You've paid the price to the goddess Ishtar, and now it's time to collect your reward. You plan to head to a mountain pass far to the east in search of antediluvian treasures. You can only imagine what wonders you will find. Perhaps there will be relics that Ligish can use in its defense, or pretty things you can keep for yourself and make yourself the pretty scorpion.You spend two or three days to prepare. Nergal-Edir sets one of his ovens aside to dry and salt a long journey's worth of goat for you. Nakurtum focusing your combat training on fighting in rough terrain, making you fend off her practice spear while she's one level above or below you on the pyramid's great terrace. The Rain Priest insists that you bring some scrolls with you to keep up on your reading practice. You order Rabi-Tammuz to make you a kerchief to tie your hair up in when you sleep, so it doesn't get all full of dirt when you dig a burrow outdoors. That's been worrying you lately. You're also a little worried by how well he's getting along with Meluku. 8-year-old boys and unlicensed slave surgeons share a certain taste for the macabre.> Go alone> Go with Nakurtum> Go with a small company of guards who can help you fight, dig, and carry goods> Go with as many men and monsters as you can muster from the city, so you can hold and occupy the site in the long termArchives:http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Scorpion%20Girl%20QuestMore Complete Arhives: https://archive.foolz.us/tg/search/username/Anu/type/op/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScorpGirlQuestCharacter Sheet: http://pastebin.com/1667ZT3fList of Characters: http://pastebin.com/Fc2Z81umWiki: http://emlia.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=ScorpionGirlQuest.RecentChanges
>>31282115I say > Go with a small company of guards who can help you fight, dig, and carry goodswe'll go and find it, then send some dudes back to bring an actual occupation force while we hold it.also, we keep them OUT of combat this time. Not many lived through the mole woman incident.I assume nakurtum is included in the option.
>>31282115>Take Nakurtum.It shouldn't be that dangerous, and we can pack mule if we need.Small company just means more people die.
>>31282115> Go with a small company of guards who can help you fight, dig, and carry goods
>>31282175not necessarilyand even if you're right, it's more people that aren't us
>>31282175>>31282198he has valid points about more people more danger of death.I only want to bring as many people as would be a safe amount to travel on their own. We can then send them to tell the main city of stuff.
>>31282115>Go with NakurtumShe should be fine, unlike the redshirts.
>>31282221redshirts are handy for menial shit though
>>31282266which is why we use them for menial stuff for the trip there and while we clear out the ruins. Then they set up camp for us and head back off to the main city to get an occupation force.at least, that's how I see things. of course I already voted, so don't count this as a vote.
>>31282115You decide to bring Nakurtum and just a few other guards to carry gear and take care of the pack animals. Dadanum wants to be among them, but you specifically forbid him from coming. You have a bad feeling.As you and your small company make your way out of Ligish, people toss you flowers and call out entreaties, as they often do. "Lady Scorpion, save us from Sin's anger!" "Lady Scorpion, come back soon!" "Lady Scorpion, when are we going to make Turtak tributary again? Didn't we win the war?"There's a lot of dry, scrubby earth between Ligish and you destination, with only a few poor settlements build around oases and streams that wind west toward the river. Nakurtum keeps pace beside you and speculates on what sorts of weapons could be mounted to your back.You spend your first night burrowed in the cool, dry earth, with your new kerchief around your hair. You wonder if your strange dreams of the underworld will return. The dead scorionfolk once called you the Living One, but now you're not the only one alive and walking the earth...> You made Lady Amata a promise. You still intend to break open the gates to the underworld and set them free> There is another way now. You don't need to release the hungry dead. You can repopulate the species one day.
>>31282115> Go with Nakurtum and our slave.Nakurtum is our bro, plus she's more experienced at navigating and travel in general.And what's the point of even having a slave if we don't take him with us to earn his keep?
>>31282423>You made Lady Amata a promise. You still intend to break open the gates to the underworld and set them free
>>31282423Is anyone else feeling really conflicted about the Scorpionfolk?I do want to help them, but I sure as fuck don't want to doom thousands of innocents by unleashing them on the world.I'm kind of hoping we can find another way. A third option.Or, at least, a way to make them behave. I do like that under-city idea. If we could civilize them a little, so they're not just a marauding horde, I don't think it would be to bad.
>>31282423> You made Lady Amata a promise. You still intend to break open the gates to the underworld and set them freeHunzuu will be forever pure.
>You made Lady Amata a promise. You still intend to break open the gates to the underworld and set them free>>31282538Civilizing them seems like a decent enough idea. Turn them into a proper army first would be great to instill discipline and the instinct to obey laws/hierarchy before making them more civilized.But for that, Hunzuu will have to become the strongest scorpion ever.
