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. You have brokered a pact with the Stone Emperor to become a Knight of his court. Now, your newfound role demands that you scale the Ikrin Peaks and destroy the Iron Tyrant who challenges your Emperor's claim to his domain. You were slightly delayed previously after suffering a deep wound to your stomach, but with a new Focus in hand, you are ready to depart for the Ikrin Peaks.
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[[Previous Threads: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=totem

The Cast Thus Far / Binder's Log: http://pastebin.com/LYGPJy9u

Quest Twitter: @TotemistQuest]]

>>26354361
Prepare the travel ritual. It needs a marked totem as a waypoint, right? So let's set that up. Then we should deal with our new Skyscythe spirit to get a hang for working with it for when we need it for the ritual. And maybe we'll get find some good bindings along the way. If we could get wings by binding it to our cloak that would be pretty useful for getting to the other side of the mountains.

Speaking of the mountains, just how big is the Ikrin mountain range? It can't be too high, considering that there's not much of a rain shadow effect going on, but how wide is the range? How far are we going to have to travel to get to the other side?

>>26354361
Prepare the travel ritual

>>26354439
This sounds like a good plan.

You return to your workshop, absentmindedly stroking the scar on your stomach through your shirt. It's a thin line, but it'll never go away. You find Quinn in the workshop, his Cloud Swallow perched on his shoulder. They are conversing in a bright, chirping language, but as you enter the room, the both stop to look up at you.

"Osyki!" Quinn says, a wide grin on his face. "Didn't think Elana would let you up for another month. What are you doing here?

"Getting ready to hit the road," you say, picking up the Razor Wing focus from the bench. "Can't waste any more time."

Quinn looks concerned. "So soon? You sure you're ready for that?"

You nod. "Gotta be."

You pull Ayren's journal from the shelf, leafing through it. The map you've folded into the pages is quickly unfolded, and you read the ritual's translation over again.

You'll need to set up a totem here, in the physical world. Then, you'll travel through the spirit world with the Skyscythe Drake's spirit as your guide. Finally, you set up a secondary totem, in the Spirit World, that allows you to transition to the physical world once more.

The totem construction seems straightforward enough. No unnecessarily arcane ingredients or complex rituals. Time to get to work.

> Roll 1d100 for totem construction.

Rolled 3

>>26354746

Rolled 41

>>26354746
Rolling

Rolled 60

>>26354746

Rolled 1

>>26354746
Rolling

>>26354788
>>26354781
>>26354780
>>26354767

With rolls like this I think we are still a little shaky from the injury.

Rolled 69

>>26354788
What have you done!

Rolled 65

>>26354800
The Emperor has forsaken us!

Your hands still shaky, you lash together the ingredients for a totem. As you focus to muster up the spiritual energy, however, a feeling like an electric shock comes from your gut. You double over, gasping for air, your chair scooting violently back from the table. You hear Quinn's concerned voice, shouting over the high-pitched whine in your ears. The totem clatters to the floor.

You awake on the bed, your stomach on fire with pain. Quinns stands over you, his face drawn and concerned.

"Ho, man." he says as your eyes flutter open. "You sure you're ready for this? You okay?"

>>26355003
"I don't have time to not be ready for this." Try binding something else, something we know we can bind. See if the same thing happens again. Might be nice to know if binding energy all comes from the gut, which we have injured.

>>26355003
"Just need a five minute breather, then I'll be fine."

>>26355003
Introspect and maybe test what the problem was. Is you ability to form your spirit energy disturbed? Are your reserves empty? Was it just a failure from a stressed mind?

>>26355003
"Yeah. Yeah, I'll be fine. Just give me a moment."

And then we take a short walk. Our boots have a totem of vigor and endurance in them, walking it off might actually be very helpful.

You cough, sitting upright. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm alright. Gimmie like, five minutes to take a breather. Maybe take a walk."

"Can you walk?" he asks, looking skeptical.

You snort, gritting your teeth and swinging your legs out of bed. You rise to your feet, taking in a deep breath. "Legs functional. Lungs, optimal. Yep. Good to go."

You take a moment to mentally assess yourself. You may, in fact, have pushed yourself a little too hard getting over to the workshop. Your spiritual pathways seem to be in functioning order, if a little choked by the lingering earth corruption.

"That was strange," you say with a shrug, and go immediately back to work.

Quinn just watches you in disbelief.

In a few more minutes, you have the prerequisite totems prepared. They're small things, each about the size of a bird's egg. The ritual to bind them together homogenizes the surface of the stone and wood, leaving them smooth as eggshells.

Quinn stands just behind and to the right of you, still wary. "So, what now?"

>>26355441
"I get a chair, just in case I have an accident, then, we try again."

>>26355485

You chuckle, stowing the totems in your bag. "We find me a sturdy chair in case I have another accident, and then we move on, of course."

He moves in front of you as you try to stand, arms crossed.

"Please take this seriously," he says, his face grim. "You got seriously hurt, and you're about to try to cross a border between worlds, climb a mountain range, and face down a spirit that has the potential to usurp the Stone Emperor. Stop cracking jokes. I don't want you going out like Ayren, okay? If you die, this entire village will follow you into the grave."

>>26355650
"Alright. I'll take it easy for a couple days, but in my stead, I want to see the two of you working as hard as possible at getting good while I'm out of commission."

>>26355714
This is good.

>>26355650
I will need to talk with my new spirit as well I guess taking a single additional day as to not straight up faint when fighting the Iron Tyrant might be necessary.

You run your hands through your hair, looking up at Quinn. "Alright, man. I understand. If it makes you feel better, I'll take another day to make sure I'm ready to go before I head out. Okay?"

A look of relief washes over Quinn's face. "Yeah. Yeah, okay. Thanks, Osyki."

He looks like he was expecting you to put up stiffer resistance. You pick up the Razor Wing focus, turning it over in your hands.

"I guess I'll get to know my new spirit," you say, eyeing the blade-like appendage. You wonder what caused it to shrink when you bound it. The intricate mechanics of spiritual activity that take place during a feral bind have eluded even Ayren's studious eye, or so your research on the subject would seem.

