>>38725140
>> Help in raising morale. Tell harmless stories from your days as a human
See if you can get meluku and the others back into a less-anxious state.

Because I have sincere doubts about him figuring out any of his spooky powers as of yet, and can only hope they'll manifest when the time is right. That, and he'd appreciate the stories.

Welcome back, I missed you, oh jeez fighting pazuzu is bad.

>>38725199
Holy crapbaskets it's been a while.
> Help in raising morale. Tell harmless stories from your days as a human

>>38725140
> Help in raising morale. Tell harmless stories from your days as a human

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>>38725140
You wait until Nakurtum starts running out of ideas for what to say. She starts summarizing and stalling for time, and you take over with some stories of your own. "Hey, did I ever tell yu how I sort of met the king once? The king's dad, I mean, the last king. He was leading the effigies of Shamash and Aya in procession for the harvest festival, and he was touching all the crowds of people lined up by the road. I thought they might have been handing out food, so I crawled to the front. Mostly he was just brushing people's hands in passing, but he took a couple of seconds to tousle my hair. It felt nice... I didn't actually know who it was until later when Ettu explained it..."

That makes everyone laugh, especially Nakurtum. "Hah! You might have a thing for royalty, kiddo. I remember how blue you got when the current king said you were cute. I think you're too much woman for him to handle, though!" That yields more laughter.

Meluku mostly keeps quiet, but the next day on the road you see him looking at you funny. "What is it?" you ask.
"Nothing, never mind..."
"You have to tell me. It might be important."
"I've just been seeing things funny lately. People, mostly. It's like everyone is a lot of people at once, all slightly different. And there's writing holding it all together."

You're not sure what to make of that, so you just tell him to stay close to Rabi-Tammuz and not wander off too far.

Soon after, you hear a thunderclap. Lightning illuminates a huge pack of blight demons milling through a sodden valley full of muddy sinkholes. The land is angry.

>Roll 2d6 to direct the army to wipe them out with minimal losses.
>Roll 5d6 to charge in yourself. When you want something done right...

Rolled 2, 3 = 5 (2d6)

>>38725526
>Roll 2d6 to direct the army to wipe them out with minimal losses.
Jeez, some real end of the world vibes we're getting here.

Rolled 2, 2, 4, 5, 2 = 15 (5d6)

>>38725526
Is there any way to lead from the front?
Because we're one of the strongest fighters in the whole damn army, and I want to protect our dudes with it.

so I guess
>Roll 5d6 to charge in yourself. When you want something done right...
but with a few less dice because we're not charging straight in, and are staying close to our own lines?

>>38725526
>roll 5d6 to chage in yourself

Rolled 4, 3, 4, 2, 4 = 17 (5d6)

>>38725620
Supporting

>>38725526
>Roll 5d6 to charge in yourself. When you want something done right...
I'm not at all sure if the army won't totally fuck over everything.

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>>38725526
You rush to the front lines to see Footmen forming a line and Charioteers waiting to charge until the Archers have done what they can to thin the advancing mass of demons. The beasts look a bit like wolf skeletons with muscles made of mud and peat and fangs like obsidian daggers. All these soldiers, all humans, are ready to fight and die because you urged them to join this campaign. That doesn't seem fair to you.

After what looks like the last volley of arrows they'll be able to loose before the enemies close distance, you charge into the mass of demons yourself with a loud hiss. You know that each demon that strikes at you is not striking at one of your people, and each wound you suffer might save a dozen lives. With the strength of your convictions, you rip and tear and break demons in half with your claws. Moments later the Charioteers and Footmen join you, surrounding the monsters that have surrounded you.

When the battle is won and the last few demons are routed, you have suffered two significant wounds and ten Footmen are dead. It could have been much worse.

>Roll 2d6 to heal yourself with blood magic.

Whoa, is this really back? I thought it died, it's been so long ;_;

Rolled 3, 2 = 5 (2d6)

>>38725810
Shit, I hope we don't get too worn down before the big fight

Rolled 6, 4 = 10 (2d6)

>>38725810
it is time for rolls.

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>>38725810
Using blood drawn from the fallen, you cast Knit the Wound on yourself. The spell fails twice, but not so badly that it causes you to mutate. Eventually you succeed in healing the bleeding cracks in your carapace, leaving sutures of bright red and bright blue marbled together.

Two days later you see the City of Exiles for the first time. Travel is slow as you enter the marshy region, where solid ground is difficult to find even when it's not raining in heavy sheets. The city is built partly on precious high ground and partly on networks of stilts and platforms. Most of the buildings are dome-shaped and made with cords of reeds. Soldiers in wide-brimmed hats and straw capes patrol for blight demons but let you and your forces enter without complaint. Word quickly spreads of arranging meetings with the various power groups in the city and making a plan for its defense.

Off to the south, you can see the sea. You've never seen it before, and you wish it could have been in one of its calmer moods. Far out on the water, the storm is even more horrific.The near-constant lightning on the horizon outlines a dark writhing waterspout.

> Meet with the city's elders and make sure that your soldiers and theirs are working together under the same plan
> Find the mystics who transformed Meluku and ask for guidance
> Keep watch by the docks so there is no delay if something bad comes up from the sea

>>38726174
> Meet with the city's elders and make sure that your soldiers and theirs are working together under the same plan
> Find the mystics who transformed Meluku and ask for guidance
In this order, it seems like both are important.

>>38726174
>> Meet with the city's elders and make sure that your soldiers and theirs are working together under the same plan
>> Find the mystics who transformed Meluku and ask for guidance
these are pretty much our agenda.
We can post soldiers to keep watch. It'd just tire us out to take watch duty ourselves. We gotta be fresh and limber to punch monsters.

>>38726174
> Find the mystics who transformed Meluku and ask for guidance

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>>38725140
ITS BACK

>>38726492
>inb4 it immediately ends

>>38726174
>> Meet with the city's elders and make sure that your soldiers and theirs are working together under the same plan

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>>38726174
First thing's first. You join with Zakiti and the masters-at-arms of the fighting schools as they meet in the large house of elders and plan for the city's defense. The men and women sitting in a circle inside the large dome are all ancient, the dim torchlight throwing shadows across their wrinkled skin. Many of them have stripes of white clay smeared across their dark faces and arms.

"Many of our ships are lost already," says one of the men. "The mystics say it will come from the sky. Ground troops should all assist with the evacuation. The women, children, and infirm will be scattered and sent to the hills, where some of them might live to rebuild. Only archers and magicians should stand and fight. Only they have any chance."

"Yes, sir," says Zakiti. "I will escort the noncombatants. The ones who will not leave, I will... persuade. For their own good. Hunzuu, you will do the same?"