>>31282423> You made Lady Amata a promise. You still intend to break open the gates to the underworld and set them free
Rolled 2, 6, 4 = 12>>31282423>> You made Lady Amata a promise. You still intend to break open the gates to the underworld and set them free
>>31282538I am feeling SUPER GODDAMN CONFLICTEDI feel strongly in both directions.for now I'm leaning towards > You made Lady Amata a promise. You still intend to break open the gates to the underworld and set them freebut damn if I don't want to find another way.
>>31282618so, before we release them, we must first become mightier than their thousands of years of training.
>>31282670I didn't say it would be easy. No one did.But it is exactly that what she needs. Why would they listen to her if she can't prove to be not only one of them, but also leader material? Just releasing them from death is not enough to change their culture.
>>31282618>But for that, Hunzuu will have to become the strongest scorpion ever.We're never going to gain control of the Scorpionfolk through martial means. Even the kids have hundreds/thousands of years combat experience. We'd get our thorax handed to us if we ever tried to dominate them with our own strength.We need other means.
>>31282698>>31282694an important concern:won't they still be, you know, dead once they get out of the afterlife?what's to stop them from fading anyway?
>>31282650>>31282538> find another way.Other realms exist. This world. The Underworld and the.... Grasslands? that the Centaurs go to.Presumable, there would be other places too. Maybe we could find one for them?
>>31282748a bit farfetched. I'm putting that at plan maybe.
>>31282423You made Lady Amata a promise. You still intend to break open the gates to the underworld and set them free.When you feel the pull of the underworld in your last waking moments before drifting off, you do not resist. The strange chill and the blue light from below do not surprise you, but you feel less fully in the underworld, more weightless and immaterial, like you did during your first few visits here. Your connection to this place is weaker.When you lift your eyes to see the scorpion camp, you see that many of them are gathered around a reclining giant, almost a hundred feet tall, covered in thick horns and draped with dead moss over his stony skin. Shaggy fur covers his eyes, and tusks protrude from his disproportionately large laws. Some of the scorpions are asking the beast questions, and it responds in a deep grumble.Lady Amata is overseeing from a distance when she notices you. "Living one! You have returned! Come, come here." She pulls you into clawhugs.> "Good news! There's another living one. I'm still going to set you guys free, but I can also, you know, make scorplings now."> "Who in the name of Anu is that? He's huge! You think he could bust you guys out from the inside?"> "I've been thinking. How can I get stronger? I want to be the strongest scorpion ever. You now... uh... just so I can set you free...">>31282718That might be something you can learn about now.
>>31282762> "Good news! There's another living one. I'm still going to set you guys free, but I can also, you know, make scorplings now."> "Who in the name of Anu is that? He's huge! You think he could bust you guys out from the inside?"
>>31282762Dow e really have to choose one? ALl three of those options are good.
>>31282762>> "Who in the name of Anu is that? He's huge!> "Good news! There's another living one. I'm still going to set you guys free, but I can also, you know, get to know himdon't offer scorplings. We don't know if he's a cool guy. yet.
>>31282762> "Good news! There's another living one. I'm still going to set you guys free, but I can also, you know, make scorplings now."Speaking of which, how does that work...?We don't know how it works. Nobody ever taught us.
>>31282762>"Who in the name of Anu is that? He's huge! You think he could bust you guys out from the inside?"When we get round to question time. Ask >>31282748
>>31282804Crap, linked the wrong post.I meant to ask >>31282718
Rolled 9, 1, 2 = 12>>31282762>> "Who in the name of Anu is that? He's huge! You think he could bust you guys out from the inside?"then> "I've been thinking. How can I get stronger? I want to be the strongest scorpion ever. You now... uh... just so I can set you free..."finally> "Good news! There's another living one. I'm still going to set you guys free, but I can also, you know, make scorplings now."
>>31282762[x] return clawhugs[x] ask >>31282718
>>31282762> "Good news! There's another living one. I'm still going to set you guys free, but I can also, you know, make scorplings now.">>"But won't you still be dead,e ven after leaving this place?"> "Who in the name of Anu is that? He's huge! You think he could bust you guys out from the inside?"> "I've been thinking. How can I get stronger? I want to be the strongest scorpion ever. You now... uh... just so I can set you free..."
>>31282762>> "Good news! There's another living one. I'm still going to set you guys free, but I can also, you know, make scorplings now.">> "Who in the name of Anu is that? He's huge! You think he could bust you guys out from the inside?">> "I've been thinking. How can I get stronger? I want to be the strongest scorpion ever. You now... uh... just so I can set you free.
A gift from QTG.
