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>>44579403
"Nate, there may be peg legs in the offing. It'll take you some time to learn how to walk like that, but it's a lot better than nothing, and I'm sure Lark can help you out - /if/ we can acquire one."

"I understand," the young man says agreeably. "It's honestly probably the best thing. It'll mean I'm eventually useful without bringing the two of you down for the moment, and I'm sure Lark can find a way to occupy my time."

"...You're not mad?" Amy asks.

"Amy, I fed my leg to a giant metal snake. Who the fuck am I going to be mad at? The only two beings with any responsibility here are me and the snake, and I killed one of those two."

"I wonder which one," you muse. "It's the mystery of the century, that."

Nate flings a bit of scrambled egg at you, and you chuckle.

"Another thing, get my share of wraithsteel from Silence when you can," Nathan tells you. "She'll know you can speak in my name. I trust her to divvy it up fair."

"Why?" Amy inquires, curiously.

"Fey," Nathan says, with a shrug.

Diving Shadow opens the door and ducks inside. "Good, you're up," the says curtly. "Arm yourselves and let's go."

You stand and turn to face her. "We've got some other things that need doing first," you tell her.

"I'll leave the Hero my gun so he can defend himself. My husband is in danger and I'll not tolerate it a second longer," Diving Shadow says in a low tone.

"Be that as it may," you answer, in icy politeness, "we have things to handle first."

The harpy walks slowly, deliberately, into your personal space. "You wanna say that again, necromancer?"

> Explain rationally
> Get Amy to back you up
> Argue in the traditional harpy style

>>44579470
She can't argue with us if our logic is impeccable.
> Explain rationally
She can only be maybe-frustrated-kinda and make threats.

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>>44579470
Alright folks, as foretold in prophecy I need to pass the fuck out and be up for work in the morning. The good news is that it's a 10 AM - 4 PM shift, and the bad news is I'm about to get only four and a half hours of sleep because fuck life, acquire thread run. I'm pre-preparing the coffee in an effort to feel human when I arise.

As always, questions, comments, discussion, feedback, and criticisms are welcome.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>44579470
>> Argue in the traditional harpy style
Get the point across and blow off some steam.

If it fails claim injury and need more time to do stuff.

>>44579470

> Explain rationally
> Get Amy to back you up

I'd say argue traditionally, but I'm not sure we could do so without actually hurting her (given the strength difference between harpies and humans).

> Explain rationally. If she tries to interject, slap her, as traditional for harpies, and shout for her to let you finish, before resuming being icily polite.

>>44579548
Prep coffee, feed it back into the well for a second concentration?

>>44579470
>Argue in the traditional harpy style
fuck, blow some steam.

We need to figure out how the talisman works, and/or find the necromancer. That is the single goal we CANNOT compromise on. Nate's got Verve if the going gets tough, and nobody else is particularly in danger, but we can't save the dad until we get rid of the fucking death collar on him.

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>>44579577

>>44579470
>Explain rationally and calmly.
She's understandably angry about the situation and is scared for her husband. Let's just gently bring her down out of her dark cloud and plan how we're going to go about saving Wizard Dad and murderize the Baron.

>>44579548
God's dammit! I work nights, so I feel like I haven't been able to participate in the thread until the closing questions/comments section.
It's obviously not your fault. Just empty complaints on my end.

>>44579640
I don't remember anything about a necromancer in the Baron's employ. I mean, it makes sense, but in all of our discussions (both in and out of character), we haven't actually heard it was necromancy. I just figured that the Baron was a slimy, unquestionably evil asshole with some seriously annoying tricks up his sleeve.

>>44579557
>Explain rationally. If she tries to interject, slap her, as traditional for harpies, and shout for her to let you finish, before resuming being icily polite.

Also:
> "Gun? I take it that's the name of those weapons the Baron's troops use?"

>>44580074
We established that the talismans he's using are necromantic magic, which means there has to be a necromancer around somewhere to make them. We've established that none of the remaining chain-bearers themselves are necromancers, so he has to have one working for or with him to be providing the talismans.

>>44580027
Well I don't want to completely corrupt him and point out that ephedrine, which acts like weak meth can be bought for $15 per month's supply. And I'd never recommend he do like I do and combine it with coffee.

vox i have a question, lora calls bri /heritor/ or one who inherits... are we going to /inherit/ the dungeon? or the responsibility of watching over it?

>>44580456
Could be heritor of her will

>Agree

I think that saving Amy´s father is a priority right now

>>44580644
It is, but rushing in without a plan goes badly. That's been a major theme of this whole thing.

>>44580760
Tell Shadow this. (I already voted here: >>44580163
this should be a part of the "explain rationally" bit)

>>44579470
>Explain rationally that it's a short delay for information.

>>44580949
Personally I think we should go relatively quickly. Leave Nate with Lark, get the latest rumors and go. Shadow can brief us on the way, and the worst thing in the world would be for Amy's dad to be killed because we /took to long/.

>>44580949
I remember them being compared to matchlock pistols, but with some demon-forging that eliminates the need to add powder. Just load and fire.

We might want to get a pair of those, actually. Captain Brianna La Croix, Mistress of the Swan Song and Queen of the Dead!

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>>44579403
Hey Vox, remember how I said I'd be making some delicious fan art of your illustrious characters? Well, Happy belated Christmas.

I started with the nigh-on legendary Red Kells because he's still my favorite side character, and because undead pirate-croc's are fucking metal. I totally envision him using the sea song as an intimidating theme song, reminder of his past to keep sane and an epic way to tally kills.

I might do some more tweaking later, but I'm doing battle with a nasty stomach virus, and need to go die a little. Let me know if you have any preferences (black & white, colored, limited palette, etc.).

>>44581088
>necklace is a stereotypical pirate hook

>>44581029
That was discussed at length, yes, but it was discussed in WoG, not in-character. As IRL humans familiar with modern IRL tech, we all immediately recognised them from their descriptions, but at this point /Brianna/ has no way of having any idea what the word "gun" signifies.

>>44581029
Damn. I can't decide if that's more or less awesome than one of my old pirate characters...
>>44581088
That is fucking amazing and you're great. Are you gonna update it once we find out what Amy scrimshaws into Kells' bones?

>>44581270
I don't get the reference. Just what the hell is that supposed to be?

>>44581099
Maybe, if it didn't get decomposed alongside the rest of his body when the ritual was performed.
>>44581234
I might, but it'll depend on whether I have time (work the night shift from 5pm to 2am, WHILE I'm dealing with being sick and sore). Also, it'd be up to Lord Voxwagon.

Also, for those interested, I'm using a Huion Pen Tablet. Was a Christmas present, and the person who got it for me had no idea what I was talking about, and probably got cheated by whoever she bought it from. It's...okay, but I'm definitely going to be picking up something else in a few months time. For now, it'll do.

>>44581410
Oh, yeah, I wasn't expecting you to do it while sick. That was an 'eventually' question.

>>44581270
>>44581410
It was for a MSpaint thread on /a/ that I posted the wrong thread

>>44579470
> Explain rationally

>>44579470
>>Explain rationally. If she tries to interject, slap her, as traditional for harpies, and shout for her to let you finish, before resuming being icily polite.

>>44581622
Too late, now it's canon.

>>44579577
...YOU CAN DO THAT? DO YOU LEAVE THE USED BEANS IN THE FILTER?

>>44580456
An interesting question. Would be a shame if someone were to...pointedly ignore it.

>>44581088
I love you. Ravish my undead body. It's fucking glorious. Love the little details in the mouth, on the tail.

Someone needs to tell my body that this 'sleep' waifu it keeps wanting to fuck is a shit. Probably only gonna be able to write the one update before work. Thank you all for your patience.

>>44581088
You forgot his pipe m80

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>>44579470
You meet Diving Shadow's gave evenly. "You're asking me to leave my mate alone and in danger to rescue yours. Would you do that, in my situation?"

"He's your -"

"He is," Amy agrees, cutting Diving Shadow off. "It's not /that/ complicated."

"I sense that my daughter has many ass beatings in her future," Diving Shadow growls.

"Look," you murmur. "I'm looking to get Nathan to the Company Store and an ally of ours. He'll get the chance to get back up to fighting trim from there. It's gonna be in, leave the Hero, grab the info, back out. No offense Nate."

Nathan waves it off.

"Tactically I'd wanted to hit the Shaft next, but I understand if you're worried for your husband. Can I ask, though, that you think with your head and not your heart? The last thing I want is for us to end up killing people because we acted hastily."

Shadow looks up at your eyes and narrows her own. "...Very well."

"Armor up everyone, we're fucking leaving."

For the sake of convenience, Amy carries Nathan, not because he can't hobble on his own but because everyone's jogging at a pretty decent clip. Fetch's aid helps you avoid the Baron's patrols, a godsend given your current state, and you slip into Lark's barn.

The elf's not in at the moment, which gives you a bit of a problem.

> "Amy, take Nate and Fetch to find peg legs, I'm going to take your mother and find Lark. Report in half an hour."
> "Shadow, you know the place. Take Nate and Fetch to find peg legs, report in half an hour."
> "You guys go after peg legs, I'm gonna find Lark."
> "I'll take Nate to peg legs. Amy, can you and your mother find Lark and get us more information?"

>>44582734
> "I'll take Nate to peg legs. Amy, can you and your mother find Lark and get us more information?"
I think they need some privacy to talk about family things.

>>44582734
I'm of the opinion that maybe we can leave him. The husband IS in a pretty bad position.
>"Nate....how much can you trust Verve in a fight?"

>>44582734
> "You guys go after peg legs, I'm gonna find Lark."

Alright folks, I gotta hit work. See you in six hours or so.

