>>32717816
>> Ask how he'd recommend that you begin learning about this kingdom
>> Ask permission to let your troops inside the city walls
Either of these two works.

>>32717816
> Ask how he'd recommend that you begin learning about this kingdom

>Ask what exactly he's learning from lizard guy

>>32717816
>Ask if he really expects things to not go over badly with having both angered parties here
>ask how he'd recommend that you begin learning about this kingdom
> Ask permission to let your troops inside the city walls, or at least for some provisions for them

Can't forget the troops, even if we want to learn about the kingdom.
Also, that naga guy can't possibly expect us to be near each other without one or the other snapping eventually, can he?

>>32717816
>> Ask how he'd recommend that you begin learning about this kingdom
>> Ask permission to let your troops inside the city walls

>>32717909
He's testing to see which one of us is the most bloodthirsty.
I want to tell the Lizardman about his wife's last words in detail though. See if that frustrates him.

>>32717945
Eh, I don't really.
I don't want to be near him unless I'm fighting him or about to fight him.

>>32717945

>Chance he'll believe us: Less than 0%

>>32718102
Can we channel the spirits of the dead somehow? We could speak to the dead scorpies in our dreams, maybe we could get him to dream about his dead wife?
Worth asking in any case.

We should probably give Ishtar a sitrep.
We haven't talked in so long, and we did all that crap for her. She might even give us tips on how to improve our ara ara~.

>>32718146
Worth asking perhaps, but we don't know who. Nobody is really a specialist or even knowledgable about how we're doing our cross-dimension dream sleep.

I worry we're not doing it as much any more. I wanted to visit some dead people like ninlil and mom, but we might not have time.

Maybe because we've made no progress on the dead revival front. Because jeez.

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>>32717816
You don't like how the naga king is drawing this out. "You can't mean to keep the two of us together, make us dine together. No good will come of this, you have to see that!"

"I will be the judge of what I have to see. I have known Appan-Tammuz longer than you. You I have only known a day. If I were to choose now, I would send you away and not him. Is that what you want?"

"No... but what about my men? They are waiting outside the city walls. Can I bring some of them to you, or at least bring some food out to them? We were living off the land after such a long journey."

"After the feast there will be food to bring out to them. The chance of a battle between the two of you I can accept; foreign troops fighting in the streets of Monghar I cannot."

"Fine... So where should I start learning about your people? I know very little."

He looks away as he thinks. "What will show you our soul? Ah, I know. Go to the temple. The great white building on the highest ground in the city. There you will see our story."

When you take your leave of the king and rejoin your troops outside the city walls, Hillallum is relieved to see you, perhaps excessively so. "Hunzuu! I had a bad feeling. I'm glad your'e alive."

> Go to the temple alone.
> Wander the city alone and see what you can see.
> Sneak some men and.or Hillallum into the city. Roll 4d6.
> Sneak some food out of the city to your men before the feast. Roll 4d6.
> Use the clay ball yo brought to commune with Ishtar.

>>32718206
> Use the clay ball yo brought to commune with Ishtar.
fuk naga get high

>>32718206
We don't need to sneak men in for any pressing reason. Mostly it would be for their sake.
Let's tell them what we saw, and to be ready for any tricky business, then
> Go to the temple alone.
We'll try to score some good stuff for our troops along the way if applicable.

I don't really have any topics to commune with ishtar about. Gods can see what we're doing, right?

>>32718206
>> Wander the city alone and see what you can see.

>>32718206
> Go to the temple alone.
We can commune with Ishtar after the feast. Let's make a good impression first by trying to learn about his people.

>>32718206
Why should we go alone?
> Go to the temple with scorp-boy

>>32718206
>Go to the temple alone

>>32718375
well, we don't want that lizard-taur asshole knowing we have a possible mate, or else he is going to target him hard.

>>32718524
If so then I guess we should
>Tell Hillallum to hide.

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>>32718206
You explain to Hillallum and the men how you met the naga king, how he's going to have food brought to the troops after dark, and how you're probably going to have to fight the lizard after the king is no longer amused by his animosity toward you. "I'm going to scout out the city for a little while. Keep being careful. If I get in trouble, I'll head back here."

You follow the king's instructions and wade through crowds of strange humans, nagas, and cows to the temple in the slightly higher end of the city overlooking the river. The temple, like most of the rest of the city, is a partial ruin, patched up but still bearing signs that it had been burned recently. There used to be a great bronze gate at the front of the temple, but now there are only melted hinges. Men and women, all common-looking, are in the entrance hall of the temple, praying to faded paintings on the walls or paying to have scribes read scrolls to them. There are two small open doorways leading deeper into the temple, but nobody goes anywhere near them, and there is no light inside.

