>>44756179
>Go see your colleagues.

You think that's enough of the 'tour' for now, you're running out of places you actually know about. So instead you just fish up the address that Abel gave you and follow the directions.
The directions take you away from the richer part of town and starts winding into the less-affluent areas. And here the signs of local unrest are obvious. Windows are boarded up, shops and inns out of business. People stare at one another with suspicion.
The machine that is Melire is slowly breaking down and everybody knows it. It's exactly as Hiss wants.

You find the inn they're staying around here, straddling the edge. It's still doing good business and this area is nowhere near as bad as some parts but even it's starting to look worse for wear.
You guess all of this stems back to you and Hiss, doesn't it? Even now the vanguard are probably at work to drive schisms between people and inciting further discontent. Hiss has already sunk her fangs into this city and her venom always kills.

You find the three of them seated at a table inside, all three watching the door. A man who is either a low-class noble or aspiring merchant prince sits in the middle, his hair black and his mustache oiled. His arm is wrapped around a beautiful redhaired young lady and a little behind him is a very large looking brute in fine clothes.
Somewhat of an odd party perhaps but anyone laying eyes on them would dismiss them as a young layabout with more money than sense with a paid woman and his bodyguard.
You don't recognize any of them but that's to be expected.

The layabout beckons you over as if you were a servant, a single finger crooking.
"It's about time you got here," he says loudly for everyone else to hear. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you?”
1/2

>>44756193
Aashenpreet looks like she’s about to protest but you don’t waste any time buying into the act. You bow as best you can before taking a seat at the table and beckoning Aashenpreet to sit beside you.
“Forgive me, there proved to be certain...complications.”
You see the woman and the brute exchange glances just for a moment.

The richly-dressed man drums a finger on the tabletop and frowns.
“I’m not paying you for complications am I? Did the deal proceed as planned?”

“Yes they seemed very impressed with your proposal. We’ve got a sale.”

“Excellent. I shall overlook your tardiness today but you’d best not do so again. I’ll arrange my end of the deal with them immediately once we’ve had a proper lunch. Will you join us?”


>”We just ate actually. Do you mind if we retire to our rooms?”

>”Absolutely.” Tea and scones aren’t an adequate replacement for a proper meal.

>”So uh, who are you guys really?” Ask this quietly as possible.

>”Hi Oster.’

>”And just what does our client plan to do with the financial arrangement?”

>Other

>>44756221
>”We just ate actually. Do you mind if we retire to our rooms?”
Welcome back Ouro!

>>44756221
>”Absolutely.” Tea and scones aren’t an adequate replacement for a proper meal.
Fuck yeah, best quest has finally returned

>>44756221
>>”Absolutely.” Tea and scones aren’t an adequate replacement for a proper meal.
>>”So uh, who are you guys really?” Ask this quietly as possible.

>>44756221
>>”We just ate actually. Do you mind if we retire to our rooms?”

>>44756221
>”Absolutely.” Tea and scones aren’t an adequate replacement for a proper meal.
As long as there's no danger of Ziggy waking up.

>>44756444
I'm thinking we should keep her presence a secret from these snakes, she'd be a good little surprise for the snake traitors when they attack.

>>44756566
Pocket snake!

>”Absolutely.” Tea and scones aren’t an adequate replacement for a proper meal.

"Absolutely, that'd be fantastic."
You surreptitiously open up your pack and check it underneath the table. Zigzag's still mostly insensate, you should be safe. You leave a little opening for her to breathe anyway just to be sure.
"You don't mind do you Aash?"

"No, this is fine."
She's staring at the trio on the other side with the table with a curious expression, looking as if she was trying to remember something important. A relieved expression breaks over her just a moment later and she suddenly leans forward, nearly tipping the heavy table over by accident.
"Oster! That's you right?"

The mustachioed man coughs, his eyes flickering about.
"I'm sorry my dear, I'm afraid you have the wrong-"

"Not you, him."
Aash points at the huge bodyguard sitting beside him.

The brute sighs, steepling his fingers.
"Not now Aash, we're in public."

"Nobody actually cares about us."

Any potential replies are cut off by the arrival of the meal, the waitress dropping a large platter piled high with cold cuts, cheese and a half-loaf on the table.
"Forgive the crude nature of it," the nobleman says. "I consider myself a creature of appetite."

Oster's true face is still hidden under his mask but you can hear him sigh again and the woman, apparently having grown tired of this, turns to the nobleman.
"Didn't we talk about this? You might think it's fun to be coy and drop subtle hints about what we are but it's neither cute nor funny and you should stop."

Anyone listening it would be rather alarmed to hear a bought woman speaking to her employer so brazenly but as Aash said, nobody seems to care about you beyond sating base curiosity. Stranger sights are common in the city.

Oster catches you glancing back at him and shrugs.
"There's only so much I can do with a week's worth of training. Let's just eat."

The table descends into awkward silence for a time.
1/2

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Haha fuck you misarchiver.

>>44756746
"So....," you break the silence as best you can. "How have you all been?"

The nobleman is the only one to reply.
"Pleasantly enough. One makes do. I must admit that this city isn't quite what I expected. All this unrest and uproar...it's gotten us quite busy."
A reasonably innocuous remark, you suppose. Or it would be if you hadn't known that they'd all been helping the unrest along as best they can. The woman nudges him and he falls silent.

As you check your pack a second time just to make sure Ziggy isn't going anywhere you start to notice that Aashenpreet is growing ever more uncomfortable.
"Is something wrong Aash?"

"I'm fine. Sometimes I forget that you people do things differently."
You follow her gaze and realize that she isn't concerned with your compatriots but rather staring at the various humans dining around you with horrified fascination.

"Is something wrong with them?"

"They're eating meat."
She makes it sound like a sin.

"So are we, aren't we?"

"That's different. But proper humans aren't supposed to, it clouds the soul and makes them impure."

The nobleman's woman flinches forward just a little as Aashenpreet talks.
"PLEASE don't use the h-word in public," she hisses. "And besides, what would a sanctimonious little thing like you know about human souls? I bet you've never even eaten a man."

"I'm full," Oster says rather suddenly as he stands up. "I'll be retiring to my room now sir if it pleases you."

"Oh? Oh yes of course. I'm fine."

Oster shakes his head at you as he leaves, indicating you to come with him. Looks like he's gotten tired of all this.

>Go with him.

>Can you really leave all these snakes alone? Stay.

>Go with him but get Aashenpreet to come with you.

>Other

>>44756918
>Go with him but get Aashenpreet to come with you.

>>44756918
>Go with him but get Aashenpreet to come with you.
"Aash the reason for that is simple, The snakes in Quedesh want all the meat to themselves, so they invented a reason to keep it from the humans. Religion falls to politics, always."

>>44756918
>Go with him but get Aashenpreet to come with you.

>>44756918
>Go with him.
>Ask him about these guys
Aash can stay with the others to make sure they don't eavesdrop

>>44756968
>saying shit like this in public
anon...

>>44756918
>Go with him but get Aashenpreet to come with you.

Calling for asking Aash to accompany you.

>Go with him but get Aashenpreet to come with you.

Aashenpreet is glaring at the woman but she looks away as you get up.
“Don’t say it, Aash. It’s not worth it. Let's go."

You wonder if there's any point to keeping to the charade, you're protected more by the public's indifference than any particular skill at disguise. Nevertheless you leave them to eat while you follow Oster to his room with Aashenpreet trailing behind.

As soon as you close the door Oster sits back on the floor, peeling his face off and discarding the stiff wooden mask suddenly visible in his hands. Underneath it he's the same as ever, Hiss' new brand etched into his cheek.
"Cennen, Aash. It's good to see you again. Sorry about those two, Elle and Reggy are normally better than that."

He nearly says more but he's interrupted by Aashenpreet sweeping him up into a hug, lifting him into the air without visible effort and nearly squeezing the breath from his lungs.
"Oster! I'm so happy that you're alright."

"Of course I'm alright, I can live without your supervision you know."

"I know, I know. It's just that this city is so strange and there are some absolutely awful people living here. I was getting worried about you."

"No worries, I'm fine. I'm always fine. And what about you, Cennen?"

"If you're expecting a hug from me too you're shit out of luck."

"Fuck off. How's the alchemy? Did they like it?"

