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You spend some time poking and prodding your newly captured spirit, mentally of course. Unfortunately it seems much reduced by its recent defeat. Though you managed to preserve the mind, it doesn't seem like there was that much to preserve. It is a simple creature driven solely by vague emotion, and the only emotion it seems capable of at the moment is wrath.

On the other hand, perhaps you simply aren't skilled enough as a Nature Vatis to truly understand the spirit's thoughts? “Mortia, would you come here a moment? I've need of your talent for Nature magic.”

Your companion, who'd been occupying herself exploring the cavern in greater detail, joins you in the center of the gore-soaked chamber. “I can try, though I make no promises. I've never had the opportunity nor the desire to commune with a spirit mentally without the aid of an artifact.”

You a pulse of vys as Mortia focuses her will upon the glowing gemstone resting in the palm of your hand. The light dims briefly, the green of the emerald momentarily shining through only to be washed out again a moment later by the power contained within. You're surprised the emerald isn't giving off heat, but you suppose since it's not cracked there's no avenue through which vys can escape.
(1/2)

It isn't long before Mortia's thoughts begin to muddle with your own, her voice muffled due to the mental barrier you erected to ward of Fulvia's rather forceful intrusion. {I believe the spirit is angry, but it is also afraid and confused. It feels trapped, and desires to latch itself to your soul so that it might feed and grow strong again. That being said the spirit's mind is incredibly simplistic. It is little more than an unthinking beast in its current state.}

You frown, mildly disappointed. Still, having a trapped spirit at your disposal should prove immensely useful, even if it is a particularly weak spirit.

>You should probably return to the surface, before people start to worry. No doubt Mortia is eager to clear her name.
>While your companions return to the surface, you'll travel through a portal and await them in Majhaya
>You should probably start constructing some sort of direct route from the palace to the chamber.
>Why not explore the tunnels a while longer? There's no rush.
>Write-in

I just realized I'm goddamn starving, so I'm going to run out and get a bite while folks filter in.

>>45114498
>You should probably start constructing some sort of direct route from the palace to the chamber.

>>45114498
>While your companions return to the surface, you'll travel through a portal and await them in Majhaya

>>45114498
>You should probably return to the surface, before people start to worry. No doubt Mortia is eager to clear her name.

>>45114498
>>You should probably start constructing some sort of direct route from the palace to the chamber.

Don't want to separate from our companions down here. I have a feeling there may be more encounters.

>>45114498
>You should probably start constructing some sort of direct route from the palace to the chamber.

>>45114498
>>You should probably start constructing some sort of direct route from the palace to the chamber.
Sounds good.

>>45114498
>Make cat create an artifact from the spirit

>>45114498
>While your companions return to the surface, you'll travel through a portal and await them in Majhaya

>>45114737
>Combines it with spear to make it a growth weapon

>>45114498
>>You should probably start constructing some sort of direct route from the palace to the chamber.

>>45115020
>>45114701
>>45114660
>>45114658
>>45114575
>Build a tunnel

>>45114590
>>45114837
>Fuck this shit I'm out.

>>45114610
>Head back topside.

Writin'

>>45115121
aww yiss
easy access for next time

>>45114498
>>You should probably start constructing some sort of direct route from the palace to the chamber.
Use the Sleeve. What could possibly go wrong?

>>45115121
hey Soma. can we feed the spirit some vys to help it regrow, or do we need soul shavings for that?

...who am I kidding, you won't tell. I vote we try.

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Rolled 10, 6, 3 = 19 (3d10)

warming 'em up.

>>45115160
Actually, now that you mention it...
>Use the Sleeve
>Don't, let your companions do the heavy lifting instead.

>>45115196
Who knows~

>>45115213
>Don't, let your companions do the heavy lifting instead.

>>45115213
>>Use the Sleeve
>>Feed the Spirit

>>45115160
Or, you know, our Earth Grandmaster companion and robutt

>>45115264
Chryssa isn't with you at the moment, she's chillin' with Zahak in the sky.

>>45115213
>Don't, let your companions do the heavy lifting instead.

>>45115213
>Don't, let your companions do the heavy lifting instead.
We have minions for a reason.

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>>45115235
>nevermind the inwards-facing spikes. just put it on. what could possibly go wrong?

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>>45115213
I just ate this funnel cake along with a chicken fried steak with gravy. How's that make you feel boss?

>>45115213
>>Don't, let your companions do the heavy lifting instead.
We could contribute without using the sleeve, you know

>>45115213
>Use the Sleeve
kinda curious what'll happen when it grows out of its larval form.

>>45115213
>Use the Sleeve

>>45115339
>becomes a new party member

We should totally pay someone to put it on and use it.

>>45115299
Is that Brigh's mask?

>>45115397
I think its that mask fro jojoe

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>>45115397
yes.

>>45115213
>>Don't, let your companions do the heavy lifting instead.

>>45115304
>>45115298
>>45115280
>>45115220
>>45115443
>You've earned a bit of a break

>>45115235
>>45115339
>>45115356
>What's the worst that could happen?

ROOOOO- actually nevermind. I mean, I was going to have you "roll to assist", but I'll just roll behind the scenes for Fulvia since she's doing most of the work.

>>45115461
aww, you're no fun, anon-kun :^(

what did she roll?

>>45115461
inb4 fluvia rolls a 30 or a 3

>>45115484
27, 23, 10 vs DC 20
I'll have her spend 10 to make it a Great Success.

>>45115497
>rolls a thirty
>blasts a hole from the chamber to the surface

Rolled 1, 4, 5 = 10 (3d10)

>>45115461
But check this 30

Oh wait, can companions get traits from that?

>>45115515
So mik is telling his brother about the treasure trove under his house right? He can make bank with this portal.

>>45115561
I assumed so, yes. I mean it would be pretty hard to explain otherwise why he just drilled a hole through the floor of the dungeon otherwise.

