File: Maka Character Sheet 2.jpg (436 KB, 1119x1080)

436 KB JPG

"So." She gives a long look at the halfway-complete silhouette of the Manse against the setting sun. "At my ripe age, I finally get to experience what it feels like to move out of your parents' home to live with your girlfriend."

Good to know she didn't lose her good cheer, or, rather, the ability to keep up a strong and confident mask, no matter how tired she is. You've learned by now that everything Amata says and does is a carefully calculated move, and you've stopped wondering where the real Amata ends and where the mask begins.

The (human) workers around you begin to crowd around the entrance to welcome their queen, or see the force that has come in their assistance. Seeing so many allied Exalted in one place does wonders for their morale, fortunately. And a further boosts comes from the fact that the caravan has apparently left a paved stone road on their trail, behind them, which, you're informed by Irene, now links Pearl and Tianna.

(Wait, what?)

As Amata and the others dismount and are welcomed in the lowest, fortified levels of the Manse, which have been made somewhat habitable (or at the very least usable), you bring them up to speed with all the latest news, not seeing any reason to keep secrets from them at this point. You see Amata's displeasure at Silk's exploits reflected in her frowning eyes, but she says nothing, while Valeriana seems fairly proud of what she accomplished, and never stops glancing around at how the construction work has been carried out in her absence. She has, of course, some complaints, but from her tone you guess it's more nitpicking than serious structural problems.

While the troops begin to take place around strategic locations and the artillery is positioned to cover the west-facing sea approach, what will you do?

(cont.)

File: Clothes.jpg (758 KB, 890x1500)

758 KB JPG

>Talk with Amata
>Talk with Irene
>Talk with Samiel
>Talk with Valeriana
>Talk with Zaan
>Talk with Talon
>You thought you saw a familiar face in the rest of the caravan...
>Catching up later, now let's focus on Pearl's defense!
>(Other?)

>>40034459
>Talk with Valeriana
>Talk with Zaan
We have a nee sorcerer and a demon girl forthem to coordinate things with.

>>40034459
>>Talk with Valeriana

>>40034459
Also, change outfits to #04

>>40034459
>You thought you saw a familiar face in the rest of the caravan...

>>40034459
Suggest Amata take a powernap in Silk's palace. 3-4 hours of sleep would probably do her a world of good.

>>40034459
>You thought you saw a familiar face in the rest of the caravan...
Also, while she's not likely to listen but I'll support >>40034526

And I vote for outfit number 3

>>40034459
>>Talk with Valeriana
>>Talk with Zaan
>Talk with Amata
Did Amata find anything neat in the place?
Still suggest a nap in our time chamber and then ask Valeriana and Zaan about how the Five Trials went/are going. I'll second number 3

>>40034459
>Talk with Amata

Go rest. Time dilated room is good for that.

>Talk with Valeriana
>Talk with Zaan

Serious work time.

>>40034459
>Go an talk with Valeriana

>>40034459
I wonder who the familiar face is, I think everyone is more or less here and any other Exalted would have been mentioned. I wonder if Dancing Swallow is back

>>40034382
>a detachment of Abyssal warships have broken off from the Silver Prince's fleet and are due here in two hours
I thought they were heading for Tianna

>>40034392
>"So." She gives a long look at the halfway-complete silhouette of the Manse against the setting sun. "At my ripe age, I finally get to experience what it feels like to move out of your parents' home to live with your girlfriend."

Ah, Amata. It's been too long.

>>40034562
Number 3 feels more of a party dress. It even has evening in its name.
But it's not a bad dress, so no biggie.

>>40034459
>>You thought you saw a familiar face in the rest of the caravan...
then
>Talk with Valeriana
the rest need a short break

> And a further boosts comes from the fact that the caravan has apparently left a paved stone road on their trail, behind them, which, you're informed by Irene, now links Pearl and Tianna.

>(Wait, what?)

Valeriana and Irene must have made (or otherwise procured) this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWcvEB6NYpA

>>40034459
>>You thought you saw a familiar face in the rest of the caravan...

Okay EF i'll bite

>>40034668
Running Swallow, maybe?

>>40034606
Tianna the island not the city

>>40034459
>You thought you saw a familiar face in the rest of the caravan...

As much as I like our monk, I don't think it's him... after all we've met a lot of people

>>40034682
Maybe but honestly I'm kinda hoping it's that mercenary leader from way way back. We could use a troop of veteran heavy infantry.

>>40034682
If its him, I'd like to wear outfit 4 or 7.
Gotta keep the temptation strong.

>>40034690
but the main abyssal force is heading for the island, mainly Pearl and our friendly deathlord and when it was said that ships broke off towards Tianna, Maka was thinking about the city itself, not the island so your point is invalid

File: map.png (717 KB, 2892x2420)

717 KB PNG

>>40034606
They're heading for Tianna as in the island.
It's impossible to say exactly if they are heading to Tianna City or Pearl, because they're not that far apart and you only have vague intelligence on the splinter fleet's bearing.
Since they're arriving from north-west, and Pearl is on the western side of Tianna while Tianna City faces south-east, it might well happen that they cause trouble in Pearl first.

Also, new map. Feel free to suggest or make up names for geographical features that are still unnamed. If you fill up nicely this map by the end of the thread, by the way, it could count for extra XP.

Names can be old or having been recently given by Maka or others (especially for features on the western side of the island)

>>40034707
Or that monk, I really really hope he's back for some hate sex and punching Abyssals and undead.

>>40034690
It was specified as the city.

>>40034726
>They're heading for Tianna as in the island.
Then why say they broke off from the main fleet to head towards Tianna, when the main fleet is heading towards Tianna...

>>40034726
Did we ever evac Freeport?

>>40034726
>They're heading for Tianna as in the island.
In the context of that update from the previous thread that makes no sense
>Hey guys they're heading straight for us, hang on, some of them split off and are heading straight for us.

>>40034726
Could we see a version with the manses?

>>40034733
>>40034733
Because the rest of the Fleet isn't, they got slowed down by the storm

>>40034736
The pirates will do that themelves, if' not like they'd join...the... undead...
Whoops

>>40034726
>it might well happen
You mean its an utter certainty considering their approach vector, though that goes against what was written last thread unless I'm severely misremembering things.

>>40034726
Did Tyrant set up a Shadowland up north?

>>40034754
THE ENTIRE FLEET IS HEADING TOWARDS THE ISLAND ANON.

Doesn't matter if they got slowed down or speed up, they are still heading towards the island.

>>40034754
wut, you make no sense anon, you might want to reread the last thread

>>40034769
AND THESE WILL GET HERE FIRST.

>>39955222
>You read and reread three times, but the facts don't change: Somewhere between five and ten ships have broken off from the Skullstone Fleet's 30-ship task force and heading straight for Tianna. The main force will be delayed, but this advance group will arrive even sooner than you expected.
This was the message we got, there was a storm, the fleet got slowed down and delayed, but this advanced group didn't and kept going

>>40034769
They aren't coming all at once is the important point big dawg. This vanguard is probably only worried about scouting a suitable landing spot and maybe swelling the numbers of undead they have by killing nearby towns.

>>40034726
>Arriving from the north-west.
Yeah we might want to get anyone left in Freeport out. They might have orders to harvest undefended settlements...

Unless the 5-10 ships turn out to be those 5 Karas attacked, and he's managed to take them all over. But I'm not sure we're that lucky.

>>40034800
No way, during METAL GEAR SOLAR we learned that the fleet was lead by a Solar that the Silver Prince didn't completely trust. Since that's the case there will be other abyssals in the fleet to act as minders if nothing else.

>>40034796
>and heading straight for Tianna
This is the confusing bit, because the ships have always been heading straight for the island, but when this is mentioned Maka specifically thinks about the city and its defenses

it entirely implies they are heading for the city after they break off from the main fleet, which is even more confusing when this thread its a complete 180 where they are now beelining straight for Pearl when before it was heavily implied they would get to the city of Tianna first with the fleet heading to Pearl delayed

>>40034818
>METAL GEAR SOLAR
The adventures of Solid Solar and Shotacon were too short.