"Alright. Do you need me to get anything for you? If not, Pierce says he wanted to talk to me about something."

>>26355884
"Not really. Hows Pierce going with the whole apprentice totemist thing by the way?"

>>26355884
Nothing at the moment thanks. Let's go see Pierce.

You shake your head, smiling. "No, I'm alright. Thanks. What did Pierce want to see you about?"

"Not sure," Quinn says with a shrug. "He's being kinda cagey about it, actually. I'm not sure why."

You frown. Pierce is a pretty open guy, as you well know. Him being shady about something is fairly unheard of.

"Well, take care of it, and let me know if I can help," you say. Quinn nods, grabbing his mace and pack and heading out of the workshop.

Just you and your focus now.

> Commune with the Drake
> Commune with Magni
> Prepare additional totems
> Other

>>26356140
Drake then Magni if we still feel ok after communing with drake. Magni will probably take allot out of us.

After than, take the day to rest, maybe try and meditate a bit (Whatever our master made us do to improve our spiritual 'power levels')

[[ Seems like I've hit kind of a dead period for activity. Got called in to work, so I'll be gone for ~2 hours to cover an emergency shift. Be back in a bit, hopefully we'll have some more questers then. ]]

>>26356205
Seconding.

Oh shit, I'm late!

>>26356340
Okay.jpeg

>>26356340
Sorry, was busy right now, will be asleep when you are back. Though I'm not one of your regular suggesters anyway, so I cannot be responsible for the lull.

>>26356205
This seems reasonable.

>>26356340
I have awoken.....
From my lurking that is......
Paging Diarca! Well, it is only a little bit before 2 hours.

File: 1375312502546.png-(437 KB, 800x800, Diarca.png)

437 KB PNG

>>26357382
>Paging Diarca!

No, no, no you cannot simply "page" Diarca. He is not some businessman with a beeper. He must be Summoned from the world between worlds like so

Rolled 50

>>26357493
You forgot to roll a d100 with it.

Here, use my result.

>>26357742
How... Average.

Rolled 16

>>26356340
hey, diarca, you back around yet?

[[ Aaaand back. New kid missed his bus, rolled into his second shift half an hour late. Post coming momentarily. ]]

>>26358646
Oh god, now I feel bad for being that new kid once and getting someone called in.

You place the Razor Wing focus in front of you on the workbench, drawing the shutters to dim the room. Placing Magni in the furthest corner of the room, just to be safe, you sit down in front of your focus and pour spiritual power into it.

As you do, your stomach twinges once more. You grunt and focus past it, and slowly the wing comes to life.

A breeze picks up in the small workshop, carrying with it the smell of blood and ozone. You turn to find yourself face to face with the snarling visage of the Skyscythe Drake. It watches you with reptilian eyes full of cold cunning. It seems to be waiting for you to make the first move.

> How will you proceed?

Rolled 20

>>26358748
bow. lets be polite. if its being a dick, pull out magni, and threaten to beat its spritual snout in with him

>>26358748
Meet its gaze, don't back down.

>>26358748
Bow, greet him, see if he can speak. If he can, try explaining the fast travel ritual to him.
If he can't speak... Try anyway.

>>26358831
Instead of bowing, do what this guy says.>>26358823

>>26358773
do this, it'll wait until we make the first move, so show some authority. if it misbehaves, smack it around with the weapon of its death

You hold your back rigid and your gaze level, staring down the Drake. The two of you stand like statues for what seems like an hour before the beast finally inclines its head slightly. You return the gesture.

"Totemist," says a voice in the back of your mind, a powerful, cold voice. "I congratulate you on managing to slay a pack of my fellows. Few beings in our domain could have been up to the challenge, and none so foolish as to try. What is it that you wish from me, bound as I am to your determined will?"

>>26358748
"Greetings, Ran'Uin. I show you honor and respect for our battle. You fought bravely and with cunning, but despite the wounds you inflicted upon me I was the victor. Now I bid you to aid me in my questing, in accord with the ancient pact of the Feral Binding. I would rather have a willing ally than a slave, but either way you will serve me. Now, by what name would you have me call you?"

>>26358963
Works for me.

>>26358963
Sounds good.

>>26358962
"First, I would know why your pack attacked me. Were you offended by the casualness with which I addressed the Ran'Uin? Attacking me was a foolish response, then.

"Second, I have need of swift travel through the spirit world. Your kind fly far. Have you seen the wastes on the far side of the Ikrins? I seek the destruction of the spirit responsible for that devastation, and swift passage to his lands is essential to my quest."

>>26358963

"Greetings, Ran'Uin," you say. "I show you honor and respect for our battle. You fought bravely, and with cunning, but despite the wounds you inflicted on me I was the victor."

The serpent sends a pointed look to your stomach, but remains silent.

"Now, I bid you to aid me in my quest, in accord with the ancient pact of the Feral Bind. I'd rather have a willing ally than a slave, but you will serve me either way. Now, by what name would you have me call you?"

The Drake regards you icily for a moment, then breaks its gaze and looks around the room. The shimmering golden scales of its hide catch non-existant light, reflecting dazzling patterns into the darkened room.

"Call me what you will, Totemist. In death, I have no name. My being ended with my free will, and my power to survey my domain. I will aid you, for you have proven your superiority. What is it you would have me do?"

You produce the Keystone Totem for Ayrens ritual, holding it in the palm of your hand.

"You will be my ferry and my guide through the spirit world," you explain to the Drake. "I have need of rapid travel through the skies of the World Without, and you will facilitate that need. Have you seen the wastes on the far side of the Ikrins? I seek the destruction of the spirit responsible for that devastation, and swift passage to his lands is essential to my quest."

The Drake looks at the totem with interest, then shrugs its wings. "The Gray Skies are dangerous territory, Totemist. Only the most powerful dare patrol it unaided. Do you think yourself up to the task?"

>>26359149
Dude. Thy're dragons, they hunt meat, why wouldn't they attack us?
Don't say this please. We'll get ridiculed.

>>26359203
"It doesn't really matter if I believe myself up to the task or not. It must be done if I wish for myself and my village to survive, and I am the only one with a chance of success.

Such is life."