>>45115553
Depends on how lazy soma feels like at the time.

>>45115581
lel

>>45115585
Fuck off waifu fag, soma already gave her a second ttrait.

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>>45115515
is 10 vys even close to being a significant amount for her?

pic tangentially related.

>>45115581
Can mik invest in this tunnel?

>>45115725
Mik found it and is going to build it. I think he will get a hefty portion of the proceeds.

Updated the Companions pastebin, Fulvia's entry is now filled out completely and Chryssa got a bonus trait.

Oh! Do you guys think the tunnel should have defensive positions?

new popular game in the palace: point in any direction but up and proceed in a straight line. the first one to find an artifact possessing a world-breaking magnitude of power wins three silver.

>>45115725
I think you mean, will we let our brother invest in our new tunnel

>>45115859
noice

>>45115901
Speaking of which weren't there some artifacts under the chamber.

>>45115901
Didn't we sense some more artifacts in the cave a few threads ago?

>>45115901
too true

1 or 2 more insights away from semi-gm fire and having a special snowflake kind of magic

>>45116224
Gate skinny dipping when.

>tfw we will never get to conquering the world
Feels bad man.

>>45115945
There were a bunch in the cave system under neath the portal device. Also a bunch of monsters. And those golem things.

>>45116321
I'll vote for it

>>45116330
Feels real bad.

We even have a dragon to help make things simple.

>>45116330
Have faith.

Soma cannot into time. So by the time he thinks we're about to end, our empire will be twice as large as our current map.

>>45116366
If only I could believe that, anon.

>>45116432
You overestimate Soma.

Gimme a d100 real quick. I only need 1.

Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>45116901

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>45116901

Rolled 41 (1d100)

>>45116901

>>45116917
Guddammit

>>45116917
>15
I can work with this.

>>45116985
I did good, right? Underground dragons good?

>>45116330
Should've chosen Soldier

>>45117107
Never.

How do we develop dragon magic rituals?

>>45117107
We would have died over a year ago.

>>45117226
Vatis are automatic cunts and retards so I doubt we would've been doing the same shit

>>45117289
Nah that's an anon thing.

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You rise to your feet, stretching some of the stiffness from your limbs. You're not wholly certain how long you've been meditating, but it doesn't feel like it was particularly long. Maybe an hour, or two at most. You take the time to briefly survey your surroundings. Profectus is passively sipping from a waterskin, but you don't see Darzi or Fulvia anywhere. Hopefully they're near-by and haven't gone wandering off.

Using the brooches, you're able to address all of your companions simultaneously. {Everyone, I think our job here is done. Let's head back up to the artifact chamber.}

Darzi is the first to respond. She seems annoyed, though you don't get the impression that her ire is directed at you. {Way ahead of you, Mik. Fulvia and I are already here. She's been sealing off the other tunnels to make sure nothing snuck up on us while we were fighting that corpse thing, and I've been trying to figure out where else we might be able to reach with this artifact. So far, I haven't had any luck.}

You wish she would have told you before she separated from the party, but no harm came of it. You help Mortia to her feet, and then turn your attention to Profectus. “Could you seal this tunnel off when we leave?”

He hauls himself to his feet, suppressing a yawn. “Yeah, no problem. It'd be a pretty simple bit of Earth magic I'd bet.”

The three of you set off as a group, skirting around the edges of the crater left by the activation of that runic array. It's hard to believe that Darzi came so close to dying, if you hadn't knocked her backwards there really wouldn't be very much of her left.

Once you've ascended the collapsed portion of the hallway's floor and crawled back through the narrow gap in the wall of boulders, Profectus seals off the tunnel with a thick stone wall. Fulvia is waiting for you on the other side, her hands folded politely in her lap. It's an odd sight, considering how alien she looks in her new body.
(1/3)

Her voice thunders in your skull, until you reinforce the barrier erected around your thoughts. She's really going to need to learn to control that. {Dux, may I make a suggestion?}

You nod, and she joins you as you ascend the stairs to the chamber proper. {If we were to carve a tunnel through the network of caves, we would be able to save a significant amount of time should we ever wish to take advantage of this artifact in the future. With your permission I would begin work on it immediately.}

You can certainly see the merit in the idea, though you worry about essentially building a road through monster-infested tunnels straight into family palace. In the end, you decide the potential benefits outweigh the risk. {Permission granted, but we'll need to make sure the tunnel is self-contained. I don't want my family's palace getting infested with any of those bug creatures we encountered on the way down.}

She stops abruptly, bowing at the waist before ascending the stairs at one side of the chamber towards the rather ornate baths which populate the room above. You send Profectus and Mortia along to help her, then turn your attention to Darzi. She's pacing around one of the pillars, scanning its surface for any hint as to what its destination might be. Unfortunately there's no actual writing on its surface, only runes. Runes which you're unfamiliar with.

She jumps at the sound of your voice. “Darzi, are you coming or should I leave you down here to rot?”

That didn't quite come out the way you'd intended. Fortunately, Darzi doesn't seem particularly offended. You think she's only half paying attention. “I'll be along in a second, I want to look around a while longer.”

(2/3)

Leaving her to her task you climb the stairs to the baths which fill the room above, the crash of water against stone replacing the all-pervasive hum that filled the artifact chamber. Fulvia has set about carving a ramp upwards at a fairly steep angle, while Mortia and Profectus have set about sealing off the entrance. You join Fulvia since Profectus and Mortia almost seem done, channeling your vys into your artificial companion and allowing her to shape it as she sees fit.

