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>>46688378
You throw your head back and screech. It catches the other combatants by surprise. John pauses mid-evisceration when he realizes his victim is no longer a threat; his eyes go to Brianna, who's clutching her ears atop Hunting Talon.

The Hatchet Man seems neither affected, nor about to stop. Dwarf blood sprays the tunnel around his undisturbed advance.

In the silence that follows, the eyes of anyone that can think and see straight are on you.

"Yes I fucking dare!" you shout indignantly. Your allies are going to be missing some context but fuck it, you can fill them in later. "You ambushed us in a peace talk and you want to lecture /me/, Razor Feathers? You want to talk about degeneracy? TAKE A GOOD LOOK!" You throw your arms wide, icy eyes on the Queen of the Perch.

"You made me," you accuse. "This /place/ made me. And it made all of you too. Look at Hunting Talon - all of these people, his and yours, dead for his /stupid jealousy/, and no one here thought to question it. Our /home/ is infested with...with fucking guys like /him/," you point at John - "who hunt us for /food/. Not that we're any different! But this is where you draw the line? You want to look the Lady in the eyes and say that you're a traitor and a coward, that you sold out your home to warlords that crush the innocent, but hey, /at least you never cut someone's wings up/? Fuck you."

You can hear the dwarves retreating in disarray, shouting in a panic. "He's a demon," they yell. "Gods preserve!"

"I didn't want this," you tell her, your voice shaky with rage and...yeah, regrets. "I went up and I saw the /sky/, Razor Feathers. I've met people who don't /have/ to murder to survive. Whose young are not men only after they've killed. That could be us."

Razor Feathers shifts uneasily on her perch, eyes full of doubts.

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>>46688503
> "You can fight to rule in darkness. Maybe you'll win, and maybe you won't. But you'll die forgotten."
> "Don't you want revenge on the bastards that closed the doors and left you to starve on their whim? Do you really want to be their /pet/?"
> "There's power you haven't dreamed of if you join us, Feathers. Power like you wouldn't believe."
> Write-in?

>>46688518
> "Don't you want revenge on the bastards that closed the doors and left you to starve on their whim? Do you really want to be their /pet/?"

>>46688518
> "Don't you want revenge on the bastards that closed the doors and left you to starve on their whim? Do you really want to be their /pet/?"

Jesus christ. Also, I honestly expected the briana-hunting talon fight to end with us disemboweled and/or falling to our death dragging talon down with us. This would probably be a better outcome that doesn't cost us 24 hours of drama.

>>46688518
>> "You can fight to rule in darkness. Maybe you'll win, and maybe you won't. But you'll die forgotten."
The revenge thing... sounds more like the language the Roost is used to hearing. Which means maybe it'd work better, but it's just as likely they've heard it all a thousand times and just don't care anymore. If we're trying to make this about something bigger than right here, right now, then let's push for it.

>>46688518
>> "You can fight to rule in darkness. Maybe you'll win, and maybe you won't. But you'll die forgotten."
Yeah, fuck her shit.

>>46688518
>> "You can fight to rule in darkness. Maybe you'll win, and maybe you won't. But you'll die forgotten."
> Write-in "And now, you'll die wingless."

>>46688518
>>> "You can fight to rule in darkness. Maybe you'll win, and maybe you won't. But you'll die forgotten."


>>46688597
Yeah, no. That's a bit overkill.

>>46688518
>> "You can fight to rule in darkness. Maybe you'll win, and maybe you won't. But you'll die forgotten."

>You don't need to starve on the whim of another. They have no intention of changing what is, but YOU don't have to accept that. NONE OF US DO.

> "You can fight to rule in darkness. Maybe you'll win, and maybe you won't. But you'll die forgotten."

Absolutely. Revenge and bloodshed is NOT the answer for a change, you damn birds!

Also apparently /wqd/ is freaking out over DLQ and has resulted in a minor civil war, so expect extra cancer posting today.

In other news apparently shit went down involving vox in /qtg/? I have no idea how to even access that thread honestly.

>>46688656
Don't worry about it. /wqd/ has been kind enough to offer feedback at times but I'm not really interested in starting or sustaining a fight.

Votes called, writing.

>>46688518
> "You can fight to rule in darkness. Maybe you'll win, and maybe you won't. But you'll die forgotten."
Hatchet Man comfirmed for overpowered, not affected by Amy's sonic blast.

>>46688656
>I have no idea how to even access that thread honestly.
if that's true, then don't touch wqdt at all, because that sort of comment will just fuel the fire.

>>46688656
What's the freak out? is it an extension of flamewar in the previous thread?

>>46688716
John wasn't either.

There are implications there.

>>46688730
Allegedly this quest is attracting reddit and tumblr users over to share in the sjw agenda. In reality people just hate quests that have opinions they disagree with and are shit posting to express there hatred of normies.

>>46688518
>"You can fight to rule in darkness. Maybe you'll win, and maybe you won't. But you'll die forgotten."
>>46688748
>share in the sjw agenda.
What.

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>>46688518
You could almost pity Razor Feathers. It wasn't all that long ago that you could have /been/ her.

Hell, it wasn't all that long ago that you were ready to marry Talon.

"You can fight to rule in darkness, Razor Feathers," you tell her, lowering your arms. "Maybe you'll win, and maybe you won't. But you'll die forgotten. Everyone here dies forgotten. Do you really want that? Do you want that for your children, for your subjects?"

"As if you'd let me live," Razor Feathers protests, shakily.

"That's still on the table. Tell your harpies to stand down."

|We have a dea-| Talon starts, but he never finishes. A fury like you've never seen has its grip on Brianna; she crashes her fist, still gripping her knife, across his face once, twice.

"Shut up," she snarls, hate dripping from every syllable. "You get to talk when Amy's ready for you."

You look back to Razor Feathers. "What's it gonna be?"

Silence. And then: |Return to the nest.|

Talon's men flee too, leaving only Razor Feathers, Hunting Talon, and your allies.

"Excuse me a moment," you tell Feathers, before walking to where Brianna has Talon pinned down.

> "You get to live with what you just did to your own people, if they let you. Never talk to me again."
> "I told you, Talon. I did this, not them."
> "Bri? Kill him."
> Write-in?

>>46688835
Polyphilia, xenophilia, dark skinned female protag, etc.

Realistically it's just idiots saying shit to incite trouble.

>>46688843
>I chose THEM, Talon. Beaten, wingless, and broken, and I, not them, had the choice. To help people, to change things for the better.
>Now, you and me, let's settle this.
wings or none, lethal or not, that'll depend on him

>>46688843

Damn...Talon is a problem. I can't see him just giving up after this, but any method of preventing him from coming after us again seems...more brutal than we would really like to be, especially after getting that to end without killing everyone.

>> Write-in?

> "Talon, you get to live, so long as I never have to see you again. Try anything—/anything/—and I /will/ kill you. Assuming your own people don't do it first."
> "I wanted to believe that you could be redeemed, that we might be able to be friends after all that, but you destroyed any chance of that when you betrayed /us/."

>>46688843
> "You get to live with what you just did to your own people, if they let you. Never talk to me again."
It may come back to bite her later, but damn it, she's trying to be the better harpy.

>>46688843
>> "You get to live with what you just did to your own people, if they let you. Never talk to me again."
Bri likes giving people second chances. But Talon had his chance, and frankly, we're not Bri.

>>46688899
I don't recall anyone mentioning that.

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>>46688907
I like this one.
>I chose THEM, Talon. Beaten, wingless, and broken, and I, not them, had the choice. To help people, to change things for the better.

>>46688843
>"I told you, Talon. I did this, not them."
>> "Bri? Kill him."

>>46688925
Nah, that's just what sjw nonsense can be gleaned from a quick glance.

>>46688843
Clip his wings, let him live.

>>46688955
Thats literally a fate worse than death

>>46688843
>> "You get to live with what you just did to your own people, if they let you. Never talk to me again."

Picking an ambush target out of a personal vendetta that just resulted in dozens of casualties and turned out to be on completely falsified intel.

They're going to be out for blood, and they're not going to blame us, we were the enemy combatants that they attacked, we were simply behaving as expected.

Where it gets bad is for the guy who led them into a death trap for shitty reasons, they're now weaker off and may have to abandon claims, and its all his fault. This will result in god knows how many challenges against his authority and general territory conflicts. Hes fucked.

Hell, he couldn't even take down the target he personally chose.

>>46688961
Nigga, that's the point

>>46688955
it's a good thing that's not greentexted, because I'd vote against it.

>>46688843
> Leave the roost Talon. There's a whole other world out there where you can fly as high as you want, and maybe then you can understand me. Or at least come to see if the roost is really all you want to rule, and just another murderer on top of the pile is what you really want to be.

>>46689076

...yeah, supporting this one. The Roost is not a good place for him to be at, after these events. Begone.

>>46688843
> "I told you, Talon. I did this, not them."
Talking is a free action

>>46688843
>Supporting >>46689076 in addition to:
>"I told you, Talon. I did this, not them."
I'm all for letting him live, without clipping his wings. He made some very bad mistakes but his judgement was clouded by his feelings.

>>46689245
He also gets to imagine how things could have gone if he left with Amy.

But hey, he DID wait for us. Love makes you do stupid shit, and really his actions are more a reflection on how stunted he's been by staying.

Ruling the roost? That's aiming way too low.

>>46688843
>>46689076
> Leave the roost Talon. There's a whole other world out there where you can fly as high as you want, and maybe then you can understand me. Or at least come to see if the roost is really all you want to rule, and just another murderer on top of the pile is what you really want to be.
Fourthing.

>>46688748
Nigga I was the one shit posting in the previous thread over how to run narrative systems and even I think that's fucking retarded. Goddamn /wqd/ could you please try to be less cancer.

>>46688843
Changing vote from >>46688992 to >>46689076

>>46688656
Dude. Like 5 people posted about it, 4 of them taking the bait and rabidly defending this quest.

Seriously, I like this quest too but stop fucking taking the bait.

Anyways, they're arguing about sub now so. Yeah. Keeping up that quality content.

>>46688843
>Voting for >>46689467 #

>>46688843
Fuck it. This >>46689076 seems like the best choice. Exile slash learning experience.