> "Yes."
> "Well, I am a blood magician, after all. I will hold the line with the other magicians."
> "I respectfully disagree with this plan. We don't know what form Pazuzu will take, exactly. Everyone who can fight should wait here in the city. They might be needed."

>>38726174
> Find the mystics who transformed Meluku and ask for guidance

Quest it not kill!? Oh, this is a happy day.

>>38726589
> "Well, I am a blood magician, after all. I will hold the line with the other magicians."
But more importantly, we're going to punch pazuzu right in the goddamn face. Getting up there will be the hard part.

I am unsure about the evacuation plan. Is there anywhere for them to go that WON'T be, you know, vulnerable to air attack? Any underground area or non-god forest?

>>38726589
> "Well, I am a blood magician, after all. I will hold the line with the other magicians."

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"Well, I am a blood magician, after all. I will hold the line with the other magicians."

"So it shall be," says the old man. "Zakiti, we will give you maps of the area and the different escape routes that have been devised. We should use them all, taking them in every direction at once. The only cover we have is tall grass. Order everyone to stay low and silent if something passes over them."

You and the Petty-wizards are directed toward the mystics who came to Ligish once with Meluku in tow. You hope they will be of more help than they were last time. Currently they are leading prayers to all the gods around a large bronze brazier.

"Hello?" you ask. "I brought Meluku, the boy you turned gray. The queen, one of your people, told me to. You said he is half-created, and the queen says that the names of things don't apply to him, but what does that mean?! What can he do?"

One mystic produces an etched bronze tablet from the folds of his robes. "This delta is where all things began, where creation is soft and names are weak. We have experimented with the brackish waters and the art of uncreation. Your priests have raised Meluku in their pyramid, I hear? Have they taught him to read?"

"A little. I helped."

"When Pazuzu shows his face, have him recite these prayers."

You look down at the tablet. "Will it kill him?"

"My guess is that it will kill us all. But the world will live."

> Well, better get Meluku and give him the tablet. Saving the world is what you came here for.
> No, you will not sacrifice an innocent child like that. Sneak Meluku into the groups evacuating the city and don't tell him anything about this. Roll 1d6.
>Ask Ishtar for guidance. Crack open one of those clay balls and drink the potion inside.

>>38726996
>Ask Ishtar for guidance. Crack open one of those clay balls and drink the potion inside.
Now or never.

>>38726996
Huh. I didn't expect that shit.
>Ask Ishtar for guidance. Crack open one of those clay balls and drink the potion inside.
We've got two left, right? Let's ask ishtar what we should do, and if there's any way to actually POINT the explosion instead of just, you know, killing everyone involved.

Because pazuzu will totally come back eventually. And I'd really like to live.

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>>38726996
"Then it will be worth it," you tall the mystic as you take the tablet. You're not sure yet whether you're lying. Are you ready to risk the life of a child? Of yourself? Is this your last day on earth?

You scuttle to the supply carts and find the two clay balls wrapped in thick blankets and straw. You crack one open and drink the brackish fluid inside.

Everything glows blue and green. Stars streak by you as the blues turn to gold. Your body settles down and drools for a while as your mind shakes loose and takes shape in Ishtar's manse. The mighty goddess is outfitting herself in polished bronze plates, one spiked gauntlet and one thin white glove.

She notices you with a smirk. "There is trouble, they say. Enlil is calling a council. But that doesn't sound like much fun. I was thinking perhaps I should wait until Pazuzu has killed them all and then strike when he's weak. Or perhaps I could pay a visit to my sister Ereshkigal and unleash the hungry dead. So many possibilities..."

>Ask about Meluku and how uncreation works
>Ask if freeing the hungry dead would really help at all
>Ask if there's any chance at all that your race could be truly brought back to life, not just released as zombies
>Write in anything else you also want to ask

>>38727335
>Ask if there's any chance at all that your race could be truly brought back to life, not just released as zombies
Zombies are bad, mkay?

>>38727335
>>Ask about Meluku and how uncreation works
>Ask if there's any chance at all that your race could be truly brought back to life, not just released as zombies
and most importantly
>ask if exploding pazuzu and everyone in the vicinity is really necessary to take him down, or if we can do it without that

>>38727335
>Ask about Meluku and how uncreation works
>Ask if there's any chance at all that your race could be truly brought back to life, not just released as zombies

>>38727335
>Ask if there's any chance at all that your race could be truly brought back to life, not just released as zombies

I am sort of curious how the hell this whole magical explosion thing works.

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>>38727335
"We need to talk. Your life is on the line here just as much as mine."

She caresses your cheek with her unarmored hand. "Nerve. I like that. It's a shame we were never lovers, though I suppose it's not too late..."

You hope that changing the subject will make her forget about that line of inquiry. "Tell me how uncreation works. There's a boy who's half-created or something. And that means he can explode and kill everything in a wide radius? Do I have hat right?"

"Not an explosion. A soul storm. His soul, and those around him, will be shaken loose from the names that they have accumulated. If the soul cannot stand on its own, it ceases to exist. The mystics have tried dipping people into the places where the salt and fresh water meet to bring their souls back to the time before names, and none of them could live without their names. Pazuzu is named Destroyer, the End of All Things, the Monster All Other Monsters Fear, Enemy of Gods and Men, among other things. Good names to get rid of. But it is possible to survive the process. I don't put much hope that it will work, myself, so I'm weighing my other options."

"And another thing - you know I want to bring my race back to life. Is there any way to do that, truly? Not break open the gates of the underworld, but give them real life?"

"Only my husband can do that. But one thing at a time, dear. First we'll see if this is the end of the universe or not."

The trance starts to fade. The green and gold in the cedar leaves starts turning brown and black, and you feel the rain again.

>Tell Meluku what to do and that there is a chance of survival
>Decide not to use Meluku and smuggle him out of the city. Roll 1d6.
>Find a boat that will hold you and go out into the eye of the storm. Roll 1d6.
>Stand with the archers and magicians and wait

>>38727633
>Tell Meluku what to do and that there is a chance of survival
we soul storm nao

>>38727633
>>Stand with the archers and magicians and wait
>Tell Meluku what to do and that there is a chance of survival
Tell him about it, but also tell him NOT TO FUCKING USE IT.
Only use it if everyone involved in killing pazuzu is super dead, okay?
because aint none of us are likely to survive the soul thing.

>Tell Meluku what to do and that there is a chance of survival
I don't know what's going on. Why would hunzuu go to the seas. What happened last thread?

>>38728007
pazuzu is happening. We went to the ocean because we guessed it was the most likely place pazuzu would show up.
we're going to fight him and probably die. Which would suck because we have a boyfriend I'd like to get a happy ending with.

