>>45698436

As she toils in the archives – you warned her about the thing you saw there, but she waved off your concerns – you're waiting for the Mentor to see you. In your lap, the book in question, an ancient thing written in a language far older than the paper its written on. The book is a curiosity, an anomaly, something that seems to exist in all the wrong ways. That, at least, is what your instincts are telling you.

You trust your instincts, but you trust the Mentor's advice just as much. That is why, as you're shown into the Mentor's chambers and sit at a low table, you push the book across to the old man. Waiting, not quite sure what to expect, he peers down and strokes the leather cover.

“This is old,” he muses, “And you brought it to me... because I am old as well?”

Well, you flounder for a moment, sort of. You figured he might be able to tell you something, anything, about the language used. As you explain, the Mentor lifts the cover of the book, peers into the first page and then lets the cover drop. It falls with a heavy, hollow thump.

“I can tell you nothing,” he says bluntly, “You are correct – I am old. Old enough to forget a lot of things, and to know what things are better left forgotten. Leave this alone, Ira, no good will come of digging any deeper.”

You are silent for a moment as you think his words over. Is that, you ask eventually, an order?

“A suggestion,” the Mentor replies immediately, “Given in good faith. You may decide your own path. Now, excuse me please – I believe we both have business elsewhere.”

Nodding cautiously, you rise and bow slightly before walking out.

>Give the book to Howa and see what she can translate
>Return the book to the archives. No good can come of this
>Stash the book in your room. You'll decide later
>Other

>>45698440
>>Give the book to Howa and see what she can translate

>>45698440
>>Give the book to Howa and see what she can translate
When has reading spooky ancient books ever been a bad idea?

>>45698440
waitwaitwaaaait. The Mentor's fine with the Banshee just....being there? Is that really a common thing to just shrug off? Some library....
>Read up on Banshee history, why they would even care about ancient stuff.

You respect the Mentor – in fact, you owe him a lot more than just respect. In this case, though, you're not about to back down. There's something significant here, some truth that needs to be uncovered. It might not make for a pleasant discovery, true, but you're not about to turn away from it because of that. It would be dishonest to ignore a harsh reality, just because it doesn't fit into your view of the world. So, pushing the Mentor's warning to the back of your mind, you return the book to Howa. If anyone can make something of it, it'll be her.

When you showed it to her before, a brief glimpse as you were taking it to the Mentor, she mentioned having several theories already. Enough, she claimed, to make a start on a kind of translation key. It's still early, true, but she might have had some success. At the archives – she has taken over her usual desk, piling it high with old tomes and scraps of parchment – you place the book in front of her hungry eyes.

“You're in luck,” Howa says, before you can ask her anything, “One of my hunches played out. This isn't a different language – a degraded one, yes, but not completely different. The characters used, on the other hand, suggest a cipher or code. This isn't as old as it looks, Ira, but someone wanted it to be mistaken for an ancient text. Easier to overlook one crumbling tome amongst many, after all.”

So, you ask as she begins comparing letters from the cover with some scrawls on a scroll of parchment, is there anything she can tell you about it?

“Patience, Ira,” she mutters, her finger flicking between the two sources, “I should... ah...”

What, you ask, what is it?

“The title,” Howa swallows nervously, “I think it says, “A guide on the history and methodology of the highest sacrifice”, or... something like that. Human sacrifice, Ira.”

[1/2]

File: Howa.png (763 KB, 650x885)

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>>45698728

Human sacrifice, you repeat, and she's sure about this?

“I wish I wasn't so sure,” she tells you quietly, “But this seems to be a guide to offering human sacrifices to our gods.”

Well, you say doubtfully, Sawmouth was demanding human blood in order to stop her animal attacks. It's not without precedent, but...

“No, look,” Howa flicks to the first page of the book and points to a name, written close the bottom of a terribly long list, “Selene, that's a familiar name don't you think? The “benevolent” mistress of the full moon. Here, let's see what it says...” Paper rustles as she opens the book to the new section, scanning it for a long moment. “If a priestess has lost her purity,” Howa quotes, “Bind her with rocks and cast her into a still lake, beneath the full moon. In this way, the goddess is avenged.”

The book closes with a heavy thump as Howa pushes it away from her in disgust. “These are our gods, Ira – just as cruel and bloodthirsty as any monster.”

>Gods change, Howa. Things are different now
>The Mentor didn't want us to see this. Now I understand why
>Forget you saw anything, Howa. We never speak of this again
>Other

>>45698776
>Point out our "vacation" and how Elpis and Melancholia was handled. This could easily be something along those lines.
but
>The Mentor didn't want us to see this. Now I understand why

>>45698776
>>The Mentor didn't want us to see this. Now I understand why

>>45698776
>And we exist to make sure they don't take that path. Slowly changing them, or quickly ending them. Nothing's changed.
>The Mentor probably didn't want us to know because bitterness shows, but the task remains.

>>45698776
>Gods change, Howa. Things are different now

File: Unknown Entity.jpg (23 KB, 320x449)

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This... makes a certain degree of sense, you realise slowly. It's like she said, gods can be born from both dreams and nightmares. You've seen something like this before, you explain, down in Solitude. The god there had been corrupted, tainted by despair and turned into something twisted. True, Melancholia wasn't exactly “malevolent”, but she was still a problem – a curse upon her worshippers. Yet, you were able to change her back into her original form of Elpis, the goddess of hope.

Gods change, you tell Howa, things have changed since that book was created. It's your job to make sure that the gods don't change back to their savage forms – or to put them down if they cannot be saved. Still, you admit, you can very well understand why the Mentor didn't want you to see this. There's a certain bitterness that comes with knowing the truth, a resentment that you serve gods that once bathed in human blood. If the Emperor learned of this, spreading this version of history amongst the people...

“Gods,” Howa breathes, “We'd look like monsters by association alone. We've already got enemies, but...” Pausing, she runs her hand across the cover of the book, “Ira, can you remember what page that... creature was reading? Roughly, I mean.”

Frowning, you take the book and examine it carefully. It was roughly in the middle, you explain, almost exactly so in fact. Trusting your instincts, you open the book and leaf through the pages until a gasp of sudden disgust escapes you. A lurid drawing of the banshee you saw, the mutilated face especially, is inked onto the page. That's it, you tell Howa, that's what you saw!