>>26359203
"Absolutely, and if not now, then soon."

>>26359208
At that exact moment, right after we mentioned binding a Drake? Seems like they might be punishing anyone who dares treat them in a way they think disrespectful. Especially given that, as Modi said, they are the most arrogant of races. Well, them and humans.

>>26359254
Our entire life revolves around taking on things stronger than us. Might as well be honest about it.

>>26359203
Well, it doesn't have to be right now.

File: 1375320034730.jpg-(122 KB, 650x939, skyscythe.jpg)

122 KB JPG

You shrug. ""It doesn't really matter if I believe myself up to the task or not. It must be done if I wish for myself and my village to survive, and I am the only one with a chance of success. Such is life."

The Drake is silent at that, simply staring at you, unblinking. You sigh, raising an eyebrow.

"Very well," it finally says. "I will be your ferry through the mists. Prepare yourself; every passage through the Gray is a different journey. What might be a short fly one day is a deathtrap the next, and there is no rhyme or reason to the caverns and vaults that lurk in those clouds."

You nod. "I'll be prepared."

The Drake's eyes narrow slightly. "We shall see," it says, and with another flash of light it vanishes. The room grows dark once more.

> Speak with Magni?
> Prepare your Foci?
> Call a Friend?
> Other

>>26359203
"Always."

>>26359537
speak with magni, we earned it with our guts hanging out

>>26359537
> Speak with Magni?

May as well chat with him about the Stone Emperor and the Iron Tyrant. Hell we can point out how greedy and senseless the Iron Tyrant seems, get Magni on board for murdering him.

>>26359537
Speak with Magni

>>26359537
Might as well speak with Magni.

Hopefully now that we killed a pack of dragons he'll be less of a dick.

>>26359595
Agreed. Let's ask him if he has any advice for dealing with the Iron Tyrant. It's not exactly his main purview, but a corrupt spirit that seeks to overthrow a land guardian has to have plenty of arrogance to it, so he might have some insight.

>>26359537
Do we have anything to talk about with Magni? If not, get Quinn, or experiment with our new focus.

You stand slowly, allowing time for your stomach muscles to tense and relax in turn. With the numbing poultice and the tight bandages, it does feel -much- better than it did a few days ago. Still, you worry about it being a liability. It's an inconveniently timed injury.

You retrieve Magni's spear from the wall, taking the White Claw Focus in hand.

"Magni," you say aloud, "We need to talk."

The world comes apart around you in rough, jagged chunks. As your vision fades to black, you can hear the sound of the air around you screaming.

---

You awaken with a lurch, the sickening feeling of falling tying your stomach in knots. You whirl and turn as best you can in the air, looking for the faceless figure.

Unexpectedly, you hit the ground.

It doesn't hurt, though the surprise makes you go rigid. When you recover your bearings, you survey the scene.

A barren ruin lies around you. Overhead, a starry void entirely unlike the night sky hangs ominously. A ruined castle looms in the distance, impossibly huge despite the size, dwarfing the horizon with its monolithic architecture. You rise to your feet at the sound of metal tearing metal.

Turning, you see the figure you expected. In robes of crimson and gold, his grinding metal wings folded at his back, the faceless figure of Modi Magni strides toward you.

"Totemist," he says, his voice grating on your mind.

>>26359820
Oh man, I'd love to stay for some more questing, but oh god, I'm tired. Goodnight, and good job on the quest.

>>26359820
Magni. what do yuo think of our current endeavour, defeating this iron tyrant? have you encountered a similar being before?

>>26359820
I really don't know what to ask.

>>26359984
ill second this one, to keep things moving

>>26359984
Only thing I can think of.

>>26359820
"I take it that the dragon murder's been good for your mood, Modi? Last time you didn't go nearly as dramatic with your manifestation. I have come for any advice you might have for dealing with this Iron Tyrant. Given your hatreds, it's not unreasonable that you have fought creatures such as he before. A corrupted spirit seeking to overthrow a Land Guardian must have nearly as much pride and greed as a human, after all, and far greater ability to express it."

>>26360061
This is pretty great as well

>>26359984

"Magni," you say, turning to face the Greater Avatar. "What do you think of our current endeavor, defeating this Iron Tyrant? Have you encountered a similar being before?"

Magni is silent before you for a moment, shaking its head almost imperceptibly.

"Have I encountered a being, grown too bold for its station and aspiring to a loftier lot in life? Have I encountered Tyrants, Iron or otherwise, that have sought to slaughter and unbalance for their own personal gain? You insult me, Totemist. I am the antithesis of these beings. Their continued existence is the reason for my unending fury. Yes, I have encountered many beings such as this, and I know that their hubris is their ultimate undoing."

You let the words resonate in the air, looking around to the ruins surrounding you.

"I take it that the dragon murder's been good for your mood, Modi? Last time you didn't go nearly as dramatic with your manifestation."

Though the Avatar lacks a face, you can feel a chilly smile cross your mind. "Yes, I am pleased with your recent pest extermination. The scape that you see around you is not of my doing, however. Only the Focus that contains me can dictate the conditions of my prison. It has been changing more rapidly, of late."

>>26360170
do my actions affect this place? or does something external change your surroundings?

>>26360170
>>26360213
also, does he have any useful information on what our enemy may be? its an earth spirit of iron with delusions of grandeur, does he know how to damage such creatures effectively

>>26360170
"A result of my actions, or just a natural progression of things?

Or maybe a combination of the two..?"

>>26360170
Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?

>Kill hundreds of dragons
>Modi is living in some opulent castle with lesser avatar bitches hanging off of him

>>26360170
"Changing how? And changing why?"

"Changing how? And why?" you ask, furrowing your brow. You cross your arms, looking at the inscrutable runes in the ruins around you. "Do my actions have some effect on this place?"

"The details of my prison have, regrettably, been kept enigmatic to me," Magni says, amused. "If you find any information on the subject, I would be delighted to learn from you. Your master was characteristically tight-lipped on the subject."

You resist the urge to roll your eyes. "Of course."

Magni takes two steps forward, now standing only a foot or so away. You realize that the faceless figure looms over you in this proximity, and the screeching of the contraption on its back rattles your teeth in their sockets.