Progress is slow at first, but once the rest of your companions join you the work becomes simple. Stone warps and cracks under the onslaught of Fulvia's magical might, her immense vys pool necessitating that she does most of the heavy lifting while yourself and your companions fine tune the results of her labor. Profectus sets about smoothing the walls of the tunnel and ensuring there are no cracks, while Darzi carves a staircase to either side of the wide tunnel for ease of access.
>Vys Pool: (27/66)

The path Fulvia seems to mirror a spiral staircase on a much larger scale. Several times you stop to let everyone rest, but overall progress is good and Fulvia uses the excess stone to build up the walls of the tunnel, preventing your party from ever being exposed to the rest of the tunnel system. However, when you're perhaps two thirds or so to the surface you hit a snag. Fulvia breaks through into an immense hallway, and directly in front of you is what appears to be a runic array of some sort.

(3/4)

You immediately pick out the contain rune, carved several times over in a number of different places, as well as Reinforce and Stone. You also see large layered over a few different runes you don't recognize. The general impression you get is that the wall in front of you is intended to keep something out, or perhaps in, though you can't be certain.

Profectus is the first to speak, his voice echoing in the immensity of the hallway. “Why'd we stop? It's just an old carving.”

Vys pours off Fulvia, but nothing seems to be happening as a result. Her voice, reduced to a whisper thanks to your prior reinforcement, filters through your thoughts. {I am unable to exert my will upon this section of the wall. Vys simply slides off of its surface, ineffectual.}

>Suggest the party look for some sort of detour.
>Maybe you could figure out some way to disable the enchantment if you meditated?
>Write-in

>>45117489
Investigate the hallway.

>>45117489
>>Suggest the party look for some sort of detour.

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>>45117422
>You wish she would have told you before she separated from the party
Goddammit, Mik.

>>45117489
>Suggest the party look for some sort of detour.

>>45117489
>Maybe you could figure out some way to disable the enchantment if you meditated?
>"It's an enchantment. I'll see if I can disable it.

>>45117489
>Write-in
Instead of using vys directly on it, try to make some battering rams to see if we can break it down.

>>45117489
Oh god it's keeping something in. It's a prison for something. Don't disable it.

>>45117644
It's reinforced and contained. Brute force isn't going to work.

>>45117689
Or out. It could be a vault for treasure.

>>45117644
it's enchanted with reinforced stone, though.
>>45117489
>>Maybe you could figure out some way to disable the enchantment if you meditated?
releasing sealed ancient evil is Mik's true calling, anyway. hey anon, help me count the times we did it.

>>45117489
>>Suggest the party look for some sort of detour.
and do whatever we can to make sure we don't damage any of it.
If need be we can look into it at a later date

>>45117489
>Suggest the party look for some sort of detour.

>>45117489
>Suggest the party look for some sort of detour.

>>45117489
Hey Soma!
What are you drinking?

Sadly this is the only time we would try to learn to disable enchantments.

>>45117743
>>45117738
>>45117734
>>45117586
>>45117550
>How about we just go around?

>>45117587
>>45117718
>Fuck that, you're going through.

>>45117644
>RAMMING SPEED

>>45117773
Nothing desu, I'm kinda taking it easy after my hangover yesterday.

Writin' for detours.

>>45117489
>>Maybe you could figure out some way to disable the enchantment if you meditated?

>>45117799
Shit looks dangerous, I'd be more willing to fuck around with it under better circumstances, but with a split party and low vys it's better left for later if not avoided completely.

>>45117844
Don't worry sempai!
I got two drinks just in case.

>>45117844
How do we create dragon magic rituals?

>>45117489
>detour
Did anybody think to put a cat shrine down by the array somewhere? Linking a fast-travel portal to our shrine network basically adds two nodes for the price of one, as well as letting us reach a family holding easily.

>>45117906
We have one by the void wastes or whatever you want to call it. We don't need one here, and i;m nervous about giving the cat too much access to our own positions of power, or at least our families

>>45117964
why? he's a bro.

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>>45117844
I thought the best cure for being hung over was being drunk.

>>45118097
It's a spirit.

Never fully trust spirits.

>>45118097
He's an ally, not a friend, and we're staring to fuck with spirits, that could very well end up alienating him, possibly even turning him against us

>>45118185
He'll be fine with us as long as we don't fuck with him.

>>45118236
Or it becomes overly beneficial for him to do so, he holds no loyalty to us. Besides, we have a fast travel point a 30 minute walk from here.

>>45118285
He saw that we could hold off an army by ourself and wound a spirit with our soul. I doubt he ever wants to piss us off.

>>45118503
Soon.

Soon we will be known among the spirit realm as Mikhael the enslaver.
We already have one spirit trapped to be used at our leisure.

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You peer up at the wall before you, and the runes sprawling across its surface. You might be able to deactivate the runes, maybe. If you were lucky. Being honest, it was equally likely you'd just fuck something up, rip a hole in reality, or somehow get yourself killed. Not exactly a tempting prospect all around. “Let's just go around. This thing can't go on forever, right? We'll seal off one end of this hallway and just start marching down the other until we get around whatever this is.”

Nobody voices any dissent, so you have your companions seal off the right side of the hallway. Together you spend some time clearing away rubble, and once satisfied depart as a group down the left branch of the hall. As you walk with the party, occasionally exerting your will to help prop up section of the mundane wall to prevent it from collapsing or clear way chunks of stone from the path, you begin to notice that the runic arrays you first noticed upon emerging from the tunnel repeat fairly regularly.

You couldn't really begin to guess what this place is, but it seems like at one point it was probably important. Whoever built it certainly put in quite a lot of effort. After a few minutes of walking you round a corner and find yourself faced with a set of wooden doors, somehow preserved despite sitting unattended for who knows how many hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

On a hunch, you channel the slightest amount of vys into the ancient wooden doors and immediately the sound of stone grinding against stone fills the hall. Only once the cacophony stops do you try opening the doors, and you're pleased to find they swing open without the slightest bit of resistance. On the other side is a vast chamber, containing a set of elaborate gates easily a hundred feet tall. To either side statues depicting the slaves hold onto handles resting upon the gate's surface, as though only waiting to permit their master entry.
(1/2)

You don't see any obvious method of activating the statues, though you can tell their joints are articulated. You passively wonder whether or not they're golems while glancing around the rest of the cavernous room. Light seems to be provided by a glass ball hanging from the ceiling, fire swirling chaotically within and casting a warm glow throughout the room. Likely intended to represent the sun, or perhaps Surya. Maybe this is a temple?