> Go deeper inside. You don't think this place is telling you the whole story
> Pay attention to the curious people following you. Say nice things to them in your crude version of their language.
> You may write in any questions you want to ask the scribes or the other locals

>>32718586
He should just stay with the troops. It's where it's safest.

>>32718612
> Pay attention to the curious people following you. Say nice things to them in your crude version of their language.

That door gives me a bad feeling.

>>32718612
>> Pay attention to the curious people following you. Say nice things to them in your crude version of their language.
Be reallllllllyyyyy nice

>>32718612
> Pay attention to the curious people following you. Say nice things to them in your crude version of their language.

>>32718612
>> Go deeper inside. You don't think this place is telling you the whole story
I don't mind being nice to the locals, either, but we should be making progress.
As for questions, well, how about

>Who are you praying to there?

>>32718612
To a scribe
>What's the story behind the paintings?

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>>32718612
Whatever is deeper inside the temple, it's probably dead. The living people here will be a much better way to learn about this kingdom, you're sure. You turn around and see who has dared to follow you. You see One proud young man with punch daggers hanging from his belt, a woman hobbling along on a cane and one leg, and several dirty-faced children.

"Hello!" you say. "Peace. I am Hunzuu. I come from much, much, very west!" You point toward what you think is the west. "Naga finds us and talks peace. We likes them and comes and talks here too and does more things, too!"

The children nod, and the woman bows her head humbly. The man is the only one who dares to speak. "Do you come to mmmbmmnmn hmmbmm the strong ones that they seek?

You're afraid you missed the most important part of that question. "Um... no? Why? Do they indeed found strong ones?"

"Haha, yes! They found two. I mmnnhmmn bmmnmm, but even I was not strong enough! Can you believe this? Hmmmbgmmmnmm!" He makes a muscle.

> Ask who these gods are, and share some stories about your own gods
> Ask about the war that happened here
> Ask what's inside that dark doorway

>>32718612
> You may write in any questions you want to ask the scribes or the other locals

"What god is this temple for?"

>>32718917
>>Ask what's inside that dark doorway
I'm most curious about that. The other things I am curious about too, but hey, whatever.

>>32718917
>> Ask who these gods are, and share some stories about your own gods

>>32718917
> Ask who these gods are, and share some stories about your own gods

>>32718917
> Ask who these gods are, and share some stories about your own gods
>Ask about the dark doorway

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>>32718917
You point to a painting on the wall, chipped and faded with age and stained with soot, with flowers and embers of incense laid at its feet. "Who is that?"

"That? Is Agni! Things change and men die, and bggbmmnm even mnmnhnn, but Agni stays. It is good."

"It is good to be good to the..." You forget their word for "gods." "It is good to be good to the big good men. My big good men live in a forest..." You try to explain Enlil and Ishtar and all the others, but this only seems to bore or confuse the people. Once you start explaining how Ishtar watches over sex, the armed man looks away and politely withdraws from the conversation. You're not sure what they were expecting, but at least the people here all understand that you mean well and don't intend to hurt any of them.

> Look around for other landmarks before returning to the palace at dusk
> Ask for offerings of food
> Perform a "miracle" by stinging someone with your knockout venom, knowing that they'll wake up some time later
> Go into the doorway

>>32719281
> Go into the doorway
Curious curious scorpions. Best option.

Alternatively,
> Look around for other landmarks before returning to the palace at dusk
Tactically viable backup battle plans.

>>32719281
>Go into the doorway

>>32719281
>> Look around for other landmarks before returning to the palace at dusk

>>32719281
I guess tiebreaker doorway vote, instead of my half and half one here
>>32719323
Unless you're already writing.

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>>32719281
You crawl toward the doorway set in the inner wall of the great open hall. Immediately all the curious locals leave you behind, refusing to get anywhere closer than ten paces to the door. You will not be deterred, though. You squeeze yourself through the doorway and let your eyes adjust to the dim light coming in through the door and through cracks in the ceiling.

This used to be many rooms encompassing three stories before being gutted by fire. You crawl between piles of rubble, inspecting the items found among the masses of stone and scorched, splintered wood. A spear head. A broken chain. A broken statue of a female, her severed head looking up at the ceiling. Bright red beetles and worms hide in the rubble.

You hear rubble moving deeper in the dark ruins, and you follow the sounds. You find a mass of scattered bones and ashes. In the center of it, a skeleton covered in bright red maggots and weevils is still writhing in pain.