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>>38727633
You pick up the tablet and find Meluku, who's surrounded by mystics and being dressed in gray robes and gold chains. Archers are all lined up along the docks, with magicians of all different schools behind them. You explain to Meluku to read the words if it looks like there's no other way to win, and that this isn't the end. He's going to survive. He has to believe that.

The waterspout draws closer, so close it's causing the abandoned ships in the harbor to break free of their moorings and crash against the docks. The wind howls until you can barely hear the men shouting all around you. A colossal winged shape emerges from the wall of water. It seems larger than the City of Exiles itself. It looks down at the city, its rows of eyes glowing white with hatred.

The archers shoot upward, but their arrows are falling short. The magicians are conjuring blasts of force and flying beasts made of blood. You still have several pots of blood strapped to your armor, but you don't know any offensive spells.

>Cast Aid the Worthy to enhance the other magicians' spells
>Save the pots of blood for later. Maybe you can use it to heal people
>Run away from the others and see if Pazuzu follows you with its gaze. It's unlikely but possible that he has some special hatred of you
>Run away from the others and find Iltani
>Write in

>>38728108
>Run away from the others and find Iltani
Holy shit, is this the end?

>>38728108
>Cast Aid the Worthy to enhance the other magicians' spells
and then

>Run away from the others and find Iltani
see if her chunk gives her some special insight
or if she's just ok

>>38728108
>Write in
Climb. Climb as high as you can and see if you can flag his attention down. Insult his mum.

If that succeeds, THEN run to get him away.

If it fails, then go cast aid the worthy or heal, depending on how dead people are.

>>38728175
>>38728168
where -is- lltani anyway?

>>38728337
dunno, that's why we're finding her

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>>38728108
You climb atop the nearest building and shout yourself hoarse with challenges to Pazuzu. You don't think it can hear you. You can barely hear yourself. Its gaze sweeps toward a different part of the docks.

You use all but two jars of blood to cast Aid the Worthy. Blood magic fills the air around you s a bright pink mist, which rushes toward the blood monsters being conjured and making them larger and nastier. A swarm of blood insects grows to the size of cats, and a blood eagle grows to the size of a lammasu, with three screaming heads and serrated claws as long as swords. They are the first things to make contact with Pazuzu's colossal body, but it does not look at them. Pazuzu is still looking toward something to your left.

To your horror, you realize what it must be. He can sense Iltani. You run away from the magicians and head for the abandoned houses that your army was staying in. There you find Iltani huddled in the far end of a bedroom, soaking wet and weeping, occasionally heaving or convulsing. "Pazuzu... stole my whole life..." she says. "He made me evil, made me kill innocent people. He made me life a life that wasn't mine. I should have just been a farmer's daughter. Maybe I wouldn't be afraid of dying if I'd ever gotten to live in the first place."

>"Then fight back! You're a killer now. Accept it. Use it. Get out there and let's kill Pazuzu."
> Give her clawhugs and console her.
> "Why are you still here? Run! Run away from the city! Save the others!"

>>38728428
>> Give her clawhugs and console her.
There there. Pazuzu is a horrible monster, he does these things.
after that,
>"Then fight back! You're a killer now. Accept it. Use it. Get out there and let's kill Pazuzu."
How would you like to go kill a destroyer of worlds? Or at least piss it off and then run the opposite direction of the city? That sound fun?

>>38728428
> "Why are you still here? Run! Run away from the city! Save the others!"
Seems best to separate her for now.

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>>38728428
The first thing you do is give Iltani very tight clawhugs. "Shh. Even if this is the end, you did get to live. You did good work to undo what he made you do. You made a friend."

She coughs and doubles over before looking back up at you. "I guess..."

"How would you like to go kill a destroyer of worlds? Or at least piss it off and then run the opposite direction of the city? That sound fun?"

"I don't think I can fight anymore. Can I just run?"

"Go for it. I'll find you later."

"But if-"

You hug her again. "I'll find you later."

"Goodbye, Hunzuu. I'll never forget you." With that she leaps out the window and sprints with inhuman speed away from the shoreline.

You head back out into the storm to check on the battle. Pazuzu is headed right at you, seemingly oblivious to the cloud of spells and arrows being thrown at him. Iltani's hasty retreat seems to confuse him, though, and he veers away from you just before he would have completely demolished the house you were in. One enormous wing tears up part of the docks, sending screaming men flying everywhere. The winds alone are blowing men away and tearing buildings apart. Pazuzu is circling around for another pass to come crashing down on the city again.

You search for Meluku. Several mystic are holding him down as he begins to recite from the bronze tablet. "When on high the heavens had not been named..."

>Stop him. "Wait! Not yet!"
>Let Meluku continue. Try to climb onto Pazuzu if he comes within range of you.

>>38728820
>>Let Meluku continue. Try to climb onto Pazuzu if he comes within range of you.
It not very nice to ignore us

>>38728820
>Try to climb onto Pazuzu if he comes within range of you.
>"Wait! Not yet!"

Let me try climbing up there and killing it first!

>>38728820
>Let Meluku continue. Try to climb onto Pazuzu if he comes within range of you.
There's no way we're taking this guy down otherwise.

>Try to climb onto Pazuzu if he comes within range of you.
>wait! Not yet!

>deadlock
shit.

maybe we can use pazuzu's bulk to absorb most of the soulnado and not actually get murdered ourselves?
But still that would suck for everyone else.

>>38729011
Those losers don't have a shota to come home to though.

>>38729036
they've all got wives and kids and shit. It's not really the most fair.
Hell, I don't want meleku to explode.

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>>38728820
You let him continue. You doubt your ability to take this thing down yourself.

Still, it can't hurt to try. And it feels right. You anticipate where Pazuzu is going to strike next and climb the nearest intact building to that point. His castle-sized mouth opens wide, and you can hear his bloodcurdling scream over the roar of the tempest. You leap for him, hoping to sink your claws and stinger into one of his great wings.

Your claws find purchase. They sink into what feels like soft earth. Why is it silent? Have you gone deaf? You look up. The winds are gone, and Pazuzu, and the soldiers. Everything is gone except the wet, grassy land where the salt and fresh water mingle, and you, and a tiny human girl. It takes a moment to recognize the girl as yourself as you once were. There are slight differences, though. Her eyes seem empty.

"Hi!" she says. "I'm 'Zuu! I'm the orphan, the forgotten one. My papa never knew me and my mama never loved me. I can't be a real person after that. I'm empty inside, 'cause nobody filled me up with anything. All I am is Zuu. That's my name."

