>>43508887
Shouldn't you pre-write the OP?

>>43508887

Light filters through the leaves of the tree that you rest upon, the rest of your camp rousing early to greet the morning fog of the mountain's dew. Sol's warmth touches your face and you slowly blink away, yawning and stretching back into the warm fur of your bearskin... cloak? You feel the fur writhing, moving as you shift. Moving over to your side, you're greeted to the slender lower back of a particularly frisky mink.

You stare on half asleep for some moments before rising up, collecting your cloak to ward off the slight nip in the air and setting out to hunt for a morning meal.

By the time you return, you find the Protean woman playing a game of tag with Hemma and Ira. Mira watches the two siblings as they chase the fox lady. The Protean lets herself get caught by the two as they chase after her tail. The scene is kind of refreshing in respect to the training you've had them all go through, even the children.

There's a pain in your heart as you watch, realizing that if things take a turn south... These two, children, even Mira but a young maid herself, could be at very real risk. Though they've volunteered, there's nothing but a bitter taste in the mouth at this.

You pass by the scene and head to Gaffer, whom dresses the kill, shearing the hides off to make more clothing for the others, and slices off hunks of meat for a morning stew as well as curing for travel.
At this point, seeing smoke on the mountains may inform the slavers at the foot that their people are returning.

“They'll be welcoming their death with open arms,” whispers the voice of your face, a malicious chuckle following after.

The Guisi begin their morning drills. Archery and sparring for close quarters.

The Protean approaches you with a meaningful glimmer in her eyes, “So, you're the Reaper of Aurel, yes?”

“I take it that you've heard from the others?” You say with a clearly dismissive air, averting your gaze from the fox woman.

>>43509032

“Aye, indeed.” She draws a long smile along her red lips, “And I've heard of you amongst our people as well. A Guisi living amongst the wilds like us, killing those horrible Hylon. And then the tyrant of the eastern wilds...”

You tug the red fur of your cloak, eyeing it before turning bacck to the Protean, “Do you take issue?”

The fox woman raises up her hands, “Nay, nay, none at all dear Reaper. The Viper of Blood is a far less... wicked presence in this land. And...” She steps up to you, her lips parting to show the alabaster of her fangs as her robes subtly slip to shoe more skin, “T'is no wonder your tribe stinks of such a monster. I caught your scent as soon as I left the falls.”

She lets her robes slip from her other shoulder, as she gazes upon you through dark bangs and half-lidded eyes.

The rest of the camp slowly ceases their activities and watches the two of you as the promiscuous fox makes a very forward attempt to seduce you.

>[Instruct her to cover up.]
>[Take her away from the eyes of others to deal with her.]
>[Openly flirt back...]
>[Write in]

>>43509022
I did. Then I wanted more. And then I started watching the finale of the bob ross marathon on twitch.

>>43509135
>[Instruct her to cover up.]
I have no clue what the consequences of anything are here

>>43509135
>[Instruct her to cover up.]
I guess

>>43509135
>[Take her away from the eyes of others to deal with her.]

>>43509135
>[Openly flirt back...]

Have her show us her foxhole.

>>43509135
>[Take her away from the eyes of others to deal with her.]

>>43509135
>Stutter and appear to be seduced
It's good to have a FEW flaws and to not put yourself so far above others

>[Take her away from the eyes of others to deal with her.]
I don't really care what we do with her either way, though.

>>43509135
>>[Openly flirt back...]
Tell her that you are ready to yiff

>>43509135
now is the time to transform the scythe into a marital aid

>>43509135


ou feel a stab of pain in your heart as you remember the feeling of your wife's touch. Hands tremble as it digs deeper and deeper. Clenching your teeth, your horns begin to show as you glare at the fox girl with mounting fury.

Taking her by the hand, she blushes, “Oh Reaper!” You drag her away from the others, until they are out of sight, and out of earshot.

By the time you turn around, she's already dropped her robes down to expose her chest, and knelt before you, reaching for your trousers. With a defensive swat, you yell, “Cover yourself! I am not in the mood for any of that!”

With that, she's entirely taken aback with a hurt look in her eyes. Ears droop and she cringes bashfully as she lifts her robes up to cover herself. Standing before her is like looking at a pouting dog.

“I believe I have made it clear that I have no need of your petty advances.”

“Do you not find me beautiful?” She crosses her arms, suddenly self conscious, not even an inclination of being coy in her tone.

“You are a beautiful creature, the likes of which most men would be upon their knees begging your favor.” You say sincerely, yet with strict tone. “I am merely not interested in such things as I have far more to be concerned with than an affair with a fox.” You close your eyes, feeling your entire body tremble now as you try no to think of the memories rushing back of the warm home and loving family that you once had, that the Reaper once had.

“Reaper? Are you well?” The Protean leans forward ever so slightyly and you raise your hand.

“Enough. You merely remind me of a time best not remembered for it pains me so to think of it. Protean girl, I have lived long and lost much. I need not a reminder of-”

“Your thoughts are with another woman?” She asks.

“Yes.” You answer.

“One that has passed...?”

>>43509666

You stare at her for a moment, then silently nod.

The fox gasps, with tears welling up in her eyes, “Oh no... I am so sorry. I did not mean, oh what have I done...” The Protean stands up and turns to run off with her shame...