There will be a real run tonight, I promise.

>>44582734
>"You guys go after peg legs, I'm gonna find Lark."

>>44582940
I was under the impression that you never stopped running.

>>44582940
You said you'd take a break, and you haven't slowed down at all.
What the hell is a "real run" to you?

>>44582734
> "Shadow, you know the place. Take Nate and Fetch to find peg legs, report in half an hour."

>>44582982
.... But I have slowed down?

>>44582734
> "Amy, take Nate and Fetch to find peg legs, I'm going to take your mother and find Lark. Report in half an hour."

Diving Shadow is kinda notorious around these parts, Even with the "Time to ourselves" stuff I think we need to keep an eye on things.

>>44582734
>>44582875
>>"Nate....how much can you trust Verve in a fight?"
Agreed

Have Nate use his sword as a peg leg

>>44582734
Can we trust Diving Shadow with Nate? I mean, not to insult our fair Hero, but he's definitely not in any condition to fight, and if we run into any of the Baron's patrols...We can probably convince the Murder-Bird that Wizard Dad is too valuable to just off (What do we actually know about him anyway? Like, does he have a specialty?).
There might even be the chance that the Baron nabbed Lark for 'questioning'. We might be best served by leaving Sir Fetch and his brethren to guard to downed Woundseeker (since undead poultry is apparently, and hilariously, Bri's calling card).

>>44582457
Don't tempt me Vox. I'll go Rule 34 on your boney, coffee-snorting ass. Just you wait.

In all seriousness, I'm glad you like it. I've got work tonight and tomorrow night as well, so there probably won't be another sketch until Thursday. And that's if my white blood cells can survive the hideous bio-hazard assaulting my pasty hide.

>>44582875
>I'm of the opinion that maybe we can leave him. The husband IS in a pretty bad position.
>"Nate....how much can you trust Verve in a fight?"
That's my vote. Remember, he's in the Company Store now, and for all the casualness of the hours and job description, he *is* technically and officially Lark's employee at this moment. So long as he doesn't leave the Company Store, he has the witchlights to defend him, as well as Verve, and while he's not exactly in fighting trim, even in his current condition he's not absolutely helpless in his own right.

Baron already threw a tantrum over his setbacks, how long do you think it's gonna take him to off the hostage he was holding specifically against one of those setbacks? If we leave /now/, he might still be fresh enough dead for Bri to save him.

Three hours and change to call.

>>44582734
>>44582875

Supporting.

One and a half hours to call. Discussion and questions still welcome and appreciated.

>>44586522
The Vinter, The Moneylender, and the Poet, you have to marry one, screw one, and kill one, which do you choose?

>>44586572
This seems too easy. Marry the Poet because she's a more-or-less decent human being, screw whichever of the Moneylender and the Vintner matches your sexual orientation, and kill the other one. Admittedly a tad more difficult for bi/pan people, but still hardly a serious dilemma.

>>44582734
>> "Amy, take Nate and Fetch to find peg legs, I'm going to take your mother and find Lark. Report in half an hour."
The other options either consist of let two scatterbrained harpies lead and discuss things, or we run blindly searching for a guy. We kinda need our 'diplomatic' abilities here a bit I'd think.

And also, >>44582875
I'd rather not leave Nate alone. Just doesn't feel right but I won't fight you guys on it.

Off work. Writing soon.

I thought this was a tough choice.

Alright. Off work, chores done, votes called, writing.

And the webcomic writer may be putting up, shall we say, adult fanart, in the 18+ section of his site. For those of you looking for it, the link is on the right of the front page, labeled 'behind the building'.

Or real life fucking ate me. Thank you for your patience folks.

So anybody care to explain last thread? Shit seemed pretty complex.

>>44589870
FEELINGS
also Hero lost a leg.
And Lora was gangraped by the Baron.

>>44589767
>patience
The quest I wad reading before this hasn't updated since November, and none of my favorite webcomics update ever
Hardly a wait

>>44589767
What is this 'life' of which you speak? Seems a rather unpleasant thing to have. I must say I am rather pleased to not own such an item.

>>44589888
Something still doesn't add up about your explanation. Maybe you need to identify some of the other factors for me?

Unless that would be too divisive, in which case you can provide the remainder of the explanation later.

>>44590009
might as well go back and read the archive.

>>44588937
Vox, you got my hopes up! (and other things) there's nothing there yet!

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>>44582734
"Godsdamnit," you mutter under your breath. You look at Nathan, then at Amy, then back to Nathan. "Nate, how good is Verve if it comes down to a fight?"

"She's better in my hand than on her own, but she's handy," he says. "What're you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that I saw something with Lora last night that suggests we don't have time to waste," you admit. "We need to get Amy's father now. Diving Shadow, can you show him how that weapon works? What'd you call it - a gun?"

"Yes," the harpy says. She unholsters it and walks Nathan through; the operation is deceptively simple. "It'll kick when you fire it," she warns. "Watch for that. Aim straight, cock the hammer before each shot, and make 'em count."

Nathan is left with a small sack of bullets and warm hugs from you and Amy.

"He'll be fine," Diving Shadow opines. "He's a tough one, your Hero."

"That's what worries me," you admit. "Files break before they bend."

"The holding area is near the Baron's territory. His men dug out cells into the stone - pits, essentially - into which bars have been set. Captivity is a simple affair," the harpy explains. "Those who make trouble are shot. The Baron has a surplus of prisoners and those he keeps safer than the others are meant to keep important minions in line."

"Like you," you hazard.

"Like me."

>>44590462
Well yeah. It's not done yet! I was pointing out where one might find it when it /is/ up, because I'm given to understand that linking to porn is frowned on in blue boards, and I can't precisely post the image for the same reason.

>>44590627
So, if we free ALL of them that would fuck a lot of his leverage up.

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>>44590627
The holding area is a pit-mine with the promised cells littering its flattened bottom. Small shacks - probably administrative buildings - dot it in places, while armed men holding those - what were they, guns? - pace between the cells.

"I know this maybe isn't relevant but what're the long ones?" you ask.

"Rifles. The smaller ones are pistols, specifically revolvers. If you want to get really specific, the rifles you're seeing down there are /Waerloch/ breechloaders. My revolver's a /Backbiter/."

"Cheerful names," Amy notes, worriedly.

"They're cheerful weapons," Diving Shadow murmurs grimly.

"Okay. Say we storm the place?"

"We die. Then all the prisoners die, out of sheer spite."

"What's the rate of fire compared to a crossbow?" you ask.

"Faster. A lot faster."

"My armor can soak some shots," Amy says confidently. "It's demon-forged. It'll hurt like hell but it can't be /that/ bad."

"But that still leaves the prisoners," you mull. "...Gimmie a bit to think. Do you know where your husband is?"

"No, but I know where their ammo dump is." Diving Shadow points at one of the shacks.

> Bluff it (Literally Kill Yourself)
> Beseech the ancestors for aid
> Incapacitate self to weave great spell of darkness
> Fuck it, storm the place
> Persuade Diving Shadow to pull out and wait

>>44591149
>> Beseech the ancestors for aid
As much fun as the spell of great darkness would be, I'd rather use something that we can defer payment for until after we're done with the Baron. Let's just hope we don't get Mark again.

>>44591149
>Beseech the ancestors for aid
I fucking swear if we get mark again...

>>44591149
>Beseech the ancestors for aid
great grandnephew in law twice removed, assist me in battle

>>44591149
> Deathsight on the allies, then Incapacitate self to weave great spell of darkness

I feel bad for the other prisoners... But much, much worse for the guards in the area.

Called. Writing.

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>>44591149
"Alright," you murmur. "I'm going to beseech the ancestors. Diving Shadow, does your husband speak bird?"

"He does," the harpy woman agrees. "I can use it to find him."

"Good. He's our priority first. You wait, then swoop when the time is right. Amy, you'll start on the guards; Fetch, support her."

"Yes ma'am," Amy agrees; Fetch echoes "As you command, O my queen."

"No one but Diving Shadow is familiar with those weapons. We should torch the ammo and smash the guns."

"Eh...might be good to equip the Miners with," Amy reasons.

"This is probably going to make lots of noise, Ames," you warn. "We may not have time to collect anywhere near the amount we'd want."

Amy readies a potion while you set your palm flat against the stone. You draw your grandfather's knife and slash your vein open in a slow, deliberate cut. You hiss in pain as the blood flows over the ground and then rises, outlining a humanoid figure.

She doffs her top hat at you and smiles, a vicious expression on her face.

"Aunt Carol?" you murmur.

"Brianna," she greets. You can see the nails they drove into her corpse and the sword left in her guts, but it's definitely your Aunt. "You called?"

You wave off the potion; your vision blurs for a moment. "They trapped your power in your corpse. You can't do necromancy. I know you can't."

"I'm still a specter. I still have my revenge."

Fuck. "You won't be satisfied with a day and a night, will you?"

"Goodness no," Aunt Carol agrees. "I want something little from you. You don't even have to do it. Make the angel free my ghost."

...Gods. Damn it.

> No. Fuck off with your shit.
> ...Fine.

I'm finally caught up. Fantastic.
Vox, you're fantastic at running, and being a published writer explains why you do such a good job.
I had a few questions to ask, but I forgot most of them while catching up.

One I can think of is: would it be possible to switch Fetch's conscious to a new body?
It would be horrible for our familiar to become less than fully useful as we go deeper in the Dungeon, but it would also be horrible to lose Fetch for the creation of a physically more powerful familiar.

>>44591920
Which revenge? The guys she died chasing after didn't even make it to town and just died in a swamp a few hours away, right?

>>44592005

Shes a necromancer, death is but a door for her, and she can still get creative with her revenge.

