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You force yourself away from the text, forcefully shutting the ancient tome. If you allow yourself to get caught up reading, you'll never leave this place. Channeling vys, your perception of the world shifts. Through the lens of the Sight, you're able to perceive not only the fact that you're being watched by a veritable horde of minor spirits, but also that the book is heavily enchanted. It glows practically so bright that you're forced to avert your eyes.

Cutting the flow of vys, you pile the book into your cloak and turn to leave. However, something stops you. Can you really just let this woman languish here, entirely unaware of the fate of Hiacia? What if she pursues her mad goal primarily out of ignorance regarding the possible consequences? Reaching into your cloak, you extract a piece of parchment and an inkwell. Channeling vys, the ink flows freely through the air and arranges itself swiftly across the paper. You've always enjoyed the ability to commit a thought to writing without any effort on your part.

The text you produce sketches out in broad details the history of the past thousand years, going into particular detail about the Fall itself and its causes. You do your best to make the account comprehensive though undoubtedly leave much out. When finally you feel you've offered as much of a warning as you're able through writing, you dry the text with the barest exertion of will and pin the paper just inside the door with a thin sliver of stone.

You make your way swiftly through the ruined underground, the ephemerality of your cloak obscuring your form. You reach the stairwell up to the former librarian's office and find yourself faced with a conundrum. There exist in this ruined library a portal to the realm of a madwoman who seeks to elevate herself to godhood. No doubt she is far more powerful than you are, and possibly more powerful than any other vatis currently living.
(2/3)

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So you're faced with a choice. Do you leave and hope that the Vatis who followed you down here was one of few who knew of this place's existence, or do you warn the Satrap and risk causing some sort of panic? You could always simply seal the passage with stone, but you're sure that any sufficiently determined Vatis could likely bypass any wall you erect. Unless of course it was enchanted.

>Spend the next few hours blocking off this tunnel, using enchanting to ensure that none shall get past any time soon.
>You have no responsibility to the people of Marqash to prevent their potential future misfortune. You got what you came for, time to leave.
>The Satrap likely has some measure of respect for you, seek out an audience with the man and warn him of the threat dwelling beneath his city.
>Write-in

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>>46535747
>Spend the next few hours blocking off this tunnel, using enchanting to ensure that none shall get past any time soon.

Shit nigga I thought you were done for the day.

>>46535747
>Spend the next few hours blocking off this tunnel, using enchanting to ensure that none shall get past any time soon.

>>46535747
>Spend the next few hours blocking off this tunnel, using enchanting to ensure that none shall get past any time soon.

>>46535715
GOLEMS

>>46535747
>Spend the next few hours blocking off this tunnel, using enchanting to ensure that none shall get past any time soon.
Write a warning on the wall and hope other vatis aren't as crazy as Mik.

>>46535747
>Spend the next few hours blocking off this tunnel, using enchanting to ensure that none shall get past any time soon.
>The Satrap likely has some measure of respect for you, seek out an audience with the man and warn him of the threat dwelling beneath his city.

Whynotboth.jpg

By the way guys the thing we did to burn the void entities is similar to the thing did during the crown incident. The only way we'll learn what we were doing is experimentation or asking someone who knows.

>>46536173
Isn't it just our divine essence? It's the technique in the metal codex right? We just need to study that.

>>46535834
>>46535967
>>46536015
>>46536032
>>46536082
>NONE SHALL PASS (assuming they're not skilled enchanters)

>>46536082
>Meet the Satrap

SO, let's assume a stone wall. Reinforce+Stone would probably suffice. However, you could also include something like Repel+Blood or Repel+Soul to keep others away.

Reinforce+Stone would have a DC 25 to carve and a DC 30 to finalize. Tacking on Repel+Blood or Repel+Soul as well would bump this to a DC 30 to carve and a DC 35 to finalize. Including both wouldn't increase the DC (You could just have the Repel rune affecting both of the other runes), but it's questionable that it would be any more beneficial. Anything with blood has a soul, assuming it's not dead. Anything with a soul probably has blood.

>Keep it simple.
>Include Repel+Blood
>Include Repel+Soul
>Write-in

>>46536211
>both

>>46536211
>>Keep it simple.

>>46536243
I knew I was forgetting an option.

>>46536211
>Include Repel+Blood
>Include Repel+Soul

>>46536192
Not quite. It something to do with how magic interacts with spirits and void entities.
>>46536211
Could focus on our fears of our nation being destroyed when enchanting it?

>>46536248
How was the lecture

>>46536270
I don't know how attached Mik really is to the concept of the Shahdom as a nation. He certainly seems to prefer it over alternatives, but I don't know if I'd say he's particularly nationalistic.

Maybe on the concept of the Samjan as a people being put at risk by the rise of another aborted god-fetus. Might fill him with enough grim determination to provide a +2 bonus.

>>46536276
It was good, it discussed the Free Will Theorem in quite a bit of depth, which seeks to prove mathematically (via contradiction) that if humans have free will, so too must certain elementary particles.

Also I'll probably do another post or two and then call it a night, use this thread again tomorrow.

>>46536340
yiss

>>46536211
>Keep it simple.

Forcibly ejecting blood or the soul of anything that touches the wall would be bad

>>46536321
What about all of mik's friends and his child and that chick we knocked up wouldn't this chick becoming a God kill all of them?

desu

>>46536211
Both

>>46536492
senpai

>>46536661
baka

>>46536444
>>46536247
>Simple

>>46536269
>>46536243
>>46536657
>Both

>>46536492
>>46536661
>>46536667
Shaking my baka to be desu fampai.

Writin'

>>46536211
do spirits have souls?
if so, Repel+Soul, if not Repel+Blood

>>46536889
well i guess I should have kept reading before posting

We should also add the Conceal Rune if possible.

>>46536962
Why would you want to make the wall invisible?

>>46537023
Conceal makes the enchantment invisible dumbass.

>>46537067
You'd need the Rune or enchantment rune to conceal the enchantment/rune. pairing Conceal with Stone would just conceal stone

>>46537206
Read the description for Conceal.

>>46537264
-Conceal: This rune is primarily useful when it's affecting another rune. Conceal will render something imperceptible by mundane means. Even the extrasensory perception afforded to someone by Nature Magic are often insufficient to detect something concealed by an enchantment. However, 'Conceal' is countered by the rune 'Reveal'. Conceal is somewhat unique in that, when added to a runic array, it need not affect any other runes to function properly. When used as a base rune, Conceal affects whatever it is carved upon.
Huh... I could have sworn it needed a base rune to direct what it conceals.

To explain the delay, the boss just found out that he had full access to his school library's entire database of peer reviewed articles for the past 3.5 years. He didn't know until now. He's spent the past 3.5 years pirating shit to barely survive research papers for, of all things, History. He translated books of original latin for them sometimes.

>>46537476
How could he have not known that?

>>46537476
>boss

>>46537476
Holy shit Soma, that is honestly hysterical.
I'm not even mad about the delay.

>>46537476
wait
what

>>46537476
how the fuck hahahaha

>>46537547
Soma has pirated academic articles to barely scrape by writing history papers for the past three and a half years.

His school library's database of peer reviewed articles, available to him at no cost, was three clicks away from the main page of Arkansas University this entire time.

Now we know why he delays threads for papers so often. It's not procrasination.

>>46537476
dumb motherfucker

>>46537476
Shit man my middle school had subscriptions to peer reviewed journals... Why wouldn't a university?

