>>36681867

“But we told him about the plot to kill him and he’s not above killing his own people, why would he betray us now?” you ask Vi desperately.
“Now is his best chance to have everything that he wanted, but only if he uses us as scapegoats.” Vi looks over her shoulder quickly and then back to you. “He holds no allegiance sacred over making himself look like a hero.” She shakes her head sadly. “Ed, they’re going to be here soon, we have to run.”

You gulp and look at the rest of your party. Cecilia has a look of concern on her face, most likely wondering if she had somehow did something wrong.

Autumn looks at you seriously. “Ed, you know I don’t like to run from a fight, but unless you have some sort of plan, I don’t think we have a choice.”

No choice? You think of Hugoth, Sylvas, and Dynlos, all more than glad to use you as a puppet for their schemes. A familiar feeling wells in your chest, but only stronger. It’s not frustration, but bitter hatred making your blood run hot. You close your eyes, and see the large bear that had pointed you here all those days ago.

>Run

>Stay

Bumping only once.
;_; If this thread doesn't get rolling, I've got some things to consider.

>>36682351
You might get more players in an hour or two. Lots of people probably aren't off work yet.

>>36682397
That could be the case. But I would have to move this to Friday since I have to get ready work myself in about 5 hours and wouldn't want a too short thread. Thanks for the response!

>>36681896
>Run

>>36681896
>>Stay

>>36681896
>Stay

>>36681896
run

>>36682615
>>36682682
>Writing.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>36682688
Since this got in before I posted I'll roll for it instead.
1:Run
2:Stay

File: hg.jpg (106 KB, 600x848)

106 KB JPG

>>36682726

You open your eyes. “We’ve come this far, we can’t go back now.”

Vi sighs and then lands gently on your shoulder. “Idiot.” She pokes into your cheek with a finger. ”It’s not me that they want, so I hope you have something planned.”

The tenseness in your body makes you instinctively reach for your sword hilt. “I hope so too.”

Behind the vibrant forest comes the sound of heavy footsteps and many clamoring voices. How nice of most of them not to pass up the opportunity to be part of your lynch mob.

The wind blows lightly and in front of you, one of the newly grown leaves floats turbulently in the breeze, getting swept up in something much greater than itself. The red sky lingers as the sun begins to settle below the horizon.

From the forest comes a bright object, illuminating the area well around it. As it gets closer you see that the source of the light is Hugoth’s body itself. In the light you see, Dynlos and Sylvas being forced forward by Hugoth’s soldiers and behind, trailing in the shadows are several dozen treefolk.

The mob stops a few yards in front of your group, with Hugoth’s fiery eyes boring into your own.

Hugoth takes a step forward “It was brave of you to not try running. Brave, but foolish. No one can stand against me.”

Behind him a small soldier translates what he says to the mob, with them grumbling in response.

“These humans have killed one of our own, in an attempt to put these two traitors in power.” Hugoth gestures to the captured
[1/2]

>>36683652

“They intended to bring the end to our people, and end to our forest which the sorceress left us guard.”

Before the translator has even finished the crowd yells in anger and outrage.

“For that…” Hugoth pauses for the crowd to go silent which they quickly do. “They all must die.”

The mob quickly vocalizes its displeasure yet again, but this time they begin to press in to capture you. This is not looking good for you.

“Wait!” Autumn shouts out, which stuns the crowd into silence of fear. She stares intensely at the whole mob.
“My leader will speak and you will listen.” She gestures to you.

The translator says nothing at first, but a fierce glance from Autumn has him stumbling out the words.

All eyes are upon you, expectant. So many lies have been spread, so many people used. You feel the weight of what could happen if you’re not successful.

>Apologize intensely, beg for your lives.

>Challenge Hugoth to a duel.

>Write in

>Write in
Say that Hugoth is unfit to lead,and point out the revived forest and claim that you are responsible for it.

>>36683680
>>Challenge Hugoth to a duel. A rock off

>>36683802
lol like rock n roll or like that circle of rocks thats there?

>>36683680
>>36683783
This

>>36683783
>>36683904
>Writing

>>36683953
Your deep thought is interrupted as a leaf blows into your face. You pull it off hoping that the angry mob will be gone, no such luck, but holding the healthy leaf in your hand, you have a moment inspiration.

You hold the leaf high for all to see. “Your anger has blinded you to what’s right in front of you, what’s all around you. The forest has life again.”

The mob looks around as the translator finishes. You continue.

“We revived the forest, not your leader. He let it wallow and die all this time due to his ineptitude.” You point to the ring of rocks. “The answer was right in front of him, but he never figured it out. He never cared to figure it out. Don't follow someone who is unfit to lead!” You shout.

Halfway through speaking, the translator is beheaded by Hugoth. He shouts something to the crowd in their language, and they are silent for a moment, but one of his soldiers points to you as seemingly finishes the translation.

“I am the one who takes care of this forest!” Hugoth shouts in rage.
“Show.” One of the soldiers demands while pointing toward the ring of rocks.