>>44592005
Revenge in the general sense. Specters are violent ghosts; they inherit the hate and jealousy that dead have for the living, hound those that wronged them, murderously defend the site of their death, and more. Aunt Carol died with curses on her lips and hate in her heart, and she still has that hate to use against the guards.

>>44591920
>No. Fuck off with your shit.
You made your choices, and Lora might not even be able to do that

>>44592061
So, based on our knowledge of necromancy, what exactly would it mean to free her ghost? What would we be unleashing, and on whom?

Remember guys, if we get seriously wounded (which we should do if need be), we should get ourselves seated in a location we can hold the line against the enemy at, or kill ourselves for some insanely powerful necromatic spell.

>>44591920
Is it even possible for us to make Lora do something like that? We could ask her to, and she might just say "nah, suck it". I think that's the most we could honestly offer her. It's not like Aunt Carol has so many options. What's our earnest attempt at appealing to a Death Choir worth?

We sure as fuck aren't picking up one of those chains, if that's what Aunt Carol's implying.

>>44592147
You'd be releasing a violent, intelligent ghost of someone who, in the end, resorted to terrorizing and harming the innocent and desecrating the dead in order to get her revenge. In most cases like this, the specter will go after the families of those that wronged her, though it's possible that she will instead protectively haunt the trigger for her vengeance (that is, your mother's grave) and savagely massacre anyone defiling it. Either way, she'd have necromantic acumen and a connection to the world of the living. She'd also be subject to the slow fading of ghosts into true death at a faster rate than now; the imprisonment slows her journey across the Veil.

>>44592183
Lora's cautioned us about giving her orders before. Implied that it might /work/. I suspect very much that we can make her do it, if we want to. Which is not necessarily a fantastic thing to do to someone in Lora's position.

>>44591920
> ...Fine.

>>44591920
> No. Fuck off with your shit.
There is literally no time for this shit

>>44591920
> ...Fine. I'll *ask* her. Because I don't even know if she can do it, and if she can, I don't know if she will.
> But I'll make sure she knows that it's damn important. That it's family.

>>44592204
Right, then. Not something we want to resort to. That way lies zombie armies, appropriately enough.
> No. Fuck off with your shit.
Although if we can make a counter-proposal, we should. Something less likely to end in innocent deaths.

>>44591920
>...Fine. I'll *ask* her. Because I don't even know if she can do it, and if she can, I don't know if she will.
>> But I'll make sure she knows that it's damn important. That it's family.

I'm also in favor of attempting a counter-offer, but >No fuck off with your shit
if she doesn't budge.

>>44591920
>>No. Fuck off with your shit.

I don't see ANY situation where this doesn't cause massive ass problems in the long run.

>>44592275
> Counteroffer: humiliation, painful and unforgettable, for those who wronged you.
"From henceforth, all the toilets in the kingdom shall be known as...Johns!"

>>44592313
We need the help now. The effects will be so far removed from us that it won't even matter. We NEED this.

>>44591920
>Yes, directly to beyond the veil

>>44592313
We could just exorcise her afterwards, couldn't we?

>>44591920
>> ...Fine.

>>44591920
>No. Fuck off with your shit.
>You KNOW they're dead, that they never even made it to the village you terrorized.
>I don't need callous hatred, not here, where it's all too easy to just let an innocent die, not now, when one of those innocents is the /husband/ of my mate's /mother/.

>>44592338
I should explain. We should make that part of the stipulation.
If her ghost is freed, we'll see to her going beyond the veil immediately (or otherwise as soon as possible) after.

>>44591920
>No. Fuck off with your shit.
>You KNOW they're dead, that they never even made it to the village you terrorized.

>>44592000
Ermagerd a new reader. Hi! 's nice t'meet'cha.

If there's a way to swap Fetch's mind into a new body, Brianna doesn't know it. That in mind, even if one found a way it might not be the greatest idea in the history of ideas; trapped in circumstances now alien to him, Fetch may have great difficulty coping and acclimating to his new form, for much the same reason as Kells (admittedly without having to deal with the transition from life to death).

>>44592338
Seconding this. Release her ghost to a deserving Hereafter. Lora might even help willingly for that

>>44592691
Er, to be clear

>Yes, directly beyond the Veil

Vote extended for Life Stuff.

>>44592667
I'd assume a different kind of undead fowl would limit that problem, even if it would give limited improvements compared to a total change in body.
It's just something to think over, instead of just letting our brave knight fall behind his fellow adventurers.

Another one, would Verve's name have made any change to its inherent function if it was different, such as the weighting or method of auto-attack?
ie, could it have become more favorable to being used like a greatsword with the right name?
My assumption is no, but wraithsteel is an interesting material.

>>44592265
I support this, with;
>I don't need callous hatred, not here, where it's all too easy to just let an innocent die, not now, when one of those innocents is the /husband/ of my mate's /mother/.
and this;
>>44592408
tacked on to the end.

Brianna loves her Aunt, but there's no way we should give her any chance to harm any innocents. The wrath of the dead is not a pretty thing.

>>44593030
Remember what Nathan said about wraithsteel; it contains the essence of the beast it was, the intent and will of the smith, and is shaped as a final touch by its name, which focuses those elements towards a purpose. The most physically defining of those three steps is the forging, because it creates the body of the tool. You can go against the 'grain' of wraithsteel with a forge; you can make a predator's body into, say, a wall, or a shovel, but you can't go against that grain with a name. Verve was a saber and will remain a saber ever more.

That said, as you've seen, the power of the name does focus the material and draw out magical and spiritual properties within it.

>>44593611
I didn't get the chance to say this earlier because I was at work - attend to your health, my friend. I'm honored and giddy that you made art /at all/; I certainly don't expect it, let alone on a timeframe! Thanks for reading and, well, taking an interest. Get better soon.

Votes called, writing.

>>44594126
What the heck does Verve mean, anyway?

>>44594187
Basically livelihood. It was specifically suggested for that definiton

>>44594187
Life or, more specifically, a zest for life. Amy has verve.

>>44594126
That, Lord Voxwagon. I'm trying my best (plenty of water or tea, no heavy foods, rest and medicine, etc.), and I hope to be back on my feet within the next couple days. That being said, my manager might not be so patient.

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>>44591920
"Bri, the potion," Amy pleads.

"She needs to seal the bargain or refuse while the blood still flows," Aunt Carol explains, looking at Amy with surprising kindness. "Please don't distract her."

"I'm not ordering Lora to do anything," you tell your aunt's ghost. "...But I can ask. And really, when else are you going to get that?"

"If you won't force her, I want an audience," Carol counters.

You can see the need in her dead eyes, the fury. You remember getting the news.

You also remember warm arms to cry into, when your mother died.

"...Deal. I need you to prevent the guards from hurting the prisoners, and to not kill anyone."

"Yes, something's wrong with the death here," Carol agrees.

"Bah," Diving Shadow spits. "Kill the soldiers. They're scum, traitors to their own."

"They're victims," you tell her.

"They're fools, but I wouldn't say they're victims," the harpy says haughtily.

You take the potion from Amy and drink it at last; you get a rush of dizziness and pain as your blood is partially replaced and your arm heals over.

"What's your will, niece?" Aunt Carol asks.

> Spare the soldiers
> Kill the soldiers

>>44594538
>> Spare the soldiers

>>44594538
>Spare the soldiers, but only just

>>44594538
>Spare the soldiers
Needless deaths should be avoided.

>>44594538
>> Spare the soldiers

They're natives to a system in which you want to be on the side of whoever the strongest group is, they're just trying to not die, once the baron appears vulnerable, if we can make him bleed, they'll turn on him.

>>44594538
>Spare the soldiers
No killing until we get to the bottom of these talismans

Anyone else notice that Bri isn't bleeding anymore? Aunt Carrol isn't bound to obey what we say now. That said:

>Spare the soldiers, but if it's a choice between them or a prisoner then save the prisoner

>>44594879
No, Bri just needed to decide if she'd accept or decline while she was bleeding.
She accepted before drinking the potion, so everything is good.

>Spare the soldiers

>>44594538
> Spare the soldiers

Called, writing.

>>44594538
w-what happens if she doesn't agree or refuse before the blood stops?

>>44594538
>Spare the soldiers.
I don't think any of the normal mooks have any of those damned talismans, so we /shouldn't/ have to worry about the slaves on that end.

The murderbirds can take out the ammo stocks, while Aunt Carol runs offense. The noble Sir Fetch can run defense while Bri frees the prisoners.

>>44595337
Carol runs loose until the spell can no longer hold her away from her corpse, and then she gets sucked back into her body.

So, y'know, blood fucking everywhere.

Writing interrupted. Something came up.

Give me a few to find where my mind is. I'll try to come back to this in about an hour.

>>44596126
>Give me a few to find where my mind is.
liches, can't even be arsed to keep their brains in their skulls

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And now presenting Brianna's newly adopted sister, River La Croix!

It's not my best work by far, but then again I'm out of practice, I've never used a pen tablet AND I've never been /great/ with people or portraits. I think I'm going to stick with a limited palette, and highlight particular features (eyes, hair, maybe something special like unique equipment).

Any constructive criticism is more than welcome. Seriously, fire away.

>>44597129
cute as fuq/14
your work continues to be godlike, Kong
may biplanes never find their mark

>>44597129

Neat!

I think it looks good; my one criticism is how straight the bridge of the nose is. Looks like a mask or a stylized statue.

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>>44597129
Fixed a couple of small details. And those ears were fucking immense.
>inb4 someone makes a Dumbo joke

> Leave thread in effort to shake of depression and rage
> Literally just praying it doesn't sage out
> Return to glorious fan art

Thank you Kong. You've vastly improved my night.