You...


>[Let her go. It's better that you never see her again.]
>[Tell her to stay. A Protean magician could be useful.]
>[Write in.]

>This decisiom cannot be taken back.

>>43509686
>[Tell her to stay. A Protean magician could be useful.]

>>43509686
>[Tell her to stay. A Protean magician could be useful.]

>>43509686
>[Tell her to stay. A Protean magician could be useful.]

>>43509686
>[Tell her to stay. A Protean magician could be useful.]

>>43509686
>[Let her go. It's better that you never see her again.]

>>43509686
>[Let her go. It's better that you never see her again.]

>>43509686
Now this just feels weird. Didn't we already make it clear we were old? Why is she so surprised when she never asked?

>[Tell her she is welcome to come and go, as long as she brings no trouble. The children could use playmates, and we have no qualms if there's someone else she fancies.]

>>43509686
>>[Tell her to stay. A Protean magician could be useful.]
but, like explain the situation to her

>>43509869
In what way?

>>43509882
Different guy but explaining to her why acting like she did was wrong from our point of view

>>43509882
Like ask her to help, but fully explain the situation that the guisi are in, and how she may be at risk

>>43509686

As the fox starts to leave, you call out to her, “Wait.”

With that single word, she pauses to listen. “It is not your fault that you tried to seduce a widowed man... However, I won't say that it was bad to awaken with someone sleeping at my side. It would please me if you were to stay, to travel with us. Though I must warn you that it won't be easy.
The other Guisi here are seeking the liberation of their friends and families from a slave encampment. We expect to see bloodshed, and some of us my become injured or die.”

The fox looks back at you over her shoulder with a lingering sulking look in her eyes, “I've seduced many men, as is the trend of Lillunes like myself. However I've always had a thing for not tearing open the scars of widowed men should they not seek it. If it would right that, I'll stay for a while...” She swallows, a little smile upon hr lips, “Those cubs... they're going to be fighting as well?”

You're silent, a few moments of dread between the two of you, “I've been teaching them how to defend themselves. However they also want to fight for their families. It's not within my right to stop them.”

“Is that how the Reaper operates? Involving the young with the affairs of grown men? Some of you Thespians...” She smiles, albeit embittered. I suppose I'll linger here then. Until you grow bored of me, or myself, you.”

“And what is your name? You've got mine.”

The Fox woman's lips curl up into something of a frown as she winks one eye at you, “Do I?” She says as to let you know that “Reaper” is barely a name.

“You do.” You affirm.

>>43509686

The fox offers a dainty hand in friendship, “Eko. For the sound one might hear from far away.”

You take her hand in yours and give it a firm shake before she slips her fingers away to leave.
As she walks away, you hear an untimely shuffle from the brush and a sudden gasp as you look over.

“Come out.” You command, and within moments, Mira steps forward with Ira and Hemma. You look them over and they avert their gazes, twiddling their fingers in their hands awkwardly.
“I'll pretend that you didn't just eavesdrop upon an elder.”

The boy, Ira swallows, “I-it was Hemma's-”

“I don't want to hear it. So she stays. You kids like her, don't you?”

They all nod with guilt drawn long upon their faces. “Then go cheer her up.” You give them a little smile and they hurry away as you turn back to your own thoughts, still feeling those memories well up in your body, filling you with conviction to strike out against those foul people. Hylons and their pride, and the Danhor that swear fealty to them...

Camp picks up after morning training, and you spend the time traveling explaining the idea behind guerrilla tactics to the Cornel, Gaffer, and Valce whom listen intently to pass it on to the others.

Odette keeps a lookout and shows some of the others that've taken a keen liking to their bows some trick shots.

Ira, and Hemma play with the Protean.

Mira stays near the rear. When you look back at her, you can see her sewing something as she's walking. Must take a lot of concentration to not trip!
>You'll be coming upon the quarry in less than three days. Is there anything you'd like to do to prepare?

>[Scout a day ahead with a handful of Guisi.]
>[Try to give some of the Guisi a chance to make pacts.]
>[Learn a spell or two from Eko.]
>[Have a 1 on 1 session with Mira to train her dual PoP abilities.]
>[Write in]

>>43510541
>[Try to give some of the Guisi a chance to make pacts.]
and
>[Have a 1 on 1 session with Mira to train her dual PoP abilities.]
Seem compatible and have some merit for the group

>>43510541
>[Try to give some of the Guisi a chance to make pacts.]
>[Have a 1 on 1 session with Mira to train her dual PoP abilities.]

>>43510541
>[Try to give some of the Guisi a chance to make pacts.]
>[Learn a spell or two from Eko.]

>>43510541
>[Learn a spell or two from Eko.]

>>43510541
>[Scout a day ahead with a handful of Guisi.]

>>43510541
going with >>43510579 I suppose. A tournament might help with impressing the bows.

Pact ideas:
>Shield?
Not too sure when the best we have is wood and leather, though. Best bet is Ursarrin fur that bristles into needles, which is more offensive than defensive.

>Cold?
What do you guys think of pacting with Morning Dew?

>Shoes
Boots of Travel are tried and tested.

