>>39487713
>Break down the back door.
IT BEGINS

>>39487713
>Climb up to the second story windows, find one that opens, and get in that way.

>>39487713
>Grab some bags and pretend to be returning home with groceries when the first idiot comes along.

>>39487713
>>Climb up to the second story windows, find one that opens, and get in that way.
Stealth bastard?

>>39487713
>Grab some bags and pretend to be returning home with groceries when the first idiot comes along.


Are we a chick or a dude?

>>39487939
Don't samefag plx.

>>39487944
FeMC.

>>39487944
Clearly we're an autonomous bag-carrying thieving device.

>>39487713
>Grab some bags and pretend to be returning home with groceries when the first idiot comes along.

Social engineering a gogo

>>39487958
Yay

>>39487995
Are we engineering them to be gullible fools?

>>39487713
>Climb up to the second story windows, find one that opens, and get in that way.

>>39488011
No one's (probably) going to bother a girl holding a bag of groceries trying to get inside during a downpour who forgot her keys.

>>39488045
We can only hope. Setting seems pretty dystopian though so never know.

>Grab some motherfucking bags.

Break down:
>>39487740

Climb:
>>39487770
>>39488024

Social engineer:
>>39487799
>>39487944
>>39487995
>>39488068

>>39488076
ugh
/tg/ spaghetti lords always so eager to social engineer

>>39488099
Hey if we succeed it means no chance to spaghetti.

>>39488099
It's not hard to stand in front of building and make a sad face. Hell, spilling the grocery bag everywhere on accident could be a bonus.

You reach into your pockets, finding the plastic bags and flicking them out with your wrist, moving into a nearby alleyway with them. The overflowing dumpster itself isn't useful for your purposes, but there's plenty enough bottles and cardboard haphazardly piled around its base for you to fill them up with *something* of use. In short order, you're standing in front of the door, two 'grocery bags' full of crap that will past a brief visual inspection. You bounce up and down on your feet, glancing this way and that, doing your best impression of a hurried girl.

Your youth - and malnourishment - grant you a certain credibility when the older woman walks up next to you, her posture strong even though her features are old and wrinkled. "Amma," you say, using the term of respect for an older woman, and giving a quick bow, "could you please help me with the door?"

She gives you a smile, a little pat on the head. "Of course, dear," she says, her personal identification slipping into her fingers with a practiced ease, then sliding into the doorway.

You rush inside, not setting your bags down for fear of giving up the ruse, and give her a smile. "Thank you, Amma," you say, with another bow. The gentle feeling of life rolling through the building, a light wind on your soul, makes you feel particularly excitable. You bound upstairs, taking the steps two at a time, and you can hear the chuckle from the old woman at your youthful exuberance.

Fortunately, she doesn't know your real purpose here. You make your way up the stairs, headed to your destination on the eleventh story. The doorway of the room in question is made of steel rather than wood, representing the fact that it belongs to someone with a slight advantage over his neighbors. You dump your bags at your side, and produce...

>A set of lockpicks to undo the lock.
>A small vapor torch to cut away the hinges and let you just push it down.
>A knife, which you hide behind your back before knocking.
>Write-in.

>>39488381
>>A set of lockpicks to undo the lock.

>>39488381
>A set of lockpicks to undo the lock

>>39488381
>A set of lockpicks to undo the lock.

>>39488381
>A small vapor torch to cut away the hinges and let you just push it down.

>>39488381
>A set of lockpicks to undo the lock.

>>39488381
>Fake secret police badge

Aren't we a little girl? Well I mean probably not THAT little but I still sincerely doubt we'd pass for a cop.

>>39488381
>A small vapor torch to cut away the hinges and let you just push it down.

>>39488381
>A set of lockpicks to undo the lock.

>>39488468
Seconding

>>39488381
Tart, what exactly is the setting? I'm guessing some sort of post-apocalyptic world?

>>39488486
I dono. I hope our character is half as adorable as the little girl in his hero thing. Kayla. Cute as shit.

>>39488486
>Implying secret police isn't made from magically bioengineered cyborg lolis

>>39488552
Well it MIGHT be but Tart hasn't told us yet at least.

Lockpicks:
>>39488404
>>39488417
>>39488421
>>39488447
>>39488501

Vapor torch:
>>39488440
>>39488490

Fake Secret Police:
>>39488468
>>39488520

>>39488486
You're around seventeen or eighteen (you don't know) but you look somewhere in the 13-16 range.

>>39488520
>Tart, what exactly is the setting? I'm guessing some sort of post-apocalyptic world?
It's post-apocalypse and other things too. There's a lot going on in it so I can't just say, "oh, it's cyberpunk high fantasy post apocalypse." That's a really broad strokes explanation.

>>39488610
>You're around seventeen or eighteen (you don't know) but you look somewhere in the 13-16 range.
Alright. Probably would be tough to pass as police then.

>>39488610
>You're around seventeen or eighteen (you don't know) but you look somewhere in the 13-16 range.
What seventeen to eighteen year old doesn't? DOHOHOHO

>>39488610
>It's post-apocalypse and other things too. There's a lot going on in it so I can't just say, "oh, it's cyberpunk high fantasy post apocalypse." That's a really broad strokes explanation.
I see. I guess I'll find out in time then. Seeing that you're the QM, it's bound to be interesting.

>>39488610
> I can't just say, "oh, it's cyberpunk high fantasy post apocalypse." That's a really broad strokes explanation.
But you can
Unless it's really original setting other things are just details

>>39488677
Maybe he doesn't really want to, anon. I mean the pitch said something about arcane creatures so probably some kinda magic/superpowers/magic-as-superpowers stuff is gonna be in there. Combined with post-apoc and you probably have enough to go on to say whether it's interesting to you. I don't think QMs have a responsibility to spew exposition about things before their very first updates even.

>>39488610

> "oh, it's cyberpunk high fantasy post apocalypse."

So it's like Cthulhutech only probably less shitty and maybe with less aliens?

>>39488737
I just found this thread on front page

>>39488677
There's things that implies that aren't true, and I'd prefer to put those things in actual updates rather than OOC chat, at least for the moment.

>>39488779
Yeah, so now you know that too.

>>39488767
Is Cthulhutech shitty? I've never played it but I know a guy who loves it and tries to get me to play.