>>31282762"Who in the name of Anu is that? He's huge! You think he could bust you guys out from the inside?"Lady Amata chuckles and shakes her head. "He could, I have no doubt, but he would not. He loves the gods too much an cannot think to protest his fate. He is Humbaba, old guardian of the cedar forest. I found him and brought him back here, just for the stories he can tell. He will help us without realizing it.""How?""He used to take orders from the gods directly. He overheard things. He remembers many things that none of us ever saw. Specifically, the other times that great Ishtar broke open the gates and freed the dead. This will give my people hope, in Ishtar and in themselves.""Yes, I've been wondering about that myself. Won't you be dead even after you leave this place? What's to keep you from fading anyway?""Once there was only one gate. To protest her betrothal to Tammuz, Ishtar betrayed Ereshkigal and broke it open to free the hungry dead. They rose up to eat the living, and the dead outnumbered the living. Gods and men had to fight them off one by one. The dead were able to continue without fading as long as they had true blood and flesh to eat. So I imagine that will be our fate when the New Hunt comes. A distateful outcome for men and other bread-eaters, perhaps, but not for us. We love blood and flesh anyway!"> Talk to Humbaba. Climb up on him to get his attention.> Keep bonding with Lady Amata. You're reluctant to get too close to that thing.>>31282931lol
>>31282968> Keep bonding with Lady Amata. You're reluctant to get too close to that thing.And what happens when all the flesh and blood runs out?
>>31282968>They get unleashed as zombiesOh god What are we doingshit>Keep bonding with Lady Amata.Talk about the scorpion boy.
>>31282968>Inform Amata that there is a new scorpion made. Ask about how one makes scorpionlings.>YOu will probably need to be stronger, and be the dominant one in the relationship.Awkward The Talk is go.
>>31282968>talk about scorpion boyafter gossip,>talk to humbubba"What was it like to be a forest guardian?"
Rolled 2, 2, 2 = 6>>31282968>> Talk to Humbaba. Climb up on him to get his attention.That would be goddamn adorable
>>31283039I really don't think it's a good idea to unleash these hungry dead.I'm still probably going to go ahead with it anyway.>>31283053>awkward talkreminder that scorpions do a claws-held dance for hours before discreetly swapping a sperm packet.
>>31282968>The dead were able to continue without fading as long as they had true blood and flesh to eat. So I imagine that will be our fate when the New Hunt comes. Awe shite! We can't do it. We can't unleash the fucking Scorpion-Apocalypse upon the world.I hope we can find a third option. I would like to help them. Maybe we could talk to Ishtar again and ask about other realms they could go to? If we could entertain her enough, I bet she's tell us what we want to know.>Talk to Humbaba. Climb up on him to get his attention.
>>31283098yeah I'm having reservations about doing it too.but at the same time, I have reservations about NOT doing it.
>>31282968>That is not life! That is nothing more than a cursed existance! There must be a way to grant you real life, an existance of your own again!
>>31283142by letting them out you would be likely killing all life
>>31282968Humbaba is quite a sight to behold, but you reason that your inquiries will just be lost among those of the dead scorpions crowding around his enormous bulk. You stay with Lady Amata and give her the good news. "Oh, I have more news! I'm not the only living one anymore. Another city transformed a boy into one of our kind. Of course I'm still going to set you free, but now I can also make scorplings."Lady Amata smiles but tries to check her joy with caution. "Very good. I am not sure whether we'll be able to breed when the New Hunt comes. So that will be up to you. Do not let this boy distract you, though. Of all the things that can distract a young maiden from her duties, boys are among the worst. I know, oh, I know...""I won't let him distract me. I'm thinking I'm going to be the dominant one in the relationship, anyway.""As it should be! Granted, I know nothing about this boy, but he has not come to see us as you have. That does not bode well for his character. You must tell him what his duties are.""I, uh, I'll try." You've never thought of yourself as a teacher. You also never really thought of getting with a boy before this matter arose, certainly not being the more experienced one! "So, I'd better learn how that works. Where scorplings come from."Lady Amata pulls you in gently with one claw to explain to you in a discreet tone. "The first thing you need is the right territory to use. A big, flat, dry stone is best. Don't do it on soft earth, or on a hillside, or in the rain. If that means making him wait, make him wait."> Ask for more advice, not just how to do the deed but how to convince a gentleman scorpion to agree to the deed> Ask what stories Humbaba has told> Ask for combat trainingYou learn the details of the mating dance and the transfer of reproductive materials in as much detail as you would ever care to know. You suspect that some of this is embellished according to Lady Amata's personal tastes, but you can't be sure.
>>31283179But they're currently trapped in hell, slowly losing their minds and memories until they fade away. When they fade away, they're still lucid, just unable to interact with anyone. Trapped with no voice, no body, for eternity.No-one deserves that. We must free them. But if we free them, then they'll wipe out all the humans, right?Not if we bring back the rest of the monster races so they can eat.>>31283249>Ask for combat training.It'll help us snag the boy and live at the same time.
