>>34868529
Oh hey, we're online today. Aaaand immediately, tough choices. Crap.
I do appreciate blood's fatherliness, but, on the other hand, we've worked very hard to be seen as someone trying to help the whole city.

Tell him they're very pretty, but also that we fear obviously taking sides like this.

Maybe we could, uh, just wear them while we're doing blood magic stuff?

>>34868529
>> "Ooh, they're pretty. Rabi-Tammuz really outdid himself."
Ya know, maybe we should ask him about Hunzuu's mom. That other guy hinted some mighty suspicious things about Hunzuu's father identity.

>>34868529
> "Ooh, they're pretty. Rabi-Tammuz really outdid himself.
> "That's true, but please don't give my slave orders behind my back. I want some things just for me..."

>>34868529

> "I understand your desire to see me wearing your colors. After all, you've been a father to me since the day I was born again, but the peace right now is anything but secure. Have patience, please, and have faith that I am always going to be with you... you know, so long as you don't go waking the hungry dead or building other monsters you like better than me..."

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>>34868529
"Ooh, they're pretty! Rabi-Tammuz outdid himself. But you didn't have to do this behind my back, you know." You're sure that this is part of some evil scheme of his, but for the moment you're tickled blue by this gesture. You've come a long way from your humble beginnings and grown accustomed to living in a great pyramid, wearing fine clothes, and eating juicy spiced goat every day, but you don't think you'll ever get used to having something approaching a father figure.

"You were out on your errand when I gave the order," The Blood Priest says. "It took a few days to complete. I felt he shouldn't be kept idle."

"I'd have to agree with that... I'd better see him. Thank you for the dresses."

You don't bother to change out of your black dress, even if you tore it a little while drilling with the Adventurers. You check on Rabi-Tammuz's workshop. As usual, Meluku is in there with him, playing when he's not being called on to help with the tailoring. The boy is running around wearing some shapeless mass of leather across his shoulders and over his head.

Wait, no. You recognize that leather. It's got stripes of bluish scar tissue on it. It has a scalp with black hair. It's your old skin.

> Yank it away from the boy. Old Hunzuu is not a toy.
> Well, you did give it to Rabi-Tammuz. Maybe the fact that he's letting the boy touch it means that the two are bonding.
> Calmly explain that that's not what you gave it to him for.

>>34869158
>> Well, you did give it to Rabi-Tammuz. Maybe the fact that he's letting the boy touch it means that the two are bonding.

>>34869158
> Well, you did give it to Rabi-Tammuz. Maybe the fact that he's letting the boy touch it means that the two are bonding.
But still be very weirded out by it.
Maybe ask him if he would like to wear something else? Perchance?
Also, we should probably take him out for either some healing training, or some fighting training.

>>34869158

> Well, you did give it to Rabi Tammuz, still...
> "Meluku, you know that used to be my skin right? Doesn't wearing it seem a tad... girly?"

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>>34869158
You can't exactly scold him for being bad, but you don't want to see this. No girl should have to watch a child wearing her own tanned, boneless, shapeless hide as a costume. "Uhhh, hi, Meluku. Can you maybe wear something else while I'm here?"
Meluku folds his arms. "Aww, but I'm playing monsters. The new queen came to see me and said I'm super powerful or something, so I'm gonna practice monsters and stuff."

"Go run in the halls or something, then." You wonder if Meluku will give any servants in the halls a heart attack.

Rabi-Tammuz gets up and bows to you. "It is good to see you again, mistress. I knew you would pevail. In between sewing dresses and helping with the bloodletting, I have made usable plates out of your old chitin and laid out plans for a segmented armor to make with it. We just have to decide who it's for so it can be fitted properly."

> "Give it to Nakurtum."
> "Give it to Dadanum. He's gotten enough grief for wearing that monster-woman's armor."
> "Give it to the king. He'll like that."
> "Just make it for nobody in particular. We'll keep it in the treasure vault and bring it out when we have to prove your skill."

