The hug from last night had thankfully ended before any permanent damage was done to your spine, but the distance between you and Kara never quite recovered after that. Whether that was good or bad, you weren't entirely sure of, but you meant it in both the metaphorical and literal way - She had taken to standing closer the rest of the night, and eventually fallen asleep on you. Because of that, you had been forced to spend the entirety of the night just sitting in place until morning came.

It gave you time to think.

With the revelation about Kara being a trap, you realized you had the opportunity to potentially move your plans forward a day. You could theoretically get Asche back today by having Kara purposefully lead you into the ambush they had set for you... But you'd need to be able to handle that ambush first. While there were a few ways you considering going about that, the one you had finally settled on was simply to involve the Shrine as backup. This was effectively just an extension of your initial plan to save Rinnier, as it all traced back to the same person anyway, so why not include them in everything?

Of course, that left the problem of how you were even going to involve the Shrine. Kara was rather distinctly notable in Carona, and would no doubt cause a commotion if the guards saw her wandering around during the day... Which isn't even to say anything about the reaction of the Shrine itself.

You had played that game before; It ended with you biting someone.

However, you still needed her there. Both to testify as to the details of the trap, and to make sure the Attendants were aware she was an ally. There was also the possibility that members of the Shrine itself were part of the Mayor's retinue... It was a possibility that you find difficult to consider, given the gravity of the Shrine, but it was also something you couldn't quite put out of your head. With Kara in tow, she could potentially sniff out any.. Traitors?

Traitor didn't seem like the right word, but it'd do for now.

Still, this didn't solve the original problem of how you were going to bring Kara to the Shrine at all.

>Just hide her tail and find a hat. She looks human, anyway.
>You've got a Relic that can completely change someone's identity...
>Bring her along normally. If someone makes a scene, you've already got the Shrine's backing.
>Other? (write-in)

Previous Threads: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?searchall=valen+quest

Where things are said: https://twitter.com/Riz_QM

Where things are asked: http://ask.fm/RizQM

Assorted Supplemental:
Current Abilities - http://pastebin.com/PchcdWpw
Basics of Mana - http://pastebin.com/V9b1DMrS
A List of Forgotten Things - http://pastebin.com/kPEscJ3h

Write-ups:
Kara's Day Out - http://pastebin.com/8ZbiSKLs
Adventures with Asche - http://pastebin.com/RNviCBJu
The Reclaimed Doll - http://pastebin.com/n6miP1qT
In Your Shadow - http://pastebin.com/EfeeHFAE

Misc notes:Action is probably going to happen soon. It'll be one hell of a ride.

>>45121174
>>Just hide her tail and find a hat. She looks human, anyway.

>>45121174
>>Just hide her tail and find a hat. She looks human, anyway.
Aside from her monstrous size. I'm sure there are some pretty tall people out there though, right?

>>45121355
>>45121564
Hiding stuff!

>>45121564
Also Kara isn't monstrously huge, but she is fairly tall. Part of it is that we're just... Not.

Writing!

Kara wasn't too different from anyone else if you just caught a glance at her. Besides her tail, and the near terrifying level of physical prowess, there weren't any telling signs that she was anything but an unusually tall girl. You could probably just hide her tail and she'd be fine... You glance at two tufts of hair shifting atop her head, and are vaguely reminded that she did actually have a pair of inhuman ears as well. They just... Sort of resembled cowlicks, more than anything.

Yeah, just to be safe you should probably get her a hat, too.

There was also the matter of your knights... Well, most of them were still wounded in some manner from their encounter with Kara, so it was probably fine to leave them to rest for today. You wanted them in the best condition possible for the raid tomorrow, when you confronted the Mayor personally. With that in mind, you shifted your legs once more, eliciting a small complaining groan from Kara as you started to pull your knees up until she plopped onto the floor. The impact was enough for the floor under you to shake, but she seemed relatively undisturbed other than rolling over to curl into a ball now that she wasn't freeloading off your body heat.

You purse your lips in thought at the lazy demihuman as you push yourself to your feet and stretch out, feeling joints pop and crack as your stiff muscles pleasantly burned in exertion. You spend a few minutes tip toeing around the apartment to check on your knights before diving into Jill's messed up bedroom to find disguise materials for Kara...

No. Nope. None of this. Definitely not that. You frown as you shift through Jill's wardrobe and come to a depressingly understandable realization.

Jill was, impressively, smaller than you. You doubt you could wear any of this, much less Kara. Even the few hats you found would just look comically out of place on her, and that wasn't even going into the idea of putting a coat on her to hide her tail!

...And why did Jill even own this? You frown and toss it aside, crossing your arms in thought. Maybe you were pilfering the wrong person's wardrobe for this?

Fifteen minutes later, Kara is yawningly ushered out the front door in one of your knight's coats and a hat taken off another one's head. They were sleeping, so you doubted they'd particularly miss the garments, and you had places to be already. With Kara shambling along behind you at a languidly stretching pace, you've already pulled out the Diary of Reflections and cracked open its frosted pages. If you were heading to the Shrine, then this wasn't the face you wanted to be wearing-

"Wha'sat?" You notice Kara peering curiously over your shoulder as the pages begin of the Relic began to ripple in preparation. "A Relic." You answer her shortly, focusing on the task at hand, "It lets me be someone else for a while." You get the feeling that Kara didn't really understand, but that was fine; She didn't really need to know how it worked, just that it did... Actually...

You glance back at Kara, a familiar braid of hair shifting in place as you catch your demihuman Testament blinking owlishly at your new identity. "Can you recognize me like this?" Kara had been able to track you down by scent before, and its something you had never really given any thought to before now. How much did this Relic really change you?

The demihuman leaned forward, invasively sniffing at you as she walked a small parameter around you in curiosity. "..'Rue?"

"It's still me." You confirm warily, watching Kara frown as she did another circuit. "...You don't smell like 'Rue."

Changed your hair, created clothes, altered your body size, even shifted your scent... Just how far of a change did this Relic create? You spend a few minutes letting Kara memorize your new scent as she paced around you, but you got the distinct impression that the change had agitated her somehow. "'Kay." None the less, you set off for the Shrine once she was done.

The trip there was... Generally unimpressive. People were beginning to put their wares out for the morning, so you still had time to hurry through the streets before they became crowded. On the other hand, the slight weight of coin you had earned the past two days reminded you that you could probably stop somewhere and get something...

>Hurry to the Shrine
>Buy some food (what?)
>Buy a gift (what?)
>Maybe an accessory or weapon?
>Other? (write-in)

>>45123352
>Buy some food
Some breakfast if Kara is hungry. Does dopplerue even need to eat? Otherwise,
>Hurry to the Shrine

>>45123745
Dopplerue doesn't really need to eat, no.
People keep trying to feed Dopplerue anyway.

Writing.

>>45123352
>>Buy some food (what?)
A sandwich for Kara and dopplerue(which will likely go to Kara too)

>>45123806
>>45123745
Kara actually has a preferred food. Does anyone remember?
Not really a Forgetting, just curious.

>>45123847
I want to say Oranges, but I don't really remember.

>>45123847
Apples!

>>45124190
It was apples!

Your pace slows through the street as you notice Kara beginning to sniff the air subtly behind you. From the way her eyes started to drift towards the various food stalls, you realize that she probably hadn't eaten anything since sometime yesterday. It was easy for you to forget that eating was necessary for continued living, since... It wasn't actually necessary for you. Kara wasn't just 'other people' though, you vividly remember her eating an entire chicken - Bones and all - when you met her.

You didn't quite have the time to stop for anything that extravagant, but since you actually did have some money now, you could probably spare a few minutes of the morning to feeding the hungry demihuman. Your eyes scan the stalls for something quick you could hand to her without causing to much of a mess... Immediately your mind gravitated towards the idea of sandwiches. They were literally meant to be eaten on the go, and were generally filling, weren't they?

...Or were you mistaking filling with fulfilling? You narrow your eyes as you dig back through your sandwich related memories to figure out where the confusion was stemming fro-

Oh.

Oh, yes, that would explain it.

Well, your own experiences with making sandwiches aside, you're relatively certain the peasants didn't need to combat rogue Salamander apparitions whenever they made foods, so it was probably safe. Probably. Worst case scenario, Kara could probably handle any rogue sandwiches that resulted from it. In a few moments, you're a few coins shorter as you hand off one of the two sandwiches you had bought to the waiting demihuman.

"...What?" You squint at Kara as she holds the sandwich blankly, "You're hungry, right?"

"Hm." She tore off a chunk of the sandwich with her teeth voraciously, barely chewing it before audibly swallowing it whole. "S'just thinkin, thanks 'Rue." There was a tone you couldn't quite place as she responded, and you frown as the two of you stood in the street and she casually wolfed down her sandwich - And then yours, as you had no particular interest in eating it in the first place.

"Thinking?"
"Mm. Yeah."
"...About?"

The two of you approached the massive flight of stone stairs leading up to the Shrine, a veritable mountain that you remember having had to physically haul Kara's deceptively heavy body up last time you were here. Part of you wanted to make her carry you up this time, but the strength disparity between the two of you would destroy all meaning in that.

"I kinda 'member you bein' mad at me for not telling you I was hungry last time we were here." Kara mumbled thoughtfully, "Or something like that. Y'were really stubborn 'bout it."

"I wasn't-" Mad? Stubborn? ... You abandon that particular line of thought. "I told you I'd get food for you if you were hungry. Real food, not some dog you found."

"Like those sweet things?"
You halt at the doors to the Shrine, glancing back at Kara as your face scrunched up in confusion. "Apples?"
"Sure, maybe?"
You vaguely remember buying her an entire bag of apples when you visited Carona initially...
"When we're done here, you want me to get more apples?"
"Yeah!"

You briefly debate the wisdom of having gotten your wolfish Testament addicted to apples, but the concern is shaken off as you refocus on the task at hand.