This is why paywalls are bullshit.
I WANT MY UNI PRIVILEDGES BACK FOR FUCKS SAKE

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>>46537476

>>46537566
I'm proud of him, if I had had to work that hard for every essay I never would have graduated

>>46537566
If it wasn't so stupid it would be impressive

>>46537582
That's the thing. His did have them. He just either didn't know they did or didn't know how to access them. I found out how in 60 seconds.

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It's not my fault geeze they should advertise this shit more.

>>46537626
fucking kek

>>46537626
Remember Soma that not everyone is as jewish as you.

>>46537626
are you gonna run more now that you dont't have to go full indiana jones just to write an essay

>>46537626
You crack me up little buddy.

>>46537626
The next update better be damn goo.

I think next session I'll begin with the meditation sessions for both carving and enchanting.

We'll go with inscribing both.
So ROOOOOOLL ME 3d10+6 (+2 from Earth magic, +4 from Enchanter) vs DC 25.
You're at 29/68 vys, so I don't forget.

Rolled 6, 6, 5 + 6 = 23 (3d10 + 6)

>>46537748
TAKE IT
TAKE MY ROLL

Rolled 6, 2, 3 + 6 = 17 (3d10 + 6)

>>46537748

Rolled 6, 7, 3 + 6 = 22 (3d10 + 6)

>>46537748

Rolled 3, 5, 8 + 6 = 22 (3d10 + 6)

>>46537748

>>46537771
>>46537773
>>46537774
fucking hell man

>>46537771
>>46537773
>>46537774
>23, 17, 22 vs DC 25
>Failure!
Spend 5 vys for a success?

I also need more dice. This time ROOOOOOOLL 3d10+16 (+10 from Insanity, +2 from Enchanter, +4 from A Terrible Thing to Waste) vs DC 35 (Base)

>>46537748
what about
>>46536321
>Might fill him with enough grim determination to provide a +2 bonus.

Rolled 10, 3, 2 = 15 (3d10)

>>46537804
Karma point!

Rolled 10, 5, 8 + 16 = 39 (3d10 + 16)

>>46537804

>>46537808
Thanks for reminding me, Anon. The +2 bonus actually goes to Finalization, not inscription, so you'll have a +18 on this roll instead of +16.

Rolled 2, 1, 10 + 18 = 31 (3d10 + 18)

>>46537804

>Spend both.

>>46537804
Spend

>>46537811
>>46537819
>>46537840
>33, 41, 31 vs DC 35
>Failure!

And you'll spend 2 vys to make that a Success. Total spent was 7, meaning you'll be at 22/68 after all is said and done.

>>46537855
>Don't spend.
Railroading faggot.

Rolled 6, 2, 1 + 16 = 25 (3d10 + 16)

>>46537804
7 more chances to get a nat 3 and tear a hole in reality.

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Banished%20Quest
Archive here, and I'll continue in this thread tomorrow afternoon (assuming it's still up.)

Have we failed every fucking roll this session?

We have, haven't we?

>>46537886
Vys is a glorious thing

>>46537886
We managed to dodge a bullet with a regular success and didn't decide to spend 2 vys to boost it into a great one. Soma even lamented our nimble dodge of his trap.

>>46537951
>>46537886
We also learned that we can shoot soulfire

>>46538006
Damn, Mik's getting more and more badass.

>>46538006
>>46537951
>>46537886
Which is especially interesting because normal Fire doesn't affect Void beings, but Soulfire melted those fuckers.

senpai

>>46538595
Update tomorrow man. He said it.

>>46538637
I know. Might as well try keeping the thread up until then.

>>46538006
grandmastery meditation on soulfire when

we gotta teach our son to breathe that shit

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>>46538786
>Teaching a dragon that isn't even half a year old how to breathe fire capable of damaging Void entities.

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>>46538945
Please, he's the most responsible dragon there is.

So, like, we're totally fine if we tell him he has to ask Chryssa or Darzi before using his amazing poppa flames to eat away at the very fabric of reality - or if it's something important, like seducing a lady dragon into being Darzi's chauffeur.

Gotta teach our son to impress the bitches, Anon.

I just want to say that soul fire is the sickest shit in any piece of media. Any time mortals use their soul as fuel or structure for some kind of hallowed magic it's always awesome. There is nothing I want more than to git gud at wielding soul fire in Banished now.

>>46537626
They fucking do soma.
Hell they pund it into your head in highschool, and in orientation they pound it again while also giving you materials explqing how to get to the papers.
Hell I know the first ENC take a day to go to the library so that the students at least know to use those resources instead if Google or Wikipedia.(I still find it funny that they showed how flawed google is when they showed a storm front website dedicated to martin Luther King Jr.)

>>46539132
By the way, we could also meditate at any time to learn how to use soul husk as fuel instead of vys. It'd make our spells far more potent, but temporarily cost memories and max vys whenever we use the technique. Unless we use someone else's husk, of course.

>>46539540
Soma confirmed it also increases the cist of spells.

>>46539561
Spells don't have corpses, silly. They don't need cists.

So will we finally start making golems?
Will we use them or sell them?
How can they be used for the good of our house?

>>46539540
>>46539561
I wonder if we can cast from our souls by expending max vys that we've already spent. So like if we're at 5/70 and we cast from soul for 5 we go to 5/[65]. I feel like that would make sense since we don't actually use any divine essence when casting normally, but maybe it'd be OP. On the other hand it would be cool as fuck because our strength could be flagging and then by drawing upon DIVINE ESSENCE and WILLPOWER we could start casting supercharged spells. I think that would work reply well narratively in a desperate situation and I'd love to see it happen.

>>46537878
Hey soma could make kinetic sculpted like Anthony Howwe or Theo Jansen?

>>46539885
Could we make kinetic sculptures

>>46539651
We should go convince the Shah to let us turn his sister into a golem.

>>46539899
refine invert woman

>>46539988
Dick girl?

>>46539988
>refine invert woman
So a trap?

>>46539827
We wouldn't be using divine essence, just the husk around it. Casting from divine essence would be like expending your very heart of hearts, the core personality from which your memories form as a husk around it, from which your vys forms in turn. It's not something you can just regenerate by meditating like vys or husk.

Besides, DE is better used for enchanting rather than casting. We'll probably be using the spirit we have for that sometime soon (read: 2020).

>>46540345
create+divine essence

>>46539651
Don't we still have those (corrupted?) golem cores from the magekiller constructs back in the mine?

>>46540693
Anins voted to give it to fulvia because we didn't have emo GH info about golems even though we had an introductory book about golems back than.
Now we have a comprehensive book as well as the introductory book.

>>46537878
So did you finished the pastebin yet soma?

>>46540790
True, but I don't think she's actually done anything with them. We pretty much just had her hold on to them for us since she was the one most familiar with that sort of thing.

>>46540790
We never had a book on golems before now.

>>46540952
It seems to be more like the Necronomicon.

>>46540952
We did, but sold it I believe after we finished reading it.

>>46541240
Its why we can make golems now, but not to the level of it being self reliant.

>>46541282
But they are going to be corpses

Oh Soma when shall you return and bless us the unworthy with your shit posts?

>>46541321
Fuck Corpse Golems malleable Golem made out of readily available rocks and metals and shit are far superior

>>46541868
He probably went to sleep only 3 hours ago and won't wake for another 8.

Rolled 92 (1d100)

>>46542033
I'm awake. About to go be late for class. I finish up around 2 today, so thread around 3.

