You are Osyki, journeyman Totemist and first line of defense for your village against the rabid Behemoths wandering the land. Your master, the previous Totemist, fell in a battle against a terrible Behemoth, leaving the duty of defending your settlement to you. Now, with the improvements to your village's defenses and infrastructure coming along smoothly, another group of humans has been spotted to the south, past the swamp. It's time to meet up with them, whether for good or ill, and your village has never had a more important day (as far as you're aware).

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[[Previous Threads: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=totem

The Cast Thus Far: http://pastebin.com/uwRsEHcX ]]

>>25178914
Double check our stuff, make sure all of bindings are in order, make sure we're prepared and have all of our travel supplies and then some with us. Stretch, make sure we're feeling awake and limber.

Then it's time to head out.

>>25178914
make sure we have all of our stuff, that our bindings are secure, and that he is properly prepared for the trip

You pat yourself down, taking stock of your equipment. Your Foci are all bound, and your bag is packed with your standard traveling gear. You look the Elder up and down, skeptical.

"Are you sure -you're- prepared?" you ask the Elder, noting his lack of provisions, or even a weapon to defend himself with. "It's a long journey, and if we're to make it there in time we'll need to head through the Swamp to get there."

Haine just laughs, nodding. "Don't you worry about me, Osyki. I've been a woodsman all my life. We'll get there just fine... as long as you can keep up!"

He lets out another wheezing laugh, and takes off out the south gate.

Around your neck, Boand's Pearl rumbles.

'Today's the big trip, right?' Boand asks within your mind. 'Shall I let Sylvia know to clear the way for you?'

>>25179488
"It would be appreciated Boand, the less trouble I have to deal with today the better.

Thanks, I know, I owe you one."

TODAY IS A HAPPY DAY!

>>25179488
if you would be so kind. It might show to the elder our good relations with the sylvia.
and thanks for this

>>25179540
This.

You clasp your hand around the Link Pearl, nodding. "That would be appreciated, Boand," you mutter. "The less trouble we face today, the better. I owe you one."

'In fact, you do.' she says smugly. 'Siperco will be waiting for you at the edge of the forest. Best of luck!'

Elder Haine looks over his shoulder at you, eyebrow cocked. "Are we moving, or what?"

You grin, jogging to catch up with him.

"So," you ask, spear slung over your shoulder, "What's the plan?"

"Plan?" Haine asks.

"You know. When we reach the canyon. How do we want to approach this?"

Haine ruminates on that for a moment. "Obviously," he begins, "A peaceful interaction is within our best interest. I'd like to learn where these peope come from, and what their intentions toward our land are. We'll play it by ear, I suppose. Why, did you have any clever tactics and ideas?"

>>25179968
"Not really. I was just going to do the whole 'mysterious and powerful' thing. What if they intend to subjugate us?"

>>25179968
"What are our goals? Do we want trade, an alliance, protection...?"

>>25179968
"Nothing in particular.

They know a bit about me, and honestly I look rather terrifying as I'm wearing dead animal bits and I'm shrouded in darkness. So you can play up being reasonable and friendly, if you need them to think of us as powerful in some way feel free to mention me, I'll let you do most of the talking and negotiating.

If their intentions are less than savory what do you want to do about them?"

You shake your head. "No, nothing in particular. They've seen me as the mysterious, shadowy figure, so if you want to play up the kind and wise aspect of the village, I can certainly be the alternative. What are we going for here? Peace? Trade? Mutual protection?"

Haine nods. "Trade and mutual protection would be ideal. At least, what little protections we can offer to them. The elders have agreed that the village could greatly benefit from an outside source of information and innovation. Mayhew came around at the prospect of finally gaining access to a proper library again. Just remember to be congenial and respectful of their beliefs, and this should go smoothly."

"Let's hope..." you mutter.

The journey through the forest is a quiet one, and Elder Haine seems to be enjoying himself in the quiet woodland. You reach the cliff-like edge of the forest, and Siperco is there waiting for you. He seems... nervous.

>>25180859
"Something wrong, Siperco? How've you liked living in the forest so far?"

>>25180859
"Hello again, Siperco. Something the matter?"