>Were going to play a ruselording, subterfuge character

>neverminding the fact that /tg/ is shit at playing that sort of thing

kek

>>39488779
https://twitter.com/72oOCCJ1

Here's his twitter, it's where he announces his games/threads. Sometimes he's on anon-kun as well. I haven't played there yet so I don't know if it's any good or not.

>>39488819

Eh, actual core Cthulhutech is okay, even if poorly tiered, but most people say the additional supplements are kind of crappy.

>>39488840

Anon-kun is a special place.

>>39488827
For fucks sake, we even fuck shit up when it's handed to us on a silver platter

>"Here, four girls that are madly in love with you"
>We die

>"Here, vampiric powers. Now, these are the instructions on how t-"
>We leave and fuck shit up

I'm surprised we didn't end up strangling the teacher in Teacher's Pet Quest.

>>39488819
Chulhutech story/setting or what have you is decent.

The rules and system are fucking awful.

>>39488858
>Anon-kun is a special place.
Oh?

>>39488872
Tart runs short quests. People don't give a fuck about short quests, they just want to see how hard they can break things before the ADHD qm ends it and runs something else

>>39488903
It's somehow worse than usual, as far as Tart players go.

>>39488909
This is not planned to be a short quest, I should clarify.

>>39488909
This is apparently a long one.

>>39488827
Personally I've found /tg/ just fine about it, and there's no reason to give up beforehand. Besides, maybe the character won't be particularly focused on it.

>>39488840
>Dheljos - You are a lifelong thief/gutter rat living in the post-apocalyptic city of Maghneumi, made host to a dheljos, a creature with vast arcane power but no volition of its own. You must survive and thrive with this newfound power.

For people
Also if this beast is piece of splintered god and there is organization that wants to combine these pieces to create peace I'm calling rip off

>>39488925
Oh, it's been a while. Hopefully anons don't try to sabotage it in advance.

>>39488925
>>39488927
Associations matter. You run mostly short quests that people play to fuck shit up and attach it all to one identity, you get a lot of them showing up in quests that aren't supposed to be short.

>>39488903
>>39488920

I'd make references to skirt lifting and whistling but that would require all too long an explanation to actually get the joke.

>>39488963
>assuming
We haven't run into that problem yet anon, why worry?

>>39488909
I actually prefer the short quests, because they're easy to get into. Sometimes I see threads here that are already in the 300s. How am I supposed to get into those? There's so much I already missed out on.

>>39488938
>Personally I've found /tg/ just fine about it

Hah, right. /tg/ has the attention span of a newt with brain damage.

Even if they start out fucking great, it turns into sperg-lording soon enough.

>>39488987
P-Please explain.

You reach into your coat, pulling out a set of lockpicks. You give a quick glance to either side, making sure there's no one else in the hall, before leaning forward and getting to work. You close your eyes, envisioning the tumblers and pieces, moving the little hooks of your lockpick until it all fits properly, then twisting the lock and opening the door.

You slip inside, closing and locking the door behind you. The air in here is stale, the building's careful architecture designed to ensure a healthy flow of energy clearly interrupted by the steel door and the odious way the furniture is laid out not exactly helping. You shake your head, refocusing your attention on the room and casting about glances. Photographs, books, a bed, drugs, other personal effects... you lift up the mattress and find your prize, your coat still dripping on the floor. A locked box - which, by the sound of it, is filled with a substantial amount of cash - which you grab and put inside your coat before turning back to the door.

A quick job, easy, in and out -

You hear footsteps outside, and your blood runs cold, as you glance around. The closet's overflowing with clothes and boxes, so there's no safe place to hide there. You move for the balcony, and shut the door behind you, squeezing up against the side of the wall to hide yourself from sight. Voices come from inside.

"Hang on a second," one says, male, deep. There's a moment of quiet. "I think somebody's been in here."

"Huh?" His partner provides, helpfully. She's female, with a gravelly voice suggestive of overuse of ochejo. "How do you mean, baby?"

"I mean," he growls, and you hear the squeak of the mattress being lifted. "Fuck. Somebody took my money."

"Look, calm down, don't get mad-" she's interrupted by something slamming against the wall.

>Pray to Spija that he doesn't come out here.
>Try to make it to the next balcony.
>Open the door and make a run for it.
>Write-in.

>>39489031
>Try to make it to the next balcony.

>>39489003
Difference of preference. I find it harder to give a shit about short quests and for the most part only pick up quests at 100+ threads. Tart's stuff is good, but the players are usually frustrating and the quests often die before I can get into it or just as I start liking things.

>>39489031
>Try to make it to the next balcony.

>>39489031
>Drop to balcony floor lower
Our coat is dripping

>>39489031
>coat dripping
Staying is certainly stupid, he'll just follow the trail.

>>39489050
That's how I feel for the most part, though I do follow shorter quests as well.

>>39488938
HMQ started the MC off with invisibility powers and focus on stealth, but now we're a super-strong regenerating photosynthetic dragon with blade claws.

>>39489031
>Try to make it to the next balcony

>>39489031
>Try to make it to the next balcony.

>>39489050
100+ threads? You must quest rarely. Do you read the archives once they get to 100 or just jump in?

>>39489031
>>Try to make it to the next balcony.

>>39489031
>Try to make it to the next balcony.

>>39489095
Archive binge. Why would I even bother if I didn't read the archives? It's pointless to participate in a quest if I don't like it enough to read it.

>>39489031
>Try to make it to the next balcony.

>>39489050
Yeah I also have issues with short quests.

>>39489088
That's...impressive. But on the other hand, at least it's better to fail at sneakiness by getting OP as fuck so you don't need it, rather than by just being incompetent at it and helpless once it fails/when it's ignored.

>>39489088
>dragon
Not exactly, they dropped the firebreath because it was fucking retarded and no one wanted to fix why it was retarded so they pussied out and switched powers, he's always been a lizard-like guy, though, what with the scales and all.

>>39489031
Can we hide on other balcony?

>>39489031
>Try to make it to the next balcony.

>>39489151
Not super well.

>>39489031
>Pray to Spija that he doesn't come out here.
Faith is my shield. Stealing shit is my sword.

>>39489031
>Head outside, knock, and pretend you're a strip-o-gram

>>39489031
>Try to make it to the next balcony.