>>46541983
Except from what the book said they are shit, and more powerful golems can be made from corpses

>>46542073
Who the fuck wants to walk around with zombie dick heads following them

Natural Materials > Skeletons > Shit > Corpses

And I doubt you can just morph them like you can a rock golem nigga

>>46541240
>>46541282
We never had one. The closest came to having one was reading about animate.

>>46542073
See >>46535715
>A corpse, even if it has been dead for mere seconds and died in a nonviolent manner, will rapidly begin to degrade once the soul has fled. This is odd, since the same is not necessarily true for a living creature without a soul. The reason, supposes the author, has something to do with the shell. The shell is apparently absent in the dead, but remains present in the soulless.

>>46542121
Corpse collector would like to have a word with you. Also natural minerals are actually shit tier for golem creation.

>>46542178
Why not use the vys cysyals to make a vys crystal golem?

>>46542176
See >>46535715
>The strength of a golem, the book claims, is determined by only two things. First and foremost is the suitability of the vessel in which it is housed. Second is the amount of vys with which it is imbued. Next it claims that living bodies make for truly exceptional vessels in which to place a golem, pointing out that the soul is not necessary for the survival of one's body.
So yeah flesh bodies are superior.

>>46542228
No idea how that would stack up. Though I suppose it would pretty good.

>>46542234
It is important to note that they have to be living bodies when used for golems. Otherwise the corpse version will be much weaker.

When did we learn the soulfire thing?

>>46542733
It's probably what we learned in the soul gate. We just never bothered to look into it

>>46542759
Speaking of gate soma has said that entering two more times will be interesting and so has the collective.

>>46542788
Don't trust the niggerjew

>>46542788
>>46542813
It's just the special insight you get for having 3/5 GM insights down the same path. Just like we got GM level healing before we actually got GM water, we can get GM level soulfire before we actually GM fire.

>>46542759
>>46542733
Actually it was the crown incident and actually nothing to do with fire and everything to do with spell resistance.
>>46542788
>>46542813
>>46542906
The gate probably to lead to teleportation.

>>46543029
I wouldn't describe Void entities as magic resistant as much as magic absorbent. They've become stronger every time we saw regular magic used against them.

>>46543432
They do have a tendency of eating the world around them when they are let through. The cat said that they were anathema to spirits. Wonder what would happen if we used a spirit to cast spells.

>>46543490
Or if we're truly insane we could try the opposite.

Cast from Ricky.
He has a soul so it might work, but then again I'm not sure how many goats that would cost us.

>>46543618
That sounds painful. Painful for us.

>>46543618
While learning techniques to manipulate souls of void entities would be useful I don't think we're metal enough for that.

>>46543705
Tbh it's really easy for us to get access to void entities. As long as we're prepared we can do all the testing we want. That said, we'd probably want to learn to cast from our own soul consistently since doing that is the most effective way to fuck void entities and we'd need it in the case of emergency.

>>46543705
It's not Metal. It's outside the five schools.
>>46543756
It's actually unknown whether casting from is better against void entities or not.

>>46543800
The schools of magic were created by men. Its not actually "real". If something is outside of the scope of any one school its still something we could at least attempt. It would be quite fun to be the discoverer or maker of a Void class of magic. Or perhaps that would be the opposite of magic.

>>46543800
I mean metal enough in the sense of Mikael's not GM in Metal, or at least the intricacies that fall within the purview of Metal's protection of the mind.
We have great bonuses there, but tackling souls of the nigh-eldritch I feel would be a bit of an overreach.
I much prefer >>46543756's idea.

>>46543864
>>46543865
Well you have to understand that enchanting was the first type of magic in existence and acts as the basis for all other types of magic.

>>46543924
I think enchanting is just the technique formulative post-mortal term of the magic.

Let's just call it what it is; String Magic.
What we're really trying to do is play the Oud that is the universe.

>>46543977
THE OUD SHALL BECOME THE MAKER AND BREAKER OF WORLDS.

>>46544004
NIce meme

>>46544004
Anon, it's just a metaphor. As fun as that sounds I'll never vote in favor of allowing an Oud to be enchanted to such a level of power.

>>46543977
>Let's just call it what it is; String Magic.
>What we're really trying to do is play the Oud that is the universe.
That's actually called the Shaping Arts. The way of mastering the Shaping Arts is first mastering control of the mind so you can better use your divine weight, master control of the body so you can better influence reality, and finally master control of the soul so you can the control the divine essence. At least that's what it looks like.

>>46544108
Interesting hypothesis. I'd argue that the body and mind are about equal in difficulty and the only reason we didn't master body first is that our society seems to have lost/never discovered this facet of magic.

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So we need to remove some guy's soul and just shove the golem core up in there? Like waaaay up in there?

>>46544199
Well once you realize how magic works it's the only theory that fits. We can only do magic we can visualize, our body is limited in how much vys we can channel to cast, and we have limited control over the DE. Logically you'd need to master these three things in order to master magic.

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>>46544362
>quintuple grandmastery is only like a third of how much we can git gud

>>46544466
Turns out the people that got gud ascended to their own realms leaving the puny mortals to squabble among themselves.

>>46544466
>a third

We have yet to see the absolute limits of power a mortal can attain. Sure, we've seen a Child of the gods, and met with the results of mortals who failed to ascend to that level of power, but pure understanding and expertise in Magic itself and its applications need not have such limits.

We just need to git gudder.

>>46544636
The road to git gud is never ending

>>46544636
I don't think Mik will be recognizable as a Samjan by the time the quest truly ends. Fleshcrafting is on the list, Mik can already harden his body to steel, and he grow limbs like a tree grows leaves.

>>46544676
>>46544669
>>46544636
>>46544627
>>46544466
There is a reason I wanted the Art of Focus.

WTF is this bullcrap, people trying to be productive?!? in my Banished Quest?!? Mama Dragon is disappointed with you all.

>>46545190
People will forget all that as soon as Soma starts posting and will revert to shitposting

>>46545190
I should've been clear. These are all the thing we'll never actually get to do because we'll be busy buying shit we'll never use and cucking Darzi left and right.

>>46545190
Haha, anon thinks discussion means things get done.

Most of BQ is just a middle-management meeting.

So can we take some time and read this new golem book or the enchanting journal some time soon.I don't want them to sit around forever like our other books

>>46545446
During travel maybe.

>>46545446
Don't worry anon, we've plenty of time to keep neglecting our son.

>>46545778
It is quite hard to ignore him when we use him to travel.

>>46545778
We really need to get on with cloning ourselves. Maybe copying our mind and infecting other people with our DE and then fleshcrafting them into physical perfection (us)?

I mean, we already copied our mind/soul once, we should be able to do it again.

BANISHED QUEST SOON

>>46545824
We should first do some test on DE to figure out if it regenerates like the shell does. We might be able to start our very own lich transformation by repeatedly splintering our soul and then using Water magic to regenerate it.

>>46546273
Do we even know how Water healing works?

>>46546238
Indeed, Anon. I've returned from my classes and I'm about to start writing.

>>46546311
I don't think so. All we know is that when using Water to heal it simply acts as fuel the soul uses to repair its body.

>>46546405
VERY GOOD

>>46546422
Oh so that's how repair enchantments work. Duh.
So many setting nuances, so little memory.

>>46546405
So how does this sound Soma?
>>46544362
>>46544108

>>46546422
I think the term "self-image" was used at some point. We don't really know if that stems from the mind, the soul, or the body.