Walking into the Shrine, you take a moment to let the impressive atmosphere wash over you once more. Each of the Mana's sections only barely populated with early morning visitors, and a cool breeze that swept in from behind you and rushed up into the limbs of the massive tree dominating the center of the Shrine.

More than anywhere else in Carona, there was a vitality in the Shrine that practically sent shivers across your skin at how... Alive everything was.

>Visit a certain section/Representative? (who?)
>Go straight to Mim, get this plan going early.
>Let Kara wander around and try to sniff out possible connections to the Mayor.
>Other? (write-in)

>>45125063
>>Let Kara wander around and try to sniff out possible connections to the Mayor.
>>Visit a certain section/Representative? (who?)
Priat. I remember anon wanted to see if we could get Kara acquainted with Salamander since she seemed to like it last time, and it'd do good to chat with him while we're here anyway.

>>45125318
Stuff.

Writing!

You keep to yourselves initially, following Kara about the Shrine as she briefly visited each of the sections curiously. You had brought her along primarily to help get the Shrine on board for your plan to bust into their trap, but if you could have her sniff out potential moles in the Shrine at the same time... Well, why not? It also served as an easy excuse for her to finally get to see the different sections that she hadn't been able to last time.

You spoke briefly to the attendants of each section as Kara made her way around, before you noticed her attention sharpen in on something. Her head twisted sharply as she immediately dropped what she was doing to move towards the direction in question, and you excused yourself hastily to keep up with her. There was no doubt the demihuman had picked up on something, but-

-You hadn't expected it to be here. Your grasp on Kara keeps her from following her nose straight to the source, but it's not difficult for you to see what she had honed in on.

"Yes, I've had something of a change of heart. I'll be paying my personal respects to the matter when I have time."
"The Mayor will be glad to hear you're finally cooperating. He was worried this matter would go unsolved for some time."

Priat nodded agreeably to the messenger across from him, showing the same calm smile you had come to associate with him as several small fires sparked to life in the altars around him, seemingly of their own accord.

"I think something like that would be unacceptable for all of us." He glanced up, meeting your eyes over the messenger's, "If you'll excuse me however, I have visitors who seem as if they came seeking warmth."

"Of course. Another time, then." The messenger flashed a smile as he turned away, wandering past Kara and I as Priat approached the two of us, sparing a curious glance at the disguised Kara. "I didn't expect to see you back so soon." he stepped aside to gesture you both further inside, "Either of you."

Stepping across the threshold of Salamander's section of the Shrine was like stepping into the pub at night as a you crossed a near tangible wall of warmth that seemed to press down on you. It was almost choking as you did so, enough to force a small gasp of breath out of you as you staggered under the sudden pressure that Kara and Priat handled so without so much as misstepping.

"I must admit, I'm surprised to see you return to the Shrine." Priat spoke amiably with Kara as they walked past you, "You keep such interesting company for your kind."

"Eeh..." Kara was a terrible liar, to the point that she wasn't even going to be remotely convincing at this if she tried to deny it, but Priat held up a hand to forestall both her and you, "Keep your silence, it's not my place to judge your interest in the Mana. As long as the others don't realize, then there won't be a commotion."

...Right. Even last time, Priat seemed more curious about Kara's presence in the Shrine than opposed. You sigh, a weight on your shoulders... Not leaving. Why were you so heavy? "As for you... I suppose there is a reason you've come to us today? With this girl in tow, none the less." He turned towards you inquisitively, "...Are you well?"

>Discuss the trap
>Ask about the messenger
>Actually, can we talk elsewhere?
>Other? (write-in)

>>45126527
>>Ask about the messenger
>>Actually, can we talk elsewhere?

>>45126527
>Discuss the trap
>Ask about the messenger

>>45126527
>>Actually, can we talk elsewhere?
>>Other? (write-in)
Was Kara just interested in the shrine from last time or did she sense something else?

>>45126589
>>45126817
The messenger!

>>45126879
>>45126589
But can we talk elsewhere?

>>45126817
Traps.

>>45126879
She caught a scent.

Writing.

"Actually... Can we talk somewhere else?" You draw in a breath, but it burns your nostrils as if you had just inhaled steam. You barely registered changes in temperature, but this was nothing short of hostile. "...Of course." Priat tilted his head to inspect you before a look of understanding seemed to dawn. "Some fresh air would do me good as well. I have been immersed in this incense for too long, perhaps."

You nod thankfully and follow Priat out of Salamander's section, the pressure and heat alleviating almost instantly as you stepped out of what you had no problem comparing to a furnace. That single step was a release, but you were more than happy to go even further away. "Kara, you're welcome to stay here if you'd like." You glance back to your Testament, "Don't make a commotion, we'll be back shortly."

"'Kay." The demihuman rolled up onto the balls of her feet with a toothy smile as she spun back around and approached one of the small altars with a blaze already upon it. You let your eyes linger on her for a few moments before resolving that she probably wouldn't burn anything down and picking up your pace to catch up to Priat as he stepped outside.

You really hoped she didn't burn anything down. She'd be fine. Probably.

"That was a curious reaction you had." Priat mused with a small smile, "Even your skin was starting to flush." You glance at your hand, noticing the slightly pink pigment that was already beginning to fade away under the cool morning air. "I apologize, but have you perhaps done something to offend Salamander recently? The warmth of the Shrine is meant to be a welcoming comfort, but..."

Offend... You draw in a deep breath, savouring the familiar chill of the Relic-

-The Relic. It was literally a crystallized legacy of someone who had devoted themselves to Undine so much that their very human nature had been eroded and changed.

"I can think of something it may not have liked." You agreed vaguely, making a mental note about that reaction. "I'll keep it in mind, but who was that you were speaking with?"

"Ah, them." Priat accepted your half-hearted admittance with an easy smile that seemed to lose a fraction of genuineness as he continued. "More messengers from the Mayor. He has become more insistent of late that I sign off on his investigations." Priat turned to look out over the rooftops of Carona, "After our meeting yesterday, I believe I understand why. I suppose he feels his time to have this written off is rapidly approaching an end."

"You said you had a change of heart?"
"Yes." He didn't offer any further explanation with the simple answer.

>Try to pry more into what's going on.
>Bring up the trap.
>Ask about the pressure and heat from earlier
>Other? (write-in)

>>45127627
>Bring up the trap.

>>45127627
>>Try to pry more into what's going on.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>45127726
1. traps

>>45127728
2. prying

welp

"I'm curious about what kind of change you had, if you don't mind me asking." You shift your weight from foot to foot as your arms cross. Priat simply hums in consideration at your question, staring out at Carona as it started to come alive. "I simply believed that not getting involved would be enough to dissuade his behaviour. I realized that perhaps I had been wrong in that, and merely made things worse in the process."

"Worse?" You shift to follow his eyes, and wonder how differently the two of you see the town before you. There's only a thoughtful calm in Priat's expression, but little signs told you a different story as he spoke. "Yes. I believe my inaction in this is what created the opportunity for all of this to be blamed on someone else."

Restrained tensing of his muscles, and the way his easy smile seemed to lilt away when he lost focus.

"If I had stepped in initially to publicly deny the involvement of a Salamander adept, none of this would be happening now, would it?"
"...Why not just say that now?"
"That wouldn't help your friend any, would it?"

You curl your lips into a small scowl as the two of you continued to look out at Carona.

"No."

"Would you care to listen to my thoughts a moment?" Priat tilted his chin up with a faint smile, and you hum a small agreement.

"I do not believe the Mayor of Carona has any reason to be angry with the Shrine, or even Salamander alone. We have stayed out of this town's politics since we arrived, and have offered little more than guidance to those who came. I have meditated on this a great deal since yesterday, and the conclusion I have come to is that even if I had acted, the Mayor would have simply found another scapegoat for this."

A few embers sparked to life in the air around Priat, washing away into morning sky on a chilled breeze as he continued.

"The predicament your friend found themselves in is my fault, is what I decided. However, even if I had acted, though it may have saved your friend this fate, if it was not Salamander the Mayor wished to implicate, but merely a face to put away, then any other person could have been in their same place. Perhaps the others would not have been missed. Perhaps the others would not have friends such as yourself who would have been able to save them."

"...This isn't your fault, Priat."

"This is." He shook his head, placing his emphasis on the first word as he denied your correction, "Do not mistake me for a martyr. That your friend is in trouble is partly my responsibility, it does neither of us any good to deny it. However, that the Mayor would have found another victim for his schemes regardless, is neither a fault of mine, nor a fact I can accept."

"You're having second thoughts about this?"

"On the contrary," Priat stepped back and turned look at you, "I simply find it unacceptable, both to condemn an innocent, and to be so selfish."

Your mouth stays shut, lacking the words to respond to the heartfelt words being confessed to you.

"I must thank you for allowing me to accompany you. That you have arrived again so soon, and sought me out, I presume that I will joining you sooner than expected."

Something in Priat's eyes set your instincts on edge as he turned to you with a perpetually placid smile.

"I am ready if it is time. If you'll give me a moment, I can accompany you now."

>Explain the trap
>On second thought, you really came for Mim today.
>Other? (write-in)

>>45128878
>>Other? (write-in)
Take Priat with us to see Mim so we only need to explain Kara and the trap once.

>>45129044
Writing.

>>45128847
>>45129200
So, uh, Kara homed in on this dude and he's freaking us out a little bit? Are we sure that he was agreeing to sign off on the Mayors stuff, or is he in cahoots with him?

Because I've been getting a wonky vibe from Priat since we brought the whole thing up.

Also, how could the priest of Salamander be so completely uninformed about the fire? It seems like it would have been a rather risky plan to involve that without some sort of in. And we already know the mayor had the Gnome priest on his payroll . . . .

>>45129417
He didn't come off as suspicious so much as... on edge. I don't really doubt he's well and truly offended by all of this.

I was thinking this since the thread where we talked to the rest of the shrine, but he didn't seem like a Salamander attendant by his behavior alone. I'm seeing why now - he's probably just showing extreme restraint.