>>43510661
If understand correctly than Guisi have 2 pacts.
One with a shadow and one with something physical.
And our shadow enhances the physical pact object.
Or something like that

>>43510541
this >>43510579 seems to be a smart decision

>>43510692
This is so. The shadow pact also affects the Guisi themselves.

>>43510692
Yes, I knew that. I was suggesting which ones to make/encourage for the others.

Guisi pact with tools, which is what I was going with.

Shadow pacts are more luck of the draw, depending on who we meet, so aside from daily stuff like morning dew, I'm drawing a blank.

>>43510541
>[Try to give some of the Guisi a chance to make pacts.]

>>43510541

You settle down from what the others say is around three days from your destination. If the enemy comes in that time, you'll have plenty of headway and knowledge of the terrain to deal with them.

Around the evening campfire, you begin thinking of the others and how while some have fostered pacts, a great deal of them have not. While pacts are between the individual and the object, they could still be fostered.

And more pacts means more combat advantage... As you think of this, you feel faint memories of your previous companions flowing back into you. Many of your companions eventually found their pacts. The shadows of misrelines, Snakes, a Dire Wolf. And then of course, they bore an assortment their pacts, relics of their old lives... You find yourself shudder and hold back the tears around the fire.

Oddette lays a hand upon you, “Reaper? Are you cold?”

“No, I am fine. I am merely remembering old friends...” You turn to look at the Guisi woman. Her face bears the traditional look of a Guisi woman, rectangular eyes, naturalistic features, especially short horns.. Yet her teeth are just a touch more pointed than one might expect, and her eyes are a brave orange instead of subdued gold like most. She is unusually pale, as though Luna has dyed her skin, and her body is mature and motherly.

>>43511099

She's had children, and thus she must have a husband. Those are the ones that she is fighting for. That they all fight for.

You stand, looking over the fire and commanding the attention of the other Guisi, “Listen. It will be soon that we meet with your captors, those that have stolen your lives. Soon we will take theirs as they rightfully deserve.” You look over the faces of all those present. “You have done a great deal of training in a short time and you have all prospered from it. Your prowess will make you unrecognizable as the slaves you once were. And as such, I ask that you tell me: Have any more of you heard the true voices of anything? Do any more of you bear a pact partner?”

There are looks upon the camp, to and from everyone. You don't see many hands go up, yet they still do, Odette being among them.

Many have heard the true voices of things in passing, but only whispers. So long as they listen, they'll be able to foster such a thing. Oddette says, “I've heard the voice of this bow.” She clutches the bow made from wilderness greenstick and the Ursarinn's tendons. “I've tried to ignore it as it speaks into my heart of violence and anger but... Reaper, you've let out the same, yes?”

“My pacts were made before my time as the Reaper. Yet we all decided to fight together when the time came. We release our wrath, yes.”

Odette looks down to the bow in her hands, and you can hear its faint whispers, “Slay them. Kill them. Burn the ones that hurt you. Shoot the heart. Destroy the eyes. Let your anger fly!”

Pure malice, you can see her shaking as she contemplates whether or not to answer the malicious bow's call...

>[“It's okay Odette, Answer it.”]
>[“Be careful Odette... You'll be bound.”]
>[“What do you want?”]
>[“Don't.”]
>[Write in.]

>>43511114
>[“It's okay Odette, Answer it.”]

>>43511114
>[“It's okay Odette, Answer it.”]

>>43511114
>[Everything comes with a price, with a responsibility. What burden are you willing to take, and what parts of yourself are you willing to sacrifice? To lose yourself can be considered a fate worse than death, both for you and your family.]

>>43511227
This

>>43511114
Voting for >>43511227

>>43511227
This

>>43511114
>[“It's okay Odette, Answer it.”]

>>43511114
>[“Be careful Odette... You'll be bound.”]

>>43511227

Top knotch.

>>43511227
Changed to this

>>43511114

You place a hand upon the woman's shoulder, gathering her attention as you look into her eyes, “Everything comes with a price, with a responsibility. What burden are you willing to take, and what parts of yourself are you willing to sacrifice? To lose yourself can be considered a fate worse than death, both for you and your family.”

The woman's eyes falter, as she drops the bow to her side, bringing a hand to her mouth to cover her lips as they begin to tremble,“Reaper, what is a fate worse than losing myself when my family suffers every day. What is the responsibility of a mother when she knows that her children break their hands under the crack of a whip? What burden is a woman to take, what is she to sacrifice to save her family?” She shakes her head, her skin darkening and horns lengthening as the quivering in her body stops.

“Show me your fury. Let my arrows fly till Luna rises again.” The volatile voice of the bow growls out.

“Reaper.” Odette lays her hand upon the one you've lain upon her shoulder. “You know what I must do.”

“Your hands will bleed.”

“If so, then they must.” Odette turns away from you, gathering up a quiver of arrows as she departs into the night.

“Someone, help her to retrieve arrows. And stay out of her line of fire.” You say and a few of the other archers rise to join her.

“We'll keep her strong Reaper, I promise.” One of the women says before heading off after Odette.

After that, some of the other Guisi separate to consider their own pacts. This leaves you with a small handful of the ones left.

>>43511412
I seem to have a lot of compatibility with this quest's choice style.

A shame I couldn't say the same for other quests.

>>43511486
whelp, time to see if her children will reunite with a mother or a berserker.