>>40034818
>METAL GEAR SOLAR
I want this so bad it's no funny

>>40034796
Read the rest of that update where Maka worries about Tianna cities defenses and how it reads like the broken off ships will reach Tianna city before the fleet reaches Pearl or the deathlords forces

>>40034800
I swear I can remember us sending messages to evacuate Freeport

That was one of the big discussion points when planning where to set our camp for the fight

>>40034825
>This is the confusing bit, because the ships have always been heading straight for the island, but when this is mentioned Maka specifically thinks about the city and its defenses
No she doesn't, I'm looking at the thread right now and she never brings up the city.

>>39955222
>>39955592
These are the updates concerning the advanced fleet arriving, not once does she mention Tianna the city

>>40034831
Mein gott

>>40034872
>previous thread can still be linked
What crazy times we are living in!

File: map.jpg (624 KB, 2892x2420)

624 KB JPG

For all you know, the main fleet could have aborted and returned to Skullstone, or changed route to seek refuge in a safe port, or be lost and wandering in a storm. You're not in contact with them.

You only know that a splinter fleet is heading in your direction.

It beats me how you thought that Quint could see some ships not even being able to give an exact count, reporting "between five and ten", but be able to resolve their vector of destination between two comparatively close ports on the same island.

Especially considering that the best route to get to Tianna City from north-west is to pass by Pearl anyway.

>>40034726
Smoke Quarry
Cosair Island (Freeport)
Pine Isle (The one completely covered in forests)
Tianna Bay
Kehsi river (its a type of pearl)
Iron Isle
Sky Isle.

File: 1396543481750.png (711 KB, 2892x2420)

711 KB PNG

>>40034749
Demesnes, but anyway I have it. It looks like they set up near, but not on one of them.

>>40034974
these are pretty good names, any ideas where their borders would be? mspainting them might help EF

>>40035007
Smoke (or maybe Silk) quarry is formed out of the remains of the wyld marsh. Keshi river is feeding into Pearl. The rest are Islands.

>>40034974
>>40035007
These names are way too sensible for exalted. We should be naming things like Silkstones for the marble quarry, Crownfall (where Maka beat the first behemoth), Dry Marshes for the whole faeless areas.
We need dramatic and/or mysitcal names.

>>40035001
Thanks. Is the island demesne the one promised to the water elementals? If yes, it needs a name similar to Lesbos Island. The more innuendo the better.

>>40035043
>We should be naming things like Silkstones for the marble quarry
Yes please, every time someone says that palces name, Silk's ego gets a slight tingle

>Crownfall (where Maka beat the first behemoth)
thats really good

File: Valeriana Kava.jpg (396 KB, 850x1420)

396 KB JPG

You suggest to Amata that she should probably take a nap, and you're actually surprised to see her agree with you. That takes some of your worries off your chest.

With the arrival of the reinforcements, the construction yard becomes even more active and colorful, adding Irene's improvised machinery (Essence-discharge weapons modified for construction purposes) and a new host of bizarre and alien-looking demons to the monumental architectural effort taking place here.

Much to your delight, Valeriana doesn't lose any time and immediately took off, starting to direct work crews and giving orders around. Some of the workers, the ones that have been here the least, actually don't know that she's the chief engineer here (they thought it was you!), so it takes the two of you a moment to set things back straight. Once you do, however, work speeds up impressively, assisted by the addition of Talon and Irene to the workforce.

Talonis quite the lifter, almost on par with Tia, and having the two of them work side by side has actually the result you hoped for: trigger a bit of competitiveness between the two of them.

Actually the only one that has a change in attitude is Tia, who clearly wants to show off. Talon just does his work without theatrics.

If Tia wasn't Tia, you'd be worried she'd try to hard and hurt herself.

"So." You ask Valeriana, during a brief lull. "...How did it go?"

"Go?" She asks, her mind probably still wandering.

"With sorcery."

You're not sure what's the etiquette in this case. Is it polite to ask that question? Is it okay to talk about it?

"Oh." And the sad face she makes you think that she must have failed. But then she replies: "Yeah, I learned it. I'm a sorceress now. Well, I don't think I'll make that my life's calling, like Zaan did, but it certainly does have its uses."

"...Well, you did it?"

"Yep." She nods. "Went through the Five Stations and obtained Sorcery."

"Why the long face then?"

(cont.)

>>40035070
Why, thank you! Now, if only I could come up with witty names for empty islands...

>>40035104
Floating Bedrooms. Not reusable.

>>40035104
Might as well leave them unnamed until we use them or put something on them.

She looks up at the sky through a hole in the roof, just as it's being walled up by a crew of rather surly-looking Blood Apes. One of them gives one last glare down at you - or maybe her - before placing the last brick, dropping the room you're in into darkness.

"...As part of my initiation, I had to sacrifice something important to me." She says, after a long pause.

Oh boy. All the savoir-faire in Creation couldn't make the next question less awkward, but now you can't not ask either. "...What was it?"

"I don't know yet." She admits. "But I feel like I'll find out soon enough."

Man, sorcery is weird.

Subject Changing Prana. "How's the Manse coming along?"

"Terrible." She shakes her head and smiles. "That's what happens when you rush a job."

"Well, then, how's the Manse coming along, for being such a rushed job?"

"Eh." She shrugs. "It'll hold. Probably."

"Will we finish it in time?"

"Is the main fleet still due for two days- well, now one and a half?" She asks back.

"We don't know. Lost contact with them in a storm Father Ocean's a man of his word. They're probably delayed, but I don't know for how long."

"Best case and worst case?"

"Best case... I'm not so optimistic to think that they could've sunk to the bottom of the ocean. But probably it would be something along the lines of, suffered grave damage, had to stop by a port somewhere in the rest of the archipelago. Worst case, they've been delayed by just one day."

"We can finish the manse by then. Just barely, but we can." She replies confidently. "And then, once all this is over... I'll have to spend a year fixing every crooked brick, every misaligned pillar, every screwup these idiots made." She groans.

You think it's best to not even remind her of the likelihood of the Manse suffering combat damage in the next few days.

>Ask her something specific (what?)
>Go task to someone else (who?)
>(Other?)

>>40035222
Hunt down that familiar face.

>>40035222
>>Go task to someone else (who?)
Talk to, I assume.
The familiar face we saw.

>>40035222
>Find that familiar face you swear you could've seen
We have to
It'll never stop bothering if we don't do it now

>>40035222
>By the way, we have free marble now!
>Talk about Silk and Silk's moving.
>Mention Shining Jewel.
>invite her for cheering up in bed

>>40035222
>"...As part of my initiation, I had to sacrifice something important to me." She says, after a long pause.
I fucking hate that, it's always sad as hell and just utterly depressing, sorcery is NEVER fun in Exalted because of that. It just goes full EDGE faggotry.

>>40035245
>>40035277
these

>>40035222
Did we change clothes?

>>40035288
Oh, talking about Yaraon's son might be a good idea! Seconding it.

>>40035222
>By the way, we have free marble now!
>Talk about Silk and Silk's moving.
>Mention Shining Jewel.
These, then go do
>>40035245

>>40035061
Yes.

>>40035043
I like Crownfall, how about using it for the plains northeast of Pearl?

Also several of the smaller villages around Tianna City are still nameless.

>>40035222
>find that familiar face

Who is this mystery man/woman

>>40035316
>I like Crownfall, how about using it for the plains northeast of Pearl?
sounds good

>>40035316
Hell yeah, use the name as wanted. Will be a fun location to teach about in schools' history/geography lessons.

>>40035293
Lunar initiation was way better
>Go into the Wyld and wait until you are enlightened
I find the implication of something far older then anything else within the Wyld, that might even by the very Chaos itself, in the paragraphs about it in 2e very... fascinating

File: 33T0LRC.jpg (184 KB, 858x1200)

184 KB JPG

>>40035295
Yeah, to #3.