"They loved it. Said they want it all."

"Nice. Me and Reggy will head out and arrange the payment after they've finished eating lunch. And not a moment too soon either."

"Oh? I wasn't aware it was urgent."

Oster looks at you strangely.
"She didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what? Who?"

"Hiss didn't tell you about the schedule? She's already assuming control of the local townships, she's scheduled to arrive in Melire tomorrow."
1/2

>>44757363

>"And what does she plan to do, exactly?"

>"Isn't that a bit early?"

>"Good, I miss her already."

> Ask him how their work has been going.

> Tell Oster about your encounter with Moldran.

> Tell Oster about your homunculi.

> "How have you been able to get anything done with those two?"

> Brew

> Other

>>44757388
>"And what does she plan to do, exactly?"
> Ask him how their work has been going.
> tell him about the plot against us

>>44757388
>"And what does she plan to do, exactly?"
>"Isn't that a bit early?"
> Ask him how their work has been going.
> tell him about the plot against us

>>44757388
Dafuq?!
>"Isn't that a bit early?"
>"And what does she plan to do, exactly?"
> Ask him how their work has been going.
and
>"Good, I miss her already."

>>44757388
>"And what does she plan to do, exactly?"
>"Good, I miss her already."
> Ask him how their work has been going.
Give him a few more mindbalm brews if he needs them and check out his soul with soulsight

>"Isn't that a bit early?"
>"And what does she plan to do exactly?"
>Ask him how their work has been going
>Tell him about the plot against us.

The surprise must be visible on your face given Oster's reaction.
"What? Isn't that a bit early? And what does she even plan to do?"

Oster shrugs.
"Are you going to be the one who contradicts the Serpent Queen on her schedule? She goes as she pleases."

"I might be," you mutter. "Surely she can't expect to just waltz in already and just take over."

"I don't think she does," Oster says. "Melire's subjugation shouldn't be for a few more weeks. But I believe she thinks the situation will require a personal touch."

You've seen what Hiss considers her 'personal touch' way too many times.
"And what does she think that'll accomplish?"

"Well, she's had us cozening up to a few of the local lords that have been jockeying for power amongst themselves ever since the Mayor died. I believe she wants to use them personally. The plan is to still exacerbate the conflict until people will thank her for ending it."

"Come on Oster, you know as well as I do that she isn't that subtle. She's probably planning to march up to the lords and demand they kiss her boots or something."

"And would that be wrong?"

"Pardon?"

"Cennen, if we can actually get an audience with all of them there's nothing stopping her from doing just that. She'd be able to subvert or replace all of them easily."

"I don't know if 'easily' is the word I'd use."

"You haven't seen it, have you?"
Oster stares at you, a dour expression upon his face.
"Last I heard you were still locked up in your alchemy hole for days at a time. You weren't there at the branding."

"I wasn't. Sorry about that by the way."

"It's fine. But it also means that you haven't seen it yet. The princ- the Queen has become strong. She can mimic any Snake Art she wants to use, she has become strong. Perhaps stronger than you realize."

1/2

>>44757850
You think back to only side of Hiss that you saw during that period, the lonely overworked woman eternally frustrated with herself.
"Maybe. But she's stretching herself more than you think."

"It doesn't matter. We've been preparing for her and if she wants to arrive early, we'll do it. None of us can tell her otherwise."

You're not so sure about that last part but you don't contest it out loud.
"She has her detractors all the same."

Oster shakes his head.
"Not many, I'm sure of it. There are some who might be frustrated with her actions, I know Elle is. But like it or not she's the Queen."

"I don't know about that. Look Oster, I got a warning from Snouty a few days ago."
Man now that you're actually mentioning it in a serious context, that name really is stupid. What were you thinking?
"There are snakes that hate how she's doing this, even among the vanguard. They might try to get to her through me or you."

"You mean a conspiracy?"

"I guess so. I'm not sure how many are in on it or if it's still happening. But just be on your guard all the same."

Oster nods, his expression serious.
"Have you told her about this?"

"How? Haven't had the bloody chance yet."

"Fair enough."

Meanwhile, Aashenpreet seems to have been mostly ignoring the two of you as she rifles through Oster's pack. She nods happily as she finds a set of large cards.
"There it is! I had a suspicion that you were still holding onto this Oster. Thank you."
It's that accursed Tash deck.

"I figured I'd keep it for you since you were spending so much time back home in your true form. Didn't want to leave it lying around."

"Great! Let's play!"

Oster tries to pull away from her and fails.
"Not yet, I have to take Reggy out to talk to Jefford and Sons about the potion deal."

"They're not going to be finished eating for ages. We have time for one game, don't we? It'll be like old times!"
Oster doesn't look like he has a choice in this, Aash pulling him down to sit beside her.
2/3

>>44758058
"And what about you Cennen? We only ever played together once really. And Hiss was cheating."

>Sure. It can't hurt, can it?

>You've had enough of that bloody game for a lifetime. Ask Oster if there's a spare room where you can brew and wake up Zigzag.

>Don't play but stay with them and talk.

>"Sorry Aash but Oster has a job to do."

> "Tash sucks."

> Brew

> Other

>>44758124
>You've had enough of that bloody game for a lifetime. Ask Oster if there's a spare room where you can brew and wake up Zigzag.

>>44758124
>You've had enough of that bloody game for a lifetime. Ask Oster if there's a spare room where you can brew and wake up Zigzag.
I really wish we could get a chance to make Hom's body but it seems like we won't for a while. Ask them to keep the game short if possible, I really don't know how long it usually lasts.

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Sorry about the slow update speed by the way. I've been writing really slowly for these last few threads and I don't know why.

>>44758124
>Don't play but stay with them and talk.
Not a fan of the game since what happened at the temple. Maybe later Aash.

>>44758124
>You've had enough of that bloody game for a lifetime. Ask Oster if there's a spare room where you can brew and wake up Zigzag.

>>44758205
No worries, the threads have been great. Also I'm glad to see you writing again regardless of the speed.

>>44758205
I think it's just because the updates have been longer lately.

>>44758154
>>44758196
>>44758214
We're going to get bushwhacked being alone.

>>44758205
You're just rusty.

>>44758124
>You've had enough of that bloody game for a lifetime. Ask Oster if there's a spare room where you can brew and wake up Zigzag.

>>44758205
No prob, man, these updates are pretty long, so its understandable if they take longer to write.
Besides, the last threads have been really good

>>44758289
We have Zigzag. Its not like Aash or oster can help in a fight against other snakes anyway.

>>44758289
We can have the caster loaded just in case.

>>44758326
Aash is strong enough to turn one into paste unless they have dragon scales, and even then she can throw them through a door and delay them. Granted Oster is only good against unscaled snakes.

>>44758370
Too bulky to be used quickly and in closed quarters.

>You've had enough of that bloody game for a lifetime. Ask Oster if there's a spare room where you can brew and wake up Zigzag.

"No thanks mate, I'll leave you to it."
You back off while Oster stares at you desperately, silently begging for help as Aashenpreet talks to him about card strategies.

You take his ring of keys and let yourself into another of the rooms that Oster bought out, setting your pack on the ground. For a moment you let yourself stand by the window and gaze out over the city. These three can't be the only members of the vanguard out there, Hiss has no doubt taken extra care to seed Melire with multiple cells. You stare at the street below as if you could somehow divine which of the passing folk below are human and which are not.
There also seems to be some sort of fire down by the riverbank, Creator only knows how they managed that. Some sort of riot about something.

Hopefully Aash and Oster won't be too long but for now it looks like you have some time on your own. The only question is how to spend it.

>Brew

>Experiment.

>Wake up Zigzag.

>Prep and load the Caster.

>Go downstairs and ask Elle or Reggy

> Use Potion (Specify)

>Other

>>44758405
You're forgetting that Aash has zero defensive arts and would get killed easily.
>Too bulky to be used quickly and in closed quarters.
Yeah right, we just used it in a close quarters indoor situation and rekt the guy.

>>44758445
The caster can safely hold a brew inside it right?

>>44758503
Correct.

Also I forgot an option
>Start work on Hom's new body.

>>44758445
>Wake up Zigzag.

>>44758445
>Prep and load the Caster.
>Brew
A couple scalebanes
>Check out Moldrun's notes

>>44758445
>Wake up Zigzag.
>Start work on Hom's new body.