>>25180859
Siperco is a snake-man right? My memory is a bit hazy.

>>25181203
There is a pastebin at the top with the characters so far.

>>25181213
Already checked, Siperco isn't in there.

>>25180859
"Hey Siperco. Good to see you again. Have you been enjoying your time in the forests?

Anything the matter? There any particular reason or are you just feeling a bit jittery?"

>>25181203
Yeah, he used to live in the swamp, but we gave him a place in the forest.

You give the Naga a wave, smiling. "Ho, Siperco," you say, and his head snaps round to look at you. "You alright? You look a bit jumpy. Forest life treating you well?"

He chuckles. "Ah, Totemist. I was wondering when you might arrive. There's been a slight... complication in today's travel plans."

"Complication?" you ask, an eyebrow raised.

Siperco nods. "I've spotted some Basilisk Brood running around our planned route for today. They're spawn of the Basilisk Wyrm. I hadn't expected any to survive, but apparently the Mother missed a nest in her eradication of the eggs. If we want, we can try to push through, but..." He throws a doubtful glance to Haine. "It may be too dangerous."

Haine and Siperco both look to you. "What do you think, Osyki?" Haine asks. "Shall we chance it?"

>>25181408
"Yes, but if Basilisk brood follow the same trend as baby snakes, they'll be even more venomous than their mother."

>>25181408
"I'll have to deal with them some day, may as well do it while they're still young.

Haine, I expect you to keep your distance and let me do my job, one bite from something like this and you may very well die. You're not expendable nor are you armed for this."

>>25181528

You grit your teeth. "Alright. I'll need to deal with them someday, and I may as well take care of them while they're massed. However," you say, turning to your Elder, "I expect you to keep your distance and let me do my job. If basilisk follow the same trend as snakes, one bite from this baby could mean your death. You are unarmed and unprepared."

He nods. "I understand, Totemist." he says. "I'll follow your direction. Just tell me where to be and where to stay." His tone is grave. It's clear that he knows this isn't a joke.

You nod. "Lead on, Siperco." you say. "I'll be ready."

He nods. "Alright. Watch your step, as usual."

(Going to get some food. Back in ~20. Go ahead and plan strategies for the upcoming fight; best attack description is your opening gambit.)

>>25181988
Anybody remember what we have bound to what? If we have our bow, I say we focus on taking them out at a distance. Sniping them with the shotgun bow and hoping that they go down with a shot to the head.

>>25182172
Shotgun bow? Is that what we get when we bind Cordia to the Bow? No, wait. That's the Ykree to the bow isn't it?

Notes:
- An Amal-Map/Book, he's a knowledge/advisor spirit, imagine what boon he could be when immersed in a knowledge repository
- A Tryd-Accessory, might grant light or sparks or soot for distraction or utilitarian purposes
- Try and upgrade those two spirits like how we are upgrading Boa
- Confirm with Sylvia whether or not the Village (Girsoch I think?) has some manner of protector spirit or if it falls under Sylv's own rule
- Does promoting Boa (pond to river) interfere with her position with Sylv?
- I am saddened by the probable revelation that Crystal Rock Turtle might not be intelligent enough to hold a conversation, his Focus is our first Feral Bind and a great one so far

Did you ever get to the 'How I Met Amal' flashback you promised?

Since Totems are lo-Focus, make some Injury/Endurance/Defense-related ones to carry around and share with Slayers.
Make one that is totally vegan (heh) for Walther.
Reposting White Knight's notes from a few threads back.

>>25181988
Okay, we keep our distance from these, poison and all of that. We stay above them in the trees, jumping between the trees.

Don't let them bite us, if they approach use our spear to impale them or stomp their heads into mush.

I think we have Cordia's rock gloves right now so even if they do get close they won't be able to bite through there, but still, stay cautious.