Brief AFK, be back with you shortly.

>>40035388
Alright, cool and no problem.

>>40035222

>hug the girl and thank her for doing this despite the cost

It's not much, but we can't do much more for the time being.

>>40035388
Does Maka hair get style itself when she changes clothes? Can it please?

>>40035388
Need a drawfag to draw Maka wearing her clothes.

>>40035471
ALL OF THEM.
I'm talking about every variation and cloth we had in the course of this quest.
... Exp Calculator please!

>>40035511
>exp calculator
You mean Money Calculator, right? The amount of money needed to commission all that borders on infinite.

you done being a rail roading sod?

>>40035540
No. We were forced to deal with a lot of shit.

Last thread there was talk about revoting the wardrobe, if we still plan to do that we could steal ideas from
>>40015627

>>40035630
That will only be relevant in a few more threads.

>>40035530
I guess if season two of Exalted quest doesn't start until September I still got a chance at comissioning about half
Heck, I guess we'll still be fighting abyssals and undead by then

>>40035657
Technically, we already are on season 2? Or, well, chapter 2, at least.
Maka's wardrobe is something I wanted to commission as well, but just don't have the money.

File: Erman Steelshard.jpg (135 KB, 727x614)

135 KB JPG

You chat a bit more with Valeriana, but then it's time to leave her to her job.

Meanwhile, you walk around the barracks, specifically the side of the barracks full of newcomers, because you thought you saw...

Ah-ha.

"Well, fancy meeting you here."

"Greetings." Erman replies, formally. He's sitting on the ground, shirtless, his backpack and armor propped up against a nearby wall except for his sleeping bag, from which he seems to have just emerged. Struggling against tiredness and muscle cramps, he gets back up to bow to you, then sits back down. "Apologies if I haven't met you immediately. You seemed busy, and I was rather tired."

"No need to apologize, these days are rather hectic." You reply. "I thought you and your company were headed for Coral."

"We were." He replies, looking up to you. "But the ship we were in headed back after news reached us, on the next port over in the archipelago, of the large fleet of Skullstone warships in the area. Local sentiment was that it was an annexation attempt, so our ship's captain reversed course and returned to Tianna."

"...And instead, the fleet was actually headed here."

"Last time I trust the paranoia of a Wavecrester." He grins humourlessly. "Once we got back in port here and understood the situation better, I and the senior officers of the company decided to renew our offer to you once more, since now we hear you're in better economic conditions than you were when we first offered our services to you."

(cont.)

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>40035222
>What defenses will be ready by the time the advanced fleet arrives.
>Then pursue familiar face

"All while keeping a ship ready for leaving the island in case I refuse?" You can't help but guess.

"Nothing personal about this." He smiles. "I've got men to pay, and we don't come cheap. I can't stay on a battlefield I'm not being paid for."

"Don't worry, I understand." You reassure him.

"Our fee for this battle... all things considered, wouldn't be any less than fifteen talents of silver. This sounds like a risky enterprise if there ever was one."

On one side, that price would normally make your eyes just pop out of their sockets. Fifteen talents is normally what a large mercenary company would ask for a full campaign. And if you remember correctly, the Steelshard Company only has 150 heavy infantry to its name.
On the other, it's heavy infantry, and with experience in fighting alongside Exalted and against supernatural threats. And, this time you actually have that much money and more to spare. Still, it's not an expense to take lightly.

Mikahil has set aside enough finances and assets for the construction of the entire manse and Pearl's city core, and the mines and prospection in western Tianna, so you've got your developement covered. That leaves out around... thirty talents.

Of course, Mikahil's... creative accounting and mysterious and convoluted ways of making money cause that amount to fluctuate fairly often.

>Try and persuade him to accept for less (businesslike/pleading/flattering/seductive?)
>Offer to pay him half, but make him promises or offer him something else (what?)
>Pay him in full.
>Pay him 125% of what he asked.
>Pay him 150% of what he asked.
>Refuse.
>(other?)

>>40035630
*unzips HD*

>>40035846
>Pay him in full.

This is good

>>40035846
How about we invite Mikahil to help with the negotiations

>>40035846
I'm half tempted to offer him a chance to have him and his people Tiger Warrior trained, but i'm not sure if they need it or would be willing to wait a week or however long it would take.

>>40035846
>>40035895
this

>>40035902
we can offer to train his troops after this is all over

>>40035902
Hmm. Not a bad idea. Reduced fee for training them up after the battle's over. We could show them Regis as proof-of-concept.

>>40035846
>Offer to pay him half, but make him promises or offer him something else (what?)
Maybe offer him a more lucrative long term deal to get his company on retainer permanently. Land is a pretty common seller and we just recently got a bunch when we reclaimed the wyld.

We can also offer Tiger Warrior training and maybe use Regis as proof so they know we're not just blowing smoke up their asses.

>>40035846
>Offer to pay him half, but make him promises or offer him something else (the rest in abyssal loot after we survive)

>>40035846
>>40035883 here, I'll change my vote to seconding >>40035919 the promise of awesome training should help reduce the fee

>>40035846
>Try and persuade him to accept for less (10 and Tiger Warrior training)
>>40035864
Glad to help out.

>>40035846
Fifteen Silver Talents? That's enough to keep an entire Realm Legion, including DB officer corps supplied for a year and he wants it for 150 men and a single battle? WTF

>Refuse.

>>40035846
>>40035895
>>40035902
These, we can train him and his men when we have any spare moments now, and after the battle

>>40035846
>>Offer to pay him half, but make him promises or offer him something else (what?)
Tiger warrior training for his company.

>>40035846
>Try and persuade him to accept for less (businesslike/pleading/flattering/seductive?)
Seductive.
This is Maka's greatest weapon, use her charms.

>>40035846
>>Offer to pay him half, but make him promises or offer him to train him and his men

>>40035846
If we train them, let's make sure they don't plan to accept any contracts against us in the foreseeable future, I think that was an agreement actual mercenary companies promised in the past.

>>40035846
>Offer to pay him half, but make him promises or offer him something else (what?)

Tiger Warrior Training, and a guarantee of future contracts and boons

>>40036043
Shouldn't be a problem they came back to explicitly avoid a tangle with Skullstone. This implies they wont want anything to do with the Prince

>>40035846
>>Pay him in full.

>>40036043
it is and it was and it is a MUST in any contract we have with these guys

"I'd like to make a counter-offer."

You see him immediately on his guard. Not quite literally, but eyeing you with increased attention. You can't help but wonder if it's an unconscious reaction, or...

You try to put him at ease. "I'll pay you half of that, and it can be immediately. One talent and thirty-two pounds."

He's listening, and waiting.

"And, once the battle is over, I'll offer you the ability to stay in Pearl for however long you want to rebuild any strength and losses of men and equipment, and offer you and your unit a full training course, with the blessing of the Unconquered Sun."

He lifts an eyebrow, puzzled. "What do you mean by that?"

"Among my many supernatural gifts, there's the ability to train Tiger Warriors. With just a few weeks of training, I can grant you and your men great skill at arms, on par with the strongest mortals of Creation."

He looks at you skeptically. "I've seen many wonders, but I'll need something more than your words to consider this."

You scan the crowd milling about, in the distance, and spot in it both Regis and Pyre Spark, the former probably running an errand for Mikahil, the latter cheering a team of workers who pulling on a rope to hoist up a marble pillar by tossing flowers up in the air around them from a giant basket she's carrying.

>Ask for Regis to provide a demonstration
>Ask for Pyre Spark to provide a demonstration
>Just try and persuade him (s+z)
>(Other?)

>>40036171
>>>Ask for Regis to provide a demonstration
>>Ask for Pyre Spark to provide a demonstration


One might not convince them, two will.

>>40036171
>Ask for Regis to provide a demonstration
>Ask for Pyre Spark to provide a demonstration

>>40036171
>Ask both Reis and Pyre Spark for a demonstration.