> Eew. Try crushing the skull to put it out of its misery.
> Take it with you. It'll make a lovely gift for the Blood Priest.
> Back away. Pretend you didn't see this.
> Write-in

>>32719737
I wonder if it can talk.
>try talking to it.

>>32719737
Man what the shit.
Try, like, getting its attention. Asking if it hears or understands.

I'd like to crush the thing, but I have no idea if that will kill it or just make its torment worse. I think
>Take it with you. Have the blood priest inspect it
Is the way to go, if we can get it out of here.

> Write-in
If we can't talk to it, can we try giving it some of the ol' hunzuu's mercy? It's the closest thing to anasthetic we have.

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>>32719737
You try talking to it. "Hello? Can you hear me?" You try again in the naga tongue after realizing it probably doesn't speak the Tongue of Ea. "Hello? Peace? You know my words, yes? Hello?"

It keeps moving. Its jaws are open, but it makes no sounds except the sound of the strange vermin chewing and bone rattling on stone.

"You look like you're in pain. Maybe this will help..." You reach forward with your stinger and give your venom sac a squeeze with both hands, releasing a splash of Hunzuu's Mercy onto the shuddering bones and crawling red maggots. The maggots clinging to the skull settle down immediately, and there's a slight sound like a sigh. The bones are still.

> Sneak the skull out with you in your clothes and travel gear. Roll 4d6.
> Carry the whole thing out openly.
> Leave the thing be. Maybe he deserved this fate. You'll have to ask the king about him later.

>>32719987
> Leave the thing be. Maybe he deserved this fate. You'll have to ask the king about him later.

He might be someone they want dead. Plus, it's always polite to ask before taking things.

>>32719987
Can we wrap the thing before taking it? Otherwise, I say we try to make off with the whole thing. Act distraught. Because we are distraught. We found a scary hurt thing.

>>32720029
Well, I can agree with asking before we take it, I guess. Or at least, talk to the locals about what the heck that thing is, and maybe come back with some bandages for it.

Rolled 6, 2, 4, 3 = 15

>>32719987
>> Sneak the skull out with you in your clothes and travel gear. Roll 4d6.

>>32719987
Is it a whole skeleton, or mostly just the skull?

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>>32719987
You almost touch the skull, but you hold back and decide to head back the way you can. You don't know enough to make the right decision here, and you don't want to risk endangering your whole mission for the sake of one stranger, no matter how much pain that stranger may be in.

When you step back into view of the people in the temple, they make way for you and watch you in awe as you skitter away. It's getting close to dusk, so you wash your face and hands in a public fountain and head for the palace again.

The king has invited all of his guards and concubines, as well as servants and friends both human and naga. You and the lizard-taur are positioned at opposite ends of a long table, facing each other with the king and many courtiers in between. The king excitedly explains to his court the story of you, your people, and your animosity with the lizard.

As you begin to wonder when you'l be served something other than water, the king calls out to the two of you in your own language. "I have prepared something special for each of you, my very special guests. Come, now is the time." Servants bring the lizard some kind of bright red stew and bring you some shreds of heavily spiced and salted meat.

The king gestures to the lizard. "For Appan-Tammuz, this is made of cow. Before the rise of my people, the priests forbade the slaughter of cows. But now it is our turn to decide what is forbidden and what is not. And I say that it was a crime that this cow lived in more luxury than most humans!" He receives a round of applause.

He continues, "And for you, Hunzuu. Please forgive your dish for being somewhat aged, but it is an even rarer delicacy. I have been saving it for a special occasion. When I first heard your story, I knew that the occasion had come. Try it, I beg of you."

> Do so.
> "What is it?"

>>32720205
There's most of a skeleton, but it's not held together very well. There are no tendons or sinews left on the thing, only the clusters of red bugs

>>32720385
>>"What is it?"
>"I, uh, prefer to eat things like goats and cows."

>>32720385
>Do so
>Ask what it is if we don't recognize it.

Rolled 6, 1, 4, 4 = 15

>>32720385
>> Do so.
Lets try it without a word.

>>32720385
Do so

>>32720540
>>32720476
huh guys, the king is begging Hunzuu to try it.

Wouldn't it be a bit impolite to refuse or even ask him what it is?

>>32720385
>DO so

I think I know what it might be...oh my.

>>32720622
I want to be offended if it's people.
We've been very good lately about not eating people. Double-good about no humans ever.

>>32720657
Oh god, it might be meat from the priests they have overthrown.

>>32720693
Yeah, I wouldn't appreciate that one bit.
especially since we no longer have ninlil around to yell at us when we're eating stuff we shouldn't.