>>25182221
* Provide Thane with a cup of your blood boiled and reduced to a paste at the new moon.
* Make more useful totems
* Continue the log/journal of how to Totem
* Harvest more totem materials
* Bind more creatures
* Escort Elder Mayhew to the Southwest people

Particularily useful totems for us:
Totems of efficient work
Totems of keen senses
Totems of fit body
Totems of spiritual potency

Unresolved plot threads:
1. Magus
2. Elana - power and seals
3. Irken range conflict
4. Contact with southwest humans
5. Ayren's drawers
6. Behemoth site where Ayren was mortally wounded
7. Elements such as Earth - how do they work?
8. Gotta keep training Quinn and Terra
9. That one nature spirit that harassed us for talking to Lady Boa
10. There's plenty of NPCs in the world to talk to even if we have no obligations - Swamp Mother, Sylvannis, Lady Boand, the Mountain spirits, the Air/Rain/Storm spirits, Modi Magni, and probably others. Bound to be plot threads at every corner.

Here is the other Anon's To-Do List.

>>25181988
Okay since there doesn't seem to be anyone else giving plans let's try mine:

As far as I can see the problem here is that we are going to be outnumbered by the brood and can't get hit or will be poisoned.

With that said here's my plan we switch the bond in the bow with Raptor this would make the arrow homing then we can use cloudstrider to jump out of the way of the attacks so that we dont get hit. But our first attack should be from a vintage point using the bow and arrows until were discovered.

Alternatively we can bound the lightning turtle to out bow so that arrows become like lightning. Killing many brood with our arrows and scaring the others to the rest of the swamp so that we can go on our way.

>>25182236
We can cross the one about a cup of our blood out now, and we're escorting Elder Mayhew right now.

>>25182241
Oooh, the swamp is basically coated in water and my bet is that the brood will be lurking in the water. We should use the lightning turtle bow and shock the water, that way we can fry them all at once. Or a few of them at least. Only problem is that we have to be careful not to hurt Elder Mayhew and Siperco.

>>25182319
Nice. We can tell the Elded and Siperco to get on dry land or maybe up a tree?

In any case that could work we can fry the majority or all of the brood that way.

>>25182319
Don't forget, Cloudwalker's Stride can also be used to shock the water since it works by firing off a lightning bolt that propels us, basically. If I remember correctly.

>>25182541
True, but I don't really want to get close enough to the basilisk babies for that to be effective.

So the plan seems to be, bind the Rock Turtle spirit to our bow and try to catch the brood unaware so we can Zap 'em all at once. Have Siperco and the Elder climb up a tree or find an island of dry land so they don't run the risk of getting bitten or shocked. Whatever we do, DON'T let them get close to us and don't close to melee range.

>>25182825
yup. We don't have anything to counteract the poison so going in melee would just be stupid. Especially since we have bows and arrows just for occasions like this.

Also it's a shame we can't bind any of them since there's too many. There babies but they should still make interesting bound items.

>>25183106
Yeah, it is a shame we can't bind any of them. Maybe if the shock just weakens them we can pick them off one by one and then bind the last one after it's weakened.

>>25183269
Nah too risky. It's best to just to kill them all now. Instead of getting greedy and dieng because of it.

You halt at the edge of the swamp, swapping a few bindings around. The rock turtle's spirit crackling away within your Hunter's Bow hums with vitriolic energy, and you can see occasional ribbons of electric blue light arcing between the haft of your weapon and the triangles that your gloves are stored in. You nod to Siperco and Haine.

"When we approach," you warn, "I want both of you out of the water. Get on land, climb a tree. Just don't stand in the water."

You gesture to your bow, and they immediately understand.

The route Siperco had planned for you was apparently a route that cut through the very edge of the Wyrm's old territory. Elder Haine's face grows pinched and drawn as he surveys the utter devastation wreaked by the late Wyrm's mere presence.

You hear them before you see them; tiny, chittering noises backed by an unearthly whine. The Elder and Siperco quickly fall back, scrambling for the treeline. You move forward, similarly vaulting into a rotting, decrepit tree. Without foliage it won't offer you much cover, but a few seconds of extra distance may be all you need. You crouch, take aim, and fire as the first chitinous face surfaces from the brackish waters.

>1d100+10

Rolled 92

>>25183506
Thankfully swamp water is brackish and full of particulate matter which ought to make it rather conductive.

Rolled 37 + 10

>>25183506

Rolled 72 + 10

>>25183506
Dice for the totem throne.