>>44758544
This

>>44758445
>Prep and load the Caster.

>>44758544
This is me, we're gonna need several ignition brews too.

>>44758554
I'd really like Hom to have a body but the middle of a large city isn't the place to do it.

>Prep and load the Caster
>Wake up Zigzag

You cautiously reach back into your pack and pull Zigzag out, setting the snake onto the bed while you rummage about further for your Caster.
Once you've retrieved the Caster it'll just be a short matter of snapping it back into place and winding the lever until it'll be ready to fire again. That is, if it were loaded with anything. Unfortunately you spent all of your ammunition in the battle with Moldran so you've got some work to do there.

You cook up three more Ignition brews as quickly as possible while you clean the Caster out. You can't let any residue build up, who knows what that would do?
You load the Caster with the first Ignition brew and put the two extras into your pack, loading the ammunition chamber with an empty bottle as you do so. It doesn't hurt to be ready when the enemy could come for you at any time.

You lean the prepared Caster against the wall within arm's reach and sit back, satisfied for now.
A low grumble alerts you to Zigzag's change, her human form waking up wrapped in a wreath of broken snakeskin. She looks around with bleary eyes.
"Where am I?"

"An inn. A different one than last time. Don't worry about it."

She stares at you.
"You fed me the gunk."

"Of course I did. Didn't you want it?"

"I want it. I hate it. I don't understand."

"What do you mean?"

"I love it, it makes me feel really good. But it's not me that loves it. It's the ...other me that keeps making me want it. The me you made."

"I did no such thing."

"You kept giving it to me and telling me I wanted it and it made another me that makes me keep coming back for it. And then you wishbound me and now I can't hunt and I can't eat."

"Those wishes are for your own protection, Ziggy. You don't know how to act in human lands."

"You're making me not me."

1/2

>>44758910
>Try to teach her some manners.

>Make your third wish and release her.

>"It's not my fault you're a drunken sot, you did that to yourself."

>"You deserve everything you get."

>Offer her some more Snake Oil.

>"You don't really understand what you're talking about."

>Apologize.

>Other

>>44758964
>>Try to teach her some manners.
Offer it under the lines of
"If you knew how to act like a normal human, I wouldn't have to keep you drugged all the time"

>>44758964
>Apologize.
>Try to teach her some manners.
Tell her we'll help her break her addiction to it. Give her that food we saved for her earlier.

>>44758964
>Try to teach her some manners.

>>44758964
>Apologize.
Then give her some food.

>>44758964
>Apologize.
>"Tell you what, some snakes may be coming after me while we're here. If you help me out I'll use my last wish to make you forget about the gunk once we go home"

>>44758964
The world is changing. You need to be able to change too. And I'm gonna help you.

>>44758910
Should've loaded it with a snakebreaker or at least put a scalebane in the ammunition chamber

We really should try to cure her addiction.

>>44759301
That's the plan. I think letting her eat a bunch of human food would help. She'd also focus on that instead of humans and their souls. And let her take hot baths

>Try to teach her some manners.

You're not entirely sure how you should be handling this. Should you apologize? Does Zigzag even deserve what you've done to her?
Probably, yes. She is an awful creature who kills at a whim and would literally devour the innocent if left to her own devices. But that describes an unfortunately large amount of your friends and companions and you never did this to them. You never did this to Hiss.
"Sorry Zig, I guess I just needed a way to control you. And this was easiest one."

"You made a wish," she protests. "Told me that I can't hurt anyone. You've already ripped out all of my teeth, why do you keep feeding it to me?"

"Because at the time I guess it stopped you from running away."

"You stole a lot of my blood."

"That too. I'm sorry about this Zigzag but I'm not sure if I actually regret it, if you know what I mean?"

"I don't know."

"Of course you don't. You barely even know what's happening to you. And you're sort of a monster."

Zigzag frowns, still lying on the bed.
"The Queen said that we'd never have to hide or be sorry about what we are."

"The Queen says a lot of things. Tell me Zigzag, what do you want right now?"

"Gunk."

"Besides that."

"Food."

You pull the scones you saved for her out of your pack and hand it to her. She looks at it blankly.
"What's this?"

"It's food. Try it."

"This isn't food. It's not meat or gunk."

"Yeah and you're in a human body right now. You can eat something besides meat. Try it."

She does her best to swallow them whole, nearly choking as a result.
"There, is that better?"

"These taste weird."

"But do they taste good?"

She shakes her head but she doesn't stop eating.
"Now listen up Ziggy. I did this to you because I NEEDED to control you. You don't know how to behave around humans and if you want to be released, you better learn how."

1/2

>>44759454
You spend the next ten minutes going over the basics of human manners with Zigzag, trying desperately to get past the sticking point that she can't simply eat whoever she pleases. It was surprisingly easy to convince her that humans are people too with their own thoughts and emotions and lives, she already knew that. She just doesn't care. The emotional concept of attaching value to a human life just seems to be fundamentally lost on her.

You decide to skip past that for now and spend the rest of your lesson telling her how she should try and behave in the presence of other humans and that, while you can't convince her that eating them would be morally wrong, it would certainly be very rude.

You have no idea if you're getting through to her or not, her expression is as empty as ever. She spends nearly a minute after you finish lost in contemplation. Is she considering your lesson?
"Cennen?"

"Yes?"

"Can I have some gunk now?"
Maybe she wasn't.

"You just said you didn't want that, Zig."

"Yes."
She looks a little troubled.
"But I really want it. Give me the gunk. Give me the gunk please?"
Oh shit, she's absorbed that at least.


>Give her the gunk, just a lesser amount.

>She's going cold turkey.

>Try and restrain her until she snaps out of it.

>Offer a different way for her to get heatstruck.

>Nobble.

>Other

>>44759569
>Offer a different way for her to get heatstruck.
Is there a fireplace? If not give her some hot restoration brews and share our body warmth or something

>>44759569
>>Offer a different way for her to get heatstruck.
how about some warm tea?

>>44759569
>Offer a different way for her to get heatstruck.
A bath

>>44759624
This. If it doesn't help give her the smallest possible amount of gunk. As someone who recently quit smoking I know how hard it is to go cold turkey.

>>44759569
>Give her the gunk, just a lesser amount.
Hardly any at all.

>Offer a different way for her to get heatstruck.

"No, I'm not giving you anymore Oil just yet. It's what you would want me to do. And there are other ways to provide the same sort of feeling. The Snake Oil provides an intense version of the same feeling elicited by heat and warmth, doesn't it? And there are other ways of becoming heatstruck."

"I don't need you to get the gunk."

"Pardon?"

"I know how you make it. I can just find another alchemist and ask them to do it."

"No! No. Don't. You'd be placing yourself in their power."

"I already am."

"Not in that way. There's a lot of people out there who a lot less nicer than I, you don't want to know how they would take advantage of you."

"I don't care. Give me the gunk please."

"Look-"

"I said please, you have to give it to me now."

"That's not how it works. And look, let me just try alternate methods first alright?"

>Go get some tea.

>Get a hot bath going.

>Stoke up the fireplace.

>Cook up a hot brew.

>Give her the smallest possible amount of Snake Oil.

>Share body warmth.

>Other

You can select multiple options.

>>44759865
Is the bath inside this room?

>>44759887
It can be, you can move it around with some help.

>>44759865
>Go get some HOT tea.
She has dragon scales so external heat sources do not work.

>>44759865
>Stoke up the fireplace.
>Cook up a hot brew.
Let her enjoy those while we
>Get a hot bath going.
>>44759910
We have super strength, we don't need help right?

>>44759865
>Go get some tea.
>Give her the smallest possible amount of Snake Oil in it.

>>44759939
External heat sources are a no-go because of Dragon scales.

>>44759865
>Stoke up the fireplace.
>Cook up a hot brew.
>>44759916
>>44759948
It's not really worth leaving her alone to get tea.

>>44759964
She can still feel things. It just won't damage her. And her scales aren't always activated anyway.

>>44759939
This.

>>44759964
I'm relatively certain that this is not how scales work. Something can be fire proof, but still transmit heat.

Just... The mind boggles at the idea of a dragon - a giant snake - not getting any external heat because of their scales. What manner of lunacy drives you to cling to this logic?

