please...don't let the monster kill me...I wanna go home! I wanna go home!" He breaks down crying still terrified of you.

>>23905349
Don't preach. He's heard enough of that. Ask him questions to get him thinking. >>23905347
This is good.

>>23905356
in moments like these we've decided Ssen just stares unblinking at someone for several minutes before making her move. She is part snake afterall.

Honestly I'd rather talk to the boy before anything else.

>>23905349
>if they permit
>OF COURSE THEY PERMIT READ AND LURK MORE

I recall we had an extremely difficult time stopping an execution, and julian couldn't stop it either.

OK, can we agree for now that we want to talk to him and try to relate to him, and then see if we can get him to see his "monsters" as people? It sounds like we know we want to do that anyway, whether it's to show him why he needs to die or show him why he has to endure living knowing what he's done.

If we can't even get him to that point, then we won't have much of a decision to make. If we can, and he actually understands what he has done...

>>23905349
No, he already told us enough about the camp, and if we tell him that explicitly he'll see it as him betraying his people. He might think we just want to go kill his parents or something. And he certainly doesn't want us to take his confession yet.

Go with redaeth's version of our history. We're a living, breathing argument for nurture over nature.

>>23905367
Keep calm. No sudden moves, let him get the kneejerk out of the way.

>>23905367
Oh boy.

Slither down next to him. Sit a while.

When he is quiet enough to talk to, ask him

"What is a monster?"

>>23905349
>your sentence lightened, possibly commuted

Yeah, no. He's confessed to murder. He will need to pay for that. Fully.

>>23905385
I like this as an introduction. For all he knows, we can't talk. Best case reaction: "you can talk?"

>>23905370
because that was for the supposed attempted assassination of a freaking Prince, in the seat of Citadel's power, and it was framing people it wanted dead.

And we where not even a paladin yet.

>>23905395
Good points, but I still think it is valid to worry about legalities until it is confirmed what we can and can't do.

Act as you will, but I am going to continue worrying. It's what I do.

>>23905410
Do continue worrying; this is going to have consequences no matter what. For all we know, if we don't kill this guy Granny's command to not retaliate will break down. Let's just assume for now we have the option.

>>23905385
when he answers something like "human" reply to him a monster is something that hurts and kills without remorse. The ghouls are human after all. But nontheless they are monsters all the same.

>>23905428
What is a man?

A MISERABLE PILE OF SECRETS.

>>23905385
You slide up next to the bars, and wait, he stops sobbing and just waits.

"What is a monster?" You ask.

He shuts his eyes and puts his hands over his ears. "May my eyes be blinded to sin and my ears be deaf to lies. May my eyes be blinded to sin and my ears be deaf to lies. May my eyes be blinded to sin and my ears be deaf to lies." He keeps saying it over and over again.

Can we stop the execution: If we convince him, just need write it well. Beforehand, we were dealing with the Citadel + Sophie going nuts, this will be easy if we just get a decent writer to do it.

I'll do my best if no one else can do it.

>>23905449
Wait calmly.

>>23905449
>>23905461
If it goes on for too long.

"May the Light open your eyes and your ears to the truth."

He fights against blasphemers too right?

>>23905449
"..That's now how it goes." Hold his hands and say the thing we always say to keep the Citadel from hearing.

>>23905449
>eyes shut and ears covered
Now is the PERFECT time to hold his had, caress his hair, place a holy symbol on his lap, or any number of personal outreaches.

"If you don't want to talk, you don't have to. I just thought you might want to."

>>23905461
Eventually, he runs out of steam, and just sits there, he's gone back to begging for his mother and begging for His Light to have him not die.

He's turned away from you so he doesn't even have to look at you.

>>23905449
Alright, time for some real prayer. Grab our medallion; "Light above, if there is a spark of light left in him that has not been smothered by the darkness, let it shine brightly."

>>23905454
Sage we can only sabotage so many executions.

>>23905467
>>23905465
>>23905463

Okay, guys, he's in a cell and Avery didn't give you the key. He's on one side of the door and you're on the other. Just so you know.

>>23905469
At this rate, we're gonna need to start singing Dynamite Explosion or something to get through to him...

Regardless, I vote for both >>23905465
and >>23905463

>>23905478
Okay, so, like... this isn't a cell with bars that you can reach through, then?

Excuse me while I re-imagine the scene.

>>23905470
"Light above, if there is a spark of light left in him that has not been smothered by the darkness, let it shine brightly."

He looks at you scandalized. "You can't do that!" He says. "Stop it! Monsters aren't allowed to pray!"

>>23905491
Ask him again. What makes a monster.

>>23905491
"What is a monster?"

>>23905486
Oh it is, but you guys were saying like 'sat next to him' and stuff like that. He's pressed himself against the far wall from you. You can't reach him.

>>23905491
"What makes a monster?"