Rolled 14 + 10

>>25183506
Here you go

>>25183562
Sweet

>>25183589
We could probably cheat like a motherfucker at games of chance with totem dice.

>>25183562

You crouch low in the blackened tree, arrow-string of electric energy drawn tight in hand. The wyrmling surfaces out of the water, easily the size of a man with four faintly luminescent, slitted eyes and enough rows of teeth for the rest of the swamp combined. You let fly your projectile, launching a stream of actinic white lightning into the murkey swamp. The water lights up in dancing waves of crackling energy, radiating in rippling waves from the epicenter of your shot. Raw lightning courses through the Wyrmling as it breaches, sending shuddering spasms along its entire serpentine length. You see two of its eyeballs rupture, tiny gouts of gore running in rivulets down its ebon-plated maw.

In firing, you realize, you have made a critical mistake. You have underestimated their numbers.

As a dozen dead Wyrmlings float to the surface, two dozen more climb over their bodies, surging through the water toward the source of the blast. You leap away from the deadwood you've perched on, landing nimbly on another nearby stump as the wyrmlings -demolish- the tree. You can see the corrosive venom dripping from their maws, virulent strings of acid-green and black slime.

>2d100 and battle strategies. I have to dip out for a bit, be back in ~1.5 hours.

Rolled 88, 37 = 125

>>25183939
Okay, keep on moving and dropping piles of electricity on them. Don't stay in the same place for long enough for them to surround us. There might be a lot of them but we have range that they don't. Play it safe and cautious, we're a lot faster than them.

Keep them bunched up, focus on ones that split off from the group to come around to our side or sneak behind us.

If any get close take them out quickly with our spear and use the spear to pole vault further away.

Rolled 62, 70 = 132

>>25183939
Damn any idea's guy's.

All I have is keep firing those arrows in the water as fast as possible to get rid of as many as fast as we can.

Rolled 22, 26 = 48

>>25183999
this seems good

>>25183939
keep moving. as long as we can stay out of their way our bow gives us an advantage. we can run into a problem of someone sneaking up on us or another denizen of the swamp getting us from behind. so stay mobile and continuously fireing. and see if amal or even cordia can watch our back for anything sneaking up

Rolled 30, 45 = 75

>>25183999
I agree with this, but I think our spear might be a bit unwiedly if we're switching between it and the bow rapidly. I think it'd be better to use our cordia gloves for claws or something like that.

>>25184014
Don't delete rolls, not cool man.

I forget, what do our gauntlets do?

>>25184772
they can turn liquid to solid and grow spike's to act as weapons I think?

>>25184772
They're made of hard earth, they can shift and alter their form as we wish, generally protecting our hands and making murderspikes.

It's a very versatile binding as they can shift to the given situation, they don't get in the way as they can just form little blocks on the back of our hand.

>>25185012
They can also morph into shields, if I remember correctly.

>>25185025
Probably. They can probably shift into shields, spikes, barbs, grip onto things for climbing, pick locks, slide between small gaps and open them, all sorts of great stuff.

Versatile as fuck.

Range is our friend on this one. Area affect would be nice, we need to get them back into the water and clustered.

What binds besides lightning-bow, rage-spear, and omni-glove do we have?

>>25185223
Raptor shorts that increases speed and dexterity

>>25185223
Shadow cloak for hiding.

>>25185223
Amal and Tryd are in their... I think it was a lump of coal and a necklace.

>>25185248
>>25185261
>>25185275
What's in our boots right now? What did we do with whatever bind we had in our bow?

>>25185287
I think we had a Ykree in our bow for poison arrows. Now I think we have the snake in our boots.

>>25185287
I think we just left it in our foci. If we put it in our boot's we can walk on water now If I'm not wrong. Although that wouldn't be good idea since well end up electrecuted.

>>25185329
Better to walk on water than in water, walking on it means we can jump around on it and we don't have our feet at a biteable level. We can traverse it, jump, launch an arrow at the fuckers, and easily go between points that otherwise we couldn't have.

>>25185353

I suppose thats true.

Yes! Totemist quest! I don't CARE if it is 4:33 AM. I WANT TOTEMIST QUEST.