>>43511486

Valce stares at the camp fire for some time, you've observed him enough times after a meal to see that he's still got food on the mind.

“Valce, you raised your hand earlier, right? What voice did you hear?”

“The voice of my stomach, telling me I haven't had enough.” The man grins with his heart-shaped nose flaring up. He then looks into the fire, “Nay, that was a lie... Long ago I ran an inn. I spent most of my days preparing food for the travelers, mostly Gipporoh and Namour, that would come to our place before picking up and move on. Some families that weren't keen on cooking for the night would drop in as well. I knew most of them by name. I heard many voices from my knives, my scullery... At times the Inn itself.”

“Oh... That's so sad...” A tiny voice responds from somewhere. You look around the campfire, however the only other one here is Mira, and that wasn't her voice.

Some joked that I was Gipporoh enough to pact with my inn, I likely could have... Yet all of it was burned as the self proclaimed Hylonian Regent declared that it would no longer be necessary. All of that to flames... I heard the voices of all my little friends vanish in an instant while all the people I'd known were put in chains to dig for someone I'd spit upon the grave of...”

“I wish he was here... I'd give him such a burn!” the small voice whispers again.

“Who is that?” You ask aloud, listening intently this time.

“Who is what?” Valce is perplexed, yet you raise a hand to beg him for silence.

“Wait... you can hear me?”

“Yes, who are you?”

The flame of the campfire shifts, flickering a bit and flaring up a bit higher. “U-umm... T'is I. This Thespian's story is so terrible...”

“Valce, do you not hear her voice?”

“Who are you speaking to?” The Guisi replies, evidently perplexed.

“The flame is speaking. She sympathizes with your story. Can you not listen to her carefully as you did your scullery?”

>>43511712

Valce seems taken aback by it at first, yet then he closes his eyes to listen for the voice of the cooking fire.

...”Dear Chef, do you not hear me?” The fire flickers again. Mira curls up, hugging her knees against her chest as she watches.

“I... I think I can... How do you do little flame?”

“I am very well, thank you! I feel so sad for the fate of your food-place. I enjoyed being born to make your meals... It's nice to talk while I can, at least you can hear me, dear chef!” The flame flickers again and gets lower as it burns its fuel. “With all of you, my life's been so full.”

>[“Write in.”]

>>43511726
Not for combat. Get this man to pact with it for cooking, healing and warmth. A hearth, a place to rest and recuperate.

>>43511726
I hate having to write in.
>You should consider making a pact if the flame. It doesn't have to be for war but heat and warmth is always needed in the dark nights of Thespia.
Or something like this

>>43511923
you do it well enough though. you don't NEED to put in what to say word for word.

>>43511923
This

>>43511945
Different anon but pure write-ins always cause a block in my brain.
Writing in for a speech is ok.
Writing in your course of action in battle is ok
But here is that situation, how do you react is bad
>>43511726
voting for one those >>43511849 >>43511923

>>43511945
I mean yeah but I hate having to be creative

>>43512054
I just don't know what to say.

>>43512019
but I see what you mean.

>>43511726

“Campfire, would you be inclined to fight for us?”

“I... Um... I don't know. Fighting is rather scary, and I'm rather small...”

“Then perhaps you'd like to live long with Valce? To heal and protect us from the chill of Luna's nights, cook us food with a proper chef, and-”

“That. Would. Be. Amazing.” The fire burns more brightly, as if spurned on by the promise of more adventures and food.

You look to Valce, and he grins, looking back to the flame, “Alright. I'll make this pact... How odd it is though, a Guisi like me pacting with flame, what would Namour ever think...” The Guisi chuckles at the thought. “What must I do?”

“Um, Dear chef... You must touch my heart and take it out.”

“You mean, stick my hand within your flame?”

“Y-yes... I'm sorry if it will burn. I'll try my best not to hurt you dear chef.” The flames reach out, to the surrounding logs and pull them together, igniting and consuming them at once to burst into a small inferno. “I took them to make myself more powerful. Hurry, pull out my heart before I burn out!”

Valce hesitates, looking to you for a moment, sweat beading down is neck as he stares at the flame.

“Fire took everything from you. Now it will give back. Take it Valce.”

Without another thought, Valce pushes his hand into the flame and grabs something that's become tangible amongst the ash. As he pulls it out, he yells out, wrenching the heart of the campfire from its place in Thespia. He falls onto his back, still clutching the flame as it suffuses into his flesh like the burning veins of crackling wood. Then, the heart of flame explodes into threads, wrapping around his hand with a burning gleam and traveling towards his own heart. A warm glow spreads through his body until he finally breaths out a small blast of flame from his jaws.

“Dear chef! I feel so alive! We're going to cook thousands of meals! I'm so glad to be your assistant!” The flame quivers upon the air before vanishing.

>>43512556

Valce sits up, clearly having had the breath knocked out of him, “Woah, she was spicier than I'd thought.” Valce opens and closes his palm. With a moment of intense concentration a small orb of fire burns in his palm. More or less tame, it burns neither him, nor threatens a loss of control. Closing his hand, the flame quietly vanishes.

“Mr. Valce, that was amazing...” Mira says with a small as the man experiments with his new fiery friend.