>>23905491
>>23905498
>what makes a monster
I think "what is a monster" is better wording, but either way, the sentiment is there.

>>23905469
"..Where did you learn that chant? This is the fist time I've heard such a thing."

>>23905499
"What is a monster?"

"You!"

>>23905500
okay, that makes sense.

>>23905454
No. There is a difference between stopping the execution of innocents, and stopping the execution of a murderer and highwayman. Stopping the execution, especially through miracles would probably be the worst thing we could do. Implying that they are right? That the light is on their side? Can you imagine the uproar that would cause?

>>23905509
"No one else?"

>>23905491
"How would you describe a monster? Something that hurts and kills without remorse?"

>>23905509
"Yes, yes, heard it before, why am I a monster?"

>>23905509
"..And why am I the monster here?"

>>23905509

this >>23905516
plus
"You call me Monster? I have never killed an Innocent."

>>23905520
He's not ready for that one quite yet, as tempting as it is.

>>23905473
I prefer to think off it as a scorecard, not as a once-a-year spell.

"So you don't want to die, your parents need food, and your father needs medicine. Anything else?

>>23905528
Pretty sure his father doesn't need medicine as much as he needs to get back on the fucking water wagon. And a job.

>>23905516
"How would you describe a monster? Something that hurts and kills without remorse?"

"Yes! That's what you do!"

"I have never killed an Innocent."

"Liar! Monsters lie, they are creatures without Light or souls, they do nothing but lie and kill...may he blind my eyes..." And he's back to the mantra.

>>23905528
Fuckin this
Time for a food and medical supply delivery, personally delivered to their doorstep.

>>23905542
See if we can't get some Lizardfolk delivering it. For extra guilt trip.

>>23905539
If he falls back to the mantra, just assume we let him get tired of it unless we say otherwise.

>>23905546
>>23905542
Yes, lets put people in harms way by going to the racist kill happy camp.

>>23905539
"May the light prevent any more youths from falling into the darkness this one has. "

>>23905539
"That chant..where did you learn it? It doesn't sound like any of the Teachings that I was ever taught. I mean, why would you want the light to strike you blind? Even if it was only to sin, doesn't that just mean you wouldn't know what a Sin is?"

>>23905539
"Seems to me that you're the one thats lost sight of the Light. You can't perceive through the darkness of your prejudice."

>>23905539
Apart from a "What's your name?" that we're sorely missing here, I think it's storytime. Time to tell him about how we could have been a monster, but by the grace of His Light we were raised differently. Tell him about a man paid by some townsfolk to exterminate some Lamia.

>>23905562
This; I wonder how he'll react to the idea that we were taught the Teachings.

>>23905562
>"That chant..where did you learn it? It doesn't sound like any of the Teachings that I was ever taught. I mean, why would you want the light to strike you blind? Even if it was only to sin, doesn't that just mean you wouldn't know what a Sin is?"
>>23905563
It is not our spot to judge right now. Keep questioning, not lording over him. It will lessen the chance he drops back into what he's been conditioned to.

>>23905514
and there is a difference between a child that is misled by the true monster(the cult), and a normal highwayman doing it because he can.

we are not trying to cause a miracle, we are trying to get him to repent, so that we can reduce his sentence to something besides death.

>>23905575
Should every sob story that gets thrown our way get reduced sentencing?

>>23905573
Point. He goes catatonic when he thinks we blaspheme.

>>23905539
"You don't want to talk about monsters. OK. Let's talk about a man, instead. A good man. He was hired by some townsfolk, who told him to kill some monsters that had taken up residence in a cave."

(Start with that.)

>>23905575
A murderer is still a murderer, even if they say sorry. We cannot reduce sentence for that sort of thing.

>>23905586
Heck no. We're not going easy on him because he's had a hard life; if he was knowingly stealing and killing We're going easy on someone who, based on everything he's ever been taught, can't see a difference between a Lamia and a common pest that needs exterminating to protect his family. You know, like those pesky monsters who keep coming into perfectly good caves and killing decent Lamia who are just trying to raise a family.

Ssen:

Sit there for five minutes staring at the guy.

As you habitually do on these really hard problems.

>>23905632
I heard somewhere that snakes don't really blink.

Wonder if that applies to Lamias.


We need to challenge Granny to a staring contest.

>>23905539
wait it out
"You will not find that mantra in any prayer book of the Light."

>>23905586
>>23905609
no, every situation is unique and should be judged by its own merits.

You are consistently ignoring the fact that he is a Child, not some adult that chose this path on his own.

>>23905652
See, he's not quite a child is one of the points here.

He is old enough for it to be unclear. Especially by lamia standards.

Echo, just how old is this 'kid' ... ?

>>23905609
We're not suddenly better because we're a PC, suddenly worse because he got a shitty hand in life. One player telling another what they can and can't do in a game they don't run is novell.