>>34869427

> "Give it to Dadanum. He's gotten enough grief for wearing that monster-woman's armor"
> "Assuming he's willing, of course. That being the case, I'd like the monster-woman's armor retailored for Nakurtum and reinforced with the bits you can save. A piece here or there might save her life, after all."

>>34869497

Actually, we never really got a ranking on that monster woman's armor. Which would likely be better, Hunzuu armor or Monster Mole armor? Nakurtum is best older sister figure and thus deserves best gear.

>>34869427
>>34869497
An armor swap situation might be the best of all worlds. Assuming, of course, that nakurtum is OK with the lady armor, which if I recall, is pretty light, so it should suit her.
so,

> "Give it to Dadanum. He's gotten enough grief for wearing that monster-woman's armor."
on the stipulation we make him give up the other armor.

>>34869543
I am just assuming armors have ??? properties.
Since I have no idea whether antideluvian leatherworking or modern day chitin reshaping is better.

>>34869584

Either way, I imagine monster mole armor reinforced with bits of Hunzuu plate ought to be stronger still.

>>34869654
That might be too bulky for 'er though. She likes the light stuff.
Which really fucks with all our plans to deck her out in all the armor.

>>34869427
>> "Give it to Nakurtum."

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>>34869497
"I have an idea. Give it to Dadanum, and then let Nakurtum have that mole-woman's armor he's been wearing."

"It will be as you say, my mistress."

"Any news from the pyramid while I've been out?"

"I make it a point not to gossip. And anyway, few people wish to talk to me. The Blood Priest has given me some tasks, though. He says that things are well. The Bronze Priest is stronger, he's allowing his daughter to enjoy Dadanum on the side while he finds her a husband, and the new Sand Priest is less powerful, but more... compliant. And your blood acolyte friend says she's close to some kind of breakthrough. She's been letting me help draw blood from the staff. It's beneath me, but I think one day she might let me do an autopsy... Anyway, that's all I know."

> Go see Kullaa and see if she means she's going to make herself some new eyes
> Go see Tabni-Ninsun and Dadanum
> Go to bed early and prepare for your next campaign tomorrow

>>34869773
I believe we've already checked in with everyone at least once, so now I can go by order of what seems most important rather than whether we've seen them.

So let's
> Go see Kullaa and see if she means she's going to make herself some new eyes
because success or failure, this is gonna be a big deal for her.

>>34869773

> Go see Kullaa
If time permits
> Go see Tani-Ninsun and Dadanum
Gotta work out the transfer of the armor, after all

>>34869773
>> Go see Kullaa and see if she means she's going to make herself some new eyes
Lets keep an eye on that.

>>34869773
>Go see Kullaa and see if she means she's going to make herself some new eyes

HMm, I missed this quest. A shame it's so late right now.

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>>34869773
That sounds like exciting news about Kullaa. You go to check on her in the acolytes' quarters. She recognizes you from a distance despite her troublesome nearsightedness because you're one of only two residents of the pyramid who has difficulty squeezing through doors, and the centaur never comes around this way. Kullaa gives you a big hug. "Hey there! I heard you were back it's good to see you. I think I'm starting to make some breakthroughs. None of us get a very large blood allowance, but what I've done with mine has really helped me distinguish myself, I think. I conjured an eye. I don't know if it works, and connecting it to a living thing will be the hardest part, but the outlook is good. I think the next step is animal testing. So I need to find a rat or a dog or a hyrax or something else I can gouge an eye or two out of."

"If you lay a hand on Mr. Clicks or Nakurtum's new kitten, I'll eat you alive."

"What?! I'd never dream of it! But... well... blood calls for blood. It's either test it on animals or test it on humans before it's anywhere ear ready. I'll get some hyraxes."

"I've missed a lot," you say. "Seems like I'll never quite catch up with the other acolytes."

"Don't think of it that way. You're the savior of the city! You're more important than I'll ever be."

> "Suppose you became the next blood priest? I'm sure I could make it happen."
> "Well, no matter what I end up doing, and where, there'll always be room for you in my service."