>Decide to browse /tg/
>Totemist Quest
Nice
>GoT: A Song of Iron of Hate
Fuuuuuuck

We need a schedule so that we don't have so many quests running at the same time.

>>25185550
I know, right?

I saw someone say Totemist was coming back in the general thread today, and I literally yelled "What?!" At my computer.

Rolled 50, 83 = 133

>This thread

Yeah, fuck sleep.

Keep to the trees, try to peg the tiny things with lightning. If they get close, murderspikes/Modi.

Do Basiliks count as dragons?

>>25186099
I read it on my phone at work and my coworkers thought I was insane.

I actually danced a jig of joy when, for one shining moment, Totemist, Binder, and Doom quest ran simultaneously and the heavens aligned in Perfect Excellence.

It wouldn't be Totemist Quest without Diarca's narcolepsy.

...Still really glad to see he's back.

>>25187038
Me too, despite his medication fueled naps.

Rolled 49, 32 = 81

>>25187038
Just like old times.

Anybody have the Summoning Diarca image?

We waited for you Diarca.
And we're still waiting.

File: 1370146303363.png-(437 KB, 800x800, Summoning Diarca.png)

437 KB PNG

>>25187180
I couldn't bear to get rid of it.

>>25187260
Fingers crossed.

[[Back. Post in 5.]]

>>25187294
>>25187260
LIKE FUCKIN' CLOCKWORK.

>>25187294
Motherfucker, you were WAITING for someone to post that image. There is noo way. No way that was coincidental.

>>25187260
>>25187294
Son of a bitch.

>>25187294
>>25187260
HAHAHAHAHA

File: 1370146615043.gif-(498 KB, 262x200, My god....gif)

498 KB GIF

>>25187260
>>25187294

>>25187294
5?

File: 1370148162213.gif-(1.78 MB, 336x252, 1369446969179.gif)

1.78 MB GIF

>>25187260
>>25187294

>>25187966
Technically he didn't specify minutes.

>>25188073
>Five Days Later

>>25188079
>>25188073
Fair enough. Minutes, hours, or days, I'll still be waiting with baited breath.

>>25188079
He didn't even specify units of time.

Just... 5.

>>25188117
>Years go by.
>Decades
>Centuries
>Awaken from cryo sleep five millenia later as an alarm goes off in my sleep chamber.
>Diarca has posted.

>>25183999

Recognizing that mobility will be your greatest ally, you quickly take to the air. Using your agility to leap from tree-top to tree-top, you pepper the flooded forest below with rapid-fire shots from your bow. The lightning sends eerie shadows dancing across the water, throwing hay-wire reflections and patterns across the deadened landscape of the Wyrm's domain. You spiral out of the way of a pair of snapping jaws, launching a sparking missile down the throat of the wyrmling. It pops with a sickening squelch, and before the gore even has time to fall to the ground another serpentine, insectoid monstrosity charges through the cloud of viscera to assault you.

One worm grows too close, and taking a firm hold of your spear your whirl it around, neatly separating the beast's head from its torso. Modi Magni rumbles in approval, the White Fang focus glowing a sickly red in the dim forest light, and you can see the spear begin to writhe in your grasp.

Behind you, you hear a shout.

"Elder, look out!"

>>25187312

[[Man, if only I had that kind of sense of timing.

Or any sense of timing.

Or time.

Yeah. ]]

>>25188171
Oh, Modi Magni considers it a dragon?

Well that's nice.

>>25188315
No kidding, we might just need to take out a few more of them. I remember he was getting grumpy.

>>25188171
Don't even look, just pole-vault towards the elder's voice, take stock of the situation mid-flight, and kill the fuck out of anything that's menacing him.

>>25188171
Motherfucking fuck fuck. At least we're up against Dragons, of a sort.

Quickly make out way back to Haine, let loose pot shots with the lightning bow as we go but go as fast as practical, find what the threat is on him and eliminate it.

>>25188171
Any Idea's in how to deal with this.

All I can think of is throw the spear since it's probably a youngling and trust Modi to kill the damn thing beacuse of his thirst for Dragons

>>25188399
The problem is that Modi Magni hates humans almost as much as he hates dragons.