Well, that's Odette, and Valce... That'll strengthen everyone for the time to come. At least, if Odette can fulfill the requirements that her bow wants her to.

“Mira, I wanted to talk to you about something, in private. Is that okay with you?”

The girl stares back at you for a moment, wheels turning in her head, “Yes Reaper, let's go.” She pops up, and watches you, waiting for you to walk.

“Careful with that flame Valce, but get used to her. We'll be relying on you to give everyone a place to rest.”

“Yes sir, Reaper!” The Guisi laughs as the campfire plays about him, the two wrapped up in their excitement.

You and Mira head off into the dark, away from the others. As soon as you stop, Mira does in turn.
“Well, what do you want, Reaper?”

>>43512574

Clearing your throat, you look the teen over, “Straight to the point. I want to know that you understand how to fight with your pacts. Specifically, the Shadow pact as it's more difficult to control.” Though you understood the basics of the Owl's pact, you felt that there was far more that you could do with it.
“What have you learned so far, and have you used it yet through your needle?”

Mira holds out her hand, and a sliver of silver flashes as she summons her sewing needle. As small as it is, it's wild to imagine that she could possible do anything worthwhile with it. She then lets her horns show, the pair curling back behind her ears to frame her slight head. “I don't know. When I'm like this, I can smell everything for miles. It's a bit overwhelming... and I can feel your... heat? It's like I've got senses that I never had before. Like I can “Smell” how warm you are.”

“And how well do you think you can fight like this?”

Mira squats down, holding her knees. Suddenly, she seems unsure of herself. “I don't know. I tried shooting arrows but I keep missing, even when Odette tells me to hold my breath. And I can fight with a stick, but I'm not strong enough to hold those swords...”

“Do you not feel capable when you've got a shadow like the blood viper?”

Mira is silent before shaking her head.

“Do you know what my shadow is Mira?”

>>43512589

“No, what?”

“It's an owl.” You say.

“An owl?” She asks, dumfounded.

“An Owl.” You affirm.

“Not some sickle-weasel like the stories say?”

“There's literally no such thing as a sickle-weasel.” You sigh.

“No, there is! My father told me that they cut you off at the knees if you go too far out into the fields!” She argues against you, adamant that such a stupid thing as a sickle-weasel exists.

“As I said, there is literally no such thing. My pact is with an Owl... The reaper made himself the terror that he is with but an owl and a scythe that he'd call an old friend. You should be able to do so much more with that needle than you could imagine...

>[“Try threading your needle perhaps.”]
>[“Vipers are known for their venom. Have you tried that?”]
>[“You should be able to strike faster than any thespian could see.”]
>[“Perhaps your needle knows?”]
>[Write In]

>>43512604
>[“Perhaps your needle knows?”]
What is super animism there for if we don't use it
alternatively
>[“Vipers are known for their venom. Have you tried that?”]
>[“You should be able to strike faster than any thespian could see.”]

>>43512604
>[“Vipers are known for their venom. Have you tried that?”]
>[“You should be able to strike faster than any thespian could see.”]

>>43512604
>[“Perhaps your needle knows?”]

>>43512604
>[“Perhaps your needle knows?”]

>>43512604
>[“Perhaps your needle knows?”]

>>43512604
>[“Perhaps your needle knows?”]
Animism

>>43512604
>[“Vipers are known for their venom. Have you tried that?”]
>[“You should be able to strike faster than any thespian could see.”]

>>43512604

“Why don't you ask your needle about what you could do? Is there anything else?”

Mira looks to you, and then looks around for a place to sit, finding herself a little rock to set herself on. Holding her needle, she asks, “Can you think of anything? Something only we can do?”

There's a tiny voice. Shrill and sweet like a bell, “...Umm... Perhaps I could think better if we were sewing. I don't know... I didn't think I was destined for much else... And then you stabbed the Ursarinn's eye. Not once, but twice.”

Mira seems to frown, smiling bitterly to herself before looking to you,” Why did I think this could work this is-”

“Mira, you need to have some faith in yourself. How about you try threading the needle.”

“All I've got is some sinew from the Ursarinn..” She reaches into the hem of her breeches, pulling out thinned strip of cord. At first, it looks too big to thread through her needle, yet as she moves to thread it, the needle's eye expands to fit the sinew through.

“Well... I feel better.” The needle wiggles, and then moves before Mira, the sinew string moving with it like some kind of snake. Coiled, and with the needle's end as the fang, it perfectly mirrors the motions of a serpent.

“Mira... Do you see what I see?” You say with a smile.

The girl opens her eyes and realizes what just happened. “Wait... So were you the one sewing earlier? I thought it was strange that I could watch our path without pricking myself!”

The needle seems surprised too, quickly falling when it's realized that it's done something strange. “I'm... like a snake now? How odd. How terribly odd.” It lays there for a moment before Mira grabs part of the sinew and gives it a wiggle to send the needle back up to move around.

“This is incredible!”

>>43513193

From there, you ask Mira about the other abilities that a snake should have, like striking swiftly, and venom. As it turns out, she's already demonstrated both of those abilities for a moment against the Ursarinn. That last strike she delivered was laced with the Blood Viper's venom, giving her needle the toxins it needed to put the half-dead bear down in a singular swift strike.