The last of the sun’s rays seem to linger only on that ring, still bouncing from rock to rock. Hugoth stares at the complex puzzle for a moment, in silence.
He steps back and returns to behead that soldier but realizes his mistake too late. The mob shouts in outrage and presses in, not toward you, but to Hugoth. Sylvas and Dynlos are free to push in as well.

“Ed! Call them off, we need each other’s’ help.” Hugoth points his sword at the crowd, holding them back for the moment. Panic tinges his voice, most likely for the first time in his life. “I’ll show you how to travel to the other pieces, I’ll tell you whatever you want!”

Due to your quick thinking, you are finally the one with the upper hand. A surge of emotions and thoughts race through you. You smirk.

>Accept and calm them off.

>Let him die.

>Write in.

>>36684745

>Let him die.

>>36684745
>>Let him die.

>>36684745
>Write in
Call them off for now, ask how to leave the piece, and then have the mob kill him.

>>36684790
>>36684813
>>36684815
I'll combine them since in the end you get the same result.
>Writing

>>36684879

“Wait.” You hold out your hand and call out to the mob. You look directly into the eyes of Hugoth, they burn a dark color of orange and red. “Tell me how to leave this piece.”
“Not unless you guarantee my life.” Hugoth hisses back.

Your face remains emotionless. “I will not, but I will guarantee if you don’t tell me, I will let them kill you.”
His eyes flare up to a brighter color but soon die back down. “A slice of my bark should do it, bring it to the border of the pieces, and it will open before you.” He says quietly, poorly masking his rage.

“How convenient.” You pull out your sword and point it toward Hugoth. “Kill him.”
“No!” He utters in absolute fury.

At once his former soldiers jump on his body and begin to tear away at his barkskin. Hugoth cleaves through a great number of them before being overwhelmed by the mob. He crushes necks in between his ethereal arms. Then a great fire shoots out from him, as those who try to strangle the life from him are ignited. Dynlos and Sylvas expertly dodge this and then bind his limbs with their vine covered arms.

“Rrrrraaaagggghhh” A primal scream escapes Hugoth’s mouth as his whole body seemingly turns molten, trying to burn away his attackers. Sylvas yells in pain as two of Hugoth’s arms rip his head open at the mouth. Dynlos wrestles an arm around the flaming neck of Hugoth.

Chaos rages as the treefolk burn around you and your group. Ash and soot choke the screams of those crying out from pain

From the haze you rush in to take your opportunity to strike.

Roll 1d20, best of three.

Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>36685444
rollin

Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>36685444

>>36685444

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>36685444

>>36685460
>>36685489
>>36685529
Well shit an 8. I am damn glad those crit rules changed.

>>36685489
>Writing

>>36685587
You lunge in to thrust with your sword, and make it a few inches into his stomach, but you are stopped by one of his molten arms grasping your wrist. The extreme heat begins to burn through your clothes as Hugoth shouts a guttural cry only inches from your face. The heat emanating from his mouth causes you to wince in pain.

Autumn is swiftly next to you and begins to pull at Hugoth’s grasp on you with her bare arms. The fake skin on hands of her combat prosthetics begin to melt away as you pull free.

The opening in his stomach begins to shoot out flames causing you and Autumn to have to fall back.

Through the pandemonium Autumn shouts to you. “I’ll pin whatever he has left free. You go for his head.”

You nod in agreement.

“Don’t miss!” Her wipes her hair out of her soot covered face and smiles to you before charging back in with you directly behind.

She dexterously dodges the flames and wraps her arms around the molten arm that you two dealt with earlier and braces her legs on the headless corpse of Sylvas.
Again you charge in, this time aiming for the fiery stare of Hugoth, intent on extinguishing it.

>Roll 1d20, best of three.

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>36686074
please not another 1

>>36686100
God damn it tg dice,why must you fuck up Auri's quests?

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>36686074
Let's not fuck it up this time

>>36686100
>>36686144
I feel sad now

There are only extremes in these quests.

I guess in the interest of time, someone who has rolled this round can go again.

Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>36686074
please not another 1

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>36686264

>>36686277
Tg dice are cruel cruel things. i think i'll abstain from rolling now.

>>36686277
>Writing

>>36686345

His eyes quickly pick up on your intent and flare up. A dark red flame shoots out from his mouth as you leap through the air to him. All you can do to shield yourself from the onslaught of heat is to throw your cloak around your body.

You lose your sight as you block the fire and then hit the ground hard. Your cloak goes up in flames, and you are forced to throw it off your body.
Dynlos and a few treefolk manage to tear off one of Hugoth’s molten limbs, as molten earth shoots from the wound, forcing them to pull back.

Hugoth bellows in agony and throws Autumn into the ground several feet away from him. She is stunned by the heavy impact. Hugoth wheezes and is unsteady on his feet, the molten earth pouring from the opening slows to a trickle, as the brightness emanating from his body lessens. He shakily takes a few steps forward on the charred ground. He approaches Autumn slowly, intent on making her his last victim.