>>25188399
He also has a thirst for humans. I don't know if Haine is greedy enough to pique Modi's hunger, but I'd rather not risk it. Vault for the Elder and deal with the threat manually.

>>25188419
Yeah I posted that one before I read about Vaulting. Let's go with that plan.

You whirl around, acting before thought can fully take hold. Bracing your spear, you hurl your weight onto it. In flight, already vaulting off of the buried end of the weapon, you bring your fist around. Jagged spikes rocket out of the liquid rock that flows like quicksilver over your knuckles, spikes that bury themselves up to the hilt in the head of a Wyrmling inches away from your Elder's head. The wyrmling rockets away from Haine, twin piercings in its skull leaving ribbons of blood in the air as it falls into the swamp below.

Your efforts are not in vain. The constant barrage of electricity has left the air smelling deeply of ozone and burnt flesh, but the Wyrmlings are few now. The remaining beasts make for the water once more, fleeing the crackling snap of your bowstring.

>Pursue the wyrmlings, or resume your travels?

>>25189102
I kind of hate to leave a job unfinished, but part of me thinks we're lucky to have lived this long.

>>25189102
i would really love to get one of these as a feral binding, but i say dont push our luck

>>25189102
Wait until they hit the water then use the lightning to put them down from range. As much as I'd like to bind one of these beasts, I'd rather not be within 50 miles of their fangs, let along 50 inches. We put them down and move on.

>>25189102
Pursue the wyrmlings
we should bind one

>>25189102
Don't push our luck too far, we don't want to miss a straggler and have it hit Haine. But follow a safe distance towards them zapping the motherfuckers as we go.

>>25189204
Nope, not gonna try to bind something that fucking poisonous unless we have anti-poison Totems or Bindings on us.

>>25189102
We should pursue a little bit. Both to bind them and to please Modi Magni

>>25189102
One Last Arrow. If there going to the water an arrow to the water should kill them all.

>>25189102
If we don't get them now, they'll just be back more badass later. Kill as many as we can.

>>25189238
I think they're already out of range.

>>25189316
Huh what are you talking about?

Were not shooting the wyrms were firing an arrow into the water once they enter it. Our bow turns our arrows into lightning once the arrow hits the water all the snake's will get electrecuted.

>>25189410
I meant out of that.

I mean continuing to shoot is common sense.

You watch as the Wyrmlings go to ground (water, in this case) with a resolute expression. Drawing the ethereal string of your bow one more time, you close an eye and steady your aim on the epicenter of their retreat. Not singling out any one beast, you aim for the highest splash damage you can muster.

The bolt looses from your bow in a spectacular shower of sparks, diving into the water in a seamless arc. The electricity that erupts out of the water in a plume of crackling droplets fries the vast majority of the Wyrmlings. Still, you can't be sure that they're -all- dead without venturing down to the water to examine them for yourself, a prospect you're not keen on. You wait a few moments for the sparks to finish playing across the choppy surface of the murk, then lower yourself out of the tree.

Haine and Siperco rejoin you as quickly as they can, look relieved.

"Well done, Osyki." Haine says, gratitude written across his features. "That was most impressive."

You smile, taking the compliment graciously. "We should keep moving," you remind the two of them. "We want to be at the canyon before dark."

"Once we're out of the Wyrm's domain, the swamp should be relatively quiet." Siperco says. "The Mother has agreed to clear a path for us, seeing as we're off to deal with potential invaders. She'd like an audience with you again, eventually Osyki," Siperco says offhandedly. "Nothing urgent, I've been told. Just a message to pass along."

You nod. Another thing to add to your ever-growing to-do list. A Totemist's work, never done.

>1d100+5

Rolled 57 + 5

>>25189622

Rolled 63 + 5

>>25189622
"Work, work, work. Though the Mother does have excellent tea so I suppose it's worth it."

Rolled 13 + 5

>>25189622
"Elder, I'm sorry I was a little slow back there. I should have caught the one that got too close. I'm going to have to train harder. Siperco, let The Mother know about the wyrmlings. the faster they're fertilizing one of her gardens, the happier I'll be. And I don't want anyone thinking of harvesting their venom. And let her know I'll be by at my earliest opportunity. I'm beginning to realize why nobody ever saw my Master around the village. Always more to do."