Which begs the question: if you can convince a person he has a tail, would rotting and healing his butt grow him a tail?

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>>46546486
Who knows~
You've got books in your inventory you should be reading for this info, I can't just dump a hot, sticky load of lore on anyone who ask.

>>46546535
Why is it based on the self-image.

>>46546535
I'd say Self-Image is an interplay of the mind and soul. The Soul/Shell has the memory of the body and the Mind interprets the memory.

>>46546557
So you're saying we've had ready access to the reference material all this time and we've just been... not using it?

Well aren't we retarded, huh? Thoughtless cunts, is what we are.

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>>46546823
it's either raise our draconic son, read up on some well-crafted worldbuilding, attain terrible arcane power, or create artifacts by directly reshaping reality.

we just don't get enough downtime to enjoy the quest as well as we could if Soma wasn't such an incompetent nincompoop when it comes to pacing.

>>46546911
If we had clones we could do all that and more! just make sure to have a connected mind like the pouches, We'll form our own collective. With hookers and blackjack!

>>46546911
I actually kind of agree. But it's partially the players fault as well, we're the ones that always take the fucking bait side quests.

>>46546911
Please anon, I only meant to torment Soma with his own adorable oversight regarding reading materials.

Huh, I just realized that this will be the first time Mik has cast permanency since I shifted it over to being a Draconic Ritual, and that Mik has some difficulty casting permanency due to those tattoos of his.

I'm going to need one more roll from y'all. This one will be 3d10+4 (+10 from Insanity, -6 from Mark of a Dragon Slayer) vs DC 25 (Base 10, +20 from the number of ingredients, -5 from the quality of ingredients)

I'll say that this elaborately carved stone wall acts as an intermediate, rather than simple, Earth ingredient. You can find information on Draconic Magic here: http://pastebin.com/2iHKTQTS

>>46548405
Could we try casting permanency using the spirit that we trapped instead of our own soul?

Rolled 2, 4, 9 + 4 = 19 (3d10 + 4)

>>46548405
25 heh

>>46548421
Well, there wouldn't seem to be any reason you shouldn't be able to use divine essence rather than your own soul. You've never tried manipulating a spirit's divine essence like this though.

Rolled 10, 9, 3 + 4 = 26 (3d10 + 4)

>>46548405
oh boy time for a crit fail

Rolled 6, 9, 3 + 4 = 22 (3d10 + 4)

>>46548405
>-6 Mark of a Dragon Slayer

>>46548433
>>46548465
>>46548482
>19, 26, 22 vs DC 25
>Failure!

Spend 3 to make it a Success? As with enchanting, ritual magic is pass/fail. The exception being Alchemy, which is a form of ritual magic with severe failures and great successes.

>>46548498
yes.

>>46548498
Spend faggot

>>46546949
This is what I keep saying. We have Skull Kid doing his shit in the background because he really isn't front line adventure material, and our business partners and whatnot.

We need some Mik clones to do research and shit and to then merge back with them.

Rolled 9, 10, 8 = 27 (3d10)

>>46548498
yes, unless I crit this roll.

Rolled 9, 6, 6 = 21 (3d10)

>>46548498
Yes you whore.

>>46548558
that was pretty close.

>>46548553
Not possible.

>>46548590
Totally possible. We just found an entity that does that sort of thing.

>>46546557
Wait we've had this information available the whole time? We've been theory crafting the long/hard way?

>It's not my fault geeze they should advertise this shit more.

:^)

>>46548797
Not possible in our lifetime unless you're willing to spend 20-40 threads in Rhynian ruins.

>>46549301

Are you implying I'm not?

File: Satrap's Library - Librar(...).jpg (435 KB, 1280x546)

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Some things are best left forgotten, and you'd say this woman is one of them. You may not be able to best her in a direct confrontation, but if she is as insular as you imagine you probably don't need to. Simply cutting off outside access to this portion of the library would probably be sufficient to prevent or at the very least delay the completion of the artifact she's spent the past thousand or more years perfecting.

You draw forth a piece of paper from your cloak and your inkwell, spending some time roughly sketching out designs you think might work for what you have in mind. You want to erect a wall of stone, but any adventurer worth their salt wouldn't be dissuaded by something so simply as that. So you'll want to at least carve a simple array into the wall which reinforces stone.

Now, an array to make sure that nobody can simply break through the wall or erode it away with magic is all well and good, but it occurs to you that if the enchantress herself ever wanders this far from the library she'll likely be able to deconstruct the enchantment with minimal effort on your part. This is likely true of any enchantment you end up creating, but you can at least make it slightly more inconvenient if you include arrays to repel divine essence, or to repel blood.

The array you end up concocting ends up incorporating both. You start by drawing two concentric circles, and in the inner circle you sketch out the rune for 'stone'. Now, in the outer circle you draw two more circles and within one sketch the rune for 'reinforce'. In the other, you inscribe the rune for 'sustain'. All that's required now is to connect the three circles, and you've got a fairly basic array. However, this wouldn't be sufficient for all you wish to do, so you draw a third circle in the outer ring.

(1/5)

Within this circle you draw three more, with the rune for 'repel' being inscribed at the center. From this rune you draw two connecting lines, linking the repel rune to circles which contain 'blood' and 'soul'. Finally, you connect this separate array to the base rune and the sustain rune with two lines, and you think you've completed the array. If all goes well, when carved upon a stone surface it will create an unbreakable wall which is anathema to the blood of living creatures as well as divine essence.

With a plan in mind you erect the wall, perhaps the simplest of your task. You set it quite some distance away from the stairwell, for fear of getting caught within the range of your own enchantment. You're not quite sure what it feels like to be near the center of a 'repel blood' array, but you can't imagine it's pleasant. That done you start to carve the runic array onto the surface of the stone. Several times you need to stop and reform a section of the array where you made some error, but eventually you feel you've carved as accurate a representation of your original idea as you were able.
>Vys Pool: (24/68)

You take a moment to inspect your handiwork, and decide to toss in a few 'large' runes for good measure. You place one overlapping the stone rune, and another over the repel rune. The array itself takes up nearly the entire wall, so hopefully that should be more than enough to prevent anyone from getting too close.

Finally, you take a seat at the bottom of the steps and assume a meditative pose, charging the array with vys as you slip into a trance. You focus your mind upon the indistinct image of the array, maintaining it at the forefront of your thoughts even as ambient vys slips away and an endless field of lights appears above you. By the time you become aware of the strings which bind together reality the runic array is barely visible, more an impression you have than something visible.

(2/5)

Channeling Nature magic, you allow your consciousness to expand until it alights upon the string which you believe defines your wall. It vibrates subtly, whatever tone it creates unheard. Perhaps a remnant of the wall's recent creation. Channeling Fire magic allows you to carefully carve through the golden string, and as it snaps you swiftly insert a replacement formed from the vys which you'd previously imbued the array with.

The length of new thread is markedly different from the golden thread it's connecting to. It's translucent, where the other threads are opaque, and markedly less physical. However, as it joins at the ends with the rest of the strand it begins to take on more solid form. Unfortunately it isn't quite taking hold as your inserted threads usually do. The ends are frayed, and seem on the cusp of snapping apart. Channeling Metal magic to reinforce the connection serves to resolve the issue, and soon you can barely distinguish between the enchantment and the natural thread.
>Vys Pool: (22/68)

You withdraw from your trance, and note that the array no longer glows with power as it had previously, and curious to test your creation you stand and cautiously approach the wall. You don't have to go very far before you start to feel uncomfortable, the pulse of your blood through your body suddenly painful and a strange disorientation seizing you. That's perhaps eighty feet from the wall. At sixty feet the sensation is unbearable, so great is the pain that it seems on the cusp of consuming you, and you're forced to beat a hasty retreat.
(3/5)

>>46549301
Do you not want to spend 50 threads in Rhynian ruins?