>>45129521
I think he's playing another game as well as the Salamander attendant. Whether it's with the Mayor, or someone else, we should play "I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours".

>>45129606
I mean he's definitely the Salamander attendant, if you were implying he's lying about that as well. He was ambiently lighting fires around him earlier, and even while we were talking to him. Which I don't think he expressly meant to do.

Unless Priat is thus far the greatest compulsive liar we've met, so much so that neither Kara nor Irue could tell, I'm willing to trust him.

What do you mean by that last statement though? What exactly do we show?

"I'd... Like it if you came with me to meet with Mim." You finally answer, "So that this only needs to be explained once." You step back away from the stairs, catching Priat's acquiescence out of the corner of your eye as the two of you reenter the Shrine.. Only to find Kara standing around a small bonfire with a couple of children. You pause midstride, an apology on your lips, but Priat simply smiles as he walks past and waves his hand idly. "I will collect your companion and meet you with Mim momentarily."

"...Thanks." You sigh, turning away from the small cheers coming from Salamander's section, and make your way back towards the area occupied by Luna's attendants. It doesn't take long to find Mim, or rather, it doesn't take long for the diminuitive Luna attendant to find you as she bounds up to you with a pile of scrolls held haphazardly in her arms. "Hey! Back with more stories?"

"Something like that." You feel a smile slide on in response to Mim's excited beaming. "Priat will be along soon with a friend of mine, and we have some interesting information-"

"Stories!"

"-..Yeah." You break off with a laugh as you sigh, "We've got an interesting story for you. I might be borrowing Priat a little earlier than expected."

"Ah?" Mim perked up at that, seeming a little too excited about this than you really think she should have been. "I'll put these up and we can talk." You nod and watch the little Luna adept wander off with a pile of scrolls that somehow seemed even larger than before. How did she even see where she was going with those?

Shortly there after, Priat has returned with your Testament, who now smelled overwhelmingly of incense, and the three of you piled into Mim's office to explain what you had learned.

"So you found out they planned a trap?"
"Yes."
"Because the bait told you?"
"Yes."
"And now you want to follow the bait into the trap?"
Well, when she puts it like that, it sounds stupid.
"I love it!"

Was this really an attendant of Luna...? Kara tilts her head absently as you talk over your intentions with Mim and Priat, explaining that you thought you could turn the trap to your advantage and get back another one of your friends if you were able to reverse the situation and handle the people who would be sent after you. And that...

"Is where I come in." Priat spoke up, looking to Mim briefly as she nodded. "Is this friend the one you had hoped to rescue tomorrow?"

"No, it's someone else." You shake your head, "But she's being held captive by the same people, involved in the same things. I feel like if we can find her, we might be able to find more evidence against the Mayor."

"That's quite the feeling you've got." Mim swayed in her seat with a smile you didn't quite appreciate. "I think it's really interesting how many of your friends seem caught up in all this fire business." Her smile widened, "You must be all kinds of unlucky, huh?"

"...Yeah. Something like that."

"Maybe you've got something to do with the fire too?"

You narrow your eyes at that, but Mim just laughs. "Just joking, that sounds like an awful story anyway." Was she kidding though...? "Of course I'm kidding. No, I can't read minds. We talked about this last time, remember? You're just too easy." Somehow you were starting to get swept into the Luna representative's pace. You shook your head as if to shake her off, but she only laughed again. "That's all though, isn't it? Did you come just to ask for Priat, or was there something else?"

>Just Priat.
>Actually I'm expecting a fight, I was wondering if you had any backup.
>I just wanted to let you know what was going on.
>Other? (write-in)

>>45129859
>>Actually I'm expecting a fight, I was wondering if you had any backup.

No sense not getting as many people in on this as possible. Better to have them and not need them than vice versa.

>>45129859
>>I just wanted to let you know what was going on.
>>Other? (write-in)
We might want to get details on what kind of trap it is from Kara, now that we're talking about it.

>>45129989
All the help!

>>45130002
>>45130018
We came here for uh... Nothing. We'll handle it ourselves. Just an update.
Just for clarities sake, this is literally what this option is. You update them and then go handle it yourself.

>>45130018
Kara's already mostly told us what she knows about the trap, that is, her job was to bring you somewhere.

>>45130109
...Oh I thought it was implicit we were still taking Priat.

Change >>45130018 to
>Just Priat.

>>45130138
Kay. Writing.

>>45129859
>Just Priat.

"Just Priat." You affirm after a moment of thought, "Too many people would make it difficult to get in undetected, and I'm already confident that I can handle it with Kara at my side." You pointedly don't react to the sudden rhythm of 'paft paft paft' being brushed out against Kara's coat. Even if Priat already knew, and... Well, you assumed Mim already knew. She was the representative of Luna, their job was literally knowing things. "Honestly, I just wanted a little insurance when we went, and Priat..." Volunteered immediately. "Came to mind first."

"Mm, taking any more with you might be dangerous." Mim nodded in agreement, "That seems like a recipe for casualties."

"Mim." Priat sighed, prompting the Luna representative to smile broadly. You feel like you're not quite understanding a joke between them, but nod along instead. "I'm not looking to cause too much of a commotion. If I'm right, then they'll be trying to do this somewhere out of sight to keep it quiet."

"You want to keep this quiet?" Mim blinked owlishly before snorting. "Hahaha, so how are you gonna handle this? It's not like they'll just surrender and lead you to your friend."

Well...

>Let yourself get captured-

"That's a stupid idea. Do you always think in second person?"

Mim interrupts your thoughts almost as soon as they begin, screeching your entire consciousness to a halt. "What makes you think they'll keep you alive once they catch you? Take you anywhere? You're just a loose end to them, aren't you?"

Er... "Did you... Have a better idea, then?" You're a little unnerved at what just happened, but Mim just hums happily as she sways back and forth. "Well, how about you make them take you?"

"You just said they weren't going to cooperate." You scowl at the diminuitive Luna representative, but she simply smiles back. "You don't need to cooperate to be made to do something."

That was... A little disconcerting. "Should you really be suggesting something like that as a member of the Shrine?" You shift in your seat, and Mim taps a finger against her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm.. Well, as long as I don't know about it, it's a pity that lots of bad things happen in this world."

...

"Mim." Priat's disapproving scolding was enough to break the Luna representative's careless suggestion as she sighed. "Yes, yes, that was inappropriate of me." She waved away Priat's chiding expression, "Well, it's up to you, I guess. Tell me the story when you come back, though."

Right...

Mim bids you all a farewell as the three of you leave the Shrine. "Much as it may have been unsettling, a plan would serve us well." Priat intoned as you left. "I will follow your lead in this, as it is ultimately your friends in danger."

"Kara, where's the trap supposed to be at?" You turn towards the disguised demihuman for more information. You had already learned her role in the plan, and she claimed she didn't really know anything else... But if she was supposed to lead you back, surely she knew where she was leading you?

"Uh... Hm."

...She couldn't have forgotten.

"Er... Nn."

You stare at your wolfish Testament as she struggles to recall where she was even supposed to take you, finally snapping her fingers with a fanged smile. "Ah, got it! The dead place!"

"Dead place?"

"Yeah, there's not actually any dead people there, though." Kara nodded, "There's this really big rock they move to get inside."

"They were going to ambush me next to a door to their hideout?" You stare flatly at the demihuman as her face fell. "Ah, no. The ambush was somewhere else. Sorry, 'Rue. I can probably sniff it out though!"

>Let yourself get captured and taken to Asche, act from there.
>Violently turn the tides, force them to take you back.
>Have Kara knock you out before getting there and insist on putting you with the others
>Other? (write-in)

>>45130574
>>Violently turn the tides, force them to take you back.

>>45130574
>>Other? (write-in)
Why do we need to get taken back if we just found out where the hideout is

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>45130601
1. Walking into the ambush and then turning the tides.

>>45130702
2. Just going straight to the hideout entrance.

...Hahaha, dice gods guide us.

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>>45130754
This better go just as well anyway, I swear to god.

>>45130754
Well, I'm back and . . . sure. We have violence on our sides.

We have Kara, Angry shadow real Irulan, and we should also go get our soldiers and our Dryad monster.

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>>45130896
Going back to get more than just Priat and Kara might work if we ditched the subterfuge

If only we had a way to find their hideout, and could go there directly,

You shake your head, "Alright, we'll be relying on you, then." You turn back to Priat as Kara lazily salutes, her nose already twitching as she presumably gets to work. "The plan is pretty simple, we're going to walk into the ambush and then overturn them by force." Your fist and palm smack together in emphasis, "I'm tired of this place walking over my friends and I as if there's no one to hold them accountable. That ends today."

Priat seems like he wants to ask something, but after a moment simply nods. "You're confident that this can be done with only the three of us?"

"Honestly, it can probably be done with just Kara." You admit, following along behind the demihuman as she wandered off. "My own combat ability isn't something amazing, but I can probably hold my own at least." You let your mind drift back to all of your... Combat experience... That you had none of. You did have a seethingly furious primordial shadow apparition that could act semi-autonomously though, which was probably more than enough to handle anything they threw at you. "Are you sure you're cut out for a direct assault plan like this, though? You volunteered before you even knew what was going to happen."

"I'm confident in my abilities." Priat laughed reassuringly, "If it isn't a problem for you, then I am comfortable as well."

Well, that settled that, then. You didn't really know what Priat could do, but he WAS the representative for Salamander. If he was helpless, you'd have been terribly disappointed.

That just left... Did you want to bring anyone else with you?

There was your knights, most of them still resting back at Jill's apartment. Some of them were too injured to move, but at least ten of them could be marshalled together for this.

There was Jack, it was still morning and he'd probably be interesting in coming to help his sister... But could he handle himself? You know he had at least two unusual skills, but this was going to be messy.

Who else...

