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>>44478293
The Mine has an odd mix of claustrophobia and space. The walls are rough but clearly worked by tools; tracks for railcars form natural routes that are all but abandoned. You hear the sounds of work and tools, echoing to and from everywhere, as well as the bellow of massive furnaces from below, in New Hell.

There's even a bit, when the air is just right, of bird calls in the distance.

You make a point of smoking your pipe rather than the awful cigars, and though she's still tense and angry, you can tell that Amy appreciates it. It sucks, having to tell her that her parents aren't top priority right now, but...well, someone has to make the shitty calls with a calm heart, and guess who's wearing /that/ nametag?

You're beginning to believe the family story that says your grandmother proclaimed "VENGEANCE AT LAST!" when your mother announced her pregnancy.

"Okay," Lark says at last. "Is there anything I need to know before we enter Silence's turf? Anyone here part demon or married to one? Anyone here Chosen? Anything that might possibly piss off a sidhe?"

Your eyes meet Nathan's.

> Uhh...
> She can deal with us as we are.
> Hey, ah, Nate, can you...do that thing...back in the Store? The thing? Thanks.

>>44478448
>Uhh...
Would our shadow count as part demon?

>>44478521
No.

>>44478448
>Uhh

>>44478448
>Nate might, uh, be related to someone in the Dungeon.

>>44478448
> She can deal with us as we are.

>>44478448
> She can deal with us as we are.
But like, detail what we have?

I mean, Ames gear may piss them off by itself.

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Alright folks, I need to hit bed. I'ma leave the vote open until I get up in the morning. The thread will be left unarchived, for now.

As always, discussion, critique, comments, feedback, and questions are both welcome and appreciated.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>44478828
Goodnight Vox!

>>44478448
>She can deal with us as we are.

>>44478448
> Uhh...

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>>44478448
>She can deal with us as we are.
She's a /fey/. There's no telling what she'll think of us. She might kill Nathan for being remotely associated with an 'ally' of the Baron, or she might be overwhelmed with affection for the regal Sir Fetch. There's just no way to be sure of anything until we meet her. Not that I advocate hiding anything from her. That's a surefire way into the dead-book.

To be honest though, it seems like Nathan already knows quite a bit about the Fey.
>"When and how did you learn so much about the Fey, Mr. Hero?"

>>44478828
Is Ms. Silence one of the Unseelie? If she is, she might be more likely to ally with someone who seeks to reassert the natural balance in the Dungeon. Of course, it'll cost us.

And Vox? I would totally hold hands with you in public.

>>44478725
The Mine supplies the next level, New Hell. I don't think she'll mind Best Bird carrying some gear she got from the neighbors. Hell, she might applaud her actions in freeing Miles from the Vintner - I doubt a Fey would like binding anymore than a demon.

well i woke up late...

> She can deal with us as we are.

>>44478448
>> Uhh...

lets not risk pissing off something that could kill all of us easily if we don't have to.

>>44478448
>She can deal with us as we are

>>44478448
> Uhh...

> Uhh...

I dont think she will be happy with Amy´s equipment or Nathan´s true race

>>44479147
>From the neighbors.

...No, see, Amy got it from Old Hell. Home of demons. New Hell is just a name, because it's the forge level and Hell is all about smithing.

> Uhh... No Chosen but we do have a woundseeker and someone wearing demonic gear. I, um. Kinda get the feeling that's not a lot better?

and we're back

Is Verve going to backstab us when we meet the mom?

>>44478448
Amy has all that demon gear...

>>44478448
>Uhh... No Chosen but we do have a woundseeker and someone wearing demonic gear. I, um. Kinda get the feeling that's not a lot better?

Seconding this

>>44478448
>> Uhh...

Lets try to make a list

>Bri: Necromancer, has a shadow of a dead demon.

>Amy: Has demonic fucking armor.

>Nathen: Is a goddamn woundseeker, has a spirit metal sword.

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Alright folks. You may have noticed that I'm posting about an hour late. That's because I was preparing something special for you. The following spoiler contains lewdity; read at own risk. For those who choose to read, feel free to vote on the options at the end; please mark the votes with ISOLDT somewhere.

Lewds: http://pastebin.com/kpGZhJYU

Votes called on main story, writing shortly.

>>44482274
Slaanesh approves of your offering.

>>44478293
That pciture took me a bit, but the little gerbil tail that goes up with it is _perfect_. What is this from?

>>44482274
Isoldt
>PURSUE HIM

>>44482274
It's like christmas morning!

>>44482274
> “You asked for this. I set conditions. You aren't my servant in bed.”

ETHICAL FUCKS

>>44482274
ISOLDT
>Pursue him

>>44482274

ISOLDT
>Pursue him

Can demons get pregnant please say yes?

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>>44482654

Covered with mud.

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>>44478448
"Whaaaaat do the fey dislike?" you say slowly.

"More than anything else? Traitors. They're also not the world's biggest fan of demons, though I think that's an old grudge rather than true hatred," Lark notes. "They have an old rivalry of some kind."

"Ha ha, ha..." Amy looks down at herself awkwardly, then to the two of you. "This might have been a bad idea, Lark."

"How bad?" the elf, asks patiently.

You puff your pipe. "Her armor is demon-forged, he's a woundseeker, and I'm dating them both."

Lark lets out an 'oof' in a pretty good imitation of the sound people make when they get gut-punched. "I'm glad I asked. I'm going to move ahead and negotiate with Ms. Silence. Stay. Here."

The four of you gather around, a little awkwardly, while Lark moves ahead.

"Ambush, y'think?" Nate asks.

"Nah," Amy answers, shaking her head. "He doesn't have killing eyes. We can trust him. So now we just need to kill some time."

Everyone's eyes go to you, and you give them an almost offended look. "What do you want me to do?"

"Tell a story?" Amy says, hopefully.

> "There was a woman, and she loved Iron..."
> "Did you know that the word 'necromancy' referred, originally, to those who spoke to the dead? The very first necromancers weren't even magic users."
> "Jack had never meant to be a Hero. He was a good and dutiful son, with good and dutiful dreams..."
> I don't want to tell a story

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>>44482735
Aye. That's how Brooks happened, as well as the people like her. The Firstborn are deeply confused as to why they can breed with the Secondborn without the aid of magic.

Demons know, but talking about it would involve revealing shit they don't want their older siblings to know, so they've sorta just kept their mouth shut.

>>44482800
>There was once a place called Saudade, whose sky is as grey as its sea...
waiddaminute
>There was a woman, who loved Iron...

>>44482800
> "There was a woman, and she loved Iron..."
Seems appropriate.

>>44482800

> "Did you know that the word 'necromancy' referred, originally, to those who spoke to the dead? The very first necromancers weren't even magic users."

...I shouldn't be surprised from you, but goddamn I'm glad someone other than me is aware of this.

And this is a vote, I'm not just commenting on it.

>>44482800
> "There was a woman, and she loved Iron..."

If this is a story about Pepper Potts, I will be slightly amused.

>>44482800
> "Did you know that the word 'necromancy' referred, originally, to those who spoke to the dead? The very first necromancers weren't even magic users."

>>44482274
>Isoldt
>pursue him

>>44482913
I try, anon.

Calling in ten so I can make more coffee.

> "Did you know that the word 'necromancy' referred, originally, to those who spoke to the dead? The very first necromancers weren't even magic users."

>>44482800

> "There was a woman, and she loved Iron..

Called, writing. Prolly final pre-work update.

I am somewhat surprised on the thus-far unanimous decison for Isoldt to pursue the smith. Anyone care to expand?

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>>44482824
Does Brooks know, or is she too human to be in on the secret?

>>44483151
Brooks was raised in an orphanage. It's safe to say that she knows nothing but what she could find in books.

>>44483128

/tg/ always wants it all. If there's a cake on the table, /tg/ wants to have it and eat it too. If two people are in a room, they must be shipped.

Also, it's not obvious where the other two options would lead, whereas >pursue him very clearly leads to cute sex.