> Do we have to greentext supporting votes?

>>46690034
Nah, I've been able to pick them out easily. Calling soon, just securing food and pop.

Called, writing.

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MFW my write in gets supported.

Probably because I was last threads shit poster.

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>>46688843
Bri's giving you an expectant look. You nod her off of Talon; she picks herself up and limps away, hunting after her stone death bottle. You give her a grateful look before turning your attention to Hunting Talon.

The one-eyed harpy looks as beaten as you've ever seen him. There's anger there, in his eye, but it's a weak, smoldering thing. He bleeds from multiple stab wounds; Bri got him good.

Though from her slow limping, your lover didn't get everything her own way.

"You know, even after this, I'm sorry it turned out this way," you tell him. "So here's what's going to happen, Talon. I'm going to deliver you to the shrine. You're going to stay there until we get things settled enough to open the doors. And then you're going to leave the Roost."

"Why not just kill me?" Talon croaks, miserably.

"I'm trying not to be like that any more," you answer, with a quiet shrug. "There's a whole world out there, Hunting Talon. The legends are /true/. The sky, it just goes on forever. No roof, no walls, just the wind and the land and freedom."

You offer your hand out. Talon takes it and picks himself up to his knees, groaning in agony.

"Maybe one day you can come back," you murmur. "And we can talk about what happened here. But for right now, I'm going to ask my mother to take you to the shrine. They'll patch your hurt and keep you safe from the people you've betrayed. And you're not gonna get a better deal than that."

* * * *

You are Brianna la Croix, and you are cut up to shit. It's hard for others to tell just yet, since those talons pierce something fierce, but you're pretty sure you've got holes in things you need to live.

You find your stone jug and kneel next to it. Nathan takes one look at you and limps over quickly. You let him strip your coat from you, hear his sharp intake of surprise and sympathetic pain.

With the adrenaline dying down, this seems a little like it's gonna fucking suck.

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>>46690985
"Bri," Nathan says slowly. "You're bleeding out. I can try to patch some of this but..."

"You're not a medic," you croak. "Get Amy."

Distantly, you hear the sound of feathery wings beating. Amy rushes over, righteous fury turned to concern.

"Describe the wounds," you request. You're keenly aware that Razor Feathers is watching, as well as the Hatchet Man. John stands quietly between them and you.

From what Nathan and Amy tell you, healing will be a partial solution; the potions you have on hand will save your life, but you'll have to be more careful from then on, especially when it comes to thinks like lifting and sprinting.

Or...you could die, and come back hale and hearty. Lora'd said the first time that she didn't know how often she could bring you back, but you haven't had to use that service yet. Surely it's available?

Either way, you should probably settle things with John and the Hatchet Man before you decide.

> Tell those two that River will honor your word
> Tell them that Nathan and Amy will honor your word

AND

> Take the potion
> Die
> Write-in? (Who knows maybe anon has something clever)

>>46691067
> Write-in?

Use necromancy to transplant organs and blood and stuff to us from the corpses. Not bond it to us, just kind of . . . Strap it to us like an undead life pack.

>>46691067
>emergency lichdom v2

>>46691067
>> Tell them that Nathan and Amy will honor your word
>AND
>> Take the potion

It ain't time yet.

> Tell them that Nathan and Amy will honor your word
> Take the potion

No good deed.

(I do not dare to jeopardise what we have accomplished right now by jumping into the unknown that is altering reality to not be dead. We'll figure something out later. Maybe Meadows knows some strengthening herbal teas or somesuch. Help with athritis and liver punctures.)

>>46691067
> Tell them that Nathan and Amy will honor your word
Our work is never done
> Write-in?
Ask for advice from Razor Feathers on talon stab wounds, as a trade for neutrality from her and her murder.

>>46691067
> Take the potion
Respawn is for if we die unexpectedly.

> Tell them that Nathan and Amy will honor your word

>>46691067
>Take potion
>Nathan and Ami

>>46691067
> Tell them that Nathan and Amy will honor your word
Not entirely sure what about, but fuck it
> Write-in?
We have a fair amount of bottled death. I feel like we should really be able to do something with that.
Otherwise
> DIE

>>46691067
> Tell them that Nathan and Amy will honor your word
> Take the potion

>>46691239
Medically speaking....stab wounds suck. you can clean them out, but there isn't anything you can do to actually heal it without superglue or staples, and that's haphazard at best.

>>46691067
>Tell them that Nathan and Amy will honor your word
>Take the potion
Because I don't have an idea on hand how we could survive otherwise.

>>46691067
> Tell those two that River will honor your word
> Take the potion

Oh no! The potions that have been able to fix everything, admittedly with healing shock, are no longer perfect.

Vox seriously?

>>46691067
>> Tell them that Nathan and Amy will honor your word
>die

>>46691067
>> Tell them that Nathan and Amy will honor your word

>> Take the potion

>>46691463
There was never any mention of wounds healed by them not leaving scarring. And a scarred liver or similiar is something you don't want.

>>46691463
What? Healing not being perfect and leaving permanent damage has been a major part of the quest from the very beginning. It came up with Nate, and with Amy, and I'm pretty sure Bri discussed it with Meadows.

>>46691597
Nate was brought back from the dead, and Amy only experienced massive heal shock. So far potions have not left any real lasting effect on anyone.

Admittedly these may be low quality or something similar, but it feels really arbitrary to me.

>>46691463
>>46691653
There's always been limits on what they can do (referenced a few times, first when you saved River). Recently, from Jewel's perspective, it's been noted that field potions aren't as effective as what you can make with more time and materials (that is, long-term care).

I really need to get this stuff added to the Characters and Places doc soon. I'll make a project outta that today.

>>46691653
Nate has asthma now and amy was in bed for literal weeks

>>46691067
>>> Tell them that Nathan and Amy will honor your word

>>die

We'll see them in 24 hours

Every other vote is mistaken that we will perma die

>>46691067
>> Tell them that Nathan and Amy will honor your word
>> Take the potion
Dying is not a habit we want to get into.

>>46691067
>> Tell them that Nathan and Amy will honor your word
>> Take the potion

>>46691808
We know we won't perma die, but there's suspicion that it will erase other's memories of us.

>>46688656
>I have no idea how to even access that thread honestly.

Come on.

At least have a little shame.

>>46691067
>Potion
>Write in if it optional; would we be able to do what the one anon said by using necromancy to bind some organs from one of the aviable corpses nearby as an emergency organ transplant?

Or family forbidding it, we can have one of our ancestors on call to possibly help? I mean I do remember that some of the family might know something about taking life force to use for healing purposes, so like absorb some of the health from something and transfer it to the caster. Or redistrubite vitality I don't know really.

>>46692233
>>46691122
Necromancy transplants have been brought up previously and noted to not work out at all.

>>46691067
>> Write-in?

Can we get another angel feather from Lora?

Like, potion up.

Fall asleep, take a feather and then heal ourselves.

Y'know what's something I just realized.

Didn't Nathan go toe to toe with Lora, who is literally Death and do absolutely fine?

And yet he was losing to the Hatchet Man.

So, the Hatchet Man is a better killer than Death?

>m-m-muh power levels

>>46692523

Lora was going easy on him. The problem with her fighting under duress, really.

>>46692523
>>46692592
Lora said Nate needs someone to teach him... Hatchet Man wasn't even breaking a sweat in the entire fight against multiple foes both regular and magical. Nate could learn a lot from him.

>>46691067

> Tell them that Nathan and Amy will honor your word

AND

> Take the potion.

We can't just leave our lovers with amerc and a flesh eating undead.

>>46692523
she was trying her best not to kill him, also she had kat restraining her who she literally could not possibly fight back against.

>>46692806
Oh ho, but if you notice.

Hatchet Man also was fighting Kat at the same time as Nate, managed to restrain her and also was entertaining a counter offer from Bri, which suggests he may not have beeng going all out on Nate for that section of the fight at the least. You don't kill your next employer's boyfriend

Truly, we need to set up a Hatchet Man v Lora fight after this is all over.

>>46692523
See >>46692775 and >>46692806

Which is not to suggest that the Hatchet Man isn't superb at what he does, mind. In a place and profession where everyone dies young, he got old. Says something about a guy.

>>46692894
the difference is that the hatchet man could and was defending himself against kat while Lora could do literally nothing except stand there and let it happen.

Called, writing.

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>>46691067
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynyA6qPjUpo

"John. Hatchet...fuck, I don't know your name, c'mere."

"Hatchet will serve," the Hatchet Man replies indifferently. The two get closer, expectantly.

"Nathan and Amy speak for me if I'm gone for any reason. Death, unconciousness, kidnapping. Whatever. They'll make good on my word to find your Heart's Desire, Hatchet. And John's business."

"Bri," Nathan warns. "Potion first, then talk."

"Sorry," you chuckle, painfully. "Used to talking while I bleed. Ames, mix it."

Nathan helps you shrug out of your coat and shirt - you need anything but getting them caught in the wounds - and Amy mixes the potion while Amy cleans them out.

You down the potion knowing it's going to hurt. The cold feeling of your life's blood draining away becomes the hot, stabbing sensation of the potion getting to work. The shock makes stars blossom in your vision, but it is, ultimately, not enough to knock you out. You sway where you kneel and let Amy support your weight.

Blades are pointed sharply in response to a fluttering of wings. Razor Feathers has landed near you, and regards you curiously.

"Falling Knives, this is your leader?" she asks.

"Her name in lorshan is Amy," you groan.

"Amy, then," Feathers agrees.

"She is," Amy answers, on guard. "You knew her name."

"I do," Feathers agrees. "I know that the Lush promised a hundred barrels of salt pork and all the bread and wine we could drink for her heart. I know that the Debtor promised vast riches, that the Diviner swore she would recall the draugs. I know she inspired fear in the Hatchet Man."

"I don't like killing people twice," the mercenary drawls. "Necromancers generally need killing three times, and those are bad odds."

"Someone high-five that man for me," you manage. Awkwardly, Nathan holds his hand up; the mercenary leaves him hanging.