You rise to your feet with great speed and charge to stop him from killing Autumn. Your hand tightens around the hilt of your sword as you get closer with each step.

>Roll 1d20, best of three.

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>36686900
Okay seriously this time, let's not fuck it up

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>36686900
Guess i need to roll

>>36686900
nat 1 go

>>36686980
no pls

Someone can roll again.

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>36687120
here goes all the things.

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>36686900

>>36686967
Writing

>>36687165

You don’t know when the sun set, but it must have been some time ago since the sky barely has a slight tinge of dark blue. Or at the very least, what part of the sky you can still see has only a hint of the sun’s presence left, the rest is obscured by a dark smoke.

A heavy object impacts with the ground behind you as you ponder all of this, and then shortly after, a heavier thud sounds out. You smile at an unconscious, but safe Autumn curled on the ground.

A bright light from behind you causes you to turn around quickly, with sword at the ready. But there’s no threat, only a headless warden. The molten earth from his body already cooling and the remaining light from his body coalescing into a single point a few feet above his corpse.

The red-colored brightness of the point grows so great that you can’t safely look at it anymore. Then suddenly, it makes a small clink, and then splits off into two. With one light shooting far into the sky and the other dropping back to the ground.

Dynlos approaches it and picks it off the ground, now only a dimly lit red sphere glowing warmly in his hand.

He looks into your eyes. “You have our thanks, human. Even though so many of us had to die, we finally earned our freedom.”
You’ve had almost quite all that you can handle of treefolk for one day, so you manage to respond with a nonchalant “You’re welcome.”

“As a token of our thanks allow us to offer you something.” Dynlos motions to a soldier who brings him Hugoth’s sword. “Choose, the sword of the warden, or this.” Dynlos hold the small red sphere in the air. “This is the crystallization of part of Hugoth’s magic, it created itself to be passed on to another. We will keep whatever is left to help our people.”

You are fascinated by both of the offerings, and briefly consider taking both by threat of force, but you are much too exhausted to back up any threats.

You extend your arm and take

>The sword

>The sphere

>>36688056
>The sword
They need the magic more and we do. WE also know far more about swordplay than we do magic.

>>36688056
>>36688056
>The sphere
Time for some fire magic.

>>36688056
>>The sphere
we got a sword

>>36688056

>The sword

Let them have the magic.

>>36688056
>>The sword

Wow we had some lurkers afraid to roll back now. Cool Auri's quests need more people so we can truly not get fucked over by dice.

>>36688285
Dunno about the others, but I just got home from some Christmas shopping. Doesn't look like we were doing so hot, too.

This is a choice I don't want to leave to a tie breaking dice roll

>>36688321
yeah one below average roll and one 2 which was a narrowly avoided one. I'm really glad Auri changed crit rules.

>>36688283
My bad didn't see the third vote.
>Writing

>>36688378
I don't know about taking the sword guys, since our own sword is the only real thing we have from our past, I don't know mang

>>36688489
Dual wielding anon. Plus it isn't like we can't wear two sheathes.

>>36688378
You grab what’s familiar to you and take the sword in your hand. After unsheathing it slowly, you see how it handles. It’s weighted very similar to your own sword, and is about the same length.

You slice off a thin piece of Hugoth’s barkskin and pick it up.

The style of grip is much different however, but it almost appears as if the original was replaced. The blade itself carries an unnatural sharpness, that borders on dangerous. Some things will take some time getting used to, but you already like it.

After you’re quite satisfied, you sheathe the sword and affix it to your belt opposite your old one.

The new sword has put you into a better mood. “Take care of your people.” You nod to Dynlos.

You look around of what’s left of them, a few dozen, most of them carry severe burns from the battle and some of them are missing limbs. A hand shaped scar is burnt into your skin, a permanent reminder of the encounter. The ground around you is charred and covered in ash as you walk over to pick up Autumn.

Vi lands daintily on your shoulder as Cecilia energetically runs up to your side.

You take one last glance behind you at the aftermath and see how the molten earth of Hugoth’s body has hardened on the ground to leave behind a warning to those who let their burning pride get the better of them. Slight embers still flicker in his eyes as his corpse watches as you journey to leave his piece.

“Let’s go.” You say quietly.

~

Okay that's all for today, as I have to leave shortly. Thank you all so very much for playing, one week was way too long for me to be away from questing. As always, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to leave them in the thread, and I will do my best to answer them.
If not, take care and I hope to see you again next time!

https://twitter.com/QM_Auri (Twitter)
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=otherworldly+arboretum (Previous threads)

>>36689097
Thanks for running Auri.

>>36689097
Yeah, thanks a bunch for running auri, it's been too long

>>36689097
Thanks for running, though I missed most of it.

>>36689097
Thanks for running.

>>36689164
You're welcome!
>>36689212
You're welcome and it has indeed been too long.
>>36689231
No problem at all! I'm glad you played regardless.
>>36689235
You're welcome too!

>>36689322
fuq
I missed it
boo inconveniently timed exams