>>44483128
We're a bunch of romantics

>>44482274
ISOLDT
>Pursue

>>44482274
ISOLDT
>Pursue him

>>44482800
> "There was a woman, and she loved Iron..."

>>44483128
Because I just want to see characters which I like, be happy, cute and lewd.

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>>44482800
You puff quietly, trying to settle on a story. You hit on one and tap out your pipe before lighting one of the cigarettes; it's a better fit for the tale, you think.

"Nate's probably heard this story, but it needs telling every now and again, so the Firstborn don't forget it. It's about our love of Iron, and its love for us."

"I didn't think anyone but smiths new that story," Nate admits.

"I like stories," you say with a shrug. "And in this one, there was a woman, and she loved Iron. She couldn't have told you why, but the metal fascinated her. She became a smith to feel closer to it, but it wasn't enough; a smith bends metal to their will, and she wanted to know its heart, its soul. In those days all iron was thunderbolt iron, and it was hard to acquire. Still, she scrimped and saved and traded favors, and soon she had iron boots and iron armor, an iron axe and an iron sword, and a bow sling 'cross her back, with arrowheads all of iron, and she set off to find her beloved."

You grin, a little. "Our smith had a great love for iron but in that love had failed to learn much of the world around her. She was beset by monsters from the sky, and though fear gripped her heart, her iron arrows kept her safe. She was assailed from beneath the earth by slavering maws and reaching talons, but her iron axe hacked her free, and her iron sword claimed her foes. And as she traveled, for many months and more, she came to see that the Firstborn lived in a world where they were unsafe. Indeed, many of her foes laughed off her attacks, forcing her to use the magic of the forge to bind them to their deaths lest they come after her in the night. And she thought on this, as she honed her iron arrows and her iron axe and her iron sword, and wondered what it was she might do."

>>44482913
The closest working term for that right now is Speaker of the Dead, and not many people will get that one. I haven't even read the book.

>>44484025
I really really love this 'telling a story to fill in the passage of time'. Rather than 'an hour later, the thing you were waiting for happens', it creates a narrative sense of time that doesn't feel like pointless filler.

>>44484096
Eh, the speakers of the dead in the book were not much like the diviners that "necromancy" originally referred to. They were explicitly, and emphatically, non-mystical. It was more like investigative reporting with a touch of psychology and a heaping portion of brutal honesty.

>>44484142
But the duty is the same, isn't it? It's not the magic that's important, but the solemnity of the work and the need for it.

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>>44484025
"It took the smith many years before she thought to look for the spirit of Iron beneath the earth, for Iron had always fallen from the sky. But the empty sky had known nothing of iron, and neither had the forests, the rivers, and the seas. Finally, in desperation, she summoned one of the Secondborn to see if the demon could tell them, and the demon was shocked.

Iron, it told her, lives in the mountains, as many of its brothers and sisters do.

The journey into the belly of the mountain was a brutal thing, and the smith knew, as she crawled deeper, that she was lost, and would die. Starving and crawling on her hands and knees, she lifted her eyes in a wide cavern, and saw it - the Spirit of Iron, at last. It went to her and cradled her head in her hands, and asked why she had come to his lonely court.

She told him everything, of her love for Iron, of the perils of the Firstborn, and the beasts which beset them. Iron listened to her dying words and promised her that it would honor her love, and the smith died with a smile on her face, and was buried there in the belly of the mountain.

Ever since, iron has offered its cold hate to those that threaten the Firstborn, even the ones like demons that can forge it and bend it to their will, and its word has held true thereafter."

"Aww. She just died?" Amy asks.

"Aye," Nathan agrees. "That's what happens sometimes, when you chase your dreams. I'd say she died without regrets, though."

You flick your butt away. "Let's head after Lark."

Alright folks, I've gotta head to work. I'll update again when I get home, complete with voting options as usual. My apologies for the mis-managed day time today.

In the meantime, discussion, feedback, questions, and criticisms are welcome and appreciated.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>44484230
I do so love these stories.

>>44484230
W-we love you, Senpai! Have a happy New Year's mate.

Also, Isoldt is a cute little hellspawn, I'd choose a fiery oblivion for such a waifu.
>Pursue Harry's affections.

You had asked why we chose that option, right? I think, for Isoldt, she's so used to uncaring or outright cruel masters that a good, honorable and compassionate man is like new fire in her forge. It also helps that he's a man of the craft, who knows and respects the old traditions, and not some desperate warlock.

>>44484230
Why are you so good to us?

>>44484230
Y'know, I've been thinking about this, but what if the Traitor is a demon who's tired of lying about the truth that Hell and all of its myriad denizens have been hiding all this time?

>>44485625
I think a demonic army would come and wreck your shit for that, possibly killing EVERYONE who has heard it.

>>44484230
Happy New Year, Vox!

>>44486058
Well, Hell might not even know he/she is disclosing such information, and that the title of Traitor is being used by the other Chain-Holders in lieu of their real name to prevent just that.

Three hours to update.

When they ask how I died, tell them, still angry.

>>44484104
Thank you anon. Honestly it started as a nifty idea and then folks seemed to like it.

>>44485257
I'm just trying to run a fun quest.

Roughly one and a half hours to update.

I'm gonna call the Isoldt vote now and write the results after I update.

Soon.

>>44482274
God I love me some consensual power games. Good for the both of them.

ISOLDT
> Pursue him
Honestly, this is probably a terrible decision in the long-term, but what the hell? Life is for the living.

>>44490053
Oh, damnit, way too late. Oh well. Have an explanation, Vox, such as it is.

>>44490053
Depends on how you define "long term". It's not like Isoldt is conventionally mortal; even compared to the terms of her sentence, she's entering into a relationship with Harry knowing she's going to outlive him, both as an individual and as a presence in the forge itself. What matters more is what the two of them take from such an experience - even if it fails - and how she treats any legacy that results.

Finally home. Writing.

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>>44484175
"Hey," Amy asks, a minute or so after you've set off. "If that's how Iron came to protect the Firstborn, how did it get discovered? The person who found it died."

"I don't know that story," you admit. "Nate?"

Nathan grins. "It's a topic of some contention, actually. It's agreed that the dwarves were the first to mine iron from within the earth, but the tale they tell of it is often debated. They say that the iron sang to them, calling for them to mine it out and build their nations with it, to offer its power to the Firstborn and conquer the world. Except in their version, the Spirit of Iron is a woman."

"Huh," Amy says. "Conquer the world?"

"That's one of the reasons it's debated," Nathan says. "Though one interpretation is that iron knows nothing of love, and could only honor its chosen by offering its hate to all others."

"That's fuckin' grim," you note.

Nathan shrugs. "That's dwarven legend for you. They don't have the happiest set of bedtime stories."

Fetch clucks, thoughtfully, and Amy spares him a glance before chirping back. Some manner of understanding seems to have been reached between the two, because she scoops him up and puts him on her head. "You shall be my zombie hat."

When you start passing the ramshackle shacks, you know you've entered inhabited territory. Suspicious eyes glare at you through slats in the doorways, looking away whenever you return their gaze.

"I get the feeling we're not welcome," you say mildly.

Ahead, you see Lark jogging briskly in your direction. He waves you down and stops to catch his breath.

"I have good news and bad news," he says. "Good news is, Silence is willing to deal. Bad news is, she's only willing to permit one of you to come speak to her. Who's it gonna be?"

> You
> Nathan
> Amy
> Fetch

>>44490764
In the super long-term, yeah, it doesn't matter much either way. But in the mid-term (say, the next couple centuries), I'm just thinking that she's bound to the forge for seven generations, and Harry's gonna be around for what, two or three of them, tops? Being stuck in the same forge for another century-ish doesn't sound like the best environment for moving on, after he dies.

>>44491089
>> You

We're the only one without some horrific thing going against us probably. Also sending fetch would be a literal insult.

>>44491089
> You
Much as I want to send Fetch, I think this is smarter.

>>44491089
> You

>>44491089
>You
This seems like the smart decision.

>>44491089
>"You shall be my zombie hat."
I wish, I wish, with all my heart
that a drawfag would draw this, in an act of art.

> Fetch

it's like you think i'll pick anything else.