>>40036171
>>Ask for Pyre Spark to provide a demonstration
>Ask for Regis to provide a demonstration
No essence please

>>40036171
>>Ask for Regis to provide a demonstration

>"Regis, could you show the result of your training to this man, please?"

>>40036171
>Ask for Regis to provide a demonstration
>Ask for Pyre Spark to provide a demonstration
Pyre Spark has been more fully trained I think, and seeing a kid like Regis show it off would probably bette demonstrate how impressive it is.

>>40036171
>Just try and persuade him (s+z)

>>40036171
>>Ask for Pyre Spark to provide a demonstration
Pyre lift the thing

>>40036171
Both of them

>>40036171
>Ask for Pyre Spark to provide a demonstration

But seriously, fifteen silver talents for a single battle is an insane sum. It's enough to raise a Realm legion from scratch. Granted they have premade infrastructure but still.

These 150 guys better be like Leonidias's 300 on steroids or something.

>>40036277
I begin to wonder if this company has a bunch of unaffiliated Dragon Blooded in it's organization.

It's the only way I can think would justify them charging 15 talents for individual actions.

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>40036171
>Ask for Regis to provide a demonstration

>>40036303

Maybe the guy is just trying to take advantage of the situation.

>>40036321
>>40036303
He's blatantly ripping Maka off by charging over a hundred times what he's actually worth. I mean hiring a crack talon of mercenaries for a month costs only 250 dinars and he wants /15/ talents of silver.

>>40036321
That's the much more likely answer. We're rich and in desperate need of every advantage we can possibly muster. So, he's charging a disgusting amount of money.

>>40036303
Dude, EF even explicitly stated that it was a fucking ridiculous amount of money, an amount that this company would normally charge for full participation in an entire war rather than a single battle. We all know he's trying to rip us off.

>>40036277
>>40036303
He was taking advantage of the fact that we have a Deathlord coming at us and also that if he accepts he's going to be fighting a Deathlord, notice he turned his a boat around because he thought the Deathlord was going to be fighting Wavecrest and not us. Surprise.

>>40036303
Possible. That sum could 'Rent a crack mercenary company for a month.'

They better be pretty damn cracked. If they're mostly DBs, then TTWT won't apply.

If they mortals...what's stopping them from getting straight murdered by some 'all mortals in the area die' charm?

How the heck did they survive Nexus?

>>40036362
Uh, what? The Silver Prince himself isn't coming. Just one of his armies.

>>40036364
They're entirely mortal.

>>40036373
yeah sure anon, you know that with 100% certainty?

>>40036358
>>40036359
>>40036362


Well I get him ripping us off in the price but his company is going nowhere. His only chance at getting himself and his warriors out of this alive is to work with us. His ship/s will not escape that vanguard of first age warships.


Huh, maybe we can bring that up as leverage to get him to lower his price.

File: Pyre Spark.jpg (211 KB, 572x800)

211 KB JPG

You gesture and call out to Pyra and Regis in the distance. Of course, they immediately notice you (despite the crowd and the noise) and head right over.

Actually, Pyre just TEARS through the crowd, sending people flying and generally plowing through any obstacle between you and her. Your instincts tell you to sidestep, but if you did, you're afraid the unarmored Erman might end up with a Pyre-shaped hole in him.

"DIVINE MAKAAAAAAAAAAA"

Pyre Spark bodyslams you hard enough to make you step back and just latches on to you. "Divine Maka! I know you're so busy with important things but I missed you so much! Oh, how are things going? Will the forces of Light vanquish the darkness for good in this fated battle?"

"Er... hi, Pyre. Sorry, but, yeah, it's busy for everyone. Er, Erman, here-"

"Hello, miss Spark."

"Oh, hello there, Erman."

You look at the two of them confused. "You know each other?"

Pyre grins and nods. Erman waves a hand dimissively. "She tried to recruit me."

"CONVERT you." She points out.

"I don't do religion, miss. It's bad for business. Any god can have my services if they pay me the right amount."

"That's! Not! The! Point!" She replies, giving emphasis to her words by beating her fists on your chest to the rhythm of her words.

"Anyway." You try and keep the conversation moving. "Pyre Spark, here and... Regis, here..."

"Hello there. Did you need me for something, Mistress Maka?"

"Are going to give you a demonstration." You grin confidently.

(short AFk again, sorry. will be back soon.)

>>40036364
I'm fairly sure most of the creation slaying oblivion kick type shenanigans don't exist in this setting.

>>40036404
We learned during the Karas interlude that the fleet was being led by a Solar named Moray Darktide. The Prince isn't coming.

>>40036428
Maka didn't learn and Erman doesn't know either, but even then fighting one of the Deathlord's armies is still really bad

I think he just stated a completely overblown price and expected Maka to haggle him down to a fraction. Even half of his price is still an order of magnitude more than he's worth.

Does Pyre Spark have permanent golden lipstick from the time we Sun Kissed her?

>>40036415
>"That's! Not! The! Point!" She replies, giving emphasis to her words by beating her fists on your chest to the rhythm of her words.

Is she saying the point is our boobs?

>>40036428
You can't know that for a fact, but a fact you can rely on is the Prince knows what the island really is, and he wants it, I very much doubt he'll leave that to chance, also how the fuck is a Solar serving him, a deathlord?

>>40036455
Solars can be assholes.

>>40036444
Obviously.

>>40036453
Maka's boobs are the answer to all solutions. Even to haggling.

>>40036450
It probably only appears when spending essence, like a normal caste mark. Golden lips blazing up on her forehead.

>>40036455
>how the fuck is a Solar serving him, a deathlord?
Well I mean Solars are just people with super powers because they did a cool thing. They aren't obligated to be good or righteous

>>40036444

If we succeed, even one ship of the fleet attacking us is probably worth that much.

If we don't, well, money won't matter.

So he and his crew better be talented motherfuckers if they want their talents

>>40036455
Mr Moray probably believes in the PR of Skullstone.

He thinks that it's a place where the dead have a valued place in society and doesn't know how deep the rabbit hole goes.

Or he's a fucking asshole, nothing's stopping a Solar from just being a total dick.

>>40036469
>They aren't obligated to be good or righteous
they kind of are, the abyssals are the ones obligated to be cunts

>>40036464

On her forehead and on other places

>>40036455
>also how the fuck is a Solar serving him, a deathlord?
By accepting his job offer? Maka's working with a Deathlord too.

>>40036483
>they kind of are
no they aren't. Why should they?

>>40036474
Well if he's not an asshole we can convince him otherwise and get him to switch sides.

>>40036488
>her bikini falls off, revealing lots of golden hickies on her nipples and downstairs

>>40036483
>they kind of are
No, they really aren't. Solars are just people. They're just as likely to be assholes as any other person, exalt or not. Solar exaltations go to people who do rad things, with no differentiation between heroism/villainy.

>>40036497

And if he's an asshole much fisting will happen

>>40036483
Abyssals having to be cunts to everyone but their Lunar Mates is due to something the Neverborn did.
Solars can act however they want

>>40036497
It's gonna take evidence, we may have a pair of massive jiggling advantages in negotiations but if this guy is serving Skullstone because he BELIEVES in it's bullshit it's gonna be hard to sell the notion that the nation he's served for x time is in fact a horrible nightmare.

>>40036416
Creation slaying oblivion kills Exalts as well. I mean something like an Abyssal mirror of Banish the Darkness. Which is on the sheet.

Something that goes 'All mortal extras in the scene are killed." Which is reasonable and in theme for Deathknights.

>>40036504
>one golden kiss on each nipple
>a big one on her pubis mons
>and one on both her lips and forehead

>>40036519

>Solars can act however they want

And Maka is actually a parangon of morality compared to many of them.

>>40036527
>lots on each nipple trailing down to her mound and below and a necklace of them ringing her neck and up to her ears
ftfy

>>40036483
No, they really aren't. Neither are Abyssals, off the top of my head I can think of one canon Solar who's a huge waste of an Exaltation and a dick and one converted Solar now Abyssal who still tries to be good.