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>>46693354
"The powerful do what they please in the Roost. That's how it's always been; the mighty exult, and the weak hunger. Those below will see another fight for the Perch and wait to see who emerges. What, then, do we tell them? What is power?"

"Power /is/," you murmur. You get a foot under yourself and stand, slowly. Someone hands you your cane, and you lean heavily upon it. "Is this place your home, Razor Feathers, or just your prison?"

"...My home," the harpy murmurs, with surprising emotion. "Legends of the soaring sky were never for me. And others would say the same."

"What is it you're wanting me to tell you, Razor Feathers?" you ask. "Do you want to rule the Roost?"

"...Yes."

> Too fucking bad
> ...Someone has to do it. And I don't imagine you got here for no reason. Let me take some time to think.
> Only if you help us get the people out who want to get out. There's other homes for them, other opportunities.
> Write-in?

>>46693428
> Only if you help us get the people out who want to get out. There's other homes for them, other opportunities.
> Write-in?
>"The Roost doesn't have to stay the way it is now, I'm not saying everything will change overcamp and that is fine, but we can work together to make it a place worth returning to."

Harpies leave, see the world, eventually some might return to the Roost, bringing with them everything they experienced out there.
I hope I got this right.

>>46693652
seconded

>>46693428
> Only if you help us get the people out who want to get out. There's other homes for them, other opportunities.
> Write-in?
>"The Roost doesn't have to stay the way it is now, I'm not saying everything will change overcamp and that is fine, but we can work together to make it a place worth returning to."

>>46692343
One ever, anon.

>>46693947
I think that was the kiss not the feather that was one ever.

>>46693993
It was the feather. And we can't ask for one anyhow, it must be given freely.

>>46693428
thirding
>>46693652
>> Only if you help us get the people out who want to get out. There's other homes for them, other opportunities.> Write-in?>"The Roost doesn't have to stay the way it is now, I'm not saying everything will change overcamp and that is fine, but we can work together to make it a place worth returning to."

>>46693652
> Only if you help us get the people out who want to get out. There's other homes for them, other opportunities.
> Write-in?
>"The Roost doesn't have to stay the way it is now, I'm not saying everything will change overcamp and that is fine, but we can work together to make it a place worth returning to."

Hard to do better, and I'm a writer by trade.

>>46693993
Kiss gave our lost years back, feather HURT LIKE A BITCH and healed Amy, a one time deal.

>>46694036
>>46694095
nope I double checked; feather was thread 04. It does have to be given and all but there was no mention of it being a once ever thing. The kiss that gave our years back was the gift that could not be given again

>>46694194
We really need to ask Lora a few things next time we pass out. Chiefly, "what exactly happens when I die?"

>>46694351
we already tried something along those lines and her best answer was "I don't know I've never tried this before". We could ask her to try to speculate I guess, because it is hard as fuck to use it to our advantage if we do not know the parameters.

>>46694432
We could also ask exactly what she's doing to resurrect us, and extrapolate from there.

>>46694458
this is a pretty good idea and I support it at the next possible chance, not knowing if everyone you care about is going to forget that you even exist should you die is pretty shitty.

Called, writing.

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>>46693428
You consider it for a moment before speaking. What you say now will be important, both to Razor Feathers and the Roost.

"I didn't come to tear you from your throne," you tell her. "I came to open the Roost back up to free passage and to try and make it a better place. The Roost doesn't have to stay this way, Razor Feathers. It won't change overcamp, and that's fine. It won't change without hard work either."

"...I have hatchlings," she murmurs. "I would like to see them grow up. I...I think I should like to know that they'll mourn my death of old age."

"Interesting tack to take for someone who just tried to murder me /in a peace talk/," you point out.

"You beat us off with just the few of you and some quick talking," Razor Feathers answers, frankly. "Whatever you're doing, it's made you stronger than me. I want that strength, and I'll accept what goes with it."

"We'll make a real queen of you yet," you say with a pained smile. "You'll help us evacuate anyone who wants to leave. That's not negotiable. There's lots of places they can go, and I can even suggest a few and help them get settled. The Lichyard has work for folks willing to hunt the dead, and I bet a harpy there could make a living doing message work. Lakehallow has room to grow. And there's a Duchess that's taken a shining to me who might be willing, provisionally, to talk about Murders settling 'neath the wild sky."

Razor Feathers nods. "I'll do everything I can."

"The next thing you'll do is get a meeting arranged. I need to talk to the people in charge down here and get some of the immediate problems solved. Once I'm confident that we're back down to the previous levels of violent murder, we'll open the door to the Mine."

"Might take a few days. I'll get started."

"Be well."

Razor Feathers wings off, towards her nest. Her people are waiting for her, concern and relief on their faces.

> END SUBLEVEL: RULE THE ROOST

OR

> I still have things to do (what?)

>>46695381
Furiously make love to shankbird. On the Lady's alter.

>>46695381
>> I still have things to do (what?)
Have a talk with Hatchet about what exactly IS his heart's desire

>>46695381
>> I still have things to do (what?)

Just a trip back to the shrine to thank the Lady, and reassure Her that we're doing our best to see Her people here to a better future.

>>46695381
> I still have things to do (what?)
>>46695497
>>46695508
Seconding Hatchet Man and a prayer of thanks.

> I still have things to do (what?)
>Have a talk with Hatchet about what exactly IS his heart's desire
I don't wanna keep that scary motherfucker waiting.

>>46695381
>overcamp,
can someone explain what this word means? I don't get it

>>46695968
there's no night under ground so sleepytime is called camp instead

>>46695968
Day/night don't exist in the Dungeon. Sleepytime is generally referred to as 'camp'.

>>46694194
I am completely forgetting this kiss?

why did we need our years back?

>>46695381
> I still have things to do (what?)

Kill that fucking spider

Take care of the rest of the Draugs

Find out who or what is siphoning death from the roost and how to stop it.

Treat with the Vampires here somehow.

Investigate the trail that DIDN'T lead to the Priestess.

All shit for Amy and Nate to do while Bri heals and gets peeps out of the Roost.

>>46696200
Necromancy uses life force, and Bri used her own for it instead of stealing others.

>>46694458
>>46694528
It's pretty likely she's using the Angel's Tongue to essentially recreate us every time we die. that's why things still happen and the possibility of altered reality is so strong - the world WILL rewrite whatever has to be rewritten to ensure Bri stays a part of it, regardless of consequences to others.

>>46696437
That's brilliant! It would explain why the people from the town didn't remember they had already thrown Bri in the dungeon, but the markings in the oubliette were still there. I couldn't wrap myself around that even if Vox said that time was still going forward.

>>46696437
the question is to what extent Lora actually has control of it then, can she mitigate or control the extent of the changes or is it full on "nope the word is said it's gonna do whatever the fuck it wants". I suppose the crux of it since we know she has mastery of the divine tongue, is how much leeway does she have in using it toward her duty of resurrection.

I need to drive home; I'll be back in about an hour to call and update. Right now what's on the schedule for continuing SUBLEVEL: RULE THE ROOST includes:

> Hatchet Man Talk
> Thanks at the Shrine
> Lora Time

However!

>>46696325
> All shit for Amy and Nate to do while Bri heals and gets peeps out of the Roost.

This intrigues me. Would anon be down for doing some time from Amy and/or Nate's perspective, helping to settle some of this?

>>46696734
Sure, why not.

>>46696734
It sounds interesting

>>46696734
sounds good to me.

>>46696734
> Do you want to build a side quest

Hell yes.

Home. Gonna be calling soon, just gotta get set back up.

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>>46695381
With you safe and ambulatory, Nathan gets to work on a potion of his own. He took his share of licks in his fight; you're uncomfortably certain that the Hatchet Man could have killed him if he was of a mind and hadn't had Razor Feathers irritating him.

"We're going to head back to the shrine," you tell Hatchet. "As soon as Diving Shadow gets back."

"I'll meet you there in due time," he replies, with a shrug. "I need to retrieve my axes, and I get the feeling that I'll find some of those filthy draug harrying the dwarves. I don't like them in my tunnels."

"We'll talk more about your payment when you arrive," you offer.

"We will," he agrees. "Don't welch on me, necromancer. You do not want to see me...motivated."

You and Nathan suppress shudders. The Hero drinks his potion and winces as it gets to work. Hatchet, for his part, begins taking his axes from the various corpses they've been buried in.

"...I think I'm going to ask that man to teach me," Nathan says distantly.

"If you're sure," you offer, out of a need to play devil's advocate.

"I really am."

Diving Shadow arrives. This time, though, Amy carries you instead of carrying Nate.

"You okay?" your lover murmurs.

"There's all kinds of better I've been. But I'm alive."

"Bri, d'you...d'you remember when you took my side against Meadows, about the feather? About...about my revenge?" she asks, walking her way through the idea.

"I'll never forget," you murmur.

"At every turn you've been there for Nate and me. To support our right to choose and...you know, be our own people. To say it's okay to be angry and scared and confused sometimes. And I wanted to thank you for that."

"There's -"

"I will stick my fingers in your stab wounds if you tell me there's nothing you've done to be worth thanking."

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>>46698857
"That wasn't where I was going with it," you protest, grumpily. "I was /going/ to say that there's some lessons you have to learn, at least in part, for yourself. I've met too many folks turned loose in their own lives without knowing how to handle them. And...I dunno, I've seen a lot of people try to be who someone else wants them to be too. I love /you/. I wouldn't want to get rid of the things that make you who you are, even the ones that worry me sometimes."

"Like the stabbing?"

"You usually try to stab people that deserve it. I'm there for...cultural issues." You grin wickedly. "And window repair."

"Hmph. They had it coming."

All of you land. You spare a glance for Kat, who is limping for reasons of her own - you really must ask about that metal spike some time - before letting Amy support you on your way into the shrine. Hunting Talon rests in one of the top niches, sleeping off whatever treatment he had for the stab wounds you gave him. His torso is still coated with bandages.

Yours is still bare, but that's corrected after a moment. You dig a spare shirt from your pack and get into it gingerly, before taking a look at your coat and sighing. You're gonna be hours fixing that.

You limp with your cane to one of the prayer mats and kneel.

<You seem to be missing some bits> the Lady murmurs, her voice warm and teasing.