"Have you given any more thought to my offer, Totemist?" he asks, and the air chills slightly around you. "Or should I take your presence here after exterminating that pack of vermin a tacit agreement in and of itself?"

>>26360471
What exactly were the terms of his bargain, again? It's been a while.

>>26360471
Shit, new player here, I'm still flicking through the archives trying to catch up, what was his offer?

Lemme dive the archives, I don't quite remember the deal.

>>26360471
we are allies of convenience, i rely upon you. if i have any need to kill, it shall be for a righteous cause, not a crusade for justice. i may kill human or dragon or any form of tyrant, but that thirst will not be my life. i am the totemist, it is my job to protect, not to hunt down those i disagree with. we shall see what the future holds, avatar

>>26360497

[[ Magni has offered to craft you into a being of unparalleled combat proficiency and power, provided that you accept his terms of slaying dragons and humans when the opportunity presents itself. You've previously told him that you refuse to wantonly end human life, but you told him you'd get back to him on the matter of slaying dragons. ]]

>>26360555
Oh, in that case I say we agree to his terms insofar as they apply to dragons.

>>26360555
Did we get any more info than that? What's actually going to happen to us?

>>26360555
>>26360550
we deny his offer, but if the situation requires it, he may go apeshit on those we need to defeat. if something doesnt deserve extermination, we dont kill it. just like last time

>>26360555
deny deny deny. we dont want to become a lovecraftian chainsaw for this critter

>>26360555
"I've given it some thought, however, I believe I still need time to fully weigh such a decision."

>>26360555
Oh right.

"Maybe someday, but for the moment I've got too many obligations to add another one to the list."

You shake your head. "I haven't decided to accept your offer yet. We are allies of convenience. It is my job to protect, not to hunt down those I disagree with. Maybe some day we can reach an accord on that, but for now I need to weigh my options carefully."

Magni nods, unperturbed. "Of course. Take your time, Totemist. I'm certainly not going anywhere."

He turns, moving away from you.

"If there's nothing else you require, I will bid you farewell. I'm sure we both have preparations to make for the days ahead."

>>26360779
Indeed. A pleasure, Magni.

>>26360779
"It was lovely to see you again, and it seems we're going Tyrant hunting soon so you have something to look forward to."

You nod. "Always a pleasure, Magni," you mutter under your breath. As you turn to leave the ground opens up beneath you, and all turns black once more.

---

You awaken in your workshop, kneeling next to where your spear rests. Your flesh is cold and raised, and you shiver slightly as you stand. You can see that a thin rime of frost has formed on the windows closest to the spear's focus.

What a pleasant individual.

> What now, Totemist?

>>26360976
Stand up, stretch, see what time it is. Go visit our little sister, she's probably be worried sick about us.

>>26360976
Pierce said he wished to speak to us, yes? We should probably see what that's about.

>>26360976
Prepare supplies for tomorrow slowly, then rest and meditate.

>>26360976
go visit pierce

>>26360976
Meditate and purge the corrupt earth from yourself.

>>26361271
We just did that the other day, and haven't used any earth totems except for one block with the mirror binding. We probably are fine on elemental corruption for the next few days.

>>26361239
Pierce wanted to see Quinn, not us

>>26360976
Would be nice to experiment with our new foci at some stage

[[ Pierce wanted to see Quinn, not Osyki. ]]

You stand up, rubbing your arms and legs to get the feeling back in them. Your Foci, unbound and arrayed, sit waiting for you on one of your myriad workbenches. You have the rest of the day to prepare for your departure.

Never have so many hours seemed like such scant time.

You set to work stretching, exercising your taut muscles for the first time in days. The stretches are painful, but a familiar, dull pain. The line in your stomach twinges, but the numbing poultice does its job, and it does not distract you for the rest of the day.

In your preparations, you come across a new Totem, one that might be valuable in your travels. A simple little thing, but vitally necessary: A food that allows food to nourish and satiate you for an extended period of time. Given the limited space you have for rations, you set to work crafting it immediately.

You assemble your pack with methodical swiftness. Rope, climbing gear, first aid, survival supplies, all of these things find their familiar spots in your pack. You pack an extra canteen for water, and a wide-brimmed hat for shade. Your knife is slotted in your belt, your bow lashed securely to your pack. You consider what else you might need to bring.

> What specialty items might you need, Totemist?

Once your bag is packed, you examine your Razor Wing Focus. Though you need it unbound for your master's ritual, it may behoove you to familiarize yourself with its permutations for the fight ahead.

> Experiment with the new Focus?

>>26361494
Yes.

Put them in a set of pauldrons.

Maybe we can fly?

>>26361494
Maybe try binding it to a cloak, see if it can grant us the power of flight?

Also either a sword or a knife next.

Unfortunately we should probably keep it simple for now.

>>26361494
try to add it to a sword, or some form of armour, like >>26361512 said

>>26361494
Damn right we do. Put it into everything.

>>26361494
try it to a sword, our boots, and a pair of pauldrons

>>26361494
Yes, experiment with razorwing focus

We're going up against the Iron Tyrant, can we acquire any sort of acid? I doubt it, but that might be handy if only to distract it briefly. Iron is really reactive with most acids.

A pick would be useful, instead of a sword. Our spear will do okay but something meant for puncturing through hard surfaces instead of soft flesh would be ideal I think.

>>26361512
I agree with pauldrons. Would be great to have wings without losing out stealth cloak

>>26361617
I'd imagine a water focus combined with our lightning turtle would rust up the tyrant real nice.

>>26361700
Ooh, good thinking.

>>26361617
Didn't one of the Ykree bindings drip acid? It's not in the binding log, but I remember that binding the Ykree to the tail stinger of a Verdis Wyrm made for a acid-dripping sword.

As for the pickaxe, good idea. Maybe a hammer and a hand steel, too. Well, hand iron. I'm pretty sure our village doesn't have steel. But a good case-hardened iron chisel is basically the same thing as a hand steel, so the miners probably have them.

>>26361617
so, try out the acid bow, combined with lightning?