Your mind briefly drifts to Dullem, Ari, and the wooden golem hiding in the forest outside town with the rest of your knights. That was a huge force, and the wood golem alone could probably be just as huge a force as Kara... But, they were outside. You had been trying to figure out how to get them inside before yesterday, and now not only do you not have time for subterfuge, you were in a bit of a rush to get this wrapped up today so you could confront the Mayor tomorrow.

How in Shade's Domain were you getting them in on this?

>The three of you are enough.
>Pick up the knights.
>Recruit Jack.
>Am I forgetting something...?

>>45131041
>The three of you are enough.
>Am I forgetting something...?
Taggart?

>>45131140
That was not the forgetting at all, but..

What do you want to do with Taggart? I mean it's the morning, so you can go find him. He's on shift.

>>45131160
Well, he was supposed to know how to get in, get out.

>>45131167
>"Carona is clearly more than the surface at this point. If I wanted to start mingling with the people on the other side, what kind of story should I hear?"

>"Then pretences aside, I advise you to find a man named Taggart. Ask him if he can remember the way home... That should suffice for your request."

He was your unwilling contact to find your way into the criminal 'underground' of Carona.

Though you can still accost him for a way out, if you'd like.

>>45131187
It's fine, let's move on.

>>45131216
Kay, writing!

>>45131140
Wossername Taggart sister? No she's kidnapped. Cousins childhood friend? Nah she's a Cunt. To go to work? I mean they know about Wossername the sister maybe they're watching the pub?

>>45131041
Are we forgetting the tunnel under the city.? Or that we set up a meeting as the Gnome priest? With the mayor.

>>45131225
> Meeting the Mayor as the Gnome priest

>>45131249
No.
More specifically, I've mentioned in misc notes a few times that you all actually had a way to get your knights (and the wood golem, and Ari) inside the city at your disposal. You've inadvertently been told how it can be done, actually.

The forgetting revolves around that.

>>45131257
Something tells me that'll cause problems for us in disguise, now that we've implicated him.

>>45131261
Damn. On my phone and can't quickly trawl.

>>45131261

We can't have our soldiers dressed as guards or get the temple to sneak them in?

>>45131297
>Dress soldiers as guards
This was Ari/Dullem's plan, and it's how your 12 knights got in. It can't be done in bulk without suspicion, however, and requires uniforms in the first place.

>Have the Shrine sneak them in
You chose to not ask them for help regarding this when trading favours, and no longer have anything to exchange to acquire that particular aid.

>>45131297
I don't think we're getting them in all at once without some kind of formal excuse or fighting the whole guard, we haven't heard anything about ways to sneak in from what I remember

It doesn't sound like the Shrine particularly has influence over the town guard either, unfortunately

>>45131372
>>45131328
Oh I guess we said we wouldn't accept help too. Damnit.

>>45131372
I'll actually tell you guys the answer to this after it's not longer applicable.

You'll be mad.

>>45131372
Let's just fight the whole guard

>>45131387
We couldn't just get our broken girl testament and the Druid beast to go back to being a staff, and sneak them in?

>>45131387
Could we pose as the Mayor and pretend that our soldiers are just more mercenaries we're bringing in?

On second thought, we could also use the Diary to transform into the mayor and give an order to let our knights and Ari in.

>>45131418
You could have done that, too. Though it's a little late now - Post coming soon.

>>45131426
>>45131427
This hilariously close to the actual forgetting, but yes, this is completely doable.

>>45131387
> We'll be mad

Fuck, it's not asking Maran for help is it.

>>45131434
> Use the diary to disguise our soldiers one by one and sneak them in

Probably take too long though.

> Use the Diary to disguise the Dryad Tree as a giant horse, while the soldiers hide in the branches, and have Maran present it to the town as a gift.

Trojan horse!

>>45131439
It's not, but since the other anons came so close (and the post is nearly done now anyway, so it's kind of moot)

Forgetting: When you asked Maran how she got in, she explicitly told you that the guards can't really stop anyone who is actually important from coming and going as you pleased. You have a Relic that could make you anyone, even Maran, and then just claim the people coming in are with you, then walk them through the front door. Literally nothing they can do to stop you.

>>45131454
Not mad, Was thinking about this but I want to use relic as little as possible.

No, the three of you were more than enough for this. Your eyes narrowed as you followed Kara through the winding streets, mentally nudging your shadow into awareness as less and less people began to pass you by. Rather than moving into a rundown part of Carona as you had expected, it seemed like the buildings around you were getting more and more upscale and well built. Your faith in Kara's nose assured you that you were going in the right direction, but...

"This is the old Tier estate." Priat muttered from your side as the two of you stood at the entry to an alley that Kara had just cut through, "While they have since moved further away, they used to live in Carona alongside the rest of us." You frown in response, catching the implication for what it was. "This land was still technically owned, so we didn't believe anyone had repopulated it. It was effectively an abandoned district." Your teeth grit irritably.

They hadn't just driven the Tiers from Carona, they had turned their old land into a base.

"Almost there, 'Rue." Kara muttered back, eliciting an understanding nod from Priat as he stepped back. "I'll fall back and follow at a distance, then. Be careful."

The brief acknowledgement is all you get as Kara leads you forward and through the cracked open gates of the primary estate, into a courtyard overgrown with weeds and moss covered empty fountains. Hedges and vines of once well kept decor and greenery had grown into such a thicket that you found it difficult to even see where you were walking.

"Are you sure this is the place?" you stop in the center of the courtyard, letting the breeze sway the waist high weeds around you. Your shadow shifted at your feet, and you saw Kara discard her hat as her ears twitched in the open air. She turned back to you, but didn't say anything.

You suppose this is the place, then. Pity there wasn't anyone here.

..Or at least, none you could see.

>Start an argument with Kara, bait them into revealing themselves.
>This courtyard isn't very big. If you can buy enough time, maybe you could spin a web? (Atelier)
>Who actually ambushes a Shade apparition? Begin to meditate.
>Other? (write-in)

>>45131500
>>Who actually ambushes a Shade apparition? Begin to meditate.

Cuts down on the time required (atelier) and is less likely to conflict with Priat and his Salamander, since he didn't like our book-disguise as it was.

>>45131505
>Other? (write-in)

> See what Priat can do.

>>45131500
>Who actually ambushes a Shade apparition? Begin to meditate.

>>45131505
>>This courtyard isn't very big. If you can buy enough time, maybe you could spin a web? (Atelier)
Easy way out.

>>45131564
...I just checked and evidently forgot what this means. Still voting for it because we haven't gotten to use that yet.

>>45131505
>>This courtyard isn't very big. If you can buy enough time, maybe you could spin a web? (Atelier)

>>45131534
>>45131546
Meditation.

>>45131564
>>45131593
Webs!

>>45131540
Priat is already hiding, anon.
___

looks like a tie between
1. Webs!
2. Meditation

final call, or roll?

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>>45131619

>>45131642
Webs it is.
We are Spiderue now.

>>45131655
Welp.

You take a deep breath as the morning wind blows across the courtyard, and focus on the cool feeling of the chill from the Relic. If they wanted to hide, then they were welcome to - They could stay hidden for as long as they wanted. You didn't come here to negotiate with them, you didn't come to play nice. From the very beginning, you had come here to do nothing less than crush them for what they've done.

The morning dew which clung to the shifting grass shifted as your awareness began to expand, a tangible force of cold seeping out and away as each breath became marked by silent puffs of steam. With its expansion, so to did your awareness begin to rapidly lash out, voraciously expanding from droplet to droplet with threads of your own consciousness.

Expand.
Enclose.
Expand.
Enclose.

Time and time again the process repeated itself, as you became intimately aware of every living thing within the courtyard. The buzzing of flies, the lurking grasshoppers, the webs of spiders waiting for prey.

Your web.
Your prey.

You felt the weight of droplets coalescing upon your fingertips, trickling down ethereal threads and shooting across the network of awareness that composed your newly claimed territory. It wasn't a true web, it couldn't entangle or trap those within it, but you didn't need it to do that. There were only two ways out of this courtyard: One behind you, and one that entered the long abandoned mansion.

And besides Kara and yourself, there was only one... two... five... ten... twenty...

You frown, feeling the number continue to expand even as you tried to count.

You knew exactly where they were now, there wasn't a chance known to Luna for them to escape your awareness while inside this web.

>You are currently connected to your web. This is your first time using it! It's new and unfamiliar to you, but as long as you're physically connected to the web, it feels like you can do something with it.

>1. Stabilize the web and disconnect, maintaining remote awareness of its territory. (Easy)
>2. Attempt to attach threads to those inside it. Trespassing into a spider's web offers no retreat. (Moderate)
>3. Change the nature of your web into a cage. There is nothing above, nor below, which can escape you. (Moderate)
>4. Manifest your web physically. What you can feel, you can touch; What you can touch is already your prey. (Hard)

>>45131810
>>3. Change the nature of your web into a cage. There is nothing above, nor below, which can escape you. (Moderate)

>>45131810
>>4. Manifest your web physically. What you can feel, you can touch; What you can touch is already your prey. (Hard)
Picking the hardest option might be a terrible idea, but we have backup. We've got crouching Kara hidden Priat, but we also have surprise.

We have the opportunity to try before we have to improvise.

>>45131810
>2. Attempt to attach threads to those inside it. Trespassing into a spider's web offers no retreat. (Moderate)
What's difference between 2 and 3?

>>45131856
Threads allow you to track people who have entered your web and then left it's territory.

chanting the nature of your web adds additional dimensions to it. (In this case, you gain a third dimension, as opposed to the current two-dimensional plane)

Each of these options have chains which can be chosen if the first is successful, but they get harder and harder to accomplish as it goes, especially since you've no experience with using it.

If something too difficult is attempted... Well, this web is your awareness. If you mess it up, vertigo will be the least of your worries.

As it's your first time, nothing more serious than an unraveling is likely to occur. The more you immerse yourself into the web to control it, the more dire the backlash will be.

>>45131810
>4. Manifest your web physically. What you can feel, you can touch; What you can touch is already your prey. (Hard)

Alpha Strike baby.