>Seek some method of opening the gates.
>Turn back, maybe you can go over instead of around.
>Write-in

>>45118691
>>Seek some method of opening the gates.

>>45118691
Boy, I certainly can't see any horrible abomination escaping by opening the gates.

>>45118691
>Seek some method of opening the gates.

>>45118691
Suck their dicks

>>45118691
>>Seek some method of opening the gates.

>>45118691
>>Turn back, maybe you can go over instead of around.
We aren't opening it Soma

>>45118691
>Turn back, maybe you can go over instead of around.

Can we take a break and meditate refill our pools all around camp out for the day talk about what happen then get ourselves killed?

>>45118829
this desu senpai

How much longer until the entire quest becomes dealings with dragons?

>>45118691
>Seek some method of opening the gates.

>>45118691
>Seek some method of opening the gates.
Time for Soma to activate his trap card.

>>45119056
>>45118857
>>45118826
>>45118745
>>45119075
>Open the gates.

>>45118878
>>45118970
>Don't open the gates.

Writin'

>>45118691
>Seek some method of opening the gates.

>>45119047
9001 years, including raising Zahak properly.

>>45119265
>including raising Zahak properly
we need to spend more time with that boy

we will become the most renown fighting force in the world

>>45118995
No

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>>45118691
>Light seems to be provided by a glass ball hanging from the ceiling, fire swirling chaotically within and casting a warm glow throughout the room
Can we loot this? At the very least, it'd make a snazzy-ass lamp for Ricky's crib.

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>>45119369
Any reason why?

>>45119401
are we turning our cape into a house

>>45119606
read the fucking quest you illiterate shitass. it's been a house for months now.

>>45119769
Whoa man take it easy

>>45119769
jesus dude i was just asking cause i thought we were using it just as a storage device

>>45119769
no it isn't

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You start walking towards the gates, looking for some sort of lever or button you might press to activate the two enormous statues flanking the gate on either side. Unfortunately, you don't spot anything of note. The wall to your right is plain stone, carved with the same runic arrays as the rest of the walls were. The wall to your left appears to be mundane, devoid of any carvings but barren all the same.

You come to stand before the immense gates, peering up at the elaborate designs swirling together at the center of the door. You think there might be writing there, but you can't quite read it. Either you're imagining things or it's in a language you're unfamiliar with. You try channeling vys into the doors but that does nothing at all, the twin statues to either side remain motionless.

You note that the doors open inward, a sign that typically people should be leaving, not entering. Perhaps you find yourself on the wrong side of the doorway, and the mechanism for opening it is simply locked away on the other side? Could the goal of this massive, enchanted structure be to keep everyone else out, rather than to keep something in?

Instead of channeling vys into the doorway, you try channeling vys into the statues. Runes flare to life across their surface, glowing a brilliant blue, yet the moment you cut the flow of vys the glow subsides and the doors remain shut. Perhaps you simply didn't provide them with enough power? {Fulvia, give me a hand with this would you?}

Your robotic companion steps forward, but Darzi stops her with a hand upon her shoulder. “Mikhael, are you sure it's a good idea to unseal whatever is on the other side of those gates? I can't imagine the Hiacians would've gone through all the trouble of buildings and enchanting this enormous facility without good reason.”

(1/2)

You scoff. “Am I certain? Absolutely not. When have I ever let that stop me before?” You turn to face your companions, folding your arms in front of your chest. “Besides, my assumption is this place was built to keep others out, not to keep something or someone in. Otherwise why would they put so much effort into fortifying the exterior, rather than the interior?”

Apparently Darzi hadn't considered this possibility, and after a moment's thought she reluctantly releases her grip on Fulvia' shoulder. The hairs on the back of your neck raise as vys fills the room, the runes upon the surface of the statues once more blazing to life.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the doors begin to grind open. You can feel your teeth rattling in your head, so violently does the ground shake under their weight. The first glimpse you're afforded of the other side reveals towering marble columns holding up a ceiling high above, two stairwells on the opposite end both leading up in opposite directions to what appears to be a balcony on the second floor.

The chamber within is dark, but you can hear something. Metal scraping against stone. You step inside cautiously and manifest a ball of light over your shoulder, but don't see any obvious source of the noise. Though it's hard to tell due to the echo in the room, you think the sound is probably coming from the second floor.

>Ascend the steps and investigate.
>Call out to whatever it is, see if you can't get a response.
>Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Try and shut the gates.
>Write-in

>>45120283
>Ascend the steps and investigate.

>>45120283
>Ascend the steps and investigate.
Make very little noise.

>>45120283
>>Ascend the steps and investigate.

>>45120283
>Ascend the steps and investigate.

>>45120283
>Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Try and shut the gates.

>>45120320
>>45120374
>>45120378
>>45120440
>ASCEND

>>45120462
>Ha, nah.

>>45120283
>Otherwise why would they put so much effort into fortifying the exterior, rather than the interior?”
Why the fuck would they put the runes and shit on the INSIDE of the prison where the prisoner can fuck with them?

>>45120867
Why would the prisoners know how to fuck with runes? I doubt most of them would know enchanting.

jungle fucking never

>>45120997
We'll get there and find it's already been burned down by dragons.

>>45120997
Soma can't into pacing, you should already know this.

Is BQ dying a slow death?