> "You're wrong. That's not me anymore. Go away!" Roll 5d6.
> "I admit, you're where I came from. That's one of my names. But I have others, don't I?"

Rolled 5, 5, 1, 5, 5 = 21 (5d6)

>that's my name
Shit.
> "You're wrong. That's not me anymore. Go away!" Roll 5d6.

>>38729084
>> "I admit, you're where I came from. That's one of my names. But I have others, don't I?"
I mean, hey. We've totally got the orphan issues, it's a fair cop.

But it's not like we're obsessed with it. Sometimes we even pick flowers!
Very rarely.
It's harder these days after becoming huge.

I'm not even going to pretend to understand all this naming business, and am playing it by ear.

>>38729084
>I admit, you're where I came from. That's one of my names. But I have others, don't I

>>38729180
I think it's trying to reinforce names on Hunzuu, so she will be affecte by the soulstorm. And, you know, it's HUNzuu, not Zuu.

>>38729216
I dunno. I mean, we DO have names.
It's just they're not terribly important. Titles or not, we've always been in this to help out.

>>38729176
I sort of want to go with this just because he rolled so well.

>>38729084
You're wrong. That's not me anymore. Go away!"

>>38729274
The soulstorm is supposed to rip off the souls of every name, including pasusu's titles. The optimal solution is to disregard them instead of taking them.

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>>38729216
Zuu is one of your nicknames. It's what your mother and Ettu used to call you.

>>38729084
"You're wrong. That's not me anymore. Go away!"

She laughs. "That's like building a castle on a sinkhole. I'm nothing. Build something on nothing, and what happens?"

You do seem to still be alive, though. Or maybe this is the afterlife. Either way, you're not going to feel sorry for yourself just because of who your parents were.

Another figure skitters toward you through the tall grass. It's you shortly after your transformation, except this girl is wearing blinders and a yoke. "Hi! I'm the Savior of the City! I'm the public servant, the tool, the beast of burden. I do what I'm told. Monster comes, I fight monster, I wait for next monster. I don't think for myself. That would be selfish. All I am is the Savior of the City. That's my name."

> "You're wrong. Yes, I save people, but I'm more than just my job. I'm a person with thoughts and feelings."
> "A-and what's wrong with saving people? Isn't that how you get people to like you? Nobody cared about me before I started saving them..."

>>38729337
> "You're wrong. Yes, I save people, but I'm more than just my job. I'm a person with thoughts and feelings."
This motherfucker.

>>38729337
>> "You're wrong. Yes, I save people, but I'm more than just my job. I'm a person with thoughts and feelings."
I mean, fuck. If I was doing my job, I wouldn't be saving people. If I remember correctly, our handlers VERY STRONGLY wanted us to put down some rebellions by force.

>>38729396
Supporting

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>>38729337
"You're wrong. Yes, I save people, but I'm more than just my job. I'm a person with thoughts and feelings."

The scorpion girl laughs mockingly at you. "So sometimes you'll just feel like not saving people? Do try explaining that to their families. Nobody will ever love you at this rate..."

You're getting sick of this. You scuttle through the grass, uprooting clawfuls of the stuff, searching for whoever might come at you next. You come upon a taller version of yourself, more regal, dressed all in gold and red silk. "Oh, hello. I am the Lady Scorpion. I am the ruler, the exalted one. My powers entitle me to do whatever I want. I can commit theft, murder, and perfidy. I can break the laws of honorable combat and disrespect the gods. And the common people will still love me because they have no other choice. They kiss the ground I walk on and call me Lady Scorpion. That's my name."

> "You're wrong. I hate when people treat me like that! I've done bad things, yes, but I'm not above the law. I'll accept punishment for all I've done." roll 5d6.
> "I'm lucky enough to become powerful, and you try to blame me for enjoying it? The things I've done have basically worked out for the best, more or less. The people should be grateful!"

> "I'm lucky enough to become powerful, and you try to blame me for enjoying it? The things I've done have basically worked out for the best, more or less. The people should be grateful!"
This is so wrong that I choose it.

Rolled 2, 6, 1, 1, 5 = 15 (5d6)

>>38729572
Shit, did we ever steal?
I didn't think we did. And I always sort of felt like being a dick for not being the most honorable.

I'll take the 5d6 and the first option. Dicegods be with me.

Rolled 4, 6, 3, 5, 2 = 20 (5d6)

>>38729572
>> "You're wrong. I hate when people treat me like that! I've done bad things, yes, but I'm not above the law. I'll accept punishment for all I've done." roll 5d6.

Rolled 1, 6, 3, 6, 1 = 17 (5d6)

>>38729572
> "You're wrong. I hate when people treat me like that! I've done bad things, yes, but I'm not above the law. I'll accept punishment for all I've done."
Unfortunately, I can't fetch any music as I am likites to my phone.

>>38729761
And I've no appropriate music for this.

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>>38729572
"You're wrong. I hate when people treat me like that! I've done bad things, yes, but I'm not above the law. I'll accept punishment for all I've done."

She doesn't even look at you. "Will you? At your own convenience, of course. What a luxury..." She scuttles away.

You spend what seems like a few minutes wandering through the grass, looking for sights or sounds that will lead you out of here. You hear an unearthly howling a ways inland of you You follow it until you reach a circle where the grass is all dead and withered. At the center is a scorpion-woman wielding Ishtar's spear, with gray skin and black eyes with pupils like white pinpoints of light. Red blood runs down her mouth and bronze breastplate. She opens her arms as though asking you to behold her terrible majesty.

"Welcome! I am the Living One. I am the flesh-eater, the doom of humanity. As revenge against the humans who neglected me and tried to use me for their own ends, I freed my adoptive race from the underworld and set them loose in the world again! The humans who would have forgotten me are now themselves forgotten. They will only live on in the myth of the Living One. That is my name."

> "You're wrong. I... damn it, you're just wrong!" Roll 5d6.
> "You're not me... yet. Give me a little time."

>>38729908
>"You're not me... yet. Give me a little time."

>>38729908
>> "You're wrong. I... damn it, you're just wrong!" Roll 5d6.
we -really- didn't free the undead scorpions. We could have. We didn't. We're working on some way to, like, fix them.
Being dead won't be that.
And once they're alive, they can eat goats. goats are delicious!
somebody else roll for me, I bombed it last time and fear doing it again.

The answer seems simple, but it's so tempting to pick the bloodthirdt option...

Rolled 2, 4, 5, 1, 1 = 13 (5d6)

>>38729966
>>38729908
heeere we go

>>38730015
Yeah, but we've always really liked the peoples.

>>38730112
Indeed. My biggest bone with these visions, specially this one, is how...disconnected it is from current Hunzuu.