Failing that, run inside and eliminate all witnesses. Does she still have the knife?

>>39489073
You know, dropping is a better idea IF there is one lower...and we can make it instead of falling to our death.

So is this beast sealed already and we know about it or is it going to happen later?

>>39489221
Next update, probably.

>>39489235
Tart pls you don't need to spoil it. Not that it was a huge spoiler or anything.

Jump to the next balcony:
>>39489044
>>39489069
>>39489091
>>39489095
>>39489099
>>39489130
>>39489140
>>39489158
>>39489188

Pray:
>>39489167

*skirt flips, whistles*
>>39489184

Drop to the next lower balcony:
>>39489073
>>39489205

>>39489275

>*skirt flips, whistles*

The inside jokes, they begin.

>>39489275
>>39489292
This is more of that anon-kun inside joke? I'm going to guess the anon-kun players are more perverted? They sound like my kind of guys

>>39489345
In Faerie, players joked that they were only capable of success when they were seducing people.

>>39489361
They weren't really all that wrong. Dana had so many pluses to seduction and everything else failed more often than not.

>>39489361
I see. Thanks for bringing me up to date.

>>39489361
That and sabotaging votes to make her a fucking waifu. Christ she was shit.

>>39489441
Well I mean when you're playing a Fae in monsterhearts about 85% of your time is best spent seducing, fucking, or plotting how to best seduce and fuck.

>>39489441

Dana was spec'd for two things, seduction and spooky visions (and manipulation but seduction was better), and most of the time they seemed to avoid situations that were not those rolls whenever possible.

>>39489468
And the fucking soulmate bullshit...

>>39489468
Hey, it was an experimental quest, the risk of crossover voting and strategic voting issues were worth a chance.

>>39489494
You forgot running the fuck away. She was also really got at that.

>>39489510

Well, she didn't have to roll it after that one advance, so it hardly counts.

>>39489499
>>39489468

Let's not bicker and argue about who fucked with whom.

>>39489499
That as well.

>>39489508
>Shit posting in another quest for yours is totally fine!

>>39489540
Just saying it was entirely predictable, I didn't even bother picking it up since I assumed it would go to shit in some way because of it.

>>39489534
>Let's not bicker and argue about who fucked with whom.
More "Who permanently fucked up whom"

>>39489499
Yeah it was.

>>39489508
Doesn't justify it.

>>39489508
I didn't bother with the akun branch, but I sure got tired of their character and all the bitching about them.

You peer over the side of the balcony, at the next one. There's a good two, three meters of nothing, and the balcony's set up so that you have to clamber over a waist high barrier before you can try to leap across. You'll just have to hope your standing jump is enough, then, since you can hear him step towards the balcony door.

Your legs push against the barrier, and your hands stretch out for the next balcony. You grab it, but the slipperiness of the rain doesn't play to your advantage, and you lose your grip, your fingers clawing uselessly as your body begins to fall. You do so for just long enough to start screaming, your limbs flailing uselessly as you fall to what will no doubt, when you feel something pound into you, like a gunshot that slams straight into your soul.

It's like being in the center of a room with good syn flow, a safe and pleasant feeling of elation, but a thousand times better. Raw creative energy, filling you until you're overflowing. You can feel more than that, your senses touching the gusts of cold wind flowing through the alley, and even latch on to one in your panicky state. It feels like your fingers are digging into the back of a dragon, and you whip through the alleys between buildings like a psychotic bird, with no real ability to control your movement or orientation.

Then you abruptly hit the ground, scraping along it for a dozen meters or so, tearing up the back of your coat and tumbling over yourself a few times before you come to a stop.

You vomit, not from fear, but from the incredibly disorienting movements your body was just put through, your head still spinning slightly.

>You got the thing. Go to your boss, give it to him.
>What even is this thing? Find a quiet place and crack it open first.
>You don't really feel up to dealing with this right now. Go home. Check on Noc, make sure he's okay.
>Write-in.

No point crying over spilled milk, it's not like the Faerie situation can be relevant here anyway thankfully.

>>39489627
>What even is this thing? Find a quiet place and crack it open first.
Good syn flow? Hmmm...

>>39489569

You're still implying cross-contamination only ever negatively influenced Serpentine.

Also implying Soulmategate wasn't because the Mirafags managed to squeak that vote in and then completely failed to realize what would happen with all the OTHER posters in the thread

>>39489627
Eat the box whole.

>>39489627
>What even is this thing? Find a quiet place and crack it open first.

>>39489627
>What even is this thing? Find a quiet place and crack it open first.

>>39489627
>You got the thing. Go to your boss, give it to him.

>>39489627
>You got the thing. Go to your boss, give it to him.
They will realize we opened it
And that's bad thing for you idiots

>>39489627
>What even is this thing? Find a quiet place and crack it open first.

>>39489627
>What even is this thing? Find a quiet place and crack it open first.

>>39489707

>implying it isn't already cracked open

>>39489627
>You got the thing. Go to your boss, give it to him.

>>39489707
Hence why >>39489683 is the best answer.

>>39489775
You know what
I agree
>>39489683
Seconding

What's in the box?
>>39489653
>>39489686
>>39489694
>>39489712
>>39489715

Give it to your boss.
>>39489701
>>39489707
>>39489737

Eat the box
>>39489683
>>39489794

>>39489707
>They will realize we opened it
, and Why That's A Good Thing, by Ben Kuchera

>>39489683
That's fucking stupid.

...seconding

>>39489851
Yeah, now the boss will get pissed and rape us or something.
:D

>>39489907
Inside the box is magical cyber power! We're the boss now!

Or money.. Or food.

>>39489683
A bit late now but also supporting.

>>39489683
I also wanna see where his goes.

>>39489927
Or they will kill our opium poppy
Noc is a plant right?

You manage to stumble under the overhang of a restaurant's back door, the thick smells of its foods reaching your nose. That pulsing feeling of syn rolling through you stays as you flick out your lockpicks again. The two starkly opposed feelings - disorientation and pure, raw life - make your fingers tremble, and you have to take a moment. You almost got killed for whatever is in this stupid box. The boss man picked out your target in particular, so it might actually be worth something.