>>23905652
>>23905663
I think the problem is less that he's a kid, and more that he's been blatantly received.

>>23905652
not to mention he was tricked in by sex and drugs. now all those assholes at the camp need is rock'n roll to have evil klux-klux fantasy biker

>>23905592
"You don't want to talk about monsters. OK. Let's talk about a man, instead. A good man. He was hired by some townsfolk, who told him to kill some monsters that had taken up residence in a cave."

"No, no, no...just shut up shut up shut up....you're an evil monster and you're going to try and get into my head with lies, and Father Billings has told me better and I'm going to go to His Side, and you're going to go away to the Darkness where you'll be in the muck and pain forever, because that's what you deserve!" He says in a half-ramble half-sob.

The kid is so broken.

"Why did this have to happen to me? Everything was good until now...why did my life suddenly become so miserable?" He sobs. "I want to be happy again! I don't want this!"

>>23905539
"What's your name kid?"

>>23905667
16-20 you guess.

>>23905685
"What would you have done to the people I was protecting, if you had indeed killed me?"

>>23905688
This.

>>23905685
OK, I think we need to give this kid some hope before we can fully get him to listen.

"You say I'm a monster, that I kill people. You attacked me. So tell me, if I'm a monster, why am I trying so hard to find a reason *not* to let you die here?"

>>23905702
This.

>>23905699
Interesting line of questioning; kinda leads down the "can humans be monsters" road.

yes he was driven to this by others, his father, his priest, his 'lover.' but That does not absolve him of the fact that he has murdered twice and tried to do it again with us. In this land such crimes are dealt with execution. However we should do every effort we can to reach his soul before that happens. Its one of the duties we have as Paladin.

>>23905702
He would have killed them. He already said traitors deserve to die. I believe he even killed someone already.


>>23905685
You killed people. No matter what you think you killed people. His Light will accept you regardless because He is forgiving. But you will have a much longer Journey to make before you are by his Side.

A NOTE:

Ssen is 18. This guy might be OLDER than us.

>>23905702
>>23905699
I think both of these could work - lead off with us telling him we're trying to save him, then follow up with the other question.

>>23905713
no, he killed a LIZARDMAN. he BEAT some traitors.

>>23905685
"And why are you going to go to the Light? Why do you deserve it when the only thing you did was be born with legs and a useless flat tongue."

>>23905702
>"You say I'm a monster, that I kill people. You attacked me. So tell me, if I'm a monster, why am I trying so hard to find a reason *not* to let you die here?"

"What?" He asks. "You're...what? You mean you're trying not to..." He sits there. HIs survival instinct overpowering all of the other things. "Why?"

>>23905720
>>23905728
Fuck I'm doing the caps things again, it is a hard habit to break.

This is so fucking gay.

>>23905736
Because I love people. And I believe no one is ever beyond redemption.

>>23905743
Really? You pull this NOW?

>>23905736
Because everyone deserves a chance. My father gave me one despite the 'monster' so many people see me as. He was the man I mentioned.

>>23905702
Definitely this.

>>23905743
Only about half as gay as you.

>>23905736
"...Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lady Ssen Patrick of the Dawnchasers, Paladin and Servant of the Light."

>>23905736
"because I've been taught by my father to give others another chance, because even if you did something bad you were manipulated too do so"

>>23905761
>>23905768
It's okay, we forgive him. Back to questing.

>>23905736
I want to help you, I want to help as many people as I can, but before I can do that, I need to know what the problem really is. This is why I am asking these questions.
>>23905761
He's just frustrated. Limits of patience and whatnot.

File: 1364374852191.jpg-(47 KB, 600x450, Lamia_by_MirrorCradle.jpg)

47 KB JPG

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn
the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.

>>23905736
"Because I serve the Light.

Because I think you've been dealt a shit hand in life, and deserve a second chance.

...but ultimately, I think its because I want to stop hatred, suffering and death wherever I see it."

>>23905736
And there's our opening. Time to tell him our story, redaeth's version.

And end it with: "So, that's why I'm talking to you, and not just standing by and letting you die for attacking me and for killing people in the past. Because I wouldn't be here if there wasn't forgiveness in this world for me, if my Father couldn't see past the monster to a person, if he hadn't taught me the Teachings and shown me the Light. I'd still be in the darkness, not knowing that there was any alternative."

>>23905758
"Because I love people. And I believe no one is ever beyond redemption."

"Yes, oh...yes yes yes. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry I killed that mon-that lizard person and hurt those people. I'm very very very sorry...please...I confess I confess I repent I repent, please, anything...just don't kill me! Let me go any you'll never see me again, I swear I swear! Please. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!" He says.

>>23905789
man we are not getting through this kid. He just isn't listening.

>>23905789
This
>>23905774
We don't have to impress him, we have to genuinely convince him we are here to help. Otherwise he will simply think of us as a way out.