>>44491089
>> You

>"You shall be /MY/ zombie hat."
Could we borrow her hat for a bit for negotiations? Intimidation factor and all that.

>>44491437
> Check with Nathan about feys' positions, re: zombie hats.

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ISOLDT RESULTS

It takes you a bit to decide; you have, after all, nothing if not time, and you want to make sure your heart is in it. You know the difference between puppy love and a serious relationship - hell, you've had some serious relationships - and even if you're interested in trying for this mortal...no, for Harry's affections, you're not about to shock the man to death by kneeling to propose marriage this soon.

...Scratch that, no kneeling during the proposal at all. You'd get distracted.

The week of no sex with Harry feels...different. The two of you stay up to talk, often long into the night, and you start realizing that he's so engaged that he's putting off sleep to keep conversing. You talk about the craft, about family, about life. He (accurately) calls bullshit when you claim to have met the Forgemaster.

"So why this?" you ask him, gesturing vaguely to yourself with your tail. "Why no nookie for a week? You haven't precisely been getting any either."

Harry makes a thoughtful noise into his tea, and sets it down. "...Isoldt, it's been a long time since I worked with a true peer. More than that, I've been so focused on raising Nathan right that I didn't take the time to have meaningful friendships or relationships. There's people I respect and trust in town, but to most of Glen I am distant, if dependable. I do a job, I do them kindness, and in return they are respectful to me."

He stirs the tea in his cup, gathering his thoughts. "I have what I think is a real and growing friendship in you. You intrigue me. You brighten my days. I would hate, more than anything, to have ruined that because I made you think that I expected a servant instead of an equal. So the condition I set was because I wanted to be sure your heart was in it, not just your head."

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>>44491821

You feel a smile lift your lips, and you slide your hand across the table and touch your fingers to Harry's. "That's not how mortals treat demons, Harry."

"Maybe that's what went wrong, once upon a time," the smith tells you, in a low, frank tone.

Thank the gods, your tail is out of sight while it's curling in girlish glee.

Fuck it. Even if you crash and burn, you've got to make the attempt. You lean across the table and give him a small kiss, then sit back down with a little grin. "Maybe it is. I think I'm going to go into town tomorrow. You gonna be okay on your own?"

"Enjoy yourself. Responsibly," Harry adds.

You'll need to track down that Brooks girl. She'll have an idea of how to advise you, both on mortal courtships and on Harry in particular.

Your regularly scheduled questing will resume shortly; I need to wash some dishes.

>>44491821
>>44491889
Why is evrything you write so based Vox?

>>44491089
> You

Dishes slain, literally no further obligations on my night. I have a fresh pot of coffee, a cup of ice cream and my undying hate. Let us begin.

Votes called, writing.

>>44492437
You can't see it but I'm blushing in vague, happy confusion.

>>44493165
>a cup of ice cream
What.
Flavor.

>>44493312
If it isn't jizz or coffee I'll be very disappointed.

>>44493541
> jizz AND coffee

>>44493541
>>44493621
But don't liches usually eat souls or something like that?

>>44493541
>>44493621
Don't sexualize the Vox.

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>>44491089
"I'll go," you decide. "Aside from not having anything directly offensive, I'm the girl with the plan. Fetch, stay with Nathan and Amy."

"Yes, my queen," Fetch says dutifully. He hops down from Amy's head (the harpy makes an 'aww' of disappointment) and clucks his brothers into a protective formation. You touch the pin in your hat, take up your cane, and set off with Lark.

"I'd advise you on what to do but honestly with Silence it's hard to tell. More than anything, though, don't talk about /paying/ her for anything. You make arrangements, or offer favors, or give an exchange of gifts, whatever, but don't pay her, and don't thank her."

"Why not?" you ask, puzzled.

"Fuck if I know, just don't do it."

It's easy to tell which one Silence is - she has an elfin look about her, marred by coal-black circles that grip her eyes and spread across her face in flaking lines. Her hair, pulled back in a ponytail, is streaked through with what you swear to the ancestors are steel rails.

She's sitting in a chair, her booted feet up on the table, and there's half a dozen armed miners behind her.

"Y'don't seem like a woundseeker, nor are you clad in demon trash," she notes in a lilting accent. "So you must be the corpsefucker."

> Well fuck you too
> You offering?
> Brianna la Croix. Charmed.

>>44493312
Salted caramel.

>>44493690
>> You offering?

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>>44493690
>You offering?

BANTER MODE ENGAGED
SASS CANNON CHARGING
RIPOSTE LOCKED ON

>>44493690
>> Well fuck you too
he told us not to thank her

>>44493690
> Brianna la Croix. Charmed.
I don't think it's gonna be productive to trade insults with a sidhe. Sarcasm, on the other hand just comes with us being us.

>>44493690
> Brianna la Croix. Charmed.
Want to have a ride on my big black cock?

>>44493690
> Brianna la Croix. Charmed.
Agreeing with >>44493773

>>44491115
If she and Harry develop a true trusting and romantic relationship (Hell, she could even end up the mother of his children), she could come to call his forge a second home, and might even offer his successors a similar variant of the same oath she gave Harry (though minus the sex, probably).

>>44493913
Isoldt's bound to the forge for several generations or so.

>>44493768
FIRE ON MY COMMAND!
>You offering?

>>44494030
Whoops, forgot to link to Vox.>>44493690

>>44493690
Forged in the fires of instinct and horrible coping mechanisms, I call thee forth: snark!

>You offering?

>>44493913
If Isoldt and Harry fall in love (and considering tg's unexpected love for cuteness combined with lewdness), she could end up mentoring her own mortal descendants.

It would also be cool if her and Harry's family ended up in a working relationship with the La Croix because of Brianna and Nathan.

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>>44494116

Called, writing.

>>44493690
>Brianna la Croix. Charmed.

>>44484169
No, originally necromancy was literally "talking to & on behalf of the dead"

>>44494118
>tg's unexpected love for cuteness combined with lewdness
>unexpected

You must be new.

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>>44493690
"You offering?" you ask in a pointed tone. "I mean, it's not necrophilia if you're alive when I start, but that seems like a pretty big step just to get laid."

Silence descends between the two of you; you meet Silence's gaze coolly, and she regards you with something like interest.

"Lark said you were brave, mortal. Glad to know his insanity is a one-subject affair," Silence says at last. "Be welcome as a guest in my home, such as it is." She glances to her men. "Bread and salt. Now."

Her bodyguards bow formally and rush off in response to the clear dismissal.

"I hear you've got a problem with the Baron," you say mildly.

"I hear a donkey costs three silvers in Starfall, five if you want to help," Silence answers. You snort and grin despite yourself.

"That was good," you compliment.

"One tries," Silence says with a modest shrug. "Question is, what can you do about it?"

"Depends on the situation. I need allies, obviously, but I also need information - where the Baron's located, what he's doing, how he operates, who's making those damn talismans."

Silence shrugs quietly. "What's in it for me? And don't say the removal of the Baron, because you're doing that /anyway/."

> "I dunno, what do you /want/?"
> "I'll make you a servant."
> "...There's this duchess that's been meaning to talk to me..."

>>44494757
>on behalf of the dead
yes...isn't that what they do?

Well, you're the one who read it, so I'll defer to you.

>>44495060
>"...There's this duchess that's been meaning to talk to me..."
Trade connections are always good.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.

Also: FUCK, I DID IT. ONE SOLID FUCKING MONTH OF QUESTING.

I feel accomplished.

>>44495062
Sorry. I meant, as in it was believed they would literally speak to the souls/spirits of the departed, and then pass on what was requested or given.
Much the same way modern mediums do, and with probably the same level of sincerity. Speakers for the dead are more of a post-mortem private investigator.

>>44495081
yeah, let's
> "...There's this duchess that's been meaning to talk to me..."

>>44495060
>"...There's this duchess that's been meaning to talk to me..."
Capitalism, ho!

>>44495060
>"...There's this duchess that's been meaning to talk to me..."

>>44495060
>"...There's this duchess that's been meaning to talk to me..."
I feel like she'll play hardball and at least act uninterested, but she might at least let on about something she's actually interested in.