>>34870240

> "We'll both just have to try out best. Maybe some day you'll end up as the new blood priest. Or maybe when we've got all this settled we can do some traveling. What do you think?"

>>34870240
It's too early to be committal about the next blood priest. Blooddad isn't even old yet.
> "Well, no matter what I end up doing, and where, there'll always be room for you in my service."
Also go on some about how super great healers are. I love 'em. Stopping people from dying is one of our favorites.

>>34870240
> "Well, no matter what I end up doing, and where, there'll always be room for you in my service."

I can't kill the blood priest. That would be terrible for everyone, as much as I want for Hunzuu to be more ruthless.

>>34870317

I would add "Less backstabbing with plan B."

>>34870240
>"Well, no matter what I end up doing, and where, there'll always be room for you in my service."

>>34870317
>>34870509

Seems an itnresting idea, but i'd like to reinforce Hunzuu having people servicing her.

>>34870591
>>34870411
Meanwhile, I'm fine with hunzuu just trying to be a nice girl in a city of thieves.

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>>34870240
"We'll both just have to try out best. Maybe some day you'll end up as the new blood priest. Or maybe when we've got all this settled we can do some traveling. What do you think?"

She smiles, "We'll see. If everything goes well, I'll finally have a choice. I stay in here with my scrolls and tablets because those are what I can see well. It's less awkward. If I can really see the world for the first time, well... I'd certainly want the savior of the city watching my back! How is the world? Is it nice?"

You laugh. "It's all right."

Kullaa gives you some help with your prayers to Aruru and gives you a refresher on the different branches of blood magic before you finally feed Mr. Clicks and call it a night.

> Go to the Charioteers first thing tomorrow morning and discuss plans to hunt down the cult of Pazuzu
> Make them come to you when they're ready. Study blood magic in the meantime
> Study spear combat in the meantime
> Study reading with the Rain Priest in the meantime. If you get good, maybe you can write Hillallum a mushy love letter.

>>34870737
Reading or blood magic.
Blood magic or reading.
They are both very tempting.
Let's do

> Study reading with the Rain Priest in the meantime. If you get good, maybe you can write Hillallum a mushy love letter.

Because if we are literate, we can both write love letters AND read blood magic scrolls.

>>34870737
>Study reading with the Rain Priest in the meantime. If you get good, maybe you can write Hillallum a mushy love letter.

damnit, this si the elsat useful option, but...damn

>>34870737

> Rain priest and reading with the promise of better learning later on sounds nice

>>34870737
>> Study reading with the Rain Priest in the meantime. If you get good, maybe you can write Hillallum a mushy love letter.

Maybe we'll run into tabni-ninsun in our reading class.
I mean, she only skips sometimes.

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>>34870737
The Charioteer said that he'd come to you, so you're happy waiting for them to get their act together. You spend the meantime trying to fill in your spotty knowledge of the written language with the Rain Priest. Tabni-Ninsun has been skipping class more and more recently, so her eunichs are free to help you. The Rain Priest seems happy to teach you, since most highborn children, Tabni-Ninsun included, see reading as a chore that should be reserved for scriveners and tax collectors and other people who have to work for a living. The rich have a fair chance of going their whole lives without reading if they don't want to.

The Rain Priest looks like he might be the oldest of the great priests, and you've seen the destruction he's capable of at Turtak, but he seems to be one of the few people in Ligish who isn't up to something. He teaches you the characters necessary to write a flowery declaration of love without even smirking or commenting.

> Actually try to have a message delivered to Hillallum back in Zagros. Roll 2d6
> You're not good enough yet. Just keep studying until the Charioteers call on you.

Rolled 4, 4 = 8 (2d6)

>>34871092

> Just keep studying. Don't want to sound dumb.

Gonna roll anyway just to see what would have happened.