Satisfied that the array works as it's designed to, you resolve to make it permanent. Once again assuming a meditative pose well beyond the wall itself, you enter a meditative trance. This time as the ambient vys fades out of focus and the souls of the city's populace appear blazing above you, the wall appears before you as a ethereal outline of its physical form, a barely real image of the wall barring the hallway. Recalling your last attempt to cast permanency, you reach within yourself and, using Earth magic, sheer away a portion of the golden orb that is your soul. Immediately you feel reduced, as though you have lost something invaluable, but pushing through this moment of existential panic you gather the severed portion of your soul and force it into the wall.

The shifting glow of the enchantment compacts itself immediately, swaddling itself around the small, golden orb. The nature of the orb itself seems to change as it's subsumed by the array, its glow dimming to a soft blue. You note that you can no longer perceive it as readily as you could previously, it no longer has any real connection with your soul. It is apart of the artifact now.
>Vys Pool: (19/[63])

You awaken from your trance slowly, the exhaustion starting to get to you. You've spent the majority of your reserves, and frankly you feel hollowed out. You no longer feel at home in your own body, and what you perceive seems disconnected in some way from reality. Everything seems muted and foreign, quite frankly the experience is unpleasant. However, you've no time to rest. Not yet. Channeling Vys, you quickly carve into the wall along the right side of the hall a warning to any who stumble upon this place after you've gone. You inform those unfortunate souls that beyond this wall waits only death for the unwary, and that any treasures which this place might have once contained were plundered long ago.
(4/5)

Finally, and with immense relief, you lightly tap the runic array which controls the ceiling above. It vanishes in an instant, and you climb wearily into the light of the librarian's office. If you had to guess, judging by the light streaming through the windows, it's a few hours past midday at this point. You carefully move aside the mirror concealing the other array, and another brief exertion of will sees the wooden floor reform, concealing the tunnel below.

Despite your exhaustion, you cannot help but feel satisfied with what you've accomplished here today. You prevented a disaster which could have rivaled the Fall of Hiacia in scale, and hopefully sparred the lives of your sister and her family from destruction at the hands of an aborted god. It's strange to think that nobody in Marqash will ever know just how close they are to utter annihilation, or that you've exhausted yourself nearly to the point of collapse just to buy them some time.

>Inform the Satrap of the threat which lies below the library, and of your role in sealing it off. You deserve a little credit.
>Don't inform the Satrap. It would be impossible to explain the sudden appearance of an enchanted wall preventing any and all passage without revealing your knowledge of the enchanting arts.
>Ask around the library to see if there is anyone in charge of this place. Maybe you could get them to keep it a secret just between you and them.
>Write-in

>>46549755
I figured people didn't want to. Though Rhynians are the best bet for fucking with the mind and body.

>>46549785
>Inform the Satrap of the threat which lies below the library, and of your role in sealing it off. You deserve a little credit.

STATE SECRET TIME, but seriously since we live for a thousand or more years we should get some sort of plan in place to deal with this chick.

>>46549785
Inform our sister but let her know that we believe it has been taken care of.
Then hop on zahak and leave

>>46549785
>Inform the Satrap of the threat which lies below the library, and of your role in sealing it off. You deserve a little credit.

>>46549785
>Don't inform the Satrap. It would be impossible to explain the sudden appearance of an enchanted wall preventing any and all passage without revealing your knowledge of the enchanting arts.
And remember the nuclear waste you fucking niggerjew.

>>46549785
>>Inform the Satrap of the threat which lies below the library, and of your role in sealing it off. You deserve a little credit.

>>46549785
>>Ask around the library to see if there is anyone in charge of this place. Maybe you could get them to keep it a secret just between you and them.

>>46549785
>Don't inform the Satrap. It would be impossible to explain the sudden appearance of an enchanted wall preventing any and all passage without revealing your knowledge of the enchanting arts.

>>46549890
>And remember the nuclear waste you fucking niggerjew.
How about no.

>>46549918
How about yes you cuck.

>>46549785
>>Inform the Satrap of the threat which lies below the library, and of your role in sealing it off. You deserve a little credit.

>>46549904
>>46549890
How will we explain what happened to the adventurer?

>>46549785
>Inform the Satrap of the threat which lies below the library, and of your role in sealing it off. You deserve a little credit.
Honestly they're free to deduce we can enchant shit. We've already taught the concepts required to unlock all of enchanting to our master so it's going to get out sooner or later.

>>46549933
No faggot.

>>46549958
Deny everything about him

>>46549785
>Don't inform the Satrap. It would be impossible to explain the sudden appearance of an enchanted wall preventing any and all passage without revealing your knowledge of the enchanting arts.

>>46549785
>Don't inform the Satrap. It would be impossible to explain the sudden appearance of an enchanted wall preventing any and all passage without revealing your knowledge of the enchanting arts.

>>46549974
Yes you little bitch.

>>46549785
>Ask around the library to see if there is anyone in charge of this place. Maybe you could get them to keep it a secret just between you and them.

>>46549785
>>Don't inform the Satrap. It would be impossible to explain the sudden appearance of an enchanted wall preventing any and all passage without revealing your knowledge of the enchanting arts.

>>46549785
>>Inform the Satrap of the threat which lies below the library, and of your role in sealing it off. You deserve a little credit.

>>46549785
>Don't inform the Satrap. It would be impossible to explain the sudden appearance of an enchanted wall preventing any and all passage without revealing your knowledge of the enchanting arts.

>>46549785
>Ask around the library to see if there is anyone in charge of this place. Maybe you could get them to keep it a secret just between you and them.

>>46549966
>>46549943
>>46549897
>>46549871
>>46549844
>>46550072
>Tell the head honcho.

>>46549902
>>46550032
>>46550078
>Inform the librarian

>>46549904
>>46549890
>>46549851
>>46549995
>>46550003
>>46550055
>>46550075
>Don't inform the satrap.

Let's do Final Destination, since this is kind of an important decision.

VOTE
1
To inform the Satrap.

VOTE
2
To keep it to yourself. (This doesn't exclude telling your sister later on)

>>46550159
2

>>46550159
1

>>46550159
2

>>46550159
1

>>46550159
2

>>46549814
If I had all the votes, we'd be back in the depths of Longia as we speak, fucking about with dragons, mutants, magitek and mutant magitek dragons.

>>46550159
2

>>46550159
1

>>46550159
2

>>46550159
2

>>46550159
1

>>46550159
1

>>46550159
2

>>46550159
1

>>46550172
>>46550184
>>46550194
>>46550240
>>46550270
>1

>>46550170
>>46550175
>>46550185
>>46550190
>>46550200
>>46550204
>2

Two takes it by one vote. Writin'

dammit

3 minutes late and i woulda voted for 1

>>46550337
Good.