<I'm sure they were spare parts> you snark back.

<And what have we learned today?> the Goddess of Wisdom asks. You can almost swear the raven on the altar is tilting its head in curiosity.

> What did you learn?

>>46698952
That would depend on how often Bri has backed down and done stuff like raise skeletons or consort with known supermercenaries.

>>46698952
>...I don't want to die. Even if it's temporary

>>46698952
>Fighting a creature with talons sucks.

>>46698952
>Peace talks in the roost...aren't...

>>46699180
>>46699226
Don't snark the goddess of wisdom, she's being serious here.

>>46698952
>Are we talking facts, like the giant spider apparently hanging out at the bottom of the Roost or the fact that there's a crazy death draining array set up? Are we talking politics, like how there's a giant bounty set on my head by the next couple of Chain Holders? Or do you mean valuable life lessons, like how you probably shouldn't hire people for really vague prices like 'My Heart's Desire'? That one's already threatened to bite me in the ass.
>I've learned a lot. The question is what I'm going to do about it.

>>46698952
>> What did you learn?
Life is for the living, death is for the dead and I'm not dead yet. Nor is the Roost.

>>46699099
Supported.

>>46699180
I'm gonna vote for this one, seems snarky but I can't think of lessons Bri may have learned today, other then the obvious talons hurt.


>Fighting a creature with talons sucks.

>>46699298
have you met us?

>>46699099
Suporting this mixed with:
This one:

>>46699378

Vote mildly extended. Shouldn't be too long, just makin' dinner.

Called, writing.

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>>46698952
<Fighting things with talons sucks?> you offer.

<I didn't create them for tickle fights> the Lady notes, amused.

<...I'm not ready to die yet. Not even knowing...suspecting...that I'll come back.> You murmur, more seriously. <It's not just that I'm afraid to die...though I am afraid to die, and that in itself is a little surprising. Not all that long ago I wouldn't have been.>

The goddess's voice is soothing. Warm. <What do you think that says about you, Brianna la Croix?>

<...I don't know.>

<One of the most honest statements someone can make. Think on that for awhile. It may do you some good.>

You nod, mostly to yourself - you're praying, she knows you've agreed even if you didn't say it. Actually, what are the words even -

<You think in language. Most sapients do.>

<Huh. I never really thought of it that way, but...yeah.> You take in a deep breath. <Do you know of the Hatchet Man?>

<He pays his respects, from time to time.>

<Can you tell me what his Heart's Desire is?>

<I could, but it wouldn't be helpful. Its attainment is a journey for him, as much as it is a deed to be accomplished. My lonely daughter can aid you.>

You frown, your brow furrowing. <Why is it okay for Lora to help but not you?>

<She doesn't know what it is. She will help you set him on his journey. Be well, Brianna la Croix. Do ask Falling Knives to take some time out of her night to talk, will you?>

<Yes, my Lady> you murmur. <...I have to ask, though. Why use her bird name?>

<Wren made humans and would use her human name. I use her bird name.>

There is a fluttering of wings in your mind, and the attention of the Lady is gone, leaving you with a faint feeling of approval and amusement. Hopefully that's not ominous.

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>>46701478
"Amy?" you say as you stand - thank the gods for your cane right now. "Um. The Lady would...she...take some time to pray later, okay?"

Amy stares at you with wide eyes.

"...She requested you by name," you add, helpfully.

"What."

"I'm just the messenger!"

"Why /me/?" Amy asks.

"DO I LOOK LIKE GODS TELL ME THINGS?"

"Evidently they do!"

There's a polite cough from the Reverend. "Our shrine sees many events which are less than usual on the surface," he notes. "The people of the Roost are often without guidance. It makes what they /can/ get more valuable. That, and you have just made yourself a herald of great change in a place the Lady thinks of as her own domain. I should imagine she has something to say about that."

"Killmenow," Amy squeaks. You laugh and limp over to give her a hug.

"You did good, shankbird," you murmur. "You'll be fine."

Your urge to remain busy has a small battle with your sheer ache and exhaustion, and exhaustion wins. You sit down to wait for Hatchet, and he doesn't disappoint. The man steps into the shrine still stained with gore. He bows to the altar and then to the Reverend before politely requesting a change of clothes to wear while he cleanses his own.

When he comes to you, it is in a novice's plain robes.

> Ask him what his Heart's Desire is
> Tell him what the Lady told you
> Thank him for his help
> Write-in?

Is Vox animate?

>>46701755
Maybe.

>>46701747
>> Ask him what his Heart's Desire is

>>46701747
>Are you sure you wouldn't rather see the Caretaker? I'm not exactly a Master, and I can put in a good word for you.
>As well as the aid of someone more divine, after you explain what your Heart's Desire is.

>>46701808
That embarrassing moment when I post just a few seconds late.

>>46701747
> Ask him what his Heart's Desire is
thanking him implies it was not a fair deal for him and bringing up the Lady just makes it look like we are bragging as well as it being unnecessary.

>>46701894
>>46701920
...Accidental double post?

>>46701747
> Ask him what his Heart's Desire is

Thread archived, incidentally.

>>46701747
> Ask him what his Heart's Desire is
Thanking him might be seen as rude or not, but i'd rather be rude for not thanking him than be seen as devaluing his mercenary work.

>>46701920
I can agree with this line of thought

> Ask him what his Heart's Desire is

>>46701747
> Ask him what his Heart's Desire is

Called, writing shortly. Final update of the night.

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>>46701747
Hatchet sits in an odd style, which you've seen only in books; he sits on his heels, with his legs beneath him and his hands resting on his knees. The effect is subtly different from the callous killer you met in the Perch; he seems more formal, both more distant and, somehow, more human.

His gaze is expectant, in a mild way. Like a cat waiting to be pet.

"I hadn't taken you for a religious man," you say at last. You lean forward where you sit, resting on your cane.

"Wisdom has served me more than skill," Hatchet answers calmly. "And vigilance more than either. I pay my debts."

You take a deep breath and nod. You badly want a cigarette, but you suspect that right now, before you've had the chance to try and sleep off your healing, you'll only make yourself more miserable.

"I promised we'd discuss your payment, but...what /is/ your Heart's Desire, Hatchet?"

"I do not know," the man murmurs. He looks away, down at your feet, in deep thought.

His eyes are a deep green, like summer grass, and they look so lost.

"You have one," he murmurs. "I see it in your eyes, your movements, hear it in your voice. There is something you want, more than you've ever wanted anything else. Perhaps you don't think you know what it is, but you know it. You yearn for it. Your soul shines with the need of it, necromancer. Your Heart's Desire. But I want nothing."

He folds his hands, almost compulsively. His right squeezes the left.

"I feel the lack of it," he murmurs. That indifferent voice has a note of sorrow to it, of mourning. "But I do not know what it is, or how to say what I feel. I live as a ghost in my own life. I feel needs, certainly. I eat, I drink, and I derive some small animal pleasure from it. I kill because I am skilled at it and I appreciate it as the sculptor appreciates art, but I feel no need to kill, no need to fight. I have no lord, no cause, no creed."

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>>46703854
"I want nothing," he whispers. "But I am not satisfied. I am not free from bondage as old men in dusty books ignorantly claim. Detachment from the world has only given me envy for those with fire in their souls. I would do anything for an ember of that flame, Brianna la Croix. I would ravage the world to bask in its glow. And now men and beasts come and claim the Dungeon as their conquest, a deed once thought impossible - and they fear /you/. Of all things coughed forth by the gods, they fear /you/."

You meet his solemn gaze, unsure of what to say.

> How do you respond?

AND

> You are Catherine, Chosen of Red Troth
> You are Lark

>>46703854
I know too many people just like the Hatchet man.
Lord that is spooky.

>>46703939
I'm going to take that as a compliment. I think. I do try to make characters seem like...well, people.

As mentioned earlier, that's the last update for tonight. I'll resume tomorrow morning but I've got Gainful Employment from 4 PM EST to midnight EST tomorrow so, y'know, anticipate that. Votes remain open.

Questions, comments, discussion, feedback, and critique remain welcome and appreciated.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46703907
>Yeah, they fear me not for raw power. They tangle with divine powers and godslayers, and you alone are more than enough to beat me.
>They fear because I /care/, that I desire to stop what they are doing, when many others turn a blind eye in favor of their own troubles and benefits. Some rightfully so, some not.

>I see these people, I see Death disrespected and Life thrown away not even for coin, and I say it is Wrong. And I can't NOT act to make it Right.


> You are Catherine, Chosen of Red Troth
I don't necessarily want her in the party, but Lark's kinda....eh.

>>46703907
I don't have anything to say really for the write in.

>> You are Catherine, Chosen of Red Troth

>>46703907
>"So you're looking for a purpose in life. Given that becoming exceptionally good at killing things hasn't given you that, have you tried... doing something else?"

Not worded like that, necessarily, but what I'm seeing there is a typical sociopath save that he gives a shit that he's not 'normal'; he probably doesn't even realize that 'feeling good from doing good' is something that can happen. He's interested in us because we have an inner fire, but he clearly doesn't get why that fire exists. It might not ever have occurred to him that he might find meaning or fulfillment through less violent means, through trying to help people rather than simply existing or throwing himself into danger.

>Catherine

>>46703907
>Catherine

and

>>46704022
seconding this for write in

>>46703907
>"I do not care for power or wealth, I have seen what it can drive a person to and that is not for me. What I want is to set right what these invaders have wronged in the Dungeon, what I want is to help the person who dragged me into this, the person who I have come to regard as a friend."
>"I cannot promise that we will find what it is you are looking for but I will promise you that I will do my best to help you look for it."
Should probably shake on it too.

>You are Catherine, Chosen of Red Troth
Because Lark is MAN enough to court River on his own.

>>46703907
>You are Lark

TIME TO RUB THOSE EARS SENSUOUSLY

>>46703907
>> You are Lark

>>46703907
>> You are Lark
River romance a go!

>>46703907
> You are Catherine, Chosen of Red Troth

Urgh I can't decide. I'm curious about Catherine, but cute romance would be nice after all this.

>>46703907
huh... i find it odd that this is the character i can identify most with in the quest...