On the other hand, it sounds cool as fuck and I can't decide what to vote for.

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>>38729908
"You're wrong. I... damn it, you're just wrong!"

"Oh, so you no longer intend to free your brothers and sisters? You swore an oath to Lady Amata! You swore an OATH!"

The scorpion-woman advances on you menacingly. As you flee, you reflect on what you've done, your good deeds as well as your sins, and you wonder who you really are underneath it all.

The final phantasm's spear dissolves into white wind. Then her body does the same. Then the swamp is gone and everything is white.

>Your soul has denied all of the names that tried to attach themselves to it, and it has survived. Roll 10d6 to find your way back to your body.

Rolled 4, 5, 3, 5, 4, 5, 1, 3, 3, 1 = 34 (10d6)

>>38730277
Fucking called it.

Rolled 3, 4, 3, 5, 3, 2, 5, 4, 4, 2 = 35 (10d6)

>>38730277
Oh shit.
Let's, uh, try to go.

And we're going to figure out SOMETHING for those scorpions. Heck, we might even let the zombies out a bit, as long as we can provide adequate live meat for them to not eat the world.

Rolled 2, 1, 2, 4, 3, 3, 3, 4, 2, 4 = 28 (10d6)

>>38730277

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>>38730277
You regain consciousness. You are lying in a foot of saltwater, sore all over, and bleeding. You right yourself and cough up some water. The storm has passed.

Bodies are floating in the water, and some corpses are crushed or impaled in the wreckage of the city, but one mystic is still alive. He is searching for someone. Meluku? You don't see him or his body anywhere. He must not have made it.

The guilt and sorrow start to overtake you as you lean over the bloody pool of water you're in and weep. Then you hear a thunderous rumble in the sea to the south of you. Something huge is coming up to the surface. It's Pazuzu.

It was all for nothing? No, you can't accept that. You ignore the pain and run toward him. You'll kill him with your bare claws if you have to.

The vast winged colossus speaks as you make it hip-deep into the surf. "HUNZUU..."

"That's me, you bastard, and I'm coming for you..."

"IT'S ME."

"What?"

"I TOOK HIS NAME. UNDERNEATH THE MONSTER AND THE DESTROYER AND THE END OF ALL THINGS, HE WAS A SAD, SICK LITTLE HUMAN BOY. TIAMAT GAVE HIM A NAME THAT HELPED HIM FORGET THE PAIN. FROM THERE HE TOOK MORE NAMES TO HIMSELF, EACH ONE STRENGTHENING HIS BODY BUT NUMBING HIS SOUL. BUT THERE STILL NEEDS TO BE AN END OF ALL THINGS."

"But not now..."

"NO. NOT NOW. BUT ONE DAY, AGES FROM NOW, WHEN THE TALE OF GODS AND MEN IS OVER, I WILL COME. UNTIL THEN, LIVE." The monster slowly turns and drawls into deeper water.

> Yell goodbye
> Don't tempt him to change his mind. Roll 3d6 to search for survivors.

Rolled 3, 5, 5 = 13 (3d6)

>>38730686
>> Yell goodbye
I'll always make sure to send some good sacrifices to be dumped in the ocean!

Also jeez, we're behind on our saccrifices.

Anyway, after yelling goodbye, do search for survivors anyway because fuck we have to. So here's the dice anyway.

>>38730686
> Yell goodbye
Fuck, Meluku.

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>>38730686
"Goodbye! Hey, do you hear me?! Thank you! I'll never forget you!"

"AND I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU, HUNZUU. SEE YOU AT THE END OF THE WORLD..."

You aid in the search for survivors. You find several Archers and Petty-wizards, none of whom you know well. Rabi-Tammuz is nowhere to be found. In general there seem to be too few corpses. They must have washed out to sea or completely disappeared in the soul storm. Nakurtum was helping the women and children evacuate - you hope she was out of range when it all went down. If she's alive, she'll surely find you in due time.

You find Iltani on the road out of town. She's lying on her back but has no obvious signs of injury. "Hunzuu... I feel really weak. Is he gone?"

"Yes, he's gone." You give her more clawhugs. "You're free."

"Hey, not so tight!"

"Oh, sorry." That's not a problem you ever had before with Iltani.

"So... what now?"

>First, see if you can ask Tammuz to resurrect the scorpionfolk. Roll 1d6 to see if the last clay ball is still intact.
>Rally your troops and head for Ligish
>Head for Zagros and demand that they hand over Hillallum as payent to you for saving the world and stuff

>>38730989
>Rally your troops and head for Ligish
First, do the civilian recovery thing. Find the evacuees, help 'em back to their homes.

We'll do the scorpion thing once the immediate emergency is over. When we make camp tonight. Should I roll now, or later for checking whether the ball is intact?

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>38730989
>First, see if you can ask Tammuz to resurrect the scorpionfolk. Roll 1d6 to see if the last clay ball is still intact.
Here goes nothing.

>>38730989
>Rally your troops and head for Ligish
At least get our troops together. They've been through a lot

>>38730989
>Rally your troops and head for Ligish
That Meluku will return as pazusu scaries me.

Rolled 5 (1d6)

>>38730989
here's hoping the thing is still intact.
If it's not, then we may have lost all our ability to free OR revive scorpionfolk until such time as we find more orbs.

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>>38730989
You get your troops together and take stock of who's still alive and what supplies are left. The supply cart where you kept your clay ball has been crushed under a house and all its contents lost. You curse and smash it even more with your claws.

You all help to recover survivors in the city and patch up the buildings that can be salvaged. According to their traditions, the oldest survivors assume control over the remains of the city as the new elders. They ask that Ligish send them all the food and clothing they can spare as they rebuild.

Your small band of surviving archers and magicians reunites with the Footmen and Charioteers, most of whom survived the evacuation. Nakurtum practically tackles you when she finds you. "Kiddo! I knew you'd make it. Okay, no, I didn't. I didn't know at all. I was scared."

You begin your march home. The weather is much more forgiving this time, and you actually get to enjoy the scenery as you follow the river upstream through fields and fertile valleys. You return to the pyramid in triumph.

You find that Ligish is in a stir over something. It seems that as you were marching north to Ligish, someone else was marching south to Ligish from the cedar forest. It seems that Ishtar was able to convince her husband Tammuz, god of rebirth, to save forty-three scorpionfolk, one for each god you saved through your actions. Lady Amata is not one of them - the scorpionfolk explain that she specifically refused the call, ordering that the forty-three to be reborn should be those who died young and never got to properly enjoy the thrill of the hunt. They are getting along with the "bread-eaters" for now, as long as they receive all the goats they can eat.