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>>32720385
You don't want to offend your host, and after eating giant maggot in the streets of Ligish, you feel like you have nothing to fear from any other cuisine. You take the flesh in one claw and raise it to your lips. The flesh is dried, salted, and overlaid with a combination of complex spices, but there's a hint of a pleasant natural flavor underneath all that.

You figure that it wouldn't be rude to ask now that you've tried some. "Thank you, o king. What is it?"

"It's priest."

"I just tried a little priest?!"

The king nods, still looking at you with interest. "Is it really good?"

> "Sir, it's too good, at least!"
> "It's dry.But it's the thought that counts."
> "I think I gave you the wrong idea about me. I'm trying to not eat people anymore..."

>>32720771
> "It's dry.But it's the thought that counts."
Now we just have to eat someone fresh

>>32720771
>> "Sir, it's too good, at least!"
It does taste a bit evil and opressive, however.

>>32720771
>> "I think I gave you the wrong idea about me. I'm trying to not eat people anymore..."
Seriously, we're a good scorpion.

>>32720771
>"I think I gave you the wrong idea about me. I'm trying to not eat people anymore..."
>"I have a bit of a problem with it."
Then look sad a while

>>32720771
>> "It's dry.But it's the thought that counts."

>>32720771
Tell them we don't like eating that kind of stuff.
Well, we actually do like the taste, but it's a thing we're trying to avoid.

>>32720771
> "I think I gave you the wrong idea about me. I'm trying to not eat people anymore..."
We were trying overcome that part of our kind, and you just fucked it up, what the hell.

>>32720771
>> "I think I gave you the wrong idea about me. I'm trying to not eat people anymore..."

We only eat people we kill and put up a good fight, gotta get their strength and all that. Eating someone we didn't kill is a little perverted. Unless its /u/, then its aaallll right.

>>32721012
I think we're really trying to stick to animals these days.
With occasional failings if they happened to be a giant monster.

>>32720771
> "I think I gave you the wrong idea about me. I'm trying to not eat people anymore..."

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>>32720771
"I think I gave you the wrong idea about me. I'm trying to not eat people anymore..." Your stomach turns. Your scorpion stomach, not the spot where your human stomach used to be.

The king beckons some servants over. "How impolite of me. But you may be comforted to know that it is no less than that priest deserved. This one was one of the three who were cruelest to the lower castes, the three who were singled out for the greatest punishments our people could devise. Take it away. Give our guest some lamb instead."

A couple of nagas ask permission to try a little priest as it's being carried away. "Later," says the king.

"Don't believe her," says the lizard-taur. "Her whole race are cannibals. Fortunately, she is the last of her odious race." You certainly feel no need to correct him on that last part.

The king lowers his cup. "You never told me this, Hunzuu? Are your kind so few? If you die, is that the end of their story? And still you would risk your life for revenge."

> "He's the last of his kind, too, and that hasn't stopped me. Some things just need to be done."
> "I really am trying to change. I don't do that anymore. And I've never slaughtered villages, unlike some people."
> "This will keep going on until you let us fight, your majesty. When will that day come?"

>>32721208
>> "He's the last of his kind, too, and that hasn't stopped me. Some things just need to be done."

>>32721208
> "I really am trying to change. I don't do that anymore. And I've never slaughtered villages, unlike some people."

>>32721208
> "He's the last of his kind, too, and that hasn't stopped me. Some things just need to be done."
> "I really am trying to change. I don't do that anymore. And I've never slaughtered villages, unlike some people."

>>32721208
Tough decisions.
The first two are both very tempting. The third a bit, but we'll fight when the time is right.

One of the first two, if not both.

>>32721208
Not one of the choices, but perhaps hold our chisel when we talk of this.

>>32721208
>"He's the last of his kind, too, and that hasn't stopped us. Some things just need to be done."

>>32721208
>> "I really am trying to change. I don't do that anymore. And I've never slaughtered villages, unlike some people."

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>>32721208
"He's the last of his kind, too, and that hasn't stopped me. Some things just need to be done." Your fingers brush the chisel hung around your neck.

The king smiles and translates your words for the concubine next to him. She looks fascinated by the two of you.

You continue, "And if I survive, I'll keep trying to make myself better. I'll keep protecting my people. I will not let fear of death stop me, not even if it means the end of the race I've adopted."

The lizard leans forward on the table. "It is good that you do not fear death, Hunzuu, because it is coming for you."

"This is growing tedious," says the king. "While the both of you survive, this hatred will stop either of you from truly living. I know how it is. I did not truly live until I killed the ones I hated. But take comfort. Whichever one of you survives, your soul will be purified by this ordeal. You will know the joy I have known, the joy of long-awaited revenge. Watching the two of you burn in anger is amusing, but unfair to both of you. What do you say? The roof of the palace, tonight? Less likely to cause a panic that way."