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>>44495139
Happy new year you crazy diamond

>>44495060
>Silence descends between the two of you; you meet Silence's gaze coolly, and she regards you with something like interest.
> Silence descends
> Silence mission-impossibiling her own meeting.
> Goddamn fucking fairies.

>>44495139
I still have three hours, west coast best coast

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>>44495139
Happy new year Vox, let's see if you can keep it up until next year, and the year after that!

>>44495214
....Pfffftahahahaha.

Oh man.

I almost want to make this canon because it's fucking hilarious. I won't, but. Fuck. I had coffee in my mouth, anon, and now it's all over my monitor.

>>44495223
>west coast best coast
>not gulf coast
We at war now, senpai.

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>>44495237

>>44495237
non-canon omake?

>>44495248
>gulf coast
>a real coast
You don't even have an ocean
West>East>Mid-West>>>>South tbqhwy fampai

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>>44495139
You deserve a trophy for this insanity. Preferably one that doubles as a Decanter of Endless Coffee.

>>44495382
>implying the caribbean isn't the best sea.
>implying pirates, rum, and shoals aren't the best things ever.

Have fun with your cold water and your droughts. I'll just be enjoying my perfect weather, perfect seas, and awesome rum.

You can't even get cane juice rum in cali, can you?

>>44495436
>cali
Oh god no, fuck cali
Oregon is best state

>>44495139
Happy new year, you madman, you.

>"...There's this duchess that's been meaning to talk to me..."

>>44495488
>Oregon
You share a coast, you're guilty of the same crimes, by the law of sympathetic resonance.

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>>44495223
>>44495248
>>44495382
>>44495436
>>44495488
>>44495549
Guys. Great Lakes. We have pastys. That is all.

Alright folks, I have to be up for work in the morning. This is not a state of affairs I'm happy with but that means I'll see you in about five hours because fuck dragging my carcass to work without a few hours to wake the fuck up.

I've decided to continue with the daily runs. However, I'm going to probably be taking more frequent pauses in the run in order to focus time to writing & editing the professional-grade stuff; what this means is that while the run will be somewhat constant, there'll be more Q&A opportunities, and write times may be a bit slower.

We'll revisit it again later if it turns out that's not working out.

Vote will be left open, as usual. Archiving thread now.

As always, questions, critique, comments, discussion, feedback & criticism is both welcome and appreciated.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>44495633
>Guy's I've decided to lower my run frequency from the ludicrous to the merely staggering
Oh no whatever shall we doooooo

>>44495633
More frequent pauses? It's over boys, pack it in. We're dead in the fucking water.

Joking aside, it might leave time for more write-ins and discussion/votes around them. You could try writing decision-times to try to draw out more write-ins/write faggotry, if that's something you're interested in.

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Thread archived. I'm hittin' bed folks. See you in approximately five and a half hours. I still have half a pot of coffee I can reheat in the morning.

>>44495728
...Pic related?

>>44495728
More coffee breaks? With scones.

Hey Vox, do you take 'cream' with your coffee? Or do you not mix business and pleasure?

>>44495782
>>>/d/

>>44495633
>Great Lakes
You're one of those yankee canadian sympathizers ain'tcha

>>44495762
>write faggotry

I dream of this like an anime girl dreams of senpai noticing her, but, well.

A. I'm not sure how one lures out the wild writefag to dwell within your Quest

and

B. Attempting to write so as to deliberately cause writefaggotry feels weird to me. Like it's...I dunno, dishonest, somehow?

And finally,

C. Even if B weren't true I wouldn't know how to do it.

>>44495830
huehuehuehuehuehuiehuehuehuehuehuehuehue

>>44495830
Well, just keep being awesome. I'm sure you'll attract somebody sooner or later.

What's the long-term plan for DLQ? As quests go, it's relatively easy to catch up with, and definitely well worth doing, but it gets harder to entice new readers when the backlog gets to a certain length.

>>44495811
Don't worry, anon. I only tease.

We all know the undead don't have a sex drive.

>>44495891
...Dunno, how does one plan for the long term of a quest? The only other two I read just have massive backlogs and the encouragement of fans to help you catch up.

I'd kinda just intended on running it out 'till the plot was done, rounding up the loose ends for some final votes & epilogues, and thanking folks for participating.

Somehow I get the feeling that I'm missing the thrust of your question.

>>44495830

Don't worry Vox, you have me to writefag for you and let down all your fans with shit quality writing

Fuck the Red Sox, Yankees for life!

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>>44495830
I'm no writefag, but I am something of a drawfag (participated in a few of the drawthreads - Pic Related). I'm hoping to do a group sketch of the main party, then maybe move on to the side characters. And, of course, a tally list of the Chain-Holders.

>>44495943
How long's the plot, I guess?

>>44495943
Once we get deep enough into the story, some people might miss bits and pieces of the story that haven't been brought up in a while (like, for example, Kells or Miles). This is where that Google document comes in handy, since you could always just give new readers a condensed version of the story so far.

Honestly though, your storytelling really draws us in, and you haven't buried anything under superfluous details (like describing every facet of a side characters personality or the layout of village).

>>44494162
"Snark! I said snark! With a K! What the hell is this thing, anyway?"

>>44496487
"Zombie fodder."

>>44496487
A prime Exterminatus target.

Vox, straight up. I'm drunk and a little bit high right now but this needs to be said.
I love you Vox. Very few authors make me want to stay up all night to read on, and you are one of them. Literally I would fellate you.
If my tablet wasn't broke, I would draw for you. Endlessly. This quest is gold.

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As foretold in prophecy, I am up too fucking early. Votes called, writing.

>>44496015
Well now I'm hype as fuck. I look forward to seeing it!

>>44496023
There's thirteen floors, a sublevel, and then stuff like the Duchess and other side stuff plus the interludes. So...fuck, I dunno.

>>44496144
Hrm. I'll have to experiment with that while I update the doc sometime today or tomorrow.

>>44497791
I love you too, intoxicated drawfag anon!

>>44498977
A song, a song for Vox!
Whether it fits the quest, only time will tell!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oromrP0iu3E

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>>44495060
You ponder it for a bit, keeping the fairy's gaze while you think.

"I can't make any strict promises," you say slowly, "but the duchess of Starfall's been meaning to talk to me."

"That sounds like a weak-ass offer," Silence answers mildly.

"She's got a captain with a massive guilt complex badgering her into it," you add. "Maybe more importantly, it'll be my shot to get Starfall's support for...well, /this/. Every level's in need of relief, supplies, men. A woman of business could clean up tidily."

The fey woman contemplates you. And, well, fuck it, if you're going to sit here waiting you're gonna have a smoke. You shake out a cig from the box Lark gave you and light it casually, ignoring the faint look of horror the elf gives you. After a moment's thought, you offer one out to Silence.

"I'm not sure if this is a gift or a threat," she admits, but she swings her feet down to the ground and stands.

Gods, she's taller than you thought. Somehow, with her feet up on the table and her casual lean back in her chair, you'd been under the impression that Silence was around your height. Instead you look up at a little more than seven feet of fairy and have to reach up to light her up after she takes the cigarette from you. The coal-black circles around her eyes dance with faint embers that crawl down her veins.

"Talk to this Duchess of yours, when your affairs in the Mine are wrapped up, and I'll consider us square," she says at last. "Now wait a moment."

Her bodyguards come back, bearing bread with butter scraped across it. Silence offers you a piece, which you eat, both because it would be rude not to and because it makes you her guest, bound by the laws of hospitality.

"It's a wreck down here," Silence notes, frankly. "But I'm thinking maybe you don't want to go deeper into my turf without your friends. Something something honorless mortals ruining it for the rest of us. Got a place you'd prefer to talk?"

>>44499261
> Here works
> Nah. If this is gonna be a thing, we need to trust each other. Lead the way.
> Lark's barn, if you care to brave the hell where these smokes came from.

> Nah. If this is gonna be a thing, we need to trust each other. Lead the way.