>>26361748
Too bad binding a spirit to an arrow would probably lose us the focus. Rock Turtle arrow in Ykree bow would be a nasty weapon on an iron monster.

>>26361836
Then a rock turtle quiver perhaps?

>>26361617
Actually, Iron only reacts with acid in the presence of water, but it reacts extremely violently in a water/acid solution.

>>26361836
if we can one-shot this iron tyrant, or retrieve the arrow, or if the quiver has the same effect, i say try this. lets see how windscythe goes first though

You cast your gaze around the room, considering potential candidates for experimentation. You'll have to keep it short today, as you don't want to run your reserves too low before you depart on a potentially dangerous trip. You gather up your boots and take a sword from its place on the wall, momentarily lamenting your lack of some sort of effective shoulder armor. You take a hammer and chisel, and your cloak. Deciding that will have to do for now, you depart for your testing grounds.

The sword is your first experiment, and with good reason. The Focus is a Razor Wing, after all. You match the wing to the blade of the sword, pressing the iron together with your palms as you chant the words of binding. When the light of invention fades, the weapon you hold is surprising. An intricate hilt of gold is wrapped with drake-leather for grip, topped by a pommel of shining topaz. The blade of the sword is a living wing, a feathery appendage whose feathers shine with a metallic light. The weapon is incredibly lightweight, and as you hold it up to the light, a shaft of dazzling patterns shine in the air around it.

You take a few test swipes, and smile as the sword snaps into a coherent blade with each swing. The edge seems incredibly sharp, and you shiver slightly at the sight of the same weapon that wounded you so grievously. Taking the blade in two hands, you give a mighty swing.

The tall grass at the far end of the field loses its head with little more than a whisper.

>[ Binding Complete: Dawning Zephyr. An impossibly sharp sword, creates silent blades of wind when swung two-handed.]

>>26361881
Most things only react with acid in the presence of water. Completely dry acidic compounds don't really do anything. Redox reactions usually need a fluid medium. Though we are in magic land where the rain falls because spirits tell it to, so that logic might not work in this world.

>>26361912
ok, lets try the boots now

>>26361912
cloak or boots

>>26361986
Cloak. That will either give us wings or some sort of orbiting cloud of razor feathers that cuts to pieces anything that approaches us. One or the other.

>>26361912
I'd say pauldrons or cloak.

>>26362033
we have no pauldrons, and id rather have proper boots, since our cloak is invisibility

>>26362078
Invisibility in shadow. We're going into the desert. Not going to be much of that.

>>26361912
voting for boots, we hermes now

Satisfied, you unbind the Wing from your sword with a flurry of wind. Your boots are next, the well-worn leather looking surprisingly strong for all the abuse you put them through. You wonder if damage inflicted on bound items carries over to their unbound incarnations. Stowing the query for later research, you bind the Wing.

Your shoes are reduced to half-boots when the light fades, shining golden leather inlaid with runic hexagons and feathers. Stepping into them gives you a momentary giddy sensation, a surge of euphoria that only increases as you take off for a lap around the testing ground.

The faster you run, the more the sensation grows. At last, when your speed peaks you leap, and are unsurprised as a surge of energy flows up your legs and you lift off from the ground, exploding into the sky in a shaft of golden wind. You change direction in mid-flight with a twitch of your legs. As the euphoric feeling slowly fades you fly lower and lower to the ground, eventually touching down with a satisfied sigh.

>[ Binding Complete: Radiant Orbit. Charge the boots by running, and expend the charge by soaring into perfectly controlled, euphoric flight. ]

>>26362132
Good point, voting for cloak next

>>26362159
Cloak now Cloudstrider is still better since we can use it to attack.

>>26362159
Razorwing focus is a hellova drug.

>>26362159
Dem hermes dragon boots

>>26362159
ok, lets try the cloak. that was kinda underwhelming compared to what i was expecting

>>26362159
Hmmm... I wonder, if we built up enough charge with the radiant orbit, could we bypass the limit imposed by the crystal wyrm armor? That would be some redonkulous shit.

>>26362159
>Farmer tending his fields
>Osyki flies by, yipping and hollering all euphoric
>Doesn't even look up
>Just another day in the village.
or
>Osyki appears at little kids windows
>Taps until kid opens windows
>"Hey kid, want to come to never land with me?"
>Convinces kid to try flying, just need to think happy thoughts and believe!
>Kid jumps out window
>Hits ground
>Doesn't bounce

>>26362294
What do you mean? Isn't the crystal scale a reactive armor sort of thing? What would combining it with flight do?

Still chuckling, you step out of the boots and unbind them. You take a few deep breaths to steady yourself, then shrug your cloak from your shoulders. Holding the wind to the shoulder of the coat, you focus your energy for another binding and push.

The result is underwhelming. A single jewel emerges from the union, a blinding topaz that shines with the sun's radiance. A small golden chain, barely long enough to fit around your neck, is strung through the golden amulet.

When you don it, your misgivings are immediately banished.

A pair of radiant wings, opal and golden, dazzling in the late-day sun, erupt into being as the amulet meets your throat. You can feel the muscles in your shoulder shift to accommodate the new appendages, and the burning light of the wings seems to fill your veins with cleansing fire. You flex the wings, and a powerful gust surges forth. Holding them straight out cause the edges to sharpen to fine points, the air around them humming with cutting energy. The most surprising aspect, however, comes when your turn to put your back to the sun.

Suddenly, and without much warning, your wings become solid gold, rather than the filmy ethereal they were before. You can feel a burning pressure in your shoulder blades, and when you flap the wings a pair of burning orbs of light surge from the tip of each wing. The orbs erupt on impact with the ground, each producing a pillar of flame as tall as a man before settling into puddles of what seem to be molten sunlight that seethe and boil on the ground.

> [Binding Complete: Edge of Dawn. A pair of powerful wings bound to an ornate amulet, usable as blades or to produce orbs of volatile sunlight. ]

>>26362519
jesus christ how amazing. try to fly with them. if they are injured, are we injured?

>>26362493
I mean it's so heavy we can't run or jump with it, we're essentially a tank. But- perhaps that limit could be bypassed with the orbit, then we become the fucking juggernaut.