>>44759964
She still felt the cold when Bart froze her in a block of ice. Surely she can still feel heat.

>>44759939
This

>Stoke up the fireplace
>Cook up a hot brew
>Get a hot bath going

You spend a few minutes getting the fireplace going while Zigzag watches the flames build higher and higher.
"Come on, sit down by it."

She hesitantly sits down next to the fire with you as you start brewing, watching her inch closer and closer to the fireplace.
"Doesn't that feel the same?"

"Sort of. Not very good."

"Well try this."

The brew you just cooked up has no real effect but it's very hot. Zigzag doesn't even seem to notice that and drinks it all down in one gulp without pausing. But you can see her start to relax, the tension visibly leaving her as she leans against you.
She might be fine with it but it's starting to get uncomfortably warm for you. Which is great because you need to leave to get the bath anyway.
You get up, Zigzag nearly falling over without your support.
"Just stay here, alright? Alright?"

She nods sleepily.

You return several minutes later, carrying the entire wooden tub with you. It's filled with steaming water but it's not that heavy, your main concern was carrying it up without too many people seeing your display of superhuman strength.
You set the tub down near the fireplace, hot water slopping over the sides.

Zigzag perks up as she sees it and you remember her fascination with yours earlier this morning. You help her into it, averting your eyes as she takes her clothes off.
Hiss would kill you if she ever found out you were in this position.

>With that in mind, you should give Zigzag some privacy. She'll be fine, she's not going anywhere.

>No, stay in the room and work on your brews.

>Stay in the room and help her.

>Other

>>44760292
>>No, stay in the room and work on your brews.
Its not like we pay attention to anything when we brew

>>44760292
>No, stay in the room and work on your brews.
I wanna make some cool caster brews. Or maybe check out Moldrun's notes.

>>44760292
>No, stay in the room and work on your brews.

>>44760292
>No, stay in the room and work on your brews.
that weird fire brews moldrun used might be cool

>>44760292
>>No, stay in the room and work on your brews.

>>44760292
>No, stay in the room and work on your brews.
Man, cennen knows his way around snake bitches

>No, stay in the room and work on your brews.

Zigzag doesn't really seem to understand what a bath is for, evidenced by the fact that she first tried to eat the soap and then it threw it out of the bath into the fireplace with a disgusted shriek. She's definitely loosening up and you do your very best to ignore her.
Just keep your back turned and stare at the wall while you brew. That's what you need to do. But what if Zigzag starts to drown or something? Or finds another bar of soap and chokes on it? You need to keep watch.

That's what you tell yourself anyway as you turn around and keep an eye on her as you brew. There's nothing wrong with it. Zigzag certainly doesn't mind and it's not like Hiss ever has to find out.

She asks for help several times but you draw the line there. You're willing to look but there'll be none of that business.

You're a few minutes into your work when someone tries to open the locked door. You stop, reaching for your Caster as the doorknob tries to turn several times...and then opens, the person on the other side having a key.
Oh, it's just Aashenpreet. You put the Caster back down.

Aash just stares at the scene inside, looking from you to Zigzag several times. She's holding a small metal teapot and two cups.
"Are you having fun?"

"Oh come on, you KNOW it's not what it looks like. How did the Tash game go?"

She shrugs.
"Fine, I'm not very good at it. What's going on here?"

"I'm trying to find a substitute to wean Zigzag off of the Oil. And brewing, I guess. Not sure what to brew though."

Aashenpreet perks up a little and she steps inside, keeping her head pointed in the opposite direction of the bath at all times.
"Actually Cennen, brews are why I'm here."

"Oh? You want something brewed for you? What's the teapot for then?"

"Not exactly. And the teapot is separate, I thought you might just want tea. Do you?"

"It wouldn't be remiss, I guess. Sure. So what is it?"

1/2

>>44760735
>"Fine, I'm not very good at it. What's going on here?"

FAKE!

>>44760735
"I was just thinking about what I know about your brews Cennen. Or more specifically what I don't. I don't know how to tell your potions apart or which ones do which. And if we get into another...situation like this morning then I might need to know. What if I have your pack and you don't?"

You suppose that's a fair issue. You've had this problem with Hiss in the past.
"So what you're saying is that you want to learn alchemy?"

She looks down, her eyes fixed to her feet.
"I guess you could put it that way. I'm sure I wouldn't understand the specifics though."

>Open up your pack and run her through all the potions in it.

>Try to give her a basic foundation in alchemical theory.

>"Sorry, I'm a little busy right now."

>Brew up a potion for her (Specify)

>Other

>>44760843
>Open up your pack and run her through all the potions in it.
>Try to give her a basic foundation in alchemical theory.
I've always wanted an apprentice. I'm sure you'll do just fine. And an apprentice of a master as great as me needs to have more self confidence than that.

>>44760843
>>Open up your pack and run her through all the potions in it.
>>Try to give her a basic foundation in alchemical theory.

>>44760843
>>Try to give her a basic foundation in alchemical theory.


Still don't think this is Aash.

>>44760843
>Use soulsight to make sure this is Aash
>Open up your pack and run her through all the potions in it.
>Try to give her a basic foundation in alchemical theory.
> Walk her through making a brew
Warn her that her own natural snake magic will have an influence on all her brews so it'll be harder for her but her brews will be quite potent.

>>44760892
Fine then, I guess we should use soulsight to verify identity first too. It pays to be paranoid when you have shapeshifters coming after you.

>>44760983
Meh, nobody else would know about what happened this morning so it's probably her. I guess it couldn't hurt to check though. Might take a look at Hom too just to make sure he's not decaying or something.

>>44760843
>>Open up your pack and run her through all the potions in it.
>>Try to give her a basic foundation in alchemical theory.
She knows about Moldran and we haven't told anyone, I don't think she's fake, but use a solusight just to be sure

>Soulsight before doing anything else.

Wait, hold on. She's not very good at it? Aashenpreet loves that damn game. You feel just a little suspicious but then again...who else would know about what happened this morning? It's almost certainly her. But still, it doesn't hurt to check.
"Yeah, you're pretty awful at it. No offense."

Aashenpreet shrugs.
"None taken. We didn't have much time to play back at the shrine. No time for games, you know?"

"Absolutely," you nod, looking through your pack for the Soulsight bottle. You drink it all, letting your mind and vision expand beyond the usual realm of perception.

You quickly become aware of the three souls in this room with you. The first is in your pack behind you, a strange little pseudosoul that you cannot understand. Hom.

The second is floating where the tub should be, a large and pure soul untainted by human thoughts and with no lesser souls held in thrall. Zigzag.

And then there's the soul sitting directly in front of you, a crumbling shadowy ediface not unlike the soul of Hiss herself. And orbiting around it are a multitude of screaming human faces, many souls held captive within its gullet.
This is not Aashenpreet.

"Cennen? Is something wrong?," you hear as you deactivate the Soulsight. "What potion was that?"

"Just a restoration brew I had tucked away," you lie. "I've been up all night."

>Continue with what she wanted you to do but be wary.

>Continue with what she wanted you to do but give her the wrong potion names for each bottle.

>Excuse yourself. Where's the real Aashenpreet.

>Confront the intruder.

>Nobble.

>Brew up a Snake Oil.

>Unload an expert foundation of advanced alchemical theory upon her.

>Ask Zigzag for help.

>Use Potion (Specify)

>Other

>>44761250
>>Brew up a Snake Oil.
>Unload an expert foundation of advanced alchemical theory upon her.


CALLED IT!

File: h8.jpg (271 KB, 1024x683)

271 KB JPG

>>44761250
>'ediface'
fuck

>>44761250
>Continue with what she wanted you to do but be wary.
>Unload an expert foundation of advanced alchemical theory upon her.
>Mess with her
>Hello Hiss... This isn't what it looks like

>>44761326
If this was Hiss she'd be furious and know what we did.

>>44761250
>Unload an expert foundation of advanced alchemical theory upon her.
>Brew up a Snake Oil.
>>44761326
This isn't Hiss.

>>44761250
>Nobble
Our occupation cannot be denied. We are the Snakecatcher.

Don't make snake oil or bother zig zag. Either of those choices would probably result in bad things happening with her current state.