You close your eyes as you work, holding your hands as steady as possible. It takes longer than usual, but the feelings gradually die down and let you work unopposed. There's a click as the box's lock comes undone, and you crack it open. Rolls of alchos, which you ignore as boring, and... a small transparent baggie with something inside it. You lift the bag up, moving it into the light, and you almost drop it as you realize what you're looking at.

It's permeable to air, a mesh section near the top letting it in, but what's really interesting in the three very small creatures scrabbling over one another. They look something like beetles, but with a large, bulbous formation in their backsides, full of a sort of orange pus, skin stretched over it. The color... you've heard merco was made with kaplos, but it's a different thing entirely to see it. If your guess is correct, these little critters are kaplos that produce merco, a pretty powerful hallucinogen that can put you out of commission for days on a single drop. You'd guess your boss is hoping to start breeding them.

If he knew they were here, anyway. He only mentioned money when he was talking about the job.

You gingerly put them back in place before snapping the box shut and using your lockpicks to close it once more it.

>Take it to the boss, pretend you didn't open it.
>Tell the boss you want more for something this valuable.
>Head home to sleep on it, check on Noc.
>Write-in.

>>39490141
>Take it to the boss, pretend you didn't open it.

>>39490141
>Head home to sleep on it, check on Noc

>>39490141
Eat the bugs.

>>39490141
>Take it to the boss, pretend you didn't open it.
>Ask that magical thingy inside of you how it is

>>39490141
>Take it to the boss, pretend you didn't open it.
Hmmm, that was surprisingly underwhelming.

>>39490141
>>Head home to sleep on it, check on Noc.

>>39490141
>Take it to the boss, pretend you didn't open it.

>>39490141
>Write-in.
Milk the bugs a tiny bit, then put them back and deliver to boss.

>>39490208
And by milk I mean store the fluid in a container so you can sell it or use it on someone later.

>>39490141
>Take it to the boss, pretend you didn't open it.
Don't ask, don't tell

>>39490141
I'm guessing the boss isn't in a hurry to get it as far as we know if going home is an option?

>>39490141
>Take it to the boss, pretend you didn't open it.

>>39490141
>Tell the boss you want more for something this valuable.

>>39490244
Yes.

>>39490141
>>Head home to sleep on it, check on Noc.

>>39490306
That's convenient at least.

>>39490306
Are we not even concerned about the weird super wind jump thing?

Take it to the boss, pretend it's fresh.
>>39490172
>>39490192
>>39490198
>>39490204
>>39490231
>>39490279

I want more.
>>39490282

Go home and take a nap.
>>39490178
>>39490200
>>39490321

Do some retarded shit.
>>39490182

>>39490354
You're not really focusing on it at the moment, just on more routine things because of your NDE and wanting to distance yourself from it.

>>39490395
Was my idea of milking the bugs too dumb?

>>39490459
I just missed it, sorry.

>>39490459
Yes, yes it was.

>>39490395
>because of your NDE and wanting to distance yourself from it.
Not surprising that we are still poor
We should be thinking on how to avoid shit like this in future instead of repressing whole thing
We are probably going to be afraid of heights now too

>>39490466
Ah, alright, no one wanted to anyways.

>>39490468
Gloves, gentle massaging, and you get enough hallucinogen to knock out a couple of people.

>>39490480
I'm sure when we go to bed we'll calm down and have a long think about it

>>39490499
I dunno, milking bugs sounds like an expertise-requiring job.

>>39490503
And why standing jumps of over three meters are not something you should do when it's raining

>>39490547
Dropping would have been better probably, but still most likely resulted in the same. Oh well, I guess making a run for it was the safest maybe.

>>39490545
It sounds like something I would enjoy watch a 13-16 year old girl do. In the nude.

>>39490580
Pervert pls.

>>39490580
It's probably contact poison
Unless they are group predator

>>39490580
There are probably places you don't want the hallucinogen to touch.

>>39490673
I don't know man
I heard masturbation with chilli covered fingers is pretty great if you are female

>>39490673
>places you really want the hallucinogen to touch.
FTFY

You slip the box back under your coat - which is now in tatters, you mentally note, as wet leaks into your shirt and pants anew, sticking to your skin uncomfortably - and scurry to your boss's place of business. Since you're no longer so free from the rain, you make long strides, and you feel this odd sense of awareness of the space around you, vague and ill-defined but still more than is natural.

You don't really want to think about it at the moment, you just want to put this job behind you and calm down, so you just focus on putting one foot in front of the other and making your way to the den of thieves you call home. The gang signs declaring that the location is a casino owned by the Reds are clear as day on the outer walls, and you move inside. There's any number of games being played, and there's some high stakes game of Chancer occupying much of the crowd's attention.

Your boss's room is guarded by two men, but they know you by sight and are expecting you. You pass inside, taking the box out of your pocket before hanging up your coat.

You can't feel it that well, with the overpowering sensation thrumming inside you, but the syn flow is really good in his room, and you strongly suspect that the building's lower floors are designed to siphon it all into here. No surprise he'd hog it for himself, really, but it does mean his room has always got a sort of elating vibe to it. You place the box on the table, sliding it towards him, before slamming your butt in a seat.

"It's done, Ater," you say, giving him due respect as an older man and as your direct superior.

He takes the box, grabbing a hammer and smashing apart the lock in a couple sharp blows. He cracks it open, and smiles, before removing the rolls of alchos and tossing them your way. They land in your lap. "Consider that your pay, Dhena," he says, with a toothless smile. "What happened to your coat?"

>Tell the truth.
>Deflect. You had some trouble on the getting away bit.
>Write-in.

>>39490673
Actually That sounds like a lot of fun.

I'm beginning to recalculate my opinions of /tg/ and Anon-kun vis a vis lewdness

File: hah[2].gif (134 KB, 340x340)

134 KB GIF

>>39490718
>I heard masturbation with chilli covered fingers is pretty great if you are female
It reminds me of something I read on FML. A woman was dating a security guy and when he got home, he started fingering her.

He had used mace earlier that day.

He didn't wash his hands.

>>39490752
>Deflect. You had some trouble on the getting away bit.

>>39490718
>>39490673
It definitely is. Definitely.

>>39490752
>Deflect. You had some trouble on the getting away bit.
Almost got caught, almost.

>>39490752
>Deflect. You had some trouble on the getting away bit.