>>44499261
>Nah. If this is gonna be a thing, we need to trust each other. Lead the way.
>So what do you have against Secondborn?

The joys of early morning runs. Votes called, writing.

In other news, went to get some Monster. Started slip-sliding down the hill that leads to my house (icy sidewalks, wee). Slid about twenty feet in a combination of screaming, terrified dinosaur noises, shuffling feet and arm motions that the neighbor witnessing me described as "a crackhead breakdance."

2016 is going well thus far.

>>44499140
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOHQ1zJ7CJ8

>>44499272
>> Nah. If this is gonna be a thing, we need to trust each other. Lead the way.

>>44499261
>If this is gonna be a thing, we need to trust each other. Lead the way, O' Silent Giantess!

>>44499558
I don't know whether to laugh or fear for you. Maybe a bit of both.

>>44484025
>>44484175
so, I uh, made a thing
>>44498357

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>>44499261
You take a thoughtful drag on your cigarette. On the one hand, she's right - you don't trust her, and you don't have a lot of reason to. On the other hand, you're now a guest in her home.

Someone's gotta make the first step, yeah?

"No, your place works," you tell her. "I've got coffee beans available."

"...You brought coffee with you?" Silence says slowly.

"Ms. Silence, I brought /ten pounds of coffee/ with me, because I have a problem and I am unwilling to solve it."

"Fair enough. Follow me, if you would."

It's not far - though there's several turns - to what you're pretty sure is the main compound of Silence's temporary territory. She opens the door to a shack much like the others and holds it open for you; you duck in to a small room that is mostly hammock, portable stove, and table. Hunched over the table, Silence looks more her proper size.

"The Mine has always been a bit rough. It's part of the charm," the fey woman tells you. "Nothing like some of the more wretched hives out there, just a certain...enthusiasm, let's call it. A fistfight here or there, big men sent to intimidate other big men, that sort of thing. There was equilibrium, not peace."

"Sure," you grant, taking your own seat. "I'm guessing the Baron changed that?"

"Not on his own. Those weapons of his are scary but they're not /that/ scary. In tight quarters like this, they do you about as much good as a crossbow, maybe a bit more with a bayonet since they're a spear at that point instead of a club with a nail in. But he's got a /lot/ of them." Silence sighs. "When he started press-ganging people, no one who noticed did anything. Then his Overseers were fucking invulnerable."

You nod with a wry look.

>>44499974
Bravo, anon. I like it.

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>>44500026
"He's been expanding by conquest. He's dug into the territory of others and stormed it with slaves and soldiers. All of his product goes down into New Hell, feeding whoever's giving him those fucking weapons, and what's worse is he's cut off the Shaft that leads up into the Atheneum. Those few of us still wandering free have been reduced to fighting over the scraps of what's left and grimly contemplating the food stores in the Company Store."

"Oooof," you breathe. "That's gotta be rough."

"You fucking think? Gets better. They woke something up with all their digging, a wraithsteel snake of some kind. It's been picking people off, one group at a time, and the Baron's letting it because he's got more men where the ones he loses is coming from."

> WRAITHSTEEL YOU SAY? TELL ME MORE ABOUT HOW I'M GOING TO MAKE HARRY JIZZ HIS APRON.
> How much would opening the Shaft help?
> What can you tell me about an Overseer named Diving Shadow?
> What about his prisoners?

>>44499974
I like eet. 's an interesting take.

>>44500066
Well holy shit. This suddenly reminds me of one of the old Dragonlance books, where the protagonist had to kill a giant wyrm made of silver, and then use the metal corpse to make dragonslaying lances.

It's an elemental born from the Mine, isn't it?Please tell me Verve can talk to this thing and make it our friend.
>WRAITHSTEEL? TELL ME MORE ABOUT HOW I'M GOING TO MAKE HARRY JIZZ HIS APRON.

I would've chosen to ask about Amy's mom, but this is one option just too epic to pass up.

>>44500066
> What can you tell me about an Overseer named Diving Shadow?

Gotta help best bird. Wraithsteel snake is probably easier to find than a harlpy.

>>44500066
>What can you tell me about necromancers? Know where the Baron keeps them?

Alright folks, vote's gonna be left open until I get home from work a little after 4 PM EST.

As always, discussion, questions, comments, critique & feedback are both welcome and appreciated. Hopefully I'll be more awake when I get home.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>44500066
>> What can you tell me about an Overseer named Diving Shadow?

>>44500066
> What can you tell me about an Overseer named Diving Shadow?
I think I can turn her.

>>44500066
> What can you tell me about an Overseer named Diving Shadow?

First things first, Overseers usually know a bit more about what is what, and where.

>>44500066
> What can you tell me about an Overseer named Diving Shadow?
Intel, intel, my kingdom for good intel.

>WRAITHSTEEL? TELL ME MORE ABOUT HOW I'M GOING TO MAKE HARRY JIZZ HIS APRON.

>>44500066
> What can you tell me about an Overseer named Diving Shadow?

>>44500066
>> What can you tell me about an Overseer named Diving Shadow?
Might be able to organize a revolution with the help of an overseer. If we can use that to force open the Shaft and bring in additional goods and manpower, that'd be swell.

Roughly four hours to vote call.

So - if I were to keep writing these side stories, who would you like to check in on next?

>>44502058
The police captain maybe? I thought he was a cool guy.

>>44500066
>> WRAITHSTEEL YOU SAY? TELL ME MORE ABOUT HOW I'M GOING TO MAKE HARRY JIZZ HIS APRON.

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>>44499974

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>>44502314

One hour and change to call.

>>44500066
> What can you tell me about an Overseer named Diving Shadow?

Called early. Writing.

Sorry Vox but I gotta sleep
Had a tough night

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>>44500066
"Mind if I smoke inside?" you ask, and Silence shrugs. You take out your pipe, and the fairy leans in with clear interest.

"Who made that?" she asks. "It's exquisite."

"Amy. Half-harpy, dungeonbreaker, and my lover. She likes scrimshaw."

"I'd trade good coin for one of my own like that," Silence compliments, leaning back in her chair while you pack the bowl and light it. "Just to have, even."

"I'll let her know," you agree pleasantly. "I think I'm forming a plan. What do you know about an Overseer by the name of Diving Shadow?"

"Why?" Silence asks. "You got a death wish?"

"...How bad?"

"Depends on the perspective you look at it from," she muses. "From the Baron's end, she's been a pretty big frustration. Lowest recruitment rate of any of his Overseers as far as I can tell. In fact, I don't think she's ever taken a single slave, because anyone who surrenders to her gets fucking gutted and thrown into a stew pot."

You cringe. "You make it sound like he's unhappy about that."

"You bet your ass he is. One of my boys caught him dressing her down at the top of his lungs. He's lusting for slaves something fierce, and she won't pass a single one his way. Now she and her men are camped at the mouth of the silver vein he just took over, and they've got blood on their minds."

"How does she fight?" you inquire.

"She hypnotizes her victims," Silence says softly. "Their deaths are never painful. They go to sleep and big talons pierce their brain, through the temples. They get stripped of their possessions and eaten, eventually. Her men stay immune by virtue of earplugs."

You tuck a lock of hair behind your ear and sigh heavily. "That's gonna be rough."

> "Alright. You go after Shadow, but don't kill her. I'll hunt the snake."
> "I need to bring Shadow in. I can turn her to our side. You hunt the snake."
> "What about..." [ask about another objective; name the objective]

> "I need to bring Shadow in. I can turn her to our side. You hunt the snake."

>>44505345
>> "I need to bring Shadow in. I can turn her to our side. You hunt the snake."

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Good anons, ze artist has provided what some of you had asked for.

>>44505686

Yes.

//YES.//

>>44505686
>my dick can only get SO erect.gif

>>44505686
cock sits on you

Votes called, writing. Woulda left it open a bit longer but, eh. The show must go on.

>>44505990

I've noticed in quests that people don't vote unless either they see contention or they think there'll be.

I didn't, because I figured it was very unlikely that anyone would vote against getting Shadow. It was a 'low contention' vote, near as I could tell, which is NOT A BAD THING.