>>44761250
>Unload an expert foundation of advanced alchemical theory upon her.
>Make and use a knockout brew.

>>44761358
Shit, change that snake oil to a knockout brew. Forgot about how Zigzag might react. Also Oster might have been a fake too.

>>44761250
>Unload an expert foundation of advanced alchemical theory upon her.
>Knockout brew
>Nobble
>Remove any soulmender flasks

>>44761472
Wait, they're called serpentbane flasks right? My bad.

>Unload an expert foundation of advanced alchemical theory upon her.
>Brew a Knockout brew

You start to brew as you stare at her, doing your best to make a Knockout Brew as quickly as possible. But you can't let her know that you know. If you do, she'll attack. So you have to keep her busy.

"Now before I talk about the potions with you, I think there's some ideas you need to understand first."
You launch into a longwinded explanation about advanced alchemical theory and you are rewarded by seeing the false Aashenpreet's eyes glaze over almost immediately. She lets you continue for some time before she interrupts.
"I don't need to know this Cennen, I don't understand it. We can't all be so smart. And what are you brewing?"

Shit. Is she suspicious of you? You haven't finished the Knockout Brew yet.
"It's just an example," you say. "You'll see in a minute."

>Roll a 1d100 to bluff. Highest of the first three

Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>44761695
pls

Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>44761695

Rolled 98 (1d100)

>>44761695
we really need to just start keeping a knockout brew on us at all times.

>>44761750
Praise based anon.

>>44761750
Anon, I...

Is Zigzag close enough to get knocked out too? We might have to pull her out of the tub to keep her from drowning.

>>44761750
>>44761912
Cennen is the master of snake nobbling.

Sorry about the delay, was eating.

>>44761750

Your excuse rings hollow in your ears but she seems to believe it. Is she that naive? Or does she just think that little of you?
She settles back down, ignoring your continued lecture.
"Are you sure you don't want some tea Cennen?"

"I'll have some after I finish this."
You tip the cauldron over, releasing the knockout cloud into the relatively small and confined room.
The false Aashenpreet twitches back but it's already too late for her. She's bloody fast and if you had been just a little less convincing she might have still been able to strike you but not today. She slumps to the ground with a soft moan.
You hear Zigzag start to gurgle in the bathtub and you leap to your feet, kicking the fake Aashenpreet's comatose body aside as you reach into the tub and drag a very wet and sleepy Zigzag out onto the bed. She locks around your arm and pulls it close to her, tight against her chest before the knockout brew finishes taking hold and she goes limp. You do your best to let go as quickly as possible.

You now have two comatose snakes in your room, one of them unknown. What do you do with this?

>Nobble.

>Call everyone in. It's time for a roll call.

>Wake Zigzag up first.

>Wake the unknown snake up so you can ask a few questions.

>Look for the real Aashenpreet.

>Use Potion on the false Aashenpreet (Specify)

>Other

>>44762158
>Nobble.
>Call everyone in. It's time for a roll call.
>Wake the unknown snake up so you can ask a few questions.

>>44762158
>Nobble.
>Wake Zigzag up first.
>Wake the unknown snake up so you can ask a few questions.

>>44762158
Search the snake for any serpentbanes and then
>Nobble.

>>44762158
>>Nobble.

>>44762221
This. Then make another soulsight and knockout brew. then
>Wake Zigzag up first.
>Call everyone in. It's time for a roll call.

>>44762158
>Call everyone in. It's time for a roll call.
>. make sure now serpent banes or other funny business

>>44762158
>Nobble
and search then
>Wake Zigzag up first.
>Wake the unknown snake up so you can ask a few questions.

>>44762158
>Nobble
>Wake Zig Zag up
>Call everyone in, time for a roll call.

>Nobble

You have a dozen ideas on what to do first but one clearly rises above all the others. You have to nobble her. Not only does it make sense it's also just what you do. You're a Snakecatcher.
But how are you going to nobble her? She's not exactly going to fit into your pack and this room isn't very secure.
You also don't have any rope anymore since Aashenpreet broke it.

You settle for patting her down first, finding two small Serpentbane bottles in her pockets. Yes, best to take these away from her.
But how are you going to make sure she's nobbled enough for the wishbond to set in? Just rendering them unconscious isn't enough.

>Just lock her in this room alone. You'll have to do something with Zigzag though.

>Upend the bathtub and trap her underneath it.

>Use a Rumpleskin.

>Use a Shapeshifting Brew, she's unconscious so that means you'd choose the result.

>Use a Snake Dispel

>Use a Thoughtbrew to trap her.

>Use one of Eugene's Rejects to stuff her in your pack.

>Other

>>44762569
>Upend the bathtub and trap her underneath it.

>>44762592
we can't just spill water everywhere anon

>>44762569
Can we wrap her up in the sheets like a bag or use them as a rope to tie her up?

>>44762569
>Use the blankets to tie her up

>>44762660
Yeah that could work

>>44762660
This. Also wake zigzag up if possible.

>>44762569

>>44762660
Sure

>Should also lock the door, grab our sword and load a snakebreaker in the caster in case she has friends.

>>44762690
If we used a shapeshifting brew she wouldn't be a snake anymore and the wishbond wouldn't work right?

>>44762569
>>44762660
if it works it works

>Use the blankets.
>Wake up Zigzag

You roll Zigzag off the bed, letting her land with a thump that she's too indestructible to feel while you strip the bed of its sheets. You slide the stolen sheets underneath the impostor and then wrap her up in them, doing your best to confine her. That should count right? It'd be a bit of work to break free from that.

Next up, you find Zigzag's clothes sitting by the tub and throw them at her face. She's already beginning to wake and that helps rouse her.
"Get dressed Ziggy."

"What's going on?"

"Remember when I told you about the snakes that want to hurt us?"

"No?"

"Well I did."

As Zigzag gets dressed, you draw your sword and make doubly sure that your Caster is ready. And as you do, you notice that the bundle of blankets is beginning to twitch.
Is she waking up already?

Come to think of it, Zigzag was only down for a few minutes too. Are they both resistant? Is it because of an Art?

"Hey," you say, pointing your Caster at the writhing bundle. "Stay down."

"Oi!"
The impostor rips her way out with a thud, completely ignorant of the Caster's threat.
"Cennen! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Pardon?"

"It's me! Elle! Unhand me!"

>Fire the Caster.

>"What do I think I'm doing? What do YOU think you're doing?"

>Use Potion (Specify)

>Sic Zigzag on her.

>Tell her to get back in the bag.

>"Prove it!"

>Make a wish (Specify)

>Other

>>44763014
>Make a wish (Specify)
I wish you would stay right there and tell me exactly what's going on.

>>44763014
>"Prove it!"
>"What do I think I'm doing? What do YOU think you're doing?"

>>44763056
Change that to "answer all my questions truthfully" actually.

>>44763056
This.

>>44763014
>>44763056
>>44763082
Combine

>>44763056
Don't make her stay right there until her wishbond breaks though, tell her to stay right there until we say otherwise

>>44763014

>>44763056
>>44763082
Works. Also:

>"What do I think I'm doing? What do YOU think you're doing?"

Afterword.

I forget, does Elle have scales? If so we may want to load up with something more potent than an empty bottle.

>>44763158
>I forget, does Elle have scales? If so we may want to load up with something more potent than an empty bottle.
You took her Art information in the census back in Thread 68. She has Advanced Shed Skin, Hypnotic Gaze, Serpent's Temptation, Devour Soul, Life's Blood, Consummate Predator, Scales, Artskin, Hunt Sense, Camouflage and Shallow Bite.

If you don't know what any of those mean, I updated the Snake Arts pastebin a while ago to actually include all of the Arts. I also updated basically all of the non-Summary pastebins

>>44763223
So insomnia is good for something at least?

>>44763014
>>44763056
let's have everything out in the open

>>44763223
Damn. Thank god we're a spiritbane. She could mindfuck us hard otherwise.

>>44763324
Yeah she's pretty much subversion rogue built snake.

>Make a Wish

You sigh. Does she really expect you to believe her? Especially when you have complete power over her now?
But then again you doubt she's ever been wishbound before. It'll be a learning experience.

She's starting to get up, a haughty look upon her face.

"I wish you'd stay down for now and that you will always answer my questions truthfully."