>>39490752
>Deflect. You had some trouble on the getting away bit.

>>39490752
What are alchos, and are they worth falling several stories for.

Also
>tell him we fell off the balcony. Not the weird shit though.

>>39490752
>Tell the truth.

Does everyone know about the power things?

Does your boss have it?

Would you be in danger if you told him you had it?

>>39490752
>Tell the truth.
No use in telling lies when there's nothing to hide.

>>39490752
>I decided to jump from balcony and grab the wind to slow down my fall but as wind is a dick it decided to tear my sexy coat

>>39490818
Money.

>>39490752
Deflect that shit/

So can we agree that using power of, and maybe even befriending this arcane beast inside of us is great idea?

>>39490775
FFFFfffffffffffff-

>>39490841
I like money.

Deflect
>>39490793
>>39490801
>>39490808
>>39490815
>>39490818
>>39490853

Truth:
>>39490824
>>39490832

>>39490890
It doesn't have direction of its own, I think, it seems to be just a battery with a personality. So yeah, unless it suddenly gains a will and starts forcing us to do things we should probably get to know it better.

>>39491019
Then we shall give it reason to live, and that reason will be to serve us till it's end!

>>39491123
I like the idea of blindly loyal followers for us.

>>39490890
You can't befriend the things. It's like saying you want to befriend an encyclopedia strapped to a nuclear reactor.
This is going to be like Academy Quest all over again, isn't it. People are going to constantly try to befriend and defer judgement to things which literally have no drive to do anything but attach to a person and follow order.

>>39490841
Works for me.
Is it a relatively substantial amount?

>>39491269
If it doesn't do anything but give us power and obey tart will probably make that clear

>>39491295
It's already been made clear in the numerous times he talked about this quest before.

>>39491295
If it's just mass of magic without will then we shall shed our pathetic mortal form and posses this beast

>>39491342
Yes. I like this. We also should make sure no one else can out-possess us.

"I..." you consider what to say. You don't really know what happened with the whole bit at the end, there, even if you can still feel the overflowing syn coursing through your veins. In any case, Bheidho isn't the sort of man you'd tell that sort of thing to first. "I had some trouble with my getaway, Ater," you say, bowing your head for a moment. "I wound up falling, and my coat absorbed most of the blow." You wipe at your eye. You feel... tired isn't the right word. It's the ghost of the feeling, creeping up on you but not quite there, the quiet elation of syn blocking it out. You still need to sleep. "Ater, I'm sorry," you say, taking the rolls of alchos and stuffing them into your pants, "I think I need to go home and rest."

Bheidho looks up at you, giving you only a cursory glance, his beady eyes flicking over you like so much meat. "Yes, you're dismissed, Dhena," he says, with a wave of his hand. You rise and gather your coat, before heading home.

Your home is an apartment, not so different from the one you just robbed. The rent is due the day after tomorrow, and these alchos will more than cover it, so that's one thing out of the way. You crack open the door to your apartment slowly, and it creaks as you glance inside.

Noc is sitting on the bed awake, so you open the door the rest of the way and stride in. "Hey, sis," he says. Calling Noc your little brother isn't strictly accurate. Neither of you have parents, and you've been together for a very long time, since you were both very small, looking out for one another. He's a couple years younger than you, and his black hair is a mess, his features smooth and handsome, boyish good looks. He looks enough like you that somebody could confuse him for your brother. "What's up with your coat?"

>Can we not discuss that?
>Explain the whole truth.
>Deflect, like you did with Bheidho.
>Write-in.

>>39491407
What is syn? Some sort of atmospheric feel good drug?

>>39491407
>Explain the whole truth.
bro needs to know.

>>39491407
>Deflect, like you did with Bheidho.
Sorry bro.

>>39491407
>>Deflect, like you did with Bheidho.

>>39491407
>Deflect, like you did with Bheidho.

>>39491407
>Wind hates me
Or
>Deflect, like you did with Bheidho.

>>39491407
>Explain the whole truth.

>>39491407
>Can we not discuss that?

>>39491407
Fuck him.

>>39491407
Ignore, go straight to bed.

>>39491407

>Deflect, like you did with Bheidho.

>>39491407

Distract him with your tits

On scale of 1/will sacrifice soul and loved ones for us how loyal is Noc to us?

>>39491407
>Deflect, like you did with Bheidho.

>>39491407
>Can we not discuss that?
Cuddle him
>Let's just stay like this for now

We're gonna groom him to become a good husband

>>39491486
>>39491514
Woah, do you guys have your 10 patreon dollars ready?

>>39491407
>Explain the whole truth.

A handsome boy at a moldable age who can pass for our brother? We need to get him on our side as an ally ASAP, we can use his looks as a weapon.

>>39491547
>husbandoing your bro
I'm aware anons have a thing for incest but nevertheless.

>>39491549

No.

Though if that's working out for Tart, I might need to start one of my own.

>>39491562
He's not blood related! It's not incest!

>>39491562
It's not even incest though.

>>39491549
I'm just coming up with the dumbest answers I can think of.

>>39491618
>>39491621
If it's Westermark it counts.

>>39491680
Fine! We'll just have to pick up another street rat to take under our wing and groom into a suitable husband.

>>39491771
>Implying we won't have a magical construct that fucks so good we could never want a human again.

Truth:
>>39491430
>>39491468
>>39491561

Deflect:
>>39491435
>>39491436
>>39491457
>>39491465
>>39491489
>>39491541

Not right now:
>>39491482
>>39491488
>>39491547

Seduce:
>>39491486
>>39491514
>>39491547

>>39491427
Syn = life energy (it also comes from the sun and stuff), places have their architecture set up to focus it on living spaces and certain areas which makes you feel good and also has beneficial health effects.

>>39491810
So taosim?
Their sorcery is fun
We should try to become Xian

"I had some trouble with my latest job," you say, tossing your coat in the bathroom and grabbing a towel, putting it down before sitting on the bed next to him, extracting the rolls of alchos from your pockets and counting them up.

He takes a moment to look you over, obvious concern on his face. "You're not hurt, are you, sis?" His fingers reach for your hair, brushing it away from your cheek, and he stares at you oddly as he does. You can't help but laugh at his expression. He pulls his hand away and sighs, rolling his eyes. "Here I am, worried you got messed up, and you're laughing at me."