“I see,” Howa takes the book back gingerly, “Give me a moment, I'll see what I can translate.”

You're not sure, frankly, that you want to know.

[1/2]

>>45698979

Pacing back and forth, you wait for Howa to announce her progress. Occasionally, she groans or covers up a disgusted sigh, but mostly she remains silent. When she finally calls you over, her face is grim.

“Lead the chosen youth up the mountain,” she quotes without introduction, “And scar their face. Blinded and deformed, allow their blood to wash the altar stone. Only then can the armies of the faithful march to war.”

That sounds like what you saw, you agree, but what god does that relate to? No, you add before Howa can tell you, you don't need her to tell you. That mention of a mountain...

“Titanos,” Howa confirms sadly, “The very same god that seems to be acting up. Something bad is going on at the central mountains. I know it's tradition to sacrifice a goat, but a human? No, I've never heard of anything like this. It must be a mistake, or some kind of... evil attempt at tradition. See this - “only then can the armies of the faithful march to war”. Titanos has been known as a war god in the past, but...” Shaking her head sadly, Howa closes the book and pushes it away from her.

You've never seen her looking so defeated.

>I'm going to fix this. I'll talk to Garl, the priest of Titanos
>The Mentor must have known about this. I need to see him
>I don't know what to do. I need a moment alone
>Other

>>45699072
>The Mentor must have known about this. I need to see him
I think I know what has been happening to our apprentices.....

>>45699072
>If Titanos' people want to overthrow the Emperor...
>I'm going to fix this. I'll talk to Garl, the priest of Titanos
>I might need some backup, though.

>>45699072
>The Mentor must have known about this. I need to see him
Hug the sad howa

>>45699072
>>I'm going to fix this. I'll talk to Garl, the priest of Titanos
>>The Mentor must have known about this. I need to see him
We can speak to the mentor while we're here but we need to investigate Garl as soon as possible.

If Titanos' people want to overthrow the Emperor, you think aloud, then this is serious. You're going to need to speak with Garl, the local priest to Titanos and see if he's responsible. Before that, though, you need to see just how deep this goes. The Mentor must have known about this, but how much does he know? He had enough of an idea to warn you about digging, does that mean he knew what was waiting here?

“I don't know,” Howa murmurs – one of the rare times she's admitted that, “I just...”

Don't worry, you say vaguely as you pat her on the shoulder, you'll get to the bottom of this.

“I know you will,” the woman's voice is hollow, “I'm just worried about what you'll find there. All my life, Ira, I thought we were doing good. Maybe the Emperor is right...”

Don't worry, you repeat, you're going to see what the Mentor has to say. Privately – Howa doesn't need your theories dragging her down even more – you wonder if the missing apprentices are involved in this. It's looking increasingly likely. Without another word – what can you say, at a moment like this? - you turn and retreat from the archives, hurrying all the way to the Mentor's chambers. You don't even wait to be shown in, marching past the front desk without slowing your pace. It's only a deeply engrained respect that causes you to stop a distance from the Mentor, dipping your head in the barest minimum of a bow.

“You were warned,” the Mentor says sadly, “And now you know. Tell me, Ira, do you feel better knowing some of the secrets that history hides? Or perhaps you understand why I said some things were better off forgotten.”

>Just tell me we're not responsible for any of this. Please
>I don't care about history. I think our missing apprentices are involved in this
>You need to tell everyone about this. We all deserve the truth
>Other

>>45699311
>I don't care about history. I think our missing apprentices are involved in this

>>45699311
>>I don't care about history. I think our missing apprentices are involved in this
>>Just tell me we're not responsible for any of this. Please
Someone might be killing them and it better not be us.

>>45699311
>>I don't care about history. I think our missing apprentices are involved in this
>And if they aren't, I will bear the burden of knowing. I'm good enough for that, right?

You don't really care about history right now, you tell the Mentor with an impressive degree of restraint, you're more concerned about the missing apprentices. They might be involved in all of this, you explain, someone might be using them as sacrifices. It all fits, even the spirit you saw in the archives was the right age for-

“The spirit?” the Mentor says softly, “This wasn't something you mentioned earlier.”

No, you realise, it wasn't. You brought the book to the Mentor, but you omitted any mention of how you found it. Thinking back, you're not sure why you did it – he might not have taken you seriously if you claimed to have seen a ghost, but that's the worst you can think of. Why, then, did you unconsciously edit your story? Sighing – it's too late to be keeping secrets now – you explain what you saw. An apparition of a young teen, their face mutilated beyond recognition. It led you to this book, and this awful situation.

“I see,” the Mentor falls silent as he thinks, “Then perhaps you were meant to see this, perhaps you were led to it for a reason. And the fact that it appeared as an apprentice... You may be right, Ira, the missing children may be victims in some larger scheme. I can only ask that you investigate this when you visit Garl Yamada. If he IS involved, the problem is larger than I first thought.”

Then you'll leave at once, you say woodenly, just one last question. The Nameless Temple isn't responsible for any of this, you ask, is it?

“Not for these recent events,” the ancient teacher whispers, “But our history is not without dark stains. Can you bear that knowledge, Ira, and still perform your duties?”

You can bear this burden, you say with a firm nod, it's what you're good at. You'll leave at once.

[1/2]

File: Garl.jpg (121 KB, 600x800)

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>>45699550

Rain splatters against your heavy coat as you ride into town, running in dismal streams from the brim of your hat. The weather was already bad when you left the Nameless Temple several hours ago, and it only got worse as you rode deeper into the maelstrom. Puddles of murky water line the road, and not a single other soul can be seen in the streets. Guiding your horse into the welcome shelter of a stable, you dismount and force back a cold shiver. It might have been a nice town, this, in a better time. Now, it reminds you of a drowned corpse.

Many of the buildings are ruined, shattered by rocks that have fallen from the mountains above. There must have been a tremendous avalanche recently, and the area is still recovering from the damage. Foothills, that's what they call this town – a plain, simple name. Looking up at the towering mountains that cast the area into shadow – if the sun hadn't been hidden behind thick cloud, that is – you can see why they chose the name. Pulling your coat a little tighter, you search out the largest intact building, bright lights burning from within, and hurry inside.