>>46704019
>Questions, comments, discussion, feedback, and critique remain welcome and appreciated.

Hmmmm. Alright Vox. Imma be honest witcha. This side level sorta sucked in a lot of ways.

First of all, I think you dropped the ball hard with Talon. You set up this giant plot line, what, thirty threads ago. I liked how you didn't do a cop out with the super dramatic engagement by making it an arranged marriage. It was a legitimate left at the altar type situation that caused internal romantic strife for the party and was this big looming issue.

Then you seemed to make good on that a bit with the reluctance to meet Talon and then the awkward meeting and the unfortunate reveal and Amy feeling bad for her past mistakes and there was a lot of built tension and this burgeoning awkward business relationship I thought was about to unfold.

And you sorta just threw it out the window there at the end with the betrayal. It honestly felt like you were just trying to speed through this part by having that happening and, granted, this is supposed to be a mini-arc so maybe that was your impetus.

But the end result is all that built up everything with Talon becomes sort of meaningless. Maybe it's my own morality talking here, but him going full waerloch on us throws out the good, gooey, greyish area of the tension because who really gives a shit if he's Amy's ex-boyfriend if he's full-on backstabbing us? It spirals a potentially three dimensional character into an easily pigeon-holed "bad guy of the week". Which is weird since you've set up the more grey nature of the situation multiple times.

Honestly, my expectations for this sub-level was that we were going to be begrudgingly working side by side with Talon to put him at the top of the Roost because he was the non-Chainholder allied side and there was actually going to be some sort of awkward relationship with one of the people we left in charge as we go down rather than the standard "friendly ally" character we generally leave behind. (Slaughter, Borsh and Lista, Caretaker, Silence, River to some extent).

Instead we're leaving behind Razor Feathers who . . . is . . . some fucking person? Really, it just feels much shallower, despite the fact this character has tried to kill us because despite the fact that we never got to meet Talon much, oh boy did he have some sort of resonance via reputation and word of mouth which fell flat when we met the genuine article. Maybe this was your intention but its quite unclear if so.
And I feel like what you fucked up doing with Talon you're trying your damnedest to do with Hatchet Man, which, I don't know. On the one hand, I geddit. But I felt like Hatchet Man should have retained his status as "bad guy of the level". You also tried to flesh out Razor Feathers a bit there but again I really think it's a bit lackluster and rushed. It's ok to have some very 1-dimensional "this is just a bad person who is an obstacle in your way", much like the Vintner or the Moneychanger. I feel like The Hatchet Man and Razor Feathers should have been that because your attempts to make them something more feel sub-par and partially rushed.

Maybe the Hatchet Man will change my mind in the coming posts, but I doubt it. You had a character, Talon, that you yourself spent a long time in-thread and in real time making feel like a fleshed out "allyish" character that you squandered and you're giving us these 'literally who?'s as a poor substitute.

>>46704876
>>46704885
Very well said indeed, this arc suffered from a lot of, "Oh shit I have to hurry this up!" Which mad it suffer.

The Talon thing is spot on, as soon as he said he was taking us to a peace talk, I knew he was going to betray us.

Also the shit with the draugs, the vampires, the giant spider, the dwarves, other murders in the Roost -- there is so much potential to have more shit happen on this level that we sort of skipped over or if we do handle it later, will seems like an afterthought rather than a trial we must overcome to accomplish our goals of righting the Roost.

And the one potentially cool thing we got to do, fighting the giant Praying Mantis, felt lame. I don't know, I guess it was the reason for it, that we were sort of just killing shit because emotions and feelings, but it lacked some oomph. We sort of found this giant monster that had been unkillable for centuries and killed it in two to four posts with no set up. Why didn't we fight vampires? Why didn't we fight dwarves working for the chainholders? Why didn't we fight one of Talon's rival roosts? Why didn't we fight the giant spider? Why didn't we kill off the last of the draugs?

Instead we got to do shrine shenanigans and talks with god for a majority of this story. Both mortal characters attached to it felt pretty weak and generic compared to some of your other characters and I think the straight up conversations with God come off too affirming for certain elements of this quest. Like, when one of your five creator gods is acting as your hype man, it really removes a lot of the subtlety and uncertainty that was present or questionable before. Like, how can Bri really keep up any elements of self-deprecation in any serious form when God is telling her to go get em tiger. It would and should change major aspects of the character that is Bri that just doesn't come across to me.

Maybe the events of this level is just the way things turned out because of the choices we made, and for all I know we could have been placing a recently sired Vampire Talon on a throne of dwarf bones and spider silk if we had made a couple different decisions in key places, but as it turned out, if this was your narrative intention, I think this was a stinker.

Now, I will say, the Jewel/Cherry interlude during this was fucking fantastic writing and was a great fucking moment of combat and cool shit happening and it's getting me hype as fuck for The Daughter even if we do end up fighting a blinded, nerfed version of her.

Also, John's got mad bantz.

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Guess who's awake for no good reason and decided to post before crawling back into bed?

>>46704876
>>46704885
I appreciate the feedback. I...wasn't confident with this plot arc either. And I've clearly failed to sell something I was trying to get across with Talon, but I might be able to pick that fumble up still. We'll see how it goes, since we're still not in Interlude Time and the door out ain't open quite yet.

I will say that Talon was likely never gonna be friends. He...is very much a product of his home, in a way even Feathers isn't. Most harpies live in the Roost. Talon /believes/ in it. Only the bit where he got beat has him cooperating, because that's what you do - you submit to the strong. In a lot of ways he's finding himself in a place where his belief system is encouraging him to do something that feels...incorrect? Or at least counter-intuitive, like winding up honor-bound to lie.

Razor Feathers you'll get more time with at least. As your contact point in the Roost - and the one hosting the upcoming negotiation - she'll have to show more of herself, pending things like its relevance and, of course, your interest.

Again, thank you for the feedback, and none of the above is meant as an objection to it; frankly I felt I missed the mark a few places here too.

Now I'ma pass the fuck back out.

>>46705059
See I can't actually complain about what Talon did as an "OOC" thing because obviously you know more about your NPCs character than I do.

But I will say that standard, cliche betrayal makes a much lamer version of Talon in terms of how he operates as a foil in the story to our party as opposed to "begrudgingly allied because he needs our help to take control, but kinda hates us for fucking his girl" Talon.

First version of talon is standard fantasy trope blegh.

Second is what, to me, reflects real life in the way that you're not always going to find out the people who fucking hate your guts are your sworn enemies out to do evil bad shit and kill you. It also makes for many situations for bantz to occur.

Of course I'm inherently setting up a false dichotomy. We could have found Talon already dead, already working with the Chainholders, found another harpy much nicer than Talon and help them instead, or actually talk with Razor Feathers and get her support for putting down the rebellious Talon to solidify her rule.

But instead we tried to ally with Talon and then he went MUAHAHA, Imma have you all killed then keep Amy as a sex slave (?).

>>46704019
I think the thing with Talon was handled quite well. We deliberately avoided him which was the wrong choice in this situation. And rather than get more involved with Harpy culture, we messed around with dwarves and druag and monster hunting.

Then, while I was asleep people voted to go to the meeting without consulting anyone. We had a bad case of PC syndrome where we didn't seek out advice or context from people and just took what was presented to us.

Like I said, it comes down to narrative quests being a different beast on /tg/ because of the Chan format. People are used to voting for risky/joke plans and hoping for a dice roll to carry them here.

So you have to assume we're all retards that can't pick up any context that isn't in the current thread, but refrain from pointing out choices as good or bad, just riskier or safer.

I mean, we could have negotiated back-up or gotten the opinion of Diving Shadow or negotiated a different place, but the PLAYERS rushed through it because they're unable to think ahead.

Foe a murder bird in the Roost, killing us and then presenting Amy with a fait accompli seems like a practical thing to do.

But a lot of Anons also have difficulty comprehending that Harpies might have different values than us that makes things we think dumb or insane to be logical, and that before Amy left she was a pretty stereotypical harpy - hell that was why she left.

>>46705100
See, that's another element I'm neglecting. I'm acting like this was the way the story was meant to go, but for all I know we all just fucked up horribly and missed the "befriend Talon" flags and acted like giant assholes. But honestly, shit, I don't know.

>>46703907
> A hearts desire isn't something you find and keep on a mantle. It'snot a great deed that's done. For me, it's a basic expression of myself that dictates what I do when it comes time to make a decision.

> It's finding out how to live in a way so that I cone love myself. For me, that happens as a reflection of how I treat others, of the codes I hold myself to and feeling satisfied with the choices I've made and accepting the mistakes along with the successes.

> And I don't know if there have been more of either, but I know that tomorrow I'll do better.

> Hell, a couple months ago I was planning for my death, but now somehow thanks to the people I've met I find I'm actually afraid to die, instead of live, for again in a long time.

> Some say that Hell is other people. Once i would have agreed. Well, being all by yourself is a much worse hell it seems to me now and the person I was, was unable to even think of it that way much less feel it.

>>46705059
I feel that Princess was too much of a one-off, but I already elaborated on that last thread.

Talon was definitely lacking. I'm actually alright with the betrayal from his point of view, but it felt more like he was a lackey following orders rather than taking back "ownership" of Amy.

That he was beaten to basically a draw against Bri wielding a knife, not even her canesword which would be her ideal melee range, felt like his strength was downplayed. And he didn't even TRY to prove his "strength" to Amy. If there was a time to switch POVs to the villain and go on about how nobody wins in a knife fight and that Talon can't understand why Bri hasn't backed down yet, that was it.

Razor Feather? It's like Talon got all the buildup for one person, while Feather got all the interaction for one person. With all the stuff that happened, they were better off as a single character.

>>46705194
>it felt more like he was a lackey following orders rather than taking back "ownership" of Amy.

This is another problem I have.

Talon is set up like this AMBITIOUS bird who wants to take control of the Roost. He will defend his murder loyally and wants to rise to the top.

What the fuck was the deal he made with Razor Feathers? Would he be granted status? Would he betray her later after the ambush worked? What was the plan here.