We could most likely kill the satrap and his contingent of guards as it stands, we already killed the shah once, we're probably one of the strongest vatis in base reality, and this bitch was terrifying for us, she'd destroy the satrap like he was paper, telling him would accomplish nothing and most likely inform him we had rediscovered enchanting, something that'd be bad if it came out in the spur of a moment, there wouldn't have been a point in telling him, if she escaped/chose to leave, she'd decimate him and his guard either way

>>46550495
What the fuck are you talking about

>>46550495
I think the goal would have been less about being prepared to stop her and more of a "have a slave ready to wave around a sign with an interesting magical theory problem on it while the important people run for it" sort of plan.

File: They'll be fine.png (30 KB, 879x532)

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>Mik in any situation that involves dealing with mundanes.

>>46550495
I'd be down with that.

>>46550604
NORMIES REEEEEEEEE

>>46550495
>we're probably one of the strongest vatis in base reality
we're definitely talented and we might even be the strongest of our age but there is no way we're the strongest vatis in base reality.
I was thinking of telling the satrap was so he could hopefully have some method of distracting her if she ever gets bored of her realm and pokes her head back out here.
Or so he can at least make sure that nobody pokes around and gets her attention.

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>>46550495
>we're probably one of the strongest vatis in base reality,

>>46550636
Or maybe know to treat her like Beerus.

Imagine the satrap as Vegeta trying to entertain her.

File: Satrap's Library.jpg (285 KB, 980x490)

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You stare at the wall, your wall. The wall you poured your very soul into creating. Do you really want to risk some magically illiterate nobleman tampering with your beautiful wall, or worse, asking you how you went about making it? You might have revealed to your Master that you've rediscovered the lost art of enchanting, but telling the Satrap would be a different matter entirely. You barely know the man, and as a political figure he might try to use you for his own purposes.

No, you trust that you've done enough for today. Even if you did warn the Satrap, what could he do? Sure he could station a guard, but a Vatis as old and skilled as the enchantress no doubt is would tear through anyone unskilled in the magical arts with only the barest of effort on their part. He might be able to distract her long enough to evacuate the palace, but that would do nothing to prevent the completion of her life's work.

You retreat wearily through the doorway of the librarian's office, stepping carefully over the shattered fragments of rotted wood that once composed the doorway. Hopefully that will be replaced soon, and the office sealed off once again. You pass through the carpet lined hallway, ignoring the draw of the special collections which populate the rooms to either side. Much as you might usually like to investigate their contents, you're simply too tired to care.

As you emerge into the library's main foyer, you draw a few curious looks from the few vatis browsing through the contents of the shelves. Considering that you currently lack the robes typically worn by a man of your rank, it's not surprising that you'd draw suspicion wandering freely about the library. Fortunately none stop you to ask why you're here, and you soon emerge into the courtyard outside.
(1/2)

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Your first breath of fresh air after spending so long in that musty library and its ruined underbelly is an immense relief. Enough to reinvigorate your flagging will to move. As much as a nap sounds simply divine right now, Zahak is no doubt worrying after you after so long being gone and your brother-in-law is probably less than thrilled at the prospect of an agitated dragon in his home.

Crossing the courtyard, you come to stand upon the runic array atop which you first arrived. You're required to do no more than channel vys to activate the enchantment placed upon the stone cobbles, and you soon find yourself standing just outside the library's walls. Your trip through the gardens is brief, but pleasant. The fountains prove a welcome relief from the heat of the afternoon, especially in your black robes, and soon you find yourself standing at the docks of the canal.

Your water craft is where you left it, but your pilot is nowhere to be seen. You suppose it was somewhat unrealistic to expect the man to wait for hours in the harsh sun of Pidjata, but you're still immensely annoyed. You're unfamiliar with the layout of the city and have little idea where you might find the man. Perhaps there is an inn near-by where you might find the man drinking.

>Go looking for your pilot, you can't just leave him here.
>Eh, screw him. There are plenty of other craft offering passage for a nominal fee.
>You don't need the pilot to begin with. You might be exhausted, but not so exhausted you can't steer a ship. (2 vys)
>Do you really need to return to your brother-in-law's estate? Maybe you could just have Zahak come to you.
>Write-in

>>46551496
>Go looking for your pilot, you can't just leave him here.

>>46551496
>Eh, screw him. There are plenty of other craft offering passage for a nominal fee.

>>46551496
>>Eh, screw him. There are plenty of other craft offering passage for a nominal fee.

Why don't we go back inside and find more books

>>46551496
>>You don't need the pilot to begin with. You might be exhausted, but not so exhausted you can't steer a ship. (2 vys)

>>46551496
>Go looking for your pilot, you can't just leave him here.

Aren't we still wearing our Warlock armor?

>>46551496
>>Eh, screw him. There are plenty of other craft offering passage for a nominal fee.

>>46551598
Yeah, you are.
Still works, for the most part. That armor would probably get pretty warm in the heat of the day, and it would be pretty weird to see some fully armored guy wandering through a library.

>>46551496
>just fucking walk across the water.

>>46551693
kek
We could do that. But we can still get lost.

>>46551729
We can sense Zahak, just walk towards him.

>>46551496
>>Go looking for your pilot, you can't just leave him here.

>>46551693
This desu

>>46551693
May as well.

>>46551693
Also a possibility. It'd probably run you about 4 vys, but Mik could handle that.

>>46551693
Seconding.

>>46551496
>>46551693
fuck it we're a wizard.

>>46551693
Do it

>>46551657
>>46551574
>>46551562
>Pay for a cab.

>>46551590
>You don't need no stinkin' pilot.

>>46551598
>>46551558
>>46551803
>Where'd he go?

>>46551866
>>46551833
>>46551693
>>46551903
>>46551945
>>46552026
>Pull a Jesus.

That'll put your vys reserves at 15/63. Writin'

>>46552042
>>Pull a Jesus.
ayy

Would've been funnier if we made a frozen path wherever we walked so none of the boats could get by.

>>46552168
That's how we're going to walk on water, of course.
Ice is technically water.

You know if the playerbase wasn't stupid they'd realize we have the ability to build shrines anywhere.

>>46552042
Did you finish the pastebin yet soma?I'm only asking since you bragged about the revaltion and that it was worth the large sum of money we used to buy it, and I feel like its a cop out to just drop this promised price of lore

>>46552597
Not yet, I'll try to get it done this weekend. Hopefully tomorrow before I vanish into the woods to go camping.

>>46552568
Fuck the cat, the fast travel is somas void random encounter bullshit, but with a spirit spin.

>>46552622
So, never

>>46552627
I just want to get a shit ton of runes fast.

>>46553242
I don't know what quest that is but it sounds shit.

>>46553242
You thought it was a shitpost, but it was me, AUTISM!

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You cast about the docks, looking one last time for any sign of your pilot. You suppose you could just flag down another and pay their fee, but that would require surrendering some small portion of your hard earned wealth. Wracked with uncertainty, you recall an old trick your Master used to perform whenever he brought you to the beach for training. He'd manipulate the water such that it would support his weight, and walk across it rather than swimming.

You've seldom tried it yourself, though it seems easy enough in theory. Channeling vys, you cautiously lower yourself off the edge of the dock. You allow yourself to fall forward, and your foot lands heavily against the surface of the water. You watch the ripples spread out around your foot, perhaps inordinately pleased with yourself, and note just how strange the water looks where it's bearing up your weight. It almost looks like a length of fabric stretched nearly to the point of tearing.

Walking on water proves a somewhat difficult prospect despite your skill as a vatis. Even if the water holds your weight, it's far from a stable surface and horribly slippery. You very nearly slip and fall on your first few attempts to take a step, but eventually you work out a method of sliding across the surface of the water, switching off from foot to foot in order to maintain your balance.