Don't worry if some votes only get a few ballots; there are still plenty of lurkers around.

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>>44505345
You finally light your pipe and take a puff on it. "...Okay. I need to go after Diving Shadow. I can turn her to our side, and we've got reasons to want her alive. Not trying to imply anything about your competence; it's just that if anyone's going to kill her on accident I'd prefer it to be me."

"You know her?" Silence asks.

"She's Amy's mother."

"...Well."

"Uh-huh."

The two of you stare at each other in awkward quiet before Silence finally speaks up. "If you're going after Shadow, my men and I should hunt down that snake. It needs killing, and wraithsteel is a fine thing to have."

"Nate'll be upset that he missed out on the bounty," you note, a little wryly.

"If he comes along, he gets a share. Otherwise, he can sit and spin."

"You promise?"

Silence quirks an eyebrow. "...Sure. I promise."

"Good, he's the woundseeker." You give Silence a smug look from behind your pipe.

"I have hated people trying to kill me less than I hate you right now," Silence observes. "Go get your friends and make your decisions while I draw up a map, necromancer."

That's all the dismissal you need. You stand, bow, and leave the tiny shack.

> Tell Nathan to join the hunt
> Ask Nathan to come with you
> Encourage him to take his own preference

>>44506245
>Tell nathan to take the hunt

>>44506245
You have no idea how sad I am that we can't have a metal zombie.

Do elementals (and dragons?) leave a useful corpse?

>>44506327
Elementals can, if killed correctly or preserved. Bri's equipped to raise them.

Dragons do but Size Difficulties.

>>44506245
> Tell Nathan to join the hunt
Separated from his companions, hunting a dangerous creature with dubious allies at his side? Sounds like Heroing to me.

>>44506357
> Size Difficulties
As in they're just Too Damn Huge to be convenient in the dungeon, or does necromancy have its own Square-Cube law of diminishing returns for minions?

>>44506245
>Encourage him to take his own preference
Tell him about both options, but let him decide what he wants.

>>44506424
Mostly the former, /somewhat/ the latter. Big giant shit needs more energy to move, in the exact same way that it takes more energy to move it when it's alive. Establishing the animating force to make it move under its own power is a bit of a bitch - doable, but hot damn.

Mind you if all you want is to make it clack its teeth at people when they pass by that's a different matter. One used to great comedic effect in the la Croix family.

>>44505345
>"I need to bring Shadow in. I can turn her to our side. You hunt the snake."
This

So, idea. If we get a part of that snake, we can call in our favor and get Harry to turn that into new wings for Amy.

>Encourage him to take his own preference

>Tell nathan to take the hunt

Bri must know /all/ about Size Difficulties :D

>>44506245
>Encourage him to take his own preference

>>44506245
>> Encourage him to take his own preference
Like Bri said earlier, we aren't /the leader/.

>>44506245
>Encourage him to take his own preference
Diplomacy! Kinda! I don't know!

Called, tallying, writing.

>>44502314
aww, don't do that: I still need to v2 this

And then real life ate me.

NOW writing.

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>>44506245
"How'd it go?" Lark asks you.

"It went well. I think she was waiting for support to act, which...makes a certain amount of sense, I think. That and she probably wants proof I can deliver before she commits to anything major. What's her deal, anyway?"

Lark shrugs, a little vaguely. "Not a lot is known about the fey, which suits them just fine. They put a lot of stock in oaths and promises. Sometimes they have strange taboos. Their powers and talents are difficult to predict. Near as I can tell, though, Silence left the service of someone or something else, and came to the Mine. This is based entirely on hearing her swear drunkenly in what was sometimes this tongue, mind you."

"Huh. I thought you said you can see markings, of their...you know...their loyalty?"

Lark gives you a sideways smile. "You can. She's sworn to the Mine. You can ask her the details of her oath but that's a fast track to a hard slapping. She's very much a mine boss."

"Huh."

Nathan and Amy are sitting, comfortably, back-to-back with one another. Their eyes are vigilant, but the two are holding hands when you walk up.

"What's the verdict?" Nathan asks.

"Silence is drawing us up a map that'll lead us to Diving Shadow." Amy stands eagerly, her heart in her throat. "Ames, it ain't gonna be easy. She won't know me and might not recognize you."

"Why wouldn't my own moth...right," the half-harpy's face falls with the realization, and her shoulders shrug foward in abject sorrow. "...I'd almost forgot. You guys didn't treat me different."

"She will?" Nathan asks, standing as well.

"A harpy'd die before she got plucked. She'd be an outcast, she'd be half a person. Cripples don't last long in the Roost."

You pull the bird into a soft hug. "It'll be fine, Ames. She's your mother. She loves you."

"Heh. You'll see," Amy promises quietly, but she snuggles into the hug and chirps forlornly. Your eyes go to Nathan.

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>>44508522
"Silence is going to be hunting a tunnel creature that's been picking off, well, fucking everyone, but the Baron's benefitting from it. It needs to die."

"...Implying I won't be with you?" Nathan asks, puzzled.

"I'm telling you because you have the option to attend the hunt in exchange for a share of the beast's body. It's wraithsteel."

Nathan looks /stunned/. Even Amy looks up in mild surprise, then glances at the smith's apprentice. His eyes flick to her, and he opens his mouth to say something.

"Go," Amy murmurs, before he can. "I'll be fine."

"Ames, no," the Hero murmurs. "How can I ditch you to go off adventuring now, of all times?"

You look down at Amy's face, then snort and look to Nathan. "How much would you offer for enough wraithsteel for just one project, Hero?"

"...I'd cut my hand off with a rusty kitchen knife," Nathan admits, unable to keep the passion out of his solemn tone.

"So go," Amy murmurs. "I'm not gonna live the rest of my life knowing you gave up one of your lifelong dreams to help me. I've got Bri and Fetch."

"Can't take Fetch with you anyway," you remind Nate. "He'd rot the metal."

Nathan's still looking conflicted, right up until Amy slips out of your hug and gives him a fierce kiss on the lips. You can see a thin trickle of blood when she pulls away; she bit him. "Go, idiot. Go now. March that way and tell her you're in."

Nathan looks down at the half-harpy and nods; he squeezes her hands just once before jogging back towards Silence's shack.

Without a word, Amy returns to your arms.

> You okay Ames?
> Love, I really need for your mom to not kill us. Think you can help?

>>44508960
> You okay Ames?

>>44508960
>You okay Ames?

>>44508960
>> You okay Ames?

We can actually afford to die in this situation. It'd suck but Amy would still probably make it.

> You okay Ames?

>>44508960
> You okay Ames?

>>44508960
>Nathan's still looking conflicted, right up until Amy slips out of your hug and gives him a fierce kiss on the lips. You can see a thin trickle of blood when she pulls away; she bit him.
> Nathan likes the rough stuff
> Nathan is a Hero
> Nathan getting off on Amy and Bri tying him up in roleplaying villain stuff
> When your datenights involve death traps

Called, writing.

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>>44509401
I'm fucking dying anon.

>>44509401
This pleases me.

>>44509401
I'm now imagining some town guards responding to a noise complaint and bursting in on what appears to be some strapping lad bound to a sacrificial alter by two cultists. Que incredibly awkward explanation that it was all bedroom games.

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>>44508960
You stroke Amy's hair and listen to her small little chirps; she snuggles into you, feeling small and oh-so-light.

"You didn't want him to go, did you?" you murmur.

"I did. And I didn't. I...I dunno if I want him to meet my mother," Amy admits. "There's a reason I call him a Hero, y'know. Mom's...Mom's got a good heart, but she's got sharp claws and fast reflexes, and she kills to feel safe."

"Ames," you chide gently. "Nate's not going to judge you based on your mother." She makes a guilty, wordless little noise and looks up at you with those icy blue eyes. "You wanna tell me what all's bothering you?"

Amy lets out a long, trilling chirp and sighs. You can see her shoulders flexing, trying to wrap her absent wings around you. "Mom and I parted on bad terms. And then...well, you know what happened then. Now she's in trouble and I wasn't there. I wasn't there, and I'm a wingless freak, and...and..."