>>40036519
They don't really have to be, but by canon bad stuff tends to happen to the people that they care about, some don't care and some take measures to avoid that.

>>40036527

Wasn't there one between her boobies?

>>40036521
If Karas were here we could get him talking, but at the very least we can send him down that path, beat him up and tell him to go really look for himself.

Imagine how Pyre reacts when she meets our mentor...

>>40036590
Fastest threesome ever.

>>40036590
By getting on her knees and smiling like a donut?

>>40036590
Completely unsurprised since Maka having the ear of Sol is the right and proper order of things?

>>40036610
>ear
Wrong part

>>40036590
That would probably break her for a bit

>>40036590
>AS EXPECTED OF MY DIVINE MAKA
And then she almost dies.

Seriously though, I want to know what's up with Pyre, her dreams, her knowledge of Sol, the whole golden eye thing that Regis and Milly didn't get. She's special somehow.

>>40036455
Solars have just as much capacity to be assholes as Abyssals.

>>40036601
>smiling like a donut

That is the most evocative turn of phrase i've seen this week.

>>40036708
...it's monday...

Also who's the best girl?

>>40036740
Maka obviously.

>>40036740
>Also who's the best girl?
Maka's twins.

The ones she's pregnant with, not her tits.

>>40036740
Maka

>>40036805
>>40036830
The only problem with playing Maka is not being able to have sex with Maka. We didn't even get to do it either times we were Tia, next time for sure.

>>40036858
As soon as Maka has some free time, she should spend some quality time with herself in Pearl's plaza.

>>40036858
>>40036830
>>40036819
>>40036805
>>40036740
FOOLS! The best girl is obviously SOL INVICTUS

>>40036892
The Unconquered Sun is many things, but he's not a shapeshifter like Luna. He's always male.

>>40036897
He is a shapeshifter, dude. He can turn into a Dragonking, for example.

>>40036914
Not willingly. He has the face of whatever the dominant, sun-worshiping mortal species is, same as most gods.

But he's ALWAYS male.

>>40036914
>>40036897
Even if we make everyone believe Sol is a girl?

>>40036948
Gods aren't defined by what people believe in ANY way. Faith is utterly irrelevant in every way to the divine. Prayer and faith are completely unrelated.

>>40036948
>Not a futanari
How else can Maka have his children?

>>40036967
I didn't know I wanted this.

>>40036967
I'll be the first to admit.

I've been pulling for Maka to have the Unconquered Sun's Incarnae-blooded children since the first handful of threads.

>>40036978
Maka's hidden Motivation is to have Sol's children and be his wife.

>>40036991
Keep at it, anon. Keep at it.

>>40036961
Wrong.
There is a wonderful story about it in the slave trae division where one god has started a gambit making the worshipers believes another god is her beloved in order to add his portfolio to hers
Believes DO define the gods as much as in reverse

>>40036995

I'd vote against this

You grab two swords from a nearby weapons rack and hand one to each of them, actually tossing it at them, spinning through the air. They each catch one, flawlessly.

"Alright, show mr. Steelshard what you can do."

Pyre Spark looks at the sword in her hands and then at you, a bit confused.

Regis grabs his sword, brandishes it for a moment, and then...

...casually snaps its blade in half, then in four, then in eight pieces, like a dry twig.

Erman, who was reaching for his own sword under the assumption that the "demonstration" was going to be a duel, freezes solid upon seeing a 150 cm, 45 kg kid snap four blades in half bare-handed.

Pyre Spark, meanwhile, turns to you. "Do I need to do that, too?"

You resist the temptation to facepalm. "...Regis, that was a perfectly good sword."

"Oh." He replies. "...Sorry. I wasn't sure what to do." He loosk at Erman, then back at you. "Oh. Oh wait. Did we have to fight? Like... me and you? Or me and Pyre? Or..."

"Nevermind." Erman groans. "So, seven talents and thirty-two pounds."

"Deal?"

"Deal." He nods. "I'll need a horse to head back to Tianna City and get my men here."

"When can they be here?" You ask him.

"Two days of forced march, now that there's a road." He replies. "Plus one for me to get there if I can bring a spare horse."

"It's yours."

He nods and begins packing his stuff. Regis looks still guilty. Pyre looks still confused.

"...Divine Maka..."

"You can put the sword back." You smile at her.

"But... but I wanted to show off in front of Divine Maka..."

"...It's alright, Pyre Spark. Don't worry."

>Actually, Regis, go ask Amata about powered armor. She should have a suit for you.
>Actually, Pyre Spark, go ask Amata about powered armor. She should have a suit for you.
>Good show, both of you. Now, back to business.

Combined with:

>Meet Irene.
>Meet Samiel.
>Meet Zaan.
>Meet Talon.
>Contact your Spec Ops Team (Starfall, Five Tails and Zareen).
>Prepare defenses, wait for night.
>(Other?)

>>40036991
No, while we'll probably have a three or four or fivesome with him, the only person who children we'll be having will be Tia's

>>40037002
No don't.

>>40037059
>Actually, Regis, go ask Amata about powered armor. She should have a suit for you.
>Meet Irene.
>>Meet Samiel.

>>40037059
>>Good show, both of you. Now, back to business.

>Prepare defenses, wait for night.

Game faces people.

>>40037059
>Actually, Regis, go ask Amata about powered armor. She should have a suit for you.
Before or after you deliver that message. It was his so he get's it.

>Contact your Spec Ops Team (Starfall, Five Tails and Zareen).
Also have we had any word from the Abyssals?

>>40037059
>Actually, Regis, go ask Amata about powered armor. She should have a suit for you.
>Meet Irene.

>>40036897
>>40036930
wrong:
Infinite Glories Mien: The Unconquered Sun
may take any form at will, from the humblest
mouse to a towering pillar of holy fire stretching
from earth to sky. Most commonly, he appears
as a four-armed human in orichalcum armor or a
four-armed Dragon King with golden scales and
features more reminiscent of a tyrant lizard than
any of the four breeds.

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>40037059
>Good show, both of you. Now, back to business.

>Meet Talon.

>>40037173
>I wonder what Amata think of Pyre Spark
She dislikes her on principle. Amata has a deep-seated mistrust and dislike of gods, and a coldly political view of religion.

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>40037059
>Actually, Regis, go ask Amata about powered armor. She should have a suit for you.
>Meet Irene.
Magitech defenses get!

>>Actually, Regis, go ask Amata about powered armor. She should have a suit for you.

>Send a message to the Tyrant's forces

I wonder what Amata think of Pyre Spark

>>40037059
>Actually, Regis, go ask Amata about powered armor. She should have a suit for you.
We have to teach Pyre some martial arts... something like white veil would be cool if it existed

>>40037197
Cue the completion of the manse and the subsquent divine fist bump from above

Maka and Pyre naked dance prayer when?

>>40037225
We taught her Solar Hero Style and it counts.

I'd love to teach her Arms of the Unconquered though, she would love that.

>>40037253
When we train pyre to social and zenith 4

>>40037272
Maybe Sempai will teach us that, first. I'd love to see Maka break out some Meditation on the Spear.

>>40037292
Aaaah, roll until you fail the attack
Sadly combos aren't a thing here

>>40037292
I can't wait to finally meet Senpai post-Mentor background. Either with a festival grander than DS' or with a very weird wet dream.

>>40037272
>We taught her Solar Hero Style and it counts.
No, we didn't. We just taught her Dawn 3.

>>40037253
>>40037275

Would our new devilish friend participate?

In any case, I'm for giving a front seat to Tia, Amata and the Tyrant for the traditional post-performance fucking

>>40037275
>Social 4
I think we need the Twilight training charm to train Social

>>40037328
I hope so. She was promised to be kept happy.
But what truly matters is that Maka shouldn't exclude someone for being different form something like this. It brings them all much closer to her and builds something wonderful.

>>40037059
Oh Regis, you're lucky you're cute.

File: Spoiler Image (172 KB, 1000x700)

172 KB PNG

>>40037359
Yes. Very cute indeed.