> "Just let me get my spear and armor."
> "Tomorrow, a safe distance outside. I want the sun to see him die." That will give you time to cheat if you want.
> "Take off the chisel around your neck and set it on the table. "Funny as it may sound, I don't want to kill you. Tell me where the heroes of Zagros are, and let me work to atone for what I did to your wife."

>>32721593
> "Just let me get my spear and armor."

>>32721593
>> "Just let me get my spear and armor."
Lets frag that Charlie

>>32721593
ALL of the hard decisions today. Jeez.

I'm leaning towards

> "Tomorrow, a safe distance outside. I want the sun to see him die." That will give you time to cheat if you want.
Then tell him the last time we fought in a city, lots of things got broke. I want to fight in a neutral area without lots of collateral.

I am -really- tempted to try for forgiveness, but I don't think it would work.
Maybe just tell him it is sad things are this way.

>>32721593
King, I don't think I'll enjoy killing him much at all.

>>32721593
> "Just let me get my spear and armor."

>>32721593
>"Tomorrow, a safe distance outside. I want the sun to see him die." That will give you time to cheat if you want.

Hmm, let's consult and train in the underworld first.

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>>32721593
"Just let me get my spear and armor."

The king explains to the guests who didn't understand the conversation, going back to the naga tongue. "Those who want to see something that can never happen again, come to the gardens on the roof! Those who do not, you may wish to avoid the rooms under those gardens. Let the feast be ended." The crowd breaks into a flurry of excited conversation. The lizard walks away without a word.

Four naga concubines immediately rush to attend you. They fetch your armor and spear, clean your hands again, and recite prayers that you can't quite understand. Their fireballs follow behind them in soft colors. They remove your gold bangles and your beads of lapis lazuli, promising to keep them safe for your return. You have to stop them from taking the chisel around your neck.

Some human guards lead the way to the rooftop gardens, which are lit by cold white moonlight and the colored fireballs of a dozen nagas watching from the sidelines. The lizard waits for you, all in spiked armor with glowing red tracery, welding two serrated glaives. Your stomach turns again. This all seems to be happening so quickly. You hope that you're strong enough.

> The battle begins next time. I hope the next thread will be this Saturday or Sunday. I'll let you know on the Twitter feed.

>>32721897
thx 4 runin budi gud thred

>>32721897
Thanks for running Anu, seeya next time.

>>32721897
Oh jeez. I wanted to at least tell our guy-pal we'd be fighting the lizard now.
Well, I was worried about this session because of the duel, I'm DOUBLE WORRIED about next session because of it.

Thanks for running, but I have a minor case of pit-in-my-stomach.

So, we never found out why this guy joined up with pazuzu.
Is he just going for vengeance? What happens to that after we die?

>>32722026
Maybe he just realized they'd be attacking Ligish at some point, so he figured he stood a better chance of killing you while these people were all trying to get Iltani and keeping the city occupied. Or maybe he just feels like killing everything and everyone.

Archived at http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html

>>32722065
Well, whatever the reason, I guess it has to be this way. If we didn't avenge our friend, we'd be a bad friend. If he didn't avenge his wife, he'd be a bad husband. Though I think the dead on both sides would prefer it if we both lived happy lives instead.

This is a tragic tale, mate.

>>32721897
Thanks for the thread, Anu. Can't wait!

Do we have an actual plan for dealing with this guy?
I keep worrying we'll die horribly.
I had sort of intended to have piles of javelins on hand to harrow him down before attacking him.

>>32722218
Rip and tear? Use our new spear tricks? Try to convince the nagas in the audience to join in with fireballs?

>>32722595
I guess that's as good a plan as we can really have.
I hope our rip and tearing works.
The guy's been doing some hardcore anti-scorpion training ever since we killed his wife, so I worry.

>>32722634
There's only so much he can do without an actual scorpion to practice on.

>>32722662
Yeah. He seems to have focused a lot on his spear-work.

If we can just get them spears away from him, we can probably take him with our superior unarmed skills.

>>32722682
We don't know if our unarmed skills are actually better than his.

>>32722762
All he's really got on that front is his lizard trampling. He can get a few swipes out, but we have a pretty distinct advantage, at least physically.

Though, who knows how the scale works out. he could be significantly bigger.

>>32722789
I think that we're roughly the same size. This is probably going to be a contest of skill.

>>32722595
Also, apparently naga fireballs are a real thing? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naga_fireball

>>32722816
I'm guessing that's where Anu got the idea.

>>32722810
Yep. Which is why I want to remove spears from the equation, since he is WAY better at them than us.