"Shh," you soothe, stroking her hair. "One problem at a time, pretty bird. That's Silence coming, from down the way. Do you need time?"

Amy shakes her head and stands up straight before wiping her eyes. "No. No, I'm good."

> You are Amy the Dungeonbreaker
> You are Nathan Bookchild

>>44510323
>You are Amy the Dungeonbreaker

>>44510323
> You are Amy the Dungeonbreaker

>>44510323
>You are Amy the Dungeonbreaker

>>44510323
>You are Fetch the Night Feather.

>>44510323
> You are the bartender in Glen
(I don't know which cliffhanger I want more.)

>>44510323
>You are Amy, Best Bird and best goddamn Dungeonbreaker in this joint.
It's time for a family reconciliation. HUGS EVERYWHERE!

>>44510526
> It's time for a family reconciliation. [s]BLOOD[/s]HUGS EVERYWHERE

>>44510323
>You are Nathan Bookchild
But metal demon snake you guys!

>>44510583
Flawless

>>44510323
> You are Nathan Bookchild
I'd like to see what our hero can do.

Called, writing.

Go hunt a giant magic-metal snake as a Hero? Or have a cute heart-to-heart reunion with Amy's mum? Choices...

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>>44510631
tfw I don't know how to format
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>>44510677
dangit, joined too late for the vote. While I'm not mad at the choice I just feel Nate could use a little more screen time. And some of our /assistance/ during the fight.

>>44510823
Are you saying you lack confidence in his prowess, anon?

>>44510854
It's not him I lack confidence in.

>>44510854
I'm not saying he doesn't know what he's doing, but Ames had to pick up the slack last round with Bri, I'd bet.

>>44510854
It's not that we don't have confidence in him, rather that we have more confidence in the snake monster thing

So is there any particular reason we're not tell people what the basis of the 'invincibility" actually is?

>>44510323
>You are Silence the Descender

>>44511152
Doesn't pay to tip your hand until you know who you can trust. Additionally, and maybe more importantly, you would then have to explain how it is you know, and you don't have a plausible reason to for anyone but Lark - and Lark didn't ask (and possibly doesn't need to know; who knows how talky he is or isn't?). Bri's practicing basic information security.

>>44511253
I guess once we catch an overseer in a zany, non-lethal scooby doo trap we can cite necromancer experience.

>>44511415
"How did you know about the talismans?"
"Oh, a dead guy told me."
"OK."

FIN

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>>44510323
You are Amy the Dungeonbreaker, and you're pretty sure this is going to end in a certain amount of blood. Fights with your mother usually do.

In a way you're kinda glad Nate's gone. Bri's got her little hat pin that will make her immune to Mom's song, and you of course are immune by virtue of being a harpy yourself, but watching Nate get blissed out might have been a bit of a point of contention. You're well aware of what that music does, thank you very much, and you do not want or need that associated with your mother in his head.

...Not that you think he'd go for it. It's just, well, firstly /ew/, and secondly you might wanna try it yourself on him one of these days.

You, Brianna, and the chickens sneak quietly through the tunnels that lead towards the silver mine. You cock your head when you hear a sentry and hold up a hand to signal your lover; she presses against a wall as a patrol of armed slaves starts to pass.

You remember not to kill them, but with the number of times you beat them into the wall, you're pretty sure they wish you had.

"Mom'll notice them being gone soon," you murmur. "We better act fast."

The two of you run as fast as you dare, hearing the sounds of working picks and trundling carts grow louder up ahead. You realize something's wrong when you step into a taller, broader cavern, just the kind for diving from -

There's a streak heading towards Bri, claws out and wings silent.

> Intercept
> Push Bri out of the way
> Screech

>>44511838
>Screech

>>44511838
>Push Bri out of the way

>>44511838
>Screech

>>44511838
>> Screech
> Goddammit, MOM!
>'In the name of my feathered forebears, lift their songs to the Gods, I will pluck the both of you and dash your eggs against the stone for the wingless ones to slurp at and rut upon while I force you to witness your disgrace
>

>>44511838
>Screech
Warning to Bri and message to mum.

>>44512004
Anon, I should perhaps clarify.

You remember what she hit the Vintner with?

/That/ screech.

>>44511838

>Screech

Betting it'll catch Shadow or whoever she's sent at us off guard, hearing a harpy shriek from a wingless person.

>>44512048
In light of this, I suggest
> Push Bri out of the way

>>44511838
> Intercept
Countercharge

>>44512048

Wait, are harpies immune to each others' "/that/ screech" or only their own?

Even if Shadow's immune it'll prolly catch her off guard, but it might be good for future reference.

>>44512188
They're immune to the hypnosis and their own screeches, mostly by dint of protective biology (a harpy could theoretically be immune to another's screech if she started screeching herself but that's a pretty dicey proposition considering ALL THESE KNIVES IN YOUR BRAIN). So it'll hit Shadow and probably knock her off-course, but it'll fuck Bri up too.

There's a risk-reward tradeoff in all three options, mind. Almost like you're trying to capture an experienced and vicious killer.

>>44512264
>but it'll fuck Bri up too.
As in permanent damage or something that a cup of tea and a nap will set right?

>>44512349
See the Vintner fight for reference. It ain't gonna be pleasant. Even if Amy doesn't sustain it to the bleeding-out-the-eyes level it's gonna need actual healing out of your supplies.

>>44511838
>> Push Bri out of the way

>>44512349
The Vintner still needed an awful lot of stabbing.

>>44512404
Still probably worth it as it's likely to do less damage then talons in the brain.

>>44511838
>Push Bri out of the way

>>44511838
>Intercept.
I know that Lord Voxwagon won't murderize a party member or the main character for no good reason, but I'm really hoping we can get out of this with most of our blood inside our bodies.

>>44511838
>> Intercept

Called, writing.

I'm gonna call it a little early tonight, so I can be up early tomorrow in the hopes of a thing happening. I don't go into work until 2; if the thing happens I will also be running early.

TL;DR when this scene is over I'ma use the sleep.

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>>44511838
You throw your head back and screech in a long, loud burst of sound. You see the streak turn in shock; Brianna cries out and hits her knees, clutching at her ears.

Your mother goes crashing into the wall, but instead of the dazed, confused harpy you were expecting, you see her get to her feet in an instant, pissed beyond words.

Full-blooded harpies are somewhat smaller and more compact than humans, with a stooping posture and relatively weak upper arms. You know that in close, if you can keep her from bringing those talons to bear, you can win. Unfortunately, you remember something, and notice something else.

The first thing is that your mother is currently immune to injury.

The second is that she's holding one of those weapons.

You throw yourself aside on sheer instinct; the shoot roars like thunder, making your ears ring and your vision swim. Your mother whirls to keep her aim on you, but she's not paying enough attention to the necromancer - Brianna's cane comes down on the weapon, knocking it aside. Shrieking in rage, Diving Shadow pounces at Brianna.

|Mom!| you chirp angrily. |PUT THE NECROMANCER DOWN!|

Diving Shadow's head cocks your direction. She looks you up and down, recognition sparking in her eyes, and the fury drains from her expression.

Her talon loosens from Brianna's throat.

|Falling Knives?| she murmurs, in the bird tongue.

"Bri doesn't speak bird," you whisper, your voice tight. "It's good to see you, Mom."

"You too, Amy. Now I'm going to thrash you all over this fucking cavern for SNEAKING OUT FOR THREE YEARS YOU COWARDLY SHIT!"

Fuck.

> Let it happen
> Protest
> Fight back

> Protest

>>44513171
> Protest

>>44513171
Angry Mom is Angry. I don't think there's much else we can do to piss her off.
>Let it happen.

There's probably going to be some emotional hugging and tears after the inevitable fierce disciplining and tough love.

>>44513171
> Protest
I mean, if we deserved punishment, we kind of got it. Lack of wings and all.

>>44513171
>Protest
you would fight but currently she's using cheaty cheaty invulnerability magics.

>>44513171

Can we

>fight back

Without actually hurting her? Like, go for grapples and restraining?