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You set off for the stairs on the other side of the room, your companions filing in behind you. You don't see anything that might indicate the purpose of this facility, nor any reason why it might have been abandoned. There are neither signs of violence nor decay. Rather, the entire place is pristine. As though you're the first to ever set foot within its halls.

The sound of metal scraping against stone persist, growing louder with each step you take up the stairs. You emerge onto the balcony and find it furnished luxuriously, couches set up around squat tables, hookah pipes scattered throughout. At one table a porcelain tea set is laid out though its contents have long since evaporated, only residue left clinging to the sides of the cups.

You pause before a doorway at the balcony's vertex, exactly opposite the two stairwells. It's been left open, a dark stain coating the wood and part of the stone floor. You peek inside, and aren't quite sure what to make of what you see. A creature crawls slowly towards you, its head encased in an ornately carved mask of lapis and gold. Covering its mouth is a metal mask of some sort.

It's missing its lower body entirely, and instead all manner of wires and tubes stream from where its hips ought to be and plug into the metal mask covering its mouth. At one point it might have been human, or perhaps an elf, but you're really not sure what to call it at this point. You're surprised it's stayed alive for this long.

It crawls forward blindly, hands dragging its emaciated torso across grime-caked stone floors. You're not sure if it knows you're watching or not, but it doesn't yet seem hostile.

>Kill it, honestly you're probably doing it a favor.
>Observe it, try to figure out its purpose.
>Try to sneak past it, deeper into the facility.
>Write-in

>>45120921
Don't need to know to try. And trying can still fuck things up eventually.
It's like putting a keyhole inside a cell. Sure, nobody ought to have keys or picks in there and most don't know how to pick a lock anyway, but why even leave that scrap of a chance?

>>45121257
>>Observe it, try to figure out its purpose.

>>45121257
>Observe it, try to figure out its purpose.
Let's avoid any excessive noise or vys usage for now.

>>45121257
>reinforce self with Metal magic
>step out and say hello

>>45121279
>>45120867
Typically enchantments are somewhat directional. So while carving Reinforce+Metal on the surface of a shield will make the entire shield damn near unbreakable, it will be especially difficult to damage it on the face the runes are carved.

Of course, the inverse of this is that if something actually does manage to damage the runic array, then the enchantment ceases to function. Often catastrophically.

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>>45121330

>>45121257
>>Observe it, try to figure out its purpose.

>>45121257
>Kill it, honestly you're probably doing it a favor.

>>45121336
On the other hand, putting the runes on the inside allows the prisoner to see the structure of the enchantment.

Plus, it takes way less damage to destroy a single rune than it does to destroy the whole shield from either side. A scratch would be enough.

>>45121257
>spice fiend
Wait a second.

>>45121257
>>Observe it, try to figure out its purpose.

>>45121257
>>Kill it, honestly you're probably doing it a favor.

>>45121368
>>45121319
>>45121316
>>45121460
>Whatcha up to, weird lil nigga?

>>45121330
>Sup senpai?

>>45121442
>Put it out of its misery

Writin'!

>>45121454
Always check the filename.

>>45121257
>furnished luxuriously, couches set up around squat tables, hookah pipes scattered throughout. At one table a porcelain tea set
I am just saying..are we really gona leave all this nice stuff laying around for nobodies use? Even as a gift to our brother would be cool.
TAKE EVERYTHING NOT NAILED TO FUCKING SURFACE

>>45121474
So let me guess this is where they make the spice.

>>45121716
Mortia or the milf always could have made the spice, hut anons got paranoid.

ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLL 3d10+24 (+4 from Vatis, +8 from Mark of a Dragon Slayer, +6 from A Terrible Thing to Waste, +6 from Master Metal Vatis) vs DC 40 (Base 20, *2 from The Spice)

Rolled 7, 9, 6 + 24 = 46 (3d10 + 24)

>>45121843

>>45121843
Spice Lmao

Rolled 2, 1, 8 + 24 = 35 (3d10 + 24)

>>45121843
WITNESS

Rolled 3, 8, 1 + 24 = 36 (3d10 + 24)

>>45121843
man

>>45121897
>a 2 and 1
FUG
REALLY

>>45121902
FUUUUUG

Rolled 1, 1, 5 + 24 = 31 (3d10 + 24)

>>45121843
Nat 3 time

>>45121854
>>45121897
>>45121902
>46, 35, 36
>Failure!

Would you like to spend 4 vys for a Regular Success, or 9 vys for a Great Success? You're at 27/66 vys currently.

>>45121939
>spend 9 vys

Rolled 8, 2, 10 + 24 = 44 (3d10 + 24)

>>45121843
5 dice left.

>>45121843
We need to find where this thing got the spice from.

>>45121939
>spend 4 vys

>>45121939
>Spend 4

>>45121939
Spend 9 for a great.
pin that shit down.
Practice more spirit imprisoning.
>Git gud

>>45121939
Spend 9

Rolled 10, 5, 9 + 24 = 48 (3d10 + 24)

>>45121939
>>45121843
Spend 9, but leach some vyss from the walking battery.

>>45121939
Spend 4

Rolled 2, 1, 5 + 24 = 32 (3d10 + 24)

>>45121843

>>45121989
It's not a spirit. It's a spice addict.

>>45121939
Spend 9

>>45121939
4

>>45121939
Spend 4

Rolled 3, 10, 4 + 24 = 41 (3d10 + 24)

>>45121843
Almost there.

>>45121939
>spend 9 vys

>>45121939
>spend 9

>>45121939
Spend 9

>>45121939
We gotta spend 9 here, last time we went for normal a companion was out of the fight.

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>>45122053
That person has as much say as you do in how Mik acts.