>>40036991
I've been pulling to hook up him and Nysla for a while.

"Actually, Regis, go ask Amata about powered armor. She should have a suit for you."

"Powered armor?" He wonders. "You mean like... the suit of funky armor Iscariah has?"

"Yeah, that." You nod. "They found one gathering dust under Tianna Castle. It's yours. Now that you can channel Essence, you can use it."

It's not a lie, technically.

"But... I've just barely started understanding how Essence works."

"Then you better hurry up." You reply.

He stands by for a moment, looking at a grinning Pyre Spark, then back at you, and nods, trying to find the determination he needs.

You both know what that means. With that armor, he'll be expected to fight in the upcoming battle.

That suit of armor might actually be more of a danger than a protection. But he understands that, and accepts it.

Alright, time for you to go as well. You have one other thing to take care of before the battle starts.

After managing to diplomatically and delicately prying Pyre Spark out of your cleavage and getting her back to work, you head to see Irene, who is inspecting the artillery emplacements on the western side of the Manse.

She did a good job. Sandbags, palisades and defensive earthworks surround the manses and protect the beaches from enemy landings. The focal point of the defensive setup is the lightning ballista on the top floor of the manse's sunburst fort layer: A veritable bunker where improv fortification and armor has been added to the already imposing walls surrounding it. It has an arc of fire of almost 70°, covering the entire beachfront, and is supported by the five large concussive essence guns, four spread around the lower levels of the fortress, and one just below it as a heavy support weapon and rangefinder. The entire setup is supported by a network of spotters and relays.

"...As usual, you've done a marvelous job, Irene." You congratulate her.

(cont.)

I've thought about ways to make the tyrant appreciate mortal life...
and concluded that's actually a task far tougher then I anticipated

>>40037459
Love, anon. She needs to be tenderly loved, tenderly love someone, and bang as much as Maka.

>>40037484
You know, having had what amounts to a soul lobotomy I'm not sure traditional methods will work... even if solar powered
I mean redeeming an abyssal? A quest that is so hard to accomplish most die trying
Redeeming a deathlord? the same... up to eleven

File: princess Irene tai tianna.jpg (136 KB, 1067x600)

136 KB JPG

Irene's armor is covered with dust and venting smoke and vapor, It looks like it's seen a fair deal of use, almost a full battle. You hadn't noticed that before.

"Are you alright?" You ask her, worried.

"Yeah. Oh, it's just that I've been overusing my armor a bit. I should probably strip it down for maintenance, but I don't know if I'll do in time before those ships arrive." She doesn't take her eyes off the horizon, as the sun finally sets beyond the western waves.

"What did you do with your armor?" You have to wonder.

She knocks on the breastplate with a smug smile. "The Most Resolute Armor of the Earth Dragon. This wonder lets me rearrange ground, earth and soil at will, remember?"

That's impressive. You remember her telling you, but you didn't pay much attention to that. You figured out that she was just boasting.

"...Did-"

"It does so by channeling my Essence through a shift-phase relay harmonized on the 200-223 pm/m frequency, which is aligned with the element of Earth. Then, through the actuators in the hands and feet, this energy is transmitted through elementalish coils that are sensible to the gestures and movement of the Eight Thousand Numinia, which is-"

"Er. Did you use that to make the road, I wanted to ask."

"Oh." She nods. "Not by itself, of course, the engineers helped, Also, the road isn't quite finished, but for now it'll do."

You stare at the twilight in the distance, slowly vanishing. "Can we make it?"

"I'm an engineer, not that good of a tactician. You'll have to ask my brother."

"But you know magitech and the sort better than anyone, and that will play an important part in the fight since our enemy is a small but elite force, very well-equipped. Give me your gut feeling. What do you think?"

She nods, troubled. "We need a trump card. Something special. Something no one expects."

"Do we have that?"

"No." She squints. "I have no idea. but..."

"...But what?"

She points at the darkening horizon. "...Incoming."

(cont.)

You know what bothers me until today?
EFs answer to:
¨Like they re banging now, who's more likely to getpregnant, Maka or Tia?¨
>Both
Tia getting Maka pregnant is obvious
But the other way around never stoped making me question... things

>>40037562
>She nods, troubled. "We need a trump card. Something special. Something no one expects."
How's Dancing Smoke's thing going?

Of course.

"...Seven ships. Scattered formation. Closing fast."

You squint as well. Man, you thought you already had 20/20 eyesight as a mortal, and you had the definite feeling that Exalting made it even sharper, but you're not even in the same league as Irene. You can't even see a thing.

After a few seconds, one of her engineers hands you a spyglass. Finally, you can see something.

The darkness and slowly rising fog do little to reveal what exactly you're dealing with. You can just see a jumble of dark shapes on a dark background.

You thought you saw a blinking light for a moment. The moon's reflection off something metallic? A lantern? A firedust or essence weapon discharge? Impossible to tell.

>Open fire as soon as you think they're in range.
>Wait until you can see them clearly.
>Let them close in.
>(other?)

>>40037635
>>Wait until you can see them clearly.

>>40037635
>>Wait until you can see them clearly.

>>40037635
>>Wait until you can see them clearly.
See if we can't take out at least one ship, focus fire if you have to

>>40037635
>Wait until you can see them clearly.
>Get EVERONE ready.

>>40037631
>How's Dancing Smoke's thing going?
Amata mentioned it in passing earlier when you had time to talk. Everything is wired up and ready to go, but she needs someone who can swim in lava to activate it. Someone who can reach the essence vent at the bottom of the volcano and pull a service lever there. She thinks either you or Samiel should do it, both because among the few likely to survive that and because if something goes wrong with Dancing Smoke you stand the best chances of dealing with her.

(I wanted to have her mention this if you spent time with her, but we can assume since it's a fairly important thing she mentioned it as soon as you had a moment of privacy.)

>>40037635
>Open fire as soon as you think they're in range.

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>40037635
>Let them close in.

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>40037635
>Wait until you can see them clearly.
>Sound the alarm

>>40037635
>>Wait until you can see them clearly.

>Get everyone ready, sound the alarm

>>40037705
Aww yiss

>>40037705
That Essence Vent hurt us last time, I'd really like to have the PD before sticking our face in it again and then we promised her both us and Sammy would be there.

>>40037898
If we're gonna be swimming in it, I think we'd be better off with a scene long soak charm than a single action PD

>>40037974
Not single action here
2 actions
Diving into lava is something we can to without worrying by now, the essence vent is the problem

>>40037974
the PD lasts for 2 turns, long enough for us to find said lever and pull it and not risk death.

Exaltedfag, I don't understand.
Who are we?

>>40038070
>>40038071
Not in the new system.

>ADAMANT SKIN TECHNIQUE: (2B) For one turn, you suffer zero damage from all attacks.
It's also cheaper so at full essence we can use it like 5 times in a row

>>40038085
Samsara with a fair bit of unshaped raksha and deep wyld.
From the view point of Maka at least

Alarms are sounded and everyone takes their places. All lights and torches are extinguished to not give enemy artillery any help.

After a few seconds, once it's clear everyone knows, even the alarm, a sharp bell in the night, dies down, as everyone holds their collective breaths and stares into the western darkness.

You see, from your vantage point near the top of the fortifications (and, you realize now, currently one of the if not the highest point in Pearl), soldiers and conscripted workers occupying their posts along the walls and in the trenches.

Talon and Zaan leave the city fast, in beast form, and head out into the countryside, from where they can execute pincer attacks undisturbed alone or leading some of their barbarian warriors. Mikahil, Samiel, Aexel and Valeriana join the men in the trenches, while Zareen, Starfall and Five Tails quietly disappear in the night.

As the black ships begin to emerge from the fog, Amata, Tia, Regis, Millian and Pyre Spark join your side together with Irene, facing westwards without a word.

Well, except for Tia drawing Skullopener with a wide grin and going: "Is it go time?"

"Not yet." You reply. "I want to be sure of what I'm shooting at."