"Sorry," you say, giving him a quick arm punch, brushing your hair back behind your ear. "You looked really silly." He rolls his eyes and does a goofy face, which makes you laugh harder. "Stop it," you say, giggling, "I need to count the money."

"Alright, alright," he says, scooting away from you on the bed. He turns his attention back to the small toy in his hands, a set of puzzle rings you try to move from one configuration to another. You count the alchos in relative peace, totaling up twelve thousand, all told. Enough for this month's rent, and the next's, and hopefully a bit on top of that.

With that done, you just let yourself lean forward, breathing in and out, trying to steady yourself now that everything's handled. You can feel your syn, disjointed from all the stuff you've put it through, and syn that's not your own, located somewhere in the pit of your gut, like a fire in a warm room. You breathe in, and out, focusing, trying to get your syn in proper position, twitching your extremities to control the flows and spread it out. After a minute or so, your syn is all properly aligned, and you open your eyes.

>Try to figure out if you can tap into the big syn pile in your gut.
>Try to figure out what was up with your odd awareness of space.
>Try to figure out what was up with your ability to physically grab a gust of wind (?)
>Write-in.

>>39492071
>Try to figure out if you can tap into the big syn pile in your gut.

>>39492071
>Try to figure out if you can tap into the big syn pile in your gut.

My god we're Magic Pregnant!

>>39492071
>Connect your syn with syn inside

>>39492071
>Try to figure out what was up with your ability to physically grab a gust of wind (?)

>>39492071
>Try to figure out if you can tap into the big syn pile in your gut.

>>39492071
>>Try to figure out if you can tap into the big syn pile in your gut.

>>39492071
>Try to figure out what was up with your odd awareness of space.
Otoutou is cute
Inb4 he only exists so he can die horribly

>>39492071
>Try to figure out what was up with your odd awareness of space.

>>39492071
>Try to figure out what was up with your odd awareness of space.

>>39492146
>Inb4 he only exists so he can die horribly
I don't think Tartarus has ever written a character who only existed to die.

>>39492071
>Try to figure out if you can tap into the big syn pile in your gut.

>>39492071
>Try to figure out if you can tap into the big syn pile in your gut.
>Drop it if you're going to cause an earthquake, though.

powahhh

>>39492179
Well there's always a first time!
Not that I'm advocating it.

>>39492239
At worst we will have to consume rest of his syn so he will stay with us forever

>>39492253
I dunno if that's how syn works.

Mo Syn Mo Powa
>>39492100
>>39492104
>>39492107
>>39492127
>>39492131
>>39492193
>>39492225

Gust of wind!
>>39492122

Space!
>>39492146
>>39492160
>>39492177

>>39492277
It's not, even if you could parasitize his syn, it would basically be like drinking his blood.

>>39492104
We're too young for this, and we still have a kid brother to take care of too. This is bad news!

>>39492308
So you're saying that we can gather power by drinking the blood of children?

>>39492401
No, you have no idea of how to parasitize syn, if such a thing is even possible.

>>39492410
k
I think we should start by surrounding syn of other with our own and not letting any escape and then moving it back into our body
I think it could be good starting point

>>39492467
You seem really focused on murdering children

Is there something you want to tell us anon ?

Does syn stays in blood that leaves body?

>>39492499

>>39492401 was me, I'm not >>39492467.

And there's this anon too. >>39492524

So I think there's a group of us. This is clearly a good idea.

>>39492542
Anon please don't try to suck the metaphorical blood of the innocent.

Guys.
It's magic.
Don't expect Tart to explain shit.

>>39492524
You are poorly educated on what syn is and where it is present. Maybe? You can't sense syn outside your own body (barring free syn passing through your body).

>>39492542
I was about to go into a rant about ethics and shit, but you know what ? Fuck it. Let's learn how to steal syn from niggers, why the fuck not ?

>>39492650

I mean, if we're gonna steal their vital essence, there are more fun ways.

>>39492683
But we aren't Kappa!

>>39492683
I'm sure we can diversify the fluids we can steal for power after we master drinking blood.

>>39492711
That doesn't seem like the most efficient way to steal syn, considering it's just energy.

I understand you really want a justification to suck dicks, but that one's weak.

>>39492763
Clearly we need to eat brains.

>>39492763
There is a large amount of blood vessels there. We can just pretend to be sucking dick and then...

>>39492763

Depends. Different things might have different energy density.

Magiscience is weird, bro.

You breathe in and out, a long, deep breath, focusing on the syn in your gut, trying to connect to it with your natural syn networks. Your fingers are clasped in your lap, as you strain to get at that wellspring of pure, unadulterated life energy.

It hits you like a lightning bolt, slamming through your body in a moment, making you jerk in surprise. It's pure, raw energy, making your sinuses clear and your eyes go wide, your hands balling into fists for a moment before it passes. You managed to cut off the tap, so to speak, but just that little bit was a lot. You feel... anxious, aware, hypersensitive, more alive, maybe. You're more aware than ever of the way your body's weight is distributed, the feeling of wet on your back, the towel under your buttocks.

"You okay, sis?" Noc's voice is gentle, worried, and you turn to him, feeling pumped, raw energy pulsing through your body. "You're looking a little... wired?"

"Sorry," you say, wiping at your face. There's an unexpected speed to your hand, a raw power behind its movements. Not beyond human, but more than you thought there'd be. "I was just realigning my syn," you explain, "must've poked something in the wrong place."

He looks at you for a moment, his expression uncertain, then finally nods. "Okay, sis. Don't hurt yourself, alright?"

You just roll your eyes, earning a smile from him. Your fingers rub at your skull for a moment, and then there's a heavy knock at the door. You rise from the bed, glancing through the keyhole, and... there's no one there? You listen, and your ears feel more sensitive, from all the syn, and you catch a pair of breaths, both outside the door, flanking it.

Did somebody track you back here?

>Use boosted syn to try to fight them. You're feeling good.
>Try to talk to them through the door.
>Just sit down and pretend they aren't there.
>Write-in.

>>39492897
Well, shit.
>Try to talk to them through the door.
Give away that we noticed them, but eh.