The temple, more of a village hall really, is filled with desperate looking people taking shelter from the endless storm. The bedrolls lining one wall suggests that this is their home now, until their own dwellings can be repaired. Looking past the ragged crowds, you spy Garl Yamada – familiar after all these years – sitting by a roaring fire.

Marching towards him, he turns to glare at you. “Ira Furyo,” he declares, “Still as foul tempered as ever, I see.”

>Tell me what's going on. Omit nothing
>Titanos calls for a sacrifice, doesn't he? A goat?
>What can you tell me about the Wanderer that came before me?
>Other

>>45699731
>>Tell me what's going on. Omit nothing
>What can you tell me about the Wanderer that came before me?

>>45699731
>Tell me what's going on. Omit nothing

>>45699731
>Greet him, it'll do no good if Titanos watches us disrespect his priest

>Tell me what's going on. Omit nothing, not the past, and not the potential future.

You want him to tell you what's going on, but at the same time you know that such a blunt opening would do you little good. Even if Titanos himself can't see you interrogating his priest, Garl himself is likely to smack you over the head, no matter how old he might be. Forcing yourself to remain calm, you greet him formally, bowing your head.

“Hah, you remember me too well,” Garl laughs, “Still got that scar, I see. Well, Ira Furyo, I greet you in return. I'd ask why you're here, but that would be a foolish question, wouldn't it? We both know why you're here – the old man up there, up on the mountain, is lashing out. You're here to settle him down again.”

That's right, you nod, and you'd like him to tell you what's going on. Leave nothing out, you add, not the past and definitely not the potential future. If this is all leading somewhere, you want to know what to expect.

“Where to start, then...” Garl lifts a hand – stiff and pained, wound with bandages – and scratches awkwardly at his beard, “When the weather first started to turn, I knew what was wrong straight away. So, I bartered with one of the hillfolk for a goat and prepared to make the trip – a long, awful journey I should add – up the mountain. I was about halfway up when the ground beneath my feet began to shake and crack. The mountain itself was shuddering, casting me away. I fell, the gods only know how far, and broke both my leg and my wrist. I got off lightly, considering. Now though, I can't bring Titanos the offering he demands. I sent for help, and that's when your colleague arrived.”

Yes, the other Wanderer. What, you ask, can he tell you about them?

“Huh!” Garl sniffs dismissively, “Pretty poor job they've done. Things have only got worse since I sent that bastard up the mountain. I'm starting to think he died up there.”

>>45699953

Died, you ask slowly, why?

“Because he's not come bloody down again!” Garl shouts, drawing a few stares from around you, “And I'm in no shape to haul a bloody corpse down off the mountain, not in my condition. You know as well as I do that leaving a body on sacred ground is a bad omen.”

Very true, you agree, and the Wanderer was alone? No apprentice with him?

“Right. Good thing too, I reckon, or you'd have two bodies to drag down,” Garl frowns hard at you, “Standards have slipped since my time, boy. Anyway, you wanted to know about the past? I don't know why, but I'll give you the gist of what I know. Titanos has always watched over these mountains, and the whole land from his lofty throne. He's a defender of this land, and all the people in it. Legend says that he had a mighty fortress here once, a gathering place for faithful warriors. Bah – some of the people around here won't listen for a moment if you don't throw in a bloody good story!”

And the future, you say patiently, what happens if you don't get the offering up to Titanos?

“Well, he won't be happy!” Garl snarls, “Storms, flooding, whatever you like. We won't be smiling much when the Dragon River bursts its banks and drowns half the faithful, will we?”

Garl, as you expected, is belligerent and moody, but nothing about his manner suggests involvement in any kind of conspiracy. It could be that there are other forces at work here, sneaking about beneath his notice. Either that, or he's a better actor than you thought.

“I've managed to wrangle up another goat,” Garl announces suddenly, “It's drugged and bound, so you won't have any trouble dragging it around. Just treat it like a sack of grain. Now get moving, go!”

>Fine. I'll get going
>You've never heard anything about human sacrifice, have you?
>I had a question for you (Write in)
>Other

>>45700042
>Fine. I'll get going
Keep an eye out for the mountain shifting.

>>45700042
>>I had a question for you (Write in)
>Did the Wanderer have a steel ring, perhaps?
>>Other
>Tell him someone might be trying to bring back an older facet of Titanos

>>45700042
>Fine. I'll get going

>>45700042
>>Fine. I'll get going
No point wasting any time.
>>45700090
But go with this as well.

Mandy a best

This Wanderer, you ask, did he happen to be wearing a steel ring?

“Is that the fashion these days?” Garl grunts bitterly, “No, his hands were bare. Not a single bit of jewellery or decoration. Why, is there someone you know marching about with useless bits of metal adorning their little fingers?”

Maybe, you reply vaguely, but you're still trying to piece things together. In either case, you add in an attempt to change the subject, you have something of a warning for him. You believe that there may be an attempt to disrupt Titanos and his power, potentially replacing the deity with an older and more barbaric facet. That might be linked with the disturbing weather, you explain.

“Hmm,” Garl ponders this, giving it more thought than you expected, “You might be onto something there, boy. Ever since that Wanderer went up to try and sort this out, the mood around here has changed. Folks here, you might have seen, are desperate.” Looking around at them, Garl lowers his voice. “Desperate, and they're getting angry. I've heard talk that the Emperor is to blame for this, him and his damn railroad. Or folks are just angry that the Emperor hasn't sent any help – no relief, no soldiers to fix the buildings up, nothing. People are just angry on all counts.”

In other words, you think, someone has been stirring up trouble – and doing a damn good job of doing it. Alright, you announce, it's time you got going. You'll think better once you're out there, walking alone. Don't worry, you promise as you're leaving, you'll keep an eye out for the mountain shifting.

“Cocky bastard,” Garl sneers, “The goat is at the stables. Just tell them I sent you.”