Writing shortly.

>>44597626
You are most welcome, glorious undead buttslut. The pen truly is mightier than the sword, no?

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>>44594538
"Plan holds," you decide. "Don't kill anyone, Aunt Carol. Hurt them if you have to, but don't kill /anyone/. This is gonna get messy. We can't reasonably care for everyone here; they'll have to flee to the Company Store on their own. We extract Larry to Lark's place and then decide further from there. This...this is gonna kick over the hornet's nest."

"Might make our job at the Shaft easier," Amy muses. "Draw men away."

"I'm starting," Carol notes. The specter drifts downwards while Fetch and his brother race down the path that will take them to the bottom.

"What should we expect?" Diving Shadow murmurs.

"Suffering," you tell her, frankly.

As foretold, the screaming begins from down below. The guards scream and babble, shrieking for their mothers or their commanders; the overseers are of no help either, occupied as they are with their own demons.

You can hear Aunt Carol snarling a litany of fury, listing off sin after sin.

You don't need to watch this. You don't need this haunting you for the rest of your life. You turn away and stand, leaning on your cane for support.

You're feeling woozy. The potion wasn't enough.

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Here's a little bit of silliness to cheer up our dear Vox.

>>44598771
It's... so... beautiful. *single tear*

ITS NIGHTMARE TIME
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APIKVLw1tT0

>>44598771
>Nate's leg
It's the little things that make this so great

>>44598771
Is there a stock chain border to frame this with?

>>44598771
B-but, Amy doesn't have wings anymore

>>44599000

Nate doesn't have a left leg anymore either.

WRAITHSTEEL, MOTHERFUCKER, DO YOU SPEAK IT?!

>>44599000
Those are the wings Brianna imagines were there. As Vox has mentioned, harpies use a lot of body language in conveying how they feel. So, for instance, when Amy is happy, Brianna imagines her wings fluttering behind her.

Plus, she looks even cuter with than without.

>>44599044
Nate is going to be decked out in all sorts of shiny awesomeness by the end of this story. Pimp My Paladin when?

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>>44598727
You wince when you hear the explosion; the screams that follow mean people got hurt.

<My lady, we're on our way> Fetch tells you. <Amy's father is worse for wear but not injured.>

<Finally, some good news.> You start hobbling away, only to be scooped up, weightlessly, by what turns out to be Amy.

"Too slow," she chides. "...Thanks."

"Not a problem."

Okay folks. Here's the deal - I'm fucking out of it. So I'ma call this for the night, with my heartfelt apologies, and give you a real update in the morning.

Archiving thread now.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>44599271
Take care of yourself, Vox. And no need for apologies. It's okay to be selfish sometimes.

>>44599271
I want you to get some real sleep, take a real break, and deal with whatever's bothering you. We won't go anywhere, and if the thread's gone in the morning, don't make a fuss about it.
We love you bud.

>>44599248

>worse for wear but not injured

I am... not sure how that would work.

>>44599271

Dude. You have continued running constantly for over a month, through such events as your tooth fucking exploding. We are not going to get pissed about you retiring 'early' for a night, and anyone who does is an ungrateful testicular parasite.

If you do need to take an actual break (whether for a day or a week or a month) then you can rest damn assured that we'll be here when you come back.

night Vox

>>44599311
>>44599359
>>44599393
Thread's archived. To expand on Fetch's statements, I'm driving at the idea that captivity hasn't been good for him but he's not dying and all of his bits are, unlike Nathan's, still attached.

Dentist seems to think I need someone on hand for Friday and Saturday to ensure that I don't die a painful death, so I may take a break then. Not sure.

If I don't, I will be high as fuck while running. Higher than I am now, in point of fact, considering that I never got off those painkillers.

I appreciate the support, folks.

>>44599311
>Vox is Bri
>Nate and Amy are questing and life
>Talon is his job
>We must be Vox's Fetch

LOVE YOURSELF MY QUEEN!

>>44599434
Shit man, hope get well soon!

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>>44599434

>I never got off those painkillers
>Vox has been doing almost the entire quest on drugs
>Has run every day for over a month and delivered one of the greatest quests ever made WHILE ON DRUGS

>>44599434
>considering that I never got off those painkillers.
I seriously suggest you be careful about not abusing those things. While I can't make you do anything I've known people who've had that stuff ruin their family's lives and I don't wish that on you.

Do be careful.

>>44598771
I love this maybe even more than the (amazing) River pic.

>>44599651
I appreciate the advice. I've been taking them as perscribed and will be ceasing, likewise, when perscribed.

I am too broke to become a fucking addict. I don't need that in my life. I literally cannot afford it.

>>44599572
...This is hyperbole, right? 's not /that/ great...

>>44599731
It is pretty great. Hasn't decreased in quality, and constant updates makes it one of my favorites.
Good work.

>>44599731
You're awesome, this story is awesome, you should feel awesome. Here's to hoping we're both back to normal by the weekend.

Coincidentally, I may have found the perfect song to go with the Amy/Nathan romance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TytGOeiW0aE

>>44599731

I am very glad I live in Canada. I get my prescription Speed for free.

Alright, going to sleep for real now folks. See you in six hours or so.

Double coffee awaits in my future.

>>44599731
Have you seen other quests from QMs who run then while not sober?

>>44599731
it's pretty damn great when there's no dropoff on quality between control, sleepy, coffeed up, and drugged up
it's pretty damn great that you still managed to go to a dentist and run
there's also, you know, doing this every DAY, for a MONTH

>>44599731
Also, while this isn't really in your control, the threads are pretty comfy. Disagreements don't end with shit flying everywhere like I've seen in some quests.

You've managed a threesome relationship with *issues* that don't have us flinging shit everywhere because our companions aren't as perfect as we'd like.

Threads are never down, so we can come in and drop out freely, instead of forcing everyone on at the same time, increasing the chance of a spark that starts shit flying everywhere.

Basically, we're a group of untrained monkeys, and you've been adept at not making us start flinging shit everywhere, which makes you an animal tamer a cut above the rest.

The fact that the writing is solid is just a bonus compared to the miracles I am witnessing in board civility here.

>>44602739
> Also, while this isn't really in your control, the threads are pretty comfy. Disagreements don't end with shit flying everywhere like I've seen in some quests.

Seriously. I've only sat in on a few quests, but every single one of them ends up filled with pain and rage. This is remarkable.

>>44600178
>TFW you live in a country where powdered coffee is the norm and brewing coffee is a great luxury.

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>>44603695
>powdered coffee is the norm

>>44602038
Well...KCQ sometimes?

>>44602610
Well...you might witness that soon? I dunno. 's nice to hear though.

>>44602739
>>44603152
I've really liked my readership here, honestly. Everyone's...respectful, with one another, and that's always a great thing to have. It gives me confidence with moving forward with scenes like, say, Lora's recent one, knowing that I can deal with heavy shit and deal with it respectfully.

>>44603695
My friend, I mourn for you.

Looking back I probably should have gone to sleep instead of trying to force out those short two updates there at the end. I was trying to work my way through...not bad shit precisely, but you know that thing where you're getting to know a person you really like and they end up accidentally stepping in a section of your Past that has a Capital P?

One of /those/ nights.

Working on update now.

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>>44599248
"Anyone dead?" you ask.

"Some," Amy admits. "Explosion got them. Got me a little too. I don't think it's anything too major it's just it feels like someone stomped repeatedly on my ribs."

"/Ames/!"

"I'llletyoutreatmewhenwecanstopokay."

You turn your head. The man in Diving Shadow's arms is clothed, at least, and seems both awake and attentive. He chirps in a reasonable approximation of the sounds the harpy makes and strokes her hair.

Diving Shadow weeps in pure relief, and you turn your head to give her some privacy with her feelings. Sometimes even happy feelings need some room to breathe.

"The Baron will be furious," Diving Shadow calls. "He will come to the Company Store looking to make the Miners turn in whoever has done this. If they cave to his threats they can vote to rescind the Store's hospitality."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," you call back. "But thanks for the warning. How long?"

"Call it two hours, one if he was already planning on marching someplace."

"Peachy."

The desperate run slows to a walk nearer to the Store, and you and Larry are set down. Amy's father is a thin but not frail man, currently dressed in sack-cloth and a concerned expression. He hugs his daughter tightly when she goes to him.

"I'm sorry," Amy whispers.

"I'm not," Larry murmurs back.

"I really hate to be the asshole here," you tell them softly, "but we've gotta move."

Echoes of the explosion clearly made it to the Store; the Miners within are armed and gather in worried knots to mutter with one another.

When you slip into Lark's barn, Verve flies up towards you aggressively, before Nathan whistles her back.

"Lark came back," he notes. "He has bad news." The Hero's eyes go to Larry. "You must be Amy's father. I'd get up to greet you but I loaned my leg to an enemy of mine and they've yet to return it."

Larry and Amy choke on their guilty laughter at the same time.

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>>44604622
Larry crosses the room and shakes Nathan's hand with warm enthusiasm despite his obvious exhaustion. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Laurence is my name, though I prefer Larry."

"Nathan Bookchild," Nathan greets back.

"I'm Brianna la Croix," you note, while you pat yourself down in the vain hunt for a smoke. "We didn't have a lot of time for introductions earlier. The valiant one is Sir Fetch the Nightfeather."

Fetch bows, formally. "An honor, sir."

"I'll catch him uh-owwww," Amy rubs her ribs where you jabbed them. "Briii."

"You said you'd let me treat you," you say in a low, warning tone.

"But...but Dad..."

You sigh.