>>45121939
9

>>45121954
>>45121989
>>45122011
>>45122020
>>45122081
>>45122128
>>45122133
>>45122141
>>45122147
>Spend 9

>>45121985
>>45121971
>>45122032
>>45122085
>>45122090
>Spend 4

Calling it for SPend 9 That'll put you at 18/66

Rolled 6, 2, 8 + 24 = 40 (3d10 + 24)

>>45121843

>>45122148

>>45121257
Read the filename.

Rolled 5, 8, 3 + 24 = 40 (3d10 + 24)

>>45121843
Nat 3 get

Alright lads, we're low on juice and the wanker full of it. We'll have to leverage our techniques and metas to put him down quick. Let's prioritize using manipulate and vys to counter his bullshit.

>>45122228
I vote we leach our batteries or fulvia.

>>45122250
You've got 25 vys stored inside your vys ring, so not enough to top you off but enough to put you on better footing.

>>45122287
Good...good.

>>45122160
So tired how you guys ALWAYS spend. Now we are down with only 25 vys in the ring.

What could happen?

>>45122680
I vote to spend every time for the express purpose of pissing people like you off.

>>45122287
Would fulvia let us leech some Vys from her?

>>45122680
Soma straight up told us at the start that being vys efficient would mean we need high element masteries.
Guess what anons have been putting off?

>>45122287
>>45122979
Still a bit disappointed that gate mediation won, but at the start of the ew thread anons changed their minds.

>>45122979
Actually we need high level techniques and metamagics more.

>>45123167
>>45122979
We need high tier artifacts more than any of those.

>>45123214
Not really. We are swimming in powerful artifacts.

>>45123290
We need more.

>>45123320
We them like a desert needs sand.

>>45123365
>we don't need more artifacts
You're the worst adventurer I've ever heard of. Why the hell are you even here?

>>45123214
Everyone loves artifacts, but we have been neglecting our other development.

>>45123400
We need knowledge and training more than the artifacts. It just so happens that adventuring can help us with both.

When was the last time we read a book?

>>45123603
A few weeks ago ingame.

Why would your ancestors so heavily alter what was presumably once a slave? It doesn't seem like it would be particularly useful in its current condition, but it must have some sort of purpose. It can't be easy to keep alive, considering its mutilated condition. Peering at the tubes dangling from its abdomen you try to determine just what their contents are. It certainly doesn't look pleasant, whatever it is.

As the creature draws closer the scent of cinnamon fills the air, and immediately you recognize it for what it is. The smell of Spice is hard to forget, having used it in the past. Just the smell makes your mouth water, a desire long since burried rising once more to the surface. You crave the feeling of having so much power at your fingertips again, so much influence over the world around you. Now, with how much more powerful you've grown on your own, the effects of Spice would probably be even more pronounced.

Where did this creepy little bastard get a supply? You should kill him, kill him and disembowel him. He's probably already used it all. What if there isn't anymore left? You should eat his heart. If you eat his heart, maybe you'd get some of the Spice still in his system. You reach into your cloak and wrap your hand around the hilt of the bronze dagger you retrieved what feels like weeks ago from the forgotten necropolis beneath the Temple of Pani.

You stop yourself only moments before charging through the doorway to gut the slave. The tattoos on your forearms writhe violently beneath your flesh, casting a red glow across the dim hallway. Something about this isn't right, your thoughts are not your own. You channel vys, further reinforcing your mind with Metal magic, and the murderous urges fade away. You breathe a premature sigh of relief as the desire for Spice subsides.
(1/2)

Unfortunately, your companions aren't nearly so capable of dealing with mental intrusions. A lance of fire shoots past you, incinerating the doorway in a matter of seconds and striking the mutilated slave crawling across the floor with all the fury of Surya himself. You watch with a mixture of confusion and shock as the beam of red let is stopped short, mere inches from the creature's encased head.

The beam cuts out suddenly and then shoots forth again, this time coming from the opposite direction. You watch as it scores six pillars in half, marble exploding into dust under the onslaught of heat and force. It clips Darzi in the shoulder, throwing her backwards but not obviously harming her. Profectus is less fortunate. He's struck in the hip, the beam of light carving through flesh and bone and exiting out the other side.

He doesn't even really seem aware of the injury until he tries to take a step and collapses, his legs only half connected to the rest of him. You curse under your breath, channeling vys in an attempt to heal him. You only thank merciful Pani that you're not the only one still fully in control of your mental faculties. Fulvia seems to retain her sanity, and is trying to subdue a very irate Mortia with some slight success.
>Vys Pool: (18/66)

>Combat Initiated!
>Enemy Turn
>Enemies Remaining: 1x Spice Fiend
>Allies: Fulvia, Mortia (Influenced), Darzi (Influenced), Profectus (Influenced)
>Status: Unharmed

(2/3)

You feel a pulse of vys from the other side of the doorway, and suddenly the creature is on top of Profectus. Magic practically pours off the wretch, its fingertips eating effortlessly through Profectus' armor and into the flesh of his arms. A scream dies on his lips as his joints lock in place, expression frozen in horror.

>Blast it with Fire Magic (2 vys)
>Stab your vys-leeching dagger into its back.
>Reinforce the minds of your companions as best you can. (6 vys)
>Leech vys from your ring, you can't fight this creature as weakened as you are.
>Write-in

Think I might be hitting The Wall, but I want to get through this fight and ideally get y'all back to the palace this thread.

>>45123910
For fucks sakes guys.

>>45123942
Stab it with our Trident, right in it's head. Use the Mind Prong and end it quick. It's still human.

>>45123942
>>45123988
Trident the fucker, this.

>>45123942
>Stab your vys-leeching dagger into its back.

>>45123942
>Stab your vys-leeching dagger into its back.

>>45123942
>spoiler
So we'll get maybe half way through this fight, then?

>>45124011
>>45123988

Yes use the trident but don't stab the head. We don't want to slip all the spice on Profectus.