Her arrogant expression vanishes as she slowly sits back down and 'willingly' traps herself back down within your makeshift cocoon.
"What? How are you doing this?"

"How do you think? I captured you."

"Shit," she whispers. "You know about that?"

You can't help but laugh. If you hadn't known about it then none of this entire adventure would have ever happened.
"What were you trying to do to me?"

"Nothing!"
She shuts her mouth and does her best to keep it closed. It lasts about a second.
"I was planning to either incapacitate you with the poisoned tea or by learning the natures of all your potions and then forcefeeding a potion to you that would render you helpless or compliant."

"And then what?"

"I was then going to force a gaze onto you and prune your soul as I saw fit. I was going to bury suggestions into you that would turn you into a weapon against the Queen. I wanted you to administer a potion to her when she is at her most vulnerable."

Your lip curls in disgust.
"You think Hiss is ever vulnerable?"

She scoffs.
"Come on now Cennen, we all know that you two fuck. It's disgusting but it's not a secret."

"And why did you want to do that?"

"Because...," she sucks in her breath, still desperately trying not to talk and failing. "I am part of a small group who are unhappy with various aspects of the current Queen's rulership. She is our only royal so we cannot depose her without outrage but we can temper her, tame her. Render her compliant to our whims."

"What, Hiss? Do you really think she'd break?"

"All things can break."

"I thought you were friends with Oster?"

1/2

>>44763520
"I am. He is a good human and I value his company. I have also bitten into his soul and given him a desire to protect me and an inclination to do my bidding. I tried to undo what the Queen has done to him but it wasn't possible."

"You bit him? That's a funny definition of friendship you have there."

"It's the only one possible between our kind you idiot. I know the Queen has done the same to you. And Oster doesn't remember so it doesn't trouble him."

"The other snake, Reggie, is he in on this?"

"No."

"Where's Aashenpreet? Did you do anything to her?"

"The freak? No, I simply copied her."

"And all of this was to just get at Hiss using me? No other reason?"

"Well..."
She's REALLY trying not to talk now.
"I was looking forward to eating you and making you bend the knee. You've always been much too arrogant for a human and the idea of taking something that belongs to the Queen was...was a tempting one."

Zigzag has finished getting dressed and is just staring at all of this, her eyes still bleary.
"I don't get it."

Elle's eyes swivel over to her.
"Zigzag! Use your venom! You need to help me!"

"Nah."

>"Too late, I already got to her."

>Call everyone in.

>"I hope you don't mind explaining this all to Hiss in a few days."

>Ask more questions (Specify)

>Use Potion (Specify)

>Make a wish (Specify)

>>44763625
>Call everyone in.
Wish that she would undo everything she's done to Oster's soul.

>>44763625
I feel kind of bad for you so I'll tell you a secret. Altering my soul in any way is completely impossible. Did you think I was just a normal human?
>>44763660
also this

>>44763625
>Ask more questions (Specify)
>"I want names. Who are the others? What else are you planning?"
>"What is it that you don't like about Hiss' rule?"

>>44763625
>>Ask more questions (Specify)
So what are you specifically trying to change? What are you unhappy about? The name of the snakes in your coven? Tell me everything relevant.

Oh and Elle? I don't make brews like that, and not even Hiss can touch my soul. I follow of my own free will.

>>44763625
>Ask more questions (Specify)
What are your grievances against the queen's current way of doing things?
Who else is involved in your pathetic attempt at a coup?
Where are they?

>>44763625
>"I hope you don't mind explaining this all to Hiss in a few days."

>>44763625
>>44763743
paritucalrly where we get the other names

also im very leery about gloating and giving up our secrets. who knows when some snake fucking up and trying to mind wug us might save us.

>>44763660
This.

>>44763790
She's a dead woman anyways, and for all she knows we're bluffing.

>>44763790
>im very leery about gloating and giving up our secrets
True. Up until right before we blow her brains out the back of her skull, with no one around to hear us of course. Bad snek.

Getting Oster anywhere near her right now seems like an unnecessary risk. Just saying, loopholes in wish bond might make her able to pull something.

Sorry about the delay on this one, had a phone call.

>Call everyone in.
>Wish for Oster to be restored.
>Ask more questions

So she went for all that just for a plan that wasn't going to work in the first place? Well, that's not strictly true. If she'd actually learned about your potion stash she could have done some serious damage to you with a Major Love Potion or something. But still...
You almost want to gloat about but you restrain yourself. Revealing your advantages unprompted is never a good idea.
"Wow, that's pretty fucked up. You're a real piece of work."

"Spare me the moralizing. You're the Queen's boytoy and she does worse everyday."

"Hmph. Let's start there then. What don't you like about Hiss' rule?"

She sighs, unable to stop herself from doing your command.
"Multiple reasons. She's vastly too young for an enterprise of this magnitude. She killed the old King. She conscripts us without heed or concern for our opinions. She's a disgusting deviant who mates with humans and forces us into human bodies. And besides all that, I just personally find her to be a whiny insecure bitch on a power-trip who has no respect for anyone. I'd say that that's obvious but then again I'm talking to her pet penis so who knows?"

"Uhuh. You have a lot of nerve calling me stuff like that when I have complete control."

"You asked for honesty, I HAVE to say it."

"I guess so. Now tell me everyone else who's in on it and where they are."

Over the next ten minutes she tells you about a small collection of serpents, none of which are in Melire save her. There are nine of them in total. A smaller group than you imagined but one capable of doing severe damage all the same. You'll be able to pass this information down to Hiss easily.

"Well, I can't say you're very loyal to your cause."

"Oh shut it," she snarls. "If you're going to kill me just do it, there's no need for limp taunts."

"Well first of all, you're going to undo what you did to Oster."

1/2

>>44764306
She does have some valid criticism

>>44764306
"Can't. He and Reggie have left to speak to Jefford and Sons, finalizing the Queen's deal. I waited until there wouldn't be any interruption."

"Oh. Oh right."
Oster had mentioned something like that, you guess it makes sense.

"I guess intellect isn't what Hiss keeps you around for, huh?"

Now what?

>Get Aashenpreet.

>Ask Zigzag's opinion.

>Make a wish (Specify)

>Use Potion (Specify)

>Ask more questions (Specify)

>Other

>>44764381
>Get Aashenpreet.

>>44764381
>Ask Zigzag's opinion.

>>44764381
>Get Aashenpreet.


Her first second and third reasons are valid, as is her fifth really.

>>44764381
>Get Aashenpreet.
Well I guess we've got some time to kill. Let's make some Caster brews.

>>44764423
The third one isn't. She's the ruler and she's taking over human lands because popular opinion demanded it.

>>44764481
She doesn't listen, she doing the land grab mostly for her own ego at this point.

>>44764381
>Get Aashenpreet.

>>44764381
>Ask more questions (Specify)
How she knew about Moldrun

>>44764515
Nah, she's doing it to keep the other snakes entertained and happy with her rule

>>44764381
>>Ask more questions (Specify)
I like getting all these honest opinions. How do she and other snakes feel about conquering the island, what about the old king, what about aashenpreets missionary work.
>>44764591
little of column a little of column b

obviously there are plenty of totally valid criticisms of hiss, its not like saying those things validates our guest.

>Get Aashenpreet.

"You know," you say. "I'm pretty sure that being forced to be honest doesn't force you to be insulting."

"It does when you're concerned."

Shit, you set that one right up for her.
"Come on. There's no need for that."

"Fuck you. I'm already in the worst case scenario, what else is there to do? Do you think I'm going to beg?"

"I've got your life in my hands, that's all. I'd think that was a pretty good reason to be polite."

"Better you kill me now than what the Queen will do to me. You've seen her Art, haven't you? She has everything we have and more. She could prune me from the inside out, reduce me to some happy and loyal idiot. She could eat me and spit me out and curse me to spend eternity trapped in torment somewhere. She could eat me and make everything that I am just a seamless part of her. And unlike you, she'd do any of that without even blinking. So go ahead and kill me, it's literally the least of my worries."

You throw your hands up in frustration.
"If you knew she could do all of that, why conspire against her in the first place? Could have just kept your heads down and accepted it."

She looks at you with pure scorn.
"You seem to have me mistaken for a human."

"Fine. Whatever. Stay here. Zigzag, make sure she doesn't leave."