I understand if he's a hothead so he makes bad decisions and that was one of them, but from an "I want power" perspective, siding with Team Bri was in his best interests. Instead he fucked it all up and lost everything to Razor Feathers over pussy he hadn't personally partaken in in two fucking years.

And like, it's not that that isn't an implausible series of events.

It's that it feels lamer and like he's just angry and stupid, which, granted, maybe he was meant to be.

>>46705194
>Princess
Priestess

>>46705316
the mantis thing? whatever

>>46705316
Potato, potato. Tomato, chair.

>>46703907
>You are Lark.

As interested as I am in getting some godly invoices from Red Troth, the chance to witness a possible blossoming relationship between Smoker Bro and Favorite Sister is impossible to resist.

>>46704211
Please anon, restrain yourself. Lark has to actually /succeed/ at the wooing of said lovely apprentice before sweet lobe caresses can occur. Also, every elf carries a jar of lotion or a silken handkerchief for the express purposes of rubbing ears.

> You are Catherine, Chosen of Red Troth

Godly invoices from Red Troth sounds like it's gonna be... quite a thing for her.

*ding* "Yo, Cat, haven't heard from you in a while. How r u doin?"

*ding* "Hey, RT here. Says that you haven't answered your mental phone in 4 years now. Where in the hells are you?"

*ding* "RT again. Where ever you are right now, can you see if there's any purple mushrooms nearby, k? I need some for a dinner party."

*ding* "Hey, Cat, check this out when you're back!" *a mental recording of a cat with a funny hat was attached*


As for Bri's response... man. I got nuthin'. Or rather, I cannot articulate it. The man desires purpose. The best we can probably offer him is to join our cause and see if anything rubs off on him. An ember of our flame. It's probably hard to find your non-murder Hearts Desire in a place like the Roost. A change of scenery seems sensible.

>>46703907
This is going to be a long conversation. In order to understand Brianna, you have to understand the La Croix, and that our poor reluctant Heroine has always put other before herself.

Also, I cannot even begin to imagine what Sir Fetch must be thinking right now, and how hard he'll want to go at Razor and Talon. Hell, he might even give Amy a proper dressing down (not that the one she received from her mother wasn't good).

>>46705143
>Seconding

On the general discussion of this arc, I do want to say Talon's actions make sense to me, as the actions of someone who just lost the love of his life and has no problem currying favor if he thinks the person's whose favor he's currying is most likely to win. But I agree the thing with the Priestess felt weirdly one-off. Like, Vox mentioned the Hatchet Man has gotten to grow old in a very dangerous place and profession, and that says a lot about him, and it feels like the same logic should've held for the Priestess. I'm not saying we should've lost that fight or something, but it feels like it could've been more than it was.

>>46707420
Everyone that have gone to challenge The Priestess most likely did it out of bravado or to test their skill. Bri has stated right after downing The Priestess that if the whole Roost threw everyone, harpy dwarfs and all, they could have done the same with some casualties or a lot of casualties.

But no one cared enough to propose hunting the mega predator that is terrorising the Roost for a 150 years, in which 10 years is enough to gather enough men and weapons to get the job done.

No one cared.

>>46707547
I wouldn't say it was terrorizing anyone, most of its prey seemed to go to her instead of the other way around.

I'm up. Calling soon.

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>>46708247

Called, tallying, writing.

Again, my thanks for the feedback on the arc. /Some/, but not all, of the feeling of shortness & rushed work was because of the choices you made in how to handle things. The rest was my ball to drop and I'll have to see if I can't pick it back up on the bounce.

I think I'm letting the length of Part 4 get to my head. I need to relax and just let shit happen as it's gonna happen without living in fear of another 20+ thread section. I mean, fuck, if you stick around a level that long it's clearly because something in there has your interest. Right?

I hope?

Anyway. Tallying, writing.

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>>46703907
You finally sigh. "This is going to be a long, many-part talk. Might as well start now."

"I am listening," Hatchet says mildly.

You spare a look for Nate and Amy; the Hero is letting her fuss over him, with a bemused expression on his face while she runs a comb through his hair and tries (badly) not to disturb your conversation with her relieved babbling. He must've told her how his fight went.

"One's Heart's Desire is not a treasure that goes up on one's mantle, to be polished and regarded fondly," you say at last. "I live mine every day. There's a person in my head that I try to be, and I kinda like that person. Sometimes I fuck it up, but that's a chance to learn to do it better."

You sigh. "I'm not making much sense, am I?"

"I can be patient," Hatchet answers, without the faintest trace of irritation.

"It wasn't all that long ago that I was planning for my death the way you'd plan for a birthday party or an expected guess," you murmur. "It wasn't all that long ago that the idea of dying didn't bother me. A lot of people I love crossed the Veil, and if I could follow them doing my duty...well, that would have been fine by me. Not so much any more. These people that fear me? They fear me because their power is in preying on people's fear, and on their willingness to /not care/. But I care, and I'm not afraid of them."

"Murdering four of them may have something to do with it as well," Hatchet points out, cynically.

"That helps, yes," you agree with a wry smile. "...What is it you want this flame /for/, Hatchet?"

The man shrugs, looking back down at his knees. "I do not know. I suppose after a lifetime of darkness it is only natural to reach for the light."

"My word is good, Hatchet. And I already have an idea of who to ask for help."

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>>46709245
You are Catherine, Chosen of Red Troth, and you were expecting His booming voice to assail you the moment you entered Glen. It didn't, but you know He is paying attention to you; you can feel His presence, His gaze, the way you can feel an ambush creeping up on you or a predator stalking you through the halls.

You can also feel a shrine to Him, close by; it pulses with a welcoming song, as all of His sacred places do. It's small, but well-kept, possibly just part of a larger building. You wander towards it, heart in your throat.

That gaze does not feel friendly.

The feeling you follow takes you through Glen's streets and towards the militia's armory. The quartermaster therein sees your cloak and clasp and welcomes you.

"Altar's in the storage room," he says with polite gruffness. "Make yourself at home, Chosen."

"Thank you," you murmur distantly.

It's a small thing, this shrine. Little more than a flat stone table with an axe and hammer laid across it. Tradition demands that each weapon have a story, and you should ask about them later. They're always good to know.

You remove your cloak and lay it across the altar before kneeling to pray. You feel so much lighter without it, like you've shed a skin. Absent the cloak, you can just be Catherine. With it, you are the Chosen of War.

> Master, I need your guidance
> I have failed you
> Say nothing
> Write-in?

>>46709245
>murdering four

>Vintner
>Moneychanger
>Baron
>?

Is 'common knowledge' that the Traitor's dead?

>>46709354
She was ushered from New Hell rather swiftly, and unless you'd like to correct the idea that she's dead, people sort of assumed that any conflict with her ended in her savage and justified death. Nathan's not gone out of his way to say that the Traitor lives because he has the not-unreasonable worry that the denizens of New Hell would seek revenge.

>>46709382
Ah, that's sensible.

>>46709353
> Master, I need your guidance
On how to have a better head on my shoulders, but seriously for a Chosen of Red Troth she is pretty gullible.

>>46709353
>> I have failed you

Be forthright. Do not shrink from the knowledge of what we have done.

>>46709353
>Master, I feel as though I have made a long, LONG stream of inadvisable actions.

>>46709427
>>46709353
This

>>46709353
>I have failed you
>Will also support: >>46709427 additionally.

>>46709427
>>46709353
this

>>46709427
>>Master, I feel as though I have made a long, LONG stream of inadvisable actions.

Called, writing.

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>>46709353
Girl has done some really goff decisions.

> Write-in?
Master, i think the chain of events, didn't went the way i presumed they would go.

>>46710003
you're overstating it a bit, the only goff she made was not knowing that her god would not be willing to contact her in the dungeon when it is literally the only place on the fucking planet that he would not choose to contact her.

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>>46709353
Some people prefer to pray silently. By custom and habit, you've always prayed out loud.

Ever since that first day, when He stretched his hand forth to save you.

"Master," you begin, head bowed, eyes closed. "I...I feel as though I have become lost. That I have made mistake upon mistake that has lead me from the path of Your will."

<You would not be the first of my Chosen to emerge from the Dungeon with doubts> Red Troth answers in your mind; His voice is crisp, clear, the voice of an officer delivering orders. <Tell me of what transpired.>

"I...I came to the Dungeon seeking glory in battle," you tell him, working your way through it. "I had heard tales of mighty foes and monsters that prey upon the innocent and descended to make war upon them. I smote the ruin of man and beast across the stone halls in Your name and, in time, came to know of a war brewing in the depths. A battle between the residents and those who would rule the Dungeon."

The silence is expectant. You swallow and clench your hands, trying not to shake in fear and shame.

"I was...approached. By a woman called the Traitor, who invented a new kind of war. For my aid, she promised that she would create battle like none had ever seen, to crown Your glory. I. I was defeated, by a young warrior and a half-harpy with wings of wraithsteel, and they told me that the gods do not see into the Dungeon."

<They told you truthfully, Catherine> Red Troth answers, confirming your fears. <What is it you sought to make war /for/, Catherine.>

"For..." you falter. "Didn't I just say? For...for You. For Your glory. You are the God of Strife..."

<You forget your history, girl> your god snaps, making you flinch. <Do you recall the Never War? Tell me you have remembered this, at least.>

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>>46710239
"Yes, Master," you answer obediently. "Two of Your cults, formed in neighboring nations, gathered armies to do battle upon one another. Each accused the other of heresy and was determined to slaughter the other in the name of purifying Your faith. But as the battle-lines were drawn and the armies prepared to engage, Your voice boomed over the field, and they quit their war and went home. No man has ever recorded what You said to them."

<What I said was, "Don't pin this on me, you little shits. Find a real reason to go to war.">

You sputter in shock. "But - You are -"

<If all I cared for was blood> Red Troth murmurs, <would I have made you my Chosen?>

You frown, uncomfortably, and finally shake your head.

<Do you intend to descend into the Dungeon once more?>

> Yes; I owe a debt to the one who defeated me
> No; I need Your guidance to be trusted
> Why do You ask?
> Write-in?

>>46710317
>"Don't pin this on me, you little shits. Find a real reason to go to war."

HAHAHAHAHAHA i love this guy.