>>39492897
>Write-in.
Signal to Little Bro to go hide, grab something blunt and mean, wait silently

>>39492897

>Use boosted syn to try to fight them. You're feeling good.

"You don't sneak my shit, I sneak your shit!"

>>39492897
>>39492942
Seconding

>>39492897
Connect back
Then tear their throats and drink their blood! Eat their flesh and consume the hearts!

>>39492942
>>39492897
this.

>>39492942
That does sound pretty good to me.

>>39492897
>Just sit down and pretend they aren't there.
No need to fight, we have an otouto to protect.

>>39492897
Fourthing >>39492942

>>39492897
>Try to talk to them through the door.

>>39492897
>>Just sit down and pretend they aren't there.
Make idle conversation with bro.
Grab a weapon to be safe.

Talk it out.
>>39492935
>>39493021

Bro, hide, let me get my stick to beat the shit out of them.
>>39492942
>>39492956
>>39492965
>>39492970
>>39492993

Fight
>>39492952

Ignore
>>39492985
>>39493024

So should we specialize in some weapon or just use unarmed combat?

>>39493224
We should specialize in jamming shit in people's eyeballs.

>>39493224
If this is Tao like shit then hand to hand might be cool. Go all shaolin monk.

>>39493224
We should specialize in sex

>>39493224
SOUL COMBAT

>>39493224
I'm partial to daggers myself. Easy to use, easy to hide.

>>39493224
Daggers, or go for improvised weapon mastery.

>>39493313
Teacup to the face

>>39493410
Bloodborne trick weapon teacup that turns into a whip made out of small bladed metal rings

>>39493224
Boomerangs

You take a step backwards, breathing slowly through your nose, and look over at Noc. He's recognized your oddity, and is silent, looking at you for some sort of signal. You jerk your head towards the bathroom, and he nods, gingerly slinking into it. As his feet hit tile, you wrap your hands around the lightweight aluminum bat you keep next to the door, and move to stand behind the doorstopper, your weapon at the ready. You hear the lock click open, another knock, another silence, and then the door bursts open. Footsteps rush into your room, and as the door closes behind them, you move.

They're both armed, guns in their hands, and you attack those first, slamming your bat into the wrist of one and knocking the gun down before moving around to hit the back of the neck of the other. He crumples, a pile of meat for the moment, and you whirl on the first, keeping the bat between the two of you. He's big, bulky, and even with your current high, you're not sure you like your chances in a melee against him.

"Bitch," he growls out, "you fucked with the wrong people." You recognize his voice as that of the man whose apartment you broke into earlier. He takes a step forward, and you take a step back, the bat at the ready to hit him right between the eyes. You step on, not over, the body of his compatriot, and you lose your footing for just a second, tumbling back. He takes advantage, letting out a roar and tackling you to the ground, his hands on your throat.

>(1/2)

You struggle against him, and just as you worry that your consciousness is going to fade, you hear the loud 'thunk' of a hard object on the back of his head. His grip slackens, his head turning round, and you spot Noc there, taking a couple steps back, hurriedly. The man's arm sweeps out, trying to grab him, but catches only air - while he's distracted, though, you have the opportunity to slam your fist into his throat, making him gag and sputter. You follow it up with a hard strike to the back of his neck, and he slumps on top of you, unconscious.

Noc looks down at you, a smile on his lips, holding your alarm clock, which now has a splatter of red on one corner. "Good, good work," he decides on, his stance a little off. "Thought he was going to..." he trails off, then smiles. "Glad you're okay, sis."

You slither out from underneath the heavyset man's unconscious (or perhaps dead) body with some work, coming to stand up, catch your breath. Your syn's in worse condition than before, laid out haphazardly, and it's resulting in a numbness in your legs. Before you can focus and properly work through it, Noc speaks up again.

"You know who these guys are, sis?"

>No.
>I robbed this one.
>Write-in.

>>39493563
>I robbed this one.
Annoying fucker too.

>>39493563
>I robbed this one.

>Free guns!

>>39493563
>I robbed this one.
Kick him.

>>39493563
>"Dead bodies"
At least we can experiment with stealing syn

>>39493563
>I robbed this one.
>Help me find something to tie em up
We need to figure out whether or not anyone else knows where we are. Or I guess we could just throw them out the window.

>>39493563
>No.
We must protect his innocent smile

>>39493563
>I robbed this one.
Call boss get him to clean up this mess.

>>39493563
That went way better than expected

>I robbed this one.
Keep a gun, just in case

>>39493563
>Had a run-in with one of 'em earlier, looks like he followed me.

I robbed this one:
>>39493585
>>39493599
>>39493607
>>39493619
>>39493639
>>39493707
>>39493718

Kick him.
>>39493607

Steal a gun
>>39493599
>>39493707

Kill them.
>>39493609
>>39493619
>>39493639

Tie them up.
>>39493619

No.
>>39493630

"I robbed this one," you say, gesturing to the body of the one that was on top of you. You lean over to the other's body, who's starting to stir back to consciousness, and kick away his gun.

Noc automatically goes to grab it, but he jerks back as his finger touches it, biting his lip in irritation. "Fuck. Ow," he says, shaking his hand. "Fuck that hurt."

"Biolocked, or..." you look at the former owner's hands for gloves or rings, "no, biolocked. We can't use it. Grab a towel and toss it in the toilet for now. Hopefully it'll short out and we can dump it later." Noc obeys your command, and you look over the two bodies, your fingers strumming on your thigh. You press your foot against the back of the one who's starting to stir - the stranger - hoping to hold him in position. You grind your heel against his lower back, trying to put as much force into it as possible, and he lets out a strangled breath of pain. That part always hurts; right next to the mathematical center of your syn.

Come to think of it, that's around the same place that strange bastion is.

>Question him. Who is he, who else knows where he is, that sort of thing.
>Kill him.
>Tie him up.
>Write-in.

>>39494055
>Question him. Who is he, who else knows where he is, that sort of thing.
Hopefully we won't get overpowered.

>>39494055
>Tie him up.

>>39494055
>Tie him up.
then
>Question him. Who is he, who else knows where he is, that sort of thing.

>>39494055
>Tie him up.
>>39494055
>Question him. Who is he, who else knows where he is, that sort of thing.

>>39494055
>Question him. Who is he, who else knows where he is, that sort of thing.