You leave and lock the door behind you, walking back to the room that you left Aashenpreet in. She's still there, sitting cross-legged and meditating. She cracks a single eye open when she sees you approach.
"Cennen? Is there something you wanted?"

"Yeah, come have a look at this."

You lead her back to the room, unlocking it and letting the two of you back in.
Only to find the makeshift bag ripped open and the window smashed open. Zigzag is lying on the floor hyperventilating, her eyes rolling back. Looks like she was poisoned somehow. How did she even penetrate her skin?
"Oh come on! I was only gone for thirty seconds!"

1/2

>>44764767
We told her she couldn't move from that spot. That makes no sense.

>>44764767
You stride over to the window and look down into the street but you don't see any trace of her anywhere. But you wouldn't, would you? She's a skilled shapeshifter and she can camouflage as well.
For all you know she's fucking gone right now.
"How did she move from that fucking spot anyway?"
To be fair, you didn't exactly specify that she had to stay in that spot forever you guess. Does it work that way?

>She can't have gone far. Pursue her immediately!

>She might be disguised down in the street somewhere in plain sight. Get down there and search everyone.

>She might have done this to mislead you and went to a different room in the inn!

>She might still be in THIS room!

>Stay behind and help Zigzag.

>Get Aashenpreet to tend to Zigzag for you.

>Do something stupid and life-threatening to activate the wishbond.

>Pray (Specify)

>Use Potion (Specify)

>Make A Wish (Specify)

>Other

>>44764788
yeah wtf ouro

>>44764767
>She looks at you with pure scorn.
>"You seem to have me mistaken for a human."

Ouch. Kinda hit a little close.

>>44764836
>>Do something stupid and life-threatening to activate the wishbond.

>>44764836
>>She might still be in THIS room!
Flip the bed, look for tiny snake.

>>44764836
>>She might still be in THIS room!
she does have camouflage and it doesn't counter the order

>>44764836
>Stay behind and help Zigzag.
Then
>Do something stupid and life-threatening to activate the wishbond.

>>44764836
Since when can you rules-lawyer wishes? She has to follow the intent of the wish. She mi

>>44764873
>>44764912
>>44764920
see>>44764903

>I wish you'd stay down for now
>for now

Damn it.

>>44764949
>>44763151
and here's how we voted to say it.

>>44764836
>She might still be in THIS room!
Make a bloodkin and drink it.

>>44764989
soulsight*. fuck I'm retarded.

Calling it for
>She might still be in THIS room!

Shit.

LIFE's BLOOD: Allows for the snake to directly grasp the soul even when the victim is not in a trance. But the human body was designed to protect the soul and so the only opening this gives to devour a soul is when the victim is recently dead and the snake is eating their flesh and blood or if the soul is inhabiting an artificial vessel.

>if the soul is inhabiting an artificial vessel.

Is Hom still here? Could she have done something using that to defy the wish bond or break it.

>>44765056
We weren't retarded enough to leave our pack in there when we left right? But no, that would do absolutely nothing to a wishbond.

>>44765075
These homunculus spirits seem to have crazy alchemic prowess. If she ate him, didn't shred him like autism snake, she could have concocted the wishbond breaking brew if we had one in sight using her body for reagents. Or by eating it, she was no longer considered a "snake" give how wonky those things are and was released from the bond. I hope I am paranoid/drunk.

Or our shitty wording did it. Maybe.

>>44765184
I'm pretty sure that didn't happen. We keep him with us at all times. Also he doesn't know how to make any brews. The only memories she would get from him is intense suffering for a few seconds and then life as a glass bottle.

>She might still be in THIS room!

Wait no, there's something fishy about this. Your wish for her not to move shouldn't have worn off yet, you remember Hiss insisting that you CAN'T game wishes like that!
So...what if she broke the wishes to make you think that she had escaped? You would have run down to try and catch her and she'd still be up here, free to do what she willed!
That would be an absolutely desperate plan but what else would a wishbound snake have to do? She was all out of options and with a fate worse than death facing her.

"Zig!"
Aashenpreet rushes down to the fallen Zigzag, cradling her head in her lap.
"What happened to her? Cennen, get us a brew!"
Huh. You thought Aash hated Zigzag. Maybe that doesn't matter.

All of that is just background noise while you search the room, straining your eyes as you stare at blank walls and floors. She doesn't have advanced stealth Arts, if she's camouflaged it should still be possible to see her if you look hard enough. Right? But if you made the wrong call she's just getting further and further away.

Running out of options, you look under the bed. And then you stop. Zigzag is under the bed, her skin flushed and hyperventilating. Her eyes focus on you just briefly before looking past you.
Looking back at the Zigzag lying on the floor behind you. You'd left Elle lying on the floor.

"Stop."
A voice from behind you.

Aashenpreet is frozen, trembling slightly. The Zigzag that she was cradling has miraculously recovered from her injuries and has a finger held right up against her throat. The fingernail of the finger has folded upon, revealing a grotesque snake fang shapeshifting out of the gap between nail and skin.
"If you say ANYTHING Cennen, she'll die. If she moves at ALL, she'll die. So just grab the Serpentbanes you confiscated from me and throw them at us. Do it."

You stay frozen, the real Zigzag still writhing silently underneath the bed.

1/2

>>44765215
you gonna get dispelled bitch

>>44765215
"Don't...,"the fake Zigzag says slowly, "Don't even think about making a wish. Unless you think you can wish faster than I can move my finger less than a fucking inch."

>Make the wish. (Specify)

>Pray the wish. (Specify)

>Just do as she says.

>Pretend to do as she says but throw a different potion instead (Specify)

>Try and leap at her before she can do it.

>Surrender if she'll spare Aash's life. Or at least pretend to.

>Use Potion (Specify)

>Other

>>44765266
are there any brews that look similar to the serpentbane? also that was a dick move modifying our wish write-in to allow this to happen ouro.

>>44765266
>Pretend to do as she says but throw a different potion instead (Rumpleskin)

>>44765266
>Pretend to do as she says but throw a different potion instead (Specify)
Snake dispel.

>>44765283
>also that was a dick move modifying our wish write-in to allow this to happen ouro.

She hasn't moved from where you told her to stay. She just provoked Zigzag to talk and then spat in her mouth when she did, kicking the poisoned Zigzag underneath the bed and then quickly shapeshifting into Zigzag's appearance, relying on her human body to lie over and crush the shed skin beneath her.
She hasn't actually moved from where you put her.

>>44765332
you should've specified that zigzag was in the exact same spot that we left elle. that would've been obvious.

>>44765330
Won't negate arts she's born with, like poison.

>>44765266
>Use Potion (Specify)

Grab serpent bane, use mark to coat it in lethal venom, toss it to her and say "Catch" as a wish.

>>44765266
>>44765426
i really like this but she has art skin, is there a way we can get around that

>>44765426
>>44765450
ah art skin doesn't work on snake arts, excellent ill back this option

>>44765266
>Just do as she says.
Discreetly grab a snake dispel at the same time and be prepared to throw it at any time

>>44765266
>Pretend to do as she says but throw a different potion instead (Specify)
Love potion, major
Fuck you, Elle

>>44765450
>>44765426
>>44765484
She has to ingest or breath in the poison. Just covering it in it will do nothing if it doesn't reach her bloodstream. Also our mark is a trickle it'll take a long noticeable amount of time to coat it.

>>44765426
Wtf will this do? She has to ingest the venom through a cut or through her mouth for it to work. She'll notice if it's covered in venom.

>>44765332
Do any of our brews look similar to a serpentbane?

>>44765266


>>44765301
>>44765506
One of these

>>44765537
Any that aren't outright glowing will tend to look the same to untrained eyes from within a bottle. As long as they're in the same general sort of bottle it probably isn't noticeable. And you better believe Cennen keeps his bottles in order.

Anyway looks like the vote is definitely for tossing a non-Serpentbane potion but it's split on what kind.
So new vote, only counting votes from after this post.

>Throw Potion (Specify)

>>44765587
Nevermind the last bit of this post actually, >>44765585 broke the tie at the last fucking possible moment. Choose between the following options I guess.

>Throw Rumpleskin.