Rolled 24 + 5

>>25189622
Nice and Bless us Dice Gods!!!

>>25189674

The remainder of your journey through the swamp progresses smoothly, if a little behind the pace you would prefer. True to his word, Elder Haine does an excellent job of keeping up with you. He's surprisingly spry for a fellow of his age, and he leaps from island to island with a nimbleness that seems to impress Siperco as well. He is constantly irritated by the presence of the insects indigenous to the swamp, but seems to travel in better humor when you remind him that at least on this trip, you haven't encountered any insects larger than the average thimble.

Once you breach the southern border of the swamp, the land gives way almost immediately to flat, temperate plains. The shock of the transition is palpable, and you instantly feel the muggy dampness everpresent in the swamp all the more keenly in your clothing and hair now that the atmosphere is not choked with it.

It is nearly lunchtime.

>Break to eat some rations and chat with Haine / Siperco, or press on?

>>25190114
Might as well take a break.

>>25190114
Rest stop.

>>25190114
Break, we want to be well fed for the meeting and give the food time to digest before it, and we just got out of the swamp we deserve a break.

Chat with Haine, get his opinion of the swamp, tell him that this is it as its best.

Last time we talked him him he said that he knew the religion that the people we're meeting follow from when he was a boy. Ask him more about the religion, its tenets and beliefs,, about why he knows this, and about the outside world in general if we have time.

>>25190114
>Break
Can't negotiate on an empty stomach!

Another number for the to-do list. Cleanliness totem. It seems like something you'd get a wind spirit for.

>>25190224

The three of you find a nice hill to take a rest on. It overlooks the surroundings plains, and with the sun overhead and a cool breeze blowing, it's the perfect place to stop for a bite to eat whilst retaining awareness of the plains around you.

You unpack your rations and sit down with Haine. As you do Siperco excuses himself, telling you that he'll wait for you by the swamp-line. You sense that he's gearing up to hunt some lunch for himself. If he eats. Do water spirits eat? What about 'corrupted' ones?

As you and Haine chow down on the bread and travel rations you've packed, you breach the topic of his seemingly expansive knowledge of the world outside of the village. His chewing slows, and he swallows before answering you.

"As you may be aware, Osyki, I was not born and raised in our village. Elder Mayhew and I both come from another settlement, a ways to the southeast. Our town was a small one, but we had contact with another settlement a few days down the road. We had to leave at a young age, due to the threat of encroaching beasts."

The way he hesitates before he says 'beasts' prompts you to think of the Wyrm's territory.

"It was a sad time. I'd prefer not to think on it before such an important negotiation, if you don't mind. Another time, perhaps."

>>25190619
Of course Elder I'm sorry If I brought up bad memories.

>>25190666
>Devil's trips

>>25190619
"Of course, my apologies Elder. I must admit though, should negotiations go well I look forward to finding some free time to visit their city. The prospect of an entire village I've never seen before is exciting."

>>25190619
"Of course, Elder. I'm sorry for dredging up painful memories. But you must know that I've spent my entire life in the village. We were never told of other settlements, or the original and founding of the village. This hill we sit on now is the furthest I've ever been from home. Logically I know that much exists beyond our forest and mountain and swamp, but to step into the world outside our little pocket of isolation is a bit overwhelming, even for a young Totemist-barely-out-of-training. Once we are safely home, I'd like to discuss more of the world with you."

>>25190619
"My apologies, I didn't know the details.

I've always thought of the world around us as so big, the mountains so high, the swamps so dense and full of life, it's strange to think of it as a tiny pocket of the world that few know of and fewer still care about.

Though not to press you too hard is there anything of their religion I ought to know? I wouldn't want to accidentally grossly violate some taboo or tenet of theirs."

You swallow hard. "Of course. I apologize, Elder Haine. I certainly didn't mean to bring up any bad memories."

He waves his hand at you, shaking his head with a congenial smile. "Not to worry, Osyki. I'm perfectly alright."

The two of you watch the wind blow waves through the tall grass below for a moment.