>>31283249haha, gross.Awkward conversations.> Ask what stories Humbaba has toldwe have years to figure out if we even want to convince him, so let's change topics.
Rolled 1, 3, 3 = 7>>31283249>> Ask what stories Humbaba has told>> Ask for combat trainingLets cut the crap.
>>31283249> Ask what stories Humbaba has told> Ask for combat training
>>31283249>> Ask what stories Humbaba has told
>>31283249> Ask what stories Humbaba has toldWe should also ask the giant if it's possible to grant real life tot he dead, instead of zombie existance.
>>31283281>When they fade away, they're still lucid, just unable to interact with anyone. Trapped with no voice, no body, for eternity.Lady Amata told us some people think that might be true. That's it.>But they're currently trapped in hellYeah, they're in the Underworld. Just like we will be one day. And everyone else. (except the Centaurs)If we could return them to life. Give the Scorpion race a second chance to live again. I might be for it.But that's not on the table right now. Just the Scorpion-Apocalypse, the death of everyone and everything we love and everyone else being stuck in the Underworld before their time.
None can stop the scorpions, besides Pazuzu and the gods. Sooner or later there will be no food left, and then, all will disappear.That's not something they should want. It's not what they truly want. There has to be a way to give them real life once more.
>>31283448If I remember right, they said they'd leave our humans alone. Which is fine, considering all of the people we care about are in there.
>>31283249After taking a mental note of how to execute the mating dance if that time ever comes, you move on to other questions. "What has Humbaba told you guys about so far? Besides the story about that other time the dead escaped?"Lady Amata looks on as one of the dead scorpionfolk climbs too far up Humbaba's leg and he flicks her off and sends her flying. "The story of his own death at the hands of Gilgamesh and Enkidu is an interesting one. Not terribly useful, though. He also told us how Ishtar later married Tammuz after all, at the command of Anu himself, only to kill him on their wedding night. She later repented, and walked into the underworld in peace to retrieve him. That is how he changed from the god of conception to the god of rebirth. Now he dies every dry season and returns with the rains.""You think he would know anything about making you truly alive again?""Hah! One act of defiance against the gods at a time, little sister. I will see how we fare after simply escaping from this place. That may be enough for me.""Well, I don't like it, but I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Did h tell you anything else?""I asked him about Pazuzu, since you said he might return. Apparently Pazuzu was one of Tiamat's eleven favored sons, whom she sent to kill the gods as revenge for the death of her sonsort Apsu. We are daughters of Tiamat as well, after a fashion, little sister. Perhaps we can make an alliance with him.""I'm not going to chance it. I'd rather he never came back at all. Well, I guess that's all I needed to know. Want to practice fighting?"Lady Amata simply cracks her knuckles and flexes her long tail.> Roll 4d6 to spar with Lady Amata. This should be interesting. She's much bigger than you.
Rolled 4, 4, 4, 3 = 15>>31283690Have we gitten gud yet?
Rolled 6, 4, 3, 1 = 14>>31283690
Rolled 2, 5, 3, 1 = 11>>31283690>> Roll 4d6 to spar with Lady Amata. This should be interesting. She's much bigger than you.
Rolled 2, 5, 4, 4 = 15>>31283690
>>31283715Maybe, with those rolls.
>>31283668>If I remember right, they said they'd leave our humans alone.The Scorpions in this camp said the'd leave our humans alone.This camp is not the sum total of the Scorpion race.We also have to think of all the other things that would escape from the Underworld. Amata said she'd defend the door, but.... c'mon. That's a promise she knows she can't keep. Not for long anyway.Even if they try, they'll have to leave the door to feast upon the living.
>>31283690man, all the adult scorpions are huge.
>>31283690You both take a fighting stance, and then you charge her. You try using the trick you learned last time, where you charge someone who's clearly planning to catch you but then defy their expectations at the last moment. Right before Lady Amata snaps her claws to catch you, you roll off to one side and grapple at three of her four left legs. You bring her down with a hard thud that shakes the earth and opens up more glowing blue cracks in the ground."Oof! You catch up to your kin quickly, little sister. You may be due for a molting..."Lady Amata does eventually regain her composure and pin you using her superior size, but it takes her several minutes to get a firm hold on your slinking, skittering form. You feel proud of yourself as the fight concludes."Keep practicing," says Lady Amata as she crawls off of you. "Practice whenever you can, but avoid all real battles that do not bring you closer to your goal. Never forget. Because we will not forget you..."Suddenly you are awoken by the feeling of Nakurtum pounding at the top of your burrow with the butt of her great axe. "Zuu? Time to get up, kiddo. Come on, have some goat jerky."With that, you unbury yourself, dust yourself off, and prepare to resume the search for Ishtar's ancient temple.> Roll 5d6 to find your way across the trackless open wilderness. (You're receiving a big bonus for being with Nakurtum and the rest of your unit.)