> Bird, armor off, self on cot, stop arguing.
> Fine. Catch up with your father and mother while we talk to Lark.
> Write-in

>>44604696
>Bird, armor off, self on cot, stop arguing.

>>44604696
>Bird, armor off, self on cot, stop arguing.

Nothing he hasn't seen before. They can chat during treatment and

>>44604738
...and we don't have much time

Stupid work distraction

>>44604696
>> Fine. Catch up with your father and mother while we talk to Lark.
Battle preparations must not be delayed. Amy can stand a bit of pain for a few minutes.

>>44604696
>> Bird, armor off, self on cot, stop arguing.

>>44604696
>> Bird, armor off, self on cot, stop arguing.

Okay folks, I gotta be at work from 12 - 5 today so this vote's gonna stay open. I have tomorrow off free and clear aside from needing to cash my check, so look forward to more than a one-update morning at that time. Friday & Saturday, again, may not contain thread run; my apologies in advance.

I'm available for a bit to field questions, comments, and discussion.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>44604696
> Bird, armor off, self on cot, stop arguing.
One of our lovers lost a leg yesterday. We're not letting Amy's injury to into something worse than it is.

>>44604696
>Heal (or at least prep for it) while we talk.
It's as important Amy is ready ASAP as that the talking happens.
Amy is part of the group, and the group isn't read if she isn't ready.

>>44604696
>Bird, armor off, self on cot, stop arguing.
>Considering that we'll need to leave the store very soon, we're not going to get this chance for a while.
so I take it Nate didn't really get a change to peg it up? We should pick up that wraithmetal then.

......wait. if we had one of those books, couldn't we teleport nate over to the Library?

>>44605234
>if we had one of those books, couldn't we teleport nate over to the Library?
Key word IF. We might have it, but more likely we left the book at home.

Three and a half hours and change to vote call.

>>44604696
>> Bird, armor off, self on cot, stop arguing.

>>44604696
I'll go with the they can chat while we work vote here
>>44604696
>>Bird, armor off, self on cot, stop arguing.
>Nothing he hasn't seen before. They can chat during treatment

>>44604696
>Bird, armor off, self on cot, stop arguing.
Let's make sure there's no serious damage, and make sure Best Bird gets some rest before we have to tangle with the Baron.

I seriously hope we can undo the enchantment making him invulnerable, or there's a fair chance things'll go south /very/ quickly.

Does Wizard-Dad have any input on that end?

>>44607847
About that. Making him vulnerable would obviously be a good plan, but getting the chain might accomplish much the same thing. Not completely convinced, since he didn't need any rules broken, but I'm guessing Lora can figure something out.

If we manage to get his chain, do you think Lora will force the baron to feel all the suffering he visited upon others, including his treatment of her?

Seems like a fitting punishment.

>>44604696
>Bird, armor off, self on cot, stop arguing.
>And no talking while your ribs knit back together, we don't need them healing at a bad angle and having to be broken again to fix it. Listen, and once the knitting finishes, then you /will/ get your chance to give your input.

Off work. Will write when home. Fifteen minute warning to call.

>>44609543
Nice. I had to call out of work again (manager's are worse than vomit sometimes, seriously), but I am currently doodling a certain chivalrous cockerel.

It is going quite well, to the extent that some mad cackling and childish glee has caused several people to ask just what the hell I am doing. How do you explain to your parents that you like drawing cocks?

Home. Starting food, new coffee, then writing. At least the votes were easy to tally.

Thanks for bearing with me these last couple of days, folks.

>>44610110
Its us that should thank you

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To the most gracious and humble of QM's! All hail, Lord Voxwagon! May your days be long and joyous, and your cup ever full!

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>>44604696
"Amy, armor off, get on the cot, and stop arguing with me before I take off the Bri-your-lover hat and start beating you to death with the Bri-the-resident-kinda-healer hat."

Amy wilts, but obeys. You give Larry an apologetic look, but he has eyes only for his daughter's well-being.

Lark enters the room, sees you working, and goes immediately to Amy's father. You smell tea brewing soon enough.

"Four ribs broken, Ames," you chide. "And it looks like somene fucking kicked your entire side in. How hard did it /hit/?"

"Hard," Amy says with a wince.

"Alright, this is going to hurt a lot. Bite this." You set the hilt of your grandfather's knife - still in its sheath - between her teeth and close your eyes so you can feel her bones.

The screams around the knife hilt are long and pleading, but it's the pain of something bad being fixed, and you press on.

The barn door opens, and a Miner comes in to have a quiet talk with Lark. He leaves, quickly, and the elf clears his throat. "The Baron's men are coming. They're maybe thirty minutes out, and his necromancer is with them."

"Fuck," you mutter, while Amy pants breathlessly on the cot.

"Got an idea?" Nathan asks.

> Attempt to rally the Miners to resist by force
> Attempt to get the fuck out of town
> Attempt to bluff it (Literally Kill Yourself)
> Write-in

>>44611330
It's. It's perfect.

I've been unexpectedly invited out to dinner. Vote likely to be extended.

>>44611409
> Write-in

Assassinate the necromancer, then
> Attempt to rally the Miners to resist by force
if the rest don't bail.

>>44611330
That is freaking epic!

>>44611409
>Attempt to rally the miners

The Baron's men don't know about Bri that much, so bluffing or running is just going to get a lot of people very dead

>>44611409
>Write In: Attempt to rally the miners and company store to reject the baron
> Attempt to bluff it (Literally Kill Yourself)

>>44611409
>I'm guessing Aunt Carol's end is already complete?
you know.....I'm thinking we're really gonna have to try it.
> Attempt to bluff it (Literally Kill Yourself)
Nobody's really making progress on the necromancer front, and we sorely need SOMETHING to go on.

>>44611409
>> Attempt to rally the Miners to resist by force
Best case scenario, we frighten/cripple/defeat the baron and acquire allies.

Worst case scenario, nobody believes us and everyone's on their own. In which case I go for
>> Attempt to bluff it (Literally Kill Yourself)

>>44611409
>Attempt to rally the Miners to resist by force
Focus us on defeating the necromancer

>>44611439
I'm glad you like it. I almost felt like I was going overboard with the detail, but it /is/ a portrait.

>>44611409
>Write-in.
One of our resident murderbirds is out of commission, but Diving Shadow is still ready to go. If we can eliminate the necromancer, Brianna can dispel the curse he/she was sustaining, and the Baron won't have any power over the Miners.
Oh, also, Larry, Lark and Nathan can rally the miners while Bri and Momma Bird work their end.

>>44611409
> Attempt to get the fuck out of town
We've hit his morale hard. Marching his men here only to find us gone would hit it even harder. Plus we have wounded, and while moving wounded people isn't generally the best plan, it's better than having them fight.

>>44611409
>> Attempt to bluff it (Literally Kill Yourself)

We could be a distraction while they all flee, we'll see them in a day.

>>44611600
>>44611704
No. Suicide in never an option. The reasons for this have already been discussed /at length/. Maybe MUCH later in the story, if Brianna is caught by her enemies alone and has no means of escape. And there isn't even a way to be sure it'll work; remember, she only got brought back the one time.

>>44611409
>Attempt to get the fuck out of town

>>44611738
We're pretty confident it'll work, we're not clear how badly it'll fuck over our friends.

Few more things I wanted to say.
Bri being sassy/snarky/cheeky when honestly stressed is a nice detail, considering how she's spent most (maybe all) of her life either being taught or using the mindset of "you are the 'someone' who does". I know it's more from anon's choices, but the consistency makes it more impressive.
Also, the story telling she does is another nice touch. It ties into her love of using sayings, mottos, etc. It also gives us \WORLDBUILDING/ without just being an arbitrary infodump of the world and its history. I also agree with anon from a few threads back that it's a good way to cover waiting, instead of 'and the group faffs about needlessly for twenty minutes'.
On the thread civility, I think there's a few different things that cause it. Vox keeps votes open for hours, which allows people to discuss without feeling a need to get their point across -quickly-. The thread lasts a day or two, and so far we've always had a thread on the board, but only bringing a new one on as the old dies.
These details let everyone interested talk in or at least 'be' in a live thread, which gives a feeling of involvement.

>>44611330
That picture is glorious.

>>44611409
> Attempt to rally the Miners to resist by force

I agree with GK on suicide. We've only had it happen once, and that was on the first day. What would Bri do if it was fucked and sent her all the way back to the beginning? While I highly doubt Vox would punish us that heavily, we really don't know how it works, and neither does she.
Actually, we should try asking Lora about that.

>>44611856
>analyzing fun
booooooo

>>44611646
OH! An addendum! Can we use the Shade Invisibility spell to hide Diving Shadow? Unless, of course, such as spell would stand out like road flares to another necromancer. I'm not sure, I don't think the Caretaker shared any of his spooky skeleton secrets with anyone else.

>>44611409
Run away? Not a chance.

Dying is something we want to avoid as much as possible for as long as possible.

>> Attempt to rally the Miners to resist by force

This is going to be *hard*, but it has to be done.

And if it looks like we're going to go down, we can try a last-ditch "die to produce a huge necromantic effect" spell, if I'm not much mistaken, that, if we're as good as we ought to be by now, has at least a pretty good chance of evening the odds for us.

At any rate, that's a better option than letting Amy or Nate die.

>>44611409

I don't really like any of these plans too much.

So, here's what I suggest. Firstly, we rally the miners. Secondly, we do our best to force the field of battle to be in a place with big, open ceiling. Battle kicks off. Once the Baron's committed and not looking up at the sky-POW!

Shadow swoops in, grabs him like an eagle seizing a struggling fish from the water, and hauls ass out of there, to a convenient little place just outside the field of battle. A place where Bri will be waiting with a knife and a smile, and probably some very creative ideas about how to kill someone with magic without so much as breaking the skin.