Should Mira master the ability to control the thread string through the eye of her needle, she'd have an extraordinary lethal potential. To kill with just a sliver, garrote her targets, and string people up... The Needle and the viper, truly a deceptive and frightening combination...

Slumber comes and Eko sleeps with the kids tonight. Mira stays up to practice with her needle, and the sounds of Odette's laborious ritual are heard throughout the night.

When morning comes, she's still at it, blood already running down her fingers as her drawing arm trembles with every pull of the bow. The greenwood of the bow has turned slick with a lacquered black as though it has been remade. Her eyes are dead tired as her hand reaches for the next arrow and fires. The tree that she'd originally chosen as her target has literally been felled by the pure penetration power of her arrows.

You can hear the voice of her bow breath with a new voice, “Yes. Again. Destroy it. Break it in half. For them.”

As she pulls back under your supervision, the blood running from her fingers causes the arrow to slip for an unsatisfactory draw.

“What by Luna was that?” Odette's eyes flicker, and she drops to her knees, both of her arms trembling and throbbing.

>>43513210

“Valce! Tend to Odette's wounds! She needs to rest!” You call out, and the man comes running forward, sliding in by Odette, “By Sol, Luna, and Thespia, this is madness.” You whispers under his breath.

Odette breathes deeply as the bow's voice growls out again, “Why are you stopping? Is your conviction this weak? Do you not see how strong we are becoming?”
With a shudder, she reaches for another arrow, even on her knees. Valce tries to stay her hand, and she weakly struggles against him. “Why do you stop me. You think this is enough? You think I can be done yet?”

>[Step in to stop her, this has to stop, she's destroying her hand.]
>[Try convincing her to take a short rest.]
>[Ask what she needs to keep going.]
>[Tell Valce to leave her alone.]
>[Write in.]

>>43513210

“Valce! Tend to Odette's wounds! She needs to rest!” You call out, and the man comes running forward, sliding in by Odette, “By Sol, Luna, and Thespia, this is madness.” You whispers under his breath.

Odette breathes deeply as the bow's voice growls out again, “Why are you stopping? Is your conviction this weak? Do you not see how strong we are becoming?”
With a shudder, she reaches for another arrow, even on her knees. Valce tries to stay her hand, and she weakly struggles against him. “Why do you stop me. You think this is enough? You think I can be done yet?”

>[Step in to stop her, this has to stop, she's destroying her hand.]
>[Try convincing her to take a short rest.]
>[Ask what she needs to keep going.]
>[Tell Valce to leave her alone.]
>[Write in.]

>>43513228
>[Try convincing her to take a short rest.]
There is a time for everything.
You shouldn't be consumed by the pact

>>43513228
>[Try convincing her to take a short rest.]

>>43513244
>[Step in to stop her, this has to stop, she's destroying her hand.]

>>43513244
>[Try convincing her to take a short rest.]
Be careful with your contracts kids

>>43513244
>[Tell Valce to leave her alone.]
Madness?
THIS IS GUISI

>>43513244
>>[Try convincing her to take a short rest.]

>>43513244
>>[Ask what she needs to keep going.]

>>43513244
>[Step in to stop her, this has to stop, she's destroying her hand.]

>>43513244

You step up, and kneel before Odette, Valce at her side. “Odette. Odette, look at me. Can you hear me?”

Odette looks up, her eyes are tired from a lack of sleep, but not without her spirit. “Reaper... I can keep going... I'm fine.” She smiles, “I'm fine.”

“You don't look fine. Odette, put the bow down. You need to at least take a short rest.”

Odette's trembling hand reaches up to you, feeble gripping your shoulder. “Reaper, I told you... I told you my convictions,. I'm stronger than this. I need to be. I need to be for them. You should understand. I know you've lost something to have become the one you are today. I can see... I can see an ocean of loss when I look into your eyes. Something vital missing.”
Odette's lips quivers as she breaks out into tears, “And what good am I as a mother. I chose to run away before you came and gave us all the will to fight. I was going to...” She chokes, “I was going to abandon them! How could I ever face them again without doing even this much to save them?”

“Odette...” You lay a hand upon her shoulder, and gesture for Valce to give you her bleeding hand. It's laid in your hand, still trembling from the strain. You turn it over and gesture with your eyes for her to look. The skin upon her fingertips is entirely rubbed away, leaving nothing but raw flesh oozing with red ichor that's trying to scab over.
“Do you think you can keep pulling that bowstring like this?”

Odette looks down and cringes, “It hurts... So much.” As though she just realized how much pain she's really in.

“You need to stop. Valce contracted with a flame, hopefully he can speed your recovery. We'll wrap your fingers, and you'll continue again in an hour. Are we clear?”

“Woman, you are weak. We were becoming so much stronger together, why stop now?” The Bow whispers back.

“Reaper, no, I can-”

>>43513789

“You will.” You affirm with authority in your voice. You turn your eyes down to the blackened bow, “ And you, Black Bow of The Unyielding Woe, you will wait for the woman that is to be your master. She will command your respect.”

The bow seethes for a moment, “You can hear me...”

Odette stares at you for a moment, baffled by what you just said, “Did you just speak to my bow?”

“And you just named someone else's bow...” The Unyielding Woe says with a snarky laughter. “Very well, Reaper Of Aurel! The woman gets an hour of rest!”