Rolled 1, 2, 5, 3, 2 = 13>>31283996
Rolled 3, 1, 6, 2, 3 = 15>>31283996Thanks for waking me up, nakurtum.I can't really see the sun down there.
Rolled 1, 2, 4, 6, 4 = 17>>31283996>> Roll 5d6 to find your way across the trackless open wilderness. (You're receiving a big bonus for being with Nakurtum and the rest of your unit.)
Rolled 3, 2, 4, 1, 3 = 13>>31283996Offer Nakurtum a ride. We can chat on the move.
>>31284021>Lower roll than a 4d6I HAVE DISHONORED MY FAMILY
Rolled 2, 2, 1, 6, 1 = 12>>31284074DISHONOR THEM FURTHER
Rolled 4, 2, 6, 5, 6 = 23>>31283996https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKdtI4JpFooEpic journey theme.
>>31284062We can talk about how we see dead people.
>>31284112we worry about their need to eat the living sometimes.
Rolled 5, 3, 5, 3, 4 = 20>>31284098Does the music rule apply to noncombat rolls? Pls, Anu?
>>31283996 At first your plan was to use the more foolproof method, heading due east and working your way south when you reach the mountains, checking every pass on the way down. Nakurtum says she thinks she knows the way to lead you directly to the right pass, though, so you let her hop up on your back and lead the party from her makeshift command platform.The air gets thinner, and you weave your way through rolling hills that reach progressively more and more impressive heights. The only sign of human life is a lone skeleton you find partially exposed in a windblown barrow. You have half a mind to dig him up, but Nakurtum assures you that a grave that shallow must not be very old. No relics of any use will be in there. So you cover up the skeleton with more dirt and move on.The first mountain pass Nakurtum leads you to appears to be the wrong one. There are no temples between these lines of snowcapped peaks. There is, however, a surprisingly green valley, and wild goats! The wet season must have come early here.> Make camp here and catch a bunch of goats> Take the time to leave some kind of scary message here to mark your territory> Don't waste any time here. Leave the valley and head south in search of the correct one.
>>31284282> Make camp here and catch a bunch of goatsMore food is always good.
>>31284282>> Make camp here and catch a bunch of goats
>>31284282are we on any kind of time limit?How late in the day is it?if it's near night time, then sure, I'd love a night hunt.
>>31284282While they sleep, hunt in the night so they awaken to fresh goat.
>>31284282>Make camp here and catch a bunch of goatsSpending a day to look around this place and catch some goats can't hurt.
>>31284282You and the party could have gotten in some more good marching today, but instead you decide to command them to break for the rest of the day. This place interests you.Nakurtum has her fine horn bow packed up with one of the mules, but she's reluctant to use any arrows on mere goats. It never ceases to surprise you how many different weapons she's comfortable with. She's not even carrying the same greataxe she used during the maggot attack. This is the kind of woman who keeps multiple greataxes and chooses one for each mission based on its relative merits.The guards make a small fire, but not one big enough to cook a goat on, as wood and tinder are both scarce around here. When night falls and your inhuman eyes acclimate to the dark, you are confident that you'll have the perfect excuse to kill whatever you catch here and eat it raw.> Roll 2d6 to sneak up on some wild goats and make food of them.
Rolled 2, 5 = 7>>31284537just sort of physically pick them up and take them with you
Rolled 4, 6 = 10>>31284537>Roll 2d6 to sneak up on some wild goats and make food of them.Goats are good, but keep an eye out for other things. We might just discover the next taste sensation!
Rolled 3, 5, 5, 5, 3 = 21>>31284282>> Make camp here and catch a bunch of goatsIt gotta be Goatmas!
>>31284537This valley is home to tall grasses and wildflowers you've never seen before, all of which look to be various shades of blue and gray in your night vision. You hear a strange night bird. However, the only animals you see are the small herd of shaggy, thick-horned goats that you slink toward with your head and tail kept low to the ground. When it's time to strike, you leap foward on eight legs strong enough to break mud bricks and catch a straggling goat in each claw. The others immediately scatter in all directions and flee for their lives.Meat that's been dried and salted for travel hardly tastes like meat at all. It's no better than bread and the other weak repasts of the bread-eaters, you think to yourself as you tear the goats apart and gorge on their choicest bits. You are no human, but a daughter of Tiamat, and you are satisfied by nothing less than the hot blood and tender flesh of your very own kill. You don't know what the mating dance feels like, but it could hardly feel any better than this. You suspect that you won't have to eat for days after this. Though you've had larger meals, you feel pleasantly full. You look back at the chitinous plates of your scorpion half and wonder if you're getting a little plump. Were the plates always spaced that far apart?The next morning, Nakurtum and the guards are amused to see the traces of blood that remain on you and joke that it just saves more rations for them. One of the guards asks for the goats' horns so he can craft something out of them.Two days later, you finally find the correct mountain pass. Nakurtum assures you of this and points to the south. "If this were a clearer day, I bet you could see the sea way over there by the horizon."> Offer scorpion rides to as many people as will fit on your back. Tell Nakurtum to get her bow out.> Proceed on foot with weapons ready, prepared for the worst> Shout to warn anyone nearby of your approach.