>>45131882
If we manifest it physically, can we get Priat to set it on fire and burn them all alive?

>>45131918
Yes, if you'd like to.

>>45131926
>>45131918
What if we make it a cage first to multiply its effectiveness, so when Priat does it we'll have Double Fire

>>45131936
That's also possible. At any rate, voting has closed.

>>45131830
Cage!

>>45131856
Threads!

>>45131854
>>45131898
Physical web!
___

1d100 anons, lets see if you can pull this off.

Rolled 27 (1d100)

>>45131964

Rolled 12 (1d100)

>>45131964
I was joking anyway retroactively

Here we fucking go

Rolled 86 (1d100)

>>45131964

>>45131979
>>45131982
We failed pretty hard.

Rolled 62 (1d100)

>>45131964

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>>45131995
Rejoice, anon. You are the saviour of your kind.

Writing.

>>45131982
As the obvious weak link here, I'm not rolling for the next one. Good luck guys

>>45131964
I'm just saying, burning people alive is efficient evil and fun wrong. We should probably commit to it warn them about what will happen if they talk shit like a bitch force us to do it.

That being said it would be ideal a shame if the fire spread and burned down the entire town.

Seriously, though, I feel like we should keep it as a "surprise go fuck yourselves" if things go wrong.

This wasn't enough. This wasn't nearly enough! Your tenuous grasp on your web shook as you scowled, feeling each and every one of the insects piling in to your territory. Your lips peeled back, only vaguely aware of a familiar voice near by trying to grasp your attention, only distantly noting the buzzing of voices too far away for you to understand.

Your connection shook, more and more of your awareness fading away as you spooled more and more droplets off your fingers, twining thread after thread together through the air. Slowly your senses faded away, and for a brief, terrifying moment, you found yourself adrift in a void of nothing.

Your eyes were open, but you couldn't see.
You ears strained, but you couldn't hear.
Your skin burned, but you couldn't feel.

You were falling, uncontrollably falling, until your web finally snapped into place. With a realization as if the darkness had shattered around you, you knew every sight, every sound, every touch and every feeling within your web. You felt the surprise, the rising emotions, you heard every hoarse shout for Kara to stand down or die with you. You could hear ever muttered snarl of regret for having trusted a demihuman.

You drew breath, raising one hand experimentally, feeling the web move with it. Feeling each string, each thread, woven together into a chord containing every ounce of your awareness. Beyond this web was darkness, a vast void that you couldn't hope to pierce-

-But within this web.

You open your eyes, catching the shadowy wisps of your web stretched taut across the ground and consuming the ground in a criss-crossing blackness which all traced back to epicenter of your own shadow. There was a primal awareness rearing its head through your threads. Sharp claws, barbed spines and a vicious black mist that composed your memory of Irue's berserking form in the tunnels now encompassed the entirety of the courtyard with a fury that was nearly palpable to you.

You swallow, feeling cold sweat - Or was it dew? - run across the web.

>Try to assert control, before your Shadow takes this web for a joy ride.
>Tell Kara to get out, you're about to see red.
>Your Testament stands with you; Welcome to the slaughter.
>Disconnect from the web, allowing Irue control while you do something else. (What?)
>Other? (write-in)

>>45132113
>Your Testament stands with you; Welcome to the slaughter.

>>45132113
>>Try to assert control, before your Shadow takes this web for a joy ride.

>>45132113
>Your Testament stands with you; Welcome to the slaughter.
>Cry Havok, and let's slip the shadows of war! Try to work with Irue to rip these fuckers to shreds.
> Tell Kara to try and save any of them she particularly likes.

>>45132113
>Tell Kara to get out, you're about to see red.
Have her relate this to Priat too.

>>45132172
Forgot to include
>Other? (write-in)
as that's a separate thing. We don't want him trying to help and getting mauled by spider... shadow...

By Venomrue.

File: Spoiler Image (3.77 MB, 2880x1800)

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>>45132129
>>45132171
Welcome to the web, insects.

>>45132154
Try to gain full control.

>>45132172
Kara's safer out of here.

>>45132182
>Venomrue
Venom wasn't quite this angry.

>>45132196
Irue wouldn't hurt Kara. She cares more about her than we do even.

Although it couldn't hurt to remind her of that fact.

>>45132196
Woah. My plan is to get Kara to gank someone for interrogation, possibly if she has anyone that was nicer than usual to her here.

And to let Irue rage but work with her so that she rages precisely.

You let out a shuddering breath, feeling the vibrations tremble along the threads of your conscious. Can you still recognize Kara...? Your finger twitches and a man loses his leg. His scream is short lived as he falls bodily forward onto the very web that had taken his leg, and soon, he's lost far more. They're moving now, crossbows hefted, lances and swords alike being drawn.

"'Rue?!"

"Pick one." You barely find your voice, the whisper being carried through your web to permeate the courtyard in a silent hiss. "We don't need the rest." You spend a moment to focus on the individual you recognized as Kara, trying to burn everything about her into your mind so as to not lose track and mistake her later. This wasn't just another insect in your web, she was important. "Ha..." You exhale, finally dedicating Kara's unique presence to memory. It's difficult to 'see' her, as your shadow seems to distort your awareness through the web. If you had full control, you feel like it would be different, but then you'd lose this dripping lethality.

No, you could make do. Irue cared about Kara even more than you did, and you were going to do everything you could to look out for her during this. Your Testament stood with you in this, as in everything else. You feel Kara swallow as her bristled tail swishes to one side, the change of pressure as she rolls up onto the balls of her feet. "After that?" She called back, and you knew she was already singling one out.

"Throw him to Priat." You tilt your head to the side until it your neck cracks, long braided hair unravelling into a haphazard curtain, "Then, we go wild."

"Wild...?" She breathed, eyes beginning to dilate as you felt her pulse quicken.
"Together."

You startle as Kara's presence very nearly vanishes, the earth erupting at the last place you felt her before your senses finally caught up several precious seconds later with the removal of one of the insects from your territory as it was thrown into the void beyond it. You'd have to hope that guy got thrown in Priat's general direction, because Kara's next call was a battlecry for havoc.

It was also the cue for the mercenaries to cut into action. Your web was a plane of voracious razors that set upon them, cutting off mobility and biting deeply with each misstep and stumble. To be honest, you felt this was probably overkill; Kara alone could have dealt with them all, and that was before they had become more or less immobilized by this nightmarish spider web. At this point it was only a matter of time before each and every insect left in this web met their end, because escape was no longer an option for any of them.

The opportunity to run had long since passed.

The bloodrush of finally striking back at them wore off quickly. They were little more than mercenaries, and the force presented before them could conservatively be called overwhelming. Some of them had simply begun to pray, fled - Or tried to flee, as Kara proved to be a reaper within your web, and far more efficient at culling their numbers than even your shadow-fueled territory was.

This wasn't a fight.
That implied they could struggle.
That they could survive.

This was nothing short of a slaughter, and you found your stomach rolling in disgust as any vapid enjoyment at having them at your mercy quickly gave way to boredom, and then the disgusting opportunity to realize that it was only a matter of time before they were killed... And you were aware of them all. Each one, each of their cries, each of their prayers, their fear and hopelessness, and the tell-tale snuffing of their presence within your web as they fell one by one.

It felt like an eternity, but your web could only grow quieter with each new death, until finally it was quiet again. Damningly quiet.

The absolute silence nearly made you sick.

"...'Rue."
"Hm?"
"S'not over yet. Something else s'coming."

...Something?

Your brows furrow, unable to see beyond the confines of your web. Unable even to hear what lay beyond.

"What is it?"
"'Rue, what do you want me to do?"
Do? Do against what? "What's going on?"
"He's doing something weird." She responded, "I... Think he's glowing?"

You could hear a very unhelpful one-sided conversation as Kara shouted back at whoever was there, but you can't discern anything more than that.

"This guy said he was 'insurance'." Kara muttered, "S'like they didn't think I'd play nice anyway."

...Wait, glowing? Insurance to handle Kara?

Oh.
...Oh.
"He's an Adept, move!"

>Drop the web, you need your senses again. (Cannot reconnect)
>Stay connected, see if Kara can lure him into your web.
>Attempt to expand your web. (Very Hard)
>Meditate while maintaining your web. (Hard)
>Other? (write-in)

>>45132470
>Attempt to expand your web. (Very Hard)

>>45132470
What's meditate supposed to do in this situation?

>>45132470

>Drop the web, you need your senses again. (Cannot reconnect)

Can Kara throw? We should really get her some spears if possible. Anyways, I say we re-position and meditate while Kara provides a distraction. Should be safer for her and us.

>>45132488
in attunement with Shade. You've previously proven capable of either reverting to your base origin (Doppleganger - Insecurity), or emulating the origin of other types of Shade apparitions (Currently only Revenant - Regret).

They are forms you're capable of assuming, provided you're willing to lose touch with your humanity to become closer to an Apparition.

>>45132488
Send our Shadow out to fuck him up.

>>45132470
>>Drop the web, you need your senses again. (Cannot reconnect)
He might know to stay out of the web after that slaughter, and we can no longer take that chance.
>>Other? (write-in)
We might need to call in Priat for this one, depending on what exactly this new guy can do.

>>45132498
> Can we use the book to disguise ourselves as one of the mercenaries that attacked us? I think a knife in the back will fuck up adept same as normal people.

>>45132504
Ah, worth noting is that by doing this, your shadow will lose most of its... Bite, in exchange.

>>45132518
>>45132504

Linked to the wrong post obviously

>>45132518
All of the mercenaries are dead, and typically dismembered in some way. While you CAN disguise yourself as one, you'd need to hide first or he'd just see you do it.

And then you'd need to be able to handle it without an arm, or leg. Or both, really, depending on which mercenary you chose.

You also run the risk of Priat noticing the Relic, but you may not really care about that given your recent display anyway.

Up to you.