Rolled 3, 2 = 5 (2d6)

>>34871092
>Actually try to have a message delivered to Hillallum back in Zagros. Roll 2d6

Nat 1,1

>>34871092
>> You're not good enough yet. Just keep studying until the Charioteers call on you.
CRIPPLING SELF ANXIETY

>>34871092
oh my god I'm so embarrassed.
Let's maybe hold off on the letter for now. At best, write one and then hold onto it.

>>34871092
> Actually try to have a message delivered to Hillallum back in Zagros. Roll 2d6

Rolled 2, 5 = 7 (2d6)

>>34871268

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>>34871092
You write part of a first draft of a letter about how important Hillallum is to you and how it's not the same without him around, but your own handwriting ad the sound of your own words make you too embarrassed to continue. Maybe after you get better at this.

A few days later, a herald from the Charioteers finally calls on you. You follow him to their guildhouse, which is so spacious that you don't even have to squeeze to get through the doors. It turns out they were waiting to see if their blood ritual turned out all right. They tell you it was an unqualified success, and yet another monster is now defending Ligish. They seem to be leading you toward their war room, though, and speak only of their strategy and budget and other things that are not their new monster.

> "Come on, let me see her!"
> "There are maps in your war room, right? I can tell you what I learned in the naga kingdom."

>>34871479

> "Come on, let me see her!"

>>34871479
> "Come on, let me see her!"
> "There are maps in your war room, right? I can tell you what I learned in the naga kingdom."

Don't see why we can't do both.

>>34871479
>"Come on, let me see her!"

To the point. Somthing bad happened, right?

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>>34871479
"Come on, let me see her! Is she over here?" You skitter away from them and toward a large room with a curtain over the door. Sure enough, she's in there, lizard legs and all. She must still be shy about herself - she flinches away from you and toward the opposite wall when you poke your head in. She's got a veil over her mouth, even though there aren't any reports of sandstorms lately. "Oh.. hello, Lady Scorpion..." Her voice sounds funny.

A servant who was measuring her tries to shoo you away. "This is a private room, begging your pardon. Are you lost, Lady Scorpion?"

>"I'll just be going now."
> "They said I could come in. We'll be fighting together, so we may as well get to know each other."
> "Something went wrong, didn't it? We offered to help, but you wouldn't listen. Come on, let me see? Is it your face?"

>>34871950
>> "Something went wrong, didn't it? We offered to help, but you wouldn't listen. Come on, let me see? Is it your face?"

>>34871950

> "Please don't be alarmed. I just want to make sure that she is healthy and happy."
> Let him inevitably explain first.
> "I'd still like her opinion on this. Are you well, and why are you wearing that veil?"

>>34871950
>> "Something went wrong, didn't it? We offered to help, but you wouldn't listen. Come on, let me see? Is it your face?"

>>34872065
I like this one.

Also, I have a feeling the veil is because of an unfortunate case of Lizard mouth and tongue

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>>34871950
"Something went wrong, didn't it? We offered to help, but you wouldn't listen. Come on, let me see? Is it your face?"

Her servant stands up for her. "I must beg forgiveness for speaking freely, but that is a very rude thing to ask! My lady is a protector of the city just as much as you, and she deserves-"

The lizard-girl pushes the servant aside with a grumble and removes her veil. One cheek is rough and sinewy, and her lips are too thin to hide her enormous uneven rows of sharp teeth. Se can still speak pretty well, though. "Hunzuu. I am Zakiti, daughter of Zak-Ninurta. I was not expecting to receive you yet. We are still making preparations. Did you have something to say? About your priests, and the benefits of hindsight?"

> "No, ma'am..."
> "I'm sorry, I just wanted to say hello."
> "Yes, I did! Let this be a lesson to your whole school about what happens when we distrust each other. The priests could have prevented this. We can choose to keep being a city of liars and traitors, or we can put that aside and survive."

>>34872505
>"Yes, I did! Let this be a lesson to your whole school about what happens when we distrust each other. The priests could have prevented this. We can choose to keep being a city of liars and traitors, or we can put that aside and survive."

Unite them.

>>34872505
> "I'm sorry, I just wanted to say hello."