>>45123988
Need I remind you that we need FVUCKING VYS!

>>45123988
Supporting

>>45124018
Supporting

>>45123942
>Use Manipulate+Vys to turn its magic against itself

>>45123942
>Stab your vys-leeching dagger into its back.

>>45124045
>>45124018
>>45124212
>STAB

>>45124011
>>45123988
>>45124060
>>45124115
>>45124147
>STAB (but with a trident)

>>45124183
>Stop hitting yourself!

Looks like the Trident takes the day. Writin'!

>>45124223
Don't forget to factor in

*Anatomical Knowledge, Basic: You've gained a basic understanding of the way the body works. +2 to healing, melee, and attacks against organs.

>>45124256
We need to open a few more bodies.

>>45124319
Or we could just read our anatomy textbook. That's in our cloak. That we paid solid gold for.

>>45124319
Or read the fucking book. We did buy it for a reason dumbass.

ROOOOOOOOOOOOOLL 3d10+14 (+2 from Anatomical Knowledge, +2 from Warlock Armor, +4 from Shield of the Scorpion, +6 from Veteran of Marsala Ve) vs DC 30 (Base 15, *2 Spiced Up)

Rolled 3, 5, 9 + 14 = 31 (3d10 + 14)

>>45124403

Rolled 9, 6, 8 + 14 = 37 (3d10 + 14)

>>45124403

Rolled 4, 4, 7 + 14 = 29 (3d10 + 14)

>>45124403

>>45124421
>>45124428
>>45124432
>31, 37, 29 vs DC 30
>Success!

You're at 18/66. I'm going to assume you'll spend 1 for the Great Success, but I'll put it to a vote anyway.

>Spend 1
>Don't

>>45124481
>>Spend 1

>>45124481
Of course we

>Don't
Kidding! Yes,
>Spend 1

>>45124481
>Don't

>>45124481
Spend.

>>45124481
>>Don't
Just to make you rewrite.

>>45124481
>Spend 1

>>45124481
Don't

>>45124481
>Spend 1

>>45124481
>spend 1

>>45124481
>Spend 1

>>45124581
>>45124551
>>45124506
>>45124504
>>45124605
>>45124607
>>45124608
>Spend

>>45124522
>>45124570
>>45124584
>Don't

Calling it.

>>45124570
Because I don't like you
>>45124481
>Spend 1

I still want to eat this fuckers heart. Or preserve it at the least so if we need a boost we have it on hand.

>>45124884
If we look around enough we're all but guaranteed to find actual spice lying around, anon. This is probably where they made the place.

>>45125018
So was it the spice that flared our companions up or this little turd? Or...what?

>>45125129
Spice made the little shit head really gud, which allowed him to fuck our companions real good.

he's a biotic god!

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>>45125216

>>45125018

I think its likely. We will probably find some lock up spirit that crying or bleeds spice constantly while fiends collect it.

>>45125390
It's not going to be a spirit.

>>45125523

Then what? What else could produce something like the spice?

>>45125523
Well. We aren't really at nightmare fuel levels of insanity yet. So we can save/kill it if it is too terrible.

>>45125601
Pa'laka worms. Do you even Dune Bro?

>>45125601
Its a reference to Dune genius. Where did the spice come from in Dune?

>>45125650
>>45125652

Oh yeah, I don't know how I got blindsided like that.

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>>45125652
>>45125650
does that mean that there is a living Pa'laka worm under the estate?

So, since we're in a writing-lull, can we quick revisit the idea of sending the shadow-minions off to the elf-lands to murder Chrys' husband, just because it'd be a nice present, and it'd be funny.

Also, we need to check how many shadow-minion missions can be going at once, because if there's not a limit they'd be damned good for messengers and such.

>>45125741
Most likely.

Yall know that in this setting nothing has been said about the actual creation of Spice.

It could be a magical plant for all we know.

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>>45125805

>>45125802
I support it.

>>45125867

Or spirit semen.

>>45125867
It's flower that nobody knows how to process into spice.

>>45125867
I think it comes out of this spice fiends tits

You release your grip on the dagger's hilt, and only moments later the smooth haft of your trident is pressed into your hand. You pull it free of your cloak and bring up your shield, spear raised as the tail of the scorpion emblazoned upon its front. Two steps bring you to where the mutilated creature has your companion pinned to the ground, and with the unnatural grace your shield grants you, you lunge forward.

There is only momentary resistance as your spear reaches the creature's skin. You channel vys into the weapon, and that resistance is shattered. All three of the trident's prongs slam into its pale flesh and immediately it rips its hands free of Profectus, a garbled scream slipping through even your heavily reinforced mind as its mind, soul, and vys reserves are all simultaneously torn apart.

You hear glass break, a hiss of air, and suddenly the resistance against the end of your spear vanishes. You fall forward into an expanding cloud of blue gas, your spear blessedly missing Profectus and instead embedding itself in the marble floor. You're coated in blood, grime, and blue powder but at least nobody died.
>Vys Pool: (17/66)

Profectus shoves you bodily off of him. You barely maintain a grip on your trident, prying it loose from the marble floor as you're thrown on your ass. Profectus stumbles towards the balcony ledge and grabs it for all he's worth, vomiting over the side. He's looking awful twitchy, you've got a bad feeling about this.

His head whips around, turning to face you. You can see it in his eyes, the veins of blue crawling towards a pinprick of a pupil. As his stone arm cracks open, charred exterior crumbling away to reveal a lance of fire underneath, you get the distinct impression that this isn't going to be fun.
(1/2)

Profectus raises his arm and a beam of angry red light shoots towards you. You're able to divert it with Fire magic and instead of carving through your chest it carves through the balcony. You hear the violent crack of stone and suddenly you're thrown forward, the floor underneath you giving way.