>This peace will not last. Take them out of Ligish to a wilderness where there will be enough game for them. Roll 3d6
>Convince them that they should build an undercity, trade with humans, and be civilized. Roll 2d6.
>Let them stay in Ligish

Rolled 5, 1 = 6 (2d6)

>>38731439
>>Convince them that they should build an undercity, trade with humans, and be civilized. Roll 2d6.
Hopefully with some hunting grounds and pastures for herd animals above ground.

Rolled 6, 1, 6 = 13 (3d6)

>>38731439
>This peace will not last. Take them out of Ligish to a wilderness where there will be enough game for them. Roll 3d6

Rolled 4, 1 = 5 (2d6)

>Convince them that they should build an undercity, trade with humans, and be civilized. Roll 2d6.

Goats are real tasty to eat from day to day. And you can still hunt even if you live in a city. I sometimes go out and hunt on marches!


Though, showing them hunting locations and offering them places in the city are both essential.

Have a world peace theme.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJiHDmyhE1A

Rolled 6, 5, 2 = 13 (3d6)

>>38731439
>This peace will not last. Take them out of Ligish to a wilderness where there will be enough game for them. Roll 3d6
Ishtar best goddess. We need to build a fuckhuge temple to her.

Honestly, I don't see why we can't try to convince them to do an undercity AND show them the good hunting spots.

I mean, for real, hunting would be valuable to undercitying.

>>38731595
There's already temples. What we're behind on is sacrifices. Need to get a dayjob to afford more good meat to burn.

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>>38731439
You try to convince them to begin working on the plan for an undercity that Lady Amata described to you, but they seem uninterested. "And abandon the New Hunt that we waited so long for? You think strangely, Living One. We have kept our word and not hunted your friends the bread-eaters, now show us where we can find beasts!"

You oblige, reasoning that perhaps you can convince them later. There is also the possibility that more humans can be transformed into scorpionfolk with magic, like you and Hillallum were, and that they might be more obliging.

Speaking of Hillallum, you want to see him. You lead your newly reborn kin far west to the borderlands where few humans ever go but there are many wild goats, camels, deer, and sometimes even lions and elephants. Then you press north alone for Zagros

> Demand Hillallum as your payment for saving them from Pazuzu
> Ask nicely and suggest that it would be good to cement an alliance between the cities.
> Offer to stay in Zagros with him
> Propose a trade - scorpions for scorpions

>>38731879
>> Ask nicely and suggest that it would be good to cement an alliance between the cities.

The, uh, logistics are a bit difficult. And we might have a bit of a long distance relationship most times. But we can still be married, right?

>>38731879
> Ask nicely and suggest that it would be good to cement an alliance between the cities.

If this doesn't work I'm sure we could find one of the 43 who wants to live in a human city and trade them for him.

I still think we should go on a business trip romantic trip to find a good spot that can view both cities with 'im.

>>38731879
>Demand Hillallum as your payment for saving them from Pazuzu
No, fuck you, Hillallum is ours.

>>38731879
> Demand Hillallum as your payment for saving them from Pazuzu
Time to boss them around and take what belongs to Hunzuu.

>>38732118
>>38732094
we need to stop coming to these deadlocks. It can't be easy on ol' anu.

>>38732218
though, I have to say, the demands should be for in private

>>38732218
Can we be polite but firm? Asking implies that we'll take no for an answer.

>>38732094
>>38732118
Cmon anons, there are 43 new scorpions in the world with very dubious loyalties. We can give them one or two.

>>38732343
I support this. We're gonna get him, all they have a choice about is if it's pleasant and if they get something in return.

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>>38731879
You've never been to Zagros in person before. Because it's so far away and constantly fighting with the western barbarians, you were expecting something a little rougher. It's an extremely orderly city, with symmetrical streets and enormous temples and monuments to Marduk and the heroes of old. Guards at the city walls promptly direct you to the citadel where the Council of Heroes convenes.

You recite the address you've been practicing in your head. "Great heroes of the city, I have good news. I have pacified Pazuzu and driven him back into the sea. You have seen the signs. You knew the danger. And it was I who saved every one of you from it. Every man, woman and child in Zagros owes me a blood debt I could demand any price from this city, but I am a merciful scorpion, so I ask only a very small price. You will give me Hillallum, to take wherever I will. Then your debt will be settled and you can enjoy the peace that I have brought you."

Most of the heroes seem somewhat relieved and happy to give you what you want - you get the feeling that Hillallum has been somewhat of a disappointment to them - but two of them look upset. One of them rises. "This is not just a boy we're talking about, nor even a monster. He is our son."

> "And you want grandsons, yes? I love him and he loves me."
> "You're asking for a dowry, of course. You will have it, a most generous one."
> "He has told me about his upbringing, how cold and distant you are, how nothing he does is ever good enough for you. And yet you pretend to value him now? You're hypocrites, and I will love him more than you ever did."

>>38732506
>> "And you want grandsons, yes? I love him and he loves me."
Though it's totally understandable a parent would miss a son. We are sort of rushing things a little.

We can do visits? I wouldn't mind making this trip more.

I sincerely doubt they are worrying about the dowry. If they are, then give them a big one, but that's not the problem here.

>>38732506
> "You're asking for a dowry, of course. You will have it, a most generous one."
It is customary.

>>38732506
> "He has told me about his upbringing, how cold and distant you are, how nothing he does is ever good enough for you. And yet you pretend to value him now? You're hypocrites, and I will love him more than you ever did."
Show them, Zuu!

>>38732618
Don't be so harsh on them, yo.
They're just the overachiever type parent.

So, how does anu break up the deadlocks?

I don't think we ever got an answer on that.

>>38732506
> "You're asking for a dowry, of course. You will have it, a most generous one."

>>38732506
> "You're asking for a dowry, of course. You will have it, a most generous one."

>>38732774
Does it matter? He could be just picking the ones he likes.

>>38732823
yeah, but I'm curious.

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>>38732506
"You want a dowry, of course. You will have it, a most generous one." You lay down the sack of gems and transformation relics you brought with you from the vaults of the great pyramid. It's more customary for the groom to pay the bride's family, but you felt it would help.

This seems to surprise them. "You mean... this isn't about the balance of power between the cities? You just want to marry him?"
"He hasn't told you about me?"
"We, ah... haven't asked." The mother is especially embarrassed to admit this. "We've put other men in charge of his training while we see to our duties..."
"That's odd. Well, you can ask him now. See if he wants to come with me. This won't be the last you see of him. We'll be back, with more scorpions."

They look at each other, and his father seems to come to a decision. "We shall!"