Don't want to invoke the injury transfer, but I doubt Momma would like it if we didn't at least /try/. She didn't raise no weakling.

If not

>Protest

>>44513171
>> Protest


But moooooooooooooom!!!

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>>44513171
> Protest

>>44513380
Pffft.

Vote extended while I do some dishes. Given how close we are to the reply mark as well, this is also a good time for QUESTIONS YAAAAAAAAAAAY QUESTIONS.

And/or feedback, if anon's kind enough to offer any.

I'll be back soon.

>>44513171
>> Fight back
but basically what this guy says. >>44513377
"Without actually hurting her? Like, go for grapples and restraining?"

>>44513414

Already liking this one better than the library.

And is Shadow more pissed-pissed or relieved-pissed? How disgusted is she with Amy's missing wings?

>>44513171
>protest
>Hey, I spent a lot of that dewinged and imprisoned! Not even my fault that time!

Don't know where y'all at right now. Just caught up to the end of the Poet arc.

And I have to say, when Lora came in and some anons wanted to just let her kill Bridget, responding to them by saying that was essentially a wrong action that would lose Lora's respect was not only stupid Vox, but it makes you seem a bit like a cunt.

There's no reason why Brianna shouldn't decide in that moment that Bridgette earned her fate and death.

Frankly, it seems like The Poet was a bit of your DMPC and how dare some anons not like her. It seemed childish.

>>44513882
He wasn't saying that, we'd had the argument and come to a consensus that bridgette should live, and we'd argued for her life already to Lora. If we backed down then we'd have risked ourselves for nothing and Lora would know that think that we were a coward. He basically was saying to commit to the choice we had made earlier.

>>44513882
>Just caught up to the end of the Poet arc.
>There's no reason why Brianna shouldn't decide in that moment that Bridgette earned her fate and death.
Did you actually /read/ the arc? We literally spent the entirety of it trying /NOT/ to get Bridgette killed. Why on earth would we decide on the spot to completely reverse everything we said we'd do?

>>44513960
Except it was en entirely different choice with changed stakes. There's no reason why Brianna couldn't make a change when it comes down to the, bet something for her life. Although, that choice was rather vague and became a lot less literal and more figurative. It wasn't a real bet, just an argument.

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>>44513882

>>44514004
No that's still a refusal to put our money where our mouth is and makes perfect sense that it would piss lora off and lose her respect. That she was an extending a metaphor based on what was going on doesn't change that.

>>44514247
Yes, it would have been a refusal to put our money where our mouth is.

Which is entirely human and totally possible.

Up until that point it was, please don't kill Bridgette, Lora. She doesn't deserve to die for her crimes. (Arguable)

Then it became, risk something to save Bridgette.

And honestly, risking something to save her is a real thing that should be contemplated. Did she really deserve mercy? Personally, I would have voted for it. But I understand the anons who said no, she doesn't.

And Vox not only didn't, but decided to opine and give anons who made a different choice shit.

And I feel like that is bad form.

>>44514301
>Which is entirely human and totally possible.
It's human, and possible, and a totally shitty thing to do that makes people lose respect for you and pisses them off.

>>44513882
>>44514004
Oh, hey, a new reader! Welcome to the quest, anon.

I appreciate the feedback; the Atheneum has, I feel, been the weakest arc thus far and I'm looking to learn from the mistakes that were made there.

That in mind...well, honestly, you're probably at least partially right. It wasn't my place to take a shot at the anons that voted against the majority - it was unprofessional, and uncalled for.

From a character standpoint, Lora wasn't looking for a sacrifice, exactly, though that's how she framed it. She's lost, scared, and trapped, and her only way of meaningfully influencing her escape is Brianna. This clash with her champion was a frightening event for her, because it suggested that Bri might not be fully committed to her.

She wasn't looking to see Brianna suffer for defying her. She was looking to see the sort of person she'd entrusted her life to, and to see if the conflict was fueled by doubts or by conviction.

None of these villains need to live (or die) for the plot, and I am attempting as best I can to respect anon's choices without personal bias. Though I enjoyed writing Brigette, I'm not attached enough to save her from my players' agency. That said, I'm not trying to discourage further critique in this vein; I know it can be hard to detect when something's become your darling, and a reader's voice can be needed to ensure it doesn't taint the rest of the work.

Thank you for taking the time to offer your feedback.

I'll be back again shortly. You wouldn't think real life can interrupt your shit at fucking midnight, but you would be wrong.

>>44514394
Thank you. That was merely what I was trying to say.

It was unprofessional and uncalled for. Unlike your response here.

And again, personally. I'm glad Bridgette lived.

>>44514301
>And Vox not only didn't, but decided to opine and give anons who made a different choice shit.
>And I feel like that is bad form.
While I can see your point of 'your choice is now shit', I believe, and have seen it happen with other QMs, that if a choice is given and the consequences of that choice are not apparent when they should be, is even worse form.

I've seen giant arguments and threads derailed because people felt cheated that "How were we supposed to know that?", or "That is not what we chose to do", or "DM is railroading our choices" and whatnot.

I, personally, believe that he was for the most part in the right to clarify what was happening.

>>44514470
I would understand that if "Let her die" was winning, but it wasn't. It was a minority vote that obviously wasn't going to win for the same reason that every other time there were votes to spare Bridgette they won in a giant landslide.

>>44514537
I feel the opposite. To argue against the majority is to take away player agency.

>>44514470
This.

Yes, an absolutely perfect QM would have done differently: they would have made the option's implications clear from the start, so that the clarification wasn't needed. Vox has been so amazing most of the time, I think some of us occasionally need reminded that "absolutely perfect QM" is an unrealistic standard to hold anyone to, even Vox. As the linked post says, it's not that there was nothing wrong with what Vox did, but by the time he did it, the only other real option wasn't really any better than the one he took. The real mistake wasn't the post being complained about, but the unclear option that lead to it, and that's not so much a matter of horrible bad form, but a simple communication failure.

>>44514645
There's also issues of if it was 'arguing' or 'clarifying what a choice means' - see '/that/ screech' above, where there was confusion re: if she was using DEVASTATING SONIC WEAPON or BIRDLY WARNING CALL.

>>44513661
Shadow is a lot of things right now and unfortunately for other people near them harpies tend to deal with their emotional stress by fighting it out until they can remove 'rage' from the mix of problems and sort through what's left while they're tuckered out.

There is a reason the collective noun for harpy is 'murder'.

But she's not about to butcher her daughter, no.

>>44514645
Well its less arguing at that point and clarifying with a re-vote offered.

Essentially, if 'let her die' was winning, I understand going

This will permanently sour your relationship with Lora.

Continue? Y/N

>>44514656
This.

>>44514752
So basically, mom has to express her FURAE in some tough love before she can get down to the weepy, cuddly "OhLadyofRavensWherehaveyoubeenandwhoisthisbitchandwhathappenedtoyourwingsandohsweetheartdon'tcrymama'shere."

>>44514725
The tone was clearly mocking in Vox's commentary.

>This ends well

Being the thing that really set me off. Of course, pussy out and honorless coward were also over-the-top exaggerations so I'm quite sure it wasn't a simple clarification post.

>>44514656
I agree, no one can be a perfect QM. But if you ask for critiques every couple of threads, be prepared when you get it.

>>44514813
Pretty much exactly this, yes.

>>44514770
I'll keep this in mind as an idea in the future. I'd considered something like it in a couple of spots but I thought it would come across as...well, influencing votes? Or, rather, like I was being that asshole DM that railroads people by having awful shit happen to them after vague warnings at them.

I may have had some shitty DMs in my past.

Still, the thrust of what I'm trying to say is that I appreciate the advice.

>>44514907
Well as long as you're not sure the players actually realize what they're doing that worst crime you're potentially committing is being mistaken.

>>44514885
> But if you ask for critiques every couple of threads, be prepared when you get it.

This is certainly fair, but also bear in mind that a lot of people seem to disagree rather strongly with your critique (or at least with the tone of said critique, which was not exactly friendly). You've argued your piece, and I respect that. I even agree with parts of it. But your opinion is not the only one that matters.