You and Valce help Odette away from her practice field. You tear bandages out of leftover rags from the old slave clothes and Valce summons his fire upon unlit wood. The glow makes everyone around feel more comfortable, warm, and rejuvenated.

As Odette eats with her other hand while the other is being cared for, she keeps taking glances at you when she thinks that you're not looking. Perhaps you've just won a real fan?

After a short time, Eko comes up, and looks over the progress of healing. “Oh my... That looks so bad. I wish I had some threads to use a little healing spell...”

“Threads?” You ask, thinking for a moment, “Are you referring to threads of fate?”

Eko nods, “They can be hard to acquire, but a few should work for healing a couple of fingers.”

“I believe I have some,” You take off the glowing threads tied around your finger and turn them over to show the protean.

Her eyes go wide and she smiles, “Oh! How opportune! Wherever did you get these from?”

>>43513803

You recall the man that had wanted you to pass on that locket to his sister, and how you ruthlessly destroyed it. “I found them.” You say with a fake smile to accompany your lie.

“Well, it's not uncommon to find them hanging around in places...” Eko holds the threads between her hands and they float up just a touch. With a deep breath, she breaths out and you can hear the words of her true voice ring out.

“Vitae mendus: Digite”

With that, the illustrious color of the threads shifts to a light blue, wrap around Odette's fingers, and quickly vanish along with her raw fingers.

The others look dumbfounded between each other,”Reaper, did you give her something?” Valce asks.

“Uh yes... Did you not-”

“It takes a certain kind of Thespian to see the mother's loose threads lying around. Most can't see them, though we Proteans tend to be keen to their scent.” Eko explains with a foxy smile until Ira pulls her tail, causing her to jump up and give chase.

An hour passes around the fire as Odette recovers her strength. After that, she's back up for her labors, firing her bow while the others train. Valce keeps his fire up all day for the others to come by and rest, eat, and recover from all the scratches and bruises from hitting each other with sticks. Mira heads off alone to practice with her needle and serpent thread. Fortunately she doesn't have to follow the whims of that bear's lingering rage with her needle being the focus of her power.

>[Watch Odette to make sure she's okay. Surely she'll appreciate the emotional support.]
>[Find Gaffer and Cornel, see how they're doing. Maybe they're interested in making contracts of their own?]
>[Help Mira train for more active play combat.]
>[Go to sleep under the shade, this day has been stressful.]
>[Pursue Eko about the use of magic and threads.]
>[Write in.]

>>43513833
>[Go to sleep under the shade, this day has been stressful.]
Dream time

>>43513833
>[Go to sleep under the shade, this day has been stressful.]

>>43513833
>[Help Mira train for more active play combat.]

>>43513833
>[Watch Odette to make sure she's okay. Surely she'll appreciate the emotional support.]

>>43513833
>[Go to sleep under the shade, this day has been stressful.]

>>43513803
>>[Find Gaffer and Cornel, see how they're doing. Maybe they're interested in making contracts of their own?]

>>43513833

Despite being the middle of the day, you lean up against a tree to shade you from the sunlight. Pulling up the Ursaskin cloak, you drift off into sleep despite the heavy musk that assails your senses. At the very least you don't have a sense of smell like Mira, can't imagine how pungent this would be with a nose like hers...

Soon enough, you're snoring away... And falling into the land of memories once more.

You see the windows to memories.
Already unlocked are:

>A memory of Golden Wheat: The Scythe.
>A Midsummer's day: The Owl

>[There is a window before you of several cowled silhouettes: A Memory of Old Friends.]
>[A burning wheat field: A memory of vengeance.]
>[A flower and a ring: A Memory of proposal.]
>[Luna: A Memory of Consultation.]

>>43514256
>[A burning wheat field: A memory of vengeance.]
Highly likely we fight against them

>>43514256
>[A burning wheat field: A memory of vengeance.]

>>43514256
>[There is a window before you of several cowled silhouettes: A Memory of Old Friends.]

I will say, the memory of Luna is -not- a memory from the Reaper.

>>43514256
>>[There is a window before you of several cowled silhouettes: A Memory of Old Friends.]

>>43514320
You exactly that I want them all.
>>43514256
>[There is a window before you of several cowled silhouettes: A Memory of Old Friends.]

>>43514256
>[A flower and a ring: A Memory of proposal.]

>>43514256

[A Memory of Old Friends: The Grimms]

The crickets play an uneasy melody as hooded figures work upon a road heading to the Capital of Providencia, Majest. The accursed Tower of Celes that leads to the castle of the sky, Imperius is illuminated by the light of Luna.

You handle a shovel in the dead of night as two from your band are positioned at either side of the rode, gazing out into the dark for oncoming lanterns, caravans, whatever.

“Running low on supplies... Forced to act like more common bandits. I can't believe this.” One of your companions spits with a growl, a jagged sawblade resting against his shoulder.

“Peace be with you, Lupei. At the very least it is still Hylon that we assail. If not directly, but their goods and supplies.” You say as you remeasure the hole that you've been digging by the side of the road, “Now dear carpenter, maybe you can give me an accurate measure, is this about right fire the crossbow?”

Lupei spits again and eyes the hole carefully, “Needs to be a bit bigger for the base of the mechanism. Should lock in nice and snug so when a horse pulls it the aim goes right for the beast's neck or heart.”