This still leaves the problem of the Necromancer and the other Overseers, but we usually get a little boon/choice for every Chain we break. Hopefully, the Baron either has his on him, or killing him counts for breaking it.

... Not sure I like relying on Deus Ex Lora for that, but if she can't do anything, then we just continue our little campaign down here for awhile before moving on to Rule the Roost.

>Hey, Shadow. How fast can you fly with a struggling asshole in your talons?

>>44611935
I was saying my thoughts on things that people have already talked about, and was analyzing why this thread doesn't suffer shitstorms.
Would you like me to get my psysch hat on and analyze why fun things are fun?

>>44612116
You want to take the risk of shadow being knocked out of the sky by their necromancer, then probably killed?
That also assumes that the Baron can't kill Shadow mid-flight, and that we can kill him.
This really is a worrisome situation.

>>44612116
You do remember that the talismans don't just transmit physical harm, yes? They transmit anything that brings the Baron or his overseers closer to death. So honestly, I'm not sure capturing him would do a whole lot of good.

Capturing his necromancer, on the other hand, might be worth trying for. Still seems ridiculously risky, but it'd be something.

>>44612207
It might just be easier if Brianna herself were to attempt to assassinate the necromancer. She'd be more than a match, and the Shade transformation would give her the edge in surprise. And if things go south, she'll come back (though that's still not anywhere near reassuring).

My only reason for suggesting Shadow was because she has experience with killing people quickly and quietly.

>>44612187
That's a fair point.

I suppose I also don't really like the odds of engaging a group functionally unkillable combatants in a straight fight.

That's why I'm posing it as a question of speed. Grab him, shake free any weapons he might have, and bug out before anyone realizes what just happened. Maybe throw in a Harpy Screech and fuck things up across the battle line as Shadow flies off with him.

The question of whether or not we can kill him depends on how the talisman works. If it's just a matter of plucking off a little necklace, that's easy. If he's got his own little phylactery tucked away somewhere else, then things get complicated. Then again, Bri's a Necromancer. If anyone would know how to disenchant from him, or just use some necromantic power to just rip out his soul, she would.

>>44612207
I'm pretty sure that it was stated that they /only/ worked for physical damage. I'd need to go double check, though.

Catching the Necromancer would be a good sub-plan, but I'm not sure that guy would just come to an open battle field.

... Speaking of which, if he's rallying /all/ his troops, does that mean that his base is pretty lightly defended?

>>44612349
It was stated that even their drunkenness gets transmitted to the slaves, so it's ANY negative affects.

The harpy screech is a damn good idea, considering we have -two- on our side, and they have none that we know of.
Make sure everyone on our side is ready, have them both knock out the other side, then we take the necromancer and baron hostage.

Things get more complex if that doesn't effect them at all, but it would be easy to go to a secondary plan if they aren't effected.

>>44612725
It doesn't transmit ropes around ankles and hanging upside down in the air.

>>44612787
Sure, absolutely, but it does transmit the damage that would cause, so I'm not sure what we could really do with the Baron that would be productive, even if we did manage to capture him.

>>44612725
Alright, I went and looked it up.

>"Yeah," Lora agrees. "The Baron has a necromancer that makes and maintains the enchantments, and may be of some use in undoing them. Mental attacks work just fine, but anything done to their bodies transfers, and I do mean /anything/. Alcohol, cigarettes, poison, anything that would push them closer to death."

So, mental attacks work, but pure magic might or might not. I'd still recommend capture, on account of how without leadership there'd be some squabbling among the overseers on what to do next.

On top of that, there's the matter of the Necromancer. Seems the spells need to be maintained. If we can't kill the Baron, I doubt we can kill the Necromancer, but catching either would be really useful and give us an eye for what kind of magic we're dealing with.

And seeing if Bri can undo it.

>>44612909
Could we seal the necromancer's magic? Aunt Carol had it done to her in death, and it might not violate the 'no physical harm' rule depending on what it entails.

>>44613209
You kill them, leave the murder weapon inside, enchant some silver nails, drive them into the corpse, and then bury them in a mirror-lined box in unhallowed ground, where their ghost remains trapped in the box while it leaks towards the Veil at a much slower rate. It's a horrible way to go but often (rightly) considered better than angry necromancer ghosts ravaging the landscape in their undead thirst for vengeance.

Votes called, writing.

>>44613277
So what you're saying is if you die as an evil necromancer, make sure your corpse doesn't survive your death.

Or fucking Comcast.

Question - would anon be interested in worldbuilding about ghosts?

>>44613755
>would anon be interested in worldbuilding
Yes

>>44613755
>would anon be interested in worldbuilding
To be honest you don't need to ask much more then that and the answer is yes.

>>44613755
Yes!

Also possibly relevant: http://homestead-and-survival.com/diy-chicken-sweaters-to-protect-them-over-winter/

>>44613755
>would anon be interested in
yes and always.

>>44613856
Oh man, we can make Fetch a sweater-vest for when he becomes a professor of knightliness, teaching chivalry to his lesser brethren.

>>44613755
let's play a game
> would anon be interested in worldbuilding about ghosts?
yes
> would anon be interested in worldbuilding
yes
> would anon be interested
if it's you Vox? yes

>>44612207
The necromancer seems like the key to all this to me. They probably have to keep an eye on their spell to keep the flow of death going in just one direction, so they might have whatever fulcrum the spell's based on on their person. Even if they don't, they'll have the knowledge of how to undo the spell. If we can undo his protection, the Baron becomes a squishy target. Especially if we can break it without his notice, or reverse the flow.

We can use the necromancer's death for that. They're on the zombie army path anyway.

>>44613755
>>44612725
Vox, would hunger/thirst be transmitted to the slaves? If not, we could starve the Baron and necromancer to death.

>>44614550
Lora's statement was "anything that brings them closer to death." So probably yes.

>>44614550
>>44614592

So then neither the Baron nor the necromancer feel hunger, right?

>>44614636
They're probably also perfectly healthy, and no longer aging. I wonder if they can still exercise? On the one hand, y'know, being healthy. On the other hand, it works by wearing out your body.

They could probably get really good tans, bizarrely, since it would be impossible for them to actually burn or damage their skin. This is not terribly useful, unless someone makes a UV witchlight.

(side note: I want a flaming skull minion. If there are UV witchlights, that means we can have a minion who is also a blacklight.)

>>44614724
>flaming skull minion
....no.

I'm pretty sure the best we can manage is a bat, skull evacuated and insides replaced with witchlight. Put the organs and offal into the torso.

>>44614786
>flying searchlight
That sounds like a good idea, actually.
Even better if we can give it eyelids or some other way to cover the light shining out.

>>44614786
I am willing to accept a guano torch minion.

>>44614724
Do you really want to shine a blacklight in Nathen or Amys room?

>>44615181
Well now I do.

>>44615181
I can't help but feel we've gone a tad far to be worried about that now.

>>44611409
The necromancer is a high value target; the Baron's still too strong to take directly.
We have help, yes, but we need the talismans gone.
That, with Nate hurt and Ames being patched up...
> Attempt to get the fuck out of town

Grabbing Ame's family didn't help our position that much; certainly not enough to headbutt yet.

That, said, if there's a feasible way to grab the necromancer (invisble minions, posing as a townsperson, ames mom doing a false flag thing to get close and nab him...) should be discussed.

>>44613755
Vox 1 come in!
Vox 1 come in! Do you copy?

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>>44611409
You mull. "Lark, I need cigs."

Like fucking sorcery, cigarettes appear. You actually blink at the sheer alacrity of the vice-to-fulfillment cycle, but you stuff them into the wooden case and put one between your lips to light and smoke.

"Can you get the Miners in one spot in a lot less than thirty minutes?" you ask Lark.

"Give me five," the elf says, and he rushes off.

"Amy, you stay here with Nate." She opens her mouth and you wave your hat at her. "You need a bit to recover and someone has to be near him to get him the hell out of here if things go belly-up, don't argue."

"...Oh. That makes sense," Amy agrees, blinking.

"I try," you say modestly. "Larry, you're with Amy. I need your wife with me for this fight I'm gonna start."

"Fight?" Diving Shadow asks, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you wanted no one dead."

"If I can get a hold of this fucking necromancer, I can simplify matters immensely," you tell her. "You could be useful for that."

"The Store isn't precisely defensible," Amy says. "Gonna be a rough fight to plan if we're gonna have it."

You grin broadly. "Leave it to me, Ames."

You light up another cigarette the moment your first one is gone - sweet fucking smokes, /such relief/ - and Lark pokes his head in. "They're ready."

"Excellent. Diving Shadow, Fetch, let's go talk to some people."

> "Miners! You don't know me, but I'm a lot like you..."
> "Ladies, gentlemen, the Baron thinks he can push us around. It's time to show him he's wrong."
> You are Sir Fetch the Nightfeather

>>44616348
>You are Sir Fetch the Nightfeather
diplomacy is boring

> You are Sir Fetch the Nightfeather

>>44616348
>Miners! You don't know me, but I'm a lot like you.

This is the important thing right now, much though I want to shift to Sir Fetch

>>44616348
>> "Miners! You don't know me, but I'm a lot like you................."
>> You are now Sir Fetch the Nightfeather and you beloved master is making a wonderful speech.

>>44616348
>> You are Sir Fetch the Nightfeather
This'll be fun!

>>44616348
> You are Sir Fetch the Nightfeather

>>44616348
> "Ladies, gentlemen, the Baron thinks he can push us around. It's time to show him he's wrong."
> You are Sir Fetch the Nightfeather

>>44616348
Bri's speech should emphasize that the baron has been chipping away at the authority of the company store bit by bit and piece by piece. Pretty soon there won't BE a company anymore, it'll just be the baron and his overseers and his slaves.