>Throw Major Love Potion

>>44765606
>Throw Major Love Potion

>>44765606
>Throw Major Love Potion
rumpleskin is a shit idea so I guess I'll choose the barely less shit idea

>>44765511
Recall how the snakebite bro with the venom art could use his on contact? I am gambling that Hiss growing stronger means our venom has increases in power to that point. Might have been only part thought through because of beer. Or toss it by the top, coating the mouth piece in venom, and "Catch" to " Drink up."

>>44765606
Are we tossing it to her for her to catch it or for the brew to break on her?

>>44765606
>>Throw Rumpleskin


>>44765620
How is it shit? It's an incapacitation brew it hit scale or she drinks it GG

>>44765606
>Throw Major Love Potion

>>44765621
He jabbed a finger nail into us for it to work it wasn't contact poison.

>>44765657
Takes too long to fully immobilize her. And Aash would probably be hit by it as well.

>>44765606
>Throw Major Love Potion

>>44765684
So she drinks it and is out. Shit works fast. It totally tabled shadow wizard on contact

>>44765707
Shadow wizard wasn't capable of ending our companion's life in less than half a second though.

>>44765707
What if she suspects and tries it on Aash first? Love potion has no visible effect

>>44765721
He had a shadow blade to Oster

>>44765742
Then Aash is fucked by either of those brews. Because she won't immediately go poof to snake form, besides she might kill her anyways.

>>44765774
Aash has no souls, so serpentbane would not affect her. Plus, she's never observed its effects

>Major Love Potion

You're rummaging through your pack, not knowing just what to do when you find a bottle resting right at the bottom. Ah, you remember this! This potion has never lead anywhere but trouble but maybe this'll be its lucky day.
You withdraw the Major Love Potion and cradle it in your hands, unsure of how you want to do this. You can't just throw it, it won't work on skin contact. She'll have to drink it.
You get ready to roll it across the floor to her.

"Hold it! What are you doing?"

"It has a quicker effect when you drink it," you say, doing your best to keep your voice level. "And throwing it might jostle your hand. I don't want any trouble."

"Fine. You know Cennen, I don't have any real problem with you or the cripple here. You're both likable enough, you just have very poor choice in friends. I promise that if you set me free I'll won't kill her or you. I'll just run."

"Sure."
You roll it slowly to her, Ellesander snatching it up with her free hand while keeping her finger at Aashenpreet's throat steady. Aashenpreet is sweating and you can't help but wonder if she could just use her superior strength to flatten Elle. But that would risk far too much.

Elle looks at the potion for a moment, her eyes flickering constantly all over the room. She's on the verge of panic herself it seems.
"Alright...now it isn't that I don't trust you Cennen...but I can't afford to mess this up. So Aashenpreet is going to drink this first. That shouldn't be a problem, right? She doesn't have any souls."

Oh shit.
Elle holds the bottle to Aashenpreet's lips and lacking any better choice, she drinks. You watch Aashenpreet's eyes flicker back to Elle in muted panic and then to you and then back to Elle and they stay fixed there. Her breathing is starting to come faster as she stares at her captor.

Elle doesn't seem to notice this, she just notices that nothing has apparently gone wrong. 1/2

>>44765606
>>Throw Rumpleskin.
this will at least probably work on her scales, pretty concerned it won't be enough to stop her poisoning aash though, hopefully her poison isn't the instant death variety.

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>>44765679
Ah. Its been a while. Thought he just put his hand on us.

>>44765843
It only attracts you to people of the opposite sex. What are you doing Ouro.

>>44765843
Elle drinks the rest of the bottle, her eyes fixed on you to make sure you don't do anything. She slams the bottle down immediately afterwards, shattering it.
"I...," she stutters. "I don't feel different."
She retracts the claw anyway, looking at you in a very strange light.

This is about to get very complicated.

>Make a wish (Specify)

>Toss Aashenpreet the Antidote.

>Tell her to go back to her true form.

>Use Potion (Specify)

>Other

>>44765869
No, it's anyone who's sexually compatible

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>>44765843

Oh yesssss. Poor Cennen. Dead by broken pelvis. You died like you Lived: An Idiot.

>>44765890
>Tell her to go back to her true form.

>>44765890
>Other
>"Alright, nobody move while I save zigzag's life"
Brew her an antidote

>>44765890
>>Tell her to go back to her true form

>>44765890
>Tell her to go back to her true form.
>Toss Aashenpreet the Antidote.
wait so Aash is a lesbian?

>>44765890
>>Toss Aashenpreet the Antidote.
>also toss one to her once aash is clear
love triangle in a bottle, dear god save us

>>44765894
define sexually compatible. because girls can't properly fuck girls.

>>44765869
It's anyone that's compatible. Snakes can take up forms of either gender and are thus as exactly as compatible as they want to be.

>>44765931
could be any number of things really, maybe thats just the good old universal love preached by her religion

>>44765890
>Toss Aashenpreet the Antidote.
>Tell her to go back to her true form.
this was a very strange way to deal with this issue

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>>44765959
>TL Note:
>Futa snake girls ahoy.

>>44765959
oh shit ouro you've unleashed the magical realm fags now

>>44765985
We make love not war, next brew should be a way to use the love potion with the caster

>>44765959
Will it wear off if she returns to snake form?

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1.23 MB GIF

>>44765996
>mfw it's too late
>mfw it's my fault, I was the one to sugest the love potion
>mfw I'm so sorry

>>44765996
well at least elle didn't happen to look at aash. then we'd have yurifags to deal with.

>Tell her to go back to her true form.
>Give Aash the antidote.

You are incredibly uncomfortable with all of this. Particularly with what you just did to Aashenpreet, you don't really care about what happens to Elle. Possessing these potions is considered a criminal act for a reason. She's REALLY not going to like it when she wakes up.

But fortunately Aashenpreet seems to be restraining herself for now so you just toss her the Antidote.
"Drink!"
The antidote lands in her lap and she doesn't pay any attention to it.

"Elle?"

"Yes?'

"Could you please tell Aashenpreet to drink that?"

Elle looks incredibly confused.
"I-If you want me to! Aashenpreet, drink that please."

Aashenpreet quickly does and then almost immediately recoils away from Elle hard enough to throw Ellesander into the wall. Not that Elle seems to mind however, she only has eyes from you.
"Cennen," she says softly. "I think I made a mistake. You can capture me whenever you want."

This is fucked up and Aashenpreet seems to agree with you as she pats herself down repeatedly as if trying to cleanse herself of an intangible filth.
"Cennen! What was that? I have VOWS!"

"I'll explain later," you say hollowly as Elle crawls towards you. "Elle, please return to your true form now and stay like that until I give you permission to do otherwise."

"Of course!"
And that's how you wound up with a seven-foot long rainbow snake in your lap, doing its best to coil up to you in a very un-snake fashion.

Aashenpreet is still understandably distressed.
"What's going on? Why did you choose THAT one? Why did you still have that one?"

"I don't know," you say as Ellie cozens up to you.
"I just don't know."

>>44766087
>Wanting to throw away a potion
>Not waiting till you have perfect chance to use it.

>>44766087
note to self: figure out that delayed release poison recipe
Really though that was the ideal brew to use since I assumed she would test it on Aash first.

And that's that for today. A pretty unexpected ending for all concerned to be honest, I'd forgotten you even still had that Love Potion kicking around. I also didn't expect you guys to pick up on the Tash clue right away and stop Elle from doing anything, that was very well done of you.
I hope you guys had fun and I'll try to run again tomorrow. Check the twitter to see my excuses for why I can't, etc etc.

>>44765996
>tfw you'd already talked about some the decadent shit that Quedeshi constrictors get up to on the ask.fm and this is super tame in comparison.
Magical realm fags are free to visit my ask and wait for when I'm tired or drunk, is what I'm saying.

>>44766138
Thanks for running! I missed you man. No homo.

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>>44766138
>mind control
>shapeshifting/genderbending
This has been a magical realm all along, I just never realized it.

>>44766170
Hey, at least Cennen isn't slowly becoming a woman or some other anonkun-type shit. one could argue that there's been hints of vore too though

>>44766148
No worries man, I'll try and get my frequency back up to where it used to be. A man can dream.

>>44766170
My real magical realm has been forcing players to make snap decisions when they don't know all of the relevant information.

>>44766138
Thanks for running! Glad to have you back

>>44766087
snake-slave is best girl