>>46710317
>Yes; I owe a debt to the one who defeated me.

>>46710317
>Yes; I owe a debt to the one who defeated me

>>46710317
> Yes; I owe a debt to the one who defeated me
Let's go help the Dungeon, properly this time.

Cath will be our fourth party member? I kinda like the Hatchet man more.

>>46710317
> "I don't know. That is why I ask for your guidance."

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>>46710317
><What I said was, "Don't pin this on me, you little shits. Find a real reason to go to war.">
Rekt harder than Sodom, goddamn.

>>46710503
Neither has to be your fourth. You don't even /have/ to have a fourth. The Hatchet Man is a grown-ass mercenary and can take care of himself, though he may, admittedly, be checking in with you a lot more often than your other allies (and/or entering floors with you and splitting off to do his own thing, if he suspects it'll help him get what he wants).

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>>46710563
>inb4 Cath and Hatch start to have a romance.

I can kinda see this happening.

>>46710616
Dear God.
Their children would destroy the earth.

>>46710317
>> Yes; I owe a debt to the one who defeated me
> And I need to fight for something that *is* real.

>>46710353
The gods in this setting have been pretty great so far.

Called, writing.

Then vote will be extended for Starcraft. I regret nothing.

>>46708682
>/Some/, but not all, of the feeling of shortness & rushed work was because of the choices you made in how to handle things.

In your own words, could you please expand?

Like I'm actually curious how much of this we caused and how much we could have changed things.

>>46710927
Zerg, Protoss or Terran?

>>46710683

Imagine the sex... and the fights.

>discussing were to go
>they start breaking the house brawling like maniacs

>>46711107
Remember when he took the vote for going to meet Razor Feathers, and the anons that were here just /went/ with it? That's the one that stands out to me.

The Priestess fight was short, but then, we ARE heroes. If we weren't capable of slaying awesome monsters and saving the day, we wouldn't be worthy of the title.

>>46711111
both?

>>46711111
Oh wow, quints. Nice.

Guess /I/ need to go play Starcraft now.

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>>46710317
You nod. "Yes, Master. I...I owe a debt to the ones who turned me from my path."

<Good. Such debts should be repaid. I think it is time I reminded you of something, Catherine. Raise your eyes to the altar.>

You open your eyes and raise your head - and your breath catches in your throat.

There, displayed all in shimmering light, is your old home - a cottage in the woods you shared with your parents and younger brother. Dad was a trapper, Mom a healer who served the villages at either end of the forest.

You know what you're witnessing even before you see it.The memory is too vivid. You cannot see him from the outside view, but you know that your father is laid up in bed with a mending ankle; he'd broken it hauling your brother out of the river. You're outside, barely an adolescent, chopping firewood.

The men that come pouring out of the woods aren't bandits. They're deserters, stolen uniforms torn to remove the heraldry, armor dirty and grimy.

Weapons nicked and at the ready. Eyes wild with starvation and rage.

You see yourself, without a second thought, dash to the front door and ready your axe. The first man that charges isn't expecting you to find your courage and is repaid with a blade buried in the front of his skull.

The axe sticks, though. You're stabbed just beneath the rib, and they kick the door open as you fall to your knees.

"Save them," you croak to the sky, because your mother raised you a godly girl and you believe in Their mercy. "I'll offer anything. Take it all, just save them!"

And the voice of the God of Strife had boomed, <Done>.

The red cloak fit as though you were born to wear it. You threw one deserter out of the papered window like he was made of straw. The second turned from your brother to face you, just in time to be run through with a spear produced from the depths of the cloak.

You threw his corpse from your house with the first words you would speak as a sacred servant of War: "THIS IS MY PLACE!"

>>46711146
But at that point Talon was already preparing to bushwack us. I really doubt saying no to that meeting wouldn't have led to some other ambush happening a few moments later.

>>46711129
>Imagine the sex... and the fights.

>implying one'd notice a difference

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>>46711229
The scene fades, though the memory doesn't. You'd spent the next week combing the woods for every bandit and deserter you could find and driving them from your home with fire and steel. Even then, untried and untested, your god had been with you.

<Do you regret it?> your Master asks, in the here and now.

"No," you tell him, shaking your head. "I regret that this debt will keep me from visiting them after these years of absence, but..."

<I will send them your regards, Catherine. You are a good servant, for all that you have lost your way. Attend to Glen; the militia here honors me, and will have want of your counsel.>

"Meaning your counsel," you point out.

<Ever has it been thus, with the Chosen. When you have done your duty, descend into the Dungeon and do not emerge until you can tell me what it is you wage war for.>

"Yes, Master," you murmur, relief in your heart. "I will not fail you again."

<Don't make promises you cannot keep> Red Troth says wryly. <Though the sentiment is appreciated. Walk proudly, my Chosen.>

* * * *

You are Brianna la Croix, necromancer, and for once you're not feeling perfectly fine in Lora's waiting room. Your wounds twinge, though it's not the angry ache they are in the waking world.

Lora looks concerned, but she waits, respectfully, for you to say something.

> What do you say/ask?

>>46711345
>> What do you say/ask?

Alright, I really want to get this cleared up.

You versus the Hatchet Man in one on one combat.

We'll sell tickets.

>>46711107
Pursuing more in-depth diplomacy with the dwarves would have potentially lead to negotiations and explorations of other Murders and the minority human population. The spider hunt and vampires could have been attended to before the ambush as well; Hunting Talon and Razor Feathers could be persuaded to wait, mostly because surprise was to be their chief weapon.

Talon himself might have been more amicable if you'd approached him before rescuing the dwarves. Still would've been an uphill battle to get him to not try to murder you, but by - in his mind - siding with him in his conflict he owes you a debt that he'd need to discharge before any vengeance could take place.

>>46711111
Legacy of the Void's campaign.

>>46711345
>"So I may have found someone who can train Nate, I just need to see if he'd be willing, Amy is the best bird, and the Roost might be on the path to become a place with less senseless killing."
Ignore the wounds!

>>46711405
> mostly because surprise was to be their chief weapon.
Surprise and fear?

Also, my apologies to the Lady of Ravens, but Red Troth is best god.

>>46711405
I wanted to go this route, but wasn't able to participate in the vote due to work.

>>46711681
I can't wait for Nate to hear from the Lady or General Awesome.

>>46711345
> The Hatchet Man said that he wants to find his Heart's Desire, that he can see mine with every action I take. How can I best guide him ? I think I know what my Heart's Desire is but what does it mean to you ?

>>46711345
>>46711381
Seconding this

I may have to leave this until I get home from work. I'll be back to let you know what's going down.

>>46711345
> So...how do I go about finding out what someone's heart's desire is when they don't know it themselves?

Called, writing, final pre-work update.

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>>46711345
"You doing okay?" you ask, at last.

"The Daughter came to me in a rage," Lora admits. "I have...been better. Someone gouged her eyes out and she's having a great deal of trouble healing them."

You whistle low. "Who?"

"She seems to think Jewel did it."

You pause and file that away for later; Lora's distant tone suggests that maybe she doesn't want to be pressed about this. "The, um. Your. Fuck. Do I refer to the gods as your parents or your creators?"

"They do have names," Lora suggests.

"Okay. The Lady of Ravens said you might be able to help me with a deal I made," you tell her. "And for once it's probably not anything horrifying."

"Bestill my beating heart," Lora drawls, but there's a curiousity in her eyes.

"How do I help someone find their Heart's Desire when even they don't know what it is?" you ask.

Lora leans in, interested. "...Angelbone would work, but I doubt you have an angelic corpse on hand. Maybe the Daughter's, since she's a half-blood. Or..." she brightens. "If you can bring me some of the Diviner's bones I ought to be able to make a compass to help point the way."

"Why the Diviner?" you ask dubiously.

"She's the closest person or thing on hand with powerful clairvoyant magic," Lora explains with a shrug. "I can use that, if it's frozen by death. I'm not saying it'll be perfect or easy, but it'll be better than the tool you don't have."

You nod. "Alright, I'll do what I can."

> Ask about the Broken Jaw
> Ask about the Warehouse
> Ask about the Cornucopia

AND

> Ask Lora's advice on what to hit first
> Keep your own counsel

And now I must run as swiftly as possible to work. Votes remain open.

Questions, comments, discussion, and criticisms remain welcome and appreciated. Sorta curious as to anon's thoughts on Catherine, as the first Chosen you've had the chance to meet.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46712995
Our pleasure. Well... My pleasure at least

>>46712995
Honestly, if she wasn't the fifty millionth bajillionzth character in this quest, I'd say she was alright. Kinda bland at the moment but I thought she was a total retard when we were fighting her and now she seems like a regular person?

>>46712995
She's cool, but she still deserves teasing. I'd like to see her and the Hatchet Man in action together. I'm not shipping them, at least not /yet/, just too skilled warriors either fighting together or sparring to test each others skills.

>>46713216
She hasn't had any other screen time, aside from 'You done goofed'. Not a whole lot else going on there. She's definitely going to be a help lower in the Dungeon.

>>46713324
Are we bringing her?

Is she our next party member?

>>46712971
>Ask about the Broken Jaw
>Ask Lora's advice on what to hit first
>Ask Lora about the Death vacuums installed in the Roost.

>>46713554
What level was it that was going to be a horrific meat-grinder? The Redoubt?

That's where she'll come in handy. Also, we could ask her to train Nate alongside Hatchet. Probably have to choose between one of them.

>>46712971
> Ask about the Cornucopia
The big source of food seems like it'd be the most important floor to the most people.

> Ask Lora's advice on what to hit first

>>46712971

> Ask about the Broken Jaw

The Diviner is there isn't? We can use her.
> Ask Lora's advice on what to hit first

>>46698952
> "Friendship is magic."

>>46712971
>Ask about the Cornucopia.
>Ask Lora's advice on what to hit first.

>>46715110
>"and magic is heresy"

>>46712971
>Ask about the Cornucopia.
>Ask Lora's advice on what to hit first.

>>46712971
>Ask how she ressurects us/ how bad she thinks the consequences might be.

changing my vote from

>>46715517

to

>>46716401
>Ask how she resurrects us/ how bad she thinks the consequences might be.

we are LONG overdue for more conversation on this topic

Five hours and change to call. Discussion still welcome, of course.