>>44616348
> "Ladies, gentlemen, the Baron thinks he can push us around. It's time to show him he's wrong."
Let's face it, no one's ever lost by betting on a hard laborer's dislike of authority.

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And some of River's apprenticeship notes!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zfpyplFT6FkNj0A8rWfq1Q080dxCJH5obWcxqVfSLpI/edit?usp=sharing

I'm gonna be straight-up guys; I'm fucking exhausted. I can't focus enough to write and I don't wanna try to stay up long enough to see this thread through to its death.

That in mind, I have all day off tomorrow and thus the chance to start fresh, without the disjointed running and, well, real life issues that plagued this particular thread, for which I am still deeply sorry. This wasn't my best run and I appreciate you putting up with the unexpected delays and, well, emotional interruptions. Next thread will be better, I promise.

I'm gonna leave this vote open until the thread sages out. In the meantime, discussion, feedback, questions, comments, and critique are both welcome and appreciated, and I will address them in the morning when I wake up TO MORE DOUBLE COFFEE FUCK YES and get the update written.

Thank you all again for reading and participating. A big shoutout to GentlemanKong for the wonderful fan art, to my webcomic partner (same reason), and to the folks who've been kind enough to offer feedback. Definitely taking feedback on the ghost notes, if anyone would like to offer it.

Passing right the fuck out in a few minutes. Will address any last minute questions that I spot.

>>44616348
>You are Sir Fetch the Nightfeather.
As if this even a question.

>>44617270
You are more than welcome Vox. I can definitely understand life being rough and not wanting to give you a break.

Just remember; it's okay to be selfish sometimes.

>>44617270
....so what you're telling me, is that the ritual for banishment is a lot like fisting for Wind Elementals?

>>44617392
I'm telling you that thrusting your fist into a wind elemental's body is a lot like fisting for wind elementals, except that they then shortly conclude that you were trying to kill them in the mortal fashion and get really fucking offended.

>>44617270
Sleep well, Vox. You've earned it many times over.
One simple question: did you intend for the quest to be thematic? As it seems very thoughtful, especially for a quest.
IE how 'life is for the living, death is for the dead', 'it's okay to be selfish', etc don't just come up, but are extremely important at times.

>>44617270
>DOUBLE COFFEE
you will literally die

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>>44617426
...So River accidentally fucked an Elemental?
I'm totally waiting for the lewd paste.bin now.

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>>44617447
...Real talk?

I expected this to fail. I went into DLQ expecting it to crash and burn, likely due to lack of readership. I had an interest in questing, an interest likely rooted in the same things that make me like DMing/GMing. I'd been a fan of MHQ for some time and recently introduced to KCQ, as well as an ended quest (Fairy on Scarlet Lake) that was a friend's example to me of his earlier writing.

I was curious, and wanted to try it for myself.

DLQ's work-in-progress name was Inconvenient Immortality Quest, which should give you an idea of how fucking far from the initial outline we've gone. A lot of what I've done with this has been experimental, looking to see what works, what doesn't, with audience participation in this format. The multiple-choice main characters? An experiment. The offered perspective swaps? Experimental. Vote options in the Isoldt lewds? You fucking bet it was an experiment. I'm astonished and flattered at the success this has enjoyed thus far and I love and appreciate you, my audience, but goddamn, I cannot look you in the eyes and say that almost any of this happened on purpose.

I planned to fail and then succeeded. At this point I'm doing what feels right, y'know? And when it comes to the themes, I built on what anon gave me; when they started showing Brianna as someone who was thoughtful and dedicated, I was encouraged to expand on the themes of life, death, and compassion that were touched on.

Essentially, I've treated these things with the seriousness that anon has, and it's been...hell, it's been nice. Not just to get genuine emotional reactions from my audience but to engage on these themes - the bright and the dark - with all of you. I'm not gonna lie, I expected in a lot of cases for things to be met with shitstorms and instead I got respect, thoughtfulness, and maturity.

You guys have been a great audience. This has been as much you as me.

Now I really am gonna go the fuck to sleep.

>>44617739
And of course I forgot part of the initial thought; the original intent with these experiments had been to learn from what I thought was DLQ's foregone failure and make the second attempt better. DLQ's success has not stopped me from jotting down notes so that an eventual second quest can happen while avoiding the mistakes I've made here and thus improve.

>>44617739
That is just soooo cute, Senpai! It only makes me want you more.

Apologies if I clutter the thread but can anyone point me to the link to Vox's new webcomic?

>>44618966
http://wildwestscifi.net/gallows-humor/13683-gallows-humor-prologue

I think this is it.

Bump. Maybe thread can still be used in the morning.

>>44617739

To be perfectly frank, I can sort of see it. The beginning felt incredibly different, and the Dungeon itself felt less like an underground world but instead just another strange catacomb.

But time went by, and Bri's character evolved along with the world, and we started to see some very interesting people.

From a personal standpoint, I'd say that you went overkill with the number of Chain Holders. We're facing number four of thirteen, and it feels like we might never reach the bottom.

Which is something I really, really want to do actually. There's a ton of neat questions I have about the dungeon and it's inhabitants. And this isn't even taking into account all of the Chain Holders. Sure, some are flatter than others, but they each at least have personality. I'd love to know about the Master and how he leashed Lora. What each Chain Holder was brought in to do, and what the Master's 'master plan' is. More details on what exactly the 'Heritor' is supposed to be, and why Bri was chosen. Sure, at that point I think Lora was desperate enough that she could've picked /anyone/, hence the choice of PC at the start, but still.

In the future, I think I'd love to see more sympathetic Chain Holders. Brigitte's arc might've felt flat to a lot of people, but I loved her character and personal troubles. Her anguish was pretty clearly visible across the entire Babel arc, and I quite liked how it also served as a spring board into challenging Lora's desire for revenge. Between Brigitte's suicidal tendencies, desperate self-justification, her regret for deciding to work for the Master, and the fact that if she could have found a way to do so she seems like she would've just surrendered the chain, she felt very alive.

>>44621414

Part 2

That's not to say that each Chain Holder should be sympathetic. The Vintner and the Moneylender kind of needed to be punchable in order to make things clear that unless we do something, the Dungeon's going to live up to it's name.

But, I'd love for future Chain Holders to have some more depth to them. The Baron feels pretty flat so far. Standard greedy and sadistic individual looking to rule the Area with his ill-gotten power. Which is fine, because we have Amy's parents on this floor to learn and interact with, and the Lora interactions have been /excellent/. We actually learned about the why's of the Dungeon, and got some interesting hints as to Lora's true nature.

The Diviner's arc is probably still a long ways off, but the Traitor's floor in New Hell is shaping up so far to be pretty interesting. You said he thought he betrayed the dead, but unknowingly that he betrayed the living. The wording is curious, and I really look forward to finding out just who he'd betrayed... and if, perhaps, he regrets it. That said, he's also taken Lora's name, and while I'm not sure she'd reveal it to us once we off him, it'll still be really cool to find out more about Lora.

OK, I'm done gushing for now.

Feel free to take a break for awhile if you need to. But for the love of god, please don't leave us hanging forever. We have a visible metric for progress, a very real understanding of the consequences for failure, and a metric ton of secrets left to uncover.

>>44621437
What's hilarious and more than slightly worrying is that Vox has been pumping out these threads since the end of November without any noticeable break or hiatus (TWO MONTHS OF CONSTANT QUESTING! HE'S A MADMAN!!). There are other quests and QM's that have been running for /much/ longer and haven't gotten as deep into the story as we have.

For me, this is the Quest to which all other Quests shall be measured.

>>44621580

I noticed. It's blatantly ridiculous. I ran a quest and thanks to my schedule it took four months to get to thirteen threads.

It's only just barely over a month, and we're at /twenty/ /seven/. I started off tracking the archive passively, and then managed to catch a live thread when I really wanted to vote on something. And then, I've more or less just kept it active on my phone, moving from thread to thread.

Heck of a read.

Could there be improvement? Sure. I'm not entirely sure we needed thirteen chains, and for all that there's a lot of material to work through I really wish we had more time to check in with other people we've seen and met.

But it feels like there's a /plan/ at work, and Vox is very clearly not just flying by the seat of his pants. Progress is clear, and we make a big difference with each floor we clear. Sure, the further floors are a mystery. We know about New Hell and the Roost, but no further than that. But because we're not looking too far ahead, we're focusing on the moment.

To that end, frustrating as it is, only having titles for the other Chain Holders makes sense. It preserves their mystery, while making sure we don't focus on them too hard.

>>44617739
Realistically, the reason why this quest -didn't- fail is exactly because you are willing to experiment and stay flexible. You give participants agency and choice while still subjecting them to the consequence of that choice in the story. It's an equilibrium that frankly only few QM's and writefags are capable of upholding.

>>44616348
>> "Ladies, gentlemen, the Baron thinks he can push us around. It's time to show him he's wrong."

For having expected this to crash and burn from the start, you've done an amazing job keeping producing quality material for every update (even without the ridiculous update schedule).

If you're able to take the (very few) mistakes made here, and learn from them for making a second quest once DLQ is finished, I will be very excited to see what your second quest looks like.

Though right now, I'm mostly excited to see what the battle against the Baron and his minions looks like! ^_^

>>44622000
I've been thinking that a nice plot hook would be a conflict between some of the other Chain-Holders. Y'know, maybe have the last two layers connected to the Roost hate each others guts. We can start a fight if there aren't any innocent bystanders to worry about, and we can play both sides against each other. Then, when they are spent, we can mop up what's left.