The first ship of the formation finally emerges from the oceanic fog, all of sudden, almost like breaking through a solid wall, its prow angrily biting the dark water, heading straight for you.

You see Irene's arm jerking on the trigger lever of the Lightning Ballista, but the lever refuses to move.

She and you both glance down, to look at Amata's foot pressing to its side, blocking the firing mechanism.

And thank the gods above for that, because the shape you are seeing emerging from the fog, rushing towards you, is the broken-masted, half-burned, wrecked silhouette of the Gloria, trailing billowing clouds of dark smoke.

(cont.)

>>40038140
I knew it, Karas is bringing us toys!

>>40038140
>And thank the gods above for that, because the shape you are seeing emerging from the fog, rushing towards you, is the broken-masted, half-burned, wrecked silhouette of the Gloria, trailing billowing clouds of dark smoke.
What are the chances these are all our new toys?

>>40038191
They might not be. The gloria might have been overtaken and captured. This might still be an attack but with the gloria to fake us out.

>>40038176
>I knew it, Karas is bringing us toys!
>>40038191
>What are the chances these are all our new toys?

Waiting for the other shoe to drop. I've got a bad feeling about this.

>>40038228
> I've got a bad feeling about this.
>Karas is dead.
>His Lunar Mate has come to join our cause.

"That's-" Irene lets go of the lever.

One by one, the other ships emerge from the wall of fog. Sleek, smooth, aggressive hulls of straight metal and jagged spikes, built with a low profile and a slender design, like cruel predators propelled by powerful side-mounted paddlewheels clawing through the oceanic water.

And yet, all of those ships are WRECKED. You see cracks in the armor, trails of smoke and licking flames, burned-out portions of the superstructure, and impacts of all kinds: craters left by essence weaponry, gashes cut open by ramming attacks, suspiciously human-shaped dents covered in blood smears, and... giant fist imprints.

You see Irene's eyes suddenly go wide. "Warstriders." She says, all of sudden, breaking the eerie silence. Like someone murmuring the name of a long-forgotten lover into the night breeze.

Then, she jumps off the fortress walls, dropping fifteen meters into the trenches below, all the while screaming "WARSTRIDERS!"

Tia is confused, and stares back at you. Amata, desperately trying not to break out giggling. just rolls her eyes.

Of the Abyssal warships, none has its flag. Only on the last remaining mast of the Gloria you can still see a pennant: the heart-shaped shield sustained by golden bulls that you have adopted as your personal emblem.

At this point, even you can't help but break out laughing, the tension finally dispelled as cheering cries fill the air of every corner of Pearl.

"That idiot."

>Stay in the fort
>Reach the shore
>Meet with someone (who?)
>(Other?)

>>40038323
>Reach the shore
Daamn, little brother.

>>40038323
>>Reach the shore
Best brother is getting a hug.

>>40038323
>>Reach the shore
Wait, scream a cheer for Karas

>>40038323
>Reach the shore
>Order someone to get a bottle booze

>>40038323
>>Reach the shore
Karas! You son of a bitch.

>>40038323
>Reach the shore
best bro

>>40038323
>Reach the shore
That's how you fucking Dawn caste

>>40038323
>Reach the shore
I don't think finding Karas a girl will be hard at this point.

>>40038323
>Tia check my idiot brother is over there and this doesn't look like a trap.
>Then tell him he's an IDIOT!

>>40038323
Call for healers, they may have wounded. Then do:
>Reach the shore

>>40038323
>You see Irene's eyes suddenly go wide. "Warstriders." She says, all of sudden, breaking the eerie silence. Like someone murmuring the name of a long-forgotten lover into the night breeze.
>Then, she jumps off the fortress walls, dropping fifteen meters into the trenches below, all the while screaming "WARSTRIDERS!"
Shit. Now I'm imagining Irene getting fucked by a warstrider

>>40038323
>>Reach the shore

>Tell the others to stay away

>>40038496
She can take it and once this is all over I'm sure it'll happen at some point

File: prince Samiel tai tianna.jpg (329 KB, 707x1000)

329 KB JPG

You and everyone else run to the shore, just as the Gloria spectacularly fails to stop in time and runs aground messily on the beach sands.

"...So that's what it was." You can here Valeriana mumbling. She lets go of a deep sigh, then, the only person to do so, she just... turns around and leaves, heading back to the fort, her head hanging.

Then, the unexpected happens.

A man in a messy, discolored, ruined, tattered white-and-blue dress, eyepatch, a bunch of seaweed for a hat, covered in wounds and burns and bruises and blood, walks out of the wreck.

A broken cutlass in one hand and an empty bottle of rum in the other, he lifts both to the sky, screams "SUCK MY BALLS, DEATHLORDS!", and promptly collapses.

"Shit." You hear Mikahil curse. "MEDICS!"

One by one, completely out of control, the other ships - or what's left of them - ran aground on the shore. Whatever happened, was one heck of a battle. There are corpses everywhere, but you see more than a few men in Skullstone uniforms emerge from the hulks, looking rather shocked, some gratefully kissing the sand, others walking around in a daze or running into your troops trying to escape. You see a few of them screaming incomprehensibly while being detained, while others just look helplessly confused.

From one of the ships, as it slams into the sand, a large block of disjointed metal tumbles off the deck and falls into the shallow water with a dull thud.

It seems to be a giant machine, articulated, vaguely humanoid. You see the head, shoulders, one arm, the other missing...

"...So... this is... a warstrider." Samiel says, staring into the broken machine. He has the same fixed eyes as Irene just had, his pupils oddly dilated with excitement. "...Isn't that something... Heh, heh."

(cont.)

>>40038690
>A man in a messy, discolored, ruined, tattered white-and-blue dress, eyepatch, a bunch of seaweed for a hat, covered in wounds and burns and bruises and blood, walks out of the wreck.
>A broken cutlass in one hand and an empty bottle of rum in the other, he lifts both to the sky, screams "SUCK MY BALLS, DEATHLORDS!", and promptly collapses.
AND HE FOUND RAJAN.

Karas needs like, a day long orgy of his own right now.

>>40038690
>"SUCK MY BALLS, DEATHLORDS!"
He guy whose name I forget, I thought you were dead.
Good to see you're not.

>>40038690
Holy shit, this is amazing.
>>40038737
Let's begin recruiting people for that.

A hatch on the thing's chest begins to move weakly, as if someone were trying to push it open from the inside. Irene, who was already running at full speed towards the thing, just rips it out, then plunges inside.

You reach the machine as well, just in time to see Irene pull Karas out of the machine's guts. He's covered in his own blood and messy wounds and bruises, one black eye swollen shut. Two metal pipes that run him through are still sticking out oh his belly.

You can see he's barely conscious from blood loss, but, as he sees you, he gives you a wide grin, minus more than a few chipped or broken teeth.

"Hi, Maka."

>Have him carried away by the medics right now.
>Ask him what happened.
>Ask him if he found a girlfriend.
>Slap him.
>Punch him.
>Suplex him.
>Give up.
>(Other?)

>>40038782
>Ask him what happened.
>Ask him if he found a girlfriend.
>hug/kiss him

>>40038782
>>Have him carried away by the medics right now.
>Ask him if he found a girlfriend.

>>40038782
>Slap him.
>hug gim
>Ask him what happened.
>Ask him if he found a girlfriend.

>>40038782
>Have him carried away by the medics after hugs

>>40038782
>Ask him if he found a girlfriend.
>Hug him
>Have him carried away by the medics right now.
We'll beat him up later.

>>40038782
>Ask him what happened.
>Ask him if he found a girlfriend.
>Hug him
>Blow him
Mission successful! He needs a reward.

>>40038782
>Fold arms
>"Explain"

>>40038782
>Ask him what happened.
>Ask him if he found a girlfriend.
>hug/kiss him
>Have him carried away by the medics
>Promise him a reward depending on his report

>>40038782
>Ask him what happened.
>Have him carried away by the medics after hugs

>>40038782
>Slap him.
>Punch him.
>Hug him.
No words.