[1/2]

>>45700236

With the beast slung over your shoulders – it stinks, but at least it's been drugged into a stupor – you take the first of many steps up the mountain path. The entire route is covered in a layer of slick mud and running water, but the stone beneath is firm and unyielding. Worn smooth by generations of the most devoted pilgrim, perhaps, but it's not moving beneath your feet. Squaring your shoulders and ignoring the weather as best you can, you focus on putting one foot in front of another. That's all you need to do.

Garl mentioned hillfolk, but you don't see anyone else on the mountain. They might have shelters somewhere, caves to hide in while the god above is letting the worst of his temper out. You keep an eye out for them – for anyone, in fact – as you're stomping through the mud and filth but your search is a fruitless one. Fine, you decide petulantly, at least that means no attackers or bandits. Fighting with a goat over your shoulders doesn't sound particularly easy or fun. At least with its legs tied and its system pumped full of some nameless drug, it won't be able to run away as soon as you let go of it. Treat it like a sack of grain, you remind yourself.

A sack of grain, unfortunately, that attracts the wrong kind of company. Wolves, their howls echoing throughout the mountain pass. They don't seem to be attacking yet, but they follow in your footsteps. You can only imagine the useful advice Koa would have for you, had the boy been here – a warning, perhaps, that wolves hunt in packs? As if you didn't know that already.

Lightning flashes above you, illuminating a particularly large specimen high up on a ridge. It's been tracking you for a while, waiting to see if you'll tire. Also visible in that brief flash is a cave – shelter.

>Proceed on
>Take shelter and rest a while
>Other

>>45700407
>Take shelter and rest a while

>>45700407
>Take shelter and rest a while
Don't sleep, keep vigil until we get a decent rest. Then move on.

>>45700407
>>Take shelter and rest a while
See if we can get a fire going.

Rest, you think to yourself, you need to rest a while. If you can get a fire going, the wolves should stay clear of the cave while you're getting your energy back. Sleeping would be foolish, a pure mistake, but you can sit a while and keep watch. With that thought in mind, you shift your animal burden a little and hurry into the cave. At the threshold, you pause – this is no natural cave formation. Worn and crumbling with age, the entrance is flanked by a pair of eroded pillars.

Slowing your pace, you enter the cave – or whatever you want to call it – and sit down facing the entrance. You light your lantern and place it upon the floor, warming your hands on it as you look around for anything that might serve as tinder. No wood in sight, unfortunately, but something else catches your eye. Carvings upon the walls, you realise as you shuffle over to take a closer look. A column of crude images – old enough to have been made before words and letters – they seem to depict two races of people, and the god that towers over both. There are the meek, bowing before their god, and the strong, fighting against the deity.

No, you correct yourself, the strong were fighting to rule over the meek men. Only the intervention of the goat-headed god was enough to drive them back. In the end, at the bottom of the narrative, only the meek remain, protected by their lord. Could it depict Titanos, in his role as a protector deity?

But that's not the only way you can interpret the images, you realise as you look over them once more. Could it be, you consider, that the strong men sought to liberate the meek from the tyranny of an oppressive god? In the end, only the meek are allowed to survive – Titanos the conqueror, this time.

Strange, you murmur as you return to the lantern, strange indeed.

[1/2]

>>45700681

You rest a while longer, looking out into the dark and churning air for any sign of attackers. When you feel ready to face the weather once more, you fix your lantern to your belt and pick up the stunned goat. Still, the beast offers only the most token form of resistance. What did they give this thing, you think to yourself, and where can you get some of it?

After a few steps out into the open ground, you realise that the prowling wolves have given up, slinking away to seek easier prey somewhere else. Good, you think, that's one less thing to deal with. Without needing to scan the horizon for predators every few minutes, you are able to sink into a deep trance as you walk, focussing on your inner thoughts and theories. Everywhere you look, these days, you see a duality of form – from Melancholia and Elpis to both visions of Titanos. Was the world always like this, you wonder, and you just never realised until now? Or perhaps something has changed – Emperor Tatsuhiro and his damn railroad, you assume, dividing Tenngaru in two.

Frowning at the sheer arrogance behind the boy's plans, you barely notice the ground evening out beneath your feet until you stumble and slip in the mud. You're here – the summit. Looking up, you let your gaze wander across the true temple. An ancient building, crafted in a style rarely seen elsewhere in Tenngaru. Then, as you approach, you see something more modern – a bullet hole, punched deep into one column.

There was violence here.

>Enter the temple
>Search for any other evidence that might remain
>Other

>>45700781
>Search for any other evidence that might remain
Gotta investigate.

>>45700781
>Search for any other evidence that might remain

>>45700781
>>Search for any other evidence that might remain
Don't know what we'll find out here with all this rain but it's worth a shot.

Heaving the goat down from your shoulders and leaving it in the temple entrance, you go back to take another look at that bullet hole. It's smaller than it should be, you realise, as if the attacker was firing a rifle meant for hunting vermin. Frowning, you turn and scan the area – considering the rough weather, there might not be much evidence left behind, but it's worth examining the scene regardless. Even a small clue might be important down the line.

There's no sign of any spent casing, you soon learn as you peer out across the rain beaten ground, although a small sliver of metal could have easily been taken away by the wind or covered up by mud. No signs of blood anywhere – again, unsurprising considering the pounding raid – but-

Before you can finish that thought, the ground shudders beneath your feet, groaning and rumbling as a cascade of loose pebbles fall from the temple roof. The air is filled with a grinding roar as a new flurry of stone breaks free and tumbles from the side of the mountain. Scrabbling to your feet, you hurry across to the source of that sound and throw a quick glance down – the avalanche has fallen away from the town, all the rubble emerging into empty fields and broken forests. A small mercy, at least. As you're returning to the temple, there is another sound, a softer mirror of that groaning.

This isn't stone falling. This is the sound of a beast, hungry for blood, growling into the wind. At first, you look around for wolves, but then you realise that the sound came from within the temple. Drawing your sword, you shake out the stiffness from your arms and take the first step into the gloomy temple.

You see the altar ahead of you – and the broken human body draped across it. Then the growl sounds again, louder this time and closer.