>>45132532
> Brave Sir Robin ran away

I'm just saying, Kara gives us unprecedented mobility. Let's reposition and regroup. I wonder if we can a) disguise ourselves as an object and b) replicate this shadow field trick?

>>45132532
What the fuck did we bring Priat for if not this exact situation?

> Call out for some back-up then try to extend the web.

> get Kara to flank.

Rolled 1 (1d100)

>>45132532
Here's a roll for whatever. But j have to sleep now.

>>45132475
>>45132573
Expand the web.

>>45132498
>>45132509
Drop the web.

>>45132498
Meditate after you drop the web.
Kara can probably toss a javelin clean through Carona if she felt like it. That's not a typo - I mean through Carona. Not over it.

>>45132566
Run away at high speeds.
The Shadow web is actually a failed result, as its control is split unevenly between Dopplerue and Irue. You were 80-89 was "success, but with a flaw."

>>45132573
Kara flanks.
___
Looks like we're tied on dropping the web or expanding it.

>>45132585
...anon.

>>45132585
Jesus fucking Christ. Go away. Do not come back.

>>45132587
Drop.

>>45132587
Uh. Cry like a bitch after getting a natural 1? Definitely makes running away seem like the better option.

If 80-89 was success with a flaw for (hard) then I am going with dropping the Goddamn Web.

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>>45132601
>>45132604
Drop web and cry uncontrollably it is.

Here we go.

Rolled 25 (1d100)

counter roll

Rolled 62 (1d100)

>>45132619
Did that roll count for anything? I'm torn between my deepest desire to not have anyone we care about die, and to see crits of either kind happen.

Can we at least try to roll for a nat 100 to balance it?

>>45132634
It counted for anon's dreams, if that makes a difference to you.

RIP Nat1Anon

Rolled 99 (1d100)

>>45132634
We can try and roll another nat 1

Rolled 13 (1d100)

>>45132643
rolling for dreams

>>45132648
Well. That came very close

>>45131982
>>45132032
>>45132648
So that's where my luck went.

Fucking nowhere

>>45132648
>>45131995
I'm beginning to wonder if this quest's dice are powered off of pessimism and hate...

Writing, anyway.

>>45132660
All tg dice are powered by pessimism, hate, and spite. Anyone telling you different is a fool.

>>45132670
RE Spider Quest
House and Dominion. Where anon rolled 100 on salvage so many times that we are actually having a political marriage 3 years later instead of waifu wars.

Mmm. Salvage and Spreadsheets.

>>45132799
Spider is because REQMX intended the quest to be dark, but spider butt got blessed by the God of luck, making it dark impossible, since spider steamrolls all. The dice were spitting the potential story. Never read house though.

There's no helping it then, no matter how omniscient you were inside this web, it was useless if the danger stayed outside of it. You gradually began to disentangle yourself from the very literal web of chords and threads attached to you that had been serving as your eyes, ears, and... Well, everything. It was a harrowing process, one that you nearly refused to go through with several times as the encroaching terror of feeling your own senses begin to fade away with each step of 'progress'. You could already feel the creeping void you were rapidly approaching, and every instinct in your body screamed at you to not go there.

As the thread spools from your fingers, warm blood drips from the digits that once held them. Reduced to a mangled mess by the barbs and spines that crept along their length, born from inside you, and evidently just as apt to cut you as anyone else. This was a web of its own design, something you had given birth to, but not something you controlled. At best you had manipulated it, ran wild with it, but as you continue to pull away from the nightmarish strings that felt as if they were pulling every nerve from your arms along with them, you understand with sinking realization that this wasn't a web to cradle you.

It cradled a shadow, the shifting form of your Shadow whose malicious grin had twisted into impotent frustration and anger at its prey being beyond its boundary. Even as you finally freed yourself from its confines and dropped back into the abyss of nothing, feeling the last vestiges of your awareness - of the web - swirl away from you, you knew the web itself wasn't going to unravel. Not until your Shadow was through with it.

And then there was nothing.

No sight.
No sound.
No touch.

A single moment that lasted for an eternity before the world came rushing back to you, and you own eyes and ears worked again, the feeling of warm blood dripping smearing your hands and running down your arms very much shocking you back into awareness with it's hot sting.

"'Rue? What happened?!"

You fall to your knees, crouched within the grass at the epicenter of still present and still malicious web you had created. There's no way for you to direct it now, but it... Probably won't hurt you, or Kara. You've no idea if it would be safe for Priat, though...

Priat. Right, Kara was fighting some kind of Adept - A quick check confirms that she's actually trying to trade blows with the adept!

And...

Failing?

Her brief's moment distraction as she looked back at you proved the undoing of whatever equilibrium the two fighters had met as she was sent careening through the courtyard and smashing into the far gate the same way you typically expected her to throw anyone else.

"Beast. You've no skill, no technique. Have you lived your entire life relying on that precious strength?"

Your mind whirled. There were two things you could think of that could have been enough to compete on par with Kara, and this guy didn't seem like another demihuman. That left...

Wisp Adept.
As an apparition of Shade, your skin rankled at his presence. He was very nearly your antithesis, in both concept and purpose.

>Use the Relic (how?)
>Meditate, there's no way you can fight that damn thing as a human.
>Call for Priat.
>Time to retreat.
>Other? (write-in)

>>45132866
>Call for Priat.

>>45132866
> Other

We could always open negotiations with the adept. Call him to a halt and inform him that you are investigating criminal activity with the blessings of the shrine and hunting down the murderers of . . . The place that burnt down.

Also bluff that we are an adept as well and that he wouldn't be fighting just Kara.

Bet they didn't tell him THAT when he signed on.

Keep Priat as back-up in case negotiations fail.

>>45132866
>Meditate, there's no way you can fight that damn thing as a human.

>>45132866
>>Call for Priat.
If Priat is outside, he can flank him - if we do this right, we can either take him that way or get him to stumble into murderweb.

>>45132910
I'm not sure negotiation is the way to go after we murdered everyone in cold blood.

>>45132885
>>45132938
Call for Priat

>>45132913
Meditate.

>>45132910
Bluff and negotiations!

>>45132938
Or is it the BEST time to negotiate?

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>>45133008

>>45132938
We didn't murder everyone. We saved one person.

Besides, it's not like it was personal. Or that they weren't going to kill us. Or that we were anything but outnumbered.

And we should have a bonus to bluffing that we are a freaky adept after all.

"H-Hold on!" You call out from the relative safety of the shadowy web around you. "We're here with the backing of the Shrine! We're investigating the murderers of the Tier family!"

"And what will you do once you find them?"

Kill them for taking Asche and Rinnier. Your reflexive answer catches bitterly on your tongue as you take a breath, "I'm only interested in making them get the punishment they deserve." And that punishment is death, or at least severe pain, depending on if they hurt Asche or not.

"Then I suppose I should do my own duty in bringing killers to 'justice'."
Eh?
"How fortunate, I seem to have already found one."

"This and that are completely different! They attacked first, and I was outnumbered! This was literally an ambush-"

"Save your breath, monster. I knew these men, I am part of this ambush." He rolled his shoulder, "While I only expected to have to put down a dog, one more piece of trash makes no difference to me."

Well, you tried. As you hadn't actually expected it to work, you would now move on to Plan A!

"Priat!"

Your voice echoed into open air, with little more than Kara's groan as she wrenched herself free from the ruined gate to fill the gap. Your heartbeat began to rise as you started to try and calculate your chances of taking him with just Kara and yourself... A few moments ago, 'just' Kara and yourself were the top of the food chain, where the hell did this guy come from? Why did it have to be a Wisp Adept?

"Please stand down." Priat's voice broke into your steadily descending panic, and you shifted in place to see him standing just beyond the gate Kara had been thrown into as he peered into the courtyard of shadowed webs, and locked eyes with the Wisp Adept who stood on the porch of the Tier's abandoned mansion.

"Priat." The man actually spat the name, "Funny company you're keeping these days. Thought you were with the Shrine?"

"I'm sorry, have we met?" Priat inquisitively inspected the web, absently waving at your warning to not touch it. "As you were told, these two do have Shrine sanction for their actions, and I don't believe my company is any of your business."

"Ha! Shrine's sanctioning demihumans and monsters like that?" He cracked his knuckles, and your skin shivered as you felt the Wisp Adept slide one foot back and begin to lower his weight into a solid stance. "No better than the royals then, are you?"

Priat sighed, standing up and brushing off his vestments. "Should I take this as you wishing to continue this fight?"

"Oh WE will have a fight." the Wisp Adept snapped, "Right after I take out the trash!" The gooseflesh feeling that rippled across your skin had shifted into a full on alarm as you saw the tell-tale white glow of Mana coalesce around the Adept's fist just before he stepped forward and thrust his fist out.

He should have punched air.
You heard something crack, instead.
A vacuum of air sucking in the world around it, as your vision was obscurred in white.
And Kara's tail flashing back as the demihuman appeared in front of you to meet the oncoming oblivion with her bare fist.

For a brief, precious moment, it actually seemed like it worked. You could feel its oncoming force stutter... Only until Kara's feet, dug into the ground, began to slide back against its weight. Almost as a reflexive reaction, the murderous web of barbs and shadows you had woven snapped from their holds, latching onto the wave of forceful white Mana as if it were a massive insect of its own, digging into its ethereal form in an attempt to rend flesh that didn't exist.

Kara's other hand curled shakily into a fist, crashing into the thing in front of her as she stamped her back foot down with a single feral snarl.

You're finally treated to the unpleasant sound of it seeming to simply 'pop', sending both you and Kara tumbling back through the courtyard in the ensuing shockwave.

"'Rue...?" You were clutching onto Kara tightly, eyes clenched shut as you struggled to breathe. That was pure Wisp essence. You felt like you were about to melt. "'Rue, we gotta get up." Your web was tattered, flailing spitefully with severed and loose ends, a large portion of it completely eradicated in the wake of that absurd ball of Mana.

And the Wisp Adept...

"...What the FUCK are you...?"