>>26362519
lets do a lap around the town

>>26362519
Fuck Yeah. This is going to be extremely useful in the desert with the sun.

Hmmm. Did we ever try binding the stealth foci to our shirt that might give us some stealth capabilities.

>>26362519
Fuckin Awesome

Let's go for a test flight and see our dister.

>>26362590
No, the Nocturne's Embrace has been so useful we never really did any experimenting with Thane.

>>26362519
Hory shet, that's amazing.

>>26362519
We need to descend from the heavens in naught but a loincloth to fluster Elana.

>>26362519
lets go for a lap, see what theyre like. also, try to rebind the stalker to something like a shirt or belt

>>26362519
Awesome. Try flying with it, see if we can get some air.

Also learn to control when we make them sharp or throw orbs of death around.

Once we can get the hang of them we should visit our sister to show off and make sure she knows we're okay.

You flex your wings, flapping. You feel lighter than air, and in a few moments you are, rising from a stand-still into the sky. Your shoulders strain with the exercise of long-unused muscles, but in a few minutes you are soaring laps around the village. Each time your back turns to the sun, though, the wings turn solid, and you find yourself sinking toward the ground. It's an irritating liability, but nothing can be perfect, you suppose.

>1d100 for air control

>>26362519
We dragoon now

Awww yiss

Not to mention it makes us look stylin' as fuck

Rolled 19

>>26362879

Rolled 13

>>26362879

Rolled 65

>>26362879
Interesting. I wonder how this would work at night?

Rolled 99

>>26362879

Rolled 58

>>26362879
FLY

Rolled 91

>>26362879

>>26362879
Ooh maybe we can project the flame balls for propulsion when in the sun, like a jet engine or something.

>>26362519
New favourite binding

We need to use these wings to do an atmospheric drop kick with our lightning boots at some point. There will be craters.

>>26362914
>>26362913
jesus christ
>>26362921
so close

>>26362919

>65

A few minutes of continued flight has the twin effects of exhausting your shoulders and giving you a fairly confident outlook about your maneuverability with the wings. You touch down in the practice field once more, tired, but elated. Unbinding the wings relieves the tension on your shoulders, and you roll your arms while considering your next move. You have enough reserves left for one, maybe two binds.

>>26363273
Time to test them on our pants now.

>>26363273
Let's try something oddball. A lantern, maybe? Rope?

Rolled 6

>>26363273
let's test the stealth spirit on our shirt to see what kind of stealth abilities we get from it.

>>26363273
>>26363343
seconding stealthy ninja shirt, it needs to cover the lower halves of our face

>>26363273
Lets put it in a chair! Flying chair ftw.

Rolled 64

>>26363273
Thane in a shirt.

>>26363273
do we have any hats handy?

I keep thinking we should try a binding on a glass bottle sometime.

>>26363571
what would that create? a hat, pauldrons, a shirt, sure. a bottle?

>>26363273
Can we try binding the turtle to the mirror? I wanna see if it'll shoot lightning

>>26363585
Maybe with a water creature it would be a never-ending bottle of water?

>>26363597
we have no water creatures. when we do, fine. when we have two more attempts remaining, i say do something interesting and possibly useful

>>26363273
We should do the worm to our harp. that way we can harness the battle effectiveness of ROCK AND ROLL

>>26363878
We don't have the hard with us right now, but we should do that at some point. An earthen harp bound with an earthen spirit of sound? Definitely something to try, especially considering the harp was made by a greater spirit.

>>26363953
What'd we do with the harp?

>>26363974
Nothing, it's just back at our house. I suppose we could fly over there and grab it quickly, though.

>>26364043
Wasn't the practice field right behind our house? Or was that just the tree we tested the bow on?

A thought strikes you, and a quick jaunt into the workshop yields you Thane's pelt. You wrap the pelt around your shirt, intoning the binding ritual routinely. There is no flash of light, no pyrotechnics. The pelt slides into your garb likes a shadow into water, and spreads like ink. Your shirt grows black, with fine downy fur covering the outside. A whispery pull tugs at the back of your mind, and as you investigate the magic begins.

The shirt grows, creeping up and over your throat, your mouth, your nose. Everything but your eyes is quickly covered in silky black.

Then, without preamble other than a tingle, everything around you goes monochrome. You glance into the hand-mirror in your binding kit, and your eyes widen.

Rather, the red spheres replacing your eyes glow slightly.

From head to toe, you appear as a shadow, filmy and indistinct. Your only features are a pair of glowing red pinpoints where your eyes are.

> [ Binding Complete: Guise of Night. Completely obscure your identity behind the guise of a misty shadow. ]

>>26364079
This is even better than the cloak.

>>26364079
does it offer stealth, or just disguises us?

>>26364079

Sweet this is excellent when going on far long incursion especially since with our name hidden using this with prevent people from recognizing us.

>>26364079
Oh hell yes, we are never taking this thing off. Does it obscure our totems, too? Because then our enemies won't be able to guess at what abilities we have at hand. Plus it will help eliminate the issue of our clothes being somewhat mismatched after we've bound a half-dozen spirits to them. If we're just a shadowy figure with a vague hint of bestial form, that's going to be pretty awesome looking.

>>26364079
>Dark Knight/Dragoon Multiclass

Yes

YES

>>26364202
>>26364115
>>26364175
this might be bad, if the villagers see a shadowy wraith, and we cant take off our shirt in time. as far as i can get, it doesnt hide us, just makes it so no-one can tell who is in the mist

>>26364202
no we can use that in the village all the time since it would freak to many people out. But outside yeah it will definitely be useful.

>>26364079
I wanna see what those wings we had earlier would do with this freaky ass thing

So what kit are we going to bring to take down the Iron Tyrant?

>>26364294

[[ An excellent question. ]]

You shed the guise of the shadow as easily as it came. The wisps of dark blow away on a sudden wind, and you're left wearing a soft fur shirt once more.

You consider your kit. You'll be leaving a little before first light, and you'll want your equipment bound and ready beforehand.

> What will you bind, Totemist?