>>31284938>Offer a ride, tell them to be ready to jump off.Damn, we need to go on a diet.
>>31284938come on hunzuu, bread and stuff can be nice.I mean, you LIKE the sweetcakes. And the spices.Also, learn to wash up better.> Proceed on foot with weapons ready, prepared for the worstI like scorpion rides, but I'm worried about people getting hurt.
>>31284938>Proceed on foot with weapons ready, prepared for the worstYay, we're almost ready to moult!
>>31284938> Offer scorpion rides to as many people as will fit on your back. Tell Nakurtum to get her bow out.
>>31284938> Offer scorpion rides to as many people as will fit on your back. Tell Nakurtum to get her bow out.Save the redshirts.
>>31285148 I vote for whichever option saves the most redshirts
>>31284938> Offer scorpion rides to as many people as will fit on your back. Tell Nakurtum to get her bow out.> Proceed on foot with weapons ready, prepared for the worst
>>31284938"Get ready, everyone. I don't think anyone's here, but if there is we may have to fight."Nakurtum starts holding her axe like an axe rather than a walking stick, and the guards ready spears and slings. The gently curved mountain pass looks old indeed, overlooked by jutting shards of stone made of many colors of sediment. There are no discernible trails or tracks. You see a stone structure in the distance. It appears to have sunken in the earth a bit, but other than that it's held up well if it's really been here since the great flood. Some human-like figures are inspecting the strucure. Balls of gold, white, and red flames hover near them.> Wait for them to pass> Hail them> Don't let them take your treasure! Plan to ambush and murder them.
>>31285199those are mutually exclusive anon
>>31285221> Hail them
>>31285148>Save the redshirts.Being cautious and proceeding at the ready seems the best way for that. Weighing ourself down by acting as a taxi seems the wrong way to go about it.
>>31285221>> Wait for them to pass
>>31285221>> Hail themhave the hired hands back off, then say hello to the local guardians.might as well get this talk/fight out of the way early.
>>31285221>Hail them.They could be friendly, and we can kill them if they're not.
>>31285221>Hail themStart by being the Friendly Scorpion.Be ready to become the Deadly Scorpion or the Running Away Scorpion if needed.
>>31285221"Stay back. I'll try to talk to them."Nakurtum steps back and crouches to avoid notice. "They must be wizards. I hate fighting wizards. The best way to kill a wizard is to climb into his house and kill him in his sleep." She gives you a knowing look. "But just give the word and I'll kill them all the same."You crawl downhill with your hands in the air as a gesture of peace and your spear strapped to your back. "Hello? Do you understand me? I don't mean any harm. My goddess told me to find this place."As you get closer, you see that the strangers are snake-people, with olive skin blending into dark scales, with scaly patterned hoods on their backs. They look at each other and say something in a language you don't understand. When you do not react, they say it louder. The balls of luminous energy around them start spinning and burning brighter.> Offer whatever gestures of submission you can think of> Try to parrot their words back to them Roll 1d6.> Run.> Speak the two universal languages: Louder and Slower.
>>31285482> Speak the two universal languages: Louder and Slower.Time to be the obnoxious scorpion!
>>31285482>Offer whatever gestures of submission you can think ofOpen hands and speak in a soft voice. Friendly smile.If we're close enough for them to see, draw the symbol of Ishtar in the dirt. See if we can get some sort of communication going.
>>31285482> Throw spear to the ground in a sign of supplication.We don't need it to mangle them.> Signal hands in a way that says you do not understand them.
>>31285482>> Try to parrot their words back to them Roll 1d6.
>>31285482Tell the others to get back.> Offer whatever gestures of submission you can think of>>31285547This guy has it down.
>>31285547This.
>>31285482>Offer whatever gestures of submission you can think of
>>31285482> Throw down spear> Open hands, soft voice> Seconding showing them the Sign of Ishtar
>>31285548>Throw spear to the ground in a sign of supplication.Don't open with that. Reaching for our weapon right away could send the wrong message.See if we can convey that we come in peace. Once they're not on edge, then try putting the weapon aside to seal the deal.
>>31285482>> Offer whatever gestures of submission you can think ofwave at them. Maybe bow.
>>31285593I'll resend removing the spear for now.