Despite the stresses of the day, the experience of gliding so effortlessly through the canals of Marqash is immensely relaxing. You even manage to steal a lamb skewer from a confused pedestrian, offering you an opportunity to finally sate your hunger. Your had only a light breakfast, and spending the day either trapped within the realm of a mad enchantress older than the Shahdom itself has a way of working up one's appetite.
(1/3)

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Upon reaching your brother-in-law's estate, you leap agilely off the surface of the water and land with a heavy thud upon the docks. The guards are looking at you as though you've grown a second head, although you suppose that might have something to do with the tentacle sprouting out of your cloak and carefully removing your helmet. You ignore them, beginning to climb the hill towards the fortress of a villa. The needle sliding free of your neck barely registers, and once freed of the burden of your helmet you allow yourself a moment to savor a tender chunk of seasoned lamb.

A pair of guards open the door for you without protest, and stepping into your sister's foyer you find a curious sight waiting for you. Your niece, Nithya, has curled up against Zahak's side with a book. She doesn't seem to have noticed you, so you're afforded a chance to listen in. You can't claim to be familiar with the tale, but it seems to be a children's fable about a clever mouse repeatedly evading the depredations of a cat.

Zahak seems quite enraptured by the tale, his head craned above Nithya to allow him a glimpse of the illustrated pages. It's a charming story if nothing else. In front of your son sits a tray left empty save for a few tattered scraps of some animal or another, probably a goat. You're glad someone managed to feed him, you understand it's not easy to satisfy a dragon's appetite.
(2/3)

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Your niece finally notices you when she looks away from the book to pluck up a slice of some dense confection you're not familiar with. It looks to be glazed with a thin coat of honey and topped with candied almonds, you'd guess that it probably taste somewhat similar to baklava. Nithya pauses in mid-bite, but it's only moments later that she's bowled over by Zahak's wing as he leaps onto his feet to greet you. {Papa! They said you went to the library but I was worried because they wouldn't let me go there to see you but then they got me food so I wouldn't have to hunt and my cousin was reading me a story.}

Exhausted as you are, it's a little difficult to keep up with Zahak's burst of thought and emotion. Fortunately he doesn't seem to notice how tired you are. {I'm glad you had fun, Zahak. I would have been back sooner but I got sidetracked while visiting the library.}

>Apologize for interrupting Nithya's story, but you really must be leaving. You've got places to be.
>Ask them where your sister and her husband are. You should probably warn them about the enchantress.
>Write-in

>>46553560
>>Apologize for interrupting Nithya's story, but you really must be leaving. You've got places to be.

>>46553560
>Ask them where your sister and her husband are. You should probably warn them about the enchantress.
I'm not saying you should do anything, just that you should be prepared for everything you know and love to be destroyed by the ambition of some ages old enchantress, and you should plan accordingly

>>46553560
>Ask them where your sister and her husband are. You should probably warn them about the enchantress.

>>46553560
>at least let them finish the story you goddamn deadbeat fathers

>>46553560
>Ask them where your sister and her husband are. You should probably warn them about the enchantress.

>>46553560
>Ask them where your sister and her husband are. You should probably warn them about the enchantress.

>>46553560
>>Ask them where your sister and her husband are. You should probably warn them about the enchantress.
then we leave

>>46553560
>Ask them where your sister and her husband are. You should probably warn them about the enchantress.

You know how it goes, give them a cryptic warming and but make sure our niece is within hearing range. So that when she grows up and enchantress is gets free she can have a flashback to her childhood and figure out how to beat her after seeking a grown up Zahak for answers.

>>46553657
they can finish while we warn

>>46553560
>>Ask them where your sister and her husband are. You should probably warn them about the enchantress.

>>46553785
>>46553766
>>46553707
>>46553678
>>46553653
>>46553647
>>46553657
>>46553833
>Yo lil' nigga where's your pops?

>>46553579
>Fuck u doin' teachin' my kid to read n' shit?

Writin'

>>46553844
Fuck off

>>46553930
>Can't handle the bants.

>>46553935
>supporting potato niggerjews

>>46553511
>You even manage to steal a lamb skewer from a confused pedestrian, offering you an opportunity to finally sate your hunger.
It's the little things in this quest, really.

>>46554238
>Mik chimping out
He is a shit protag

>>46553535
>>46553560
hhhhnggg

>>46554426
>it seems to be a children's fable about a clever mouse repeatedly evading the depredations of a cat.
Tom and Jerry?

Wait where is the little golem?

>>46554587
In ur base, killin ur dudes

>>46554587
>You will never be the little golem

File: Syria conflict.webm (2.09 MB, 640x404)

2.09 MB WEBM

>>46554453

>>46554453
omg

We are slowly approaching Hexer-tier update speeds.

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Your niece seems to be struggling to right herself, her dress seems to have gotten caught underneath one of your son's claws. This offers you a perfect opportunity to teach him something about proper manners. {Zahak, help your cousin up and apologize. She's being nice enough to read you a story and you bowled her over without a thought.}

Zahak lowers his head, a vague sense of guilt reaching you through your shared connection. {Sorry, I was just excited to see you were okay is all.} He carefully lifts his foot and cranes his neck so that Nithya can use his horns to leverage herself onto her feet. {I didn't mean to hurt her.}

Gods above, now you feel guilty. Crossing the distance between you and your son, you send a jet of fire running along his flank. You have to be careful to avoid setting the cushions alight, but even as exhausted you manage that with ease. {I know, Zahak. I'm sorry for scolding you, I'm just tired is all. Why don't you lay down and make yourself comfortable? I need to talk to your cousin for a little while, but she'll be back to read to you some more in a little while.}

You son nuzzles the tip of his nose into your chest, affection radiating off him in waves, and you excuse yourself to make sure Nithya is okay. She's presently occupied straightening out her dress, but other than being a little disheveled doesn't seem harmed. “Do you happen to know where your mother and father are? I need to speak with them regarding a matter of importance.”
(1/5)

She straightens herself up to her full height, though that still makes her more than a head shorter than you are. “Mother left to take a bath some time ago, I would say she's probably in the reading room right now. She mentioned she wanted to pick out a few more books that Zahak might like. As for my father... well, I don't really know where he is. Probably somewhere on palace grounds.”

You didn't notice him when you were there, but you suppose you've been sequestered away underneath the library for the past few hours. You turn to leave, but don't get very far before Nithya once again draws your attention. “What is it you need to speak with my parents about? If it's something magical, I might be able to help! I've studied a lot, though I've never had any skill with the practical application.”

Turning to face the girl, you channel a bit of Nature magic. A filter of green descends over your vision, and suddenly your son appears as a sun in miniature. The fact that Nithya is distinguishable at all with Zahak as a backdrop might indicate some modicum of talent, though you doubt she possesses the potential to advance very far in even one school.

Cutting the flow of vys, you rest a hand upon her shoulder. “I'm afraid the issue I wish to bring to your parent's attention is well beyond even my ability to control. I've done all I can, but I fear my efforts are too little and too late. Suffice to say that some knowledge is best left forgotten, and that reckless ambition can lead only to hardship.”