[1/2]

File: Titanos.jpg (108 KB, 743x1076)

108 KB JPG

Rolled 29 (1d100)

>>45701041

Like an oily liquid shadow, the thing that rises up from behind the altar does so silently – silent, save for that bestial growl. Like the crude inscription you saw in the cave, but dragged into an unwelcoming reality, the creature before you has the head of a hideous goat, the eyes – too many eyes, you think absently, for any one creature – glowing a ruddy red. Clumps of ragged hair cling to the thing, while thick bone armours it. The smell in the room changes, from dank stone to blood and raw fury, tinged with the burned air smell of lightning.

This thing should have been Titanos, the old man of the mountain. Instead, you are greeted by the kind of beast better suited to stalking a hellish maze. The human sacrifice, you realise with dismay, has called up a darker, more primal god.

It doesn't talk – it doesn't need to. There's nothing for either of you to say.

>Please roll 1D100 to attack, aiming to beat 60, 70 or 90. I'll take the highest of the first three. Please include any spells you wish to use when rolling, as well
>Rolling for Titanos' attack, aiming to beat 50, 60 or 80. I'll only roll this one once.

Rolled 25 (1d100)

>>45701137
Capra Demon! Look out for two dogs and confined rooms!

Spell: Sublime Strike

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>45701137
RIP

AND

TEAR

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>45701137
DIE MONSTER, YOU DON'T MONSTER YOU DON'T BELONG IN THIS WORLD.

Hmm I guess don't do Sublime Strike since it won't matter.

Titanos and Ira are both just flailing around/

Rolled 85 (1d100)

It shouldn't be so deathly silent, you think with dismay as Titanos charges towards you, not when its cloven hooves pound so heavily upon the cracked tiles. Every step it makes causes the mountain to tremble, but those distant murmurs and rumbles are the only sounds it makes. It's a terrible thing to behold, and you're so frozen in place for a moment that you can barely think straight. Only when the great fist lashes out do your instincts take over, sending you into a frantic scurrying dodge.

Wind whistles above your head as you duck around the altar, using the bloodied stone for cover. It's a cheap tactic, one that lets you slip through the beast's fingers, but it offers no chance for a counter attack. Titanos overshoots, his momentum carrying him a few paces forwards before he can wrench his body around to face you once more. His charge has terrible power, you notice, but it's graceless. You should be able to dodge it easily enough – you feel suddenly glad for the rest you took on the way here.

You can't spend too long savouring the moment though, as Titanos wheels around and launches into a fresh attack.

>Please roll another 1D100, still aiming to beat 60, 70 or 90. Again, highest of the first three
>Rolling for Titanos' attack, still aiming to beat 50, 60 or 80.

Rolled 78 (1d100)

>>45701291
Ouch. Skin of Porcelain

Rolled 71 (1d100)

>>45701291

Rolled 91 (1d100)

>>45701291
Yeah Skin of Porcelain. Mitigate his top tier damage and do the most amount of damage back at him.

You've got an idea.

That bone crest on his chest looks difficult to pierce, but if you can use his own momentum against him, you might just be able to punch right through it. Taking your sword in both hands, you duck low and dart in with the blade held before you like a lance. Titanos charges at you, his feet – still silent, damn him! - kicking up puddles of rain from where the room has leaked. Too late, you realise that you won't have a chance to dodge out of the way once your attack has hit home. Damage control time.

As you thrust forwards with your blade, the steel like an extension of your own arm, you allow the Doll's memory to invigorate you. As her nameless accent drifts through your mind, murmuring faint words of comfort, your skin hardens into a layer of armour. Even as the magic takes effect, you plunge your sword deep into Titanos' guts, the weapon piercing his armour in an instant. It worked, you nearly shout, just before the meaty fist catches you. It slams right into you, shattering your armour in an instant and hurling you back against the temple wall.

>Ira takes 40 damage, reduced to 20 by Skin of Porcelain!

Slamming into the stone, you drop breathlessly to the ground. As you struggle to rise, you watch Titanos floundering, the blade in his chest causing him to drop like a stone. Before you can celebrate, new strength floods into his limbs and he rises, animated by some terrible force. Stunned for a moment as he tries to pull your sword free, you've got a brief window to do... what?

>Press the attack. Shoot him
>You've got a better plan... (Write in)

>>45701519
>>Press the attack. Shoot him
LIGHT HIM UP.

>>45701519
>>Press the attack. Shoot him
Use Mandy's Heal as well for the shot as well.

>>45701519
>Press the attack. Shoot him
Can we use sublime strike with a gun somehow too?

>Majority opinion seems to be shooting him. Can I get a 1D100, in that case, aiming to beat 50, 60 or 80. Again, note any spells you'd like to use.
>Titanos is stunned, so this is a free shot.

>>45701615

>You can use Sublime Strike with ranged attacks, yes.

Rolled 49 (1d100)

>>45701660

Rolled 96 (1d100)

>>45701660
Mandy's Heal.

We restore some of the health lost and get a +10 hit bonus.

Rolled 70 (1d100)

>>45701660
Gift of the Soil

This time, it is Mandragora's face that fills your mind as you channel her magical gift. Drawing strength from the primal earth, you rise easily to your feet and sweep your gun out of your holster. As Titanos finally pulls your sword from his chest, a burst of black ichor flooding out in the process, he finally makes a noise himself – a terrible howl, infused with a deadly lust for blood and violence. His eyes fall upon you, marking you out, somehow, as his prey. Under that withering gaze, your resolve wavers for a moment.

Then you shoot that bastard right between the eyes.

It's a good hit, one of the best shots you've ever taken in such hasty conditions, and the dense slug blows a great hole in the god's face, an even greater hole exploding out the back of his skull. The gout of liquid that comes this time is thicker, clinging like pools of shadow to whatever it falls upon. Moaning softly, Titanos stumbles and falls down to one knee, bowed and broken. Then, before your disbelieving eyes, the hole you just drilled in his forehead begins to close. Some magic is keeping him alive, no matter what terrible punishment you dish out.

Upon the altar, a tainted red light seems to seep from the grisly remains of the human sacrifice. In the distance, coming from the temple doorway, you hear a goat bleat helplessly.

>Take your sword and decapitate him. He can't heal that
>It's time to try something different... (Write in)

>>45701843
>It's time to try something different... (Write in)
Push the human sacrifice off the altar. Then kill the goat on the altar. While uh...trying not to die.