>>34872505

You know, pretty sure we had a less horribly offensive candidate in the last vote. Anyway:

> "Yes, I did...[etc]"

>>34872505
I had to go run around, but now I am back.
> "I'm sorry, I just wanted to say hello."

You know, it's not actually as bad as the veil lead me to imagine.

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>>34872505
"Yes, I did! Let this be a lesson to your whole school about what happens when we distrust each other. The priests could have prevented this. We can choose to keep being a city of liars and traitors, or we can put that aside and survive."

Zakiti smiles - you think. She always looks like she's smiling. "You're common, but you have passion about your beliefs. You prevented war in the streets. You killed the giant maggot and the giant blight demon. You love Ligish, even if you call it a city of traitors. I was given a choice. I could submit to this and become a warrior, or I could let my father marry me off. I chose war, because..." she notices that she's drooling, and she lets her very long tongue out to catch it. "...because I wanted to be like you."

> "I'm flattered! I hope to be worthy of your admiration."
> "Guess that didn't work out so well, huh?"
> "So you don't have any combat experience yet? Be careful. The first fight is always the worst."

>>34872940
>> "I'm flattered! I hope to be worthy of your admiration."
> "So you don't have any combat experience yet? Be careful. The first fight is always the worst."

>>34872940

> "I'm flattered, but please be careful. It's very dangerous out there and those first fights will be the worst. This city needs every good person it can muster right now, and the last thing I want is for you to come to harm. Also, always remember that as defenders of Ligish, we fight for peace and not for war."

>>34872940
>> "So you don't have any combat experience yet? Be careful. The first fight is always the worst."

>>34872940
>> "I'm flattered! I hope to be worthy of your admiration."
Become flustered

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>>34872940
"I'm flattered, but please be careful. It's very dangerous out there and those first fights will be the worst. This city needs every good person it can muster right now, and the last thing I want is for you to come to harm. Also, always remember that as defenders of Ligish, we fight for peace and not for war."

"But war comes to us anyway. And so we rise to meet it. It was an honor to meet you, Hunzuu. Now I'm going to finish getting measured."

Realizing that it really was pretty rude of you to butt in, you nod and smile and excuse yourself. Now you can go to the war room. All the men with high ranks in the Charioteers are waiting to receive you. They have a very impressive room here, full of trophies and tapestries and bearing the most detailed and finely wrought map of the world you've ever seen. It's a large slab of wood lying on the stone table, with different cities and landmarks done up with different materials and bright paints. The cedar forest is made out of real unpainted cedar wood, quite a luxury to waste on a mere map. "Lady Scorpion. We thought long and hard before asking you to leave Ligish again, but we feel we must. You have the most experience with the cult. You have tracked them and hunted them. And you are probably the strongest single combatant in the city. So I say we take the fight to the enemy. I say we hunt."

> I've got to break soon, but there can be a little time for discussing with the Charioteers.
>You may share anything specific you remember from your quest to the naga kingdom. You may also speculate where the cult may have gone.

>>34873655

Thanks for the thread, OP.

Unfortunatly it's late and I do'nt remember much from the last threads, so I guess I will pass this opportunity.

>>34873655

Can't think of anything really, aside from explaining the culture in the region and what we remember of the geography or could get from our scout's notes.

Time of next quest?

>>34873655
see you later, anu!
As for speculation on where the cult has gone, fuck if I know. Didn't the centaur diplomat mention they had a little community of "free monsters" somewhere before we found out he was a horrible cultist? Maybe there?

>>34873655
>>You may share anything specific you remember from your quest to the naga kingdom. You may also speculate where the cult may have gone.
Thank you for the thread Anu

>>34873806
Next weekend. Not sure exactly what time, but it'll be on the Twitter.

Anyways, poor lizard girl.
This is exaclty why we offer us and the blood priest's services with every monster summoning.

>>34873876
oh, hey, are you archiving?

>>34874098
Almost forgot

>>34874182
Well, you can count on me for nagging about archives.

>>34874182
thx 4 runin budi gud thred