...Looked at you in much the same manner as one would stare at nightmare, even as you clutched feebly at Kara's shirt while she helped you to your feet.

Shade preserve, you almost died just now.

"Hm." Priat looked you over, "Perhaps you already know this, but Wisp Adepts are trained to attack and defend with their own vitality." You nod slightly, eyes rapt on the exhausted Wisp Adept as he stumbled out of his stance stiffly, "That black net of yours... Well, we can talk about this later, if you want."

"'Rue, I can't fight with you on me."

You're not sure you want to let go yet.

"'Rue..."

No, shh, you need this right now. You still can't feel your feet.

>Regain your composure.
>Retreat
>Meditate. Scrounge for something. Anything.
>Use the Relic (how?)
>Other? (write-in)

>>45133409
>Regain your composure.

>>45133409
>Other?


THANKS FOR THE HELP PRIAT. HOW ABOUT SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE CONCRETE. OR ON FIRE.

Anyways. Roll off of Kara and let her attack. Maybe try to spin another atelier on the dude while you're at it, something to blind his sight maybe?

Also, what the fuck do we use if not our own life force?

>>45133409
>>Regain your composure.
Go Kara, and thank you

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>>45133434
>>45133513
Regain composure!

>>45133478
And be mad at Priat.

1d100s for composure!

>>45133409
>Retreat

Rolled 93 (1d100)

>>45133559

Rolled 40 (1d100)

>>45133559
Am I too late to vote too?
>Meditate. Scrounge for something. Anything.
Kara can't take it alone, and I don't know how much Priat can help. We're not allowed to give up.

Rolled 92 (1d100)

>>45133559

>>45133578
>>45133605
Calm as an empty sky at midnight

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>>45133578
>>45133605
....

>>45133579
Yes, but Regain composure would have won anyway. Good morning, anon!

>>45133643
We'd need composure before meditation anyways. Meditation is kinda useless when you pass out from hyperventilating. I'd like to meditate next if possible

Thankfully Kara obliges, letting you cling to her until your breathing starts to stabilize. It took... Much less time than you expected, as you drew strength of presence from Kara still standing next to you. And Priat, but Priat had done all of completely nothing just now, so you weren't drawing shit from him.

Kara though. The sight of her silhouette against the oncoming white oblivion you had just experienced was practically seared into your retina. She had just looked certain death in the face and then punched it so hard it exploded. "Thanks..." You breathe, feeling your rapidly pounding heart begin to calm to a manageable state as you slowly unclenched your fingers from Kara's clothes. "Thanks, Kara." You repeated again, one hand still holding onto her arm as you find your balance on your own feet again.

Your mind was whirling, but familiar discipline and stubbornness inherited from our shadow were beginning to assert themselves. Almost as if you were reaching into the inky night sky for a soothing calm, you let out a final shuddering breath and step away from Kara with a tested and settled resolve providing weight to your steps.

"Impossible." The Wisp Adept wheezed, as his skin was already beginning to whiten into a pallor. "I saw you. You were one step away from a breakdown!"

"And you're already six feet under." You snap back, finally starting to regain feeling in your body as your thoughts begin to coalesce once more into manageable forms. "So... Is it my-" You pause, glancing to your right as Kara stepped up behind you with a deeply seated scowl. "-Our turn, yet?"

"You don't just snap back from something like that!"

While your mind is workable, Irue's memories are... Static. Nothing but a haze of white noise. You don't know what this guy is talking about, but Luna knows he's pissing you off.

"Mana damned monsters! I won't forget thi-"

"Kara." You interrupt his ranting flatly, your Testament stalking forward to bury her fist against the Adept's jaw hard enough to jar a tooth loose. "Shut up." You sigh, walking slowly up to him - Slowly, because you can't move any faster. You can barely balance yourself as it is. "Do you understand the position you're in?"

"Tch." He spits, a harmless act... If it hadn't contained one of his broken teeth. It whizzes past your cheek, cutting a thin red line in its wake, and you find yourself impressed he can still even manage something like that in the state he's in. Kara reciprocates in kind by putting her foot through his shin. "Alright! Augh, Wisp bless... I give up!"

...He gives up? You stare down at him blankly. He insulted your Testament, he nearly killed you and her both, he spit on you, and now he... Gives up?

"Priat, I surrender already! Call off this Shade damned monster!"

"I'm afraid you're misunderstanding something." Priat intoned from somewhere across the courtyard, "As a dutiful member of the Shrine, I would, of course, accept your genuine surrender and see you treated."

"Then-"

"However, this is not my decision." You heard paved stones crunch as Priat turned behind you, and the soft echoes of his footfalls walking away from the now thoroughly ruined courtyard. "Priat... Priat!"

>Silence him, permanently.
>Leave him to Kara.
>He called you a monster? You can do that. (Meditate)
>Spare him.
>Other? (write-in)

>>45133963
>>Spare him.

Oh yes. We'll spare him. But conditionally. He has to teach Kara and provide us with consul.

Dude is an asshole, but he has a point about us being monsters. Besides, it can be good to have someone critical of you around.

Also, until his all or nothing attack he was working Kara pretty good.

And hey, if he IS honorable and shit he should be down to helping save some damsels in distress. Genuine 100% human girls and not . . . Monsters.

>>45133478
This is actually kind of important.

Wisp Mana bolsters vitality and physical prowess. It's typically used in healing practices, but is also an extremely potent force in martial application.

Shade Mana is more mental and emotional strength. It's courage, and the ability to recover your thoughts and feelings, to challenge new things and overcome fear and other such things.

While the two of them are nominally opposites, they're opposite in the sense that they exist to balance each other. If an equal amount of Wisp mana directly interacts with an equal amount of Shade mana, they will neutralize each other. If one is more potent than the other, then it will consume the weaker party - But be weakened by a roughly equal amount.

Which is why the Wisp adept is literally on death's door from exhaustion, and Dopplerue was on the verge of a complete mental breakdown until you rolled to Get It The Fuck Together immediately.

>>45133963
>He called you a monster? You can do that. (Meditate)
Yay! mass homicide

>>45134003
>>45133963
Addendum - he seems to know quite a bit about politics and whatnot. He's probably connected. Also, he tried to kill us even after we negotiated once already.

But still, I would think that accepting his surrender as well as being the ones to negotiate with our assassin after nullifying the threat of being outnumbered . . .

Oh, and I suppose we could use training too so our only option isn't to let out a near feral rage shadow that is kill happy. You know, when the next round of people come to kill us just for existing because that's apparently a fucking crime.

>>45133963
>>He called you a monster? You can do that. (Meditate)
>>Spare him.
Where is my maid/aide and the others?

>>45134003
>All or nothing
I explained this a second after you posted, but for further clarification! It being literally devoured by the murderweb was kind of a shock to him. If it hadn't been able to neutralize his Mana, he'd have been able to just toss hadoukens around pretty much all day.

>>45133963
Morning! I am not going to roll again but I will vote.

>Spare him.

This is probably a test of some sort by Priat. I get the feeling that he didn't do anything because he was testing us. I persist that he is sketchy. Someone other than the Shrine is paying him. Maybe the Royals?

>>45134056
So, spooky interrogation but no lasting harm?

>>45134012
> Spare him for Ransom

I like the idea of bringing him along/getting his help. Guy has "Big Damn Hero" written all over him.

At the very least he should pay us off. That's what Nobility does when they get captured, right? He should at least pay us what he got paid to murder us in cold blood.

>>45134020
>>45134056
Meditate. You're not made of forgiveness.

>>45134056
>>45134083
>>45134003
Spare him. He's useful to you alive.

>>45134125
>So, spooky interrogation but no lasting harm?
Yup

>>45134064
Huh. So we chemo'd his cancer and luckily it died first - well, and we took better care of our friends.

Er, is there a vote shifting to interrogation?
Meditation is effectively a punishment game for him of the mental variety. It's nature depends on whether you emulate Doppleganger - Insecurity, or Revenant - Regret.

>>45134165
I'd prefer to doppelgänger him. Like my vote asked. But only if other anons agree.

>>45134165
Sure, lets mind rape him

>>45134165
no monsters please.

>>45134165
I don't want to go that route, I'd like to stay as human as possible thank you.

Also I want to lord it over him that we're treating him better than he treated us, even if we're "monsters". I mean, he's pretty much an assassin who tried to kill the rightful heir of house Valen and her testament.

>>45134165
I'd rather we only be as monstrous as necessary. Like when we're outnumbered 15 to 1 or something, and using powers we aren't sure of and our friends have been kidnapped and people are threatening to kill us.

Alright. We're tied between showing him a real monster and just sparing him.

As sparing him won the original vote, I'm going to go ahead and officially call the decision for that and get writing.

>>45134046
That feral, kill-happy rage shadow is Irue, you know? The one you're controlling is a Doppleganger.

>>45134260
Yeah . . . . We should probably look into that when we have time.

You kneel down, meeting the Wisp Adept face to face as you roll around your decision in your mind. Priat had clearly left the decision in your hands and washed his hands of it... There was always the chance that this was some kind of test he was putting you up to. It didn't seem like something Priat would do, but... You didn't really know Priat, either. Nothing about Priat was terribly apparent at first glance, not even how someone as reserved and calm as he was managed to become the local representative of Salamander.

...Even still, you didn't owe Priat anything. If anything, you should be mad at him for not stepping in to help you when you needed it most. Sure you had managed to survive on your own, but it was probably the closest shave you'd experienced in your, admittedly short, life.

"Well?" the Wisp Adept grunted, and you reach forward to slap him before he manages to spit another tooth at you. At this range, you kind of get the feeling he wouldn't miss, and the last thing you needed was to die from a tooth through your eyeball because you were busy thinking. "Just kill me and get it over with already!"

"No." You absently stare at the Wisp Adept, eyes beginning to unfocus as you took him in. Looking at him. In him. Through him. Your mind was still wandering, but the simple rejection rolled out of your mouth all the same. "...No, I have other uses for you."