"I've spent my entire life in the village," you say suddenly. "We were never told of other settlements, or the original and founding of the village. This hill we sit on now is the furthest I've ever been from home."

You pause for a moment, chuckling.

"Logically I know that much exists beyond our forest and mountain and swamp, but to step into the world outside our little pocket of isolation is a bit overwhelming, even for a young Totemist-barely-out-of-training. I've always thought of the world around us as so big, the mountains so high, the swamps so dense and full of life, it's strange to think of it as a tiny pocket of the world that few know of and fewer still care about."

Haine nods. "Realizing one's place in the world is an important part of growing up, Osyki. Striving to improve that place is what makes a man heroic."

The wind ruffles your hair, blowing the hood of Nocturne's Embrace onto your shoulder. The smell of pollen and damp grass flows on the wind, a dance of life so close to the swamp that reeks of decay.

"We should depart," Haine says. "It's almost time."

>>25191053
"You're right, lets get going."

We need to add onto our to-do list. Make contact with whatever spirit controls this plain past the swamp. No way the swamp just naturally ends as suddenly as it does.

>>25191053
"That it is. Shall we be off?"

Stand up, stretch, and lead the way, we'll take point, once we approach the area do a quick bit of recon before having Haine personally meet them.

Also, switch back to Lightning Boots and Ykree Bow.

>>25191120
"Okay Let's go"

>>25191169
Yep, now that we're out of the swamp time to get back to lightning hops.

>>25191169
This don't forget to switch.

You take a moment to re-bind your totems, restoring your mobility-enhancing boots to their proper form, before setting off with Elder Haine. Being unfamiliar with the terrain this far from the village, both of you keep your eyes peeled for the canyon in question while heading in a south-westerly direction. You walk for a few miles before cresting a hill.

You identify the canyon almost immediately.

A jagged gash carved into the ground, a trench stretching for what must be several miles toward the horizon, gapes below you. The rolling hills give way to steep cliffs around the canyon, and a few narrow paths are carved into the walls of the massive chasm. In scope and sheer out-of-place absurdity, it is truly impressive.

What catches your eye, though, are the angles.

You would expect a canyon to be primarily rough stone in composition, a craggy fault, but this canyon's walls are a little -too- perfect. Every protruding rock is either a perfect pyramid or a jutting cube. The unmarred angles that make up the canyon are almost jarring to gaze upon, and the slight reflective sheen to the rocks makes you uneasy. This is, decidedly, a strange place for a meeting.

>1d100 for perception. How would you like to descend?

Rolled 90

>>25191683
If the boots lets us carry Heine and jump down safely then do so.

If that doesn't work we can go first looking for good pathways since even if we fall we can use the boots to save ourselves

Rolled 73

>>25191683
With the rope, pitons, and other climbing gear that we took. Because we're Osyki the Prepared, we do not fuck around.

First identify a very solid secure place to tie rope to, preferably with plenty of foot holds and places to drive in pitons on the way down to make this easier. We'll go down first, secure everything, then hop up and help Haine down if need be.

Also, this place was not made through normal means, we may want to use Spirit Sight on it before we start doing anything, just in case there's some bad juju going on.

File: 1370158961775.jpg-(119 KB, 731x1000, Osyki.jpg)

119 KB JPG

[[Welp, it's that time of night again. Medicine is kicking in, so I'm gonna go ahead and call the thread short rather than pass out on ya'll again. My apologies for the short sessions recently. I'll be working to rectify that.

I did promise you something special for this session, and here it is:

Send a concept for a Spirit, Monster, Behemoth or even an Avatar to the email on this post. I'll pick three that I like the best, and have them figure prominently into the next few sessions of the quest. I like to give my players an opportunity to influence the world, and if you'd like to have your creation running around in Totemist Quest, now's the chance.

I may be getting some extra time off this week, so I'll shoot off an email to the mailing list when I know for sure. If nothing else, expect the next session on Wednesday at 5 P.M.

Shoot me an email to get added to the list, as per usual.

See you all soon!]]

>>25192122
Night.

[[Ah, if someone could kindly archive this for me, I'd appreciate it. Thanks! ]]

>>25192214
I archived it, Night Diarca