>>31285482You consider throwing your spear down, but that would mean you'd have to draw it first, and that would take all the time they'd need to attack you. You keep your hands open, palms up, and make your saddest, sweetest baby-scorpion eyes at them. "Hi! My name's Hunzuu! What's yours?" You've used that line before, and sometimes in a dark context. But all they'll understand is your tone, so it works.The snake-people pause and consider what to make of you. One male speaks to another while pointing at you with his thumb. He looks suspicious of you.You wonder if scratching the symbol if Ishtar in the ground with your claw. You draw an exaggerated female figure, naked except for a pointed helm on her head, a common likeness used to represent the deity who encompasses both love and war. The snakes don't seem to understand, or they fear getting close enough to look at the image. They slither around you, pointing and gesturing that they intend to circle around you and proceed up the valley, the way you and your party came from.> Let them. Shout out to your party to drop their weapons and reveal themselves.> Your people are that way! Have one or more of your guards follow them to make sure they behave themselves.> Try to invite them to explore the temple with you.
>>31285727> Your people are that way! Have one or more of your guards follow them to make sure they behave themselves.
>>31285727>> Your people are that way! Have one or more of your guards follow them to make sure they behave themselves.
>>31285727>> Let them. Shout out to your party to drop their weapons and reveal themselves.Nice to meet you snake people.On we go.
>>31285727>Shout out to your party to reveal themselves and be friendly.
>>31285727> Let them. Shout out to your party to drop their weapons and reveal themselves.
>>31285727You shout back to your party. "They're coming this way! Listen! I want someone to follow them! Find out what they're up to and then go tell the priests!"Nakurtum stands up first. "I'll do it!"> Oh, no she won't. Make one of the nobodies with spears do it> "Good idea! You can stalk them. Follow just far enough behind them so they won't notice!"> "Be nice! Try to get them to accept you!"
>>31285934> Oh, no she won't. Make one of the nobodies with spears do it>"No, someone expendable!"
>>31285934I say> "Be nice! Try to get them to accept you!"has the lowest chance of her getting hurt and starting an incident. Well, redshirt is a lower chance of her being hurt, but it will most likely cause incident.
>>31285995>>31285998is the compromise to have one of our goons make friendly?
>>31286109I was mostly joking and expected to get outvotedso nak doing it is fine
>>31285934You feel bad about putting Nakurtum in danger, but danger is her profession. "Try to make nice with them. Learn what they want. Then go back home and tell the priests!"Nakurtum obeys. She takes her share of the rations and moves out to intercept the snake-people, unarmed except for a sling and a knife hidden in her clothes. The snakes test her by sending one of their fireballs out to explode at her feet, but her refusal to flinch or run away seems to convince them to let her tag along. Nakurtum has impressed you with her bravery yet again."The rest of you, come over here! We're going to start looking for treasure!"The entrance of the temple is beneath ground level, so you'll need another way in.> Bust a hole in the roof> Dig into the earth with your claws until you find the original entrance
>>31286274> Dig into the earth with your claws until you find the original entrancewe're all full of goat energy, we can take extra time digging.besides, digging is fun. Consider making a sand castle out of excess dirt.
>>31286274> Dig into the earth with your claws until you find the original entrance
>>31286274> Dig into the earth with your claws until you find the original entrance.
>>31286274>> Dig into the earth with your claws until you find the original entranceWe're good at digging. Also, I don't want to collapse the roof and destroy our loot.>>31286302Seconding sand castle/dirt fort. We're 13. Act like it.>>31286302
>>31286274You wave farewell to Nakurtum, then get to work on the earth near where you estimate is the temple's main entrance. The ground is rocky and densely packed, but it's no match for your persistent burrowing claws. Though it takes some time, you pack dirt together and build a little domed house out of all the dirt and rock you're displacing. Tonight you can sleep in a burrow that's above ground! You decorate it with little claw tracings of windows, then doodles of yourself, Nakurtum, Mr. Clicks, and your mother and father. It's not until you've finished scratching out the crude likeness of the father you've never known that you realize the sadness inherent in what you're doing. Then the house's ceiling collapses.It takes a few hours, with the guards contributing where they can with simple hand tools they packed one of the mules with. When you're finished, you've excavated the temple's original facade, which bears a larger-than-life carving of Ishtar straddling the front door. You must pass between her legs to enter. That does seem to be her style.Inside, the ages have worn at this place, and earth has piled up inside, but there's still quite a bit of air below the normal ground level. There is no light at all outside of the entrance hall where some early evening light comes in through the door, so you have the guards prepare torches.> Roll 3d6 to thoroughly search all the rooms without causing a cave-in or otherwise damaging valuable relics.
Rolled 2, 6, 2 = 10>>31286564>> Roll 3d6 to thoroughly search all the rooms without causing a cave-in or otherwise damaging valuable relics.oh god we're so big and doors are so small
Rolled 6, 3, 2 = 11>>31286564>Roll 3d6 to thoroughly search all the rooms without causing a cave-in or otherwise damaging valuable relics.Rollin for loot.