Maybe use the 'Gap Closer' spell to get the goat from the doorway to the altar fast.

>>45701843
Take the human sacrifice off the altar and sacrifice the goat on it. Use toward the great land to do it as quickly as possible

>>45701843
>It's time to try something different... (Write in)
Remove the human corpse from the altar and sacrifice the goat

Rolled 70 (1d100)

>Seems like we're performing a sacrifice of our own. I'm writing the post now.
>Also, I'm rolling a D100, aiming to beat 50, 60 or 80. Just need to check something

>>45702195
This'll sting a bit.

I'm thinking we should have used that energy sense spell earlier

As you see that sickly red light coiling up from the pool of human blood, an idea forms in your mind. It doesn't take much to put two and two together from that point, and the rest of the pieces fall neatly into place. Sorry, you mutter as you hastily drag the corpse from the altar and cast it aside. You'd rather treat the body with the respect it deserves – you really would – but this is no time to be polite. When the body falls, tumbling free from the altar, a deep groan of pain escapes Titanos, staggering him as he is rising once more. The red light flickers in his eyes for a moment, but remains strong.

Fixing your sight upon the doorway, you let magic rush into your feet and speed you along, swiping up the bleating, startled goat. With the new sacrifice thrown over one shoulder – now you just need to get it to the altar and spill a little more blood – you turn and start to hurry towards the altar. Then you falter as Titanos growls, the sound low and sinister. Building around one of his fists is a spear of flickering lightning.

In the fraction of a second that follows, you run the calculations in your head. He'll get one shot off, one lashing tongue of divine lightning. Assuming you survive that – how bad can it be? - you should be able to reach the altar with the sacrifice. As Titanos prepares to throw his lightning, you sprint towards the altar.

You almost make it. Small comfort.

When you're almost within arm's reach of the bloodied stone, the bolt of burning magic slams into your side and knocks you sprawling. Convulsions grip your body as the painful attack courses through you. You drop the sacrificial animal, the beast howling with fear, as you thrash on the ground. A deep laugh escapes Titanos as he stomps towards you.

You're not finished yet.

[1/2]

>>45702324
Still on cooldown. We haven't rested.

>>45702349

>Mortal wound sustained – Maximum health permanently reduced to 90.

Hissing a low breath out throw gritted teeth, you grab the goat around the throat and drag the two of you the remaining distance. Trying to ignore the sight of your flesh smoking and the vile, burnt smell that has filled the air, you grunt out in pain as you heave the goat up onto the altar. The ground trembles at Titanos stands over you, his terrible beast smell almost overpowering the odour of your own cooked flesh. As he reaches down to claim you, one last desperate burst of energy allows you to drag your sword from the sheathe and plunge it down into the wailing animal.

Silence, then, as sudden as anything you could have expected. Titanos freezes, the killing light vanishing from his eyes and leaving him frozen, as inanimate as a statue. Slowly, then, a cool blue light enters those four eyes of his. The beast has fled – and the old man of the mountain has returned.

“Mortal,” he rumbles slowly, “I had the most terrible dream. I was glutted with blood, and a terrible rage fell across my eyes. You have lifted my affliction, have you not?”

Yeah, you gasp as you touch the blackened, blasted wound in your side, you did.

“Then I must thank you,” the god intones, “Take this blessing – that it might smite your enemies in the days ahead.” Clenching his fist for a moment, Titanos offers his unfolding hand to you, a small skull of glowing white light hovering in the palm.

>New spell card gained:
>[Titanos] Wrath of the Gods
>“Wherever my eye falls, men shall know fear. Fall upon them, Wanderer, like a mighty avalanche!”
>Until the end of the current combat, consecutive attacks against the same target gain a cumulative +5 modifier. This has a maximum modifier of +30

[2/3]

>>45702455
Damn, that is a badass spell.

>>45702455

Dragging yourself to your feet – you need to lean against the vile altar just to stand, for the first few moments at least – you shake the pain from your mind as best as possible and look around. The dead Wanderer lies at your feet, crumbled and discarded, and the sound of rain has faded to a faint tapping. The storms, it seems, have settled. Having given you his thanks, Titanos stomps away from you and takes his place behind the altar, kneeling down and allowing his eyes to fade until only the slightest glow can be seen. He's resting, as you wish you could.

Duty calls, though – and a grim duty it is.

>Ask Titanos a question (Write in)
>Examine the dead Wanderer
>Take the body down from the mountain
>Other

>>45702539
>>Examine the dead Wanderer
>>Take the body down from the mountain

>>45702539
>Ask Titanos a question (Write in)
>Examine the dead Wanderer
Do you know who killed this Wanderer, or the circumstances of his death?

>>45702539
>Ask Titanos a question (Write in)
What really happened between you, the meek people, and the strong?
>Examine the dead Wanderer

>>45702539
>>Ask Titanos a question (Write in)
What happened here?
>>Examine the dead Wanderer

You saw a carving, you mention as you're picking bits of scorched leather out of your newest scar, down in a cave. Meek men bowing down before Titanos, and strong men being vanquished for defying him. What really happened, you ask, between the god and these warring people?

“It was a long time ago,” Titanos rumbles, the voice coming more from the temple itself than from the statue, “The people of this mountain were being preyed upon by outsiders, and they pleaded for my protection. As more and more blood was spilled, I felt myself... fall into anger. A deep and terrible rage that could not be controlled. Human, what I tell you now – I have told no man before. Only my gratitude towards you compels me to reveal this secret history.”

Okay, you say as your interest mounts, you're listening.

“In my anger, I fell upon the first men I found – those who had lived upon this mountain. I crushed and I burned, spilling my wrath upon them until none survived. None that I know of. When they beheld my rage, the invaders threw down their weapons and bowed before me. Even now, their ancestors bow down and offer animals as sacrifice.”

So, you think to yourself, the carving wasn't quite right. The strong became the meek, and the first meek men – the mountain dwellers – were wiped out. But then, who lives upon the mountain now? Scattered remains, perhaps, or a whole new community of people – pilgrims, seeking proximity to the god of the mountain, say?

It doesn't matter now, you decide as you kneel down next to the slain Wanderer, you've got more important matters. Can Titanos tell you what happened here?