Advice which you yourself almost never follow, but good advice nonetheless. You can tell that Nithya doesn't really understand what you've said, but perhaps in time she'll glean some benefit from your wisdom. You leave her to continue spending time with your son, while you seek out a servant to guide you to the reading room.
(2/5)

It doesn't take you long to locate a slave bearing aloft a tray containing wine, a few cups, and a plate of baked flatbread crackers and hummus. He guides you through a winding collection of hallways and corridors to an unassuming red door, behind which you find a vast collection of books and scrolls. Your sister has gathered by her side a small collection of weighty codices, many of them you recognize from your own childhood. The life of the Thousand Year Emperor, the story of Pani's defeat of Surya, and the tales of Samak the Loyal.

She turns her head only when the slave sets down the tray, giving you a warm smile when she notices you waiting by the doorway. “Ah, a slave told me you were going to visit the Satrap's library. How did you find it? Was it suitably vast to satisfy your boundless curiosity?”

You take a proffered cup of wine from the slave, sipping it passively. It's a bit too sweet of a red for your taste, but pleasant enough. “It was certainly a fascinating experience, though I was able to browse precious little of the actual library. I seem to have a terrible habit of getting sidetracked no matter how innocent and mundane a task I seem to set myself to.”

You step aside to allow the slave to exit, taking a seat in the chair next to the tray of snacks while your sister pulls one last book, the Tales of Aslan, and sets it atop her pile. “You have always had that talent, Mikhael. I remember, when you were little I would always lose track of you if I turned my back for even a second. You'd wind up toddling off to play in a fountain or pester a street vendor to the best of your ability with what few words you knew at the time.”
(3/5)

Your sister sighs, joining you by the tray of snacks to pour her own glass of wine. You allow her a moment to slake her thirst before likely ruining her evening. “I'm afraid I'll be leaving town soon, I need to get back to Nazir so I might resume my journey to Elaudia. However, I thought to warn you about a woman I met in the ruined portions of the Satrap's library. A madwoman through and through, she has labored for more than a thousand years to create a device which would elevate her to godhood. I found myself trapped inside her realm within the void, and though she proved personable enough the only reason she did not constrain me and strip my soul from my body is because the device she crafted to do so was already occupied by some unfortunate victim of hers.”

Pausing, you take a sip of wine and pluck one of the flatbread crackers from the bowl, skimming it across the top of the hummus plate. The gods truly blessed the mortal realm when they created the chick pea. Once you've finished chewing, you resume your tale. “Anyway, as you can imagine she was far beyond my ability to defeat in single combat. I did not try to do so. However, once I'd safely escaped her realm I erected an enchanted barrier which ought to hopefully prevent others from falling into her trap. The artifact she's created requires only three more souls, or perhaps two now, to reach completion. I'm not saying you should flee the city, but you may wish to have some sort of plan in place should she break disassemble the containment I erected and unleash some sort of rain of fire upon the city.”
(4/5)

Safiyyah isn't wholly certain how to react. She opens her mouth to speak, but promptly shuts it again. You occupy yourself with the chips while she struggles to comprehend what you've just said. When finally your sister speaks, it's with marked annoyance. “What do you mean we shouldn't flee the city!? How exactly do you think we'd escape an insane vatis with nigh-godly power unleashing death and destruction upon the land?”

You shrug your shoulders. “She's been working on this for more than a thousand years. As I mentioned. She has collected only about two hundred souls. If we assume she's been around about fifteen hundred years, that's a soul every seven and a half years. I would think that with the new barrier I erected that number will increase significantly, and considering she just added a new soul to her collection it's not what I'd call a pressing concern.”

Your sister frowns. “A decade isn't exactly a long time Mikhael, and I doubt I'll have any sort of advanced warning. Besides, even if the average is seven and a half years that doesn't mean she couldn't pop out tomorrow and bathe the city in fire.”

Washing down a mouthful of hummus and flatbread with wine, you try to placate you older sibling. “I doubt she'll burst out of the Satrap's Library tomorrow. As I said, she needs two or three more souls to complete her life's work, and I don't think she really ventures outside of the library to search for victims. Just ask your husband to keep his ear to the ground, and to tell you if he hears about any disappearances in or near the library.”
(5/6)

Safiyyah sighs once more, finishing off the remnants of her wine. “I wish I could be as impartial about all this as you are, Mikhael, but this is my family you're talking about. When father agreed that I should live with Faris in Marqash I doubt he was aware there was an ancient evil living underneath the city simply lying in wait to release untold destruction upon the Shahdom.”

>Offer to ask your brother whether or not he'd mind Safiyyah moving into the palace at Nazir.
>Try to reassure her, the barrier you created is really quite good. Nobody is going to stumble into the ruined portion of the library anytime soon.
>Wish her the best of luck, but you really need to get going. Marqash is lovely and all but as she said, forgotten evil dwelling underneath the city.
>Write-in

>>46556387
>>Offer to ask your brother whether or not he'd mind Safiyyah moving into the palace at Nazir.
>>Try to reassure her, the barrier you created is really quite good. Nobody is going to stumble into the ruined portion of the library anytime soon.
Also scoff at her and say that there are aneict evils waiting to unleash destruction upon the world underneath almost every city in the Shahdom.

>>46556387
Honey, Marqash ain't that special. Nearly every city in Pidjata has something similar to this.

>>46556420
kek
its technically correct

>>46556387
>>Write-in
Well, I could go destroy the half of her portal that resides in the library I suppose. That might at least mean that if she exits the void to kill us all, it will be in some other location...

>>46556387
>>Offer to ask your brother whether or not he'd mind Safiyyah moving into the palace at Nazir.
>>Try to reassure her, the barrier you created is really quite good. Nobody is going to stumble into the ruined portion of the library anytime soon.

>>46556455
>>46556420
>>46556387
I like these.

Also add that if she hasn't burned the city to the ground in the last thousand years she probably won't do it now.

>>46556387
Soma?
>>46556472

>>46556472
Doing that would piss her off enough that she'd probably come hunt us down.

>>46556472
>>46556485
The barrier affects us too you know.

>>46556387
>Offer to ask your brother whether or not he'd mind Safiyyah moving into the palace at Nazir.
>Try to reassure her, the barrier you created is really quite good. Nobody is going to stumble into the ruined portion of the library anytime soon.
I agree with the other anon. What big city doesn't have some sort of ancient evil just waiting to awaken? If it's not a crazy enchantress then it's some sacrifice happy spirit capable or making runic arrays out of nothing, or a child of the gods themselves ready to boil your soul away. I mean honestly. It's ok to be a bit worried but Safiyyah needs to look at the facts. Mik will probably be powerful enough in the next couple of years to kill that enchantress and dismantle her project, so really everything is going to be fine.

>>46556472
>>46556485
That probably would've worked, actually. You could've just disassembled the enchantment on the stone and on the runic array which marked the arrival location. That would have at least meant she'd need to enter the base reality through different, less convenient means.

Kind of a moot point now though, since there's that giant torture wall in the hallway now.

>>46556387
>Try to reassure her, the barrier you created is really quite good. Nobody is going to stumble into the ruined portion of the library anytime soon.
Maybe mention that ancient (or even just old) evils aren't as uncommon as she might think.

After all, we found dragons, an extra-dimensional portal and the heart of a dragon-lich all in a mine somewhere.

And the Void is always just one snapped string away.

>>46556485
>>46556472
That's a dumb idea and you know it

>>46556498
How would she remember one random dude she met once 7 years ago, being insane and all

>>46556502
we can go around it, it's a hallway sized wall and we is wizard with earthbending

>>46556515
>>46556485
Not to mention it would piss her off she'd either burn the city to the ground or hunt us to the ends of the earth.

>>46556532
She's not that kind of insane. she's sociopath insane not metal hospital insane