>Allied Turn
>Enemies Remaining: Profectus (High on PCP)
>Allies: Fulvia, Darzi (Stunned), Mortia (Unconscious)
>Status: Unharmed

You land hard on the marble below, the ground quaking under the impact of the collapsing balcony. A chunk of stone falls from the ceiling and smashes itself apart on the ground next to your head. This is really bad situation, and it seems to be getting worse by the moment.

Leaning on your spear for support, amazed you've managed to keep your grip on the weapon and haven't stabbed yourself with it during the fall, you leverage yourself to your feet. Profectus stands opposite you, in the same exact spot he stood before the balcony's collapse. You're not even sure he's noticed.

A stone shoots from the floor behind him, but disintegrates before it reaches his head. He cast a glance towards the balcony and levels his arm again, freed entirely from its stone casing. This time instead of pointing at you, he's aimed it at Fulvia on the balcony above.

>Charge him while he's distracted, stab with the trident. You can't afford to pull your punches.
>Use Ranged+Leech to drain his vys, maybe you can exhaust him. (2 vys)
>Try to talk him down, he should still be capable of reason even if he is high out of his mind.
>Try to rot his heart with Water Magic, it would be a quick death. (2 vys)
>Write-in

>>45125976
>Charge him while he's distracted, stab with the trident. You can't afford to pull your punches.

>>45125976
>Try to rot his heart with Water Magic, it would be a quick death. (2 vys)

>>45125945
H O L Y

S H I T

>>45125976
Paralyze the little faggot

>>45125976
>Use Ranged+Leech to drain his vys, maybe you can exhaust him. (2 vys)

>>45125976
backing >>45126026

>>45125976
>>Use Ranged+Leech to drain his vys, maybe you can exhaust him. (2 vys)

WE NEED VYS FOR THIS FIGHT

>>45125976
>Use Ranged+Leech to drain his vys, maybe you can exhaust him. (2 vys)
Good thing he can't use leech.

>>45126032

This along with talking.

>>45126048
Changed my mind, supporting reinforce his mind with metal magic.

>>45125976

>>45126026
Might as well just disable him until he comes down.
and then >>45126048

>>45125976
>write-in
WHY NOT PARALYZE HIM INSTEAD ? While he knows manipulate he doesn't know paralyze so he can't free himself.

>>45125976
>Use Ranged+Leech to drain his vys, maybe you can exhaust him. (2 vys)

Well shit.

>>45125976
SHIT NIGGER

>>45126026
DO THIS

>>45126032
Lets slap the belt on him and hope the soul ripping off machine weakens him. Worst case scenario we end up putting him down and he comes right the fuck back to life good as new.

Well worst case scenario is getting our head blown off putting the damn thing on him in the first place but never mind that.

>>45125802
> He's already dead when they get there

. . . . And that is how the war against the Gods began, all so that one soul could be taken back from their grasp and be promptly killed again.

>>45125976
>>45126032
>>45126026
Supportan' all of this shit. Try to break through to him with Nature magic, reinforce his mind with metal magic, and paralyze his ass.

>>45126072
Too late.

>>45126026

Sure, he is shit at working with effects right?

>>45125976
> Paralyze the silly Billy.

>>45126143
Yup. Our shit teaching came in handy.

Changing >>45126104 to >>45126026

>>45126147
> How do press numbers to reference post

>>45126104, learn to format you lazy piece of dogshit.

>>45126049
>>45126048
>>45126027
>>45126089
>>45126104
>Suck his vys

>>45126026
>>45126047
>>45126089
>>45126116
>>45126122
>>45126143
>>45126097
>>45126164
>>45126189
>Paralyze him

>>45126059
>>45126122
>>45126072
>Reinforce his mind with Metal Magic

>>45126059
>Talk him down.

>>45126000
>Rot his heart

>>45125997
>Nothin' personnel kid

I think I got all the votes, though I admit I may have missed a few. Gimme a second to cook up bonuses and the DC.

>>45126118
That would be hilarious;

>So, ummm, he was dead when we got here, so we've been trying to revive him by sacrificing children to the great Yogg-Seroth. We're pretty sure that if we use 200 infants it'll work this time, then we can kill him for you.

>>45126189
>>45126216

NO. DON'T YOU FIX IT BEFORE I SPERG OUT. RÈEEEEEEEE

>>45126234
Just give them options. The word "or" exists.

Rolled 6, 10, 8 = 24 (3d10)

warming up dice

ROOOOOOOOOOOOLL 3d10+6 (+2 from Warlock Armor, +4 from Shield of the Scorpion) vs DC 30 (Base 15, *2 from Spiced Up)
Sometimes I forget how few bonuses Mik and spellcasters in general get to Effects.

Rolled 7, 9, 6 + 6 = 28 (3d10 + 6)

>>45126490

Rolled 2, 5, 1 = 8 (3d10)

>>45126490

Rolled 9, 5, 9 + 6 = 29 (3d10 + 6)

>>45126490

Rolled 1, 5, 1 + 6 = 13 (3d6 + 6)

>>45126490

>>45126508
>>45126509
>>45126537
>28, 14, 29
>Severe Failure!

>Spend 1 for a Regular Failure
>Spend 3 for a Regular Success

You're incapable of making it a Great Success.

>>45126537
>>45126508
Spend 3

>>45126594
>>Spend 3 for a Regular Success

>>45126594
spend 3

>>45126594
>Spend 3 for a Regular Success
Pretty good rolls considering.

>>45126594
spend 3
I didn't realize how much I loved prof until you put us in a situation where he could easily wind up dead

>>45126598
>>45126607
>>45126642
>>45126654
>>45126686
>Spend 3

Writin'

>>45126228
This whole situation occurred because of complete lack of caution. Why the fuck is Mik so lackadaisical? Just hurr durr...I'm gonna go look at the freak, what could happen?

Smarten the fuck up Mik!