>>44616348
>You are Sir Fetch the Nightfeather

Because we can never be Fetch enough.

>> "Ladies, gentlemen, the Baron thinks he can push us around. It's time to show him he's wrong."

Ya'll flatterers need to slow your roll. 's not /that/ good. There's better quests out there, with a lot of passionate and hard work put into 'em.

I appreciate the feedback (both positive and negative) and can only say that I, too, am eager to reach the bottom and see this story through to its conclusion with you.

I need to wrap up morning chores. Votes called, will be tallied and written when I'm done.

>>44623632
>There's better quests out there
nice joke

Within the field of being dark while still caring, and having relationships without shitstorms, I'm pretty sure this tops everything.

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>>44623632
Personally it's not the quality that impresses me, lots of quests are as good or better.

What impresses me is the consistent and, so far, nearly constant output of quality. I've had a tab on my window dedicated to this quest since the second thread and it hasn't been closed the entire time. It's never needed to be.

Plus it's an excuse to post my collection of images about mortality. What fun!

>>44623751
>without shitstorms

While that is one of the great things about this quest, that's as much thanks to the players as the QM.

>>44623774
>that's as much thanks to the players as the QM.
No it isn't you fucking nigger.

>>44623774
we said best /quest/ didn't we? Nobody mentioned distinctions between QM or player

>>44623856
Goddamnit dude you made me choke on my coffee.

Votes are tallied in favor of being Sir Fetch the Nightfeather. Writing.

Dis gon be gud.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzi94tBrYTQ

>>44623856
You goddamn tosser! Ya made the man spill his drink!

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>>44616348
You are Sir Fetch the Nightfeather, and you are ready for battle in the name of your queen.

Though your creator leans on her cane for support - summoning her Aunt took quite a bit of effort, it seems - the look on her face is resolute, determined without being grim or intimidating.

You wonder, searching through her feelings, if she understands what others see when she thinks of herself as being busy scheming.

The Miners have been gathered into a wide area that you cannot, in good conscience, call a 'square' because of how the Company Store huddles around the small lake in its center, but from the look of the stage on one side, this place has been used for community meetings before, probably among other things. Brianna ascends the steps first and stops at the front and center of the stage, cane resting on the wood, with you and Diving Shadow flanking her.

On the ground in front of the stage, Lark clears his throat. "This is the woman I was telling you about. If you'd offer her your attention, I'll promise not to smoke in public for a month."

Instantly, there is glorious silence.

"There's a force of the Baron's men heading this way," Brianna begins, frankly. She sucks the last of her cigarette down and flicks it away before immediately shaking out a new one and lighting it; the Miners watch in wary, polite horror. "That'd be because I pissed 'em off personally. Here in a moment we're about to get a shitload of scared, desperate people who were the Baron's prisoners. Your friends. Your family members."

"Great job," one of the men in the crowd barks. "What makes you think we're ready to have this fight?"

Brianna sucks a silent drag from her cigarette, looking thoughtful. You feel her come to a decision.

"I'm bad at heroic speeches," she begins. "So I'm going to turn the floor over to someone that's a bit better at them. Fetch, if you would?"

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>>44624513
Oh. Oh! You suppress the urge to hop forward in your pleased excitement and instead walk sedately and lift your head to regard the Miners.

"That's a chicken," one person says.

"That chicken's beaten two demons in honorable combat and personally slew one of them," your creator says flatly. "Shut up and listen."

"Please, my friends," you say clearly, your spectral voice echoing across the crowd. "I realize that my form is humble. I am a creation; I have no afterlife to await me, no god to nestle me to their breast. My home is where my master goes, by hearth by her side, and I have never known what it is to love a place in itself, as one's home. But I have heard others speak fondly of their homes, and I know what it is to love something enough to be willing to die for it. This place, this Mine, it is your home, is it not?"

You cluck, softly. "The Baron has run rampant. Now he fears for his power, and what does that say to you? That he fears you. That all of his might is a mask that he wears to keep you away from the coward at his core. Here, now, we have the opportunity to crack that mask and expose the weakness within. I intend on standing to fight. I ask that you stand beside me."

Your queen sucks a drag from her cigarette and blows smoke from her nose. "Plus his necromancer's with them, and if we get a hold of him I can make his overseers vulnerable again. When you kill them, they'll actually die."

There is muttering amongst the Miners, until you hear a woman's voice speak up. "I ain't goin' to the gods and telling them to their fuckin' faces that a chicken was braver than me."

A cry rises up from the crowd, and they turn to look to Brianna for orders.

You...

> Will fight in the streets, holding the Baron's men
> Will protect the noncombatants
> Will work with Diving Shadow

>>44624873
> Will work with Diving Shadow

>>44624873
> Will work with Diving Shadow
While I would love for him to be on the front lines I would hate to watch him die for it. And I think some of the less combat ready miners could help defend the noncombatants.


>"I ain't goin' to the gods and telling them to their fuckin' faces that a chicken was braver than me."
Also, this is awesome.

>>44624873
>Will work with Diving Shadow

>>44624873
> Will work with Diving Shadow

on a completely different note, how do you take your coffee beans, Vox? Pre-ground? grind them yourself? dark roast or light roast?

>>44625085
>how do you take your coffee beans, Vox?

With an IV, I'm sure.

>>44624873
> Will work with Diving Shadow
There are advantages to working with someone who you share a language with that the enemy doesn't know.

>>44625085
>>44625158
Cheap, 'cause I'm broke. Store-brand coffee drank in copious amounts.

Alright folks, let's get this thread killed so I can start a new one.

Questions or comments while we vote? Things you'd like to see expanded on?

>>44625293
following up on the coffee question, if you were to hypothetically come across a bag of whole roasted beans of relatively high quality, would you be able to actually make coffee with them? I know a few people who only buy pre-ground because they don't bother spending money on a coffee grinder.

thereisnoulteriormotivewhatareyoutalkingaboutyou'rethemadman[/spoiler

>>44624873
>Will work with Diving Shadow.
I am supremely confident that at the end of this day, Sir Fetch will be resting his wattles upon the corpse of a foul blasphemer of the dead. Or the comfy head of Lady Falling-Knives mother, either way pleases me.

>>44625293
Hey Vox! Does Mr. Lawrence possess any particular magical skills (say, turning the ground beneath the Baron's feat into mud) to levy favor in the assorted Miners' direction? Also, I'd hoped Silence and her posse would have joined us in the righteous ass-kicking we are about to deliver.

>>44625293
Are there other oddities in the world similar to the dungeon? IE old and unknowable.
If you were to start a new quest, presumable in the future when DLQ has either slowed down or finished, would you want to set it in the same world (even if altered), or would you want to have a new setting for it?
Yes, I realize that's not something you'd have set in stone yet, I'm simply curious because we've only been exploring the dungeon and there's a whole world of possibilities outside of it.

>>44625332
Well...I can get a moartar and pestle pretty cheap? I've never ground my own; I've always been too broke to go full coffee snob. That in mind I might be able to also find a cheap electric grinder. So. I dunno?

>>44625343
Larry is good with earth, stone, and metal - part of the reason he was chosen for the expedition that ended up with him living in the Dungeon. He'll be assisting as best he can with the fight but he's got limited access to materials right now.

As for Silence, it depends on if she can reach the Store in time, and if she knows the march is happening. There wasn't a lot of chance to contact her before it happened.

>>44625404
Haven't given a lot of thought to a hypothetical second quest. I'd need an idea.

For those of you who were curious about the previously promised art lewds, head to the behind the building section of the webcomic site.

CAPTCHA WAS COFFEE. IT KNOWS.

>>44625439
I've been rereading some of the previous threads. Remember the beginning of Sixteen Tons? How Lora got very distant and quiet when she mentioned we'd soon learn her real name, and to remember she'd never asked to be made?

Lora is responsible for the flood that killed Brianna's family, isn't she?

>>44625439
>lewds
That is lewd, really lewd, MEGA LEWD.

>>44625505

Unlikely, thats well outside of her responsibilities as maintainer of the dungeon. She is likely this settings equivalent of Lucifer though.

>>44625531
Lucie's whole schtick is being jealous of humans for being Dad's favorite.

That doesn't work in a setting where there are multiple Gods, Angels are basically sentient servitors maintaining the universe, and Demons are just another form of life created by those same Gods.

I think that Lora has had Brianna picked out as the Heritor for some time.

>>44625531
Curious, what makes you say this?

>>44625521
It /is/, innit?

>>44625816
She stood up to the gods and ended up in a pit in the ground. It even has a new hell in it.

>>44625439
You left the question I was most interested alone, the one if you've come up with magical mystical places of interest outside of the dungeon.

It's an interesting world, and the first and least spoilery place to learn more is the general geography.

>>44625886
To be honest I've defined the Dungeon, Starfall, the Blind Marsh, and the Harrow (i.e. the place the coffee comes from) the most, in descending order of worldbuilding. So much of the setting is so wholly irrelevant to this plot that bothering to detail it would be a waste of time I could be using either for the quest or my professional obligations.

I mean, I can try to think of stuff but honestly if it comes up I'll be shocked.

>>44625841
Lora got a shitty and thankless job, sure, but she /made/ that pit the ground. She has literally stated that she's proud of creating the Dungeon and devoted to the people who live there, which is why she's so pissed that the Master and his Saturday morning villain gang is tearing the place up.

Y'know, in terms of time, Brianna and the gang freed the first three levels over the course of about six months (Yes? No? I'm not completely sure of my count). This whole adventure, in their time, could possibly span a decade.

The lovebird trio could potentially have chicks around by the time the story ends.