“A crime,” the god rumbles simply, before settling down to explain.

[1/2]

>>45702798

“He came to offer the proper sacrifice – a beast, so that my animal rage would stay slain and silent,” Titanos begins, “He stood there, in the doorway, and then there was the rumble of man made thunder. That same weapon you carry... no, not the exact same.”

Your pistol, you ask, the attacker used a kind of pistol? That fits, more or less, with the bullet hole you saw. Thinking to yourself, you roll over the body and examine it, grimacing as you look at the mutilated face. Cut up, just like the book of sacrifice dictated. Was there someone else drawing inspiration from the same book, maybe even the same copy you read? Either way, you let the body slump back down onto its front and study the wounds on its back. A cluster of three small bullet wounds, all within a tight radius. Were there three attackers, all shooting at once?

“He fell in the entrance, gravely wounded,” Titanos continues, “His killer, swathed in thick robes, dragged him to the altar and, with a knife...”

Slit his throat, you finish as you peer down at the wide smile carved into the neck, you could have guessed that. With all the blood spilled, there wasn't many other wounds that would have done it. So that's it, you ask, is it?

“He offered sacrifice,” Titanos confirmed, “And left. From there, everything is as if seen through a film of blood and fury. That is all I can tell you, human.”

Great, you mutter as you struggle to hoist the body onto your shoulders, you were hoping there would be more to learn. You've solved the incident, but all you're left with are fresh questions. Fresh questions, you correct yourself, and a long walk down the mountain.

[2/3]

>>45702978

After a long walk, several painful slips and a fall that will almost certainly leave an impressive bruise around your ankle, you make it into the town of Foothills. The place doesn't look any better by the light of day, with the various murky puddles giving the streets a swampy look. You draw a few curious stares as you come staggering into town with a body slung over your shoulders, the watching townspeople glancing away quickly and making the appropriate gestures of protection. Even here, superstition holds strong.

“Well,” Garl says, lurching out from his temple and leaning his weight on a thick cane, “He died, then.”

He died, you confirm, but you were able to settle the matter.

“That's something,” Garl's voice softens slightly, “Leave him with us. We can give him a decent burial, don't you worry about that. You just get yourself back to the temple – you look terrible.”

You feel terrible. Turning to leave, you pause and glance back to Garl.

>Good luck with rebuilding. I'm leaving
>I heard a strange thing, actually, about these hillfolk. They were supposed to have been wiped out
>Are you sure you told me everything you know?
>Other

>>45703145
>>I heard a strange thing, actually, about these hillfolk. They were supposed to have been wiped out
>>Are you sure you told me everything you know?
>Did you see a man in thick robes?

>>45703145
>I heard a strange thing, actually, about these hillfolk. They were supposed to have been wiped out
>Are you sure you told me everything you know?
I'm thinking he might have done it himself. He had knowledge of the ritual and might have been hurt as he was returning to the village after he drove the god mad with the human sacrifice.

>>45703145
>>I heard a strange thing, actually, about these hillfolk. They were supposed to have been wiped out

>>45703237
...maybe if he's been lying to us from the start. I doubt it though.

You heard something strange, you mention to Garl, now that you think about it. He mentioned bartering for a goat with the hillfolk, but you heard that they were all supposed to have been wiped out. Something isn't quite right here.

“Wiped out?” Garl frowns, long and hard, “There must be some mistake, you can find them yourself if you like. Queer folk, and no mistake, but they're flesh and blood like anyone else. Wild folks, really – they rear goats up on the hills and give them out to anyone willing to barter. They don't take coin though, they ask for practical things. Worked steel, mostly, like blades. Never bullets or rifles, I don't think they understand those things. Listen,” a note of warning enters Garl's voice here, “What are you getting at?”

Nothing, you reply calmly, you were just curious. He's definitely told you everything that he knows about this affair, then?

“Everything I know,” Garl tells you evenly, looking you in the eye, “I've told you. I've got more stake in keeping this place safe than anyone else, and I'll thank you not to forget it.”

Then you'll take your leave, you tell him, good luck with the rebuilding. As you're getting ready to mount your horse, though, a voice rings out.

“Yamada, you need to see this!” an excited voice cries, soon followed by a youngster running into the town, “You need to come and see this!”

“I can't go anywhere,” Garl curses, “Speak up, boy, what have you found?”

“Where the rocks fell from the side of the cliffs,” the boys explains quickly, “They were covering something up, sir, there were buildings beneath there. Buildings within the mountain!”

Both you and Garl freeze, trading confused glances. You'll go and check it out, you announce quickly.

[1/2]

Here's my theory, a group of former wanderers found out about about the shady past of the nameless temple and the gods in general and are working, possibly with the emperors support, to turn the people against the gods/eradicate them. They might be stealing away impressionable apprentices and telling them the truth to get them on their side.

>>45703545

With the boy leading you out of town, you follow him down a muddy path and around the foot of the hills. He chatters excitedly as he runs, talking about any nonsense subject that crosses his mind. Tuning most of his noise out, you think back over what Garl said earlier. He spoke of stories, ancient legends about a hidden fortress within the mountains. Could this be what the falling rocks uncovered?

If it's true, if this is really Titanos' hidden fortress, then what an achievement! What a discovery! You might not be a scholar – although you're no fool, either – but even you can recognise the academic value of such a find. Even divorced from any legend or myth, just finding the remains of some long lost city would be a great success. Then, as the boy stops suddenly, you follow his pointed finger up at the revealed cliffs.

The sight, even though logically you know that it's not much to look at, takes your breath away. Remains of a high domed roof peek out around shattered rock, the distant form suggesting delicate skill unlike anything you've ever seen – unlike any living person has seen.

You need to get back, you realise, and bring news of this to the Nameless Temple. They'll know how to deal with this.

Maybe.

>I'm going to have to draw things to a close here. Next thread on Wednesday, probably, and I'll stick around in case of any questions.

>>45703801
Thanks for running Moloch.
This shit with the missing apprentices goes DEEP
I cant wait until we have enough clues to actually pursue something.

>>45703801
Thanks for running Moloch.

So is that mortal wound permanent permanent or able to be healed with some therapy?