They keep you in a luxurious room for hours while you wait, and the plates of steaming goat they bring you do little to ease your impatience. Finally, you hear a loud scuttling sound in the halls. Done up in the top half of a Zagrosi dress uniform is the scorpion-boy you love. He's being very coy, very professional, with his hands behind his back. "Hunzuu? It's good to see you a-"

You grab him firmly in your claws and put your tongue in his mouth.

>Humor his family by agreeing to be married in the Temple of Marduk
>Take him back to Ligish and let the Blood Priest do the honors
>Just take him the way scorpionfolk do, under the stars

>>38732949
>>Just take him the way scorpionfolk do, under the stars

>>38732949
Holy crap we went and done did it.
>Humor his family by agreeing to be married in the Temple of Marduk
This honestly sounds like it would be really fun. Getting some kind of wedding gown would be a dream.

>>38732949
>Just take him the way scorpionfolk do, under the stars
yes
yeeeees
I wanted this so much

>>38733038
>>38733001
>not wanting a fancy wedding before you do that

Aw.
Awww.
You're no fun.

>>38732949
>Just take him the way scorpionfolk do, under the stars
Aw yes, it's about time!

Well, it looks like I'm summarily outvoted.
C-can we have a wedding at some point though? All official like?

>>38733120
I don't see why not, a public ceremony will be good to show him off tothe vread-eaters.

>>38733050
>>38733120

We can have a fancy wedding after but I think this is more fitting.

I want the fancy wedding to be headed by blood priest too.

>>38733290
Aw, but that's weird.
He doesn't seem the type for weddings. Too bloody.

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>>38732949
"It's time."
"Yes, they told me about how we're to be married. I was hoping for something like that. I was actually writing you a letter asking about that, but I was afraid that someone else might read it and think it was funny, and then you showed up, so... great, it's all settled! Will we be making an appointment to use the Temple of Marduk?"

"Godness no. You don't know how scorpion-people take mates, do you?"

"N-no..."

"I'll show you..."

That evening, you take him to a rocky cliff face overlooking the road to Zagros. While the sun is still setting, you give him the full talk on how this is going to work, already stroking his claws with yours to get him properly stimulated. "Do you have any questions?"

He blushes blue. "Not about the dance, or what happens after that, but... what happens AFTER that? Will our marriage be like a human marriage, except with the woman in charge? You're not going to take... other husbands too, are you?"

>"We'll be equals. You've earned it."
>"You'll be under me because it suits you so well, but you'll still be my one and only."
>"I'm going to start a breeding harem, to help repopulate the species. But you'll be the first, above all the rest."
>"I'm going to start a pleasure harem of various species, because I can. But I think you'll get used to the idea."

>>38733432
>"We'll be equals. You've earned it."
Honestly I've never considered more guys until you mentioned it just now.

>>38733432
>"I'm going to start a breeding harem, to help repopulate the species. But you'll be the first, above all the rest."
Shit, hard one.

>>38733528
goddangit anon.
Why you always gotta do this.

>>38733432
>"You'll be under me because it suits you so well, but you'll still be my one and only."

He is kinda subby

>>38733432
>"You'll be under me because it suits you so well, but you'll still be my one and only."
Really the best and only choice

>>38733432
>"You'll be under me because it suits you so well, but you'll still be my one and only."
I'm still not convinced that we have reason to beleive scorpionfolk relationships actually work like this, but it does suit them.

>>38733432
>"I'm going to start a pleasure harem of various species for us. But you'll always be my most loved person with who I will breed with."
I can't resist this one, but I modified it to include him as an equal of sorts.

>>38733432
>>"You'll be under me because it suits you so well, but you'll still be my one and only."

>>38733432
>>"You'll be under me because it suits you so well, but you'll still be my one and only."

>>38733553
Hey, repopulation is serious business.
But since there is only one other harem voter, I will change to >>38733585

>>38733633
There are 43 others though, plus priests can make more.

Suddenly, three times more votes than the rest of the thread.

>>38733691
Hey, I'm fine with it.
And I was thinking of switching my vote to that if it meant monogamy ho.

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>>38733432
"You'll be under me because it suits you so well, but you'll still be my one and only."

He leans against you gently and takes your claws in his, the first step of the mating dance. "I was hoping you'd say that. You remember when we first met and you said I'd be yours? That made me feel things I hadn't felt before. I worried about it at first, but I don't have to worry with you. You're good to me. It's like for the first time there's someone to catch me if I fall rather than just yell for me to get back up. Sorry if I'm not making any sense..."

"You make perfect sense..." You take off your nice red dress.

It takes about two hours. Most of the pleasure is in your claws. You're surprised that these deadly weapons of yours can also be so sensitive. For much of it he's afraid to make eye contact and buries his face in the nape of your neck. But you do manage to pull him up for several passionate kisses. Finally he lowers himself onto a bare patch of rock and deposits something on the ground.

>Follow your instincts and press yourself down onto it
>You're not sure if you're ready. Push it aside and rub yourself on the bare rock for an almost-as-satisfying conclusion.

>>38733844
>Follow your instincts and press yourself down onto it

>>38733844
>Follow your instincts and press yourself down onto it
Why is there no other choice, Anu?

>>38733844
>>Follow your instincts and press yourself down onto it
we're re-populating darnit.
Though, feel free to be as nervous and fidgety as you want about it.
especially since the male scorpion is supposed to push you onto it.

>>38733844
>Follow your instincts and press yourself down onto it
Scorpion babies!

>>38733844
>Follow your instincts and press yourself down onto it

>>38733901
Scorpion cravings in a few months.

>>38734027
She'll want bread

>>38733844
>Follow your instincts and press yourself down onto it

>>38734056
See, I was thinking an entire plague of locusts, but that might happen too.

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>>38733844
Lady Amata said that this is the part where he's supposed to push you down and seal the deal. But poor little Hillallum is obviously holding himself back from using anything on you that might be construed as force. His claws are trembling and he's gasping for breath. You do his job for him and press yourself down onto the cool, flat rock. It feels incredible. You remain lightheaded and giddy for minutes afterward.

>You are now pregnant

You return to Ligish in the middle of some kind of celebration for Zakiti, who's been promoted to some kind of commander of the charioteers. This has apparently helped her confidence, and she goes through the market square without wearing a veil over her giant pointy lizard teeth.

You find the Blood Priest in his solar, planning and scheming over some maps. You tap him on the shoulder. "Ubar-Sin? I brought Hillallum. I've mated him already, but if you want to say a few words before the gods..."

"Not now, dear, I've decided on my next master plan!"

"Oh dear, what is it this time?"

"Soon we'll have an army of unstoppable monsters under our control that Ligish can disavow any control over! You told me about your little plan to make a scorpion city. Put it here," he points to a spot on a map, "and it'll be within striking distance of most of the greater northern cities while still being able to send spies into the naga kingdom! They won't know that we're a threat until it's too late! The world will be ours!"