“You know we've done this before, right?”

“Aye, and you should know by now that such a hole isn't big enough, “Mr. Reaper,” Lupei says with a strong laugh.

“You know I never chose that name for myself, the Hylon did after I slaughtered those that remained in Aurel.”

“Aye. Not like you were ever prideful as one of those precocious bastards.” Lupei growls, and walks off to check the other side of the road, “Hey, Dramir's almost done, you about ready over here?”

A woman handling a shovel turns to look the large Lupei in the eye, before looking across to you, her own eyes golden like a feline's. “Just about. You know that this isn't normally part of my job, right?”

“Aye, but with Fredri taking that wound last skirmish, we're down a fightin' man so we had to bring you woman!”

>>43514900

You stand up from your work after throwing away another pile of done, “Treat Cas with some respect Lupei, she's right. She's meant to walk across their paths moments before to curse them with her shadow.”

Cas stares up at Lupei silently, before giving him a quick hiss and returning to her ditch digging work.

The holes finished, your companions set up the crossbows and run a wire across, ensuring it's pulled nice and taut to be triggered by the next horse that comes trotting down the way. Covering them with dirt, they're concealed and the wire is barely visible to the naked eye.

“Drezar sure are some malicious ones aren't they, making trap-spring crossbows.”

“It's good that this prototype never made it to the Hylons. Can you imagine how hard it'd be to break and enter if they had this hooked up to a door?” Another man says, one with a long smile and teeth like daggers.

“Not much to me,” Touts Lupei, “My Dire wolf shadow's taken worse than crossbolts.

One of the band comes running down the road, a meeker young lad with skin bleached by Luna “Someone's coming, everyone get ready!”

Under Luna's watchful eye, you and your band of rogues lie in wait as the light of the cavern comes closer. Before the horse makes contact with the wire, Cas darts across the road, spooking the horses to run forward and triggering the wire just well enough to send a bolt into both of their necks. The beasts fall to the ground with a thud and the carriage carries on over the animals, crushing their bones and coming to a grinding halt.

The band springs to ambush as the carriage open, out stepping a Hylon with a sword at his waist and hair elegantly slicked back. A young man that by your sight, you can tell is without fear of these assailants in the dark.

“Everyone wait!” You call out, and the others all halt. Something inside gives you the worse of feelings, and you watch the young Hylon, feeling a sense of animalistic dread as the Hylon brandishes his blade.

>>43514918

“My name is Acer. Acer of Gracia. Known by the Hylonics as the King of Blades. Should you seek to die, I invite you to place yourself upon my blade.” The young man stares out into the darkness, looking at a mere half of your party as you've ordered them back.

You see Cas slipping around the other side, dagger in hand to gut the Hylon pig like the swine he is. She approaches from his blind-spot. In the middle of the night. And without so much as batting an eyelash, he ducks under her blade, and appears to only step back with a sudden flash of Silver. Cas stumbles forward, dumbfounded, and falls into two halves.

Thunder breaks the silence of the night and rain begins to pour as if to mourn the loss of a comrade and the onset of a massacre.

Rage fills your heart as the Hylon unceremoniously takes out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from his blade. You morphj your scythe from an armguard into a guard and short blade as you fly forward upon the air, “The rest of you run! We're against a King!”

As you close in on Acer, he looks up at you, unsmiling as his blade glitters in the light of Luna.
“That's one of you for one horse, shall you be the second?”

Your blades crash and lightning falls from the sky...

>End Scene


Alas, I'm turning in for tonight. I hope you all enjoyed the thread tonight, a lot of character development for those that were mostly "faceless" before.

As always, I'm upon to any Questions, comments, or concerns at the end of a thread.

You can also tell me the good, the bad, and what you thought was a bit weird!

>>43514983
Liked it.
I want to know more about the reaper

>>43514983
Could you give a list of Arches that exist with what the faceless/reaper knows about them?
Nice thread but I had hoped we'd manage to engage the Hylon this thread

>>43514983
Really liked this thread.
Especially the downsides to contracts and development /back-story for the Reaper.
A shame about the cliffhanger

>>43514983
Thanks for running.
Time to go to bed at 8am

>>43515102

Primarily, the downsides to pacts and how you go about getting them is all dependant on the kind of partnership.

Valce and Odette show two wildly different forms of acquiring a pact as well as acting as a foil against each other of how something may act when it comes to pacting.

The campfire was subservient and gentle. THe actual act of making the pact not particularly dangerous or horrible. THen again, the nature of the pact was helpful and positive.

As opposed to Odette's Black Bow, which was malicious from the start due to the Ursarinn's lingering rage in the tendons. The pact was for the power of violence and the material that the bows were made out of was of conflicting quality at that. In forming the pact, the quality improved... But at the cost of her health and for the price of a true feat.

>>43516023
What happens if we disassemble it and replace more compatible parts?

>>43515075
Yeah, I'll convert my notes into an appropriate pastebin for you guys.

>>43516513
Well, the parts are more compatible now.

Disassembling it would basically be like taking apart a person now. Odette would suffer ill effects from it.

>>43516538
What about thesues' ship?

Inlay a gemstone here, splint some metal or bone there...