>>45703964

It can be healed, but it would take significant effort to do so. We'll get the option to fix it rather than gaining a new spell next time we report in with the Mentor.

>>45703923

The missing apprentices are a pretty big part of the overlapping plot. I'm looking forwards to it developing further as well!

>>45704053
So what I am seeing here is that some group is trying to rile the gods up via this duality thing, causing friction between god and man, possibly giving the Emperor more justification for this anti-God stance.

And the Emperor probably isn't in on it.

>>45702349
I can't help but note that the anon suggesting it wanted to use the gap closer WHILE CARRYING the goat, rather than to reaching the goat.

>>45700781
Could we have used the heightened senses here?

>>45702349
Heck, throw in the water spell too for a "you don't want to do this" stalling tactic.

.....and the earth spell for climbing up the mountain. Although Elise's spell might have been less of a sure thing to try.

really I'm just getting a feel for the times when using powers would be advisable.

>>45704053
we should return quickly, someone else can do the real investigating. Wounds left to age are harder to heal.

How's Howa holding up? Hopefully she'll take some comfort knowing that Titanos' reverting was done by malicious intent of another party.

>>45704918

That certainly sounds plausible to me - although I can't, for obvious reasons, confirm or deny anything at the moment. Still, it has a certain logic to it!

>>45704972

Oh hell, you're right about that using the gap closing spell. I just misread it, I guess, or got things mixed up when I was writing the post. That's no excuse though, I screwed it up.
The heightened senses wouldn't really have done anything - it searches out magic and that would only have pointed to Titanos. Advanced warning that there was something inside the temple at most.
The water spell doesn't work on targets that are overtly hostile, so it can't be used to make targets hesitate in combat.
Finally, the earth spell would have protected against the vile weather, but that would mainly just be a narrative thing.

Howa will be pleased to hear about this, yes. She took the discovery pretty hard, but the fact that a third party might be responsible would lift her spirits.

>>45705120
right, water spell doesn't work on hostiles, and throwing the human sacrifice off the table was hardly a chink in his "armor".

Ah, misread the air spell, thought it affected physical senses as well.


Actually I noted something
>Spell is listed as Melancholia's
>New spell is extremely violent
Even if we "save" them from their changes, the reward we get is based on their changed form?

>>45705229

The spell is largely based off of the memory they leave behind - the way they've shaped Ira's time. That's largely why magic is referred to as being "carved onto the soul" and such. If we did a service for Elpis, we'd get a spell based off her skills rather than Melancholia's.

>>45705323
Who scrubs all the blood out of the altar? The priest seems to be pretty old and those injuries don't sound like they're helping.

>>45705357

Now that the danger has passed, he'll send some of the locals up to do it. They're faithful in their own way, but they don't handle danger very well. He should take an apprentice of his own, but he's too grumpy to deal with all that teaching. He makes Ira look pleasant!

>>45705439
....damn, could we have asked Titanos if he saw the killers wearing steel rings?

It might not be our immediate job, but I wonder if some Wanderer should work on mending the relationship between Titanos and his original people. The current people were at fault, but Titanos' anger stemmed from the hillfolk, after all.

>>45705550
>....damn, could we have asked Titanos if he saw the killers wearing steel rings?

We could have asked, but he didn't have that information. Either way, no great loss that the question never came up.
Interestingly, Titanos also only mentioned seeing a single killer.

As for the second point, I wonder if the time for that has passed. It's been long enough that the original people might not even exist any more. Just another thing that the world has left behind, in other words.

>>45705659
right, mistyped there. 3 bullets but 1 killer.

>time has passed
and yet the animal sacrifices are still necessary to curb weather-based anger. That means that there's still SOMETHING that can be investigated, whether a link that follows a bloodline, a continual point of conflict between hillfolk and basefolk, or just a nudge there for basefolk to slowly change their rituals.

.....or someone could build a damn trolley up the mountain for these damn goats.

>>45705778

I suppose that's something we might want to look into, then. Not quite in our job description, but curiosity can be a very powerful motivating factor!

>>45705876
I'm putting it out there because, well, this is the sorta thing the Mentor was shooting for, right?

If we want Titanos to change for the better, this is where to start.

>>45702455
>Maximum health permanently reduced to 90.
>permanently
Fuck.

>>45705917

I agree. This kind of approach, bringing humans and the gods into a closer kind of relationship is exactly the sort of method that the Mentor aims for. Mutual understanding and cooperation. Of course, it doesn't take outside forces into account, and there are definitely forces out there with opposing goals.

Nothing to worry about, I'm sure!

>>45706017
See >>45704053

>>45706022
If we used Hopeless Man's Respite would we have resisted that lightning?

>>45706221

It would have downgraded it to the point where it still did an amount of regular damage, but it wouldn't have left a permanent wound.

>>45706287
I don't see why anons didn't use it after we took 20 points of damage already.

>>45706309
I think it's an unnecessary thing to hold over others when we weren't there at the time.

I would have popped it rather than Gift of Soil, though. 20% max HP is hardly a high cost for half damage.

>>45706309

I'll admit, I was expecting it to be used as well. I suppose temporarily reducing the maximum health gives it a pretty serious downside though.

>>45706309
Cause Gift of the Soil brought it back to 100 and gave us a hit bonus. If we got knocked down to 80 again (which we did but the fight was over) I would have used it.

>>45706373
>>45706360
>be at 80/100
>use it
>80/80
Ez.

>>45706389
>>45706380

That's true, I should probably clarify that using Melancholia's gift doesn't cost any health if we're currently sitting at 80 or below. Overall though, I don't think it made a huge difference in the long run. We can get our max health back up again in the future, even if it means delaying getting another spell slightly.

>>45706465
Between getting it back to 100/100 and another spell I'd rather get another spell.

>>45704918
Or the Emperor is kidnapping apprentices to kill the God's as an army of Imperial Wanderers and is ruling them up so as to have a reason.

Palpatine intensifies.

>>45708807
Too simple. We gotta go deeper. There's a third party wanting the gods and mankind/Emperor to duke it out while they advance their own agenda.

This 'Secret Police' with the steel ring wasn't acting like an actual secret police after all. Seems like falseflagging.