"Ours? You mean mine?"

He laughs wickedly at that. You knew he would. "I will be your vizier, of course. This office isn't worth the attention it attracts. Your little friend Kullaa can take my place if she pleases."

>"Sounds like you have all this planned out already. Who am I to argue?"
> "Absolutely not. You know this city is full of idiots who would tear each other apart if not for your scheming."
>"Only if you admit that your real master plan is to be with me."

>>38734056
Eew!

>>38734205
>"Only if you admit that your real master plan is to be with me."
Best dad strikes again.

>>38734205
Damnit, all of these are too good.

Also, I hate to be a debbie downer, but blood dad, they said no to the undercity idea.

Anyways, do some mix of the first and third ones. I don't mind humoring him, even though we tease him with how he developed genuine affection. Haha.

>Hillallum will be our one and only love
I kinda feel bad for Iltani, wasn't she in love with us too?

I think we all realize that him being in the city isn't actually making it much more stable, right?

>>38734205
>>"Only if you admit that your real master plan is to be with me."

>>38734205
>>"Only if you admit that your real master plan is to be with me."

>>38734336
nah she was but she got over it

>>38734336
humans don't count

>>38734205
>"Sounds like you have all this planned out already. Who am I to argue?"
>>38734336
Friends with benefits. We should have her help Hillallum gain experience so he can please Hunzuu better.

>>38734336
That was just a Pazuzu thing. She loved us for our strength. Now our strength hurts her.

now to
have our husband do all our business for us for a few months because we'll be too swollen for our armor plates to fit together and thus vulnerable

>>38734392
>We should have her help Hillallum gain experience so he can please Hunzuu better.
I dunno, we seemed pretty pleased

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>>38734336
She was, but you admitted to her in a previous thread that you don't love her in that way. She tried to get over you by offering to seduce the centipede boy, so she might be just generally attracted to creepy-crawlies.

>>38734205
"Only if you admit that your real master plan is to be with me."

He's not good at being earnest, but for you, he tries. "Yes... To be with you as your vizier, I just said. Do keep up, Hunzuu, I'm not going at a very fast pace."

"Not just as a vizier." You give gentle clawhugs. "You know when I was facing Pazuzu, I had this vision where different versions of myself tried to taunt me. The first one said I didn't know who my father was. But she was wrong."

His brow furrows and his lip curls in anger. "Who told you?! I told no one after conducting the divination. It was the Gold Priest, wasn't it? I'll flay him alive and hang his entrails from a-"

"No, I mean you!" You pat him on the back so that he feels less murderous. "In every way that counts, you are my father. And I've never thanked you for all you've done. So thanks, dad."

"Yes, um... of course... that will do. I mean, uh, you're welcome." He returns the hug. There are a few moments of silence. "I can have the Gold Priest killed anyway, just as a precaution..."

"No, you won't."

"Very well..."

-THE END-

>For any other concerns or where-are-they-now sorts of questions, you can ask me at http://ask.fm/GreatAnu

>Maybe I'll try running another quest, if I can get my schedule together. I'm open to any suggestions.

>Thanks to all of you for sticking with me through kill and not-kill

>>38734702
This was a shit load of fun. I mean i get why the end battle wasnt like 8 threads long and all but i honestly think we it should have lasted slightly longer than it did.

>>38734702
Wait.
wait one second.
Is blood dad our REAL DAD?

Also I'd like another quest from you. Though I can't really tell you what to run, as it's entirely based on what you personally enjoy.

>>38734746
well, he was coming back from kill to wrap it up. you can't expect a lot of end threads.

Though I did sort of want to see hormone-hunzuu demanding things in a few months, but oh well.

Also I'm still forevermore curious as to who realdad is.

>>38734767
No we will never know whom our real father was. Sorry.

>>38734702
thx 4 runin budi gud thred
also thanks for returning from kill time and again to give us a finisher
would follow future quests, but first please sort that schedule out, waiting months between threads is painful and makes me forget some minor and major details.

>>38734702
Oh, and are you archiving this? I can't remember who usually does.
>>38734804
Damn you anon. My curiosity is ever burning. I want to at least send biological dad a fruit basket or something.

>>38734702
So, what about that second growth spur, eh? Will there be an epilogue some day?

I was hoping for another little arc, but I guess the cases of kill need to be considered. Thanks for the quest, Anu, I meant it.

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>>38734702
>Prologue/Where Are They Now?

>>38734842
You always hope for a little happy-ending slice of life arc after a quest has its climax and can be ended.
They never happen.
Lovey dovey scorpion honeymoon probably doesn't have enough monster fighting to justify it for most people.

>>38734797
Well i hate to say it but Z&W quest ended like this too, i am just noticing when QMs come back from kill the ends are very short and anti-climactic, for the most part. But hey at least i got closure.

>>38734869
yeah, that's the general pattern of how things go when they get a revival to finish the thing. Ended in as quick and complete manner as possible.
It's far better than nothing, and I enjoyed it. Though I am going to start missing it nnnnnnnnow. Missing begins.

>>38734702
Have you given any thought to possible ideas for a future quest you'd like?

>>38734869
Kill happens because schedules change and people move on. Coming back from kill happens because of loyalty to the readers, but it doesn't make everything like it once was.

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>>38734896
Maybe a Song of Ice and Fire related thing? Or something based on some other little-used civilization. There's also a possibility that I'll do a short epilogue for this if the ask.fm isn't enough.

>>38735099
An epilogue might be nice. Or a few scenes here and there.

Given your last work on little used civilizations, I say go for another one.
I can't give much input on a song of ice and fire, I've only seen the show, and you'd attract an entirely different audience. Might be good, might be bad.

>>38735099
Man, I'm really gonna miss this quest, it's one of my favorites.

>>38735440
Yeah, me too. I really enjoyed this shit, and it was a nice ride.

Still sort of want to see the wedding though.

I sort of hope we'll eventually get to see what becomes of the scorpions.

>>38735680
>>38735306
I guess in lieu of an epilogue or a brand-new quest I could have a quest set one or two generations in the future, with a new main character, either one of Hunzuu's descendants or a transformed human.

>>38735739
That'd be neat.

>>38735739
Well, you'd get guys like me who appreciate that kind of thing, but you'd probably alienate new blood who are leery at reading a whole quest to get the premise.
I'd very much enjoy an epilogue one day, though. And generations in the future or not, I'd probably show up to whatever your next quest was, assuming I knew about it.

>>38735739
Sounds like a fun time. It'll be tough topping averting the end of the world though.