"I'll bite my own tongue off before helping a damned monster."

"A monster that's letting you live." You point out blandly, "I'd say that makes me a better person than the guy who just tried to kill us after negotiating."

"Negotiating after slaughtering over fourty of my men!" He spat back, "Suffer not the monster to live, you Shade birthed abomination."

You smack him again, more on principle this time than anything else.

"You seem pretty fixated on this monster stuff." You observe blandly, "And earlier you compared Priat to the royals. Who are you?"

"Get fucked."

"..." You sigh, "I'm trying to be courteous. We don't have to be enemies. Why are you supporting the Mayor? What good does revolting against the Valens do this town? They're the only thing keeping the royals out of it. Hell, why revolt against the Crown? You're just inviting subjugation."

"You think I care what some grass-roots patriot wants? He paid for help, he gets it. It's in the contract."

Ah... So he was just a mercenary? You frown at him, eyes narrowed in skepticism. "How does an Adept like you end up a mercenary...?"

"Like I'm going to tell something like you."

This wasn't getting anywhere... Everything you learned was just raising more questions, and the only answer he seemed willing to give was variations on 'screw off'. One last try, then. "How did you recognize Priat?"

"Who doesn't recognize that guy? You live in a cave the last ten years?"

You smack him again. It's becoming a little therapeutic to you.

>Offer to buy his contract. He's a mercenary, so he respects money, right?
>Just kill him, this is a waste of time.
>Have Kara cripple him and torture information out of him.
>Knock him out and drop him off and have someone from the Shrine pick him up later.
>Other? (write-in)

>>45134477
>Have Kara cripple him and torture information out of him.
Yay! torture

>>45134477
>Offer to buy his contract. He's a mercenary, so he respects money, right?
If he refuses.
>Have Kara cripple him and torture information out of him.

>>45134477
>Other? (write-in)

Yes. Pretty much. Surprise! Did you ever think the girl who just had to use terrifying magic for the first time in her life and whose only friend willing to help her out was a Testament and a priest who didn't actually help?

Did you think I WANTED to kill those men? But you're a mercenary and an assassin so I guess you're just projecting. After all, if it's so easy for you to call people monsters and justify killing them, it must be easy for other people to do so as well.

I can't believe you are trying to keep the moral high ground.

>Knock him out and drop him off and have someone from the Shrine pick him up later.

Tell him that you thought he might have been worth something, but he's just a blade without a sheath, a thug who got some power and you might be an abomination but at least you're better than that.

TL;DR I don't know why you guys think we have to be monstrous to attack someone's insecurities. It's a normal human thing to do, just think about any time you had a fight with your SO. You know the kind, where you say things to hurt the person.

>>45134527
We don't have any money. We could offer him his life I suppose.

>>45134477
. . . . Can I revisit our vote to meditate and go shade on this asshole? I would kind of like to ruin his pride here. Regret as well as insecurity if possible.

Prolly not Healthy for Irue though.

>>45134509
>>45134020
Anon, are you okay.
---
>>45134509
>>45134527
Information, whether he likes it or not.

>>45134527
Offer to buy his contract! ...Somehow.

>>45134631
Be mean to him verbally, then leave him to the Shrine.

>>45134678
Unfortunately, the moment for that has passed. Irue's lost the state of mind necessary for voluntarily inflicting emotional violation upon someone. It would have unlocked a neat level up for your Shade nature as well, which is kind of a shame.

>>45134737
Eh. But hey we aren't more monstrous and possibly messing Irue up as well.

>>45134737
>Anon, are you okay.
Just planning to topple the current monarchy and build an ideology that aims to further the development of the demihuman master race.

>>45134817
. . . . We met a demi human that isn't a sociopath and it's because she can't make decisions. She's a demipotato not a demihuman.

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>>45134840
Pic relates.

>>45134840
Exactly. Its a problem that needs to be solved. Possibly with Genetics and mass disterilization

>>45134850
The important thing is that she is OUR tater-wolf and we're keeping her.

>>45134737
. . . Writing?

"I don't suppose you would cooperate if I offered to buy your contract?"
"I don't work for monsters."

You idly scratched your cheek and stood up, straightening out your clothes silently as you looked yourself over. Your hair had rather violently unfurled itself from its previous braid, but a quick glance in one of the nearby windows confirmed that your signature crimson eyes were still gone. The Relic's disguise hadn't been broken, thankfully. It takes a minute or two of looking yourself over before you turn towards Kara and begin to straighten her clothes as well.

"'Rue...?"
"Hm?"
"S'everything okay?"
"Yeah."
"What are we gonna do with him?"
"Raise your arm?"
"Eh..?"

You finish straightening our Kara's outfit, much to her confusion. By the time you finished, you feel remarkably... Well, not calm, exactly, but detached. Whatever part of you that felt bad about this had been aptly left elsewhere. You briefly consider using the Relic to phase your braid back into existence, but you can't justify the risk of its existence getting out just for some minor aesthetics.

"Well, I guess we should get started." You turn back to the Wisp Adept with a thoughtful expression, meeting his stubborn glare with a tilted head that left your loose hair cascading off to the side. "What're we doin?"

"Well, we still need to know where Asche and Jill are." You think aloud, "Kara, can you hold his hand for a second? Thanks. Anyway, so that was the whole point of us coming out here in the first place. If we don't find out where they're holding them, it's just been a wasted trip."

"Yeah." Kara nods, "Don't we have that other guy, though?"
"Mm. But, you know. Waste not, want not." Kara's tail swishes back and forth absently as she looks at you. "It means why ask one person when we can ask two?"
"Oh!"
"Right, so, can you tell us where a girl dressed like a pub server, and a maid are being held?" You turn back to him, squatting down to pull your knees to your chest.

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"Give it up, freak. You may as well just kill me now."
"Hey Kara, can make that finger touch is wrist? Yeah, that one- No, the other way."
A brittle snap barely manage to make it off the porch, but the Wisp Adept refused to scream.

That was fine, though.
He had plenty more fingers before you needed to start getting creative.

"Those girls are more important to me than whether you think I'm a monster or not." You tell him calmly, "And if you don't answer me by the time we're done, then I promise that I'll pay for your healer out of my own pocket."

"Take your sympathy and shove it up your ass."

"Sympathy?" You sigh, setting your chin on your knees as you settle in for what you're feeling is going to be a long time. "No, I just planned on doing this again after you healed. So, do you know if there any other people like you working for the mayor?"

Another brittle snap could just barely be heard off of the porch a few moments later.
----
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Valen+Quest

And we are archived.

I'll lurk the thread for a bit to try and answer some questions if I can.

Apologies to all anons who participated in Valen Quest but died at their keyboards wondering when QM would finally stop.

To those who did not make it to the end, we will never forget your sacrifice.

We really don't fight a whole lot in Valen. Honestly I feel a bit out of practice writing that kind of thing. Any thoughts?

Hope everyone enjoyed it.

>>45135159
The violence was written nicely. Your a pretty good writer.

>>45135159
Thanks for running.

>>45135159
Do we get a bonus to using our Web now that we've practiced with it? How exactly does our character progression work, or are we going to rely more on fuzzy tactics to balance out power dynamics?

>>45135159
I liked it. Wish we didn't have to torture this guy, but fuck him. Goddamn racist assassin.

I mean, originally I thought "Oh hey, misled Paladin" or "Okay, maybe Patriot" but you've really given him no redeeming qualities.

Really kind of wish we'd gone with Shade Insecurity in hindsight but I feel like Irue is getting all wonky and that's somewhat inhibiting my desire to go spooky.

>>45135235
You've not practiced with it so much as obtained a traumatic crash course in its use. Continued use of it (and specific options) will make things come much easier to you, though. Using a specific option will get you more accustomed to its uses, thus lowering the difficulty in doing it.

After a certain point, the DC will just be removed entirely and it will be assumed you succeed. I'm typically not a fan of dice (though the players seem to like them?) So the backend system tries to utilize them either as little as possible, or in a manner that your results are more a sliding scale than Hard Success/Hard Failure.

For example, "Success but with Flaws."

As for character progression, you do have hard stats on a character sheet for the back-end system, but primarily you have "things your good at" and "things you have no damn clue about", and variance in between. Irue learns from mistakes, and learns even faster when the players get Forgetting options (or learn themselves! though this is easier said than done in a lot of cases).

tactics will always be generally appreciated, though. I like to think I'm encouraging of anons thinking of interesting or creative/pragmatic ways to deal with things!

>>45135344
He's got his own story to him, but he wasn't ever going to be friendly with you. You're his enemy, for one reason or the other. You just don't really understand why.

Calling you a monster is just a convenient truth insult for him, because after you devoured his Hadouken and then snapped back near instantly from a breakdown... You're basically a monster to him.

The Shade mindrape would have been interesting, but I'm glad to see anon has started kind of noticing Irue's state lately.

Irue hasn't even really talked any the last few threads, if anyone noticed that.

>>45135471
Yeah we should probably try to bring Irue out. We did kind of promise. Or the more human we become the less she exists?

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>>45135471
>Irue hasn't even really talked any the last few threads, if anyone noticed that.

>>45135615
I'd say it's something to chat with Mim or Marchovic about, but I doubt you'll have much time between now and the end of Act I to do that.

Unfortunately something bad related to this is approaching quickly.

>>45135688
Well. Can't really meta this . . . . Oh fuck our maid is going to be pissed. It's not really fair to us though. I mean, Irue summoned us, then bound us, then she wants to just peace out and leave us with her problems? Jeeze. Thanks Mom.

No bracelet feel this thread either.

>>45135980
This thread actually went a long way towards "helping" Irue, but probably in one of the most painful ways possible.

We'll see how it goes, but...
Asche is terrifying.

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>45136061
Well I could see how she would be more passive as she gets more isolated from her friends and angry about it. This Goddamn town, man. So some concrete progress finally is nice, kicking ass and taking names.

>>45136061
TX for running gnight