>>39494055
>Tie him up.
Then
>Question him. Who is he, who else knows where he is, that sort of thing.
Then
>Write-in.
Knock him the fuck out. grab all the things well need and move out. Tell the boss that they know it was her who stole that box and find a new place to stay.

Tie/Question:
>>39494125
>>39494193
>>39494271

Question
>>39494219
>>39494080

Tie:
>>39494118

Tie/Question/KO:
>>39494271

You reach into a drawer, finding some disused packing rope there, from some delivery you got ages ago, and pull it out. You grab his wrists and pull them behind him, getting Noc to help you tie him up. After a few long seconds of struggling, he's tied up, and you flip him onto his back, his arms under him. He moves, uncomfortable, but ultimately unresisting.

"Who are you?" You ask, threateningly. When he doesn't immediately respond, you backhand him, and the sound of flesh on flesh is sharp in your ears, unusually loud - both in terms of the force applied, and in terms of the way it rings in your ears. "Who. Are. You," you repeat, slower this time. Noc just watches quietly nearby, sitting on the couch, giving the man on the ground a dull, uninterested look.

"Bratjo," he says, and you crack your neck, nodding.

"Your buddy there?"

"Nemot," he says.

"Good. Who sent you? Is it you and Nemot, or are there more?" You look up at Nemot's body, and it seems strangely still.

"He said you had stolen from him," he says, hurried. "Taken something very valuable. He said he'd followed you to your place, knew where you were, needed my help. We were just here to get his stuff back. I swear, that's all."

You tell him to be quiet, and take a moment to listen, for the sound of Nemot's breathing. It's not there. You clamber over to him, pressing your fingers against his throat.

No pulse.

>Write-in.

>>39494701

"Shit."

Gotta contact the boss and have him help us dispose of the corpse.

>>39494701
Check for syn
Try to steal some if there is any left

>>39494701
CPR. Try to restart hear.

>>39494701
Chop him up in your bathtub

>>39494701
Shrug. Not much you can do now.

>>39494701
>Try to revive him

>>39494701

"See? This is what happens when you fuck when me."

Then tell him you're going to make some calls, go into the bathroom, and take a few minuets to relax before dialing your boss.

>>39494936
>with* god damnit

Also, ask your boss what to do with the corpse.

>>39494701
Jumpstart him with syn?

Call the boss:
>>39494739
>>39494936

Eh.
>>39494902

Hide body.
>>39494866

Try to revive.
>>39494852
>>39494923

Vampire.
>>39494743

I'm going to go with call the boss because you can't revive people with CPR from, like, head trauma, I'm pretty sure.

>>39495116
>not being able to revive people from anything with CPR
git gud

>>39495116
Sounds more like we snapped his neck. CPR on a floppy head could be funny and trauma-inducing.

Also, biolocks give electrical shocks?

>>39495116
Well you can but only if they're is still moving and palpitating. if it ain't you'd need raw adrenaline to do so.

>>39495138
>Not being able to bring back people with a Kiss
Often confused with CPR

You turn your attention back to Bratjo, then to Noc. You grab a piece of paper and hurriedly scribble a note on it, for Bheidho. "Problem after job. Two rats followed me home. One is in trap, other is dead. Need some help with disposal." Then you sign your name in the scrabbly ass flourish you normally give for it. It looks more like 'Dh~~~' than anything else, but it's not like you could actually sign it if you wanted to. You fold it, and place it in a baggie, then give it to Noc.

"Take this to the casino on the 32x19 block. The boss there is named Bheidho; give it to him. Got that?"

Noc hesitates just a second before nodding, taking his coat and rushing off. You look at Bratjo, who is still lying there, breathing heavily, and bite your lip, trying to think about what to do.

* * *

Noc returns with a tall, wiry man, in a suit. His expression is impenetrable, a blank mask, and he wears a pair of gloves. "Bheidho informed me of the situation," he says, glancing over your shoulder into the room. "I'll handle it. You two should go find some place to play for the next couple hours, unless you enjoy watching grizzly things."

You swallow, a certain stark fear in your heart, automatic, given what you know about this sort of thing. "What about the live one?"

"He'll be handled," the man says. When that doesn't assuage you, he clarifies. "He'll live. Now, run along, dearies."

>Go, leave Bratjo. He did try to kill you, after all.
>Undo Bratjo and take him with you.
>Write-in.

>>39495462
>Go, leave Bratjo. He did try to kill you, after all.

>>39495462
>Go, leave Bratjo. He did try to kill you, after all.

He's not gonna die, let him count his blessings. We have other things to do.

>>39495462
>Go, leave Bratjo. He did try to kill you, after all.

>>39495462
>>Go, leave Bratjo. He did try to kill you, after all.

>>39495462
>"He hasn't talked yet. Might be worth letting Bheidho talk to him a bit is all."

Leave him to his fate.
>>39495511
>>39495514
>>39495517
>>39495546
>>39495597

Aw, no one wanted to help dispose of the body.

You nod, opening the door wider and letting the man inside. "Just- he hasn't really talked yet. Bheidho might want to talk to him, first."

"Duly noted," the man says, giving you a look that - despite the almost plastic appearance of his face, the unmoving muscles - somehow communicates that you should make yourself scarce.

You do, skittering out of the room and locking the door. It's still raining out, so you and Noc wind up in the complex's cafeteria, eating the mealsquares. You're not a fan of the taste, but they're alright, and they're cheap, and they're easy to fit into a diet - you just eat so many a day for your weight and exercise patterns. Noc seems rather taciturn, not looking at you much at all, just working through his food quietly.

He just needs time to process things. He'll bounce back, for sure.

>END OF SESSION.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/72oOCCJ1

I hope you enjoyed. Kinda got a bit wonky towards the end there, needed to work things forward but wasn't sure of my footing on that point. This isn't exactly how I would've figured you to respond. Hopefully a day and change to think about it will be enough. Thanks for reading, and for playing, folks.

>>39495950
Thanks chief. How'd you figure we'd respond?

>>39495999
Little direction for me to follow-up on, re: being a dheljos host. Boss doesn't know, Noc doesn't know.

>>39495950
Next thread when?

>>39496044
Thursday, same time.

>>39495950
>>39495950
thx 4 runin bby gud thred

>>39495950
Thanks for running.