>>26364294
shadow shirt
the super spear
dragon wings
a light armor
dragoon assassin modo engaged

>>26364377
hey, diarca, is that shadowshirt hiding us or just disguising us?

Hey so what happens if we bind a spirit to one thing, like a chain or the hilt of a sword and bind another spirit to another thing like another chain or the blade of a sword and then shove them together?

>>26364411
That would be called abusing mechanics anon

Pssst, OP, is this setting your own creation? Because its pretty neat.

>>26364433
yes, he's repeatedly said so

>>26364407

[[ Disguising you, though you'll be tough to spot in a darkened area. ]]

>>26364433

[[ It is indeed my own creation. ]]

>>26364377
Guise of Night
Thunder Hammer
Golem Rising
Velociraptor Greaves
Vestus Sonitus
Snakebite Aqua
Dawning Zephyr

>>26364377
teleport with skyscythe, then bind it to the wings. shadowed shirt, wings, modus, snakebite aqua, cloudstrider, gnomes guard, leave cordia out for the moment, raptor pants, and finally vestus sonitus

Do we have a cloak/cape we could shove a focus into?
what about bracelets, rings, bracers of nose piercings?

>>26364576
Yes, check the damn binder's log.

>>26364459
Rock Turtle: Armor. Gives us good defense and some melee boost as well.

Cordia: Boots. Gives us a grounded stance, and boosted agility on the ground. Plus if we have to go into Elemental Corruption super mode, having it directed from our feet so we don't even have to bend down to touch the ground will be very stylish.

Thane: Shirt. Because this is awesome. And a nameless, faceless being appearing in your territory and undoing all your works has to be somewhat worrying to even the most powerful and corrupt of spirits.

Ykree: Bow. We don't really know what we can do with the Ykree focus, but the poison bow is still a pretty good ranged weapon.

Raptor: Pants. Having some extra speed is always nice.

Crystal Worm: Gloves. These have some serious potential for causing damage.

Skyscythe Drake: Cloak. Flight, melee weaponry and solar blasts. What more could we want?

>>26364377
Here's my equipment list:

Guise of the Knight: Disguises us

Cloudwalker Stride: Prevents us from getting hurt in case we fall and can be used to damage the Iron tyrant since I'm pretty sure Iron conducts electricity

Velociraptor Greaves: Makes us more agile on the ground.

Vestus Sonitus: Counter attack in case we get hit. And Defense

Obsidian Touch: Omni Glove can become a shield or secondary weapon.

Snakebite Aqua: Iron is weak to acid I think

Edge of Dawn: Flight, Blade and Medium Range attack

>>26364598
cordia in shoes? we move twice as far in every step, thats not as useful as cloudstrider

>>26364675
That was the old cordia. The new one makes us almost impossible to knock back, lets us move very fast by shifting the earth below us and lets us jump really high.

>>26364695
Yes but we can fly now.. So with cloudstrider we don't have to worry about getting hurt in case were downed. Plus electricity is an excellent weapons against metals.

>>26364377
Lightning Boots
Shadow Shirt
WIIIIINGS
Modi Magni Spear
Raptor Greaves
That one shirt that makes us quiet
Earth Warden Chainmail

>>26364738
Flying seems to take a lot of effort, having ground mobility will be usefull for when we eventually become too exhausted to fly.

>>26364377
If we're taking the wings, definitely take the Cloudwalker Stride for the fall damage mitigation.

Think about it - We could drop from orbit with our spear, and we wouldn't take fall damage on impact if we wore Cloudwalker Stride.

>>26364790
That what the Raptor Greaves are for.

Also I forgot to Modi Magni to my equipment list.

>>26364810
>Here's my equipment list:
>Guise of the Knight: Disguises us
>Cloudwalker Stride: Prevents us from getting hurt in case we fall and can be used to damage the Iron tyrant since I'm pretty sure Iron conducts electricity
>Velociraptor Greaves: Makes us more agile on the ground.
>Vestus Sonitus: Counter attack in case we get hit. And Defense
>Obsidian Touch: Omni Glove can become a shield or secondary weapon.
>Snakebite Aqua: Iron is weak to acid I think
>Edge of Dawn: Flight, Blade and Medium Range attack

>Modi Magnis Spear: Can't forget about this. Practically our strongest equipment.

>>26364666
This seems pretty prudent. Remember to take our spear though. though.

>>26364833
added it in my new equipment and really?

I think it's pretty good when we go and to fight Iron Tyrant.

Remember Metal types are weak Against electrical types. Which Cloudwalker let's us Kick with Lightning.

>>26364738
One could argue that being able to soften the ground beneath us could also provide some protection from falls. But really I just want to free up the Rock Turtle so we can use it for the armor. I like that armor. Besides, we should switch up our bindings more often. We're stuck in a rut with our binds, half the fun is exploring alternate uses for our spirits.

Also, would lightning be that good a weapon against the Tyrant? I suppose it depends on the state of his body. If he's rusty iron, there will be enough resistance that the electricity will convert to heat and melt him. But if he's kept himself free of corrosion, presumably by oiling himself with the rendered fat of his victims, he's just going to conduct that lightning into the ground and be unharmed. Osyki's village (what's it called, by the way? I can never remember) has enough knowledge of natural science and iron working to have lightning rods. He'd know it could backfire on him to use the Cloudwalker Stride.

>>26364377

so, to add together a consensus, kinda, ill go with whats agrred upon.
modi magni is primary weapon, as usual.
we seem to like the wings.
The shirt is also popular
Snakebite aqua as ranged weapon
Raptor Pants

So, cordia boots, or cloudstrider?
what do we do with crystal worm and earth guardian foci?

>>26364883

I think Vestus is a Much better armor since it doesn't slow us down provides a counter effect on our opponents.

>>26364895
i vote cloudstrider boots, gnomes guard and the sound gloves

File: 1375335802457.jpg-(39 KB, 544x489, 1374043528075.jpg)

39 KB JPG

>>26364869
Really, I just want to get the chance to perform a drop kick from the upper atmosphere.

Maybe that can be our alpha strike?

>"WHAT IS THAT WHISTLING SOUND UPON MY DOMAIN?"
>WHOOSH
>BOOM
>pic related

>>26364883
Falling into soft ground from a hundred meters in the air will still render you immobile.