>>40038782
>slap him
>hug him
>slap him again

File: Karas.jpg (265 KB, 686x1000)

265 KB JPG

God damn it, Karas.

You hug him. What else should you do?

"...You had me so worried, you enormous idiot."

" Sorry, for lying to you. You wouldn't have let me go otherwise."

"You're damn right I wouldn't have!" The urge to punch him is rising, but he already lost too many of his teeth. Do those even regrow now?

"...Sorry." He repeats.

"So." You ask him. "Did you find this girlfriend you went out to look for?"

"Nah." He grins. "Usual luck. Just an insane sailor and a vicious little midget."

"Midget?" You wonder, but he's already out cold by then. With a sigh, you have that idiot up in your arms and hand it over to the rescue crews. Others are calling for the demons and undead to help drag those ships further aground to secure them against the rising tides.

(cont.)

>>40038113
I meant more that EF forgot the WHO ARE WE post. I need that pastebin link.

>>40038994
Which the cast or system?

>>40038994
(oh, blast, sorry. There was so much stuff i wanted to do that i just forgot. whatcha need?)

>>40039009
Both.

Cast Page: http://pastebin.com/7cnYjY7J
System: http://pastebin.com/pvAZpsJ6

>>40038982
>"Nah." He grins. "Usual luck. Just an insane sailor and a vicious little midget."
They're cool people though

>>40039073
Thanks
>>40039021
It's ok. You keep the plot coming. But don't forget the fanservice later

File: Lynne.jpg (770 KB, 850x1261)

770 KB JPG

You hear someone kicking another hatch open, and a small, androgynous figure claw its way out of it.

"Did... that cunt... just call me... a freaking midget?" He croaks, hoarse-voiced and short of breath. He, too, is covered in blood, wounds and bruises, just as bad as Karas. Once he manages to clear the hatch, which has opened halfway across a ship's hull, he topples over, loses his grasp, and lands head-first into the wet sand with a muffled "godfuckdamnit."

You walk up to him. "...Everything alright."

"Oh boy." He rolls over, lying on his back on the beach. You can see the faint impring of a Changing Moon castemark still glowing on his forehead. "You must be Karas' hot sister. It's really great to meet you. Usually I look a lot cooler than this."

"I think your game is not in its best conditions right now." You excuse him.

"Yeah." He spits a bit of tooth. "Probably not."

Talon approaches, arching an eyebrow. "Lynne?"

"You know him?"

"Somewhat. One of ours. He's cool."

"And fuck you too." Lynne rolls his eyes. "I told you that Skullstone was a bloody menace to everyone at the last Moot. But did the damn Society do anything about that? Not a fuckin' iota."

"Yeah, yeah, you know, no one thought Skullstone is the utopia it tries to pass itself off as." Talon just nods, picking him up in one of his enormous hands.

"Except for Ten Stripes, but she's got rats in the attic." Lynne groans.

"Right." Talon nods sagely.

"Did you fight alongside my brother?" You ask the petite lunar.

"Sure did." He nods. "And boy that idiot's feisty like a shark. Bit more of brains and he's be unstoppable." He says with begrudged respect.

>Then I'm in your debt.
>Are you sure we can trust this guy, Talon?
>What actually happened there?
>Get lost now, and never come back.
>We'll talk later, bring him to the first aid station now, Talon.
>(other)

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>40039342
>Then I'm in your debt.
>We'll talk later, bring him to the first aid station now, Talon.

>>40039342
>Then I'm in your debt.
>What actually happened there?

>>40039342
>What actually happened there?

>>40039342
>Then I'm in your debt.
>What actually happened there?

>>40039342
>Then I'm in your debt.
>>We'll talk later, bring him to the first aid station now, Talon.
You're a life saver Lynne
>"You must be Karas' hot sister. It's really great to meet you. Usually I look a lot cooler than this."
I wish I could have heard how this conversation went.

>>40039342
>What actually happened there?

>>40039342
>>Then I'm in your debt.
>>40039388
Yeah, so do I. Something to ask Karas when he is awake.

>>40039342
>>Then I'm in your debt.
>What actually happened there?

File: Talon.jpg (229 KB, 850x906)

229 KB JPG

"Then I'm in your debt." You say to him.

"Awesome." He replies with a sly (and sorta toothless) grin. "I'm going to enjoy the reward. But, uh. I think I need to regrow some organs first or something."

He does look like he's been through a meatgrinder. "No problem. Just one question: What the heck happened?"

"Oh boy." He rolls his eyes. "I'll give you the short version. I has infiltrated the fleet. I wanted to find a way to sabotage it, because I hate Skullstone and no one believes me when I say that they're bloody evil."

Talon groans. "You know that's not true."

He ignores him. "And then this white-haired idiot shows up and starts punching things."

"Sounds like Karas."

He nods. "Stuff happens, I valiantly save his useless life like a goddamn hero, we steal a Warstrider..."

"WARSTRIDERS!" You hear Irene echo in the distance.

"...and we basically start wrecking the bit of the fleet they left behind to deal with us. We've been mad lucky."

"Yeah. How the heck did you survive?" Talon wonders.

Lynne sighs. "Old Man Ocean."

"Ocean Father?" You ask him back.

"The one and only. He slows down the rest of the fleet, loses it in a storm. Guides that one-eyed dude - piece of work, he is, crazy as a fox - to the ship Karas had used to get there from the bloody abyss, and he comes to support us and cuts straight into the enemy formation at the right time."

"Did these people surrender?" You ask, gesturing to the Skullstone navy personnel around you, being handled by your own men.

"The smart ones did. The others are, like. The ones we knocked out, or dudes who just gave up and hid in a corner or something. I'll admit that idiot is downright terrifying in a battle. He broke more than a few of them just by screaming and doing insane things, like when he headbutted one of their captains through a steel wall.

"Did you fight any Exalted?"

"If we did we wouldn't be here." He sighs. "Barely made it as is."

So they're all in the rest of the fleet.

(cont.)

>>40039625
Karas is brutal, goddamn.

>>40039625
It's late here EF, have a good run for however lon it keeps going
My Vote is for Physical 5 btw

>>40039692
On what planet do you think we're going to make 18 XP in one thread?

As the little lunar is carried away by Talon, you have one last thing to make sure of.

...Is Irene alright?

You walk up to her, finding her heads and shoulders into the mechanical guts of one of those "warstriders".

"We can do it! The arms from this one, the torso from the other one... We can recycle the wiring, and that other one has the head block intact. Remove all the soulsteel plating and essence circuits, replace it with Jade..."

"Um, Irene?" You interrupt her.

She bonks her head rather loudly on a petal pipe as she stands up, but she doesn't even seem to notice it. It's like she's gone in a trance. "Yes?"

"I... uh, I know that you like this sort of thing, but you look... how to say, you're way too excited about this."

She smiles politely. A smile that says "You don't get it, do you?".

"...You don't get it, do you?" The question is actually asked out loud by Samiel, who is sitting on a nearby ripped-off arm. "You don't... feel it?"

With one hand, he idly caresses the smooth metal surface of the wrist joint.

>...Whatever, I'm sure you know what you're doing. Just don't cause a mess.
>We don't have time to play with this heap of junk. We need to focus on stuff that actually works.
>What the heck are you talking about? You all look crazy.
>...I... Wait. I think... I know what you're talking about.
>(other?)

>>40039764
>>...I... Wait. I think... I know what you're talking about.
I want to know were talking about

>>40039764
>What the heck are you talking about? You all look crazy.

There's DB catnip in the warstriders?

>>40039764
>...I... Wait. I think... I know what you're talking about.
Uh?

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>40039764
>>What the heck are you talking about? You all look crazy.

>>40039764
Hey EF to be clear, if we say we know will we know or will we look dumb?

>>40039764
>Yes we have a Deathlord to go with it, I'm not stupid you know.

>>40039764
>>...I... Wait. I think... I know what you're talking about.

Note to self: find a way to look like one of these things for next fun time with Irene and/or Samiel

>>40039800
If you know, you know.