>>46716401
>Ask how she ressurects us/ how bad she thinks the consequences might be.
Yeah, I'm gonna support this. We just had to weigh those consequences. We need as much information as we can get about what they are.

>>46712971
>Ask how she ressurects us/ how bad she thinks the consequences might be.

>>46711405
>The spider hunt and vampires
wouldn't that just tack on MORE one-off events instead of really building up for something to happen.?

The wraithsteel snake made sense because a lot of it happened offscreen, really. We as players were not so much participating as much as spectating, and yet here with the mantis it didn't feel like we had any better grasp of the situation even though we were supposed to make active decisions.

ALSO, I was giving you some time, but you should REALLY set up some char sheets. For all 3 characters. And the minions. Maybe even Lora and Bridge. And Natalia, if you want to make fun of functional cripples.

>>46718124
They don't have to be one offs. We could, you know, choose to go around invetigating shit and planning how to take on the spider instead of running in screaming blood and thunder. Some people might actually help us!

Same with the Vamps, although they tend to be intelligent and have servants and plots and shit although I dunno what they are like here.

Don't pin us rushing through this on Vox, he's pretty good - almost too good really - about letting us choose to do shit the stupid way.

I feel like we didn't die in the ambush because he felt bad for not realizing how terrible Anons are at risk assessment.

Three and a half hours and change to call.

>>46718124
I suppose I should ask what you'd want or need out of such sheets, keeping in mind that I'm shying away from hard numbers.

>>46719046
Bri
>Necromancy
>>bone shaping
>>minion creation/upgrading
>>Slaying spells - improvised/crude
>>deathstealth
>>deathsight
>>Ghostly Contract - La Croix ghosts
>Equipment
>>Enchanted canesword

etc, etc, and I KNOW I missed some things for Bri.

>>46719046
A general inventory of established skills, equipment, and abilities, with rough descriptions thereof, might well be helpful. It was easier early in the quest, when very little was established and we only had one or two characters to keep track of. It's getting a bit tricky now.

>>46719046
I suggest cribbing from Valen Quest I'm the archives

Bump for the lich.

>>46719695
I keep forgetting to remove my mocking namefag

>>46719695
I still need to check this quest out. Maybe over the weekend.

Two hours and change to call.

Thirty minutes and change. We also need to kill the thread tonight.

I'm gonna do the character sheets in their own doc. Aside from the main three and minions, who all do you want/need to see here? You're the ones working with, or playing as, these characters.

>>46721721
Basically, anyone who can be a POV character needs at least a brief thing there.

>>46721906
That's...quite a list. But a fair point.

>>46722053
Not him, but I agree at least in part. Big Three, Fetch (and the rest of the Undead Legion), Jewel/Cherry, River, and brief segments on Cath and Hatchet.

Home, called, writing. From what I can see, asking about rezzing has won, so I'ma go with that.

Let the ritual sacrifice of the thread commence.

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>>46712971
Lora lights one of her cigarettes, looks up at you, and gets a concerned expression. She stubs it right back out. "Brianna, are you alright?"

"Been better," you admit. "Haven't had a smoke in awhile. I'd like to ask you about how you bring me back from the dead."

Lora adjusts herself on her bench - you can see her wince - and gives you her full attention. "I will answer to the best of my ability."

"How is it you can bring me back from death? What are the consequences?"

Lora mulls her response over. "You'll recall that I can bring your soul here, to my room? The bond between us gives me certain privileges when it comes to the disposition of your soul, admittedly primarily because I am Death Choir. With it on hand, I'm able to...make arrangements."

"The Divine Tongue?" you hazard.

"In part," Lora agrees. "As Brigette is learning, you need to mean what you say. You need will, focus, intent, to shape and constrain the words you speak. Between my bond with you, my bond with the Dungeon, my mastery of the Tongue, and careful containment of the ripple effect, I am able to return you to the state you were in when I chose you."

You think. "...Glen. The night before I arrived, just as I was getting ready. Sentenced to exile."

"Yes," Lora agrees. "The Dungeon is warded from many of the ripple effects of the Tongue that might afflict it from without, but were you to die, you would find yourself once more 'neath the blade of the law, sentenced to die in exile down below. Changes made to the Dungeon would remain, as would its inhabitants' memories of you. Some events stretching forth from the Dungeon would also remain, anchored by the solid reality of what has happened. People who have left it would still have left it, objects removed from it would remain removed..."

You blink. "I was exiled until I found the crown jewels. I turned those in months ago."

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>>46723358
"They would likely demand another prize, completely unaware that it was you that returned the jewels," Lora says with a shrug. "Or perhaps the events you set into motion, rooted in my Dungeon, would be potent enough to leave behind hazy memories in those they've touched. I do not know."

"That's not comforting," you admit.

"It's the best I have," Lora says with a sigh.

> ...Why me?
> About Jewel...
> Ask about a level of the Dungeon (which?)
> Write-in?

>>46723384
>> About Jewel...

>>46723384
>> About Jewel...

Holy shit. That includes cherries father and the queen.

>>46723358
...I'm suddenly very glad I was outvoted on healing instead of death.

>>46711405
This may be petty, but damn has it bothered me for a while in this quest. Isn't the past tense (and past participle) of "to lead" "led?" Is it a whom sort of thing where it's no longer used, or what?

>>46723576
Same here, actually, I had a whole bunch of scenerios, that wasn't one of them.

>>46723384
> About Jewel...

>>46723577
I...honestly may just have been fucking this up, but I'll be damned if I look up the formal answer at 1 AM. Lemme get back to you on this one.

>>46723576
>>46723605
I wanna note, when I first conceived this revival system it was with the expectation that my players would be save scumming and acting reckless. The idea was that you'd invest your time in the Dungeon with relative neglect of the surface world once you realized the Dungeon remembered you but Glen didn't. And then not only did that not happen, you consistently chose to involve Glen in the Dungeon and vice-versa, taking actions whose consequences rippled across the surface, which has - as Lora's noting here - potentially affected/complicated your revival.

One of the many things I wasn't expecting from anon.

>>46723676
I'm not regretting a moment of it. It just kinda suddenly hit me how much of what we've done has been surface side.

>>46723384
>> About Jewel...

You were right, the hints were there.

How much did you laugh at us freaking out over people forgetting us if we died?

Also would Nate count as an above-ground person and thus reset? Or is he under the "changes stretching forth from the Dungeon" part?

>>46723931
Anyone currently in the Dungeon is fine, even if they're just in the Basement. Things get fuzzier if they're outside of its walls, though strong connections to you make it more and more likely that you are remembered by that person.

>>46722793
I would also like a paste in about how different kinds if magic work (That characters we PoV as would know).

Just so we know mechanically what we can and can't do with it. Like how necromancy hurts wraith steel. Just when it's forged, or after too?

>>46723931
Also, for the record: no laughing at all. I was worried that my hints had been too subtle but by then it was too late and I had to let the chips lay where they fell.

>>46724109
Above and beyond River's notes on the matter (link's in the characters & places doc)?

>>46723676
First of all, we are in thread 61. I am fairly sure we could have reasonably received this information by thread 20.

In terms of savescumming, I know I was the only person to talk about it, but I don't regret making concerted efforts to avoid ever dying. It had thematic significance to never treat your life as any less valuable just because you can come back.

....except that Bri pulled a knife fight, so that sorta threw things out of whack in terms of valuing your own life.

>>46724276
> Note to self: write on specific magical applications later.

Because if anything it makes Necromancy sound like ritual magic, not beams and rot balls being thrown around. Ritual magic is usually "do X to cause effect at Y" without affecting the intervening distance. Or touch range spells, or altering the nature of something.

>>46724349
Be fair; she didn't exactly challenge Talon to a knife-fight. She found herself in one, and it's a little hard to get out of one once you're in it unless everyone involved decides it's over. Or enough people die that the others can decide it's over.

>>46724396
more and more, I can see how Bri could have really benefited from training under Nathan.

>>46724394
Fair enough.

>>46724475
She's benefitted from her other training as well. Some of it is about to bear unexpected fruit...shortly.

Remember the choice scene you got in the croc fight? Gonna be sorta like that, but for a power upgrade.

Called, writing. The thread is almost slaiiiiiin!

>>46724647
what? which-

ooooooohh. hmmm.

>>46723676
in retrospect, it makes sense now why the duchess was so helpful and Bri's life was not shit from a narrative perspective.

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>>46723384
"Thanks for telling me," you say, meaning it. "It could, ah. Rather severely affect my tactical decisions."

Lora raises an eyebrow.

"...Look, I was considering dying earlier," you admit. "I didn't take the out, but now I get to live with giant fucking talon punctures healed with field potions." You continue as the angel winces sympathetically. "It's gonna be a bit of a bitch for awhile."

"I can imagine," Lora agrees.

"...Listen, I know it's probably a sore subject, but...what were you talking about earlier, with Jewel?"

"I do not know the whole story," Lora admits. "The Daughter was enraged beyond reason. She came to use me as a vent for her fury, though she didn't have the energy for much more than crass beatings. From what I gather, she came to draw Jewel back into the cult she maintains around herself, and when Jewel refused, the two did battle. Somehow, your friend came out the better for it."

"...Cult?" you ask, quietly.

"Oh yes," Lora murmurs. "Seraphina, Queen of Storms, styled herself a goddess once upon a time. Mighty were her temples, glorious her armies, unstoppable her word. She reigned in the north beneath a blizzard that never slept, and her altars were heaped with gold and blood. Then her father came to her court and demanded that she cease her behavior, accused her of being drunk on power and fattened on death."

"What happened?" you ask, leaning in with wide eyes.

Lora shrugs. "They did battle. The angel struck down her armies with rains of ice like knives. He scoured her temples with unrelenting wind, ravaged her storehouses and broke her sacred places, cast down her statues, drowned her scriptures in floods, and only when she beheld the ruin of all she had built did he finally banish her from the north and disown her for all she had done. You could say that she is still upset about this."

"Gods. /Damn/."

"Precisely. Enjoy your day, heritor."