Cloudwalker Stride allows us to land like it was no thang.

>>26364883
Well, it's Diarca's fault for making GODDAMN LIGHTNING BOOTS

Why would you ever use anything else when you have a pair of boots that shoot lightning when you kick AND let you jump super high. It's like a crazy dream.

>>26364909
Perfectly plausible considering we kinda did someting like that when the village was attack.

I remember that cloudstriders lightning is more powerful the higher we fall. Yet we still don't get any damage as long as the boots touch the ground first.

Also on the need to use different binds I agree. But right now were going against a boss fight so using things that we know to use and well is probably the best.

If were only hunting for foci we should use binds we aren't use to.

>>26364952
Yeah, but it's not just soft ground. It's magically shifted ground. Ground that moves with us to slowly decelerate our fall, absorbing energy like a net. Though I suppose Cloudwalker does let us land anywhere, not just on earthen materials. Not that there will be many trees to land on, but I guess it could be an advantage.

>>26364985
I think I'd rather have the thing that shoots lightning be something unrelated to the thing that lets you jump super high, Like that glove we bought earlier. Have we tried binding the turtle to it yet?

>>26365013
Wait, seriously? I was just assuming the impact from falling from orbit would do extreme damage. If the discharge gets more powerful with distance fallen, then we absolutely need to perform the orbital drop kick on the Iron Tyrant.

>>26365084

Yep thats how we killed the Sonic Worm.

We trapped it use the earth and Cloudwalker to propel us to the sky and then Dropped kick it.

>>26364666
Thirding this repsonse, and also the idea that we BOLT FROM THE HEAVENS as our opening attack on the Tyrant.

>>26365309
good idea. Then fallow it up with Edge of Dawns Solar Bombardment.

>>26365309
Okay, but first we have to travel across the wastes to find the Demon Pits and the Fellfire. So Cordia might still be a good idea if we're trying to lay low and not leap about with flashes of lightning or fly with radiant wings. We can swap to Cloudwalker Stride when we move to confront the Tyrant.

>>26365472
That's a good point, a case can be made for keeping things low-key.

In which case, binding the crystal wyrm to the boots might be a good idea, because it lets us move silently.

>>26365539
Wait, not boots, shirt.

Boots is something else entirely.

>>26365539
Pretty sure we don't need to be *that* low-key. I mean, his domain is probably miles and miles across, and he's probably like the size of a dumper truck or something. We won't run into him until we want to.

Besides that, what exactly can he do to use if we're flying a couple hundred meters up. Throw things?

You decide to leave your shirt bound where it is, partly for lack of energy, and partly for the utility of an unknowable identity. In your head, you compile a list of bindings for the morning. Your Rock Turtle will go into Cloudwalker's Stride, while the Raptor Bone will go into your Greaves. The Scale for Vestus Sonitus, Cordia in your gloves, the Bladed Fin to make Snakebite Aqua, and of course, your new wings.

You realize you're beginning to assemble quite the panoply.

You turn in for bed early that night, and your sleep is mercifully uninterrupted.

(Cont.)

>>26365591
No, the Tyrant is pretty huge. I believe he was described as being able to climb to the top of the Ikrins with a single step. Probably hyperbole, but he's still got to be at least a hundred meters tall, himself. And he's a spirit of iron and fire. Him throwing things has potential to be a very dangerous attack.

>>26365706
too late man Diarca already updated

>>26365702
I AM BECOME DEATH
CONTROLLER OF SPIRITS
NOW GET IN THE FUCKING BAG

>>26365723
Oh, I wasn't arguing for any particular focus. I was just saying that relying on flight as a defense isn't going to be foolproof.

>>26365855
I see.

Then again no defense is foolproof.

Also we may not have time to switch binds so I think it's best that we stick with our combat line up.

>>26365702
After asking what kit we were going to take, I took an hour long nap. Was a good choice it seems, consensus is hard with so many badass items

>>26365702
you still with us, Di?

Tryd awakens you just before first light, a small pat on your forehead leaving you with a small charcoal claw smudge on your forehead. You roll out of bed as Amal tidies up the workshop. After leaving a set of instructions for Quinn and Terra, you unbind the Razor Wing and with it, climb to the roof of your workshop. You array a map, install the totem in the roof, and begin to draw the chalk circles. Breathing in through your nose, you place both hands on the Wing and begin to chant.

"Mists beyond mortal ken, I entreat you," you begin, your voice strong in the dark morning air, "Enshroud me. Press me beyond the veil, and allow me entrance into the valley of the night. In the name of the Totemist's Pact, I invoke my right as bridge to the World Without. Open the way, that I might walk it. Unshroud the path, that I might entreat with those beyond the material on their own terms."

You channel your energy through your body, focusing it into the Wing before you.

"In the name of Osyki, I part the veil."

(Cont.)

File: 1375340467586.jpg-(119 KB, 731x1000, Osyki.jpg)

119 KB JPG

The early morning mist billows inward, flooding the streets around you with pearly white mist. As the sun breaks over the horizon, you have time to glimpse the vibrant red for just a moment before a curtain of gray rolls in and blocks it out entirely. Before you the wing writhes, unfurling into its full size. The rest of the Drake emerges from the mists as though its wing was never severed, staring at you with those cold, judging eyes.

"Onward, Totemist. We have a long journey ahead."

As you stare out into the mists, you can see vague shapes flitting in and out of sight. Strange, cthonic shapes roil just out of sight in the cloud that swallows the world, and as the Drake coils around you, you feel just how alone you are in this place.

"No, Osyki," you hear softly.

You glance down to your gloves. They pulse green just once before fading to matte black.

That's right. You nod, mounting the Drake and consulting your map.

Never alone.

[[ End thread. Keep an eye on my twitter for updates about the next thread. Maybe Friday. As always, I'd appreciate it if someone could archive this.

Night, fellow Totemists.]]

>>26366311
Night Diarca!

>>26366311
Goodnight, Diarca. Thanks again for the great quest.

>>26366311
Thanks Diarca

>>26366311
Someone archived it.
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/26354361/