Rolled 1, 3, 4 = 8>>31286564What could possibly go wrong?
Such average rolls.
>>31286564A couple of rooms collapse under tons of rock, brick, and stone before you can finish exploring them crushing whatever might be hidden within, but there are other rooms you manage to explore completely. Nobody takes any serious injuries, though you do accidentally get a lot of fallen dirt and pebbles in your hair. You hate that!You find a bronze lockbox buried in sediment. After prying it open with a claw, you find three clay balls inside. They must contain more of that fluid you drank to commune with Ishtar.You find a marble statue of Ishtar outfitted with real equipment. She's holding a spear with a head made of rippled blue-and-black metal, finely shaped armor made of black scales, and a single white left glove with a black eye dyed into the palm. All of it is remarkably well-preserved. You feel that Ishtar would understand if you strip her of these things.Under a loose stone in the floor, you also find some old golden coins. Even if they don't do anything special, they should be worth bringing back. The priests will like it if you can provide some of your own walking-around money. Interestingly, they are minted with the image of a humanoid with a man's head coming out of its chest.> Put any/all of the gear on immediately> Quaff one of the clay balls and thank Ishtar for the swag> Wait to have it all identified first
>>31286924> Put any/all of the gear on immediatelyI doubt Ishtar would reward us with cursed shit
>>31286924> Wait to have it all identified firstit's a good haul, but always run it past some wizards first.though, there aren't any actual monster artifacts here, I notice. that's not good.
>>31286924> Wait to have it all identified first
>>31286924>Bring the whole statue. We're big and strong. We can put it in the temple mack home.>Quaff one of the balls once we've made camp and got settled. Maybe Ishtar can direct us to some more hidden loot in this place. Temples often have hidden chambers, right?
>>31286924>Put any/all of the gear on immediatelyHm, more giants? Not the best, but not the worst.
>>31286924You have the men back the coins and the box of clay balls very carefully on the mules. While the coins are obviously valuable and hint at some forgotten history, the men are most interested in the spear and the exquisite scale armor. "Are you going to put it on, Hunzuu?" asks the craftsman who asked for the goat horns."Hey, you should give it to that guy Dadanum again," jokes another guard. "He likes women's armor!""Neither of those. At least not yet," you say. "I have an idea.With that, you haul the entire statue up out of the temple. "She's too nice to go neglected here. The people of Ligish will bow before her again." It's heavy, and undertaking a long journey with the statue in your clutches will be difficult, but your strength is great enough for the challenge.As you set the statue down outside your partially collapsed dirt house, you feel a rumble in the ground. Was it from just setting the statue down, you wonder? No, it wasn't, because now you feel it again. Something is stirring in the ground.> Shall we end on a cliffhanger?> Next thread will definitely be Wednesday at 6PM EST.
>>31287445damn it, graboids, stop being a persistent problem in desert environments.Thanks for running, anu! see you then.
>>31287445>cliffhangerNOOOOOOOOOOOOODamnit, Anu. Wednesday is too far away! ;_;
>>31287513Well, we can play a little longer if you want. I just think that this will lead into a scene that will take quite a while to resolve. Big ol' stuff in the ground tends to do that.
>>31287445thx 4 runin budi gud thred
>>31287445>Next thread will definitely be Wednesday at 6PM EST.Right, see you Friday then.Thanks for the quest.Vote for next time. Grab our stuff and move away from the temple. If something's going to collapse or burst out from below, I don't want to be standing right here when it happens.Get to cover if possible. If we have to deal with another mole bitch. I want the element of surprise.
>>31287551I could go either way myself.Just don't overtax yourself.
>>31287551I don't mind leaving it here if you want to, but I'd be happy to keep going.
>>31287577I see what you did there! I know I've delayed a lot of threads, but I'll be good now. Those delays were due to a combination of moving and then falling through a roof. Neither of those things are in danger of happening again soon.
>>31287478>graboidsHunzuu could take a graboid easy but the redshirts could be in trouble.
>>31287643hey, I don't want to lose redshirts.I like those guys.the real problem is that one graboid means we'll be harassed by graboids all the way home or until all of them are eventually dead.
>>31287639hope you like your new place.
>>31287666If we had to deal with graboids, the trick would be to make noise and lure them in. Once they tried to hook us.... RIP'N'TEAR!They could pull a human under easy, but we'd mess 'em up.
>>31287688It's all right. I had to install a door that was hidden in the attic for some reason, and that led to the falling through part of the floor that didn't have rafters supporting it. I'm an idiot.
Archived now: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html
>>31287967sleep well.
>>31287967Thanks for the thread!
